A/N: This is basically just a collection of journal entries written by Regulus Black between the time he joins the Death Eaters up until his death, cause Regulus is a seriously epic and under-appreciated character. I mean, he defied Voldemort, with just a house elf, at age 18. He is a badass. But I also feel like he would have had a pretty horrible psychologically damaging time. So I wrote this. Each chapter will be a journal entry, except the first chapter which has the introduction. Not really a story, just brief diary entries.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. If I did, there would be an entire published series just about RAB. Instead I wrote this.
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It had been three years since Harry last set foot in Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
Really, he could hardly stand to be in the place. The moment he crossed the threshold, he felt the weight of long past memories crush down upon him from all sides. He remembered the spiteful glares of the ancient Black family portraits, the unsettling display of house elf heads upon the wall, the shrill, violent screams of Mrs. Black as she rained curses upon the filth and disgrace that was occupying her house. He remembered the wicked excitement and reckless longing of his godfather, the hectic bustle of Mrs. Weasley's intense cleaning regiment, and the nasty murmurs of Kreacher the house elf. He could recall clear as day the time Ol' Mad Eye had given him that aged photograph of the original order, as well as feel the ache that had pained him at the sight. More than anything, he remembered how horribly empty the old place seemed when Sirius was no longer there.
Harry only returned now at the insistence of Kreacher. Despite everything, Harry had actually formed rather a soft spot for the old elf, malicious bloke that he was. Kreacher had been so upset, so insistent that Harry retrieve his precious Mistress's old hairbrush—a Black family heirloom, he moaned, passed down for centuries, yadda yadda yadda. Apparently it was kept in a box, magically sealed to only open to the head of Grimmauld Place. Harry seriously doubted Mrs. Black would have specified those qualifications if she knew who her house would eventually belong to.
Harry walked slowly up the creaking stairs, the insidious eeriness of the house seeming to chill his very bones. He passed first by Sirius's old room, then Regulus's, and then finally reached the grand, intricate door leading into Orion and Walburga Black's bedroom. He creaked open the door, and slipped inside.
The room was the epitome of pure blood elitism. It was neat, organized, and elegant, yet riddled with anti-muggle paraphernalia—prejudice newspaper articles, elitist novels, Slytherin decorations. Harry immediately spotted the box; it was silver, with elaborate snake designs ringing it, and an empty keyhole. Harry pulled out his want and tapped the box, whispering "Alohamora". Sure enough, the box sprang open, its insides displayed before him.
To Harry's mild surprise, there was almost nothing in there. He could see the hairbrush clear enough, silver and clearly ancient. Beside the brush was an old ring encrusted with Salazar Slytherin's emblem, a broken wand, a peculiar little cube with no apparent purpose, a golden key, and a strange green book with no title.
Furrowing his brow, Harry withdrew the hairbrush, the cube, the key, and the book. He set the brush aside, uninterested, and began examining the cube. It was small, bronze, and stubbornly refused to do anything except be a cube. After several minutes of tinkering, Harry set it aside, mentally reminding himself to ask Hermione about it later. Then he picked up the little green book, flickering to the first page—
Property of Regulus Arcturus Black.
Harry remember that day long ago, passing by Regulus Blacks' old sign, the name clicking into place with that mysterious note left inside the fake Horcrux. Curiosity spiked, Harry flickered through the diary; it only contained a few entries, each written in the same elegant handwriting. Returning the first page, an odd sense of apprehension clinging to his heart, Harry began to read.
June 4, 1977
Today I have chosen to change my life forever. I have joined the Death Eaters. I don't really know what that will mean for me, but I know it will be something grand. Bella says the world is changing and I can feel it. We will restore the pride and integrity of the wizarding world. "We are pure"- that is what Bella always says. I can feel the Dark Mark searing on my arm, and there is something heavy inside me. I think it might be fear, but that is okay. People always fear change. I will be brave, braver than Sirius ever was, and it will lead me to glory! Sirius will see that, he must see that, and we will be brother's again. All will be well, all will be perfect. I know it will.
I hope Mother is proud.
Regulus Black