In the Black of Night (Jegulus Crime AU)

Chapter 4: The Stain

 The ride to the Notts' estate was anything but pleasant. The rain hammered against the windshield relentlessly; the wipers were struggling to keep up. Regulus' knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel. He typically loved the rain, but something about this storm seemed to make him uneasy. Anxiety gnawed at him; a sense that something wasn't right was twisting in his gut.

Beside him, Sirius sat in silence. His normal light-hearted jokes had fallen victim to his exhaustion. His gaze was fixed on the drenched road ahead; watching each raindrop fall was the only thing keeping him awake. The car had been silent for most of the journey; both men were lost in their thoughts. The drum of rain colliding with the car was the only audible sound during their ride.

Regulus glanced at the clock on the dashboard, noting the time. It was half past two - the peak of the morning hours. "We'll be there soon," he murmured, more to break the silence than to provide any reassurance.

"Do we have anything to hold him on?" James asked from the backseat, the first time he'd spoken on this trip.

"Tampering with the deceased. And that'll give us seventy-two hours to get a confession," Sirius replied promptly.

As Regulus shifted the car into park and killed the headlights, he noticed a single light flip on in the upstairs of the large ivory house. Someone knew they were here.

The house loomed ahead, its tall silhouette a stark contrast against the stormy sky. The single illuminated window seemed to pierce through the darkness, casting an eerie glow.

"I still think this is a bad idea," Regulus said as he unbuckled his seat.

"Let's just get this over with," Sirius said, his gaze never leaving the house.

James leaned forward from the backseat, his face barely visible in the darkened car. "What if he doesn't cooperate? Regulus has already said, if we make a mistake, the Death Eaters will be on us before we even see them."

"Let's not play a game of 'what if'; instead, let's just go talk to the guy," Sirius said as he tied his hair into a bun.

With a final glance at one another, the three men stepped out of the car and made a mad dash to the front porch. Within seconds, they were drenched from the downpour.

As they reached the porch and Sirius lifted his fist to knock, the door swung inward. Standing in the doorway was Tiberus Nott; his face was ghostly pale, a mix of fear and confusion.

"Gentlemen," he greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure of at three in the morning?"

"You already know, Nott. Now, let's get a move on before this gets messy," James said, flashing a badge from his pocket.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

Regulus studied the interaction between the two men. He genuinely believed Mr. Nott; nothing about his actions seemed to hint at deception, or any attempt at it. In fact, he seemed anxious and nervous.

"Your keycard was used to access the morgue two days ago, and a body was defiled. It's also noted you weren't slated to enter, and you didn't record your sign-in," Sirius explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tiberus Nott said, his voice shaking slightly.

"Would you believe me if I said I've heard that before?" James asked, annoyed, lifting a pair of handcuffs from his pockets. The metal chimed softly amidst the silenced tension on the porch.

"Tiberus?" a soft voice asked from behind him.

"Ebony," Tiberus said, turning towards the small woman. She had short blonde hair and was wearing nothing but a nightgown. Her small stature was almost buried behind that of her husband. "It's alright, dear, I promise. These men are confused. I'll be back shortly. Just watch over Theodore."