Disclaimer: I do not own that which belongs to J.K. Rowling.
The Undoing of a Lineage
by: Wanda
{Team Captain of The Caerphilly Catapults! Round 8 of The Quidditch League FanFiction Competition!The Black Family Challenge: Orion Black}
"Son, where are you going at this late hour? Your mother has been worried since you have not been returning home until late. Please tell me you have met a girl. I would love to hear that it's been a girl that has been keeping you away from us," Orion stated as he caught Regulus at the edge of the stairs, heading for the exit.
"Kreacher," Regulus said in a soft voice and the elf appeared. "Please fill my father in on what my plans are. I need to be going. Sorry, Father, I will make you proud of me and the Black Family Name, I promise you that," Regulus said as he rushed down the stairs. Within a few short moments he was gone.
"Why does that sound worse than it sounds, Kreacher? What trouble has my boy gotten into? It's this Death Eater business, isn't it? Tell me, Kreacher. Tell. Me. Now." Orion had never used such a hoarse and serious voice before, not since Sirius was removed from the tapestry.
Kreacher's ears furrowed as he looked up to his eldest Master. "Kreacher is doing a disservice if I tell on Master's secrets."
Orion cleared his throat as he glared at the House Elf in rage. "He just told you to tell me what his plans are, now tell me Kreacher, or so help me, I will add you to Walburga's collection."
Kreacher paled at the thought of being headless. He held his hands upon his throat and cried, "Please forgive Kreacher, Master. Kreacher is only following orders of Master Regulus. He told Kreacher to tell anyone of his plans. Kreacher must keep his secrets."
Orion sighed in slight frustration. "Let us bring this meeting to the library, shall we, Kreacher? Perhaps then you will indulge the information Regulus told you to share with me."
Kreacher boxed his ears as he followed Orion into the library. "Can Kreature get Master some tea? Kreacher has a difficult story to tell that Kreatcher should not be telling."
"That will do, Kreacher," Orion said as he took a seat in his favorite chair nearest the window that looked out onto the Muggle street as Kreacher popped out of the room and, moments later, returned with Orion's tea."
"Here you are, Master. Kreacher has brought you your tea, sir."
"Now talk, Kreacher," Orion spoke as he picked up his cup and inhaled the fragrance of the perfect cup of tea. If he doesn't speak soon, I will be losing the best House Elf we have ever had, for he is the only one who made my tea to my preferences, correctly.
Kreacher pulled on his ears as he began to tell his tale...
"Master Regulus plans to stop the Dark Lord. He plans to go to the place where the Dark Lord forced me to go. He plans to drink the potion that made Kreacher relive the horrible, horrible memories from Kreacher's past. He plans to weaken the Dark Lord, somehow, by replacing the Dark Lord's locket with a locket he has made himself. An identical locket, with a note to the Dark Lord. He plans to destroy this locket the Dark Lord had used me to protect."
"What is this potion?" Orion asked as he looked at the poor tortured creature before him. He could see the House Elf had been traumatized by the potion his son planned to drink.
"Kreacher doesn't know, master," Kreacher whined. "A terrible potion. Kreacher tried to stop Master Regulus from going but he wouldn't listen, Master."
"What other side effects did this potion have? Did it make you ill. Did it cause you to feel sleepy? Did it make you feel thirsty-"
Kreacher shouted, "Thirsty, oh so thirsty!" Kreacher whined as he pulled on his ears harder, looking up at Orion. "So scared, so thirsty, so deprived of life. I needed water but the Dark Lord would not let me have any. He kicked Kreacher when Kreacher went to go get a drink from the pool that surrounds the place. Kreacher didn't get anything to drink until Master Regulus was permitted to fetch Kreacher from the Dark Lord's service."
Orion cradled his head in his hand as he set the tea cup down on the table beside him. My only son is as good as dead. The Black Family line will end with me. Why couldn't it have been a girl? Why did it have to be this? Why Regulus? Why my boy? Why my son?
"Kreacher is sorry. Kreacher should have stopped Master Regulus!" Kreacher shouted as he grabbed a random thick tome from one of the shelves and started to beat himself with it. He continued to beat himself with it until Orion snatched the book away from him. "Kreacher must be punished, Master."
"No, not today. You have been punished enough," Orion said as he tossed the book across the room. "Go to Regulus. Stop him from drinking that potion. Do what you have to in order to protect him. GO, NOW!" Orion shouted the last words and within seconds Kreacher had popped out of the room.
"Please save my boy from this terrible fate," Orion whispered as he sat back down, staring at his tea cup as if it burned him just by looking at it. My stomach churns too much to think this little spot of tea would do anything to settle it.
Orion looked up at her with haunted eyes.
"What's wrong, Orion?" Walburga asked again as she walked over to him, sitting in the seat across from him at the window.
"Our son is walking the line to his death, Walburga," Orion's harsh whisper caused Walburga to flinch.
"What do you mean, Orion? It's this Death Eater business, isn't it? He has gotten into trouble with the Dark Lord, hasn't he?" Walburga asked as she placed her hand upon Orion's knee. He could see the color leave her face when he looked into her eyes.
"No, it's worse. He plans to fight against him," Orion stated gravely as he placed his hand over Walburga's and looked out the window. "He plans to outsmart the Dark Lord. I doubt his abilities, Walburga. I sincerely think we will lose are son soon, if not tonight."
"Nooo! Not our Regulus! What are you doing to stop him? Please tell me you have done something, Orion?" Walburga asked as she placed her other hand on top of his, squeezing it with all the strength she could muster.
"I sent Kreacher after him. I hope Kreacher gets to him in time," Orion stated as he squeezed her hand back. "All we can do now is hope Kreacher gets to him in time to stop him. I wasn't able to get all the details...as Kreacher was in the middle of telling me Regulus' plan to hinder the Dark Lord, but if I had not sent him straight away there would be no possible way to stop Regulus from dying tonight."
"I don't think I will be able to go to sleep tonight...not with our son's life on the line." Walburga stated softly, as she looked into Orion's eyes.
"I won't either, it's hard enough to even think about drinking my tea...let alone think about going back to bed." Orion replied as he continued to hold Walbura's hands.
So that is what they did, they stayed up and watched the window. They waited for any signs of their son. Though they knew Kreacher could pop in at any moment with their son in hand, looking out the window gave them something to do.
Several Hours Later
Orion was now pacing the room, as Walburga had finally succumbed to sleep. He stopped and watched her for a few moments before he decided to move her. Instead of using magic, he simply lifted her up, bridal style. It surprises me to find out how light you still are Walburga. Are you eating properly? Have my extended work hours made you stop eating all together? I can't have my wife fading away, not when my only son is about to meet his doom. Orion let out a soft sigh as he carried his wife up out of the library. He carried her straight to her room and set her down gently upon the open blankets. He watched her for a few moments, making sure she stayed asleep before reaching over her to pull her cover up over her. I'm glad one of us will be rested. I will wake you as soon as our son comes home, but until then...I will let you rest. Sleep well, my beautiful wife.
Orion swiftly left the room and reentered the library, beginning to pace once again. What are we going to do, Walburga? The only thing we can do now is wait. At least you will have less time to think about the horrors of what our son is going through while you dream. I hope they are happy dreams of a time before now. Where our son was still a shining little Slytherin, maintaining good grades and indulging in the love of bread pudding.
Orion continued to pace as he tried to think of happier times with Regulus but all he could see was the horror in Kreacher's eyes when the House Elf described to him the potion he had taken. "Kreacher...where are you?"
"Right here, Master," Kreacher stated in soft tears. "Kreacher has brought you Master Regulus but Kreacher was too late. Master Regulus drank that terrible potion and drank the water from the pond. Kreacher has brought Master Regulus back to his room but he's unwell. I've brought him his soup but he refuses to drink, Master."
"How long has it been since you returned, Kreacher?" Orion glared at him.
"Not long master, please, Kreacher was trying to take care of Master Regulus." Kreacher backed away from Orion's raised hand.
"Where is he? Where is my son?" Orion was trembling with anger.
"In his room, Master, resting!" Kreacher exclaimed.
"Take me there this instant, Kreacher!" Orion exclaimed as he grabbed Kreacher by his potato sack shirt and the moment he did, they popped out of the library into Regulus' room.
"Son..." Orion said as he dropped Kreacher to the floor, rushing to his son's bed. "Son, please look at me."
"Father..." Regulus cried out softly. "Kreacher...why?"
"Master Reg-" Kreacher began but was cut off by Orion.
"Because I commanded him to, Regulus! First, you run off, join that despicable group...now you plan to destroy the man that runs it! Are you crazy, my boy?"
"Father...no, Kreacher...you must destroy it. Please, Kreacher." Regulus was rambling now as he was beginning to fade.
"Son...don't do this, you need to live," Orion stated as he knelt beside his son's bed, grasping his hand.
"I'm sorry, dad, I tried to destroy it but it wouldn't let me. I'm too weak," Regulus stated as he looked up to the ceiling.
"You mother wouldn't want you to die without her being here, son, please..." Orion felt the first tear slide down his face as he gripped his son's arm tighter.
"I just don't have the will in me, father..." Regulus responded quickly.
"Kreacher, wake up the Mistress and bring her here now," Orion stated quickly as he looked back to the House Elf to see him pop out of the room.
"What's going on?!" Walburga cried out as she popped into the room.
"Regulus..." Walburga rushed over to the bed, sitting beside Orion. "Regulus...no."
"Sorry mother...but it seems...this is the end," Regulus stated softly as his skin suddenly paled and the temperature of his skin dropped, considerably.
"No, son, please don't...we can fix this," Orion stated as he watched his son look straight into his eyes, releasing his last breath.
Walburga sat still. She was unable to take her eyes off of her son, who was no longer breathing. Tears streamed down her face, completely unable to say any words.
Orion could feel the rage building up inside of him. The Dark Lord was going down. He had to make sure of it. He stood up and looked to Kreacher and yanked him by his potato sack shirt as they left Regulus' room. "You will tell me everything, Kreacher, everything right now or so help me...you will be added to Walburga's collection."
Kreacher pulled on his ears as he was crying. "Kreacher tried to save him, Master, please believe Kreacher. Kreacher arrived too late. Kreacher is ashamed he could not save Master Regulus. Kreacher would have liked to die in his stead."
Orion let go of the House Elf and allowed him to stand on his own two feet. "Tell me about this locket. What is so important about it?"
"Kreacher doesn't know," Kreacher stated as he pulled the locket out of his pocket. "Kreacher tried to destroy it, Kreacher did. Master Regulus even tried the killing curse on the locket but it did nothing to it," Kreacher whined as he clutched Orion's legs, crying into his master's trousers. "Kreacher tried to stop Master Regulus...Master, please forgive Kreacher."
"Give me the locket, Kreacher," Orion stated as he shoved Kreacher from his legs. "Give it to me, now!"
"No, Kreacher can't! Kreacher promised Master Regulus he would destroy it. It was Master Regulus' dying wish, Master, please." Kreacher backed away.
"You either give it to me or I will take it from your corpse." Orion's crisp voice hit the air, his fury building behind his eyes.
Kreacher was torn with dismay as he handed Orion the locket. "Please, Master, we must destroy it like the young Master wanted."
"We will destroy it. I promise you that, Kreacher," Orion stated as he examined the locket. This little trinket was the cause of my son's death. What is so important about this, my boy? What is it? I can feel the dark magic residue. No, there is something else here. I can feel a presence but it cannot be! The Dark Lord wouldn't be that naive, would he? Would he be so stupid to split his soul? Did he not read The Secrets of the Dark Arts?
Orion clutched the locket in his hand as he looked back into the room where Regulus laid dead, his wife cowering over him, hugging their son as she cried and screamed her lungs out. I will destroy the Dark Lord's locket if it's the last thing I ever do. I promise you, son, somehow, we will bring the end to the Dark Lord.
"Kreacher, come with me to the library," Orion stated as he walked past Kreacher, who had been crumpled on the floor crying rather obnoxiously.
Kreacher peeked up as he watched Orion sweep past him to enter the library.
Several Months After the Funeral of Regulus Black
"Orion, you cannot continue to do this. There is no use, stop all this nonesense. Please," Walburga spoke softly as she walked over to him.
"GET. OUT. NOW!" Orion shouted the instant she came through the door. "I promised our son I would destroy it."
"This is exactly why our son was killed. I don't want to see you die as well. Please, Orion," Walburga continued to beg him as she backed out of the library.
"Kreacher, take the Mistress away, please," Orion stated as soon as the House Elf popped into the room, only to take Walburga by the hand and lead her out of the library.
"Kreacher is sorry, Mistress, but Master told me you had to leave. Kreacher must escort you out," Kreacher stated as he grasped Walburga's hand and popped them out of the vicinity.
Orion slammed his hands on the table as he stared down the locket. "I will kill you, I swear it!" Orion cried at the locket as he slammed a few spells at it, watching in frustration as they ricocheted and hit various objects within the room, completely missing all the books since they were all well protected. "There is only one thing I have not tried but the House Elf told me it hadn't worked. What if it was because he didn't mean it?" Orion glared at the locket.
"This is it, it's you or me," Orion stated as he lifted his wand, the rage swirling inside his eyes. For Regulus. "Avada Kedavra!"
Unfortunately, the spell did not penetrate the locket and the spell ricocheted back, hitting Orion straight in the chest, instantly killing him. He collapsed into a lifeless heap on the floor within seconds of the spell hitting him in his chest, joining his son in death.
Author's Note: I hope you all liked it. I enjoyed writing it. I love these challenges as they keep me on my toes and thinking outside the box. Hopefully here soon, I will be writing another chapter for "A Hidden Prince!"
Yours Truly,
Lost O'Fallon Girl