Regulus Black's funeral was held on the last day of the Easter holidays, in the garden of 12 Grimmauld Place. Kreacher wept bitterly throughout the funeral, and Sirius, whose bones had regrown, read the eulogy-though it was more an outpouring of his heart than a eulogy.
The Skele-Gro Moody had brought had mended his broken bones, while Kreacher's confession had given him "a fuller understanding of Regulus." "I always thought Regulus was a cowardly fool. No one can deny that his shallow understanding and the influence of his surroundings led him to do far, far too many wrong things. But at the very end, when he saw the truth, he still managed to come to his senses and do something brave and right.
"Regulus, I want to tell you that I once mocked you for your name. You bore the name of Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, yet foolishly walked a dark and misguided path. You were an absolute idiot.
"Now, all I want to say is that your heroic sacrifice has lit a Gubraithian fire in my heart-a torch enchanted with extremely advanced magic that can burn forever-shining with a light that will never go out.
"Some things are worth dying for. I'm glad we could share that understanding, my dear little brother, Regulus Black. Though it's a little late, I still wish you a smooth journey beyond death."
Dumbledore also attended the funeral.
After seeing the remains of the locket, he expressed his admiration for Regulus's actions and asked Kreacher exactly where the cave was. Though his expression barely changed, Brian would have sworn that Dumbledore had confirmed something important to himself.
A funeral was hardly the place to discuss business, so after returning to school that evening, Brian visited Dumbledore in the Headmaster's Office. He needed