Sirius' voice faltered.
A door creaked open nearby, and an old house-elf shuffled out.
Blake recognized him instantly — Kreacher, a key figure from the beginning. The elf wore nothing but a filthy rag tied around his waist. His skin sagged with age, his head bald save for tufts of white hair sprouting from his large, bat-like ears. Bloodshot eyes bulged like tennis balls, and a pig-like gray nose dominated his face.
Kreacher bowed his head and approached Sirius slowly.
"Kreacher is here, Master," he croaked in a bullfrog-like voice, then muttered loudly, "The prodigal son returns… the shame of the Black family! And he's brought a thieving little sneak with him, stinking up the whole house! What a disgrace… what would my mistress think?"
Sirius' temper flared. He kicked Kreacher to the floor.
"Shut up! I won't let you insult my friends, you miserable old git!"
Kreacher had clearly been alone too long; he spoke his thoughts aloud without restraint. But Blake held a special place in Sirius' heart now — Sirius wouldn't tolerate his friend being insulted. He raised his leg to kick again, but Blake stopped him.
"We need him to talk," Blake murmured.
Kreacher cowered, arms over his head. Sirius hesitated, glaring down.
"We still need answers," Blake reminded him.
Kreacher ignored Blake, his gaze fixed on the locket Blake had noticed earlier. In Kreacher's mind, that confirmed it — this man was a greedy thief.
"Kreacher is loyal and will not speak to a shameless thief!" he croaked loudly.
Sirius bristled, but Blake waved him down. Blake knelt, speaking softly.
"Look at me, Kreacher. You feared the Dark Lord… aren't you afraid of me?"
Kreacher glanced up — and froze. Blake's aura flared, and the elf instantly recognized the same dark, suffocating presence Voldemort had once exuded. The memory of the Dark Lord's laughter in that cave burned in Kreacher's mind. Terror seized him.
Blake's voice cut through the fear. "Tell me, am I a thief?"
"N-no… you are not a thief…" Kreacher stammered, all contempt gone.
"Good. Then we can talk. Come here."
Kreacher obeyed reluctantly, creeping toward the sofa. Sirius watched, astonished. Kreacher obeyed only his master — yet he was following Blake's instructions.
"So," Blake said evenly, "did you take that locket?"
"Yes… Kreacher took it."
"Why?"
"Because… because Kreacher promised Master Regulus—" He broke off, clutching his mouth.
"Can't say?" Blake smiled faintly.
Kreacher shook his head. "Kreacher promised… it cannot be told. Not even to my mistress."
Blake glanced at Sirius. The only way was a master's order. Sirius understood.
"I order you, Kreacher, to tell us everything about the locket — no details spared!"
Kreacher trembled, backing away until he collapsed.
"I… promised Master Regulus… but—"
"I'm your only master now!" Sirius snapped. "Will you disobey me?"
Kreacher shook his head violently. "No… Kreacher is not disobeying… but…"
He burst into loud, wailing sobs, so loud they woke the portrait of Sirius' mother. The curtains flew open, her shrill insults echoing through the house. Blake flicked his wand — silence. The curtains closed.
"I order you again," Sirius said coldly.
Blake stepped in. "Whose is that locket?"
Sirius echoed, "Answer him."
Kreacher sobbed harder. "That box… Master Regulus's box… Kreacher disobeyed!"
He bolted for the wall to smash his head, but Blake flicked his hand. Kreacher flew back, held immobile by invisible force.
"Kreacher! I order you not to move!" Sirius barked.
The trembling elf stilled. Sirius' mind raced — Regulus had once idolized Voldemort. This was no small matter.
"Tell me everything," Sirius demanded. "Regulus is gone. I'm your master. Speak."
Kreacher slumped, exhausted.
"It happened after Master Sirius left. Mistress was proud — Regulus was well-educated, unlike the bad boy who broke her heart."
Sirius sneered but let him continue.
"For years, Master Regulus spoke of the Dark Lord — the one who would rule over Muggles. At sixteen, he joined the Dark Lord's ranks, proud to serve. A year later, he came to Kreacher, saying the Dark Lord required a house-elf."
Sirius' jaw tightened.
"Regulus called it an honor," Kreacher said miserably. "He told Kreacher to do whatever the Dark Lord asked, then return home."
Kreacher's voice shook as he described the trip: a sea cave, a black lake, a small boat, and an island with a basin full of potion.
"The Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it… Kreacher saw terrible things, felt burning pain… begged for rescue, but the Dark Lord only laughed. When Kreacher finished, he placed a box in the basin, refilled it with potion, and left Kreacher there."
Sirius' stomach turned cold. He knew exactly what that box was.
"Horcrux…" he muttered. "Then what? How did you get back?"
"Master ordered Kreacher to return home after his task," Blake answered for him.
Sirius frowned. "Then how did the locket get here?"
"Listen first," Blake said quietly.
Kreacher continued. "Kreacher was thirsty… went to the lake… but dead hands pulled him under. Kreacher remembered his order and escaped, returning home. Master Regulus was worried. He told Kreacher to stay indoors.
"Later… one night… Regulus came for Kreacher. He was strange. He told Kreacher to take him to the cave again."
Sirius' chest tightened.
"At the basin, Master Regulus had a box like the Dark Lord's. He told Kreacher to swap them once the basin was empty, then to leave — leave him behind."
Kreacher broke down. "He told Kreacher to destroy the first box, not to tell Mistress… Then he drank all the potion. Kreacher swapped the boxes… watched as the dead hands pulled Master Regulus under…"
Sirius seized Kreacher by the neck. "You watched him die? Why didn't you bring him back?" Tears blurred his vision. "Better a poisoned corpse here than left in that cursed lake!"
"The highest law for a house-elf is his master's order," Kreacher sobbed. "He told Kreacher to take the box and go…"
Sirius shook, the truth tearing through years of resentment. His brother — a Death Eater — had died as a hero, alone and unsung.
Blake laid a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Let's go."
"Go… where?" Sirius asked numbly.
Blake's voice was steady. "You know the truth. Can you leave Regulus in that lake?"
Sirius' grief hardened into resolve. "Kreacher! Take us to the cave. We're bringing Regulus home."