I Will Follow You Into The Dark || Jegulus

21. Snakes

Regulus barely managed to get away from Potter before he started to break down. He tried to keep himself composed until he got to his dorm. He had to. The other Slytherins couldn't see him like this. They could they- he couldn't make it to the common room, let alone his dorm.

He settled for sneaking into the empty library. It was after hours, if anything he could make an excuse that he was looking for a potions book, Slughorn would vouch for him.

The smell of books grounded him, but just as soon as he hid behind his usual bookshelf, he was face to face with someone unexpected, Remus Lupin sneaking out after curfew. Interesting.

"What are you doing here?" Remus asked, not even turning his head from the book he looked invested in.

Regulus would have said some shitty comeback like "I could say the same for you" but he felt his throat closing up, and right before he made the decision to run off, Remus looked up and noticed Regulus's face.

"Woah woah wait, Sit down." Remus said softly, standing from his seat. He hesitantly placed a hand on Regulus's shoulder and led him to a comfortable padded seat.

"Seems like I'm destined to be your library therapist at this point." Remus said, "What's up?"

Regulus looked down at his feet. One shoe was untied. If his laces ever got loose on a normal day he would immediately have to fix it, but he couldn't bother at the moment.

"Promise you won't tell anyone."

"Not a soul" Remus pulled his chair to face Regulus.

"I... I was forced to get the mark. I'm sure you and your buddies would be ecstatic about that. Sirius's evil little brother finally became a death eater." Tears ran relentlessly down Regulus's face, every wipe to remove tears just resulted in more. It was futile.

"Aren't you too young?" Remus asked.

"The youngest one to exist, and he decided I am a part of his inner circle. I've already had to attend meetings." Regulus explained.

"So I might be wrong, but don't you have to consent to get the mark?" Remus asked gently.

Regulus nodded. "I... Lucius... he used the imperious on me." Regulus mumbled

Remus sat with his mouth agape. He didn't even know that was possible.

"Don't say anything just... I just want to forget. I don't want to be a bad person I just... I was born wrong, I was meant to be wrong. I already have." Regulus mumbled.

Remus knew how he felt in a sense. Always feeling out of place and wrong. Evil.

"How was your study session with James?" Remus asked, knowing they desperately needed the subject to change.

"It was horrid. How could someone be that bad?" Regulus almost laughed.

"Imagine having to deal with him every day." Remus smiled.

Regulus fake gagged, "how do you deal with both him and Sirius in the same room?" He asked

"Patience. Lots of patience. And books." He laughed quietly.

They were silent for a moment before Regulus spoke up again, "so what are you doing in here so late?" He asked, nodding his head toward a huge book in front of Remus, most definitely snuck from the restricted section.

"Alright now its time for my secrets I guess..." Remus mumbled, "I keep your secret you keep mine, okay?" Remus asked, and Regulus nodded.

Remus grabbed the large book and placed it in his lap, "Well for context... I'm a werewolf." Remus almost whispered, his eyes closed. He had never just outright said it. Not to anyone, everyone that knew just kind of found out.

Regulus nodded as if it wasn't a big deal, which surprised Remus, but he continued. "Before Christmas, Dumbledore called me into his office and he tried to recruit me to fight in the war. To go undercover with Greyback." Remus took deep breaths, trying not to think about greyback, about that night. His terrifying face.

Regulus again nodded, following along intently.

"I overheard Dumbledore mumble something about a thing called a horcrux, and that word sounded familiar, so I decided to do some digging. I've been here every night since I got back." Remus said.

Horcrux... Regulus couldn't help but think that sounded... familiar.

"What does it do?" He asked weakly

"I think it makes Voldemort practically immortal."

Immortality...

Regulus thought back. When he became a death eater, he was forced to attend the meetings. He remembered being surprised by the faces there. Mostly parents of his friends or housemates.

Voldemort was in the kitchen of the Black household, asking for a volunteer. He wanted someone to give up a house elf to help him for an important part of the war. Regulus didn't remember much, but he did remember someone bringing up Kreacher, and reluctantly, Regulus volunteered him. The poor house elf.

When Kreacher returned home, he was extremely shaken up. He refused to talk, and would refuse to take a break even when Regulus tried to order him to.

"No master Regulus. Kreacher must work. Kreacher must make master Regulus proud." He would say.

"I am proud. I'm proud you endured whatever you did. Can you at least tell me what he did with you?" Regulus asked.

"The dark lord has made himself indestructible, master Regulus. He has made himself unkillable."

Regulus couldn't forgive himself for putting Kreacher through that, and now he thought he had an idea of what Voldemort did with him.

It had something to do with a horcrux.

Regulus needed to tell someone, anyone.

"Would you mind if... I get a friend and help you?" Regulus mumbled, a thousand thoughts running through his head. If they found out more about horcruxes, how to destroy them... they could kill Voldemort.