Life After Death - An Erica Black Continuation (4)

Twenty Four

Erica Black sat at the edge of the lake in the cold, damp, cave room within the cliffside, her knees pulled close to her chest as she stared deep into the depths of the inferi infested reservoir. Gazing at the cloudy- almost milky water as it moved, unnervingly, in a way that made her stomach twist and flip. Her watch tolled 5AM and she sighed, knowing exactly what she had to do but dreading it she climbed to her feet, shedding her clothes like a snake's skin, the thought made her laugh dryly to herself for a moment as she thought back to her school days and her blood line- Slytherin through and through, until she was left in just her panties and a simple slip. She shuffled her bare feet against the rough rock, tracing the water's edge with her toes before taking a deep breath, pulling her wand from her hair, tossing it upon the pile of her clothes and, with her hair tumbling around her shoulders, she dove into the loch.

Flailing as she sank deeper and deeper into the water, trying her hardest to keep her eyes open and her mouth shut, passing by reanimated corpses left and right, dodging them as she plunged deeper, the further down she sank, the more decayed the inferi began to look, a particularly decomposed one sent a shiver down her spine.
Finally, one actively approached her. Inferi, as far as Erica knew, were supposed to be a relatively volatile, even aggressive, creatures and yet they all appeared completely oblivious to her presence... Except for this one... it's green skin, short black hair, green eyes... It stopped a metre or so in-front of her, it's expression softened as it reached out it's hand and traced it's knuckles across her jaw.
The moment it touched her with it's cold wet fingers, both it's dull green eyes and her grey ones rolled back into their skulls.

Taking a moment to look around, Erica found herself in 'Number 12 Grimmauld Place', a version that was white and clinical. After a moment, she realised where she must be she had, after all, been there before. Not there exactly- last time she had been in her-own childhood home and this time, it looked like they were in his. In-front of her stood Regulus Arcturus Black, her uncle who had died when she was only three years old. He was young and like her, had retained his youthful appearance since he'd died. He was eighteen when he had drowned, she had been but a year older and nineteen years old when she had died. He was handsome, not quite as much as her father had been but they shared a of haughty kind of good-looks.
"Hello again, Erica, my love" The tall, slender man shot her a wry smile.
"Regulus Black..." the petite young woman gasped softly, looking up at him in disbelief.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it? How old are you now?"
"19... well, 52. You?" She giggled, "It's 2028 by the way" she chimed in, noticing his hesitation.
"18... well, 67" he chuckled, joining in her laughter.
"Are you coming back with me...? At least that's what it sounded like earlier. You can I'm assuming? You must have unfinished business after all- I mean Merlin knows I did" She asked, offering out her hand to him.
"Yes," He grinned boyishly, "After almost fifty years of death I feel it's time to come back, I always did like to make an entrance.." he accepted her offer, placing his hand into hers and squeezing it tightly.

Taking his hand, Erica Black began to swim, tugging him up with her towards the land, avoiding dozens of infuri as she went until finally they broke through the surface tension and pushes Regulus onto the lake's edge, gasping for breath and pulling herself up after him.
"Merlin" she spluttered, collapsing onto the ground beside him, her vision fading in and out of darkness.
"Erica! Erica, are you with me?" called a voice as a pair of hands shook her lightly, the woman shivered violently, suddenly aware of the way her hair was straight and stuck to her cold cheeks, how her slip hugged every nook and cranny of her body, it was sodden and weighed down, dangerously close to translucent. She groaned in discomfort and slowly forced her eyes open, as her surroundings slotted into focus, she brought her hand up to run her fingers through her hair.
"Regulus...?" she moaned, pulling her body up to rest her weight on her elbows.
"Yes, It's me, I'm here. But we really ought to be going now.." the man fretted, pulling his God-daughter to her feet.

After a few dazed moments, Erica sprang into action, pulling on her clothes as hurriedly as she could. She checked her watch as she fastened her corset - 5:45AM. Once dressed, the young woman took the man's hand with her own and with her other, she waved her wand to dry her hair before tucking it into her boot.
"Come on" she exhaled tiredly, guiding him towards the exit.
They stood on the rock on the other side of the doorway being battered by the sea air, their dark hair fluttered by their faces. She reached out to hold on to the man and, after glancing at him and shooting him a reassuring smile before apparating with him and disappearing into the orange sky.

Sat in the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade village at dawn, Regulus and Erica Black drank as they spoke.
"Hey, why did the inferi ignore me, us? I thought they were rather hostile.."
"Ah.. Well I think it's most likely because you're already dead, It's also probably why they didn't attack me on our way back up, you see?" the man smiled at her woman sat next to him, taking a moment to observe her.
"Yeah... That makes some sense" she grinned, nodding her understanding.
"What's... What's coming, Regulus? In my dream, you said someone was coming, that they'd come twice before?" She asked, he brow furrowed in concern as she reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder.
"Death-eaters... There will be an uprising again Erica Black, they will try to return and we cannot permit that to happen." he watched as her eyes widened, whether from fear or realisation, he couldn't be sure.