The Truth Behind the Veil ✔️

Now He's Mortal

1981 onwards

Four Marauders, eight Gryffindors, one final horcrux.

Fawn had been right. Regulus Black had been made into a dark magic artifact. He lived on through his family ring.

Dumbledore had retrieved it somehow. He never explained, only showing up days later with more damage to himself and a smile on his ageing face.

Fawn couldn't look at it. Her friends surrounded her. Every one of them were there to support the cause, to see the end of it all.
Fawn's hand tightened around the milky basilisk fang, her knuckles reddening and then turning pale from the pressure, but she knew it would not be her doing the honors. Not this time. She couldn't.

They were in Primrose Park, where it had all started. The first horcrux had been destroyed there so it was only right to bring the last one to its demise at the same location. The trees bowed forward. Birds stopped their rustling. Even the beetles that scurried among the dirt paused their journey to observe such a monumental occasion. The sun was shining. Children's laughter could be heard from the playground not far away. Cars passed Primrose park without a second thought, going about their day, groceries probably stuffed into the trunk, in a hurry to get them in the refrigerator before they spoiled.

Regulus was there again, just as the last time, and yet, he wasn't. He was there, the fact ever present in Fawn's aching mind. This time though, he wouldn't be there for support, wouldn't be watching as the fang made contact with the ground. This time he would be dying a second death. The last connection he had to the physical world would be destroyed, and any remaining pieces of his soul encased in the horcrux, destroyed with it.

Fawn felt someone press their hand to her shoulder in comfort, squeezing it softly. "You're crying." James' voice echoed through the quiet woods as Fawn wiped away the stray tears she hadn't been aware she had shed.

She hadn't worn makeup or fancy clothes for this reason. She knew she would cry that day. She had been right.

"Peter," she whispered.

The young man stepped forward. He hadn't been around much. Work in Diagon Alley had kept him busy and Order meetings kept him and Fawn isolated from the rest.

"Yeah?"

Fawn's hand shook. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, forcing away the remaining memories that haunted her at night.

Eyes opened and the woods came back into view. Fawn was ready. Ready to let this all go. Ready for the inevitable end of Voldemort and her return to the nineties if that life was still waiting for her. After this the only thing in the way was the mortal man himself. Taking him down would be difficult but not at all impossible. Fawn had changed history and she wanted to continue that.

Peter, in his last life, had been a villain but he wasn't now, and he never would be.

"I want you to do it, Pete."

The fang transferred hands. Peter's watery blue eyes widened. "Are-are you sure?"

Fawn swallowed the lump of emotion stuck in her throat. "Yes."

"Why me?"

They were so close to the end and everyone knew the truth anyway, telling Peter wouldn't hurt now.

"Last time, in my timeline, you had been a traitor to the Order."

The group around the pair froze, undoubtedly terrified for their fates.

Peter blinked rapidly, fear and guilt reflecting of him. "I—what? Why would I?"

Fawn offeredup a soft smile. "I don't know, Pete. The important thing is that this time things were different. I want your story to be told. I want you to a hero. I used to think there was no hope for you but I was wrong and I want that narrative that I, and others, had built to be change fully and completely. I want you to destroy this horcrux, Peter. Not for me, not for Regulus, not for the Order. For you. You've been so afraid of being the bad guy, of disappointing those around you. There is no way that will happen now. You are a hero now."

Fawn tilted her head towards the fang. "Destroy the ring, Pete. I believe in you."

Peter took a moment to let it all sink in but soon a small, grateful smile crept onto his face. "O-okay."

Peter walked slowly, nervously up to the ring, fang in hand.

"You've got this Pete," Sirius' weak, raspy voice whispered over the crowd.

He took three deep breaths. Fawn crossed her fingers behind her back and closed her eyes. She couldn't watch this. She doubted Regulus would have been too happy with her choice but for some reason she didn't care. This was the right thing to do, she could feel it.

A demonic shriek sliced the air. Peter fell backward, the basilisk fang now abandoned. The ring smoked in defiance but it was over.

"Now, he's mortal," said Remus.

Fawn shivered. "Yeah, now he's mortal," she repeated.

"I-I did it."

"I knew you would." Fawn smiled and hugged Peter tightly. He laughed while the group cheered him on.

The last step was killing the now mortal Voldemort himself. There was very real chance Fawn would be home soon.