Team
Falmouth Falcons
Position
Captain
Prompt/Family
The Dornishmans Wife
Word Count
1,083
Story contains drowning, canon character death, Inferi, mentions of child abuse
Though his arm felt like it was going to burn off, Regulus knew that he couldn't make a sound, any sign of weakness and his life would be forfeit. Looking down at the dark ink that was sinking into the skin on his forearm he felt his stomach somersault, but couldn't understand what it meant. Isn't this what he had wanted? What his parents had wanted for him?
He knew this would make them proud, but would it be enough? Would they finally leave his brother alone for good?
His mind flitted back to his childhood, to memories he had tried to repress. He had been truly happy once, long ago, when he and his brother used to rule the halls that he now roamed silent and alone. Back before Hogwarts, before Gryffindor, and most importantly, before Potter. Back then they had been close, the two Black sons.
When it was over he felt Voldemort touch his shoulder and Regulus' instinct was to get away from him, but he stayed still as the Dark Lord announced him as a new follower. The crowd around them cheered.
—
That had been more than a year ago now and Regulus had been so good, doing everything that was wanted of him, but when he heard what had been done to his house elf he got angry. Why did Voldemort get eternal life while sacrificing his followers? What kind of man was he to be more deserving?
Regulus stood before the basin and took a deep breath. Kreacher had told him what to expect, but he was sure that no amount of preparation would have been enough. Wanting to get this over with, he stepped forward and started scooping the emerald liquid into his mouth before his resolve waned.
The effects weren't immediate, but after only a few sips there was an intense burning that seared through his body, radiating from within. He gripped the basin tightly with his free hand to keep himself from falling and continued to drink as the pain only got worse.
It wasn't long before the potion began to pull from his deepest memories, bringing the worst ones to the forefront of his mind, and it was all he could do to stay upright with the support of the stone structure. "K-Kreacher…" he managed to force out. "You must continue, make me drink the rest."
The house elf shook his head. "Kreacher mustn't harm master Regulus. The mistress would never forgive Kreacher if anything happened to her heir."
"I command you."
Kreacher whimpered, but moved towards Regulus and continued to scoop the liquid into the teen's mouth.
Regulus remembered the scars he still had because of his mother's spells, the sting of her wand an all too familiar sensation to him now. Even now that he was grown he had never been able to overpower her.
He thought of the day he got the Dark mark, his brand he often called it when he was alone. Voldemort owned him now and even if he made it out of this cave there was nothing he could do about that. He couldn't escape him.
Even without his Horcrux, he was still powerful. He could still beat a scrawny 17 year old.
Screw Voldemort, and screw his parents. He wasn't going to fight for them anymore. This wasn't his war.
As the basin was drained, Regulus lost all strength and slowly fell to his knees, being dimly aware of the elf switching the necklaces.
"Master Regulus, we must go back now. We must get you home."
"Water," Regulus said weakly as he crawled to the edge of the island and leaned over into the pitch-black lake.
As soon as he touched the water a skeletal hand, greyish skin stretched taut over the bones, reached out from the darkness and wrapped itself around his wrist.
Regulus gasped and tried to pull away but he had no more strength, and by the time Kreacher tried to help him more hands grabbed hold of whatever part of his body they could reach, pulling him into the water.
He looked towards the house elf and just had time to call out a hoarse "Leave!" before he went under.
He had taken a breath of air, but it wouldn't be enough to sustain him for long. His vision was already starting to darken around the edges.
He hoped that Kreacher had listened to him and was able to get out before the Inferi attacked him as well. Sirius hated the house elf and his mother treated him as no more than a slave so Regulus had long ago decided to be the one who showed him kindness.
Kreacher had the locket now and would be able to destroy it, so at least his death wasn't in vain.
When the pain of holding his breath became too much, his body forced him to take in a gulp of air, and although it burned initially, the pain stopped as his lungs filled with water. To his surprise, he found that he could still breathe, though it was shallow and didn't give his body what it required.
The surface was just a dim outline now, and the pain in his chest told him that he was running out of time quickly, but he wasn't afraid. This thought surprised him as he watched the island shrink. It was a peaceful thought and with that peace came the memories of happier times.
"One day when I'm grown up I'll be strong enough to fight them and get us both away." Sirius had told him once after a particularly brutal whipping from their mother. Though the older boy had also been stricken, he grinned and tended to his brother first. "Just hold on until then, okay?"
'I'm sorry, Sirius,' he thought as he continued to sink. 'I couldn't take it anymore. You were always the strong one.'
He wasn't sure if his vision was fading or he had just sunk too deep, but he couldn't see anything and the water no longer felt wet on his skin, nor could he feel the Inferi tugging him further down. Was it down? He wasn't sure anymore which way he was moving, or if he was moving at all.
'Maybe we'll meet again one day, in the stars,' was the teens last thought before he slipped into unconsciousness, and there was nothing left but the last remnants of a childhood lost to an abusive mother and an unwanted legacy.