The Third Horcrux

23rd Dec 1992

Carter Residence

"....so there we were, having a great time; when Snape barges in with Filch in tow." Sirius animatedly narrated to the listeners. "We spent the next evening scrubbing every item in the trophy room, muggle style. But we got him back for that! Oh yes, poor Snivellus never saw the firecracker heading for his beloved cauldron the next day. He got hit with a faceful of his own Swelling solution. You should've seen his beaky nose, it got as big as a quaffle!"

We were at the dinner table, where Sirius was entertaining us with tales of his schoolboy tomfoolery. The adults in the room looked mildly disapproving, while Rachel and Harry seemed to be greatly enjoying his stories.

"Can Dobby get you anything else, master Ben?" sounded a cheerful calm voice.

Looking over my shoulder, I beheld the sight of the new Dobby. The old pillowcase from his days of serving the Malfoys now being a distant memory, the house-elf was dressed in a tiny but surprisingly crisp three-piece suit under which he wore a white wing collar shirt and tie. Completing the ensemble was a pair of polished formal black shoes covering his feet. But the biggest change was in his comportment.

Gone was the cringing and broken-down demeanor, replaced by a look of cool confidence and the barest hint of haughtiness. This was all thanks to the blessings of good old television and the wonders done by Jeeves and Wooster (Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie).

Not that it was easy getting him to sit in front of the TV. Poor guy was terrified that the "talking box" was going to swallow him whole and then imprison him with the other people and creatures in its belly. It took a lot of convincing that he was not meant to be a house-elf sacrifice to the Box of Doom for him to finally watch the show without fidgeting, and learn how proper butlers were supposed to behave. The result was Dobby 2.0.

"No, thank you, Dobby," I said. "Excellent dinner, by the way."

"Thank you, sir. It was Dobby's pleasure," he said with a faint smile.

"Did Snape hate all the Gryffindors, or was it just you and my dad?" Harry asked Sirius.

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances.

"Well....there's no denying that relations between Gryffindors and Slytherins at the time were strained, to say the least," said Remus diplomatically. "Still, Snape never missed a chance to hex your father, and James retaliated in kind."

"But why?" Harry asked confusedly. "Why did Snape hate my dad so much?"

"Because he was a jealous git," replied Sirius. "James was everything Snape ever wanted to be - he was popular, he was good at quidditch, good at pretty much everything."

"Oh please, Sirius. The biggest point of contention between James and Severus wasn't about which one of them was more popular," Mum said dismissively. "And it certainly wasn't about quidditch."

"What then?" asked Harry.

"It was about Lily." She informed him.

"My mum?" Harry looked at her uncomprehendingly. "What's this got to do with her?"

"Well, you may not know this, but Severus was one of the first friends Lily made in our world," she answered. "In fact, I believe they met before starting Hogwarts."

"....okay, but what does that have to do with Snape hating my dad?" frowned Harry.

"Because Lily was a beautiful girl, Harry." She smiled. "And James made it clear that he liked her."

Harry stared at her for a few moments, before he understood what she meant.

"Hang on. Are you... are you saying that Snape fancied my mother?" He asked in disbelief.

Mum and dad chuckled at his words, as did Remus.

"It was clear to anyone who saw them...well, it's clear to us now," said dad. "James was always trying to impress Lily, while Severus kept trying to show her that James wasn't as cool as everyone thought he was."

"So she picked dad over Snape?" said Harry.

"It didn't come to that," said Sirius. "Snape self-sabotaged, you see...fell in with a bad lot. There was an incident in our fifth year after which she cut ties with him and they went their separate ways. Lily and James started dating in seventh year, once he started being a bit more responsible."

Harry looked relieved hearing this.

"So dad fell for mum first?" he asked with a smile.

All the adults laughed out loud.

"That's an understatement, kiddo," said Sirius. "James was head over heels in love with Lily. You wouldn't believe all the stupid things he did to get her attention."

"Lily was beautiful, smart and funny. But deep down, I think it had more to do with the fact that she treated him like a normal guy, whereas every other girl only saw him as the handsome quidditch player," said Remus.

"Remember the great Muggle Experience of '76, Remus?" laughed Sirius. His fellow Marauder chuckled.

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"After our fifth year, James became convinced that the reason Lily wasn't interested in him was because she was muggleborn and he knew nothing about muggles," said Sirius. "So we spent that summer in London, trying to figure out what muggle teenagers were like. It didn't help James in wooing Lily so much, but we gained a new appreciation for muggle pop culture and technology."

I perked up on hearing that.

"You're familiar with muggle technology?" I asked.

"Oh yeah! I even bought a motorbike...a beautiful black Triumph Bonneville T120," he said with a nostalgic smile. "I laid all kinds of charms on that old girl. It could even fly!"

"Interesting. And did you ever go to an Arcade?" I said.

"Of course. It was one of the first places we went to, beside The Cinema," he said cheerfully.

"Hmm...Well then, I have a proposition for you, Sirius. You too, Remus," I said, leaning back into the chair.

"Really?" Sirius said with a light-hearted smile as everyone looked at me. "Alright, lay it on me."

"I'm thinking about opening an Arcade in Hogsmeade." I told them. "It'll be great for the students visiting on the weekends. I need a couple of people to man the shop. Since you haven't picked a place yet, why not live in the village for a while?"

He looked at me closely and seemed to genuinely consider my words. I went on.

"You and Remus could get a couple of rooms on the top floor and run the business downstairs. You could even go up to the school and watch the quidditch matches whenever you want." I pitched the idea.

Sirius and Remus both looked at each other. The two old friends seemed to communicate without words, before Remus turned to me.

"It's a great idea, Ben," he said. "Give us a few days to think it over and we'll get back to you."

"Sure. I wasn't expecting an answer right now, anyway." I smiled. "Just let me know what you think before the end of the holidays."

He nodded and we went back to our meal. No more words were spoken on the topic, but the look in Sirius' eyes told me that the Arcade might be up and running soon.

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28th Dec 1992

Carter Residence

Christmas came and went in a haze of snow, laughter, eggnog and flying wrapping paper. Everyone had been in such a great mood, especially Sirius. The man had been going around the house, singing carols! But now that the fun was over, it was time to get down to business.

"Sirius?" I called, standing outside the tent laid out on our snow-covered lawn.

A moment later, the flaps of the tent moved aside and his head poked out.

"Hey, Ben," said Sirius. "What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you about something," I said.

"Sure. Come on in." He stepped aside and invited me in.

The drawing room I emerged in had walls of soft ivory and warm taupe. Deep tufted velvet sofas in navy blue filled the room along with a wooden coffee table that served as a focal point. A crystal chandelier provided the room with soft lighting, while a handwoven wool rug added warmth and texture underfoot.

Sirius touched a rune by the door and the tent flaps sealed themselves, preventing the cold winds from following us inside. I found Remus sitting there on a couch. There was an open bottle of Firewhiskey and two glasses on the coffee table.

"Would you like something to drink?" said Sirius.

"No thanks. I'm fine." I said, taking a seat.

"Okay. So, what do you want to talk about?" said Sirius, sitting down beside Harry. "Oh, by the way, we have decided to take you up on that offer," he said before I could start. "I think it would be great to spend some time in Hogsmeade. And I will get to see my godson on the weekends, so win-win." He smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that," I said with a smile. "Now, I need you to do something for me, Sirius."

"Of course. Anything," he said simply.

"I need you to call your house-elf, Kreacher here," I said seriously.

Sirius stared at me for a full five seconds.

"....Okaaay," he said slowly, as if unsure of what he had just heard. "I was...not expecting that. Why do you need to see Kreacher? In fact, how do you even know about him at all?" He frowned.

"Same way I knew you were innocent," I said. "Same way I know Remus became afflicted with Lycanthropy when Fenrir Greyback attacked him as a child."

As I said those words, all the blood drained from Remus' face in an instant. He looked stricken, as if I'd just slapped him.

"Oh relax, Remus. I don't care that you're a werewolf," I assured him. "And Harry won't either as soon as you explain your circumstances to him."

I then told them both about my supposed prophetic visions... about how I'd seen their pasts and possible futures.

"Remarkable," Sirius said after a while. "How far back did you see?"

"You met James Potter and Severus Snape on your first train ride to Hogwarts." I told Sirius. Turning to Remus, I said, "Professor Dumbledore planted the Whomping Willow to grant you secure passage to the Shrieking Shack."

Sirius and Remus shared amazed looks, before the former turned back to me.

"Alright then, I guess I'll call that old deranged elf," Sirius said in a resigned voice. "But can you tell me what this is about?"

"Do you know what a horcrux is?" I asked.

Remus looked blankly back at me, but Sirius' face darkened in recognition.

"Unfortunately, yes," he said. "The Black library back in Grimmauld Place was chock full of references to stuff like that. Thankfully, I never saw one in person. Why?"

"Before his fall, Voldemort made six horcruxes," I said to Sirius' horror. "It's the reason why he's still alive after his body got annihilated by that rebounding Killing Curse. Dumbledore and I have already destroyed two of those horcruxes. One of them is with Kreacher at Grimmauld Place."

"What?!" he yelled out in disbelief. "How?! Why would Kreacher have one of Voldemort's horcruxes on him?" He asked.

"Why don't you ask him?" I said simply.

Sirius held my gaze for a moment before he turned to the side and called out in a clear loud voice. "Kreacher!"

There was a loud crack and a house-elf appeared covered in grimy rags. He looked very old; with pale skin hanging off him in folds and white hair sprouting copiously from his bat-like ears. His eyes were a bloodshot and watery gray and his nose was large and rather snout-like.

"Master," he croaked, bowing low and continuing in an undertone he thought no one could hear, "Back from Azkaban, I see. Oh, how Kreacher wished he were still rotting there. Oh my poor mistress, what would she say if she saw Kreacher serving him, how she hated him, what a disappointment he was...."

"Stand up straight," said Sirius impatiently, and Kreacher followed instantly. He glowered at the elf for a moment before continuing, "This is Benjamin Carter. He has some questions for you, and you'll answer them truthfully. Do you understand?"

"Yes Master," he said, bowing again then muttering furiously, "Master is an ungrateful swine who broke my poor Mistress' heart..."

"Kreacher...," I interrupted before Sirius could blow up. "...before he died, Regulus gave you one last job - to destroy a locket. Did you manage to do that?"

Whatever Kreacher had been expecting, this was not it. He straightened to look at me full in the face with his bloodshot eyes. For a moment, there was silence. He closed his eyes and began gulping for air, shivering and swaying, his hollow chest rising and falling rapidly. Then his eyes flew open and he let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Kreacher could not! Kreacher did wrong. Kreacher failed in his orders!"

I telekinetically pulled him away just as he lunged for the coffee table and started banging his head on its leg.

"Let Kreacher go! Kreacher deserves to be punished! Kreacher failed to destroy the locket - Master Regulus' locket." he wailed piteously.

"Kreacher, I order you to stay still!" Sirius bellowed.

I felt the elf freeze and released him. He lay flat on the floor, tears gushing from his sagging eyes.

"You called the locket Master Regulus'," said Sirius. "Why? Where did it come from? What did Regulus have to do with it? Sit up and tell me everything you know about this locket, and everything Regulus had to do with it!"

Kreacher sat up, curled into a ball, placed his wet face between his knees and began telling the tale of Regulus Arcturus Black.