Regulus Black sprinted through the forest, his heart pounding. He could hear them following him, it was obvious they weren’t going to give up anytime soon. His hideout was ten minutes away…could he make it that far?
He kept on running, thorns scratched his arms and legs and once or twice he tripped over a tree stump. At last he reached his hideout “ well, it was less of a hideout and more of a large shed, but you don’t entertain much when you’re on the run from a Dark wizard and his servants.
Regulus pulled the door closed. “Colloportus,” he gasped before collapsing on the floor, panting.
Were they still on his trail? Should he get out of here and hide in the forest until they gave up? Yes, that was a good idea but he would just stay here until he got his breath back “ there was no harm in that.
“Reducto!” a woman shrieked and with a BANG the door shattered into a million pieces, revealing two people standing in the doorway.
“Did you have to do that?” Regulus asked weakly, shielding his eyes from splinters.
“It adds to the effect,” Bellatrix replied and swept into the room, Lucius Malfoy following in her wake.
Regulus propped himself up and tried to disguise the fact that his lungs were about to implode. “Bellatrix, Lucius,” he nodded in their direction.
Bellatrix’s face was alight with glee. “You’ve been a very bad boy, Reggie,” she smirked. “Did you think you could just back out of the Dark Lord’s inner circle?”
The real answer was ‘no’, but Regulus wasn’t going to give in. He wasn’t going to die sounding like a coward. “Yeah, I did, actually,” he said defiantly.
Bellatrix scowled. “Well, you’re wrong. The only way to end your service to the Dark Lord is to die, and we wouldn’t want to break tradition, now, would we?”
“Well, physically you could break tradition,” Regulus said thoughtfully. “But I suppose you’re talking about whether “”
“Crucio!” Bellatrix screamed.
Unbearable pain spread through Regulus’s body, piercing him like a hundred knives. When it finally stopped, Regulus found himself on the floor, sweaty and out of breath once more.
Bellatrix bent over him. “You don’t want that to happen again, do you, Reggie?” she leered, throwing her wand up and catching it again. “Now, where is the locket?”
“What locket?” Regulus asked, feigning innocence.
“The Dark Lord’s locket,” Lucius replied as Bellatrix darted around the room, opening cupboards and smashing jars.
“There’s a picture,” Regulus grinned, “the Dark Lord in jewellery. What next? A tutu?”
Bellatrix grabbed his shirt and pulled him up so that their noses were almost touching. “Never insult the Dark Lord, or face,” her eyes glittered maliciously, “the consequences.”
Lucius pushed her aside. “Stop fooling around, Bella, we have a job to do.” He hesitated before pointing his wand at Regulus’s chest. “I’ll ask you once more, Regulus, where is the locket?”
“To be honest, I have no idea.” Regulus smiled widely as he watched Bellatrix’s face go pale. “I slipped it to a secret accomplice a few years back.”
“Who?” Lucius and Bellatrix asked in unison.
“I might remind you,” Bellatrix said menacingly, “that this answer could determine whether you live or die tonight.”
Regulus sighed. “Very well, I suppose you would’ve gotten it out of me sooner or later. Her name is Amy Benson.”
Both Lucius and Bellatrix looked confused. “Surely you mean Amy Baddock or Amy Barkwith?” Lucius inquired.
Regulus shook his head.
“Well then,” Bellatrix’s cheeks had regained a little of their colour. “I think that’s all we need.” She raised her wand.
“Wait! You can’t! Bella, we’re cousins!” Regulus exclaimed.
Bellatrix pointed her wand at his heart. “It’s nothing personal, Reggie, we’re just following orders.”
Regulus was shaking, he knew what was coming but he wasn’t going to die curled up on the ground. He stood up and waited for it to happen.
Lucius gave him an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry, Reg.”
Regulus looked away and willed himself not cry. What would they say to his parents? Would his brother even care if he was dead? Was Amy Benson safe?
Then, out of nowhere, it happened.
“Avada Kedavra!” Bellatrix shrieked.
Bright green light obscured his vision and Bellatrix’s manic laughter rang in his ears before he fell backwards and the ground swallowed him up.
*~*
“WHERE IS MY LOCKET?!” Tom Riddle screamed.
“W-w-we don’t know, master,” Bellatrix said tentatively. “Black said he slipped it to an accomplice “ Amy Benson.”
Tom’s cat-like eyes widened and he sat down in a high-backed chair with his head in his hands. “You have done well, Bella,” he muttered, not looking up. “You are dismissed.”
Bellatrix nodded and swept from the room.
Tom Riddle’s mind was chaos. How could Black have given Amy the locket? He’d killed her a long, long time ago. Unless he had missed “ no, that was ridiculous, he never missed…but he had to make sure.
He got out of his chair and opened the drawer of his desk. It was filled with death notices taken from newspapers. He enjoyed cutting out the notices of people he killed, it always brought a smile to his face.
Tom sorted through every single one. Amy Benson’s wasn’t there. Her death notice didn’t exist…because she wasn’t dead. Amy Benson was alive and she had his horcrux.
“I’m coming for you, Amy Benson,” he whispered. “And this time you won’t be so lucky.”
The Cave by Ellie4Harry
Chapter Notes: *ducks to avoid being pelted with rotten fruit* I'm sorry!!! I've been so busy lately and more things have gone wrong with this chapter than you can even imagine! But here it is and I promise Chapter seven will come much sooner!