Mastermind

Blood // Water

Chapter Warnings:
Character Death
Murder
Injury, Blood

Honorary song of the Chapter: Hope for the Underrated Youth by Yungblud.

This thing is a bit... weird POV-wise. We go through come Perspective changes. Idk it just felt right

__

Now I am the violence
I am the sickness
Won't accept your silence
Beg me for forgiveness
We'll never get free
Lamb to the slaughter
What you gon' do when there's blood in the water
Blood // Water by Grandson

25th of March 1980

The Order of the Phoenix is in high alert because Remus Lupin has pretty much stopped reporting to Moody and Dumbledore.

His friends are rather calm because Remus is regularly reporting to Regulus. He has been executing their plan for months. Every careful word is placed, every spark of uproar and mutiny is lit. Greyback is angry and at the end of his rope. He has summoned Voldemort to his pack. It is Greyback's pride that was hurt after all, so the Dark Lord shall come to him – a smart thought Remus has put into the leader's head.

Regulus has spent the time developing a way of communication quicker and less notable than owls. As it turned out, many of James' friends could produce a Patronus, and thus were not surprised Sirius could fend off the Dementor. They were rather surprised to learn that Regulus has never produced a Patronus – and very confused when he refused to even try.

The thing with a Patronus is, you need a good heart and a strong happy memory to cast it – Regulus doesn't need to scream Latin words around to figure out it won't happen for him. Further, people who practice the Dark Arts should refrain from even trying. For one it won't work anyway. Second, if it did work, the Patronus could attack the caster. Another thing Regulus does not want to put to the test.

He could however use this ability. It was a team effort of Regulus' and Lily's brains, Sirius' talent, James' stubbornness, and Pandora's affinity for spell manipulation and what she called 'genre-shifting.' A small alteration to the spell, a condition here, an emphasis there and the right mind put to it – after months of work they are able to have the Patronus forms deliver messages.

They are sitting in the Potter living room with the children. Neville is slowly starting to crawl and following Draco around.

"Maybe they will be friends when they grow up," Alice says, sitting next to Narcissa.

Narcissa hums and smiles softly at the children. "I should not have named him after Regulus, of course he will flock to the Gryffindors now."

Kreacher is sitting in an armchair with Mary, they are knitting. He is learning it from her. He can sew just fine, always having to care for the clothes of the Black family and sewing his rags out of old pillowcases, but knitting is a new thing for him to do. He can do it while insulting people and he seems to appreciate that.

Most of the others in the house are restless. Even Peter is always up and pacing when Fleamont doesn't have him brew healing potions in the laboratory.

They are waiting for Voldemort to walk into the trap. They are waiting for a fight and the war to end. They have been waiting for weeks.

Regulus leaves the living room and goes to the kitchen. Sirius is stress-baking again. He pulls a cake out of the oven when Regulus enters.

"Hey, is something happening?"

"No." He sighs and looks at the used utensils. He picks up a rather large kitchen knife.