occasus [regulus black]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐱.

The pain was still throbbing through her head. From one second to another everything had turned black. There was no escaping the darkness. Estelles heart was racing and the memory of her younger self getting chased through the woods by an unknown creature flooded her mind again. The marble was cold under her hands and knees and she could hear murmurs in the room, reminding her of the sound of bees. Her knees felt like jelly, when she forced herself to stand up. Estelle could feel her cheeks burning from the humiliation, when she stumbled across the room her hands stretched out in front of her trying to navigate herself somehow. No one was helping her.

Every fiber of Regulus body itched in the desperate wish to help Estelle, when he saw her stumbling through the room. He almost lost his restraint, when he saw Bellatrix putting out her foot so Estelle would trip. She fell to the floor hard, but didn't let a single sound escape her lips, she wouldn't give them the gratification of hearing her scream again. The blood running down her nose felt burning hot against her skin. Trying to stay as much in the shadows as he could, to not draw unnecessary attention at him, Regulus walked through the room and leaned onto the wall closest to Estelle.

"Our ranks are filled. We are more powerful and devoted than ever and won't endure imperfections. Muggleborns are imperfections, that we have to erase before they spread and intoxicate all of us," while Voldemort was speaking Estelle had reached the wall and leaned onto it relieved, "I want them dead. All of them. I give your permission to start today, we've waited long enough, it's time to demonstrate real power."

Outbursts of joy and agreement filled the room, but Regulus could feel all the color drain from his face, leaving him pale and frozen like a statue. His hand moved over to his right and some of the tension dissolved, when he felt Estelles skin under his. When he turned his head and looked at her he felt this destructive rage again. It was the same rage he felt, when he had found out what Voldemort had done to Kreacher. He knew that this picture of Estelle with her eyes a milky white, bloody tears and nose would never leave his head. He'd remembered her screams forever, remember how he couldn't help her. Slowly the room was emptying and he saw his mother walking towards them. Way too angry to think about the consequences of his actions he wrapped his arm around Estelles waist and apparated with her.

Estelle knew from the second when he touched her skin that it was Regulus, who was next to her. No one else could make her body react like that to the touch of his hand. She could almost taste his rage and therefore wasn't surprised, when he roughly grabbed her and apparated. She could smell her plant and hear Regulus steps hurrying around the mansion, just a few moments later his arm was around her waist against and she felt the sucking sensation behind her eyes, telling her that they had apparated once more. She flinched, when she felt something wet and cold gently wiping over her face.

"Could you tell me what your doing now that I can see you so clearly?" Her remark sounded way more sarcastic than she intended, but Regulus could hear the quaver in her voice. Leaning his forehead against hers, he let their breaths sync and took a moment to get lost in her scent. Then he started taking off the bracelet and took Estelles hand, ready to put it around her, when she let herself fall back onto the floor and pushed away from him.

"Don't," her eyes searched the room trying to figure out from where he would approach her, but he was moving to quiet.

"You'll get your eyes back."

"What if you get hurt?"

"I won't."

"What if you die?"

"I won't." For a moment he had thought about adding a ‚I promise' but they would've both known that it meant nothing.

"I need you. I need you to be alright, Estelle. I can't do this without you," he had pulled her close to him again and was stroking through her hair, "Let me fix what I did to you."