Okay, I've decided to post the rest of Volume III, so... have fun! XD

Chapter 5

A culprit

Katherine was blaming herself once again. It was her fault the Horcrux medallion had been stolen! Right after she noticed it was missing she had called for Tom and although he wasn't mad at her – at least he wasn't showing it – she hadn't been able to look him in the eye for the rest of the night and the following day. If she only hadn't decided to quickly refresh her perfume she would have stayed in the bedroom and as a result the locket wouldn't have been stolen!

Riddle had immediately arranged that the Horcrux was searched all over Britain, Scotland and Ireland.

Two months had passed since the evening of the ball and nothing special had happened. During these months Katherine always felt uncomfortable when she was around Tom. He had told her a thousand times that it wasn't her fault and that he was not mad at her but she couldn't believe him. Then finally something happened!

One evening Tom and Katherine were informed that the locket and its thief had been found. Katherine was beyond happy and this state of joy prevented her from being shocked as the identity of the thief was revealed: Regulus Arcturus Black!

The Death Eaters who had found him brought him and the Horcrux straight away to the Riddle Manor.

The Horcrux was put into an enchanted box and Katherine didn't leave it out of her sight. Tom arranged that Black was brought into the Assembly Hall and that all Death Eaters were called to witness his execution. The hall had been arranged to form some sort of an arena so the seats were the border of the circle in which Regulus Black stood. Katherine sat on the best seat, flanked by Avery and Malfoy as some sort of bodyguards.

All eyes were on him as Riddle entered the hall, a red gleam in his eyes and his wand at the ready. The following battle was quite uninteresting because the victim didn't really try to defend himself. So Riddle quickly started to torture Black to the delight of the audience.

Just before he was going to be killed Black looked Tom straight in the eye and lowered his voice so only Riddle could hear him. "Are you really sure she is on your side?" For a split second his gaze flickered from Riddle to Katherine who was sitting behind Tom. The vampire's eyes were wide open in shock as her brain tried to comprehend the meaning behind Black's words.

Tom didn't reply but raised his wand for the final stroke. With a dry laugh Black uttered his last words: "Remember my words: she is your one and only weakness!" And then there was just green light.

The day after Regulus Arcturus Black's execution Tom and Katherine apparated with the locket to a cave located near a small village. According to Tom it was a place he discovered when he was little. The entrance to the cave was difficult but thanks to their magic skills both eventually arrived at a black lake whose surface was completely still. With a quick flick of his wand Riddle summoned a boat which had only room for one adult but with Katherine sitting on his lap Riddle and the vampire arrived at a small island in the middle of the lake.

While Riddle carried her out of the boat and onto the small island he explained: "This is where we are going to hide the locket!" Katherine nodded and watched him setting up a basin filled with a strange potion which should only be removed by drinking it. He let Salazhar Slytherin's medallion sink to the ground of the stone basin with a thoughtful look on his face.

On their ride back over the lake Katherine didn't dare to say anything. While they made their way out of the dark cave Tom murmured some complicated sounding spells – obviously setting up traps for unwanted visitors. Katherine felt relieved. True, she had felt honored as Tom had made her the guardian for the locket but now she was glad this burden was gone.