All recognizable characters are the property of J.K Rowling.

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MEMORIA MEA

"Regulus, take my hand!"

It was the only memory I had of my childhood. There was a blank space between when I was born to when I was about nine years old. I don't even really remember who said it. It could have been Mother… but that'd be like a Black being sorted into Gryffindor. Which thinking about it now, probably wasn't the best analogy I could've used.

Sometimes, I'd spend an entire afternoon just remembering, trying to recognize the voice. But the more the memory played in my head, the more distorted it became. First, it'd sound like Mother, then Father, then maybe it was actually cousin Bella or Cissy or maybe it was no one at all… Maybe I'd just imagined it. Maybe it was a dream… or a nightmare.

Whatever it was, it wouldn't leave my mind.

I'd be in class, barely paying attention to the drone of the Professor when I'd hear it. Often it'd be a mere whisper, naught but a lick in my ear. But then there were times when it was a scream. It would drown out the world around me with its ear piercing cry. And I would bare it, only in hopes of finally remembering who said it. Sure, I would come out of it with bleeding ears and a questionable sanity but those were small prices to pay to put a face to the voice.

I've even contemplated asking some people in the family about 'incidents' in which it may have prompted someone to say such things but I knew I'd only get the disapproval stares that were permanently etched on their faces.

I could've asked him… but no.

"Regulus, take my hand!"

I died on a Thursday.

Down in that insidious lake with no one I loved beside me, I only had that memory as a companion to the afterlife. It seemed fitting – cynical, it may be – to have my first memory as my last thought.

I could remember the inferi clawing at my flesh. I saw strings of dark red in the palms of their hands before the pain even came. Warm blood oozed out of my mouth, the metallic tang somehow felt familiar. I could hear their excited shrieks echo throughout the cave.

I knew I would die someday, I just never knew in what way. I'd always hoped it would be in the midst of battle; fighting to the very last breath. In glory I would live, made immortal by honour, loved by only a select few, but loved nonetheless.

What a fatuous dream.

No respectable Black would be caught dying like a fucking Gryffindor.

I wondered how much longer it would take. The seconds felt like small glimpses of forever.

Then I was moving. There was a tugging on my right foot. Water lapped against my cheeks. I was underwater.

"Regulus, take my hand!"

I will, I will… just let me rest for a second. I'm so tired… so tired… and it hurts. It hurts so bad!

"Regulus!"

Yes?

"Take my hand!"

Why?

"Quickly!"

I don't… I don't understand…

"Hurry! Before she sees you."

Before who sees me? Where are we? Why is it so dark?

"Shh… you have to be quiet."

I'm… afraid… I'm so afraid.

"I know. I am too. But it's safer here. She won't find us up here, so she can't hurt us."

Hurt us?

"Nothing can hurt us."

Is that you, Sirius?

And as the world comes to an end, I'll be there to hold your hand 'cause your my king and I'm your lionheart…