If You Leave Me Now // Marauders

Chapter Forty-One

CW- Unwanted Sexual advances (and just general creepiness?), Torture, Death

March 27th, 1977 Grimmauld Place

"M-My Lord?" Regulus asked, turning his head to the side, "I'm not of age. Will the Ministry not be notified?"

"They won't know it was your magic, Regulus. We're inside your house. The trace can't detect a specific person, just the general area," Evie spoke for the first time that evening, very aware of what she was being asked to do.

It was there. The first of many pivotal moments for Regulus and Evangeline. Their actions would alter the way that they continued on in the war, in their lives. Dark magic may have been clinging to their exterior, needing to be washed off like a bad scent, but they had never allowed the dark magic in. 

With a lazy flick of his wand, Voldemort suspended Selwyn over the table in front of them all. He sent a nonverbal crucio at him, and his garbled screams coated the tension-filled air. Evangeline knew the the pain that he was feeling was insurmountable, and was surprised he had stayed conscious for that long.

"I think it's only right that our two newest members finally get to taste what it's like with us, don't you all?"

There was a rumble of vicious laughter as Voldemort turned first to Evangeline, holding out his arm, "The floor is yours, my dear."

 The room was watching, waiting for her to decide how to torture an innocent wizard. She had been put into a position that caused her to have to choose between her own life and Selwyn's. There was no escaping it this time, and she knew what she had to do inside of that room would stay with her forever.

Kill or be killed.

Torture or be tortured.

The ultimate price to pay for ending a war. 

Evangeline pulled the wand from her hair, causing it to spill down her back and onto her shoulders. She didn't miss the glint of emotion in Voldemort's eyes as he carefully watched her, studied her movements.

"Diffindo," she spoke clearly, watching as the fingers of Selwyn's left hand were severed at the second joint. Tears continued to pour freely down his face as he seemed to be silently screaming. Whether it was a silencing charm or his voice had finally given out, she wasn't sure.

"Interesting choice, my girl. Very interesting," Voldemort voiced his approval, and Evangeline's heart clenched painfully. 

She didn't bother looking in Regulus's direction, knowing that there was nothing to be done anymore. Slicing curse after slicing curse she applied to the wizard floating above the table in front of them, watching as his blood began to puddle on top of the table. She did not smile, did not grimace, did not react, even as small droplets of blood landed on her cheeks. 

Selwyn had finally fallen unconscious when Voldemort began to slowly clap, smiling. 

"Brilliant work, Evangeline. If I wouldn't know any better, I would say Bellatrix should feel threatened."

And that was the moment that Evie realized that she was no better than Severus Snape. Or at the very least, she didn't feel like it. Did it matter that she was doing it for a greater purpose, whereas he did it for the thrill?

"Go on, Master Black," Voldemort laughed, "End things so we can get to the exciting part."

Evie's breath hitched as she turned toward Regulus, knowing the implications of what had just been asked. An unforgivable was different magic than a diffindo or even a Sectumsempra. An unforgivable scorched your very being, making the caster carry it with them until they were no more.