Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.
Thanks to omega13a for beta-reading and helpful suggestions.
This story is an interlude between The Blacks I: Winds of Change and proper sequel which I'm writing at the moment. It takes place almost four years after last chapter of Winds of Change and around seven years before the sequel. I put it in the category of Harry and Sirius even though it should fall on all/all category but I since it's a fill in between Winds of Change and the sequel it should do.
Happy reading.
The Blacks I ½: Dark Clouds on the Horizon.
22nd March 1986 happened to fall on Saturday and as the second day of spring it was nothing but a disappointment. True the sun was shining, every half of hour or so, but only for a moment before it hid behind the heavy clouds. The snow had melted due to maddening sunshine the day before but now with a not very high temperature it turned the soil into solid rock. Of course there were places where the sun was shining, like Scotland, or where the crazy March weather had left a foot deep blanket of snow, like Cornwall, but Sheringam got neither and the grimly looking heavy clouds had matched the place on which they hung.
The graveyard itself was quite a beautiful thing. In the sunlight with its perfect white fence and a small church looming in the distance. But not many villagers had paid attention to it today.
If they were they would see a congregation over a hole in the ground. Of course it was a funeral but no one really knew who was going to be buried. There was about forty people scattered around the hole in the ground waiting for the funeral to end.
One of them was staying a bit farther from the grave than the rest, an old man with a long silver beard and hair. His half-moon glasses were pushed down slightly on the middle of his nose. He wrapped his thick coat more securely around himself and observed the funeral.
He didn't want to intrude the family in their grief but he knew the family and while the funeral was very private with only the family around, he felt the need to accompany these people, even from behind.
The coffin was lowered to the ground and people started slowly leaving the place of the burial. He observed carefully how a black-haired lanky woman had passed an infant to her husband and instructed older kids, probably to stay with their father. Then she slipped through the crowd and approached the lonely man.
She was still very young, with long, curly, jet-black hair, untouched by silver strands, cascading down her shoulders from under her black cap. She was sure-footed and the look on her face didn't indicate pleasant welcome but he expected it.
She levelled with him, lowered her big, black glasses down her nose, showing red and puffy violet eyes from crying, and tearstains on her face. Obviously the death of the man had weighed on her heavily.
"I didn't expect you here, Professor," she said surly. "Came to gloat?"
"I came to pay respect to the death, my dear," old man answered.
"Of course," she said stiffly and she pocketed her glasses. "Walk with me, Professor."
They set of slowly in the direction of weeping willow in the far end of the graveyard, walking slowly as their age and dignity required from them. The man had offered her his left arm in completely gentlemen way but not without small spark of satisfaction, as it were not many young women allowed him to lead them by the arm.
"It's getting worse," she said slowly. "The disappearances, weird deaths, attacks."
"Severus hasn't reported anything," the man said.
"I'm aware of it, Headmaster," the woman said stiffly. "But his return is evident."
"I know, my dear, I know," he sighed. "It pains me."
"Rubbish!" she spat. "It doesn't pains you at all," she stopped walking and pulled him arm to look at him. "Do you think that our family can take any more? That we enjoy going to funerals of our family members. Face it, Headmaster, he is back and he is seeking targets."
"I know that circumstances…" he started but wasn't allowed to finish.
"That's the fourth funeral in the span of a quarter," she hissed. "And this is only our family. What about the others?"
"The Ministry is doing everything in their power…" he started.
"You know very well that there isn't enough Aurors to mind anyone all day long," she scoffed. "I worked as one and Sirius still does."
"I know that you are grieving," he sighed.
"Have you ever grieved?" she interrupted him. "Were you faced at least once with having to inform an innocent child that his mother won't come back home because she was murdered? I was, as if with his father being in Azkaban the boy needed more weight on his shoulders. Do you know how it feels to bring up a kid who will never know his or hers parents?"
"My dear," he said defensively.
"You are the only one he ever feared, Headmaster," she said firmly. "The only one who can stop him. If you fail us then to whom we can turn to?"
"I'm sorry my dear but I'm not to be trusted with power," he sighed. "Millicent Bagnold is doing well enough."
"Yeah, especially after last attack, it's a miracle that she is alive," she snorted. "Face it, Headmaster, you are our only hope against You-Know-Who."
"I'm sorry," he shook his head.
"Haven't you said to us, numerous times I should add that in our lives we would face many choices between what is easy and what is right?" she asked quietly. "We made our choices, now the time had come for you, Headmaster."
She let go of his arm, turned around on her heel and came back to her family leaving bewildered old man behind.
*
Sirius Orion Black, aged twenty-six (and half), used to hear that he looked far more mature than his age. Six years ago he would take that comment as a personal insult but ever since he had become the joint Head of MASIS and MCI he only used to smirk.
Of course he would have greatly appreciated if he was only the Head of MCI but ever since the murder of Amelia Bones, as Head of MASIS he had no other choice than to head two agencies on his own.
MCI, Magical Crime Investigation was his and Mirzam's pet project which they turned from the Aurors Office. MASIS, Magical Agency of Secret Intelligence Services had blossomed on the base of MCI under Mirzam's care, she would have headed it still and wouldn't give her place to Madam Bones if it wasn't for the tragedy which had reached the family almost a year ago.
Gemma, sweet, little, funny Gemma, Mirzam's sister and Regulus's wife had died in childbirth. The twins, Thabit and Evelyn had survived but together with lose of his dear wife Regulus had lost the heart to the kids. They had given him time to grieve for Gemma and Madam Bones, on Sirius's behalf, even allowed him to lead a secret mission in Asia which concerned increased movements of some non-British Death Eaters.
Now Sirius cursed the day when he asked Madam Bones for that favour. Regulus had left last year in mid August and the last everyone heard of him was in early November. No word ever since. Regulus's mission partner had returned to United Kingdom by the end of November with dreadful news.
He and Regulus were ambushed while they were passing through Chechnya. Robinson, more experienced former Auror had managed to escape but Regulus was captured. They had waited few weeks for ransom but the demand had never came. By then Sirius was fully fledged into leading both agencies and he dispatched a team of four agents from MASIS to look for Regulus. They came back at the end of January empty handed with not a single clue whatever or not Regulus was alive.
Battling with his thoughts for several incredibly long weeks, when every new day had brought bad information on 17th February MASIS and MCI scientists claimed Regulus as Missing in Action and few days ago he was declared as Dead in Action, something which Sirius couldn't stomach but had no other choice but to accept it.
Another funeral, once again an empty coffin was lowered into the ground, once again Regulus Arcturus Black had died for the world. As if his disappearance wasn't enough Regulus was yet another family member who had lost his life.
Uncle Cygnus's death wasn't surprising, he drunk lots of alcohol, messed with several men who had business on black market and after disappearing for three days his body was found on the steps of Leaky Cauldron. Nobody in the family had liked the man ever since he made himself black sheep of Black family and had chosen to remain pure-blood bigot but he was still the family and his death had interrupted Severus's belated birthday party.
Next came grandmother Melania's death, she had decided to go to Paris to pick up birthday presents for Mirzam and Esper but not only she missed the party itself but for three days had remained missing until through his agents in Muggle Police Sirius didn't locate any old woman in a morgue that could match her description in Dover.
But at least both uncle Cygnus and grandma Melania had lived long, colourful lives and while painful their deaths considering their age was something the family could swallow, even if they were both murdered.
There was one death which had saddened them all, Sirius and Mirzam the most with Regulus's M.I.A status hanging over their heads, Narcissa. She had vanished day before Melania's body was found and week later her body was found in front of MASIS and MCI headquarter.
Sirius was furious, Mirzam was furious and Draco, the poor boy who just lost his mother had closed himself even tighter (as if being a werewolf with the disgrace of a father in Azkaban wasn't enough).
Sirius looked around. Regulus' funeral was extremely private but even then it was quite big. Homam, Remus and Esperanza had huddled themselves around Draco in front of their mother and father. Evelyn, wrapped in blankets, was clinging to Wally's cloak. Thabit, like his sister , was wrapped in blankets and secured in Sirius's arms.
On the other side of the grave was standing Andromeda, with Ted, Dora and little Janus, a toddler Esper's age though younger than her by six months. Moony was standing with them too, next to a grim looking Severus.
Next to them were the Prewetts, aunt Lucy and uncle Ignatius with their adopted werewolf, Percy Prewett (previously Weasley).
The MacDonalds (descents of great-great grandaunt Isla Black who had married a Muggle Bob Hitcher), Henry, Kitty and their little daughter Isla, also a toddler Esper's age though she was older than Janus by a month.
Aunt Cassiopeia and grandfather Arcturus were there too, next to grandfather Pollux and Professor McGonagall (known better to the world as Minerva McGonagall-Black). Sirius almost chocked to death when grandfather Pollux announced that he was taking permanent post at Hogwarts as the instructor of Defence Against Magical Artefacts (because he found a way to work around the jinx on DADA post by leaving the post untouched and funding 'new' class at Hogwarts) and that he was marrying Minerva McGonagall. But somehow grandma Minnie (as she and Pollux had allowed the family to call her) couldn't make past her former students throats and Sirius' generation had chosen to call her aunt Minerva (sounded less hilarious than grandma Minnie).
Between them was Ben's family, Lucy and their quartet from hell also known as Johnny Jimmy, Jack and Joey.
The coffin disappeared under the iced soil and since no one wanted to remain outside in the repulsing weather, they slowly started leaving to the restaurant which was booked for lunch.
Sirius allowed the kids to go with the rest of the family and waited for Mirzam to come back.
"Do you think that he will agree?" he asked quietly.
"I explained to him that he doesn't have much choice unless he wants to appear as a coward," Mirzam sighed. "But I'm not sure if he will listen, after all he is the master of manipulation and not the master of being manipulated."
*
Almilam Verascez, Alma for everyone – technically the fifth daughter of Elizabeth and Hubert Verascez, technically because she was middle one of the Verascez triplets but no one really cared which of the girls was older than the other – always considered herself as the closest to her oldest sister, Mirzam. They had a lot in common and Alma always felt the best in Mirzam's presence while Spica and Allie (Aludra's nickname) were always causing chaos together with Kuma and her friends from Hogwarts, the Black brothers.
Alma, like her sisters, was anxiously waiting for an owl with her Hogwarts letter. She knew of course that they won't come this year but one could hope.
She closed her favourite Potions book and looked at the clock. The funeral should have ended by now.
Regulus' funeral had caused quite a riff in the Verascez family. Kuma desperately wanted to go because her friends from Hogwarts would be there but Mirzam forbade them to come before even their poor dad managed to open his mouth. For about an hour Mirzam explained in every single detail why it would be unwise for the Verascez sisters to go.
That's why Allie, Kuma and Spica were sulking in the living-room and a very emotional Sadie had went to sleep to her room.
Unlike her sisters Alma understood why Mirzam forbade them to go. After Gemma's death Mirzam was very depressed and she didn't want to lose another sister. Of course Kuma chose to argue that Mirzam's kids are going and they are not but Mirzam was like mum: always nice and comforting but if she set her mind set on something there was no arguing with her. But while her other sisters sulked, Alma knew that Mirzam was doing it because she loved them.
"Why you aren't down with your sisters, Alma?" a soft voice asked from the doorway.
"Hello Severus," Alma smiled. "Are they home?"
"It would seem but Mirzam and Sirius had locked themselves with aunt Minerva in the library," Severus Snape, Alma's favourite brother-in-law answered.
"I don't mind," Alma shrugged lightly. "I would love to spend some time with the kids."
*
Cedric Diggory liked spending his time with Luna Lovegood. Mrs Lovegood was always nice and when she wasn't working on a new potion she always found time to tell them stories about magical beasts and beings while baking cookies. She was much more funnier than his mum who was always pale and worrying whenever he was outside unsupervised.
He and Luna were playing in the garden when Cedric's dad stepped into the garden. He looked as if he aged about ten years since the morning. He was drastically pale, his hair was white here and there.
"Cedric, we need to talk son," his father said weakly.
He didn't have to say a word. Cedric knew that his mum was dead. He abandoned his toys and approached his dad and hugged him very tightly. He only had his dad now.
*
Deaths and disappearances, disappearances and deaths. Soon people feared to even open the Daily Prophet, not wanting to see the names of their friends and family members on the lists for missing and dead people.
One could blame Sirius Black for being lenient but only a fool would do it. Black first doubled then tripled the number of new Aurors. When Madam Bones had died he also took the leadership over MASIC and lead MASIC and MCI in the best way one could.
Common knowledge was that any agents Black's teams found hadn't said a word during their interrogations and they all died shortly afterwards. Scientists tried to identify their wands but nothing useful was learned.
In the meantime people started fearing for their lives and the lives of those close to them.
*
Late June, 24th June to be exact, brought news of more disappearances, the upcoming election for Minister of Magic and the resignation of one Albus Dumbledore from the position of Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
However there was good news in all that madness that day. Shortly before the news of the sacking Dumbledore from Hogwarts on the Wireless appeared an announcement that Lycaneum University of Advanced Magic is accepting students to study mastery in subjects like Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Healing, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, History, Astronomy, Music, Magical Law, Librarian, Accounting and Language Studies. The term starts on 1st September and the school remains under the care of Headmaster Remus John Lupin, known werewolf, former Auror and instructor of Aurors.
Two days later the public was electrified by the news that the Board of Hogwarts' Governors elected new a Headmaster of Hogwarts, Severus Tobias Snape, Potions Master and Ex-Death Eater for whose loyalty Sirius Black himself and Albus Dumbledore personally vouched.
The first day of July brought news of Albus Dumbledore entering the election for Minister of Magic, which he had won on 8th August that year.
Together with Dumbledore, Black managed to establish a relatively safe community but the dark clouds were still looming over the horizon. Lord Voldemort was lying low, ready to strike but for the moment people felt safe and that was what they wanted the most.
Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)
Good news: I'm working on next chapter of Curiosity and some time later this month I should start working on new chapter of A Year to Remember.