C43: Razed

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Currently in Chapter 64 in p@treon

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12 Grimmauld Place | 19th August 1986

A huge fire was burning 12 Grimmauld Place down. There were few people who were watching the building burn, but they didn't do anything to stop it. This was because the onlookers were the ones who were burning the place down.

Everyone thought Sirius was just joking, but he was actually quite serious about his idea. He had brought Dumbledore to burn the place down, in a controlled way so that the townhouses beside 12 Grimmauld Place wouldn't get affected as much.

Dumbledore was using a legal variant of Fiendfyre which was controllable but still potent. He hadn't said anything against burning Sirius' childhood home down. He was actually very happy that Sirius had taken the decision. It would help give some sort of compensation for his bad childhood.

The others were the older Tonks, Molly and Arthur Weasley, and Remus. They just stared at the house burning for the next one hour, but who could blame them? That was the closest they had to entertainment.

After the entire house was burnt, Dumbledore took out his wand and vanished all the ash. He then stepped forward and looked at the ground. It was as if he was looking for something. And he did find the something he was looking for. He bent down and picked up a locket.

The locket was made of gold with a serpentine S in glittering green stone inlay in the front. Dumbledore had some idea about who the locket belonged to, but wanted to confirm. Just when he bent down and picked up the locket, a house-elf popped in front of him and tried to grab the locket.

"Stand down Kreacher!" Sirius shouted at the house-elf. Kreacher stopped grabbing and stood at the side, but he started cursing.

"Blood traitor master is ordering Kreacher around. Kreacher has no choice but to follow blood traitor master's orders. Kreacher will fail Master Regulus' orders. Kreacher has failed because of blood traitor bringing more blood traitors and filthy half-bloods and mud-bloods into noble house of Mistress Black."

Sirius was about to scream at Kreacher again, but Dumbledore stopped him with a shake of his hand. He said, "Sirius, can you ask what your house elf meant by failing Regulus' orders?"

Sirius was confused, but then remembered all of what Kreacher had said. He was so used to Kreacher's curses that he started listening to what Kreacher said.

"Kreacher, what did you mean by failing Regulus?"

Kreacher was trying to not say anything, but was failing.

"Kreacher… wasn't saying… anything… about-"

"What did you mean by failing Regulus?"

"Kreacher was… supposed to destroy… the locket."

Dumbledore looked at the locket in his hands once more. He was now very intrigued about the backstory of the locket.

Sirius could clearly see Dumbledore's curiosity and further questioned Kreacher.

"Kreacher, why did Regulus tell you to destroy the locket?"

Kreacher was trembling by then. He was trying very hard to resist Sirius' questions, but since he was a house elf, he had to follow his master's orders. Especially since the Black family had a special bond that forced house elves to obey all the orders of the family.

"Master Regulus… said it was impor… important to kill… He-who-must… not-"

Kreacher coughed out blood and fainted. Andromeda immediately rushed forward to heal the elf. Dumbledore was deep in thought. According to the elf, destroying the locket was important to kill Voldemort. That meant that his suspicion of Voldemort having fail-safes of some sort must have been right. Especially since Regulus had been the one to give the locket to his elf. That meant that Voldemort gave his most powerful servants from powerful families the fail-safes.

Dumbledore put the locket in the pocket in his robes and then waved his wand. Another fire, one that was stronger and blue in colour, started, and it swept through all the leftover artefacts that hadn't been destroyed by the first fire.

After that, he looked at Sirius, nodded, and apparated away. Sirius then stepped forward and looked around him at what was once his childhood home. He tried to think, but all that was in his mind was what Kreacher said. Regulus had tried to help in the destruction of Voldemort.

The relation between the brothers wasn't perfect, but it had been that way once. They had been their best friends until Sirius found James. Regulus had become friends with Bartemious Crouch Jr. Sirius ran away to the Potters, and Regulus had to shoulder all of the family's expectations and joined the death eaters.

Sirius took out a letter from his pocket. Regulus had written it to him one day before he went missing and was presumed dead. Sirius was afraid to read it because he knew that he had abandoned his brother to the wolves when he left him with their parents and ran away.

He opened the letter.

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Sirius,

I never thought you were a great friend. I always envied James because he could spend more time with you. You even went with him, leaving me all alone. All I have left is Barty and Kreacher. Saying I was fine is nowhere near the truth.

I joined the death eaters because I had to see what you were protesting about so adamantly. I thought it wasn't a big deal, but I saw what we were doing. We weren't spreading pure-blooded values, we were simply massacring defenceless people. I knew I had to quit, but there was only one way out.

I wanted out. Before I go, I just wanted you to know, that I forgive you. For being a bad brother. Best of luck in defeating Voldemort.

Regulus

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Sirius took out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket. He lit the cigarette and took a few puffs. He then lit the letter too. He held it in his hand until it almost completely burnt and then let go. The ashes went with the wind, and left him, just like he was letting go of his regret and guilt.