48: Regulus Black - Runaways Part Two

Warning! This is part two of two so it'll only really make sense if you read part one. Also there's mentions of self-harm.

House: Ravenclaw

 It had been fifteen years since Regulus and I ran away, and during that time a lot had happened, including the fall of Voldemort. We still decided it was better to stay anywhere but Britain, as the Death Eaters were fiercely loyal and despite him being gone, were still afraid of Voldemort. Only Regulus and I knew that Voldemort wasn't truly gone, as we were carrying a part of his soul with us.

Despite being in possession of the evil artefact for almost fifteen years we still hadn't figured out how to destroy it. We hadn't even managed to open it despite many attempts. Regulus resorted to trying to use the killing curse on it, but as it was an inanimate object it didn't work. We figured the only way it would work is if we could open it, his soul likely being embedded inside. Together we came to the conclusion that, as the locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin and Voldemort, the chances were that only parslemouths were able to open it.

For a while we decided to cast the object aside, to focus on us and simply surviving however when we heard that Voldemort had tried to use Flamel's philosophers stone to re-incarnate himself, we knew we needed to destroy it as soon as we could. I held the object in my hand, staring at is as I sat at our desk in our small house.

Reg had gone out to the store for food leaving me alone with it, holding the evil object. Once again I fruitlessly tried opening the locket, knowing it wouldn't work and that we'd have to know parsletongue. That was when it hit me, and I immediately ran to find my old copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

I flicked through until I reached the Basilisk section, my eyes widening when I saw that it had the most poisonous fangs out of any magical creature known to wizardkind. I grabbed Hogwarts: A History and began to flick through until I reached a section on Salazar Slytherin, and the rumours of the Chamber of Secrets. Trapped within it was meant to be a beast so deadly that only the true heir of Slytherin could control in other words only a parslemouth could control. "It's a basilisk! It has to be a basilisk, that has to be the answer!"I exclaimed to myself.

Just then the front door opened and in walked Reg carrying a couple of brown paper bags. "Hey, care to lend a hand?"

"Reg I've cracked it!" I said excitedly, taking ahold of a bag and putting it on the kitchen counter.

"What?"

"I know how to destroy it!" I said excitedly and his eyes widened. "At least I think I do... it all fits, here," I handed him Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. "A basilisk's venom can kill anything!"

"So can the killing curse but that didn't work," Reg said sceptically but I rolled my eyes.

"Their fangs can also penetrate anything, so if it could penetrate the locket the venom could kill the horcrux!" I said happily.

"Even if this theory is plausible, how the hell do you expect to find and control a basilisk? They're illegal to breed and impossible to control, it's not as if a pet store would be selling them," he said sarcastically.

"I think there might be one at Hogwarts," I said simply and he froze on the spot.

"Come again?"

"Look at this," I handed him Hogwarts: A History. "Bagshot talks of the Chamber of Secrets being Slytherin's creation, and it containing a 'horror' so foul that only he and his true heir can control it. Only parslemouths can control basilisks, and I think this so-called 'horror' is a basilisk. There's a basilisk at Hogwarts Reg, I'm sure of it," I said and he sighed.

"(y/n) I think the Chamber of Secrets is a myth. There's no true proof that it exists, no matter was Bagshot's written," Reg said.

"Isn't it at least worth trying?" I asked desperately and he sighed.

"Voldemort's just returned to power (y/n). If we go back home now it's going to be incredibly dangerous," he was nervous and so was I, but this was a solid theory that we were both determined to try. "Fine... you're right, it's worth a try."

"We'll have to find a safe place to hideout before we can contact Professor Dumbledore," I said and he nodded.

"I think I know just the place."

- Timeskip -

We stood outside a row of grand looking white houses in London at 01:00. It was dark and there was nobody around as Reg stepped forward towards the building and waved his wand. My mouth dropped open as a house began to grow between number eleven and twelve-a, it's exterior matching those around it.

Reg took in a deep breath before taking my hand and leading me up to the door. When we stepped inside the house it definitely wasn't what I expected: the floor was old and splintered, the wallpaper was coming away and the chandelier was dim and dusty. The whole hallway seemed dark and dingy, but a painting on the wall caught my attention. In it I saw two strict-looking parents and a young Sirius and Reg. "Reg was this... was this your home?"

"Once upon a time, yeah," he said gloomily. Up ahead we suddenly heard a creak, causing us both to reach of our wands. We held them in front of us, staring into the darkness when suddenly a figure came round the corner. I was about to cast a spell until the figure came into the light and my eyes widened in shock. In front of us stood Sirius Black, Reg's older brother.

Immediately I looked at Reg who was staring at his brother in shock. Sirius was staring back at him, until he suddenly ran and crashed into him, enveloping him into a hug. "S-Sirius-,"

"I thought you were dead! You damn idiot Reg!" Sirius cried. Hearing this made Reg hold his brother tightly in return, him muttering many apologies under his breath.

"I should've listened to you Sirius, I'm so sorry," he begged and Sirius shook his head.

"I'm just so happy you're alive," Sirius whispered emotionally.

"Since you escaped Azkaban I... I wondered about trying to get in contact but I wasn't sure you'd want to see me," Reg said honestly but Sirius shook his head, pulling away from him.

"You're one of the few people I love Reg. I'm... I'm just so glad you're here," Sirius said. They shared another heartfelt hug making me smile, knowing that despite their falling out all those many years ago, they still loved each other immensely. "And (y/n)... it's been a while," Sirius turned to me and I smiled, nodding.

"I'm glad to see you're okay now Sirius," I said and he nodded, pulling me in for a hug as well. He led us through to the drawing room, it being just as dark and dingy as the hallway.

"I'm... er... sorry to hear about the Potters by the way," Reg started and Sirius sighed.

"Yeah... well I still have Remus, and Harry now," Sirius said with a smile.

"Who's Harry?" I asked and Sirius' eyes lit up.

"He's my godson. James and Lily's son. He's the light of my life," Sirius said, showing me a picture of his godson that he kept in his pocket. I smiled at the photo of Harry who was stood with a ginger-haired boy and a bushy-haired girl.

"I'm sorry Sirius, for everything," Reg said as he looked at the picture. "Listen... I know you might not trust me anymore and I understand that but (y/n) and I had to disappear... we had no choice. Now though we need to speak to Professor Dumbledore."

"What? Why do you need to see Dumbledore?" Sirius asked, seeming surprised and Reg and I exchanged looks.

"I think we need to tell him," I admitted and Reg nodded. Reg began to explain everything, including what happened to Kreacher and the locket he managed to retrieve from the cave. We were very hesitant but we finally explained what the locket was, and why we needed to seek Dumbledore. Sirius looked like he was having immense difficulty processing all of this information which was understandable, and we repeatedly enforced the confidentiality of this information which Sirius agreed to keep a secret, even from Harry.

"There's gonna be an Order of the Phoenix meeting here tomorrow. You won't be trusted Reg, if you still have the mark," Sirius said firmly.

"It's a good job I don't have it then," Reg said and Sirius furrowed his eyebrows. Reg lifted his sleeve to reveal his scarred forearm, where only patches of the dark tattoo remained. I flinched when I saw it, remembering what Reg had done to himself in an effort to get ride of it.

- Flashback -

Carrying the local newspaper, I headed back to our small house but just as I was about to enter I heard something that made my stomach drop. Reg's screams echoed through the door and I immediately leapt inside, my wand raised and terror filling my body. I found my boyfriend on the floor in our kitchen, a bloodied knife next to him. He was screaming as he poured boiling hot water over his Dark Mark, it having cuts through it made by the bloodied knife. "REG!" I screamed, kneeling down beside him and trying to pry the boiling hot kettle from his hands.

"NO!" He screamed, pushing me away as he continued to pour the boiling liquid onto his bare, blistering skin.

"REG STOP IT!" I screamed, pushing the knife away and pulling the kettle from his hands, chucking it across the room. His skin was blistering from the heat of the water, the blood and pus mixing. He looked feint, tears leaking from his eyes making me cry also. I immediately lifted him as much as I could, taking him over to the sofa and getting the first aid kit. "Why Reg? Why would you do that?" I cried.

"J-just in case he... he could..." Reg was panting, looking close to passing out. "In case he... could... follow..." he slowly passed out making me panic but he still had a pulse, so I just laid him down and treated his wounds, unable to stop my sobs from escaping.

- Flashback over -

Since that incident the wounds had healed but large scars were left in its place, them covering the majority of what was once the Dark Mark. "R-Reg..."

"I know they won't trust me, but I don't care. We need to speak with Dumbledore and no-one else," Reg said firmly and Sirius nodded.

"Listen, it's been a long day, we should probably get some rest," I said and the two boys nodded. Reg took my hand and the three of us made our way up the stairs.

"Reg," Sirius stopped my boyfriend on the landing. "Thanks for coming back."

Reg blushed and nodded, averting his eyes and heading straight for his room. I smiled at Sirius and followed Reg, shutting his bedroom door behind him. "You missed him, didn't you?" I asked soothingly, sitting on the bed beside him.

"I guess... it's just difficult. It's been so long and so much has happened in our lives that it's a bit difficult to talk to him... but I'm glad he's okay," Reg said and I nodded.

"Come on, lets get some sleep. I think tomorrows going to be a difficult day," I said in an attempt to be lighthearted, but we both knew it would be true.

- Timeskip -

Our wish to see Dumbledore had been granted and we now sat, waiting for him in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place with the locket on the coffee table in front of us. People at the Order were surprised to see Reg was alive, and it took a while for a lot of the members to trust him but seeing Sirius' trust in him helped everyone else to see the good in my boyfriend. Sirius and Reg had been getting on very well - I think they were both just happy to see each other alive and well after what had happened between them when they were young.

As soon as the door creaked open and the familiar old man with his long grey beard walked in we stood. He stared at us for a moment before a small smile appeared on his face. "Regulus, (y/n). I'm glad to see you're both okay."

"Thank you professor," Reg said calmly.

"Your brother has rigorously informed me of your innocence Regulus, but I would like to hear your story if it's not too much trouble," Dumbledore said kindly, sitting on the sofa opposite us.

"That's actually why we requested to see you... we have information, important information that could help bring You-Know-Who down," Reg said and Dumbledore's eyebrows rose.

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" He suggested and so we did. Reg told him of what it was like when he started out as a Death Eater, and how You-Know-Who's true ideologies were revealed to him. He informed him of what happened to Kreacher, of the cave, the poison and the retrieval of the locket. When Reg started to explain what he believed the locket was, Dumbledore's face went white as a sheet. "A horcrux? That's impossible..." Dumbledore muttered.

"I don't think it is sir... we've researched horcruxes whilst we've been away, and ways in which to kill them. It's been hard... but we definitely believe that this object is You-Know-Who's horcrux and we think we might have a way of destroying it," Reg explained and Dumbledore looked up at us quickly.

"I think it's possible with the venom of a basilisk sir," I explained what I had found out, Dumbledore listening intently, hanging onto every word. When we had finished explaining he stood up and rubbed his chin, pacing back and forth. "Professor... is there a basilisk at Hogwarts?" I dared to ask and he stopped pacing.

"Yes," he finally answered and Reg and I exchanged looks. "It was killed by Harry Potter three years ago... but a basilisks venom is so powerful it can last even after its death..." Dumbledore picked up the locket and could immediately sense the evil radiating from it. He was glancing between it and us, clearly deep in thought. It seemed as though he was still skeptical to trust us but the determined looks on our faces must've convinced him. "Very well... will you allow me to take the locket? I believe I can destroy it... I simply need to take it back to Hogwarts to do so."

Reg and I exchanged looks, us having grown oddly protective of the item over the years. "Of course, sir," I said and he nodded.

"I'm glad you're both back," Dumbledore gave us a smile. "And I'm glad to have you both on our side."

"Thank you professor," Reg said, sounding a little emotional. I grasped his hand as Dumbledore bade us a farewell, and as soon as he left we hugged each other tightly. "We did it, (y/n) we did it!"

"He'll be mortal again, once Dumbledore destroys it! We finally did it!" I exclaimed, feeling elated.

"I think this is cause for celebration," he smiled brightly, us kissing passionately.

"Well done guys," Sirius interrupted us, stepping into the drawing room. We quickly pulled apart, seeing Sirius with a raised eyebrow. That evening we all spent time celebrating, believing we had massively helped You-Know-Who's defeat but little did we realise that this was only the tip of the iceberg.

- Timeskip - - Two Years Later -

Once again I found my now husband in his deceased brothers bedroom, staring at a picture of him and his three friends which was stuck to the wall. "Reg sweetie," I distracted him from his thoughts. "Dinners ready." A lot had changed since we had come back: Sirius had been killed, Dumbledore informed us that he believed there was more than one horcrux before he was murdered by Snape who then took over Hogwarts.

Dumbledore had left the task of finding the remaining horcruxes to Harry, Ron and Hermione, Harry having grown close to Reg since Sirius passed. A few months ago the trio stayed with us, and we of course offered to help them find the remaining horcruxes but I was thirty-six weeks pregnant at the time, so they insisted they'd be fine and would want Reg and I to stay at Grimmauld Place so that we could have the baby safely.

Now it was May and I was carrying our baby girl, Sophia, in my arms whilst humming a tune to her. She was almost asleep against my chest and I couldn't help but smile, as Kreacher heated up some milk on the stove ready for her afternoon feeding. A pounding of heavy footsteps sounded and Kreacher and I exchanged odd looks as Reg suddenly burst through the door making Sophia jump and start crying. "Reg what the hell is wrong?"

"We've just received a message from the order! Harry's at Hogwarts, and they've sent out an urgent message requesting everyone!"

"What? Okay, lets go!" I said desperately.

"No!" Reg stopped me and I furrowed my eyebrows. "You can't go, you have to stay here with Sophia," he said firmly.

"Reg I'm going to fight," I said sternly.

"You can't! I'll go, you need to stay and look after Soph!" He insisted, stroking our daughters growing hair.

"I'm not going to let you go to this alone," I said, cupping his cheeks.

"I'll be fine, I'll be back-,"

"No Reg, I am going with you! Kreacher, I need you to look after Sophia," I turned to our house-elf who had been surprisingly good with our daughter. Reg had wanted to make him Sophia's godfather but that was a position only for humans. Still, it didn't knock Kreacher as he still played with her and she seemed very fond of him despite his admittedly quite scary appearance. "Kreacher can look after Sophia while we're gone. We're going to end this once and for all, and we'll come back to raise our child not having to be in hiding," I said desperately. He looked between me and our baby.

"This is war (y/n). Think about what will happen to Sophia is we... if we both don't make it," Reg said, wrapping his arms around me and tears came to my eyes as I looked at my daughter who clearly had no understanding of what was going on.

"We'll make it back," I whispered.

"Sophia can grow up without a father, but she needs her mother-,"

"Don't say that Reg!" I said desperately, holding onto him tightly. "We'll both make it back! I won't be able to be here whilst I know you're fighting in a war! We'll make it back, we'll make it back for our baby!"

There was a pause before Reg sighed, nodding. "Okay, okay lets do this." We placed Sophia in her cot, assuring her we'd be back soon. Kreacher promised to take good care of her, and the two of us apparated to the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade, then using the secret tunnel to follow the rest of the Order into Hogwarts. Reg held my hand tightly, but my mind was filled with worry. I was scared Reg thought he was expendable, him saying that Sophia would be fine without a father.

"Reg," I pulled on his arm as we reached Hogwarts. "I love you, and Sophia loves you. She needs you Reg, we both do so please... don't do anything stupid," I whispered. He cupped my cheeks and pulled me into a loving kiss, holding onto me tightly.

"I promise I won't," he whispered and I smiled a little, happy to be in him arms. We immediately got to work with the rest of the Order, helping to create the shield around Hogwarts whilst everyone got ready for battle. The students were more than willing to fight for what was right, us all having to mentally prepare ourselves for what was about to happen.

We found Harry, hugging him tightly feeling relieved that he was okay. "What about Sophia?" He asked quickly.

"Kreacher's looking after her. Once we win this thing we can come out of hiding, and everything will be right again," Reg said confidently and Harry smiled. He quickly hugged Reg again before heading off down the Hogwarts corridors with a girl who had long blond hair. "C'mon (y/n), lets take our positions."

- Timeskip -

The war was brutal, and many lives had been lost including Lupin and his wife, Reg's cousin, Nymphadora. When we saw their bodies in the Great Hall after Voldemort's forces had retreated, I couldn't help but let out a tear. Reg wasn't really sure how to react, but we comforted those around us particularly the Weasley family who were mourning the loss of one of their children. "Where's Harry?" Reg suddenly choked and we looked around, panicked but I pointed out Ron and Hermione walking into the Great Hall. Reg quickly approached them and asked them the same question, but they gave us a solemn look as an answer. "No... no!"

"He has to!" Hermione shouted, tears streaking down her face. "He's a... he's a..."

"He's a horcrux," I finished the sentence for her and she nodded, crying into Ron's shoulder. Reg looked as white as a sheet, tears coming to his eyes as well. "I-is that it then? Without Harry are we... have we... lost?"

"No, the snake, she's the last horcrux," Ron said bitterly, keen to avenge his best friend. "And we've got plenty of fangs. The snake is the last horcrux and then it's just him!"

"We have to do it... for Harry, for everyone," Hermione mumbled into Ron's chest and I nodded. Over their shoulder and out of the Great Hall I spotted a large crowd of Death Eaters crossing the bridge and heading for the school. Slowly a crowd of us formed as we exited the hall to meet the Death Eaters in the courtyard, them looking smug with victory. Reg gripped my hand tightly, silently assuring me we still had a chance as Hermione and Ron explained.

Seeing Harry's lifeless body being carried by Hagrid was heartbreaking, and I had to hold onto my husband tightly to try and calm the sobs that threatened to escape. Sudden cheers and gasps from around me caught my attention however, and I looked up to see Harry alive, and attacking the snake, Voldemort looking panicked and a few of the Death Eaters behind him fleeing. "This is our chance (y/n)!" Reg shouted, taking my hand.

Harry turning out to be alive gave fresh hope to everyone. We were all fighting with new-found strength, determined to avenge those who had lost their lives not just this evening but throughout the entirety of Voldemort's returns to power.

Soon however I found myself up against Bellatrix, and my stomach twisted with anger and fear. I was a skilled wizard when it came to battling but she was ruthless and careless, which led to her being better. I couldn't keep up with her, and she ended up disarming me, my wand flying from my hand and out of sight. She pointed her wand at me, laughing maniacally, and I prepared for a hit but non came. I opened my eyes and saw my husband stand in front of me, his wand tightly in his hand as he had just deflected the curse that she had sent towards me. "Regulus? You're alive?!" She screeched, apparently shocked to see her cousin.

"You killed Sirius," he spat with venom dripping from his words. "I will not let you hurt my wife too!" He immediately sent spell after spell in her direction, knocking her backwards and overwhelming her with strength. She was clearly panicked, trying to fight back but she couldn't over-power Reg. He managed to knock her wand from her hand and I immediately scrambled to pick it up. We towered over her, her collapsing on the stone and looking up at the two of us, terrified.

"You're so pathetic," I hissed, pointing her own wand at her.

"This is for Sirius," Reg said and a priceless look of fright appeared on her face just as Reg hit her with an overpowering spell, her body laying limp on the ground. I snapped her wand and chucked it on her lifeless body, taking Reg's hand and dragging him away from his evil, murderous cousin. In the distance we were able to spot Harry and Voldemort, but as we rushed to help we were shocked when Harry sent one last spell towards him, defeating the dark wizard.

Everyone around us watched as Voldemort seemed to disintegrate, realisation of his defeat written on his features as he began to fall apart. As he died more and more of the Death Eaters fled - the only ones that remained were those who had been captured or those who had been killed.

There was an eerie silence as everyone around us tried to soak in what had happened. All of his horcruxes had been defeated. All the Death Eaters had fled. We had won the war.

Immediately I leapt into my husbands arms, holding him tightly feeling incredible happiness at the fact we'd be able to see our little girl again. It felt as though it had been an age since we last saw her, but it had only been about twenty-four hours. We knew there was still a lot to do, but we could now come out of hiding and help the world right everything that went wrong.

Harry soon had a group of cheering fans around him, and it was obvious that he was still coming to terms with what had just happened. We smiled as we watched, only wishing that Sirius could've been here to watch his godson save everyone. "Thank you (y/n), Regulus," Harry said, coming up to us with an emotional smile. "If it wasn't for you two... well I don't know if we would've been able to beat him at all."

"Harry," I pulled him in for a hug, happy tears in my eyes. "You know Sirius is proud of you don't you?"

"I hope so," he whispered. "You should go home and see Sophia, I'm sure she's missing you."

"We will. We'll come back though to help with... with everything," Reg gestured our surroundings. Harry chuckled and nodded before rejoining his friends. We apparated home, keen to see our little girl and our house elf again, and as soon as we opened the door both came rushing towards us.

"Daddy!" Sophia cried, Regulus picking her up and holding her tightly.

"We're home," he whispered, poking her tummy making her giggle.

"It's all over," I said and he let out a big sigh.

"Finally."