epiphany ♕ | 𝗷𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

42

HOME, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING. You feel safe, wanted, and understood. But sometimes, that wasn't always the case. Home could be a prison, afraid to speak of what happens inside the walls of their house. People suffered, kids suffered, and there was nothing you could do. Regulus was one of those people. He couldn't speak of his family, burned off the wall as a result. It was torture, hell even. He felt inaudible after Sirius left. No one was there for him, not one soul. Regulus's mother was proud, but with one wrong move, everything would turn to ruins. His father, a despicable monster. He boasted about how perfectly pure they were, and it filled Regulus with rage. His cousin, Andromeda, had fled. She married a muggleborn, which they later had a daughter called Nymphadora. They weren't pure, not anymore. He praised his older cousin for following her heart, not caring about the malicious family that raised her. It was incredible, and Regulus envied her for it.

Summer was taking off roughly, and his mother was bothering him about the dark lord. He had turned 16 a couple of months ago, wishing he never had. Today was the day he dreaded his entire life, the dark mark. He was going to take an oath, serving the dark lord faithfully. Yes, he wanted this, but a part of him begged to run. But he wouldn't. He would stay strong and uncover the dark lord's deepest secrets. A key to the salvation of the wizarding world, he would take it. Regulus was risking his life, but he rather die a hero than die a traitor.

Regulus was patiently waiting for the dark lord to call him inside the room. The waiting area was dark, timid, and chilling. It sent shivers down his spine the more he gazed at the ceiling, counting down the minutes till he began to regret everything. Malfoy Manor. A hideous place where it felt like hell. Maybe it was his hell, one where he had to pay for the sins he'd made. The Malfoy's were loyal death eaters, Lucius's father being a right-hand man to the dark lord. Regulus thought Lucius was the filth of a man that didn't deserve his cousin, Narcissa. Being a pureblood meant arranged marriages, and soon he would have one.

"Regulus," Lucius called out to him, signaling towards the open door. "The dark lord is ready for you." Regulus gulped, taking in deep breaths. The moment was here, a very dreaded moment. He thought of Siobhán, begging him not to do this. But there was no going back from the terror he would cause. It all came down to this moment.

"Okay..." he stood up, fixing the cuffs of his shirt. He put one foot in front of the other, trying to act naturally. He entered the doorway, a long hallway leading to another door. That was it. The dark lord was in that room. Lucius shut the door behind him with a thud, scaring him. Regulus clenched his fist, trying to ease himself. He walked down the hallway. It felt like an eternity to get from one end to another, but he managed. He halted in front of the door, hesitating to grab the knob.

"Come inside, child." came a cold, thick voice from inside the room. Goosebumps raised all over him, clicking open the door. Regulus entered the room, shutting the door behind him. There was the dark lord, sat in a leather chair. All the rumors were true, the pale skin, red eyes, and a snake-like nose. Dark robes hung over him, reaching the floor. A snake was next to him, slithering around his feet. It was all surreal. Regulus was afraid. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, my lord." he put his hands behind his back, staring into the dark lord's red eyes. The dark lord nodded, taking out his wand. It looked like a bone, dark spots covering half of it. There was a handle carved to look like a bird's head. Everything about him was evil, and Regulus felt trapped. "Give me your left arm."

Regulus stepped forward, lending his left arm. The dark lord grabbed it, lifting the sleeve to show pale skin. It was smooth, bare, not knowing what was to come. The dark lord gripped onto his forearm tightly, his sharp nails piercing into his skin. Regulus bit down on his lip, watching the blood ooze out of his arm. It was painful, but that wasn't even the worse to come. The dark lord grabbed his wand, putting the tip to the center of the forearm. Regulus observed the wand's tip go deeper into his skin, piercing another hole into his arm. His breathing got heavier from the pain, trying his best not to retract his hand.  Strands of hair were falling on his face the more he ached, blood dripping on the floor.