[63] Pleading the Past

Hall left the garden and headed for the foyer. He went directly to the first-floor entrance, where the portrait Sirius had covered with black cloth was now uncovered. The figure in the painting had a look of disdain.

She looked Hall up and down. "You're the Weasley who got into Slytherin?"

Perhaps thinking of someone else, a hint of mockery appeared on her face. Hall wasn't surprised that Walburga Black knew about him — Phineas Nigellus Black, Sirius's great-great-grandfather, was in the Hogwarts Headmaster's office. The most unpopular Headmaster in Hogwarts history.

"Good day, Mrs. Black," Hall nodded.

"What do you want?" Her tone was cold.

"I want to ask you about your youngest son. Regulus."

A crack appeared in Walburga's expression. Portraits are not real people — they are magical artefacts that retain the memories and personality of the dead. They cannot possess excessive emotions. Her face went blank for a moment, then became stern.

"What do you want to ask?"

"Do you know where Regulus last went?" Hall only remembered it was a cave, but he couldn't recall the exact location.

"My Reg..." The old woman in the black hat seemed to be recalling the past. "He wanted to escape the Death Eaters... but... but..." She remembered the sorrow of that time; she wanted to cry, but could no longer do so. Portraits do not shed tears. "Since you mentioned Reg, do you have any news of him?"

"Mrs. Black, if I could find Regulus — I mean his body —" Hall licked his lips. The thought of the Inferi made his skin crawl.

"What do you want?" Walburga looked anxious, her hands gripping the frame.

"Get Kreacher to hand over what's hidden in Regulus's room."

"What could be hidden in Reg's room?" Walburga wondered. She had died after her children and husband. She remembered often sleeping in Reg's room in her grief. If anything were hidden there, she would have known.

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"What are you doing!" Sirius strode in, broom in hand. Harry and Ron were worried about Hall. Sirius had decided to check on him — he didn't want his godson to miss playtime because of a Slytherin.

He saw Hall and Walburga talking but couldn't make out what they were saying. Judging from Walburga's anxious expression, the Slytherin was dominating the conversation.

"Harry and Ron are worried about you, and you're here chatting happily with —" Sirius's face twisted with disgust.

Walburga completely ignored Sirius's arrival. She looked at Hall pleadingly. "I promise you. Whatever you want. Please — bring him back. No matter what he's become."

Her hands gripped the canvas. "Please take my Reg home."

Sirius initially sneered at Walburga's pathetic appearance. But when she mentioned Reg, the smile vanished from his face.

"I promise you. I will bring Regulus home with Sirius." Hall glanced at the expressionless Sirius. "But I need to get what I need first."

Sirius remained silent, observing.

Walburga's wrinkled face softened slightly. She nodded hastily. "Kreacher! Kreacher!"

A loud bang. Kreacher appeared in his tattered clothes, his face filled with reverence before Walburga. "Honourable Master, what brings you here, Kreacher?" He glanced at Sirius. "So, you want to throw this disgusting pure-blood traitor out?"

"Kreacher!" Walburga shouted. "Is Reg hiding something?!"

Kreacher froze. Tears welled up in his large, bulbous eyes. He trembled and backed away. "That wretched Kreacher! Kreacher disobeyed Master's orders! Kreacher is no good elf! Kreacher can't say! Kreacher promised Master Regulus to keep it a secret! But Master asked Kreacher, and Kreacher can't say!"

"Enough, Kreacher! Hand it over! Give it to that person! He can take Reg home!"

Kreacher stared with enormous eyes, hesitantly looking at the person Walburga pointed at. When he saw it was Hall, his face lit up with surprise.

"It's you, esteemed sir! Do you know where Master Regulus is!?"

"I don't know where Regulus is." Hall's reply stunned Walburga and Kreacher. Had they been excited for nothing?

Sirius remained expressionless. He now roughly understood what Hall meant. Hall didn't know, but he was certain someone present did.

"Kreacher — you know where Regulus is." Hall extended his right hand. "I can bring him back. But in exchange."

Kreacher remained silent, refusing to speak despite Walburga's urging.

"What can that Death Eater Regulus Black teach you?" Sirius spoke up, his tone mocking. "Even if he finds him, so what! Death Eaters deserve to be kissed by Dementors! I bet he won't last three days in Azkaban — he'll just be crying for his mother!"

Walburga's face flushed. If she weren't a portrait, she would have beaten her rebellious son.

Before she could speak, Kreacher did. "You damned traitor!" His eyes were red. "Young Master Regulus is a hero! You know nothing! Regulus is the real hero!"

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