Too Far Gone (Don't Save Me Book 4)

Chapter 20: Failure

Y/n will know what to do when the time is right. Those words had been stuck in my brain since yesterday when Kreacher had told me the truth of how Regulus died. He had not killed himself as we had all previously thought, but instead he'd died defying Voldemort, though I was still unclear as to exactly what he was doing when he died. As soon as Kreacher finished showing me the memory he'd broken into a fit of sobs, gently requesting to be left by himself. I figured I owed him a moment of solitude after what he'd given me: closure. I could finally stop wondering what had led Regulus down such a dark path, never knowing what made him finally end his life. I now knew he had not chosen to end his life but he'd died defying my father. Though this raised all new questions. What was he doing? How did he know Voldemort was my father? How long did he know? Did Voldemort himself know the truth back then? What was that locket?

I returned to Sirius, feeling confused, and he was surprised that I hadn't murdered the elf.

"He's just a lost little elf... he lost everything too, Sirius. I know that feeling all too well."

He nodded, taking my hand and rubbing circles along the back with his thumb. Suddenly I remembered the transfigured prophecy stuffed inside my pocket and I could feel myself growing nauseous. I told myself I would deal with it tomorrow as I focused on Sirius. He was alive and for now that was all I could focus on. We hadn't failed today but my father had and we would certainly have to pay for that later.

***

The next day I returned to Hogwarts, letting Harry know Sirius was alright. Albus called me into his office and I entered the room to find him and Minerva already there.

"Minerva!" I exclaimed! "You're back! How are you feeling? I'm sorry I didn't visit! Things were just so crazy and-."

"It's alright, dear," she soothed. "I'm glad you didn't leave. I'm glad you were here for Harry and the students." She pulled me into a hug just as an owl perched on the window, holding a copy of the Daily Prophet. Albus took the paper and gave the owl a bit of bread, petting its head softly.

"You still read that blasted thing?"

He chuckled at my comment. "It's best to know what the enemy is saying. Besides... sometimes it's a comical read."

I rolled my eyes, chuckling, as he unrolled the parchment. My smile quickly faded as Lucius's face caught my eye. He was one of the Death Eaters that had been arrested that night and his face was plastered on the front page of the Daily Prophet. Albus looked at me before turning the Daily Prophet over, finally realizing what I was looking at.

"I'm sorry, Y/n... we had no other choice."

I sighed. "He made his choice, Albus... now he has to live with that choice."

Albus nodded and a silence filled the room as no one knew exactly what to say.

"Well... I suppose I should be going."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Albus asked as I made my way toward the office door. My hand hovered over the door knob as the words left his lips. I turned, plastering on a smile.

"Of course I am, Albus. Why wouldn't I be?"

He sighed, nodding as I turned the doorknob, but I paused for a moment as Regulus's face flashed in my mind, followed quickly by the prophecy I had hidden in a drawer in my chambers. I hadn't been able to look at it yet.

"Y/n?"

"Did you ever see a... a locket? One that Regulus had?"

"Not that I recall. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just wondered."

His brows furrowed but he said nothing more as I left the office. I was heading to Severus's chambers when I heard a soft sobbing sound coming from the prefects' bathroom. I turned the corner and entered the bathroom, finding Draco huddled in a corner.

"Get out!" he yelled, not looking at me.

"Draco?"

"Y/n?" He looked up, his eyes widened in fear.

"It's just me, love." I slowly walked toward him, expecting him to yell at me again but he didn't.

"W-what's he gonna do to us?"

"Who, sweetheart?"

His eyes locked with mine and in that moment I knew exactly who he meant. What would my father do to Draco's family now that Lucius had failed? Now that I aided in his failure?

"I don't know, Draco... I don't know."

"He's expecting things, Y/n... from all of us... from me... from you."

"What does he expect?"

"Well, he expects you to join him."

"I know, love," I said softly. "But what does he expect from you?"

"I'm not sure yet... He says he has a task for me... once I take the mark."

My eyes widened. "Y-you're going to-."

"I have to," he interrupted, though his tone wasn't angry, rather it sounded sad as he spoke. "Father failed him. I'm the next in line otherwise... otherwise my parents could be punished."

I nodded, understanding what he meant.

"Are you coming back soon?" he asked me, a small glimmer of hope in his eyes. "He's calmer when you're around... they all are."

I was taken back by this as I had never thought about this. I'd never had a reason to. Was he truly so different when I was around? I suppose it made sense, given what I knew about him to be true, versus what I've experienced for myself.

Draco was still waiting for my response so I cleared my throat and answered truthfully.

"Yes, I'll be visiting a lot this summer."