Regulus knew he wasn't going to make it out of this cave alive.
He knew.
As he stumbles to the edge of the water to quench his intense thirst, the emerald potion seemingly sucking all of the water from him, a cold, boney hand grabs his arm.
Regulus, even in his weakened state, let out a panicked yelp as the hand clutches his skin, clawing into his pale flesh. All the colour drained from his already pale complexion as he felt the searing pain of chucks being dug out of him where he felt those boney fingers getting tighter and tighter.
He let out a pained and panicked cry as the cold, dead limbs dragged him into the dark waters, pulling him further and further down.
Regulus thrashed about against their hold, but it was no use.
'I'm going to die here' he thought to himself as his vision swam the lower they got in the seemingly bottomless lake.
~~~~~~~~~~
The old house elf could only watch as his dear master was pulled into the water by the nasty, evil creatures. No matter how much Kreacher wanted to save his master from his terrible fate, Kreacher could not disobey his doomed masters orders. to stay put. to not help. to destroy the locket.
Kreacher, for the very first time in decades, felt a single tear escapes his eyes as his beloved Master Regulus fades away into the darkness of the water below.
"Kreacher will destroy the horcrux, Master. Kreacher will do it." He said before sobbing so much his thin frame shook with the force of it.
Kreacher cried.
~~~~~~~~~~
Regulus could feel his lungs filling up with water, they burned like he was swallowing pure acid. His vision was blurring, black at the edges. He could see nothing but the bones of which were dragging his toward his fearful doom.
He thought. it was all he could do as he waited for death.
He thought about his friends. Dorcas, Pandora, Barty, Evan. His found family. He would miss them dearly. He remembered all the times they spent together, causing mischief and laughing together.
He thought about Remus, whom he never thought he would ever find a friend in. But he did. He would consider Remus to be one of his best friends. His confidant maybe. He cares about Remus a lot. He would miss him too.
He thought about James. His dear boyfriend. He thought about the times they laughed together. How many of Regulus's few laughs were spent with the Gryffindor boy he cherished so much. He loved James. He wished they'd for more time together.
He thought about his brother, Sirius. No matter how much he hated the boy sometimes, he was still his brother. and he'd always been there. Even when Regulus didn't want him to be. Sirius would be broke by this, Regulus knew it. He knew.
There was also other, darker, things to think about. How would his parents react? would they ever find out? He pictured their faces as they would get the message.
Their only 'daughter' drowned today.
He thought about what they might say.
*"Our 'daughter' R------? No, you must be mistaken. 'She'd' never betray the dark lord. 'She' would never!"*
The world seemed like it was closing in around him as he instinctively tried to stay alive. desperately almost.
"Sirius.." he muttered with the last piece of strength he had, hoping that by some miracle, his older brother would
be there to save him. like before.
But it was useless. The world faded and he felt himself slipping away...
Well *she*, R------, is dead. She has been for a long time.
But now he is too.