Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 180

After saying goodbye to Remus, instead of going back to the Potter Manor, Sirius and Jenna Apparated to Grimmauld Place. Through the darkness of the night and hidden beneath the shadows of the long trees across the street, they looked around carefully to make sure it was safe to go on.

With that, the two made their way across the street and a few moments later, the building of number 12 appeared before them.

Sirius gave Jenna an encouraging nod, and so they slowly opened the door to the house, their wands at the ready in their hands. They looked inside cautiously, but no sound could be heard. The house was drowned in an eerie silence.

But just then, a figure jumped in front of the from inside a room nearby, her wand raised and ready to curse them.

"No! Hermione, wait! It's us! It's us!" Jenna yelled, raising her hands up defensively.

Hermione sighed in relief and lowered her arm. "Thank goodness."

Hermione then caught Jenna off guard when she ran forward and hugged her tightly. Smiling, Jenna wrapped her arms around the girl comfortingly.

After they pulled away, Hermione called, "Harry! Ron! Come down here!"

Moments later, they heard footsteps coming down the stairs, until Ron and Harry came to sight. After greeting each other, they all made their way down into the kitchen, sitting down.

"I'm just glad you kids are okay," said Jenna, though her thoughts hadn't calmed down yet.

"Look, I know Dumbledore told you not to tell anyone what you're up to and all," Sirius started, "but you know you can count on me and Jenna. If there's anything we can do —"

"Actually," Harry cut him off, now looking directly at Sirius, "there's something you can do for us."

Jenna and Sirius shared a curious look, and then Harry, Ron, and Hermione told them all about Horcruxes and the mission Dumbledore had set them. They told them about the Slytherin's locket, and how the one Harry and Dumbledore had found last year in Tom Riddle's cave was a fake. The fake locket had a note in it, from R.A.B, saying that he had stolen the real Horcrux and intended to destroy it.

"R.A.B?" Sirius repeated in a hollow voice. "No — but that's impossible — R.A.B is —"

"Regulus." Ron nodded. "We figured that after we came here. Saw his name on his bedroom's door."

"What?" Jenna exclaimed in surprise. "Are you saying that Regulus Black was the one who stole the real Horcrux?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. And Kreacher might know where it is right now. But the thing is, he won't answer to our summons. He's currently at Hogwarts. Only you can call him here, Sirius."

  Sirius frowned, still not over the shock of hearing about the Horcruxes. Defeating Voldemort was going to be harder than he'd thought. But at last he nodded, shouting loud and clear, "Kreacher!"

There was a loud crack and the house-elf appeared right before them. At the sight of Sirius, he bowed down deeply as the others got to their feet to get a better look.

"Master," Kreacher croaked.

"Harry has a question for you, Kreacher," said Sirius said rather harshly, "and I order you to answer it truthfully. You hear me?"

"Yes, Master," said Kreacher, bowing low again, the hatred obvious in his eyes.

Sirius nodded at Harry encouraging, and so the boy said, "Two years ago, there was a big gold locket in the drawing room upstairs. We threw it out. Did you steal it back?"