The Cave
The cold wind hit him immediately. A shiver went through him. The cold felt like it was inside of him; all the warmth of his body was gone.
But it wasn't just because of the wind, he realised. There was something else; a feeling that was creeping into him. A feeling he so familiar with just a few days ago.
Dread.
That was what being in this place did to him. It was as if a Dementor was hugging him from behind; sucking the happiness from him, leaving him feeling like he was drowning.
The waves crashed against the high rock they were on. Far away, a crack in the cliff gave the ominous feel of the evil that was inside.
The Cliff of Moher. This place could've been beautiful, he thought. But Riddle impregnated it with his evil Black Magic. He could feel the bile rising in his throat just by thinking about what they would encounter.
He was in a daze; mind away from his body. He didn't even react when his boyfriend hugged him and apparated them.
The strong wind was gone. The dark magic of the entrance to the cavern overwhelmed him. He stumbled backwards, getting caught by his boyfriend before he could realise he was falling.
"... -dn't have brought you here. I'll call Kreacher to get you."
His eyes were wide open now. Before his boyfriend could open his mouth to call the house-elf he brought his hand to Harry's mouth.
"No!", he said in exasperation. Head shaking in denial. "You promised we'd do this together."
"That was before I saw what this place does to you, Regulus!", his boyfriend said in a rushed tone; hands gripping his ginger hair.
"Oh! So you're promises mean so little, yeah? Why don't we forg-"
Before he could finish Harry came towards him, gripping his face with both hands.
"I can't see you suffer like this, Reggie...", his boyfriend said in whispers. "I hate seeing you miserable."
Hugging his boyfriend and kissing him he said "It's okay, Harry. I just won't take this as easily as you, but we need to do this together. It will kill me to think you're here by yourself."
He felt Harry sighing against his lips. His boyfriend then nodded and gave him a peck on the lips.
"Okay. Well to this together, but I'm still concerned."
Giving his Hedwyn a small kiss he answered "I'd find it odd if you wasn't."
Both smiled at that, kissing one final time.
-------------------------------------------------------
"Episkey", Harry said the healing charm and the cut on his hand healed.
He picked up Harry's hand and kissed the palm.
"I told you I could've done that, Harry", he said, letting go of Hedwyn's hand.
Harry rolled his eyes but smiled. "And I told you I could handle it, darling."
Not willing to continue to argue with his stubborn boyfriend, he just grabbed his hand and walked through the entrance.
The place was exactly like Kreacher described it. And the eerie atmosphere around the whole cave.
Maybe if he was not a dark wizard he wouldn't feel the effects of the Dark Lord's magic so strongly, but that wasn't the case.
There is evil here, he thought.
He then watched as Harry got close to the water and raised his wand. There was silence for a few moments; then a loud noise startled him. A wet chain was now being gripped by his boyfriend.
He saw as Harry started to pull the chain. The sound of moving water was the only thing he could hear in the cave now.
A boat appeared on the horizon, getting closer and closer until it was in front of them.
"Riddle made so just one wizard could go, but I found a way to 'mute' my age for such wards."
"Oh. And how is that?", he asks eagerly. This kind of knowledge could come in handy, he thought.
Harry winked at him "The Dark Lord is not the only one who knows some things about Soul Magic."
He shivered, trying to forget about Horcrux creating ritual that flooded his mind "You did soul magic? When?! Was it some kind of Charm?"
"It's something like that, yes. And this kind of soul magic is more about concentrating and reaching to your soul with your own magic. I basically enveloped my soul with my magic, and I can go around wards that sense your soul to determine your age."
After a few seconds of looking at his body with disbelief, he blinked and said "You are brilliant. You know that right?"
Hedwyn only smiled, blushing.
Moving towards the boat, they made sure to be careful to not disturb the water even more. Once inside the boat started to move towards the centre of the cave, where the basin was.
A hand touched his shoulder, making him turn around slightly.
"When we get there and get rid of the potion I want you to be alert, okay? I can use necromancy to control de inferi, but I can take some time. You know Fiendfyre, right?"
He nodded "I do. I'll try to use it in an emergency and I will remain alert, don't worry."
The boat stopped, making them turn to look ahead. The little island in the middle was radiating Dark Magic.
Leaving the boat and getting closer to the basin made his heart beat faster and faster. It's real, he thought, looking around. This is where I was supposed to die. Alone and forgotten by all.
Closing his eyes he inhaled and exhaled, trying to control his nerves. It's not helping, but that's it, he thought to himself, opening his eyes again.
Harry was with his back to him, looking at the basin.
He retrieved the potion from inside his robes and got closer. Hedwyn turned and eyed the potion on his hand.
"So. I drop the potion on the basin and get Slytherin's Locket, while you focus on the inferi."
Harry nodded to him. "That's it. Do you need to drink the potion?"
"Yeah, but Snape said the effects will be gone. It'll be like drinking water."
"Are you sure? Snape only worked with the description of the option and not a sample."
It was obvious his boyfriend was nervous, the both of them were really. Touching Harry's hand he said "All will be well, love. We'll be fine."
Harry squeezed his hand gently and sighed.
"Okay. Let's do this", Hedwyn then let go of his hand and turned to look at the water. He then closed his eyes and drew his wand, gripping it tightly.
Eying the basin, with the potion in hand, he could feel his anxiety getting stronger.
His hands were sweating, making his grip on the potion become tighter. He could picture the scene so vividly: himself, on the floor next to the basin's altar, a panicking Kreacher by his side. He would then give his house-elf the Locket and order him to destroy it. His friend elf would leave and he would remain there, with the inferi getting closer and closer.
The possibility of what his very recent past could have been was so terrifying to him that it made him feel ill.
Dying in the way I feared the most, he thought.
Alone.
While being dragged to the water, his flesh being ripped apart by those monsters. His last thoughts were clear to him.
Thinking about sacrificing himself because there was no future for him under Tom Riddle's regime.
The thought of his brother, hearing about Regulus' death but not knowing what happened to him.
No one he ever cared about knowing what happened to him.
Lonely even in death.
Would Sirius have cried?, he couldn't help but think.
Would his older brother have cared that the little boy he saw grow up had died? Would anyone?
To never be buried alongside his ancestors. To never truly know peace. To think no one would know for sure what had happened to Regulus Black.
His death forever an open question. His body lost forever under the water.
One person would miss me now, he thought while looking at Harry.
His boyfriend would cry for him, he knew that. Harry would've looked for me, he closed his eyes as he thought.
‘My dear Harry.’
Opening his eyes, he got closer to the basin. He would make sure to do everything to bring Voldemort down.
Swiftly he took the cork out of the flask and poured the potion inside the basin.
The potion the Dark Lord created started to change. From emerald it became yellow, then red, then blue and at the end it was transparent like water.
He then transfigured the empty potion flask, transforming it into a glass cup.
The first gulp was mixed with anxiety and anticipation.
Nothing happened.
He waited for a few more seconds, to make sure.
The next seconds were hastily ones. Drinking faster and faster. Stopping only when the bottom of the basin became more visible. One final gulp of the once evil liquid left his lips, down his throat and ending his spiral.
The emerald-coloured locket appeared. He rapidly took the thing and put it inside a containment box he took from his robes.
Then taking a fake one, that Harry didn't know about, from one of his pockets and inspected it before putting it where the real one was.
There was rumbling in the water. He immediately drew his wand, looking everywhere around him and Harry.
When the first one came out of the water he almost screamed. The dead body was beyond grotesque. Skeletal thin, with pale white skin.
Suddenly there were more, all around them.
Come on, Harry, he thought in panic.
"Incendio!", he yelled the spell, sending it to five inferi who were closer.
He did the same with a few who came behind him.
More were coming out of the water. More and more of those hideous creatures were coming closer.
"Harry, if you don't stop them I will!", he yelled at his boyfriend. Stupid plan of using bloody inferi!, he thought.
A few more Incendios made him tired. The anxiety and fear mixed with using the fire spell over and over were tiring him.
"If you don't rush this I won't be able to use Fiendfyre against them! I'm tired already, Harry", he said as tears of panic rolled down his face.
While trying to move to fire the spell on some inferi who were coming closer to Harry he stumbled, falling to the ground.
His wand was no longer in his hand. He had no time to look for it. They were close; too close.
"HARRY, PLEASE!", he screamed.
We are going to die here, he thought. Maybe I'm destined to die here.
He was crying. The panic had settled inside him. He pulled his knee against his chest and began to sob.
"I don't want to die", his voice cracking as he spoke.
He didn't know if Harry was dead. He couldn't look. He could only listen to those things getting closer.
Maybe Harry had left. Maybe he fled after he saw how pathetic I am. Was I left to die alone, he asked himself.
"Don't leave me, Harry. Please", sobbing as he begged his boyfriend that he didn't know if was still there.
The sounds of movement stopped. He didn't stop crying. He could hear movement again; closer to his face.
Something touched his hair. His sob got louder.
He didn't know when it happened but suddenly he no longer was on the cold stone floor.
"Reggie, please. Come back to me, baby. I'm so sorry, Regulus."
The cries stop suddenly. He was feeling warm. Someone was hugging him.
Lifting his head, with a face still wet with tears, he saw his boyfriend. But something was wrong.
Harry was crying.
"I'm sorry, Reggie. Please forgive me.", Hedwyn said, hugging Regulus tighter against his chest.
The sight of his boyfriend crying broke his heart.
He raised his hand, touching his boyfriend's face. While caressing his face he said "Hedwyn. Harry, darling. I'm here."
When he heard Regulus voice and felt his touch he buried his face on his boyfriend's hair.
"I'm sorry, Regulus. This stupid plan was my fault. We should've just left", Harry said while crying.
"It's okay. It's okay. We are okay. We're okay, Harry", soothing both Harry and himself.
Harry inhaled against his hair; Regulus' scent calming him.
They remained like that for a while. Embraced by each other. Caressing and whispering sweet words to each other. The hell around them was forgotten for now.
-------------------------------------------------------
"So you left another fake Locket for the Dark Lord to find?"
"Yep"
"And you want to make him go to the cave at one point and use the Horcruxes to make him come to us for the final battle?"
"That's exactly what I said, yes."
Harry only looked at Regulus with a raised eyebrow at him.
They are in their bedroom. Laying in bed together. Two days have passed since the incident in the cave and they have yet to leave each other's side.
"It's not a bad plan at all, honestly. Thankfully you're the brains of this relationship."
Regulus looked smug after that. "Yeah, I know. Not news at all."
Harry fake sneered at him. That made Regulus laugh, which in turn made Harry smile.
"What did the note say? I hope it makes him angry."
"Oh. It will ", Regulus said while smirking. He then called Kreacher, asking for a copy he had on a table in his office and showing it to Harry.
To the Dark Lord
- Know we will be long gone before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who was the first to discover your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it and all the others if you do not adhere to our demands. In the possibility of your denial of our terms, you will be mortal once more.
- R.A.B. & H.A.P.
"Wow." Harry said "Your note from my past was a lot like this one. I always liked that one, by the way. I well deserved fuck you to Riddle."
The praising made Regulus blush and hide his face against Harry's chest.
Hedwyn smiled at his boyfriend's shyness.
"We'll bring that bastard down together, Reggie. Him first and then Britain will be ours", he kissed his boyfriend's head as he said that.
Regulus only hugged him tighter, nuzzling his nose against Harry's chest.
’Together‘, was all he could think, and that brought a smile to his face.