The Hunt | Regulus Black

Inner Circle

Inside the Maddox Manor, dim lighting creates an atmosphere of bitterness and intellectual curiosity. A room adorned with antique bookshelves, filled with leather-bound volumes and dusty tomes. There are ornate tapestries hanging on the walls, depicting scenes from history or literature. The air is filled with the scent of old books and the soft glow of candlelight.

Leather vintage chairs accurately placed around a large brown coffee table, each chair filled with a valued deatheater. Deatheaters he's come to label as his inner circle, his most trusted assets.

Voldemort stands at the fireplace leaning on the mantelpiece, looking over at each of his devoted memebers.

Each serving a vital purpose to him.

Bellatrix Lestrange, a woman who is incredibly devoted to him. A type of devotion you typically only see in movies, of a person who is hopelessly and unrequitedly in love with another. A woman who will do anything for him is something he finds not only beneficial but curious.

Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, a strong sense of importance carries him. He manages to use this to charge his way through life, prioritising not only his status but the status of his wife. Lucius' devotion to maintaining his status means while his support of Voldemort is shallow, its strong.

Severus Snape, a man who is highly intelligent and closed off, smart and secretive. A man who provides a valuable asset on both his mind and his actions. While he is only young, he has already shown his dedication to Voldemort.

Cassian Faustus Nott, a settled and well cemented name into wizard society. The Nott family name comes with great weight, wealth and power. Cassian's wife, an innocent woman Adeline Nott, young and pregnant. Voldemort and Cassian have high hopes for the young protege, regardless of how Adeline feels.

Atticus Theodore Maddox, Voldemort's long term right hand man, and Theodora's father. A man who has remained loyal to Voldemort and is the only one who knew him as Tom Marvolo Riddle.

As Voldemort walks around the table, eyeing at each of this closest circle, calculating and formulating his next sentence.

"We have a leak" He says bluntly.

Almost simultaneously a look of confusion is draped across each of their faces.

"I'm going to need each of you to watch the other death eaters, I only trust those in this room" He continues.

Bellatrix smirks "And I'd guess they'd find themselves in an unfortunate situation if we find out it's them".

Voldemort and the others laugh, however Atticus and Cassian remain silent.

"Why is Theodora not here?" Atticus asks, "She has been nothing but loyal".

"We'll discuss this later, friend" Voldemort emphasises the last word.

"Why do we believe there's a leak?" Cassian questions.

"Things are being destroyed, items important to me" Voldemort replies.

"I bet it's that bastard Potter again" Severus says.

"Maybe we can straighten him out" Bellatrix laughs.

"Maybe Serveus it's time for you to take up a teaching position along with Regulus and Theodora" Voldemort says coldly.

Severus agrees and the meeting draws to an end, the only two now remaining in the room are Voldemort and Atticus.

Atticus stands walks to the dark oak cupboard and selects two whisky glasses, he picks up the decanter and carefully pours the whisky. Picking up both glasses he passes one to his dearest friend.

"Here" He sighs before sitting down.

Voldemort also continues to sit down and takes a sip.

"Why do you not trust Theodora?" Atticus asks.

"Atticus" Voldemort sighs.

On the outside of the room, stands a bet confused Theodora.

"It's not that I don't trust her, it's that I don't trust her little friend" He adds.

"Regulus?" Atticus questions.

"Yes" Voldemort nods, "He's not the sharpest tool shall we say".

They both laugh.

A look of shock swarms Theodora's face, she wants to barge in and defend but knows ultimately she can't.

Perhaps it's for the best, it's better being underestimated than overestimated after all.

"Since Orion and Walburga passed, he's been different" Atticus says taking another sip of his drink.

"However, Theodora isn't a naive girl" Voldemort adds.

Since she was young she was put on this pedestal, a pedestal she has been trying to run away from her entire life.

A trophy, was the best way to describe how her father treats her. She must obey, looking and acting exactly how he wants, like a circus clown.

Trapped by her bloodline, trapped by pressure, trapped by loneliness.

"Ma'dam Maddox" Hokey says.

Hokey was a gift off of Voldemort to the Maddox's, a gift of a house elf. Theodora and her mother, Diane, were the only ones to treat him with kindness.

The house elf belonged to Hepzibah Smith, before she was murdered.

This fact dawns on Theodora, a light bulb goes off in her head.

"Hi Hokey, tell my father I said hello but had to leave" With that she goes as quickly as she can.

———

Regulus walks into the sitting room of Grimmauld place and uncovers the sheet on top of the piano.

A piano Regulus hasn't played in a long time, a piano that has sat quietly since 1975.

He places his fingers on top of the keys, delicately playing each note until the music begins to flow through his body.

The keys echoing through the room, softly bouncing off the walls. Regulus looks blissful, like he's in a world of his own, where he feels safe.

"I missed that" Sirius says as he leans against the wall.

Regulus takes a small pause and then carries on.

"I used to sit in the corridor beside the music room at Hogwarts, whenever you'd play, I don't even think Thea saw me" Sirius chuckles.

"Thea?" Regulus questions.

"Yeah she used to read or write he her poetry notebook in that corridor all the time" Sirius smiles before leaving the room.