(FOR REGULUS)

Lucius could feel the dark lord's words beating steadily in the back of his head, the thrill pulsing through his veins as he stood out in back of the wizard club, the Velvet Underground- unofficial meeting spot for the slowly gathering group of death eaters. He couldn't tell who was here, the masks and the hoods hid their faces from the world, from themselves- no one could incriminate anyone should they be caught.

One of the higher ranking death eaters stood in the middle of the circle, his chest puffed out as he spoke to the small group. "A group of muggles has been spotted out in the forest, on a vacation. Our dark lord has said we need to make an impact. I think when we hang their dead bodies from the side of the road we will accomplish that, hmm?"

A cheer rang up from the circle of death eaters. Lucius elbowed the person next to him and nodded in agreement.

"A world that accepts muggles and muggle born wizards is NO world I wish to live in! Let's go send our message out to the world. We are death eaters and we are PROUD. Everyone will feel the reach of our power and fear from our strikes! For Lord Voldemort!"

A second cheer exploded in the group. Lucius smirked. He could do this, he really could. Tonight was the night they were going to finally strike!

The mission leader nodded, deciding that everyone was sufficiently ready to move out. "Everybody grab a partner. If we get separated, stay by your partner. Follow me!" He motioned and started down the alleyway.

Lucius quickly glanced around- wanting a partner so he could get out there and do what he signed up for- protect the purity of their blood in honor of his family.

The black of his cape hid his shaking knees and the mask his paling face. He had no idea what he was getting into; he had wanted to make his family proud. Something that should have fallen to his brother Sirius, yet he'd made his bed and was part of the problem that plagued the wizarding world.

Regulus wouldn't say that he believed in the pureblood mania that swept his home and had taken root in his parent's brains', there were some good muggle borns that accomplished great things. In fact he called one friend, at least away from home and school he did. After all Slytherin didn't associate with anyone outside of their house on school grounds and certainly not a Hufflepuff.

The cheers were loud and he fought the urge to cover his ears, something that he was sure that the other Death Eaters would find unsuitable. The meeting broke up and he found himself being grabbed. He startled and tried to somehow find some sort of way to tell who was behind the mask that was staring at him. His voice wavered as he spoke.

"Come, let us go. We will be late and then earn the displeasure of our Lord."

Lucius nodded at Regulus- whom he had no idea that the younger Black was beside him- hidden from view. "I don't wish to make him angry." He said, trying to keep the thrill out of his voice. He stuck by Regulus as they followed the other death eaters into the night. They moved between buildings heading toward the edge of the wood.

Off in the darkness the light from the muggle campfire was flickering in the distance. Lucius nudged Regulus. "Look at them. They have no idea what's going to happen to them. I bet they just wanted to go on vacation. Maybe with friends." He suddenly swallowed and said no more, suddenly feeling strangely about this. A knot formed in his stomach as they pressed on. The further ahead they went the more he could make out.

They were young, not much younger than himself and probably the people around them. Two guys, two girls- maybe on a date. They were laughing and having a good time as the death eaters started to swarm them. He suddenly fell back a bit, feeling a pang of guilt. "Shoe's untied." He murmured to Regulus. "Hold on a second."

Regulus's eyes were glued to the carnage; the first girl fell without so much as a fight, leaving her date or lover screaming over her body. His stomach roiled and he tried to swallow down the sick feeling. Methodically he raised his arm and fired off a random spell into the melee, it wasn't anything too harmful; just a body bind that if it hit could be explained away as an accident if it found a fellow Death Eater.

Besides him his partner bent down and he fought the urge to do the same. Instead he stayed to the outside of the group and just circled, watching the others do the work. A victorious cry went up and he paled as the dead bodies were carted to the edge of the woods. Another Death Eater nudged him and pointed to a tree.

"You, rope!"

Regulus nodded and woodenly he swished his wand; transfiguring one of the branches into a thick rope that hung down just enough for them to string up the first body. One by one they were hung; their sightless eyes pointed to the ground as their slack jaws hung open.

"Victory for the Dark Lord! They are but the first, soon all of the Muggles will bow before us."

The cries around him were deafening and absentmindedly he rubbed at his mark.

The screams were horrible- but when they stopped they were even worse. He kept down, his hands tightened so hard around his shoelaces that he thought he might have snapped him. Once everything was all said and done, he stared up at the mangled bodies in horror, petrified on the spot. They were dead, moments before they were laughing and enjoying each other's company, now they were gone- twisting in the wind. The sound of the ropes rubbing against the bark made his head swim.

He wondered what his partner was feeling, having witnessed the same thing. He wondered if he fired any spells. Thankfully they all looked the same like this- no one could tell anyone apart. He lost his partner in the melee, but he remained rooted on the same spot. He kept looking up to the bodies hung up on the tree, silent, opened mouthed.

"Bunch of pigs." One of them muttered behind Lucius. "Alright then! Back to the Velvet Underground for drinks! Masks and robes off!"

Lucius watched as the other death eaters pulled off their robes and masks laughing as they left, but he couldn't. He stood rooted on the spot, unsure if he could even move.

Slowly Regulus started to head back, his fingers gripping the bottom of his mask. He didn't want to remove it, it felt as if with it on he wasn't himself and those around him weren't his peers, or even people he knew--though if he listened close enough he might be able to pick them out--they were twisted grotesque monster of themselves.

He felt himself nudged from behind and turned his head as he recognized his cousin Bellatrix; her hair wild about her face as her eyes danced with deranged delight. Others revealed themselves and he paled; most he knew because they came and visited his parents others he seen in the halls of Hogwarts.

"Good job out there, soon Victory will be ours!" She crowed as she then melted into the darkness.

His legs felt deadened and he turned slightly, noticing that one stayed behind, his eyes glued to the twisting bodies in the wind. Slowly he moved over, shuddering as he tried to keep his eyes off of them.

"Come. Drinks await us back in the Underground."

He laid his hand on the other person's arm, his head tilted to the side as he studied the other person.

Lucius nearly jumped a mile at the gentle touch, it bringing him rapidly back to reality. The Underground? Ah yes, drinks. Maybe a drink would do him better because right now he needed one. He nodded slowly. "Yes... Yes, a drink. I need a drink. A big one, perhaps a gallon." He murmured quietly and looked back at the man standing beside him. Who was he anyway? Well, he was going to find out soon enough.

He looked back up at the four people swaying from the trees, then back to the man standing beside him. He pulled his mask off, and tugged down his hood revealing his paler than normal face and the mane of blonde hair that was normally so nice and neat was in a state of tangles. He ran his fingers through it self consciously, and swallowed. How was he going to do this? Surely he had no problem torturing others as he had done so before- but killing?

He glanced up again at the men and women then back to his partner. No, he wasn't sure he could do that.

"Lucius Malfoy" The name breezed past Regulus's lips; his cousin Narcissa's suitor. He'd know that platinum mane anywhere.

So many family members around him yet he still felt as if they were strangers to him; their need to inflict pain upon those that their blood had deemed unworthy suddenly sent a chill through him and he wondered if maybe Sirius had had the right idea in getting as far from the dark taint as he could. Regulus' fingers itched as they curled around the bottom of his mask again and he closed his eyes as he finally pulled it off; dislodging his hood as it came free. The tumble of dark hair that fell down in waves obscured his eyes and he turned nodding in the direction of the rapidly disappearing others.

"We should hurry before they think we're up to no good."

As quick as his still leadened feet could carry him he walked; the wind kicking up around him and a keening noise that sounded of a mixture of screaming and creaking ropes filled his ears until he couldn't take it and he covered them with his hands. It was something that he didn't think he'd ever be able to get away from and a lone tear leaked from his right eye.

"Is the pride of my father worth this?" He whispered as he looked back at the retreating backs; and down in the pit of his stomach he heard the answer as soft as the breeze that kissed his face. Yes

Regulus took a deep breath and resumed walking, the need for liquid fortification burning a hole in his gut as he moved. Perhaps with enough he'd be able to lock it away, write it off as a drunken hallucination come the morning when he had to look at himself in the mirror in his bathroom. What was a young man just entering his seventh year of Hogwarts doing getting mixed up this sort of thing.

Honor to your family and your blood line my boy. There is nothing more important to a Black. You are the one to carry on the Black name Regulus, it is with you that the noble house of Black will live or die. Do right by us, show the other purebloods that one bad apple doesn't ruin the bunch.

"Perhaps Father, it was you that was the bad apple and Sirius the only bright spot in our family." His whispered words were carried away and he followed, the pride of his family a yoke on his neck as he trudged into something that he was certain would one day be the ruination of the Wizarding world.

"Regulus." Lucius's eyebrows shot up in surprise- the younger brother of Sirius Black- well... he wasn't expecting to have run into him on this night. He wondered if Regulus had fired any spells into the fray- but judging by how he looked he doubted it. Regulus looked as disturbed as Lucius did. "...Come then, let's go."

He followed behind Regulus, his stomach in his throat as his mind began to concoct a way out of this- or at least out of the dirty work. Screams were fine, but screams suddenly cut short? The finality of it all, of death. No, he couldn't do this. He nearly went skipping to sign up, the words of his father about purity about their blood needing to be protected against muggles who didn't deserve to be wizards-

Oh yes. He went happily. He thought Abraxas would be proud but he wasn't. His father tried to remove the mark violently from his arm. Lucius had never seen him so disappointed. Still, he was certain he made the right choice. However now if he tried to leave, he'd be killed. Once they arrived at the Underground he reached out to take Regulus's shoulder. "I don't... I didn't... I couldn't." He said quietly to him. "I didn't even fire at anyone. I stayed down the whole time. I feel sick. I don't know if I can go in there." He confessed. "Will you get a table with me, away from the others?"

Regulus nodded, he couldn't take looking into the faces of the others, seeing the undiluted pleasure on their faces at what they had done. He was quite surprised at Lucius's revelation, he dimly remembered Sirius grumbling about something that the older man had done. Granted when Sirius was walking the halls Lucius had been an upper classman; his years done before Regulus ever got past the gargoyled gates.

"Of course. Go find one, I'll retrieve the drinks Mr. Malfoy." Despite their being in the same group he couldn't forget his manners and call him by his first name; though he had the feeling that in time they'd all be closer than anyone really wanted to be.

Like a wraith he slipped through the crowd, stopping when Bellatrix put a hand on his shoulder; her shrill voice screeching as she praised him for taking up the task of ridding the world of the muggle taint. Next to her her betrothed LeStrange stood, his lips spread in a thin sick smile. He didn't look as if he enjoyed it anymore than anyone else but he normally looked like he was about to belch slugs that Regulus couldn't tell if he was regretful or actually happy with the outcome of the night.

"Next my dear younger cousin, after the muggles blood is flowing at our feet come the blood traitors. Those that forsake the purity of our lines to consort with those filthy abominations."

Bellatrix went off on some tangent and slowly he edged away, finally making his way up to the bar and motioning for four firewhiskeys. He was sure that the sweet taste of a butterbeer wasn't going to erase his memories so he opted for the strongest. With a sick smile to the bartender he threaded his way back to Lucius, sitting the glasses down with a sigh.

"Drink up, I want to forget this night even happened." His voice was gruff as he threw back the first firewhiskey, his eyes watering and his throat burning. It was no deterrent though as he followed it with the second and then signaled for more to be brought over.

People came by and slapped his shoulder, grinning in pride that Lucius had come out to the first strike against muggle kind. He just gave a weak smile, praying Regulus would return with drinks. When he did, before the glass had a chance to settle on the table he downed it.

"Oh Regulus." He winced, tearing up at the burn in his throat. "Don't... don't call me Mr. Malfoy. That is what people refer to my father as- Just call me Lucius. We are in this situation together, first names are... well... a comfort that we should partake in. ...Merlin, that's strong." He coughed and swallowed spit to cool the fire.

He looked around and leaned over the table to whisper to him. "A word of advice however- we are trapped now." He murmured. "There is no leaving, lest we harm the ones we love- our families- friends. Stick with me, and I will try to keep us out of these endeavors in the future. Not to hoist my own flag, but I'm very good at convincing others to do what I want, with or without the imperious curse."

Regulus nodded, his mind as blank as he could make it under the circumstances and he impatiently waved the bartender over as he wondered what was taking the rotund man so long.

"Mr.--I mean Lucius, though I am but in my seventh year of schooling you wound me with the insult that I don't realize that my family would be in trouble if I sought a way out of this. Yet also I feel it prudent to inform you that my family would bow and gladly take the death that the Dark Lord would lay upon them so as not to called blood traitors, or that they would turn me over to save the family name." Regulus realized that his answer sounded snippy and cold and he dropped his eyes to the table, murmuring lowly. "I apologize Lucius, I know you were just warning me of the dangers and I didn't mean to lash out on you....I just...I don't know if I can do this."

He looked up from the scarred table, his eyesbrow furrowed and he went to question Lucius as to what he had meant but he was interupted by the bartender finally making his way to them. Curtly he nodded his thanks and instructed the man to bring more, forcing a smmile on his face as the man patted his shoulder and informed him that it was the least he could do for one of the brave few that wanted to rid the Wizarding world of the Muggle taint it'd had to be subjected too.

Once the man left he picked up one of the glasses and hoisted it Lucius' direction, his voice low as he toasted. "To your silver tongue Lucius and may it find a way to keep us alive until we can find a way to free ourselves from this mired mess we've stumbled into." With that he downed the third glass, the burn not quite as strong that time as a comfortable numbness started to settle in his limbs.

Lucius arched an eyebrow at the Regulus's reply. He was seconds from uttering a snippy reply back, but when the younger man apologized he calmed down. "You then, have a family that does not hide their motives. My father hates the dark lord. He hates him in ways I can't fathom. What a fool I was thinking I was doing this to please him when he..." He took another drink of fire whiskey.

"He hates him. He won't refer to him as my lord, he won't refer to him as anything other than his muggle given name- How could I have been so stupid, why didn't he tell me?" He mumbled and finished off his second fire whiskey. "I... he said something curious, Regulus. That... the dark lord could never understand the cause of purity because he's not pure blooded." Lucius said as quietly as he could. "And... and that he can't call anyone a blood traitor because he's half filthy muggle." He quickly put a hand over his mouth in shock that he let that slip from his lips, and blamed the fire whiskey. "...I think they went to Hogwarts together and father remained foolishly unimpressed." He looked glum.

"Regardless, I will do my best. I have talked myself out of terrible situations before.." He raised his glass in response and took another shaky drink. "I think we should leave after this, Regulus. I'm fairly buzzed and you know the saying- Loose ships sink lips... er.... Sinking lips lose ships?" He made a face. "Lose your ships... oh you know what I mean. I've said too much already."

Regulus laughed at the slight disgruntled look on Lucius's face but nodded as he finished his fourth glass of firewhiskey. "Then maybe it is just that your lips are loose." He smirked as he rose on shakey legs. "Yes, let us leave. Before the orgy starts." He had a fit a laughter then made a sick face as he looked around and seen the caliber of people that surrrounding them.

He looked back at Lucius and he let his eyes travel the fair face for a moment before he turned and wobbled towards the door; a heavy handed slap to his back sending him sprawling face first to the floor. The alcohol in his system had him laughing hard as he got back to his feet, his eyes a little glazed and his hair mussed from his fall and his clumsy attempt to run his fingers through it.

The cool air outside hit his face and he turned his face to the sky and looked at the winking stars, wondering when he really took the time to look at them in the past year or two that didn't involve going to the astronomy tower. He leaned against the brick wall and just stared upwards as he waited for Lucius to join him, him mind effectively removed from the events of the early evening by strong drink and the random though of whether or not Lucius' hair was a soft as it looked in the dim light of the bar.

"Orgy?" Lucius blinked and then gave a violent shudder. He did not want any part of a death eater orgy by any stretch of the imagination. He was quick to follow Regulus, but did so in a casual way as if they were leaving to go continue something, rather than fleeing the party. He gave a wave to the other death eaters, looking all smiles for the moment.

However once they were outside, his smile was gone- despite the whiskey in his veins, he couldn't help but be distraught. He made a face at Regulus whose hair was all a mess from falling in the bar. He reached over and brushed his fingers through the dark hair to get it back into some semblance of place. "There, that's better."

He sighed softly. "Well Regulus- I suppose we should grab a room whilst we're here. I can't remember the way to get home let alone where in blue blazes I put my broom. Come on, there's an inn down the street."