The realisation hits me like a bolt of lightning from a tree. Goosebumps shoot across my skin and I don't feel quite right. My throat dries out and my insides turn inside out, sweat beads down my forehead and my tongue chokes. Kreacher's eyes never leave my face and watch me.
I throw away my suit jacket and undo the top buttons of my summer sky blue shirt before storming out of the room and finding myself standing over a sink. The realisation came out of my mouth as I threw up in the basin.
My rational self, meets the doubts that were smelling deep inside me and my head is buzzing loud enough.
Knowing that the house elf has followed me, I speak without looking up. "Sorry, Kreacher, I didn't mean to spoil it any further. The moment was just very gripping..."
"And so chiselled in stone." I finish the sentence with a weak laugh and rinse my mouth.
"Well then, my friend for as short a time as I've known you it's been a pleasure." Kreacher looks up in confusion, a face he seems to loathe so much.
I hold out my hand with a smile and wonder if house elves even shake hands. When he holds his hand just a little in my direction, I grab it greedily and shake it.
Putting my jacket back on, I take the umbrella in my hand as the storm rages on and lather myself up one last time.
"In another world, in another time, I could have called this home."
"It's storming."
"What?"
Kreacher clears his throat. "The storm is still raging." His drooping expression seemed less lifeless. "As soon as the storm ends, you leave."
It took less than ten seconds for me to say "Agreed." and put my umbrella back in the pocket of my trousers.
"There are chambers upstairs. "kreacher hesitates with an indecisive but then firm voice and disgust. "Take your father's."
"Of course." It doesn't feel right to call him my father, it has to be earned.
"I should probably ask you about him, but I don't think we both feel like talking about Sirius.
Why don't you tell me about yourself, I heard you were very loyal to my grandmother and my late uncle."
"Hmph." The house-elf grunts and turns his back on me. I walked up the stairs and stood in a corridor similar to the one downstairs. The signs of neglect a duty like these paintings.
On the doors were nameplates and on one side were the chambers of 'Narcissa, Bellatrix and Andromenda'. In the family tree they were cousins of Sirius and Regelus, which makes them my cousins once removed.
On the other side were their rooms, with Regelus' room being locked. My temporary room was a mess.
'How could it be otherwise?
A single bed, a wardrobe and a desk with a chair. The bed linen was torn, robes with burn holes half hanging out of the wardrobe and the desk was actually in reasonable condition, with no more than a few traces of use.
A creaking of the floor catches my attention as I try to sit up in bed.
"Cnirk Cnirk." It's different from the creaking of the floor in the corridor, which is more along the lines of "Cnark." goes.
With my ear to the spot, I knock on the floor and the realisation hits me.
"A cave."
Creeping along the ground floor, I make my way to the fireplace and grab the bar from the chimney set. I insert the flat flat between the grooves in the floor and pull the groove above the cavity in two.
As expected, there is a tiny hiding place under the groove with two letters of parchment inside. One of the letters has the name Regelus on it and the other has some kind of pebble or something on it.
My head peeks out of the door to make sure the eleven is not near and I close the door before making myself comfortable on the bed and opening the letter.
'To my beloved brother
Reggie if you're reading this I've been kicked out by mum or moved in with the Potters. I would first like to apologise for not being as good a brother to you as you deserve.
I couldn't go on with the hatred our family harbours for others and hope that this loathing and dark streak in you is not the real you. Trust me when I say that something is brewing and only a small spark remains.
I would have loved to spend more time with you and I'm sure we will at another time.
I had a nightmare when I heard that you were carrying this one on your arm. We both stood opposite each other and fought until the very end.
I dread this day.
In the other letter you will find what should rightfully be yours.
Sirius Black'
When I open the second letter, I notice some parchment under the bed.
It's a picture of two boys about three years apart, one with curly hair and the other with a centre parting. Both are in their teens and wear formal wizard robes.
One moment they are smiling and joking around with each other. In the other, Sirius looks annoyed and Regulus stands stiffly while his gaze lowers in horror.
I put the picture of the repeating scene aside and reach into the envelope again. I pull out a black ring with the emblem of the black family.
Not as you would imagine, the ring is not very conspicuous and has something minimalist and traditional about it, considering that it is the seal of a noble house.
The wood creaks from the hallway and I check that the floor is the same as before, the ring falls into my jacket pocket, accompanied by the photo.
"Kreacher?" I ask, a little out of breath, with the envelope in my hand, standing in front of the bed. He observes the surroundings analytically, his eyes wide with surveillance.
"There should be quill and ink in one of the drawers." He says when he sees the envelope. He continues in a gruff tone, "There's food downstairs." Puzzled by his offer, I smile thoughtfully as I speak.
"Thank you."
He looks round again and then closes the door, which is not exactly gentle. When I've made sure I'm alone, I take out the ring and the photo.
In the picture, Sirius is wearing no jewellery on one hand and a glove on the other, which gives no further information. Regulus isn't wearing a ring on either hand, at least I don't recognise one.
An inner desire makes me let the ring fly over my fingers.
"Which one do you think it looks best on?"
I ask myself distractedly until I shake myself and put the ring back in my jacket pocket with one last look.
***
Baked beans in tomato sauce and two hard-boiled chicken eggs. A rather strange combination in my opinion, but that's fine by me. I trust the house elf and don't check my food for poison and grab the spoon.
I empty the bowl quickly and peel the eggs even faster. Even though the food couldn't be further from what I'm used to, my hunger has made me savour every spoonful.
I wash it all down with pumpkin juice and dab my mouth with a pale blue cloth as I retreat to my cosy room.
I don't even need to draw the curtains to realise that the storm has only got heavier. What has changed, however, is the bed, which is no longer split down the middle but a whole bed as you would imagine, with fresh bed linen in black.
I put my shoes under the bed and take off my socks.
I lie down in the newly made bed and the wood creaks a little, it's an odd feeling to sleep within the four walls of my father and his forefathers.
I close my eyes while my hand lingers on the picture of my blood relative. My field of vision darkens and I turn inward, listening to the thunder, storm and rain crashing against the window.
Sleep came quickly and I was able to recover from my exhaustion.
The next thing I remember are faded memories, indistinct and not mine?
I see a figure slightly taller than me walking through a kind of cave. The person is carrying an amulet, this locket is a large, oval-shaped gold locket with a serpent-like "S" on the front.
But what really scared me was the aura that came from this thing, it shook me so hard that I fell off the bed when I looked at it after hearing the word "Master" from an all too familiar voice.
"What the hell was that?" I ask, paranoid and pulling out my wand. "Come out, wherever you are!"
A soft pop and the short figure with a dark grey toga over his body appears in front of me.
"Are you playing games with me?"
"Have you poisoned me, elf?"
I ask with a raised voice, my wand threatening in my hand and my eyes blinking rapidly. Kreacher looks at me with a neutral grimace.
From one moment to the next, I lost the anger and disgust within me and lost my grip on the wand. My face softened and the scowl vanished.
Before the house-elf could say anything, I began to explain myself.
"I... I I'm sorry Kreacher." I said confusedly with a stutter. "I don't know what's got into me. I must have had a bad dream, please excuse my behaviour."
'What was that?
Grumbling, he prepared to disapperate when I stopped him.
"Tell me, do you know a Locket with an S in the shape of a snake?"
The elf looked pale. Paler than he already was.
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That's the end of the chapter. Thanks for reading. Feedback and powerstones are more than welcome.