"What is this?!"
Sirius and Lupin stared in shock at the coffin that had appeared in the room. What kind of decent person delivers a coffin in the middle of the night?
"Sirius, my condolences."
Tom patted Sirius, secretly sighing that fortunately, Cassandra had prepared the coffin in advance during the beginning of the school year. Although Draco was regretful it wasn't used then, at least it gave Regulus a dignified send-off now.
Hearing Tom's words, Sirius felt an inexplicable pang in his heart, and his hand, reaching for the coffin, trembled uncontrollably.
When Sirius used all his strength to open the lid and saw the person inside, he was struck as if by lightning.
"Regulus!!!"
"How could this be?!!!"
Facing Sirius's shocked, bewildered, confused, pained, and questioning gaze, Tom pulled out the locket Regulus had left behind from his pocket and handed it to Sirius: "This is Regulus's memento. He was a hero who sacrificed himself in the fight against dark forces."
Sirius tremblingly took the locket and examined it.
Tom didn't disturb Sirius. He turned to Lupin: "Remus, I'll have to trouble you to take good care of Sirius these next few days. As for Regulus's matter, perhaps you can ask the Black family's House-elf. He might know more clearly than I do."
Seeing Lupin nod, Tom turned and left. He really wasn't suited to stay in such a situation.
Before leaving, Tom thoughtfully repaired the damaged door.
The moment the door closed, Tom heard Sirius's uncontrollable wails from inside the room.
Sighing lightly, Tom felt a strange bitterness in his heart.
Separation by life and death is the most helpless; eternal separation is the most painful.
In this situation, Tom wouldn't cause trouble. After all, he had a bottom line as a person.
...
Harry suddenly noticed that some of his good friends at school had been exceptionally warm to him these past few days.
Not only did they constantly send Harry snacks, toys, and small gifts, their eyes were full of sympathy, and they specifically told Ron to take good care of him.
Harry was annoyed by this series of changes and asked Ron, only to find out he knew nothing at all.
Unable to bear it any longer, Harry cornered Tom's trio.
"Tom, Draco, and Cassandra, do you know what's been happening recently? Why is everyone treating me like this?"
Tom patted Harry: "Harry, my condolences."
"Huh?"
Harry froze for a moment, then looked at Tom nervously, afraid Tom would say a certain name: "Did someone pass away?"
"It's Sirius…"
Tom paused slightly here.
Hearing that name, Harry almost fainted. Just as he was about to press for what had happened, he heard Tom continue.
"…'s brother."
"…"
Harry felt his fists clench. Couldn't he just speak normally? But…
"How is Sirius now? He must be very sad. Can I go see him?"
"It's best not to, because seeing you, Sirius would only pretend to be strong, and what he needs most right now is to properly vent his suppressed emotions."
"Don't worry, Remus is with him; he'll be fine."
Tom shook his head, disagreeing with Harry's suggestion.
"I understand," Harry said, indicating his comprehension. "But since Sirius is fine, why is everyone treating me like this? After all, I don't know Sirius's brother."
Tom and Draco guiltily looked up at the sky. Cassandra, from the side, complained: "Because someone speaks in gasps, and someone else fanned the flames, everyone now thinks Sirius has passed away."
"Ah?!"
...
Sirius, who was forced to "pass away," was currently with Lupin in the Headmaster's Office on the eighth floor.
Dumbledore held the locket they had obtained from Kreacher with a sorrowful expression. He had already learned the details of Regulus's death from Sirius.
"Sirius, Regulus was a hero. Please accept my condolences."
"Thank you, Professor."
Facing Dumbledore's comfort, Sirius simply said thanks and then stood silently to the side, clearly not yet recovered from the blow of Regulus's death.
Dumbledore didn't say much more. He lowered his head and carefully examined the locket in his hand, sighing inwardly that after everything Sirius and Lupin had been through, they still trusted him. It wasn't easy, truly not easy at all.
A moment later, Dumbledore looked up with a strange expression and asked, "Have you tried to open it?"
Lupin nodded: "Professor, we tried, but it wouldn't open. And this locket has countless defensive measures on it; it can't be directly destroyed."
"It seems we'll have to find someone for this matter."
...
"Sirius, are you alright?"
Learning that Sirius was in the Headmaster's Office, Harry, ignoring Tom's advice, forcefully followed Tom there and gave Sirius a big hug.
Tom helplessly watched the scene unfold. Only after Sirius had in turn comforted Harry did he look at Dumbledore: "Professor, what is it this time?"
Dumbledore handed a new locket to Tom: "Tom, can you open this locket?"
Huh, wasn't this the Tom-version locket he'd left with Kreacher? Sirius and the others were surprisingly fast. It's just…
"Excuse me, what was the original purpose of the Death Eaters' establishment?"
Alright, he seemed to have set up a Q&A mode back then. It's just that after so long, he seemed to have forgotten what the answer to the question he set was. Why didn't he think of setting up a password recovery at the time?
Noticing Tom's hesitation, Dumbledore asked, "What's wrong, Tom? Can't you do it?"
Tom said helplessly, "I'll try my best, but I don't know if it'll work. Professor, have you tried?"
This time, Lupin answered: "We tried a series of answers like 'to rule the magic world,' 'to eliminate Muggles,' 'to conquer Hogwarts,' but none of them were correct."
"Alright, I understand. So, 'to achieve Dumbledore's ambition'?"
"Incorrect answer."
"To help Dumbledore chase after Grindelwald?"
"Incorrect answer."
...
Seeing Tom's answers becoming increasingly outlandish, Dumbledore was about to stop him when he heard: "Correct answer!" Then everyone looked at him in shock.
"So, what was the answer to the question?"
Dumbledore, who hadn't heard clearly just now, looked at Tom with a puzzled expression.
"Professor, the answer is 'to resurrect Ariana Dumbledore'."
Tom handed the locket back to Dumbledore while repeating the correct answer.
Dumbledore numbly took the locket, roaring inwardly.
Why, why wouldn't they spare an old man over a hundred years old?
But soon, Dumbledore's attention was diverted.
Another note fluttered down from the opened locket.