---
Kreacher continued speaking.
"Only a year after Master Regulus joined the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord required a house-elf… Master Regulus offered Kreacher."
The elf sobbed.
"The Dark Lord took Kreacher to a cave. It was terrifying…
There were many Inferi…
Kreacher saw a stone basin there, filled with potion…
The Dark Lord forced Kreacher to drink all of it…
It burned Kreacher from the inside… Kreacher saw many horrible visions…
Kreacher saw the Dark Lord laughing. He placed a locket inside the basin, refilled the potion, and then left in a small boat.
Kreacher was left behind."
"How did you get back?" Harry asked quickly.
"Master Regulus called Kreacher…"
"I know, but how did you co back?"
"Master Regulus needed Kreacher…"
Harry was growing impatient.
Before he could press further, Darren gently hugged Kreacher.
"I understand," Darren said softly, his eyes red.
"Kreacher returned because Regulus ordered him to."
"House-elves are different from wizards. They can Apparate even in places where magic is restricted."
Ron suddenly said, "Then next ti if you're trapped sowhere, Darren, you can just call Pagie to get you!"
Darren nodded.
Then he shook his head.
"I could call Pagie… but I won't.
There are too many dangerous wizards out there. I'm afraid Pagie would be killed.
Hermione understands… Pagie, like you, is my friend and family.
Just as I wouldn't ask you to die for , I won't ask her either."
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
Everyone fell silent.
Kreacher suddenly cried out loudly,
"Young Master Darren Potter is as kind as Master Regulus! Just as kind! Just as worthy of loyalty!"
Harry pursed his lips.
He clearly rembered Kreacher once calling Darren a filthy little brat.
Now he was "kind and worthy."
Still, Harry kept quiet.
Because Darren continued gently,
"What did Regulus do after you ca back?"
"Master Regulus listened to everything Kreacher said. He ordered Kreacher to stay hidden and tell no one…
After that, Master Regulus beca more and more troubled…
Finally… he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave."
"He made you drink the potion again?" Harry asked.
Kreacher shook his head and burst into loud sobs.
"Master Regulus drank the potion himself…
He replaced the locket with another one…
Then he ordered Kreacher to take the real locket back and destroy it."
Harry and the others felt their eyes sting.
After a long silence, Darren asked,
"Did you destroy it?"
"No…" Kreacher cried.
"Kreacher tried everything… but it could not be destroyed…"
Hermione's tears finally fell.
Harry suddenly asked,
"If Regulus was trying to oppose the Dark Lord, why did you later help the Malfoys?"
Hermione shot him an angry look.
"Because Regulus never told Kreacher the truth!
He never told anyone he was opposing Voldemort. He was protecting his family.
After Sirius left, Kreacher had no one.
He wanted care. But Sirius never cared about him. He treated him like sothing that should be thrown away with the old house.
So when Narcissa and Bellatrix showed him a little kindness, he followed them!
I told Sirius long ago that he should treat Kreacher better.
Like many pure-blood families, he never took house-elves seriously."
Harry fell silent.
He rembered his ti at Grimmauld Place.
Sirius had never truly cared about Kreacher.
Sotis, a little kindness was enough.
Darren sighed softly.
"Fortunately, no one died…
Kreacher, you didn't ruin anything. You're still one of us.
Now I need you to find Mundungus.
That locket—only I can destroy it.
Find him quietly. Don't alert him. Just bring the location.
I'll go and deal with him myself."
"Yes, Young Master Darren!"
Kreacher said loudly, then disappeared, excited.
Harry looked uneasy.
"You're letting him go alone? What if he betrays us?"
Darren shook his head.
"No. I know Kreacher.
His loyalty to Regulus is the sa as Pagie's loyalty to .
I trust him."
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
[Ding, Father 100]
Since Darren insisted, everyone had no choice but to wait.
At the sa ti, mbers of the Order were quietly asked to look for Mundungus as well.
Sirius was told nothing.
He was too impulsive.
If he learned the truth about Regulus now, he might rush straight to that cave and search through the Inferi himself.
Ron thought Sirius didn't care much about his brother.
But Harry believed otherwise.
If Darren's body were lying sowhere like that…
He knew he would search until he found it.
That thought moved Darren—and also annoyed him.
What did Harry an by that? Becoming an Inferius so quickly? That would be ugly and humiliating!
Darren rolled his eyes inwardly.
Then, putting on a serious face, he took the opportunity to lecture Harry from a position of moral authority.
Yes.
Very satisfying.
Days passed.
Kreacher still hadn't returned.
During this ti, Harry ran into Lupin.
Lupin looked troubled.
Taking advantage of Darren's absence, he spoke to Harry privately.
He said he wanted to join Harry's group.
When Harry asked why, Lupin hesitated for a long ti before finally speaking.
"Dumbledore is dead… the werewolves have completely joined Voldemort.
Even when I work for the Order, many people still don't trust .
I wanted to prove my worth.
But Tonks wants to stay ho. She says if I'm bored, I should just find a job or sothing normal…
How can I do that?
Our child might inherit my condition.
I'm already grateful he didn't.
How could I risk another family… another child… going through the sa thing?"
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