The Black family's old townhouse, though lacking the grandeur and mystery of Hogwarts, hid many secret rooms that even the most experienced wizard would struggle to uncover.
One particularly well-hidden chamber had even become the final refuge of the house-elf Kreacher—a place so obscure that not even Sirius Black, heir to the family, could easily find it.
But Sirius had other means.
"Kreacher! Appear before me at once!" With a sharp command, Sirius invoked his authority as the head of the Black family.
Almost instantly, the air rippled, and Kreacher appeared before them.
"Kreacher," Sirius growled, gripping the elf by the collar, "hand over Voldemort's Horcrux."
But Kreacher only lowered his head, whispering so softly it was almost inaudible: "Don't know what a Horcrux is…"
Enraged by such defiance, Sirius lifted the elf completely off the ground, forcing him to meet his eyes.
"Stop pretending! Give it up!"
Just as Sirius was about to lose control in his fury, Dumbledore intervened.
"Calm yourself, Sirius. Violence won't solve this problem."
After a tense pause, Sirius took a deep breath.
He tried again, suppressing his rage. "Kreacher, this is your last warning. Hand over the locket—now."
Bound by the unyielding command of his master, Kreacher could not resist.
Slowly, he extended his hand, revealing a finely crafted locket resting in his palm.
Sirius snatched it away, but the moment he did, Kreacher's emotions shattered. The elf collapsed into sobs.
"Wuuu… wuuu…"
He slammed his head against the wall again and again, heedless of the blood running down his forehead, oblivious to pain, trapped in a spiral of self-destruction.
"Kreacher is a useless elf… Kreacher failed to complete Master Regulus's final task…"
The sudden outburst drew the attention of the other members of the Order of the Phoenix, who quickly gathered around.
Sirius frowned deeply. He had never heard of any connection between his younger brother, Regulus, and a Horcrux.
"Regulus? What does this have to do with Regulus? Why was this locket in your hands? Don't you dare hide anything—tell me everything!"
But Sirius's harsh demand only provoked Kreacher further. "Sirius is a disgrace! Master Regulus was the true heir of the Black family!" the elf cursed bitterly. "Why wasn't it Sirius who died instead?!"
Under the gaze of everyone present, Kreacher wept as he haltingly recounted the long-buried story.
"That year… Master Regulus took me to a cave…"
Through sobs, Kreacher told of how Regulus had uncovered Voldemort's true nature and realized that joining the Death Eaters had been a terrible mistake. To atone and protect his family from entanglement, Regulus resolved to thwart Voldemort's schemes.
With grim determination, Regulus drank the poison that guarded the Horcrux in exchange for Slytherin's locket. With his dying breath, he entrusted the locket to Kreacher, commanding him to do everything in his power to destroy it—while never speaking of the matter to anyone else.
On the return journey, weakened and parched, Regulus was dragged beneath the water by the Inferi lurking there, sacrificing his life.
By the time Kreacher reached the end of his tale, he was so overwhelmed with grief he could hardly continue. "I failed… Master Regulus's command… I tried everything, but I could never destroy this cursed locket…"
Sirius stood frozen, holding Slytherin's locket in his hand. "I never knew… Regulus actually…"
In that moment, it felt as though he was meeting his brother anew—the one he had always thought weak, a follower of the dark.
Dumbledore, the Weasley couple, and even the usually unshakable Moody all looked stunned.
Among the Death Eaters, there had been such a brave soul—one who resisted Voldemort in silence, even at the cost of his life.
"Regulus was a good lad," Moody said gruffly, patting Sirius on the shoulder. Comforting words did not come easily to him.
The members of the Order of the Phoenix were moved by Regulus's sacrifice. Sirius's face twisted with emotion, and tears slipped down his cheeks, his heart a storm of pride, grief, and regret.
"I knew nothing… nothing at all," Sirius choked out.
He was proud of Regulus's courage, yet crushed by guilt.
As a member of the Order, he had openly opposed Voldemort. Yet a single tragic misunderstanding had doomed his dearest friends, James and Lily, and left him rotting in Azkaban for years.
During all that time, he had done nothing to fight against the darkness—only wallowed in despair and self-reproach.
Compared to Regulus, Sirius felt utterly ashamed.
Dumbledore, seeing the change in Sirius's expression, spoke gently. "Each of us walks a different path, Sirius. What matters now is destroying the locket."
"You're right." Sirius wiped the tears from his face and clenched the locket firmly. He would not let Regulus's sacrifice be in vain.
Meanwhile, Kreacher still drowned in his own guilt, punishing himself relentlessly.
"Stop, Kreacher," Sirius said, for the first time speaking to the elf with gentleness. "No more hurting yourself. We'll destroy the locket."
"Truly?" Kreacher whispered, trembling. "I tried everything… nothing worked."
"We have Dumbledore and Wes," Sirius said, nodding toward them. "Not just this locket—we'll destroy Voldemort completely. For Regulus, for James and Lily, and for everyone who has suffered."
"You're not lying to me?" Kreacher looked up at Sirius, eyes full of desperate hope.
"I think you can bear witness," Wes Elwin added calmly.
Kreacher nodded eagerly, unable to contain himself.
In the cellar of the Black family's townhouse, the members of the Order gathered.
Wes Elwin had just drawn the final stroke of a complex alchemical array, the pattern glowing faintly with power.
"That should do it."
Standing at the edge of the circle, Wes took a deep breath and activated the array.
A soft hum filled the air, making the entire cellar tremble. At the center of the array, Marvolo Gaunt's ring and Slytherin's locket slowly rose and began to spin, radiating an eerie light under the watchful eyes of all present.
°°°
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