August 19th, 1778

He knocked on the door four times. One, he decided, for Sirius. That's the first thing he wanted back. Two was for a bare arm. He decided that was almost as important. The third knock was a wish for a time turner, so he could go back and correct his mistakes. The fourth knock was for what he regretted. That meant almost everything. Regulus heard a familiar voice, one he had not expected to hear that day.

"Name?" Asked the young, masculine voice.

"Regulus, you don't need my last name," Regulus replied smoothly. The voice asked again.

"What were the first words you ever said to me?"

"Out of my way you toe rag. Now let me in Barty," Regulus sneered, rolling his eyes. There had to be a better way to do this. Barty Crouch Jr. opened the door. He was a young man, not quite out of Hogwarts yet, and had received the Dark Mark. However, everyone knew that his father was an important ministry official, and if Barty Sr. knew his son was here, there would be trouble. His hair was short, evenly chopped, and straw blonde. His eyes were a milky brown. Innocent, compared to the eyes of many here.

"How did you get away from the family, Bart?" Regulus asked. Barty was one of the only people Regulus actually carried out normal conversations with. Barty smiled, and flashed his tongue out of the side of his mouth like he always did.

"Said I was spending sometime with friends. My father and mother were easily fooled. As soon as I get out of Hogwarts, I tell you, I'll be doing great things to make up for this," The young Death Eater said. Regulus did not doubt this one bit. Barty had almost as much passion as Bellatrix, and that was saying something.

Bellatrix Lestrange was Regulus' oldest cousin. She was crazed by pure-blood supremacy and married Rudolphus, who Regulus didn't trust one bit. She had poofy, wiry black hair and black eyes which were glazed with the look of someone who had gone mad. Her skin was cold and white as snow, and Regulus tried to keep from shivering when she touched the back of his neck, her lips pressed close to his ear.

Ah, Regulus...I was wondering when you'd be coming," She said in her luring voice. . "You're late," She spat, whispering. Regulus turned to her.

"Ah, Bella," He started, his voice calm. Very few people could talk in such a way to Bellatrix. "For that, I send my apologies. Now unless there is anything else you have to say to me, I bid you farewell for the moment." Regulus finished speaking and waved, a big smugly, at Bellatrix. Her eyes flamed and she stormed away. As Regulus had learnt, the easiest way to get rid of a Black is to undermine their pride. Still standing next to Barty in silence, Regulus was now able to look around the room to see who was there besides himself, Barty, and Bella.

First he spotted Yaxley. His blonde hair had a few flecks of grey scattered along the hair above his ears, but his piercing blue eyes shown as intently as Regulus had always seen them. No one really knew how old Yaxley was, and they would probably never find out. He had a large nose and always seemed to be frowning in displeasure or contempt. Yaxley thought very highly of himself, Regulus had noted. That might be important later.

Then there were a set of very faithful death eaters who didn't seem to have a bad mark on them, as far as how they preformed. There was Antonin Dolohov. He had the scruffy beginnings of a dark brown beard with contrasted greatly alongside his pale face. His grey eyes darted across the room as he ran a few fingers through his oily, curly hair. Dolohov did not say much, but he was a man of brutal action. The next of these was Nott. Regulus didn't see too much to be special about him. He was slightly older, with black hair and green, calculating eyes. Unlike Dolohov, who made it known that he was a loyal follower through his actions, Nott professed it through words, and annoyed Regulus each time he opened his mouth.

Regulus also saw Mulciber, who winked his dark eyes as they met Regulus'. Mulciber was a year older than him, but Regulus knew him quite well. They had been good companions at Hogwarts, and it was Mulciber who took responsibility of finally giving Regulus the mark. He had shoulder-length, light brown hair, and the permanent look of a grin on his face. If you looked at Mulciber, you would begin to feel very nervous, because he had the same look of a grin when he was in school and playing pranks with his friend Avery. He had a very cold-blooded, dry kind of humor.

Regulus' moment of silence was broken when Yaxley cleared his throat and stepped into the middle of the room. He did not smile, and instead looked at everyone. Regulus met Barty's eyes, which were gleaming fervently, before staring at Yaxley.

"Greetings," He said in his usual dark voice. "We all know the Dark Lord's wishes of us tonight," He paused, waiting for everyone to nod. Regulus did so. "Good. Then I won't have to repeat myself. We will be going to Diagon Alley. Do whatever necessary to make our mark clear. We might have a few others meeting us from Knockturn Alley." Yaxley finished, and looked at everyone. We had all heard the official order before, we didn't need to hear it again. Within a few seconds, Yaxley was gone. Next was Bellatrix. Mulciber and Barty seemed to leave at the same time. Then there was Nott, and finally Dolohov, until Regulus was the last one in the meeting place. He looked around, and sighed, still reluctant although many months had passed and there was nothing he could do about it. Maybe he'd decide to hide one day. He'd think about that. But for the moment, Regulus had to get going. The room was now empty.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Regulus looked at the scene of destruction. Shop windows were shattered, and bits of glass were scattered all along the cobblestone road. Regulus walked down the street to see for himself everything caused that night. People had run screaming from the Leaky Cauldron, only to be stunned, or worse, judging by the limp body over Mulciber's back, by the Death Eaters. Regulus gazed upon Ollivanders, which was relatively unharmed save for a few cracks in the glass. For a quick moment, Regulus thought that possibly everyone felt a surge of respect towards the store. After all, everyone had gotten his or her wands there. But Regulus thought to soon, because a red light was emitted from Yaxley's wand and the entire window on the storefront was shattered. Regulus wondered if Ollivander knew that Yaxley would one day destroy the front of his shop with his wand. Maybe he did, thought Regulus, for the old man had always seemed to know more than he let on.

More wizards were staring to come into to streets though, in feeble attempts to stop the Death Eaters. Regulus raised his own wand and struck down a man who looked familiar. Everything felt like it was going in slow motion. He saw Death Eaters vanish with dead bodies, soon to be proclaimed missing, by the Prophet. He saw other Death Eaters vanish into the dark alleyway that few good wizards ever tread down. Knockturn. Regulus thought about maybe going down there. He would, he decided. But before he did that, he felt a hand on his shoulder and shivered for the second time that night.

"Do it, Reggie," Hissed Bellatrix Lestrange. "Show to the Dark Lord that you are faithful," She whispered, her coarse hair prickling Regulus' neck. With great reluctance, Regulus pulled back his sleeve. He hated doing it. He hated seeing the foul abomination that took up his left arm. He pressed his want to the mark and his arm stung for a moment with a shot of pain. Then Regulus muttered the words he never wanted to hear himself say.

"Mosmorde," He snarled, and felt more pain flow through his arm. The mark had never been so dark. It hurt, almost like the night when he got the mark. Suddenly, a flood of memories washed through his mind. Regulus remembered the looks on everyone's faces when he received the mark. He remembered how proud everyone had been. It so happened that the most vivid memory of him first receiving the mark was of Sirius' reaction.

Febuary 11th, 1978. A Hogsmede weekend. Regulus, Mulciber, and Avery had been walking the streets, laughing about one of Avery and Mulciber's pranks. Actually, Regulus hadn't laughed. He was still in shock from what he had received that past Tuesday. Avery then cast a glance at Regulus.

"Mulciber here told me you got it," He said in his high, annoying voice. Regulus stopped walking, and for one of the first times in his life, was at a loss for words.

"I, uh..." Regulus began, looking a bit nervous. Mulciber patted him on the back.

"Sorry Reggie, meant to get your permission first, but I was just too excited for you." That's when a glimpse of recognition passed through Mulciber's eyes. Regulus knew that look too well. It meant that the vicious boy had an idea, and Regulus wasn't too sure he wanted to be a part of it. Avery also caught on to the idea.

"Reggie—" Mulciber started.

"Don't call me that," Regulus spat, which earned a laugh from Avery. Mulciber rolled his eyes.

"Regulus, then. It ain't easy. We know. Avery and I... We'll show you ours if you show us yours. Just to prove it and all," He said, and Regulus' eyes widened.

"Here?" The young Black hissed. "In the middle of Hogsmede?" He questioned and Avery laughed again.

"How thick do you think we are? No, we'll go somewhere. Else," He stated. Mulciber snapped his fingers.

"I know just the place." He said. With that, the Slytherins went off to a corner behind one of the pubs. No one ever went there, no one would ever see. Mulciber looked at Regulus, and lightly punched him n the ribs.

"Well?" He goaded, "Go on then." Regulus looked at Avery and Mulciber, who both smiled anxiously. With a sigh, Regulus pulled up his sleeve. And he wished he hadn't. For at that exact moment, Sirius Black and James had suddenly become visible, for through use of James' cloak, they had been invisible before. Sirius thought it would be funny to follow his brother through Hogsmede. It was just about as funny as murder. Sirius stared at Regulus, who quickly pulled down his sleeve. It was almost like old times. Times like when Sirius was seven and Regulus five and the latter had just been caught with the former's chocolate frog.

"James, Mulciber, Avery," Started Sirius, who's eyes were flaming. "Out. Now," He growled, and grabbed his younger brother by the shoulder.

"Sirius I—" Regulus tried to speak as the three other young men scampered off.

"No," Snarled Sirius. "I've heard—and seen—Enough." Sirius' eyes were hard and angry. "How could you? I knew it was bad, Reg, but I didn't think that's you'd get their mark. How could you? I don't even know what to say to you, anymore. You're one of them." Sirius' glare, for e moment, looked soft. Like Sirius could cry. "My own brother, a Death Eater."

"Sirius, I can explain!" Regulus cried out, but it was too late. Sirius gave one nasty look of disgust and pity, and vanished, off to find James. Regulus didn't know what to do.

But it was August, now. Regulus shook himself away from the past. When he looked up at the sky, and back at the wizard in front of him, he felt like Sirius must've felt in that memory. He wanted to talk to Bellatrix about it, just to see what she said, but she was gone. Regulus poofed away as well, and found himself facing a brick wall that had not been red for years. Knockturn Alley. There was Borgin and Burke's, not too far away. Regulus could see the sign. That meant he was close to the one spot where he felt comfort nowadays, besides locked in his own bedroom.

He ran past the stores, past dark wizards and witches with pointed yellow teeth, and mangled hair, and croaks and grunts for voices. Regulus ran to a corner, where there was a black ladder that rose to a rooftop. He climbed the ladder, just as he did when he was younger and playing hide and seek with Sirius whenever they accompanied their father shopping. From the secret alcove in the rooftop, Sirius never did find him. Regulus always associated the alcove with safety. So, when he felt the most insecure, Regulus went up to the alcove. The night was brisk and Black, and Regulus knew that there were worse things to be afraid of than his father's anger that Sirius and he had run away to play games. There were no games anymore.

Author's Note:

I have decided to continue this story. Thank you for the reviews that helped to make my decision final this morning. Thank you for reading, I hope to have a lot of fun writing this story. I hope to post the next chapter soon.

Until then,

-coloronthewalls