Stagnant - Regulus

The Cave

TW - Drowning

This is it. The hands were grabbing him, dragging. The water was cold, yet distant. He knew this was it. He accepted it. The white hands dragged him down. He barely fought it. His lungs burned. The water went stagnant, and the hands let go, except one at his chest, pulling up, to the light above. Maybe the muggles were right - Maybe there was light at the end of the tunnel. He broke the surface of the water but instead of seeing whatever the afterlife looked like, all he could see was the cave. He was alive. Water was spluttering up from his lungs. A boy's face appeared in front of him with an expression appearing as confused as he felt. The face was familiar, thin, glasses wearing, with brown skin and dark hair the only difference was the eyes, though that could just be from the cave's lighting,

"James?" he asked through coughs. The face stared back at him looking more confused, if possible.

"James...?" the boy echoed, tentatively replying, "James Potter was my dad..."

"What...?" he started to reply, how preposterous James is only 19, but then he caught sight of the person sitting behind the bespectacled boy, Dumbledore. Nothing made sense. The world seemed blurry, a siege of questions clouding his vision, "What happened... what year is it?" he asked finally. The boy stared back blankly,

"1997?" he replied, and the world spun. After what felt like a lifetime of questions running through his head, he caught his reflection in the water. He appeared, still only 18, black hair, sharp features and if you only caught a glimpse he could pass as his brother.

"You're Regulus Black?" The boy asked looking him over, "Right? Sirius' brother?"

"Yeah..." the word came out of his mouth without him thinking, his head still spinning, "and you are?".

"Harry, Harry James Potter."

"Right... well Harry, could you explain what the hell is going on here?" Regulus asked.

"Umm..." Harry started.

"Harry..." Dumbledore's weak voice came from behind him. Harry jumped to his feet moving to the old man's side, helping him up.

"We'd better go," Harry said with a glance over his shoulder at Regulus. Regulus looked around, extremely confused, does this kid really trust me? Is this some kind of trap? But what choice do I have? He got to his feet and followed as Harry helped Dumbledore into the small boat. The three of them barely fit and about halfway across the lake Regulus was fighting the urge to push the old man in. Lit by Harry's wand, for Dumbledore was too weak and Regulus had seemingly lost his wand, they reached the exit of the cave. Cold air whipped his face as waves crashed onto the rocks, in the dark. Regulus breathed in the fresh air, something he had thought only moments ago he would never feel again. Not moments, he thought, years... 1997... how many years has it been? 18? 19? Questions began to swell in his mind once more. The wonders were cut off as Harry took his arm and with an explanation in the form of a look, they all disapparated.