Deform'd, unfinish'd, sent before my time (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
blanketforts Day 30)
Apr. 1st, 2006 12:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosie_ruesTitle: Deform'd, unfinish'd, sent before my time
Rating: PG for language
Disclaimer: They're not mine. I'm just borrowing them because I like them.
Wordcount: 1329
Prompt: Um. Plot took precedence this time, I'm afraid.
Notes: Regulus drew a breath, and lifted his wand, pointing it unerringly at Sirius’ chest. Title from Richard III.
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Regulus stared at them. His eyes were wide and dark, and in the shadowy light the resemblance between him and Sirius was frightening.
Then he smiled. “Fancy meeting you here. Though I suppose all the running and shouting is perfectly in character.”
“Put her down, Reggie,” Sirius said flatly. “Put her down and go back to school, like a dutiful son.”
“No,” Regulus said, tightening his arm around Nym’s waist, and gripping his wand more tightly. Remus could see his hand shaking.
“Don’t make me make you, Reggie,” Sirius said, stepping forward.
Regulus lifted his wand. “Don’t! Not another step! Or I’ll hurt her!”
“So much for blood loyalty.”
“You can’t be loyal to a traitor.”
“And who made Meda a traitor, Reggie? Who cast her off? Who chooses how to define traitor? I’ve never tried to kill you.”
“I didn’t know it was you!” Regulus snapped, his face contorting. “It’s not my fault you’re on the wrong fucking side!”
Nym was kicking wildly at his legs, struggling to break free. Remus, watching them glare at each other, began to drift around the edge of the room. There was smoke furling across the ceiling.
His foot landed on something soft and brightly coloured, and it let out a high squeak. Regulus whirled, robes flaring out. “Don’t you fucking try it, Lupin! Neither of you move. I’ll apparate.”
“You can’t,” Sirius said coldly. “There are apparition wards up. You’re trapped, Reggie.”
“No,” Regulus said, backing towards the window. “I’ve got my bargaining piece right here. I’ve got orders to kill her – I’ve got orders to kill you all. I could do it now. But I won’t. Because – because you’ll let me walk away if I’ve got her and she’s alive. Because you don’t know how much time that’ll buy her, but you know it will be more than if you try stopping me.”
“Really?” Sirius asked. “You could do that, could you? You could do that in cold blood? You couldn’t even hurt me. You don’t really think you could kill a child of the blood?”
“Try me,” Regulus snarled.
Sirius shoved his wand into his pocket and threw his arms out. “Here. Prove it.”
Fuck! He was going to kill Sirius if they got out of here alive.
Regulus drew a breath, and lifted his wand, pointing it unerringly at Sirius’ chest. “A-Av-Avada…”
He choked.
Sirius threw his head back and laughed.
“You bastard!” Regulus snarled.
“No such luck, old boy,” Sirius drawled, and drew his wand again. “Well, made your mind up?”
“I don’t have to kill her,” Regulus said. “I – she’s a metamorphmagus. She’s useful.”
Remus glared at Nym, willing her to see him. Just as he was giving up hope, her eyes widened, and she stared at him, hiccupping back a sob.
“Coward,” Sirius said, which Remus really didn’t think was very helpful.
What did six-year olds know? He hadn’t been one for years. Without time to guess, he choose the obvious.
“Nymphadora,” he said softly. “Wolf.”
She stared at him in bewilderment for a moment, breath jerking out in sobs. Then her eyes darkened and she opened her mouth, her jaw swelling.
“You can’t bargain with the Dark Lord, Reggie,” Sirius said tauntingly, which Remus hoped meant he’d noticed what was happening. “He doesn’t care that you’re a Black.”
Nym twisted her head and lunged, planting huge teeth into Regulus’ arm. He screamed, and let go.
“Accio Nymphadora!” Remus roared. Sirius threw himself forwards, slamming Regulus back against the wall.
Nym crashed into his shoulder, scrabbling to throw her arms around his neck. Remus grabbed her, and shouted, “Sirius! We have to move!”
Sirius was still pounding Regulus’ head against the wall. Regulus, Remus noticed, wasn’t fighting back any more.
“Sirius!” he yelled again. “Stop!”
Sirius dropped his brother, staring down at him, shoulders shaking. He turned to stare at Remus, looking lost.
“We have to go,” Remus said. “The house is on fire.”
“Reggie,” Sirius said. “He’s unconscious.”
“Bring him too,” Remus snapped. Nym had started to cough and he grabbed a rag off the bed and wrapped it lightly around her face.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“He’s of age!”
“Shit,” Remus muttered. Leave him and he’d burn. Take him and he’d face Azkaban. Then he shoved Nym at Sirius and stumbled to the window, tugging at the sash. Then he reached over and began to drag Regulus away from the bed. Sirius shifted Nym to one arm and came to help.
Regulus stirred as the breeze from the window hit his face. “What- where- Sirius?”
“Shut up,” Sirius said, his voice hard. “Try to relax as you hit the ground.”
Regulus struggled, his arms caught as his robes tangled below him. “Why?”
“Everyone gets a second chance,” Remus said. “On your feet.”
He still seemed dazed as they tipped him out the window, but he landed crouching. After a moment he began to drag himself away. Another shadowy figure appeared out of the mist and wrapped an arm around him, dragging him away.
Nym was crying into Sirius’ neck. Sirius was staring after his brother, lips set.
Remus grabbed his sleeve and headed for the door, pulling Sirius after him.
A glowing shape erupted through the smoke, and reared in front of them, beating a clear patch in the air. Then, shaking its antlers, it said, in James’ voice, “House is clear! We’re in the kitchen! Run! The stairs are on fire!”
Sirius took off at a run, the stag loping before him. Remus dashed after him.
The heat almost knocked him over as he crossed onto the landing, and he staggered to the head of the stairs, gasping for breath. He could see the air blurring with heat, and couldn’t seem to get a full breath into his lungs.
Sirius was thundering down the stairs ahead of him, shimmering with the heat. Remus threw himself after him, and bit back a cry as the heat of the floorboards seared up through his shoes.
Behind him there was a thin tinkle of breaking glass and a sudden howl of escaping air as a pipe caught fire.
Then he was at the foot of the stairs, and James was leaping out of the kitchen to drag him in.
The door slammed behind him, and he bent over, trying to get air back into his lungs. In front of him Sirius was leaning on the counter, coughing desperately.
The air was still hot in here, but somebody had managed to seal the doors with charms.
“Daddy!” Nym wailed.
“I’m right here, sweetheart,” Ted said. Remus looked up in time to see some of the worry slide off his face. His arms were full with Andromeda, who was still unconscious, but no longer shaking. Alice had taken Nym from Sirius, and she lifted her up so Ted could smile straight at her.
“That’s my brave girl,” he said.
Nym sniffed. “There was a bad man. I bit him and Remus threw him out the window.”
Remus shifted uneasily. He really didn’t want to have to explain what had just happened to anyone in authority.
Ted glanced at Remus, and then nodded. “Thank you.”
Remus wasn’t sure what to say. He just shrugged.
“Fuck,” Peter said softly.
“What’s wrong?” Lily asked sharply. Remus saw James’ arm tighten around her.
“Wards,” Peter said. “All around us. I can’t fix on escape coordinates.”
“Nothing?” Alice said sharply. “We can’t run for it. Andie and Fabien are hurt and we’ve got the baby.”
“I’m not a baby!”
“Course you’re not, darling.”
“Are there any gaps?” McKinnon asked.
“West,” Peter said, his face twisted with frustration. “But we don’t have any safe points due west of here, and I need somewhere where I know the coordinates. There isn’t anywhere – unless you’ve got somewhere we can run to.”
“Wormtail, you prat,” James said.
“Fuck off,” Peter said automatically. “What?”
James grinned, the flames outside reflecting off his glasses, and said, “Pooh Corner.”
Rating: PG for language
Disclaimer: They're not mine. I'm just borrowing them because I like them.
Wordcount: 1329
Prompt: Um. Plot took precedence this time, I'm afraid.
Notes: Regulus drew a breath, and lifted his wand, pointing it unerringly at Sirius’ chest. Title from Richard III.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Regulus stared at them. His eyes were wide and dark, and in the shadowy light the resemblance between him and Sirius was frightening.
Then he smiled. “Fancy meeting you here. Though I suppose all the running and shouting is perfectly in character.”
“Put her down, Reggie,” Sirius said flatly. “Put her down and go back to school, like a dutiful son.”
“No,” Regulus said, tightening his arm around Nym’s waist, and gripping his wand more tightly. Remus could see his hand shaking.
“Don’t make me make you, Reggie,” Sirius said, stepping forward.
Regulus lifted his wand. “Don’t! Not another step! Or I’ll hurt her!”
“So much for blood loyalty.”
“You can’t be loyal to a traitor.”
“And who made Meda a traitor, Reggie? Who cast her off? Who chooses how to define traitor? I’ve never tried to kill you.”
“I didn’t know it was you!” Regulus snapped, his face contorting. “It’s not my fault you’re on the wrong fucking side!”
Nym was kicking wildly at his legs, struggling to break free. Remus, watching them glare at each other, began to drift around the edge of the room. There was smoke furling across the ceiling.
His foot landed on something soft and brightly coloured, and it let out a high squeak. Regulus whirled, robes flaring out. “Don’t you fucking try it, Lupin! Neither of you move. I’ll apparate.”
“You can’t,” Sirius said coldly. “There are apparition wards up. You’re trapped, Reggie.”
“No,” Regulus said, backing towards the window. “I’ve got my bargaining piece right here. I’ve got orders to kill her – I’ve got orders to kill you all. I could do it now. But I won’t. Because – because you’ll let me walk away if I’ve got her and she’s alive. Because you don’t know how much time that’ll buy her, but you know it will be more than if you try stopping me.”
“Really?” Sirius asked. “You could do that, could you? You could do that in cold blood? You couldn’t even hurt me. You don’t really think you could kill a child of the blood?”
“Try me,” Regulus snarled.
Sirius shoved his wand into his pocket and threw his arms out. “Here. Prove it.”
Fuck! He was going to kill Sirius if they got out of here alive.
Regulus drew a breath, and lifted his wand, pointing it unerringly at Sirius’ chest. “A-Av-Avada…”
He choked.
Sirius threw his head back and laughed.
“You bastard!” Regulus snarled.
“No such luck, old boy,” Sirius drawled, and drew his wand again. “Well, made your mind up?”
“I don’t have to kill her,” Regulus said. “I – she’s a metamorphmagus. She’s useful.”
Remus glared at Nym, willing her to see him. Just as he was giving up hope, her eyes widened, and she stared at him, hiccupping back a sob.
“Coward,” Sirius said, which Remus really didn’t think was very helpful.
What did six-year olds know? He hadn’t been one for years. Without time to guess, he choose the obvious.
“Nymphadora,” he said softly. “Wolf.”
She stared at him in bewilderment for a moment, breath jerking out in sobs. Then her eyes darkened and she opened her mouth, her jaw swelling.
“You can’t bargain with the Dark Lord, Reggie,” Sirius said tauntingly, which Remus hoped meant he’d noticed what was happening. “He doesn’t care that you’re a Black.”
Nym twisted her head and lunged, planting huge teeth into Regulus’ arm. He screamed, and let go.
“Accio Nymphadora!” Remus roared. Sirius threw himself forwards, slamming Regulus back against the wall.
Nym crashed into his shoulder, scrabbling to throw her arms around his neck. Remus grabbed her, and shouted, “Sirius! We have to move!”
Sirius was still pounding Regulus’ head against the wall. Regulus, Remus noticed, wasn’t fighting back any more.
“Sirius!” he yelled again. “Stop!”
Sirius dropped his brother, staring down at him, shoulders shaking. He turned to stare at Remus, looking lost.
“We have to go,” Remus said. “The house is on fire.”
“Reggie,” Sirius said. “He’s unconscious.”
“Bring him too,” Remus snapped. Nym had started to cough and he grabbed a rag off the bed and wrapped it lightly around her face.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“He’s of age!”
“Shit,” Remus muttered. Leave him and he’d burn. Take him and he’d face Azkaban. Then he shoved Nym at Sirius and stumbled to the window, tugging at the sash. Then he reached over and began to drag Regulus away from the bed. Sirius shifted Nym to one arm and came to help.
Regulus stirred as the breeze from the window hit his face. “What- where- Sirius?”
“Shut up,” Sirius said, his voice hard. “Try to relax as you hit the ground.”
Regulus struggled, his arms caught as his robes tangled below him. “Why?”
“Everyone gets a second chance,” Remus said. “On your feet.”
He still seemed dazed as they tipped him out the window, but he landed crouching. After a moment he began to drag himself away. Another shadowy figure appeared out of the mist and wrapped an arm around him, dragging him away.
Nym was crying into Sirius’ neck. Sirius was staring after his brother, lips set.
Remus grabbed his sleeve and headed for the door, pulling Sirius after him.
A glowing shape erupted through the smoke, and reared in front of them, beating a clear patch in the air. Then, shaking its antlers, it said, in James’ voice, “House is clear! We’re in the kitchen! Run! The stairs are on fire!”
Sirius took off at a run, the stag loping before him. Remus dashed after him.
The heat almost knocked him over as he crossed onto the landing, and he staggered to the head of the stairs, gasping for breath. He could see the air blurring with heat, and couldn’t seem to get a full breath into his lungs.
Sirius was thundering down the stairs ahead of him, shimmering with the heat. Remus threw himself after him, and bit back a cry as the heat of the floorboards seared up through his shoes.
Behind him there was a thin tinkle of breaking glass and a sudden howl of escaping air as a pipe caught fire.
Then he was at the foot of the stairs, and James was leaping out of the kitchen to drag him in.
The door slammed behind him, and he bent over, trying to get air back into his lungs. In front of him Sirius was leaning on the counter, coughing desperately.
The air was still hot in here, but somebody had managed to seal the doors with charms.
“Daddy!” Nym wailed.
“I’m right here, sweetheart,” Ted said. Remus looked up in time to see some of the worry slide off his face. His arms were full with Andromeda, who was still unconscious, but no longer shaking. Alice had taken Nym from Sirius, and she lifted her up so Ted could smile straight at her.
“That’s my brave girl,” he said.
Nym sniffed. “There was a bad man. I bit him and Remus threw him out the window.”
Remus shifted uneasily. He really didn’t want to have to explain what had just happened to anyone in authority.
Ted glanced at Remus, and then nodded. “Thank you.”
Remus wasn’t sure what to say. He just shrugged.
“Fuck,” Peter said softly.
“What’s wrong?” Lily asked sharply. Remus saw James’ arm tighten around her.
“Wards,” Peter said. “All around us. I can’t fix on escape coordinates.”
“Nothing?” Alice said sharply. “We can’t run for it. Andie and Fabien are hurt and we’ve got the baby.”
“I’m not a baby!”
“Course you’re not, darling.”
“Are there any gaps?” McKinnon asked.
“West,” Peter said, his face twisted with frustration. “But we don’t have any safe points due west of here, and I need somewhere where I know the coordinates. There isn’t anywhere – unless you’ve got somewhere we can run to.”
“Wormtail, you prat,” James said.
“Fuck off,” Peter said automatically. “What?”
James grinned, the flames outside reflecting off his glasses, and said, “Pooh Corner.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-03-31 11:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-01 12:10 am (UTC)Thanks for the comment :)
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Date: 2006-04-01 12:04 am (UTC)She stared at him in bewilderment for a moment, breath jerking out in sobs. Then her eyes darkened and she opened her mouth, her jaw swelling.
Genius! This is an awesome series. And Pooh Corner makes me giggle.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-01 12:12 am (UTC)*grins* When I was little there was a house called Pooh Corner a few streets away. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing ever when I was about six.
Thanks for the comment :)
no subject
Date: 2006-04-01 01:01 am (UTC)i feel a little sorry for regulus. not that much (because of the "um, yes, do let us join a group of teh crazies called DEATH EATERS"), but the undertone of confused boydom calls for some sympathy. and really it isn't his fault he comes from Nutter House, Inc.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-01 01:12 am (UTC)I always feel sorry for Regulus. He didn't have the chances Sirius did. And I just reread R. A. B.'s letter which just rocks.
Good luck shifting the writer's block.
Thanks for the comment :)
no subject
Date: 2006-04-01 03:36 am (UTC)Poor Regulus. He's so certain that he has something to prove, but he's not exactly sure what.
Another great chapter!
no subject
Date: 2006-04-01 04:00 am (UTC)Poor Reggie. I do think he's one of the most fascinating background characters.
Thanks for the comment :)
no subject
Date: 2006-04-02 09:34 pm (UTC)Smiling.
Wanting desperately to be 'Accio'ed by Remus.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-03 08:19 pm (UTC)Wanting desperately to be 'Accio'ed by Remus. - he has nobody to blame but himself.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-01 09:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-03 08:19 pm (UTC)Thanks for the comment :)
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Date: 2007-08-12 03:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-26 12:12 am (UTC)