R.A.B

Compared to the locket Allen had taken out before—the one truly inherited from Salazar Slytherin himself—this one was neither as large nor marked with the same patterns, and it lacked Slytherin's distinctive ornate "S." The locket sprang open. Inside, there was nothing but a folded piece of parchment stuffed tightly where a portrait should have been.

Allen took out the parchment, swept his eyes quickly over the writing on it, then looked up at Sirius Black and the others. "This is Regulus's final handwriting."

Hermione, who was standing beside Allen, took the note of her own accord. She smoothed out the creases with her hand, spread it on the pedestal, and read the writing aloud: "To the Dark Lord

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."

After reading it, Hermione looked at the note again, admiration showing in her eyes. "Regulus was very likely the first person to discover that You-Know-Who had made Horcruxes. He risked death to switch out the real Horcrux. This Slytherin had Gryffindor's courage and Ravenclaw's wisdom."

"I was so terribly wrong, Regulus." Sirius Black slammed his fist onto the Stone Basin, the remorse and guilt churning in his heart surging even harder. He was filled with regret. "I knew you sacrificed yourself to resist You-Know-Who, but I never imagined it was to destroy one of his Horcruxes. I used to call you an idiot all the time, but I was the ignorant one. You were a hero."

"Stupid old Kreacher... What has Kreacher done?