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Sometimes in the times of darkness light still shines. The full moon illuminated the mouth of the cave as he stepped into the small sandbank. He walked in taking a deep breath admiring the cave. Glow worms shone like stars, their silken threads handing from the roof catching the light of the moon and the illumination they give off.
He took in a deep breath as he stepped further into the cave. His eyes focusing on a smooth stone out of place against the jagged algae covered rocks. He clutched a small vile of red in his hand and slowly takes out the cork tipping the liquid covering the rock in crimson. The wall of rocks cracked open revealing a larger dark room with a silvery shine in the air.
He took in another deep breath slowly stepping through, passing through an invisible curtain snatching all magic. His quest to gain part of the dark wizards soul being his only thought, destroying the wizard who took so much from him already. The one who threatened his brother’s safety, the one keeping him from freedom.
He smiled a bittersweet smile as he reached the edge of a creek, an old tattered boat rested upon the shore. His feet touched the base of the rotting wood of the raft. As if responding to his touch the boat transformed into one of polished oak, the previously tattered sail sparking to life mending itself and becoming a deep green.
Decayed hands attached to bodies in the murky water below reached up holding the boat just above the water passing it between them. A sense of calmness washed over him as he approached the small island in the centre of the creek. All fear disappeared.
The boy in the boat left towards the ornate sink out of place in the ancient cave. The sink filled with a crystalline liquid, swirls of silver hypnotising him as he unconsciously grabs a shell and plunges it into the sink. He lifts the shell to his mouth staring at the green locket at the bottom of the sink. As the first drop of the liquid touched his tongue a soft voice echoed throughout the cave.
“Regulus, that’s dangerous.”
He turned as his name was spoken. A boy stood before him. He was a pale blue and translucent. He wore a button up shirt with ruffled around the collar and an overcoat typical of victorian england.
“Who are you?” Regulus breathed transfixed by the figure standing in front of him.
“I am Dorian of course.” The translucent being spoke with a smile. “This is Dorian’s cave, this is my home. I have crafted this place in my image. I have spent years here watching travellers pass, you are one of the first to actually enter.”
“Are you a ghost?”
“Yes Regulus, I died when I was 16.” Dorian spoke drifting close to Regulus. “I was no older than you when I was swept by the sea into his cave of magic.”
Regulus stared at the boy in awe. The beauty radiating him could not be ignored. It was as if the cave had seen into his soul and conjured the being his heat truely desired. He plunges the shell back into the sink, hitting the bottom as nothing fills it. He turns his attention from the boy in front of him and picks up the locket.
“Kreacher” he breathed, the taste of the silvery liquid on his lips as he took a green locket from his pocket replacing the one in the sink. A hunched house elf appeared with a worried expression.
“Take this,” He smiled holding out the locket.“Destroy it please, any way you can.”
“But Regulus”
“Kreacher, this is an order”
As the house elf left his attention turned back to Dorian standing in front of his with a smile. The ghosts messy hair and round glasses familiar and comforting as it reaches out a hand. Regulus’ heat skips a beat as he places his hand into Dorians.
“Regulus my love,” Dorian breathed guiding him to the waters edge. “You don’t have to worry with anything ever again. We will be together forever.”
Regulus smiled as he followed the one who had so easily stolen his heart into the water. He got pulled below the waters surface with a smile evident on his face and the ghost vanished.
The cave does strange things to those who enter, it plays games with the unfortunate souls. Using the souls it harvested previously to provoke an undying love in the livings heart, to take them into the water. The souls unfortunate to fall in love with it staying for eternity becoming pawns in the caves game.