If Only I Were A Marauder

Part 29

Warnings - abusive parents, appearance deteriorating, using unforgivable curse, dark magic, anxiety, anger, self blame

He stepped into the light. His looks had faded and Regulus and I looked at one another in horror. Gone was the handsome student we'd studied up on. The one with perfect grades and a trophy for acts of service to the school. This person didn't even look like a person.

His only remnant of his good looking self was the full head of glossy, dark, hair. His eyes were red, with slitted black pupils. His nose was in the act of disappearing, squished with long, thin nostrils. His lips were much thinner, and his horrible skin was so pale we could see every blue vein. A snake wrapped around his neck.

"Tom Riddle," I gasped.

"That isn't who I am," he growled.

"Voldemort," Regulus said now.

"You can call me Lord," he smirked and a skeletal hand caressed his snake.

"Our Dark Lord," Walburga said, adoration in her voice.

"Savior to wizard kind," Orion said proudly.

"I hear we have a love match," his voice was horrible.

"Yes," Regulus stepped forward, blocking me slightly.

"Prove it," he grinned.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Use the cruciatus curse one another," he demanded.

"What?" Regulus paled.

"Son, do as he says," Orion demanded.

"I won't hurt her," he snapped.

"I'm not asking that," Voldemort purred. "If you love her, it won't work."

"I won't!"

A hand cracked across his face and he fell back. Walburga had slapped him. I ran to him, standing in front of him.

"I was told you were on my side," Voldemort said with a chuckle. He raised his wand and I was terrified. I knew he wasn't afraid of the Blacks. For once, Regulus's name wouldn't do anything to save him.

"We have to do it," I said.

"I can't," he said weakly.

"It won't hurt me," I said.

"Fine," Regulus moved out from behind me.

"Wait!" I said, hoping I found the solution.

"We can't do magic outside of Hogwarts," I said.

"You're both of age," Walburga sighed at the weak attempt.

"We could go to Azkaban," Regulus tried.

"Darling," she rolled her eyes. "You know our house is warded too high heaven. I could kill someone and no one would know anything about it."

"Crucio," Regulus tried, and I felt nothing.

"Excellent," Voldemort smirked.

"Crucio," I tried, and I saw Regulus flinch. My eyes widened in shock. Regulus played it off easily. I think only the Dark Lord noticed.

"Oh how magic shows our true intentions."

"What do you require of us?" Orion asked. I felt myself disassociate. I couldn't believe what I'd done. This must be what Regulus felt like. I'd been lowered into a pit despair.

"Your house Elf," Voldemort said easily, playing with a locket that he pulled out of his pocket. I couldn't focus on anything but Regulus.

"Kreacher!" Orion shouted and Kreacher appeared. He looked frightened of the wizard before him.

"Come along," he said, and took the elf by the dirty, ragged dress, and disappeared.

"Why did you let him take him!" Regulus roared.

"He's our slave, we can do as we please," Orion said angrily. His fist landed a blow to Regulus's face. Regulus held his nose. The spell was broken and I ran to him, holding him close to me.

"That's for your hesitance and embarrassing us, if you want your girlfriend to stay safe, you will be more compliant,"

"May we be excused?" Regulus's voice was muffled.

"Go."

I helped him up to his room. When he reveled his face, his nose was bleeding.

"Don't fix it, they like the bruise," he said.

"Regulus, my curse worked, it hurt you. I am so sorry. I promise my love isn't fake. I didn't want to hurt you even a little," I said desperately.

"Oh darling I know," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You were angry. You're so talented at magic the spell probably took that anger and worked ever so slightly. I wasn't angry, I was scared, I was scared my inner roots would make it work. But you were angry, and it worked ever so slightly. You have to enjoy the pain for it to really work."

"See, you're so easy on me, you didn't blame me for a moment, that's how I feel about you. You can't help it when you wake up in that head space."

"Really? Not even for a second?"

"Of course," I said and kissed him. I didn't mind the blood. He kissed me back gently, because he was sore.

We spent the rest of the day cuddling, playing wizard chess, and reading. That was until Kreacher showed up in Regulus's room, soaking wet and looking horrified.

"Master Regulus, I must speak to you," he rasped.