Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter.
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Grimmauld Fairy Tale
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Regulus didn't know what he was thinking. He gripped the edge of the basin, staring down into the clear potion and the green locket inside it.
He must be insane.
The Black family insanity must have finally caught up with him. He wouldn't be doing this if he was in his right mind. It was stupid. Impossible. And completely Gryffindor. Only Sirius would do something this utterly insane. Not Regulus. Not the spare child. Not the second son.
Not the Death Eater brother.
He reached for the cup and dipped it into the basin, pouring it out onto the crystals beneath his feet.
The basin refilled itself.
Regulus stared at it with an unreadable face before he turned to Kreacher. "You will make me drink this, and no matter what, you don't stop. Even if I order you to, you will make me drink. Force it down my throat if you have to. Don't stop until every last drop is gone and the basin is empty. That's an order Kreacher."
The house elf nodded with tearful, wide eyes, and croaked. "Yes, Master Regulus."
"And when it's empty," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a locket, the same as the one in the basin. "You will take this and switch it with the one in the basin, then you will leave without me Kreacher. You will go home and never tell mother or anyone else what I have done. You will destroy the locket from inside the basin. You must destroy the locket Kreacher."
Sobbing now, the house elf took the locket. "Ye-yes, Master Regulus."
"Good," his expression softened. "Thank you, Kreacher."
He picked up the cup and dipped it in the basin, filling it to the brim. Then he drank. It made his insides burn, and Regulus closed his eyes to the nightmares as he leaned over the basin.
No time for regrets. No time... for despair.
He took another drink.
The nightmares became worse, but he kept drinking. Again and again. He drank until he couldn't and he was begging Kreacher to stop. To just kill him. Sobbing to Sirius that he was sorry. That he didn't hate him. That he was still his brother.
His throat was like fire when the nightmares finally stopped.
Regulus opened his eyes to the smooth crystal beneath his hands and pressed to his back. He could see the black lake, stretching out into the dark cave like a mirror. Kreacher was replacing the locket in the basin, but Regulus couldnt think much beyond his parched throat. Water. He needed water.
The black lake was smooth and cool. Regulus knelt at its edge and reached out, forgetting the danger as he cupped the water in weak hands and drank.
"Master Regulus!"
Too late.
Slimy white fingers grabbed his arms and neck. They dragged him into the icy black water, wrapping around his body. Water filled his lungs and somehow, even as the cold, dead hands pulled him deeper into the lake, Regulus wasn't afraid.
As his mind went numb, Regulus Black welcomed the sweet release of death.
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A 'Regulus is reborn as Harry' fic because he is awesome and I wanted to write him. Oh. And lots of Black family drama too. Because, let's face it, they're so fucked up they'd make even Shakespeare proud.