Chapter 8: Ascension of the New Lord Black
The Wizarding World woke up that day with shocking news: Lord Arcturus Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, passed away. Lord Lucius Malfoy, Head of the House of Malfoy, tried to claim the title for himself through his marriage to Narcissa Black. However, the succession rules of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black were quite clear about this: the title must go through the male line. Through this rule, the next Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black will probably be Lord Arcturus Black's grandson Sirius Orion Black. Sirius Black, who had barely started picking up the pieces of his life after being cleared of the crimes Death Eater Peter Pettigrew had framed him with, had just gained employment at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Minerva, do you think I should take over as Lord Black?" Sirius asked his colleague, who still hasn't got used to the idea of Sirius being one of her fellow staff members at Hogwarts.
"Sirius, do you have any idea of who will take over if you won't?" She asked in reply. Realizing Lucius Malfoy would be the most likely candidate, he agreed to become the new Lord Black.
Meanwhile, Bartemius Crouch was having one of the worst days of his life. Not only was he getting flak from the Wizarding World once it was revealed his decision to skip trials for 'obviously guilty' people caused an innocent person to be locked away in Azkaban for years and the Ministry was reviewing all other cases of accused Death Eaters sent to Azkaban by him, said innocent was about to inherit a Wizengamot Seat. Who knows which sorts of ways Sirius Black could use this power to exact revenge. He was so worried about this he almost forgot to recast the Imperius Curse on his son so he'd not go around looking for Lord Voldemort. How Mr. Crouch regretted granting his dying wife's last request to help their son escape Azkaban.
For those who don't know, Bartemius Crouch once was Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and most likely candidate to become Minister of Magic but it all ended when his son, Bartemius Crouch Junior, was exposed as a Death Eater and got a life sentence in Azkaban. With help from Polyjuice Potion, Junior and his mother traded places. Mrs. Crouch died soon after and was buried using Junior's identity in a tomb that could be seen from Sirius Black's former cell. Since Mrs. Crouch's health was already deteriorating, her husband had no trouble staging a funeral for her. However, out of fear Junior would search for Voldemort, Bartemius Crouch Senior kept his son under the Imperius Curse for all those years.
Another person hating Sirius Black's ascension was Hogwarts Potions Master Severus Snape. As if it wasn't bad enough Black got the teaching job Snape wanted, he now inherited a title at the Wizengamot. Snape was now afraid Sirius Black would use his newfound power to give him his old cell in Azkaban. "Headmaster, you must do something about Sirius Black." He pleaded to Dumbledore.
"Severus, I know you hate Sirius but you must remember how hard it is to find a good teacher for the post he's holding and I don't want to lose you to the curse Voldemort placed over it." Dumbledore calmly replied.
"While Black's teaching methods are something that needs to be discussed, I'm worried he might use his newfound influence to place me in Azkaban." Snape explained. "There are still people around who believed I should have served some time in Azkaban."
"Don't worry, Severus." Dumbledore reassured him. "I'm still around to keep you safe. And besides, I have a feeling Sirius is using his grudge-holding skills against another wizard."
It took some time for Severus to understand what Dumbledore meant. Black would probably need to learn about his role in Potter's and Lily's deaths to hate him more than he hated the man responsible for his wrongful imprisonment in Azkaban.
A few days later, at the first Wizengamot session Sirius participated in as Lord Black. "Any new propositions?" Albus Dumbledore asked and Sirius raised his wand. "The Wizengamot acknowledges Lord Sirius Black."
"Thank you, Chief Warlock." Sirius replied with all the cordiality required for the post. Liking it or not, he was raised to become Lord Black. "Esteemed members of the Wizengamot, I propose that, rather than just reviewing the cases of others who, like me, have been sent to Azkaban without trial by Bartemius Crouch's orders, we should investigate Crouch's whole time as a member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Who knows which other irregularities marked his time at that department?"
Sirius Black had practically no problem getting the Wizengamot to approve the decision. After all, most members of the Wizengamot were either people who hated Crouch for his blunder; felt guilty for not noticing it before Harry Potter and his muggle foster parents called their attention to it; and Death Eaters who hated Crouch for allowing Aurors to use the Unforgivables. Crouch knew he should have expected some sort of vengeance from Sirius Black but never expected this much. After this, Dumbledore approached him. "Sirius, I understand your reasons to hate Bartemius but did you need to go this far?" He asked. "He might have made some mistakes while deciding which accused Death Eaters should not be allowed trials but did you really need to cause the discomfort of prying even more on his life?"
"Who knows what else he did wrong, Headmaster?" Sirius asked in reply. "Hopefully he'll be sent to Azkaban by the time I'm done."
That time came sooner than Sirius Black expected. As soon as someone learned about Crouch and his wife visiting Junior right before his death, the Ministry sent Aurors to interrogate him and they suddenly found out Crouch Junior was alive. Crouch Senior was arrested for sheltering a fugitive. Unfortunately, Junior managed to escape by ordering his family's House-elf, Winky, to take him to a safe place. "Master, what should we do about your father?" She asked out of concern.
"Nothing." Junior sternly replied. "I'll look for my Lord and you're helping me. It's an order!" Winky had no choice but to comply.
The Aurors who arrested Crouch delivered their report to Amelia Bones, who was reluctant to believe what she read. "Is this real? Did you really see Bartemius Crouch Junior alive and well?"
"Yes, Madam Bones." Auror John Dawlish answered.
"Are you sure this isn't just a way to mock Bartemius Crouch for his blunder with Sirius Black?" She asked, still not believing.
"Absolutely, Madam." Dawlish answered.
Reluctantly, she went to Crouch's Ministry cell and started interrogating him. "Bartemius Crouch, what do you have to say about the witnesses claiming to have seen your son alive and well?"
"Please, you must stop him before he rejoins You-Know-Who!" Crouch desperately pleaded.
"How can your son be alive?" Amelia Bones asked. "Didn't he die in Azkaban?"
"No!" He answered. "I helped him to escape."
"Then who or what was buried at his grave in Azkaban?"
"His mother." Crouch answered. "They swapped places by drinking Polyjuice Potion."
"Why did you help them?"
"It was her last wish." He answered. "I wanted to ease her last moments in life."
"What has your son done after you broke him out?"
"Nothing. I've been using the Imperius Curse to prevent him from looking for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Crouch explained.
Crouch was then taken to court, where he pleaded guilty and his punishment was then set. Sirius Black proposed the Dementor's Kiss. Enough Wizengamot members voted for it. One week from then, Crouch would have his soul sucked.
Three days later, Sirius Black paid a visit to the Dursleys. "Sirius, I'm glad you could come in such a short notice." Vernon said.
"It wasn't a hard choice to make, Vernon." Sirius replied. "I could be either at Hogwarts grading essays or here to discuss an emergency regarding my godson. What was so urgent?"
"Sirius, you know how Harry got that scar, right?" Vernon asked.
"I know it's believed he got it when Voldemort tried to kill him with the Killing Curse but it rebounded." Sirius explained.
"I believe that, as the name suggests, this Killing Curse you speak of is known to have killed everybody else that fell victim to it." Vernon replied. "Is that correct?"
"Unfortunately yes, Vernon." Sirius explained.
"Well, since this Killing Curse left a mark on somebody who wasn't instantly killed, we're afraid there might be some lasting effects." Vernon suggested. "Is there anything that can be done to check it out?"
"Well, I can talk to Hogwarts resident mediwitch Poppy Pomfrey and ask her to perform a diagnosis spell if that's okay with you." Sirius replied.
"Will it hurt?" Petunia asked in worry.
"Not at all." Sirius reassured her. "I've been subjected to a fair number of those for Quidditch injuries and they never harmed me."
In the next day, Harry James Dursley Potter was taken to the infirmary. "Mr. Potter, do you know why you've been called here?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"No."
"Then allow me to explain, Prongslet." Sirius said as he revealed his presence. "Your Uncle and your Aunt presented me with a worrying theory: they fear the spell Voldemort tried to kill you with might have left some sort of residual effect and we'd like to have a diagnosis spell. Is that fine with you?"
"Well, if it's needed…" Poppy Pomfrey then performed the spell and found a shocking result. "L-l-l-l-l-lord Black, may I talk to you in private?" The two of them then left Harry alone while he wondered what was so wrong about him.
"What's wrong, Poppy?" Sirius asked in worry after she took him to a private place.
"Lord Black, have you ever heard about a Horcrux?" Poppy asked, still in fear.
"Yes, but…" Once Sirius Black understood, he felt like losing his lunch. "He didn't…"
"I'm afraid so, Lord Black." Poppy replied. "There's a fragment of You-Know-Who's soul hiding behind Harry's scar."
"Can't you do anything about it?" Sirius desperately pleaded.
"Had the soul fragment been placed within an inanimate object, I'd just destroy it but, with a living person as recipient, I can't imagine a solution other than…" she hesitated. "Killing him."
"NO WAY!" Sirius angrily shouted.
"Don't worry, Lord Black." She reassured him. "I won't do such thing but we must find a solution quickly."
"Fawkes!" Sirius exclaimed.
"What?"
"Phoenix tears are curative." Sirius stated. "Maybe Fawkes' tears could eliminate the Horcrux."
"Let's talk to the Headmaster."
Meanwhile, Harry returned to the Gryffindor Common Room. "Harry, what did Madam Pomfrey want with you?" Hermione asked.
"She was afraid Voldemort's failed attempt to kill me had left some residual effects on me." Harry explained.
"And they only check it now?" Ron asked in confusion.
"Only now somebody thought about the possibility." Harry explained. "I am believed to have survived a curse known to have killed everybody else who fell victim to it and only recently somebody thought about the possibility of the curse having some effect other than instant death."
Meanwhile, at the Headmaster's office, Poppy and Sirius told Albus Dumbledore about their findings. "Well, I'm sure Fawkes won't mind helping." Dumbledore commented and said phoenix reacted positively to that. "See?" Dumbledore's secret fear was that it'd make harder for Harry to find and destroy other Horcruxes but he'd not let Harry carry a piece of Voldemort any longer.
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