Chapter 312: The Evil of the Horcrux
Chapter 312: The Evil of the Horcrux
Black Family Manor.
Sirius, Felix, and Dumbledore sat in their respective seats, the atmosphere in the room heavy and tense.
“He needs a funeral,” Sirius insisted.
“I completely agree, Regulus was a hero—saving an innocent life, he had a heart of gold… He deserves this honor,” Dumbledore said gently. “However, we cannot reveal the existence of the Horcrux. That would cause a lot of trouble.”
His gaze, through his half-moon spectacles, fell on the long sofa where a young man lay quietly beside Sirius, his hands folded on his chest, black curls cascading over his forehead, as if he were merely sleeping.
Regulus bore a striking resemblance to his brother, especially in profile, like a younger Sirius who had never endured twelve years in Azkaban. His age was forever fixed at eighteen, yet he had accomplished what many could not in a lifetime.
“Why— I don’t understand!”
Sirius felt that his brother's honor had been stolen. Regulus deserved more, such as a grand funeral. A white marble coffin, wreaths, and green grass, with his life and achievements recited before a crowd, all praising his remarkable contributions…
And the act of defying Voldemort and retrieving the Horcrux was a crucial part of his legacy. Sirius wanted everyone to know about it.
“Sirius,” Dumbledore said solemnly, “I have been trying to avoid the spread of this dark magic, even just the name. Imagine it—when people learn about a magic that requires only simple murder—forgive my wording, but for some, it is indeed a simple act—they can achieve immortality. What a tempting deal!”
“I don’t see—”
“That’s you, Sirius. No one denies your courage and conviction. If Voldemort returns, would you take up your wand again?”
“Of course! I would fight to the end!” Sirius answered without hesitation.
“Exactly,” Dumbledore said. “But can you face death calmly?”
“I wouldn’t split my soul, Dumbledore!”
“Of course not,” Dumbledore said soothingly. “But what if an extreme situation arises, and someone you care about is dying or certain to die, and you desperately want to save them… At that moment, if you hear of a magic that can bring the dead back to life, would you still care about its evil nature?”
Sirius hesitated. In that instant, several faces flashed before his eyes. He had lost too much and didn’t want to lose anyone else.
“People will flock to uncover the secrets of the Horcrux—selfish Dark Wizards for themselves, upright people for their families and friends, brave Aurors for their comrades, and despicable ambitious people for eternal power… Think about it, Sirius, what a terrifying scenario that would be!”
Sirius gasped, the terrifying scene already convincing his reason, but his heart still felt uneasy.
After a long pause, he said hoarsely, “Then, then—”
Felix, who had been quiet, interjected, “We can arrange for Regulus to be recognized as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, as a spy, to restore his honor…”
“No, Felix, I don’t want to do that,” Sirius refused. “Regulus was a lone warrior. I want people to understand the incredible courage he showed when he made the difficult decision to defy Voldemort.” He looked at Dumbledore, “So, we won’t mention the Horcrux, but at least don’t overlook his actions against Voldemort, can we?”
Dumbledore nodded, “I would be willing to announce this at the funeral.”
“Thank you…” Sirius said. To ensure the funeral wouldn’t turn into a farce without witnesses, a person of sufficient prestige needed to personally affirm Regulus’s contributions, and Dumbledore was the best choice.
He would place his own reputation on the scales, testifying for the former Death Eater, the Black family’s silent and vanished descendant, elevating him high…
As for Sirius himself, many still didn’t know about his exoneration. If he suddenly appeared in Diagon Alley, it would undoubtedly cause a wave of terrified screams.
“Then, I, uh,” Sirius said slowly, “I will determine the procedures, I will do it myself, and I will also finalize the list of those invited to the funeral—” He suddenly showed a look of disgust, muttering, “My relatives, there are hardly any good ones among them.”
"I can invite some friends, Sirius", Felix said.
"Thank you, thank you", Sirius replied. "Though I may not have been a very good brother, being locked up for over a decade, the Black name is still worth a trip for them."
"The influence of the Pureblood Families is evident at times like these", he said without emotion, making it hard to tell if he was proud or mocking. "Just this once..."
Dumbledore took his leave, and the fire in the fireplace began to burn.
"Wait a moment, Headmaster Dumbledore, we'll go together", Felix said, standing up. "By the way—"
Felix pulled a locket out of his pocket, holding it by the gold chain, causing the locket to tremble.
"This is the fake Horcrux I retrieved from the Pensieve. I took a look, and there's no other magic attached to it. Inside, there's only a note left by Regulus."
Sirius reached out to take it. The counterfeit locket was crafted by Regulus based on Kreacher's brief glimpse, so it was far from perfect—neither the size nor the "S" symbol representing Salazar Slytherin was accurate.
He mechanically opened the locket's lid, revealing a small folded piece of parchment. He unfolded it and read the words, his eyes instantly moistening as he trembled and recited:
"To the Dark Lord
When you read this, I am already dead, but I wanted you to know: I discovered your secret. I have taken the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as possible.
I am willing to die so that when you face your mortal enemy, you will be a mere mortal.
R.A.B."
Kreacher emitted a mournful cry and fell to the ground.
Dumbledore sighed, turning to step into the fireplace. Felix followed him. In the Ancient Runes Professor's Office, the two had a brief conversation.
"Do you think some of my actions are inhumane, Felix?" Dumbledore looked weary.
"You just have too much to consider, weighing the pros and cons, planning the big picture... Albus."
Dumbledore gave him a surprised look and then smiled easily. "Let's talk about something more pleasant, shall we? I need to express my gratitude. In fact, besides the line with Hagrid, I have been investigating Voldemort's childhood at Wool's Orphanage. However, due to the passage of time, the place has been demolished.
But I never gave up. Without your help, I might have encountered that cave."
Felix smiled. "With your power, you would have cracked his secrets eventually... There is one thing worth noting, though. I found that Voldemort is exceptionally skilled at curses and often links them to people's desires."
Dumbledore nodded slightly. "Indeed, that's worth noting. He might exploit people's weaknesses to set traps."
Finally, Dumbledore told Felix not to reveal the existence of the Horcrux unless absolutely necessary, for the same reasons he had given Sirius. Felix didn't think it was an exaggeration.
"What about Harry?"
"I've already spoken with him", Dumbledore looked troubled. "He and his friends want to learn more about the Horcruxes and even planned to ask Irma. Fortunately, I discovered their intentions in time."
Felix inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He had no interest in Horcruxes and hadn't considered the potential consequences Dumbledore had pointed out. Given that Harry was destined to face Voldemort, he hadn't felt any psychological burden when sharing that information.
Harry probably hadn't considered it either, which is why he planned to ask the librarian, Madam Pince.
...
The time passed quickly, and soon it was June. At the beginning of the month, Felix proctored the final exams for the third, fourth, and sixth years and observed the new Wizard Level Examinations—O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.
The examiners sent by the Wizarding Examination Board were the same as last year. Once the exams were over, the fifth and seventh-year students celebrated wildly, rejoicing in their escape from a hellish year.
In the week before the end of the school year, Felix held the last Runic Script Club meeting of the term.
All the club members were excited because a public secret had been circulating among them for a long time: Professor Hepworth intended to teach them an Ancient Magic!
(End of Chapter)
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