"Have you been staring at me the whole night?" asked Regulus when he woke up after a few hours, noticing the boy's blue eyes still open and looking at him.

"No," answered Ariel just very quietly.

"Are you lying?"

"No," he said again, but this time the corners of his lips twitched up into a light grin.

It was still the middle of the night but Regulus didn't go back to sleep. And Ariel just stayed awake as well. They knew it was only a matter of a few hours before they had to leave. So they embraced each other for their remaining time together, in this room, and let the seconds pass, way too quickly they soon realized.

"We're two tragic lovers Ariel."

"Hm?"

"You remember, that Muggle book. We're them."

His words resonated in Ariel, in his mind and body. It was the last thing he said until the morning.

Ariel had just finished writing letters to Ivanna, Narcissa, Daisy and to his mother when Kreacher apparated in their room. The poor elf was shaking, clearly not anticipating this trip as the trauma was still present.

"I'll give them to Daisy, you're coming?" asked the blond boy. Regulus nodded, following him. He had not uttered a single word ever since their last exchange, when he woke up some hours ago. Ariel could see he was focused but also nervous.

Daisy was sitting on her bed, her limbs shaking anxiously. She was wearing her nightgown but the older boy doubted she had even slept for a few minutes.

"So, you're ready?" she said, quickly standing up when the boys entered her bedroom.

Ariel nodded and stared at her. She was fighting back tears as she approached him, opening her arms to hug him. She cried in his embrace. He patted her back and whispered sweet and sincere words in her ear, "Thank you for being there for me and for helping us. Thank you for everything, you made me grow."

It was the truth, a truth she was hearing for the first time. Ever since they became close, Ariel learned from her and became mature. He was very thankful to have had her by his side in his worst times, he somehow felt guilty for not telling her sooner.

The girl hugged Regulus just as tight. Even if they had not spent as much time together as with Ariel, they had become very close. The connection was strong and intent between them and they cared a lot about each other.

"Thank you for everything Daisy," told her Regulus as well.

"I may not have told you but you're like a little brother for me. I love you. Both of you," she said, turning towards Ariel at the end.

"Take care of you, don't forget us," were Ariel's last words before him and Regulus disappeared from her bedroom. Their last memory of the girl was heartbreaking, but they knew that they had shared so much more together.

Kreacher side-apparated with the boys right into the cave. They had discussed and had found it more convenient to apparate right inside instead of doing the first steps.

"It's so dark, we can't see anything," whispered Regulus as he looked around, trying to perceive anything but in vain.

They were on the rocky island in the middle of the lake like had described Kreacher with his confused memory, but it looked just the same.

"There it is. The locket," said Ariel leaning his head forward to take a look at the locket immerged in the glowing potion, analyzing it as best as he could. He retrieved his own locket from inside his pocket, did some modifications. He would have never thought McGonagall's lessons would be put in use for this reason, but he was glad he hadn't skipped any of her classes.

"Kreacher, listen to me again," said Regulus and Kreacher nodded his head obediently. "You let Ariel and I drink this potion, no matter how poisonous it is. Even if we don't want to, you force us. Don't listen to our next orders, you must obey to the instructions I'm giving you now. If we are not able to replace the locket, you'll do it. And if we are unable to move anymore, leave us for dead."

The elf let out a small cry at the end, no matter how many times Regulus had given him these instructions, he couldn't accept to leave his master for dead, but he had to obey and he knew it.

"Is that clear?"

"Y-yes master Regulus."

"Perfect. Thank you Kreacher, you're a brave elf," kindly told him the boy and Kreacher felt very touched by the words of his master.

Some seconds passed while none of them spoke a word. It was complete silence. No sound could be heard, except their heavy breathings and Kreacher's occasional squeaks of terror. Until Regulus' voice reached Ariel's ear in an almost urgent tone. And he felt his eyes on him but he continued fixing the potion they both had been focusing on for a the past minutes.

"Do you have regrets?"

"About coming tonight?" he wondered, his voice calm.

"About everything."

"I have none. I regret nothing. I'd do it again. Over and over. A thousand times and more."

He finally looked up. Regulus' eyes were glowing with emotion. Strangely, the realization made Ariel feel at peace.

"I'll be starting then," he said quietly.

Regulus walked to his side and observed his face. He then watched him take a hold of the container set there to receive the potion. His hand was shaking slightly from the nervousness though it didn't hesitate one second before diving into the strange green liquid, nor when he brought it to his lips. He swallowed the whole thing and stayed unmoving for few seconds before he started coughing violently. His legs gave up under him and he found himself kneeling on the floor. His insides burned and he felt like coughing again. The other boy obviously worried, kneeled by his side and placed a comforting hand on his back.

"Don't force you. I can do it."

"No! I will do it as long as I can. So you can have a chance to escape," he told him, his eyes filled with tears of anger and pain.

"Ariel..." whispered the raven-haired boy almost inaudibly as he stared at him, a frown of worry drawn on his features.

"Help me get up."

He took a hold of the older boy and made him stand. Ariel reached to the cup again, his hand shaking even more, filled it to the brim before swallowing the whole content.

His body went back to the floor and shook while he cried in pain. It hurt ten times stronger, it felt so unbearable. He almost asked to stop but the distant voice of Regulus refrained him from doing so. He just stayed on the floor, not even conscious of his surroundings, his body still shaking. He didn't even notice Regulus doing the same actions as him, it was only when he heard the same cry of sufferance that he understood.

"Don't... don't do this..." muttered Ariel, as best as he could while looking up, facing Regulus on the floor by his side.

"Too late," he answered, trying to get up.

"Let me do it again," said the blond boy, trying to get up as well.

They stood facing each other and Regulus watched Ariel gulped down another cup of this awful potion.

"I hate it I hate it. I don't want it," he whispered, not even thinking straight anymore as he laid down again.

"I will drink it..."

"No, give it to me again," firmly stated the blond boy, his weak hand grabbing at the boy's leg.

Feeling resigned, Regulus took again some potion and went back to the older boy's side. He hated doing this to him but Ariel gulped down the whole content again, without complaining. He did it another time, crying even harder, screaming that his body was burning in pain.

Sensing he couldn't take no more, the younger boy took the decision of swallowing the last cups of this potion. He looked up at Kreacher who was silently witnessing the whole thing from the beginning, suppressing his sobs as much as he could and then told him, "You'll have to help me after."

He didn't wait for his answer, trusting his obedience and loyalty then drank another cup of the liquid.

It took a while, longer than they would have thought, but at some point the poison was all gone. The boys were lying side by side on the floor, their bodies feeling paralyzed, not even able to open their eyes.

"Water," croaked Ariel's voice as he opened one eye. He turned his face and noticed Regulus beside him, his face pale, very pale looking dead but he knew he was breathing.

He tried to move his body, or to at least, make it glide down to the verge of this strange dark lake. All he wanted was some drops of water for his dry throat and so he could erase the poisonous taste on his tongue.

"Not here mister Ariel," tried to warn Kreacher but Ariel's senses had been weakened and he could barely make out any of his words.

However since he was by the side of his master, Regulus could hear him better. He opened his eyelids at the mention of Ariel. Only to see him dangerously close to the lake that inhabited monsters in its depths.

"Ariel... Ariel..." he tried to say but it was barely audible for his own ears.

He managed to move his body at the same time as a pale limb, looking like a hand, emerged from the calm surface of the lake, to take a hold of Ariel's shoulder before his lips could touch the water. Suddenly, Regulus' body found back its mobility, just like his voice found back its strength.

"Ariel!" he screamed while letting his body slide to him. But it was too late.

Ariel's lower half was already in the water, his hands has managed to grab at the rocky ground and his weak legs were trying to fight off the monsters, as an instinct. Regulus' grabbed one of his forearms, trying to bring him up with him, but not any force was left in him. He started crying when he realized he had no chances.

"Ariel, I'm scared..." he managed to blurt out.

The blond boy cried as well, and cried harder when the corpses got out of the water to attack Regulus' weak body lying on the ground. He screamed in pain and tried to fight off as well but in vain, he knew it. He was already covered in blood, he couldn't fight anymore, but he used the remaining of strength he had left to grab at Ariel's hand whose body was almost completely immerged in the cold water. His hand was cold too but it was still his hand, still his touch, still the one he loved.

"I love you," managed to say Ariel as he thought that, his quivering lips surprisingly smiled.

Regulus' tears couldn't be stopped anymore as he cried out, "Don't let go of me!"

They could only embrace each other tightly as their bodies dived into the depths of the lake where they would remain together forever.

THE END

author's note: this story was started in around june or july of 2021. coincidently, it's been 3 years since i started writing recently. it means a lot to me as inspiration came in very difficult times and it helped me a lot. it took me a year to publish it then, and i did it towards the end of july 2022. it's been almost 2 years, and that sounds crazy. if you've been here since then thank you, if you've arrived recently, thank you. thank you for giving love to this story, for sticking with it, for i hope loving regulus, and ivanna, and daisy, and of course ariel. i'm so so so grateful for everything, your interactions with this story through reads, votes or comments brought me a lot of joy (even if you made fun of regulus in one specific chapter, i always see the comments and i laugh too)

the story is over but it's not totally over. probably this week, i'll publish a special bonus chapter!!

i hope you've enjoyed "yours" as much i did. love you sm, bye<33