Chapter 156: "The Blacks and the Cave"

With a deep breath, Harry finished his final round of knight breathing exercises for the day. He wiped the sweat from his face, feeling a sense of accomplishment. The past few weeks had been intense, alternating between fighting the inferi and performing these breathing exercises. But the results were impressive - his Knight training had progressed significantly, and he was now 90% of the way to forming the "Seed of Life" and becoming a true knight.

The progress seemed almost too good to be true. Harry didn't think it was solely because of defeating the inferi horde, though that certainly played a part. He felt that breaking through his previous bottleneck had released all the stored progress from the past year. Combined with the intense fighting, this had propelled his abilities forward dramatically.

Only 10% remained, and Harry believed he could complete it within a year if he was lucky and didn't encounter any more bottlenecks. He could hardly wait to become a true Knight and experience the promised five-fold increase in strength and speed compared to an average human.

After his exercises, Harry made his way into the castle. He took a refreshing bath and changed into clean battle robes. He had important plans for the day, and he wanted to be prepared.

As he entered the dining area of Black Castle, he found Arcturus and Sirius already there, enjoying their afternoon tea.

Sirius looked up, a curious expression on his face. "So, why did you ask me to take a day off work, pup? You sounded pretty serious - no pun intended."

Arcturus added, his eyes narrowing slightly, "Yes, Harry. Is this about the significant increase in strength I've noticed in you these past few days?"

Harry took a deep breath before answering. "It's related to that, Grandfather, but not entirely. I'm going to take you both somewhere today. It's important."

Sirius leaned forward, impatience clear in his voice. "What's with all the mystery? Come on, just tell us straight."

"Alright," Harry conceded. "I think it's time to tell you everything. Just... try not to get angry, okay?"

Then, Harry began to explain everything he'd been up to over the past few weeks. He told them about visiting the cave where Regulus had retrieved the Horcrux, and how he'd spent days clearing out the inferi infestation. As he spoke, he could see a mix of emotions playing across Sirius and Arcturus's faces - concern, anger, and pride all mingled together.

When he finished, Sirius and Arcturus were visibly upset that Harry had gone to such a dangerous place alone, without taking them along.

Harry quickly tried to explain his reasoning. "It's not that I wanted to keep it a secret. I knew you'd want to come along if I told you about my plans. Cleaning up that place with your help would have been easier and quicker, but I needed that battle with the inferi for my Knight training."

Arcturus's voice was stern, but there was understanding in his eyes. "I see your point, but I'm still angry. We could have stayed on the sidelines if you had asked us to."

Harry shook his head. "But you might have intervened if you saw me in a dangerous situation. I needed that danger and that experience to grow stronger."

Sirius, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "We can discuss fault and punishment later. Right now, let's focus on retrieving my little brother from that dark place."

With that decided, Sirius and Arcturus quickly prepared themselves. They called upon Mira and Kreacher to transport them to the cave. Kreacher was overjoyed to learn about their mission, his eyes shining with anticipation.

In a couple of elf apparitions, they found themselves standing at the entrance of the cave - the very place where Harry had battled thousands of inferi. Harry had done a thorough job of cleaning up; there were very few signs of the fierce battle that had taken place.

Mira and Kreacher had helped the trio bypass the treacherous hike through the dark cave, bringing them directly to the lakeside. Harry couldn't help but wonder why Voldemort had neglected to ward this place against elf apparition. It seemed to render all the earlier defenses pointless.

Sirius and Arcturus surveyed the area with grim expressions, lost in their own thoughts about what had transpired here.

Harry approached the edge of the lake and pulled out the submerged boat. Since it could only carry one adult wizard, he suggested that Arcturus take the boat while he lent Sirius his flying broom.

Sirius looked puzzled. "Then how are you going to follow us?"

Harry smiled mysteriously and simply floated upward.

Sirius's jaw dropped. "You can fly? How? When did you learn that?"

"It's something I picked up last year," Harry explained, grinning at his godfather's reaction. "What do you think? Pretty cool, right?"

"You have to teach me that skill later," Sirius said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "It would be great for work... and for showing off."

Harry nodded, but the light-hearted moment quickly passed as they remembered their solemn purpose. The group silently made their way to the center of the vast, dark lake, finally setting foot on the small island with its ominous pedestal.

Harry had visited this spot on his last day of clearing out the inferi, just to ensure they had all been destroyed. He had surveyed the area but hadn't disturbed anything else.

Sirius turned to Arcturus, his voice uncertain. "Grandfather, what should I do next?"

Arcturus's reply was simple and direct. "You don't need to do anything. Kreacher!"

At Arcturus's command, Kreacher snapped his fingers. Moments later, what remained of Regulus Arcturus Black emerged from the lake. With solemn reverence, Arcturus conjured a casket, and Regulus's remains were carefully placed inside. After sealing the casket, Arcturus instructed Kreacher to take it back to Black Castle.

With a soft pop, Kreacher disappeared, leaving behind a heavy silence. The group's attention turned to the pedestal with its basin of black liquid.

Harry broke the silence. "Should we retrieve the duplicate locket?"

Sirius shuddered slightly. "How? Kreacher's descriptions were enough to make me wary of touching that liquid."

Arcturus stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I think I understand the enchantment. We could bring an animal from outside and make it drink the liquid. That should be enough to reveal the locket."

Harry shook his head. "There's no need to harm an innocent creature. I've studied the enchantment. Destroying some key points should be enough to make it malfunction."

With that, Harry drew his wand and carefully aimed several Reductor Curses at specific spots, dismantling the enchantment that required the liquid to be drunk to reveal the hidden treasure.

Once the spell work was complete, they emptied the basin of its sinister liquid. There, nestled at the bottom, lay the fake Slytherin locket. It was smaller than the real Slytherin's locket and lacked the ornate 'S' that was Slytherin's mark.

Sirius picked up the locket, turning it over in his hands before carefully opening it. Inside, wedged tightly where a portrait should have been, was a folded scrap of parchment.

With trembling hands, Sirius read the note aloud:

"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."

Sirius's voice cracked as he finished reading. "Reggy sure was a brave lad. Leaving this behind to anger Voldemort... I should have spent more time with him. We could have had some great adventures together."

Harry placed a comforting hand on Sirius's shoulder, and the trio stood in respectful silence for a moment before Mira transported them back to Black Castle. The mood was somber as they returned, each lost in their own thoughts about Regulus's sacrifice.

In the days that followed, Arcturus planned a funeral for Regulus. It was a small, intimate gathering attended by a select group of Black family members. Harry was present, along with Narcissa Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks, and Cassiopeia Black. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken questions, but Arcturus maintained a respectful silence. It wasn't the right time to reveal the full extent of Regulus's brave tale.

As the days passed, a sense of normalcy gradually returned to the grand castle. The mood lightened, and the halls seemed brighter. Kreacher, in particular, was more active than ever, tending to both the Black Castle and the London townhouse with renewed vigor. Nothing could dampen his spirits.

Harry, for his part, felt a mix of emotions. He was proud of the progress he'd made in his training and glad to have helped bring closure to Sirius and the Black family. But he also felt the weight of the challenges still ahead. As he continued his daily routines, he couldn't help but wonder what other trials awaited him on his path to becoming a strong wizard and knight.