Written for:
Hogwarts: 365 Prompts
Prompt - catastrophe
Hogwarts: Spell Origins and Creations
Task #2: Write about an uncommon Light/Dark pair coming together for something. (Does not have to be a romantic pair / Pair must have less than 200 featured fics.)
Hogwarts: Ultimate Battle Competition
Tartan Kilt [Lower Body Armor] Price: 1,000 words, Minerva McGonagall OR Oliver Wood
warning for character death.
Unlikely Partnership
'This is a catastrophe.' That thought echoed in Oliver's mind.
Oliver stared at the burnt mark on the wall. He swallowed, his throat convulsively working against a lump that nearly choked him. He took a deep, shuddering breath, almost paralyzed with fear about what this meant.
Was Sirius alive? Was he dead? Was he being tortured, his captors hoping to gather information? The questions ran rampant through Oliver's mind.
He thought about what to do. Dumbledore was dead. And Kingsley, who had taken over the Order of the Phoenix, was a good man and wizard but wouldn't see the logic of risking their numbers by going on a rescue mission for one man.
Oliver knew Harry would help in a heartbeat, but he was on his own mission with Granger and Weasley, and there was no way to get a message out to the boy-who-lived. If Oliver wanted to save Sirius, Oliver would have to do it alone.
Oliver turned in a circle, staring at the apartment. Other than the burnt mark, there were no other signs that there was a struggle.
There was a bang at the front door, and Oliver whirled around, his wand at the ready as it opened with a loud crash, splintering against the wall as it smacked against the hard surface.
Oliver narrowed his eyes at a face that was slightly familiar with its similarities to Sirius's face, but it was different too. More aristocratic. A darker expression. A shadow that was permanently stained on the face. Oliver knew who this was. It was someone Sirius never spoke about, someone Sirius had very mixed feelings about. He didn't lower his wand.
Regulus didn't flinch from the expression on Oliver's face. "Sirius was taken."
"I know," Oliver growled. He gestured to the damaged wall without moving his wand from where it was aimed at Regulus. "And that doesn't explain why you're here. Do you want to gloat? You finally bested your big brother, right? Got back at him for whatever crime you think he committed against you, and now you want to bask in it."
Regulus narrowed his eyes. "You think I'm that petty? Do you think I want him in their hands? They'll torture him until they get the information they want. And we both know he won't give up any information, and when they figure that out, they'll kill him. Do you think I'm okay with that? He's my brother for Merlin's sake."
"Since when do you care?" Oliver asked, tightening his grip on my wand.
"Believe me or don't believe me; that doesn't really matter to me, but I've always cared. What matters is I want to get him out of there."
"And you think I'll trust you? For all I know, you could lead me straight into a trap."
"You're right. I could be. But what would be the point of that? It's not like you're a high ranking member in your organization. Who would really care about you going missing?"
"Sirius would, and that might be enough for you."
Regulus glared at Oliver. "I could have easily killed you while you were staring at the wall. While you gazed at the burnt mark, as if you had never seen anything like that in your life, I was staring at you through the window. If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. I could try to rescue Sirius by myself, but I think we'd have a better chance at success if we do it together. And don't you want to save him?"
That was the question that broke down Oliver's resolve. "Of course I do."
Regulus nodded. "Then we've got some work to do."
X
Regulus pointed his wand on the ground, bringing up a virtual map of whatever layer is fellow Death Eaters were slinking in at the present time. "These are the dungeons." Regulus waved his wand and a spot on the corner was highlighted. "That's where Sirius will be held."
"Creative," Oliver sarcastically spat.
Regulus ignored it. "The trick is to get in and get out with Sirius before anyone realizes what's going on."
"And how do we do that?"
"I'm going to create a distraction, and you'll go undercover."
Oliver narrowed his eyes. "What kind of distraction? Not something that will get you killed, right?"
Regulus didn't answer.
"What kind of distraction?" Oliver asked, this time more insistently.
"Why do you care? As long as Sirius gets back to you."
"I'm not going to have Sirius riddled with guilt because you lost your life saving him."
Regulus averted his eyes. "I'm not making promises, but I'll do best not to die. I am a Slytherin after all, and we're all about saving our own skins."
"Good."
X
Oliver covered his face with a mask and pulled the hood over his head. He still wasn't sure about this plan. There had to be some way to detect people that didn't have the dark mark.
Regulus assured him there was no charm or spell placed that would out Oliver as an enemy. "After all, the Dark Lord is a megalomaniac. He doesn't believe anyone would be so bold or suicidal as to try to break into his fortress."
It occurred to Oliver that Regulus might not know everything about Voldemort, but there was no other viable plan to get Sirius free. He had to hope Regulus wasn't under suspicion.
Oliver walked into the dungeons, passing by other Death Eaters. None of them looked at him. His posture was straight, and he did his best to portray the idea that he was a wizard on a mission, which was true, just not in the way he wanted the Death Eaters to know.
Soon, an alarm sounded and Death Eaters went running. Oliver knew that was his cue, and he ran towards where Regulus pointed out that Sirius was being held. When he got to the dungeon, his heart stopped at the sight of Sirius, chained to the wall, his body hanging limply. There was no visible damage, though.
Sirius lifted his head enough to glare. "Whatever you do, I'm never going to tell you anything!"
Despite himself, Oliver found himself smiling. He lifted his mask enough for Sirius to see his face. "Good thing I'm not a Death Eater then."
"Oli?" Sirius gasped. "How?"
"Long story for a later time. Let's just get you out of here."
Oliver went to work, performing the spell Regulus taught him. The chains disintegrated as did the bars. Oliver lifted Sirius up and Disapparated, so eager to get him to safety so he could kiss him and hug him and make sure he was truly unharmed.
He couldn't believe it was so easy to get away with a prisoner. It was kind of anti-climatic. Voldemort really was too sure of his own power to not take any other precautions. Hopefully, that would be his downfall.
X
Oliver paced back and forth. Regulus should have come back by now, and he knew that Regulus being missing wasn't a good thing.
Sirius took everything Oliver said in stride. "I know I should be shocked, but I'm not. Before everything went bad, Regulus and I had been best friends. My mother poisoned him against me, and I wasn't there to protect him from all of the dark influences. I just hope… Where is he? What if something happened to him?"
Oliver closed his eyes as guilt swarmed within him. "Regulus said he'd do his best to stay alive. He wasn't planning to do anything too suicidal."
"Then where is he?"
Oliver didn't have an answer that would be satisfactory.
Suddenly, there was a crash. Oliver and Sirius grabbed their wands. Nothing appeared. They crept to the front door and carefully opened it.
Regulus's battered body with a note attached laid before them.
Sirius fell to his knees at the ugly sight.
Oliver felt his eyes feel with tears as he reached for the note with trembling fingers. He opened it.
This is what happens to traitors
Oliver crunched it up.
"They'll pay," Sirius vowed, not asking to read the note. He could probably guess what it said.
Oliver nodded. They would pay.
X
(word count: 1,365)