𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕕 [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 3]

༄ Regulus༄

"Polyjuice Potion," Mad-Eye Moody says, passing Sirius a vial. "Tastes like goblin piss."

Regulus watches as James and Sirius turn into different people: James into Rodolphus Lestrange, Sirius into Bellatrix.

The sight of his brother turning into their least favourite cousin is hilarious and Regulus covers his mouth to hide the smirk that crossed his face. Moody turns to him.

"What are you laughing at, lad?" He barks and Regulus jumps, his face falling. He knows how risky it was to get the hair from them but they did it - it took a week and a half - but now they are ready to find the cup.

"Nothing," he says but catches Sirius's eye and refrains from laughing yet again.

Moody growls and turns back to the other boys. "You know what you're doing then?"

"Yeah," Rodolphus says, although it isn't Rodolphus, it's James.

"Don't fuck it up," Moody barks.

What a nice farewell message.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

"We're here," Sirius whispers to Regulus who is under the cloak. "I can't believe it."

James throws Sirius a warning look to shut him up. The goblin led them to the vault. Sirius confunded him before they went through the water that would expose them, and James created a barrier so they didn't get wet. The goblin seemed perfectly fine and had no record of anything that happened. Now they are standing in the vault, staring at what lays before them: a sea of gold.

James shoots another charm at the goblin and he stands in the corner of the vault looking dazed but happy.

"Okay," Regulus says, pulling off the cloak. "Now what?"

"There!" Sirius points at the very back of the room.

And there it is.

"Fuck," James says as he looks at everything they have to get through to just get a grip on it. He starts forwards and pushes things to the side.

Regulus watches them and realises that what he just touched has divided. And that has divided again. And again. And again. And-

"James wait!" Sirius says, realising at the same time as Regulus did. "Stop moving."

Time seems to stand still.

"Don't touch anything," Regulus says as he takes a tentative step forwards. "Just think about this first."

The three men look around the room, their faces blank, etched with worry though.

"We're gonna just have to go for it," Sirius breaks the silence after a long time. "There's nothing we can do."

Regulus nods in agreement.

"I'll go," James says as he's the closest. "Just make sure one of you stays by the door and keeps an eye on him," he nods at the goblin, still staring into space, a happy expression on his face - he could be high for all anyone else would think.

"I'm gonna have to move this," James says grimly. Regulus takes his position near the door, his wand pointed at the goblin. The other two do the work. They only touch what they have to touch - but soon the room is turning into a river of gold. James and Sirius cry out.

"It burns you!" Sirius says.

Regulus feels a scold on his leg and he cusses. Soon he is ankle-deep in burning gold objects. Then he is knee-deep.

"ALMOST THERE!" James shouts back at him.

Regulus watches as James grasps the cup in his hand before he is swept under the gold.

"NO!" Sirius screams and begins swimming through the objects.

Regulus takes that as his cue to open the door. It is getting too risky in here, it would be better to let the gold flow into the hallway. When the pressure is lost as the door opens, Regulus is taken with the sea and he ends up in a pool of lava. He stumbles to his feet and quickly pulls the cloak over him now that he is in the open. His whole body screams at him. He just wants to get into an ice bath.

But he has to go back for James and Sirius. Regulus wades through the ocean and suddenly sees a mass of black hair that belongs to his brother. He trips as a hand emerges and he grabs it, tugging. The tidal wave makes them fall back, the three of them linked by their hands.

Regulus emerges from the sea first, pulling Sirius, Sirius pulling James. The goblin appears then, and the charm has now worn off. Regulus confunds him again, hoping that it will be enough.

"Fuck-" James wheezes, still holding the cup tight in his hands.

"Come on," Sirius says, eyeing the goblin up. "Let's get back before we're too suspicious."

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

"What the fuck happened to you!?" Danica sounds worried, standing in the hall of the Potters.

"James!" Lily drags him into the sitting room. He was hurt the most.

"Love?" Remus's voice is full of concern as he sits Sirius down.

"I'm okay," Regulus says to Danica. "It's just a few burns."

"Just a few, my arse," Danica shakes her head and pulls her wand out of her messy bun as she sits him in the kitchen chair.

"We got it," Regulus says, looking up into her eyes.

"Oh good," she says quietly. "And you also got a shit ton of wounds."

Regulus sighs and closes his eyes. Marlene is there, he can hear her with James. Danica knows how to heal too. He can trust her. He would trust her with his life.

"Let's go run a cold bath," she says. "Why don't we go home and leave the house free for everyone else?"

Regulus agrees and they say goodbye, wishing James well. He only looks slightly better.

They Apparate back home and head straight up to the bathroom. Danica runs the cold tap and fills the bath with freezing water. Regulus slowly undresses, Danica sitting on the edge of the tub, looking at his skin.

"What happened?" She asks softly.

Regulus pulls off his boxers and then shakily steps into the water. Danica helps him in and then gently massages his shoulders.

"We got to the vault," Regulus says slowly, closing his eyes and leaning against the side. "Sirius saw the cup, James went first... there were objects in the way... if- if you touched them... they'd duplicate themselves... and they burnt you..." he trails off.

Danica kisses his head then leans down and cups her hands, picking up water and pouring it over his neck and shoulders. Regulus lets her, it relaxes him.

"I'll heal these for you," she murmurs.

Regulus feels her work over his back, he leans forwards so she can access it easily. Then Danica places a hand gently on his chest and pushes him back against the tub. She works over his chest, down his arms, his stomach, his thighs...

When she is done, she sits back on the tub next to his head and leans down, kissing him softly. He kisses back before she pulls away and washes his face for him.

"You're back," she whispers when he is clean. "You're back."

"I'm back," Regulus murmurs. "I'll always come back."

*ੈ✩‧₊˚