Regulus Black.
Three Years Before.
Regulus Black was Sirius Black’s brother. Before he died a terrible death.
Regulus was an adventurer. It wasn’t obvious from the way he surrounded himself with books and knowledge and quiet. Regulus often explored caves, and he filmed them, mostly for his own entertainment.
Regulus was in one of those caves now. He entered it after doing extensive research on it and making sure he knew every little detail about the cave.
The Hollow Cave was what it was called. Countless people who had entered these caves had died. It gave Regulus a good reason to be methodical and to map the fastest path in, and out of the cave system.
Regulus was exploring these caves and noticed paths that hadn’t been mapped by those who had entered before him. In the name of getting every path mapped, Regulus completely scrapped his previous plans.
He flipped his notes over and began drawing a rough sketch of the cave. He then drew the new pathway and went down it.
He recorded it all. Inside this cave, it was a little different. There were stalagmites jutting up from the floor of the cave at all different heights. Regulus recorded this. The stalactites hanging from the ceiling? Recorded. Regulus recorded everything that was in his sight. Every single detail was meticulously recorded.
What Regulus hadn’t recorded was the entrance. It was so small that Regulus had to crouch and half crawl through to get to the new pathway.
Regulus wandered through the cave, vaguely remembering what time he had to get out of the cave, as high tide made it difficult to walk through.
The cave was beautiful. It had mineral deposits in many different colours. The one that caught his eye was a bright green one. It looked like it had been placed there. Regulus used his tools and removed the green gem from the cave walls. He admired it, and held his new treasure to his flashlight.
He pocketed the green gem and continued walking through the cave, documenting it all the while.
While he wasn’t looking at the floor, he tripped and smashed his watch, the one time piece he was carrying because he didn’t bring his phone in case he lost it. Regulus groaned and tried to remove the glass from the case and just have the hands telling the time. However, the ground had damaged the watch so much that the hands of the watch had been broken off.
Regulus decided that he would spend a little more time here before heading back to his car and going home. He walked through the cave, following it and admiring the beauty of an untouched cave.
Many of the caves that Regulus went to were graffitied and sometimes were destroyed so that paths wouldn’t be accessible and Regulus would have to find another way to get to his destination.
Regulus was so touched by the beauty of the cave that he hadn’t noticed the fact that the water on the bottom of the cave had been rising slowly. It wasn’t until the water was at his thighs that he noticed it.
Cold water. It was making his legs numb. Regulus panicked. He made his way back to where he started documenting where the cave began and he couldn’t find the entrance.
It was gone.
He looked all around the walls, even feeling under the water with his feet to find his one exit. He wished he brought his phone. That way he could say goodbye to his family, his friends, and his boyfriend.
James. He was going to miss James. The lightning to his thunder. James was flashy and enjoyed showing off, while Regulus enjoyed being quiet and threatening.
They still haven’t told Sirius about their relationship. His brother.
They haven’t made up, they haven’t fixed their broken relationship which their parents had shattered.
At this point, the water was rising past his waist.
He’ll never touch James again. He’ll never hear that laugh again.
He searched more frantically for the entrance to the cave. The water was slowing him down. He looked. He checked his now soaking wet paper.
The water was at his chest now.
Regulus accepted defeat. He knew when he scrapped his original plan that he could die. He didn’t know that it would be today.
He barely said goodbye to James. James. James.
Regulus couldn’t think now. How would they find his body? All mouldy from the water? Bloated?
Regulus prayed to whatever gods would listen to him. The water was climbing to his shoulders. He begged, for whatever would listen to him. For something to respond.
He needed saving. Regulus didn’t bother screaming. It couldn’t help him now. There was nobody around anyways. Nobody was at the beaches in the middle of winter.
The gods didn’t answer his prayers. What would they even do for him? Stop the water from climbing? Light the entrance to the cave? Actually both of them would be extremely helpful.
The water was at his chin.
He had to float. How to float? He thought back to his swimming lessons from Sirius from when he was a child. Sirius. The memory hurts too much to think about.
All of his survival instincts went dead.
He tried to move to his back and just float, but his panic wasn’t helping. He couldn’t move. The water was past his face now. It felt like hands were dragging him under the water.
Regulus took one gulp of air before his entire head was forced under the water.
The entire cave was filled with water. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t documented. Half the time it was filled with water and the other half it was draining of the water.
Regulus’ air was limited. He felt it leave his lungs every time he moved. He didn’t dare open his eyes.
Regulus hoped.
Hope was futile. Nothing was going to save Regulus Black.
The air left his lungs and Regulus Black held his breath as long as he could until his body made him breathe in the water.
He felt the water fill his lungs.
Regulus Black was dead.