𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚 || 𝘳.𝘢.𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

096. hate to do this on your birthday

The wind blows Regulus' messy hair around as they look around, Kreacher croaking out something inaudible and pointing to a small gaps in the cliff, leading to what looks to be a cave. Regulus looks at Maria who purses her lips, nodding and Regulus begins to row the boat towards the entrance.

It's dark inside. Maria takes out her wand.

"Lumos." She whispers, the top of her wand illuminating the areas surrounding them dimly and the boat hits something that crunches under the pressure. Regulus ties the boat to some of the rock and holds out a hand for Maria who takes it and carefully clambers out of the boat.

Her heart pounds in her chest, the thought of dying in this place haunts her already. The thought of the last words being said to her bother being 'goodnight' as he assumed he would be seeing her the next day to celebrate her birthday. The way he would blame himself. Even though she can't think of one way how he could, she knows he'd find a way.

Kreacher explains some things to Regulus who nods along with him as Maria zones out, thinking about James and her friends.

"Ria. . .we need to—Uh, give blood." Regulus says slowly and she swallows the lump in her throat, nodding. "I can do it—"

"I'll do it." Maria says and he goes to object but she had already dug her wand across her palm and winces slightly, Regulus watching her closely as she holds out her bleeding hand and legs some blood drip onto the rock.

They sizzle and the rock begins to crumble making Regulus reach forwards and grip Maria's arm, pulling her back away from it slightly as the wall crumbles down so there's a gape big enough for them to walk through.

Maria looks at Regulus before going to go inside but he grabs her quickly. He sighs, tears in his eyes as he shakes his head.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you get back to your brother on your birthday." Regulus whispers, kissing her forehead tenderly and Maria smiles sadly. "I promise."

"It won't be much fun without you." Maria mumbles and Regulus sighs, pulling her lips up to his gently. They move slowly together, like they're putting all the love and fear they have into it before pulling away.

Regulus pulls back to look at her. He's looks into those chocolate brown eyes like he could say a million things. But he doesn't.

"Je pense que nous avons été écrits dans les étoiles, mon amour." Regulus whispers, a tear rolling down his cheek and she frowns up at him. "The second thing I ever asked you in French was 'do you think we were written in the stars?'. And I do."

Maria sniffles and brings him into a tight embrace, her arms around his middle and his tight around her shoulders. He pressed his lips to the top of her head before she looks up at him and kisses his jaw softly.

"I love you." Maria whispers and Regulus chuckles sadly.

"I love you." He mutters before they both look at the gape in the rock. "You sure about this?"

"Yes." Maria nods, stepping through the hole in the wall and Regulus looks after her, shaking his head in amusement as he follows her.

"You're such a Gryffindor it's sickening." Regulus says jokingly and Maria scoffs as they walk on what seem to be crystals and Maria gasps and puts her arm out in front of Regulus before he can walk off into a large body of water.

"Lumos maxima." Regulus whispers, pointing his wand somewhere and the ball of light floats around the large cave for a moment before stopping and suddenly getting brighter, illuminating the whole cave.

Kreacher shakily points over to another small island in the cave and Regulus nods, understanding that over there is where this horcrux is.

"How are we meant to get over there?" Maria sighs, looking around and Regulus frowns, noticing a circular piece of metal on a slim crystal.