Sorry for the late update; been really busy!
This chapter is going to be kind of long; I had intended for something else to happen in it too but as it got longer and longer, I had to decide to split it in two.
I know, it's going slow for now but trust me, it's going to get exciting soon!
For now, enjoy!
They had Apparated on the shore of a small lake surrounded by moss-covered cliffs on all sides, not terribly high but steep enough to deter most from attempting scale it. The lake itself was blue as the sky above and while the tree cover was sparse, the place itself seemed isolated from outside, with a somewhat narrow yet useable path leading upwards. Not far off, Regulus could hear the unmistakable roar of the ocean waves crashing powerfully on cliffs, taking him many years back in time when he was on holiday with his family in their summer house in France. He brushed the nostalgia aside; there were more pressing matters at hand.
"What is this place, Kreacher?" he questioned, watching as the dog trotted ahead, sniffing eagerly at the fresh salty air.
"Master Harry and his family were camping here three summers ago, sir. There's a natural cave that leads deep into the side of the cliff" he said, pointing and began to drag him along by the hand, with dog following at his heels, sniffing curiously.
The cave's entrance was to the side of the cliff where a face of it jutted out, giving it the appearance of being solid rock if viewed from up front. Although dimly lit by the limited amount of sunlight pouring in, he found by wandlight that it was quite dry, roomy and sheltered, in addition to being warm enough to spend the night in. The only issue was that there was no way to seal the entrance to prevent the elements from filtering in through the open cave entrance and that lighting a fire would cause him to choke and suffocate, but he knew the very spells that would alleviate any difficulty in that regard. However, there were a few things he needed which spells alone were not substitutes for.
"Kreacher, we're going to need mattresses and something to eat. Can you bring something for us?" he asked.
"Of course, Master; as Master commands" he bowed and vanished with a crack, only to reappear after a few minutes with a mattress and a bag full of tins and a bottle.
"Food and drink, sir; enough for both Master and the dog, just as Master had requested. Although Kreacher must apologize; the mattress may not be as comfortable because it's an old one" he apologetically added. "Master Harry may find out if Kreacher brought one of the newer ones."
Regulus smiled, "No, it's alright, Kreacher. I don't need anyone to find out I'm back…at least not yet. But I'm ravenous; why don't we all eat as you tell me what's happened all these years I've been…gone?"
There was a heavy pause after which the elf nodded and Regulus reached for three tins, two full of sardines of which one he handed to Kreacher and one of potted meat which he opened and set before the dog which barked happily before falling on it. As they began to eat, Kreacher began to tell his story, all 43 years without him. He spoke of his mother discovering a skull appear where he was supposed to be on the family tapestry and her descent into madness, the crushing effect it had on Narcissa and Bellatrix's utmost confusion and dejection. The Black matriarch was never the same again, having already lost her husband not months earlier and for her, this signaled the end of the Black legacy. He went on to speak of James Potter and his marriage to Lily Evans, with Sirius being the best man. He spoke of a prophecy about a boy to end the Dark Lord's reign, the news delivered to him by Snape and his choosing the Potters' young son Harry, his Halloween night attack on the family and the deaths of James and Lily, only to have the Killing Curse he cast on their infant son to back-fire on him and result in the destruction of his physical form and the unknown formation of what he would later find out to be the final Horcrux of the seven he created. He learnt of the aftermath and grieved when told of his fellow Death Eaters, many among them former batch mates in Hogwarts being arrested, tried and put into Azkaban, the deaths of Evan Rosier and Wilkes while evading capture and Sirius's implication in the betrayal of the Fidelus Charm the Potters were protected by and his imprisonment in Azkaban. It did nothing to console him learning about his mother's death just four years after the war's end, her last days being spent in grief and desolation.
Then, there was nothing for six years until Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts, foiling the attempt of the Dark Lord to return to power by using the Philosopher's Stone through a teacher he had possessed as a vessel, going on to destroy his diary which turned out to be yet another Horcrux in his second year and the escape of Sirius from Azkaban, the first ever in history, to avenge himself on Pettigrew the traitor who had framed him, only for it to fail and Pettigrew went on to join the Dark Lord. He could only gape in horror as he listened to Kreacher's account of the deception practiced by the Crouch family to rescue their convicted and imprisoned son and sending the matriarch in his place, keeping young Barty Imperiused and unable to act of his own volition in freedom. However, it backfired and the junior Crouch shook it off to cause a commotion at the 1994 Quidditch World Cup and nearly escaping and then being released from the Imperius Curse after taken back home by the Dark Lord and Pettigrew and the senior Crouch himself was put under the Imperius, with Barty going on the take the place of the Auror Alastor Moody and join Hogwarts as a teacher to sabotage the Triwizard Tournament in order to lead Potter to the Dark Lord which he carried out successfully, leading to his master's return at the cost of his discovery and receiving the Dementor's Kiss.
The Ministry apparently denied it for a whole year until a battle at the Ministry itself when the Dark Lord tried to steal the prophecy which had bound Potter's fate to him, exposing his return to dozens of witches and wizards. His heart clenched as tightly as his fists when he learned that it was there that Sirius had perished by Bellatrix's hand there while going to his godson's rescue who himself had been lured there by a vision of Sirius being tortured planted in his head. The Second Wizarding War began and for the following year, Potter and Dumbeldore had been hunting for Horcruxes and managed where the locket had been hidden, only to find the duplicate and returning to Hogwarts to find Death Eaters waiting, sneaked in by Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and his cousin Narcissa on the orders of the Dark Lord himself. Dumbeldore had been killed by Snape and fled, following which the Ministry was infiltrated and the attempt to transport Potter in the following months going awry and Moody being killed in a duel with the Dark Lord. The Ministry fell with the murder of the Minister and for months, Potter eluded capture while hunting for Horcruxes with two companions while Hogwarts was under Snape where an underground resistance formed, culminating in rebellion and Snape's abandonment when Potter returned while on his hunt. The Battle of Hogwarts took place and it turned out that Snape was a double-agent all along, passing to Potter the knowledge that he was a Horcrux himself and that the way ahead was to sacrifice himself. The boy apparently did so and miraculously manage to survive his second Killing Curse and vanquish the Dark Lord for good who lost the last of his Horcruxes that day and a sort of peace came over the Wizarding World again, with no shadow to darken it until his illegitimately spawned daughter(with Bellatrix, no less, something which shocked him to the core) tried to manipulate Potter's son Albus into helping her revive her father many years later, almost succeeding but was foiled at the last moment by Potter and his friends, along with Draco, whose son was friends with the young Albus, all of this happening just months before.
He barely noticed that the cave had begun to grow darker when Kreacher finished his tale. He could barely comprehend the scale of the events of the last 43 years and the magnitude of their effect on the world he'd known, one he yearned to see again, yet it was a world changed for everyone he knew was either dead or dying; family, friends, acquaintances and associates all. He held his head in his hands silently, unable to articulate the turmoil he felt within him; what was his place in the world now? He huffed out a long breath and looked at Kreacher who was staring at him with a pained and concerned expression.
"So Grimmauld Place is occupied by Potter now? What happened to the rest of the Black properties?" he inquired, his voice hollow and defeated to his own ears.
Kreacher played with the apron he was clad in for a moment before answering, "Master Sirius left the house, the money in the family vault and Kreacher to Master Harry, sir. As for the rest of the Black Family properties in abroad, as far as Kreacher knows, they have been taken over by the Ministries there because Master Harry received letters from them over the years regarding them. I'm sorry, sir but there is no home that you can return to just yet" he regretfully added.
Regulus nodded, his heart heavy "No, it's alright; it's good to have a place to lie low for a while until I find out how I…came back after all the years. But why bring me here instead of taking me to some quieter part of the Wizarding World?"
Kreacher hesitated, then replied "Well sir, the Wizarding World has…been less peaceful as of late. Kreacher told you about Miss Granger, didn't he? Well, under her, many of the old laws that protected Pure-Blood society and customs were abolished and there have been a series of Ministry-related incidents, recently, some violent. Old sympathizers and followers of the Dark Lord are stirring in the shadows again and attacks on Muggles, Muggle-borns, Half-Bloods and traitors have begun taking place again, more so when they found out about the Dark Lord's daughter. It is not safe, sir, much less for a former Death Eater."
Regulus gaped, unable to digest what he'd learned "The Dark Lord's followers are still at large? Why weren't they apprehended?"
"Many of the Death Eaters were, sir" Kreacher answered. "But many did not actively join but rather supported in other ways during the Second War. The Ministry could not determine guilt and they went free and now that the Ministry has begun to implement laws that could destroy Pure-Blood society, they are rallying to arms. Kreacher fears they may be strong enough to begin a Third War soon."
Regulus felt the same dismay as he'd felt when Kreacher had returned to him half-dead so many years ago after the Dark Lord had borrowed him for his deadly errand. If the old order was still numerous and active enough to muster it's strength in secret enough to for it's existence to be suspected and feared, it was indeed quite serious.
"Do you know anyone who could be part of this secret Dark resistance?"
"Not personally, sir, but many of the Death Eaters' children had their parents imprisoned; also, many supporters of the Dark Lord disappeared after he fell at Hogwarts" the elf answered.
"I suppose it's best to keep away for a while then", he murmured distractedly, thinking about each and every one of his former Death Eater peers.
There was silence for a while until Kreacher spoke, "Kreacher is overwhelmed to have you back, sir. He has grieved alone for years, forced to watch the Mistress die without learning what happened to her remaining son and unable to tell Master Sirius too. Kreacher is happy that the House of Black has returned."
Indeed, the bittersweet smile that coloured the elf's aged face said it all; Regulus felt his heart melt with love and pain. He reached out and grasped Kreacher's hand softly and spoke, "I'm happy to find you here too, Kreacher. You're the best friend a wizard could ask for. But as for the House of Black, it has shattered into so many pieces; everything that was ours is now lost. I don't know if I'm strong enough to restore it; how can I ever rebuild it alone?"
"You will never be alone, sir" Kreacher choked out, tears spilling down his face. "You have me…and those who you believe have passed are always with us. One way or the other…"
Regulus failed to notice the meaningful glance the elf threw the dog when he said this, the dog itself having been sitting stock still all this time and it's soft whine went unheard by Regulus too. He dropped Kreacher's hand and looking him in the eye, he asked, "Kreacher, how did this entire business of Sirius's death come about? Did he just rush in at the first hint that Potter was headed to the Ministry? Surely Potter must have tried to contact him first?"
Kreacher seemed to steel himself and spoke, "Master Harry had tried to contact Master Sirius but was apprehended while doing so. He managed to communicate to Severus Snape that Master Sirius had been captured and tortured in the Ministry but while Snape left to convey the message, Master Harry broke free and headed to the Ministry with his friends and the Order decided to reach there as well, Master Sirius among them."
Regulus sighed, "So my hot-headed brother charged in like a bull when he heard his godson was headed into the lion's mouth to rescue him? That was so like Sirius, so protective of the ones he loved…but his love was always reserved for those who were furthest in blood, it seems" he added, his throat constricting and looked down at his feet as he felt his eyes sting.
"Kreacher feels guilty that Master Sirius died, sir; he failed to serve the House of Black twice by not being able to destroy the locket and that Master Sirius died while Kreacher still served him" the elf began to sob, his thin chest heaving before he burst out keening.
Regulus took him by the shoulders and shook him gently "It wasn't any of your fault, Kreacher. Sirius did what he had to and that is your cross to bear. As for the locket, I'm not angry at all; Horcruxes are not easily destroyed and besides, Potter managed to do it in the end so no harm came of it. Kreacher, you are not to blame."
The elf stopped wailing and croaked out, "Master is too kind to Kreacher. He only wishes that it had gone differently for the House of Black, sir; it has never been the same since Master Sirius left so many years ago…"
Memories of that day came flooding back unbidden; the arguments, the cutlery thrown, Sirius storming to his room, only to descend with a packed bag, him pleading with his brother to stay, their own argument and his tearful pleas which he was only able to utter once Sirius had gone for good.
"I wish it had turned out differently too…"
He sat silently in the darkness for a while, unmindful of everything until he gathered his wits and cast a werelight from his wand, illuminating the cave with a soft, golden glow and then whistled softly for the dog, which jumped out of it's stupor and bounded happily towards him with a bark, tongue lolling out and wagging it's tail like a metronome. He cuddled it as it happily licked him all over, causing him to break into a smile unbidden, cheering his empty and pained heart which had been so numbed.
"Well Kreacher, I could maintain this spell for a few hours but we're going move tomorrow before nightfall. I'm going to need some Muggle money and clothing so that I can buy food and supplies, so I'd be glad if you could arrange them by tomorrow" he said, stroking the dog's head softly as it licked his other hand.
"Of course, sir. There should be enough food for both Master and the dog tonight and if need be, Kreacher will bring more whenever Master asks" the elf said. "Just one thing, sir; Kreacher's presence may be missed during the day so if Master were to call him after midnight only…"
"Why yes, of course; I'll keep that in mind. Well, off with you now; we don't want Potter to get suspicious now, do we? Besides, won't they have noticed your absence today?" he asked.
"Master Harry was the Mistress's family today sir; he will return even later in the night."
"Oh, good then" Regulus smiled. He pulled Kreacher into a hug, murmuring softly "Thank you so much, Kreacher. Thank you for always being there."
The tears of joy in the elf's eyes left nothing to be said.
"Good night, sir" he whispered, before Disapparating with a crack, leaving him alone in the cave with the dog.
He sat staring at his hands, lost in his thoughts until a nudge from the dog roused him. He stroked it's back and asked, "I suppose you're hungry, aren't you, boy?"
It barked in affirmative and Regulus popped open another tin of potted meat and watched in silence as it devoured it greedily, his own appetite gone after the day's events. He spread out the mattress and when the dog had it's fill, he whistled to it and hugged it when it came close, cast some Atmospheric charms to filter out any effects of the weather from filtering in through the open entrance, extinguished the werelight and lay down with his arms around the dog.
"Good night, boy" he said softly, squeezing it gently.
The dog gave him answering lick and they both fell asleep in the dark, roomy cave, curled up to one another.
Poor Regulus believes he's all alone in the world *sound of my heart shattering*
Bitter are the wars between brothers indeed...
Don't worry, young Regulus; all is not lost!
Stay tuned, dear readers!
