Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.

Summary: AU. What could happen if Sirius didn't threw Slytherin's locket out? How much this one thing would change everything? Is blood indeed thicker than water?

Author's note: It's the first chapter of my new pet project though I'm still writing 'The Blacks: Son of a Black I: Winds of Change' and the Blacks will remain my main concern but I'm going to use this one as a little distraction from the Blacks. All information is compliant with canon, mostly (all Horcruxes, Snape related stuff anyway).

So read, enjoy and review (because I love to read your criticism and as long as you are logged in or I have your email I'm answering to your questions).

Black Brothers: The Horcruxes Hunt

Chapter one: Tale Telling.

Something didn't sit well in him. He pulled the locket from his pocket and examined it once again. It was gold with a S etched on it. He almost chucked it out with the rest of things they found in drawing-room but something stopped him from doing the same to the locket, something akin to invisible hand squeezed around his wrist and instead of rubbish sack the locket found itself in his pocket. He didn't liked being controlled and that thing seemed to have some kind of a control over him. It was a very disturbing thought. He turned it upside down and tried to remember if he saw something similar to this locket when he was younger... He didn't, he didn't remembered anything about that locket. He was so lost in thoughts that only deliberate cough which come from the direction of the door snapped him out of his rewire. He turned his head in this direction and saw his godson and his best friend standing in the doorstep. Harry was holding a tray with food in his hands.

"Hello Harry, Hermione," he smiled at them and gestured for them to come in.

"Hello Sirius," said Harry nervously. "You weren't at the dinner so we brought you dinner here," he said after he put the tray with the food in front of him.

"Mrs Weasley decided to make us wash up our clothes which means that there would be Order meeting later on, am I right? Anyway Harry's clothes are still fresh and mine came from the wash yesterday morning so unless Mrs. Weasley wants me to wander around in underwear I have nothing to put to washing up," said Hermione as she sat down on the opposite couch.

"Quite a view it would be," Sirius snickered. "Keep in mind that you are the only one non-Weasley girl around and quite a lot of young men would like to molest attractive female who wanders around in underwear. Harry here wouldn't mind, would you Harry?" he grinned at his godson and almost burst in laugh when he saw a blush in a shade similar to Gryffindor red on Harry's face.

"Sirius!" Harry mumbled.

"Well it would be a sign that you are normal teenage boy, wouldn't it?" he asked impishly. "I mean, it doesn't really matter to me, whatever tickles your fancy, as long as you are happy, but I would feel better if I knew that my little Harry is growing up properly," he grinned upon seeing Harry hiding his face in his hands and hearing Hermione's short laugh and it sounded more like a snort but perhaps she didn't wanted to embarrass Harry even more.

"I hate you," Harry mumbled through his fingers.

"I feel so unloved," Sirius groaned agonizingly and he gave the locket last quickly look before he put it next to the tray with food and reached for the sandwich.

"What's inside that locket Sirius?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I have no idea," he said after he swallowed first bite. "I'm trying to figure it out but I feel like I had a hole in my head because I don't remember it from the time I used to live here."

"Maybe Kreacher knows something more. You could ask him," she suggested as she sat up on the couch cross legged.

"Blah," he muttered.

"You could ask him nicely and maybe he could tell you," Hermione added.

"Nicely and Kreacher doesn't belong to the same sentence," Sirius huffed before he took another bite of the sandwich.

"Oh please," Hermione huffed. "Don't act like a hypocrite! Who told us last year that we should look how people treat these who are lower than them instead of looking how they treat their equals? I remember that it was you but maybe it was your evil twin brother," she snorted.

"I don't have evil twin brother," he muttered. "I had evil, younger, but not twin brother," he huffed and he took another bite.

"Oh. What had happened to him?" Hermione asked curiously.

"He died," Harry answered for him.

"Oh," Hermione sighed. "But still you could try to ask Kreacher nicely..."

"How I'm supposed to be nice to someone who isn't nice to me?" Sirius asked after he swallowed properly.

"Maybe he would be more helpful if you tried to be nicer to him for a while," she chipped.

"Blah."

"Only for a week," Hermione pleaded. "As a test of a theory."

"Oh yeah?" Sirius snorted.

"If it fails I will leave you alone," Hermione said solemnly.

"Yeah, until you found a way to start bothering me about it again," Sirius muttered and he took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Are you a Gryffindor?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Of course that I'm a Gryffindor," he huffed.

"Sorry you just gave me impression that you aren't brave enough to be nice to a house-elf for a week," she said sarcastically.

"I'm brave enough to be nice to a house-elf for a week," he denied her statement feeling that he shouldn't do that, to the hell with Gryffindor bravery. His mother was right he was as hot-headed like uncle Alphard, Merlin bless his poor soul.

"Prove me that you are," Hermione challenged him.

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. Idiot, imbecile, flea ridden fur ball full of dog dung. He shouldn't let himself be caught like that...

"Fine," he snapped finally. "Kreacher!" he called that damned house-elf.

"Yes, Master," Kreacher said but the glare which he send at Sirius told him more than the elf would.

Take a deep breath Padfoot. Now let it out. And once again in... and out. Now you can talk to that thing.

"Kreacher do you know from where this locket came from?" he picked up the locket and showed it to the elf. He tried to be as pleasant as he could without making himself feeling sick.

"Master Regulus..." the elf chocked out and suddenly let out blood-curdling scream. "Master Regulus's locket. Master told Kreacher to destroy it but Kreacher couldn't destroy it. Couldn't finish what Master asked him too... Kreacher failed Master's orders!" the elf bellowed and threw himself in direction of the tray where there was lying a knife.

His Auror instinct kicked in and immediately the door were locked and soundproofed and the tray with the knife smashed against the opposite wall. But the lack of knife didn't stopped Kreacher from hurting himself, the elf started banging his head against the coffee table still screaming like someone tried to skin him alive.

He launched at the elf nearly flattering him. He heard Harry's gasp and Hermione's scream mingle with Kreacher's and he bellowed louder than the three of them, "Kreacher, I order you to stay still!"

He felt the elf freeze and released him. Kreacher lay flat on the cold stone floor, tears gushing from his sagging eyes.

"Sirius please, let him up!" Hermione whispered.

"So he can kill himself?" Sirius snorted, kneeling beside the elf. "No bloody likely. Right, Kreacher I want to know why you called this locket Master Regulus's. Where did it come from? What Regulus have to do with it? Kreacher, sit up and tell me everything my brother had to do with it!"

The elf sat up, curled into a ball, placed his wet face between his knees and began to rock backwards and forwards. When he spoke, his voice was muffled but quite distinct in the silent room.

"Master ran away, Master broke my mistress's heart... But Master Regulus had proper pride; he knew what was due to the name of Black and dignity of his pure blood. For years he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns... and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve..." Kreacher took a deep breath.

"And one day, a year after he had joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher, Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said... he said..."

The elf rocked faster than ever.

"... he said that the Dark Lord required an elf."

"Voldemort needed an elf?" Harry gasped from somewhere on Sirius's right.

"Oh yes," moaned Kreacher. "And Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher. It was an honour for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do... and then to c-come home."

Kreacher rocked still faster, his breath coming in sobs.

"So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to a cave beside the sea. And beyond the cave there was a cavern, and in the cavern was a great, black lake..."

Kreacher gulped.

"... there was a boat..."

The elf gripped his own ears.

"There was a b-basin full of potion on the island. The D-Dark Lord made Kreacher drink it..."

The elf quaked from head to foot.

"Kreacher drank, and as he drank, he saw terrible things... Kreacher's insides burned... Kreacher cried for Master Regulus to save him, he cried for his Mistress Black, but the Dark Lord only laughed... he made Kreacher drink all the potion... he dropped a locket... this locket," Kreacher's one hand extended just long enough to point at the locket on the coffee table. "He dropped the locket into the empty basin... he filled it with more potion. And then..." elf's voice broke down, "the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island..."

Sirius could see it happening. Voldemort, happy, pleased with himself watching trashing elf as he himself was vanishing on the other side of the lake. Suddenly for the first time in his life he pitted Kreacher, this creature made sure that his life here was living hell but he couldn't have it in himself to hate poor thing now... if he still hated him it would make him as bad as Voldemort...

Not really aware what he was doing he squeezed Kreacher's shoulder in reassuring manner.

"Kreacher needed water, he crawled to the island's edge and he drank from the black lake... and hands, dead hands, came out of the water and dragged Kreacher under the surface..."

Inferi...

"How did you get away?" Harry asked, his voice was barely a whisper.

Kreacher raised his ugly head and looked at Harry with his great, bloodshot eyes.

"Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back," he said.

"I know – but how did you escape from that lake?" Harry asked.

Kreacher cocked his head to his right and repeated, "Master Regulus told Kreacher to come back."

Sirius understood when Harry did not seem to understand and said, "I know but..."

"He disapparated, Harry," Sirius said and he wasn't surprised that his voice sounded hoarse in his own ears. "The house-elf's highest law is his master's bidding," he said and he looked down at shuddering elf. "Kreacher was told to come home..."

"... so Kreacher came home," the elf finished and started rocking backwards and forwards again.

"What had happened when you got back Kreacher?" Sirius asked as politely as he could while holding his impatience in cheek. "What did Regulus say when you told him what had happened?"

"Master Regulus was very worried, very worried," croaked Kreacher. "Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden, and not to leave the house. And then... it was a little while later... Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell... and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord..."

Sirius practically could see them. Kreacher leading Regulus to the island. Kreacher frightened and Regulus...

"And he made you drink the potion?" asked Hermione, she sounded like she tried her best to keep the disgust out of her voice but didn't exactly succeeded.

Kreacher shook his head and wept. Sirius heard Harry and Hermione gasp and something clicked in his head, like a puzzle falling into its place. No... it wasn't possible...

"M-Master Regulus took from his pocket a locket like the one the Dark Lord had," said Kreacher, tears pouring down either side of his snout-like nose. "And he told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets..."

Kreacher's sobs came in great rasps now and Sirius felt panic raising inside him... It couldn't be, Regulus didn't... Did he?

"And he ordered – Kreacher to leave – without him. And he told Kreacher – to go home – and never tell my mistress or Master Orion – what he had done – but to destroy – the first locket. And he drank – all the potion – and Kreacher swapped the lockets – and watched... as Master Regulus... was dragged beneath the water and Kreacher... went home like Master Regulus asked him too..."

He felt like someone hit him straight into his stomach with beater bat, hard. He knew that Regulus was dead, he found about his death two years ago after he escaped Azkaban... but to hear... to know... to see the way his brother died... He practically could see him being dragged beneath the water and sobbing Kreacher, Kreacher who always dotted on Regulus... Kreacher witnessing death of his beloved master...

"Nothing Kreacher did made any mark upon it," moaned the elf. "Kreacher tried everything, everything he knew, but nothing, nothing would work... so many powerful spells upon the casing, Kreacher was sure the way to destroy it was to get inside it, but it would not open... Kreacher punished himself, he tried again, he punished himself, he tried again. Kreacher failed to obey orders, Kreacher could not destroy the locket! And his mistress was mad with grief, because Master Regulus had disappeared, and Kreacher could not tell her what had happened, no, because Master Regulus had f-forbidden him to tell any of the f-f-family what had happened in the c-cave... And even now Kreacher disobeyed Master Regulus's orders..."

Kreacher began to sob so hard that there were no more coherent words. Sirius glanced at Harry and Hermione, tears were flowing down their cheeks and when his free hand reached his own face to pull stray of hair behind the ear he wasn't surprised to feel the wetness on his own face.

Something broke inside him and he pulled sobbing elf into awkward hug, rubbing his hand down the back of this poor creature. How Kreacher could feel for all this years, knowing how Regulus died but not being allowed to tell anyone.

"You did everything you could to obey Regulus's orders Kreacher," Sirius whispered hoarsely. "Regulus wouldn't hold it against you that you couldn't destroy the locket."

"Master should not sacrifice himself. Master should tell Kreacher to drink the potion... Master should not die," the elf croaked.

"Master Regulus did it to keep you and mistress safe," Sirius whispered, suddenly realising why Regulus decided to sacrifice his life just like that. "If the Dark Lord found out that Regulus betrayed him mistress would be in danger... so would be the rest of the family... He wanted to keep us safe..."

"Why Master Regulus did it?" elf croaked, his voice muffled by Sirius's robes. "Why Master Regulus did not told Kreacher?"

"He probably had a change of heart," Sirius whispered. "He found out something which didn't sit well within him, something about Voldemort and since he knew that Voldemort would kill him anyway if he betrayed him openly he decided to dictate the terms of his own death... He was braver than all generations of Black before him..."

He saw Regulus in his mind, he was smiling at him and snickering something about 'house misplaced piece of dung'. He vowed to himself that he would do everything to destroy the damned locket. Regulus sacrificed his own life for that thing and his sacrifice shouldn't be in vain.

"I swear that I will do everything in my power to destroy that locket. I won't let Regulus's death be in vain. Not now," he whispered more to himself than to Kreacher or Harry and Hermione.

Sirius begged Harry and Hermione to let what had happened be their secret until they find out what was inside the locket and how to destroy it. They reluctantly agreed to keep what had happened in that room between themselves only. Ron or Ginny or the twins weren't allowed to know. When Hermione voiced her doubts Sirius told her that he owed Regulus at least one try at destroying the locket and he promised that if that try fails he will tell Dumbledore about the locket. Harry and Hermione agreed under one condition, they would be allowed to help Sirius. Sirius agreed on their term, albeit wasn't very happy about it and he managed to removed Harry and Hermione from regular cleaning around the house by telling Mrs. Weasley that they were going to help him the library. Upon seeing crestfallen look on Ron's face he added something about big spiders about half in the size of Kreacher. Ginny was harder to get lost but she changed her mind about helping them when Sirius muttered something about going through old diaries.

Harry and Hermione were amazed by the size of the library. It was huge room and the bookshelves – which were reaching the ceiling – were occupying almost entire space, it seemed that one of Sirius's ancestor was quite obsessed with books.

"Most of them belonged to my father," Sirius said as he went to draw the curtains and let weak light into the library. "Kreacher," he called the house-elf.

Kreacher appeared in front of him immediately, he bowed to Sirius and looked at him expectantly.

"Yes, Master. What Master wants Kreacher to do?"

"Could you wash the windows here after we leave the room today? This room could have a bit more light coming in through the windows. I have no idea why Phineas Nigellus wanted to have library in the room with windows to the north. For now Kreacher could you bring us two or three chandeliers?"

The elf bowed again before he asked, "Would Master Sirius and his..." the elf looked like he tried to find a proper word and he seemed to find one because he finished, "guest want something to drink?"

"We just ate breakfast," Sirius said but upon seeing that the elf's mouth twitched he added quickly. "But you can bring us three bottles of pumpkin juice if you want."

The elf bowed again and disappeared.

"Phew, that was close," Sirius sighed.

"Four words Sirius," said Hermione and she picked up the nearest book.

"I know. I know. I told you so," Sirius snorted. "Lets have a look at Dark Arts books. I'm sure that there is something dark inside that locket and 'Useful tips in maintaining the garden' won't be helping us very much Hermione," he said briskly and went to the desk which stood in the middle of the library.

They went through book after book looking for anything which mentioned things which had high resistance to magic and by the time Kreacher brought them lunch, French onion soup with small toasts, they were so irritated that Sirius started whacking his head with 'Ten Good Ways of Cursing Your Next Door Neighbour into Oblivion Without Him Knowing'. Kreacher upon seeing what Sirius was doing picked it up from Sirius hand, whacked it across Sirius head lightly and said.

"Master needs to be coherent. Kreacher brought lunch and Kreacher is going to clean up Master's bathroom why Master eats. Kreacher hopes that Master and his guest will like it," the elf said giving a bow and disappeared leaving surprised Sirius behind.

"Told you so," Hermione muttered as she reached for the toast and took a bite. "It's delicious," she said.

"Did I ever told you that you are the smartest witch I ever knew?" asked still surprised Sirius.

Harry smiled to himself. Despite the work they had to do it was nice to spend so much time with Sirius. Hermione was delighted about the being in as big library as this one and Harry himself found few useful books which he put on the side to check better some time later.

They eat in comfortable silence, enjoying Kreacher's soup, which was one of the tastiest Harry ever ate. Suddenly Kreacher appeared and he bowed to Sirius.

"Master's bathroom is clean, Kreacher put Master's bed covers into washing up too. Master's werewolf is looking for Master and Kreacher told him that Master is in the library. Does Master needs anything?" Kreacher asked.

"Thank you Kreacher but I don't need anything. Harry, Hermione do you need something?" Sirius turned to Harry and Hermione.

"More ink and few sheets of clean parchment," said Hermione as she examined sheets of parchment scattered around her.

"Something to drink, pumpkin juice or butterbeer," Harry answered.

Sirius nodded at the elf. Kreacher disappeared in the exact moment Lupin walked through the door.

"Hello Sirius, Harry, Hermione," he said with small smile.

"Hello Master's werewolf," Sirius snickered at Lupin.

"What?" Lupin asked surprised.

"Never mind. What's up Moony my dear old friend?" Sirius asked and he waved at the books which were laying on the couch to come back to their shelves.

"Molly told me that you kidnapped Harry and Hermione and locked them up in the library for Merlin only knows what kind of a reason. I was only checking if she wasn't overreacting," Lupin said as he sat down.

"Do you see them complaining Moony?" Sirius gestured at Harry and Hermione who were sitting close to the desk with books scattered around them. "I simply gave them a choice, they can help Molly and the rest with cleaning out the drawing-room risking being bitten by Doxy or helping me in my small personal business which requires spending some time in the library."

"What kind of business it is Sirius?" Lupin looked a bit alarmed.

"Personal. Unfinished. Seems quite important and while I need a helping hand with it I don't need whole Order to breath into my neck since my helping hands and me are getting along just fine," Sirius said briskly.

"What he is making you do?" Lupin turned to face Harry and Hermione.

"Reading," said Hermione quickly.

"Flipping through the books looking for information," Harry supplied.

"What kind of information?" Lupin asked.

"How to skin off a werewolf without him knowing that he is being skinned off," Sirius quickly answered and he started ushering Lupin out from the library.

"Sirius if you are doing something dangerous..." Lupin started, his tone indicated a warning.

"I know, I know. If I'm doing something which can endanger them you are going to neutralize me while I'm still in my human form, I know Moony. Don't you have something very, very important to do now?" Sirius almost pushed Lupin through the door.

"If you..." Lupin started but Sirius cut him off quickly.

"If I will need your help I will ask for it. Bye, see you next time," Sirius said and closed the door right in front of Lupin's nose. "Phew that was close."

"You could ask him to help us. I mean he wasn't our Defence Against Dark Arts professor for nothing," said Hermione with small grimace.

"I could ask him," Sirius agreed. "But I know Remus and I know if I will tell him now he won't bugger off till I tell Dumbledore and for once I want to have something to do which isn't cleaning. Besides its personal matter and I will call Dumbledore when I will decide that it's too much for me alone to comprehend. For now I will say that we are doing just fine," he said and sat down at the desk.

Harry and Hermione were flipping through next few books while Sirius was throwing hex after hex at the locket in the corner of the library, from time to time he was adding something to the piece of parchment he kept in his pocket. Dinner was approaching quickly and they still didn't had anything, not even a small hint.

Harry was staring blankly at a page in one of the books, he realised that he didn't turned it for last fifteen minutes. What was inside the locket? Why Voldemort wanted it to stay hidden? Why Regulus wanted to destroy it? What could happen if it was destroyed?

"I feel that I will smash something if I don't stop reading for a while," Sirius muttered somewhere on Harry's left.

"I feel the same," Hermione agreed with Sirius. "My head starts to ache. Too much reading for a while."

"Me too," Harry mumbled.

"I was thinking that we should check Regulus's bedroom. Maybe we can find something useful here," Sirius sighed.

"Didn't you checked it earlier?" Hermione asked.

"I did when I looked for Ministry of Magic: A History at the beginning of the summer," Sirius answered.

"Why?" Harry asked curiously as he looked at Sirius who was sitting at the desk quill in his left hand.

"Because I'm too old for kids stories and Ministry of Magic: A History is one of the most boring books I ever knew and consider that I read quite a lot so I know what I'm talking about," Sirius answered. He stood up and asked, "Are you going with me to check his room?"

"Sure," said Harry.

"Why not?" answered Hermione.

Sirius lead them up the stairs to the topmost landing, where there were only two doors. The one facing them bore a nameplate reading Sirius and Harry glanced at Sirius who went immediately to the other door.

Harry heard Sirius whisper, "Alohomora." There was a click and the other door swung open.

They entered the room together, gazing around. Regulus's bedroom was far more bigger than Harry's and Ron's and quite spacious. There was a large bed with a carved wooden headboard, a tall window obscure by long velvet curtains and a chandelier thickly coated in dust, with candle stubs still resting in its sockets, solid wax hanging in frost-like drips. Whole room had very Slytherin decor, colours of emerald and silver were everywhere, on the bed, the walls and the windows. The Black family crest was painted over the bed, along with its motto, Toujours Pur. Beneath this was a collection of yellow newspaper cuttings, all stuck together. Hermione crossed the room to examine them.

"They're all about Voldemort," she said.

Harry's eyes drifted towards a photograph on the wall; a Hogwarts Quidditch team was smiling and waving out of the frame. He moved closer and saw the snakes emblazoned on their chests: Slytherins. He recognised Regulus as the boy sitting in the middle of the front row: Harry immediately recognised the same dark hair and slightly haughty look on Regulus as something he and his older brother had in common, though Regulus was smaller, slighter and a bit less handsome than Sirius when he was his age.

"He played Seeker," said Harry.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"He's sitting in the middle of the front row, that's where the Seeker... never mind," Harry sighed, realising that Hermione was more fascinated by Voldemort's press clippings while Sirius was rummaging through the desk.

"He was," Sirius muttered, he was still bending over the desk drawers. "A bloody good one on that. Take it from someone who made sure that he had to be fast like someone who had a herd of pissed off dragons chasing after him. I owe him a broken nose."

"Huh?" Harry breathed out.

"I was chasing him around the pitch and kept sending bludger after bludger behind him. I have to handle him that he was quick and managed to escape the bludgers. I wanted to chase him and throw him from the broom, or at least confuse him long enough to let our Seeker get the snitch. Guess what he had done?"

"What he had done?" asked Harry curiously.

"He kept flying ahead with the top speed and suddenly he pulled a faint. Since I was chasing after him, I flew as fast as he did and I didn't managed to duck before I knocked James from the broom. Considering that we were quiet high imagine how much meeting with the earth could hurt. And you know what he did later? He had a nerve to come later to Hospital wing and tell me that it was my bloody fault that Gryffindor lost that match because if I paid equal attention to all players instead of him we actually had a chance to win," Sirius snorted.

"Well he was right," Hermione admitted as she turned to face them.

"I knew that he was," Sirius snorted. "Gryffindor and Slytherin always had equally matched Quidditch teams. We had great Chasers while Slytherin's Chasers were lousy. We had the best Seeker Gryffindor could produce around that time and he worked quite good in matches against Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff but when it came to playing against Slytherin... all captains of Gryffindor Quidditch team with whom I played had one and simple tactic 'make sure that Regulus Black can't catch the snitch'. If it required knocking him from the broom then he was knocked from the broom, if it required name calling then there was name calling. Worked for about a year and when he figured out that he is the only real target in Quidditch team he got smarter, faster and more daring with movements on the broom."

"I'm sure that watching a match between him and Harry would be quite good to watch," Hermione said.

"If they were on the same type of a broom... yeah it would be funny thing to watch," Sirius admitted. "Nothing. Though I never knew that he wrote poetry..."

"Come to think about it Sirius... If you were him would you put something which could raise suspicions somewhere inside the house?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Not in place everyone could walk in," Sirius muttered. "Somewhere where he could hide it safely... I'm sure that our dear mother searched through his things, if she didn't then my name isn't Sirius Black. Where could be a place which could be searched thoroughly but as a hiding place wouldn't raise too much suspicions..."

"The kitchen?" Harry supplied.

"Now... Something more... more Regulus... Our father's study..." Sirius muttered.

"Let's go there," Hermione said quickly.

"We can't... I don't know the password... I knew old password but since I left it could be changed hundred times," Sirius said.

"We can at least try to open it Sirius," said Harry.

"We can try," Sirius agreed.

They never reached the study, they even didn't reached the door to the library because on the second floor they ran into Mrs. Weasley who ushered whole three into the kitchen.

"Harry and Hermione are going to help the rest with cleaning the dining room on the ground floor," she said as she put plates full of stew before them.

Harry and Hermione started eating immediately while Sirius didn't even moved his hand in the direction of the spoon.

"Actually I was hoping that they were going to help me in the library. I'll need to go through some family stuff since my father had very annoying habit of hiding important papers in weird places instead of leaving it at Gringotts," Sirius said calmly.

"You can do it on your own," Mrs Weasley said coldly.

"Of course that I can do it on my own but it isn't the point," Sirius shrugged. "My point is that I need to go through it anyway and since I'm planning to get my last will and testament up to date I will rather made it sure that my heir knows what he is getting before I die... not that I plan to die anytime soon."

"Your heir?" Mrs Weasley asked surprised.

"It's a bit complicated," said Sirius lazily. "I have to find a way around this stupid traditional decree which says that the house has to be handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name of Black. Since I'm last of the line because my brother predeceased me and both of us didn't have children it would require quite a lot of dancing around it."

"Why do you need Harry and Hermione for that?" asked Ron suddenly.

"Because Harry is my heir and Hermione told me that she is interested in wizarding laws. For both it should be valuable lesson about law and things you need to take care of in everyday life. Harry, Hermione if you will be feeling up to it I'll be in the library at seven o'clock in the morning. Now if you excuse me I need to go to sleep," Sirius said, stood up from the table and left the kitchen without eating what Mrs Weasley put on the plate before him.

Harry and Hermione excused themselves from the table few minutes after Sirius left the table and agreed that they should go to bed now, to avoid unwanted questions and resting before tomorrow morning.

Harry woke up very early and a quick at the sky, which had the colour of clear blue of watered ink, indicating that it was somewhere between night and dawn. He turned on the bed and for few minutes tried to fall asleep again but he couldn't. For most of the time he didn't remembered about his hearing, he was too occupied to worry about it but when he was alone with nothing to do his imagination started running wild. After imaging escape from Ministry of Magic after the hearing which turned to be fatal he decided that he couldn't sleep and stood up from his bed. Carefully to not wake Ron who was sleeping on the other bed Harry picked up his dressing down and left the room.

The corridor didn't looked very nice in the daylight and now it looked like a tube with no end. He slowly approached the staircase and carefully started climbing down to the kitchen. Upon reaching the landing on the first floor he walked into someone. For few seconds they stared in each other eyes and when Harry decided that he walked into Hermione and Hermione decided that it was Harry who walked into her they smiled at each other nervously and went down to the kitchen together.

When they entered the kitchen for a second they couldn't decide if they entered not the right room. Every surface now shone: copper pots and pans had been burnished to a rosy glow, the wooden table top gleamed in the faint light of small fire coming from the fireplace. Nothing in the room, however, was more dramatically different than the house-elf who was sitting on one of the chairs and was polishing silverware. He was humming something merrily as he was polishing. When he saw Harry and Hermione he put away the knife he was polishing, jumped from the chair and approached them asking in hoarse voice, "What master's guest want Kreacher to get them?"

"Just a cup of cocoa," said Hermione quietly.

"The same Kreacher," said Harry.

"Master is in library. Reading. He looks disturbed and does not want to go to sleep," said Kreacher as he sat them down at the table.

"He is probably thinking how to destroy the locket," answered Harry and when the elf put two cups of steaming cocoa in front of them he added, "Thank you Kreacher."

"What in the name of Merlin it could be," Sirius's mutterings were heard on the stairs and moments later he entered the kitchen. Upon seeing Harry and Hermione he gave them gentle smile and greeted them with small nod.

"Perhaps if you spent few hours at sleeping you will have clear head to find correct approach to how to destroy the locket," suggested Hermione.

"I spent few hours at sleeping Hermione," Sirius said with heavy sigh.

"Still nothing new?" asked Harry.

"Still," Sirius muttered as he pulled out the locket from his pocket and examined it. "It would made me feel better if we at least could open it."

What Harry did was stupid, he realised it later, but then it occurred him that if that thing belonged to Voldemort then Voldemort could use Parseltongue to open and close that thing and he said, "Open."

The word came as a hiss and a snarl and the golden doors of the locket swung wide with a little click.

"I have seen your heart, and it is mine Sirius Orion Black," hissed the voice from inside the locket. "I have seen your fears... You fear your own heart... You fear to claim what is rightfully yours... You fear stepping in the shoes which were made for you... You were the one who had been called father... You were the one entrusted with the care..."

Suddenly something started coming out from the locket. Something which looked like a figure of old lady blossomed out of the locket, first head, then chest, then waist, then legs until it stood in the locket.

"You could have everything Sirius. You could have everything. Older, wiser, smarter, quicker, more handsome than Regulus ever was... He always envied you your status... You were the heir... You were our hope..." said the figure which looked like Mrs Black.

Harry glanced through the figure at Sirius. He was staring at the figure mesmerized by what was happening.

"How many times after you left... after my dearest Aunt, and her worthless husband, who took you as their own, died, in the black night you wished that you were more like Regulus... How many nights you spent after your friends went to their homes while you were living in second rate hotel... dying from hunger that you were more like your brother..."

Sirius was shuddering yet he was staring, transfixed by the figure which suddenly changed from his mother into... Harry's father.

"How many sleepless nights you spent thinking and thinking how much of both of you is in him. His pride, your nerve. His Seeker talent, your courage... His posture, your spirit... Stubbornness of both of you... the way you dive into troubles headfirst. You so desperately want to hear this words from him... not hearing them kills you... But you know deep inside know that you are a failure... failure of a son who broke his mother's heart, who could not save his father in time, who did not helped brother you loved so much... You failed Regulus most of all... if you were quicker and less proud you could have save him in time... You have your brother's blood on your hand Sirius..." the voice said.

Something silver flashed in the air, plunged: Harry and Hermione fell from their chairs. There was a clang of metal and a long, drawn-out scream.

The weird version of Harry's father was gone: there was only Sirius, standing there, looking down at the locket from which silver knife was standing. Sirius was pale as a ghost and his eyes were misty, down his cheeks two silver tears were falling. Suddenly he sunk to his knees, his head in his arms, he was shaking, but he couldn't be shaking because of cold since the kitchen was quite warm.

Harry and Hermione immediately bolted in Sirius's direction, Harry grabbed the broken locket into the pocket of his dressing gown. He knelt down beside Sirius not really knowing what to do besides hugging shaking man. Hermione who knelt on the other side of Sirius did the same. Suddenly there was loud crack and they weren't sitting on the kitchen floor but on the bed in a big room.

"Master needs rest. Master's guests will watch Master while Kreacher will go to find something to calm Master down," said Kreacher and with another crack he was gone.

"Sirius," Harry whispered.

"It was right... Molly was right... I'm a failure... I couldn't save Lily and James, I thrust their lives in Voldemort's hands... I couldn't protect you... I couldn't save my father... he died in drunken brawl and I couldn't do anything to save him... I couldn't save my brother... I couldn't save you... I vowed to protect you and time after time I failed you. I'm the most pathetic excuse of godfather this world ever seen," Sirius sobbed.

Harry didn't knew what to do. Sirius was breaking down in front of him and he didn't knew what to do expect holding tightly on him and rubbing his back with his free hand.

There was another crack and Kreacher appeared, a tray with a bottle full of Firewhiskey and three goblets. He set the tray on the bed and poured Firewhiskey into one goblet, when the goblet was nearly full the elf nudged Sirius and handed him the goblet. Sirius drunk the contests in two gulps, when the goblet was empty Kreacher refilled it. Sirius drunk the second goblet of Firewhiskey and fell flat on his back, eyes closed, his breath shallower.

"Drink this," Kreacher handed Harry and Hermione remaining two goblets. "It will calm you down."

"Or send us to sleep," mumbled Hermione eying the liquor.

"No, Master's second goblet had two drops of sleeping potion. Master should sleep till morning. Master Sirius destroyed the evil locket like Master Regulus wanted Kreacher to destroy it," said Kreacher and he quickly covered Sirius with a blanket.

Harry didn't knew what was in the locket but whatever it was it shook Sirius to the core. He was so worried about Sirius that he decided to spend the next few hours at Sirius's side. Hermione after a moment of hesitation decided to stay with him.

"I can't lose him," Harry whispered as he light squeezed Sirius's hand.

"You won't," Hermione tried to reassure him as she squeezed his shoulder.

"I hope so," Harry whispered.

The sky outside was growing brighter with passing time. Harry didn't had other thing to do than watching Sirius's face. There were lines on Sirius's face, and yet Harry could see the haughtiness, some kind of careless elegance which had to be there when Sirius was younger. The lines reminded Harry how much Sirius had been through all these years, Azkaban, then living on the run and now here. Sirius for sure didn't had an easy life and now because of his, Harry's stupidity he was reduced into nervous wreck.

"Children breakfast!" Mrs Weasley called from downstairs at some point of time.

"We need to get down Harry," said Hermione suddenly.

"I don't want to leave him Hermione... if it wasn't for me and my stupidity..." Harry started.

"You did what you thought was right," Hermione cut him off quickly.

"It could kill Sirius," Harry whispered. "Look how it already ended."

"Sirius is going to be fine Harry. He needs few hours of rest and he will be better. He wouldn't want you to worry like that. Plus I know for sure that he wouldn't want you to miss breakfast because of him."

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