Regulus Arcturus Black
He felt cold, as if his soul was being ripped from his body. His head was spinning. Impossible to think or feel anything.
"This can't be happening", he told himself, repeating it over and over.
He didn't know what to think, or what to do. He felt betrayed and disgusted. This is not what he was promised. His parents only told him good things about what his new life would be.
Heir of the House of Black. Youngest Death Eater to date. A lie. It was all a lie. And, oh, was he not stupid for falling for such an obvious lie?
He closed his eyes, trying to make the shivers go away, trying to wake up from this nightmare.
The floor feels so cold, he thought.
There was no one to help him while he was like this. No friends, he had no time for those. His parents? Probably at some gathering, bragging about how their son had the Dark Mark on his left arm.
The Mark was like a weight to Regulus. A branding. He felt like cattle. Branded by a maniac.
How did his life turn into this? He was so hopeful. Just a few years ago everything was going so right. But then all went downhill.
It was like an avalanche enfolded him.
First Sirius left. That was his first blow. Then his parents had put all the weight of the family name on his shoulders. Then, the worst of all. He met the Dark Lord. The things he did for that man... Just so he could become another sycophant.
How he hated this. How he hated what his life had become. But above all else, he hated his parents and the Dark Lord the most.
The ones who destroyed his life. The one who made his brother run away.
The hate fuelled something inside of Regulus. It was as if the curtains had been pulled. He was seeing the world for the first time today. A world of chaos and hate.
A world on the cusp of being controlled by a madman.
That monster doesn't deserve any of it, he thought. His mind full of hate against the man who was burning his country.
"That's it", he said aloud, to anyone but himself. "I'll kill him. I'll make him feel what I have felt."
Slowly getting up from the floor, Regulus made his way to his bed, where his elf rested. He touched Kreacher's hand.
"I'll make him pay for what he did to you", he promised, his anger growing as he saw the house-elf that raised him lying down half-dead.
"I'll destroy his soul, Kreacher. I'll watch he's plans fall as he dies."
Horcrux.
Just the thought of it made him gag. How could anyone make such a cursed object, Regulus didn't know.
He didn't know what expected him there either. But none of it mattered. He'll die before he allows this to go any longer. He must be stopped, he thought.
From the little Kreacher was able to tell him, he had a terrifying challenge ahead. Death feels so much like a possibility now that it almost makes him choke.
He never thought he would be dealing with eminent death at 18. There were so many things he wanted to do. So much magic to learn.
Not that any of his dreams could've ever become true. His parents would never allow him to pursue his passion.
After tonight I might never be able to be anything more than a corpse, but at least my death will bring his demise, he thought to himself.
He just had to wait a few more hours and Kreacher would be well enough to take him there. Just well enough to help him kill that bastard.
He sat down on the floor, back touching his bed where his friend layed. Closing his eyes, he went to his mind-space, behind the black walls of his mind. The music room. His favourite place. All his memories are stored in a place he put his heart in.
He watched his memories go by. Him playing with his brother when they were kids, his first trip to Diagon Alley, his first travel on the Hogwarts Express, the view of the castle from the boat.
He left a tear fall. This is not how my life should have ended, he says.
He can't hold his tears anymore. He doesn't want to die. He doesn't deserve to die. He just wanted to be happy again. Happy as when he was a little boy.
He thinks of how funny it is. He's 18 years of age. A grown man in the eyes of everyone else, but, deep inside, he still feels like a boy. Like the boy who saw his big brother leaving, with not even a glance at his little brother.
"Why did you leave me alone, Sirius?", he asks no one as he cries. The hole in his chest gets bigger with the melancholy that grows.
He's now lying on the floor again. Head pressed against the wooden floorboards. Tears wetting the old wood.
He feels so empty. So forgotten. Will anyone remember Regulus Black?, he thinks. Will anyone cry for me?
The lack of people who would cry for him makes everything worse. He can't help but think if his brother will be sad. If he'll miss his little brother.
Those are his last thoughts as he drifts to sleep, too tired to remain awake. Too sad to cry anymore.
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His body hurts. That's all he can think about.
He opens his eyes and sighs. I slept on the bloody floor, he grumbles in his head.
He stretches as he gets up. Looking at his bed, he sees his elf sitting.
"Master Regulus hurt his head sleeping on the floor", Kreacher says in a reprimanding tone. That brings a smile to Regulus' tired face.
"I know, Kreacher. I'm sorry. How are you feeling?"
"Kreacher feels better", the elf says as he gets up from the bed. Regulus can tell he's still tired, though.
Looking out of the window the sun is almost down. It's almost night, he thinks. Almost time to go.
Regulus crouches down to Kreacher's eye level.
"Kreacher, I need you to do something for me. It's not going to be something easy. Neither is something you'll like to do."
The house-elf narrows his eyes are his master. Not liking where this was going.
"You remember where the Dark Lord took you, right? Good, so... I need you to take me there, Kreacher. I need to retrieve what the Dark Lord is hiding in there."
Kreacher starts to shake his head. "Master Regulus can't go to that place. Master Regulus die if he goes! Kreacher won't take master there."
Passing his hand through his hair, Regulus sighs. He expected that Kreacher wouldn't want to take him there.
"Kreacher, listen to me. I need to get there. That thing the Dark Lord is hiding is immoral, Kreacher. That thing needs to be destroyed. If you don't help me out of your own volition I'll have to order you to do it."
"Master Regulus can't do that. Kreacher can't take master to cave."
"You should listen to him", a voice says behind Regulus, making him stand up and turn around.
A man he's never seen before is by his room door.
"Who are you? And who let you in?"
This better not be one of Sirius' pranks, he thinks.
"I guess you haven't read the papers this week, yeah? I thought my face was pretty recognisable. Emphasis on pretty."
This has to be a prank, Regulus thinks.
But as he looks at the man the more he starts to recognise him.
"Hedwyn Peverell? You're him, right? The one who made Dumbledore be kicked out of the Wizengamot."
"Well, I'm flattered but I just took my seats back, he lost his job on his own?"
Regulus raised an eyebrow at that comment. "But didn't you get control of the Potter seats as well? And some people were saying you had something to do with the Potters disappearing."
The Potters and my bloody brother, he adds in his head.
"But I guess that's beside the point. What are you doing in my room? Are you here to see my father? You do know it's very rude to go snooping around people's houses, yes?", Regulus said, crossing his arm.
Peverell only smiled at that. "But I'm not in your room, I'm by your door."
Regulus fake laughed. "Really funny. Now if you don't mind, I was quite busy."
"Oh, yes. Planning your suicide mission, right? How's that going?"
Regulus frizes. Nobody should know about that. Had he talked in his sleep? That has to be it.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Peverell", he says, trying to be nonchalant about it.
"Really? So you're not going to get Slytherin's Locked from the cave? I guess I'm in the wrong room then."
His head is spinning. How much has he spoken while he slept? This can't be happening. He's going to ruin his plans.
"Why don't you go find my father and leave me alone? I don't know what you're talking about."
"You don't? The word Horcrux means nothing to you then?"
Regulus visibly stiffens.
"There you go", Peverell says with a smirk. "That won't do anything, you know? That's only one of his Horcruxes."
Regulus feels like he's going to vomit. He couldn't have made more than one, he thinks. One is already awful enough.
"That's impossible. Making one is already a feat of madness. He couldn't have made more than one."
"Oh, but he's made five", that number makes Regulus choke, the thoughts of revenge being possible crumbling in his mind. "He wants seven, but he hasn't made the final two as of yet."
"Seven!", Regulus says in exasperation. "Making one is already unheard of but seven. He can't be that mad."
"But he is. He's been for quite a while now."
"Seven...", he whispers, looking at the floor and closing his eyes.
I'll never be able to stop him now, he thinks. He's invincible.
Opening his eyes, he stares at Peverell.
"And how do you know so much about him? I doubt he has ever told anyone about what he's done."
"You're right. He's too paranoid to reveal his secrets. How I found out about them though... That will require a vow."
"Why would I do that? I don't even know you. You could go running to him, saying that I was going to betray him."
"If you make the vow, Regulus Black", the way he says his name makes a shiver go through Regulus' body. "I'll help you get your revenge and rid the world of him."
Sceptical, Regulus asks "And what is in it to you? What do you gain from it?"
"Well, if I help you with your problem you can help me with mine", the seductive tone he uses makes Regulus blush. "I have many ideas for the Wizarding World, but I'm also a newcomer. People have to learn to trust me."
"And having a member of the House of Black by your side helps you with it. Smart."
"Thank you, darling", Peverell says with a smile, making Regulus blush again. "What do you say, Mr Black, do we have a deal?"
Regulus thinks before answering. He can't pretend that having help didn't ignite the fire of revenge within him again. The Dark Lord may be mad but he's no idiot. Merlin only knows the protections he's put around his Horcruxes.
"How can you guarantee that you'd know how to go around the Dark Lord's protections? Yes, you know how many Horcruxes there are, but do you know where to find them? How to get a hold of them? How to destroy them?"
"Everything will be explained as soon as you make the vow, but don't worry, I can get and destroy the Horcruxes just fine."
Regulus stared at him for a few seconds. Trying to decide if trusting this stranger was I good idea. Not that going to the cave was one, he thought. He should really think things through before jumping into danger's arms like a Gryffindor.
"Very well. I'll give you a vow, if, you give me one as well."
"Oh, and what would that vow entail?"
"You'll not hide anything from me in regards to the Horcruxes. I want to know everything you know about them."
Peverell thought for a second and nodded, saying after "I'll give you a vow then."
"Then we have a deal Hedwyn Peverell."
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He left the pensive in a daze.
His mind was going everywhere with thoughts. How could this be true? Was this Sirius' most elaborate prank? Am I hallucinating? This has to be the most ridiculous dream he's ever had, right?
"You're Master of Death?", was all he could come up with.
"That I am."
"And you've killed the Dark Lord before?"
"Sure did", he answered him with a big smile.
"And you're James Potter's son?"
"Yep."
"Am I dead? Is this hell? This has to be my punishment."
"Nope. All real. You'll learn to accept it. It took me some time as well."
Regulus rolls his eyes at the answer, not believing it for a second. Then he turns around a goes sit on a chair by the table in the corner of his room.
"You came back to save your parents", he stated, trying to digest everything.
"That and other things as well."
"Take revenge on Dumbledore?"
Peverell gave him a smirk. Yeah, he's definitely crazy, Regulus thought.
"So you're the one making his life hell with the stories on the Daily Prophet."
"It has been quite fun to see him falling apart, yes."
Rubbing his face with his hands, Regulus tries to digest this crazy story faster. It's not helping.
"So what now? We get the Horcruxes and destroy them, and then what?"
"I guess I'll defeat Voldemort? it'll certainly give more leverage with the public."
"You have too many plans, you know that right?"
Peverell only gives him a mocking smile.
"So when can we start doing this? As soon as we defeat him the better. I don't think I can't survive another raid."
"Oh, you don't have to be a Death Eater anymore."
"What do you mean? I'm only free when he dies."
"The Dark Mark ties you to him, right? I can get rid of it for you?"
"You can?!", Regulus asked, jumping from his chair. "Why didn't you say something before? I would've made that vow straight away."
"I... forgot? But that's good to know. So, wanna do it right now?"
"Merlin, yes! Take this thing from me, please."
He got closer to Hedwyn, lifting his left sleeve hastily.
Harry then got hold of Regulus' forearm, holding him with his left hand. He then got his wand and pressed the tip of the wand to the skull.
What happened next made Regulus shiver and blush. Hedwyn started to speak in Parseltongue, which Regulus never thought he would not not find terrifying, but when Hedwyn spoke, it didn't feel evil.
Bit by bit, the chains around Regulus' soul were falling. He didn't fully realise how oppressive the Dark Lord's magic was.
He watched as the Dark Mark began to fade until, with a snap sound, akin to something breaking, it left him.
Being free from the Mark was such a sudden and overwhelming feeling that Regulus could not help but lose strength in his legs, almost falling down, if not for Hedwyn's arms encircling his waist, stopping the fall.
He then looked up, to Hedwyn's green and yellow eyes. The boy was smiling at him.
At that moment, something inside of him felt warm, as if the coldness that resided inside of him for so long had been replaced.
Maybe he would be happy after all.