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I. Regulus’ POV
The Inferi’s hands were cold, slick with death, clawing at his legs, his arms, dragging him under.
Regulus struggled, his chest burning as water filled his mouth. Kreacher was screaming his name, his small hands pulling desperately at his robes, he needed to give the command, now, or Kreacher would die trying to save him.
"Go!" Regulus choked, shoving Kreacher’s trembling hands away. "Don’t come back for me!"
The elf disappeared with a sharp crack.
For a moment, Regulus let go.
The water was freezing.
Regulus’ limbs felt heavy as the Inferi dragging him down even more, the weight of his own mistakes pressing on his chest. Kreacher had disappeared, and he was alone now, the locket clenched so tightly in his fist that the edges bit into his skin.
Then, through the haze of his drowning mind, he felt it, the silver ring on his finger warming slightly, as if responding to his desperation.
Evan’s voice echoed in his memory.
"If you ever need us, truly need us, don’t hesitate."
His body screamed for air. His vision blurred. He curled his fingers tighter around the Rosier family signet ring.
And just as the darkness swallowed him, the world twisted and yanked him away.
Pain, searing, burning, he coughed up water, gasping for air. The world twisted. The last thing he saw was the full moon on a cloudless night sky before everything disappeared.
---
II. Severina’s POV
The portkey had been activated.
Severina barely had time to grab her wand before Evan was already at the door, his face grim. They both knew what this meant.
Regulus had chosen to escape.
She and Evan had been preparing for this moment for years, but it still didn’t change the fact that Regulus actually did it.
"He made it," Evan murmured, slipping his own wand from his sleeve. "We have to move. If he’s wounded…"
Severina was already running.
The island was empty save for a small shrine, the kind locals came to honor the spirits of the sea. It was quiet except for the wind rustling through the trees. It was there that they found him, sprawled in the grass and not moving.
Regulus Black was laying still on the grass. His face was pale, his lips tinged blue, his robes still soaked. But in his clenched fist was the locket.
Severina’s breath caught as she knelt beside him. "Regulus," she murmured, pressing two fingers to his throat. A pulse. Weak, but there.
"He got out," she whispered, her chest tightening. "He actually got out."
"He’s freezing," Evan said, already shrugging off his coat. "Come on, let’s get him inside before he actually dies on us."
With a flick of her wand, Severina levitated Regulus, guiding him toward the warmth of their home.
He was safe now.
---
III. Regulus’ POV
When Regulus woke, the first thing he saw was Severina Snape.
For a moment, he thought he had died.
She looked different from the last time he had seen her, her dark hair was longer, falling in loose waves over one shoulder, and she wore no robes, just simple muggle dress that brought out her curves and made her look soft.
But her eyes were the same. Sharp. Calculating. Watching him.
"You survived," she said softly.
Regulus swallowed, his throat raw.
"So did you."
He heard a chuckle from the corner, and heard. "We had a head start."
Regulus turned his head slightly, spotting Evan leaning lazily against the wall. He looked relaxed, but Regulus wasn’t fooled. They had questions.
Severina’s eyes flickered to the locket, now sitting on the table beside his bed. "Tell me everything."
Regulus exhaled slowly.
And then, he told them.
Everything.
---
IV. Severina & Evan's Moment
Later that night, after Regulus was resting and the locket was locked away in Severina’s study, she stepped out onto the porch.
The sky was endless, stars reflecting on the dark ocean. The scent of cherry blossoms lingered in the air.
Evan joined her, draping his coat over her shoulders before leaning against the railing beside her.
"You knew he’d do something this insane," she said softly.
Evan smirked. "No, I didn’t think he would go this far, but I do like being right."
She rolled her eyes, but before she could respond, he caught her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles.
"You’re shaking," he murmured.
"I’m fine."
Evan tilted his head, studying her. "You don’t have to be."
For a long moment, they stood in silence, the night breeze cool against their skin. Then, Evan pulled her gently toward him, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Severina let herself melt into the warmth of him, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the heartbeat beneath her cheek.
"You were scared," he murmured, lips brushing her temple.
She closed her eyes. "I thought we had lost him… and I don’t want to lose what we built here."
"You won’t," he promised. "We won’t let it happen."
His fingers threaded into her hair, tilting her face up to his. When he kissed her, it was slow, grounding, a reminder that they were still here, still together, still free.
For now, that was enough.
---
V. Severina’s POV
The locket sat on the table, humming with something dark and alive.
It was the first time Severina had seen a Horcrux. She had suspected what it was when Regulus first described it, but holding it in her hands confirmed it. Dark magic. Ancient magic.
They needed to destroy it.
But how?
Her first attempts were fruitless, fire, cutting spells, even her strongest destructive hexes did nothing. Voldemort had made it indestructible.
So she tried poison.
Deadly poison.
Nightshade, aconite, hydra venom, one by one, she tested them, letting the drops seep into the cracks of the metal, watching the reaction. Some made the locket sizzle, others made it scream.
But nothing worked.
Not until the basilisk venom.
The moment the drop touched the locket, it shuddered. A horrible, inhuman wail split the air.
And then… a burst of shadow, writhing, twisting into a face, a mouth open in a silent scream.
Severina and Evan staggered back, watching as the locket buckled, cracked, and finally, with a sharp snap, collapsed in on itself.
Silence.
Then, just as suddenly, a gust of wind tore through the room, as if something had been ripped away from the world.
Evan let out a breath. "Well. That was horrifying."
Severina exhaled. "But it worked."
Regulus, still pale from his injuries, stared at the broken locket.
"So we know how to destroy them," he murmured.
A slow, grim smile curled at Severina’s lips.
"Yes," she said. "And now we find the rest."
---
VI. The Wizarding World’s POV
The news spread within days.
Regulus Arcturus Black was dead.
His body had not been found, but the Dark Lord himself had declared him a traitor. That was enough.
Bellatrix Lestrange flew into a rage, screaming about blood disgrace. The Ministry remained silent.
And Sirius?
Sirius went mad.
For the first time in years, he returned to Grimmauld Place, tearing through the house, looking for something, anything that might tell him why.
And then, as he was about to give up, his eyes landed on the Black family tapestry.
His breath caught.
Regulus’ name was still there.
Still intact.
Still alive.
Sirius’ heart pounded in his chest.
Regulus was alive.
---
VII. Sirius & Kreacher's Confrontation
He turned on his heel, storming down the stairs. "Kreacher!"
The old elf appeared with a crack, glaring at him. "Filthy blood traitor calls Kreacher…"
Sirius grabbed the elf by the front of his rags, dragging him forward. "Regulus," he hissed. "He’s alive."
Kreacher’s eyes widened. "No… Master Regulus is dead! He…he went to the cave…"
"His name is still on the tepstry, you miserable old rat," Sirius snapped. "And if he’s alive, I need to find him."
Kreacher trembled, his large ears twitching. "Kreacher does not know where Master Regulus is," he admitted grudgingly.
"But you’d help me if you did, wouldn’t you?" Sirius pressed, his grip tightening. "You cared about him. He saved you."
Kreacher hesitated.
Then, in a low whisper, he said, "Kreacher will search. But Kreacher tells no lies, he does not know where Master Regulus has gone."
Sirius released him, stepping back. "Then let’s start looking."
Because if his brother had truly cheated death, then Sirius would tear apart the world to find him.
---
END