The Butcher of Hogsmeade

"Master Regulus asked Kreacher to take him there... He brought this locket... He drank poison... The master forbade Kreacher to tell his family about these things... Kreacher didn't say anything, never." The house-elf sobbed, barely able to utter a complete sentence, but the three listeners, having all been to the cave, naturally understood what had happened.

"Why didn't you bring him back? You could have. You could have Apparated in the cave, right? You could have taken him with you, so why did Regulus die?" Sirius was furious, and this time neither Dumbledore nor Shen Hou could stop him from speaking.

"Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to go home, and he ordered Kreacher to leave him there." The house-elf cried even louder.

"You're lying! Who would willingly stay there to die? Did you betray him, betray your master?" Sirius roared, veins bulging on his bright red forehead.

Kreacher didn't answer, or perhaps he didn't know the answer; he just kept crying, "The young master told Kreacher to go home, the young master forbade Kreacher to tell anyone..."

Sirius was so angry he almost attacked, but Dumbledore and Shen Hou stopped him.

"Simply blaming him won't help, Sirius. I'm also saddened to learn of Regulus's death, but I need you to calm down and let him finish speaking." Dumbledore's voice was authoritative without being angry, perhaps because he considered that Sirius had just learned of his brother's death, so he didn't criticize him too harshly.

After calming Sirius down, Dumbledore looked at Kreacher and handed the locket to the house-elf.

"This is what we brought from that place. We know that Regulus replaced another locket with it; I hope you can tell me where the replaced locket is and what Regulus did with it?"

Kreacher clutched the locket tightly to his chest, his already small body almost curled up into a ball, his sobs nearly drowning out his voice: "Young Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to take the locket and find a way to destroy it... But, but... Kreacher tried everything, tried everything, Kreacher disobeyed the young master's orders, Kreacher couldn't do it..."

As the house-elf spoke, he struggled frantically; when he realized he couldn't break free from the magic's control, he knelt down and repeatedly banged his forehead against the ground, soon leaving bloodstains.

"Stop, Kreacher!" Dumbledore's voice grew gentler, but his methods remained firm. He used magic to stop the house-elf's self-destructive behavior, levitating him and preventing him from reaching the ground. "I need you to tell me, where is that locket you took, the locket you can't destroy?"

Kreacher's sobs ceased instantly, his large eyes staring at Dumbledore with astonishment and suspicion. Shen Hou believed that if Dumbledore hadn't brought back Regulus's relics and hadn't consistently treated Kreacher with gentle kindness, the house-elf probably wouldn't have behaved so quietly.

"Believe me, we're here to destroy that locket too," Dumbledore coaxed. "You might know what Sirius did after leaving the Black family, what kind of enemies he had; isn't what Regulus asked you to do exactly the same thing Sirius did, and what kind of enemies he had?"

Kreacher lowered his head, seemingly in thought, then quickly raised it again and nodded slowly. This house-elf serving a pure-blood family was merely ignorant, not stupid, and fully understood the simple principle that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"In that case, what you cannot destroy, let us destroy; we can help you carry out Regulus's final command."

Dumbledore had clearly grasped Kreacher's psychology; no amount of reasoning could compare to the phrase "Regulus's Last Command," and the house-elf nodded almost without hesitation once again.

"Kreacher hid the locket so the mistress wouldn't see it," the house-elf said.

"I'll let you go now, and you promise to bring that locket back to me, and I promise to destroy it in front of you, okay?" Dumbledore held out his hand to Kreacher; wizards also have a custom of making vows with a high five, not much different from Muggles, except that no wizard would treat a house-elf with the same courtesy.

Kreacher did not extend his hand, but instead bowed deeply to Dumbledore and said in a hoarse voice, "Kreacher assures you, with all my loyalty to the Black family."

"Very good." Dumbledore smiled and nodded. Without any visible movement from him, Kreacher felt the spatial blockade around him loosen, and immediately Apparated away from where he stood.

A moment later, a shattering sound, much quieter than when a wizard Apparates, rang out, and the house-elf returned to the same spot, carrying a locket, but it was no longer the one Dumbledore had given him.

It is also covered with gold-edged patterns, but the patterns are more rustic and simple, and the overall design is not as exquisite as the one left by Regulus, and it looks darker.

"Please, you must..." The house-elf's voice trembled. Although he had sworn an oath and made a promise, he couldn't help but feel anxious and uncertain when it came to handing over his former master's belongings.

Given Dumbledore's power, it's more likely to be a nuclear bomb.

"What's in here, Professor? Is it... real or fake?" Sirius Black immediately leaned closer, still harboring a deep distrust of Kreacher.

"I don't see it..." said Dumbledore.

"So it's still fake?" Sirius exclaimed immediately.

"Calm down!" This was the umpteenth time Dumbledore had reminded him today. "Don't let the news of Regulus's death cloud your judgment; I believe in Kreacher's loyalty to Regulus, and I believe that this is the secret Regulus gave his life for."

"But……"

"It's quite simple to verify..." Dumbledore tossed the locket gently, suspending it in mid-air, then drew his wand and aimed it at the locket. "Since Regulus's final request was to destroy it, let's see what happens when we destroy it!"

"Be careful, Mr. Dumbledore," Kreacher said, unusually using honorifics. "I've tried everything, but I can't hurt it in the slightest."

Dumbledore nodded slightly: "Thank you for the reminder. I should have used a more drastic approach."

As he finished speaking, a cluster of dark blue flames flashed at the tip of the staff.