Fic: "Better Brothers", for ressie_noldo

[springmod]

Title: Better Brothers
Author: wook77
Recipient: ressie_noldo
Rating: PG-13
Character(s) Regulus and Sirius
Warnings: Completely canon compliant
Summary: In every story, there is a beginning and an end. This, then, is the beginning of the end.
Author's notes: Thanks to my betas, T, Y, L. All remaining mistakes are my own. Your request was both a joy and a challenge to write so I truly hope that you enjoy this, ressie_noldo!


Better Brothers

He'd swallowed his pride, sucked it up and in and, finally, had gone to the protective older brother. Sirius had always been there for him, a wall between the hot rages of his mother and the cold silences of his father, until he'd abandoned Regulus.

Though, when he'd come to Regulus on the train after that fateful summer, Sirius had used the word "escape" instead of "abandon" to describe why he left but that was his interpretation and not something that Regulus much cared about. What mattered, what matters, is that Sirius wasn't there when Regulus needed him. Now that Regulus needs Sirius again, Sirius owes him and that's the argument he uses there in the back of a dodgy Muggle pub in the middle of Poulton-le-Fylde.

When Regulus makes his request, Sirius scoffs, sneering about his Death Eater friends but Regulus waits it out. Sirius has always been one for speaking and acting first and thinking second, so Regulus gives him some time to think it through by waiting out his ire. It'd worked when they were children and this time isn't going to be any different. Regulus needs Sirius's assistance far too much.

They dance around one another, Regulus trying everything that has worked in the past - pleading, cajoling, flattery, anger and outright bribery. None of the attempts are working and Regulus goes for guilt one more time.

"You said you'd be there for me. I should've known that you wouldn't stick to your promise. Too much like our mother." The last might've been an unnecessary slur but Regulus knows Sirius almost as well as he knows himself. If the rest won't work, comparing Sirius to their mother will.

"What do you need?" Sirius is grimacing even as he says it and Regulus knows he's won.

"We're going to steal something from the Dark Lord."

~*~*~*~*~

It's taken Regulus weeks to put the plan together after months of gathering information. It's as solid as he can make it with the scant information he's been able to find. Had he made any further inquiries or pushed any harder for details, he would be dead instead of planning his escape.

Now? Now he's forced to pace, back and forth, on the edge of a sheer rock face overlooking the sea and waiting for Sirius to show. The blighter is never on time; Regulus knows this, which is why he'd told him twenty minutes earlier than he'd wanted. He can only be away for a limited amount of time or Bellatrix will get suspicious.

She's been watching him for weeks, following him and asking awkward questions that he's completely unsure how to answer. Sirius's delay means more questions that he'll have to think of answers for. It's as he's mentally cursing his forced reliance on his irresponsible and irrational brother that there's a pop. Turning around, he sees Sirius sauntering towards him as if he weren't fifteen minutes later than Regulus had wanted them to meet and thirty five minutes later than he'd been told.

"You're late. There is a very small window of opportunity for success and you've just wasted a good portion of it," Regulus chastises and Sirius only laughs at him.

"Pull the stick out your arse and let's get to wherever it is we need to be." Sirius cuffs his arm and Regulus glares. He hates Sirius's propensity for touching. They've never been a family for physical signs of affection and Regulus wonders, once more, if Sirius was a changeling switched at birth for the true heir to the House of Black.

Regulus hands Sirius a broom and then he takes off over the edge, flying down until he reaches the opening of the cave. The water is higher than he thought and he's forced to leave the broom on a rock before swimming the rest of the way into the cave. He can hear Sirius behind him. As much as they've had their problems and lack of communication, Regulus knows that Sirius will protect him. That's why he's chosen Sirius to assist him with this. He can trust that Sirius will do his part in a way that he's not been able to trust any of his compatriots. His brother is too much the loyal Gryffindor to put his own needs ahead of Regulus's.

It doesn't take much time to swim through the extremely narrow cave. When there's something solid under his feet, he starts to ascend until he's standing in a much wider cavern. As he waits for Sirius to finish paddling through the water, he searches the area, examining each wall until he grows suspicious of an overly smooth rock. It's the first test of what Regulus knows will be many. He casts a revealing charm, trying to see if there were instructions carved into the wall.

Nothing comes to the surface and he's distracted by Sirius shaking himself like a dog. "For the love of… are you a Mudblood or a Wizard?"

It's a simple spell that dries them both off. Sirius nods his thanks before pacing around the room. "Where next?"

"Through here. We just have to figure out how to get through." Regulus steps back before Sirius can shove him out of the way. This is another reason Regulus wanted Sirius along for this; if anyone knows how to make his way into somewhere he's not supposed to be, it's Sirius. A flurry of spells erupts and the cavern is illuminated with the red and blue and green lights from his spells. It's a white one that eventually shows an outline of a door and Sirius gasps, "A-ha! Got you, you lousy bugger!"

"Got him? How so?" Regulus is almost blinded by the bright white shining from the walls.

"Bastard's wanting a toll. You got something to give it?" Sirius gestures towards the door and Regulus knows, he knows that the Dark Lord's wanting blood from anyone making their way through. Before Sirius can guess what he's about to do, Regulus slices across Sirius's hand and smears the blood on the wall. The rock disappears under their hands and Sirius pulls his away.

"The fuck was that?" Sirius looks pissed but Regulus ignores him to stare into the darkness beyond.

"Lumos," and light erupts to show that they are at the edge of a black lake. Regulus can't see the bottom.

"Next time you want to slice me, give a bit of warning." Sirius sounds petulant and Regulus doesn't bother with an answer. Together, they stand at the edge of the water, staring into the darkness and focusing on an odd light in the center of the lake. "What's this then? Where's what we're after?"

"Let me think for a moment." Regulus blocks out the sound of Sirius's annoyed huff and the splash that follows. "What in bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

There's an ominous splash, louder than the rock that Sirius had tossed into the lake, and Regulus braces himself. Unnaturally still, both Regulus and Sirius scan the lake, squinting to see beyond what little light Regulus's wand is giving. Minutes pass though they feel like hours.

Regulus turns and starts to cuff Sirius but stops himself. "Do not do something that stupid again. You have no idea what we're about to face."

"Then tell me. What are we even here for anyway? What're we stealing?" Sirius is asking the questions that Regulus has no intention of answering.

"Something important, more important than you can know." That sneer is back on Sirius's face and Regulus's tight rein on his temper snaps. "You will do as you're told and we'll both live to get out of this. Make another mistake like that one and we'll both die here."

"Sod off, Regs." Sirius kicks the cavern wall and stalks off. Regulus walks in the other direction, around the narrow passageway, searching for some way into the center of the lake. He knows that if he touches the water, it's all over; Sirius has already proven that with his rock hurtling.

As he reaches the other edge of the lake, he's no closer to an answer and he's already angry at Sirius and angry at the Dark Lord. Right now, he's only got himself to rely upon and that's not enough. He hasn't enough information to go further.

It can't end this way. They've made it through this far - hell, they've bled to ensure success - and he isn't going to let it end here on the shoreline. Rage bubbles and he wants to scream and curse, throw something or cast curses. They're too close for failure and when Regulus had smeared Sirius's blood on the wall, he'd reached the point of no return. There is no going back to the Dark Lord, not after this. That thing would know that someone had tried to get into this chamber. There's only one reason to be here and it's in the center, completely unreachable.

As much as Regulus doesn't want to die, he also refuses to rely on the protection of the fools in the Order. They aren't even aware of the spy in their midst, after all. Even now, depending on how much Sirius has told anyone, the rat could be spilling Regulus's secrets. No, there's no going back.

He continues his walk, running through possibilities and plans and discarding them all. Sirius's wand light is approaching him when, suddenly, it's snuffed from view. There's another splash and Sirius squeaks, a noise he's never heard from his brother before. As he runs towards where he'd last seen Sirius, Regulus submerges the concern for his brother with the need for safety.

"What have you done, you fool?" Sirius is lying on the ground, sprawled uncomfortably but looking to be uninjured.

"There're things in the water." Sirius is staring at a white hand floating near where his head rests uncomfortably close to the edge of the water.

"Of course there are, clumsy oaf. Don't touch the water with anything living or we're dead."

"Explain that."

It's a demand and Regulus hates demands. He's had to follow too many recently to tolerate them. Sharing the information, though, might just save Regulus's life later so he explains.

"Inferi, there're Inferi in the water. Touch the water with something living and they'll kill us."

"He wouldn't," Sirius's face blanches as he speaks.

"He's killed countless people, why wouldn't he? Think, Sirius, think about what you're up against. This isn't a game," Regulus hisses.

Sirius stands and scrambles back from the water but he trips again and scrambles for his footing. "What the bloody hell?"

Regulus reaches out and feels a rope, invisible but there. The rage from earlier disappears completely as he realises that there is, in all probability, a solution to the crossing problem attached to the end. Regulus taps his wand on the invisible cord and a green chain appears before coiling at his feet. Another tap and a boat rises from the water, a glowing green that matches the glow in the center of the lake and that of the chain at his feet.

"What the bloody -" Sirius starts to exclaim again but Regulus interrupts him.

"Thanks to your clumsiness, we just might live to see this through. Get in," Regulus orders before stepping into the boat.

"You haven't told me what's at the center yet," Sirius balks.

"All will be revealed, trust me for just a bit longer and remember, do as you're told. Do you understand me?" Sirius chafes at the order, Regulus can see it in the way his face screws up with rebellion but he finally nods and slips into the boat with Regulus.

The boat drifts into the water without either of them having to do anything. Soon, the murky thick darkness hides the walls from sight. It's just the weak light from their wands and the eerie green of both the boat and the center of the lake.

"There are a lot of them," Sirius whispers. Regulus doesn’t have to ask what he's talking about; it's obvious that it's the Inferi resting under the water. They both watch the bodies pass as they near the island.

Careful to avoid the water, they step out onto the rock and Regulus braces for what's about to happen.

"You going to tell me now?" Sirius asks as he stares at the bowl that emits the green glow they'd seen from across the lake.

"Patience is a virtue." He doesn't finish the thought as he's too busy figuring out how to remove the liquid from the basin. He can't touch it, can't upturn the basin, and can't think of a solution.

"What's this? Your secret?" Sirius reaches out a hand to touch it and Regulus slaps him back.

"When will you learn to think before you act? Do you have any idea what is in there? Any idea whatsoever?"

"Nope, not really." Sirius sounds happily clueless but Regulus isn't fooled. Sirius is pissed about the slap. "This what we came for? Doesn't seem like much for all this hassle."

"No, it's what is inside the liquid that is important. There's a locket in there that we must retrieve." Regulus lets desperation bleed into his voice.

"Is it poisonous?" Sirius is staring into the basin intently.

"It acts as a paralysing agent, possibly inducing hallucinations from what my source has informed me."

"Who's your source?" Sirius is attempting a spell on the liquid and Regulus shakes his head.

"That won't work, you realise." Regulus looks about for a cup of some sort but can't find one.

"Who told you that? Your source? Remind me who that is."

"You know better, Sirius." Regulus picks up a small rock and transfigures it into a cup. Its rim is a bit off but Sirius is the one that's always been talented in Transfiguration. Regulus is the one that excelled at Potions. That aptitude lead to a friendship with Severus and that friendship has lead to the information about the liquid. After all, who better to ask about a Potion than the creator? Severus had spent a fair amount of time bragging about the potion, telling Regulus all of its properties. Regulus likes to think that had Severus known what it would be used for, he might not have been so proud or efficient. He hadn't been able to tell Severus about the locket, hadn't been quite sure of his loyalties.

"Remember your promise, Sirius. No matter what, do not allow me to stop drinking this until we have that locket." Regulus reaches out to scoop the first cupful when Sirius's hand closes over his wrist.

"What the hell are you doing? You didn't say anything about drinking this. There has to be another way." Regulus thought there might be a hint of concern in his brother's voice.

"There is no other way. It won't kill me, just ensure that I keep drinking." With that, Regulus twists his wrist and scoops up a cupful. It's bitter going down, burning along his esophagus and causing his stomach to convulse.

Before he can lose what little courage he has, he downs another serving while voices from his past swirl in his head. A third quickly follows and his muscles weaken. A fourth and he collapses against the edge of the basin. His mother stands on the other side of the basin and she's glaring at him like she'd only ever looked at Sirius. "Nothing, you're nothing. You filthy Mudblood lover, just like your brother. You'll end up dead when they find you! I knew you'd end up like this."

As he stares at his mother, the rock and lake disappear and he's sitting in a small playground. As he swings, higher and higher, he laughs for the joy of the moment. When he comes back to earth, he hits something. The impact jars him from the swing and he tumbles into the dirt. When he looks up, he sees a little boy, blood gushing from his noise.

"Are you alright?" The boy cries harder and as he reaches out a hand to wipe the blood from his face, his mother catches his arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" She hisses as she tugs him away.

"I hurt him, mummy." Regulus is close to tears as only a four year old could be.

"You don't touch that sort! What is this world coming to when Mudbloods are allowed to play with us? Disgusting sort, can't believe the gall of them to show here! World would be better off without them, should kill them all…" His mother's muttering lowers until Regulus can't make out any of the words.

His wrist feels heavy where she's pulling him along and all he wants to do is apologise to her for causing this tirade but he can't open his mouth and his throat is burning.

"Regs?" Sirius's voice interrupts and his mother's grip tightens further.

"Don't listen to him, he's no good, just as filthy as the rest. Blood traitor!" The last is a screech.

"Drink it, Regs." There's a cup on his lips and four-year-old Regulus knows that his brother loves him so he drinks.

His father's stick cracks down where spine meets arse and pain erupts in a geyser of red-filled vision.

"Sneaking, are we? I'll show you sneaking!" The cruel voice barely gives warning to the feel of the stick impacting again. This time, it's along the back of his thighs and his legs buckle. He'd been stupid, following Sirius out at night when his brother had snuck out to meet up with his friends. He'd fallen and broken his arm when he'd tried to leave the same way Sirius had.

"Please, I won't do it again," Regulus pleads but his father's face darkens before he presses a cup to Regulus's lips.

"Drink it and I'll believe you," his father orders and Regulus obeys.
When his stomach rebels, his father hits him again, the impact sending pain ricocheting into his chest. "Another, drink another."

"Don't make me," he pleads but the cup is pressing against his teeth so he screws his eyes shut and downs all of it.

When he opens his eyes, Severus is there, sneering at him just like he's always sneered at the world.

"I'm not him, I'm not like my brother," Regulus implores and Severus only shakes his head. Regulus makes to follow but his legs won't work. "Help me."

"Drink it and it'll help," Severus demands.

"You were just…" Regulus is confused how Severus could get so close in such a small space of time but he's there, tipping Regulus's head back and forcing a potion between his lips.

Regulus blinks and his mother is there again. "I hate repeating myself, Regulus. Act like a proper member of the House of Black. Do you want to end up like your brother?"

Shaking his head, he slumps forward and presses his face against his mother's stomach. Her hands brush against his head though her palms feel rougher and larger than he remembers. She's humming to him, a lullaby from childhood and Regulus wants to stay here forever, being comforted by his mother and ignoring the war that's building outside their door.

"You'll join the Dark Lord and you'll make the House of Black proud, do you understand me?" His father's strident voice sounds from beyond his vision of his mother's dress.

"I can't, Father. I…" He breaks off, too afraid to admit to his fear and doubts.

"You're what, Regs?" He can't remember his father ever using that nickname; it was for Sirius alone and it'd driven him nuts for years.

"I'm scared, so scared," he whispers, hoping that his father can't hear him.

"I'm sorry, Regs, drink this," his mother implores as he clings to her and he obeys.

His mother shifts and there's a body lying on the carpet. The eyes, glassy and empty, stare at him and he shudders, trying to burrow into his mother's skirts. He's not embarrassed about the disgust roiling through his body and upsetting his stomach. His spine's on fire and he knows that Bellatrix has Crucio'd him for his show of weakness. Screams erupt, high pitched and frightening, while his throat burns.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I couldn't do it," Regulus sobs against her legs, her robes chafing his face.

"Couldn't do what, pet?" Her voice is gruff but it comforts him just the same.

"Couldn't kill him, couldn't do it, can't get the spell to work, I'm sorry, forgive me, please?" Regulus begs.

"Nothing to forgive." She rubs a rough hand down his head, smoothing his hair and Regulus doesn't feel like he's eighteen; he feels like he should be five and running to Sirius for comfort. "Be a lad and drink this."

She sounds pained, like she doesn't want him to have it but he drinks it just the same. His innards explode in fire. "No more, please, no more!"

His pleading stops abruptly as the Dark Lord strides across the water and then the rock. "Kill him, kill him now."

The order is harsh, abrupt and Regulus shakes his head. He can't, he won't.

"Kill him or I kill your mother and father. Get his secrets or the House of Black is dead." Regulus's sobs increase and he feels trapped. There's no air but his lungs wouldn't be able to breathe it in anyway, they're on as much fire as his stomach.

"Lure him, betray him, kill him!" The Dark Lord paces in front of him and Regulus shakes his head again.

"I can't."

"Crucio!" His body convulses with the pain of the curse and he can't even form the thought to plead for mercy. When the spell lifts, he's on the cold rock and the Dark Lord is crouching to look at him. "Do as you're told or I will kill each and ever member of your family in front of you, leaving you for last."

The Dark Lord casts Crucio once more and when he lifts it, Regulus knows he'll agree to anything to make the pain stop.

"All right, I will, I will!"

"You will what?" The voice is cold and demanding. The heat of a moment earlier has evaporated.

"I'll get everything from Sirius! I will, just make it stop, please, make it stop!"

"Get what from Sirius? What are you going to get from Sirius?" The heat is back and Regulus tips his face towards the voice, hoping for a bit of its warmth to ease the cold that's settled in his bones.

"Everything! The Potters, his friends, everything!"

"Were you sent to kill him too?" The question sounds odd coming from the Dark Lord's face.

"No, not that! I'll leave it to you, my Lord! I will! Just please!"

"Drink." The cup clacks against his teeth and Regulus obeys, grateful that there isn't another curse.

After the last drink, he shudders. When he looks around, the Dark Lord, Bellatrix, his mother, they've all disappeared. He realises that he's laying on the cold rock of the island in the lake and his muscles are barely responding. Sirius is glaring at him.

"Sent to betray me, were you? You're a fucking rat."

"Why do you think we're doing this? There's already a rat, he didn't need me." Regulus attempts to sit up and can barely manage it.
"Water?"

"After you give me what I want. What rat?" Sirius crosses his arm and doesn't move to help Regulus.

Once Regulus is able to sit up, he fishes a small locket out of his pocket and holds it up for Sirius to take. "Switch them."

"What rat?"

"Switch them before the Inferi react, dammit! Switch them now or we're dead!"

"Is it Peter? Remus?"

"It's a friend, switch them!" Regulus can't stand on his own though he tries as he speaks.

Finally, Sirius takes the locket and switches them. The cup's been transfigured back to a rock and they stumble back to the boat. The water is so close, so temptingly close and Regulus needs it to soothe the fire from the potion. It's only that he's too weak that he doesn't dip his hand in to assuage the thirst.

"Going to wait until we're outside to off me?" Sirius sneers, his face twisting into their father's.

"Can't kill, can't kill anyway. Let's get out of here before they realise the switch." Regulus starts crawling towards the boat.

"Should just leave you here." Sirius still grips his shoulders and pulls him along towards the boat.

They're both deathly silent as the boat makes its way to shore. Regulus refuses to look at the water, he's too thirsty. Instead, he grips his wand in a sweaty hand and stares at the bottom of the boat as he strains to hear any of the Inferi stirring. An explosion of green light illuminates the chamber. Sirius gasps.

"They're moving," he whispers, and even that seems too loud, what with the splashing that answers.

"Don't look back. The locket is the most important thing. Hide it, keep it from Him!" Regulus finally looks up from the boat bottom.

"Not leaving you behind."

The boat bumps against the shore and they clamber out. Sirius starts to tug him towards the shore but Regulus taps his wand on the chain and the boat sinks again. There's shuffling on the rock behind them but Regulus won't look back. He's afraid and the fear is healthy now, helps spur him on and give strength to his limbs.

Once they're through the opening in the rock, Sirius turns and asks, "How do we shut it?"

The Inferi are rushing after them, closer than Regulus had thought and he grips Sirius's wrist. "Blood, smear blood on the wall."

The rock reappears and traps the Inferi on the other side. His heart is still racing and he can barely breathe.

"We have to get out of here. Don't forget the brooms. Leave no trace." Sirius nods and then they're in the water, Sirius pulling him along. It takes too much time to get to the rock. He has to get to the antidote soon or he'll be dead. Severus was very specific on that part of this insanity.

"Home, take me home." Regulus is slumped against Sirius, unable to even support his own weight. Another nod and, with brooms in hand, Sirius Apparates them both to Grimmauld Place. Once they land in Regulus's bedroom, he grabs his wand and says, "You should go now."

"Gotta make sure you're going to be alright." Sirius starts looking around the room.

"Obliviate," Regulus casts and Sirius looks dumbfounded for a second. "Thanks for the drinks and getting me home."

"Yeah, better get out of here before our high and mighty mother realises I've sullied her home." Sirius grins and then digs his heels into the carpet below his feet. "You'll be alright?"

"Of course," Regulus reassures as he waves Sirius off.

"Alright, then. We'll do it later." Sirius puts fingers to forehead and bows dramatically before disappearing with a crack.

Regulus doesn't waste any time, grabbing the bottle of antidote from under his pillow. His hands shake as they wrestle with the stopper. Cursing the cork and his own usage of it, Regulus's heart pounds in his chest as he sends up a prayer to someone, anyone that might be able to help him. His heart feels like it's about to explode from his chest when the stopper finally releases. He tosses it to the side before downing the potion. His hands continue to shake as he tips his head back and some of it dribbles out onto his chin. Finger rubbing and forcing it back towards his mouth, Regulus licks as much of it as he can.

As he swallows the last time, his heart seizes. The abrupt cessation of pulse gives him pause. He lies there trying to breathe as his mother comes rushing in. As his vision blackens, he hears her screaming his name, her skirts brush his face and he wonders if this is what death is like.