𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕕 [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 3]

༄ Regulus༄

"Reg," Danica says as she struggles down the stairs.

He rushes over to help her, silently cursing himself that he was so absorbed in what he's doing today he forgot his pregnant wife needs help getting around.

"I'm so sorry, love," he says and puts an arm around her waist, to guide her down the last steps.

"Please don't go today..." she says quietly, leaning against him. "Please don't, I need you here..."

Regulus bites his cheek and looks sideways at her.

"But we're getting so close to being able to destroy them," he says.

Danica shakes her head as she sits down.

"Aren't people at work confused about where you are?" She asks.

Regulus looks away and nods.

"I told them we've got family problems," he says quietly. "That I need to be at a hospital in London for a bit."

Danica narrows her eyes at him.

"So, you lied to them just so that you can be there when they go off searching for the Horcruxes and destroy them?"

Regulus can hear the disappointment in her voice.

"And you didn't tell me until now?" Her voice is starting to shake. "What happened to our vows, Regulus? We promised we'd be honest - or at least I did."

Hurt flickers behind his eyes. How could she say that?

"I've been going to work," Regulus retorts. "It's just recently that I've been too busy with the Horcruxes that I couldn't- you know that."

Danica huffs and looks away.

"You're still getting paid, right?" She asks.

"Yes, I'm still getting paid," he says more harshly than intended.

An uneasy and angry feeling descends over the room. Regulus makes toast for Danica and silently places the plate in front of her. She mumbles thanks to him but doesn't look up into his eyes. Regulus clenches his jaw and heads back upstairs, her words echoing in his head.

We promise we'd be honest- at least I did-

He looks at himself in the mirror, his hands resting on the sink as he leans closer to the glass.

Please don't go today.

He has to go. What's different today? Surely Danica will be fine like she is every day?

But that's the problem, he realises with a start. There's nothing for her at home apart from the same rooms that are getting boring now: the nursery is almost done, and there are just a few things to do nearer the time. What else is there for Danica to do? She reads, sleeps, and wanders around the garden until she gets tired...

Regulus gazes into his eyes.

He hates himself.

He promised that he'd support her, that he'd care for her, that he'd stop with the Horcruxes when she asked him to.

He promised.

Regulus flicks on the cold tap and cups his hands underneath it. He watches as the water rises, overspills and splashes into the white basin. His jaw is clenched in hatred for himself. His hands shake slightly as the water continues to flow. Eventually, he lifts it to his face and he lets the cool liquid flow across his forehead, down his cheeks and over his chin. Droplets run down his razor-sharp jaw and his high cheekbones. They drip into the sink as he fills his hands up again. He splashes his face, fills his hands, splashes, fills...