A/N: Written for MissWitchx's Occasion-A-Day Challenge/Competition. Swap Ideas Day (Sept 10). Thanks to DobbyRocksSocks for the prompt!
Regulus wandered up the dark street, barely paying attention to where he was going. His mind was filled with what he had learned. His master, Lord Voldemort, was using horcruxes to gain immortality.
The Dark Lord had recently asked for the use of a house-elf, and Regulus had obliged, so eager to please his master. He had offered up Kreacher, the loyal elf who served his own family and for whom he cared deeply. He ordered Kreacher to do whatever the Dark Lord bade him and to return home when he was finished.
Kreacher had returned as commanded, soaking wet and nearly dead. He had told Regulus a strange story, a story he would've thought unbelievable had it not been his house-elf telling him. Voldemort taking him to a cave beside the sea. A great black lake and an island, with a basin full of potion. Kreacher had been made to drink the potion, which made his insides burn and terrible visions to flash through his mind. The locket Voldemort had placed inside the empty basin, then refilled with the terrible potion and left Kreacher alone on the island. Kreacher had tried to drink from the lake and been dragged in by cold, dead hands, only escaping by Apparating back to Grimmauld Place.
This story had made Regulus think about everything he had heard the Dark Lord talking about lately. Little things here and there about being above death, about never dying. Regulus had done some research and discovered the rare form of magic known as the horcrux, a way to keep the soul alive should anything happen to the body. This had disturbed him greatly. He realized that he had been fighting for the wrong reasons all along. He had been serving a madman.
What was he to do now? Once one became a Death Eater, there was no turning back. To attempt to leave that life behind would mean death. But he couldn't just keep fighting for a man he no longer held in high esteem.
Regulus paused and finally looked around him. He found himself staring at a familiar house. Marlene McKinnon had been a friend of his since his early days at Hogwarts. Maybe she had seen something in him that no one else could. Maybe it was because she was such good friends with his older brother, Sirius. She had forever been trying to get Regulus to make amends with his brother, but the rift between them was too great. Still, she had somehow been able to maintain a friendship with both boys. She had never given up on Regulus, even when he had made it clear how he felt about Voldemort and which side of this war he was on.
Finding himself outside her house now was a comfort to him. He'd always been able to talk to her about anything that troubled him and she always listened attentively. Maybe she could see a way out of this situation that he hadn't.
Knocking on the door, he waited patiently for an answer. When none came, he knocked again, more urgently this time. The door was finally flung open by a pretty girl with light brown hair, hiding a yawn behind her hand.
"Reg!" The tired look on her face was replaced by one of shock. She looked quickly up and down the street, then pulled him in by his collar and closed the door. "Are you mad? You know if someone from the Ministry catches you..." She trailed off. They both knew what could happen. Death Eaters were punished mercilessly for their crimes, whether those crimes were torturing and killing or merely associating with the Dark Lord.
"It's alright, Marlene," he said. "No one knows where I am. I didn't even know I was coming." He took one of her hands in both of his. "I have something to tell you. I - I'm not really sure where to start though, or how much I should really say."
"Just...start at the beginning, I suppose." She squeezed his hand reassuringly and listened silently as he told his story, beginning with Voldemort's request for a house-elf.
"I don't know what to do, Marlene," he finished. "Knowing what I know...how can I even keep going on like this? How can I continue being a Death Eater?"
She sighed. "I wish I knew. You can't just walk away from it. You'll be killed. The best thing you can do is give names to the Ministry. They might be lenient on you since you're so young and you haven't really hurt anyone-"
"I'll still be killed!" he exclaimed. "His followers will hunt me down and kill me for turning anyone in. Either way, I'm dead." His eyes widened. "That's it."
"What's it?" She looked truly concerned now. "Don't go doing something stupid, Reg."
"Marlene, please, I don't think I should tell you. I probably shouldn't have told you as much as I did, it'll put you in danger. You have to promise me you won't say anything about any of this to anyone, not even Sirius. With any luck, the locket will be destroyed anyway, and that'll leave him open to death." He wrapped her in a tight hug, not wanting to let go, knowing this would be the last time he'd ever see her.
"Regulus, please, I don't want you hurt."
He released her and looked her in the eye. "Marlene, I'm afraid this is the last time you'll see me." Her eyes welled up with tears. "I'm going to die no matter what I do. I just need you to promise me you won't tell anyone I was here. Please, do this for me."
She tried to speak, but couldn't, so she nodded in agreement. She hugged him tightly and sobbed into his chest. He held back his own tears as he lightly stroked her hair. He knew he was asking too much from her and causing her great pain, but it was unavoidable. He only hoped his actions would secure a better future for her.
They held each other for several minutes, neither wanting to let go. He finally did let go and smiled at her. "Don't forget me, Marly."
She smiled at him, tears still glistening on her face. "Never, Reg. Never."
Upon returning home, Regulus sought out Kreacher. "Let's go, Kreacher," he commanded when he found him. "Take me to that cave. I've got to make things right."