Faith in Fear | A Regulus Black Story.

Chapter 10 - Sickly

CW: Mentions of violence and death.

April 28th, 1980

"How DARE you!" Regulus had screamed as he pointed his finger into Dumbledore's unbothered face. "How DARE you think that for one second, ONE SECOND, that this information would mean so little to me!"

When the meeting had ended with just the Dark Lord and his most loyal, Regulus made a decision that he knew was stupid, reckless even. He had acted as impulsive as Sirius would have. Maybe it was something in their family genes that made them act so dramatically or maybe it was in the way that they were raised that made them have these sudden outbursts.

After Voldemort had used Bellatrix as his way to make a point, rather than Regulus as he thought he would, he had dismissed them all and everyone but Narcissa left Bellatrix to lay on the floor. Not a single one of them, but her own sister, wanted to further upset the Dark Lord, so they ignored her as she quietly choked out her tears on the floor and each got up and left. Regulus had had the thought to check on her before he left, but after everything he had just seen, everything that could have so easily been him, he just wanted to leave and leave he did. Then, the next thing he knew, he was bashing on the Headmaster's office door until he let him in - screaming violent and ugly words at the old wizard as he just watched.

"How DARE you not tell me that my brother's best friend and his family are in danger!" He screamed through burning tears. "HOW DARE YOU!"

He screamed and he screamed and he screamed until he thought he might lose his voice. He was surprised that he had never gotten around to throwing things, but then again, he didn't often yell like this and he seemed to be doing more and more of that lately. He wasn't even sure what it was that he was screaming about. Was he screaming because he was worried that Sirius would lose his best friend? Was he screaming because the two people who embody everything good in life had become the number one target of the strongest dark wizard that lived? Was he screaming because the life of their newborn child was already in danger? Or because he himself was worried about James... Maybe it was all of it... But he barely knew them, he only knew them through what Sirius had told him. So why the hell did he care so fucking much?

That was almost a month ago.

In the time that had passed, his motivation continued to waiver. Everyday felt like he was dragging himself into something he didn't want any part of.

Ever since Severus had informed them of the prophecy, it seemed as though the Dark Lord was growing madder by the second. Every order he gave them felt unnecessary, carrying out an obsolete task that seemed to have no purpose to any of them, but not a single Death Eater would ever dare question "why?" when he gave a new order.

He was insistent that they were of the utmost importance, carrying out everything to the last detail - hunting down certain witches or wizards he needed for answers, patrolling small and isolated villages for unknown reasons, or simply killing anyone he deemed a threat. The Dark Lord had become paranoid.

Regulus had managed to avoid killing anyone, usually giving the courtesy to Barty who often took the job with a worrying glee, but what could he have expected from him? The most he would do was the questioning, simply trying to gather the answers the Dark Lord had wanted, or rather he wanted. Any information the Dark Lord would want was often collected by Regulus and he made sure to keep it that way. Yes, it did mean that he would have to use some pain when they refused to answer, but his mother had always done that to him and he had survived. It's not like he enjoyed causing them pain, but if he wanted answers and wanted to keep up his facade, he had no other choice. At least he wasn't the one killing them in the end.