Regulus Arcturus Black was everything a pure-blood family could expect from its heir. He was a charming and very handsome young man, an incomparably gifted wizard, and most importantly, he believed in blood purity. Enough that he had joined Lord Voldemort and became one of his Death Eaters when he was only sixteen years old.
His mother and father (and his oldest cousin, Bellatrix, who was a Death Eater herself) were so proud of their beloved son. The young woman told them a lot of incredible stories about the wizard so the idea of their heir being one of his followers was heart-warming.
What is worth mentioning, however, is the fact that Regulus Black wasn't always the heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, because he was the younger son. His brother Sirius – who was extremely talented and even more handsome than him – was the heir until their mother disowned him as soon as he had ran away from their family home. He was what wizards like them call a "blood traitor" because he believed that mud-bloods and pure-bloods are equal and blood purity did not matter.
What a fool, the young boy used to think.
He couldn't understand how his brother could think that way. To think that mud-bloods were worth as much as them, pure-blood wizards. Especially as much as the members of their family: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. The purest of the purest. The best of the best.
A few things have changed since he became a Death Eater.
During summer before his last year at Hogwarts, at the age of seventeen, he got married to a French pure-blood witch, Charlotte Delacour, who was the same age as he was, however, she was home-schooled. But most importantly, he finally realised how foolish he really was.
Because Regulus was still a student, he had no opportunity to attend the meetings often. Their Lord was aware that it would be suspicious if the students were disappearing from Hogwarts during evenings. The Black heir had, however, a chance to attend the last one, which was yesterday, because of Christmas break. He was so eager to prove himself that he didn't sleep at night. His wife wasn't thrilled, but she knew more than well that it was pointless to say anything.
During the meeting, the wizard asked for a house-elf, so he, of course, offered his beloved one – Kreacher. The boy was proud as a peacock when the Dark Lord chose his house-elf... but then his servant returned, being barely alive. He confessed what the wizard ordered him to do...
His world has been turned upside down. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe that his Lord could be so cruel... but Kreacher didn't lie. He couldn't lie. Regulus knew it more than well. It was when the scales fell from his eyes. It made him sick. It made him ashamed. He was disgusted with himself. He followed a murderer (now he understood perfectly what Bellatrix meant when she told him that the Dark Lord will remove muggle-borns from their world. Now he could understand what kind of message the articles about the wizard, which he had pinned to a wall in his bedroom, brought). He supported the murderer. His left forearm was branded with the murderer's mark. And what was even more scary was the fact that he did it willingly. Nobody had forced him to join Lord Voldemort. He was so disgusted. His brother was right all the way... He was just a pathetic coward and a fucking idiot.
His wife wasn't home when Kreacher came back and Regulus was grateful for that. She went to France to visit her brother because his little daughter, Fleur, had turned two. He was supposed to go with her, obviously, but because of the meeting, he couldn't. He knew that Charlotte was disappointed (and now he didn't blame her for this), but back then the meeting was more important. So she went alone, informing them that he was sick.
He felt dirty, but water didn't take his dirt away. When he realised what he got himself into, he couldn't look at himself. He smacked the mirror in the bathroom because it reminded him of what kind of scum he was. He even wanted to get rid of the Dark Mark from his forearm, but because he couldn't, he tried to cut off his arm. If it wasn't for a very weak house-elf, he would have lost the left arm.
The next step was drinking. He wanted to forget and he was convinced that only alcohol could help him. He had hoped that it will take his pain away. That was how his wife found him.
"Regulus?" a soft, female voice reverberated around the room.
The future head of the Black family sat in a leather armchair, next to the fireplace in the living room, drinking Firewhisky, and was absently watching as the fire was destroying the pieces of parchment he threw in some time ago. The articles about Lord Voldemort which he removed from his old bedroom. The boy was so lost in thought that he didn't even realise that a young woman, a teenager girl actually, entered the room.
The girl, dressed in a long white dress, was the owner (according to the young Black heir) of the most beautiful blue eyes in the world and had waist length blonde hair. When she spotted the boy, she walked towards him.
"Regulus?"
Feeling a warm hand on his shoulder, the wizard jumped in his armchair.
"Charlotte!" he exclaimed when he finally saw his wife. He was quite surprised by her unexpected appearance. "I thought that you won't be back until tomorrow."
"I know you did. However, Fleur got sick and I decided that it would be better if I returned," the girl answered and took the glass from his hand and put it on the nearby table. Then she sat on the free chair next to his. "You shouldn't drink so late, Reggie."
"I know," he replied meekly.
"Then why were you?"
There was no shadow of reproach in her voice. Quite the opposite, actually. Her voice was full of love and compassion. It was too much for the young Black heir. He would like her to yell at him, to curse him – to hate him. After all it was all he deserved. Nothing more. And especially he didn't deserve love.
He lowered his head, ashamed.
There was a moment of silence. Charlotte was aware that her husband needed it. And she was right. Regulus clenched his fists, feeling as his lips began trembling, and tears came to his eyes.
"To forget," came a quiet answer.
Charlotte said nothing. She didn't have to because she saw the way in which he grabbed his left forearm. Disgust. She understood what he meant even if he didn't say anything. His actions spoke louder than words.
The girl got up from her chair and knelt in front of him, taking his face in her delicate hands. Then she smoothly wiped his tears away and kissed his forehead.
"I love you, Regulus Black," she said. The boy could feel love flowing from her voice. "I love you, even if you think that you don't deserve it. But you know what? You're wrong. You do deserve to be loved."
"But I am a monster," he whispered and tears once again started running down his cheeks. "A monster. How can someone love a monster?"
The French witch just raised her lips in a small smile.
"I know who I married, Reggie," the teenager started. "I married a boy who made some mistakes in his life. A boy who lost his way. But you know what? This boy, my husband, is everything but a monster."
Charlotte gently grabbed his left arm and rolled up his sleeve. A black Dark Mark decorated the pale skin of the boy. Regulus turned his head, disgusted. He couldn't look at the mark he adored not so long ago anymore.
"This," the young witch continued, pressing a tender kiss on the Dark Mark. "This doesn't make you a monster. I believe that as long as your heart is pure, no mark will make you a monster. You can be marked by a beast's mark, that's right, but it doesn't make you one. I won't ask what made that you changed your mind about him, but whatever happened, I'm grateful for that."
Regulus bit his bottom lip, not being able to stop crying.
"I can't leave now," he cried out. He was aware that he sounded like a terrified child. And he definitely felt like one at this moment. "He will kill me. He'll kill you, too. My family will hate me. My brother already hates me, and he has any rights to do so. I'm such a coward, Charlotte, I'm so afraid!"
"I can imagine," his wife nodded and hugged him tightly. He buried his face in her long hair. "I know that you are. I'm scared, too. But we'll find a way to make it work. You still have six months before finishing Hogwarts. You'll be save until then. And I'll be there for you. I may be a Black now, but I was born Delacour. And we, the Delacours, always support each other. You're one of us now, Regulus. We won't let him hurt you."
Regulus said nothing. He had no words to describe how he felt right now. He was overwhelmed with emotions.
The witch broke their hug some time later and leaned towards the boy and a moment later, their lips met in a kiss.
"I believe that we should go to bed," she said after a while. "I want to feel my husband's presence before the Christmas break is over and you'll have to go back to school. And tomorrow we'll start discussing everything."
Regulus lay in bed, attentively looking at his wife who slept next to him. She was breathing evenly and her chest was rising and falling at steady pace. Charlotte was sleeping on her back because she was in advanced pregnancy. It turned out that he impregnated her during their shared night in early January, and their first-born was expected to be born soon.
Their family was thrilled when they announced that Charlotte was with a child. A new member of the Black family was always welcomed. There were never not enough Blacks. Their noble blood must flow for generations. The Delacours were also excited when they heard about it. Especially little Fleur, when she was informed that her aunt was expecting her first child. She couldn't wait until the baby was born. The little girl already wanted to play with her new cousin.
Nevertheless, soon-to-be father had mixed feelings about this whole situation.
Was he happy to be a father? Yes. He was more than happy to be one. When his wife visited him in school to inform him that she's pregnant, he couldn't stop crying from happiness. Family was always important to him and the fact that there was going to be a new member, his own fresh and blood, made him happy. However, as soon as Charlotte returned home, he suddenly became sad, as he started to collect his thoughts.
He was going to be a father. A father. His child would know from the very beginning that its father was nothing more but a pathetic idiot who followed a murderer. He was also aware that the child would be counted as a future Death Eater. And that was something he could not agree on. No. No child, especially not his own, should pay for his mistakes. Not as long as he had something to say.
Regulus delved himself into researches. He was spending every single free minute in the school library or in his dormitory where he was reading books delivered by Kreacher (he ordered him to be in hiding so the Dark Lord would think that the house-elf is dead. Besides him and Charlotte, no one knew that the house-elf is alive). The Dark Lord boasted that he achieved immortality. His beloved house-elf confessed everything to him. He had forced him to tell him everything in small details. He made him explain it to him more than once. He was aware that it was painful to his servant. But he had to do this. He intended to stop Lord Voldemort. He had to.
For his unborn child.
It took him half a year but he finally was able to discover the Dark wizard's secret. A Horcrux. The Dark Lord made something as disgusting as parting his soul in order to be immortal.
Regulus couldn't believe how stupid he was to blindly follow and support this man. This monster. This... beast. He couldn't believe that he willingly wanted to be the same. Just thinking about it made him want to vomit.
When he graduated from Hogwarts, he was saved, again, from doing Death Eaters' missions. This time, it was thanks to his child. Charlotte wasn't feeling well and he had to be with her almost all the time. Voldemort didn't want to lose his new, potential follower, so Regulus didn't have to do any missions for him, nevertheless, he still had to attend the meetings. His missions-free time, the boy divided between his beloved wife and planning how to bring his former Lord down.
Kreacher had told him that the Dark Lord forced him to drink a mysterious potion from a basin and once it was empty, he hid a locket there. The Horcrux as he already knew. A part of his soul. How sick was that? How could he ever want to follow and worship such man? He had no idea. But it made him sick.
He worked all summer to make a perfect copy of the said locket. He took the house-elf's memories and spent hours on watching them, memorising all details. The copy had to be perfect. Voldemort should never know what hit him. It would be too dangerous to let him know what he intended to do.
Regulus sighed quietly and carefully got up from the bed. He finally finished working on the locket and decided that he should destroy the original one as soon as possible. Tonight was the right time. He just didn't want to leave his dear wife and the unborn child. He was more than aware that it was most likely a suicide mission. There are small chances that he would make it back. There is a big possibility that he won't be able to hold his beloved heir... But he knew that he had to do this. He wanted his child to be safe. He wanted all the best for his child – and a safe world without Lord Voldemort, and a father was more important than having a father and living in constant fear, right? Or at least that was what Regulus tried to tell himself in order to excuse his actions. He wanted his baby to be raised in a safe world. And he was more than aware that Charlotte will take a good care of their first-born.
He walked towards the wardrobe and took out his cloak. The locket was already hidden in one of the pockets. The boy was about to leave the room when suddenly, he heard his name.
"Regulus?" the young Mrs. Black asked sleepily. "Something happened?"
The wizard took a deep breath and then turned on his heel and walked towards the bed, kneeling down. He hoped to leave without saying goodbye. That was too painful for him.
"No, nothing bad happened, go back to sleep, dear." He tried to sounds casually as he said it and grabbed her hand which he then kissed. "There's just one thing I have to do."
"Does he really have to call you even in the middle of the night?" Charlotte asked, yawning. She was tired. "Does he even sleep?"
"Evil forces never sleep," said the boy and despite this whole situation, he smiled slightly. "But you should. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay," said the witch as she fought hard not to fall asleep during their conversation. "Just be careful and come back, soon."
Regulus gulped. He felt guilty as he already knew that he probably won't be able to return. Nevertheless, he forced himself to smile and kissed his wife's forehead.
"I love you, Charlotte," he said evasively and then put his head under the quilt and kissed the girl's pregnant belly. "And I love you, too, Hermione. Please, be good for mummy when daddy is away."
The blonde-haired teenager chuckled because the child kicked her slightly.
"We love you, too, Reggie. Come back quickly."
The young wizard said nothing, just kissed his wife and left the bedroom. As soon as the door closed behind him, he took a deep breath. It was harder than he expected.
"Kreacher!" he called quietly.
The old house-elf appeared in front of him a few second later, bowing deeply.
"How can Kreacher serve you, Master?"
There was a moment of silence. Just a short moment during which Regulus hesitated. Was he brave enough to do this? However, as soon as he thought about his unborn daughter, he knew that he could – and would – do this.
"It's time, Kreacher," he said, determined. "I want you to take me to the cave."
The creature said nothing, just swallowed loudly. His master behaved strangely the last few months and he was afraid that something bad will happen. Knowing, however, that he can't disobey the wizard, he whimpered, and taking Regulus' hand, he disappeared with a crack.
"When I finish drinking the potion, I want you to switch the lockets and then take us home. Understood?" Regulus asked his companion when they found themselves on a small island in the middle of the cave. There was nothing but a pedestal on which stood a basin full of an emerald liquid.
"Master Regulus, Kreacher will gladly drink..."
"I know that more than well, Kreacher, but this is something I have to do on my own," he interrupted the small house-elf. "I won't be able to leave without your assistance and you won't be able to help me if you drink it instead."
Regulus grabbed a crystal goblet which stood next to the basin and then poured some liquid into it. He looked at the creature which looked at him with its big eyes, crying.
"If I'm unable to drink it on my own, I order you to force me to drink it," he said, although he could tell that his body was shaking. He was afraid. "Then switch the lockets."
He raised his hand and was about to drain the goblet, but he stopped and once again looked at his faithful companion.
"One more thing, Kreacher," the wizard said. "If something happens to me, take the real locket home and try to destroy it. And don't tell anyone about what happened to me."
"Yes, Master Regulus," whispered the old house-elf.
"Good," nodded the boy and took a deep breath. "That's for you, Hermione. Have a good life, my child."
And without thinking, he drank the first cup.
As soon as he swallowed the liquid, Regulus had to close his eyes. It was disgusting. He had a feeling as if he just drank blood mixed with grass. It tasted horrible and he wanted to get rid of this taste.
Nevertheless, the young wizard filled the goblet again.
His whole body started to tremble – more than it already did, that is. His head began to hurt him and he felt dizzy. He wanted to vomit. Blood was disgusting. But it didn't stop him from putting the goblet in the basin again, again, again and again. He had to do this. He had to drink the potion and stop the Dark Lord. For Hermione. For his dear unborn child. She deserved to have a good life.
"Well, well, well," a familiar voice reverberated around. "Isn't this ironic?"
Regulus opened his eyes, frowning. He wasn't expecting to meet anyone here, nevertheless, none other than his brother stood in front of him, grinning sarcastically.
"Sirius?" he asked, confused. What was the young man doing here?
"Hello there, Reggie," said the older wizard and smirked. "Aren't you pathetic? And I don't know how you, but I consider this ironic that you, a pure-blood wizard who thinks that everyone who isn't a pure-blood should be gone from our world, ended up drinking a blood of a muggle-born wizard."
What?... Was Sirius serious? Did he really just drink blood? No. This had to be a joke. He opened his month to say something, but before he had a chance, Sirius approached him, took the goblet from his hands, filled it up and then forced him to drink it. The younger brother chocked up.
"Now, now, Reggie, be a good boy and drink it," said the older Black boy, smiling maliciously. "What's the matter, little brother? Don't you like it? Well, I don't really care about it. Now, dear brother, show me that you're not the pathetic coward I think you are. Go on. Prove that you're worth something."
Regulus looked at his brother, having tears in his eyes. Why was Sirius so cruel? His older brother was the good one, he shouldn't act like that. Not that it mattered now. He had to prove that even he can be brave and do the right thing. He took the cup from Sirius' hands into his trembling ones and slowly drank it.
His knees bent under him and he fell down to the ground. He started coughing. He had no idea why, but suddenly he became thirsty. He had a feeling that his body was set on fire. Not even the Cruciatus Curse was as painful as this.
"Shh, it's okay, Reggie, it's okay," said the older wizard as he sat down next to him and put his head on his knees. "Don't cry, little brother, don't cry. I'm here."
"I'm a pathetic scum, Sirius," he sobbed.
"Hard to disagree with that one," said another, this time unfamiliar, voice before the former heir had a chance to answer.
Regulus slowly raised his head. At first, he couldn't see anything as his vision was blurred by tears, but once he wiped them away, he spotted a young girl with bushy brown hair and brown eyes. She couldn't be older than eleven.
"And who are you?" he asked. He had never seen her before.
The child just snorted and crossed her arms. In the meantime, Sirius disappeared.
"No wonder you don't recognise me as you abandoned me before I was even born," she said, her voice full of contempt.
"Hermione?" he asked. He couldn't believe it. His child, his little precious child who wasn't even born yet, was standing before him. Being a lot older than she should be.
"That would be me," she answered, even though Regulus could feel that she didn't want to be with him here. And he couldn't blame her for that.
"I'm sorry, my dear," he started. He had no idea what else he should say now. It was all his fault and he deserved the worst.
"Don't bother, father," said the little witch. "Because I'll never forgive you."
There was a moment of silence. The wizard had a feeling as if his daughter had just smacked him across the face. Sweet Merlin. She hated him.
"Hermione..."
"How could you?" she began angrily, and he didn't even have a chance to finish his sentence. "How could you leave me? How could you do this to me?"
"I wanted you to be safe... I wanted you to be proud of me," he whispered.
"Proud of you?" the girl snorted. "Why should I be proud of a Death Eater? The one who abandoned his family?"
It was when Regulus realised what just happened. He ordered Kreacher not to inform anyone about what happened to him if he wasn't able to return home. And it seemed that he wasn't – Hermione thought that he just abandoned her.
"I needed a father," she continued, "and all I got is the title of the heir."
In pure-blood families, there was a hierarchy. The most important person in family was of course the head. The head of family was responsible for representing the family in Wizengamot and head's decision considering any decisions in the family was law. Other members were obligated to fulfil whatever the head wanted. The head has a power to disown or bring back to the family whoever they want. The current head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was Regulus' father, Orion Black.
The second most important person was the heir (or the heiress). The heir was future head of the family and the person the family protected the most. If something happened to the head, the heir was becoming the leader of the family no matter how old he or she was. At this moment, Regulus himself was the heir (but it seemed that it won't last long). His brother should have been the heir, however, he was disowned as soon as he announced that his beliefs differed from the rest of the Blacks. It was important, because if Orion died before his older son was disowned, Sirius would be untouchable and could chance the family politics.
"Do you even know how hard it is for me? Do you know what people whisper behind my back? That I'm the coward Death Eater's brat. Grandmother Walburga and aunt Narcissa are too overprotective over me. I can't even go alone to the garden because they are afraid that I'll disappear just like you."
"My dear..."
"Forget it, father," she spat. "You've ruined my life. And for that – I hate you with all my heart. I won't forgive you. Ever."
And with those words, the girl turned on her heel and walked away.
"Hermione, please, come back!" he cried after his daughter and intended to get up but he wasn't able to. He was too weak. "Please, child, come back! I did this for you. Please, forgive me. I love you, Hermione, please, come back!"
But she never returned. She didn't even bother to look at him again.
The wizard started crying again. He was in pain and he felt miserable. Hermione was right. He had ruined everything. He was pathetic.
"Master Regulus?" he heard a voice and felt as someone shook him. "Master Regulus?"
He opened his eyes, taking a deep breath. He was lying on the ground, shaking terribly. The old house-elf was standing next to him, looking at him with fear.
"Kreacher?" he whispered. He wasn't able to talk louder. "What happened?"
"You passed out, Master," said the small creature. "You had hallucinations and were calling the unborn Mistress."
The Black heir sighed with relief. It was just a dream. A nightmare. His daughter didn't hate him. It all happened just in his head. There was still a chance to fix everything.
"Did you switch the lockets?" he asked.
"No, Master," Kreacher lowered his ears. "There's still one more cup of potion to drink."
"Help me to get up," he said, and with the house-elf's help, he got up from the ground. "And give me the goblet. Then switch lockets and take us home."
"Yes, Master," said Kreacher, and a moment later, the boy started drinking the last portion of the liquid.
The old creature was about to switch lockets, when suddenly he heard as something fell to the ground. The house-elf turned his head and saw as the unconscious wizard rolled into the water surrounding the island. Kreacher wanted to save his master, but before he could do anything, he had to switch lockets as it was his order which he was unable to disobey. Then, he rushed towards his master, but it was already too late.
Unknown to Regulus, date 19th September, 1979 didn't appeared only next to his name on the family tree. The same date ended the life of Charlotte Black née Delacour who died right after she gave birth to her little daughter, and it started the life of Hermione Jean Black. The heiress of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
Thoughts?