Chapter Text
Sirius frowned as he followed the first-years from the Ravenclaw.
-Hey, Crouch.
Barty wrinkled his nose without stopping.
-Fuck off, Black. Oh yes. You're Crabbe now.
-We need to talk about my brother.
-About Potter? Only he is your brother. It's none of my business.
Barty turned towards the doors to the great hall. An annoyed Sirius had just grabbed him by the shoulder when Regulus came around the corner. Sirius was instantly slammed into the wall.
-Don't touch my little brother.
Reggie's face was frozen with the same furious expression with which he shielded Barty from the Death Eaters. Younger Crouch immediately jumped up to him with delight in his brown eyes. Stunned, James tried to get his wand, but...
-Mr. Potter, Mr. Crabbe, - Flitwick said coldly. - You are bothering my students. What's the matter?
Regulus removed his wand, and Sirius stepped away from the wall.
-I just wanted to talk to my brother, Professor.
-Do you know what it means to be expelled from the family?
Sirius turned pale. Regulus squared his shoulders and bared his teeth, becoming a mini-copy of Arcturus.
-My only brother is behind my back. If I was shielding him from dark wizards, then you I'll just kill, pup. Do not try to approach him.
Sirius gulped at the fury splashing in Regulus' white eyes. All the purebloods had heard about the attack over the summer. Everyone said that Arcturus and Regulus looked alike. If Lord Black killed Bella, then the Black heir would kill Sirius all the more so.
Regulus didn't care what the Gryffindor wanted. Forgiveness, to be returned to the family, just to take out his resentment on others. After the summer, Reggie is still on edge because he dragged Barty into danger. One wrong move is enough for young Black to explode.
-Oh, - Poppy muttered over breakfast. - These two are better off not doing something stupid.
Albus nodded. He himself was sometimes tricked by Regulus' calm temper. But the boy came from a family that destroyed enemies without mercy, he would not hesitate to attack.
-It is necessary to give Reggie additional tasks, - Horace sighed. - He reeks of annoyance. Are those walks of his so important?
-It probably calms his gift. Maybe we should start thinking about an exchange training program? - asked Pomona. - New experience will be beneficial. And so he will not beat two fools. By the way, is Peter Pettigrew no longer with them?
-He distanced himself from them. He was only looked down upon because of Sirius and James' antics. He seemed to have made friends. But it's hard to talk to these two, as my lions confessed. They behave worse than small children.
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The Gringotts underground floor was shaken by the magic.
-Real idiots, - Octavian muttered. - I didn't even think it would work.
The mages and goblins made their way to the magic trap. The Dark Lord and a few of his supporters were floundering in the nets.
-Marked bastards to the interrogation rooms, leave the rest to the goblins for trial, - Crouch ordered. He would have executed them, of course, but the goblins demanded that the criminals be handed over to them for daring to invade the bank.
-Do you even know who I am?! - Voldemort snapped.
Crouch and Arcturus bared their teeth.
-We know perfectly well, stupid dog.
They never forgave the bastard for the attacked the son and the grandson.
-We have the veritaserum, - one of the goblins chuckled. - We can find out about the Horcruxes.
The Dark Lord's eyes widened treacherously. Even he couldn't overcome the potion in the end. He tried to trick it by using Parseltongue, but Octavian heard everything and snorted.
-The locket and diary. The last one is with Rosier, but the locket is with the snake. He himself does not know where she is now.
-Nagini knows what to do, - Riddle grinned wryly.
Crouch looked at Arcturus.
-Do you think Regulus can find her?
Lord Black frowned.
-His divination does not work on command. But there are tricks. Only the snake is a pup's familiar. Can the connection be silenced?
The goblins nodded.
-We will seal this individual in one of our rooms while you destroy the Horcruxes. Then he can be killed or brought to trial.
Riddle didn't have time to say a word before he was silenced.
-Let's split up.
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The aurors acted quickly. The judges only had time to make decisions. The diary found in Rosier's possession was destroyed by Octavian at once. Many of the marked Death Eaters were sentenced to the Dementor's kiss. Crouch demanded a Veritaserum on everyone he could. Their confessions showed how much the Ministry had underestimated Tom Riddle.
Specially trained wizards took care of the giants. The werewolves themselves hastened to hide. But Fenrir was caught. He became careless because of the rage that dark wizards were being caught in batches. He, too, was sentenced to kiss after hearing how many children he managed to infect.
That left the snake. Regulus was concentrating on shifting the runes and wooden signs on the map in the Hogwarts Headmaster's office. Albus, Filius and Arcturus tried not to disturb him.
-The ship, - the boy muttered. - Forest.
Arcturus leaned towards the map.
-Iceland? Is she still on the way?
-Almost not.
So, she will be on the island when they start their search. Albus took out a parchment.
-The Callahan family is in charge of the island. A very strong and old family. They are peaceful people, but they easily put others in their place. We'll have to confess what we're looking for, but they can help.
-I'll go too, - nodded Regulus.
No one argued. Without him, they would be wandering in the woods for a long time.
-I'll tell the others that Regulus won't be at school for a while, - Flitwick said. - Barty won't be happy.
-It's okay, - Reggie chuckled. - Augustus is with him.
The adults' eyebrows raised. Augustus Rookwood, with whom the boys often sat in the library?
-I can't wait to tell the elder Barty, - Arcturus chuckled.
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Regulus, Arcturus and Octavian traveled to Iceland. The Icelandic aurors were more than capable of assisting in the search. The British were greeted by Zephyr Callahan, a young assistant Minister of Magic of Iceland.
-Do you have an approximate coordinates? - He immediately got down to business. - We are capable of detecting magic from a Horcrux within two hundred meters.
-Not yet, - said Regulus, hugging the map.
Zephyr took it rather calmly to the fact that a child would be showing the way.
-We have prepared rooms in the Callahan house. You can stay there as you need to.
The head of the family, Bayon, was showing them around the house when his youngest son, Kronos, returned from a walk.
-My destiny, - the boy breathed, looking at Regulus with big eyes.
Octavian almost cackled with laughter. Arcturus and Regulus arched their left eyebrows at the same time. Bayon rubbed his temple.
-This is Kronos. A very stubborn creature.
This is putting it mildly. Kronos tried to learn everything he could about Regulus, although he did not distract him from working with the map. Bayon became interested in this.
-Do you see purposefully?
-No, in images. The signs tell the way.
Bayon helped him navigate the map. They identified one area, but there is more than thirty kilometers of forest. The aurors prepared carefully and went. Octavian even spoke to some of the snakes in the forest.
-They saw Nagini. She is hiding in the east.
After a couple of kilometers, the magic finally reacted to the Horcrux.
-I see her!
The aurors hit with spells. The snake twisted. The locket was attached to it by dark magic, but Octavian simply ordered it to open and pierced it with a basilisk's fang, without waiting for the magic inside to awaken.
-Can't you restore it? - Reggie asked with disappointment when he saw the relic.
- Sadly, - Prince was also upset. - It was, after all, a relic of Salazar Slytherin.
-We can help, - Bayon said. - It will take a few days, but my academy has excellent specialists.
They really rebuilt the locket. Even Arcturus breathed a sigh of relief.
-You are leaving? - Kronos almost burst into tears. - But I haven't bought a wedding ring yet and...
-What are you talking about? - Zephyr rolled his eyes.
-You haven't won approval yet, - Arcturus grinned.
-I deserve it!
Regulus hid a grin. What a funny and stubborn guy.
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Tom Riddle was rampaging in chains, but he couldn't hide his fear.
-It's too dangerous to leave him alive. He's a threat to muggles and wizards alike.
The judges supported Crouch's words. The Dark Lord was sentenced to kiss for his crimes. Albus just sighed mournfully. He would like things to turn out differently. But only death could stop Tom.
Death...
Albus decided to go to Nurmengard. He couldn't kill Gellert then, he still can't. But he needs to talk to him about the stone and Ariana.
Dumbledore almost grabbed his heart when he saw Gellert and Regulus playing chess. The board lay on the boy's side, but Grindelwald could safely rearrange the figures over the bars of the lattice.
-You're running late, Albus, - Gellert chuckled. - This little squirrel has been trying to beat me up for the third time.
-Regulus, - the headmaster almost wheezed. - How do you?..
-I have a portkey, - the boy replied. As if that explained everything. - I couldn’t understand why you don’t use the stone.
-Coward, - sang Gellert, making a move. - You owe her, Albus. Even if you die of grief.
Albus closed his eyes for a moment. Merlin have mercy, it's true. He owes Ariana.
-You're cheating, - grumbled Regulus.
-You too.
-How long have you?..
-Let it remain a secret, - grinned Gellert. - Checkmate.
Grindelwald fixed his piercing eyes on his former friend.
-You have only one mistake left for which you did not answer. Don't waste your time.
The former strongest Dark Lord and the boy looked at each other as if sharing a secret. Grindelwald lay on his back with his hands behind his head. Reggie put the chess set in his bag and walked towards the exit. Albus hurried after him.
Already out of the prison, Regulus turned his head slightly. A transparent silhouette at the periphery of the vision. A girl with long hair. The one who smiled at him as she flickered over the shoulder of the old wizard who had stopped him in the street six years ago.
-Sometimes fears are just fears.
Albus smiled faintly at the boy's words. It was always calm with him. His little friend knew what to say from the very first day they met.
-Hear you have an admirer.
It's hard not to notice so many owls with letters and gifts. Barty will soon have a seizure because he has not yet shown Kronos Callahan whose brother he dared to court.
-He's funny. Tries to impress grandfather.
Arcturus compares the boy to Crouch Sr. in his youth, driving the man into a frenzy, and laughing.
Tom is gone. Children are safe. The final regret lies in the Hogwarts headmaster's desk drawer. It's time for him to muster up the courage and take this step. But first...
-Since we're both skipping school, why don't we grab some ice cream, my boy?
-Always up for it, my friend.