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Regulus Black sat on a stone step. He had been like this since the day he had died. Though, he would argue that it was the first day he had really lived. He was occasionally joined by others, but they would leave. And he would wait.
"Not here yet?" James Potter said approaching Regulus.
"No. I cannot bring myself to be upset about it. I would rather wait numerous years before he arrives." Regulus' cultured voice replied. James and Regulus had long since resolved their differences.
"Mind if I sit with you for a bit?" James asked.
"Not at all; I appreciate the company." Regulus patted the step beside him. James sat.
They were interrupted by a man falling backwards through the doorway. He was laughing. Well, of course he was. Sirius Black would die no other way then laughing. Regulus rushed forward, catching his brother before he hit the ground. Sirius jerked away, startled. There was a yell of "Sirius" from the other side of the doorway, but the shout faded as the portal closed.
"Sirius," Regulus breathed, brushing the hair back from his eyes.
"Reg?" Sirius looked confused.
"Hello there," Regulus looked uneasy, wondering how his brother would react to his presense. Regulus looked his brother over. Years had been erased from his face and he looked like he had when he was 17.
"Pads!" James yelled, distracting Sirius from his brother.
"Prongsy?" Sirius questioned, before hugging his best friend. Regulus looked down, knowing he didn't deserve a greeting like that. James caught his sad look, and looked back at Sirius.
"I'll leave you too to it. Come find me later," James sauntered off.
"Sirius." Regulus stated again gazing into his brothers grey eyes. Regulus himself had blue eyes, and his hair was lighter than Sirius' black. Sirius thought about the last time he had looked at those eyes, they had been swimming with tears, stubbornly held back. His had been angelic face sad, lower lip trembling.
"Regulus," this time Sirius' reply was guarded.
"I'm sorry," both brothers said it at the same time. Regulus looked at Sirius sharply.
"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." Regulus looked down ashamed. "I was the one who went Death Eater, remember?"
Sirius sighed, "I let you down as a brother. I should have been there for you. Like I was when we were kids. I turned my back on you."
"I deserved it." Regulus said firmly.
"How did you die?" Sirius asked suddenly. "No one knew what happened. Just that you were dead. The family tree showed you dead."
"I died doing the only thing I am proud of in my life." Regulus smiled grimly. "I betrayed Voldemort."
"He killed you?"
"Not directly."
"Tell me what happened." Sirius ordered. Regulus sighed and retook his seat on the steps. Sirius joined him.
"Well... I didn't want to be a Death Eater. I hate death. You know that. The very name repulses me. But… the Dark Lord can be very persuasive. I was scared. You cannot say no to him." Regulus shuddered. Sirius gasped, the very idea of his brother being 'persuaded' was nauseating.
"Did he… you know… hurt you?"
"Hm? Not that day. I was just scared of what he can… could do; though Mother hit me for initially turning down the kind offer from our dear cousin Lucius." Regulus sighed, running a hand through his hair, which immediately returned to its put together state. "I cannot say the same for the future days, but I daresay that no Death Eater escaped falling out of the Dark Lord's favor from time to time. He was very good at making his displeasure known."
"I'm sorry." Sirius put him arm around Regulus' thin shoulder. Regulus shrugged.
"I made my decision. I had to live with it. Anyway," Regulus stated firmly. "I want to tell you the only thing I ever did right, not linger on the wrongs. You know all too well there was much wrong executed by me. Voldemort needed a house elf. I was looking for a way to ingratiate myself to him. I was already plotting against him, but had no clear way of knowing what to do. I offered Kreacher. Kreacher turned out to be the key to everything.
He said the house elf would not be harmed. The very last straw, if I needed more reason, was the returning of Kreacher in very ill health.
Kreacher told me what happened. I was shocked. I knew how to kill Voldemort. He had a horcrux in the form of a locket. I knew that I would destroy it if the very act killed me. I ordered Kreacher to take me to where Voldemort had it hidden. The opening required blood. I cut off the Dark Mark that blemished my arm as an offering. I made it across the water that smelt of death. The horcrux was protected by a potion. That vile potion… I made Kreacher promise to make me drink it all and switch out the lockets when I was down. And if I didn't have the strength afterwards, to destroy it himself."
"The potion killed you?" Sirius questioned.
"No. Though it was probably the worst experience of my life, it did not kill me. But the Dark Lord was clever. He made the antidote water. And there was so much water surrounding me. I vaguely remember Kreacher telling me not to touch the water, but was too far gone to obey. I drank the water that smelt of death. And death rose up from the depths of the lake and scratched and dragged and bit until I joined them." Regulus sighed, wondering if this was enough to redeem himself in Sirius' eyes.
Sirius' arms embraced him. The familiar scent of Sirius was soothing and reminded him of when he was just Reggie and Sirius was his Siri and would always look after him.
"I'm sorry I left you Reg. If I had known what you would go through I wouldn't 've left." Sirius rested his cheek against his brother's hair, and was surprised to feel his brother shaking.
"I thought you would hate me, Siri," Regulus sniffled, slipping off his calm and reserved mask and donning the childlike persona that had left with his brother.
"Oh, Reggie, I could never hate you," Sirius smiled. "Us against the world, remember?"
"Yeah," Regulus smiled. "Us against the world."