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THE CAVE
seven and a half hours
"YOU CANNOT tell anyone about this Kreacher," Regulus instructed as he stared at the rock in front of them.
"Yes, Master," Kreacher replied as he steered their boat.
They had reached the cave and saw that they were blocked by a large stone wall. Kreacher docked the boat on the shore and they both jumped off. There was a door that had ancient runes on it.
"Blood sacrifice," Regulus murmured. "Kreacher do you have a knife?"
"Master?" Kreacher asked.
"A knife, Kreacher," Regulus repeated.
With a wary look, Kreacher snapped his fingers and a knife was instantly there. He handed it to Regulus, who upon taking it, sliced the palm of his hand. Kreacher cried out and cursed.
"Master!" Kreacher exclaimed. "You should have let Kreacher do it!"
"It is alright, Kreacher," Regulus muttered as he pressed his hand to the door.
Upon feeling the hot blood, it fell away and revealed a great cave. There was a river with inky black water rippling in it -- almost as if the water was breathing. Lonely, a small wooden boat was tied to a post with an oar, daring the intruder to further venture into the cavern.
And last, but perhaps the most important place, was the island that sat in the middle. The only source of light within the cave, it was hard to miss. Regulus saw a great pedestal atop it. He knew better than to summon it, it would have been too easy.
He carefully walked down to the boat and boarded it, Kreacher close behind him. Kreacher took the oar and pushed them off of the main island.
Regulus watched as the light outside moved farther and farther away. The sky was streaked with hues of orange and pink. The sun lit up the sky in its last, great finale of the day. He smiled, slightly, he had always liked the sky best during the sunset.
Once the sky was forever out of sight, he turned his gaze to the moving water. He squinted and could have sworn he saw something moving under it. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but a small glow, too small unless if you were truly looking for it, was also being emitted from the murky depths.
He body swayed as Kreacher docked the boat on the small island. He looked up at the island, but then saw movement and his gaze snapped down. There was a girl who looked to be about his age and it looked as if she was in a deep sleep.
"There's a girl," Regulus muttered as he climbed to the edge of the boat. "Or at least I think she's a girl."
Kreacher and Regulus observed her peaceful, sleeping form.
"Stay behind me," Regulus instructed as he drew his wand and tentatively stepped out of the boat. The moment his foot graced the stones, she gasped awake. She looked up at him with hopeless, crazed eyes.
"Help me please," she exclaimed breathlessly as she sat up and stared into his eyes with more desperation than he'd ever seen in his life.
"Who are you?" he asked as he looked at her cautiously.
"I don't know," she replied softly. "He's been keeping me here for I don't know how long."
"Have you met anyone else except for the Dark Lord?" Regulus asked.
She shook her head and gulped.
"Do you know how to get the locket?" Regulus asked.
She nodded her head. He looked at her expectantly. She pushed her hair to the side and he stepped closer so he could see it in the light of the pedestal.
He gentle ran his fingers over the mark on her neck, he could recognize that one anywhere.
How clever, a hero would never kill anyone. Even if it meant getting the locket.
"I see," he muttered.
From this vantage point he could see her eyes for the first time and he wish he hadn't. Her eyes were white and grey -- a swirl of cream and storm clouds. As he stared longer into them, a strange infatuation came over him. He could not find himself, nor could he imagine himself looking away. Their placidity called to him in a harsh whisper, beckoning him to the same fate.
"Hello," he whispered.
She looked at him in a quiet desperation. Begging him to save her. To let her leave and take back her hold on life, or at the very least, time.
