Kreacher Promise

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"Why did you leave your family in the first place?" Ethan asked Sirius.

"I was fed up with everything at home—my crazy mother, my cousin, and my weak little brother," Sirius replied, his gaze fixed on the tapestry with anger and fascination.

"He completely bought into my mother's pure-blood ideology."

"After I left, I went to James's house. They took me in. They were all very good people," Sirius continued, his eyes sparkling as he relived those memories.

As Ethan admired the Black family tapestry, his eyes fell upon a name.

"Regulus Black," it read, with a date of birth and death about fifteen years ago.

"Is this your brother?" Ethan asked, pointing to Regulus's head on the tapestry.

The image depicted a young man with black hair and a slightly arrogant expression, resembling Sirius.

"Yes," Sirius said, snapping back to the present. He looked at his brother's portrait and sighed deeply.

"He was a big fool," Sirius said, his voice more agitated.

"He was so blinded by my parents' extreme pure-blood beliefs that he became a Death Eater, only to be discarded and killed by Voldemort when he was no longer useful."

Sirius's initially calm voice grew more intense as he spoke. His frustration reached a boiling point, and he pounded the ground with his fist, causing the whole room to shake.

"My brother was so naive! He joined Voldemort early on, and it was too late when he realized his mistake and tried to back out. Voldemort doesn't tolerate deserters!"

Sirius's anger was palpable as he slammed his fist into the ground, the thumping sound reverberating through the room. It was clear that his feelings for Regulus were deep and complex.

"Promise me, Ethan!" Sirius suddenly stepped forward, grabbing Ethan by the collar. His red eyes were blazing with intensity.

"I don't care about your ambitions or plans. You must kill Voldemort! He must die! If you betray me, I don't care what oaths you've sworn—I'll make sure you die, too!"

Ethan met Sirius's fierce gaze calmly. "I can make that promise, Black. After meeting Voldemort, I will kill him without hesitation."

Hearing Ethan's response, Sirius finally released Ethan's collar and collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily.

Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out from behind them—Kreacher.

"Poor little master!" Kreacher croaked in his toad-like voice.

Kreacher slammed his head against the floor, wailing.

"Kreacher is a useless house-elf! Kreacher couldn't carry out the young master's orders! The young master died for nothing!" Kreacher sobbed, snot dripping from his pig-like nose onto the floor.

He continued to pound the ground with his head as if trying to punish himself.

"Shut up, Kreacher! What's wrong with you now?" Sirius began to scold Kreacher out of habit, but then he realized Kreacher's words hinted at something significant.

"Kreacher, what task did Regulus give you? Why do you say he died in vain?" Sirius asked, his voice trembling.

Kreacher, his eyes bloodshot and swollen, stared blankly at Sirius before his howling grew louder.

"Kreacher is so stupid! Kreacher failed to keep the young master's last secret!" Kreacher beat his head harder.

In a sudden burst of energy, Kreacher uttered a final cry and dashed out of the room with surprising speed for his age.

"Damn it!" Sirius swore, racing after Kreacher.

"What is he doing now?"

Sirius followed Kreacher to the Black family's fireplace, where he saw a scene that left him stunned. Kreacher had taken a poker and was pointing it at himself, seemingly intending to stab himself.

"Damn it, Kreacher! What are you doing?" Sirius shouted, drawing his wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

A red light shot from Sirius's wand, striking the poker. The weapon was knocked from Kreacher's grasp, spinning through the air before clattering to the floor.

"Kreacher! What's wrong with you?" Sirius stepped forward angrily and grabbed Kreacher by the shoulders.

Kreacher continued to sob, struggling to escape Sirius's grasp.

"Let Kreacher die, Master!" Kreacher wailed in his toad-like voice.

"Kreacher has failed the young master completely! Kreacher has no will to live!"

"What mission did Regulus give you before he died? What do you know? Tell me quickly!" Sirius demanded, his impatience evident.

"Kreacher can't tell!" Kreacher shouted back.

"Kreacher promised the young master! Kreacher must not reveal the young master's secret!" He insisted, resolute.

Sirius took a deep breath, trying to control his rising frustration.

"Regulus is dead now, right?" Sirius asked, his voice steady but urgent.

Kreacher, sniffling and wiping his nose, nodded dejectedly. "Yes."

"So, I'm the only heir to the Black family and your master now. Can a house-elf hide anything from his master?" Sirius pressed.

Kreacher, clearly disheartened, admitted, "No, master. A house-elf cannot disobey their master."

"Then tell me everything you know about the mission Regulus gave you," Sirius said firmly.

Kreacher hesitated, stubbornly resisting for a moment longer.

"But the young master's orders—"

"Enough, Kreacher!" Sirius interrupted sharply.

"I'm your only master now! Tell me everything!"

Kreacher looked up at Sirius with a helpless expression. After a moment of reluctant silence, he finally whispered, "Okay, Kreacher will tell the master everything."