For Liza, happy early birthday, love :)

Accept me for Who I am

"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win."- Stephen King

i. Life

My life was never easy, but I'm thinking everyone could say that. I could sit here and bitch and bitch about how I've seen things no sixteen year old should see, but I won't – because this isn't that kind of story.

No, this is the story of the Death Eaters, the most lethal gang in London – cool name, I have to admit.

The leader of them is this guy named Tom Riddle; I've only met him a few times, but he seems totally cool and collected – despite the fact that he always has a gun on him.

The second in command is my cousin, Bella. I'm unsure if it's because she's a psychopath or if she's just fucking him, but I guess I'll never know that – not that I really want to.

Then there's my parents. They're in charge of the drugs for the gang, which makes it very easy to steal money as there's always thousands of dollars around.

As soon as I reach my eighteenth birthday I will officially be allowed to become a Death Eater. My mother has instilled the loyalty of the Death Eaters into me since before I could remember. When I join them, I will finally have her acceptance. It isn't that she don't love me – I know she does – it's just because its the way she was brought up.

My father, on the other hand, he just wants the power the gang brings him.

I, on the other, other hand, don't know what I want, except maybe some acceptance.

ii. The Beginning of the End

"Hello, I'm looking for Mrs. Walburga Black and Mr. Orion Black."

This is how it all started. My parents, Walburga and Orion, were part of a gang, you see, and the man at the door, he was the Police Commissioner's son. Of course, I didn't know this at the time, because if I did he never would have been let in without a warrant. But how was I supposed to know he didn't just want drugs?

"Come in," I said with a nod. "My mother is resting but father should be in his study."

I showed him the way, of course, sneaking glances at him as we walked through my huge manor. I noticed that the man before me could've only been a few years older then me and he was truly beautiful in my opinion. "Here you are."

"Thank you—"

"Regulus," I informed with a nod. "Regulus Black."

"Barty," he said with a smile shaking my hand. "Barty Crouch."

His smile was breathtaking, and it had my heart beating faster than ever before, but before I could say anything else my mother had called for me, and he had disappeared into my father's study.

The second time I had seen Barty wasn't exactly a happy one at all. My parents had been arrested for drug trafficking, and I didn't have a clue what to do. My older brother, Sirius had run away years ago to get away from the violence, and I didn't know where he was, so I had no other choice than to go into custody of the system.

After all, the only friends I had were kids of Death Eaters, and I was on Tom Riddle's hit list for letting Barty into the house without a warrant, so I certainly did not want to stay with anyone I knew.

I met one girl at the shelter that was in a situation a lot like mine, however. Her name was Estelle Lovell and although she was really closed off, I managed to get a few, good conversations out of her.

The next day I was summoned to go to the cop station once again for questioning. I didn't really mind, because I knew it was Barty who would be doing the questioning, and as long as I'd get to see him I didn't think I'd mind what he asked. I even got to go on a police issued motorcycle, easily the highlight of my day.

I actually couldn't believe what I was seeing when I entered the cop station. There was Tom Riddle, the Malignus leader of The Death Eaters in handcuffs. Did they finally catch him? Was the gang done with? I caught the eye of my mother, who looked furiously at me as she motioned me over to her.

"This is all your fault!" She sneered into my ear, making me roll my eyes. "You helped them!"

"Yes, because you smuggling drugs around... that changes nothing?" I spat back to her loud enough for the cops around me to hear. "I can't believe I wanted this life! You are all a disgrace to humanity!"

And that's when I was slapped by my mother and punched by my father in the middle of the London Police Department – and that's when I literally fell into the arms of Barty Crouch.

iii. Accepted

I really owe my mother a thank you for bringing Barty and me together, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have fallen into his arms, and he wouldn't have brought me into the cribs.

"Are you okay?" He asked with a creased brow. I nodded, after all, it was nothing I wasn't used to.

Barty nodded and took a deep breath. "Good. I'm sorry about your parents; maybe I can make it up to you by taking you out to dinner?"

Now before you get all 'oh my god, he's sick! Going out with a teenager!' – first of all, I was the legal age for sex, and secondly, he was only nineteen, a senior when I was a freshmen.

As for how he knew I was gay – that remains questionable. Maybe he saw me staring at him. Nevertheless I accepted.

We talked about normal things, the weather, school, where I saw myself in five years.

"I don't actually want this job, you know," he said with a solemn smile. "I hate being a cop, but my father is the commissioner; it was pretty much the only thing I could do to make my father proud."

I laughed ironically. "I know what you mean... My whole life my mother always looked at me like I was unimportant, meaningless... I thought that becoming a Death Eater, which was one of the things she cared deeply about, would make her accept me for who I was."

"Did she know you were gay?" he asked. His voice wasn't the normal prying like I was used to hearing coming out of everyone's mouth. He seemed like he genuinely wanted to know.

"Yes," I answered with a nod. "It wasn't a surprise that I got the beating of a lifetime afterwards."

The look on his face was confused and shocked all at the same time; then I realized what I had said and looked at him awkwardly. I had forgotten I wasn't talking to a Death Eater's child, and that he wasn't in the same boat as me. Sensing my discomfort he kindly changed the subject.

At the end of the date he brought me to the building I was staying at until they found my older brother, and he smiled at me with his charming smile that just made my heart go wild.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Good night," he said to me softly.

I grinned and tried not to show that I was blushing, and I swear I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. Then something magical happened; he kissed me, making my heart flutter and my stomach soar with butterflies. It was the best damn kiss I'd ever received.

"Goodnight," I whispered back after pulling away. His face looked relieved, but I didn't question why. I watched him go down the walkway to his car. It was then that I realized that I was in love. However, it wasn't until a few weeks later and we had officially made ourselves a couple that I knew he was in love with me too.

And that was when I realized someone finally accepted me for me.

This was written for the following competitions and challenges.

The Quidditch league competition with the character of Walburga Black needing a significant role.

The House Cup competition with the pairing, quote, action, emotion, word, dialogue.

Different Genre's competition with the genre romance.

All sorts of Love Competition with slash.

Muggleize It Competition with the situation: Barty Crouch works for his detective father and he goes after the Black family, a notorious crime gang, to earn his father's approval. What he gets instead is Regulus.

The OC Swap competition with the character Estelle Lovell.

Also for the following Boot Camps: Favorite Era Boot Camp; Motorcycle. Pairing Diversity Boot Camp; NartyReg; Oblivious. Favorite Hogwarts House Boot Camp; Traitor. Character Diversity Boot Camp; Regulus; snitch. Slash/Femsalsh Boot Camp; Oblivous. Diversity Genre Boot Camp; Muggle!AU; Malignus – evil. Character Trait Boot Camp; Muggle! Family Boot Camp; Blacks; Officer. AU Diversity Boot Camp; Muggle!; Help. Organization Boot Camp: Manipulate. Movie quote Boot Camp; Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. (Gone With The Wind, 1939)