My Blood by Ellie Goulding

Alarms will ring for eternity

The waves will break every chain on me

My bones will bleach

My flesh will flee

October 20th, 1979

Regulus trudged his way through the icy wind and slouching sand underfoot, cursing as he went. The Haven's security measures were necessary but obnoxious nonetheless, especially as the season grew colder.

Reaching the pier, he loosed a breath at having something solid under foot again

This, however, didn't solve his other problem; he'd been trying to find Ivy for the past hour and she was nowhere to be found. The Haven was empty aside from Minsty and the other house elves, who were winterizing the property. He also stopped by the Greengrass home, and if Theya hadn't still been in such a foul mood, he might've stayed to tell her what he'd learned.

Not that he'd learned much from his latest visit to the cave. It was more bad news, which was that in addition to the potion not being susceptible to Vanishing, Charms, or Transfiguration, it also could not be syphoned away.

The information wasn't valuable enough on its own for him to relentlessly chase Ivy down, but after his last excursion to the cave -when he was almost snatched by an Inferi- she demanded that he come to her directly once he left.

At least Minsty had informed him that Ivy was planning to stop by Selwyn Estate that day, which made it his next destination.

Stepping onto the sandbar, he shivered in the freezing wind and withdrew his blackthorn wand. Turning on the spot, he felt his lungs squeeze tight as the world darkened around him.

Within moments, he was standing in Selwyn Estate's ballroom.

Regulus made to call Ivy's name, but the sound quickly died in his throat.

Last he'd seen it, the high-ceiling room had been vacant aside from some paintings on the walls and the glass jar of Nundu breath. Now, the room was occupied - and not by Ivy.

Bellatrix's wand was raised and pointed at something he couldn't see, her incantation of Rigida Spina echoing off the walls. She looked over her shoulder at him, curls flouncing as she grinned maniacally. Crabbe Sr. lingered to her right, the rotund oaf blocking Regulus from seeing what his cousin was doing. Antonin Dolohov, also flanking Bellatrix, gave him a nod of greeting, a giant chunk of dark hair missing from his head.

"If it isn't my favourite cousin!" Bellatrix shouldered past Crabbe Sr. and bounced over to Regulus like a anticipant child. "Come to join the fun?"

"What fun?" The words had barely left his lips before she was dragging him around Crabbe Sr..

Frank and Alice Longbottom were kneeling on the marble floor, their backs rigidly straight, as though an invisible force was holding them that way.

It was clear that part of Alice's humiliation had been cutting off her hair or ripping it out of her skull in chunks, as parts of her scalp were missing and caked with blood. She was staring at the ceiling, blue eyes blinking away tears as though she refused to give them the satisfaction of crying.

Frank, however, had gashes and gouges all over his exposed skin. It had to be Bellatrix's work, as she was an avid believer in death by a thousand cuts. His gaze was trained on Regulus and he tried to speak, though only a tangle of half-sensical words came out.

Regulus forced himself to laugh, simultaneously thinking: We are fucked.

"I brought your betrothed a wedding gift," Bellatrix cooed. "Where is the lovely Ivy? I was hoping she'd help me retrieve these blood traitors' eyes; my collection is in need of a little sprucing."

"I've been searching for her all day." Regulus gripped his wand tight, trying to think of how the hell he was going to remedy this situation. "I've no idea when she's going to be back."

"No matter," Crabbe Sr. spoke up. "I'm sure we can find something to do in the meantime."

"If you ask me, the scalping could use some work." Dolohov chuckled and gestured to the chunk of hair he was missing. "The blonde cunt got me good when we snatched them. I haven't finished paying her back yet."

Regulus drew a cold smirk onto his face. "What else have you done to them? I'm happy to join in, but I don't want to be too repetitive; I think you'll agree that takes the fun out of it."

What he really wanted to know was what spells they had used to restrain the Longbottoms. If he could find out what was incapacitating them, he could figure out how to reverse the effects.

"Always so analytical." Bellatrix sneered at him. "That's what takes the fun out of it." Whirling towards the Longbottoms, she shrieked: "Crucio!"

A jet of violent red light hit Alice square in the chest and she collapsed out of her rigid state. Thrashing on the ground, her terrible screams overpowered Frank's attempt at speaking. Her cries of agony echoed off the walls and her writhing was unwatchable, but it gave him an idea.

Glancing to the corner, he spotted the jar of Nundu breath atop its small table, out of place as ever with its peeling, yellowed sticker that read: DO NOT SHATTER.

His plan was mad, but with any luck, the Longbottoms would escape with their lives.

As Alice's inhuman and involuntary movements slowed, leaving her twitching on the floor, Regulus took advantage of the pause and stepped forward, raising his wand.

He began to conjure a vehement, terrifying storm of light. Directing his spells at Frank, he used every curse he could think of that might release him from his rigid state or allow him to talk again. None worked, though they certainly had awful effects on the man, who screamed at the top of his lungs while his wife squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away.

Sweating by the time he used his last resort of Crucio, this successfully made Frank slip to the blood-spattered marble floor. He continued to writhe and contract, his neck twisted at an angle that Regulus was worried the man would snap it.

Halting the onslaught, Regulus's chest heaved for breath. As he watched the Cruciatus Curse subside, he stepped closer to loom over the tortured wizard. "What are you, Longbottom?"

Frank coughed raggedly and spat blood, but said nothing.

Work with me here, he thought desperately.

"What are you?" Regulus hissed, aiming a vicious kick at his ribs.

Upon contact, Frank released a grunt of pain and rolled onto his back. His legs gave a spasm and he sucked in a haggard breath, before locking eyes with him. "Fuck you."

He didn't show his relief at the man being able to speak again, and instead sneered. "The correct answer is blood traitor." For good measure, he slammed a fist into his stomach, making Frank curl onto his side and cough, more blood dribbling out of his mouth.

Regulus stepped aside, gesturing for someone else to take their turn as he tried to regain his breath. Bellatrix watched him retreat with a sinister smirk of approval, and he could tell by the look on Crabbe Sr.'s face that he was impressed with his ferocity.

Dolohov stepped forward, presumably to continue his scalping, while Regulus edged to the back of the room. The wizard started in on Alice, sending a stream of yellow light her way and effectively regaining the other Death Eaters' attention.

Now stationed out of sight, Regulus thrust his left hand into the pocket of his cloak and fumbled within the Undetectable Extension Charm to grasp the black candlestick. Withdrawing it, he quickly switched it to the right pocket for easier accessibility. Beginning his search for the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, he kept a close eye on the preoccupied others as they shouted nasty jeers at the Order members.

Locating the Powder as Alice gave a grating wail, he gripped the wand in his other hand and dumped out the contents of the sack. The second the grains made contact with the air, black nothingness launched out in every direction.

The ballroom jumbled into startled noise, and Regulus was quick to shout: "Who checked their fucking pockets?"

"Dolohov!" Crabbe Sr. barked. "I'm going to flay you alive! I told you to pat them down!"

"I bloody well did!" Dolohov yelled back.

Rummaging around in his right pocket, Regulus withdrew the candlestick and pointed his wand where he thought the wick would be, muttering an Incendio. He heard something spark, before his surroundings shattered into view. They were hazy, as though a mild mist had consumed the ballroom, but he could see well enough.

Crabbe Sr. was nearby, about a metre to his left and gesturing wildly as he tried to talk over the others. Dolohov was just beyond him, blindly grabbing at the wall in an attempt to orient himself. Bellatrix whirled around with her wand raised, probably doing her sense of direction more harm than good, though this was all the better for Regulus.

Meanwhile, the Longbottoms remained on the floor, Alice slapping her hands against the marble in search of her husband. She was faced entirely the wrong way, with Frank sitting just behind her. His mouth was moving, but his words were drowned out by the Death Eaters.

"We need coordination!" Crabbe Sr. hollered.

"That's clearly not going to happen," Dolohov growled. "You fucking twat!"

Regulus made to take a step in the Longbottoms' direction, before spotting Bellatrix, whose mouth was moving as she headed in his direction. Purple sparked at the end of her wand and he dropped to the floor, his knees knocking hard against the marble. The streak of colour blazed overhead and dissipated against the cellar door.

Scrambling across the cold floor towards the Longbottoms, he was successful in his quest until his cousin walked directly into his path. He narrowly managed to roll away without tripping her, which would have been decidedly worse than letting her roam about.

As Bellatrix walked on and opened her mouth for another incantation, she slammed directly into a wall.

Snickering despite himself, he crawled to the Order members, quickly reaching their side. His words were drowned out by the echoing sound of glass smashing, as his cousin shattered a painting on the wall nearby.

Shards of glass rained down, splitting his face open and making him hiss.

"Lestrange," Crabbe Sr. boomed from somewhere behind him. "Knock it off!"

"You're going to kill us!" Dolohov flinched as a painting shattered directly to his left.

"I'm not letting them get away!" Bellatrix screamed.

"I'm getting you out." Regulus grabbed Frank's arm, trying to keep his head low so his cousin didn't take him out amidst her psychotic rampage.

Frank jumped at the touch and bumped into Alice, who pulled him in with a cry of relief. He hugged her back tightly, testing Regulus's temper.

Bellatrix was nearing them again, a mere metre behind Regulus and seemingly headed straight for them. That was, until she whipped around and sent a Bombarda at the double doors leading to the grounds. This blew a hole into Dolohov, who had been grasping for a door handle, and the wall gave an ear-shattering explosion as Regulus flattened himself to the ground.

Bits of glass and Dolohov's severed limbs flew. Bellatrix and Crabbe Sr. were flung backwards as some wet, fleshy thing smacked hard into the back of Regulus's head.

Ears ringing, he waited a moment before looking up.

Flaming pieces of torn canvas and splintered wood were still falling, but the Longbottoms seemed more or less unharmed aside from their previously obtained injuries. Crabbe Sr. had hit the opposite wall and landed on the floor, where he was now slumped unconscious. Bellatrix was laid flat on her stomach, gasping for breath as a falling ember lit her hair on fire.

Regulus stole a look at the jar of Nundu breath in the corner. It had been knocked off its table and rolled a little ways. Luckily, it was still intact, merely having been chipped.

Wrenching one of Frank's hands away from Alice, he shoved the candlestick into his grasp and forced his fingers to take hold of it.

Instantly, his surroundings became dead as night.

"Black?" Frank coughed.

"I don't know where your wands are." He rushed through his words as Bellatrix let out a yelp, presumably having realised that she was on fire. "So you have thirty seconds to get to the Floo or you're both going to die. Do you understand?"

"Why-"

"Do you fucking understand?" He snarled.

"Yes, yes!"

"The dining room is to the left," he went on quickly. "Once you're there, take a right into the drawing room where the Floo is. Thirty seconds starts now. Make it count."

Not wasting another moment, Regulus crawled through the rubbage until he hit the wall. Counting down under his breath, he let his left hand wander upward until he grasped the railing of the staircase. Loosing a breath of relief, he was now certain of where he was - and certain of where the jar was.

Reaching fifteen, he didn't listen to glean whether the Longbottoms were escaping, or to find out if Bellatrix had extinguished the fire.

Instead, he raised his wand arm and pointed it in the direction of the jar.

On the mark of zero, he cast a Bombarda of his own.

In the same breath, Regulus twisted on the spot and Disapparated.

October 26th, 1979

Missing breakfast was Ivy's own fault, making her irritable with her poor decision-making skills. She and Regulus had stayed awake until the early hours of the morning, as both were dreading the visit to St. Mungo's that Narcissa was forcing them into later that day.

Regulus, the lucky bastard, didn't have to work beforehand.

She, on the other hand…

Releasing a whiny hmph, she approached the coat rack beside the garden door. Taking hold of her cloak, she wound it around her shoulders and fastened the serpent pin that had once held a part of her soul. The notion made her shiver with displeasure.

Ivy had just reached out to grasp the brass handle on the door when she heard a voice not unlike her own call: "Should. Come here."

Freezing in her tracks, she remained where she was for no longer than a second before racing to the black floor-length mirror in the corner, her approaching shift at the Ministry forgotten.

As anticipated, her white-robed reflection had appeared amongst the black. Silver eyes unblinking, a cascade of curled white hair fell down her back. Her hands were clasped in front of her and her expression was plain, revealing nothing. She was still and unnervingly clean, as though someone had painted a diaphanous portrait right there on the glass.

When Could tilted her head, Ivy started, having temporarily forgotten that her reflection was, in fact, not a painting.

"What happened with the Longbottoms," Ivy spoke before her counterpart could. "You knew about it. That's why you had me put the jar of Nundu breath in Selwyn Estate. Right?"

"You are correct," Could said serenely.

Ivy thought to reply with an excited sentiment, before a distant memory began to resurface, extracting itself from the deep recesses of her mind to float around the forefront. During one of her first interactions with Doe in sixth year, the Ravenclaw had made a comment. It was nonchalant and had seemed insignificant -if not loony- at the time. But upon further consideration…

"Doe," Ivy said breathlessly. "She knew it was going to happen too, didn't she?"

"Not entirely."

"Clearly, she knew something. She and I were serving detention with the Longbottoms, and she told them that she'd been looking into a crystal ball and saw me saving their lives."

"Dorcas Meadowes," Could spoke softly. "Saw that you would play a part in saving their lives. Which version of the situation she beheld is uncertain, as futures are ever-changing… Which is the very reason I summoned you. You have done well thus far."

"Then why don't you seem pleased?" She sighed tiredly.

"All affects all."

She waited for her to go on. When she didn't, Ivy clenched her jaw. "Need I reiterate that simple sentences to you are not simple to me? Elaborate, please. And when you think you've explained enough, elaborate more."

"Perhaps," Could narrowed her silver eyes. "If you were to use your mind half as much as your mouth, you would already understand."

"You're here to guide me," she replied snottily. "Do your job."

"All affects all." Her reflection repeated, evidently on the verge of annoyance. "Upon my manifestation as your guide, I was warned that any alterations to the future would force adaptations. In changing one small thing, all else is forced to change with it."

"You're referring to a ripple effect, then."

"Yes. Difficulties that would not have existed previously, now do. Problems that were solved become unsolved. Lives that have been saved continue to need saving."

"What I'm hearing," Ivy said roughly. "Is that fixing one thing means creating three more issues."

"It can," Could lifted her chin. "That is not to say that all is lost. You are helping far more than you are hurting. I simply need you to be aware that your life is not going to get easier."

"How so?"

"The one we seek to destroy endeavours to make himself stronger."

"Isn't the Dark Lord always attempting to do that?"

"I am warning you with the gravest emphasis that he seeks to advance his agenda, quicker than previously."

"Which agenda?"

Could glared at her meaningfully.

"His recruitment?"

Her frown deepened considerably.

"Er…" Ivy blinked. "His reach? He wants to spread beyond Europe?"

The frown turned into a scowl and Could widened her silver eyes.

Stifling laughter at the ridiculous face she was pulling, it dawned on her why Could was contorting her features in such a way. She was trying to get a point across, one that she couldn't explicitly state.

"Oh!" She blurted. "The Horcruxes!"

Could's face cleared.

"Well, fuck!" Ivy threw her hands in the air. "We only have one! We know where two others are, but that's still four we don't have. And you mean to tell me that he's making more? Please don't say that he's going for seven like he told Slughorn."

Could's silence was all the confirmation she needed. But before she could throw a seven bloody Horcruxes sized tantrum, her reflection spoke again. "I should not say much more on the subject, but I will say this: the occupation Regulus Black holds is beneficial."

"It's- huh?" She stared. "What's his job at Borgin and Burke's got to do with anything?"

"Eventually, all will be clear. For now, that is all I am willing to tell you."

"Willing," Ivy echoed. "Meaning, you could say more, you're just choosing not to?"

Could inclined her head.

"Well, that's just fucking wonderful, isn't it?" Ivy pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're rarely allowed to tell me things, and here you are now, with the ability to tell me more, and you're choosing not to. Are you at least going to give me a reason as to why?"

"Interference is unwise," her voice took on an edge.

"Unwise," her temper flared. "Great! Lovely! Fan-fucking-tastic! You better hope I never come through that mirror again, because if I do, I'm going to throttle you!"

In an instant, Could's face transitioned to an anger so unearthly that her eyes went entirely white. "Attempting to alter the events that have been set in motion would eviscerate what we are creating! Futures are ever-changing, but there is one thing you can be certain of: the only outcome of interfering would be death!"

The mirror had begun to emit an intense heat, causing Ivy to jump back as it singed her skin.

"You would die!" Could roared, the glass rattling with every word she spoke. "As would everyone you surround yourself with! I have come to expect impertinence from you, but I still tire of it! If you ever threaten me again, the only guidance you will receive from me is going to come at a price that you are not willing to pay!"

The scorching heat radiating from the mirror was like that of the sun; promising to suffocate the living if they did not yield. The all-white eyes of Could promised the same.

There was nothing else for Ivy to do but nod in acuqiescence.

Just like that, the heat sucked itself back into the mirror, which eased its rattling. Could's eyes returned to silver and her face snapped back to calm, though an air of abated tension remained between them.

"Do you have any other questions?" Her reflection snapped.

Most inquiries she could think of were rude and, yes, impertinent. But it took all of one second for her to decide that she didn't want to evoke the alarming display she'd just seen. And so, she settled for: "A while ago, you told me that I command death. What did that mean?"

"You can find your answer in the spells you came across. Not all will help you, only some. The ones that do are imperative to know."

Ivy thought back to the short list of spells she'd memorised from That Which Is Natural and That Which Is Not. Most had been simple incantations, which seemed to have no effects when she'd tested them out. The more complex ones, she hadn't dared to try, as there was immense power in composite spellwork.

There wasn't much research to be done, but she'd learned that one of the incantations, Duco Mortem translated roughly to I lead death. Another, Moveo Mortem, meant I move death. What use she could possibly make of either spell was lost on her.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to elaborate?" Ivy asked tentatively.

Could smiled wryly and vanished.

Regulus was very grateful for Bellatrix's coma.

His cousin being unconscious was one hell of a good time, as the Healers said her memory would likely be scattered upon waking - if she did wake. Not to mention, her lack of mental presence meant that, for once, he was enjoying her company. He didn't have to listen to her rant and rave like the fucking lunatic she was, nor did he have to be agreeable.

Well, he didn't have to be agreeable with her.

Narcissa, who was sitting on the edge of Bellatrix's bed, wasn't the problem.

Rodolphus was.

The bloke wasn't being very discreet about his affections for Ivy. Though, he certainly thought he was slick with putting his hand on Ivy's lower back as he squeezed past her, then trying to steal her for a little stroll, which she'd rudely declined.

Despite knowing all about Rodolphus's reputation, Regulus hadn't thought the slimy git would go after Ivy. After all, the age gap between them was huge - disturbing, even. Not to mention, he'd assumed that the man had enough respect for his wife to keep relations -or, soon to be relations- off limits.

Evidently, that was not the case.

The wizard was edging closer to Ivy as he yammered on about the Ministry sending him out of the country for work. She, in turn, was undoing every centimetre of progress, which had her practically standing on Regulus's toes. If she wanted to get any closer, she was going to have to crawl inside his skin.

"Madrid is beautiful this time of the year," Rodolphus boasted with a flirtatious smirk at Ivy. "I think you would love it."

The white-haired witch fixed him with a look of loathing and pointedly stepped away. Coming to Regulus's other side, she grabbed his left arm and slung it around her shoulders, clasping their fingers together securely.

"Perhaps," he went on, seemingly unfazed. "You two should consider going there for your honeymoon. I had the most-"

"Rodolphus," Narcissa sighed heavily. "I think we've all heard quite enough about Spain. Your wife is lying unconscious in a hospital bed; you really ought to be more focused on her."

"Yeah," Regulus feigned a dour tone. "Poor thing's had a rough week, don't you think?"

Bellatrix was the only official survivor of Selwyn Estate, aside from him. The Longbottoms' whereabouts were unknown, though if they weren't safe in some capacity, he would've heard about it from Borgin. Best he could guess, the Longbottoms had escaped before the jar of Nundu Breath was broken, or before the toxic air reached them, though his cousin hadn't been so fortunate. After the Healers scolded Ivy for having such a dangerous item in her home, they'd expressed that Bellatrix was lucky to be alive; another second at Selwyn Estate would have killed her.

Regulus didn't think her survival was lucky at all.

Ivy seemed to be thinking the same, as she heaved a disheartened sigh. If Regulus hadn't known her as well as he did, he would have attributed it to Bellatrix's unwell state. This seemed to be Narcissa's thought process, as she gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I'm going to see about a cuppa," his girlfriend announced in response.

She headed for the door, though Rodolphus was quick to follow with a convenient: "I was thinking the same thing."

Ivy released an audible groan as the pair disappeared into the busy corridor.

"Don't worry about Rodolphus," Narcissa said after a moment. "He'll get bored and move on."

"If he doesn't," Regulus seated himself in the armchair near the sunny window. "I might be forced to Avada him. Assuming Ivy doesn't get to him first."

"He'll let up," Narcissa laughed a little. "Might take him a while, since he fancies the chase, but it'll happen eventually."

"Did he try this with a friend of yours?" He raised a brow.

"He tried it with me," Narcissa's voice was thick with amusement. "After he and Bella married. Didn't let up for a year, was always popping in for a friendly conversation. He certainly is cheeky, I'll give him that."

"We'll have to put up with him for a year?" Regulus grumbled.

The blonde chuckled. "Only if you're very unlucky."

"He'll definitely be dead before a year is up. I'm surprised Bella hasn't caught on to him, he's not exactly discreet."

"Well, those two have an arrangement." His cousin absently rolled her sleeves up to her forearms, revealing a faded band of yellowing bruises around one of her wrists. "If you ask me, I think she's thrilled to not have him pawing at her - to not have anyone pawing at her. And it's just as well; she wasn't upset with me when she found out I was his latest victim. She even gave me tips on how to deter him. Lucius, however… Well, let's just say that he didn't take too kindly to my fraternising."

"Your fraternising?" Regulus asked, surprised. "But I thought you said-"

"Oh, no, no," Narcissa waved a hand. "It was entirely one-sided. Lucius just didn't see it that way, unfortunately."

"Is that why you've got those, er…" Regulus motioned to his own wrists, causing her to look at her own. Perhaps he was being tactless, but the opportunity to feel her out had presented itself on a silver platter.

"No," the blonde said softly, rolling her sleeves back down with prim fingers. "That was for knocking his morning tea onto his lap."

"Did you do it on purpose?" The action wasn't justified regardless of her answer, but he was curious.

"I did." She gave him a small, gloating smile. "Usually when I try to aggravate him, I don't get caught. I may be a Slytherin, but occasionally the cunning instinct slips and I prioritise anger over deviousness. So, I would say that the consequences of the tea incident are on me. It being my fault is one in a million, but I'm a fair person."

The corner of Regulus's mouth twitched up. It was always a pleasant surprise when she unveiled her dark sense of humour. She was, after all, known for her vast collection of books on propriety. He thought it was a rather clever red herring and wondered whether she'd done it on purpose.

"Thank you," Narcissa added.

"What're you thanking me for?" Regulus frowned.

"For not making a fuss." Narcissa gave another mischievous grin. "You'll be happy to know that Lucius has relented since finding out that I'm pregnant… As long as I keep popping out babies for the foreseeable future, I should be fine."

"Merlin." He ran a hand through his hair and gave a laugh. "It's no wonder you and Ivy get on so well."

"What do you mean?" She arched a pale brow.

"If there's anyone that would appreciate such a fucked up joke, it's her."

"I adore Ivy," the blonde gave him a disbelieving look. "But she's as stuffy as they come."

"You know," Regulus grinned. "She's said the exact same thing about you."

"Well," Narcissa looked impressed. "Then I suppose she and I will have to expand our range of conversational topics. I've got some really twisted jokes up my sleeve that I've been waiting to test out."