oo1. [Accidental Video]

[the_noble_black]

[The video feed clicks on with a wet, sopping sound. The sound of waterlogged fabric slipping along itself. There's a resounding thud as the figure crashed to the floor. It's hard to see, at first- whirling, obscuring robes, collapsing in on itself, water flung off of fabric and skin and blurring the camera.

Black, waterlogged hair, clinging to soft, pale cheeks. Gray eyes, visible just for a moment, before the boy convulses on his hands and knees, retching, emptying murky water from his mouth, his throat, his lungs. The water tinges pink; blood stains at his lips. He trembles, shakes, screams, and the weight of his wet cloak overpowers him, drags him down into the ground his nails scratching bloody marks into the floor as if he's still drowning. There's only a flash of his left forearm, but the traces of a tattoo should be burned enough into the memory of anyone who cares to recognize it.

But this isn't about Regulus Black being a Death Eater, it's about Regulus Black being dead.

Or- close enough, anyway.

The feed goes black after another long moment]

Comments

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[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

-what?

[Regulus looks at him, scrutinizing for a long moment, before turning away.]

Sirius is an idiot who will believe anything he sees.

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[snarkypotions]

Are you trying to imply that I am at the same level as your brother?

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[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

I don't see you defending my honor.

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[snarkypotions]

It is neither my place, nor am I a foolhardy Gryffindor.

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[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

Hm.

[That still posed a problem. Regulus considered for a moment- his damned brother with his foolish bravado, trying to defend his name. If Regulus cared at all about leaving a legacy, he wouldn't have lead the world to believe that he was a coward who panicked after he'd gotten too deep.

And as much as he hated Sirius, Regulus still felt the urge to try and make sure his brother didn't get himself tortured and killed.

He sighs.]

...What did you see, Severus? [His death- if anyone else knew the truth, then it was all in vain anyway.]

[Offline]

[snarkypotions]

A cave and Inferi.

<sub>[Dark eyes drift towards Reg's still somewhat wet hair and the bit of dried blood at the corner of his mouth. There's no need to say what else he saw aside from that.

Or is there any need for him to tell Regulus that he has a very good idea of what was in the cave. The question though is why.]</sub>

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[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

[Damn.

For what it's worth, Reg has a brilliant poker face. He continues to watch Snape impassively, eyes slightly narrowed.]

And you're sure what you saw was the truth?

[snarkypotions]

<sub>[Snape doesn't miss much, and his own poker face... Well, it's only grown harder to read over the years.

At Regulus's question though, all he does is shrug lightly.]</sub>

Does it matter? After all, your truth is what you want it to be.

[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

It matters.

[His eyes are dark when he looks up toward Snape. Regulus' reply takes a long moment, and he has to think about it, weigh the consequences, and Snape should recognize the slight hesitance before the resigned determination.]

If the Dark Lord is here, then I serve him faithfully and without fault.

[snarkypotions]

And if he were not?

<sub>[The question is asked softly... It's not that dangerous softness that often masks the coiled serpent underneath, but rather the softness that Regulus might remember from when they had both still been in school, talking about the future and 'what if's, when life was not quite so dangerous. It is the softness that grey borders are made of.

But when it seems like the boy is about to answer, Snape cuts across it.]</sub>

Though I suppose that doesn't matter. Not here. Not right now. Your Mark was bared for everyone to see, you have no choice unless you wish to openly defy him.

_{[It's the unsaid, or perhaps the way everything is said, that speaks the loudest.]}

[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

[He glances downward for a moment, his eyes only flickering toward Snape's left arm, before turning away, quiet, contemplative. While Regulus may not have had the brilliance that Snape exhibited, he also wasn't stupid. He knew what he had to do.]

You're right- it doesn't matter. [Coldly.] He is here now. There isn't another option. [He says it lightly, but Snape can garner what he will. Regulus was a cornered pawn, he had nothing to do but to resume his tasks as a Death Eater. There was nothing else he could do, even if he wanted to.]

[snarkypotions]

He doesn't require much yet. [No torturing or killing.] Appearrances need to be kept up on his part.

[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

Now that there's more of us...

[Who knows? He glances away.]

-don't worry about me. I can handle myself.

[snarkypotions]

Obviously. Your drowned rat imitation is just a clever disguise.

_{[Sorry, Reg, you are officially in his care now.]}

[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

[His eyes narrow.]

I meant my conduct. My decisions on how to act from here on out. You're not responsible for me, don't act like you want to be.

[snarkypotions]

_{[A snort.]}

Whether you wish it or not, I am. The years have not affected my memory.

_{[Meaning he's got your back. Besides, you're younger than him (even more so), and he's already responsible for everyone else (except the Dark Lord) from their world. What's another soul, right?]}

[the-noble-black.livejournal.com]

[He looks away.]

...where are you staying?

[snarkypotions]

In the Southwest quarter. There is an extra room, though I'll warn you that it is not Grimmauld Place.