Chapter 120

Hope from Hopelessness

As morning came, Lily opened her eyes, yawning as she did, seeing Ginny still asleep in her arms. She was sleeping soundly, which brought a small smile to Lily's face, though that quickly faded. She looked up, seeing Sirius sitting in an armchair. Sirius flashed her a smile, before walking over to her.

"You doing okay, kiddo?" Sirius asked softly.

"Not really. For a brief moment, I was, but then I remembered what had happened," Lily admitted, her voice just as soft, not wanting to wake Ginny.

"I know what you mean," Sirius said, sitting on the bed. "I made the bed bigger when I came in; I saw the two of you together."

"I appreciate that," Lily replied, with a small smile at him. "What happened last night when you got back to the meeting?"

"It was agreed that Dumbledore will be laid to rest here at Hogwarts," Sirius told her, holding her hand. "The school will remain open, with Minerva as Headmistress. That's going to be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow. The Death Eaters who were killed here were named last night, and the repairs are still ongoing, but won't be long before they're complete."

"Did the Minister ask about…where Dumbledore, Ginny, and I went last night?" Lily asked.

"He did, but we told him it was a mission that you had been assigned by Dumbledore. He accepted that, though he wants to meet with you today, to help you prepare," Sirius told her. Lily nodded.

"There's one thing we need to do first, before we do go off to begin the search," Lily said. Sirius looked at her, with a small frown. "Your wedding to Uncle Remus. You think we didn't know you were planning it for summer?"

"Lily, Remus and I agree that…" Sirius began, but Lily held up her hand.

"Don't even finish that sentence," she said softly, not wanting to wake Ginny up. "I know what we have to do, but we deserve a little normality before we begin. You and Uncle Remus were robbed of twelve years together; I won't let that go unanswered."

"You've changed a lot this year, you know?" Sirius asked, smiling at her. "You've come a long way from where you were."

"Hesitant and not wanting to get anyone else involved?" Lily asked. "I don't know what did it, but I think it might have been thanks to Ginny."

"You're welcome," Ginny began to stretch as she opened her eyes. "You don't talk as quietly as you think you do."

"Sorry," Lily replied, kissing her forehead. Ginny sat up and shook her head.

"No need to apologise; I needed to get up anyway, especially with Sirius here now," Ginny pointed out.

"Oh?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I didn't tell you all something last night… mostly because I didn't want to upset you, or make anyone feel worse than they already did," Lily explained.

"Not sure how that could happen," Sirius told her, with a sad chuckle. "I doubt anything could make last night worse."

"The Horcrux we found… it was a fake," Lily said. Sirius's eyes grew wider slightly as he took in what Lily had just said, going pale and looking ill.

"Shit, I was wrong," Sirius said softly, looking crestfallen. "I… how do you know?"

"Have a look," Lily replied, handing the locket and the note to Sirius, who took the note first, frowning as he read it. As he did, his eyes widened in shock.

"Holy… maybe… this can't be a coincidence," Sirius said, his eyes fixated on the locket.

"What can't?" Ginny asked, as Sirius drew his wand and waved it, sending his Patronus off. "Does that make sense to you?"

"I think so," Sirius confirmed. "R.A.B. I recognise the handwriting, and it's the only person I know of with those initials. Regulus Arcturus Black, my younger brother."

"Your brother?" Lily asked, her jaw dropping slightly. "Wait, you mentioned him once; you said he was a Death Eater, before Voldemort killed him."

"Or had him killed," Sirius agreed. "But this… maybe he realised what Voldemort was really like and wanted to stop him."

"You think so?" Ginny asked, as Remus entered the room.

"Everything okay?" Remus asked, seeing how they were looking. Sirius looked at him.

"Maybe," he said, before explaining everything about the locket.

"Wait, so Regulus learnt of the Horcruxes and destroyed one?" Remus asked.

"Or tried to," Sirius replied. He showed the fake locket to Remus, who's eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly as he stared at it. "Moony?"

"I… I've seen this before," Remus said. "And so have you."

"I have?" Sirius frowned, looking at the locket, before his face matched the same look that Remus had.

"What are we missing?" Ginny asked, looking between the two men.

"We've seen this locket before. We were clearing out Grimmauld Place, and when we'd finally gotten rid of that damned portrait of my mother, we were getting rid of some of the old junk, and we were going to get rid of this locket, but someone begged us to let them keep it, and promised they'd never speak bad against us again," Sirius said.

"Never speak bad… wait, you can't mean?" Lily asked.

"I can," Sirius confirmed. "Kreacher!"

"Kreacher!" Sirius called out again, summoning the house elf, who appeared with a loud crack.

"Master has summoned Kreacher, so Kreacher has come," Kreacher said. Lily looked at Sirius, who nodded.

"Kreacher, do you recognise this?" Lily asked, taking the locket. Kreacher's eyes widened, but he didn't answer. "You do, don't you?"

"Answer the question Kreacher," Sirius ordered.

"Kreacher knows the locket," Kreacher confirmed. "Kreacher knows it, Kreacher has it, as Master Black knows."

"Do you have it… because of your master, Regulus?" Lily asked, looking at Kreacher. She was still distraught about Dumbledore, but could there be a ray of hope?

"Kreacher, Lily is also your Mistress, so you will answer any question she asks," Sirius commanded.

"Yes, Master. Kreacher will answer the Mistress's questions," Kreacher grumbled.

"Kreacher, what happened?" Lily asked. "How do you know this locket? Where is the locket?"

Kreacher looked at Lily, his eyes wide. "Kreacher has the locket safe," Kreacher said, pulling it out from his pocket. "Kreacher never goes without it, Kreacher was ordered to…"

"Ordered to what?" Sirius demanded. Lily looked at Sirius.

"Uncle Sirius, please, trust me on this," Lily said softly. "Trust me?"

"Alright, this is all yours, Lily bud," Sirius agreed. Lily smiled softly at Sirius, then turned her attention to Kreacher again.

"Kreacher, please, tell me what happened," Lily said.

"Master Sirius ran away from home, good riddance, for he was a bad boy, and broke my Mistress's heart with his lawless ways. But Master Regulus had proper order," Kreacher said. "Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord when he was sixteen, and was so proud, so happy to serve."

"But that changed, didn't it?" Lily asked, holding up a hand as Sirius was about to say something. Kreacher rocked himself gently back and forth.

"One day, a year after he joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher, treated Kreacher right. He said the Dark Lord required an elf."

"Voldemort needed an Elf?" Ginny asked, confused.

"Oh yes, Master Regulus volunteered Kreacher, it was an honour for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do, and then to come home," Kreacher said, clearly ignoring the fact that it was Ginny who had spoken. Lily felt a small wave of hope; could Kreacher be redeemed? She'd known him to be mean and rude to everyone, but now, he seemed… different, somehow, the change clear as he kept speaking.

Lily nodded. "So, you went to Voldemort?" Lily asked. "What did he want you to do?"

"The Dark Lord didn't tell Kreacher what he wanted but took Kreacher to a cave beside the sea. Inside the cave was a cavern," Kreacher began.

"And inside the cavern was a great, black lake?" Lily asked, knowing what was coming next. Kreacher nodded in confirmation.

"There was a boat, and the Dark Lord took Kreacher across the lake, to an island," Kreacher said. Lily realised this had been how Voldemort had tested his defences; on Kreacher. Lily felt sorry for what Kreacher had gone through, but how had he survived the potion? How had he escaped?

"Kreacher drank, and as he drank, he saw terrible things, so many bad things. Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, Kreacher cried for Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed. He made Kreacher drink all the potion…he dropped a locket into the empty basin, then filled it with more potion, before sailing and leaving Kreacher alone."

"How did you escape?" Ginny asked.

"Kreacher needed water. Kreacher crawled to the island's edge and drank from the lake. Hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the water," Kreacher said. "But Kreacher was ordered to come back."

"So how did you get away?" Ginny repeated. Kreacher looked at her.

"Kreacher was ordered to come back," Kreacher repeated. Lily nodded.

"You used your magic," Lily said. "House Elf magic is different from our magic, isn't it Uncle Sirius?"

"In ways we don't even fully know or understand," Sirius confirmed.

"Voldemort didn't realise that your magic was different, did he? He's likely always seen House Elves as beneath him," Ginny asked.

"Kreacher was told to come home. The house-elf's highest law is to do his Master's bidding," Kreacher intoned.

"So, you did what you were told. I'm sure Master Regulus was glad to see you," Lily guessed.

"Master Regulus asked what happened, and was very worried," Kreacher croaked. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden from everyone, and not leave the house. Then, a while later, Master Regulus came to find Kreacher, and was strange, and asked Kreacher to take him to where the Dark Lord had gone."

"So, you did," Lily said. "You took him to the island. Did he make you drink the potion again?"

"No, Master Regulus told Kreacher to take the locket, leave the fake there and destroy the real locket. He told me to tell no one about this…then he… he drank the potion… and was… was dragged beneath the water…and…" Kreacher broke down in tears as he cried loudly. "AND I FAILED! I'VE FAILED MASTER REGULUS!"

Lily gently wrapped her arms around Kreacher. "It's okay Kreacher, I'm going to help you," Lily promised.

"Mistress…Lily…wants to help Kreacher?" Kreacher asked.

"Give me the locket, and we'll destroy it today," Lily promised. Kreacher nodded, and handed the real locket to Lily who accepted it. She smiled and gave the fake locket to Kreacher.

"Regulus would be proud of you, Kreacher, and he'd want you to have this," Lily told him. Kreacher looked at the fake locket, and broke down in tears, wrapping his arms around Lily. Sirius looked at her with a bemused smile.

"Lily?" Sirius asked.

"It's okay," Lily said, patting Kreacher's back and holding him. "We'll make this right Kreacher, I promise."

"Okay, so whilst the locket last night was a fake, it's thanks to it we now have the real Horcrux?" Crouch asked. He was with Lily, Ginny, Sirius, Remus, Ron, Draco, Pansy, Minerva, Moody, and Molly, all standing outside the castle, near the entrance to the forbidden forest, so they wouldn't be seen.

"Exactly," Lily said. Kreacher was also there, standing next to Lily, almost protectively.

"Miss Lily said she would help Kreacher destroy the locket, and Kreacher is pleased to help Miss Lily," Kreacher said, almost smiling.

"Alright, so I'll cast the Fiendfyre spell, though we want to be clear of the forest," Crouch said.

"No, we don't need to," Lily replied. "Kreacher, can you apparate to Professor Dumbledore's office, and get the Sword of Gryffindor? It's hanging on the wall."

"Right away, Miss Lily," Kreacher bowed, then disapparated.

"Is it me, or is that a different Elf?" Molly asked.

"It's not you. Lily told him she'd help him, and I think this has been eating away at him for years," Sirius said. "Explains a lot, actually."

Kreacher reappeared, with the Sword of Gryffindor floating in front of him. Lily smiled and took the sword.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Lily said. Kreacher bowed again, and this time, he did smile.

"You think the sword can destroy it?" Crouch asked.

"I know it can. You said before Goblin metal absorbs anything that makes it stronger, right?" Lily asked.

"I did," Crouch confirmed, nodding.

"I killed the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets with this sword, and it went right through its mouth to its head, so it would have absorbed the venom," Lily told him.

"And Basilisk Venom is one of the deadliest things to exist," Crouch concluded.

"Damned good thinking Lass," Moody complimented.

"You'll need to open it, I think, and if I'm right, you'll need to speak Parseltongue," Crouch told her.

"What do I do?" Lily asked.

"Just command it to open. The rest of you, shield charms up, and stand back. Kreacher, keep Lily safe once she stabs it," Crouch said. Kreacher nodded.

"Kreacher will always protect Miss Lily, kind Miss Lily who helped Kreacher," Kreacher assured him. Lily watched the group back up carefully, all of them casting shield charms.

"Remember, the second it opens, stab the damn thing. Don't let it take form or do anything to protect itself," Sirius warned her. Lily nodded, and took a breath, holding the sword tight.

"You ready Kreacher?" Lily asked.

"Kreacher is ready, Miss Lily," Kreacher assured her. Lily smiled at the House Elf, and then looked at the locket. She threw it onto the floor, then spoke in Parseltongue.

"I command you to open," she hissed. With a click, the locket opened, and black smoke immediately began to rise from it, starting to take a shape. Before it could, however, Lily lifted the sword up, and brought it down on the locket.

A shockwave shot out from the locket, but immediately struck a new shield, one that Kreacher had conjured, as what sounded like a scream of agony shot out from the locket, just as it shattered into two pieces. The smoke dissipated immediately, with Lily grinning.

"Did we do it?" Lily asked, as the others dropped their shield charm. Crouch looked at the remains of the locket, and then struck them with a spell, causing the pieces of turn to dust.

"You did it, Lily," Crouch confirmed, causing the group to let out a loud cheer.

"I'm so proud of you, Lily bud, and you too Kreacher," Sirius complimented. Kreacher bowed happily to Sirius in acknowledgement.

"Miss Lily did it. Miss Lily destroyed the thing, helping Kreacher complete his final task for Master Regulus," Kreacher said happily.

"I guess there was good in my brother after all," Sirius smiled sadly at the note he held. "He died a hero."

"He did, lad. Must have been your influence helping him," Moody complimented.

"We've got more to do, but this definitely feels like a victory," Molly said. "Your wedding, after all. We're planning for that."

"Molly," Remus began, but Sirius held up a hand.

"Unless you want to make Lily angry, don't finish that sentence, my love," Sirius said. "Especially when she's holding a sword and just destroyed a Horcrux." Remus nodded.

"Good idea," Remus agreed. Lily chuckled softly. Despite the loss they had suffered, thanks to Kreacher, and finding the fake locket, they had just destroyed a Horcrux, which gave her hope that the others would be found. Lily knew it somehow; it didn't matter what it would take, she would find the other Horcruxes, and destroy them.

Then, when she had, she'd destroy Voldemort, once and for all.