A/N) I understand that a few people were not happy with Percy Weasley's sudden and brief mention of his death in the last chapter, however I am considering writing 'missing scenes' to this story. I have two scenes in mind to write, however these won't be written until after this story has finished, so if you'd like to see certain scenes that haven't appeared in this story, let me know, and I'll see what I can do. :)

I am afraid to say that I am still writing chapter 68, so unless I can write three chapters over the weekend, I will not be updating on Monday. If I manage to get to Chapter 71 then I will update, if not, then updates will only be on Thursday's. I hope I will succeed in writing these chapters over the weekend.

On with the chapter...

Chapter Sixty-Six: Horcruxes

"He's got how many Horcruxes?" asked Sirius, his eyes wide in shock and horror.

"Six, apparently," said Harry. He really should have gone to bed when he had left Dumbledore's office after seeing the correct memory and learning all about Horcruxes, however Harry had felt that his godfather deserved to know the truth and had made his way to the Hospital Wing instead. He knew that if he was caught he would be in trouble, but at the moment, what he had to discuss with Sirius was far more important.

"Six Horcruxes?" repeated Sirius. "And two have been destroyed already?"

"Yeah, the diary that I destroyed in the Chamber of Secrets and Marvolo's ring which Dumbledore destroyed. It cursed his hand."

"So that's what happened to him," mused Sirius. He shook his head. "But six Horcruxes? That's just diabolical. The seventh part of his soul resides in his body, and that is the last piece we have to attack, right?"

"That's what Professor Dumbledore said," explained Harry. "He believes that the locket and the cup belonging to Hufflepuff are Horcruxes too, and that he must have something of either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw's in his possession, but that object is a mystery to me. Voldemort has a snake as well... it is possible that completes the six Horcruxes that he succeeded in making."

"So, that is your task," said Sirius. "I thought as much." He locked eyes with Harry. "I had suspected for a while that Voldemort had a Horcrux, more than one as well, but six?" He chewed at his bottom lip. "I probably shouldn't say this, but I believe I know where a Horcrux is."

Harry leaned forward, knocking his chair over in his excitement; thankfully Sirius had used a Silencing Charm on the door to Pomfrey's office so that she wouldn't hear anything. "Where is it? What object is it?"

"At Grimmauld Place," he replied softly. "It's the locket." He watched with amusement as Harry's mouth dropped open. "I know it seems unlikely, but I've seen that locket before. We've been cleaning out Grimmauld Place and I've been helping when I'm not on duty. Kreacher –" he rolled his eyes, "- has been trying to save some of the old family treasures. You didn't really get to meet him much while you stayed at Headquarters as I ordered him to stay away from you however I'm sure I found and handled a locket that looked exactly like the one that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin. Dumbledore knows this. I was supposed to go back and order Kreacher to keep an eye on it, unless it really has been thrown out, in which case we'd be very stuck. I haven't had the chance to do that yet as Kingsley needed me at the Ministry."

"Do you think it could still be there?" said Harry quietly. "It would be great if it was, but if you've been throwing stuff out..."

Sirius sighed. "I hope so. That would mean we would be halfway through the job of eliminating all of his Horcruxes, though if the snake is one, it would be the hardest to get to, especially if it never leaves its master's side."

Harry's mouth twitched. "I guess that would be the last one we'd go for. Kill two birds with one stone." His shoulders slumped. "Professor Dumbledore told me that I can accompany him when he finds out the location of the next Horcrux. I think he feels it is important that I do so, so I know what to do to destroy one or what defences it may have when it comes to finding the others, that's if I'm on my own."

"Which you won't be," stated Sirius evenly, his eyes glinting. "I'm going to stay with you and help you. I'm confined to the house now since Voldemort is undoubtedly taking control of the Ministry; Dumbledore can't stop that from happening, unfortunately. Hunting for pieces of Voldemort's soul would be a welcome distraction."

"I don't want you to get hurt," whispered Harry. "If I could have my way you wouldn't be coming at all. Professor Dumbledore already told me that you would follow me wherever I go."

"That's right! James would never forgive me if I stayed behind. I do not want to be stuck in Grimmauld Place. And if you think you can get away from me, I can track you. Remember, that spell Dumbledore placed on you and I back before the Triwizard Tournament? It is still there. I can trace you wherever you are."

Harry slapped his forehead, leaning back in his chair. "I'd forgotten about that!"

Sirius grinned. "I hadn't. It's a useful spell, but very complicated. Not many people use it. In fact, we are the first to have it performed on them in over a century I believe. So," he waved his fingers out in front of him, "if you try to get away from me, all I need to do is access the link and I'll be able to trace you. Just make sure you are not doing anything embarrassing if I decide to pop in un-expectantly." He laughed as he saw the shock on his godson's face. He crossed his arms across his chest, his eyes glinting with humour. "Now why don't you tell me what else Dumbledore explained to you? Did he tell you where he found Marvolo's ring? And how did you get your hands on Voldemort's diary anyway?"

Harry shrugged. "He found the ring in the ruin of the Gaunt's house. He said it had been protected by many powerful enchantments and a curse. I think Professor Dumbledore went there on the off-chance that a Horcrux might be hidden there as he didn't know for sure, but he paid a price trying to destroy it."

That must be why he's plotting his own death. Whatever cursed his hand will eventually kill him. "And the diary?" prompted Sirius. "How did you get hold of it?"

"Malfoy's father," said Harry. Sirius did not react to that news which surprised him however he motioned for his godson to continue. "Voldemort gave the diary to Lucius Malfoy to protect, not telling him that it contained a piece of his soul, but he also wanted to use the diary to unleash Slytherin's monster. Dumbledore said that Lucius carried out the old plan that Voldemort had been intending on doing himself at some point, and he planted the diary on Ginny, hoping to discredit Mr Weasley and get rid of the diary in one stroke, as it could incriminate him. Ginny started to write in the diary in her first year, eventually threw it away and I found it. At the time there had been attacks and students had been petrified. We had seen messages that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. In the end, Ron and I figured out where the entrance was and went down into the Chamber." Sirius' eyes widened at this, but Harry held up his hand, hoping that his godfather wouldn't interrupt while he finished the story. "We went down because Ginny had been taken by the monster. I knew the monster attacking students was a Basilisk because I could hear it within the walls. I found Ginny nearly dead in the Chamber and confronted Voldemort; I didn't know at the time that he was a teenage Voldemort. He was draining Ginny's life and becoming more real... I killed the Basilisk and destroyed the diary with one of its fangs. I didn't know at the time that I was destroying a piece of Voldemort's soul... but that's what happened."

Sirius sat back, stunned, his mouth slightly ajar. "You really do know how to find trouble, don't you?"

"I don't find it, trouble usually finds me!" he argued.

"So you say," said Sirius, one eyebrow raised and then grinned when he saw his godson's face at the thought that he did not believe him. "Don't worry I know it's not your fault. Because of who you are, trouble does find you, and I suspect it will continue do so, at least until Voldemort is dead."

"Great." Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm fifteen years old and there is a megalomaniac after me."

Sirius chuckled. "You were one, actually."

"SIRIUS!"

"Laugh or it kills you," he replied solemnly. "I believe you said that Dumbledore thinks he is close to finding another one, in addition to the one I am guessing exists?"

"I think so, unless he was referencing the Horcrux you mentioned. I think it's a different one," said Harry.

"Trouble is we'll have to deal with the locket that is at Grimmauld first. Dumbledore could be trying to trace a Horcrux, however he could end up tracing the original location of the locket." Sirius ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair. "As soon as I get out of here, I'll be investigating that locket."

"You'll involve me, won't you?" asked Harry.

"I don't like it, but I understand that this is the task that you have to do, so you'll have to, won't you?" relented Sirius. "Besides if Dumbledore has already approved it, I can't really say no, despite being your guardian."

Harry's lips twitched upwards. "Professor Dumbledore also said that Voldemort doesn't feel when a Horcrux is destroyed which gives an advantage ... providing of course he doesn't work out what I – we," he corrected, "- will be doing. He might be aware at the point of death though... As of this moment, Dumbledore believes that Voldemort thinks all his Horcruxes are intact."

"It's probably a good thing that Lucius Malfoy is holed up in Azkaban. If Voldemort found out, I'd doubt Lucius would live for long." He frowned as a sudden thought occurred to him. Considering what we know about the plot against Dumbledore, it's feasible that Voldemort does know that one of his Horcruxes has been destroyed and Lucius's son is paying the price for his mistakes... but Snape has not been given this information or was not present at the discovery of this...

"He also said," continued Harry, pulling Sirius out of his own mind, "that the power I have is love. I find that..." he hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"Impossible that love is the power the prophecy refers to?"

Harry nodded. "It just seems so unlikely. But I understand now that despite everything that has happened, I can still love... and Voldemort can't." He sighed, locking his green orbs with Sirius' grey ones. "Voldemort made the prophecy significant. He made me the person who would be most dangerous to him. I don't have to follow the prophecy, but Voldemort does, yet everything that's happened to me because of him has made me want to hunt him down and end it all. That's how I would feel anyway, even if the prophecy didn't exist. I'd still want to do it. By attacking mum and dad, he created his own worst enemy in me." He grinned slightly. "Voldemort gave me the tools to finish him off. I know his mind, but we are both employing Occlumency against each other, so I'm not getting his thoughts or feelings."

"A good thing too," mused Sirius. "He can't lure you away from this Castle. He certainly would have done so when Hermione and I were prisoners of his. In fact, I bet he tried but because you were prepared and kept your mind blocked, he was unable to send you any visions, and I know you, Harry, you would have rushed off to save us. Regardless of that, we're preparing you well enough and with any luck you'll survive in the end."

"I hope so," whispered Harry. "We've just got to find and destroy the Horcruxes first."

Saturday 13th March 1996

Sirius didn't get the chance to return to Grimmauld Place until the weekend. Because he had nearly had his soul sucked out, Madam Pomfrey was adamant to keep him under her care for another day, so he wasn't discharged until the Thursday, and that was only after he had promised not to go charging off and getting himself into even more trouble. Every student knew not to argue with the school nurse, and Sirius had, had plenty of experience with that when he had been a student himself. If she told him he had to stay, he would have to stay, otherwise he would liable to have Pomfrey marching after him and dragging him back by the ear until she had officially released him.

In the end, Sirius had elected to stay at Hogwarts until the Saturday morning when he, Dumbledore and Harry would leave the school and travel to Headquarters where they hoped to find one of the Horcruxes. Sirius was aware that Mundungus Fletcher was taking some of the objects he had been throwing out sporadically and selling them, but he hadn't been fussed until now. Certainly, if Kreacher had been stealing the treasures back, there was hope that the locket remained intact. He had, on Dumbledore's instructions, sent a note to the house-elf to inform him to keep the locket safe. Much as he despised the house elf and what he stood for in his past, Sirius understood that Kreacher was the only one capable of protecting the family treasures.

Harry should have been at Quidditch practice and attending to his homework, however the possibility of a Horcrux existing inside Grimmauld Place was more important, or so Sirius felt anyway. It had taken the help of Professor McGonagall for Angelina Johnson to accept that her star Seeker would be unavailable for that day, which meant that Snape had quickly booked the pitch for the Slytherin team to practice on. They couldn't very well tell Angelina the truth about why Harry could not practice, but he was sure that when he returned to Hogwarts, Angelina would make it known that she considered Quidditch more important than Harry's meeting with Dumbledore.

If Harry had been younger, he would have agreed with her, but now he knew the truth, he disagreed. The Horcruxes were important; even if it meant missing school, he would find them all.

No matter what.

Molly, along with Bill and Charlie were in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place when Sirius, Harry and Dumbledore arrived. Arthur was at the Ministry, trying to remain in his post while Voldemort took control. The Headmaster and the Order were working to keeping a grip on the government but it was proving difficult, especially since it became clear that the Death Eaters had been threatening families and employees, preventing the Order from assembling some sort of order within the Ministry. There were more people willing to side with Voldemort out of fear then to fight him.

People were afraid to stand up to Voldemort; scared of losing their loved ones. No one could blame them, they just thought them foolhardy.

"Molly, could you please excuse us? We've got business to attend to that is of the utmost importance," explained Dumbledore gently.

Molly exchanged a glance with her two eldest children, looking at Harry as if she was about to demand why he was here when he should be at school, but seeing Sirius' glare, she decided against that and left the kitchen. Bill and Charlie followed suit, nodding hellos to Sirius before closing the door behind them.

They all pulled out chairs from the table and sat down.

"It will be easier for all of us if you summoned Kreacher, Sirius," urged Dumbledore.

Sirius nodded, cleared his throat and shouted: "KREACHER!" Since he was master of the elf, Sirius would be the one dealing with him throughout the ensuring conversation. He didn't like Kreacher, the elf bought home too many dark memories he wanted to forget from his childhood. However, it was necessary to involve the elf. It would be pointless for them to go searching the house for the locket, especially since some treasures had been thrown out and Sirius had sworn he had seen it. He knew the house elf kept taking treasures back; he just hoped the locket would be one of them.

There was a load crack and Kreacher appeared out of nowhere in front of the burning fireplace: tiny, half-human-sized, his pale skin hanging off him in folds, white hair sprouting from his ears. He wore a filthy rag, the same one that he had been wearing when Sirius had opened the house for the Order nearly a year ago.

"Master," muttered Kreacher, as he bowed before Sirius. He continued to talk, assuming that Sirius couldn't hear the insults directed at him, but the Black heir ignored it.

"First off," started Sirius, "we've got some really important business that we need your help with." It grated him to be asking the house elf, that had helped make his childhood miserable, for help, but it was necessary. "Secondly, I forbid you from calling anyone 'blood traitor' or 'Mudblood' or any other insulting term. I forbid you from repeating anything you learn from us today to anyone that is not Harry, Dumbledore or I. Now, as you know we are clearing out the Black family home. I order you to answer this question truthfully. A few months ago there was a big gold locket that I threw away. It was in the drawing room upstairs. Did you steal it back?" He said this softly, though he hated to speak like that to the elf that had helped make his childhood miserable.

There was a moment's silence. Kreacher straightened and stared at Sirius. Then his lips moved and he said, "Yes."

Sirius swallowed, heart pumping hard in his chest. Dare he hope that the Horcrux remained in his house? "Where is it?"

Kreacher pointed towards his little cupboard door, opposite the pantry, where he slept. "In there, master."

Sirius exchanged a look with Dumbledore, who nodded at him to continue. "I'd like to see it, Kreacher," he stated calmly. "Now."

"Sirius," warned Dumbledore. "Treat him with respect. He'll be more willing to help us if we do so."

Sirius gritted his teeth. He didn't have a problem with house elves in general. In fact, the house elf that James' parents had once owned had been a favourite of his. It was just Kreacher that he couldn't stand. He waited as the house elf trooped over to the cupboard and emerged holding a golden locket which was engraved with a large ornate S, inlaid with many small green stones. He held out his hand as the elf approach, and reluctantly – Sirius could see this by the way Kreacher acted around it – handed it to him. It felt heavy in his hand, and after a moment, as he examined it, he was sure he could feel something pumping away inside the locket.

"There's something inside it..." said Sirius, slowly, "it is like there is something alive in it..."

"So there is a bit of Voldemort's soul in there?" asked Harry.

"I think so," confirmed Sirius, as he handed the locket to the Headmaster. "What I want to know, Kreacher, is how did you get a hold of this locket?"

"Master Regulus gave the locket to me and ordered me to destroy it," the elf's lips began to wobble, "but... but... I have failed! No matter what I do, I cannot break it!" Kreacher fell forward and started to bang his head hard against the floor, punishing himself for what he had failed to accomplish.

"STOP KREACHER!" shouted Sirius. He glanced towards Dumbledore. "Is it a Horcrux?"

The old man nodded solemnly. "As far as I can tell..."

Sirius ran a hand down his face. "Oh god, my brother... how did Regulus get a hold of it? Was he that far into Voldemort's circle that he was privileged with this information?"

"Perhaps Kreacher knows," answered Harry. He looked towards his godfather who was pale as a ghost. "It's worth a try, isn't it?"

"Yeah," whispered Sirius, "it is." Much as he disliked what he was about to do, he knew he had to know how his brother had come by a Horcrux. "Kreacher, where did the locket come from? What did my brother have to do with it?" He took a deep breath. "Sit up and tell me everything you know about that locket and everything that my brother had to do with it."

The elf sat up, curling into a ball, placing his wet face between his knees and began to rock backward and forwards. When the creature spoke, his voice was muffled but quite distinct in the silent, echoing kitchen. "Master Regulus had proper order; he knew what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood."

Sirius resisted the urge to say something, keeping his thoughts to himself. He would not let Kreacher bait him. He was not here for that.

"For years he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns ... and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve..."

Sirius swallowed. "He was sixteen? He was still at school when he joined him..." He had never even considered that his brother would join that young, even though he knew that Draco Malfoy was fifteen and already inducted as a Death Eater. He was an unusual case, apparently.

Kreacher continued talking, rocking back and forwards faster than before. "And one day, a year after he joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said ... he said ... that the Dark Lord required an elf."

"What?" asked Harry; shocked by that revelation. "Why would Voldemort need an elf?"

"Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher. It was an honour, said Master Regulus, an honour for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do ... and then to c-come home." The elf's breath's was coming in sobs and Sirius was becoming an uneasy about what he was hearing. Whatever had happened to Kreacher had clearly traumatised him. He may have hated the elf, but he wasn't beyond compassion for him.

"So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea –"

Dumbledore sat up-straight when the elf said this, and Harry wondered if the cave he had heard about in the Pensieve had been the same one that a young Tom Riddle had taken two orphaned children to, all those years ago.

" – and beyond the cave was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great black lake ... There was a boat... and a b-basin full of potion on the island. The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it..." The elf was quaking from head to foot, shaking uncontrollably. "Kreacher drank, and as he drank he saw terrible things ... Kreacher's insides burned ... Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed ..."

Sirius was feeling sick. He had always been kind to house-elves, but Kreacher had always been a different story. "Did he make you drink all of it?" he asked.

The elf nodded; his voice quivering as he answered. "Yes. He made Kreacher drink the entire potion... At the end of it, he dropped a locket into the empty basin and filled it with more potion. And then the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island ... Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island's edge and he drank from the black lake ... and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface."

"Inferi," breathed Sirius. "He filled the lake with Inferi, as a defence to protect his treasure."

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back so Kreacher came home ..."

"But," stumbled Harry, "wouldn't Voldemort have set up defences to stop Disapparation?"

"He would," answered Dumbledore.

"But then, how did Kreacher return home when he was dragged beneath the lake?" asked Harry, a look of confusion on his face. He couldn't see how the elf could have escaped.

"Kreacher, answer Harry," instructed Sirius, gently; probably the first time in his whole life that he had used that tone of voice with him.

"The house-elf's highest law is his Master's bidding. We have magic that Wizards do not. Kreacher came home to his rightful Master."

"What happened when you got back?" asked Sirius, swallowing bile that had come up his throat. "What did my brother say when you told him what happened? I'm presuming my brother asked to know what happened to you."

The elf nodded once, croaking as he continued. "He did, Master. Master Regulus was very worried, very worried. Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden and not to leave the house. And then ... it was a little while later ... Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell ... and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord ... Kreacher took Master Regulus to the cave and, and..." Tears were pouring down either side of his snout-like nose. It was a struggle for him to continue. "Master Regulus sailed across the lake and took from his pocket a locket like the one the Dark Lord had, and he told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets ... And he ordered Kreacher to leave without him. He told Kreacher - to go home – and never to tell my Mistress – what he had done – but to destroy – the first locket. And he drank – all the potion – and Kreacher swapped the lockets – and watched ... as Master Regulus ... was dragged beneath the water ... and ..."

"And you left," said Sirius quietly, "and Regulus drowned in that lake..."

The elf nodded. Kreacher was clearly upset over what had happened. Kreacher had always loved Regulus and his younger brother had treated the elf accordingly, whereas Sirius had not.

"And the locket you tried to destroy, but you couldn't? So you kept it safe here?" continued Sirius, struggling to find the right words. His mind was whirling around the fate of his brother. Regulus body had never been found. No one knew how he had died; just that he had been in the Dark Lord's service at the time. No one had known that Regulus had tried to save them all. He had realised how wrong he had been and sought to stop Voldemort.

"Nothing Kreacher did made any mark upon it," moaned the elf. "Kreacher tried everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work ... So many powerful spells upon the casing, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it would not open ... Kreacher punished himself, he tried again, he punished himself, he tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders! Kreacher could not destroy the locket! And his mistress was mad with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared and Kreacher could not tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had f-f-forbidden him to tell any of the f-f-family what happened in the c-cave..."

Sirius took a deep breath. "Thank you, Kreacher." He figured that the elf wouldn't be able to help them much more so he sent the elf away, although the elf stayed on the kitchen floor, still sobbing from the memory that he had just told them about.

"My brother saw the error of his ways... He tried to bring Voldemort down." His shoulders sagged as he considered his brother's fate. "He got a Horcrux for us... I just, just can't believe it."

"It's a good thing to," said Dumbledore, gently, laying a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "However, considering we have a bit of Voldemort's soul, it is best to destroy it while we can and finish what Regulus started."

Sirius nodded. "Yeah." He glanced towards Kreacher. "I want to retrieve my brother's body from that lake."

"That would be very dangerous for you to do, Sirius," warned Dumbledore. "Do not diminish Regulus' sacrifice by losing your own in the process of finishing his work."

Sirius glared at the wizened old wizard. "I'm not going to run off and do it now. I was going to wait until after Voldemort is dead. Regulus deserves to be buried somewhere better then where he is now..." he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. "Do you even know what the last words I said to him were?"

Both Harry and Dumbledore shook their heads.

"I said that he wasn't my brother, not anymore," said Sirius, his head dropping down to his chest. "You don't know how much I regret that now. Knowing the truth of how he died pains me to think that he knew I was disappointed in him, and never got to know how proud I am of him..."

"We cannot change the past, but we can use lessons learnt from it to our advantage. You, of all people, Sirius, understand this. You've made mistakes in your past but you've more than made up for them. You said that to Regulus to distance yourself from him. That is understandable, but know this, your brother realised he was wrong and tried to save us all," explained Dumbledore. "But come, we have to destroy this Horcrux once and for all."

Sirius glanced back at the house-elf on the floor. "Kreacher..." he hesitated. "I want you to know that I am going to destroy that locket for you and to finish what Regulus started." Before the elf could reply, Sirius swiftly turned away and followed his godson and the Headmaster out of Grimmauld Place, where they then Apparated to the gates of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore placed the golden locket on his desk, putting his hands on either side of it. He glanced up at Sirius and Harry who stood on the other side of the desk. "There are very few ways to destroy a Horcrux. They are powerfully protected by dark, magical enchantments, however a Basilisk fang will do the job, as will Fiendfyre – which is too dangerous to use here," he flicked his eyes towards the wall, where the sword of Godric Gryffindor resided in its glass case, "or a powerful magical sword, so rare that it has properties capable of destroying a Horcrux. Sirius, could you please retrieve the sword from its casing?"

Sirius walked towards the wall, reaching up, he flicked back the caches that were holding the glass case closed. As the door swung open, he grasped the handle of the sword which was covered with gleaming rubies the size of eggs, and with the other hand, slid it underneath the blade, carefully hoisting it down from its place of safety. He approached the desk with it held in hand, and gently rested it on the table so that the hilt was facing Dumbledore. "I didn't realise that this sword could destroy a Horcrux."

"Normally it wouldn't be able to, however when Harry stabbed the Basilisk with the sword in the Chamber of Secrets the venom melded with blade, therefore creating a weapon that is capable of destroying Horcruxes. I must thank you for that, Harry, because the only alternative would be a Basilisk fang, and, naturally, that would be difficult to get hold of."

Sirius's eyebrows crinkled together. "Isn't the body of the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets still? If so can't we just take some of its fangs?"

"You know Sirius, I hadn't even considered that. However, the sword is coated in Basilisk venom so for now, it will do, but it might be a good idea to have a stash of Basilisk fangs just in case. The sword may not always be available to you," explained Dumbledore as he grasped the hilt of the sword in his hands.

"Why not?" asked Harry, his eyes were filled with curiosity.

Dumbledore met the young boy's gaze. "Circumstances, Harry. It is always best to be prepared for the unexpected. If Sirius is going to retrieve Basilisk fangs you will need to take him to the Chamber of Secrets."

"Yes sir," answered Harry, uneasily.

"You do not have to do that now though," continued Dumbledore. He hefted the heavy sword with his good hand. "Now, we must destroy this Horcrux once and for all. Harry, I will need your assistance for this."

"How, Professor?"

"I need you to open the locket for me. Parseltongue will do. Be very wary, you may have to urge me on to destroy the Horcrux," warned Dumbledore. He placed the tip of the sword right by the top of the locket, waiting for Harry to issue a command.

Glancing at his godfather, Harry moved forward, looking directly at the locket. He felt a hand grasp his shoulder and knew that Sirius was supporting him. Taking a deep breath he counted upwards to three and then hissed in the language of the snakes: "Open."

The golden doors of the locket swung wide open with a little click. Behind both of the glass windows within blinked a living eye. They were dark, just like Tom Riddle's had been before he had turned them scarlet and slit-like.

"Professor," urged Harry, as he moved his hands away from the locket so that the Headmaster could have easy access to it. He watched as Dumbledore raised the sword to just above the eye inside the locket. Just one movement and the Horcrux would be destroyed. But before he could so, a voice hissed out from the Horcrux, menacingly.

"I know what you fear... And what you desire, but all that you dread is also possible..."

"Professor! You have to stab it!" yelled Harry. "Don't let it get to you!" He had the ominous feeling that if he let the voice continue to speak it would pray at Dumbledore's fears, and much as Harry hated the thought, everyone had a weakness.

"You killed her by going for power. Everyone hates you for what you did. For the role you played in her death."

Harry glanced towards Sirius, whose face was white as a sheet. He could see Dumbledore's body shaking as he tried to fight back at the accusations being thrown at him.

"Your brother hates you, wants you dead... Such a disappointment to your mother you were. Caring more for yourself then your sister..."

He had a sister? thought Harry, considering the information that he was gleaning about his Headmaster from the Horcrux, but as his mind realised what it was, he knew that it could be lying. But if its lying why isn't he destroying it? Something happened... He swallowed. "Professor!"

"Albus! Ignore what it says! It lies! Get rid of it now!" yelled Sirius at the top of his voice, causing Harry to cover his ears at his dulcet tones.

The eye in the locket slowly turned towards Sirius, focusing on him, but the distraction caused by the sound of his voice, wrenched Dumbledore from the spell he had been put under and he brought the sword down hard. There was a flash of bright light, a high-pitched wailing and then silence. Harry, who had closed his eyes tightly with the bright light, opened them once more; his green orbs focused on the shattered remains of the locket on Dumbledore's desk.

The sword hung loosely in Dumbledore's hand, shock written across his face. His eyes slowly moved to focus on the two wizards in front of him. He seemed to slump sideways and Sirius rushed forward to balance him, gently taking the sword from the slackened hand and laying it beside the crumpled remains of the locket. Quickly, he helped Dumbledore to sit in his chair and stepped back, concern written across his features. "Albus?"

The Headmaster shook his head. "I am fine, Sirius. It was just a shock to hear that." His voice was soft. He met the Auror's intense, burning gaze. "Three down, three more to go."

Dumbledore did not say anything after that, so Sirius guided Harry from the office, informing him that he would call on him soon.

"What he's done is outrageous!" raged Hermione, her hands balled into fists at her sides. "He's butchered his soul! It's barbaric!"

"Voldemort has always done things that are barbaric," said Harry, dully. "He's just made sure that he is practically invincible. As long as he's got his Horcruxes he can't be killed. It's how he survived that night..." he trailed off, as images of his mother and father flashed into his mind.

"But you've got rid of three of them, haven't you?" urged Ron, gently sliding one of his hands into Hermione's. "You said that the diary, the ring and the locket are all gone, right?"

Harry nodded. "We have only three more to find and destroy before we can go after Voldemort properly. Sirius and Dumbledore are working on it. They'll let me know if they have a breakthrough."

Hermione frowned. "Do they have any idea where the others might be or what they are?"

"The cup that once belonged to Hufflepuff, the snake, and something of Ravenclaw's or Gryffindor's, but both objects known to the Wizarding World that were once Gryffindor's are accounted for, unless there is something else of his that no one knew about and Voldemort does."

Hermione looked thoughtful. "I would say that is pretty unlikely. There would be a record of it. Does either Professor Dumbledore or Sirius know anything about an object of Ravenclaw house?"

Harry shook his head, running a hand through his messy jet-black hair. "They never said. Why?"

"It might be worth it to do a bit of investigation of our own. It wouldn't hurt to ask some Ravenclaw students if they know of anything. Each founder has legends surrounding them. If you are meant to track down the Horcruxes, you may as well start by figuring out what of Ravenclaw's Voldemort managed to get."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "This is on top of everything else we've already got going, Hermione? OWLs are coming up..."

"OWLs are not important with what needs to be done, Harry!" replied Hermione, shocking both of her friends. Out of any of them, Hermione had always taken the exams seriously. It was a change in tone for her to be more interested in the Horcrux hunt then their impending exams. "You can always take your OWLs at a later date. I think destroying Voldemort is your priority."

Ron and Harry exchanged amused glances.

"Who are you and what have you done to my girlfriend?" teased Ron.

Hermione shot him a reproachful look. "I just want this war to end as quickly as possible before anyone else loses their lives needlessly."

"Don't we all," whispered Harry.

He had not visited his brother's room in years, not since he had run away from home at age sixteen. When the Order had originally moved into Grimmauld Place, Sirius had made sure that his old room was fit for Harry's use, but he had avoided Regulus's room. He knew Molly Weasley had cleaned out the room when she had gone round cleaning the house after the Weasley's had permanently moved in after Christmas. She was still trying to clean the house if truth be told, however Sirius had more time now, especially since he could no longer be an Auror. Though Dumbledore was actively trying to stop Voldemort's take-over of the Ministry, it was too dangerous for him to even go into work. For now he was confined to the house, save for when he had to go to Hogwarts.

He had left Harry outside Gryffindor tower. He had decided not to return to Dumbledore, understanding that the Headmaster would call on him if he needed to. Whatever the Horcrux Riddle had said had shocked him, and though it had caused Sirius to have questions of his own, he respected Dumbledore's right to privacy.

But thinking about the Horcrux made him think of Regulus. His hand still rested on the door knob to his brother's room. Taking a deep breath, he twisted the handle and stepped inside, into the past. He moved over the threshold, gazing around at the bedroom that had had not seen in years. It was exactly how he remembered it.

The Slytherin colours of emerald and silver were everywhere, draping across the bed, the walls, and the windows. The Black family crest was painted over the bed, along with its motto, TOUJOURS PUR. Beneath the engraving was a collection of yellow newspaper cuttings, all stuck together to make a ragged collage.

"You were always a fan of Voldemort, Reg," said Sirius, quietly. He sat down upon his brother's bed, his eyes focused upon the single photograph that decorated the room. It was of the Slytherin Quidditch team, of which Regulus had been a seeker. Just like Harry is.

He opened the top draw to the bedside cabinet. Inside was Regulus' ten year journal, the diary that he had kept ever since he had been nine years old. He hadn't even managed to succeed in finishing the complete ten years. Flicking it open, Sirius turned to the date that read 2nd September 1971.

What has Siri done? Does he really want to bring that much shame on our family? Mum raged for hours about how he was no son of mine ... Why would Siri do that to us, to me? Doesn't he love us? Why can't he see that mum and dad are right? He'll be polluted by the Mudbloods and filth in Gryffindor House. I don't want to lose him, but he's made it difficult for me to love him.

Sirius swallowed. "It wasn't my fault, Reg. I didn't ask to be sorted into Gryffindor. I asked not to be sorted into Slytherin." He was speaking to thin air, but he didn't care. "The hat told me that I didn't have the right qualities to be a Slytherin. It was never an option for me. No matter what mum and dad did I was always pure of heart and not a blackened soul."

He turned the pages reading through entry after entry. He read Regulus' continuing fears that he was losing his older brother; how Regulus wanted to protect him from those that polluted his mind and then he came to the entry that gave him pause for the thought: his brother's words the night he had run away from home.

He actually did it. Sirius ran away, to the Potter's of all people. I've really lost him now. I always thought I'd be able to save him, bring him back from the brink. Mum has blasted him off the tree and now it's up to me. I'm dad's heir. I've got to make them proud. Proud that they have a son they can rely on. And yet Sirius seems so happy... He never was happy when he was here, even from when we were kids. He was never satisfied with the explanations mum and dad drilled into us. But what made Sirius different? We were both brought up the same way, taught the same things; surely he should be like me? But lately, I wonder... Maybe Sirius is right after all?

Sirius checked the date at the top of the entry. 21st December 1975. The very day he had run away from home, a few days after he had learnt of the arranged marriage his father had been setting up for him. I was sixteen, Fifth year. I left Regulus at a time when he needed me the most, when he was beginning to question his beliefs... If only I'd known, maybe I could have prevented his death after all?

Turning the pages once again, Sirius continued to read, taking in every word that the hand of Regulus Black had written. As the entries continued he learnt how Regulus had become a Death Eater. By the time he had entered the Dark Lord's service, Regulus had been unsure of what was right, but was too scared to talk to his older brother for fear of being rejected by him. He took a deep breath as he read how his parents had been thrilled that their youngest son's choice and for a while Regulus' journal seemed to take the path that his younger brother truly was satisfied, that he had done the right thing and that Voldemort was ultimately right. And then his brother graduated Hogwarts in July 1979, a year after Sirius had left. 1979 was the year Regulus Black had died.

I don't know what to think anymore, read Sirius, I've found out something that I has made me question everything. I know I have done in the past, but what the Dark Lord has done to himself is...is just wrong. He's made a Horcrux and I know where it is. It scares me that he's done that, and how he treated Kreacher to test its defences... And now the Dark Lord has ordered my brother's death, and that is not fair. Sirius being an Auror automatically means he is marked for death, but it's worse because of where he has come from. The Dark Lord does not take kindly to Sirius rejecting his offers of joining him. Even though Sirius betrayed us, he was right all along. The Dark Lord is wrong. Everything that I've been brought up to believe in is a lie. There is nothing wrong with half-bloods and Muggleborns. Sirius was right and I've been blinded. The Potters are in the right. I'm wrong. But I can still change it, make things better. And that is what I'm going to do. I want to make Sirius proud of me. I know that what I'm embarking out to do will mean my death so that is why no one will know the truth. I want to protect my family. They are safer if they keep to the old Pure blood line. This may be my last entry, but I'm not afraid to die, especially if it means I can protect my family and my brother.

A tear slid down Sirius' cheek and he closed the journal. Regulus had known at the end that he was wrong; had known that he was going to die. It made his last ever words to his younger brother hurt even more.

The words 'You're not my brother! Not anymore' echoed throughout his head as he sat mourning the lost relationship he'd once had with his brother. It was a miracle that Regulus had still tried to save him, to protect him after he had said those words. It just goes to show he never gave up on me... but I gave up on him.

"I wish you knew how much I regret that now, Reg," he whispered, and then his head dropped into this hands and the tears flowed freely as he remembered the little brother that would go onto help bring down the Dark Lord.

He didn't know how long he sat on the edge of the bed, but by the time he was ready to leave the room, Sirius Black had made a promise to honour his brother. And when Voldemort is defeated, I'll make sure that the world knows what my brother did to bring him down. He doesn't deserve anything less than recognition for what he has done. I promise you that.

And he fully intended on carrying that particular promise out.

Regulus Black would be honoured; there was no question about it.

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think! I quite enjoyed writing the last scene, but it was also a challenge as well.

Coming next: The Diadem - in which Harry investigates about Ravenclaw artefacts. Preview below.

"I fear I may have led him to it."

"You'll need your sleep if you're going to go Horcrux hunting."

"Would my dad be pleased that you are urging me on?"

"I don't know how long I will have..."

To be posted - hopefully - Monday, if not it will be Thursday :)

the-writer1988