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Chapter 600: Secrets of the Darkest Art
🕑 Added 2025-03-10 12:13:41 +0000 UTCAs one of the oldest families in the magical world, the Blacks indeed possessed an extensive collection of books, accumulated over many generations.
It was rumored that during Phineas Black's tenure as headmaster of Hogwarts, several rare books mysteriously vanished from the school library. Many suspected that Phineas had taken them for the Black family’s collection. However, Phineas himself never admitted to such accusations, engaging in numerous heated debates with other portraits over the matter. Of course, this had all happened centuries ago, and there was no way to confirm whether the stories were true.
Guided by Kreacher, the House-elf, the group made their way through the foyer and kitchen, heading toward the basement behind the storage cupboard. Along the way, they passed three students discussing their holiday homework and Lupin, who showed an immediate interest in the Black family’s library and expressed a desire to join them.
Sirius readily agreed, though Kreacher was visibly displeased at the idea of Hermione—a Muggle-born witch—stepping foot in what he considered the most sacred part of the Black household. Nevertheless, with both Sirius and Kyle's approval, the elf had no choice but to lead the way, muttering resentfully under his breath.
The group descended into the dark, damp basement. After some fiddling with the fireplace, Kreacher triggered a mechanism, and the moldy cupboard in the corner sprang apart, revealing a wide, hidden passage. As they stepped inside, torches on either side of the corridor flared to life, illuminating their path.
“This is incredible. I never imagined there was such a hidden place,” Harry said, unable to contain his excitement. “It feels like an adventure.”
“That’s normal,” Ron replied. “After all, the Blacks have been around for hundreds of years.”
The passage wasn’t long, and before long, they emerged into a large room. Unlike the basement, the space was impeccably clean—no sign of mold or even a speck of dust. Bright sunlight streamed in through enchanted windows, casting a warm glow over the room. They could now see nearly a hundred bookshelves, all packed with books of every kind.
Though it wasn’t as vast as a school library, for a private home, the collection was undeniably impressive.
“Oh my god!” Hermione gasped, her eyes wide. “You actually built a library in your house!”
“This is fantastic,” Lupin said, his excitement palpable. “Sirius, why have you never told me about this library before?”
Lupin’s question caught Sirius off guard. He flushed slightly, unable to come up with a proper explanation. The truth was, he had no idea this place even existed. He had moved out of the house at sixteen and had only recently returned. And before sixteen...
Who spends their holidays reading books? Well, perhaps someone does—but certainly not him.
Still, he couldn’t admit that in front of Lupin and Harry. Stammering, he finally said, “Well, I forgot, you know. Twelve years in Azkaban... a lot of things get forgotten.”
“No wonder,” Lupin replied sympathetically. He didn’t question the response, knowing full well that years spent with Dementors could indeed strip away many memories.
Hermione couldn’t resist stepping forward.
The moment Kreacher noticed, he reacted as if his tail had been stepped on, nearly leaping into the air. “Get your feet off the floor, you—”
“Kreacher, can you do me a favor?” Kyle’s voice cut in smoothly before the House-elf could finish.
Kreacher’s demeanor shifted instantly, his face softening. “I’d be happy to help you, Master Kyle,” he said with exaggerated respect.
“How about helping me find some books?” Kyle asked casually. “I have a feeling you know your way around here pretty well.”
“Kreacher knows where every book is!” the elf declared proudly, patting his chest.
“Good to know,” Kyle replied with a smile. He glanced around to ensure no one else was paying attention, then leaned down and whispered something into Kreacher’s ear. “Do you have these books?” he asked softly.
“Yes,” Kreacher nodded emphatically and hurried toward the farthest bookshelf.
As soon as Kreacher disappeared, Hermione, who had been startled by the earlier commotion, mustered her courage and stepped into the library with Lupin by her side. Her eyes sparkled as she approached a nearby shelf, pulling books off with unrestrained curiosity.
Unlike the carefully curated collection at Hogwarts, the books here seemed to have no restrictions. Some volumes that required a professor’s signature to borrow—or were sequestered in the restricted section of the school library—were casually displayed on these shelves, available to anyone.
For a moment, Hermione’s cheeks flushed with exhilaration. She looked like a Niffler who had stumbled into a vault at Gringotts.
Before long, Kreacher returned, carrying a stack of books. But when he saw the library “invaded” by a Werewolf and a Muggle-born witch, his fury reignited. He seemed poised to eject them both when Sirius intervened.
“Kreacher,” Sirius said firmly, “they’re here with my permission. Don’t even think about disturbing them—that’s an order!”
Though reluctant, Kreacher bowed stiffly. “As Master wishes,” he muttered. Avoiding further glances at Lupin and Hermione, he turned to Kyle and presented the stack of books.
“Thank you, Kreacher,” Kyle said as he accepted them.
“It is Kreacher’s pleasure,” the House-elf replied, bowing low. “If Master Kyle needs anything else, Kreacher is ready to serve.”
“Not for now,” Kyle replied with a nod.
Kreacher had brought five books, which Kyle placed on a nearby table. He began leafing through the first one, its cover adorned with a knobby wand: The Secret of the Wand.
The second book’s title caught his eye: Broken Wands: Bond or Burden.
The next two volumes also focused on wands, their titles suggesting deep dives into wand lore. Kyle flipped through them briefly, but his attention shifted to the final book at the bottom of the pile.
Its brown cover bore a faded purple circle around the edges, and in the center, bold lettering spelled out:
Secrets of the Darkest Art.
Kyle froze. His chest tightened as he stared at the ominous title. Quickly, he slid another book over it, obscuring it from view, and took a deep breath to steady himself.
He had speculated in the past that this book—confiscated by Dumbledore from the Hogwarts library—might still exist elsewhere. Nicolas Flamel might have a copy in his private library in Paris, but Kyle hadn’t been able to access certain volumes of dark magic there due to stringent enchantments.
Initially, he’d planned to revisit the matter and appeal to Nicolas at a later date. But when Mr. Weasley invited him to 12 Grimmauld Place, an idea had struck him: a pure-blood family with a lineage spanning centuries would undoubtedly possess texts on dark magic.
On a whim, he had asked Kreacher to search for relevant materials, never expecting to actually find this book here.
