RISE OF THE FALL | R.B.

XXXII.

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter World belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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CHAPTER XXXII.

Slytherins weren't brave. They were cunning, they were sly, but they weren't brave.

But despite popular opinion, they stood for each other.

Slytherin House was probably the least-liked House by the other Houses at Hogwarts.

But within the web of secrets that was Slytherin, was a group of students, all enduring the same pain, but willing to endure it together.

So that was why when Regulus returned from Christmas Break desperately telling her of something he had to do—something that could change the world and save so many lives—she insisted that she go with him.

"Something to do with the destruction of the Dark Lord," Regulus had whispered to her urgently, "Something that could save lives, Reia."

And he explained it all to her. How the Dark Lord had split his soul and made Horcruxes and hid them—and that Regulus had found one and needed to destroy it. He explained everything—how the Regulus had volunteered Kreacher to go assist the Dark Lord...and how Kreacher had been taken to the cave without Regulus knowing...

"The Dark Lord is no longer mortal, Reia," Regulus whispered, his voice barely audible, "He turned Slytherin's locket into a Horcrux. A Horcrux, Reia. I'm the only one who knows. I can't tell anyone—and I have already told you, but only because I trust you not to tell the others. I must destroy it."

"I won't tell anybody. I'm coming with you," She had replied.

He had been frantic—not as he usually was—not calm—and it worried Reia. He'd told Reia that she didn't have to come—that if she preferred to stay in her dorm and just let him go. It was his job—his ambition—to want to destroy the Horcrux, and she had no obligation to go with him.

But she had told him that he had had no obligation to be her friend, either, and that he had no obligation to stand by her side despite her blood-status and surname. But he did it anyway. And so she'd do the exact same for him.

And that was why the two of them were now standing by a cavern, trying to work out how in the world they would get in.

"Blood Sacrifice," Regulus said,"My blood. Use my blood."

"What? No! I don't—,"

"Be quiet, Rei," Regulus groaned, before he scraped his arm roughly on the rock wall and smeared some of his blood onto the door. He winced in pain, but the door opened, and he took Reia's hand gently and carefully led her inside.

The lake seemed thick with darkness, and the surface of the water was still.

"The boat," Regulus said quietly, "It will only transport one wizard of age across the lake. I'm of age, you're not of age yet. Come on. We must find it first."

After finding the boat, they quickly got on, and made their way across the surface of the boat.

"I-is that a fish?" Reia asked, her voice shaky as she shivered and caught a flash of movement from within the water.

"No," Was all Regulus said. He didn't elaborate, and Reia decided that maybe she didn't want to know what it was that she'd seen beneath the surface.

Sensing her discomfort and fear, he took her hand in his and squeezed it.

They approached an island, and in the centre of it was a basin—filled with liquid.

"I'll need to drink it to find what I need to find at the bottom," Regulus said, "It can't be emptied. Inside, is a locket which contains part of the Dark Lord's soul. It is the Horcrux, and I must destroy it. Make me drink it, Reia. And don't stop until it's emptied." He pressed a locket into her palm and said, "Put this locket into the basin after you've removed the original one. Please. The basin should then refill magically. Please, be quick."

Reia watched, wide-eyed and unable to move as Regulus took the first sip from the cup. He jerked roughly and began to breathe raggedly, before giving the cup to Reia and saying, "Make me drink it."

So Reia did. Every last drop of the liquid, she forced down Regulus' throat, despite his attempts to shove her away.

He screamed and yelled and begged her, but she didn't stop—she knew Regulus.

She knew that he would've wanted her to continue.

At last, she found the locket at the bottom of the basin, and snatched it out, before replacing it with the locket Regulus wanted in there.

But at that exact moment, there was an eerie creak—and then thousands of corpses leapt out from the water.

Reia shrieked, and she heaved Regulus towards the boat, stuffing the locket into her robe pocket and snatching her wand out, thinking desperately of a spell to use.

Regulus was unconscious—he was muttering something, but Reia was too panicked to pay attention.

They are Inferi, Reia thought to herself desperately, What are they afraid of?

Then she thought of it.

With a quick movement of her wand, she had lit a torch, and when the first slimy hand reached out to grab her foot, she lowered her wand and set it on fire, which spread through to the other corpses—and soon the entire cave was in flames.

After the corpses had vanished, and the flames had died, Reia started crying.

The cave was empty—save for the lake, which was magically refilling itself with black water. There was no guarantee that the inferi would be gone forever—they probably weren't. This entire place was magical—whoever made this—whoever created this—probably the Dark Lord—wouldn't have just left it so the inferi were so easily defeated.

They must've...they would probably regenerate.

She knew she should leave, but she couldn't bring herself to move.

She collapsed onto the ground and held Regulus in her arms and murmured, "Regulus...Reggie...oh, Regulus...I'm so sorry. I should've drank that potion instead of you—Reg, I should have done something! I shouldn't have—,"

She choked out a sob and put her hand to his cheek—his skin was cold.

His skin was pale, and to reassure herself, she pressed an ear to his chest, listening for a heartbeat.

It was there.

She leant down and pressed a kiss to his forehead, her eyes welling with tears.

"Rei-a," Regulus whispered, his voice cracking halfway through her name, "Go. Leave me and go. The inferi will be back soon. Leave."

Reia shook her head, but she recovered her wits and slung Regulus back over her shoulders before making her way back to Hogwarts, with the locket in her pocket.

This time, she rubbed her own arm against the rock of the wall, and it was her blood sacrifice that freed them from the cavern.

Because Regulus had felt enough pain for a lifetime.

Author's Note:

Thanks so much for reading this chapter, it's a bit sad, but I hope you liked it anyways!

Vote and comment to let me know if you enjoyed it!

I'd really appreciate it. I hope Regulus and Reia are alright...keep an eye out for the next chapter to find out ;)

Thanks for reading!