Disclaimer: I do not nor ever will own Harry Potter or any characters or elements you recognize. They are owned by the fabulous J.K. Rowling. Now that we all know that…
Prologue
"Reggie, you don't have to do this."
Regulus Arcturus Black smiled back at Eliana as he held her hand. "I will do anything and everything to keep you safe."
Eliana laughed at that, tossing her red hair over her shoulder. "I can take care of myself too, you know."
"Well, I'm not taking any chances." Regulus leaned in and kissed her over the kitchen table.
Regulus had never felt worse. In his final years at Hogwarts, he had done two very stupid things. He had joined the Death Eaters and he had fallen in love with a muggle-born, Eliana Scott. Neverless, Regulus would never regret the second one. But now they were in a war where Eliana could die any second.
/Imaginary Line here/
Eliana was his glimmer of hope, throughout the dark abysmal days. His family just never had to know. Regulus had been the perfect little Slytherin child and he intended to keep it that way. Regulus had worked too hard for too long to throw it all away. He watched what had happened to Sirius and Andromeda. And if his mother knew about Eliana, Walburga would most likely hunt the girl down. He did all this to protect her. If his family knew, Regulus doubted he would be able to stand up to them. He in short was a coward.
Eliana on the other hand, was fearless. She was sorted into Gryffindor seconds after the sorting hat had touched her head. Eliana had then jumped and skipped across the hall to join Regulus's brother and the other Gryffindors. Eliana had been good at her classes and had basically gone unnoticed until their 3rd year. That had been when death eater recruitment started. The newest recruits took to practicing their spells on the first years. Eliana had hexed (or at least tried to hex, the 7th years really were too much for her) them. She hated seeing pain and suffering and did all she could to prevent it.
/Imaginary Line here/
In 4th year, Regulus had joined the death eaters under much coaxing from Bella and the rest of his pureblood family. He had been so proud to go parading around the school causing terror and havoc. It had been wonderful. Everything had been so straightforward, so obvious, so black and white. Regulus had tortured his share of innocent students. It had all felt right until he had met one stubborn redheaded girl along the charms corridor. Bella had been teaching him the Cruciatus curse. A squealing 2nd year lay on the floor, a cut running down his cheek.
"Crucio," he mumbled weakly. The boy grimaced.
"You have to mean it Regulus. Put all your pain into it, cousin dear. CRUCIO!" Bella shouted.
The boy on the floor screamed.
"You have to stop. You're hurting him," Eliana had rounded the corner and was walking quickly towards the small group.
"Why would I care about some filthy little mudblood?" Bella sneered.
"You'll be expelled for this," Eliana had replied calmly.
"I THINK NOT!" Bella had thundered. She always had issues with her temper. "STUPEFY! "
Eliana slumped to the floor.
"Are you scared now?" Bella looked at Eliana's face. "Why a mudblood and a Gryffindor to boot, I have the duty to get rid of such filth." Bella began circling the girl.
Eliana was able to break through the stunning spell just long enough to stick her tongue out.
"CRUCIO!" Bella shouted. Eliana screamed a high clear scream.
"Bella, I'll do it. You go back to the common room. You're already on probation," Regulus said to his older cousin. "Besides I want to do it. I want to cause the pain."
"Make it hurt," Bella said as she turned on her heel. "CRUCIO!"
Regulus glanced around to make sure she had really left. "Ennervate."
He wasn't sure why he did it. Maybe it was the fact that he felt sick to his stomach already from torturing the boy. Maybe it was the fact that she was very pretty. Maybe it was that she looked like one of Sirius's friends. Maybe it was that deep down, Regulus knew he never would be able to harm her. Whatever the reason, that night, Regulus saved her.
"Get up."
Eliana looked shocked. It was a first for her. A death eater never showed mercy. It was there first rule because showing mercy showed weakness. It was not something that happened everyday.
"What are you waiting for? Get out of here!"
Eliana then jumped to her feet. "Conjunctivitis"
"What was that for I just saved you!" Regulus was shocked. That girl had nerve.
"Adrian, are you okay?" Regulus could only see a blurred outline of the girl leaning over the younger boy.
"Eliana," the boy mumbled.
Regulus committed that name to memory. Eliana. He thought it suited her.
"Good you can talk. That means you're still sane."
"Don't feel sane."
Eliana laughed. It was the first time Regulus heard her. It was such a light sound, so full of joy. "I'll get you up to the hospital wing. Can you walk?"
"No"
"Fine. Don't move okay, it will make it worse. Mobilicorpus." Adrian's body floated in the air in front of her.
Regulus stared after her as she levitated the boy down the corridor.
/Imaginary Line here/
Regulus had thought about the girl constantly. On the train home for the summer, he snuck out of the Slytherin corridor. He cornered her on the way back from the bathrooms.
"Oh it's you."
Regulus had winced at those words.
"Do you have something to say? You're kinda blocking my way."
"I wanted to apologize," Regulus looked at the girl's face. Her blue eyes were narrowed into slits and the rest of her face was a glare. "Why are you so indifferent?"
"Indifferent to what?"
"I saved you from my cousin"
"So…I wouldn't need saving if it weren't for you and your little Deatheater friends. Now Out of My Way!" Eliana said flicking her wand on every syllable.
"Fine!" Regulus took out his wand.
Just then, a Gryffindor prefect came down the aisle. "Wands away! No fighting on the train. Both of you back to your compartments!"
"How 'bout one little hex? Then I'll leave. I promise," Eliana said.
"Sorry, Eliana, rules are rules."
"Ahh but you see rules are meant to be broken," Eliana flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked away.
/Imaginary Line here/
Regulus had spent the summer at Grimauld Place. He had put up the entire time with Bella's ongoing pureblood superiority talk. It was almost bearable until Sirius left. It had hurt to put on the indifferent mask but it had hurt more later as his parents discussed their pleasure at finally being rid of him. They bought firewhisky for the special occasion and they drank to Sirius's death "for he was no son of theirs". Walburga Black laughed as she blasted her own son off the Black family tree.
After that, the family had gathered around the fireside and Bella described her last year at Hogwarts. Regulus tuned her out. He had lived through enough of it the first time. Then he heard the applause.
"Regulus has joined him too. Haven't you?" Bella asked her eyes narrowing.
"Of course I have and those mudbloods got what was coming to them." But a small voice in his head was saying 'what about Eliana?' He inwardly sighed that girl would be the death of him. Regulus kept thinking about this all holiday. It was only obvious to Kreacher that anything was amiss with the youngest Black. Walburga kept showering her son in gifts for joining such a just and noble cause.
/Imaginary Line here/
Regulus lived through his next two years loyal to his pureblood upbringing. He kept thinking and looking for Eliana. Regulus just never had the courage to speak to her again until after his brother and cousins left. Despite that he did what ever was in his power to keep the havoc away from a pretty redheaded Gryffindor.
In his last year on the train, Regulus asked her to Hogsmeade.
He barely asked her when her friends pushed him out. "Sorry! Not happening!" She had said. Eliana's face was alive with anger. He tortured innocent students and he had the nerve to ask her out. He was so conceited. Even Sirius hadn't been that bad.
Regulus was not one to give up easily. He wanted one date with the girl by the end of the year even if she didn't know it was him. Regulus let his Slytherin side shine through. He brewed Polyjuice potion and posed as one of the Hufflepuffs. Regulus found the potion easy to brew. It was just more difficult to hide the Hufflepuff when he transformed. In his disguise, Regulus dated the unknowing Eliana Scott for months.
In December on the last day before term ended, the two were in Madame Puddifoot's Teashop, much to Eliana's displeasure.
"Really, Rigel can't you think of any other bloody place!"
"You don't like it?"
"Of course I don't like it. The whole place is pink and covered in this god-awful lace. It's tiny. There are all these stupid frills and bows. There is just so much-"
Regulus cut her off as he kissed her very gently on the lips. They tasted of Butterbeer and strawberry Chap Stick. In his opinion, there was nothing better. It was the first time he had ever kissed her and Regulus hoped it would not be the last.
"Does that make up for it?" Regulus asked smiling as she her face grew red.
"Much better but we're still getting out of here," Eliana said as she grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the squat little armchair.
"I'll meet you outside." Eliana kissed Regulus on the cheek. She practically skipped through the tables and Regulus stared after her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of Galleons to pay for the tea and scones that lay almost untouched on the pink plates. Madame Puddifoot handed him a few sickles in change. Regulus thanked her and reached into the pocket of his robes for a small vial of blue mud-like liquid. He pulled out the cork to take a sip. It was just as vile tasting as ever but there seemed to be less than usual. Regulus had no more than half an hour in his disguise.
Regulus met Eliana outside the shop. She was staring up at the swirling clouds as they poured down soft white flakes. He came up from behind her and reached for her hand. Eliana willingly clasped their fingers together. Together, they strolled down the cobblestone pathways of Hogsmeade. They ended up at the clearing by the shrieking shack. It had been Eliana's choice to where they went. As a kid she had especially enjoyed mystery novels and her favorite had taken place at a haunted house, she had wanted the chance to the most haunted establishment in Britain but her friend Maize had been strongly set against it, so Eliana had never been to the Shrieking Shack.
"It really isn't any thing like in the books. It's just small and sad looking."
"Muggles write books about the shrieking shack?"
"No they write about buildings set in forests, all broken and mangled and haunted, always haunted. There were so many books about witches living in houses like this. I admit it was really what I expected when I got my letter," Eliana laughed as she glanced at Regulus sitting on the fence beside her
"I promise the only wizards willing to live in a house like that aren't worth meeting."
"Oh really," Eliana smiled. Regulus swore that smile was going to make him melt.
"Yep! That's why you're never meeting my parents."
"They can't be that bad."
"Wanna bet?"
"Not especially. You should know your own parents."
"I doubt anyone knows my parents." It was the truth. Regulus had lived with them all his life and yet all he truly knew was not to cross his mother and that Pure-bloodedness ruled in his household. There was a moment of silence as he stroked her hair in a comforting manner as she leaned into him. "We should probably get up to the school soon. McGonagall isn't someone I'd like to cross."
"You're not the one who has to get by her. You're a Hufflepuff and Sprout isn't nearly as bad."
"That I can agree with but I don't want you in trouble." And I don't want to lose my disguise, Regulus thought.
"Rigel, you're so sweet. Promise me after we graduate, we'll try to work this all out."
"I couldn't think of anything better."
The couple leaned together for the second time that day. Regulus felt his skin begin to burn and bubble. The potion's effects were being reversed. His hair was changing from light brown to its natural wavy black. His eyes were darkening from blue to gray. Regulus gasped slightly.
"Rigel is something wro- BLOODY HELL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHERE'D RIGEL GO? WHAT HAPPENED?"
Regulus could tell Eliana was going into hysterics. He tried to comfort her. It didn't work. She was storming away. "Eliana please can you listen to me. Please I'd do anything. Let's work this all out."
"OH! DON'T YOU PULL THAT OUT ON ME! I WAS TALKING TO A PERSON WITH MORALS AND DIGNITY! WHILE YOU HAVE NONE! ABSOLUTELY NONE!"
"I'm the same person, always have been."
"NO YOU'RE A GIT! A BLOODY STUPID SLYTHERIN GIT! WE'RE NOT ROMEO AND JULIET! LIKE YOU'LD WANT ME ANYWAYS."
She finally wrenched her wrist out of Regulus's grasp. Eliana had a steady stream of tears cascading down her face and as she left Regulus felt tears coming down his own face as well. He would always want her.
/Imaginary Line here/
It took much begging but Regulus finally got Eliana back. It had been a horrid few months. Regulus saw her in class but Eliana made a point to ignore him. He knew he deserved it, he deceived her but it had been driving him nuts. Regulus was even happy to see her glares, when he particularly annoyed her. It was nice to get some reaction to his presence.
On Valentine's Day he asked her to the first date that she replied to due at part to the summoning jinx set on the letter. It was a wonderful night. They talked, mostly idle chitchat but by the end Eliana seemed to have forgiven Regulus. Though it was unknown to Regulus, Eliana had missed him nearly as much as he missed her. She was stubborn though and so would never admit it, let alone go back to him until Regulus admitted that he had been a git.
/Imaginary Line here/
Regulus broke off the kiss. "You're going into hiding. I can't stand to lose you, especially now."
"Especially now," her voice trailed off. Eliana was staring at her stomach. It was still normal sized. She had just found out herself. "I'll do it, okay? I don't want to though, there's too much to do. I have to be out there fighting him. Moldymort isn't going to kill himself."
"Eliana, he's powerful and it's not a joking matter. I should know."
"Calm down. If we can't joke than we've already lost. Laughter and love are the two things he doesn't have. That's going to be how we win. We all know Deatheaters have no sense of humor." Eliana had a teasing smile on her lips.
"I have a sense of humor. Want to see it?" Regulus gave her a cheeky smile. Then the mark on his left wrist burned. His eyes flickered down and Eliana's soon followed.
"It looks like I have to share you tonight. Remember what he says, I'll have to tell the Order."
"See you in a few hours El" Regulus kissed her once again. He walked out the door to the edge of the enchantments placed on the little house. Regulus dissappartated.
/Imaginary Line here/
9 months later, there was a new addition to the Scott/Black household. A newborn girl laid on the bed asleep beside her exhausted mother. Amira Raina Black had her mother's eyes and nose but the tufts of hair already sprouting out of her head were her father's black. She was very small. When Regulus first held her he had been afraid of hurting his little girl. It was agreed by both parents that she was perfect and both hoped for a world where she would be safe.
/Imaginary Line here/
It was the 23rd of December only a few days after Amira's birth and Regulus had not seen her or Eliana since. He had been on constant call with both Voldemort and his family. Regulus wasn't sure which was worse.
He was part of a masked group of Deatheaters under Bella's lead. They were on a muggle torture spree. Regulus hated it but he went to try to lessen the pain the poor Muggles felt. Bella was one to play with her food before she ate it.
They were on their 4th house of the evening. Regulus hoped it would be over soon so he could see his little girl.
Eliana was humming along to the Christmas music playing on the radio. It was the muggle music she had grown up with. Eliana couldn't understand why people ever liked that trash by Celestina Warbeck.
Eliana picked up her crying daughter and began to sing to her.
"Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace"
Eliana spun around, rocking Amira softly. She had a pretty voice but it was quiet. Eliana was about to begin the next verse when a high-pitched whistling was coming from the bedside. The sneakerscope was going wildly out of control.
Regulus was at the back of the group of Deatheaters. They headed towards a house with two of the lights on. Soft music was omitting from it, Muggle music.
"This'll be the last stop of the night. The Dark Lord awaits." Bella said flicking her wand towards the house.
Inside the house in question, Eliana was frantic. She was muttering disillusionment charms under her breath. All signs that there was anyone else in the house were disappearing. Photos of Regulus and Amira: Gone. The Crib and a closet full of baby clothes: gone. Eliana turned at last to her baby and a ceramic hand mirror. She checked first to see that Amira was still asleep before grabbing the portkey. The air did not glow. The handle did not turn blue. Something or someone was stopping all transportation to and from her house. Eliana laid Amira down in her invisible crib and cast the disillusionment charm on her 4-day-old infant. Amira squirmed uncomfortably.
"Alohomora" Bellatrix Lestrange whispered as she taped her wand on the doorknob. She yanked on the door. Nothing had changed. It was still very much locked. "Bombarda Maxima." The door exploded open.
Eliana heard the explosion. There was nothing left to do. She was just about to disillusion herself as well, when the bedroom door slammed open.
"Stupefy! Bella! The Dark Lord will be pleased. A filthy mudblood!" Alecto Carrow beckoned the group up the stairs to the stunned witch.
Regulus had never wanted to be somewhere else more. He needed to get out of the house but first he had to figure how to get the rest of the Deatheaters away from Eliana and Amira.
"I can deal with this filth." Amycus Carrow stepped around his sister and kicked Eliana's Oak with Phoenix feather wand into the far corner.
Bellatrix recognized Eliana as Yaxley flipped her over so she was no longer lying face down. "Allow me Carrow. She's an old friend Cruc-"
"Protego." Regulus acted without thinking.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" Bellatrix Lestrange was livid. No one had ever stood up to her before. "Was it you Goyle?" Her voice was slipping into deadly soft tones.
While Bellatrix was fighting with Goyle and the other death eaters, trying to determine the owner of the shield charm, her cousin was trying to save the would be victim. "Ennervate."
Eliana regained consciousness. She twitched her fingers in a way that Regulus knew meant 'get me my wand' Bellatrix noticed the gesture too. As Regulus turned to retrieve her wand, Eliana began screaming from a nonverbal Cruciatus curse. Regulus looked around for the culprit.
"Bella, do you feel the mark burn? The Dark Lord calls us."
"I know that. Avada Kedavra," Bella snapped. The screaming stopped. Eliana Scott would never speak again.
/Imaginary Line here/
Regulus barely made it through the meeting. He would have skipped it all together but he needed something to use against Voldemort. Regulus needed to make him pay. He knew it was really Bella who cast the curse that took the love of his life away from him but there were others like him. The evil wizard before him was breaking families apart. It needed to stop.
Regulus then went back to the place where he had always been so happy. He saw Eliana on the floor, her red hair falling in her face, her blue eyes staring blankly. Regulus sat on the floor and pulled her into his arms.
"I'm so sorry El." Regulus tenderly stroked her face and hair. He was sobbing.
Amira began to cry. Regulus gently placed Eliana's cold lifeless body down and began to search for his little girl. "Finite Incantatem" He said sweeping his arm in the direction of her crib. Elaina's spells were reversed. Regulus picked up Amira.
He rocked her gently. "Shhhh. It's going to be alright." Regulus knew it wasn't but still he continued to repeat the phrase over and over again repeatedly. Amira seemed to calm down.
Regulus stared down at his little girl who was looking up at him with eyes so much like her mother's. He wanted to cry again but he had to stay strong for Amira.
Author's Note: Okay. That went better than I thought it would. I know the dates are a bit messed up but bear with me. I didn't realize that Bella is supposed to be 10 years older than Regulus. So in this, Andromeda is the oldest Black sister at 6 years older than Regulus. Bella is 3 years older, and Sirius and Cissy are both 1 year older.