Velvet Bond

Christmas 1975

Regulus knew that this day would come.
He knew since the first time Sirius talked about James Potter, since his brother met for the first time kid of his age at school who were better and more childish, who wanted to do some pranks with him, who shared jokes, who were funny.
Regulus knew since he had been sorted into Slytherin and not in Gryffindor, since he saw the look in his brother eyes, so broken and betrayed, like he did choose his fucking sort, like he choose his fucking parents, like he wasn't a fucking child who was thrown in the world of the adults.
Regulus just knew.
But he had been very good at deluding himself that he was the dramatic one, that Sirius and he were okay and that soon they would be back at normal.

That soon Sirius would change his mind.

That soon Sirius would have returned to him.

That soon Sirius would have preferred him instead of Potter.

That soon Sirius would have seen his true value, the value of a Black.

But now he was fourteen and he knew better, after hearing his parents beat his brother to a pulp and after he saw his pensive gaze in those days he already knew that Sirius was ready to bolt away, to run and never return again, to go a turn page, no, not a page, a new fucking book.

Sirius had changed so much that Regulus almost didn't recognize his anymore, and he wasn't enough for him to make Sirius change his mind, few things could make Sirius change his mind, one he was one for them too. Now- now everything was different and he watched on the door his brother packing his things away, hurried and in pain and he understood that it was time to let him go.
Regulus was the person who was capable of understand him the most, so he could see when Sirius had to go. When his wings were about to be cut off.
And he could let them to do this to him.
To switch off his fire.
To placate his bravery.
He couldn't let them.
So now it was time to let him go and made him live freely his dream, have his good and happy family, his fantastic, lovable and amazing brother, his fucking fantastic bets friend.

Regulus felt the need to do at least that for him, for the brother he apparently failed, for the brother that Sirius had been, for all the time that he saved him from their parents' rage, for the time they spent together, for the love Sirius had given him since the first time his brother laid his eyes on Regulus.

At the end he had not been the reason Sirius would stay, he had not been up to that task, their bond had not been enough, and it was all his fault.
But he could one more thing for him.
The last thing but the most important.

He would let him go.

Because he knew that otherwise Sirius would have died for those ideals, because that life was holding him back, because he needed to rebel, to feel part of something.
And their family was not right, they didn't love them, not like the Potters.
Sirius used to tell him about their gifts, their party, their smile, the fact that James wasn't punished like they were, the fact that he could speak freely, he could make mistakes.

How one could make mistakes but not be punished for it?
Regulus still had to understand that, but Sirius never lied to him so person like that must exist and Sirius met them. Lucky him. He only hoped that it was real, that he was not letting him go to another house like their, that they would love him like Sirius deserved, like Sirius wanted. Sirius craved love and apparently the Potters could give that to him.

So Regulus finally entered his brother's room, his mind was racing and saying that leaving was the right thing for him but his heart was complaining, why should he do this alone? Why should he endure this without him? How? Sirius was his big bother he could not go on without him, he was his strength.

His heart was begging him to stay.

And maybe- maybe Sirius would have chosen him.
There was just the last tiny little bit of hope that- maybe- maybe Sirius wouldn't leave him here, alone, with them.

"Regulus-" Sirius blinked while ne noticed his presence, trying to hide the suitcase but Regulus scoffed. A purple bruise was forming around Sirius eye and his nose was bleeding and unnaturally posed, so they broken it a few hours ago and Sirius tried to readjust that.
He did not a very good job, but at healing they were not really good.

"Please brother," Regulus rolled his eyes "I'm not an idiot, let's cut these things okay?" He said but with a lump in his throat, he said that but his mind was hoping otherwise. Was hoping that he would be enough for his brother to remain here, to choose him and not James, to choose him and not his other family. Just because he was enough. Just because of that.

"Well," his brother laughed, but it was something horrible, something broken, something fake. His hairs were messy and his eyes were wild while purple bruises were forming under his chin, purple circled underneath his eyes.
He felt the need to protect him.
"You are making my job easier, than you for nothing." Sirius tried to sound bold but he winced in pain when he tried to move and he saw a pool of blood under his figure, where was he bleeding other that the broken nose and the cut on his face?
Regulus shrugged his eyebrows trying to understand that, to asses their damage on him and the he locked eyes with him, impassible, cold, calculating.
He was the best at that.
At not showing off the emotions he had inside.

"And I don't care about your fucking value, call me a blood traitor or whatever you like, I don't care anymore. I'm getting out of here. You stay and rot with them and their idealism," Sirius almost spit at him, his eyes still wild, almost scared, he wanted to get out of there as soon as possibile. But the poison in his words still cut deep into his heart, deeper than any wound that his parents inflicted them, he was mentally bleeding in front of his brother but Sirius didn't care, he didn't notice.

Not anymore.
They lost the privilege of being brothers time ago.

"Are you already feeling innocent blood on your hands?" Regulus winced at that and then he closed his hands into fists, Sirius didn't understand all that.
It was not like that.
There must be something else out there, but Sirius didn't understand.
Sirius didn't understand why The Dark Lord was doing this, that it was all just for their sake, for restore their privileges as more powerful.
Sirius didn't understand that.
Neither he for a matter of facts, but if his parents joined him he must be special.

Regulus quickly calmed down, they could not attract their attention.
Sirius still had to got away. Even though they didn't believe in the same things it didn't meant he had to suffer their parents' wrath.
It was his gift for him.
For once he would save his brother.

Sirius must go away first.

He would deal with them later.

"You are doing good, getting away" Regulus said, his words showed a confidence that he didn't have at that moment. He was dying inside, but Sirius could not know, well- maybe years ago his brother would have looked in to his eyes and would have saw that he was lying, that he wanted his brother more than everyone, that he was scared shitless, but right now he wasn't the brother that Sirius knew the most.
No- that was James fucking perfection Potter.

And as a matter of fact, Sirius didn't understand that he was doing this for him.

Sirius' eyes got big, probably he didn't expect that, probably he expected Regulus to cry and beg to remain, scream that he was destroying their name doing this, that he was his brother, not Potter, not Pettingrew, not Lupin so he should stay here and suffer with him, together, like always.

"Y-you-" Sirius began, their eyes were fighting trying to understand each other once again, trying to enter in their heads, trying to understand better what the other meant. But then Sirius' eyes darkened, a little laugh escaped from his lips.
Regulus wanted to know what was going on in his head but they had lost that capacity they had when they were little of reading each other's mind.
Sirius was unpredictable.
Sirius was a tidal wave, a storm.

Regulus was trying so hard to follow his thoughts but he couldn't find them.

"Oh- now I understand, dear brother" and Regulus froze at that, Sirius didn't call like that since the first time Regulus had started Hogwarts, but this time it was not in a caring way, Sirius was mocking him.
"You want to play the Little Lord alone. Without me in your way you'll be good, you'll be the only and legitimate heir, you'll have everything. Great game. And here I thought you were the nice one, the pure and innocent soul." Sirius laughed again, contempt in his voice while Regulus was falling and falling and falling down.
"What do you plan to do next? Sell your souls to Your Dark Lord? Fuck- I can't believe it, you're actually worse than them." Sirius scoffed but Regulus heart sank deep and deeper at every word that was going out from his brother mouth.

Little Lord; because he would never be good enough to replace him. He would never be great, he would never get wherever Sirius would have. He was only the fucking spare who didn't deserve anything.

Great game; like he was not trying to save him, like he was not trading his freedom for his brother's one, like he was not choosing him, making him live the life he had always asked, with his new brother, with his new family.

Worse than them; he almost trembled, his legs almost couldn't hold his weight up, this hurt more than a knives, this hurt more than his parent's punishments, this was worse than anything he ever heard. He was not- he could not- he didn't want to be another disappointment. Not to Sirius. Not to him.

And while Regulus had this mental panic about himself, about the person he was and about everything his brother had said, Sirius took his suitcase, his hands trembling, his footsteps unsure, he left some bloody footprints. The blood must be falling from his arm who was hanging motionless and lifeless near his body.
Sirius grunted in pain and he probably was worse than what it seemed.

"It's not why I'm doing this and you know it" Regulus mumbled at the end when he had been finally able to find his voice again, to fight the lump he had in his throat. He followed him in their father's study and he saw near the fireplace, ready to go. His legs were almost giving in, he felt numb, his brother- couldn't believe that he was happy to be there alone?
He wasn't as rebellious as him, he didn't see the world as Sirius did, he didn't befriended muggleborns or James fucking traitor Potter, he didn't believe their ideals, but- but being alone there? It was a fucking nightmare.

"I know it? I'm not sure anymore, little brother. This is always what you asked for, what you hoped for, what you wished for. To be recognized. So no Regulus, I don't know." Sirius grinned at him, something vicious in his eyes and Regulus felt his heart break. Regulus. Sirius never ever called him that. Always Reg, Reggie, Regs. His little brother.
"But you'll never be like they want you to. You'll never meet their expectations. They'll never love you, they hate us, hate you." Sirius leaned near his face, whispering these words to him and he found himself frozen on the spot, his vision blurry.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
They were not like James' parents but they loved them.
They must love them.
They were their parents.
He almost felt sick from that, he didn't- he wouldn't-

"Sirius, no, you- you can't- please you must understand that- I'm-" Regulus didn't want to beg for him to understand, that they loved them, that he was letting him go. They love us- it's- no-nononononononono- but Sirius watched him with big blue eyes like he was not seeing his own brother having a panic attack in front of him.
He knew that gaze.
He knew that look.
His brother was far, far away from him, dissociating, so it didn't really matter anymore. He had already lost him. And it was for the better.

"I don't care anymore Regulus, have your little fun with your beautiful family, since you want to be the only child so bad." Sirius said, he didn't even want to hear him anymore. Regulus' arms wrapped around himself; he needed the confort that once Sirius was able to give to him, he craved his skin, his touch, his smile, but he wouldn't have received none of them than night.
And maybe never again.
They fucked up, in a way that was too bad to readjust with a laugh, with a hand with a touch.
“Potter Manor,” Sirius spoke into the green flames.

"Sirius-" You must understand that I'm doing this for you

But Sirius wasn't there anymore, and his whisper got lost in the air, Regulus still had the arms wrapped around his waist and for a second, for a fucking second he imagined that those arms were Sirius' one, that Sirius chose him, that Sirius hugged him again, that they were little again searching for each other.

He closed his eyes and he reopened them again, coming into reality almost painfully because now he was really ready to let him go.

No more Regulus and Sirius.
No more Black's brothers.

That night, another pair of brothers rose up, the Potter's one.

-------------

“Regulus!” Narcissa beamed when he finally entered in her view and immediately she rose to her feet as Regulus followed with Barty and Evan into the parlour.
“Thank you to be here.” She said to them as the good host she was.

"It's my duty as Regulus best friend, we are all here for him" Evan said and Narcissa smiled nodding at him.

“That’s nice of them.” Regulus rolled his eyes at their lick up because they really didn't give a flying fuck about duty. Then he looked at the living room already booked with people who wanted to drain everything from his body, money, wealthy, blood- he was already tired.

"How did the ceremony go in your opinion?" Narcissa said taking him near the dinner table who was set up with some food and beverage "Did they celebrated it well? Did Rita come and interview you?" Narcissa murmured, his voice dropped since she wasn't in the mood for being judged for her choices. She perfectly knew that they had to be perfect to all those stuck-up nobles who needed to criticize everything.

"It was okay, nothing too big, fortunately even though someone would be against this, he was a Lord he needed to be celebrated. And here is fine, far better than what I would have done."
They were both very good at these things, they both were good at reading what the others people wanted to see, they grow up in that environment and they learned to play their game. So it was obvious that Narcissa was the better choice for those matters.
"And Rita did come there and she was insufferable as always, she seemed to only care about my love affairs but she got bored when she saw I had nothing to say on that matter. Only then she asked me about my role of heir and now Lord."

"Well at the end she gave you your merit"
Regulus grinned at her, not believing that near Rita Skeeter you can talk of merit but anyway. Evan and Barty reached them after they stayed behind giggling to themselves like two idiots in love. Regulus rolled his eyes. Again.

"I'm not sure she did it right. This is the only thing I hate about this title. The fame it would attract. I mean it's good, it helps me with matters and stuff, but I'm not sure if it'll be good in the long run or just a nuisance. Now all the eyes are on me." He shrugged and she hummed.

"Please, your dramatic ass is dancing on your fathers' grave right now. You are fit for the role" Narcissa snorted and he rolled his eyes again. Maybe she was not so wrong.
"Did you see if Sirius was there? I didn't have time to see myself" She asked and his blood froze.
He didn't even think about that.
He didn't even spare a second thought about Sirius or about his sorrow.

"Obviously not. He's not their son anymore, he doesn't care."
And Sirius probably had been busy healing his boyfriend bleeding in their house if he was still alive. If Remus didn't die before.
Because- well- when Regulus left Remus there he wasn't sure he still had a heartbeat.

"Not even for you? He must know your- serious duty as the heir right now."

"Please Narcissa" he scoffed not believing at her words. "He hadn't cared for me since a lot, don't delude yourself. I certainly will not." He did not care about him.
Too much time passed.

Narcissa got silent, her mind racing, a little frown on her mouth and Regulus hated when he couldn't decipher what she was thinking.
“Tea?” Narcissa said suddenly and Regulus nodded, glad for the distraction. Their topic was close and it was better that way.

“Yes, please, for the three of us.” Regulus eyed the delicate tea set warily.

"Milk?” Narcissa asked at Evan and Barty to reliving the tension.

“Just a little, thank you.“ Evan said gratefully

“So,” she arched her eyebrows, “how ridiculous does all those people seem to you?” She gestured at the room with a slight tilt of her head and Regulus smirked while Barty snorted his tea almost out of the cup.

"You were so preoccupied about setting all of this up and they'll not give a fuck" Evan said out of his teeth and Regulus nodded, because he was right.

"Their only goal is to gain your trust. But you did a marvelous job Narcissa" Barty said and he evidently he was not suit for Narcissa because she only glared at him.
Oh Merlin- she absolutely hated him.

"Obviously I did it marvelous, Regulus asked me because I'm the best in etiquette and in organizing these events. You on the other side-" She started to say and Regulus was curious about what she was going to said but then Lucius arrived and she stopped herself, Barty had his eyes widened and Evan was almost laughing hard.
"But I must agree with you about why they are here, half of them didn't even meet Orion during his life, and I find it embarrassing." She continued with a fake smiled on her face and Lucius kissed her forehead.

"Regulus. Good afternoon, I'm sorry for your loss" someone told to him from behind his back and he rolled his eyes, it was extremely rude, but Narcissa out on a face so it must be someone important.

"Thank you, Mr. Nott" Regulus smiled at him while he turned and they exchanged a handshake in the meantime.

"How is your mother? I don't see her anywhere" and well- the act was starting.

"Unfortunately she took the news very bad, she must rest for a bit, till her health is better off, so she really couldn't came"

"What an unfortunate period" Nott nodded and Regulus hummed with him.
"Well now you are the heir so we expect you to take good care of the family name" he smiled and Regulus felt a fucking shiver along his back.

"Of course, I'll hold up our family name" Nott nodded to him, posing a hand on his shoulder and he restrained himself from shaking it away.

“Ah, Regulus!”
Regulus' feet froze as a beaming Bellatrix strode towards him, arms outstretched. For one horrible moment Regulus thought that Bellatrix was going to hug him and tensed every muscle in response.
However, Bellatrix simply gripped his arms tightly where they hung by his sides, and why did she have to do that?
Ugh

“Bellatrix,” he said eventually, trying to not to stare openly at the string quartet he’d just noticed in the far corner of the room, what the hell Narcissa?

“Narcissa, sister,” Bellatrix's attention snapped to Narcissa, “I trust you have been making our guests feel welcome, we received this honor by our little cousin, we must exceed the request of the little Lord.” She said mockingly and he almost bursted out angrily, his palms trembling for the rage he got inside him. He couldn't cause a scene here. And mostly not now. Not with the guest.
One, two, three...

“Of course,” Narcissa smiled tightly, she was feeling the tension in his shoulders and in some of the guests who saw his little nickname.

Little Lord.

He wanted to puke and scream 'not again', people must stop to say that to him, he would burn the world off and make them understand that he was fucking worthy of this fucking name. He was the Lord. Not little, not anything else.
The. Fucking. Lord.

He wanted to rip the skin off his hands so bad but he had to stop himself, he was good, he was fine.
He'll not be a little lord.
He'll be the Lord.
The one who'll destroy Voldemort.

"So? How far is it going for you little Lord? Did you exceed our expectations? They're not a lot, so it'll be easy for you to do a little more"
Bellatrix should not dare to say that to him-

Regulus felt his magic take control over him, it was an usual thing when he was little, it meant that he had so much power that sometime the magic wanted to get free and if he was feeling something emotionally strong, like anger- well- she was gladly going out of his control.

He heard a vase crack and Narcissa looked at him.

"You pretentious bitch, you'll not jeopardize me in front of these people," he whispered, getting near his cousin
"You'll not talk again like this in front of me again, I'm your Lord and you'll learn to keep your place for the family. Or I'll make you. Don't forget who was my father and what i learned from him, I'm capable enough."

"You love to think that you'll be able to keep me in line, but you're wrong. When The Dark Lord-"

"But he's not here, right? He's not here to get your back, am I wrong? So upsi dupsi I don't think you're so safe right now."

"You don't dare to say-" but he shut her up before she could continue with her dialogue. She was boring and annoying.

"Until then I'll lay low, cousin dear, because this Lord learnt for the best" and you should learn to shut the fuck down, he wanted to add but he didn't want to get on her bad side more than he already was. He patted her arm, arching an eyebrow to see if she was going to argue but she kept her mouth close, glaring at him and he smiled at that.
"Better like this, right?" He watched over Narcissa and he saw that she wasn't pleased about that but he hated everything right now and Narcissa was his last problem.

He felt his magic flow uncontrolled, like he was a child again, Bellatrix must have got under his skin more than he would have liked, he felt his skin itch.

“Now, if you’ll excuse us, sister, I’m just going to greet everybody with Regulus, he must present himself with his new title. Right? Lord?”

"Right-" he restrained himself from snap out at her mocking. He continued to count in English, hoping that would be enough to clam him down.
Eleven, twelve, thirteen…

He hated people and now he had to do small talks with them.
Another thing in which he was different from his brother.

He was no Sirius and they pointed it out.
Little Lord.
Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two…

They were not taking him seriously, and Bellatrix showed that to everyone.
Little Lord.
Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight…

If Sirius was here he would have been better.
Little Lord.
Thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two…

But Regulus suddenly found himself being directed away from Bellatrix by Narcissa's iron grip on his arm. “Narcissa”
Fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two…

"You know how Bellatrix is, she likes to rile everyone up, it's like a game for her. So keep calm Regulus. And from now on watch your back, she didn't say anything but I know her more than you and you're on her death list right now."

"I had to make a point, they, and I mean all of them, could not see me as weak. I'm the head of the house now, and if you want protection you must be seen as an asset not as a weak spot."

“I know, Regulus, I know. And you pointed out magnificently." Narcissa hissed through her teeth, "Just get a grip on your magic and try to appear sad now,” her right demeanour not faltering as they walked by a man and woman. “I’ll make sure you get through all of this alive and intact. Hopefully.” Her icy eyes were scanning around the room and he sighed defeated.

"Right, thank you so much cousin." he rolled his eyes even though he was not thankful at all. She didn't understand him.

Regulus inhaled and exhaled.
Regulus inhaled and exhaled.
Regulus inhaled and exhaled.

"You'll really thank me after everything"
Yeah sure. He bit his toungue.
"And after all you did good with my sister."

"Thank you Narcissa" and now he was smiling.

"Barty" he whispered between one guest and the other, he was so tired, he almost liked better when he had to fight personally Voldemort.
But at least now he had calmed down.

And mostly of all he couldn't go home, right now he needed to go into Lucius' study.
Regulus was sure of it, what he felt the other day must have been something important, his instinct was telling him that, and his instinct was never wrong.
Never.

"Fuck- if they go on a little more I'm the one killing myself" Barty muttered and Regulus tried to not smile. "I think three person proposed me their daughter."

"I win, you loser. I got six of them."

"Fuck gotta move and find other three moms"

"So you could accept and finally find a good wife?"
Regulus rolled his eyes smirking.
He was glad his mother wasn't here or he would get married like tomorrow. Rich people, really.

"Yes, actually tomorrow I'll host a race between them to see who is more worthy of my company." Regulus snorted because he could imagine them racing to reach Barty's heart.
Unfortunately it was already taken.
And none of them was ready to support him in this life, or in the next one, or- well Barty was a lot to take in.

"Where is Evan?"

"Dunno, he said that he had something to do and asked me if it was okay to go away a bit earlier since his father would have not noticed his disappearance." Barty frowned, his bright eyes a bit worried and he was the same.
It was not good to go alone right now, people were crazy.
War was crazy.
"I told him that it was okay, wasn't it? You don't care about this shit either."

"Yeah, yeah, it's okay. Hope he's not getting into trouble." Barty and Evan were the only family he had left if something was to happen to them it was time to destroy the world.
Like literally.
He would bring hell to heart and he wouldn't care about the results.

"Right- I don't want to keep him on a lash but- I see him more distant in these times." Barty frowned again and Regulus watched him a bit shocked, it was not like Barty to be so open about their relationship.
But he was glad.

"When we get home we can talk about it, if you want" he proposed, it would do good to the both of them. Barty nodded.

"Did you need something from Evan?"

"No- well- yes but you could do the same."

"Anything to distract me from this shit"

"Mh- right- I think you won't be happy about this. I need a distraction. You must keep company to Lucius, Bellatrix and Narcissa. They couldn't be aware of my disappearance."

"Fuck- are you asking me to entertain those snakes?"

"Barty, please, you're the most snake-like than all of them"

"Right- but your cousin literally hates me, Regulus" Barty huffed, biting his lips and he arched an eyebrow. So he noticed too? But well- he's one of the most intelligent person for a reason.
"For how long? What are you planning?" Barty asked and Regulus smiled, he won.

"Dunno- I'll try to be as quick as possibile, I swear."

"And what should I do with them your grace?"

"Improvise, you are good at dramatics. Or talk about your next wife, I think that Narcissa would like that." Regulus snorted because Narcissa would throw knives at him.

"You know what Regulus? I'm gonna to talk about your wife, is it better? And fuck you.”

"And break with these advances the poor heart of Evan?"

"Rot alone and die."

"Thank you Bart, I'll make it worthwhile."

Regulus began to climb the stairs that would take him upstairs when Dobby materialized in front of his face, startling him so much that he almost fell down the stairs.
"Does the master needs anything?" The elf bowed his head until his ears almost reached the floor and Regulus took that time to breath regularly.
Fuck it- he almost had an heart attack.

Regulus cursed under his breath, rolling his eyes. “As a matter of fact yes Dobby, I would like you to go find Evan Rosier downstairs for me, we need to talk about a matter together. Thank you.”

“Of course. Dobby will go and return.” And with a snap of his fingers The Elf was gone.

Regulus had to move.
It was not so difficult for the elf to find out that Evan had already left the room.

He quickly climbed the last remaining stairs and entered the study with a minimum of energy; Lucius probably thought he was too smart and thought he did not need additional protection in his house.

He might have been right
But Regulus would not have made that mistake, not when he was -probably- safeguarding something for Voldemort.

Regulus headed determinedly toward the source of dark energy that he had already felt the last time he had entered the study and stood in front of some sort of drawer.

Part one.
Done.

Now could began the really hard part.

The drawer looked very normal, he searched in, out, next, up, down. Everywhere
And fuck Lucius, he felt the energy, he knew that there was something wiring, he could feel it in his bones, he could feel it on his skin who was buzzing with expectations. It was there- he was so near- so he searched gain, putting more attention at his, looking everywhere.

But nothing.

Nothing at all.

“Fucking git, where did you hide it?” And he punched the drawer who trembled under his strength.

But-

There was a but-

He didn’t give so much force for it to tremble and he clearly saw something off.
He clearly saw the air getting fuzzy.
He clearly saw the trembling that the drawer did, as if it was something else, as if he transformed the object into something else.
Like a drawer not-drawer.

What the fuck was that?

It was not a drawer so wha?
Regulus did that again, he tried to transform the magic around the object, with more strength, looking attentively at it.
And- it was- It was a- safe?
It was charmed to look like a simple drawer in which put things but instead it was where they put inside things.

"Fuck yes!" He smiled at himself. He was almost there, he did it, he was a genius.

Regulus started to take the safe into his hands but he was quickly stopped by footsteps-
“Follow me please” Regulus heard Lucius say and fuck, fuck, fuck- did he closed the door? Was he trapped inside? Was he going to enter?
His blood froze, his breath stuck up in his throat- did Dobby said something?
Was he searching for him?

“Let’s put this into your house with the other one, I can’t protect this and the Lord at the same time” that was Bellatrix’s voice, and what they were doin?
What did they have to put in to the Gringott?

“I’ll take this into the study, wait for me”

“What is happening lads?“ It was Barty’s voice and Regulus could hear Narcissa stop him and asking what the hell he was doing here while he breathed happily.
“Sorry- I heard a lot of magic coming from here I thought it could be dangerous.” But the dialogue stop there, when Bellatrix said something else to him and Lucius that he couldn't decipher.

“Go to Regulus, Bartemius, there is nothing to worry for you here and he surely needs you.” Narcissa said and he could hear the cold in her voice.

Lucius came in front of the door and started unlocking it.
Tap, tap, tap

Fuck- Regulus hid himself under the desk but it was not enough Lucius would have caught him and he was fucked.
Tap, tap, tap

The door opened and Regulus saw Lucius put his first step into the room from the hole between the desk planks.
Tap, tap, tap

He stopped to breathe, to move, to blink. He fucking prayed the fate of the destiny to not been caught.
But Lucius footsteps seemed incessant. He was coming. He was coming for him.
Tap, tap, tap

His frame appeared into the room, going toward the desk where he was.
Fucking hell- what could he say?
Tap, tap, tap

Regulus was not sure he was capable of breathing anymore, he was so still he could feel a drop of sweat running along the back of his neck, his lungs were almost aching from the tension, the air was so frozen that anything, literally anything could make the difference, a fucking mosquito could kill him. Regulus closed his eyes mentally begging for a miracle, he could not believe that this was how his plan was going to fail, at the hands of Lucius fucking Malfoy. It was so shameful for him that he probably was got g to ask to die from his fucking own wand.
Everyone but Lucius for Merlin's sake!
And it was only the start of his plan, he had so many things he wanted to do, like find all the Horcruxes, see Harry once more, greeting James, kissing James, save everyone, meet Luna.
Fuck it. Fuck it for real.

"Actually wait Lucius." Regulus eyes snapped open, not believing that Bellatrix, fucking Bellatrix was the one saving his ass right now. He kept his frame still but he started breathing again, maybe, and just maybe he was safe. But then Bellatrix entered into his vision and Regulus tried to be even stiller than before. She was even crazier than Lucius, she would have killed him on the spot probably, for treason.
“Let’s change place, the boy said that he felt it, I don't want problems until tomorrow” Bellatrix said and he stopped for the first time to think at what the hell they were try to hide so much.

It was an Horcrux?

If it was- they were really lucky.
Regulus must ask that to Barty as soon as possible.

He felt their steps go away and he finally was able to take a deep breath.
That was close- he puffed his cheeks trying to regain some of his bravery.
He almost fainted.

Regulus took the safe again into his hands and he saw all the charms that were hiding it.
What the hell he could do about it?

"Alohomora." But nothing happened, nothing opened at the safe was still a fucking drawer. "Fucking hell" he muttered to himself, it was too much time since he was up there, surely someone would soon go to him.

"Disillusionment charm" he whispered again, but nothing..
"Come on, Lucius is not that intelligent, he couldn't do this, he couldn't be more than me."

"Rivelaincanto" he said, putting more power into it, he was doing it, he had to do it, and finally he could see something out there, the drawer shake and the safe appeared in front of of him.
"It's exasperating-" he watched the safe now, his eyes scanning throughout it and it was- small? Like it contained a book.

Maybe it was a dark book?
Maybe it showed something dark and lost?
Some ancient magic?
Fuck that would be awesome, his part that was so adamant about knowledge woke up his instincts.

"If I just blow it all? I can fix the room later-" Regulus muttered to himself, eyeing carefully the room and taking in the damage he could done, not saying that there were actually guest down there so he couldn't do a lot.
"If I-" he thought, muttering to himself. "Use bombarda to a minimum? To the lower grade?"
He needed to be able to shell his power, he needed to block the spell and then let it go util he reached the right level, but with the exact amount of force and attention he could make it work with a minimal effort and maybe more results.

"Fuck it, let just do it- I'll deal with the consequences later-" and well- it was funny how he entered the room with the thought of doing the least damage possible and then going to explode the entire room.

"Bombarda" he whispered and as he said the word everything exploded.
He tried to contain it, to do the minimal damaged possibile, trying to focus all his energy only on the box and on nothing else, he could do no more harm.
"Fuck-" Regulus hissed in pain, in trying to undo his spell he scratched his hand, and with the blood dripping on the object everything seemed to catalyze. His blood joined the dark magic and-

A minute of utter silence-

The everything imploded.

The room was trembling, everything was going to crumble at his feet on his head, taking with him all of their lives.
And no- just no- he had to save them.
"For the sake of- stop! Stop! Just stop!" He pretended his right hand, closing his eyes, scared that everything would collide on his head.

But nothing moved.

The air was frozen everything seemed to listen to him, until Regulus breathed again and the room felt silent and the safe was not there anymore, instead of it an object.
"What the hell-" he watched the air and the he shook his head, he must have imagined it, he must- he looked on the floor and he saw the thing that was inside of the safe, that Lucius was trying to hide so desperately.

A-

A diary-?

All that problems and time for a fucking diary?

Voldemort was like a fucking teenager- did he had to write his crushes on it?

He took it into his hands, trying to see if there was something written in the inside- but no. It was blank.
No one had written something. It was fucking useless.
"Even in his deathbed Voldemort is fucking with me."

Regulus distractedly put his injured hands on the page, but he winced in pain when it collided with his wound on his palm.
"Fuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyoufuckyou" he hissed in pain, fucking hell- the dark magic must have reacted with his blood.
Again.

"I just want to rip you off you fucking bitch-"
All that trouble for a fucking diary who was just messing with him.

But then-

Oh-

Just oh-

The blood must have fallen on it.
But this wasn't what he find intriguing.
The blood had been drained by the page.

And-

Hello, my name is Tom Riddle. I see you have found my diary.
Who are you?"

And Regulus grinned.
This was simply awesome.