"little though he wanted to" meaning in this context

Question

"What are we going to do with it?" Hermione asked.

"Keep it safe 'til we work out how to destroy it," Harry replied, and, little though he wanted to, he hung the chain around his own neck, dropping the locket out of sight beneath his robes, where it rested against his chest beside the pouch Hagrid had given him.

_{Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows}

I don't quite understand "little though he wanted to" in this context. What does it mean?

Answer 1

"Little" here is an adverb modifying "wanted." Literally,

little though he wanted to

just means

though he scarcely wanted to

However, it actually means

he did it even though he did not want to