Regulus’ mouth still faintly tasted of the lightly salted water of that cave. Though it took him a moment, he was jolted awake the second he remembered what he had gone through. He could still feel the musty claws of those horrible creatures latching onto his limps, and pressing against his chest and mouth.

His eyes scanned the unfamiliar building with much distrust. A dozen questions lingered in his mind; where was he? How had he got there? And most importantly, how had he survived? His visit to the inferi-filled cave was supposed to be a one-way trip. Instead, he now laid down in somebody’s sofa, his inky curls sprawled across a quite comfortable pillow.

Regulus’ eyes closed, taking a deep breath of air. If up to him it were, he would have tried to get as far away as he could from the strange house he was in. Yet the man doubted he had the strength to stand up and face a potential adversary. He had no clue where his wand was, and every couple of minutes he would still cough up some water.

His ears caught the lightest creak on the seemingly old wooden floor, tension flooding him. Grey eyes scanning around in an attempt to find anything he may be able to utilize as defence. And just when he was prepared to find himself in the presence of an outraged Death Eater, he caught the eyes of the last person he would have expected to see.

Merlin, it was you. Ever since that night, after everything you had yelled at one another, he had crossed the possibility of ever seeing you again out of his mind. You looked fairly good—healthy and happy. “Of course it had to be you,” Regulus tried his mightiest to sound unbothered, and failed miserably so. His voice creaked, showing just how long it had been since he had last made use of it.