Regulus knew the day was approaching when they'd finally need to destroy the Dark Lord, but he still felt woefully unprepared when it came. In the last weeks, even the last few months, his mind had been a tangled mesh of schemes and desperate what-ifs. He studied what he could, but there was always more to consider, more to learn.
Moments before Draco returned to Grimmauld, Regulus's mark had suddenly sparked with pain, and at that moment, he knew something had changed. It wasn't the flare of the Dark Lord summoning his followers, but it indicated he was feeling a strong emotion and letting it leak through the Mark. Regulus had barely begun his speculations when Draco arrived along with three horcruxes in tow - Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, and Harry.
Regulus knew the time had come for this all to end, and he was going to see it through, even if he wasn't as prepared as he wished.
He barely spared a glance at James and Harry's reunion, something he felt a little guilty about, but he could appreciate how important it was to James without getting distracted by it. Instead, he focused on Draco, trying to understand what had happened and what needed to happen still. Draco was distracted by Harry's presence, but it was obvious that Draco had come there to use the Vanishing Cabinet so they could get to Hogwarts.
As they prepared, Regulus watched. James and Harry chatted, and even though it was awkward, they seemed completely unbothered by the task at hand. The other two of Harry's friends looked baffled but determined, so perhaps this was a universal Gryffindor thing to be so unconcerned by mortal peril. Draco wasn't doing well; his face was tight and pale. Regulus could only imagine the fear coursing through him, knowing Harry was going to have to die if they wanted to succeed in killing the Dark Lord. It was terrible, and for all of Draco's strength, Regulus didn't want this to be the thing that broke him.
"Can you do this?" Regulus whispered to Draco as they climbed the stairs.
"Of course I can," Draco shot back, but Regulus had to be sure.
"I have a feeling this is the end, no matter how it turns out," Regulus warned, but Draco only straightened further. Draco probably wasn't ready for this, just like he hadn't been ready for anything in the last two years, but he understood what was being asked of him and would keep trying. His assurance eased Regulus slightly, along with the knowledge that he and James were able to protect Draco now.
Regulus knew that they needed to get the Ravenclaw's diadem. He had no idea how or where the cabinet would take them, but provided it could get them inside the castle, they could find a way to get it. The Sword of Gryffindor was a trickier problem. It was likely in the Snape's office, a place that was better avoided. But then what? The Dark Lord would want to confirm if the diadem was still at the school, which presumably meant a wicked battle unless they surrendered the castle, but the chances of people willingly doing that…
James grabbed him, interrupting his thoughts and preventing him from following the others into the cabinet. "Welcome back to the wizarding world," James whispered with a small smile.
Regulus hadn't been thinking about that at all, but this was their first time going back. It was inevitable, but it did feel good after being trapped for so long. "Welcome back," Regulus whispered, feeling ever so lighter, and they stepped through one right after the other.
The next hour went by swiftly, and Regulus, for the most part, let things play out naturally. They got the diadem, Harry warned about the threat to the school, and Regulus did what he excelled at - he planned. His arm still prickled uncomfortably, and Regulus knew he had one advantage that the others didn't. His mark could get him close to the Dark Lord since it always gave him an inkling of where he was. When the horcruxes were destroyed, he could get close, so he demanded to be allowed to do it. He anticipated James's rebuttal, but it didn't come. James looked upset but merely requested that Regulus give him the same respect. His role as a Death Eater would be more useful, but he didn't fight James. They were going to finish it or die trying.
Regulus was interrupted again from his thoughts when Harry returned. At first, he went straight to Draco, as Regulus expected, but their conversation caught his attention.
"Stay away from Snape!" Draco shouted.
Harry looked fully taken aback and said, "Uh, okay. I wasn't planning on meeting up for tea."
"Harry, he's serious. Don't trust a word out of his mouth," Regulus said urgently. Harry's death was inevitable if they wanted to kill the Dark Lord, but Regulus much preferred Harry learning the truth from them in a controlled environment, not from Snape while Hogwarts was under siege.
"Alright," Harry said nervously, but Regulus knew he didn't understand the weight of it.
Harry also brought the student body with him, claiming that they needed to evacuate the school, and of course, Grimmauld was going to be used. Granger seemed concerned about the safety of students traversing through the house, so he had her and Weasley stay behind to guide, but Regulus wasn't sure what he himself should do. He wanted to destroy the horcruxes more than anything, but what if he was missing something else?
A glance at James helped him decide. James looked sorrowfully at the students, and Regulus knew he wanted to stay. James wasn't built for searching and scheming. He was built to protect those who couldn't protect themselves and the occasional prank. So he sent Draco and Harry off, hoping it would be a good opportunity for Draco to pass the ring along to Harry.
James stayed with the students while Regulus went back through to Grimmauld. Granger followed him, leading the first group along with Professor Sprout down to the first floor. No one took time to notice him, given enough was happening between panicked students and frantic coordination between the staff. Still, Regulus didn't fancy being found out, so he kept to the side and focused first on finding Kreacher.
The elf was quick to be found, having left his sleeping spot to investigate all of the noise. Kreacher rasped a greeting, and Regulus knelt in front of him.
"I think it would be good for you to stay upstairs." Regulus was no longer in a position to order the elf around, he belonged to Draco, but he hoped Kreacher would still listen to him.
Kreacher tilted his head. "Master Regulus?"
"All sorts will be coming into the house, and I need you to leave them be. It is for a short period, and we need to do it to destroy the Dark Lord."
"Yous is destroying him?" Kreacher asked, eyes wide.
"I'm finally getting back for what he did to you," Regulus said. Kreacher had been the catalyst of this, being tortured by the Dark Lord and revealing the horcrux. Regulus owed the elf this. While he couldn't undo Kreacher's suffering, he could still get revenge.
Kreachers eyes watered, and he gave a small bow. "Kreacher will do as Master Regulus asks."
After that, the bulk of the evacuation went smoothly. Someone had contacted parents, so those who could make it to London whisked their children away, and the remainder waited until Order members arrived and transported them to proper safe houses.
As he monitored the situation, Regulus ran scenarios in his head. When should they kill Harry? If they got all of the other horcruxes, they'd need to do it fast to avoid the risk of the Dark Lord creating another. Draco and James would want to explain and comfort Harry through it, even if Regulus was fairly certain Harry could slit his own throat if he knew the truth.
Regulus started feeling better, knowing they had options, but his mind went alarmingly blank when he saw Sirius suddenly appear in Grimmauld. He should have known Sirius wouldn't sit back while Hogwarts was under attack, but Regulus didn't know what to do. He had talked to Sirius when he rescued him from the veil, and while they'd made some sort of peace, that also felt like a dream. Would Sirius even remember that he apologised? That he regretted so much?
Regulus wasn't prepared to have that conversation again. It would completely derail his focus if it went poorly, so he did what came instinctually. He retreated. He ducked back through the cabinet and rushed into the room, looking for James.
He was chatting with a group of Hufflepuffs, so Regulus grabbed him by the arm. "What are you doing?" James hissed at him. Regulus didn't answer and hauled him behind one of the beds, out of sight of the cabinet.
"I'm not ready," Regulus said, panicked. James immediately looked over the bed, trying to spot what had him spooked. Sirius must have made his way through since James's face turned to wonderment, and he started to get up.
"I don't want him to see me," Regulus hissed, pulling James close again.
James took a moment to debate, then did something that only affirmed how much Regulus loved this man. He knew James wanted to be with his friends. He would love to have a big reunion before they all risked their lives. To James, always having friends beside you was important, but that's not how Regulus was, and James knew it.
James pulled up his hood and agreed they'd wait until they revealed themselves. Regulus did up his own hood with a nod, feeling much more stable, knowing he didn't have to face his past right now. They stood up, ready to return to their task, when James gave a puzzled expression.
"Where are they sneaking off to?" James asked, tilting his head. Granger and Weasley were slinking along the edge of the room, clearly trying to escape without drawing attention.
"I'll find out," Regulus said, and after a brief conversation convincing James to stay, he followed the pair at a distance, not wanting to alert them to the sound of his feet but not close enough to hear their whispers. It wasn't that he thought these two were malicious, but he couldn't trust them either. Harry did, but he also knew how they doubted Draco, and they were Gryffindors, after all, none of them could be trusted to make a reasonable decision.
They led him to a girl's loo, Moaning Mrytle's, and then froze in front of one of the sinks. Regulus was truly confused until Weasley started to hiss strange noises, and after about a minute, the sink pulled to the side, revealing a dark passageway. Where are they trying to leave the castle?
Before they could enter, Regulus stuck their feet to the ground. Weasley comically flung his arms about while Granger gave a panicked yell.
Regulus stepped forward, revealing himself and asked, "Where are you going?"
They both gave startled expressions, but Granger recovered first.
"We are going to the Chamber of Secrets," she explained.
Weasley said, "Let us go," and tugged against the spell.
Regulus tried to recall what Harry had said about the chamber, but the answer was obvious. "Basilisk venom?"
She nodded. "The corpse is likely still there, and having multiple fangs might help our chances of killing Nagini."
"Brilliant," Regulus said and unstuck their feet, but they didn't move. "Well?"
"Are you coming with us?" Weasley asked, clearly not thrilled by the prospect.
"Yes. I don't fancy telling Harry his friends died under my watch."
"We'd be fine," Weasley grumbled but didn't protest further.
They turned towards the entrance and slid down the stone into the depths of the castle. Regulus couldn't deny that he was excited to see it; it was a legend. When they finally reached the bottom, Regulus held in a gasp as his forearm stung. The Dark Lord must be angry, far angrier than before. Regulus picked up their pace, and they made their way forward until they hit another door covered in stone snakes, locking the door in place. Again, Weasley hissed at it, and after a few attempts, the snakes retracted, and the door swung open.
"You speak Parselmouth?" Regulus questioned.
"Nah, but Harry talks in his sleep."
"That was amazing," Granger said, and Weasley blushed as Regulus resisted rolling his eyes.
The door led into a larger room lined with stone figures, but the decomposing snake was the most striking thing. Despite its gruesome appearance, it was surprisingly not that foul smelling. It was unsettling more than anything else. Regulus and Weasley pulled fangs from the beast as Granger laid the cup and locket on the stone.
That damned locket taunted him. He hated the pain that it had caused him, and he hated that it had been able to exist for this long. Weasley stepped forward to give Granger a fang, but before either could claim the locket, Regulus gripped his fang and knelt in front of it.
"May I?" he asked.
"Go for it, mate," Weasley said, looking relieved.
"Think you can open it?" Regulus asked, and Weasley hissed more words at it until it clicked and opened. Fog poured out of the locket and all around them, then it formed a dark spot right in front of Regulus. They all jerked back instinctively, and Regulus held his breath, but he leaned back towards it when figures started to form.
James formed first and spoke, "I never loved you, Reg. You were just a game."
Beside James, Sirius's figure formed and laughed. "How could you think he ever loved you? He'd always pick me."
"I'm the brother you never could be," James said with a prideful grin, but there was something else behind it. It was malicious and cruel, and Regulus had never seen evil intent written so clearly on James's face. That's what forced his hand.
As Sirius opened his mouth to presumably taunt him some more, Regulus plunged the fang through the fog and straight into where the locket lay. It screeched, and the forms of James and Sirius twisted and melted until they evaporated, leaving behind a broken locket.
Regulus sank back on his heels, taking steadying breaths. The other two stood nearby, shifting nervously but didn't speak. Once his heart settled, he nodded to the cup, and Granger stepped up. She warily gripped one of the Basilisk fangs and hovered over it. Nothing happened; it wasn't nearly as dramatic as the locket had been. When it didn't form any visions or otherwise say anything, she braced one hand against the floor and stabbed downwards.
However, the fang bounced off like an invisible shield had repelled the fang and sent it careening towards the stone beneath it. She frowned, and Weasley made some sort of exclamation, but at that moment, Regulus's world went white with pain.
He couldn't stop as he reflexively reached for his Dark Mark, and his face twisted. His arm burned like it hadn't in years. The Dark Lord was calling his followers; he was coming.
Frustrated and in pain, he looked back to where Granger was half heartedly testing how close she could get to the cup. If anything, it seemed like the distance was growing, like it sensed how close it was to being destroyed and Granger's increasing uncertainty.
"You have to want to kill it," Regulus told her and she looked at him.
"She already wants to kill it, what do you mean?" Weasley asked.
"Killing isn't easy. You have to channel some anger." Granger gave a stiff nod.
"I can do it if -" Weasley started, but at his words, something changed in Granger's face. Regulus saw the moment her determination came. More certain and with far more force, she plunged the fang downwards, and this time, it wasn't repelled.
The point of the fang hit the centre just above the stem, and similar to the locket, it leaked black smoke, and the cup broke into several pieces. Granger sagged to the floor, relieved.
"Bloody hell, that was incredible," Weasley said, and Granger returned the smile.
But whatever satisfaction they felt was short-lived. The Dark Lord used some magic to project his voice to the whole castle. It echoed and hissed through the chamber.
"I know you are preparing to fight. It is futile. You cannot fight me, and I do not wish to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter, and I will leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until the top of the next hour."
That fueled Regulus to get out from under Hogwarts and stop Harry or James from doing something incredibly stupid, and it seemed like Granger and Weasley felt the same. Without a word, they all ran out of the chamber. Regulus didn't dare to hope for any luck in this situation, but when they exited the loo and saw Harry running down the corridor, Regulus thought that maybe something was on their side.
"Harry!" Granger yelled, and Harry wiped around towards them.
"We have the sword," Harry said, breathing heavily and holding up a silver sword. We? Regulus turned to where Harry had come from.
"Not needed, mate," Weasley said with a smile and held up one of the fangs.
It took Harry a beat to piece together what Weasley meant. "You went to the chamber?"
Draco still hadn't appeared, and most importantly, Harry's hands were bare. "Where's Draco?"
"He was behind me…" Harry said uncertainly.
"You stay," Regulus ordered Harry and then said to the other two, "You make him stay. Do not engage. I will be back." He glared, raising his wand as a threat, then hurried off to find Draco.
Weasley whispered to his retreating back, "He's bloody terrifying. Like Sirius, if he'd gone sour."
People were frantic after the Dark Lord's announcement, but Draco was nowhere to be seen among the crowds. Outside the headmaster's office, he stumbled upon two underage boys. They tried to convince him that they were capable of fighting, but it was painfully obvious they weren't ready for this. After a brief demonstration, they scurried off, leaving Regulus to deal with a supposed 'traitor' they caught, a traitor with familiar blond hair.
"Draco?" Regulus released the spell holding Draco, and he jerked upright, eyes wild.
"I don't know where he went," he gasped.
"Calm down," Regulus said, helping Draco get his feet under him.
"We got the sword. We can destroy the locket and cup, and then Harry needs to," Draco cut himself off "I -"
"You are going to hide," Regulus said forcefully, hauling Draco to his feet.
"Grimmauld is exposed," Draco said, gripping onto him and Regulus considered. They had no idea when the location of Grimmauld would be leaked, especially since all Slytherin students had left through the cabinet. It might be better if Draco stayed close. There wasn't much time to escape the castle, and even if he did, there wasn't anywhere Regulus knew was safe.
"You have 15 minutes. Go to the Shrieking Shack. I see no reason for them to attack there, if that fails, get to the forest. Do not engage," Regulus ordered.
"But - " Draco grabbed at Harry's ring still on his finger.
Regulus held out his hand. "Give me the ring. I will get it to Harry."
"You promise?" Draco looked truly afraid for the first time tonight.
Regulus promised, and Draco listened, just as he had when Regulus was still in the ring. Despite the change in their relationship, he needed to uphold Draco's trust. He had seen what was between Harry and Draco and wanted nothing more than to guarantee their future. So he returned quickly to where Harry was supposed to wait and surprisingly, he was exactly where Regulus had left him.
When Regulus approached, Harry said defiantly, "I need to help." Granger and Weasley cringed. They had probably been trying to talk him out of it, but it was exactly what James would say, and Regulus knew that fighting that force wasn't worth it. It was better to redirect.
"Fine, but wear this," Regulus said, holding out the ring for Harry. "Do not take it off." He put as much sincerity as he could behind the words.
Harry picked it up gently. "Is this like yours?"
"Yes, Draco made it," Regulus said, hoping Harry understood the implications.
"Where's Draco?" Harry asked, worried.
"I sent him off somewhere safe," Regulus said, and Harry reluctantly put the ring on his left hand.
"Will you stop me from helping?"
"No, but you'll do as I say," Harry looked ready to protest, but Regulus added, "If I have to keep you unconscious, I will."
The three exchanged nervous glances but seemingly accepted that for now.
"Let's go."
Regulus knew Harry would need to feel directly involved. Regulus also knew that it would cause panic if he died in the first few minutes of battle, so he dragged them to the centre of the castle, where he hoped a temporary infirmary might be. Sure enough, he found Pomfrey was setting up cots.
"Are you injured?" She questioned, looking them over hurridly.
"No, we are fine," Harry said surly.
"We're volunteers." Regulus clarified. He turned towards Granger and Weasley. "You two make sure the path around the infirmary stays clear when the fighting starts."
"Not you," he said, grabbing Harry and pulling him closer to Pomfrey.
"Potter, I didn't realise you had a passion for healing."
"I -"
"He doesn't. I just need him out of the way of the fight," Regulus said as Harry scowled.
"Oh, and who are you?"
"A member of the Order of the Phoenix. I've been undercover for some years." Harry snorted but didn't out him. Pomfrey looked suspicious but thankfully didn't recognise him.
They helped arrange supplies as the battle sounded around them. Booms echoed throughout the castle. Granger and Weasley periodically checked in on Harry, but most of Regulus's time was spent scheming on how to get close to Nagini now that she was the only one left other than Harry.
The visions Harry had indicated the snake was with the Dark Lord, and it stood to reason that the Dark Lord would want to keep an eye on his last horcrux. They had a few extra Basilisk fangs they could distribute, but Regulus needed someone to get close to the snake before he could make a call.
The first arrival to the infirmary was two redheads, one of which Regulus recognised, and the other was likely another Weasley brother, considering how Harry and his friends reacted. One supported the other, who had a mangled leg.
"What happened?" Ron asked as Pomfrey guided them to a cot.
"I was saved by Harry's evil twin," the injured one said, and Regulus refused to make a noise.
"He wasn't evil," the other corrected.
"No, I could see the mischief in his eyes," he said through clenched teeth, then he sagged as Pomfrey cast a numbing spell over the injured leg. At least they hadn't dragged James in here, but it did mean James was in the thick of it and probably didn't know where to find them. It was too late to move now, they'd have to wait until the fighting settled.
The next few minutes went by in a blur. More people flooded in and out, and while Harry was little help other than being an inspirational sight, Regulus was useful. James always teased him about becoming a healer. The teasing part was because of his lack of bedside manner, which was "equivalent to that of a troll," but he was good at the spells and knew his potions. He caught Pomfrey giving him appraising yet approving glances as he worked. The whole experience kept him from dwelling on the increasing anxiety over where James was.
Harry only tried to escape once, claiming they needed to find the snake. Regulus had stuck his feet to the ground after that. Harry stood there pouting until familiar voices floated through the room. It was Sirius, supported entirely by Lupin and clearly injured. There was an overwhelming sense of relief as James trailed in behind them, he looked ragged, but walked upright and was talking with his friends.
Not wanting Sirius to see him, Regulus unstuck Harry and pulled him out of the room, hoping James saw the movement. Harry looked like he was about to fight Regulus over the treatment, desperate to check on Sirius, but James's quick appearance settled any fight he had.
Up close, Regulus noticed a nasty cut across James's forehead, but true to his first observation, he otherwise seemed alright. He was shaken but grinned at them, excited to see Harry again.
"Only Nagini is left," Regulus said and met James's eye. They had discussed this before, someone needed to go after the snake while someone watched Harry.
"Do we have any idea where she is? I haven't seen any signs of her," James asked.
"She's with Voldemort," Harry said.
Apparently, Harry had still been getting painful visions, and they could use that. "Can you see where he is now?" Regulus asked.
Harry nodded and closed his eyes. After a moment, he announced, "She's still with him, but in some kind of shield. They seem to be headed to the Shrieking Shack."
Regulus froze, and dread filled his veins. He'd sent Draco there. Why would the Dark Lord go to the shack? Had he found Draco? Draco was dead if he got cornered there. Panicked, he grabbed James and whispered into his ear.
"I sent Draco to the shack." James jerked and looked at him, instantly understanding what that meant.
"Mind if I borrow this?" James said, reaching for Harry's sword. Regulus's heart raced, knowing what James was thinking.
"You aren't going after the snake alone, are you?" Harry asked.
Instead of answering, James looked at Regulus, face tight, and Regulus had to pick. Draco or James. Risk James in the hope of saving Draco, or leave Draco to fend for himself, but the choice was obvious. He'd spent too much time with Draco, he couldn't forsake him, he had to do what he could. He gave James a stiff nod.
"Don't worry," James said, turning back to Harry, "I'm good with a sword." He threw it into the air with a twist, and Regulus would have rolled his eyes if the situation wasn't so dire. He flashed a grin and ran while Regulus tried to calm himself.
"We can't let him go alone!" Harry yelled after him and started to pull away.
"I can, and so can you," Regulus said, grabbing him. Harry scowled and pulled again. "I'll stun you if I have to."
"Do it then. I am not letting him get himself killed," Harry said defiantly.
Regulus growled but didn't stun him. Instead, he disarmed Harry before he had a chance to react and again and stuck his feet to the ground. Harry glared, but Regulus wasn't about to let Harry get himself killed, not yet anyway. Knowing Harry was restricted, he was compelled to check on Sirius again. He could lose James and Draco, and the thought of losing Sirius too was overwhelming, so he leaned back through the infirmary doorway.
Remus looked worried, which likely didn't indicate much since he'd be upset if Sirius stubbed his toe, but Regulus still watched as Pomfrey bustled about him. His wound looked nasty, but Sirius was still lucid. He watched for another few seconds until a noise caused him to look back at Harry. Harry was crying.
"Draco," Harry gasped, "Voldemort is trying to kill him." Regulus's stomach turned, this was all his fault.
"I know," Regulus said, swallowing down bile, "James will try to save him."
"I can't just wait here," Harry said, struggling against Regulus's spell.
"You will," Regulus said firmly, but Sirius yelled in pain, distracting him, and everything went to shit. At the moment he looked away, Weasley, having seen Harry trying to escape Regulus, freed him with a spell. Before Regulus could turn back, Harry had already grabbed his wand out of Regulus's hand and started running. Regulus cursed and tried to stun Harry as he barreled down the corridor. Harry dodged, and Weasley and Granger started firing at Regulus. He blocked them, yelling, "You idiots," and charged after Harry.
Around the next turn, they entered into a fight, and Regulus couldn't risk stunning Harry now. It would leave him too exposed and surrounded by Death Eaters. So he followed as Harry dodged through the battle. When the Whomping Willow came into sight, fully aflame, Regulus slowed, but Harry didn't. Embodying the true idiocy of a Gryffindor, he charged through the flaming branches for the secret passage. Groaning, Regulus followed behind him, but he was losing ground. In favour of sending curses blindly down the passage, he followed behind Harry quickly.
Regulus had closed in on Harry by the time they reached the Shack, so sent a tripping jinx. Harry tumbled to the floor.
"Stay behind me," Regulus said, as Harry got to his feet. Harry, realising Regulus wasn't going to stop him from getting to Draco, followed and they both entered the main room of the shack.
Regulus refused to be shocked frozen by what he saw. He'd sent Draco here, and he needed to deal with the consequences. He heard Harry lurch to stop behind him, but Regulus kept moving towards where Draco lay and James was hovering doing absolutely nothing.
"Move!" he shouted at James and slammed into his shoulder, pushing him away from Draco.
Regulus evaluated quickly. This was bad, but he'd been preparing for this since he got his body back. He should be able to do this, except Draco wasn't breathing. He immediately cast a spell to push air into his lungs, then felt at his neck. Draco's heart had stopped. "Corio Pulsium."
It was a muggle technique to keep his lungs and heart artificially moving. Despite all their flaws, muggles were quite stubborn when it came to medicine, and Regulus had never been so relieved that he rebelled against his pureblood ways. His mind raced as he inspected the other wounds.
In the last weeks, Regulus had researched snakes to prepare for Nagini. He knew they'd have to get close to kill her, and he knew that getting close meant getting bit, so he prepared for it. Best he could tell, Nagini's venom was dangerous for two main reasons. One, it stopped blood from clotting. That wasn't a concern yet, considering Draco had lost blood, but not nearly enough to kill him. Two, the part that was far more concerning was that she paralysed the victims. It was why she struck multiple times, to get the venom in as many places as quickly as possible to immobilise her victims.
Draco had taken several bites to his chest.
He used the same spell he taught Harry when he almost killed Draco last year. It fed Draco's blood back into him, but this time, he added a filter to remove the toxin. It was a recent spell he'd learned, and he regretted he hadn't gotten more practice with it, considering how slow it worked.
When he felt confident in the spells doing their job, Regulus finally took a moment to pause and think. He needed a way to seal the wounds. If only he could get Snape's spell right, but Draco would be fine for some time before that became a problem. He had the nagging sense that he was missing something.
The cold, echoing voice of the Dark Lord distracted him from further thoughts. "You were foolish in your decision. Blood has been spilt when it is unnecessary, but I'll give you another chance. Bring me Harry Potter, and this will end." Regulus cursed, they might have to up Harry's timeline.
"You have an hour." Regulus started a mental clock, knowing they needed to talk to Harry in the next hour. "Retrieve your dead," the Dark Lord ended, and it sounded almost smug.
The sense that he was missing something still weighed on him.
Then, it hit him.
"James," Regulus said quickly. There was no response, so he turned to find James sitting in a daze. "James," he snapped, and James met his eye.
"Where is the Snake?" James looked at him, confused. "Where is Nagini?"
"I killed it."
Regulus cursed. "We need to move."
James shifted upright and looked at Draco, "Is he -"
"I am not letting him die."
"But he wasn't breathing."
"Now he is." Regulus shifted, letting James get a proper view. "Help me move him."
James still wasn't processing and said, "Why?"
"Where do you think the first place Voldemort will look to for his snake when she doesn't return?"
James scrambled, finally understanding Regulus's urgency. Regulus looked around the shack and asked, "Where's Harry?"
"I don't know," James said eyes searched and he headed to the room's exit, still looking. Regulus had never seen him in this state of shock.
"Stop," Regulus shouted, "Help me move Draco, then find him."
James did as he was told but still looked overwhelmed. They moved slowly towards the castle, but their pace didn't matter with the ceasefire. No one tried to stop them, and even when they reached the friendlier faces, they only received sad or blank looks. As they moved, Regulus was able to remove most of Nagini's toxin, so he released the spells, artificially keeping him alive, but Draco was still losing blood despite his efforts.
"Have you seen Snape?" Regulus asked suddenly.
"Snape?" James asked like he'd never heard the word before.
"Snivellus?" Regulus clarified.
"I - no."
"He is our best chance of stopping this bleeding. I can't get his spell right," Regulus said angrily but kept trying to seal the wounds. If he could seal them just a little more, they could get Draco to Pomfrey. Or maybe they should just fetch her? But what if Sirius still needed her?
He barely recognised when James left and returned far faster than Regulus expected. Snape followed behind James glaring right into the back of his skull. Snape recognised them both, but as Regulus expected, and despite the shock, Snape helped Draco. The wounds healed hesitantly but enough to ease Regulus's concern. Draco would live. If they got Dittany from Pomfrey, Draco might not scar much.
"Where's Harry?" Regulus asked James, eyes still not leaving Draco.
"I don't know," James said and they both knew that was a bad sign, considering the Dark Lord's announcement.
Snape paused his work and said sadly, "He went to do his duty."
"What are you talking about?" James growled. Regret filled Regulus.
"The Dark Lord -" Snape started.
"Put a piece of his soul in him," Regulus finished.
"How -" Snape started, but James interrupted him.
"What did you tell him?" James snarled.
Snape sighed and closed his eyes. "The truth. He can't live while the Dark Lord does."
Regulus blinked, and James was on top of Snape, having already slammed a fist into Snape's face. He threw another punch, and Regulus remembered how terrifying James could be when it came to family.
"Stop! James, Stop!" James jerked up to look at Regulus. "He has the ring," Regulus said in a rush, "I gave Harry the ring."
"You did?" James asked, still frozen.
Regulus nodded, and James sagged, letting his arms fall. He released Snape, and James promptly stunned him. They both knew that Harry was well on his way to the Dark Lord if he wasn't there already. Regulus re-told James everything that happened after they separated, trying to convince him not to follow Harry, but just because they gave Harry the ring didn't mean this was over. They needed to make sure they got Harry's body back, with the ring, and preferably intact.
James collapsed against the wall, exhausted and stressed, but Regulus still felt the pressure of what was to come. This was his chance to get close to the Dark Lord and finally destroy him. He searched the dead bodies for a Death Eater's robe and mask. James watched him nervously as he stripped off the clothing.
"What are you doing?" James asked, he looked on the verge of tears.
"I need to make sure we get Harry back," Regulus said, throwing on the cloak.
"I can't do this again," James whispered and looked at Draco.
"We need to do this," Regulus said, determined. "Even if I die, you need to promise to bring Harry back. And don't let this one die again." He pointed to where Draco was still passed out.
"But -" James cut himself off. He knew.
"I will do what I can to get back to you," Regulus said.
James pulled himself off the floor and hugged him, tight, and he kissed James. It was excruciating, but Regulus forced himself to step away. He didn't have the heart to look back as he strode out of the castle and towards the forest. Regulus walked, using his arm as a guide, letting the pain lead him to where the Dark Lord was. He had just reached the forest when something suddenly changed. The Dark Mark flared and Regulus got the distinct sense that the Dark Lord had just moved, and far. Regulus cursed angrily. He had been so close.
It wasn't long until dark figures appeared in the forest, and Regulus fell in beside them silently. Some of the Death Eaters hooted happily, but none questioned him, their bliss kept them ignorant, and with that, it was confirmed what Harry had done. Trailing behind them all was Lucius Malfoy yelling threats at the groundkeeper, Hagrid, who was sobbing. In his arms was a limp Harry. Regulus immediately scanned for the ring, but only his right arm dangled freely, and the left was pinned under him.
They marched towards the castle, and a distraught crowd came flooding out to meet them. James was among the first and stared at Harry in Hagrid's arms, tears flowing. Several shouted Harry's name, but a stunned silence fell over the group as the Death Eaters basked in the grief. Then someone moved.
"Harry!" Sirius screamed, trying to pull out of Lupin's arms and raising his wand. Regulus metally cursed him. He was going to get himself killed, so instead, Regulus stunned him. Sirius fell limp, as another Death Eater yelled, "The next one of you that tries anything will get green sparks."
Lucius stepped forward, claiming leader in the Dark Lord's absence and said, "Consider it a gift that he left you the boy's body."
Hagrid let out another sob, and others yelled in grief with him. Regulus felt the tension grow, and his own worries about how this would turn grew, but he wasn't the only one who felt it. McGonagall stepped forward, hands raised, appeasing both sides. "This is a disgrace," she said, full of emotion.
"This is a mercy," Lucius sneered. "Consider yourselves lucky. The Dark Lord kept his word. He could always return to finish you off."
I wish he would, Regulus thought.
"The castle is his. Take your dead," Lucius said, gesturing for Hagrid. The half-giant strode forward, tears streaming. More people started to yell, and others raised their wands.
"Stop!" McGonagall yelled, turning towards the group behind her. "Stop." They hesitantly listened, and Regulus hoped they were exhausted enough to stay that way.
Lucius smirled. "I am glad you are choosing wisdom. The Dark Lord has won. There is nothing to fight for anymore."
"Go. Leave us," McGonagall said bitterly, yet firmly.
Lucius obeyed McGonagall, her whole persona begged to be respected. Some of the Death Eaters looked eager to stay, but Lucius, for all his cowardice and fault, was able to keep them mostly in line. By the sound of it, the Dark Lord must have ordered them to leave after delivering the body. At the promise of raiding a muggle town, they all started to retreat outside of the school grounds. Regulus lingered, watching as Hagrid gently lowered Harry to the ground.
Regulus stood shocked. He could finally see Harry's left hand and there was no ring.