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Chapter 503, Section 501: Summoning

"Young Master Sirius has run away. It's good that he's gone, because he's a bad boy, and his unruly behavior has broken my mistress's heart."

But young Regulus had pride; he knew what the Black name and his pure blood meant.

For many years he often talked about the Dark Lord, who wanted to free wizards from hiding and allow them to rule over Muggles and their descendants...

When young Regulus was sixteen, he joined the Dark Lord's organization. He was so proud, so very proud, so happy to be able to serve...

Sirius frowned repeatedly as he listened to Kreacher's words.

What is the key point?

He said eagerly.

“Young Master Sirius, I’ll say it right away—”

Kreacher flinched, then began speaking to the carpet again.

"Oh, you see, he's just not likable."

Sirius was going crazy, but Sheen pulled him back just in time.

“Kreacher thought for a moment… A year later, one day, Master Regulus came to visit Kreacher in the kitchen. Master Regulus had always liked Kreacher. Master Regulus said… he said…”

The elderly elf swayed even faster.

"...He said the Dark Lord wanted a little elf."

"Voldemort wants a little fairy?"

Sirius asked in confusion.

Voldemort always regarded house-elves as bugs.

“Oh, yes,”

Kreacher said painfully,
"Young Master Regulus contributed Kreacher. It is an honor," Young Master Regulus said, "an honor for himself and for Kreacher."

"Oh--"

Sirius scoffed.

"Kreacher must do everything the Dark Lord wants him to do... and then go back—home."

Kreacher swayed faster, his breathing turning into sobs.

"So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what to do, but instead took him to a cave by the sea."

It was a large cave, and inside it was a large, black lake…

Kreacher's hoarse voice seemed to come from the black water.

"...There was a boat..."

There is indeed a boat, and that boat, a ghostly green little boat, is enchanted. It can only take one wizard and one sacrifice to the island in the middle of the lake.

So, this is how Voldemort tested the protective measures of the Horcruxes:

Through the life of an insignificant creature, a house-elf.

"On the island there was a stone—a stone basin, filled with potions. The Dark Lord—the Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it..."

The little elf trembled all over.

"Kreacher drank it, and while he was drinking it, he saw many horrific sights... Kreacher's internal organs were on fire..."

Kreacher cried out to Master Regulus to save him, and to his mistress, but the Dark Lord just laughed... He forced Kreacher to drink all the potion... He threw a locket into an empty basin... and then filled the basin with more potion.

Then the Dark Lord boarded the ship and left, leaving Kreacher on the island…

The description of house-elves was so vivid that Sirius's neck fur stood on end, and he seemed to be able to see that scene.

Voldemort's pale snake face disappeared into the darkness, his red eyes coldly fixed on the little elf writhing in agony.

His opinion of his idiotic brother worsened even further.

"Kreacher needed water, so he climbed to the edge of the island to drink from the Black Lake... Many hands, the hands of the dead, reached out from the water and dragged Kreacher in..."

"So how did you escape?"

Sirius laughed.

Kreacher raised his ugly head and looked at Sirius with his bloodshot eyes.

"Young Master Regulus said he wanted Kreacher to come home."

He said.

"I know—but how did you get rid of the undead?"

Kreacher seemed not to understand.

"Young Master Regulus said he wanted Kreacher to come home."

He repeated.

"I know, but—"

"He Apparated."

Sheen helped it finish the explanation in a low voice.

"The highest law for house-elves is their master's command,"

Kreacher sang as he spoke.

"When the master told Kreacher to come home, Kreacher went home..."

"So what happened after you came back?"

Sirius immediately pressed for more information. He suddenly had a bad feeling.

“Kreacher is back, and young master Regulus is very worried, very worried.”

Kreacher hissed.
"Young Master Regulus told Kreacher to hide and not to leave the house."

Then... after a while... one night, young Regulus came to the cupboard and found Kreacher.

Young Master Regulus seemed very strange, unlike his usual self. Kreacher could tell he was in turmoil… The young master asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the same cave Kreacher had visited with the Dark Lord…

So they set off, and Sirius could clearly picture a terrified, aged elf and his brother.

Kreacher knew how to open the secret entrance to the underground cavern, and how to make the small boat float to the surface. This time, he was sailing with Regulus to the island filled with magic potions...

"He made you drink a magic potion?"

Sirius asked.

Kreacher shook his head and burst into tears.

Sirius covered his face in anguish: he already knew what was going on.

"Young Master Regulus pulled a locket from his pocket, just like the Dark Lord's,"

Kreacher said, tears streaming down the sides of his long nose.

"He told Kreacher to hold onto it and, once the stone basin was dry, to switch the locket..."

Kreacher's sobs became heavy and piercing, and Sirius had to concentrate fully to understand him.

He ordered—Kreacher, leave—ignore him.

He called Kreacher—home—and forbade the mistress to tell him what he had done—but he had to destroy—the first locket.

Then he drank it—drank the potion—Kreacher changed the locket—and watched helplessly as…Young Master Regulus…was dragged underwater…and then…”

"Stop talking!"

Sirius growled.

The facts are now very clear.

His brother, Regulus, was not a coward who backed down out of fear. He saw through Voldemort's cruelty and was determined to fight him, even at the cost of his life.

"I think perhaps I should give this to you."

Sheen suddenly spoke up and handed a note to Sirius.

It says:

To the Dark Lord

I was already dead before you read this.

But I want you to know that I discovered your secret.

I stole the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as possible.

I'm willing to risk my life so that when you encounter an opponent...

It can be killed.

RAB

Sirius Black took it with trembling hands, his haggard features contorted in pain.

The words "Hornet" stung his eyes, and the phrase "risking death" silenced his beating heart.

When Sirius came to his senses, he suddenly remembered that the mysterious wizard in front of him seemed to have said that he had destroyed several Horcruxes.

He couldn't help but recall more of the news reports. When everything was connected by the word "Hornet," he could already deduce the danger behind it.

He looked ahead, where the young wizard was watching the last rays of the setting sun.

"Is this our goal?"

He said.

"Of course, Mr. Blake, as you can see, it is a goal that will inevitably be achieved."

"That's what the wizard with the deep-set eyes said."

What future do you see?

He asked again.

Do you need to know?

The little wizard smiled gently.

“We must fight him, but that’s too difficult.”

Sirius said hoarsely.

"What were you thinking about in Azkaban, sir?"

I think you will realize that even if a person has only lived for one day, he can spend a hundred years in prison without feeling miserable.

He had plenty to remember, so he would never feel bored or weary. In a sense, that was a kind of pleasure.

This is hope, sir.

Hope is a good thing, perhaps the best of things, and good things never die.

Sirius saw that dusk was fleeting and night was falling.

He saw the vast land baring its strong chest, a gesture of invitation.
Just like women calling to their children,
Hope beckons the warriors to come.

(End of this chapter)