Regulus' Sacrifice
They landed in the damp cave again. Kreacher shivered and Regulus examined the area.
"Kreacher, where is the entrance?" He asked. Kreacher pointed to a large slab of smooth rock. Regulus examined it. "This is the blood ward, no?" He asked.
"Yes Master." Kreacher said. Regulus cut his palm with a simple Difindo and smeared the blood across the rock, which rumbled open. They entered, and the rock closed behind them. Regulus healed himself.
"Lumos Maxima!" He said into the darkness. The ball of light floated in front of Regulus as he made his way to the water's edge.
"Kreacher, how do we get across?" Regulus asked, kneeling down to peer at the water.
"Master must reach for a boat. There are magical chains in the air. Kreacher knows where they are." Kreacher pointed at a seemingly empty part of the air. Regulus' grey eyes narrowed and he muttered a few spells. Nodding to himself, he grasped an invisible chain. There was a faint ripple in the water as a ghostly green boat surfaced. Regulus stepped on, careful not to touch the water. Kreacher hopped on again, with apprehension. The boat made its way to the island. Regulus got off carefully and Kreacher followed suit.
"Listen, Kreacher. I will drink the potion, and I will be in no state to do anything after it happens. If I stop drinking it, force me to, do you understand?" Regulus said fiercely. Kreacher trembled but had to obey. "Once the potion is all gone, replace the locket in there with this." He handed Kreacher the fake locket. "Do you promise to obey?" He asked. Kreacher nodded reluctantly. "Now, Kreacher, once you switched the lockets, I want you to leave without me and find a way to destroy the locket. Otherwise I would die in vain. You must leave without me." Regulus said forcefully. Kreacher whimpered, but nodded. "Good. And don't do anything I tell you to do after I start drinking the potion, okay?" Regulus asked. Kreacher nodded. Regulus relaxed and began the process of drinking the potion. He collapsed after the first gulp. Kreacher, with trembling hands, kept feeding Regulus the potion, tears running down his wrinkled cheeks.
"No…please…no…don't leave!" Regulus moaned. "Don't leave me! Come back!" Regulus said anguishedly. Kreacher just kept giving the potion. "Water…water…" Regulus began to rasp. Kreacher gritted his teeth but didn't get water, lest he attracted the Inferi's attention. Regulus began to crawl towards the water, but Kreacher forced him back with his elf magic. "Kreacher, please…I need water…get me water…" Regulus pleaded in a moment of lucidity. Kreacher nearly obeyed when he remember his Master's previous order.
And don't do anything I tell you to do after I start drinking the potion, okay?
So Kreacher gave the last bit of the potion to Regulus and went to switch the lockets. By the time he finished switching it, Regulus had already finished his frenzied rush to the water, and was drinking from it. Kreacher watched, petrified, as the Inferi began to drag his Master into the depths of the cold lake.
I want you to leave without me…
Kreacher let out a wail.
…and find a way to destroy the locket. Otherwise I would die in vain.
Kreacher let out another despaired shriek.
"Goodbye Master Regulus!" He bawled before disapparating away.
Regulus didn't even feel it as he was dragged downwards into the bottom of the water. Memories flashed before his eyes.
"You can't catch me!" Sirius teased the young three year old. Regulus sped up, but Sirius was always faster than him.
"Not fair!" Regulus huffed. Sirius laughed and ran even further. Regulus began to lose hope that he'll ever catch up to his older brother when a burst of speed hit him and he somehow crashed into his brother, who yelped. They both tumbled to a stop, in a dirty heap of tangled limbs.
"That was accidental magic! I'm sure of it! Reggie, I'm so proud of you!" Sirius said, righting them both and giving Regulus a hug that smelled like dirt, grass, and sweat, but it was the best hug that Regulus had ever received.
Regulus was seven. He was flying on Sirius' broom, his brother running on the grass underneath him. He laughed in delight, but lost control of the broom all of a sudden. His yells of joy became screams of fear. The broom tilted downwards and sped toward the ground at a breakneck speed. Sirius shouted something and sprinted at the point where Regulus was going to hit the ground.
Sirius jumped at the last moment and wrestled Regulus off the broom, which crashed headfirst into the ground, spraying dirt everywhere. Sirius was groaning on the ground with Regulus on top of him, still shaking with fear.
"You alright?" Sirius asked. Regulus just clung onto Sirius, eyes wide and rapidly filling with tears. Sirius sighed and helped Regulus up, and together, they made their way back to the house.
"Don't worry, Reggie. You're not hurt, are you?" Sirius asked, soothing his younger brother. Regulus shook his head. Sirius' face broke into a relieved grin. "Then we'll just be going back. Come on, a nice long shower and some of Kreacher's chocolate chip cookies should do the trick." Sirius comforted. Regulus began to relax as Sirius stroked the boy's back. A goofy grin was spreading across Regulus' face by now.
The expressions on their parents' faces when they entered were priceless.
"Aww look, little Reggie is hurt." Bella jeered.
"Lay off, Bella!" Sirius said, defending Regulus. Then he turned to his brother, who had angry red boils all over his arms. Sirius glared at the wand in Bellatrix's hand and led Regulus away.
"Weak!" Bellatrix yelled after them. "You're pathetic, Regulus! And you too, Gryffindork!" She called. Sirius ignored her and steered Regulus to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomphrey patched Regulus up nicely.
"Come on, I have a few Chocolate Frogs. Maybe you'll get Agrippa's card!" Sirius said. Regulus smiled. It was so good to have an older brother to protect you.
Regulus was jarred out of his memories when he hit the hard bottom of the lake. He was shaken out of his potion-induced state as well, and he looked around wildly before remembering what had happened. He looked up with shimmering grey eyes.
"Goodbye…Sirius…" He whispered, but all that came out were bubbles. Regulus died with a smile on his face, hoping that his brother would one day understand and forgive him.
Fin
