"They were young,
they didn't know what life had planned for them."

Hours passed before Regulus came home.

"Regulus?"

He looked at her, his face filled with determination. "Kira, I'm going."

What she said next shocked him, "I know. I understand why you have to go." Her voice was quiet. "We can go into hiding, or something, and I'll help you destroy it."

Regulus moved towards her and cupped her face. She reached up and grabbed his hands, holding them while on her cheeks. "Thank you."

"When do you planning on going?" She smiled up at him, though she was certain he could tell it half of it was forced. She didn't want him to go, but she understood why he needed to.

"Now."

Her face dropped, "Oh."

He bit his lip and pulled her closer. With his lips barely brushing hers, he said, "I have to, before he moves it." He pulled out the fake necklace he had Kreacher get for him. "I have a fake, so hopefully he won't notice I took the real thing."

"Can I come with you? I could help you?"

He didn't want her to see what he thought he'd go through. He shook his head. He needed her here to motivate him. "I need you here, to help destroy the Horcrux. I'm not letting you die for me."

"And what about you? What if you die?"

"I know that if you're here, I'll fight with everything in me to get back to you alive."

She nodded her head and pressed her lips into his, savouring the moment. When she pulled back and rested her forehead against his, she asked, "You'll come back to me, right?"

He didn't know. He would fight with all his might to come back to her but he knew that it was Voldemort, which meant this Horcrux was well protected.

Kreacher already told him what he knew. It was in a fountain fill with an emerald coloured Potion that would only empty if someone drank it. He suspected it was poisoned. Also that there was difficult entry, with apparation protection. He was thankful for Kreacher, who could apparate them straight to the Horcrux and out again.

He looked into Kira's green eyes, at her face, taking every piece of it into his mind. She would guide him through this. "I'll come back to you," he said, knowing he had no plans of returning. If he lived, it would be a miracle. He knew that in the world they lived, it offered no miracles. He would fight when it came down to it, but his expectations were low.

She pulled him down for another kiss. "I love you, my star," she whispered.

"I love you, my little rose."

With that, Kreacher arrived and they apparated to the rocks outside of the cave.

Their mission has begun.

The waves crashed against the rocks and when they landed, Regulus nearly slipped off.

It was cold and dreary, and he thought it rather fitting for what was coming. He was scared, not of what they would face, but for what happened afterward. He supposed he couldn't let that stop him, and he beckoned Kreacher once more.

They would apparate directly into to cave.

Kreacher told him that the only entrance was underwater, which made him more thankful they had a way around. He also mentioned that there was a blood sacrifice to get through the rock wall and to a lake inside of the cave. A boat would take them across the water to a small island which held the basin and the necklace.

The house-elf said he did not like the waters, and Regulus hoped there was nothing in them.

Regulus grabbed onto Kreacher's shoulder and they apparated into the cave.

They landed with a thud and Regulus was shocked at the darkness. He took out his wand and cast Lumos Maxima

Once the cave was light up, he had a view of the water that surrounded them. Kreacher was right, it did have an eery feel to it. If he squinted he could just make out the boat on the other side of the lake.

He turned and found the basin. It looked like it was made out of a crystal. He looked into the potion, it was emerald green, but he could not see a necklace.

"Kreacher," he called, "there's no necklace."

Kreacher hobbled up behind him and peeked into the water. "Kreacher saw him put a necklace inside. Then the potion, and the necklace vanished."

Regulus thought about everything Kreacher told him. He silently thanked Voldemort for speaking out his plans as he did them. He knew the potion had to be drunk to get the necklace. Perhaps once it was all gone the necklace would appear.

He was going to drink it.

He reached for the little cup-like object on the side of the basin. He tried a few spells on the water but he suspected they were useless against this potion. They were.

"Master Regulus, should Kreacher drink the water."

He shook his head, "No, Kreacher." He turned to face the house-elf. If this was poisoned, or cursed, he would not be able to keep giving the water to Kreacher. Kreacher would be forced to keep giving it to him. They needed to get the horcrux.

"Kreacher, I need you to make sure I drink every last drop of this water. No matter what. Even if I beg you to stop giving it to me, keep making sure I finish it all."

Kreacher nodded a few times, "Yes, Master Regulus."

"Once we get the necklace, I need you to replace it with the fake and then get out of here. If something happens to me, leave without me. And tell my parents I died in a mission for the Dark Lord."

The house-elf seemed to struggle before he nodded and said, "Yes, Master Regulus." He knew he'd obey.

He pulled out a letter he planned to put into the necklace for the Dark Lord to find and he read it over, before folding it up and putting it inside the fake necklace.

To the Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this
but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret.
I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.
I face death in the hope that when you meet your match
you will be mortal once more.
R.A.B

Regulus took a deep breath. It was now or never.

He scooped the first bit of water into the cup and brought it to his lips, gulping it down.

He gasped, clutching his stomach. He nearly dropped the cup. He groaned in pain.

"Is Master Regulus okay?" Kreacher's voice was full of worry.

"I'm fine," he choked out. He wanted water. Needed it. He let out another screech from the pain in his stomach but he regained his balance and stood up taller.

He shook his head and with a shaky hand, scooped up another cup of water.

He brought it to his lips, but he didn't want to take anymore. He had to. He tipped it into his mouth.

He groaned in pain once more before falling to the ground on his knees. He leaned against the basin, panting. "Kreacher, help me, help me," he breathed.

His throat was dry, it aches for water. His stomach burned from within. He continued to shake and his heart raced.

Kreacher picked up the cup beside him and scooped more of the potion into it. He grabbed onto his wrists and started mumbling, "No, no, no more. No more!" He cried.

Kreacher brought the liquid to his lips, forcing it into his mouth as he moved all over, trying to avoid the liquid.

"No, no, no," he mumbled over and over, his hands pulled at his hair and he rocked back and forth.

Kreacher got another cup full of the potion and brought it to him. "Almost there, Master Regulus."

Regulus shut his eyes and his mouth but it was pried open by Kreacher who poured the next lot into his mouth and held it shut before he could spit it out. Regulus' squirmed in pain, trying to get away but he felt like it couldn't get up if he tried.

"Water," he mumbled over to himself.

"Last one, Master Regulus," Kreacher said, and went through the same process.

Once he swallowed it, Regulus cried out and screamed in pain. He was crying. "Water!" He shouted.

He had fallen over and his head twisted to the side and he saw the lake. He could reach it.

Kreacher had gone to obey his master and fill the cup with water using a spell and to replace the necklace.

Regulus stretched out and arm and dug his fingers into the dirt, pulling himself forward. He grunted from the effort, his breathing heavy.

One more, he told himself. One more pull and he could have water. He pulled himself forward and flopped down.

He put his hands into the water and brought them to his mouth, drinking as much as he could.

"Master Regulus!" Kreacher shouted, but he was either too late or Regulus was too dazed to even care.

A hand reached up out of the water and grabbed Regulus' wrist. He startled away, but another hand grabbed his back, and another on his shoulder. He was slowly coming back to his senses.

He struggled, but more hands were grabbing him and he couldn't find the strength to look for his wand. His clothes were getting wet, barely an inch of him still dry.

"Kreacher," he croaked, his voice barely audible, "Kreacher, go. Take the necklace and go to Kira. Go."

Kira. He pulled once more trying to break free from the creatures that were pulling him further into the water. A few hands let go but more and more grabbed hold, dragging him under.

The last thing his saw above water was Kreacher apparating away. He couldn't disobey an order and Regulus was thankful he brought him.

Regulus was calm. He accepted his death.

His chest was aching, he could not hold his breath more much longer and the creatures were only dragging him deeper. He watched the light fade above him.

The last thought on his mind was Kira. He thought of her face, her smile, her beautiful green eyes. He thought about the first time they spent the evening in the kitchen at Hogwarts, laughing and messing around.

He recalled their first kiss, the touch of his soft lips against his. It ached to leave her but he would die happy with nothing but the thoughts of her.

He closed his eyes and let the world take him.