Setting Out for Home, Discussing What Comes Next / Enemies Meet at a Funeral

"Harry!!"

Harry couldn't continue speaking because the worried girl had forcefully thrown herself into his arms.

"Hermione..."

Harry's smile gradually turned into apology; he had worried her once again.

He said nothing, but simply held the girl tightly in his arms, gently feeling her trembling...

(P. S. Hmm... I've always felt that Fiendfyre is a perfect counter to Inferi, but unfortunately, Dark Magic is ultimately not favored by righteous people~)

Chapter 525 Setting off home to discuss funeral arrangements

"Alright, I'm fine now."

Harry hugged Hermione and comforted her for a while. Seeing that everyone was looking at them with concern, he gently patted Hermione on the back.

"Yes, I know... you'll be alright!"

Although Hermione hadn't completely calmed down, she knowingly let go of Harry, though she still held his hand tightly.

Her fingertips were icy cold, as if covered with a fine layer of sweat. Harry noticed this and quickly put his hands together to gently warm them.

Their every move was natural; they had gone through so many dangers together that they understood each other without needing to say a word.

Waiting, staying by your side, never abandoning you...

That's all.

"Harry, how did you escape from that cave?" Sirius also came over at this moment, looking at his godson with lingering fear, very worried that something might have happened to Harry.

"With Fiendfyre," Harry explained matter-of-factly. "I set off a Dark Magic fire and burned all the Inferi that had rushed onto the island. Actually, I had planned to do this a long time ago, which is why I had Kreacher prepare and take you away in advance. After all, that magic doesn't discriminate between friend and foe."

There's no point in hiding the fact that he used Dark Magic; he has nothing to hide, and Sirius and Hermione wouldn't care anyway.

Furthermore, if there was truly any resentment, even if Harry kept it a secret, wouldn't people still start to think the worst?

"Anyway, it's good that you're back safe and sound." Dumbledore added a word of concern, but didn't say anything more, nor did he bring up the reason why the Inferi were frightened.

Although Harry would eventually find out, he didn't want to talk to Harry directly, lest he reveal something.

Although he didn't fully believe the Death statue's words, Dumbledore's feelings towards Harry were indeed more complex... especially when it came to the Deathly Hallows.

He also remembered the memories Herbert Vani had revealed to him, in the 'past' when Harry had solemnly warned him never to pursue the Deathly Hallows.

So, was Harry truly acting in his own best interest, or, as Death suggested... did he actually want to possess the Deathly Hallows?

But why did he destroy the Elder Wand...?

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Headmaster." Harry gave Dumbledore a deep look, but also chose not to elaborate.

There was no need for detailed investigation; once the dust settled, Harry immediately concluded that Dumbledore was the one who disturbed the lake.

Of the four present, Sirius and Hermione trust him absolutely and would never disobey his orders on important matters, while Kreacher would not act without instructions. So who else could it be but Albus Dumbledore?

But he and Hermione can talk about this privately when they get back; there's no point in arguing with Albus Dumbledore now.

"By the way, Godfather, look who I've brought back!"

Having figured this out, Harry smiled and waved his hand, placing Regulus's body in front of Sirius.

"This is... it's Regulus! It's Regulus!!"

"Young Master Regulus!!"

Upon seeing Regulus's corpse, the Black family masters and servants could no longer control their emotions.

Sirius first fell to the ground in surprise, hugging Regulus tightly in his arms, but then let out a heart-wrenching cry, as if he wanted to release all the sadness he had accumulated over the past ten years.

He had been holding back from asking about Regulus because he was worried about Harry, but now he no longer needed to restrain himself.

Kreacher, meanwhile, lay prostrate on Regulus's calves, kowtowing and weeping uncontrollably.

"Don't be too sad, Sirius... At least Regulus was lucky; he didn't become one of those Inferi."

Dumbledore went over to comfort them, but it didn't seem to work; Sirius and Kreacher were still sobbing painfully.

"That's enough, Godfather... let's take him home."

Harry's voice was also low; the sorrowful atmosphere was tormenting him, and he involuntarily tightened his grip on Hermione's hand.

He wasn't afraid of corpses, but he was terrified of important people turning into corpses before his eyes...

"That's right! Home... Regulus, let's go home!"

Harry's words were like a wake-up call. Sirius didn't even have time to wipe away his tears before he forcefully lifted Regulus off the ground.

"Kreacher, take us home!"

"Yes, sir! Kreacher will do as you say. He can finally bring young Master Regulus home!!"

Amidst cries and screams, the House-elf used Apparition, leading the group away from the sorrowful reef.

Overall, the trip to the Horcrux Cavern went smoothly. Harry and the others not only retrieved the replica of Regulus's pendant, but most importantly, they found his body.

After returning to 12 Grimmauld Place, Kreacher wept bitterly over Regulus's body, while Sirius, suppressing his grief, discussed the funeral arrangements with the others.

They certainly couldn't invite Regulus's Death Eater friends; and Sirius's side probably only wanted to call Lupin.

However, everyone was still caught in a dilemma, because Sirius's generation did indeed still have relatives.

The Tonks mother and daughter, Narcissa Malfoy, and Bellatrix Lestrange Lestrange, who is still imprisoned in Azkaban... except, of course, for this Death Eater madwoman.

"I don't care about the Tonks and their mother. Although Andromeda married a wizard of ordinary birth a long time ago and her name was removed from the family tree, she will always be my favorite sister," Sirius said in a deep voice. "But Narcissa Malfoy, she's not one of us!"

"What do you think, Headmaster?" Harry posed the question to Dumbledore, the oldest person present.

He himself was not interested in getting involved in the affairs of such an ancient family, and even scoffed at the discussion itself.

To reiterate, these Pure-blood ancient races in the Wizarding World are truly the epitome of feudalism, and it's precisely this kind of behavior that Harry despises the most.

"I think we should just write a letter to let them know, and let them choose whether to come or not," Dumbledore. "Even if they are from a collateral branch, they are still the only remaining family member, and we must not be prejudiced against them."

"Let's do it this way... Harry, could you write them a letter for me? I'd like to spend some more time with Regulus..."

"Good."

Harry nodded slightly; to be honest, he felt a little uneasy.

He had personally tortured Lucius Malfoy to death, and now he had to write to his wife, asking her to attend the funeral of her ancestral family. Wasn't this some kind of meeting between enemies?

However, Harry didn't feel any guilt about it. As the saying goes, every villain has his own villain to deal with, Lucius Malfoy would eventually find his own way to die.

If Death won't take him, Harry will. Killing him isn't a big deal.

Chapter 526 At the Funeral, Enemies Meet

As dusk fell, at the Black family cemetery, those attending the funeral were bidding Regulus their final farewell.

Wizarding World families often have their own cemeteries, Black family is no exception. Their cemetery is hidden in a lush, green area on the outskirts of London.

This place is also under Banishing Charm; ordinary people cannot see it, and only wizards with magical powers can set foot here.

This cemetery is also very old, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, making it older than the seven major cemeteries in the city of London.

However, as the Black family gradually declined, the cemetery became overgrown with weeds due to neglect.

The cemetery is densely packed with countless tombstones, which are even more weathered than those in Godric's Hollow. Many of the names on the tombstones are no longer legible.

However, the lines of the Black family motto, 'Forever Pure,' written in French, seem completely untouched by the passage of time, remaining crystal clear and radiant.

It should be said that the Black family has truly taken this ancestral motto to the extreme.

For example, Sirius's parents, Orion Black and Walburga Black, were actually incestuous; Sirius's mother was his father's cousin... They grew up together, and Walburga Black never changed her surname.

In this respect, the only family that can rival them is the Gaunt family, which Harry learned about during his research.

Looking at the past and the present situation, it's hard to say whether to feel sentimental or ironic.

"Padfoot, don't be too sad... your brother Regulus, he was a hero worthy of respect."

Lupin, still looking frail, put his arm around Sirius's shoulder in comfort. He had been keeping a close eye on the group's cave adventure, so he had come with Tonks as soon as he received the letter.

Not far from him stood a middle-aged woman whose face looked very similar to Tonks.

That was Tonks' mother, Andromeda Tonks, who also had the surname Black before she got married.

She was holding a white lily in her hands, clearly intending it to bid farewell to Regulus, the youngest brother in the family.

Harry, Hermione, and Dumbledore stood aside; they were complete outsiders at the funeral.

"Kreacher, let's begin. She probably won't be coming..."

Sirius glanced sadly at Regulus lying peacefully in the tomb, and decided to stop waiting for Narcissa Malfoy, who had yet to appear.

He gently roused Kreacher, who was kneeling beside him, and together they picked up the shovels used for filling the earth...

"Wait a minute, I'm coming."

But just then, a noblewoman dressed in black gauze with a sinister expression quietly appeared at the entrance of the cemetery.

Narcissa Malfoy... If Harry hadn't known her identity beforehand, he would have thought he was seeing Lucius's younger sister.

She looked so much like her husband, with the same pale, drowning-like complexion, the same long, flowing blond hair, and the same almost identical arrogance on her face.

Of course, perhaps because of the loss of her husband, her face looked much more haggard, and there were obvious crow's feet at the corners of her eyes. Her overall demeanor was even overshadowed by the older Andromeda.

"Sirius, I heard you found Regulus's body..."

Narcissa Malfoy hurried into the crowd, her eyes instinctively glancing at Regulus in the coffin, her body swaying slightly involuntarily.

As the youngest child in the Black family, and a Death Eater hero with lofty ideals, Regulus was clearly closer to Narcissa's side.

Narcissa also struggled to accept his death for a long time.

She couldn't understand how Regulus, the hope of his family and a promising young Death Eater, could have died so mysteriously for betraying the Dark Lord!

Just as she was about to succumb to sadness, a person with an even stronger presence irresistibly drew Narcissa's attention.

She glanced furtively at the corner and caught sight of Harry standing between Hermione and the headmaster. A surge of hatred welled up inside her.

"Um?"

Harry, who was quite knowledgeable about emotions, sensed something was amiss, but before he could investigate further, the cunning woman immediately turned her head away, giving Harry no chance to catch a glimpse of her gaze or expression.

After that, with a questioning expression, she approached Sirius again from her superior position.

"Your brother... how exactly did he die?"

"He died fighting against Voldemort!" Sirius straightened his back, even raising his chin high, as if he were taking pride in his brother's place. "Voldemort was defeated by him, even though the villain himself didn't know it. Regulus defeated him with his life!"

"Sirius, I didn't come here to listen to your boasting!" Narcissa's gloomy face flashed with anger. "Kreacher, tell me!"

"It was in a lake. Mistress... Kreacher escaped from the Dark Lord's clutches, but Master Regulus..."

"Kreacher, shut up!"

Seeing that Kreacher would actually answer Narcissa's question respectfully, Sirius roared to stop him and grabbed a shovel to cover the coffin with the first handful of soil.

"Narcissa Malfoy, now that you're here, please attend the funeral properly!"

"That's right...and I think Regulus wouldn't want you causing such a scene at his funeral."

Andromeda calmly retorted to Narcissa. She was Narcissa's second sister. Although the sisters were now practically estranged, Narcissa didn't dare to put on airs in front of her.

After that, no one spoke in the cemetery. They simply watched Sirius and Kreacher bury Regulus's coffin shovel by shovel and erect a rather simple tombstone for him.

As for the epitaph on the tombstone, Sirius did it himself, carefully carving Regulus's last words on it stroke by stroke.

To him, that was his brother's greatest achievement in his life, and he would not change a single word of it!

'Horcrux...'

Narcissa seemed lost in thought as she looked at the words on the epitaph.

But then she discovered another problem.