2. Achilles Come Down
15:32, 21st of August, 1979.
The crack of apparition. Kreacher had left. Somewhere, Regulus felt it. Because he sure as hell could not hear it through the water. The water, which was squeezing the life out of him, burning his body, starting at his lungs. Of course James wouldn’t have kept his promise.
Lies, lies, lies.
And then, apparition cracked again. This time, Regulus truly felt it, the crack of light magic moving through the sea of black. He felt an accio charm reach out to him, but the dark magic cut straight through the rope of light magic, and Regulus sank further again. This time, he stopped struggling. He didn’t have the energy to fight anymore. Every nerve in his body burned.
And then everything burned, for real. The hands pulling him down let him go and raced to the bottom without him. He felt a slight tug from another accio, but it didn’t lift him more than a few centimetres before the dark magic cut straight through it. Whoever was casting the spell seemed to have felt that it worked, just barely, because they kept casting the spell, over and over and over again.
Slowly, Regulus was coming closer to the surface, but he barely even registered it. He didn’t even feel the water getting impossibly hotter the higher he got, the water having numbed him almost completely. The only pain he still felt was the pain of James’ betrayal, of a broken promise.
Lies, lies, lies.
Regulus panicked when another set of hands started dragging on him again, but he didn’t have the energy to fight the hands.
It was only when he felt the hot blaze of the fire on top of the lake, that he realised that the set of hands holding him were warm, and not cold and slimy like the inferi, and that they were pulling him up instead of dragging him down. His vision was blurry from the water left in his eyes, and even from a distance, the fire burned to look at, so he closed his eyes and didn't get to see his saviour.
Although, maybe it was Voldemort who had found out about his plan, and wanted to kill him personally, in the worst way possible, in a way more torturous than drowning to the inferi.
“Regulus? Regulus if you can hear me...” His saviour said, sounding panicked. So, not Voldemort, then. His saviour grabbed his hand, and with what he said next, Regulus recognised who saved him. “If you can hear me, squeeze my hand. I’m here to help you Regulus, I’m here.”
James
James James James.
He came.
Regulus squeezed James’ warm hand like his life depended on it, and maybe it did, because Regulus wasn’t capable of speaking yet, the water strangling him from the inside.
“Okay…” Said James, sounding so relieved it made Regulus sob. “It’s okay, Reg, I’ve got you, let’s get you home.”
Home.
Regulus barely knew where that was.
Though, in that moment, being warmed by James’ strong, safe arms, listening to him whispering comfort in Regulus’ ear, Regulus supposed that wherever James went, he could build his home.
“Kreacher? Could you please bring us to the Potter manor?” Asked James kindly. Kreacher complied happily, undoubtedly relieved that Regulus was safe.
-
15:54, 21st of August, 1979.
Regulus was dizzy.
Side-alonging was always worse than aperating himself.
Regulus threw up on the fuzzy rug covering hardwood floors.
“James! What- Is that Sirius’ brother? I’ll go get my potions, just shout what you think he needs!”
Someone vanished his vomit, and he felt James strong arms pick him up again, as he shouted to Lily what had happened to him and what room she could find them in.
James lays Regulus on a soft, clean bed, and runs some diagnosing spells on him. He tries to ask Regulus questions from time to time, but it’s obvious that Regulus is in no state to be answering them. Lily comes into the room not much later, an array of potions in her arms. She sets them down on a table, while James gives her a more detailed explanation of what happened.
“Regulus? I’ve got a potion here, it’ll soothe your lungs, but it has to be spread over your chest, so I’m going to have to take your shirt off, okay?” Lily says, and all Regulus can do to react is squeeze James’ hand as an indicator that it's okay. Lily is incredibly gentle with him as she opens the buttons of his shirt, and spreads the potion on his chest.
“Is there anything I can do, mister Potter?” asks Kreacher once he gets in the room. James shifts a little, probably facing towards the elf.
“Could you get some of Regulus’ stuff, perhaps? He’s going to have to stay here, and I want him to be comfortable, oh, and before you leave, could you give Winky the recipe for his favourite meal?” Said James. And then, Regulus felt Kreacher disapparate.
“Lils, could you give me a water cleansing potion, Sajjan? There’s still water where there really, really shouldn’t be any.” Said James after having cast a few more spells.
“I haven’t got that on hand, love. It’ll take thirty minutes to brew.” answered Lily, already heading towards the door to go to her brewing room.
“That’s, that’s too long. Have we got dreamless sleep?” asked James. Lily must’ve given some silent form of answer, because James continued; “Great. Take a dose for those thirty minutes, and add 3 droplets according to the law of McLaggen, and half a gram of salt. Stir clockwise twice and then add one crushed up mandrake root. It should, in theory, keep him safe while he sleeps and we wait for better medicine.”
Lily returned quickly, and Regulus recognised her delicate hands helping him drink the potion before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
-
17:01, 21st of August, 1979
“Great, you’re awake. Just in time, Lily’s on her way. How are you feeling, Reg?” asked James, the very second Regulus woke up and opened his eyes. He was feeling quite a bit better already, thanks to James and Lily’s wonderful care.
“Regulus.” Slurred Regulus.
“What?”
“J’suis Regulus.” Explained Regulus, enunciate every syllable of his own name as carefully as he could manage in his semi-conscious state.
“I know?” said James, sounding rather unsure of himself.
“J’suis pas Reg.” Said Regulus. “J’m’appelle Regulus.”
“I-. Cool.” Said James, and it was so obvious he didn’t have a clue what Regulus had said, that it made Regulus laugh, causing him to puke right on Lily’s feet, as she had just walked in.
“I see you’ve woken up.” Said Lily as she vanished the vomit on her shoes, before handing him the potion. “You’ll have to vomit again within a good ten minutes, to get all of the water out of your system, but after that, you should be fine. James is very good at his job.”
Kreacher, who must’ve returned while Regulus was sleeping, went to get a bucket in preparation for the vomit.
“I see you’ve healed the cut on his jaw,” said Lily to James. “‘Sure there weren’t any curses in there?”
“Absolutely sure. It just came from a good old-fashioned cutting hex.” answered James before turning to Regulus. “It’ll leave a scar though, as magical wounds tend to. Don’t worry, it’ll be sexy.” James winked. “It’s a very precise cut though, never seen a cutting hex that precise. Who did that to you?”
“Moi.” Said Regulus. Practice makes perfect. He knew all about the scars cutting hexes tended to leave behind, and was very glad Lily had only opened the buttons of his shirt, and hadn’t taken off his sleeves.
James turned to Kreacher, who quickly translated. “He did it himself, mister Potter. Kreacher is very sorry, sir, Kreacher tried to stop him, but master Regulus is a stubborn master.”
James looked confused, but seemingly decided against asking more questions, instead choosing to cast a few more diagnostic spells. He found no further issues with Regulus’ physical health, apparently.
“You’re all better, Reg. I’d like for you to at least stay the night, just to be sure. Winky’s making crêpes, but they look just like pancakes, so I hope that’s alright? If you can’t eat them tonight, that’s all right. You’ve already had a nourishing potion, so you’ve got your fuel. After tonight you can stay for as long as you like, alright? You are not and will never be a burden on us. Our home will always be open for you, my offer still stands. You’re safe here.
-
19:52, 21st of August, 1979
Regulus did indeed have to vomit once more, as Lily had predicted. The vomit was mostly the dark water from the cave, and the sight of it gave Regulus a panic attack, which James helped him through. Then, Winky and Kreacher put a table in the guest room, so that the five of them could eat the crêpes there. Winky had done a really good job on them, but Regulus couldn’t manage to eat more than half a crêpe. Lily assured him that it was fine.
Lily handed him a potion of dreamless sleep after Kreacher and Winky cleaned up the room.
“Kreacher will be sleeping in a spare room in Winky’s quarters, he’s in good hands. If you need anything, give a shout. James and I will be behind the first door on the left if you need us. I recommend you take that potion. Rest is important, and you’ll probably have nightmares. Good night, Regulus.” Said Lily.
Regulus was very thankful for the potion, and for the rest it brought him once he drank it greedily.