Work Text:
1979.
The wizarding war was in full swing. Muggle-borns and "blood traitors" were murdered daily by Voldemort and his sick followers. The Order of the Phoenix had been formed a few years ago and you were finally able to join on the recommendation of your cousin James after your graduation.
Being a member of the Order of the Phoenix was suicide. You all had nightmares, and peace was something none of you knew when friends were injured and even killed weekly. But you were fighting for a better world, and you wouldn't hesitate to lay down your life in the cause of respect for Muggle-borns.
Almost a year after joining the order, you decided to visit Regulus Black. You had grown apart in the middle of the seventh year and due to the missions, you didn't have time to try to rekindle your friendship with him.
But today would be the day you would corner him at his house and the two of you would talk like the civilized adults you were.
Upon knocking on the back door of Grimmauld Place, You were quickly answered by Kreacher. The house-elf looked disappointed and then furious at the sight of your face (despite the hood you wore for security) and so he hurriedly pulled you into the mansion and locked the door.
''You shouldn't be here, brat. What the hell do you want?'' Kreacher demanded in his usual annoyed and impatient tone. But today there was something else in his posture. He seemed to be… restless.
''Goodnight to you too, Kreacher . I…'' You took a deep breath before completing the sentence. ''I came to talk to Regulus.''
''He's not at home. You interrupted my service for nothing.'' You frowned. The Ex-Slytherin's source of income was the generous inheritance of the Black family. Which meant he didn't work and couldn't be away on business. And you were aware that you were Regulus' only friend. Why the hell he wasn't home at 9:00 pm on a Thursday?
You immediately felt a bad feeling about your friend's whereabouts and suddenly your stomach dropped.
''Kreacher... W-where did Reg go?'' You mustered up the strength to ask. Yours hands clenched your cloak to stop them from shaking.
The elf hesitated before answering.
''That's none of your business, you nasty blood traitor.'' Kreacher ALWAYS looked people in the eye when talking to them to intimidate them and show he wasn't a submissive elf domestic. So the fact that he was avoiding your gaze like the plague made you freak out internally.
All your life you have treated all house elves around you with respect and dignity.
But today you didn't have time for that.
''Listen here you bastard elf: Tell me where my friend went before I break your neck!'' You weren't an aggressive person and the elf who was currently being lifted several inches off the ground by the collar of his robes knew it. So seeing you threatening him like that both infuriated him and sent an immense wave of relief through his body.
Kreacher did not verbally respond to you. Instead, he snapped his fingers and conjured up a small black notebook and handed it to you. You immediately put the Elf down and started reading the contents of the notebook.
He was a death eater?!?! Voldemort has Horcruxes and apparently, Regulus stole one of them?!?! HE WAS GOING TO A LAKE FILLED WITH INFERNIS?!?!
Regulus what have you done?
* * * *
Several hours later, You heard the sheets shifting as Regulus regained consciousness. You were still reading a book about Horcruxes that you may or may not have stolen from Dumbledore's office a few hours earlier. You had your back to the boy in your bed. Your tea was still hot and your hair was freshly washed.
''Y/N…?'' He asked in a voice groggy with sleep.
You finally got up from your desk chair to look at Regulus.
''Would you like to explain to me why I found my school friend with half his forearm bleeding a terrifying amount of blood from having his skin ripped off and being dragged by extremely dangerous undead beings who intended to kill him?'' You asked calmly. With an expression showing nothing.
Regulus looked away and concentrated on staring at his lap. A few seconds later, his shoulders started to shake and he buried his face in his hands.
You sat next to him on the bed, but you didn't dare touch him because you didn't wanted to make him uncomfortable.
''You didn't have to go through this alone, Reg. I promised I'd always be here for you, remember?” Yours voice was low but firm. Your confirmation that he heard you between his sobs was feeling Regulus's arms around your waist and his face buried in your chest, soaking your shirt. You stroked his back and kissed the top of his head, making the poor wizard feel loved for the first time in a long time.
* * *
After Regulus' arm was treated by mediwizards that supported the Order of the Phoenix, a meeting with all members of the Order was scheduled and Regulus shared everything. How he was forced by his mother to become a Death Eater before he turned 17; How he realized he was on the wrong side of the war; how he discovered that Voldemort had six Horcruxes; how Regulus stole one of them intending to destroy it and how he ripped the skin off his own arm so that Voldemort could no longer control him.
When the young wizard finished speaking, no one had the heart to say anything. Who broke the dead silence was Dumbledore, after long minutes of reflecting on the new information about Voldemort.
''I'm sorry for everything you've had to go through, young Black. I consider you worthy of my trust and I hope that of everyone in this room as well.''
The next to speak was Remus Lupin.
''Do you know what are the other Horcruxes, Regulus? Killing Voldemort is our only chance to win this war and we need to do it as soon as possible."
Regulus nodded and listed the other three Horcruxes. Aside from the locket, he was only sure of the location of one of the Horcruxes. Sirius couldn't disguise his laughter when he found out that The Dark Lord™ had a diary.
Quickly, everyone began to get involved in the operation to destroy the Horcruxes. Some members made suggestions f where the other two Horcruxes might be, other had theories of how to destruy horcruxes, and the room started to get insanely noisy. Dumbledore interrupted them, saying that he had already made the more suitable plan.
* * *
Two months.
That was the time you spent hunting Horcruxes and running away from Voldemort and the Death Eaters who quickly discovered your plans. None of you could have guessed that destroying a diary (which you and Peter had stolen from the Malfoy's Manor) and a locket that was thousands of years old could be so difficult to destroy.
Currently, you were in an abandoned cabin in a forest. The diary was tucked away in Sirius' backpack and the one wearing the locket today was James. It was a bad idea because he cried himself to sleep because he missed Lily; the wife he loved so much and that was pregnant and alone because her husband was forced to leave her.
None of the rest of you were okay either.
Sure, good things had happened. Regulus confessed to you how important you were to him and you started dating. Honestly, he was a much better boyfriend than you had imagined. But Sirius still felt terrible for everything he thought bad about his little brother. And knowing that he could have saved Regulus a lot of suffering if he hadn't left his brother alone in that hellish house was eating him alive.
Remus needed to walk several kilometres into the forest on full moon nights so he wouldn't risk hurting anyone. And only one of the Marauders could go with him because they couldn't leave you and Regulus in charge of some of the wizarding world's most dangerous objects alone. Consequently, Remus was more exhausted and tired than usual. It hurt so much that you couldn't do anything to help your friend.
Peter did not have a good relationship with his family. The Marauders were all he knew of affection and he felt helpless watching them suffer and being so impotent. He always felt like the most useless of his friends, but not being able to ease the pain of people so important to him was killing him.
Now you… Well, you had everything to lose. Your dream of being a Quidditch player, Your loving family, Your friends, Your boyfriend and Your own life. Nightmares of being tortured or seeing someone you loved being killed in front of you kept you awake for days.
After soaking his pillow, James was finally able to sleep. Everyone eventually made it, but you were tossing and turning in your bed for hours. Finally giving up, you put on a coat, grabbed your wand and silently left the hut.
You mumbled lumos and found a log to sit on a few yards from the hut and finally allowed the tears to roll down Your cheeks. You barely had the energy to sob.
You don't know how long you stayed there, but apparently, it was long because a voice that made your stomach fill with butterflies brought you out of your depressing thoughts.
''There you are, sweetheart.'' Regulus didn't speak too loudly so as not to scare you, but his voice was firm to try to reassure you.
You were surprised by the small genuine smile that formed on your face when you saw him.
''Sorry, Reg. I just needed to be alone for a while. Didn't mean to worry you.'' He knelt in front of you and kissed your cheek.
''No need to apologize, Y/N. I understand.'' He replied, stroking the place where he kissed you.
A few minutes passed in comfortable silence before he asked if you'd like to vent to him. Everything you've been holding on to for those weeks came crashing down as you buried your face in the crook of your lover's neck. You tried to explain what you felt, but the sobs prevented you from speaking properly. You stayed like that for several minutes until your breathing calmed down and you started placing kisses on Regulus' jaw, making him laugh.
Suddenly, he gently lifted you to your feet and wrapped his arms around your waist, forcing you to bury your face in his chest. Reg put yours arms around his neck and he started humming a song softly that you immediately recognized.
Sirius was a big fan of muggle rock and you liked the songs he made you listen to so much that you showed them to Regulus. His favourite band became Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. O' Children was his favourite song and it was the one he was humming as he cradled you in his arms to dance.
At that moment, the war and Voldemort did not exist. You didn't risk losing your family or your friends because Regulus knew how to make you feel protected like no one else ever did. You loved him. You loved him desperately and you needed to tell him before it was too late.
''I love you.''
You both froze as you realized you'd said the L-word at the same time, and immediately looked into each other's eyes, shocked, before bursting out laughing like children, happy and relieved.
He connected his lips with yours and the world became beautiful again. Not perfect or safe, but hopeful.