The Ring, The Aristocrat and The Potions Master
"I can't believe this is where Slytherin's descendants lived. Thank Merlin he's not alive to see this", Regulus said, horrified by the run-down in front of him.
The wards around the property were already down. Peverell having taken them out when they apparated there. Apparently not even the Dark Lord can make protections that can fend off the Master of Death.
"It's truly sad. The lineage of the great Salazar Slytherin was relegated to poverty. Of course, they brought it to themselves, but it's truly a shame."
Both men said no more, as they approached the door with a snake nailed on it.
Hedwyn, with a wave of his wand, opened the door, revealing an even worse sight. A place so dirty that only hours of cleaning could make it look less repulsive.
However, Harry could tell that there was and energy in house, old and powerful. And he also knew why.
The power of the Resurrection Stone was strong. Hedwyn could feel it even far away from it. The magic emanating from the Stone was so familiar to him that he could pinpoint exactly where it was hidden.
"There", he pointed with his wand. A floorboard a bit darker than the others, perhaps because of the long exposure Withering Curse on the ring.
"I can feel the compulsion calling for me. Even with my Occlumency walls, it is hard to resist", Regulus said, taking a step back.
"Don't worry, it'll end soon", Harry reassured the other boy. He vanished the floorboard, revealing a metal box; then levitated the box closer to where he was.
The next step was a bit tricky. With the box now opened, showing the ring inside, Harry worked on taking down Voldemort's intertwined compulsions. Curses interlinked with each other, one more deadly than the other, it was truly the work of a genius.
Regulus watched as Hedwyn casted counter curses and hissed somethings in Parseltongue. He was glad he didn't have to do this alone. Yes, he was smart and had all the knowledge on the Dark Arts the Black Library could provide, but not even he had a grasp on the obscure curses the Dark Lord knew of.
Harry's shoulders relaxed. It was done. Every curse laid on the ring was gone, leaving only the Horcrux inside.
"Is it over?", Regulus asked, looking over Hedwyn's shoulder. The other man nodded in confirmation. "Good. Can we leave now? This place is depressing."
"Says the guy who lives in a place called Grimmauld", Harry said, shoving Regulus playfully with his shoulder, making the boy roll his eyes.
"Touché."
The two men turned around and left, apparating to Gwynt Keep, away from the decrepit shack.
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"Just four left", Harry said
"Just? You say as if it's a walk in the park. I assume you have a plan for the diary?"
"I was thinking on putting Malfoy under the Imperius Curse, it worked on your parents after all."
Regulus just blinked at him. But it was true. Since Hedwyn casted the Unforgivable on this parents the two stopped bothering him. Signing he said "I guess it could work. It'll definitely save us some time. Do you want to go after Malfoy and I go after Snape? If there's anyone that can help us with the potion in the basin at the cave it's him."
"I guess it's a good idea if I go alone to get Malfoy. It'll be easier to cast the curse on him and bring him here. Are you sure Snape will help us, though? As far as I know, he's loyal to the Dark Lord."
"Oh, he's loyal to him, for now. I'm sure telling him this will help Lily Potter will make him comply. Severus was always quite selfish and I doubt he's changed. Only the Dark Lord's most loyal servants are unconcerned about his declining sanity. I'll also tell him his Mark can help to persuade him."
They talked more about their plans. Harry would wait for Malfoy, under his Invisibility Cloak. Lucius Malfoy has been seen at the Ministry regularly, Regulus had said. Apparently, the man is slowly taking over his father's place in the Wizengamot.
Harry had put Ædda to spy on Malfoy, so he could know at what time was best to go after the man.
Regulus, however, had a more difficult task: persuade the headstrong potion master to betray the Dark Lord. Black was putting a lot of trust in his persuasion tactics. If that didn't work though, Hedwyn could always obliviate the man. According to the Master of Death, not even a master occlumens like Severus Snape could held against his Mind Arts abilities. Of course, without Snape's help, they would need more... morally ambiguous ways of getting rid of the potion.
Let's just hope it won't come to that.
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Spinner's End was never a place Regulus thought he would ever visit. It was so Muggle and... average that it was hard to believe a Death Eater would live in such a place.
Severus never had anything good to say about his home when they were at Hogwarts, not that he ever knew the details of Snape's home life. They were not exactly friends, but more acquaintances.
The front door opened, revealing a young man, a bit older than Regulus', but not by much. His black robes, the only thing Severus seemed to wear these days, and his impassive face made Snape an imposing figure, much different from his time at Hogwarts.
"Regulus Black", Snape said, in his signature dragged way of speaking. "Why do I owe you the pleasure of such... sudden visit?"
"Hello, Severus. How long has it been?"
"Quite", the man replies, a slight frown forming on his face.
Snape then opens the door for Regulus, not waiting for the Black Heir as he turns around, disappearing inside the house.
The inside of the Potion Master's house was what one would expect. A clean but dark house, stacked with books stacked on books. Predictable. Almost too predictable. It was as if everything was meticulously placed so as to give visitors the idea that Snape was the person they expected him to be.
Sitting in a dark room that appeared to be a small library, Severus Snape sat in a chair in the corner. The only light in the room came from a lamp on a desk by Snape's side, making a shadow fall over the man's left side. Severus' dark-coloured robes blended in the shadows as if part of them.
Regulus steps further inside the room. The place was clearly not meant for guests if the lack of seats was to be taken into account.
The situation screamed "Here I am the lord" and Regulus didn't like that atmosphere at all.
"You see Severus", Black started, face not showing his worry "A few days ago I was made aware of a fact that I thought you would like to know."
Only lifting an eyebrow at that, Snape answered "And what incredible facts would make the heir of the House of Black come to this part of England, if I may ask?"
"It concerns Lily Evans", Regulus said in an almost-whisper, purposely using 'Evans' instead of 'Potter'.
Snape straightened his neck, eyes narrowing. "And how do you know anything about Lily, Black? Do you perhaps know to where she and her pathetic excuse of a husband ran?"
The Potters' sudden disappearance was news all over Britain. Especially after people realised Auror James Potter had quit his job at the Ministry and fled with the rest of his family and Sirius Black.
When he heard that the Potters had left Severus wanted to send Lily a letter, asking her if she was fine and if something had happened. He refrained from it, however, not wishing to be ignored or, worse, being mocked by Potter and Black for showing concern.
"Oh. I know the reason, yes", Regulus said with a mischievous smile.
Losing his temper Severus spat "Go on with it, Black! Why did she leave?"
"There was a prophecy made, Severus. A prophecy that would change our country, but for the prophecy to happen, Lily Evans would need to die."
"What are you talking about? That's not how prophecies work. How could Lily's death cause any change."
"The seer also saw the paths for the prophecy to happen. That's how they know Evans would need to die."
Narrowing his eyes Severus said "And what does the prophecy say, then? What change could Lily's death bring to our country, Black? She's not even a politician. She's a muggle-born witch known only by her friends and a few more."
"The downfall of the Dark Lord."
"Excuse me?", Snape asked, not liking where this was going.
"Evans is caring a child, Severus. A child that would bring down the Dark Lord if he were to become an orphan. That's why the Potters have fled. They don't wish to put this weight on their future family member."
Severus didn't know what to say part of him wanted to run to the Dark Lord with the news, and another part of him wanted to throw Black out of his house and pretend this conversation never happened.
Rubbing his eyes and looking at Regulus, Severus stood up.
"And why haven't you told the Dark Lord about this, Black? I don't remember you ever being close to the Potters. Have you defected then? Have you joined the old coots children's club?"
"Don't look at me like that, Snape. We both know how the Dark Lord has become. We both have heard histories of him while we were young students in Slytherin. He's not the same. His ideology has changed. He has become more violent, more murderous. He now kills anyone who bothers him. He tortures and murders his own! He doesn't care if you are a pureblood or a Muggle. We both know how dangerous he's become, Severus, so don't try to deny it."
"What am I to do, Black? Shall I go to Dumbledore and kiss his horrid robes? Pledge my life to him? Maybe you think I can become his new pet?"
"The Dark Lord and Dumbledore are not the only pieces on the board, Severus."
"What do you-", Severus stopped the question when Regulus lifted his left sleeve. "Impossible...", Snape said, not believing his eyes.
"There is someone way more powerful than Dumbledore and the Dark Lord, Severus. Someone who has discovered what the Dark Lord has been hiding for years. Someone who is protecting Lily Evans and her baby. Someone with enough power to defeat both the mad lord and the old man. Someone who will fight for what the Dark Lord once said he fought for."
"Who?", was all Severus could ask. This can't be possible, he thought. Dumbledore and the Dark Lord were the most powerful wizards alive.
If this is true then the game will change completely, he pondered.
"Hedwyn Aelius Peverell"
"Peverell? The new lord? How is that even possible? People say he's a young man, not old enough to be capable of defeating the Dark Lord."
"He has way more power than one could have, Severus. He removed my Dark Mark like it was the easiest thing for him to do. He's the most powerful wizard alive by far."
What followed after were agonising minutes of silence. Regulus not knowing if his manipulations have worked on Snap. While Snape was thinking about the implications of both betraying the Dark Lord as well as the implications of revealing all this to him.
"If the Dark Lord finds out about this", Severus started. Hand trembling a bit at the thought of his lord finding out about his betrayal and what he'd do to Severus if he were to be discovered. "Killing me will be a mercy."
"He never has to know. Hedwyn can remove your Mark, so the Dark Lord won't be able to summon you and I can put your house under Fidelius."
"Peverell would remove my Mark?", he asked while unconsciously rubbish his left forearm. "And since when can you perform a charm like the Fidelius?"
"Hedwyn taught me", he said dismissively. "And yes, will be removing your Mark if you wish to join us."
"And what would I need to do?"
"First you'll need to do a secrecy vow. If it helps I also am under one."
"Very well. When can I meet him?"
"He should be back by now so I can first perform the Fidelius Charm, making me you your own secret keeper, and we can go."
Not really fully convinced this is a good idea but seeing no other choice, Severus only nodded to Regulus.
Black then started the enchantment and Snape went back to his chair. With a sigh he closed his eyes, hoping he was doing the right thing.
For Lily, he thought. And maybe for himself as well.