𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 | 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵

Perhaps it is almost a relief when, during the winter break, Cherry gets an owl from Regulus. The letter reads as very cryptic, which in itself hints at it being something related to the Dark Lord. But if Cherry is being honest with herself, despite having chosen to stay at Hogwarts of her own volition, she's finding it suffocating. She's constantly having to put on an act, pretending to be a sweet, friendly, happy Hufflepuff, and she's been feeling like anything but.

Hearing from Regulus and helping him, no matter how vague the letter is, seems to be the perfect distraction.

Or so she thought as she headed down to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, spelling the snow to cover her tracks for her. Seeing the expression on Regulus' face once she reached her destination changed her idea.

He hasn't spoken to me all year, why did I hope that this would be anything but life-threatening?

"Do I want to know?" Cherry mutters, once she is next to the Slytherin.

"Y– You need to help me," Regulus whispers frantically, almost desperate in a way that Cherry had never seen him.

Cherry's eyes widen and she bites her bottom lip, taking a step back unconsciously. "What is it?"

"Treason," he breathes, pausing dramatically in true Black fashion, though the situation is too dire for Cherry to truly take amusement in it. After glancing to the side, Regulus continues. "I– I found out about something—something about the Dark Lord. It's bad Cherry. I want out. I know you never really wanted to be on his side, not before me. So, help me."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Cherry whisper-shouts. "Treason? Betrayal. Fuck, Regulus, I'm not suicidal. No one with a Dark Mark has any—"

"I know what I said!" Regulus exclaims. "But what I saw. . . He uses dark magic in more awful ways than you could imagine. Soul magic."

Cherry pales, "Y– You can't— No, you're joking. You have to be."

"He has a Horcrux. Maybe more than one."

Cherry, coming from a Dark family, knew that word. She knew exactly what it meant. "N– No, that's— that's madness, Regulus. . . One is bad enough. No one with any sense would go for—"

"I know where it is. He asked me over the summer, to lend Kreacher to him so that he could keep something safe," Regulus says. "And he asked the same thing of Cousin Bella, only to lend her Gringotts Vault. But he left Kreacher for dead." Regulus hisses. "Even if I hadn't realized that what Kreacher was describing was a Horcrux, I would've betrayed the Dark Lord for that, but that thing is going to drive the Dark Lord mad. No respectable wizard follows a madman."

"T– Two Horcruxes. . . We're kids, Regulus. Not even seventeen yet. What do you expect us to do?" Cherry says incredulously. "Unless you just happen to have extra Basilisk venom lying around!"

"I have a plan. There's a locket—one of his Horcruxes. I know where it is, and I've been practicing my Fiendfyre. We have to destroy it."

"Please tell me it's not the one in fucking Gringotts," Cherry hisses.

It is Regulus' turn to stare at Cherry with incredulity. "I'm not suicidal. No one breaks into Gringotts. No, I'm talking about the Horcrux he forced Kreacher to hide. He can take us there."

"Hold your broomsticks," Cherry says, when Regulus moves to summon his house-elf. "Who says I'm agreeing to this? My strengths lie in combat and Arithmancy, but even I have no control over Fiendfyre. How do I know you're not going to kill me with yours? And what is your plan beyond this one Horcrux? Yeah, you can probably convince your Malfoy cousin to give you access to her vault—Narcissa seems to be the type that's easily convinced—but what about Lestrange? What are you going to do if the Dark Lord finds out?"