thinking abt doomed jegulus:
when harry is in the cave and comes out of the water, he pulls something out with him. cold and coughing up the water in his lungs he’s not all that aware of who’s grabbing at his robes. that is until he hears, “james? james, thank merlin. i know how to stop all of this. I can take it all back”
harry manages to sit up and stare at the face right out of the portraits at 12 Grimmauld Place. a pale, soaked, trembling version, clutching at his shoulders.
“i’m not james, im his son, harry.”
regulus freezes searches his face, stops on his glasses. “oh, lily. oh james.”
regulus’s voice cracked over his fathers name. “where are they? why are you here?”
he finally sees Dumbledore unconscious by the bowl. the scar on harry’s forehead.
“they died. when i was just a baby.” harry is searching this man’s face for a clue.
regulus shakes his head, turns away and retches. mumbling words too low to hear.
he only stops when dumbledore stirs and then he goes at him angry, “how could you bring a child to this place” (but that’s another story)