Through Death and Destruction | Regulus Black

Chapter 20 - Better Sorry Than Safe

Amaryllis and Regulus sat in his room. Walburga couldn't tell them off now. It wouldn't matter if they were doing anything that would have previously been deemed inappropriate, they were married now, they were allowed privacy.

They weren't, however, doing anything. They were just sitting and waiting. Kreacher had disappeared with the Dark Lord. Regulus had volunteered the elf for the task when he was spoken to at the wedding, after Amaryllis' had already made her deal.

Amaryllis and Regulus were sitting in silence. Neither was happy with this arrangement. Neither wanted to be there but both knew that they didn't have a choice.

Suddenly they heard a crack and Kreacher appeared in the room. The elf stood shaking for a moment, dripping wet, before collapsing on the ground. Both teenagers jumped from their spot on the bed and raced over to the elf. Both were worried.

"Kreacher, what's wrong?" Amaryllis asked.

"Tell us what happened." Regulus said.

No words came from the elf. There was a slight rasp of his voice but no coherent words came out.

"Water." Regulus muttered. "Get him some water Amy."

Amaryllis jumped up and grabbed the empty cup off Regulus desk. It was dusty and looked as though it had been there for years. She knew this glass well. It had been on Regulus' desk since she had gotten there.

He had once told her that he'd taken a cup of water into his room but was too afraid of what his mother would say to take the glass out. He'd told Kreacher not to touch the glass either. Eventually the glass ended up staying on the desk just collecting dust.

"Scorgify." She muttered pointing her wand at the glass. "Aguamenti."

The now clean glass filled with water and she handed it to the elf. The elf took the glass gratefully and drank it. After multiple refills of the glass Kreacher could speak, although he was very weak.

"What happened?" Amaryllis asked echoing Regulus previous question.

She knew the elf would have to answer her now. There was none of the ambiguity that had previously existed. She was a Black and Kreacher had to respond.

"The Dark Lord took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea." Kreacher explained. "And beyond the cave there was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great black lake. There was a boat. There was a basin full of potion on the island. The Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it."

Knowing the Dark Lord the teenagers knew the potion couldn't have been anything good. They glanced at one another before looking back at the elf who was shaking again.

"Kreacher drank, and as he drank, he saw terrible things." He continued. "Kreacher's insides burned. Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for Mistress Amaryllis, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed. He made Kreacher drink all the potion. He dropped a locket into the empty basin. He filled it with more potion. And then the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island."

Amaryllis knew Regulus' anger would be rising at this. Her husband cared greatly for the family's elf. Kreacher was Regulus' closest friend. The complete disregard shown by the Dark Lord towards Kreacher made Regulus furious.

Regulus felt Amaryllis' hand close around his. She knew him and she cared. As the small group sat on the floor she leaned into him as a way of showing her support.

"Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island's edge and he drank from the black lake, and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface." Kreacher finished.