Chapter 198 The Friendship Of Kreacher

In the next moment, an unprecedented anger occupied Sirius's mind.

"Kreacher!" he growled. "You truly witnessed Regulus's death and did nothing. He, he was still a child..."

Although he had suspected it already, Sirius could not believe it, that this was truly the truth behind Regulus's death.

Hardly had he finished reprimanding him, and the house-elf was already punishing himself.

When no one responded, Kreacher fell to the floor and struck his forehead against the ground, expending all his strength.

"Stop him! Stop him!" exclaimed Hermione. "Oh, can't you see how sick he is, that he's forced to obey Regulus's orders? He didn't move, so he could only stand there and watch things happen..."

Upon hearing Hermione's words, Sirius fell silent and stared at the house-elf seeking death, with hatred and anger in his eyes.

Seeing Sirius not moving, Harry hastily tried to stop Kreacher.

But it was futile. The old house-elf was so powerful he was desperately banging his head against the floor.

If no one stopped him, he would beat himself to inevitable death.

In the end, Evan had to cast a spell at him, compelling him to cease.

The elf lay on the ground, panting and trembling, with shiny green snot around his nose, a bruise already appearing on his pale forehead where he had struck, his eyes swollen, red, and swimming in tears. Evan had never seen anything so pitiful.

"Sirius, we should be kind to him..." Hermione whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

"Are you asking me to be kind to him?" Sirius's low voice held cruelty within, "He killed my brother! He watched Regulus die and did nothing!"

It truly seemed like Sirius wanted to kill Kreacher himself.

"No, that's not how he thinks," Hermione hurriedly argued, "Kreacher is a slave. He can only obey orders. Regulus ordered him to do it. He had no way to resist. It's unfair to burden him with all the responsibility. Look at him now, Regulus's death is, for him, more brutal than for any of us, and it's extremely difficult for him to accept."

Sirius opened his mouth and seemed to want to argue, but Hermione didn't give him the chance.

"Sirius, I know the truth about Regulus's death is hard for you to accept, but based on the information we have, Regulus's thoughts changed, and that's what matters most." Hermione looked at Sirius. "Just now, you told us what you think of him. But he's completely different from what you thought. He's not weak at all. To protect Kreacher and the Black family, Regulus defied Voldemort. He's a hero, even braver than any Gryffindor I know..."

Sirius had no reply, his brother filled him with pride.

Suddenly, he remembered Regulus as a child. At that time, he often followed him like a shadow and looked at him with adoring eyes. Their relationship was very good. They planned to go to Hogwarts together and both enter Slytherin.

But everything changed when Sirius arrived at Hogwarts first and ended up in Gryffindor house.

He remembered that day when he came back home on his first summer break, and Regulus had a fight with him.

After that, they never spoke again.

He always thought Regulus was a fool for becoming a Death Eater and then dying out of weakness. But his thoughts were far from the truth.

He was like him, standing up to Voldemort.

Although Regulus didn't openly resist and join the Order of the Phoenix, he acted more bravely and perseveringly than any of the Order members.

Looking at Kreacher lying on the floor, for the first time in Sirius's eyes there was a slight feeling towards the house-elf. After all, he had accompanied Regulus and endured the pain of having to see him die completely alone.

Courage was also needed and Sirius looked at Kreacher with puzzled eyes and seemed to finally see the house-elf as a creature emotionally equivalent to humans...

In the basement, the atmosphere was dreadful.

After Hermione uttered those words, Sirius remained silent.

Kreacher was silently sobbing, and beside him, Harry gasped, his face heavier than ever.

Evan sighed and spoke slowly, "Kreacher, after Regulus was dragged into the lake by the Inferi... you brought the locket home and tried to destroy it, correct?"

"Yes, but Kreacher couldn't even scratch it," wailed the house-elf, wanting to punish himself but unable to move, "Kreacher tried everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing worked... So many powerful spells on the locket, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it wouldn't open... Kreacher punished himself, tried again, punished himself, tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher couldn't destroy the locket! And his mistress was driven mad with grief because Master Regulus had disappeared, and Kreacher couldn't tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had forbidden him from telling any family member what happened in the cave..."

Kreacher began to sob so intensely, utterly devastated.

Tears streamed down Hermione's cheeks as she watched Kreacher, but she didn't dare touch him again.

"I have just destroyed the locket and helped you fulfill Regulus's last wish. You no longer need to blame yourself," Evan opened the broken locket before Kreacher.

The elf's eyes were wide, emitting a howl of surprise and pain. His eyes were larger than ever, looking incredulously at Evan, then at the locket in his hand.

After nearly half an hour, he gradually calmed down.

Kreacher trembled weakly and seemed to have no more strength to cry.

Sirius, who had not spoken until then, also calmed down. He whispered to the house-elf, "Sit down, Kreacher, I have something to ask you."

"I will now lift your curse and stop hurting you," Evan waved his wand and whispered, "Finite Incantatem."

Kreacher sat down and rubbed his eyes with his fists like a child.

Then, staggering, he approached Evan, reached out and touched the locket in his hands, then recoiled immediately.

"You, you helped Kreacher fulfill Master Regulus's order! You destroyed this locket!" Kreacher couldn't believe it, his face showing relief for the first time.

He looked into the eyes of Evan and Hermione, without the previous look of disgust and disdain. He seemed to have forgotten his muggle bloodline and bowed to Evan, Harry, and Hermione.

Though the action seemed somewhat clumsy, it was by no means superficial.

Evan knew that by destroying Slytherin's locket and helping Kreacher fulfill Regulus's order, he had finally gained the friendship of the house-elf.

Like Dobby, Kreacher now sincerely respected him.

This was truly a joyful moment. It might have been the most positive and hopeful change brought about by the destruction of this Horcrux.

Though Evan was unsure of the utility of the friendship of this house-elf, perhaps it would be of help in a critical moment.