Chapter originally posted January 2nd 2019. This chapter was beta-read by girl_with_a_sword for grammar and linguistics. English is my third language.
Albus Dumbledore, 8th June 1994 (early hours)
Albus had a hard and difficult day. After he'd sacked Remus, he'd been participating in evacuating the Headquarters to Sirius' home at number 12, Grimmauld Place. The house was huge, but old and dark and dreary. It hadn't been completely empty: there was an old (and more than slightly insane) house-elf called Kreacher, who obviously detested them all and practically worshipped the portrait of Walburga Black, which was attached to a wall with a Permanent Sticking Charm and had a habit of screeching insults to everyone, calling them filthy blood-traitors and many worse things.
The evacuation had been a major event as every item had to be checked for any signs of Pettigrew, both manually and magically, before and after it was transported to Grimmauld Place. Albus himself shielded the room with the Floo with a large variety of Charms and Jinxes against eavesdropping and intrusion before the members transported everything to the new Headquarters. They'd found rat droppings, but there was no way to be certain if they had been left by the traitor in his Animagus form or by a common rat. Molly and Arthur were horrified when they'd heard they'd sheltered a murderer in their home for years, that this murderer lived in the bedrooms of their own children and had access to everything they owned.
Minerva was left in charge of Hogwarts; Severus had joined Albus in packing things at Headquarters. The usually dour man looked even more concerned and vicious than usual, and Albus knew his agitation was partially caused by the fact he'd have to attend the Order meetings in Sirius Black's home. Severus was in charge of packing up the library, assisted by three other members, while several people were casting one spell after another to detect any signs of intrusion.
With the exhausting task done and the old Headquarters abandoned, Albus was the last to depart for Grimmauld Place. Molly Weasley was already in charge of the kitchen, rushing to and fro. Albus had promised he would later be securing the Burrow against Pettigrew's intrusions, but for now Molly and Arthur would travel by Apparition between the Headquarters and the Burrow. Albus heard the voices of several members of the Order from the upper floors, where the rooms were being cleaned to make them habitable. The house had plenty of bedrooms, as well as a well-equipped library. The kitchen was massive and well suited for meetings, the table was large enough to seat them all and then some. Hestia was arguing with Molly about which room they'd house Hermione in. Molly had already promised some of the children would spend time cleaning the house that summer, so that there would be plenty of bedrooms for everyone.
The house was in a sorry state: there were several infestations of Doxies and Albus himself had dispatched a Boggart. The wall over the stairs was decorated with a row of shrunken house-elf heads mounted on plaques on the wall, which Hermione would absolutely detest, but were Charmed against removal and even a hint of attempting to make changes greatly upset Kreacher.
Albus chose to leave others in charge of the rest of cleaning and setting up. since the Fidelius Charm was in place, with Albus as the Secret Keeper and Severus as the caster. Sirius would probably have complained, if he'd had a wand; he'd meet with Ollivander later that week. For now, he was confined inside number 12, Grimmauld Place, with an order not to leave the place unless he was in the company of Albus.
Albus had taken time to attend a meeting with Hermione's friends after Ronald Weasley had been released from the hospital wing. According to Hermione, her friends were very concerned for her, but Hagrid had kept the impulsive Harry from rushing after her and Ronald, with a little assistance from young Neville, who'd turned out to be slightly timid but also able to consider and temper any brash actions, unlike many other Gryffindors. In that, Neville complimented Hermione well and the two balanced out Harry and Ronald's brashness quite well. Mr. Draco Malfoy tipped the scale in Hermione's favour: the young Slytherin might have appeared cocky and self-centred, but he could read people well and often considered his actions and motives several times before acting upon impulse.
The two younger girls, Luna Lovegood and Ginevra Weasley, were never excluded, although their younger age perhaps partially prevented them from being integrated as fully into the group as the others. Hermione had shown them support, which they hadn't received among their own Houses. Miss Weasley had been traumatised from being possessed by Voldemort's Horcrux, but Hermione still pulled her into her own group, although Albus had heard that the youngest Mr. Weasley had complained about being forced to spend time in the company of his sister. Hermione had been slightly exasperated by Miss Lovegood's recounts of strange creatures until she'd asked Albus himself about them.
"But they aren't real..."
"Why do you think they aren't real?" Albus had returned.
"They're not in any books, and everyone says she made them up."
"There are plenty of things in our world that isn't written in books, Hermione," Albus had remarked gently. "There are also books that can't be found in Hogwarts library. Many of the things we know to be real were once claimed to be unreal or untrue."
"Are they real? Nargles and Blibbering Humdingers and... things?"
"I wouldn't be sure about everything, but Miss Lovegood certainly isn't the first person to speak about Nargles, nor will she be the last. What we can see with our own eyes might not be real, but sometimes the things we cannot see aren't unreal either. Are you any less real under the Invisibility Cloak, when you cannot be seen?"
"No, I guess not," she had replied thoughtfully, although Albus was quite certain she was uncomfortable with something that was undocumented in the books. He'd chuckled and offered her another Sherbet Lemon.
The children had been shocked when they heard what Hermione and Ronald had faced in the Shrieking Shack: Hermione made sure to recount how Professor Snape had protected her, and, for the first time, Albus could see traces of real respect in the eyes on Draco and Neville, although Harry Granger and Ron Weasley remained resolute in their hatred. Albus knew that Severus wasn't a nice or kind or even supportive teacher for his Gryffindor students, often berating them terribly for their smallest mistakes and favouring his snakes: he'd detested the whole Gryffindor House from the day he'd set foot at Hogwarts, and young James and his group certainly hadn't done anything to ease his distaste. Severus clearly detested Harry himself for his apparent resemblance to James Potter, a resemblance which also carried to his occasionally impulsive behaviour. Albus was quite certain the boy would have had many more detentions, if Hermione and Neville hadn't done their best to temper and rein him in.
It had been an exhausting day and when the night had settled, Albus made his way quietly through the deserted corridors. The portraits had settled down to sleep and Albus didn't bother their sleep by using his wand to light his way. He knew every corridor and step, every inch of Hogwarts like he knew the contents of his own pockets: sometimes better than the contents of his pockets, really, considering he'd found an old lottery ticket from an event at Hogsmeade held over ten years ago in the pocket of one of his robes.
The Fat Lady opened up for him without a protest, and Albus entered the Gryffindor common room quietly. It was deserted at this time of the night, just as Albus hoped: he quickly walked to the boys' dormitory. Another quick spell from his wand at a certain door made sure the occupants of the room wouldn't wake up, and Albus slipped inside.
Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Ronald Weasley and Harry Granger slept quietly, their rest reinforced by his spell. Quietly Albus approached Harry's bed and lifted the spell, waking the boy up. Harry was groggy and tired, his brown eyes bleary and his black mop of hair mussed: Albus was painfully reminded of his father in a similar state of interrupted sleep.
"Headmaster, what...? Is everything all right, is Hermione...?"
"All is well, Harry. I do need your help, however. Look into my eyes, please. Don't close them..." Albus lifted his wand and cast: "Legilimens!"
The images whizzed past him in a flurry. Memories, thoughts, feelings... Albus drilled down hard, trying to reach something beyond Harry Granger. He was now seeing blurry images of his earliest childhood: a doting mother, a father confused by his looks, their shock at the earliest signs of accidental magic...
The boy fell back in his bed in dead faint. Albus breathed deeply, the connection broken. The boy's nose was bleeding quite severely now, staining his pillow and his shirt. Albus knew he would be able to rouse him, and he could continue to drill down, force his way inside his mind, but he ran a real risk of damaging the boy permanently, even killing him.
For a long moment he felt the temptation. There was priceless knowledge of the future locked inside the head of his boy. The same knowledge that Hermione held, and perhaps something that could protect them, but unlike with Hermione, this boy wasn't absolutely essential to the war effort. Hermione had to live to defeat Voldemort, but Harry Granger was just a Gryffindor and he'd failed at his former task of being The Chosen One. He was... replaceable.
Or was he? Hermione had several friends, but Harry was the one she'd considered like a brother. His loss might seriously unbalance her. And what of the spell that had changed their fates? Would the loss of one life destroy the spell? Albus thought it was unlikely, but nevertheless, there was a risk...
He was a Gryffindor. A member of their ancient and proud House. No matter those large bucked teeth, Albus could see James Potter in Harry Granger's face. And perhaps he, himself, had loved this boy just as much as he now loved Hermione. Had he adopted him, like he had adopted Hermione, and considered him a grandson? No, he couldn't do it. And not to Hermione, who had loved this boy like a brother.
A few minutes later, the door closed quietly, leaving the room silent, and the five boys continued their sleep. The blood had been cleaned from Harry Granger's bed and clothes, a Memory Charm wiped away the event, and Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, walked through the corridors as quiet as one of the ghosts.
Severus Snape, 11th June 1994
Severus had decided not to participate in the meal in the Great Hall as the exams were over, the Slytherin prefects would supervise the other Slytherin students or face his wrath, and he had a potion to brew. He'd been utterly pissed off about the whole debacle of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, the evacuation of the safe-house had taken hours, Black had been harassing him as he set the books into the Black family library until he'd left without unpacking them, and there was no trace of the remaining Horcrux nor information on how many there were — although Albus had decided to interrogate the retired Potions master Horace Slughorn, whom he suspected of revealing the dark spell's existence to Tom Riddle — and now time seemed to be running out, at least according to Trelawney's prediction.
He brewed several cauldrons and set the sixth one to simmer when someone knocked on the door of his classroom. "Enter," he shouted irritably, suspecting another commotion among the snakes and a prefect coming to whine about it.
It wasn't a prefect: Hermione Potter slipped in quietly, holding a large parchment. She looked very nervous.
"Miss Potter," Severus said, lifting an eyebrow expectantly.
"Sir, Professor Lupin gave me this, and I thought I should surrender it to you," she said, handing him the empty parchment. Severus took it gingerly, waiting for an explanation, knowing well that his silence would unnerve the student.
"Professor Lupin said that he made this with my father, Mr Black, and Mr Pettigrew. It's called 'The Marauder's Map' and it shows where everyone is at Hogwarts. May I?" she extended her hand towards the parchment and Severus allowed her closer. She pressed the tip of her wand on it and said "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Under his eyes the empty parchment changed, and on it appeared a text, "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers, are proud to present the Marauder's Map." The blank parchment became a map of Hogwarts, extremely detailed, and hundreds of little dots appeared everywhere on the map, with names next to the dots, identifying both students and staff. The map showed where everyone was.
Severus had seen this parchment before in the hands of Potter's gang, though he'd never seen it this close. So, this was how they'd been able to assault him where ever he'd gone. This and the Invisibility Cloak: they'd be undetectable and able to track him down everywhere in the castle. Bitterness flooded him, bitterness and anger.
"You can erase it by saying 'mischief managed' with your wand on it," she continued, demonstrating it, and the parchment became blank again. Severus frowned and placed his own wand on it, muttering "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
This time no map appeared. Instead, the parchment insulted him:
"Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.
Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.
Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor.
Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."
Severus growled with rage, and Hermione let out a frightened little squeak.
"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't know, it's never done that, I didn't mean..."
"Silence, girl," Severus growled. "Your blessed father and his cronies hated me, and they'd have cast a Charm to repel me. It won't open to me, even with a password."
"Oh," the girl said, seeming to deflate, sounding extremely disappointed. "Professor Lupin said..."
"Lupin is no longer a professor, nor will he ever be again if there's any sense in the world," Severus hissed.
"I'm sorry, sir," she replied quietly, her eyes now completely down.
"Lupin told you...?"
"Pro... he told me they mapped the school with the Invisibility Cloak and used a Homonculus charm to track people. He wanted to give it to me since he's no longer a professor and doesn't feel guilty for giving it to a student, though it's against the rules, but, erm..."
"You don't like breaking the rules, do you, Miss Potter?"
"No, sir."
"This map is a gross violation of privacy of both staff and the students," Severus added. "It should have been confiscated decades ago."
"Yes, sir. Prof... I mean, Mr. Lupin said the map also never lies. It shows everyone, no matter if they're under Polyjuice or in Animagus forms or using the Invisibility Cloak. That's how he knew Mr. Pettigrew was there."
"Pettigrew doesn't deserve an honorific, Miss Potter. You do have a tendency to give them to people who haven't earned them, such as Black, Lupin and the traitor. You should refer to them by their last name only."
"Yes, sir."
Severus sighed. The map, no matter its makers, was a clever piece of work.
"I would like to examine this. Open it, if you please."
She did as she was told, and Severus was able to view the map. When he uttered the words "mischief managed", the parchment wiped itself clean immediately and insulted him again, although this time the insults were worse than previously.
"Open again," he commanded her, and the girl revealed the parchment once more. "Thank you, Miss Potter. I shall examine this... map... at some length. You are free to go."
She looked at him, her desire to hear some praise evident on her face: Gryffindors never were good at hiding their emotions. She didn't argue and departed, although relatively slowly, unlike the others students, who usually couldn't get away from him fast enough. A small part of Severus' heart niggled at him, and he sighed quietly, although he made sure she didn't hear it. "Thank you bringing this to me. You did... adequately well," he added, and the silly little girl drew breath with something that sounded disturbingly like a little squeal of joy. Severus shook his head as he turned his attention to Potter's creation: what a silly and strange child.
Albus Dumbledore, 19th June 1994
Albus was relaxing in his study: the students had been sent off the previous day, and he'd heard that Hermione was safe at Grimmauld Place, picked up from King's Cross by Hestia and Kingsley. The staff had celebrated the ending of the school year the night before, and most were off nursing a massive hangover, unless they'd managed to wheedle out a potion from either Severus or Poppy: Severus would grace them with various insulting and sarcastic comments, while those who asked help from Poppy would receive a lecture of how unhealthy it was to imbibe such copious amounts of alcohol. Albus could have reminded Poppy of a few events where she, herself, had drank herself quite silly, including one event where she'd stumbled into one of the thickest rose bushes and had to be extracted with the help of two professors.
He planned on going to Grimmauld Place later: Hermione would spend the majority of her holiday there, although the Weasleys had already promised to take her and the other children to see The Quidditch World Cup. Draco Malfoy had been forced by his mother to spend at least two weeks at Malfoy Manor before he'd be allowed to join his friends. According to Hermione, the blonde boy had been quite irritated and was much more interested in spending the time with his friends, although he obviously loved both of his parents, especially his mother.
Albus found a comfortable position on his bed with his feet hoisted up in the air and his boots thrown haphazardly on the floor; a book was levitating in front of his eyes, a glass of wine and a jar of sweets within reach. Albus hummed as he popped a licorice into his mouth and turned the page. His life was busy and rarely allowed time for proper rest and relaxation.
Apparently this wasn't one of those days: Remus' Patronus appeared next to his bed, glimmering and shining. Albus had already jumped on his feet and his wand pointed at it before his brain reached the conclusion he was facing a Patronus, his reflexes still as sharp as needles.
"Albus, Hermione fainted! We need help, something's wrong! We're at Headquarters, come quickly!" the Patronus spoke with Remus' voice before it disappeared. Albus cursed, happy that nobody was around to hear it, quickly righted his robes and pulled on his boots before he rushed into his office and snatched a handful of floo powder. "Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," he called, before he flooed away in a flash of green flames.
He quickly strolled out of the floo towards the agitated voices coming from the first floor. Various people were milling about the drawing room. One of the sofas had been apparently cleaned, and Remus had placed Hermione on it: the girl was looking faint and weak, somehow disturbed and very pale.
"What happened?" asked Albus softly, striding quickly to her.
"We don't know," Remus said quickly. "We had breakfast and Sirius and I were showing her around. We'd spent some time in the library, but when we came through to this room, she suddenly screamed and then fainted."
"Hermione, how are you feeling?" Albus queried the girl, casting some diagnostic Charms which indicated nothing out of the ordinary.
"Just a bit faint, sir," the replied.
"I already tried those Charms," Kingsley said. "She seems to be in good health, she's well fed, blood pressure is normal, blood sugar, liquids... nothing that I can discern. Perhaps she should be taken to see the Mediwitch at Hogwarts?"
"Good idea, Kingsley," Albus said. "Remus and Hestia, will you take her, please? Use the floo, I'll give you access to my office. I'll follow you, I just want to make sure it was nothing in here. This house may contain some nasty surprises."
"Why won't I go with her?" Sirius asked, clearly agitated.
"No, Sirius, you need to remain here. You must not be seen by anyone," he replied, and Sirius nodded, although he looked reluctant. The man didn't seem to enjoy the house, which was unsurprising: the house was dirty and dusty with neglect and disuse. There was a Boggart in the writing desk and Albus could see Doxies in the draperies. He was quite certain Hermione hadn't gotten bitten by a Doxy: the Charms would have shown it immediately.
After Remus and Hestia had departed, Albus looked around. The room clearly contained a large variety of quite nasty, cursed objects arranged in glass cases and cabinets. The room would need to be cleaned and cleared as soon as possible.
"Did she touch anything here?" he asked Sirius.
"Not that I noticed. She had barely gotten in properly before she screamed and fell over. And I entered the room before she did," Sirius replied.
"Curious," Albus mumbled and looked through the cursed items, wondering if any of them might have harmed her. If it had, it would have to be destroyed before it could harm anyone else. He was looking through a glass cabinet when his eyes fell on a locket.
The memories flashed through his mind: the locket around Harry Potter's neck as the boy was dying. Large, oval, golden locket in a chain, looking very heavy; in the front a green serpentine S with green jewels.
Albus was staring straight at Salazar Slytherin's locket, a Horcrux. Now, as his attention was concentrated on it, he could feel evil radiate from it: it was conscious, somehow aware, perhaps in a strange and completely inhuman way: a thing of purest evil, corrupt and corrupting.
"Sirius," Albus called.
"What?"
"A moment, please," he said, and cast his phoenix-shaped Patronus. "Severus, I need you at Headquarters. I found one of them. Bring a tooth." A quick flick of his wand sent the Patronus away.
"You found what?" Sirius questioned curiously, coming closer to peer into the glass cabinet. Kingsley, too, approached, and cursed in low voice, his deep voice sounding especially menacing in his anger: the intelligent and observant Auror had obviously already realised what they were looking at.
"Don't come closer, either of you," Albus instructed. "Sirius, do you remember when I told you about the Horcruxes and showed you the image of Slytherin's locket?"
"Yes?"
"It's in there," Albus said quietly, gesturing at the glass cabinet.
Sirius' eyes grew wider. "Oh, holy mother of Merlin," he swore, sounding horrified.
"The question is how it came to be here, and who brought it?"
"Anyone of my family might have brought it," Sirius said. "My mother, or Regulus, perhaps. Kreacher might know. I'll question him, make him talk," he growled, his grey eyes narrowed in rage. "Can we destroy it? I want it gone, out of this house!"
"I have called Severus. We'll have it destroyed before the night falls," Albus promised. "Go. Question your house-elf."
Sirius nodded and left, yelling Kreacher's name furiously. Five minutes later Severus strode into the drawing room with swift steps, his black cloak billowing behind him. "You found it?" Severus questioned, his impassive expression betrayed only by a glint in his black eyes.
"In the glass cabinet. The locket of Salazar Slytherin himself."
Severus looked closer, although he, too, kept a wise distance from the cursed object. Sirius returned, hissing curses under breath.
"The house-elf brought it here," he told them. "Took me a while to force it out of him. He's... shite. Regulus, my brother... ah, shite. I always thought he was a bad sort. He fell in with his crowd," he said, gesturing vaguely towards Severus. "Kreacher said that Voldemort (at this point, Severus hissed furiously, but Sirius ignored him completely) wanted to use a house-elf to help with something. Reg offered Kreacher. Voldemort apparently used Kreacher to hide that locket in a cave and then left him to die, but Reg had instructed him to return when he was done. When Kreacher returned to him, Reg got furious. He was always fond of Kreacher. Kreacher took him where he'd hidden the locket, into that cave." Sirius swallowed thickly, fighting back tears.
"Regulus drank some potion that was used to cover the locket, and then gave it to Kreacher, told him to take it and destroy it, to leave him. Then... oh Merlin, oh Reg..." Sirius' voice broke, and tears fell from his eyes as he slumped down on a dusty sofa.
Albus could see that Severus was about to make some snide remark and stopped him with a single glance. The dour man looked at his old nemesis with obvious disgust but held back his tongue.
"There were Inferi in the lake inside that cave. They dragged my brother down. Kreacher could do nothing. He brought the locket and tried everything he could, anything, but he couldn't destroy it. He said it... spoke to him. Hurt him. Tried to strangle him with the chain. Whispered and corrupted and twisted, but his magic didn't harm it, so he brought it here."
"We need to destroy it," Albus said quietly. "I'm so sorry, Sirius. Your brother died a hero. I will do my best to make sure he'll be honoured for his sacrifice."
"Thank you," Sirius said hoarsely. "I only ask... please, let me be the one. Let me destroy it."
"You've earned that right," Albus said, "but definitely not here, not inside this house. The destruction of the previous one was violent enough, I don't want to bring the house down on us."
"I don't think it should be touched by hand," Severus said in his low, silky voice. "I can feel the power. It corrupts and hurts."
"I agree with Snape," Kingsley rumbled. "We know the ring was terribly cursed. I don't think this would be unprotected, either."
"Sirius, Kreacher was able to move it quite safely. Would he be able to do so now?" Albus asked.
"If you trust him," Sirius said quietly. "He does obey me, he has no choice, but..."
"I hope we can. Call him, please."
"Very well. Kreacher!" Sirius called, and the grumbling old house-elf Apparated in front of them, mumbling insults and glaring at them just as viciously as always.
"Kreacher, we wish to destroy the locket you promised to destroy. Will you help us?" Albus asked the old creature. The blood-shot bulbous eyes grew wider and the large, bat-like ears sporting white hair rose with apparent interest.
"Kreacher tried to destroy the locket," he grumbled. "Kreacher failed."
"We have something that can destroy it, but it isn't safe for humans to touch. You've safely moved it before. Will you help us take it somewhere where we can destroy it?"
"Kreacher will," the house-elf promised solemnly. "Kreacher will do as Master Regulus asked. Poor Master Regulus, Kreacher's poor Master Regulus of the Noble House of Black..."
"Thank you, Kreacher," Albus said. "Do you know a place without anyone close by, where we can safely destroy it, unseen by anyone?"
"Kreacher knows."
"Can you take the four of us there, and then bring the locket?"
"Kreacher will bring," the house-elf said solemnly and reached out to snatch a hold of Kingsley and Sirius's robes, though he was obviously disgusted at having to touch people he called 'blood-traitors' and 'scum'. They disappeared with a quick 'Pop', and Kreacher appeared mere moment later to snatch a hold of both Albus and Severus. Albus tried to offer him his hand, but the house-elf snatched a hold is his robes and they swirled away, appearing on a small clearing in a forest.
The trees surrounding them were quite tall: there was a fallen one close by, the trunk almost completely covered by moss. A few large boulders, also covered by lichen and moss. They heard birds chirping in the forest, although the ones closest by had obviously fled.
Kreacher Disapparated and returned half a minute later, holding the golden locket in his hands. The locket seemed to be struggling against him, judging by the jerking movements. Hissing and growling with pain, the house-elf finally dropped in on the ground, cradling his hand, which had apparently been injured.
"Locket knows you can destroy it," Kreacher warned them, growling. "It burns hot. Destroy it, for Master Regulus, for Master's memory..."
"Take a fang, Black," Severus growled, offering a Basilisk fang to Sirius, although he clearly kept away from him: Albus was quite certain he suspected that Sirius might try and injure him with the venom. Sirius, however, was fully focused on the task, took the fang and advanced on the locket, which now lay on the moss-covered ground.
"We... we should open it," Sirius said in vaguely distant voice. "To... to destroy it."
"No!" Severus demanded. "Do not try to open it. It's a Compulsion Charm, like in the ring. It wants to be opened. It's more dangerous if we do. Stab it, stab it now, Black!"
Sirius Black was swaying slightly, indecisive for a moment, until he fell on his knees. He raised the fang, though his movements were slow, like that fang itself had become heavy. Albus suddenly felt so tired and angry and sad: the guilt over Ariana's death returned almost as fresh as the day when she'd died, and for a while Albus detested himself. For a moment he detested everyone around him: Severus for being such a nasty bastard for the Gryffindors; Sirius for being an idiot and never revealing had been the Secret Keeper; he hated Kingsley, although he could barely pinpoint why he'd resent the very kind, likeable and pleasant Auror. It was enough to snap him out of the stupor of feeling filled with hatred.
"Fight it, Sirius!" Albus said sternly. "Stab it now. It's trying to force you not not. Remember your brother, remember..."
"REGULUS!" Sirius howled and plunged the fang into the locket. The golden locket cracked and broke, the fang sank in it, and then, suddenly, the air seemed cleaner, somehow, easier to breathe, though none of the men had noticed or felt it changing.
"You did it!" Kreacher shrieked. "You filled Master Regulus' wish! Kreacher is happy, Kreacher is happy!" The old and gnarled house-elf tried to do a little jig.
Severus was casting a detection charm over the locket, and shook his head. "It's done now. The soul fragment is gone."
"Merlin," Sirius panted, "for a while that was worse than facing a Dementor."
"It is done," Albus sighed. "Well done, all of you. And thank you, Kreacher, for your help. I will try to make sure that you get a special picture of your Master Regulus just for yourself, if I possibly can," he promised the house-elf, whose large blood-shot eyes were glistening. "Can you bring us back now?"
"Yes, Kreacher can!" the house-elf promised, snatching both Severus and Kingsley by the hand and Disapparated. Albus saw Severus' expression of disgust at having his hand held by anyone or anything, and chuckled.
The Horcrux was gone. Perhaps the nightmare was over and done with?
Author notes:
*The Marauder's Map was said to contain a Charm to repel Snape especially. If there was one, he'd most likely be unable to open it even with a password. Then again he was able to see people on it when it was left open.
**I think Harry was an idiot when he opened the locket before destroying it. The men here couldn't have opened it without speaking in Parseltongue, so my choice was that the locket wouldn't have been able to speak directly or present images without being opened. It used other means to struggle against them, the same ones it used on the kids, only stronger because it felt extremely threatened. I did have a wonderful mental image of the locket presenting Ariana for Albus and Regulus and possibly Orion and Walburga Black for Sirius, but alas, they couldn't have opened it without Hermione, so...