Let's Call It a Magic Door

"But..." Sirius still wanted to ask.

But Black cut him off. "If I'm not mistaken, something else must have happened afterward. So don't rush. Just listen to the rest of what Kreacher has to say."

Sirius could only hold it in and look at Kreacher.

Kreacher sobbed as he continued his story.

"Kreacher... Kreacher's throat felt very dry then. So thirsty..."

"Kreacher needed water. He wanted to crawl to the edge of the island and drink from the black lake..."

"But... but there were many hands... many dead people's hands reaching out of the water, pulling Kreacher down..."

"Kreacher remembered Master Regulus ordering Kreacher to go back at once after he finished the Dark Lord's task."

Kreacher said slowly, "Then... then Kreacher broke free of those dead people's hands and went home..."

"Master Regulus was worried. Very worried."

Kreacher's voice was hoarse.

"After Master Regulus heard what had happened to Kreacher, he told Kreacher to stay in the house and not go out."

"Then... after some time... one night, Master Regulus came to his cupboard to find Kreacher."

"Kreacher could tell Master Regulus was very strange, different from usual."

"His mind seemed very confused... He wanted Kreacher to take him to the cave, to the cave Kreacher had once gone to with the Dark Lord..."

When Sirius heard this, he suddenly felt his heart spasm. All at once, he had a certain premonition... Regulus, he...

"We returned to that cave... to that stone basin."

"Mas... Master Regulus took a box from his pocket, one like the Dark Lord's."

As he spoke, tears poured down from both sides of Kreacher's large nose.

"He told Kreacher to take it, and once the stone basin was empty, to switch the boxes..."

Kreacher's sobs turned into sharp wails.

"He ordered Kreacher... to leave... to