Raven | 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 86

It hadn't taken more than an hour for Kreacher to return to the woods where Regulus awaited him, having found the location of the woman Regulus was looking for.

Lisa Goldman was in New York.

      It pained Regulus to leave his life behind, specially because everything had happened so quickly and he had lost the girl he loved. But he possessed Lord Voldemort's Horcrux; a piece of his soul. If the Dark Lord or one of his Death Eaters found him, they would kill him in a heartbeat.

     He had to leave as soon as possible, and as far away as he could, so he wouldn't put himself or his family in danger more than he already had.

     The only way he could survive, was to change his identity and to stop using magic, so they wouldn't be able to track him down. And Lisa Goldman was the only Muggle he had ever known, and he hoped that at least she could help him change his identity and adapt into the Muggle world.

Even though witches and wizards weren't powerful enough to travel by Apparation to another country, a house elf's magic was rather different. So having made up his mind, Regulus Disapparated away from the forest with Kreacher.

    Moments later Regulus opened his eyes once more when he felt his feet hit the ground, finding himself in an empty alleyway in New York, somewhere in the suburbs where there was no sign of tall towers and there were only little houses as far as eyes could work.

Regulus still felt weak in the knees and his eyes were slightly burning and were still red after all the tears he had shed. He was still trying to hold himself back from crying, even though it was proving to be impossible. It was even harder to keep on walking without his knees giving in.

"Thank you, Kreacher," said Regulus, offering the house elf a little smile. "I will miss you."

Kreacher bowed deeply. "Kreacher will appear any moment that Master Regulus wishes. Kreacher will forever remain Master Regulus's faithful servant." And then, in the blink of an eye Kreacher vanished into thin air with a loud crack.

Regulus took a deep breath, looking around him. He felt guilty for running away like that without explaining things to his parents, or even saying goodbye to them. Even though they hadn't been the best parents to him and especially to Sirius, Regulus couldn't return to them in fear of putting them in trouble. It was best for everyone to think that he was dead.

He felt like a coward for leaving the locket behind for Kreacher to destroy, but even the thought of it made him sick, because he couldn't get Alexandra out of his mind. He could no longer do magic without being reminded of her, without remembering her last word or the last time she had looked into his eyes. It still pained him, and he was sure that it was going to haunt him for eternity.

He could never forgive himself, but at least by changing his name and fleeing the country when everyone thought that he was dead, he could save himself and his family from Voldemort.

Regulus started to walk toward the house in which Kreacher had said that his childhood friend lived. She was the only one he knew that could help him change his identity and start all over again. He had no other choice. If he wanted to set his wand aside and stop doing magic in fear of being tracked down, this was the only way.

Once he reached their house, Regulus hesitated at first, wondering if this really was a good idea. But mustering all the courage he had left in him, Regulus raised his hand and knocked at their door, unaware that Muggles had a bell beside their house's door which he could ring.

No one answered at first. For a second, Regulus actually thought about turning away and running off. What if Lisa refused to help him, scared of his kind now that she had grown up? What if she chose not to trust him?