Work Text:
Regulus had no problem with dying here. It had not been a long time since he realized the Dark Lord was a bad person, but it was still important for him to do this. Lord Voldemort was a horrible being, and he fed lies to his followers, the Death Eaters. Regulus used to be one, a Death Eater, but his eyes had opened and soon they shall be closed forever. He didn't exactly know how, probably the potion he drank. It was likely that it was going to burn him from the inside or make him go crazy until he drowns himself in the dirty water surrounding the small island he was on. Either way, he did not care. Regulus didn't mind death. He had done a big mistake following the rest of his family and this shall be the last act of rebellion against them. If this was the only way to be remembered on the good side of the war, then so be it. Even if no one ever finds out, hopefully, Kreacher will be able to destroy the horcrux. Then all that would be left would be for somebody insane enough to try to murder the Dark Lord.
Regulus took the last sip of the Emerald potion, he was seeing things that were, as he assumed, hallucinations, presumably caused by said potion. His mother torturing his brother, Sirius, with highly illegal cruses, which then morphed into Voldemort using Grimmauld place as a location for living. Soon his mother came back, telling him Sirius had ran away, without him, leaving Regulus at the mercy of purebloodists. Regulus did not blame him for that though, he was a purebloodist at the time and anyone with half a brain would want to leave this cage. He saw Father informing him that he was scheduled to take the dark mark at only sixteen, this used to be one of his best memory. Now looking back, he saw the truth. All of these memories took control of Regulus's mind, tormenting him, making him suffer, making him feel smaller, making him feel worthless. Maybe he deserved the pain, deserved to remember. Maybe that was the price to pay for such a horrible past. Regulus didn't exactly mind it, he was going this for a better future, without him in it.
As Regulus exchanged the two lockets, putting his replica containing his letter in the basin, the poison re-filing it, and handing the horcrux to his dear house elf. Only then did he notice how thirsty he was, he noticed because, when he tried speaking, trying to give Kreacher his instructions, the lack of liquid in his mouth made it almost impossible, he managed regardless.
"Kreacher, do whatever you can to destroy this locket," Regulus spoke with some kind of rasp in his voice, each word holding physical pain, "Do not mention this to anybody in the family, or any Death Eater in general"
"K–Kreacher was glad to have known the young master Regulus!" the house elf replied, sobbing.
"Me too Kreacher, me too."
His voice was still hurt from the thirst, he needed to drink. Now. Once Kreacher apparated, Regulus dragged his own body to the shore. He reached with his hand in the dark water and bringing it to his mouth. The taste was horrible, it was like something was decaying in there, something probably was. Regulus was too blinded by thirstiness to care, and so he drank again. Once, twice, thrice. By the fourth time, that's when the inferi started coming out. Oh. So that's how he was gonna die.
The inferi reached for the young boy, soon pulling, tugging him into where they came from. Regulus didn't resist, he never intended on surviving. He always knew he would die right here and there ever since Kreacher almost died andtold him about the locket.
When life left his body, leaving only an empty shell, Regulus was completely fine with it. Seventeen years old, what a young age to die.