Harry and Sirius Black were the referees again, but this time the result was somewhat unexpected.
Vincent and Dumbledore repaired the walls and ceiling at roughly the same speed, and in the end, they finished their repairs almost simultaneously.
"Professor, you didn't use your full strength?"
Dumbledore remained smiling and silent.
Vincent stared longingly at the Elder Wand in his hand.
Since it is a competition, its fairness must be guaranteed.
There was definitely some deliberate leniency involved; given the age difference between the two, their magical abilities couldn't possibly be exactly the same.
The reason the result was a draw was probably because Dumbledore deliberately kept the magic at the same level as Vincent's.
Regardless of whether the legends of the Deathly Hallows are true or not, the Elder Wand has always been the most powerful amplifier of magic.
The Serpent Staff already had a significant boost, and with the second boost from the charm box, it could rival the Elder Wand.
After Vincent figured it out, he suddenly felt the locket in his hand become very heavy.
A magical amplification on par with the Elder Wand —it's a temptation that no wizard could resist.
The locket is a relic of Salazar Slytherin and a family heirloom passed down through generations of the Gaunt Family. When used in conjunction with the Serpent Staff, it can greatly enhance the magical power of the holder.
However, it doesn't seem like there's any problem with simply taking it for oneself.
Vincent used Snakewood from the Snakewood Tree outside Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to make the Serpent Staff, and the Basilisk horn in the core was taken from the thousand-year-old Basilisk Jormungandr, both of which have a connection to Salazar Slytherin.
Moreover, Voldemort is the only descendant of the Slytherin and Gaunt Family left. He already has the other heirloom, the Resurrection Stone, so it would be only natural to add a locket as well, right?
No... that's not right.
To him, the Resurrection Stone was merely a uniquely shaped stone entrusted to him to prevent others from becoming trapped in the past.
The locket is completely different. Even though it can greatly enhance magical power, even though there is a connection between the Serpent Staff, and even though Vincent is qualified to use it, it does not mean that he is qualified to possess it.
No one who gets lost in power ends up well.
Grindelwald has already paid a heavy price for this, and Voldemort is also paying the price.
Vincent took a deep breath and, after a brief moment of hesitation, handed the locket to Dumbledore.
"Professor, this item does not belong to me."
His expression showed no hesitation, and his eyes showed no lingering affection.
Sirius Black and Harry were both very surprised by this.
Dumbledore somewhat surprised, but he was more pleased than anything else.
He was lost during his youth and ultimately made a grave mistake.
Even if they later realize their mistakes and return to the right path, what they have lost can never be regained.
Vincent, however, explicitly rejected the locket, rejecting this readily available power.
"If..." Dumbledore smiled and shook his head, picking up the locket handed to him, "Your choice was right, and so was his."
Vincent relaxed completely and chuckled, "To prove his judgment, I threw away a great treasure."
"You still have time to regret it."
"No, if he knew about this, he'd probably come all the way here to beat me up."
Sirius Black and Harry were completely confused, but neither of them pressed for details about who "he" was.
Having successfully dealt with the Horcrux, there's only one last thing left.
The four of them had only taken a few steps up the stairs when they heard a woman crying.
Sirius Black walked impatiently toward Mrs. Black's portrait.
When he saw Kreacher sobbing softly in front of the portrait, he immediately understood what had happened.
The Stunning Spell he just cast looked impressive, but its actual power was not that great.
Mrs. Black fainted from anger; otherwise, a full-force Stun Stunning Spell would have knocked her unconscious instantly.
"Waaah... My poor Regulus..."
Sirius Black didn't even glance at her, walking straight past the portrait and Kreacher.
Mrs. Black stopped crying and saw him walk over, pick up Regulus, and then walk back.
"You... you..."
Sirius Black didn't look at her either.
"Where... where are you taking your brother...?"
He only turned around when he heard Mrs. Black's calm voice.
"It's none of your business where I take him. I'm in charge of things at home now."
Mrs. Black's temper flared up instantly. "You unfilial son! Get out of here right now!"
Sirius Black scoffed dismissively, "You couldn't control me when you were alive, so why would I listen to you now?"
"Get out! Now! Right now! Get out of here!"
"You think I want to stay here? If it weren't for bringing Regulus home, I wouldn't bother coming back to this godforsaken place."
After saying that, Sirius Black quickly walked towards the stairwell.
"You...you..." Mrs. Black stared fiercely at his back.
"Mistress..." Kreacher asked timidly, "Kreacher, Kreacher wants to go up..."
"Go if you want." Mrs. Black suddenly remembered something and immediately changed her mind, saying, "No, you go with them and keep an eye on them for me. Don't let my unfilial son take anything from the house."
Kreacher quickly bowed and said, "Yes, mistress, Kreacher will keep a close eye on Sirius Black."
It snapped its fingers lightly and then appeared on the third-floor staircase.
Sirius Black was at the very front, glanced at it.
He said nothing and continued walking upstairs.
The fifth floor of the Black Ancestral Home has only two rooms, which belong to the two sons of the family.
A dusty sign hung on the door facing the stairs. Harry reached out and gently wiped it, revealing Sirius Black's name.
Nearly twenty years after leaving home, Mrs. Black still kept this room.
Sirius Black was at the very front, stopped in front of another door.
There was also a sign hanging on the door, which was not only free of dust but also looked exceptionally grand, indicating that Kreacher cleaned it regularly.
Vincent and Harry looked at the sign from afar, then exchanged a knowing glance.
The handwritten letters and text on the sign reminded them both of Percy.
"Entry is prohibited without permission. Regulus Arcturus Black"
Sirius Black gently opened the door, turning to face the three before entering. "I estimate it will take quite a while. You can wait for me in my room."
"Okay," Harry replied, returning to the stairwell and eagerly opening the door.
Kreacher looked left and right outside, and finally chose to go into Regulus's room.
The room was spotless, with Slytherin green and silver accents everywhere. The Black Family crest and the motto "Forever Pure" were meticulously engraved on the headboard, and a long desk next to it was covered with many yellowed newspaper clippings.
Sirius Black gently placed Regulus on the bed. "Welcome home, my good brother, Regulus."
Kreacher stood timidly in the corner by the door. "Sirius Black, Kreacher... Kreacher wants to change Young Master Regulus's clothes."
Sirius Black nodded with his back to it.
That black robe, torn to shreds by the Inferi, was indeed quite inappropriate; Regulus must have disliked it greatly.
As Kreacher opened the wardrobe to pick out clothes, Sirius Black's gaze fell on the desk.
The clippings were pasted together into irregular collages, all about Voldemort.
"This fool..." Sirius Black reached out and pulled open the top drawer, inside which were some leftover materials from making the locket box.
The drawer below contained an old textbook, along with a quill pen and an ink bottle.
He picked up the old textbook, and there was another book underneath it.
A magic book, a magic book exuding an ominous aura, "The Secrets of the Darkest Art".
Sirius Black saw a green snake-shaped tag on the book, and he forced himself to open it despite his discomfort.
With just one glance, his expression turned extremely unpleasant.
The above content is an introduction to Horcrux and their manufacturing methods.