Chapter 206: Funeral (Part 2)

Around noon, the snow stopped at just the right moment, and a sorrowful melody began to play.

In the garden, at the spot where a fountain used to be, sat a group of oddly dressed people. They were clad in flowing black robes and were playing mournful music, with peculiar hats resembling bird nests perched on their heads. 

Most striking of all, the tops of their hats were shaped like Augurey birds.

The Augurey bird, a creature that resembled a vulture, bore an air of melancholy, and its cry was piercingly mournful, enough to break one's heart. 

Although the birds atop the performers' hats lacked such magical power, they would occasionally emit sorrowful cries in sync with the music, causing a shiver to run through the listeners.

Sirius Black carried Regulus's body, and slowly walked down the aisle between the seats.

The crowd maintained a solemn demeanor; even Draco Malfoy, for once, conducted himself with decorum.

Sirius placed the body on a long, brown table. Black velvet fabric slipped naturally aside, revealing Regulus's pale face.

A faint stir rippled through the crowd.

Dumbledore had already dispelled the necromantic curse that had turned Regulus into an Inferius, and under the effects of magic, the body had remained relatively unchanged.

He lay quietly on the table, face-up. Apart from the lifeless pallor of his face, he looked almost exactly as he had when alive. His black hair fell smoothly around his head, cascading onto the table.

Soft sobbing arose from the crowd.

Wade looked over and saw Andromeda covering her face and crying quietly. Tonks and her husband, Ted, stood by her side to comfort her.

Regulus's other cousin, Narcissa, did not cry aloud, but her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and her expression was filled with grief.

Sirius stood in front of the body and spoke in a low voice:

"Today, with a heavy and sorrowful heart, I hold a funeral for my brother, Regulus Black."

"Many of you might still remember Regulus. Unlike me, who liked to show off my abilities, he was a quiet and gentle person. He cared deeply for our parents and family. Even towards a humble house-elf, he always extended the utmost respect and kindness."

Kreacher suddenly gasped and collapsed onto the ground. He didn't cry out openly, but his small frame trembled violently.

No one paid much attention to the house-elf in the corner.

Sirius continued:

"I've known Regulus since I was a year and a half old. I once thought I knew him very well—our entire family hailed from Slytherin and was raised on pure-blood supremacy ideology."

"My parents always told us that Muggles were an inferior race and that anyone associating with them wasn't worthy of being called a Black. The burned names on the family tree—each one was a pure-blood traitor who didn't uphold the family's honor."

Among the guests, some nodded in agreement, while others frowned in discomfort and were nearly unable to restrain themselves from speaking up.

However, Sirius didn't look at anyone's expressions. His gaze was somewhat vacant, as though lost in memories of the past.

"Of course, I thought all of that was nonsense, which is why I escaped from that suffocating, insane family. 

But I also believed my brother was thoroughly brainwashed, a devout believer in pure-blood supremacy. When he joined the Death Eaters, I was even more convinced of it."

"We were both Blacks, born of the same parents, but we stood on opposite sides. Regulus... he served an evil dark wizard, Voldemort. He was one of the executioners harming innocent people... That's always how I saw him."

In the crowd, some people grew uneasy at Sirius's direct mention of Voldemort's name, and glanced around nervously as though hoping someone would stop him.

Others, like Lucius Malfoy, turned pale and were seemingly about to speak, but Narcissa grabbed his arm firmly, silencing him.

"But I was wrong."

Sirius's throat bobbed as he struggled to find his voice. He paused for several seconds, took a deep breath before continuing, under the astonished gazes of the crowd.

"Regulus once blindly believed in the pure-blood ideals our parents instilled in him. He once idolized Voldemort and took pride in joining the Death Eaters. But after witnessing Voldemort's cruelty firsthand, Regulus woke up."

"He realized Voldemort's wrongs and resolved to oppose the Dark Lord. To bring about Voldemort's death, he was willing to sacrifice his own life… and so he perished, barely an adult."

"Before deciding to face death, Regulus told no one of his plans, not even our parents. After his death, no one knew what he had done. He died in silence, in an unremarkable corner of the world..."

"Thirteen years later, when we found his body… I realized that Regulus was incredibly brave. His courage exceeded my imagination, and his compassion was something I could never hope to match."

Out of respect for Wade and Lupin's wishes, Sirius refrained from mentioning their names but expressed gratitude for Dumbledore's assistance.

Standing at the forefront of the crowd, the Hogwarts headmaster was dusted with a light layer of snow atop his silver-white hair.

Although Sirius was vague about how Regulus "opposed Voldemort to the point of death," Dumbledore's presence lent credibility. No one in the crowd doubted the truth of the matter.

"No wonder..."

Lucius Malfoy instinctively clutched his left arm, as though recalling the searing pain of Voldemort's summons.

Narcissa, on the other hand, clenched her fingers tightly, and her already pale face became as white as paper.

Draco Malfoy, however, wore an expression of displeasure and muttered words like "pure-blood traitor" under his breath.

He wanted to leave, but since his parents had not spoken, he had no choice but to stand obediently. However, he no longer paid attention to what Sirius was saying.

Sirius's eulogy came to an end, followed by Dumbledore. The headmaster once again emphasized Regulus's sacrifice and courage, expressing his regret that he had not taken the time to truly know this student while he was still alive.

Dumbledore's words served as the final affirmation of Regulus's actions and legacy, leaving no room for doubt among the crowd.

After that, no one else spoke.

Sirius placed Regulus into the coffin. With the help of several wizards related to the family by marriage, he carried the coffin to the wooded area at the back of the garden.

There lay a secluded cemetery, where generations of the Black family ancestors were buried. Rows of silent white tombstones bore witness as they laid the coffin in the pre-selected spot.

Many wizards drew their wands, and softly chanted spells. The coffin slowly sank into the ground as the surrounding soil swirled upward, covering it completely. A marble tomb soon formed over the burial site.

Golden flames suddenly flared, and danced across the tombstone's surface. Quickly, they etched a line of text into the stone:

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

[ 1961–1979]

[ "Courage is a fearless strength."]

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