There is no foreboding storm or dangerous tide, no ominous clouds on the horizon. There are only the stars, the moon, and the sea. Lucy procures a Ravenclaw blue vial to pay the blood toll, much to her own amusement. Passingly, she wonders if she'll ever get to tell Regulus. He's dramatic enough to appreciate such a good case of poetic justice.
She and Sirius squeeze through the cave door before it fully opens. As soon as they pass the threshold, it rolls closed with a soft thud. Lucy immediately raises her wand to cast a barrage of detection spells to ensure that they are alone.
Except for the bewitched corpses waiting in the lake, of course.
Sirius's low whistle echoes through the cave. An eerie green tinge reflects off of an unending lake until it is consumed by an unnatural darkness. There is something inherently wrong about the cave. It raises the hair on the back of her neck and erects goosebumps on her arms. Dread blooms in Lucy's chest, stealing her breath and setting her heart aflame. This isn't just a defensive fortress to house Voldemort's soul; it's his playground.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," he murmurs.
Lucy nods. There's something wrong and isn't just the dark magic poisoning the air.
"You ever take divination?" She asks.
"No. Mrs Potter wouldn't let us. Why?"
She lifts one shoulder in a shrug. "Just wondering if there's something we should know."
Sirius raises his brows incredulously.
"Aren't you the seer?! Don't you know what we should know?"
"I don't know everything. I only know what would have happened in the future."
"Luce, maybe we should talk to Dumbledore."
"No."
Sirius groans and runs a hand over his face. "I know you don't like him, but he's the greatest wizard-"
"And that's exactly why I don't like him! He thinks he knows everything!"
"He's Albus Dumbledore. He does know everything."
"No he doesn't! It-..."
Lucy rolls her eyes to the heavens. Her frustration quickly fades into unease at what she finds. There's no ceiling. Only a deep blackness tinged with a pale sickly, green. Sirius follows her gaze and swears under his breath.
"Sirius, get me through tonight and I swear I'll tell you everything."
His handsome face goes as unreadable as his brother's always is. Lucy tears her gaze away and watches the shadow of a sharp rock dance. A long moment passes before his boots scuff on the damp stone.
"I'm holding you to it," he warns.
"I know."
His eyes search her face before quickly darting back to the smooth water. She can't discern if he was satisfied with whatever it was he was looking for. What would he have done with Yaxley? What would he have done if he saw her standing beside Regulus, Unforgivables flowing from their wands with the ease of a lumos? Would he have watched? Would have joined in? Would he have been disgusted?
"Here's your boat," Sirius calls.
Lucy shoves the thoughts away behind her mental shields. There's no time for a philosophical crisis. Instead, she trails after him to the far bank, where a small boat floats easily on the water.
"It's supposed to be invisible," she says flatly.
"Do you want to turn back?"
"No, we can't risk it."
"Why not? We know where it is."
"He could move it."
"It's not just that," he barks. "You're hiding something from me."
Lucy sucks in a sharp breath, the truth tumbling out of her in a rush.
"Regulus dies here and I won't risk that. I won't risk him."
"No," Sirius spins on his heel, bringing them so close that their boots kiss. "No. Reggie wouldn't-"
"Wouldn't he? Regulus is unstable. He does whatever he wants whenev-"
Sirius waves his hands in her face, a wild gesture that is purely James Potter. "He wouldn't! He's-he's...He's Reggie."
"And what would Reggie do if someone borrowed Kreacher and left him to die?"
He freezes as comprehension dawns. He turns on his heel and begins pacing, muttering nonsense under his breath. Lucy shivers a little at the sudden lapse of warmth. She means to give him seven seconds to digest this new information, but she only counts to three before she breaks.
"Can you please be still?!" She snaps. "My nerves are shot. I came straight to you from dealing with Yaxley and Occluding can only do so much."
He comes to abrupt halt, his gaze cutting into her once more.
"What did you do?"
"It doesn't matter. That fucking locket is all that matters. Can we please get started?"
He waves his hand absentmindedly and goes back to his pacing. Lucy heaves a great sigh and calls for Coco. The house elf appears a couple of minutes later, probably hampered by something to do with Nymph. Her big brown eyes take in the cavern until she wraps her skinny arms around herself and huddles against Lucy's legs.
"I is not liking this place, Miss Lucy. I is not liking it here at all."
The words claw into Lucy's heart, but she hardens herself against it.
"I know, Coco. Me either." She scratches the house elf's fuzzy head gently, the same way she does to Nymph when they're cuddling in bed late at night. "It's only for a couple of hours though and it's all for Nymphadora, every bit of it. And look, Sirius is here."
They both look over at an irate Sirius Black, who is muttering something under his breath about Slytherins and house elves.
"Sirius is a fierce warrior," Lucy says in a very pointed tone, "who will not let any harm come to us. Will you, Sirius?"
"Of course not," he scoffs. He stomps heavily over and holds out his hand to Coco. "I'm taking you across in the boat and then you'll come back and apparate Lucy over. Sound good?"
Coco nods tremulously, her bat-like ears twitching, and takes Sirius's hand. Though none too pleased, he is as patient with her as he is capable of being in his agitated state. Lucy watches the darkness greedily swallow their mismatched shapes with dread twisting her stomach in on itself. After what feels like an eternity, a loud crack echoes across the cavern, causing Lucy to nearly jump out of her skin. Coco takes her hand with an apologetic smile and disapparates.
They reappear on a small island. Sirius stands encircled by the tall, jagged rocks jutting out of the ground and water, his face lit by the emerald glow of the potion. Magic flows from his wand steadily as he casts spell after spell at a stone basin forged into the cavern floor. He doesn't stop until she and Coco are at his side.
He shoots Lucy a grim look. "It won't budge. There's no way to move it."
"I figured. You ready?"
He nods, sharp and short.
Lucy summons a water glass and a rune-engraved vial from her ever present bag. She scoops a sample of the draught and passes it to Sirius before filling the glass with and holding it up to his witchlight. The draught is a beautiful, deep green that is as tantalizing as it is frightening.
"Bottoms up," she says, and downs it all in one go.
Once, when Sirius and his brother were very young, Bellatrix dared them to sneak into the Grimmauld library. They didn't dare touch anything until Regulus caught sight of a silver unicorn printed on a book's spine. Sirius, being the magnanimous older brother, climbed up to retrieve it. He knew something was wrong as soon as his fingers brushed the cover. The leather was oily and seemed to exhale an hiss against his cheek. He went to abandon the book and climb down, but the smooth sole of his dress shoes slipped on the polished wood shelf.
The book followed him down.
It pushed itself off the shelf, landed open on Regulus's arm, and closed down hard. Ink fangs ripped into his pale flesh, blood and shadow pouring from the wound. Sirius did everything he could to pry it off, but only their father's quick spellwork could set Regulus to rights.
It's one of the only times Sirius can ever remember being afraid: his panicked helplessness, the book's odious hissing, Regulus's screams.
This is infinitely worse.
Lucy is slumped against the pedestal with her arms curled over her stomach. Her cherubic features are screwed up in pain as she peers up at him through wet lashes. There's nothing he can do for her. There's nothing he can do to stop this.
"Please," she whines. "Please, Siri. It hurts."
Sirius grits his teeth. He's never been a good liar. He's just good at charming others until they find his fibs amusing. There's no charming his way through his. There's no hexing his way to the other side. No runes or wards to puzzle through.
"I know, Luce, but you've got to finish it. You finish this draught and I'll take us to Andy's and Ted can make you a nice cuppa."
Her blue eyes, the entrancing blue that had Remus blushing for months in fourth year, lose their dull shine at the mention of her brother. Sirius, his gut roiling in guilt, exploits her weakness. He shoves the glass down into her hands.
"Drink it for Ted, yeah? For Ted and Andy and Nymph."
She chokes it down, gagging and retching the whole while, then throws the glass to the side. Coco freezes it with a snap of her fingers. Initially, Sirius had thought brining a house elf along was absurd. He assumed Coco would be a liability, another body to protect with his 'fierce warrior' skills. Instead, she's proved herself to be an invaluable asset. This is the second time she's kept something from crashing into the nefarious water.
Lucy falls to her side with a low wail. Sirius curses as she begins weeping hard enough for her shoulders to shake. So far, there have just been sniffles and pleas.
Coco holds out another dose of glowing potion to Sirius. He takes it and kneels in front of Lucy. She doesn't seem to be aware of him. She only stares out into the cave as tears roll down her cheeks.
"Regulus died here," she suddenly rasps.
Sirius very nearly chucks the potion across the island. Only Coco's stern glance manages to still him. He takes a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. He can do this. He's Sirius fucking Black. He can do anything.
"So you said," he grits out.
"I keep seeing it." Her voice is dull and lifeless. "I keep seeing them pull him down into the water. Kreacher is crying. Regulus is trying not to scream."
She turns her dead eyes up to Sirius.
"Make it stop. I don't want hear it anymore. Make it stop, Sirius. Make it stop."
The potion is seems to weigh at his very soul as he hands hold its out to her.
"Drink this. It'll make it stop."
The more she drinks, the longer it take for her to consume. Finally, after long bout of gentle encouragement, she drops the empty glass and covers her ears with her hands.
"Make it stop. Make it stop. Make them shut up! Just shut up! Make them shut up! SHUT UP AND DIE ALREADY!"
Coco tumbles off her boulder at her sudden scream. Despite his inner protests, Sirius can't resist peering over his shoulder. There's nothing. Only the lake and the thick darkness.
"Is that what you hear? Is this what you hear in your cell?"
Sirius swivels around to Lucy. She moans pitifully as another stomach cramp overtakes her. She rides it out with quiet groans and curses. She squeezes herself and presses her cheek against the cold stone.
"They won't stop. I tried. I tried, I tried. I tried so hard. Forgive me. Please, forgive me. I tried to save them. Forgive me. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry."
Sirius takes the glass again, meeting Coco's eyes with desperation. The elf's ears droop down pitifully, but she pushes him back all the same.
"Here, Luce," Sirius says as scrambles down to her level. He raises her shoulders so that she is propped up against his thigh, just high enough for her to swallow. "Drink this and they'll go away. I promise they'll go away.
She manages to spit some of it out on her jeans. Some of it comes back up through her nose. He cleans her face off with his sleeve, his thumb brushing against her soft cheek. She shudders under pain and despair even as Coco floats the next dose down.
"Lucy," he says. "Lucy, look at me."
Her brows pull together and her lips press tight, but she manages to focus on his eyes.
"Lucy, you have to drink this."
"No. No, no, no. Sirius, please, no."
Sirius curses and pulls her struggling form further into his lap. "Lucy-"
"No, don't. Please. I'm sorry. I tried. I'm sorry."
"Shhh. Shhh, it's okay," he soothes, his free hand reaching up to pet at her hair. "Shh. Don't cry. Just drink this and it'll be okay."
"Parched. So thirsty."
"I know. Drink this and it'll be alright. Just like Ted's tea, I promise."
"Snatchers. Snatchers got him."
"I know, drink this."
She only manages a mouthful before she slams the cup down and sits half upright, her head bashing into his elbow. He winces and scoots away.
"Snatchers got him. And Ny-nyyy-"
She scrunches her face up against another wave of agony. Her mouth opens in a silent scream. Sirius, cursing himself all the while, takes advantage and forces the rest of the potion down her throat. He shoves the cup at Coco while Lucy gags and wretches against his knee.
"Only two more, Master Sirius," the elf squeaks solemnly.
Sirius lets out a deep exhale. "Thank Merlin. Luce, no. Lucy, look at me."
Her eyes meet his. They're clouded over with a madness Sirius has only seen on his mother during her worst bouts.
"Come on, Lucy. Just two more and we can go home. Two-"
"I watched you fall," she whispers. A glob of phlegm hangs from her swollen lips. Sirius reaches up to wipe it away. "I watched you fall."
"I didn't fall. I'm right here. I didn't fall."
"Is this hell?"
"'Course not. You wouldn't get to spend time with a handsome bugger like me in eternal damnation, would you?"
"I saw you fall. Both of you. One for the veil and one for the water."
"Tell me about it. What happened? How did I fall?" He waves his hand at Coco, who magics the cup over to him. "Focus, Lucy. Tell me how I fell."
"Bel-la."
"Yeah, that sounds about right. Hey there, open up."
"Thirsty."
"I've got some water here for you. Drink it."
She swallows it around her thick tears, chest heaving as she struggles to breathe. It reminds him think of Regulus's relentless wails, of his scarlet cheeks, and red, red blood. Sirius pushes the thought away and shoves the glass back at Coco.
Lucy lets out an almost inhuman moan, her eyes rolling back in her head.
"Lucy!" He smacks her on the cheek hard enough for her eyes to pop open. "Lucy, stay with me. We're almost there. One more dose. Stay with me. Coco, hurry up."
Coco, however, is staring down into the basin with wide, fearful eyes. Big tears begin to well in the corners.
"Coco..."
"Is evil, Master Sirius," she whispers. "Is very evil."
"I know, Coco, but we can't destroy it-"
"The veil. The veil," Lucy sobs. "Take me to the veil. Let me die."
Coco squeals out a horrified cry, finally tearing her gaze away. "Miss Lucy! Miss Lucy, no!"
"Let me die again. Let me die. Please, just let me go back. Let me die so they'll go away. I tried. I tried so hard. Please just let me die."
"COCO!" Sirius roars, pushing his magic into the words. "COCO GIVE ME THE DAMN POTION!"
The house elf hastens to obey. Her little hands shake bad enough for it to take three tries to scoop up the last of the draught. All the while, Sirius forces Lucy into a sitting position. She falls over almost immediately, but he can at least move his legs.
"Here, Coco. Give that to me and take the necklace."
"I's cannot. I's cannot touch it. It is being very evil, Master. Very, very evil."
"Coco—Fucking hell! Lucy!"
Lucy doesn't seem to hear. She is staring off into the lake with that terrible expression of hers.
"Lucy, drink this! I need you to drink this for me."
She doesn't move. Sirius's heart stops. He throws himself beside her, shoving his hand against her nose until feels a warm exhale against his palm.
"Fucking hell," he cries. "Bleeding fucking hell, you crazy witch."
Sirius props her up the slightest bit and forces her mouth open with his free hand. The potion floods down her throat in a rush. She convulses, her entire body trying to fight against the odious liquid. He lets her drop to the floor with a heavy thud. His wand slips out and rolls under her, but he can't do anything about that now. She planned for this and he has to follow the plan.
Coco is staring into the dim basin again, swaying slightly on her skinny legs. Sirius can feel it now. It is calling to him, a smooth dark presence. He shoves his Occlumency shields flat. Everything dulls. His fear, his panic, his guilt. The horcrux's soothing whispers.
Sirius pulls the sleeves of his jumper down to lift the necklace's silver chain. The locket is just as ugly and gaudy as the bloke's statue.
"Coco, summon the box," Sirius orders.
She snaps her little fingers and an iron box engraved with runes appears in her hands. Sirius drops the horcrux in, the lid snaps shut, and blessed silence flows onto the island. They take a moment to breathe it in, relishing in the clean air, when a splash sounds. It's a quiet thing to be so damning.
Sirius spins in time to see the empty glass disappear under the lake. Nothing happens. Nothing happens for an eternity, until foul silence is broken by another splash, just as dainty as the first, as a pale hand claws up from the water.
"Regulus," Lucy breathes. And then she speaks the two words Sirius hoped to never hear. Two simple, silly words that tear his world down.
"Open sesame," she whispers.
Later, he will say he heard it. He will say he heard her false tooth crack. He will say he heard the poison trickle out of the fissures.
Seventy-two seconds, his mind supplies. She said she had seventy-two seconds to swallow the antidote if she ever had to drink the poison.
Sirius scampers across the stone floor in two long strides. He paws at her chest, ripping the neckline of her jumper to reach the necklace. It breaks off with a high snap. He pries her mouth open and shoves the waxy purple stone down her throat. He shifts to get a better angle, to make absolutely sure she swallows, and there is a loud, damning crack.
He knows what it is before he looks.
His wand. He forgot his fucking wand.
Sirius isn't a small man. He's just over six feet and as broad as a beater. Lucy, though short, isn't petite. She has curves that have made the boys and girls of Hogwarts drool since fourth year. His wand never stood a chance under the both of them.
How could forget his fucking wand?!
"MASTER!" Coco yelps.
Sirius looks up in time to see her rush forward on her skinny ginger legs, the box tight in one hand and her other raised high. With a fierce little grunt, a wave of magic pulsates from her tiny frame. Several corpses are blown back into the water, taking a handful of their brethren with them. He hadn't even heard them get so close.
"FUCK! Fuck, fuck, fuck. Where's your wand, Luce? Where's- there it-..."
Sirius trails off, dumbstruck. A long silver sword is laying beside them, glinting green under the strange ceiling.
Maybe it's his fear and rage. Maybe it's because of Yaxley's threat. Maybe it's thinking so much of Regulus and the library. For whatever reason, Sirius remembers his father telling them a story. He liked it before he knew what it meant. Before he realized how sick it really was.
Centuries ago, a Black ancestor named Pavo had just created a new spell and wanted to test its mettle. Naturally, he strolled into the nearest Muggle village and slaughtered dozens of men with a flaming sword before the spell sputtered to a stop. Sirius, mouth agape with wonder, asked his Father how to do it. And being the bastard that he was, Orion Black used that spell to teach his sons blood magic.
"Bleeding hell, where's Reggie when you need him?!" Sirius whimpers.
He'd remember it perfectly. He was always the smarter brother.
Still, Sirius is no fool. He became an animagus at fifteen without a mentor. He'd be top in his classes if he cared to do his schoolwork. He's Sirius Black and he has a Slytherin's plan and the sword of Godric fucking Gryffindor. He can do this. He can do anything.
"Hold them off, Coco!" He yells. "I just need a minute."
Sirius raises Lucy's ebony wand to the heel of his hand and casts a gentle slicing hex. Blood wells as scarlet as the ruby glittering on the pommel of the sword. He smears it on the very bottom of the blade and calls up his magic. Calls on the darkness in him, the fiery rage, the cold fear, on the sinister ambiance of the room. He calls on it all, chanting and humming an old spell, until black tendrils creep out of his wrist and curl up the sword, just as they do his heart. He chants and sings until it is coated to the tip, and snarls, "Flamma."
His heart clenches and white and blue flames burst from the sword's hilt.
Sirius barks out a triumphant laugh, clamoring to his feet in a heady rush. His tiny little house elf is there, both hands outstretched and waves splashing at her ugly feet. Blood is dripping pouring from a patch of missing skin on her shoulder and a chunk has been ripped from her left ear.
"Go, Coco! Hide it and come back!"
She disappears in a loud crack. The inferi pause, just for a moment, before turning to Sirius as one. Sirius grins. He wasn't made for cautiously waiting in the shadows. He isn't a Slytherin. He's a lion. He was made for this.
With one swing of the sword, Sirius falls into blissful oblivion.