Chapter 493: Regulus' Story
Chapter 493: Regulus' Story
That day, the Dark Lord brought him to a cave by the sea. They sailed across a dark, murky lake to a small island in the center.
"There was a stone basin on the island, filled with potion. The Dark Lord ordered Kreacher to drink it all..." Kreacher shuddered, his voice trembling.
"Kreacher obeyed and drank it. While drinking, he saw many terrifying scenes... It felt like his insides were on fire... Kreacher cried out to Regulus for help, to Mistress, but the Dark Lord only laughed... He forced Kreacher to drink all the potion... He then dropped a Locket into the empty basin and refilled it with more potion."
Kreacher's words sent a chill through everyone present. The House-Elf then wept as he described the agony he endured after drinking the potion, as if a fire had risen from his stomach, burning away every drop of moisture in his body.
"Kreacher needed water, so it crawled to the edge of the island and drank from the black lake... Many hands, dead hands, reached out from the water and dragged Kreacher down..." Kreacher recounted his experience in broken, halting words.
"The creatures at the bottom must have been Inferi! This was a carefully designed trap by Voldemort to protect that Locket", Lupin, a key member of the Order of the Phoenix, quickly realized what had happened upon hearing Kreacher's words.
"But why did Voldemort go to such great lengths to hide this thing?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"This can only mean that the Locket is very important to Voldemort!" Ivan didn't directly mention that it was a Horcrux but instead hinted at it obliquely.
Lupin, Harry, and Sirius Black, who was hidden in the shadows, all nodded in agreement. The more Voldemort wanted to protect something, the more they needed to destroy it!
"Regulus told Kreacher to go home, so Kreacher went home", Kreacher seemed to be reliving that moment, and no matter how much Lupin and the others pressed him, he remained in a dazed state.
At this point, Ivan spoke up. "Kreacher must have used Apparition to escape!"
"Voldemort wouldn't leave such an obvious loophole! There must have been an Anti-Apparition charm there", Lupin frowned, unable to believe that the man would be so foolish.
"No! House-Elf magic is different from Wizards' magic. They can break many restrictions, like at Hogwarts, where Wizards can't Apparate, but House-Elves can do it easily", Ivan explained.
It could only mean that Voldemort was too arrogant, or perhaps Wizards were too arrogant, and they never took the lowly House-Elves seriously enough to study the differences between their magic and Wizards' magic.
This led to many places that seemed well-defended being like sieves to House-Elves.
"There's a possibility!" Lupin and Sirius, hidden in the shadows, nodded together. They were also learning for the first time that House-Elves could bypass Anti-Apparition charms, and someone as self-important as Voldemort would never have bothered to understand this.
House-Elf Kreacher ignored the others' comments and, after a pause, continued speaking to himself.
"After returning, Kreacher told the whole story to Master Regulus. The young master was very worried and told Kreacher to hide and not leave the house."
"After a while... Master Regulus suddenly found Kreacher. That day, Master Regulus acted very strangely, nothing like his usual self. Kreacher could tell that his mind was in turmoil... The young master asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the same cave where Kreacher had been with the Dark Lord..."
Kreacher slowly described the entire process to everyone, explaining how he had opened the secret entrance to the underground cave and how he and Regulus had sailed together to the island holding the potion.
"Then he made you drink the potion and took out the locket?" Lupin frowned, but he felt the situation was more complicated than that.
However, Kreacher's next words still took everyone by surprise.
"No, Master Regulus didn't do that!" Kreacher shouted, tears streaming down his long nose. He sobbed as he continued.
"After we got there, the young master took out a locket from his pocket, just like the Dark Lord's. He told Kreacher to hold it and wait until the basin was empty, then switch the lockets..."
"Then Regulus drank the potion?" Though it was a question, Ivan spoke with certainty.
Lupin and Harry looked at Kreacher in disbelief.
The House-Elf was already in tears, his sobs intermittent, and everyone had to listen closely to understand his words.
"Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to take the locket and leave, not to worry about him. He told Kreacher to go home and destroy the Dark Lord's locket...
Then he... drank the potion. Kreacher switched the lockets and watched... as Master Regulus... was dragged underwater... and then..."
Sirius Black, who had been hiding in the shadows using the Disillusionment Charm, could no longer hold back. He rushed over, grabbed Kreacher by the head, and pointed his wand at him, demanding answers.
"So you just stood there watching? You didn't drink the potion, why didn't you save him?! Why didn't you save him?!"
Sirius Black's eyes were bloodshot, and he shouted hoarsely.
Kreacher's eyes widened in shock, completely unprepared for Sirius Black to be there. He suddenly realized something, understanding that he had violated Master Regulus's order not to speak about the cave to the family. He began to scream.
"Shut up! I command you to speak, as the head of the Black family! Why didn't you save him?!" Sirius Black roared, his voice drowning out Kreacher's screams.
"There were too many, too many dead people! Kreacher tried, really tried! Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to leave, and he couldn't disobey! He had to go home..." The old House-Elf sobbed uncontrollably.
"Excuses! You knew about the Inferi, why didn't you take Regulus with you after you got the locket?"
Sirius Black, burning with anger, interrupted Kreacher, his eyes reddening further. The locket hanging from his right hand jingled, and his wand glowed dangerously as he stared at Kreacher, speaking each word with force.
"I don't believe he would drink that potion to save you, a dirty, lowly House-Elf!"
(End of Chapter)
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