Chapter 217 A Humble Funeral
As Harry witnessed this poignant scene, tears welled up in his eyes.
Before him, Sirius cradled Regulus's body, tears streaming down his face. He sobbed sorrowfully, whispering, "Home, Regulus, let's go home..."
In Sirius's arms, Regulus lay oblivious to it all.
His vacant eyes were clouded, as if a cobweb had formed within. He extended his pale, dry hands and clasped Sirius tightly. It was not an ordinary embrace, but one filled with malice, as if to drag Sirius into the lake and drown him.
"Be cautious, Sirius..."
Harry shouted hastily, but his voice abruptly ceased.
He felt arms encircle him from behind, slender arms devoid of flesh, cold as death, lifting him off the ground and slowly, steadily carrying him back towards the water.
Harry struggled to break free, but in vain. The Inferi were far stronger than him, dragging him inexorably towards the lake.
The wand in his hand cast a few spells futilely before falling silent.
Desperation gripped Harry. He knew there was no escape, that he would be drowned and become, like Regulus, another lifeless guardian of a fractured shard of Voldemort's soul...
But then, through the darkness, blazed a fire far mightier than the crimson flames of Evan and Hermione.
Crimson and golden, a ring of fire encircled the rock, causing the Inferi clutching Harry to falter and hesitate.
They dared not cross the flames to reach the water. They let go of Harry.
He collided with the ground, skidding on the rock, falling, scraping his arms, then leaping to his feet. He saw Dumbledore, Evan, and Hermione emerging from the fire. Evan and Hermione looked pallid but unharmed. Before them, Dumbledore appeared grave, the golden fire dancing in his pale blue eyes.
His wand was raised like a torch, flames emanating from its tip in a vast loop, enveloping them all in warmth.
The power of those flames was staggering. The Inferi in their midst turned instantly to ashes. Those remaining stumbled over one another, blindly trying to flee the engulfing fire...
"Professor," exclaimed Evan, Hermione, and Harry with joy.
He took two steps forward and halted.
He heard Sirius's cries and ran back to see Sirius and Regulus grappling at the edge of the flames, while Kreacher remained motionless to the side.
Amidst the fire, Regulus struggled fiercely, wanting to flee towards the lake, but Sirius clung on, refusing to let go. He was flushed with effort.
Harry rushed to help, with Evan and Hermione following swiftly.
The three worked together to assist Sirius in restraining Regulus, with Evan even conjuring some ropes to bind him.
Yet Regulus's strength was astonishing, utterly beyond the reach of humans, and they were no match for him.
Just as they were about to give up, Dumbledore approached.
Without showing off magic, he simply struck Regulus on the head with his wand, and Regulus immediately calmed down, reverting to a lifeless state.
In the dark cave, Evan panted, observing the horrific, chilling scenes around him, and the serene Regulus. He knew it was all over, and they finally released Regulus from his endless torment.
They fulfilled Regulus's wishes, destroyed the locket, and found his body, freeing him from the malevolent dark magic.
At that moment, his soul could finally rest in peace.
...
At dusk, in a secluded cemetery near Grimmauld Square.
It was the Black family cemetery, with an imposing monument of dark marble carved with the Black family emblem and a remarkable inscription in jade beside it: "The Noble and Ancient House of Black: Toujours Pur."
Around the monument, there were many tombstones from different eras, with diverse shapes, yet they all shared the characteristic of being made of extremely exquisite materials.
To the right of the cemetery, three tall yew trees stood, and the black silhouette of a chapel could be glimpsed; to the left, one could appreciate the ancient and exquisite house at 12 Grimmauld Place.
Just like at 12 Grimmauld Square, everything there, due to neglect, could only vaguely display the glory of the past.
Among the weeds of the cemetery, ravens occasionally landed on the tombstones, observing the intruders before them.
Under the ruthless destruction caused by the years, most of the tall and exquisite tombstones had been damaged. They remained there in silence, quietly narrating the history and solitude of the Blacks.
In the farthest corner of the cemetery, Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, Evan, Harry, Hermione, and Kreacher stood solemnly in front of a narrow and common tombstone, contrasting with the style of the surroundings. They were gathered there to bid their final farewell to Regulus.
Lupin arrived after receiving the news. He had been waiting for everyone at the Leaky Cauldron, preparing to spend a perfect Christmas with them. He did not expect to receive such news.
Apart from Lupin, no one else was present.
Indeed, they had planned to invite more people to Regulus' funeral, but Sirius pondered and did not know who else to invite.
Regulus had madly adored Voldemort before his death. He had desired to become a Death Eater, just like most of his former relatives and friends. Almost all of them were Slytherin House students, who eventually joined the Death Eaters, and now they were either dead or imprisoned in Azkaban, making it impossible to invite them.
Therefore, in the end, only a few were gathered there.
The stern and dry cries of Kreacher sounded intermittently, as if someone were playing an out-of-tune violin.
Evan had never attended a funeral before, and he did not know what a typical funeral should be like, but Regulus' funeral was undoubtedly humble, and everything had been prepared hastily.
On the tombstone, it was briefly written: Regulus Arcturus Black, a Death Eater with a good heart. He defended his honor and justice with his own life. He sacrificed himself against Voldemort, was a brave hero, and an eternal source of pride for the Black family.
Before that, Evan had never thought that the words "kind" and "Death Eater" could be connected.
That could be very ironic for other Death Eaters, but it was truly the most faithful assessment for Regulus.
As mentioned earlier, Regulus defended justice with his own life and opposed Voldemort. He was a true hero.
Next to the tombstone, Sirius appeared disheveled, tearless, simply gazing silently at his younger brother's coffin.
For a long time, Lupin patted Sirius on the shoulder, and then they slowly filled the grave and buried Regulus.