The trio stepped into the dreary circular room filled with doors. It was quite easy to slip past the guard, Eric, when he was sleeping. They’d taken the lift down as far as it could go, and bolted down the lifeless halls until they reached their destination point. The outside of the door gave them an ominous feeling. Why wasn’t anyone there to guard it? Hermione had shot several stunning spells in that direction, but they heard no one fall, nor stepped on any invisible guard. They decided to worry about that later.

Harry and Ron started to try some of the doors while Hermione put her fiery X on the one they came in through. Before she could join them, the door shut itself and the wall began to turn, but this time they were prepared for it.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione tried door after door after door, but each one opened. After five long, agonizing minutes Ron found it.

“This one’s locked!� he said gleefully, as if anyone could hope to find a locked door. This situation was quite different from most, though.

Harry ran over and pushed him out of the way to try it. It was locked, all right. He whipped out his wand and saw his friends do the same behind him. They tried nearly every hex and jinx they knew. Hermione shoved them aside after a while of this, pointed her wand at the door, and firmly shouted, Ventus!

It didn’t work entirely, but it they could tell that this might work. She tried again, only this time she cried, Depulso! It was effective, Harry and Ron were getting excited.

“Maybe if all three of us try it at the same time, the door will open. It’ll only get harder with each jinx,� Hermione suggested. Harry and Ron nodded obediently. They stepped up to the door, wands at the ready, and bellowed, Bombarda! simultaneously. They tried this several times.

The extreme force of all their spells combined was enough to loosen the door a bit. It was time to try the key. They had already been to Godric’s Hollow, and buried among the seventeen-year-old debris that no one bothered to clean up after all these years was and extremely rusty key. Harry found it after an exceptionally brutal search throughout the remains of his parent’s house. He also recovered a shattered picture of his young parents holding him as a newborn and a tattered teddy bear Harry assumed was his.

The neighbors weren’t suspicious at all, but one old, fragile witch engaged them in a deep conversation about what happened that fateful night.

*FLASHBACK*

“Yes, I remember it perfectly,� the lady said. “Here I was, seventeen years ago, sitting in my living room knitting my great-grandson a sweater, he’s about your age now that I think about it. Anyway, I heard a sonic boom, rushed over to the window, and saw a horrible green light flashing through the windows. Of course I contacted the Ministry immediately, but it was a good solid ten minutes before they got here. Said something about an attack on an Auror and his wife down in Wales. By the time they got here it was too late. Lily and James Potter, dead. I never heard what became of their son, but I assume he met the same fate. Of course I wouldn’t know, I live more in the Muggle world each day, I have no use for newspapers,� the witch continued, betrothed in her own thoughts.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

There was a notice in the Daily Prophet the next day that the old witch had died.

Now Harry, Ron, and Hermione are so close to finding out the mystery behind the door, a million questions swarmed around their brains. What if the key doesn’t work? What if it does? What’s behind that door? Is it good or bad? Rather that soak in their questions, Harry took a deep breath, took the key off from the chain around his neck, but before he inserted it into the lock, Hermione grabbed his arm.

“Should we?� she asked.

“We’ve come this far, haven’t we?� Ron said.

“Yes, but doesn’t it make you nervous, knowing that the mystery behind, well, everything probably lies on the other side of that door?�

The honest answer was yes, but Harry wasn’t about to let his friends know it. He put the key in the lock, turned it. The room was so quiet you could have heart a pin dropped, or a lock click. The key worked, and Harry pushed the door open.

The door swung open, and what was in that room made the trio gasp.

*~*~*

It was a circular room, with portraits of people dressed in old-fashioned clothes decorating the walls around them and whispering to each other. A spiral staircase sat in the middle of the room, and they looked up to see it seemed to go on forever with the pictures.

“It’s a room of dead people,� Ron said.

“No, it just their pictures. Look at the bottom row, and we can tell how recent they are,� Harry instructed them.

“I doubt it’s every witch or wizard that died, Harry, just the ones that know something,� Hermione said, and Harry privately agreed with her.

“The oldest one is Phineas Nigellus; eighteen forty-seven to nineteen twenty-six,� Ron said, crouched down to look at the pictures.

“Sirius’s grandfather or something?�

“Sirius’s great-great grandfather.�

“If we want to find anyone else, we better go up there,� Ron said, pointing to the never-ending staircase.

They reluctantly started to climb the rickety stairs, all the while looking at the portraits. They saw no one they knew personally, but plenty of people they heard of. Regulus Black, nineteen sixty-one to nineteen seventy-nine, was quite a ways up. They didn’t stop to chat, just advanced upward.

The walked on for a bit, the end of the stairs drawing no closer, when they heard two voices whispering, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione were so accustomed to hearing the portraits talk that they gave them no extra thought.

“Is it him?� a man asked the other.

“Yes, can't you tell? He looks just like you,� the other, a woman, answered.

“He has your eyes.�

Harry spun round at the mention of his eyes, to come face-to face with the two people he’d like the most in the world to meet.

“Mum? Dad?� Harry asked with a shaky voice.

“Harry! Look at you, you’re so grown up,� Lily exclaimed.

“Uh, yeah,� he said awkwardly

“We haven’t had anyone to talk to for ages,� James said.

“Really, who else has been up here?� Hermione asked.

“Who are you?�

“These are my friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley,� Harry informed his parents

“Pleasure,� Lily said politely

“Same here. Yes, other people have been up here. Now that I think on it, I don’t remember seeing anyone of them come back down,� James said. The trio exchanged nervous glances.

“Stop scaring them, James,� Lily said irritably.

“Fine. So, Harry, tell me about your life."

Harry informed them of his life’s story, while Lily and James listened attentively. Ron and Hermione also gained some new information of Harry’s life pre-Hogwarts, like when Ripper chased him up a tree and when his aunt Marge gave him a box of dog biscuits. Ron had to stiffen his laughter by sticking his fist in his mouth several times.

“And just this past year we fought Voldemort again,� Harry finished. “Are you able to hear what’s going on outside?�

“No, although we started to hear you trying to break down the door,� James said. The somewhat reunited family kept talking for quite some time. Ron sat down on the spiral staircase and turned to Hermione.

“So, read any good books lately?� he asked.

FORTY MINUTES LATER

“We better be going, I think Ron and Hermione are a bit bored,� Harry said to his parents. He glanced over at his friends and chuckled. They were fast asleep, and Ron was drooling on Hermione’s shoulder.

“Wake up,� he whispered. No response.

“WAKE UP!� James shouted, causing every portrait within a ten foot radius to jerk awake as well, and shout rude insults at him.

“We’re up!� Hermione said, and rubbed her eyes.

“I’m ready to go,� Harry said, a bit sad to leave his parents.

“Alright,� Ron said eagerly. He led the other two up the stairs.

*~*~*

They walked. And walked. And walked a bit more. They had no idea what time it was, or even what day it was. The only thing that kept them going up and not down was the mystery that awaits them at the top of the stairs. Even thought the next or previous floor was no longer visible. The wall space was bare around them, waiting to be filled up with more portraits of people. At last Harry broke the silence.

“Did either of you see Dumbledore or Sirius’s portrait anywhere?�

“No,� Ron said, and glanced at Hermione. She shook her head in agreement, and looked down below. She saw the now familiar blackness, but something else that made her cry out in fear.

Harry and Ron turned around quickly to see the stairs disappearing behind them. It was as if and invisible animal ate them away.

“RUN!� Harry shouted, and began to take the stairs two at a time. Ron and Hermione followed his example like trained puppies.

They sprinted up the staircase, getting dizzier and dizzier as they went. Ron and Harry could hear Hermione panting behind them, trying desperately to keep up. The stairway now plunged into complete darkness, and as all three of them were looking at the disappearing steps, they didn’t see it and ran right into the gloom.

“What’s happening?� Hermione asked franticly.


“We’re on the next floor,� Harry said slowly. “Lumos!�

The tip of his wand exploded with light, the space in front of him was lit up immediately . The saw they were standing on a hardwood floor, and there was a magnificent marble fireplace next to them. Hermione walked over to it, whipped out her wand, and lit it up so there was a roaring fire.

“What now?"

“Let’s look around,� Ron suggested. Harry and Hermione nodded. Ron and Hermione lit up there wands, also.

“Strange room, isn’t it?� Hermione asked.

“Yeah,� Harry agreed. “You’d never think all this would be in the Department of Mysteries.�

As if on cue, every light in the room suddenly turned on.

“That was weird. All I said was ‘Department of Mysteries.’� The lights went out

“Department of Mysteries,� Ron said, and the lights came back on.

They now got a better view of their surroundings. The walls held various paintings and tapestries, but none of people. Handsome leather chairs sat in the hearth of the fireplace. Desks littered with interesting instruments neither of them has seen before sat up against the wall. But the most prominent thing in the large room was a shiny silver orb hanging in the air that most certainly hadn’t been there when they entered.

Harry walked over too it and touched it with his wand. The orb unfolded so it was flat, and turned into a type of hologram projector. A familiar woman appeared and started talking, her voice booming throughout the room.

“Welcome,� Lily Potter began, “if you are watching this, then you have made it into the room where us Unspeakables do most of our work. No outsider has ever been here before. So I must offer my congratulations. It takes more than just power and spells to enter this room. You need determination beyond all others. You see, each Unspeakable does many things, but they all have one thing in common. The power of persuasion. That’s what all those pictures on the wall in the room below are for. Every once in a while we try to coax something out of the portraits, for they all have a secret yet to be reveled to another. But the more special ones, for lack of a better word, are put up here for full time work. Again I give you my congratulations. Good luck.� The image of Harry’s mother disappeared.

“What does she mean by ‘full time work?’� Ron asked.

“Probably work on persuading them to tell them something,� Hermione said. “Harry, are you ok?�

Harry was still staring at the place were the silvery orb had been, for when Lily finished talking, it had disappeared. “Yeah,� he answered. “I’m fine.�

“Well let’s keep going, then.�

The made long strides across the room to a simple oak door between two bookshelves. Harry and Ron had to force Hermione from not stopping to look at the books. The door, much to their surprise, opened without a struggle.

The room was just a hallway, with five or six doors leading off into other rooms. Harry’s instinct was to keep going forward. But then something happened that would change their lives forever.

*~*~*

An alarm blared, clear as crystal, throughout the entire floor. They wondered where the red light came from, but a closer look at the ceiling made them notice small device that was flashing a red light.

“What’s happening?� Ron shouted over the alarm.

Unspeakables suddenly burst out of the rooms and ran into the one at the end of the hall, all the while ignoring Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The trio followed the last one through the door.

This room was very different from the first one. The walls, floor, and all the furnishings were blue. But that wasn’t all. The room’s furniture was extremely low. Instead of armchairs there where cushions with backs on them. Even the legs of the blue tables were unnaturally short.

All the Unspeakables were gathered in the middle of the room. One of them was talking, and the trio could hear what he was saying.

“...we have another portrait to enter the blue room,� he declared. His colleges gasped. Apparently this didn’t happen too often. “I know it’s a bit of a shock, having two enter in less than six months, but what else would you expect with a war going on? This man obviously knows a lot, you can tell by looking at him. I will work on him personally, and will call for back-up as it is needed. In the meantime, kindly return to your posts.� The workers retreated, mumbling amongst themselves. The speaker sighed, and left the room as well.

“Why doesn’t anyone notice us?� Ron asked.

“I dunno,� Harry replied.

“Wonder who died,� Ron said, thinking of the Death Eaters.

“Ron! It was probably one of our people,� Hermione said.

“Let’s find out.� Harry said, and began to take a better look around the room. There were only about fifteen or twenty pictures on the walls, but with several feet of empty space for more. They were covered at the moment, probably for protection or privacy.

“Do you think Dumbledore and Sirius are in here?� Hermione asked.

“Probably,� Harry answered, still looking at the pictures. They were. Right at the end of the line was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore., 1840 to 1997. Right before him was, however, was a man that Harry didn't reconize. Sirius was nowhere on that wall. Harry shrugged it off and thought that Sirius was probably on the wall around the staircase and that they just hadn't noticed him.

Dumbledore was awake, but Harry got the impression that hhe couldn’t see him or his friends. He looked away, for it was all too much.

“Harry,� Ron said, tapping him in the shoulder. “I think you should see this.�

Harry reluctantly turned back toward the wall to see a new, equally familiar face hanging next to Dumbledore’s. He slowly read the golden plate under his picture.


“Remus John Lupin, 1959 to 1997.�

Harry finished reading the golden plate and broke down. He didn’t care that every Unspeakable was now noticing their existence and looking at him like he was some kind of loon. He looked over at Hermione and saw that she was crying, too.



“How?� Ron asked with quite a shaky voice, and Harry and Hermione could tell that he was choking back tears.



An Unspeakable came up to them and answered Ron’s question. “This was a nasty death,� he informed them. “Apparently Voldemort killed him personally.�



Harry looked at the man, not because of Lupin’s death, but because he had said Voldemort’s name. This said a lot about him.



“Reed Croaker,� he introduced himself to them. He was around Mr. Weasley’s age with dark blond hair, and had a Galleon-sized bald patch on the crown of his head.



“Nice to meet you, I’m Harry Potter, and these are my friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley,� Harry said.



“Blimey,� he said, and lifted up his glasses to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him, “So you are. Excuse me for not noticing, these old eyes are getting worse every day.�



“It’s alright, I prefer people don’t notice.�



Croaker let out a chuckle. He took a handkerchief out of his robes and wiped his balding head with it.



“Shame that Remus had to go,� he said, “He was a good man.�



“You knew him?� Ron asked in shock.



“Yep,� he answered in a tone that clearly said: ‘don’t ask me how’. Ron didn’t press on.



Croaker went on to explain how this room worked. He said that every witch or wizard that knew something not yet revealed to anyone, their picture was put on the wall downstairs. Every witch or wizard that held crucial information got their picture on the wall in front of them. The Unspeakable’s main job nowadays was to weasel information out of the pictures. When someone’s not working on them, they are put in the case. Harry has taken a liking to the old man.



“Do you know anything about Sirius Black?� Harry asked.



“Sirius Black...� Croaker repeated. “I’m not sure that we ever received a notice that he died.�



“He fell through the veil,� Harry said.



“Merlin’s beard, you know about the veil? Well people don’t die when they fall through it!�



“They – they don’t?� Harry choked.



“Of course not, boy! They come back when their time is right. Is Black a friend of yours?�



“Yes. He’s my godfather.�



“You’ll see him again. I promise.� They were just taking an even greater liking to the man when a deafening BOOM echoed throughout the entire building. A different alarm sounded.



“A break-in! Stay here, kids!� Croaker and countless others ran out into the main room. A flash of green light was seen, and petrifying screams followed. A person in a dark cloak came through the hallway; he drew back his hood to reveal milk-white skin, with piercing snake-like red eyes.



“Well, well, well. Harry Potter,� Lord Voldemort said. “I can’t say that I’m not surprised to see you here.� He looked at the wall behind Harry and tutted. “Pity that werewolf had to go, but he was far too nosey, if you know what I mean. He would have been a great improvement to the Dark Side.�



“He would never have joined you,� Harry spat.



“Angry, are we Harry? Well, there’s no use standing around and talking. Let’s get down to business. Avada Kedavra!� he hissed. A jet of green light shot out of his wand and missed Ron by a hair.



“SAY AWAY FROM MY FRIENDS!� Harry shouted. He dove into his pocket, drew out his wand, and shouted, “Crucio!� Voldemort stepped out of the way of the jet of light with ease.



“Harry, you don’t want to do that. I had not idea how you got in here, but I better bring in a few of my friends to help make sure you never leave here again,� Voldemort said. Greyback, Alecto, Amycus, and Snape came into the room, wands out. “Kill them!� Voldemort ordered.



Immediately Snape shot a nonverbal curse at the trio, which went unseen by his master.



“What did he just do?� Ron whispered to Hermione.



“It was a nonverbal curse. It didn’t hurt us, thought. It might even be a type of strong shield charm,� she replied.



“When are you going to see that Snape is evil, Hermione?�



“Never, because he’s not! If he shot a shield charm at us, it was to protect us!�



Hermione was right. No matter how many spells, jinxes, and curses the Death Eaters shouted at them, they just bounced back toward them. Greyback was even hit with his own stunning spell.



“Stupefy!� Harry shouted, making up his mind on the spur of the moment.



“Harry!� Hermione cried. The stunning spell flew out of the invisible bubble and hit Alecto in the eye. Ron and Hermione followed Harry’s example and stunned Amycus, too. Harry scanned the room briefly and then leaned back toward Ron and Hermione.



“When I say go -,� he started.



“Well, Potter, you seem to have cast this complicating shield charm on yourself,� Voldemort said.



“-run toward that blue door at the end of the room,� Harry finished.



“Although you still have to get past me, which won’t be easy,� the dark wizard assured.



“What’s in there?� Ron asked.



“I have no idea,� Harry answered. “But it might help us get out of here alive.� There was a pause when he and Voldemort had eye contact, and although Harry’s scar felt as if it was going to burst, he stood his ground. “RUN!� he shouted, and followed his friends as they sprinted across the room. Snape and Voldemort followed.



*~*~*



The room was very gloomy, with the floor and walls both colored the exact same shade of grey. There was a chair and desk, where a computer-like object sat on top of it. Other than that, the room held no other furnishings. But, much to Harry’s sadness, there was also a picture covering the better part of one wall that showed the tattered veil, flowing gently as if someone just passed through it.



“What the heck is this place?� Ron said.



“I dunno,� Harry said slowly, looking around the room carefully. “Draw out your wands.�



Snape and Voldemort burst into the room, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione were ready. They raised their wands, and all three shouted, Stupefy at the same time. The power of all three spells combined was enough to stun someone as powerful and un-human as Voldemort. Harry rushed over to the computer-thing, and tried searching it for a way to contact the Auror Office. He worked quickly, not knowing how long the stunning spell would stay in effect on Voldemort.



“Well done, Potter,� Snape said. “For the time being you succeeded in trapping the Dark Lord.�



“I’ll take that as a compliment,� Harry said coolly. “There!� he said triumphantly, pushing a button on the keyboard. “Two Aurors are on their way.�



“What is that?� Ron asked.



“I think it’s a way for the people down here to communicate with everyone else,� Harry said. “There’s also a file with everyone who has their picture here’s name. And Sirius isn’t here.�



“Harry that must mean he’s alive!� Ron said cheerfully.



“I know!�



“Thank you, sir,� Hermione said unexpectedly from the corner. “You saved our lives.�



Snape didn’t answer, but kept looking around the room. When he caught sight of the picture of the veil, it seemed as if he tried to hide a smile. Harry’s fury deepened. He strode over and touched the picture, but much to his shock, his hand went through. He withdrew it quickly and looked at it with wide eyes.



“What’s happening?� Hermione asked.



“I have no clue,� Harry said. He took a deep breath, put the tip of his wand into the painting and said, “Accio!� Nothing happened.



“Harry, maybe we should try and get out of here,� Hermione said.



“Fine. I don’t care, let’s just go,� he snapped, and stepped through another door. This time their eyes met a room that was somewhat similar to the one they just came out of; it was completely empty except for a moth-eaten couch that had a person sitting on it with his back toward them. He had graying robes on with the hood covering his head.



“Who’s there?� Snape called, and Harry jumped. He had forgotten that he was with them. The person stood up and faced them. He lowered his hood, and Harry’s grumpy mood brightened at once.



“S-Sirius?� he managed to choke out, thinking that it’s too good to be true.



“Harry, I’ve been waiting for you,� Sirius said, now positively beaming at them. Harry rushed up and threw his arms around his godfather.



“How’d you get out of the veil?� Harry asked.



“I dunno,� Sirius said slowly. “I guess it was my time to come out. Let’s get out of here.�



Everyone agreed, and proceeded to walk to the other side of the room, but they turned back to find Sirius staring at Snape, and vice versa.



“Sirius,� Hermione began. “He’s on our side. He saved us from Voldemort.�



“Voldemort’s here?� Sirius asked frantically.



“Yes.�



Sirius hurried toward the exit frantically.



“Sirius, what’s wrong?� Ron asked.



“Nothing. Nothing. Let’s go.�



“Black, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were...� Snape let his sentence hanging and stared Sirius square in the eye. “It can’t be,� he said softly. “You’re dead,� he muttered so that only Sirius could hear.



“Obviously not, Snape,� Sirius said with a nasty grin.



“You’re not Sirius,� Harry said, his voice quivering with rage. “Where is he?�



“Dead. I killed him,� the man in Sirius’s body said. Right before their eyes, he muttered an incantation and he began to morph into someone else. The long black hair remained the same color, but became shorter. He was slightly shorter and thinner than Sirius, but his eyes were exactly the same, but the grey was filled with darkness and despair.



“Who are you?� Harry asked.



“Potter, stand back, you don’t know what this man is capable of,� Snape said.



“You’re Regulus Black, aren’t you?� The man smiled evilly.



“Sirius’s brother?� Ron asked loudly.



“Sirius said he was killed,� Hermione said.



“No, you stupid girl, the Dark Lord thinks I’m dead. I killed the Death Eater that was sent to kill me,� Regulus spat. Hermione made to grab her wand, but Ron stopped her.



“Where have you been all these years, Black?� Snape asked. “I’m surprised that you didn’t get yourself caught.�



“I’m not. You underestimate me, Snape. Now, if you will excuse me, I must leave.� Regulus headed to the exit, but Snape shot a spell at him, holding him back.



“I’m not finished with you,� he said.



“Alright, but make it quick.�



“For starters, how did you manage to impersonate your brother?�



“Easy.� Regulus walked over to a dark, moldy door and pulled out Sirius’s body. “Switching spell.� Harry clenched his fists and resisted the urge to attack Regulus.



“Why did you kill him?�



“I felt he would come in the way of the Dark Lord rising to power. I’ve heard Lupin was killed, too.� Regulus offered himself to smile. “And once I get out of here, I will secretly be killing other members of your pitiful Order, and then I’ll be welcomed back like a hero.� He smirked. “Bellatrix thought that she killed Sirius, but she will be disappointed once I inform her of the truth.�



“How will she take to finding out that you were alive all this time?�



“Like a Red Cap takes to blood. I made the mistake in trying to back out of the Dark Lord’s plans, and I am now dedicated in proving my loyalty to him.�



“I don’t think so, Black,� Snape sneered. “I think that you’re bluffing.�



“You do, do you?�



“Why not have helped the Dark Lord return to power two years ago? Instead you were hiding from him like a child. I see through you, Black, enough to know that you are a coward.�



“Don’t –� Regulus began, but the door burst open and Lord Voldemort stood in the threshold.



“Well, well, well,� he said. “Regulus Black. I thought I ordered your death eighteen years ago?�



“You did,� Regulus said, but his voice cracked with fear. “I killed the Death Eater you told to kill me.�



“I’ll just have to kill you now, Avada Kedavra!� the spell missed Regulus but hit Snape, and he fell to the ground, dead. Regulus bolted toward the exit, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione, not wanting to be left with Voldemort, followed.



The passage was dark, but Harry kept sight of Regulus’s cloak as it swept behind him. They turned left, right, left again, until, after about ten minutes, they found themselves on the crowded Muggle street, the Ministry’s visitors entrance was across the road. “C’mon, we have to follow him,� Harry said, and they followed Regulus, who was attracting many stares because of his wizard attire.



“Why?� breathed Hermione as she struggled to keep up with Harry.



“He killed Sirius.�



“Harry!� Ron said warningly. “Don’t do something stupid.�



Harry didn’t respond, but glanced around. Regulus was down an alleyway, and in a blink of an eye, he was gone. “We have to go to Grimmauld Place!�



“How? Neither of us can Apparate yet!�



“Hermione can,� Harry said, looking at her.



“Fine,� she sighed. “Grab my arm, both of you.� They did, and felt the pressuring sensation, and when Harry and Ron looked up, they were standing outside of Harry’s house. They entered cautiously.



The door opened and Regulus stepped in. Harry supposed that he approached it from a distance, as Harry and Dumbledore had done.



“Who are you?� he asked rudely, catching sight of their shadows.



“Harry Potter, and this is my house. Sirius willed it to me.�



“Harry,� Hermione began. “since he’s alive, it would be his house.�



“But Sirius willed it to Harry,� Ron protested.



“But the house is to go to the next person with the name ‘Black’.�



“Bellatrix didn’t get it.�



“Because she doesn’t have the name ‘Black’ anymore!� Regulus and Harry rolled their eyes.



“Ron, Hermione, shut up!� Harry said.



“Yes, shut up, idiotic children,� Regulus agreed.



“You killed Sirius,� Harry said.



“Unwillingly.�



“What?�



“I didn’t want to kill him. By killing Sirius, I thought the Dark Lord would forgive me, but as that’s not going to be enough, I’m just going to kill you as well.� Regulus dove for his wand. Hermione stepped in front of Harry and Ron.



“If you want to kill Harry, you’ll have to kill us too,� she said, embracing her inner Gryffindor.



“Snape was right. You’re bluffing,� Harry said, trying to buy time. “Tell us what really happened.�



Regulus sighed. “I reluctantly became a Death Eater. For the longest time I considered joining the Order, but, as a seventeen-year-old, I was convinced that following the Dark Lord would make me powerful and finally overshadow my brother and cousins. Then I was sent to kill James and Lily Potter, and I backed down. The Dark Lord knew that, in a way, I had ties with them and wanted as many important Order members killed as soon as possible. I was tortured when I refused, but managed to escape for a few days. Then I grudgingly became a killer.�



“Where have you been hiding all these years?� Hermione asked.



“Up North, where no one would find me. I heard of a second war coming to effect, so I came back down to try and become a loyal Death Eater once again, but I knew that I didn’t have it in me.�



There was a pause, in which Harry took a few steps back so that he was in the drawing room. Glancing around, he caught sight of the Tapestry on the wall. Beside a small burn was the name Regulus Black. Hit with sudden inspiration, Harry pulled out the fake Horcrux, and reread the note inside of it.



To the Dark Lord

I know I will be dead long before you read this

but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret.

I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.

I face death in the hope that when you meet your match,

you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B.



“Your R.A.B., aren’t you?� Harry shot at Regulus.



“Yes. My genius plan did not go as hoped, as you can see, I have not faced death just yet, but, because of my stupid foolishness and fear of death, instead I murdered my would-be-killer.�



“Where’s the real Horcrux?� Harry asked greedily.



“Here,� he responded simply, taking a good look at the house around him. “I had to go into hiding and didn’t have a chance to take it with me and destroy it.�



Harry went over to the cabinet and remembered that they were all empty. “No,� he whispered. “We cleaned out the cabinets two summers ago! The Horcrux is gone!�



“Are you sure?� Ron asked.



“Yeah, don’t you remember?� said Harry, thinking back. “There was a gold locket that we couldn’t open. That must have been it!�



Hermione clapped a hand to her mouth. “I remember that!� She turned to Regulus. “We need your help. Come to the Order, and we’ll keep you safe from Voldemort.�



“Hermione, he killed Sirius,� Ron reminded her.



“That just shows how much of an impact Voldemort has on people! To force his followers to kill their siblings to remain loyal to him.�



“The Order would never want me.�



“Yes! We want anyone who can help us! Everyone makes mistakes, and we need you. You and Harry know a lot about Voldemort’s Horcruxes, and can destroy them so he’ll die like a mortal man!� Hermione said, somewhat hysterically. “Please.�



Harry, upon hearing these words, realized that now four of the best Order members were gone, and they wouldn’t be the last. Regulus could provide information that would make it easier to avoid Voldemort until the other four Horcruxes were destroyed. He extended a hand, which Regulus shook reluctantly.



“Welcome to our side,� he said, as Hermione and Ron grasped his hand. Harry looked out the moth-eaten curtains. “We didn’t find what we were looking for in the Department of Mysteries,� he admitted after a while.



“We know,� Ron said. “But we got a bit more than we bargained for, didn’t we? Even if it meant not getting all the answers we wanted.�