Locket

What are these?

"It's all gold!"

"Why is there another pair of old pants?" Ron, with his sharp eyes, was immediately drawn to some Winky trinkets and coins in the inner corner.

"There's a picture of my mother," Draco said, pointing to a silver frame. The person in the black and white photo looked at Draco haughtily, as if she didn't recognize her son.

The next second, Draco couldn't help but shake his head. When this photo was taken, his mother probably didn't even know his father, let alone him.

"Is this the guy with dark skin, puffy eyelids, and a wide chin?" Ron said.

He always manages to say things that shock people.

"You forgot?" Harry looked at Ron in surprise.

They even met Malfoy's mother a while ago; at that time, she had the same blond hair and fair skin as the Malfoy family.

However, this also led him to discover a blind spot: the Black House's appearance didn't have the same distinctive features as the Weasley, Potter, and Malfoy.

The people in these photos are of different races, and their features are not as delicate as Sirius and Draco's mother.

Although these are black and white photos, you can clearly see the layers in the hair, and even the hair color is different.

Just as Harry was lost in his thoughts, a voice rang out.

It was Draco; it took him a moment to realize what Ron had said.

His attention seemed to have been focused on the teenage version of his mother.

"Ron Weasley!" Draco jumped on Ron and retaliated by choking him a few times.

"You've met my mother!"

"This is clearly Bellatrix Lestrange."

"My aunt—a notorious Death Eaters," Draco said with a disdainful tone.

Although he had never met this aunt, his mother and father always spoke of her with an expression as if she were talking about a lunatic.

She has many 'great achievements,' the most famous being the Cruciatus Curse she inflicted on Neville's parents, driving them insane.

"Her? I was wondering why she had such an annoying face."

"She's disgusting at this point," Ron apologized first, then complained.

Clearly, even if Ron had never met this Death Eaters, just hearing the name made him aware of the bloodshed and turmoil behind it.

What is that?

"I think I've seen it in the living room," Ron said, pointing to a gold Locket.

The Locket Winky, and inlaid with equally Winky emeralds that formed a serpentine 'S'.

"This is the Sirius was about to throw away, but Kreacher picked it up again," Harry said.

He glanced at it casually, but for some reason—knock knock!

The icy sensation from the scar on his head, along with the strange heat surging from his heart, swept through his entire body.

This is the feeling you only get when you see Voldemort!

"This!"

"This is Slytherin's Locket!" Draco exclaimed in surprise.

"Slytherin?" Harry asked in a slightly hoarse voice.

He was curious whether this feeling had nothing to do with Voldemort, or whether it was directed at someone or something related to Slytherin.

After all, there was something he hadn't told anyone else: he was Parseltongue.

Moreover, he learned from Ryan that Potter and Gaunt were also distant relatives.

Crack!

Kreacher has appeared!

He was thin and small, only half a person's height, with pale skin that folded down, and a lot of white hairs sticking out of his bat-like ears.

He was still wearing the same dirty rag he wore when they first met him.

But now, his expression is completely different from when we first met or even during our brief time together afterward.

"Get away from it!" Kreacher practically yelled.

Moreover, this reply was completely unlike that of House-elf.

He didn't bring his own name, and even if he had looked down on Ron before, he wouldn't have been so rude.

Ron is, after all, Pure-blood and related to the Black House by blood. He should at least say something like "son of Pure-blood traitor."

Ron noticed this too, "Kreacher?"

"You?"

"Stay away from what?"

Draco nudged Ron. "I think it's Locket."

"We'll leave now," Draco continued.

Ron nodded after regaining his senses. After all, this was Kreacher's little place, and it was already quite impolite to enter without permission.

"Harry?" Ron looked at his friend in confusion.

He remained motionless, as if his feet were rooted to the ground.

Even more strangely, Kreacher's ugly old face showed a struggling expression.

It seemed as if another version of himself was struggling against him. "Harry Potter can stay."

"Old Kreacher had no choice; he had to carry out Young Master Regulus's orders."

"Can Harry Potter destroy it? Just like defeating that person?" Kreacher stared wide-eyed, his gray eyes somehow evoking a sense of pity.

"Harry, we should go." Draco took Harry's right hand.

He felt it was dangerous, and why would anyone want to destroy Slytherin's Locket?

Regulus was Sirius brother.

But he is Death Eaters.

How could the orders of the Death Eaters be good?

Perhaps this Locket is part of Hogwarts' defense magic.

Even if you absolutely have to destroy it, you should first go find Sirius.

"No, Draco, I don't think I can go," Harry said.

"It's so hot!" Draco released Harry's right hand.

Just a moment ago, he suddenly felt that Harry's hand was very hot.

So, with Ron and Draco worried and Kreacher expectant, Harry slowly walked toward the golden Locket.

"Open it," Harry said suddenly in a hissing voice.

"Harry, you Parseltongue!"

"How could this be!"

"Lord Regulus's orders! Kreacher— " Ron, Draco, Kreacher couldn't help but exclaim.

But for some reason, Harry didn't speak; he only felt a desire, a threatened desire, to attack it.

The small gold lid of the Locket clicked open.

Behind each of the two small glass windows, a living eye blinked, its black surface bright and alert.

At that moment, a voice hissed from the Horcrux, "I sense your desires."

For some reason, even though he was speaking Parseltongue, the same language as Harry, everyone present could clearly understand what he meant.

"Ron Weasley, you want to be as great as your father and become Prefect."

"Draco Malfoy, are you worried that your parents will side with Voldemort?"

"Kreacher, you want to destroy me, but I can make anything you want, including resurrecting Regulus."

"I can do anything for you, as long as you can stop Harry Potter."

Its eyes darted around, and its hissing sound seemed to possess a magical power that penetrated the heart, making people unable to help but submit to it.

Ron and Draco couldn't help but draw their wands, their hands trembling slightly.

Kreacher, however, stood behind Harry, his eyes brimming with tears.