Word Count: 1,187

iii
Fear The Reaper

Sirius flicked the tab end of his cigarette to the curb as a large silver car screeched to a halt beside him. A little further up the path, Regulus stood by a wall, chewing on a hangnail. There was a worried look in his eye, but Sirius grinned at him confidently.

The window of the large Rolls Royce slowly wound down, and a familiar man with long, dark hair and heavy stubble glared out at him. It was Rabastan Lestrange.

"My friend wants a word with you," he told Sirius sternly, and Sirius cocked an eyebrow, the grin still spread on his features. The back door of the car clicked and swung open, and a cane slammed against the pavement, followed by a tall, slender man with ice-blonde hair, which was tied back at the nape of his neck. He leered at Sirius as he gently closed the car door and walked over to Sirius.

"Someone has been sneaking around Whitemarsh Mansion," sneered Lucius in a quiet voice, pressing his lips together firmly once the words had left his mouth. "I wondered if perhaps you might know something about that."

"Yeah, it was me," Sirius replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, well I'm glad we could agree on something." Lucius unscrewed the handle of his cane, and unleashed his wand. "You see, you took something of mine. A few vials of potion. I'd like those back, if you will."

"No can do, mate."

"Well," Lucius began to hiss an incantation, and raised his voice. However, Sirius was too quick for him. He ducked under Lucius's raised arm, and slammed the blonde man into the wall that he had previously been leaning against. It only took one small twist of his arm, and Lucius had dropped his wand, and Sirius kicked it up the path.

"You get two hours," Sirius snarled into Lucius's ear. "Two hours before it begins."

As Lucius stood with his face pressed against the brick, he began to regret even more what they had done to Regulus.

Regulus's vision was swimming as he listened to the voices and the laughter around him. The door to the living room opened with a loud creak, and a tall blonde man entered, wearing a tight-collared suit. He unfastened his tie as he sat down opposite Regulus.

"What is that brat doing in here?" he demanded to know, looking over at Parkinson. Parkinson shrugged.

"Rabastan thought it would be fun if they came in."

"They?" Lucius repeated. "Who is 'they'? And where is Rabastan?"

As if on cue, the living room door opened again, and the Barty Crouch Junior was pushed through. His hair looked ruffled and his eyes were red and puffy, as though he'd been crying. Rabastan followed after the boy, a dark smirk on his face. He was zipping up the front of his jeans as he entered the room.

"Why do you smell of sweat and shame?" Lucius questioned as Rabastan sat down beside him.

"I thank you to mind your own business, Malfoy," replied Rabastan with a grin. He grabbed Barty by the sleeve and yanked him down onto the couch, where he fell uncomfortably into the small gap between Rabastan and the arm. Regulus stared desperately over at his best friend, his eyes wide and apologetic.

"What did you do to him?" he croaked, his lip shuddering. Rabastan smirked.

"I'm sure you'll be able to talk about that later."

"I've had enough of this" snapped Lucius, and he stood up sharply. "You are all hanging around in this once proud mansion, sitting in your own filth. Look at the state of you all! Rabastan, Rodolphus—if your parents could see you now. And Bellatrix! Your father would be appalled if he knew what you were getting yourself into."

From her position on Rodolphus's lap, Bellatrix stuck out her tongue and sniggered. Lucius rolled his eyes, and allowed his glance to fall on Regulus.

"And you," he sneered, looking down the length of his long nose at the younger boy. "The progeny and future of the House of Black. What any other man in this room wouldn't give to be you."

Regulus swallowed, blinking up at Lucius with his foggy gaze.

"What it must be like to be you; the only son of this generation of Blacks, responsible for leading the purest of wizards into the twenty-first century?"

"I'm not an only son. Sirius—"

"—Doesn't exist," Lucius interjected sharply. "Ever since he ran off to the Potters. And look at the state of you—it's no surprise the boy decided to abandon his blood. Here he is, little baby Black, squatting in this squalor."

"I don't want to be here," Regulus whispered hoarsely. "I want to go."

"Silence," scoffed Lucius. "Yes, what Mummy would say if she could see you right now, out of your mind on drugs. You know, I could have a word with her." Bellatrix looked up at this, glaring over at Lucius, but he gave her a knowing smirk. Regulus didn't notice this, and continued to gaze up at the blond fearfully.

"Please," he begged. "Please, don't tell her..."

"Follow me into the kitchen," Lucius ordered. "Lets see what I can do."

Sirius glanced up the pathway, to where Regulus was standing out of the way of the confrontation. His younger brother was shuffling his feet, staring down at the ground. Sirius turned back to Lucius, and shoved him back towards the Rolls Royce.

"Get out of here," he snapped.

"Where are you staying?" Lucius asked suddenly, his eyes glittering.

Sirius smirked. "Brixton Hill," he replied. "Above the Costcutter's. Why, are you going to come and pay me a visit?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "I might."

Sirius nodded, never breaking eye contact. "In Brixton? Bit rough for you, when you were brought up in—Wiltshire, isn't it?" His smirk intensified.

"You're not afraid of me, are you?" Lucius questioned.

"Not even a bit. Now go and get back in that car," Sirius ordered, gesturing towards the Rolls Royce. Lucius turned on his heel slowly, and walked back towards the car. He slid into the front seat, and offered Sirius one last glare, before driving away.

A.N: Apologies for any mistakes! I couldn't manage to get a beta. Please R&R :)