Ultimatums

Chapter 36

Hermione felt a press against her cheek, a kiss. She opened her eyes, her eyelids stinging from lack of sleep, and found herself in Regulus's room. On his bed. Him in his boxers, walking over to his wardrobe.

Scrambling to check, she found herself in yesterday's clothes.

Sighing, Hermione asked "What's going on?"

"I woke you. You fell asleep in my room, and we need to leave soon." Regulus paused and looked up "why are you still here? Get out. I'm changing"

Hermione rolled her eyes and rested her head back on the pillow "I'll close my eyes. Your bed's too comfortable."

"Are you still mad with me?" she added hesitantly.

Regulus waited a moment, before tugging on his mother's favourite dress trousers. "No. Just annoyed. Though I'll put it aside for today. Today's important"

Hermione nodded, before standing and leaving the room as Regulus began to button up his crisp white shirt and look for his matching robes.

☏

Hermione took a deep breath and Regulus's hand as they stepped through the main hall of Malfoy Manor. He flinched from her touch, though he kept her hand in his and they moved into the room where the last meeting had taken place.

Tom Riddle sat at the head of the table, Abraxas Malfoy at his side. He nodded to the two seats in between the Lestranges and a man called Parkinson.

"Welcome" he said eerily, and every pair of eyes were turned to them.

"Thank you for having us, My Lord" Regulus inclined his head, and Hermione nodded too.

"If you'd like to follow me, Mr Black. Miss Potter, Bella, you may also"

Voldemort stood and swept from the room, a thick snake trailing after him. She tangled between his bare feet, but he never tripped nor broke his stride. Bellatrix hurried after him, and Rodolphus mumbled below his breath about infidelity.

Hermione saw Regulus's face drain of colour, but left him to have his final moments with Narcissa, who kissed his cheek and muttered things in his ear. Soon he had to leave her, not wishing to incur from Voldemort's wrath before his induction.

Voldemort had lead the three of them into a dark room, a green glow shadowing it. Inside was a chair, a throne, and shackles were on the wall. The floor was cobbled, made with freezing stone, and a man was shivering in the corner. He was terrified, and evidently Muggle by his clothes. Voldemort looked at him in disgust.

There was silence, a heavy humid silence that carried out until he said the words everyone were apprehending.

"To earn your mark, you must kill this man."

The man started to shake, sob, and his hands came up in a pleading gesture. He knelt in front of Regulus, and began to stammer, "Please, sir, my name is Michael. Michael Burns. I have a wife. A wife and a son. They don't know where I am, my wife... she probably has dinner on the table. My son turns five in three weeks... please let me see my boy turn five..."

Bellatrix pulled Hermione to the side, and they stood with their backs to the wall, as if they wanted to sink away into it. Hermione's wrist itched when Bellatrix touched it, as she felt the betrayal so personally. Like she'd done it with malice. Well maybe she had. And that was the worst part. Hermione didn't know, she wasn't sure, she doubted Bellatrix.

Regulus's eyes looked haunted. He could've killed him quickly, had he not started to speak of himself and his life. Now it was personal. He had a son. A wife at home, probably checking her watch for him. He shook his head, bowing it to the Muggle slightly, and internally asking for forgiveness. If not this Muggle man, it would be his mother, his father, Sirius, Narcissa, Nita.