Eunoia | Sirius Black

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Regulas Black stood under the greenish light and he was screaming. Screaming so loudly that the sound reverberated through the echoing walls and reached her ears tenfold loudly.

"There is a boat," Kreacher told her. "Pull it out."

I nodded at once, muttering the right charm and all of a sudden, a thick coppery green chain appeared out of thin air, extending from the depths of the water into my hand. I pulled and the chain coiled itself on the ground with a clinking sound that echoed noisily off the rocky walls, pulling something from the depths of the black water. The ghostly prow of a tiny boat broke the surface, glowing as green as the chain, and floated, with barely a ripple, toward the place on the bank where we stood.

Wasting no time, the two of us got on the boat and it started moving at once. The silken rustle of the boat was a muted noise in my mind as Regulas screamed again and my tears were back.

Oh, that poor boy. What did they do to him?

We reached a small island of smooth rock in the centre of the lake. The island was an expanse of flat dark stone on which stood nothing but the source of that greenish light, which looked much brighter when viewed close to.

I ran toward Regulas' kneeling body and finally saw what was in front of him, the light was coming from a stone basin rather like a Pensieve, which was set on top of a pedestal.

"Reggie," I sobbed. "Oh, Regulas."

Regulas was whimpering and crying so hard, his entire body was trembling. There was an empty shell in his hand and in there, was a clear potion.

"Regulas, what is that?" I asked. "What are you drinking?" When he didn't answer, I turned to Kreacher, "What is he drinking, Kreacher? WHAT IS IT?"

"Master didn't tell Kreacher." Kreacher cried. "But Master said he has to drink it all. Master forced Kreacher to make him drink it. There is still some left, Kreacher must make Master drink it. It was Master's order."

I realise I'm shaking my head. "No, Regulas? Regulas, look at me."

Finally, breaking through the haze, Regulas brings his teary eyes toward mine. "El. . . El -"

"Yes, yes, it's me." I smile. "Get up, come on."

Regulas shook his head, "I ca-can't. I need to finish th-this."

"What is it?"

"Horcrux." He whispered.

I had no idea what it meant but in the basin, only a little potion was left. Being brave, and for Regulas, I took the shell from his hand, ignoring how Regulas yelled my name and scooped the remaining potion.

As the first drop fell into my mouth, I felt like my entire body was on fire. It was poison, worse. It tasted like death. My hands went numb and my legs started shaking, I fell backwards onto the hard rock.

Regulas came beside me, his eyes bloodshot as he cried. "No - Elena, NO!"

My mouth felt as if it was on fire, what the hell had I just drunk?

Regulas cradled my body, laying my head on his lap as he breathed heavily. "Water." He said to Kreache inaudibly. "Water."

Kreacher nodded, taking the goblet and sprinting. But as soon as the shell touched the water, pale hands dripped him and took him under.

Regulas screamed, going after Kreacher at once. He held onto the house-elf's leg, pulling him out. Trying to a better word.

"No -" I croaked.

I half-crawled to Regulas and then my breath hitched. Inside the clear water, was a dead body of a man. His eyes were bloodshot and open and his hair were moving around him like smoke.

And then, all of a sudden the surface of the lake was no longer smooth and clear, it was churning, and everywhere Harry looked, white heads and hands were emerging from the dark water, men and women and children with sunken, sightless eyes were moving toward the rock: an army of the dead rising from the black water.

"Inferi," Regulas whispered in fear. "KREACHER, GET ELENA OUT."

"What? NO!" I yelled at him. "I won't leave you."

"Get her out, it's an order," Regulas screamed at the house elf.

Kreacher walked reluctantly toward me and I backed off. "Tell him to move away or I will hurt him, Regulas."

"You wouldn't." He turned to look at me, lips trembling, hands shaking.

He was so young. He wasn't even of age yet. My heart broke in two as I pulled out my wand and glared at him.

"Don't do this." Regulas cried, "Don't do this, Elena."

I sniffled loudly, a sob breaking out of my throat as I pointed a wand at the water and yelled with as much vigour as I could, "INCENDIO!"

The side of the lake cleared, inferi screeching like banshees. Regulas and I covered our ears at the sound and before he could stop me, I grabbed his hand and led him toward where the boat was.

"No -" Regulas pleaded, crying hard as he tried to remove his hand from mine. "Leave me, let me go - GET OUT, ELENA. I beg y-you."

I shook my head, muttering the fire spell again. As the lake cleared bit by bit, I hauled Regulas on the boat and myself. Kreacher looked at me and I nodded at him. He took the hint and apparated out.

Little by little, fire spell by fire spell, we reached the middle of the lake. Regulas took out his own wand but his fire spells were weak. His hands were shaking and he was still crying uncontrollably. My heart ached for him.

"INCENDIO!" I yelled again, crying along with Regulas.

We were nearly there and when the boat clinked against the rock, I pushed him out first. He yelled at me angrily, and pleadingly but I shook my head.

He muttered the fire spell for me when I got out and then, one of the inferius caught my leg.

Regulas screamed my name but it was too late, it pulled me under.