Sirius was studying the portrait while trying to match facts to events in his head as the teens cast a powerful silencing charm around them. Sirius had come to a conclusion and the more he thought about it the more he was sure he was right, "she must have started wearing the locket after Regulus's death, the dark bastard wouldn't want to return as an old woman but would try to influence her to do his bidding and that's what drove her mad. When she died Kreacher took over the locket and Voldemort wouldn't posses a house elf either so he was driven insane as well. That's why this place is such a dump and the little shit looked ready to tear Hermione's throat out, good shooting Dan."
Remus nodded agreement, "we have a bigger problem though, that locket has been drawing on magical energy for years and I suspect it will react as soon as a suitable host comes anywhere near it. We need to be very careful here and have a plan to deal with this."
Harry and Hermione were deep in thought before the young witch spoke, "we see two different ways to solve this problem, have an unsuitable host do it or find a way to keep his soul in the locket until we can stab it."
"If you think he wouldn't want a non magical person then I'll do it!" Emma gave Dan a strange look, "what? You would rather one of those two did it? I'd prefer it to be me rather than standing watching one of our kids put themselves in danger."
Hermione could feel the surge of emotion that passed through Harry as her father said 'our kids' so she kissed her dad's cheek with a heartfelt "thanks dad!"
Dobby popped beside them, "Dobby also volunteers, the evil one thinks elves are vermin and I would like the chance to prove him wrong."
"Let's just take a moment here," said Harry, "we need a plan and while I appreciate the offers we need to make sure that his soul is going to stay in that locket before anyone approaches it. He might not want to inhabit a muggle or elf but if it's that or die I think we all know what he would choose. No one is going near that until we're sure because if his soul possesses someone they would need to be killed."
This had the effect of a bucket of ice water down your back, any thoughts of just pushing ahead were banished now they understood the consequences of a mistake.
"Harry if Quirrell couldn't touch you because of the protection from Lily would your patronus have the same effect on his soul piece?"
Hermione could see where Remus was going with this idea and thought it might work, "a patronus in general might hurt him so why don't the four of us cast it at the locket while Dobby stabs it. Sorry dad but Dobby can move faster, sense if he's in danger and perform magic to protect himself, he's the logical choice."
Dobby puffed up his chest in pride at not only being able to help Harry Potter but to strike a blow against the evil one as well. He would normally have been bouncing around with excitement but knew he needed to concentrate to do this very dangerous job. "Are you sure Dobby?" Harry asked and he could only nod his head in confirmation, he was ready.
"After all those years in Azkaban my patronus doesn't work anymore so I'll stand back with Dan and Emma in case you need covering fire."
Hermione was grateful to Sirius for taking care of her parents while not making it too obvious. Harry gave Dobby the dragon hide gloves and his little friend withdrew a basilisk fang from the box as a silver stag, otter and wolf surrounded the dead Kreacher.
Dobby actually felt giddy with the amount of positive emotion being generated by the silver forms as he knelt beside the filthy creature, he could sense the sprit desperately trying to escape from the locket but the patroni were doing their work. Dobby placed the tip of the fang against the locket and a green mist escaped only for a stag and otter to pounce on it while the wolf circled in case it was needed. The whole event was over in seconds but the sound of the screams would stay with them all a lot longer.
Harry and Hermione hugged one delighted elf, "Dobby you were brilliant, if ever you need anything it's yours, and we all owe you big time my friend!"
Everyone was congratulating Dobby when a voice they had forgotten about spoke, "Sirius, is that you? What has happened to the house? I remember your brother being murdered on the orders of that dark bastard but can't remember anything else. I see your choice of friends is still the same but after what happened to Regulus I'm beginning to think you were right, can you ever forgive an old woman who wronged both her sons?"
The rest of them strategically withdrew leaving the tearful Sirius to try and make peace with his mother; all had noticed her portrait no longer contained the locket.
Dobby spoke quietly, "Harry Potter sir, we have elves at the Institute who would love the chance to clean this house as there's not a lot of work to do at the moment, do you think the lord Black would permit us?"
Harry looked to Remus for some guidance.
"I think that would be fine Dobby but just do general cleaning and wipe out all infestations without touching any items you think are dark, could you start in the library please to give us somewhere to sit."
"Library?" asked Emma and Hermione in perfect synchronisation causing the rest to chuckle as Dobby popped away to begin working on the Black ancestral home.
Sirius eventually found them all seated in the library sipping tea while reading an eclectic collection of books. "What's going on, one minute I was standing in a shithole then I turned round to see dirt actually disappearing right before my eyes, I know Dobby's good but he can't be that good."
The little elf appeared, "we have a team of elves cleaning your home and any items we thought were dark have been placed in a room on the third floor. Do you have any specific instructions lord Black?"
....
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