Growing up Pureblooded

Do Your Worst

AN: sorry about it posting last week. I was sick and unable to wake up long enough to get the chapter done! I hope you enjoy it this week though!!!

      Back in the present day, that thought ate away at Sirius like a cancer as he paced on top of the Astronomy Tower. But now it was worse. Now Sirius knew that his brother was not in fact a coward who had wished to avoid the consequences of his poor decisions, but rather a hero who had given his life to destroy one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. He had come to Sirius for help, but Sirius hadn't been listening clearly. He had been too caught up in his own anger and bitterness to help his brother when it mattered.

Sirius stopped pacing and looked up at the half moon. Was he fated to kill those he cared about? He'd killed James. It was his fault that the Potters had made Wormtail their Secret Keeper, his fault that Voldemort had learnt of their hiding place. He'd killed Regulus too. Who else would he end up killing? Aries? Draco? Cissy? Remus?

Sirius heard the trapdoor open behind him. He didn't turn around. He knew it would be Remus. He appreciated how much his friend cared, but still it hurt. Before it would have been James. "Thanks, Moony," he mumbled. "But I'd rather be alone for a bit."

"Rubbish," Remus retorted as he closed the trapdoor. "You hate being alone." The werewolf walked over and put his hand on Sirius's shoulder. "How are you holding up?" Sirius snorted testily. "I just found out my idiot brother was really a bloody hero, Moony. How do you think I'm handling it?" Remus raised an eyebrow in reply. "I should have thought that you'd be pleased to learn that Regulus did the right thing in the end."

"I suppose I am," Sirius said with a shrug. He went to the edge of the tower and sat on the stone wall. "I only wish I'd been able to help him." "There's nothing you could have done," Remus assured him. "It isn't as though he asked for your help." Sirius gave a hollow laugh. "Right." "Focus on the positive," Remus went on. "Regulus died a hero. You can honor his memory by finishing what he began."

Sirius supposed Remus did have a point there. He might have failed to give Regulus the help he had asked for at the time, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to make up for it now. In any event, if he failed to destroy the Horcruxes, Regulus would have died in vain. Sirius sighed. "You're right, Moony," he said quietly. "I've a brotherly duty to perform." "That's the way to look at it," Remus encouraged him. "Now, why don't you have a nice hot bath, then go to bed. We'll take on the Horcruxes in the morning." Sirius's grey eyes glinted dangerously. "I'm not tired, Moony," he said quietly. "In fact, I think I shall fulfil my brotherly duty right this moment." He strode determinedly towards the trapdoor.

"Wait!" Remus protested. "You can't destroy the Horcruxes yet. What about Aries' plan?" "To hell with Aries' plan," Sirius retorted. He threw open the trapdoor and made his way down. "But what about the diadem?" Remus went on, following his friend down the stairs. "Think of what we could learn if we made use of its powers!" " don't give a rat's arse about the diadem, or its bloody powers!" Sirius replied. "I'm putting an end to this threat once and for all." "Aries won't like it," Remus muttered beneath his breath. Sirius twirled around furiously. "Tough shit," he snapped. "I don't care if he's Slytherin's True Heir, or what special powers he's got. He's my thirteen-year-old son, and it's my job to do what I think is best for him. As far as I'm concerned, if he never sees another Horcrux, it will be far too soon." Remus froze in the face of Sirius's wrath, then nodded once. "You're quite right, Padfoot," he said crisply. "Do your worst."

Sirius's robes billowed behind him as he strode through the corridors back to his quarters, Remus following on his heels. The painting obediently swung open in response to Sirius's password, and he went straight for the dining room. The diadem and the ring still lay on the dining room table, along with the fake locket and Regulus's note. Sirius swept up the locket and the note and thrust them into his pocket. Meanwhile, Remus extinguished the ordinary flames burning in the fireplace. Sirius picked up the two Horcruxes and placed them on top of the pile of ashes. "Stand back," he commanded, and Remus obediently took several steps backwards. Sirius raised his wand and aimed it at the fireplace. "Inimicapyro," he growled, and violent flames burst from the tip of his wand, utterly consuming the entire contents of the fireplace: diadem, ring, grate and all. The two wizards stood there staring for several minutes as exotic shapes danced in the Fiendfyre. When it finally died down, not even ashes remained.