Chapter Text
Sirius almost ignored him.
He had never liked that elf.
Kreacher was awful. He had always been. So mean, so disrespectful and annoying. No one would ever convince Sirius that this elf didn’t hate him. He was sure that Kreacher himself would recognise it if he happened to ask.
That’s why, when the elf showed up in front of him, Sirius had been close to either yell at him or apparate away.
He didn’t care where, he just cared it was far enough from that creature.
Not only did he hate the elf but everything surrounding his family. The old one, not the real one.
Sirius had a family now. A real family. A family with people that loved him, with people that cared about him the same way he cared about them.
Everything connected to any family before that one is something he wanted to forget.
And then? Suddenly and out of nowhere, fucking Kreacher showed up.
Sirius had turned around at the apparition noise, thinking one of his friends may have shown up. Instead, what he found was the elf in that filthy rag he called his own.
His frown deepened immediately, because why would this thing ever appear close to him willingly? He doubted any of his parents would have sent him. They barely directed a word to the elf even when Sirius lived around. The only one speaking to him was stupid Regulus.
He had always known his brother was more naive, that he believed all the bullshit his parents professed and that he wouldn’t be as different from them as Sirius could have wanted.
Because he had hope.
Sirius had always had hope.
He had hope when Regulus told him he should behave if he didn’t want their parents angry.
He had hope when Regulus was sorted into Slytherin.
He had hope when Regulus started to repeat the things their parents yapped about.
He had hope when Regulus took the mark.
Because Regulus was naive. He was stupid, he was young, influenceable. He had always been soft enough to believe whatever his parents said, and Sirius hoped that he had taken the mark because they asked him to.
That he took it without intent.
He’d have gone over him taking it because he believed the cause.
But no.
No, he hadn’t just believed in it. He had supported it, he had acted on it.
He tortured people. He killed people. He felt proud of it.
Sirius let his hopes die the moment he realised there was truly nothing he’d be able to do to change him. He let his hopes die the moment Regulus changed, the moment he started to enjoy control, to enjoy the fear in people’s eyes when he walked close.
So he pulled away completely.
Regulus never tried to reach out either, and their fates had been settled that moment.
Sirius didn’t have a brother, and Regulus was no more than an enemy like any other he’d take care of if the situation required it.
Now, not only his brother wanted to contact him for Godric knows what but he was coward enough to not even show up himself? He sent his stupid elf?
The anger was enough to make him not apparate away at the moment. Because he wouldn’t be seen around anything that involved a death eater and let it pass another time, and he’d make sure to let him know.
That before his brother, he was a—
“Master Regulus needs help!” The elf screamed, making him scoff as though Sirius would care.
He looked incredibly panicked and… soaked? Whatever.
“Then he can help himself? And where are his death eater friends? They can’t help him, apparently?” the elf walked closer, and before Sirius was able to step away, the world snapped in two as the usual apparition feeling made presence through his body.
Awesome.
Fucking hilarious
Now that thing thought himself with the right to spawn them away just because, once disinherited, Sirius wasn’t someone to respect anymore? Not that he had ever respected him either way, though.
Whatever Regulus had gotten himself into, he could walk out by himself.
Except that when his feet met the ground again, it was slippy and craggy.
The smell of salt made him frown.
His eyes tried to focus inside wherever he’d been brought, and only after squinting did he manage to see anything in the dark.
Whatever this place was, Sirius wasn’t able to apparate back.
That made this way more unnerving.
“Regulus?” He called, because after all, he’s the one that could explain him whatever the fuck this was and how to get out.
Kreacher had already moved before Sirius was able to ask him at the lack of response by his brother.
The elf, however, made a strangled noise that helped Sirius notice where he’d gone, crouching by the edge of the rocks they stood at.
By the moment he reached for his wand, planning to light it up and help himself, a wet hand wrapped around his ankle, making him yelp and fire directly against whatever it had been.
His heart was pounding fast against his chest now, because what the hell? Whatever it had been, Sirius could see it hadn’t retreated.
“Lumos!” From one moment to another, the man could see his close surroundings without forcing his sight.
Sirius noticed that whatever had gripped his ankle looked incredibly uncanny, almost like whatever was left of a corpse. Its sunken eyes stared at him as though he were a prey.
Which he realised he may be.
“Master Regulus!” The elf screamed by the edge, staring right into the water. Right into a small point of light that very slowly started to fade in the depths.
It took Sirius a second to realise what was going on, feeling his heart stop before it raced faster than it ever had.
Faster than the day he was sorted in Gryffindor.
Faster than the night he ran.
Definitely faster than when another soaked hand gripped at his ankle.
Inferi.
He recognised them quickly now, and with a quick wave of his wand, red fire burst from the tip.
The nearest inferi shrieked soundlessly as the flames rolled across the rocks, forcing them back into the black water. More hands surfaced immediately, clawing over one another, skeletal fingers scraping against the stone as dozens more seemed to drag themselves toward him.
“Incendio!”
Another wall of fire erupted, buying him only seconds.
“Kreacher!” Sirius shouted, already running for the edge, unable to see the small light he’d recognised before. “Where is he?”
The elf was sobbing openly now, pointing into the lake with shaking hands.
Sirius followed the direction, and for one horrifying heartbeat, he saw nothing but rippling black water.
Then he caught it.
The small, almost faded light that must come from his brother’s wand.
He saw it for the briefest instant before it disappeared again, and without thinking, Sirius shoved his wand into his belt.
“Keep them off me!”
And he dove.
Sirius hit water like stone, cold stealing every bit of air from his lungs.
For a second, there was nothing but darkness, salt and muffled screams of Kreacher somewhere above. Then Sirius forced his eyes open.
Inferi.
They moved through the water in slow, jerking motions. Dozens of pale bodies drifting toward him from every direction.
Move, he told himself, kicking hard as one of his hands almost reached back for his wand. But fire couldn’t help him here.
His eyes, however, caught the briefest light.
Regulus was sinking.
His brother’s body hung limply beneath the surface, creatures with their hands still wrapped around his brother’s body, dark hair floating around his face.
Sirius shoved through the freezing water, wrenching one inferi away as it reached for Regulus’s leg. It grabbed Sirius instead, dead fingers digging into his arm.
He kicked it away and lunged the last few feet.
“Reg!” He tried to yell underwater, probably not understandable from anyone around as a muffled sound turned into bubbles around his mouth.
He caught Regulus around the chest, nearly choking on the weight. He was completely limp.
Another inferi seized Regulus’s ankle, and Sirius yelled as he tore it free with sheer force, ignoring the nails raking across his own skin as more corpses closed in. He wrapped both arms around his brother and kicked upward with everything he had left.
The second his head broke through the surface, the elf appeared beside the rocks, reaching down.
“Kreacher!” Sirius threw Regulus toward him before hailing himself out, dragging the heavier body onto the stone with shaking arms.
Inferi clawed at the edge behind them, but the world snapped in half again, only coming back together right in the place where Sirius had been before Kreacher appeared.
Only then did he look down.
Regulus wasn’t moving.
His skin was grey beneath the moonlight, lips tinged blue. Water streamed from his hair, but his chest didn’t rise.
Sirius grabbed his shoulders, shaking them harsher than he should.
“...Reg?”
He pressed two trembling fingers against his neck, and for a moment, the world went utterly silent.
The silence around him became unbearable, swallowing even the sound of the leaves moving by the wind. He couldn’t hear Kreacher anymore.
Couldn’t hear himself breathing.
Just nothing.
"...No."
The word came out hoarse.
He looked at Regulus' face, pale and unnaturally still, lashes clumped together with seawater, lips already beginning to lose what little colour was left behind the blue.
No.
Not like this.
Not after years of convincing himself he didn't care.
Not after deciding his brother had stopped being his brother.
Not after diving into a cursed lake without thinking.
"You absolute—"
His voice cracked.
"You stupid, arrogant bastard."
Sirius shoved Regulus onto his back with far less care than he deserved, hands fumbling as panic finally caught up with him.
"You're not doing this."
He had seen people drown before.
Marlene had once dragged a boy from the Black Lake during sixth year after he'd panicked during swimming practice. She'd yelled at Sirius afterwards because he'd just stood there staring while she'd thrown herself over the kid's chest until he coughed the water back up.
Push. Breathe. Push.
His hands settled in the centre of Regulus' chest.
One.
Two.
Three.
He counted without thinking, compressing harder than he realised.
"Come on."
Nothing.
He pinched Regulus' nose shut, tilted his head back and breathed into his lungs.
His brother remained horrifyingly still.
Sirius went back to compressions.
"Come on."
Again.
Again.
Again.
His shoulders burned.
His palms ached.
"Don't you dare."
The words came out somewhere between an order and a plea.
"You don't get to bloody die after dragging me into this."
Nothing.
His heartbeat hammered against his ribs so violently it hurt as he breathed into Regulus's lungs again.
"Reg."
Another breath.
Another set of compressions.
The elf had fallen to his knees beside them, hands clasped so tightly they shook.
Sirius slammed down on Regulus's chest once more.
A horrible second stretched on.
Then—
Regulus's body jerked violently.
He convulsed with a wet, choking gasp before a torrent of freezing lake water burst from his mouth. He doubled over, coughing so hard his whole body shook, dragging in a ragged, desperate breath that sounded more painful than relieving.
Sirius lurched backwards on instinct, staring, and for one impossible heartbeat, all he could do was watch.
Regulus coughed again, shuddering as air finally reached his lungs.
Alive.
He was alive.
Relief hit Sirius so hard it almost knocked the breath from him.
It lasted exactly one second.
"You absolute fucking idiot," he snapped, grabbing Regulus by the front of his soaked robes before he could slump back onto the floor. "Do you have any idea—"
His voice failed him.
He swallowed hard, jaw clenched painfully, refusing to acknowledge the sting behind his eyes.
Regulus could barely keep his eyes open, every breath dissolving into another fit of coughing.
Sirius's grip loosened despite himself. He caught his brother before he could collapse sideways, still breathing hard enough for both of them.
Neither said anything for the following seconds.
Regulus gasped for air, bending forward as one of his hands clutched his stomach. Then his chest, flinching painfully.
Sirius wouldn’t be surprised to have broken a rib, but that was the last one of his problems right now.
Regulus stayed folded over, coughing until it seemed there couldn't possibly be anything left in his lungs.
Each breath rattled.
Each one looked like it hurt.
Kreacher had crawled to his side the instant he started breathing again, clutching at the edge of Regulus's soaked sleeve with both trembling hands, tears streaming freely down his wrinkled face.
"Master Regulus..." the elf whispered brokenly. "Master Regulus..."
Regulus's eyes remained squeezed shut. His entire body shook from cold and exhaustion, fingers digging weakly into the rocky ground as another cough wracked him.
Sirius let go of his robes.
Not gently.
He stood so abruptly his knees almost gave out beneath him.
"What the hell was that?" he demanded.
Regulus flinched.
No answer came.
"You drag me into Merlin knows where, nearly get yourself killed, and don't even think about explaining?"
Regulus swallowed around another cough, one hand still pressed tightly against his chest.
"I—"
His voice barely existed. The man tried again, only to dissolve into another fit of coughing that forced him to bow his head.
Sirius threw his hands into the air, scoffing a hoarse laugh.
"Brilliant."
Silence answered him apart from Regulus's uneven breathing.
Regulus made a weak sound that almost resembled an attempt to speak, but another cough interrupted him before a single word formed.
He looked utterly spent.
His head hung low, wet hair plastered across his face, shoulders trembling from the effort of simply staying upright.
Whatever strength had kept him moving before was gone.
Sirius's anger refused to disappear.
It simply had nowhere to land.
He looked from Regulus to Kreacher and back again.
Nothing made sense.
Nothing except the fact that his brother had ended up in the middle of a lake full of inferi, probably following some stupid mission.
Regulus's balance finally gave out, swaying sideways.
Kreacher reached for him immediately, but Sirius caught his arm first out of pure instinct.
Regulus barely seemed to notice. His eyes remained half-lidded, unfocused, every breath shallow and shaky, and for one second Sirius considered demanding answers again.
Instead, he looked at the state of him.
Blue lips.
Violently shaking hands.
Soaked clothes clinging to skin that felt far too cold.
Questions could wait.
Death couldn't.
“...Merlin.”
Regulus wasn't looking at him.
He sat hunched over, arms wrapped tightly around himself now that the adrenaline had begun to fade, his whole body trembling with the kind of shivers that no amount of willpower could stop. Every breath came a little unevenly, every so often interrupted by another quiet cough.
He looked...
Young.
Far younger than Sirius remembered.
Not a Death Eater.
Not someone he'd spent years convincing himself to hate.
Just his little brother.
Sirius hated that thought.
Hated how easily it slipped past every wall he'd built.
"...You're freezing," he muttered.
Regulus did something close to a shrug, as though it didn't matter.
Of course it didn't.
It probably hadn't mattered for a while.
Sirius scrubbed a hand down his face.
"You've always been impossible."
Regulus let out something between a humourless laugh and another cough. It lasted barely a second before he winced, one arm tightening around his ribs.
"Don't," Sirius said automatically.
Regulus frowned faintly.
"...It hurts."
Silence settled between them again.
Sirius looked away for a moment, jaw working.
This was ridiculous.
He shouldn't—
He didn't—
Merlin.
With an irritated sound, he shrugged off his jacket and stepped closer.
Before the younger one could even question anything, Sirius dropped the jacket around his shoulders, tugging it closed with far more force than necessary.
"You're going to make yourself worse."
Regulus's fingers instinctively caught the fabric.
It wasn’t really warm, being as soaked as his clothes. And maybe it was the stupidest thing, but no one’s mind was calm enough to think thoroughly.
Regulus stared down at it for a long second.
"...Sirius."
"Don't."
The warning came out rougher than intended.
"I don't want to hear it."
Another silence.
Regulus's hands were still shaking too badly to keep the jacket closed.
Sirius noticed and stepped closer in a second, instinctively wrapping both arms around Regulus and pulling him in.
It wasn't graceful.
It wasn't particularly gentle, either.
More an act of stubborn necessity than affection.
Regulus, however, went completely still. And for one terrifying second, Sirius wondered if he'd push him away.
Instead, after a hesitant pause, Regulus's forehead rested weakly against his shoulder.
His body was ice cold.
The shivering didn't stop.
Sirius only held on tighter.
"...You're such an idiot," he murmured, the words lacking any real bite now.
Regulus let out a shaky breath that ghosted against Sirius's shoulder.
"I know."
Barely louder than a whisper.
"I'm sorry."
Sirius closed his eyes.
"...Yeah."
He didn't forgive him.
Not yet.
But for the first time in years, he let himself hold onto the fact that Regulus was still there. Still breathing.
For now, that was enough.