A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows! I am so excited to slowly reveal to y'all what Voldemort and Bellatrix have up their sleeves...from here on out, I think the chapters will be pretty action packed. You can follow me over on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates and answer questions. Huge thank you to Alassea Black for beta reading this chapter for me!
Please let me know what you thought of chapter thirty-seven and be on the lookout for chapter thirty-eight soon!
Hermione is still upset with him even a week after their discussion. She had not come by to Grimmauld Place to research with him once since he told her that the Dark Lord demanded she speak with him. Her only method of contact had been a very terse note delivered by owl, informing him that she'd secured another one while at Malfoy Manor.
Regulus had had to stamp down a little niggling feeling of jealousy when he realized that she had managed to find two horcruxes completely unaided and destroyed one all on her own as well. He was positive that she could have done it all without any of his help, given enough time and dedication. It was so easy to feel completely inadequate around Hermione, but then again her persistence and adaptability were some of the things that he enjoyed immensely about her.
He often wondered if he would have had the mental fortitude to do what she was doing if he'd been able to survive the cave by some miracle. If he'd learned that there were more horcruxes, or how difficult they were to destroy, he was sure he would have shriveled under the hopelessness of it all. Now, with Hermione by his side, he couldn't imagine giving up. She was making him a better man, he thought.
Feeling a bit hopeless, he'd slunk off to see his cousin Narcissa, who was confined to her room for the remainder of her pregnancy, knowing that Hermione was a frequent visitor. Embarrassed, he'd hoped that perhaps the brunette would have mentioned something about him. Narcissa would not give him an inch, though, and reveal whatever Hermione may or may not have said about him.
He was completely out of his depth dealing with a muggleborn and such a modern witch as Hermione. She didn't act the way that any of the girls from his year in Slytherin would have, being deliciously bold and outspoken. When he asked Narcissa what he should do, the blonde had smirked at him and told him that Hermione just wanted what every girl wanted - to be wanted for herself. He was immediately dismayed to realize that Narcissa wouldn't know what Hermione was really thinking since she didn't know the truth.
Regulus was acutely aware that they were hurtling towards an end point - destruction of all the horcruxes and the downfall of the Dark Lord - and he selfishly wished that he'd never locate the Gaunt Shack, and Hermione would be stuck searching with him for the rest of their lives. If their objective was complete, he'd be forced to make decisions, decisions that would be painful for everyone. He knew that Hermione wouldn't be content to live as a pureblood for the rest of her life, and he couldn't imagine his parents looking past her blood status. All he wanted to do was to hold her in his arms for the rest of his life, kissing her again and again until they were dizzy and love drunk…
A sting on his forearm snapped him from his daydreams. Regulus wasn't sure if he should curse or thank the Dark Lord for his timing, because he wasn't sure if it would have been wise to continue on that train of thinking. Taking a few moments to compose himself, Regulus apparated himself away to wherever the meeting was being held this time.
Blinking on his arrival, he thought he recognized the home as belonging to Yaxley, but he could not be entirely certain. His grey eyes scanned the crowd, only to settle on Rabastan Lestrange giving him a glare. His hands were clenched down at his sides, and if Regulus wasn't mistaken, they seemed to shake with the telltale after effects of the Cruciatus Curse. He wasn't sure if he should feel relieved that he got off lightly during his questioning with the Dark Lord.
Bellatrix and Rodolphus stood next to Rabastan, looking at him with equal disdain. If he wasn't seeing things, it seemed as if Rabastan was leaning on his older brother for support. Bellatrix's eyes glittered with dark promises, as though she knew some secret knowledge and was waiting to stir things up. She was halfway between rage and delirious laughter, all contained behind her dangerous mask.
Before he could think on it much more, Severus was standing beside him, clapping him on the shoulder. His friend looked much worse for wear with dark circles under his eyes and his hair hanging more limply than usual. "Do you know why we've been called?"
Regulus shook his head. "Not sure, but the Dark Lord looks happier than I've seen him all year."
It was true. Standing with his back ramrod straight, the once handsome man surveyed all of his followers with greedy eyes. He had a broad smile on his face, but it only served to make him look terrifying as his once good looks seemed to melt slowly like wax. Gone was the charismatic man who Regulus had eagerly followed through newspaper clippings and in his place was some kind of hideous approximation. It had only gotten worse after the locket had been destroyed.
"My followers," he said softly, smirking when the room instantly quieted itself to hang on his every word. His voice seemed unusually high, but Regulus forced himself to listen to the words. "I have wonderful news to share with you all. Months ago, one of your enterprising brethren brought to my attention a prophecy," his eyes flickered to Severus briefly.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches," Voldemort said, putting on a farcical voice. His followers nervously chuckled at the idea of anyone vanquishing the terrifying man in front of them. "Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies….And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal," the Dark Lord paused again, waiting for the nervous tittering laughter to pass once again, at the thought of anyone being equal to him. "But he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."
Once he was finished regaling his followers with the prophecy, guffaws began to fill the room. "What, do they expect that a child could bring you down?" Lucius Malfoy sneered. "You are the greatest dark wizard, nay the greatest wizard alive!" he flattered.
"It's true!" Voldemort said, his lips spread wide in a grin. "I will take down all of Wizardom - everyone will tremble when they feel my power and the great hope that they will lay their hopes on is a child," he shouted, to the cheers of everyone gathered. "My contact in the Department of Mysteries has confirmed that the prophecy exists! But which child could it be?" he questioned, letting the suspense build.
When no one had any suggestions, he sneered at all of them, nostrils flaring. "Good thing I am not so useless as all of you," he said, meanly. "Of course it would be one of Dumbledore's little pets from the Order of the Phoenix," he explained, while his followers hissed in response. "And I have recently found out that two of their witches are pregnant through another source. They can try to hide from me all that they would like, but I will hunt them down and I will kill this chosen one!"
Regulus felt sick to his stomach at the thought of him killing a child, perhaps even before it was born, but he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop him. Beside him, Severus had gone as stiff as a board, and Regulus felt a sinking feeling when he realized too what Severus already had. The child that was spoken about could be Lily Potter's. Regulus could not imagine what his friend might be thinking.
Cautioning a glance in the lanky man's direction, he noticed that Severus had taken on a green color, as though he might be sick. Regulus couldn't imagine what would happen if his friend were to take ill in front of all of the other Death Eaters, but he knew it could not end well. Wanting nothing more than to give his hand a squeeze, to let him know that he was not alone, Regulus kept his hands at his side knowing that someone was always watching.
Jeers about what should be done to the baby that was yet unborn were shouted while the Dark Lord laughed uncontrollably, thinking that he could not be defeated. The only thing that kept Regulus's hope up was the thought that he was much more vulnerable than he realized. Two of his horcruxes had already been found and the other two were not far off. Determined, Regulus decided once again that he would die before the Dark Lord was victorious in his quest for domination.
Severus was wavering on his feet by the time the Dark Lord dismissed them. He apparated away the instant he was given leave to go and Regulus wanted nothing more than to follow him. Before he could follow him to Spinner's End, though, the Dark Lord was calling for him. "Regulus and Rabastan please stay behind," he simpered, his eyes roving the room for the stragglers. "And Antonin as well."
Shaking, Regulus closed the short distance between him and his Lord, hoping to project an air of confident cool. He was quickly joined by Antonin, who looked a bit confused. Rodolphus remained at Rabastan's side and helped him walk over, while Bellatrix hovered.
"Bellatrix, I did not ask you to stay," the Dark Lord said sharply.
"My Lord, I only thought that -"
"You may go," the Dark Lord said, cutting her off with his hand raised. Regulus could see the utter humiliation in her eyes at being dismissed from the room, so used to being favored for her cruel tactics. "Rodolphus, however, you may stay as this affects your family." Bellatrix fumed more a moment longer before realizing it was a losing battle and left in a huff.
"How may I serve you my Lord?" Antonin asked smoothly, likely wondering just what it was that he was doing with the other men.
"I've become so eager to meet the woman that has captured the attention of two of my most devoted followers. I am simply dying to meet her," the Dark Lord said, clasping his hands together. "I find that I cannot wait a moment longer. Bring her to me now."
"Of course, my Lord, I will go get her now," Regulus offered, his heart beating out of his chest in nerves. He knew that Hermione would be furious to be summoned with practically no warning at all, but he hoped that she wouldn't reveal it to the dangerous man.
Rabastan stepped forward, reluctantly letting go of Rodolphus's arm. "Nonsense, my Lord. Miss Dagworth-Granger entered a courtship with me first," he said, his voice cracking as though he had screamed himself hoarse. "It would only be right for me to go retrieve her. I believe she'd find my presence more agreeable anyway."
The Dark Lord looked between the two arguing men with a mixture of glee and annoyance. He seemed morbidly fascinated at the way that they would fight over a witch, a witch whose worth remained to be seen. Laughing, for a moment, he raised his hand to get the pair of them to end their battle of wills. "Antonin, this is exactly why I asked you to stay," he explained. "Look at them squabbling over this woman like two dogs over a bone," he rolled his eyes. "You will go retrieve Miss Dagworth-Granger and bring her here to me."
A slow smile crept over Antonin's face. "Of course my Lord. I would only be too happy to reacquaint myself with the lovely Miss Dagworth-Granger," he said with a bow. "If you give me just a moment, I will return with the prize momentarily."