Chapter Ten
Not a Killer

April 30th, 1998

"It has to be there," Hermione insisted. "She was adamant that we'd broken into her vault."

They had circled around this argument before. Bellatrix's behaviour at Malfoy Manor the month prior had implied that something important was housed in the Lestrange vault and not just an imitation of the Sword of Gryffindor. Unfortunately, there was no way to get inside. Ron suggested Polyjuice Potion, but without a piece of Bellatrix to use, that was impossible. Harry wanted to return to the manor to see if he could find something to use, but Sirius refused to allow any of them to risk themselves on a suicidal mission.

Hermione wanted to ask Narcissa for help—she was Bellatrix's sister, after all—but Sirius explained that since the Horcrux would be hidden in the Lestrange vault, Narcissa had no claim to it despite being a blood relation to Bellatrix; not while Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange remained alive. It was Ron who then proposed hunting down the Lestrange brothers and killing them, after which everyone in the room proceeded to ignore him.

Harry suggested asking Griphook for help, which Sirius shot down quickly. He insisted Griphook would turn on the lot of them faster than Kreacher had betrayed him.

They had nearly given up hope when they were handed the Horcrux on a silver platter.

That silver platter arrived in the form of a dragon Patronus that burst into the kitchen at Shell Cottage late one night. All occupants save for Harry, Hermione, Sirius, and Ron were asleep. Hermione admired the intricate beauty of the Patronus as it hovered for a few moments before opening its mouth and speaking with Draco Malfoy's voice.

"Potter, I have information you might be interested in. The Dark Lord wants me to go to Gringotts with Rodolphus in order to fetch an item of great importance. He was enraged to find out that not only was Bellatrix killed but that the Sword of Gryffindor might be missing from her vault. We're headed to Diagon Alley tomorrow. If you find this information helpful, I'll expect to be accosted outside Gringotts. Let Granger or Black be the one to engage us. Weasel might hurt himself."

Ron glared as the dragon vanished. "Prick."

Hermione ignored him, practically vibrating with excitement."Did you hear what he said?"

Ron glowered. "Yeah, I heard the ferret."

"It wasn't a ferret; it was a dragon," Hermione corrected him, annoyed that he was focusing on childhood rivalries instead of the amazing gift they had just been handed.

"How come he gets a dragon?" Harry asked, looking deflated.

Hermione observed the wizards sitting around the table, each looking put out by the appearance of the Patronus, Sirius included. She narrowed her gaze at each of them. "Are you joking? Malfoy is offering to deliver us a Horcrux, and you have decided, instead of celebrating, to have a pity party over the fact that his Patronus is a dragon?"

Ron frowned. "Mine's just a stupid dog."

"Hey!" Sirius barked. "I take offence to that. Mine's a dog too."

"Well, of course yours is a dog; you're a dog!" Ron countered.

"Mine's a stag like my dad's," Harry added, clearly trying to make himself feel better.

"Well, then how come I got a dog?" Ron whinged. "It's nothing to do with me!"

Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head. "Oh, for crying out loud, you think my otter has anything to do with me?"

Sirius's eyebrows raised, and he looked at her with a confused expression. "Your Patronus is an otter?"

Hermione put her hands on her hips. "Yes. Got something to say about it?" she asked, daring him to poke fun at her otter.

There was a heavy knock on the front door, and everyone's head turned. Bill came running out of his bedroom, concern splashed across his face, pointing his wand at the door; Harry, Ron, Sirius, and Hermione did the same.

"Who is it?" Bill demanded.

"It's me, Remus Lupin!" came a voice over the howling wind. "I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret-Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and said to come in an emergency!"

Remus fell over the threshold when Bill wrenched the door open. He was white-faced, wrapped in a travelling cloak, his greying hair windswept. He straightened up, looked around the room, making sure of who was there, then bellowed, "It's a boy! We've named him after Dora's father! Edward Remus Lupin!"

Hermione shrieked, "Congratulations, Remus!" and rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He hugged her back with enthusiasm and kissed the top of her head.

Sirius grinned brightly. "Tonks had the baby?"

"Yes, yes, she's had the baby!"

All around the room came cries of delight and sighs of relief at the news.

"Congratulations!" Fleur squealed.

"Blimey, a baby!" Ron said as if he had never heard of such a thing before.

"Yes, yes, a baby boy," Remus repeated, looking dazed by his own happiness. He strode around the table and hugged Sirius, then Harry; the scene in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place might never have happened. "You'll be godfather?" he asked as he released Harry, his eyes lingering on Hermione's smiling face for a moment as though he wanted to say something to her but held back.

"Me?"

"You, yes, of course. Dora agrees; no one better!"

"Hey!" Sirius protested, his brows furrowing as he sat back down. "I'll have you know I'm the only one here who's actually experienced in the act of godfathering."

"Poor Sirius." Hermione smirked and walked up behind him to place a kiss on the top of his head and pat his shoulder consolingly. Realising what she had done, she stood up straight and cleared her throat before crossing the room and kissing Harry's cheek while muttering, "Congratulations, Harry."

Her surprising act of affection silenced Sirius, though he kept his arms crossed over his chest in mute protest, and she could hear him grumbling under his breath, "It's not like I'm your best friend or anything."

Bill hurried to fetch wine, and Fleur persuaded Remus to join them for a drink.

"I can't stay long. I must get back." Remus, looking years younger than Hermione had ever seen him, beamed around at them all. "Thank you, thank you, Bill."

Bill had soon filled all of their goblets; they stood and raised them high in a toast.

"To Edward Remus Lupin. Teddy," Remus saluted joyfully. "A great wizard in the making!"

"A wizard?" Hermione questioned him knowingly, emphasising the word to make a point.

Remus grinned at her brightly. "Yes, a wizard," he replied and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Hermione."

"Who does he look like?" Fleur inquired.

"I think he favours Dora, but she thinks he looks like me."

"Poor lad." Sirius snickered, and Hermione glared at him, but Remus just laughed.

"Not much hair. It looked black when he was born, but I swear it turned ginger in the hour since. Probably blond by the time I get back. Andromeda says Dora's hair started changing colour the day that she was born." Remus drained his goblet in one large swallow. "Oh, go on then, just one more," he said, beaming, as Bill made to fill it again. "So, have I missed anything important over here?"

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Sirius all shared a look before Sirius finally spoke. "Nothing you need to worry about, Moony. You've got a wife and kid to take care of. In fact, since you've hurt my very soul by not making me the godfather of your firstborn, I'll accept your apology in the form of you staying inside a locked and warded house with your family."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Until when?"

"Until I send you a Patronus!" Sirius retorted, his tone darkening. "I'm not joking, Remus. The only reason you or Tonks step foot out your door is if Hermione or I tell you to."

Shocked to have been included, Hermione looked back and forth between the friends, having expected Remus to be as confused as her or for Sirius to take back his words. When neither did as she assumed they would, she glanced at Harry and Ron to silently ask them, but both boys were deep in their goblets.

"Fine, fine. I'll occupy my time with late night feedings and dirty nappies," Remus said, chuckling. "Now, I really must get back." He declined another goblet of wine as he got to his feet, pulling his travelling cloak back around himself. "I'll try and send some pictures in a few days' time. Everyone at home will be so glad to know that I've seen you."

After fastening his cloak, Remus made his farewells, hugging the women and clasping hands with the men. Then, still beaming, he returned into the wild night.

"Godfather Harry." Bill grinned and patted Harry on the back.

"Yeah." Harry smiled, still clearly dazed by the request. "Sirius, what does a godfather even do?"

"I'm not exactly an expert." Sirius shrugged, looking sadly down into his goblet of wine. "You just . . . take care of him. He's your family now. As good as yours. Keep him safe. The first couple years are relatively simple," he counselled, looking as though he was trying to sweep away the sadness that had suddenly clouded the conversation. "Spoil the hell out of him."

With a loud sigh, he set his cup down on the table and cleared his throat. "All right, enough of this sappy nonsense. We've got a Malfoy to mug tomorrow!"

May 1st, 1998

The plan was simple.

Sirius Apparated to a back street, just off Knockturn Alley, immediately shifting into Padfoot and making his way to the end of the road where his focus could be glued to the entrance of Gringotts. Ron had been transfigured and was now sporting black, messy hair that fell past his ears and a long goatee. He looked like a displaced Death Eater from Durmstrang, more Igor Karkaroff than Weasley. It was the best any of them could come up with on such short notice. Harry and Hermione were hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, eagerly awaiting Sirius's signal.

The plan had been to stake out the bank and wait for Draco and Lestrange to pass by, and then attack them when they exited, hopefully with Horcrux in hand. Ron was supposed to stand guard while Harry and Hermione attacked, at which point Sirius would rush in and snatch up the package, and the four of them would Apparate back to Shell Cottage.

It should have been simple, all things considered.

What they had not planned on was Voldemort's loss of trust in Draco. Whatever happened at Malfoy Manor after their escape remained unknown to them, but the morning before the plan to convene in front of Gringotts was set to go, Harry had a vision.

Despite helping Harry with his Occlumency, Sirius could do nothing when Voldemort's experiences bled through the connection while Harry was sleeping.

Sirius heard the screaming and pulled Harry into his arms, holding him as he thrashed for several minutes. When Harry eventually opened his eyes, gasping for breath, he informed everyone that had gathered around due to his screams that Draco had been attacked with Legilimency.

"I saw everything," Harry said, panting. "He kept up the lie, but Rodolphus told You-Know-Who that Malfoy might have been involved in Bellatrix's death. So they got to him while he was sleeping. This isn't new. It's been happening since we escaped. They've been torturing Malfoy trying to see if he'll eventually break and tell the truth."

Hermione visibly flinched, and everyone, Sirius included, saw the way she wrapped her arms around herself when Harry brought up Draco being tortured. Sirius, himself, felt a deep rage over what was being done to his young cousin, but his priorities needed to remain the same.

"We stick to the plan."

"It could be a trap," Ron said cautiously.

"If it is, then Malfoy's bait," Harry said, wiping sweat from his brow and prying himself out of Sirius's grip. "I don't like the prat, but I won't let him be another casualty in this war. Even if it's a trap, we have to go. We need the Horcrux."

"If we rescue Malfoy in the process, all the better," Hermione added.

Sirius was annoyed, but not entirely surprised when Draco was not only incredibly late—arriving at the bank just before it closed—but Rodolphus was no longer the only one to escort the young wizard inside Gringotts.

As the doors to the bank opened, Sirius's eyes widened at the sight of not only Rodolphus but also Rabastan Lestrange flanking Draco, along with Travers, the elder Crabbe, and Goyle Sr following behind.

Draco looked on edge as he descended the stairs outside the bank, glancing suspiciously around Diagon Alley, his lips curled into a scowl. There was a package in his hands—hands that appeared to be covered in very recent burns.

Sirius immediately recognised the results of what had to have been a Flagrante Curse, which was taught to the Black children early on in life when they were caught snooping through their parents' belongings. It was cruel and harsh, though he could not help but think that it would be a perfect trap to set inside a vault.

Scanning the alley once more, Padfoot nodded his head knowingly when he made eye contact with Draco. Visibly breathing deep, Draco took his mother's wand in hand, quickly ducking down whilst throwing up a nonverbal protection shield around his body that was purposely evident to anyone actually paying attention. The Death Eaters, thankfully, were not so observant.

Sirius shifted form and sent a pair of Stunning Spells toward the small crowd, hitting Crabbe first, then Goyle directly after.

From the other side of the street, Harry and Hermione jumped out from under the cloak that hid them, shooting spells, hexes, and jinxes at the gathered Death Eaters. Draco Disillusioned himself and slipped into the background with the package in hand. Spell after spell flew. Sirius took on Rodolphus, Ron fought Travers, and Harry and Hermione faced Rabastan.

"Stupefy!" Harry shouted, but Rabastan evaded the spell.

"We have to end this quickly! We're drawing attention!" Hermione yelled.

"Push them together!" Sirius ordered.

Ron called out, "Impedimenta!" The jinx hit Travers square in the chest, knocking him down between the bodies of Crabbe and Goyle. He then went to Sirius's side to help him fight the elder Lestrange brother.

"I know it was you, Black!" Rodolphus screamed. "I knew the Malfoy boy was a blood-traitor, and that my Bella wouldn't have been overpowered by a bloody werewolf!"

Sirius laughed. "No? But she was overpowered so easily by a mere dog."

"You'll pay for what you did!" Rodolphus bellowed and aimed his wand. "Avada Ked—"

Hermione screamed, "Confundo Maxima!" from behind Harry. Her Confundus Spell hit Rodolphus Lestrange before he had a chance to finish his curse, and the man tumbled backward against the steps.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Ron shouted, binding the Death Eater's body.

"A little help here!" Harry yelled as Rabastan descended upon himself and Hermione. Lestrange cast curse after curse at the two. Ron stood guard over the bodies of the stunned and bound Death Eaters while keeping eyes peeled for any potential backup.

"Crucio!" Rabastan's curse missed Hermione by mere centimetres.

Hearing the curse, Sirius spun to attack, but before he had a chance to retaliate—and before Rabastan could cast another Unforgivable in Hermione's direction—a voice from behind him called out, "Avada Kedavra!" and Rabastan's body fell forward, pale and lifeless.

Hermione gasped at the sight and looked up in time to see Draco Malfoy drop his Disillusionment Charm.

"What the hell, Malfoy!?" Ron screamed and stormed forward. "You tricked us!"

"Didn't I say not to let him do anything?" Draco scowled at Harry. "Here, get this away from me. It's given me nothing but trouble." He handed over the package roughly, shoving it into Harry's hands before turning his gaze on Ron. "If you couldn't tell, Weasel, I wasn't a part of this welcome wagon for you! Being on your fucking side has given me nothing but problems!"

Ron scoffed. "Oh, poor you."

"Granger, get your boyfriend out of my face before I set him on fire!" Draco threatened.

Sirius ignored the squabbling. Instead, he used his energy to check everyone for injuries since they seemed to be too busy to bother with such trivial things. Malfoy's tone, however, was grating on his last nerve.

"Ron, back off!" Hermione directed. "And he's not my boyfriend."

"Like I really give a shit about the specifics. Well, is that it?" he asked Harry who was staring at a fine, golden cup in his hands.

"This is it," Harry confirmed. "Let's get back to Shell Cottage."

"Not yet. You want them to follow you?" Draco pointed to the unconscious and bound Death Eaters behind them.

"They need to be arrested," Hermione insisted.

"Oh, I'll just go call the Aurors then, Granger." Draco's eye roll was accompanied by a long-suffering sigh. "Except if you haven't noticed, they're all working for the Dark Lord!" Shaking his head, his attention turned to Sirius who was walking up the steps.

"Look away if you can't do it yourself," Sirius mumbled under his breath, aiming his wand at the bound Rodolphus Lestrange who glared up at him with a viciousness that Sirius had rarely seen outside of his own family.

"Sirius . . ." Hermione whimpered.

Draco aimed his wand and sent a Killing Curse at an unconscious Travers. "This is war, Granger," he said, his voice cold.

"Sirius, please," Hermione begged. "I know this is war, but I think there's a very big difference between defending yourself in battle and killing an unarmed enemy."

Sirius tightened his jaw, struggling to reach a decision. Shockingly, he remembered a time when he was the reasonable one, as far fetched as that was. He normally would not have given it another thought, but the look in her eyes was causing him pain, and he could not help but lower his wand a fraction of an inch.

"Bloody Gryffindors." Draco scowled and stalked over past Sirius, aiming his wand and shouting, "Avada Kedavra!" killing the last son of the House of Lestrange. Draco then turned and aimed at Crabbe but hesitated.

Sirius, immediately aware of the boy's change in demeanour, approached and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's too much. You can't take lives without consequences. Don't end up like him," he said, and though he did not mention a specific name, understanding flashed in Draco's eyes. "You're not a killer. C'mon, let's go see your mum, yeah?"

Draco merely nodded.

The moment was cut by a loud scream as Harry gripped his head and collapsed to the ground. "Harry!" multiple people yelled as they ran to his side, Hermione reaching quickly for the Horcrux before Harry dropped it.

"What is it?" Sirius asked, gripping his godson by the arms. "What did you see?"

Draco rolled his eyes at the theatrics and incredulously asked, "Potter's a Seer now?"

"He's . . . He's . . ." Harry forced the words out of his mouth. "He's coming."

"Hurry, we need to Apparate back to the cottage," Ron urged.

"Don't be stupid, Weasel," Draco hissed. "He's got the Aurors on his side!"

"What the hell does that have to do with anything!?"

"They can track Apparition now!"

Everyone stared at the blond, wide-eyed in shock. That was certainly new.

"What do we do?" Hermione eventually asked.

"We leave a trail too difficult to follow," Sirius improvised. "We'll split up for the time being. Ron, Side-Along with Draco back to the forest where you returned to us," he directed. "Harry and Hermione will go somewhere Muggle, I'll Apparate to the cave where I stayed when I was on the run. Then we'll need to Apparate somewhere else and meet up."

"Malfoy Manor," Draco offered.

Ron paled. "What?!"

"If the Dark Lord is on his way here, that means he won't be there! The Floo in my sitting room connects directly to the headmaster's office at Hogwarts. It's how Snape and I have been communicating throughout this."

Sirius growled at the name, and Draco groaned. "Look, I know you've got a problem with him, but he's on your side! And we're wasting time!"

"We need to get to Hogwarts anyway, Sirius," Harry pointed out, his gaze unfocused as he slumped against Hermione. "It's where the next one will be. I saw it in his mind. I saw him trying to figure out where to go next."

"I still don't think we should trust—" Ron began, but Harry cut him off.

"We need to get going," he said firmly. "Can you imagine what he's going to do once he realises the ring and the locket are gone? What if he moves the Hogwarts Horcrux, decides it isn't safe enough?"

"That thing's a fucking Horcrux?!" The colour drained from Draco's face as he stared at the cup in Hermione's hand. He looked up at Harry. "What did you mean by ring and locket?"

"He's got more than one; we've been destroying them," Harry explained.

"Fuck." Draco grimaced, his face finally showing fear.

Sirius growled. "Everyone go. Now!"

Turning on the spot, they each vanished into the crushing darkness.

Sirius landed on the small road on the outskirts of Hogsmeade that led to the cave where he had hidden years ago while he had been on the run with Buckbeak. He had thought about Apparating directly into the cave, but he knew that if he aimed wrong, he would end up on the edge of a cliff.

Before he could take a single step, the air was rent by a loud scream that sent chills up his arms, and his hands flew to his ears.

"Caterwauling Charm, just fucking great," he groaned and made to Disapparate away only to find that Anti-Disapparition Charms had been cast over the village. He scowled and shifted into Padfoot, quickly moving around the outskirts of Hogsmeade, taking back alleys and side streets when possible.

Death Eaters roamed the hamlet in droves, wands at the ready as they searched high and low for whoever had set off the charm. "Look everywhere! Potter's got an Invisibility Cloak, so check every corner even if you don't see anything!"

"What about the dementors?" called another Death Eater. "Let 'em have free rein, and they'll find him quick enough!"

"The Dark Lord wants Potter dead at his own hands."

"Dementors won't kill him! The Dark Lord wants Potter's life, not his soul. He'll be easier to kill if he's been Kissed first!" the other Death Eater argued.

Padfoot flinched at the sight of the few dementors moving in and out of the streets. He swallowed hard, refusing to make eye contact, silently hoping that none of them recognised him in this form. If Sirius could sneak out of Azkaban from a cramped cell in the midst of at least one hundred dementors, he could manage this handful of them. It was difficult, however, as he pushed closer and closer to the creatures and felt all the happiness evaporating from his body. Terrible memories pricked at his mind the closer he got to the monsters, and he cringed as voices from the past echoed inside of his head.

"Sirius don't leave, don't leave . . . Please! Sirius, don't leave me!"

Shaking his head and trying to breathe, he focused as hard as possible and continued forward past the dementors, clinging to what little hope he had left.

Finally reaching the street that led up to Hogwarts, Padfoot ducked from sight, slipping into the back door of Honeydukes. The shop was closed, and it didn't look like it was just for the day. Death Eaters had completely taken over the sweet little town that had filled his youth with joy. It left a bitter taste in his mouth to see it so empty and lifeless, the joy literally sucked out of it.

He sneaked stealthily into the basement passage that he knew led to the statue of the one-eyed witch, and he ran the length of it as quickly as he could. When he reached the end, he spotted a figure. Padfoot skulked forward, low to the ground, taking in the familiar face, though she had aged twenty plus years.

Alecto Carrow stood at the end of the long passage, mumbling bitterly to herself about Snape and his high-handed ways.

"Check the bloody passages, Alecto," she said in a mocking tone. "Search the seventh-floor corridor, Alecto. Guard the Ravenclaw Tower, Alecto. Like he bloody does anything himself."

Padfoot rolled his eyes and made his way out into the open, whimpering softly and limping on his front right leg as though injured.

"Who's there?!" She aimed her wand before letting her gaze focus on him.

Padfoot stopped moving, blinking wide puppy eyes up at her and letting out a soft whining noise.

"Oi, get lost, mutt." She scowled and lowered her wand.

Fucking idiot.

Alecto's dying scream echoed in the passageway as Sirius crawled out from behind the one-eyed witch statue, wand drawn and searching for signs of life. Lamenting that he had not thought to take the Marauder's Map from Harry, he turned back into Padfoot, knowing that it would cause less of a disturbance than his human self. Only a handful of people knew he was an Animagus.

The halls were silent and empty save for a few prefects, all Slytherins, patrolling the corridors here and there in a desultory fashion. Padfoot ducked into dark alcoves and behind curtains, waiting for them to pass before he quickly moved on, making his way toward the Headmaster's office in the hopes that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were already at Hogwarts, and not waiting for him at Malfoy Manor.

When he was almost to the gargoyle, he suddenly realised he had no way of getting inside. Dumbledore's office was often easy to sneak into; with Remus as a friend, Sirius knew every sweet ever made and in alphabetical order. But Dumbledore was gone, and his murderer now occupied his post. To his surprise, the same murderer was now descending the spiralling staircase from behind the gargoyle, his black robes billowing behind him.

Sirius shifted back to human form and pointed his wand directly at Snape's throat. "Snivellus."

"Black," Snape's voice dripped with scorn, not looking surprised to see Sirius. "I'd heard rumours of your unfortunate return from the grave. Not that you were actually buried, of course. Tell me, were you even dead, or was it another poorly planned escape of yours?"

Sirius growled menacingly. "Get back up the stairs."

Snape sneered at him in reply, black eyes narrowing. "I advise you to get your wand out of my throat, dog. I stopped taking your threats earnestly years ago."

"You really shouldn't have. Get up the stairs now, Snape. I happen to have need of your Floo."

Snape's black eyes met Sirius's steely stare, neither man willing to back down. "And why would I possibly grant access to you?"

"Because your only hope of surviving another encounter with me hangs on the fact that a certain young, blond Death Eater has vouched for you, and I need that fucking Floo to speak to him." Sirius waited for a reply, staring coldly at his lifelong rival.

If Snape was surprised by the revelation, he did not let Sirius know it. "And how do I know that young Malfoy is, in fact, with you?"

"Because unlike you piece of shit Death Eaters," Sirius snarled, "I don't kill children."

Snape moved only slightly as he turned to the statue. "Speaking of children, I can only assume by your lack of emotional breakdown that Potter still lives? Dumbledore," he said, and the gargoyle slid aside, revealing once again the large spiral staircase.

"Dumbledore is your password? You're sick."

"And you are as dense as you ever were, Black," Snape said as he climbed the staircase. "If, in fact, Mr Malfoy has informed you of my allegiances, then you should know the headmaster's death was, in truth—"

"I don't want to hear it," Sirius snapped. "Just get me to the bloody Floo!"

Snape glowered as they entered his office. "Very well."

"Ah, see? I knew my worthless great-great-grandson wasn't really dead. Hiding out was he, Severus?" the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black remarked, staring daggers down at Sirius.

"He has not admitted such," Snape muttered. "Yet."

"The Floo, Snivellus!" Sirius barked.

Snape folded his arms across his chest, burying his hands within the sleeves of his robes. "Very well, it's open for your use. Though it only connects to one place, and I can't imagine you'll be welcome company."

"I bloody well know where it goes!" Sirius glared at him. "And you're coming with me."

"Absolutely not," Snape said impassively.

"He's coming to Hogwarts," Sirius said, his voice low and threatening. "Now."

If Snape betrayed any hint of emotion, it was minuscule, but he did silently stalk toward the Floo as if Sirius's words had sparked something inside him. "Do I want to know who's on the other end of this?"

"Not enemies."

"How very vague; thank you." Snape rolled his eyes, threw powder into the fireplace, and spoke aloud, "Malfoy Manor."

"After you." Sirius gestured and watched Snape enter the flames, following him moments later.

On the other end of the Floo, they exited a large fireplace and entered the sitting room at Malfoy Manor cautiously.

The room was lit brightly with beautiful lanterns. Per Narcissa's style, every piece of furniture matched, all priceless antiques in pristine condition. The floors were well-polished, exquisite art hung on the walls, and a large chandelier graced the middle of the room. The very opposite of what the atmosphere of the drawing room had been a month earlier.

It was not the lovely furniture, the gorgeous art, or the polished floors that drew Sirius's focus, though. His attention was drawn to the centre of the room where Harry and Ron had their wands aimed at the Slytherin; Draco, in turn, had his wand aimed back at Ron. Hermione stood to the side, screaming at the lot of them, the impatient and frustrated expression on her face rivalling the likes of Molly Weasley.

Snape glowered, crossing his arms and letting out an impatient sigh. "Oh good, our world is saved."

"What the hell's going on here!?" Sirius demanded.

"Sirius!" Hermione turned to him, relief on her face as she rushed into his arms, wrapping hers tightly around his waist. "I thought . . . Merlin, when you didn't show up—"

"I'm fine, kitten," Sirius assured her, gently tugging on one of her curls. "What'd Malfoy do?"

He caught Snape observing their interaction with a slightly raised eyebrow. His expression instantly shifted into a sneer when Sirius glared at him threateningly.

Hermione paid Snape no attention. "I don't know. Harry and I arrived, and Ron and Malfoy were screaming at one another. They drew wands, Harry jumped in, and other than insults, I haven't been able to get a word out of any of them!"

"Oi!" Sirius yelled, and the three young wizards looked at him.

Harry grinned. "Sirius!"

"What'd he do?" Sirius asked Ron.

"He bloody splinched me!" Ron bellowed, his wand hand shaking.

Draco scoffed. "Barely. Has he ever even done Side-Along-Apparition? Honestly, Granger, I thought you'd have him better trained by now."

"Look!" Ron held up his left hand where two fingernails were missing.

Both Sirius and Hermione stared at him incredulously. Before Sirius had a chance to scold the boy for whinging over a couple of lost fingernails in the middle of a war, Hermione went into a frenzy, rushing forward and smacking Ron hard in the head, snatching his wand from his grip in the process.

"Are you mad!?" she shrieked. "That's barely a splinch! Sirius was splinched! I was splinched! Get over yourself, and get into that Floo right this minute, Ronald Bilius Weasley!" She pointed to the fireplace where she spotted Snape for the first time; her eyes widened, and she raised her own wand.

"You!" Harry shouted, his wand pointed accusingly at Snape.

Sirius put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Not now. Bigger fish to fry, better wizards to fight. But believe me, Death Eater or Order member," he said, his focus turning to Snape, "you and I will have words."

Snape rolled his eyes and reached for the Floo powder on top of the mantle. "I look forward to it."