Chapter 268 – Inspiration from the Heart
Sirius had always believed he had left everything behind — his brother, his mother, and the cursed legacy of the Black family.
In his eyes, James and justice had always been what truly mattered.
But now, faced with his brother's lifeless body, even the secret to Voldemort's supposed immortality — lying right before him — meant nothing.
He only wanted to know why Regulus had lost his life.
And why it hadn't been that wretched elf Kreacher instead.
"As a servant," Sirius muttered darkly, "why didn't you die for your master?"
"It's Master Regulus!" Kreacher cried, his shrill voice trembling. "He ordered Kreacher to leave him behind — to take the locket and destroy it! 'Don't tell my family anything about the cave,' he said!"
Kreacher clung to Regulus's cold legs, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Why didn't you misinterpret his orders this one time?!" Sirius's voice broke, fury and grief twisting his face. His once-handsome features, his proud independence — all of it was gone.
He raised his wand, pointing it directly at the trembling elf's chest.
Kreacher, however, did not flinch. He stood upright, staring at Regulus's peaceful, sleeping face, as though welcoming death.
"Sirius!" Lupin rushed forward, grabbing Sirius's wand arm. "This isn't Kreacher's fault!"
"Kreacher can't disobey the order of a master he loves," Harry said quickly, stepping between them.
"Don't you want to know why Regulus died?"
"Was his death… worthwhile?" Draco asked softly.
The question seemed to drain the strength from Sirius. His wand fell to his side as he collapsed against Lupin's shoulder, shaking silently.
Harry took a breath and began explaining.
"Regulus died because of the locket. It was hidden on an island inside a cave. The only way to retrieve it was to drink a potion from a stone basin."
"That potion strips a wizard of their magic, fills them with unbearable pain, and makes them desperate for water," Alexander added, recalling the harrowing details.
Harry nodded. "And the island's enchantment removed all sources of water. Any fresh water — even what you brought with you — disappeared. Ron and Draco confirmed this themselves."
"In the end," Alexander continued grimly, "the only thing a desperate wizard could do was turn to the lake. But the moment they did… the Inferi would awaken."
"They would drag the victim into the depths," Harry finished softly, "until they drowned — and became one of them."
"We were able to bypass the enchantments through Kreacher's magic," Alexander said. "That's how we found Regulus's body. Not far from the lake."
Sirius was silent for a long moment, then finally whispered, "Thank you, Harry… for bringing him back."
"But why did you go there alone? Without telling me?" he asked bitterly.
"I just thought it was time to finish what Regulus started," Harry admitted.
Sirius gave a long, heavy sigh. Lupin exchanged a look with him — a mixture of pride, sorrow, and exasperation.
Then, unexpectedly, Sirius turned to Ron.
"Tell me about the story of The Warlock's Hairy Heart," he said quietly.
Ron blinked. "What? That's… that's just a story."
"I want to hear it," Sirius said. "The Black family doesn't tell fairy tales. I'd like to understand if my brother's death… meant anything at all."
Ron swallowed hard. He hadn't expected everyone's attention to fall on him.
"This story isn't really about immortality," he said slowly. "It's about a wizard who tried to separate what should never be separated — his heart and his body. He wanted to avoid feeling pain or love."
"That's a violation of Adalberta Waffling's Basic Rules of Magic," Alexander noted. "Those who tamper with the essence of life — with the self — must be ready to face the gravest consequences."
Ron's ears turned red. "Exactly! The wizard thought he was being clever, but it destroyed him in the end."
It was just a tale — yet everyone fell silent, the meaning sinking in.
Sirius, unlike Harry, did not immediately link it to Voldemort. But even so, something stirred within him. As someone raised in a family of dark wizards, he understood what it meant to separate body and soul.
The word came to him like a curse: Horcrux.
Just like his brother Regulus, Sirius began to piece together the truth of Voldemort's immortality.
But he was conflicted. Horcruxes weren't unknown to pure-blood families — they had been described, in detail, in Advanced Dark Magic Revealed, a tome written by the infamous dark wizard Herpo the Foul.
To most, it was merely forbidden knowledge — something every dark wizard knew of but would never dare use.
Because wizards understood the afterlife. They knew the soul was sacred. To tear it apart was madness.
Would Voldemort really resort to something so crude — so vile?
Sirius hesitated. What if he was wrong?
But he didn't know that Voldemort's knowledge of dark magic came almost entirely from Hogwarts — from arrogance and stolen books, not true mastery.
Ignorance had given him boldness — and his belief that "magic is everything" had made him powerful enough to twist even his own soul.
"Ron," Sirius said after a long silence, "your story… was more useful than you think."
He exhaled deeply, then turned back to Regulus's body. "Petrificus Totalus."
Regulus froze once more, his expression peaceful.
"Sirius… what are you planning to do?" Lupin asked warily.
Sirius looked up. "Remus, have you forgotten my family name?"
"I'm a Black — from one of the oldest dark wizard families in Britain."
"The Inferi were once our servants. There are rituals — notes from my ancestors — that could let me reclaim that bond."
"Regulus will stay with me. He'll remain part of our family."
He smiled weakly, though the sadness in his eyes betrayed him. "The Ministry won't interfere. I'll file the proper reports. And if it costs a few thousand Galleons… the Blacks have plenty to spare."
He waved his wand, and a silver tray appeared out of thin air. The shattered fragments of Slytherin's locket lifted from the corner, floating gently onto the plate.
"Sirius," Ron said quietly, "my dad works in the Misuse of Dark Artifacts Office. Tell him the truth. He'll understand."
Sirius gave a faint laugh. "You have a kind heart, Ron. But this… this isn't something the Ministry could ever understand."
Harry stepped closer. "What are you going to do with the locket pieces?"
"I need to speak with Dumbledore," Sirius said solemnly. "I have something I must confirm."
He looked down at Regulus's still face one last time.
"Your death won't be meaningless, little brother."
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