Eternal Light | Regulus Black

Fifth year at Hogwarts

I left Regulus's dorm late into the night. The party was over long ago so it was silent as I stepped to the common room. It was dark except for the green tint coming from the windows. I casted a lumos from my hand to see that I wouldn't step on anything.

I stood still for a minute, maybe longer. I felt light tugging on my sleeve, but there was nobody there. Go and see. My body kept telling me to follow the string that was tugging at me. It wanted me to leave the common room, to where? I did not know.

I stepped on the quiet halls, walking to where my body was telling me to go. I breathed quietly and I could barely hear my steps on the stone floors. Then the stone floors turned into grass as I walked beyond the school to the grounds.

The wind was whistling and it caused goosebumps to rise across my skin. I flinched as a single black crow flew past me, crying out loudly. I looked up to the sky and looked at the half shaped moon. At least it wasn't full moon, but that doesn't change the fact that I shouldn't be here. And yet I still walked further, following the string my mind made for me.

I walked just past the whomping willow, making sure I walked around it with enough distance. I came upon a hill and halted. I should have known. This wasn't the first time he'd done this.

"You came," Magni croaked. He looked awful. His clothes were slightly torn, his black hair had grown down to his shoulders, and his usual strong physique had turned into a lean, malnourished man.

"What is it that you want?" I asked coldly.

"They're getting closer to capturing me. Before that happens... I need to know. Did you find the locket?" Magni asked desperately.

"Find the locket? I haven't even looked," I narrowed my eyes at him. His shoulders slumped even more, his face conveying disappointment. I shifted uncomfortably but then stood tall. I wouldn't let him make me feel bad for not doing what he told me. He wasn't my teacher anymore, I didn't have time for one of his tests. He might have once been important to me. I had felt like I needed him. But he'd made me strong, strong enough not to be compliant to him. But as much as I was angry at him, I felt sorry for him too.

"The last time we met, you said my parents sent you, what did you mean?" I asked the question that had been burning in my throat for months.

"I'm sorry lux aeterna, there's no time. I've been here too long as it is," Magni shook his head apologetically. There it was again, lux aeterna, eternal light.

"Fuck that. I need answers and you're going to give them to me," I hissed.

"I know, this isn't fair —"

"Fair? Nothing in my life has ever been fair, but if you leave without telling me anything, that isn't just unfair, it's cruel," I shook my head with unshed tears stinging in my eyes. He studied me for a second, but he hadn't left yet, so maybe — maybe he'd tell me something.

"Your parents knew that you were different once you were born. They knew you'd have different abilities than regular witches. I don't know how they knew — but they asked me, their friend, to teach you the ways of combat. A day later they were killed."

I listened intently, clinging to every single word he was saying.

"Your uncle, he had no idea. Your parents didn't tell him, they did everything they could so no one would know. So when you were sent to live with him, I befrended him, in hope that one day, he'd hire me to teach you. I manipulated him into thinking I was going to train you to become a strong witch that would be an asset to Voldemort, but that was never my goal."

"So what is? What's the point?" I said desperately.

"You are —" Magni started but then a shadowy figure appeared behind a tree, drawing a long knife from his waist strap.