Sirius.jabbed.a.finger.at.the.very.bottom.of.the.tree,.at.the.name..Regulus.Black..
.A.date.of.death.(some.fifteen.years.previously).followed.the.date.of.birth..
.He.was.younger.than.me,..said.Sirius,..and.a.much.better.son,.as.1.was.constantly.reminded...
.But.he.died,..said.Harry..
.Yeah,..said.Sirius...Stupid.idiot….he.joined.the.Death.Eaters...
.You.re.kidding!..
.Come.on,.Harry,.haven.t.you.seen.enough.of.this.house.to.tell.what.kind.of.wizards.my.family.were?..said.Sirius.testily..
.Were.‐.were.your.parents.Death.Eaters.as.well?..
.No,.no,.but.believe.me,.they.thought.Voldemort.had.the.right.idea,.they.were.all.for.the.purification.of.the.wizarding.race,.getting.rid.of.Muggle‐borns.and.having.pure‐bloods.in.charge..They.weren.t.alone,.either,.there.were.quite.a.few.people,.before.Voldemort.showed.his.true.colours,.who.thought.he.had.the.right.idea.about.things….they.got.cold.feet.when.they.saw.what.he.was.prepared.to.do.to.get.power,.though..But.I.bet.my.parents.thought.Regulus.was.a.right.little.hero.for.joining.up.at.first...
.Was.he.killed.by.an.Auror?..Harry.asked.tentatively..
.Oh,.no,..said.Sirius...No,.he.was.murdered.by.Voldemort..Or.on.Voldemort.s.orders,.more.likely;.I.doubt.Regulus.was.ever.important.enough.to.be.killed.by.Voldemort.in.person..From.what.I.found.out.after.he.died,.he.got.in.so.far,.then.panicked.about.what.he.was.being.asked.to.do.and.tried.to.back.out..Well,.you.don.t.just.hand.in.your.resignation.to.Voldemort..It.s.a.lifetime.of.service.or.death...
.Lunch,..said.Mrs.Weasleys.voice..
She.was.holding.her.wand.high.in.front.of.her,.balancing.a.huge.tray.loaded.with.sandwiches.and.cake.on.its.tip..She.was.very.red.in.the.face.and.still.looked.angry..The.others.moved.over.to.her,.eager.for.some.food,.but.Harry.remained.with.Sirius,.who.had.bent.closer.to.the.tapestry..
.I.haven.t.looked.at.this.for.years..There.s.Phineas.Nigellus….my.great‐great‐
grandfather,.see?….least.popular.Headmaster.Hogwarts.ever.had….and.Araminta.Mehflua….cousin.of.my.mothers….tried.to.force.through.a.Ministry.Bill.to.make.Muggle‐hunting.legal….and.dear.Aunt.Elladora….she.started.the.family.tradition.of.beheading.house‐elves.when.they.got.too.old.to.carry.tea.trays….of.course,.any.time.the.family.produced.someone.halfway.decent.they.were.disowned..I.see.Tonks.isn.t.on.here..Maybe.that.s.why.Kreacher.won.t.take.orders.from.her.‐.he.s.supposed.to.do.whatever.anyone.in.the.family.asks.him.‐..
.You.and.Tonks.are.related?..Harry.asked,.surprised..
.Oh,.yeah,.her.mother.Andromeda.was.my.favourite.cousin,..said.Sirius,
.examining.the.tapestry.closely...No,.Andromeda.s.not.on.here.either,.look.‐..
He.pointed.to.another.small.round.burn.mark.between.two.names,.Bellatrix.and.Narcissa..
.Andromeda.s.sisters.are.still.here.because.they.made.lovely,.respectable.pure‐
blood.marriages,.but.Andromeda.married.a.Muggle‐born,.Ted.Tonks,.so.‐..
Sirius.mimed.blasting.the.tapestry.with.a.wand.and.laughed.sourly..Harry,
.however,.did.not.laugh;.he.was.too.busy.staring.at.the.names.to.the.right.of.Andromeda.s.burn.mark..A.double.line.of.gold.embroidery.linked.Narcissa.Black.with.Lucius.Malfoy.and.a.single.vertical.gold.line.from.their.names.ledto.the.name.Draco..