Chapter 19: The Disillusionment Of Death

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy -S.S.

{"Addressing those beneath from high above...Convincing his belief for what you love...Baiting every hook with filthy lies...Another charlatan to idolize...You pay with your life...The duller the knife, the longer it takes (the longer it takes)...But now it's your turn...The ashes will burn, and wither away...Leaving your bones out on the stones, picking them clean (picking them clean)...And carving the truth, while harvesting you to feed the machine (to feed the machine)..."} Feed The Machine, Nickelback

Cliff Side, Unknown Location...(1979)...

Regulus Arcturus Black stood watching as the waves crashed against the surface of the jagged stone long carved out by the frequent blade of the angry ocean. The dark eyes of the now eighteen year old Slytherin wizard and pride of the House of Black had been filled with sorrow and regret.

The truth about the so called "Dark Lord", Tom Riddle was as terrible as the threats to his beliefs seemed to be over two years prior causing his alliance with those of a like mind to make the world a safer place for the magically inclined.

Regulus had trusted no other with the weight of the burden on his youthful shoulders except his brothers. Lucius had a family now and as such he had become more vulnerable to attack should Tom Riddle decide to twist his arm. The young wizard had been told of Narcissa's early stages of pregnancy and afterward decided that Lucius would be least likely to be involved in this ordeal.

Severus had arrived moments after he had and the expression on his face had been bewilderment.

"Severus." said Regulus. "Is there something wrong?"

The raven haired wizard shook his head.

"Nothing is wrong, Regulus." he said meeting the eyes of his "little brother."

"You'd tell me if there was?" asked the charming young Slytherin.

"No." replied Severus honestly.

Regulus chuckled at this.

"Same old Sev." he said fondly. "I know Lucius couldn't get away tonight so I'll trust you to relay the message to him...I am going away for a few days and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't come looking for me."

Severus arched an eyebrow at this.

"Regulus what are you up to?" he asked immediately suspicious.

"Nothing for you to concern yourself with Sev." he said with a charming smile. "You and Lucius got yourselves pretty fine women to look after...sometimes it makes me think that I might have wasted my life...you know chasing the unobtainable and thrown away many a good relationship."

"Where is all this coming from?" asked Severus still highly suspicious of his friend.

"No where Sev." replied Regulus casually. "Just some thoughts that have been rattling about in my head."

The young Potions Apprentice had attempted to invade his mind only to find himself blocked.

"Nice try old timer." he said with a grin. "Perhaps you taught me Occlemancy a bit too well...Sev."

"It seems so." replied Severus returning his grin.

"While we're on the subject of teaching, you'd make a great Professor some day." said Regulus with a grin.

"Don't be ridiculous." muttered Severus. "I didn't enjoy school when I had to go there for my own education, what makes you think I'd get anything accomplished by teaching dunderheads."

Regulus burst out laughing.

"See Sev...you'd make one hell of a Professor." he said amused. "Just stand at the front of the class and tell them they're all dunderheads with that booming voice of yours and I'll bet they'll listen."

"I have no interest in becoming another Slughorn." replied Severus annoyed. "I've much bigger plans for my future thank you very much."

"Whatever you say Sev." said Regulus with a smirk. "Just Promise me one thing."

"What's that?" asked Severus with an arched eyebrow.

"You'll name the little tyke after me." said Regulus with a serious expression.

"I'd ask you how you figured out about the child but I know you all too well." replied Severus.

Regulus treated him to another charming smile.

"What can I say, you taught me well." he said.

"Indeed I did." replied Severus shaking his head in disbelief.

Regulus neglected to mention his intentions given what he had witnessed in Severus' mind during the older wizard's attempt to invade his own mind and had thus been thwarted. Both his brothers were due to be fathers and it seemed wrong to tear them from their families.

The youngest of them made up his mind that he and he alone would attempt the dangerous feat of stopping the despot before he ever truly got started.

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Unknown Location, Unknown World...

Gasping for breath as the last of his life had been about to leave him, Regulus Arcturus Black gripped the stone as the inferi attempted to pull him underwater. His mind flashed through the last eighteen years of his life. He knew instinctively that he wouldn't trade a single moment of them, especially not the one's her spent with both Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape.

The pain had been great as the poison he consumed continued to shut down his vital organs coupled with the freezing temperatures of the water, so cold it had been that it was like liquid fire burning his already numb and poisoned laced flesh.

He had sent Kreacher away with the locket hoping that the house elf would find a way to destroy it. The images of Lucius being father to Narcissa's child filled his mind as his grip on the frozen stone began to slip. The images of Severus Snape and his own young son had filled his mind and a smile filed across his rapidly paling face.

"Little Regulus." he said pleased that at least one aspect of his memory would remain while those he held dear would remain safe from the despot, should he ever discover his blatant treachery. "I hope you have better luck than I."

Finally slipping into the waters, poisoned and dragged down by Inferi, Regulus Black met his unfortunate end, the only reminder of his loss had been a small baby boy born with obsidian eyes and the promise carried over from one dear friend to another.

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The Inn, Muggle World...

Severus Snape awakened with his adrenaline flowing and tears streaming down his sallow pale cheeks. His body trembled and he gripped the sheets for dear life. Sweat poured down his body as his bed-mate, Elaine awoke to check on him.

"REGULUS!" shouted Severus leaping from the bed.

He had been a wreck with his raven hair covering his face, much like the mane of a lion as he moved briskly about. He gathered his attire and attempted to rush out the door only to be stopped by an eight months pregnant Elaine with news of her water breaking.

{"Name the little tyke after me..."} Regulus had said.

Severus looked at the teenage girl he had given a child to as the images of his night terror replayed in his mind. It had been too late to save his friend, he knew that now. Springing into action he turned his attention to the girl in need of his assistance.

For that night was the tragic end of Regulus Arcturus Black's adventurously short life and the birth of his namesake Regulus Snape.