UNEDITED FROM THIS POINT FORWARD!
Chapter Nineteen (will be 18 after editing)
"This is horrible," a voice whimpered. It echoed across the small room, almost repeating in Izar's ears. "Oh Merlin's beard, this is horrible."
"Will you please shut the bloody hell up?" Izar snapped. "That's all you've been saying for the past hour." He stared at Draco from across the bathroom, wondering why he had to be paired with the blonde haired Slytherin. Snape assigned them cleaning duty on the first floor bathroom. For the past two weeks, it had been closed due to 'malfunctions', only to be waiting for Izar and Draco to clean it for their detention.
"I swear, Izar," Draco gasped pathetically as he scrubbed a stubborn part underneath the toilet. Without magic. With just a small soapy sponge. "My fingers are starting to look like prunes." The boy shuddered, his face permanently contorted into a scowl.
Izar scoffed, scrubbing near the sinks. He was positive Snape had spelled the bathroom to be even more horrendous than it really was. Mold was scattered throughout the bathroom, dirt, lint, hair and… juices Izar really didn't want to look at or think about.
"Get used to it," Izar drawled. He felt a source of magic approach him from behind and he knew all to well it was Tom Riddle. "Besides, that's what they're going to look like in a few years." Draco gave a gripe, pausing to dry his fingers off again.
The expensive shoes clicked on the floor as the man made his way inside. Izar was turned away from the door, hidden behind the many number of sinks. He could almost taste Riddle's amusement from across the room. "My, who would have thought you boys were so good at cleaning?" Riddle mused.
Izar watched as Draco paled, struggling to try to regain a bit of pure-blood self-respect as he adjusted his posture.
"It makes me wonder if I should have you two clean my torture chambers. They need a good scrubbing."
Izar sat up from the sinks, nearly avoiding the bottom of the pipe before he threw the man a smirk. As soon as he sat up, Riddle's eyes were zeroed onto him, giving him full attention. Izar knew his hair was in disarray and his muggle clothes were torn and dirty. He didn't care. "Scrubbing? Scrubbing what? The dust because it hasn't been used in… forever?"
Riddle looked satisfied at Izar's comment while Draco flushed, too disconcerted at Izar's sharp tongue to react properly. "Yes, I suppose you're right. But it would be nice to clean them before my… invited guests take residence inside."
"Care to share who they are?" Izar perked up when he noticed Riddle was truthfully planning on capturing a few guests for torture. However, Izar knew the man probably didn't have real torture chambers. Riddle was too sadistic and cruel to extend the torture. Something told him that Riddle favored unbearable torture for a few minutes before getting bored and ending it.
"No," Riddle drawled, leaning against a cleanly scrubbed wall as he observed Izar. "But I will be happy to tell you when they're in my care." His eyes swept toward a silent and observing Draco. "Tell me, what are the other's doing as punishment?"
Draco tensed when he realized Riddle had addressed the question to him. Izar withheld a laugh. The boy was absolutely terrified of the Dark Lord. The Malfoy heir tried to hide it as he spoke to the toilet. "Bole and Derrick have to clean the Owlery with their bare hands and a toothbrush," Draco grimaced. "For a month."
Izar scowled, wondering why the two seventh years got off so easily. Yes, the Owlery was very expansive and it would probably give them blisters and sore knees, but it seemed lax. "I think I'd rather be cleaning animal dung than human dung," he observed softly as he wiped a bit of flesh colored stain from underneath the sink.
Draco gave him a look that clearly stated he'd rather not do any of the cleaning. "Greengrass has to clean all the girls' lavatories on first and second floor for three weeks and Nott…" Draco trailed off, grinning. "Nott gets to spend the day with the big oaf Hagrid picking bubotubers in the Forbidden Forest. And tomorrow he has to spend it with Professor Sprout, squeezing the pus from the bubotubers."
Izar sneered as he remembered the First Task and the bubotuber he had to search for. They were vile creatures. He paused near a stubborn stain on the ground. Cautiously, he moved his sponge over the blob. It hissed at him before slowly starting to inch away. He sighed.
The day after their excursion, the papers had been in outrage. Izar remembered glimpsing at the front page of the students' subscribed Prophet, catching a quick shot of the Death Eaters and Aurors. The journalists pinpointed it to a terrorist group. They had yet to really get it right. Voldemort hadn't accompanied the Death Eaters during the raid simply because he wanted to keep his rise silent until he wanted it written in the papers.
Until then, the Death Eaters would disappear into the background again. Eventually, the public's fears would subside, making them comfortable again. After all, Britain hasn't seen any Dark wizards' revolt since Gellert Grindelwald was in power so many years ago.
Cory Appleton's death was noted in the Prophet. Killed by the heart attack curse from one of the 'terrorists'. Izar wondered if the Death Eaters were insulted that they were labeled so wrongly.
"Charming," Riddle conceded. "While I agree you two need to serve your punishment, I also believe you have done quite satisfactory so far." The man's wand poked from beneath his sleeve. With a flick of his wand, the bathroom was spotless. Izar blinked and Draco almost fainted with relief. "I need your presence, Mr. Harrison. Come."
The man didn't wait as he swept from the bathroom. Izar slapped his sponge in the garbage, pausing. He was tired. He didn't think he could do any more dances with the man today. He peered into the mirror, staring at the dried soapy suds along his jaw line and his wild hair. The ends were curled more than normal today with the wet environment, making him look like a bloody ponce.
He had ripped jeans on and his worn Muggle sneakers. His long sleeve shirt was torn at the hems, completing his look.
Yes, he looked remarkably well…
Turning, he walked from the room, ignoring the stunned and thrilled Draco still sitting next to the toilet. "Careful Malfoy, people may start to think that's where you belong." The Malfoy heir scrambled up, tripping over his long cloak in the process.
Izar stepped out into the hall, glancing around for the Dark Lord. Most the students were at Hogsmeade this weekend, leaving the halls an uncanny calm. A sudden movement caught his attention and his neck snapped quickly to watch a cloak disappear around the corner. Izar followed it, his torn soles sounding awkward on the floors. He didn't necessarily need the cloak to know where Riddle was going. All he needed to do was follow the magical signature.
They were walking down to the dungeons. Izar kept a good distance from Riddle, watching the man's perfect posture from the back. The man commented on Izar's posture as self-hate and confidence… if that were even possible. But Izar admired Riddle's walk. It wasn't so much a swagger; however, it was arrogant and confident. And yet, there was a bit of danger to it. As if he walked with the Dark cloaked about him.
Even if Riddle had his political glamour up, Izar could still see the Dark Lord hiding at the surface.
Izar watched Riddle enter Professor Snape's personal chambers. Hesitating, just briefly, he walked closer. The door was ajar and he could see Snape sitting rigidly on a leather couch. The potions master's face was etched of worn lines, bringing attention to the aging along his mouth and eyes.
"Come in, Izar, shut the door behind you." Riddle's voice commanded softly from inside the room.
Izar stepped inside, giving a double take when he noticed Regulus in attendance. His father was sitting on the opposite couch to Snape, his posture just as stiff as the Slytherin Head of House. The man's charcoal eyes all but glowed eerily as they washed over his sons' body. Every time Izar saw Regulus, the man always looked at him closely, almost as if he couldn't believe Izar actually existed.
Riddle swooped from the shadows as soon as the door shut, his hand motioning Izar to the seat beside his father. "Sit."
Knowing better then to argue, Izar's heavy legs gave out near his father. He had a feeling he knew what this was about. But was he ready? Yes. He believed he was.
"Regrettably, I am not here today to punish you, Regulus and Severus. Instead, I'm here to give you my full attention. Your punishment will come at a later date when there aren't any wards to interfere." Riddle's cloak brushed the floor as he made his way toward the fireplace. "Izar, especially, has just as much right as I to hear this… mesmerizing story of you and the Mudblood."
Izar swallowed, controlling his features before turning his body toward Regulus. The man had been in the castle a lot lately. Was it because of Sirius or… Izar's eyes danced toward Snape, wondering. Was it because of Professor Snape? The man was oddly uptight, his eyes anywhere but on Regulus.
While Regulus was not wanted by the Ministry, he was believed dead. Had Regulus already gone to the Ministry to declare his continued existence? His father had mentioned something about straightening things out at the Ministry that day of Appleton's murder, in Sirius' office. But Izar hadn't been healthy enough to really listen to the man and he hadn't thought to ask.
And now that Voldemort knew Regulus was alive, the man would be able to walk freely among the wizarding world. So why was he wasting his time at Hogwarts?
"May I have permission to speak freely to my son, My Lord?" Regulus questioned the Dark Lord. Riddle, in answer, cocked his head in answer.
Across the room, Professor Snape was a bit grey, as if he didn't want to hear the past being re-written.
"It's a rather simple and clean cut story," Regulus started. His eyes were on Izar's face before he turned his own body toward his son. It appeared as if Regulus preferred to talk to Izar then the Dark Lord. "Lily, during her days at Hogwarts, was a charming, beautiful, and very smart girl."
Severus nodded curtly in agreement. Izar raised an eyebrow before looking back at Regulus.
"When I arrived at Hogwarts, I was a year beneath both Severus and Lily. She was Gryffindor and Severus and I were Slytherins. Sirius and James Potter, along with a few other friends, were in Lily's year— all Gryffindors of course. James Potter's group tormented Severus relentlessly. Before coming to Hogwarts, my parents bred me well. I was to hate Light, Muggles and Mudbloods, and Gryffindors alike. I wanted to appease them, especially because I found favor in their disappointment in Sirius for being Sorted into Gryffindor."
Regulus paused, smiling softly toward Izar. "And when I finally came to Hogwarts, I hated them all even more for tormenting Severus so cruelly. He was, after all, one of my own Snakes… I took an instant liking to him and tried to protect him as much as I could. You remind me of him at times, Izar. Severus, he just wanted to be left alone. Kids can be so cruel. And I hated my brother for the idiot he was."
Regulus trailed off, a solemn expression crossing his face. Izar spied Snape's impassiveness and sharp features. What Regulus said was understandable. Izar could see Snape being teased relentlessly by children during his Hogwarts days. To Izar, Snape was strong, aloof and mystifying— probably as a child too. And children didn't look too highly upon loners at school.
"Because of my relationship with Severus, I was introduced to Lily Evans— the Mudblood James Potter relentlessly flirted with and all but claimed for himself. Apparently Severus and Lily met in their earlier years, before Hogwarts. They were raised in the same Muggle neighborhood and became friends. And throughout the years at Hogwarts, they still met in private to study and speak with one another. It took a great deal of trust for Severus to tell me about Lily. After all, the Black family is notorious for despising anything Muggle. I reluctantly decided to meet Lily…" Regulus looked disgusted with himself. "And I became smitten with her."
Izar shifted uncomfortably. He could never imagine being smitten with a Mudblood. They were bred too close to Muggles, the very thing he hated.
"I know what you're thinking, my son," Regulus flashed a smile. "I felt the same. Only, she was brilliant. Her mind, at least. She had a mind I could relate to. We spent hours debating over the right and wrongs of Dark Arts and the different properties to Charms and Transfiguration spells. We were the top of our classes… its no wonder you turned out to have a prodigy mind, Izar. You were bred between two smart people. While Lily and I weren't prodigies, we did have intelligence with magic."
"You're going off tangent, Black," Snape drawled, his eyes on the fire before him.
Regulus, his eyes still on Izar, smiled thinly at Snape's tone. "Lily had a bit of Slytherin cunning to her as well. I was besotted, completely engrossed with her. But of course, I was afraid of what my parents would say. This was around the time they disowned Sirius."
"Disowned?" Izar raised his eyebrows. "Why?"
Regulus' charcoal eyes glanced at the silent Dark Lord. "He was too involved with the Potters and he renounced the Dark Lord's ways. So, he ran to live with the Potters the day of his disownment. Keeping this in mind, I was determined to keep my fascination with Lily a secret. It wasn't until her seventh year and my sixth year that she returned my feelings, albeit distantly. There were rumors going around that she was involved with James Potter." Regulus looked ashamed with himself. "This is where I became the fool that led to my current position, Izar. Please… I was young and blinded by a love that wasn't healthy. I was stupid."
Izar looked down at the hand that laid itself on his knee. He knew the man was asking for Izar's understanding. Izar could almost feel the man's embarrassment for what he was about to say. "I'm sure you aren't the man you were fifteen years ago," Izar responded truthfully. The man had learned the hard way for his mistakes. "I'm sure fifteen years in hiding was enough time for you to realize your mistakes."
Regulus smiled, his fingers tightening on Izar's knee. "Thank you."
Snape eyed the two from his chair, the firelight exaggerating the sharp angles to his face. "I think you can resume the story from your seventh year," Snape commented. "The part about your withdraws."
"Must you make this harder then it is, Severus?" Regulus demanded softly. "I know my mistakes. I have apologized to you already."
Izar raised an eyebrow between the two. Something a bit more was going on then Regulus and Severus were letting on. The two were bickering with one another as if Izar and Voldemort weren't even in the room. The Ravenclaw looked over his shoulder at Riddle, eyeing the man who stood near the shadows. Half his face was covered with darkness, the other, visible side of his face, was eyeing the proceedings jadedly.
Regulus hissed beneath his breath as he turned back to Izar. "During my seventh year, I found myself missing Lily and Severus considerably. They had graduated the year before me. While I was at school, Severus became a Death Eater and a member of the Order of the Phoenix."
Izar chuckled lowly. "Order of the Phoenix?"
"The Order of the Phoenix is Dumbledore's group, a secret organization that defends against the Dark forces." Snape answered for him quietly. "I became a double spy for the Dark Lord."
Izar found this extremely entertaining. He twisted his head around toward the Dark Lord. The man looked as if he were struggling to conceal a grin as he gazed back at Izar. "So basically, the Order is Dumbledore's version of the Death Eaters?"
"Naturally," Riddle's voice intoned from the shadows.
Izar turned back to Regulus, catching the man's assessment of his interaction with the Dark Lord. Regulus calmly continued. "My seventh year was the year I also got a personal invitation to work at the Ministry of Magic, in the Department of Mysteries."
"You became an Unspeakable?" Izar whispered. What were the odds? Having both parents as Unspeakables when he, himself, hadn't known that at the time he accepted his own invitation to their department.
"I did," Regulus gave a sharp nod. "I accepted the job as soon as I found out it was in the same Department as Lily. I worked in the—,"
"Death Chamber," Izar guessed ironically.
"Izar," Riddle started lazily. "Is an Unspeakable as well." Izar flashed the Dark Lord a scowl. He hadn't wanted to tell Regulus. Or Snape for that matter. He wanted the knowledge of his Unspeakable status strictly between Voldemort, Dumbledore, and the others who worked there. But he supposed Regulus would have found out eventually.
Regulus froze, his cold charcoal eyes becoming even colder. "Already? My, our times have changed, reigning mere children into slavery." The Head of Black looked at Voldemort pointedly. "What Chamber do you work in?" He asked to Izar.
"I don't," Izar reluctantly began. "I started last year and they assigned me to Time-Turner duty all summer." His mind brought him back to those endless projects. He was hopeful that he wouldn't have to go through all that again this upcoming summer. "But, like you, I'm interested in the Death Chamber."
"You haven't seen the Chamber yourself, have you?" Regulus asked coldly. Reading Izar's expression, the man took Izar by the shoulders. "You saw her, didn't you? Your own mother works there; you must have encountered her there. But you told me at Hog's Head that you never encountered her before."
"I lied," Izar spoke just as coldly as his father's eyes shown. "What was I supposed to say? My own mother ignored the very sight of me? Pretended as if she had never met me before?" Izar asked bitterly. "Not that I minded of course, she abandoned me at a Muggle orphanage. She did seem rather excited to drag me down to the Veil, though." He remembered her odd insistence that he help her. He had agreed, simply because the Veil. To this day, he still held a great admiration to the archway. It's beauty… its mystery…
A glass lamp next to Regulus shattered and the hands on Izar's shoulders grew tighter. "She didn't," he spat cruelly.
Izar kept his features cool, but he felt his chest coil in a bit of fear. He had never seen this side of Regulus before. And quite frankly, Izar never thought his father had a cruel bone to his body. He thought Regulus was just bred to worship the Dark and hate Muggles, but seeing the man's mere hate twist his features was a slap in the face. His father was Dark. Izar was thrilled to see this side to Regulus. It made him eager to know what Regulus was capable of doing on the battlefield.
Regulus' eyes were normally vivid, especially framed by dark lashes. But when he was angry, they all but glowed.
"That Mudblood bitch," Regulus growled, leaning closer to Izar. "What happened there? That day? When you were near the Veil, what transpired? Of course you heard voices; even if you hadn't seen death you would have heard the voices. The Blacks are rather sensitive to death, but did anything else happen? It's very important that you speak the truth, Izar." The man was speaking quickly, fanatically.
As if he knew of the events that had happened.
"No," Izar lied softly, his body stiff in Regulus' strong hold. "Just as you said, all I heard were voices." Regulus looked relieved.
"He's lying, impish child," Voldemort tisked disapprovingly, his eyes observing him from the shadows.
Regulus' eyes widened. And as quickly as his anger came, it was gone, replaced by cool shock. Izar pulled himself away from his father's hold, turning to seethe at the Dark Lord. He ignored his father's alarmed and dismayed eyes on him. It made him feel intimidated.
"Whose bloody side are you on, anyway?" Izar demanded toward the Dark Lord. He was unnerved by both Snape's and Regulus' close inspection.
"You're both on my list of 'unfavorables'," the Dark Lord teased delightfully. Izar scoffed. There was that bloody word again. "I'm just curious to know where this conversation is heading."
"No where," Regulus interrupted, his face turning to stone. "This conversation is closed. You heard voices beyond the Veil, that's all you say?" Regulus nodded at Izar before the Ravenclaw could respond. "Good. I trust your word, Izar."
Both Izar's and Voldemort's eyes narrowed into slits at the sudden change from Regulus. Further along the room, Snape shook his head at Regulus' actions. The potions master was just as obvious to Regulus' sudden change in direction.
Izar was curious, but he didn't want everyone in the room knowing why the Veil was so special. And he didn't want to tell anyone about what had transpired there with Lily. Something told him Regulus didn't want the Dark Lord overhearing. But the Dark Lord's interested had been piqued. And there was no averting his attention. Nonetheless, Voldemort remained silent. He sunk back into the shadows, surprising Izar with his submission.
Why?
There was the possibility that the Dark Lord didn't want to sound as if he were begging Regulus to indulge. The Dark Lord did not beg. But he demanded. Why couldn't Riddle just demand Regulus to tell him? Threaten him?
Something told Izar that Riddle enjoyed the game of finding out for himself.
"With Severus leading his own life and Lily starting her own, I was left to finish my last year of Hogwarts." Regulus continued calmly, slowly sitting back down. Izar was sharp enough to note the tight tension in Regulus' posture. The man was not yet over the Veil incident. "With my obsession with Lily, I began to distance myself from the things that truly mattered."
Here, Regulus looked at Snape. The potions master avoided eye contact skillfully without it looking practiced.
"By the time I graduated, I ran to Lily despite Severus' warnings." Izar continued to watch the potions master. "Severus told me I should be cautious around Lily. He said she had changed in the course of the year. She had joined the Order and she started to meet with Albus Dumbledore more often. Severus claimed Lily was somehow manipulated. I couldn't believe him." Regulus shook his head. "I thought he wanted Lily for myself… how wrong I was." The man's voice turned miserable and Izar noticed the tension.
His lip curled into a smirk.
Did he sense… romance? Between… no…
"A few days after working with Lily, I had noticed a difference. There was a part of me that wanted to leave her as my obsession started to diminish. But, she tried to convince me otherwise. She claimed she was relieved to finally see me after a year. She was also on a brief separation with Potter and before I knew it, one thing led to the other and… long story short, you were conceived in the Death Chamber."
Izar hissed, his face twisting in disgust. "I may forgive you for being such an idiot, but I will not listen to that."
Regulus chuckled, grinning. "You, my child, are a blessing. Don't ever think you were not welcome on my behalf. I cannot speak for Lily of course." Regulus lost the joy in his expression. "Her manipulations started the day I began working with her. She had me on her hook as soon as I walked through those doors. I can't believe she would… use both herself and me so carelessly."
"What are you talking about?" Izar demanded, bemused by Regulus' ramblings.
"She used you to get to me, or more specifically, to get to the Dark Lord," here, Regulus looked uncomfortable. "She knew I always wanted a family. I wanted a son, especially, and she used that to her advantage." Regulus blinked, his expression turning sour. "She also knew my family worshipped the Dark and the Dark Lord Voldemort. Although, at the time, I wasn't Marked, she knew I was interested in joining."
There was a pause and Izar wondered if Regulus was uncomfortable recounting this in front of the Dark Lord.
"She came to me one day, gloom and depressed. It was that day she told me she was pregnant with our child. I was ecstatic, naturally. Only, she wasn't. She expressed her fears of my involvement with the Dark Lord. How could we raise a baby safely with such a cruel and vicious man ready to manipulate the child? So, reluctantly, I agreed not to take the Mark."
"How did you feel about that?" Izar asked.
Regulus gave a bitter smile. "I'm Dark, Izar. I will always be Dark. But I would gladly give up my ways in order to keep you safe. And that's how she lured me to search for…" he trailed off, his eyes searching the Dark Lord's form in the shadows.
"You may continue. I trust Izar," Voldemort persuaded. "And I'm certain Severus already knows."
Trust. What an amusing word coming from the Dark Lord.
"She convinced me to search for the Dark Lord's Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault at Gringotts. At the time, I did not know its significance."
Izar sat forward, immediately intrigued. "Horcrux," Izar whispered in awe. Snape frowned, not comprehending. Apparently the man did not know about the facts of Regulus' betrayal. "A Horcrux," Izar repeated for his professor. "Is an object one uses to store part of his soul. Said wizard tears a part of his soul and places it in a chosen item, like a piece of jewelry, for example. If his physical body 'dies', he is never truly dead if he has a Horcrux grounded here on earth. It's really Dark magic…"
He paused when he noticed three sets of disproving eyes watching him. "What?" Izar demanded— a bit flustered.
"Where did you get your hands on a book like that?" Regulus questioned softly with a hint of threat. "You're only fifteen."
Izar looked upward in frustration. When would they understand he wasn't like the average fifteen-year-old? When would they realize he had raised himself throughout the years?
"I would like to know that as well," Professor Snape requested silkily.
"A book in the Restricted Section," Izar spoke coolly. "It was only a small section, just a brief mention of it." He defended himself. "You were saying?" He put the attention on Regulus once again. "Lily made you search for the Dark Lord's Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault. I'm assuming, because you were the Heir of the Black Family, that you had access to the rest of the family's vaults. And rather conveniently, Bellatrix caught you in the act and told the Dark Lord, who in turn, realized you were searching for his most valued possession."
Regulus nodded, his eyes silently telling Izar they hadn't forgotten about the book he read on Horcruxes. Izar knew then, that Regulus would be a difficult parent to fool. The man didn't forget things easily. "Yes, in short. It wasn't until Bellatrix caught me when I realized the significance of the items I was searching for. Lily admitted it to me that it was one of the Dark Lord's seven Horcruxes."
Izar blinked before snickering.
Seven Horcruxes? That was impossible. Well, for Voldemort it was. If the Dark Lord had truly split his soul seven times over, the man would be insane. Why did Dumbledore believe Voldemort had seven Horcruxes? Didn't the Headmaster know Voldemort would be a maddening idiot if his soul was split so many times?
Well… the more Izar thought about it, the more he believed that Dumbledore had no idea about Horcruxes. The man would believe Voldemort was Dark because of the Horcruxes. He may believe Voldemort got his cruel nature, such as killing and torturing, because of his Horcruxes. Dumbledore may know just a briefing about the Dark artifacts, but he probably didn't understand the Dark like Izar did.
Or maybe it was also because Voldemort wanted Dumbledore to believe he had seven Horcruxes?
Izar looked across the room at the Dark Lord. The man placed a finger to his lips, his eyes alight. It was settled then. Voldemort wanted his enemies to believe he had seven Horcruxes. Perhaps he even wanted a few selected followers to whisper about it behind his back. Izar wouldn't be surprised if the Dark Lord had no Horcruxes.
But then what was keeping the man immortal? Unless he wasn't immortal…
"I became furious with Lily when she told me what the significance of the item was," Regulus started off again, casting a suspicious glance at Izar. "I told her I couldn't help her any longer, that I couldn't betray the Dark Lord again. It was then when she broke down crying." Regulus smiled at the ghost of his memory. "Through her tears she confessed that she had manipulated me on Dumbledore's persuasion. She told me she wasn't carrying a child and that it had all been a lie."
Izar grimaced.
"She lied, of course, about the part of her not carrying my child. But I hadn't known that then. I had been so betrayed by someone I trusted, I ran. My life was in ruins. The man I always wanted to follow was hunting me down and I had no place to turn. Severus came to me, my last chance at hope, only to tell me he was sent to kill me. At first, I had thought he would do it… but he told me to run as far as I could as he staged my death…"
Regulus shook his head, his eyes to the ground. "I lost fifteen years because of her. I lost fifteen important years of my sons' life because of her. She put you through a Muggle orphanage." Regulus shook his head again, peering at Izar through heavy locks of dark hair. "I don't understand her reasons, Izar. I don't understand why she didn't keep you and try to pass you as Potter's son."
"It's almost as if she felt guilty," Izar commented pensively. Regulus had a point. Why didn't Lily keep him? Perhaps use him for the Light and glamour him as James'?
"Remorse," Voldemort agreed silkily.
"Lily Potter will never feel remorse for what she did." Snape stood up calmly. "There may have been a brief moment of uncertainty, of the old Lily Evans, when she heard Regulus was killed because of her actions. That is, perhaps, the reason she placed Izar in an orphanage. She couldn't tolerate to see the reminder of what she did to Regulus everyday, throughout life."
The professor paused and he began to pace. "Lily Potter was never seen in public pregnant. I believe she hid it from her husband as I know she hid it from Dumbledore. The Headmaster didn't know how Lily blackmailed Regulus into looking for the Horcrux. Looking back now, I realized she disappeared the month Izar was born, only to return despondent and miserable. The Order meetings began to grow sparser and Lily simply disappeared. The old crowd of Potter's began to break apart and his marriage with Lily, clearly, is less than satisfactory."
"You do not think she is remorseful?" Izar questioned again. It sounded as if the woman felt torn for what she had done. But still… it didn't matter—
"It doesn't matter," Regulus spat. "What she did is unforgivable. If she was truly remorseful, Izar, she would have looked you in the eye and told you she was your mother. She would have gone back to the orphanage to raise you properly. Instead, she's too cowardly to face her faults, and instead, wants to remain hidden." Regulus held up a finger, grinning bitterly. "But let's not forget that she's starting to become more active. She's heard that I'm alive. Let's see how she plays now."
Izar remained silent. He had to be truthful and admit that it was a relief to hear what had happened all those years ago. It was also a bit disappointing to hear he had been used as blackmail for his father's involvement with Voldemort's attempted downfall. But it helped him understand Regulus better.
As much as he hated feeling it, he felt compassion and sympathy for his father.
Regulus had always wanted him. At least the man claimed so. And Regulus had sacrificed his standings and beliefs for him. Regulus had a life here in Britain and he had to leave it all behind because he had placed trust in the wrong person, because he had held out hope for a family. Fifteen years in a home in Russia, forever secluded, would drive Izar for revenge. He wondered, briefly, if Regulus would claim his rightful revenge over Lily.
Oddly enough, Izar couldn't find himself worried for his mother's life.
"My Lord," Regulus whispered, breaking the silence. "I want to express my gratitude for your mercy. I know I do not deserve it after what I've done." He didn't. And Izar was astonished that the Dark Lord kept the man alive.
With the exception of the ring. His voice hissed maliciously. Regulus was alive because of the ring on his finger.
Voldemort finally slithered from the shadows, a cruel smile on his face. "You have your son to thank for that, Black." Regulus' head was bowed. "I do owe you a Crucio, however, one I hope you are able to struggle through. But that is neither here nor there. You will be given a proper initiative into the Death Eater ranks when the time allows it. Something tells me your forearm should be bare these upcoming months."
Izar raised and eyebrow toward the Dark Lord. "You think the Ministry will interrogate Regulus?"
Charmed brown eyes averted from Regulus to Izar. "I'm only sure."
Izar stiffened. If gossip spread that Regulus was alive, Lily may become anxious and want to exploit Regulus as a Death Eater— a follower of the Dark. "But they don't even know what they're looking for. The Ministry— or the Aurors, if they see the Dark Mark on his forearm they may just think it's a tattoo. There is no Lord Voldemort in the public yet, no Death Eaters."
"Oh, my child," Voldemort hissed. "Dumbledore will find a way to convict your father if there is a Dark Mark on his arm, trust me."
Izar settled, taking the man's word for it.
The Dark Lord stood before him. Long fingernails traced the outline of his face almost affectionately. "Meet me near the library after you're finished here. We have a few things we need to discuss. Privately." The man cast a pointed stare at a cynical Regulus. The man was put off by Voldemort's proximity.
"Yes, My Lord," Izar agreed lightly.
He watched Riddle as he elegantly swept from the room. Professor Snape stood up with a sharp nod. "I will leave you two in private." Onyx eyes lingered on Regulus before he swept toward an adjoining room. Izar watched after the man in delight. Though, his amusement died down when he realized he was alone, with his father. It had never happened before. They were always pressed for time or they always had people surrounding them.
"I'm happy to see you're taking this well," Regulus started off casually. "I was afraid to tell you, afraid to push you. But the Dark Lord insisted we speak today."
Izar shook his head. "I wanted to hear about your past. It's horrible, what she did to you."
Regulus gave a thin smile, his eyes eerily vivid in the darkened room. "I could have avoided the situation skillfully if I hadn't allowed my emotions to run me. If I had listened to Severus, we wouldn't be in this position… but that's just it. If I hadn't been the idiot I was, you wouldn't be here, Izar. If I was given the option of reliving my mistakes, I'm afraid I would follow down the same path."
Izar looked away, flustered with the sentimental declaration. He hated himself for feeling the warmth in his chest at Regulus' statement. "I think I would have been here, perhaps not me, but another version of myself. After all, you always said you wanted a family."
Regulus chuckled, pleased. "I'm afraid Lily was the only woman I looked at sexually, Izar." His father offered a bit of a coy smile. "There would have been no other children."
Surprise crossed Izar's mind. He had thought he saw something between Regulus and Severus, but to hear his father so bluntly confess his… preferences took Izar aback. Gay men, gay relationships, weren't looked highly upon in the wizarding world. It wasn't unheard of, most certainly not. And there were same-sex couples. But among pure-bloods, it was rare. Unless it was practiced from behind the scenes. Izar was sure there were plenty of gay pure-bloods who tiptoed behind closed doors.
"Professor Snape?" Izar didn't even know why he was bloody asking. Or why he even cared.
Regulus sighed, looking at the closed door Snape disappeared through. "I'll let you know when I find out," charcoal eyes turned back to Izar. "I've hurt him far beyond repairing. I don't know if he'll ever open up to me again. I can't say that I blame him."
Izar nodded once before turning his attention back to the floor. The rich colors from the Persian rug were highlighted from the flame of the fire. Next to him, he felt Regulus shift closer, the room suddenly turning serious.
"Izar," Regulus murmured quietly. "I need to know what happened at the Department of Mysteries, with the Veil. Did Lily witness what transpired? I didn't press the subject with the others here because it is strictly between us Blacks. A Black family secret if you will."
Izar had an inner dilemma. Should he confide in his father? Could he… trust Regulus?
"I understand if you don't want to tell me," Regulus continued, albeit poignant. "I respect the distance you want to put between us. Pushing you into something you don't want to do is the last thing I intend—,"
"I touched it," Izar whispered before the man could continue. "I touched the Veil. It should have pulled me inside, through the other side, but it didn't. I was able to pull back. Nonetheless, it gave me black skin where I touched it, but the color disappeared within a day. And yes, Lily witnessed it." Izar stared down at his fingers, remembering the mere thrill he got from touching the silky Veil.
Regulus exhaled noisily, burying his face in his hands. "And you're magic sensitive, correct?" The voice was dull, as if he already knew the answer.
"Don't sound too pleased," Izar drawled.
His father raked his fingernails through his freshly cut hair before looking up at Izar. "It's rather ironic that the first half-blood Heir of Black would also possess Cygnus' Curse. I don't know if Cygnus would be amused or disgusted…" Regulus trailed off thoughtfully. "Knowing him, it would probably be both."
Izar sat there, staring at the man blankly. Regulus sat up, cracking his neck before observing Izar. "I know you want to know what I'm speaking of, Izar. And while I desperately wish to tell you, I know you have too many things happening right now. If I told you, you would become distracted and perhaps overwhelmed. I cannot put you through that just now. Perhaps soon."
Izar gave a tight nod. He understood Regulus' reasoning. On the contrary, while curious, Izar was starting to feel overwhelmed with everything. This Cygnus' Curse was another mystery that needed to be added to his long list of riddles.
"There is another thing I'd like to ask you," Regulus rotated his body on the couch. His lithe frame was easily flexible as he curled a leg underneath his body. Despite the awkward position, the man made it look completely poised. "Sirius and I were speaking of you the other day. He made me see things from your point of view. You were raised in an orphanage; it must have been a bad experience for you to come out hating Muggles instead of loving them." Regulus paused. "Having a harsh childhood without someone to turn to must have been difficult for you, Izar."
Izar couldn't believe he was feeling so expressive over the topic at hand. He thought he put the past behind him. He tried to hide how much the topic affected him, but perhaps Regulus saw his shaking hands.
"You've probably grown accustomed to taking care of yourself. And maybe you don't trust adults at all." Regulus reached over and curled his hand over Izar's trembling fingers. Izar made sure he had his face turned away. He didn't need the man to see his eyes, the most vulnerable part of his body. "But I'd still like to ask you if you could trust me. I'd like to be a central figure in your life, someone you can turn to with your problem, for help, anything."
Regulus chuckled lowly, lightening the tension in the room. His hand was still curled over Izar's. "Perhaps I'm being entirely sentimental over asking this, but I'd like to be your father, Izar. I want to get to know you as my son."
Izar found himself unable to conjure up any negatives toward Regulus. He wanted to find an excuse in order to decline the man's request. But he came up shorthanded. Why was this so difficult for Izar? Even as a young boy he had accepted his hell of a childhood and sworn off friends and anything of the sort. He promised himself he wouldn't accept help from anyone. He wanted to be cold, cynical toward everyone in his life.
But Regulus…
Charcoal-green eyes looked at Regulus sideways. Was it acceptable if he let just one person in? The very same person who had risked his life for a child that he didn't even know? That hadn't even been born yet? The man was everything Izar wanted in an ideal father. The man was also flawed, not perfect.
"I'd like that," Izar found himself saying. Merlin. He was such a bloody sap. He cleared his throat, trying to regain the control he had let slip. "However," Izar began quickly. "I'd rather not take this public. Not yet."
"Time is something I have on my side, Izar." Regulus informed, his hand squeezing Izar's one last time before letting go. "I have your acceptance, that's all I need."
{Notes} Hopefully Izar wasn't too out of character in this chapter. I tried my *hardest* to write him as cold as I could. Next chapter, you'll get to find out what you all are so eager to learn. The ring. And why Voldemort is intrigued by a mere fifteen-year-old.
