The Journal of Regulus Arcturus Black

Chapter 13. Saving Sirius Black

The greatest asset that the Dark Lord has is his ability to read and enter minds. I know this because he wanted to enter my mind the very first time that I met him. The Black's are skilled occlumens and I knew instantly from our first meeting that I would not trust him. His words swayed me, his confidence was insatiable and his mind was superior to any that I ever heard.

But I knew deep down that I could never trust him.

I would never be able to put my trust in him because maybe, just maybe, a very bruised, beaten and younger version of myself knew immediately that I could never bow down to someone who wanted to See everything. To enter the intricacies that is my mind palace and see every little detail, like scrubbing me clean down to the littlest of dirt beneath my fingernails.

There was always going to be that small, quivering voice of my younger self that told me not to take the Mark. To not listen to him so passively. That it was alright to question him and his words. But, he moved me and seemed to care so much about the House-elf cause, like I did. He was so... enigmatic and I wanted to know everything. I wanted to pull him from inside out and see what the real deal was.

I guess, in some twisted part of myself, that the abuse and pain my parents set upon me helped. That distinct level of trust that I need to find in everyone that so much as looks as me, was my saving grace. I was, and most likely, will always be a people pleaser. But, that is not to say that I would never silently ask why I do what I do.

It's tragic that I am too late to ask these questions.

R.A.B.

***

Draco had landed just on the outside of the Ministry and in a public lane, beside the elevators. He shook Kreacher's hand off his arm and ordered the house-elf to apparate them both out if, for any reason, there was danger ahead. Draco held his wand tightly in his left hand and kept it out as he strode forward towards the Department of Mysteries.

Even house-elf magic couldn't go through the many wards that surrounded that particular department. It's not that Draco didn't trust Kreacher's magic or that he thought any less of the house-elf. It was just that he didn't want to risk the chance of himself splinching in what was supposed to be a 'rescue' mission of sorts. This meant that the two had to try and navigate their way into the department and find where Potter and his posse went.

"I could... just leave him here?" Draco said, looking down at Kreacher.

"Harry Potter is a blood-traitor. Harry Potter is a stupid Gryffindors, makes my mistress mad every times he enters the noble house of Black-"

"Kreacher," Draco said in a warning tone as they walked along a black tiled corridor. "Just so we're clear here, Potter is a numpty. No doubt about that!" Draco sighed heavily, "but he's also the Boy-Who-Lived and Regulus did not sacrifice himself to have stupid Potter die because he stupid scar hurts-" Draco cut himself off when he felt magic stir in the air.

"Feel that?"

"What Draco?"

Draco looked around the door at the end of the corridor and strode forward, gripping the handle and opening it immediately. "I can be scared later," he whispered, walking inside and squinting through the haze he saw. It seemed like he stepped into some sort of circular spinning room full of different doors that were starting to dart in and out of his vision.

Draco's mind was reeling with the magic that pulsed through the air. It was like the magic was pouring itself into him and for a slight queasy second, Draco almost tripped over his own foot, walking forwards. He blinked harshly and tried to breath in and out, thinking about his own core and settling on keeping all his focus on that.