Regulus Black POV
The waves washed smoothly against the sand, bringing with them a rather therapeutic sense of ease. Shell Cottage had been worth every hour of begging the rightfully skeptical Weasleys to sell—especially considering that a Death Eater had killed the previous owner of the house.
Now, however, after hearing the news that my love was with child, I must say that no amount of calming waves could ease the worry of bringing this child into a world where Voldemort still existed.
It would seem I'll have to get the locket a little ahead of schedule, I thought to myself as I looked into the worried eyes of the woman I loved. Sensing her fear, I spoke to calm her. From the day I met her, I had already created a back door for her escape.
"Alyssa, you must calm down," I said gently. "Your worry can't be good for our child. I must say, you've given me the greatest gift I could have ever asked for."
I paused briefly before continuing.
"But as you already know, while he is still around, neither you nor this child are safe. Luckily, I planned ahead to get you somewhere safe, in case you were ever discovered."
"Then, Reggy," she said softly, "why don't you come with us? We can just leave all of this behind and raise our child together. I'm sure we could live a wonderfully happy life wherever we go. Just forget about the stupid locket."
I looked into her hopeful eyes as she asked me to run away with her. I truly wanted nothing more than to leave with her.
"I truly would, if I could," I replied quietly. "But as you already know, I've been marked, and I can forever be found by him. The only way I can be sure that you and our child are safe is if I destroy that locket and weaken him enough for others to finish him completely."
Even as I said the words, I knew there was little to no chance of my survival. The protection of Inferi and the potion within the basin—one that would most certainly lead to my death—were already in place. And even if, by some miracle, I survived, Voldemort would ensure I regretted it by torturing me and later turning his attention to my new family.
It was better to die and take the secret of my family and the locket's theft with me.
I walked to my nightstand and opened the drawer, pulling out a key, and a large folder. I handed them to Alyssa.
"This key belongs to a Gringotts vault I placed under your name—Snow," I said. "I've been siphoning money from the Black vaults under the guise of Voldemort's support for years now. In the unlikely event that I don't return, this should be enough to last you—and many generations to come. The folder contains the property deed to a home in Salem, Massachusetts. When I'm done here, I'll meet you there."
The silence that followed felt as though it stretched on for a lifetime. I could only watch Alyssa as she stared down at the items in her trembling hands. I was certain she could feel it—that I wouldn't be returning, and that this would be the last time we would see one another.
Stepping forward, I pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered that I loved her. With one final kiss, I called for Kreacher and Apparated to my final resting place.
The Cave
Regaining my footing on solid ground, I found myself in a far eerier location—atop a stone pillar, with water crashing violently all around me. Before me stood a cave entrance carved into the side of a sheer cliff.
"I see the entrance, Kreacher," I said, glancing back at the elf. "But why have you only brought me this far?"
I could feel the warding woven thickly around the area, suppressing any attempt to Apparate. I had assumed house-elf magic would be able to bypass it.
"Kreacher apologizes, Master," he croaked. "Kreacher is unable to bring Master any farther because of the warding."
Well… interesting, I thought. It seemed even elf magic had its limits.
"Very well," I said quietly. "It would seem swimming is my only option."
Leaping into the raging current, I fought against the icy water, forcing my way toward the cave entrance. Up close, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary cavern—but as Kreacher had said, the only way inside was through a blood payment.
Picking up a sharp stone from the ground, I cut my palm and swiped my blood across the rock wall. The stone reacted instantly, crumbling away to reveal a hidden passage beyond.
As the opening formed, Kreacher popped in beside me, ready to continue guiding me forward.
"Lead the way, Kreacher," I said, lighting my wand.
As we made our way deeper into the cave, the light from my wand seemed to grow weaker, as though the darkness itself were swallowing it. When we reached the edge of the underground lake, a small boat rested at the shore.
It would seem Voldemort believed the final trial alone was enough to keep the locket safe. I couldn't entirely fault his reasoning, given the effects of the potion and the rather dangerous Inferi lurking beneath the water.
We crossed the lake carefully, mindful not to disturb the creatures below. The water remained unnervingly still as we reached the lone island at its center. There, upon the stone, sat a basin containing a substance that glowed an ominous green.
"I must drink the potion to completion in order to retrieve the locket, correct, Kreacher?" I asked.
"Yes, Master," the elf replied. "The potion is horrible. It causes unbearable thirst, weakens the mind by forcing one to relive their worst memories, and inflicts terrible pain. Kreacher wishes Master would not drink it."
Looking at the distressed elf, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of reassurance. Leaving the locket to him—to hide and eventually destroy—was the best course of action. His loyalty to me, combined with his ability to Apparate from this place once the locket was secured, made it the only viable option.
"A choice I too wish I could avoid," I said quietly. "But to end his tyranny and keep my child safe, I must do this. That brings me to the second reason you are here, Kreacher. If I weaken to the point that I cannot continue, you will make me drink the potion. This is an order."
Kreacher nodded, letting out a broken, ugly sob.
I stepped forward and picked up what looked like a large seashell from the basin. It would take three full scoops to empty the potion completely.
Taking a deep breath, I drank the first dose.
Agony tore through me instantly. My mouth burned with a thirst so intense it felt as though I hadn't had water in a lifetime. Worse still was the assault on my mind—my worst memories and deepest fears replaying mercilessly.
I was dragged back to the moment the Dark Mark was burned into my arm, forever branding me a Death Eater.
Forcing myself onward, I drank again. The effects intensified with each swallow. The physical pain was almost bearable compared to the mental torture that followed—memories of leaving Alyssa alone after she told me she was with child.
That memory shattered what remained of my resolve. I collapsed to the ground, unable to bring myself to drink any more. As I sat there, the lake before me began to look strangely inviting.
I crawled toward it, knowing full well the Inferi waited just beneath the surface—but I no longer cared.
Before I could reach the water, a hand stopped me.
I looked up to see Kreacher, tears streaming down his face, holding the seashell now filled with the glowing green liquid. I knew this final drink would likely be my end, condemning me to a desperate need for the water behind me. Yet as the potion dredged up the memory of the night Alyssa told me I would be a father, something changed.
This time, I felt resolve instead of heartbreak.
I took the shell from Kreacher and met his gaze, giving my final order.
"Kreacher, after I drink this, you will take the locket from the basin, leave this place, and keep it safe until you find a way to destroy it."
"Kreacher will obey, Master," he whispered.
I drank the last of the potion.
Pain overwhelmed me, my mind fading into darkness—but I felt a strange sense of relief as I heard the familiar pop of Kreacher Apparating away.
A cold hand seized me.
Through fading vision, I saw the decrepit face of an Inferi. It seemed I had lost consciousness while drinking, and in my desperation, had reached the water.
As I was dragged beneath the surface, my final thought was not of Voldemort—but of whether my child would be a boy or a girl.
I smiled as consciousness slipped away.
Alyssa Snow POV
Not having the heart to leave our small cottage, I decided to wait until Reggy returned—though everything in his eyes before he left told me this would be the last time I would ever see him.
The fire crackled softly in the hearth as I sat before it, wrapped tightly in a blanket that did little to warm the hollow ache in my chest.
Every sound outside made my heart jump in anticipation that he returned, and every passing second stretching unbearably long. I told myself he would return. I had to believe that.
A soft knocking broke the silence.
I turned toward the window, seeing an owl perched just outside. It wore a small black holster strapped to its leg—the unmistakable mark of the Owl Post Service.
Slowly, I rose and opened the window. The owl hopped inside, offering its leg before fluttering to the back of a nearby chair, settling there as it waited for the reply I would eventually send.
I was slightly surprised to be receiving a letter at all. Lily had effectively cut off all contact with me when I told her about Reggy, and I couldn't say anyone else had stayed in my life either.
Opening the letter, I recognized the handwriting immediately.
"Reggy…" I whispered.
I unfolded it and began to read.
My love,
If you are reading this, then—as I expected—I did not make it back to you.
Please forgive me for not having the courage to say all of this to your face. I knew that if I did, I would never be able to leave.
Now you must listen to me. There is a strong likelihood that you are reading this in our home rather than in America, but I cannot stress enough how urgent it is that you leave with haste.
I know I will complete what I must do, but doing so will bring Voldemort's wrath. The farther you are from London, the better—especially as I will be the only other person who knows your whereabouts, and I will be dead.
As I'm sure you I told you before I left, the money in the vault I transferred into your name is the result of siphoning funds from the Black accounts—approximately fifty percent of the family's total fortune—under the guise of supporting Voldemort's campaign, not including what was legitimately used for him. With that gone, there is nothing left worth fighting over within the Black family name other than its hollow title.
I do not want our child to endure the danger and misery of being dragged into that struggle. Live comfortably. Perhaps even find a job you enjoy within the American wizarding world—but stay away from London and Hogwarts until Voldemort is truly gone. I hear Ilvermorny is a fine school.
I realize I am prattling on. It seems that knowing my end is near has made it difficult to stop writing.
Please—live a full, happy life with our child. Give them all the love they deserve, and I hope they return that love to you in equal measure.
Goodbye.
With all my love,
Regulus Arcturus Black
P.S. If our child is a boy, I would like the name Perseus; if a girl, Astaria. I may despise my family, but I must admit—I have always liked naming children after the stars.
The letter slipped from my fingers and drifted to the floor.
I didn't remember sinking down beside it—only that I was suddenly there, knees drawn to my chest, my hands clenched in the fabric of my dress.
I cried. A loud, ugly cry.
I cried until my chest ached and my throat burned raw, until the fire in the hearth burned low and the room grew cold around me.
When the tears finally stopped, some time later, I wiped my face with trembling hands and forced myself to stand.
Pulling myself together, I began packing the essentials—the things I wouldn't be able to simply replace.
Photographs came first. I knew that one day my child would grow curious about their father, and perhaps about my past as well.
I had albums filled with memories of my time at school with Lily, and there was also one from when Reggy and I had snuck through the secret passage to Hogsmeade for our first date, walking beneath the stars.
There was also a small velvet box hidden in his sock drawer, something I had once found while putting laundry away. Inside was a ring he had never officially given me. I was sure he had wanted to wait until Voldemort was gone—but that time never came.
Now, I decided it wouldn't hurt to wear it. I had no intention of marrying anyone else until I met him again, beyond the veil.
Once I gathered the last of the truly important things, I stepped into the fireplace and spoke my destination.
"Gringotts Bank"
With the war ongoing, there weren't many people walking through the grand lobby. I wouldn't have been there either if I didn't need to formally arrange my departure.
Approaching the nearest goblin, I requested information on the process required to access my account from America. From there, things became far more involved than I'd anticipated. I was escorted to a private back room, where I had to sign documents authorizing the specific branch location I would be accessing overseas.
During the process, I also arranged for additional services. I had Gringotts place protective warding on Shell Cottage to deter anyone who might attempt to enter. I further hired them to conduct yearly maintenance on the property—keeping it clean and repairing any damage. Living so close to the sea, water damage was an ever-present menace.
Thank Merlin for magic.
The final matter was perhaps the most important. I instructed Gringotts to send a letter to Hogwarts. The request was simple: should my child possess magic, an acceptance letter was to be sent to our address in Salem—but only once Voldemort was truly gone. I wanted my child to have other opportunities other than Ilvermorney.
The entire process took several hours, but when it was finally complete, I felt a measure of relief. I could now access my funds freely without the nuisance of exchanging Galleons for Dragots.
Finally time to make my way to America.