"I believe Benitoite might be the answer you are looking for, Severus."
Severus looked up from his potion, towards the door. Dumbledore was standing there, an old book tucked in his hands.
"How are you, my boy?" Dumbledore asked as he walked in. Severus narrowed his eyes at the old one; he was cheerful, more than he normally was.
"What does Benitoite has to do with my experiment?"
"Directly to the point, I see," Dumbledore commented as he took a chair in front of Severus' experiment table. "Very well. I have been doing some research of my own, you see. I might not be an expert on Potions, but I did pretty good back in school, if I say so myself."
Severus rolled his eyes at his mentor's obvious delay in imparting the information. He was trying to heighten his anticipation and, well damn him! He had Severus right where he wanted him.
"Benitoite is a rare gemstone, very rare," Dumbledore continued. "Very little is known about it. Back in school, I did some personal research on it. I had one as a family heirloom."
Severus raised an eyebrow. Benitoite was a very rare and very precious gemstone. Because of this, it was cherished too much and rarely researched. How had Dumbledore convinced his parents to use the family heirloom for research was beyond him?
"There is one peculiar property of Benitoite. When added with moonstone, it can stabilise unicorn hair and werewolf's blood."
Despite himself, Severus was curious. "Are you sure?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Also, it lengthens the shelf life of any potion it is added to. A potion can be stored for hundreds of years with just a miniscule particle."
"What potion were you researching on that required unicorn hair and werewolf's blood?" Severus asked rhetorically. He didn't expect an answer and Dumbledore didn't provide him with one.
"That solves quite a lot of our problems." Severus allowed a small smile to appear on his pale face. Regulus, you are going down.
"Not so easily, my boy," Dumbledore interrupted his thoughts, "That family heirloom got stolen after five years of my graduation. I have been trying to locate it for quite some years now and the last confirmed location was Nigeria."
Severus didn't know whether to be frustrated at the developments or get angry at Dumbledores for losing such a precious stone.
"I have decided that Sirius and you will go to Nigeria to get the stone back," Dumbledore got up, placing the book on Severus' table. "It is believed to be with a muggle merchant who considers it his lucky charm. It should not be very difficult for him to let it go with right amount of persuasion."
Dumbledore had reached the door when Severus hissed out a question. "Why does B-Black have to go with me?"
Dumbledore turned the doorknob. "In case the going gets tough." With that, he walked out of the door.
Regulus smiled as he downed another glass of firewhiskey. It was his first occasion to see Severus so worked up. True it had hurt him to know Severus had a head start, but it was difficult to hide his glee when he heard that Severus had an adventure to go on... with Sirius. He wondered how Sirius would be taking it.
"Calm down, Severus. We both know you are not backing out of this 'adventure trip'."
"As if Albus gave me an option! He practically ordered me!"
"Would you, if he had given you an option?"
"Of course! You think I would voluntarily want to go with Black?"
Regulus raised an eyebrow.
"I mean Sirius Black," Severus amended. He wasn't about to admit to Regulus that he was right; Severus would never have let go of this chance. It was not only about stone. When Dumbledore had shared his whole plan, with all of them present in his office, he had mentioned his friend Graeme Angil, the most renowned Potions Master in the world. He would be their host when they went to Nigeria. How could Severus refuse such a fine opportunity!
Damn Dumbledore for knowing his weaknesses!
"You better prepare that list of questions you wish to ask Angil, rather than wasting your time ranting about my brother."
Well, damn Regulus too!
Hermione looked at the strange surroundings. It was very dark. Sirius was sure she didn't like it. But he was not going home today.
His day had started normally. He had dropped Hermione off at her day school, gone to work, done lots of paperwork on his latest raid and flirted with his boss' secretary. He was about to ask her out for dinner when he had received a message from Dumbledore for an urgent meeting.
That was when the day started turning worse. He had reached late to pick Hermione up. She was cranky and when he apparated both of them to Hogwarts, she vomited all over him. This was a first. He had reached late to the meeting.
Which turned out to be the worst of all.
He was going to Nigeria. With Snape. Severus bloody Snape! To get a stone. A bloody stone!
In his opinion, James could very well go with Severus. Remus and he were fully capable of taking care of Hermione. He squashed the voice saying that only James could quieten Hermione when she cried. Anyway, whatever did the greasy git need an Auror for? He must know enough of Dark Arts to save his skinny hide.
The moment he was out of Dumbledore's office, he had shouted at Remus who had tried calming him down. He had run away from them after the argument, Hermione in his arms and had apparated to Grimmauld's Place.
Sirius waved his wand and the whole house lighted up. Sirius was surprised to find it clean. He hadn't expected that. No one lived here anymore.
"Kreacher!"
An old elf came a minute later from the kitchen, wrapped in clean towel and an old rag in his hands.
"Master." Kreacher said, without bowing. Not that it mattered; they haven't ever liked each other.
"Get us some food prepared," Sirius barked his order. "Get some milk and some baby food too."
Kreacher glanced at the little baby in Sirius' arms, who was looking at him curiously. Shaking his head, Kreacher disapparated loudly.
Sirius took Hermione to bedrooms; it might be some time before Kreacher would get them something to eat. They could get a nap till then.
"Don't you think we should try locating him?" James asked, looking out of the window for any sign of Sirius.
"Relax, James. He is not going to let any harm come near Hermione."
"I am worried about Sirius too," James said.
"Yeah, yeah."
Taking a seat beside Remus on sofa, James asked the question that had been plaguing his mind ever since the meeting.
"Do you think Sirius will go with Severus?"
"Yes."
"Why? Didn't you see how he reacted?"
Remus closed the book he was reading. "James, Harry means a lot to him. He thinks he is responsible for what ever happened last Halloween since he was the ones to suggest the switch. So, he will do whatever it takes to right it. Though he may not like it."
"I don't blame him," James said quietly.
"He knows that," Remus said as quietly, "But he has always been hard on himself."
Sirius woke up to an empty bed and chuckles from downstairs. Immediately suspicious, Sirius stealthily moved. The noise was coming from the kitchen and the door was slightly ajar. He could see Kreacher, his back to him and from the incomprehensible noises he could make out it was Hermione there too.
Not a good combination!
He immediately rushed to the kitchen. Both, Kreacher and Hermione looked at him and, well, the situation was definitely laughable.
Kreacher's mouth was covered with, what Sirius could only guess as, baby food. Hermione had created quite a ruckus with food, some on its bib, some on table, some on her face, some on floor and some on Kreacher's face. What was a shocker was the smile Kreacher had on his face – it was not the malicious one he usually reserved for Sirius. It was genuine.
"Master," Kreacher mumbled. Was that a bow? What was the world coming to?
"What's all this?" Sirius asked, waving his hand in general direction of the mess.
"Baby food," Kreacher answered, rolling his eyes. Back to his usual self, i see. "Miss had the amount she was to eat and decided to play with the rest." There it was! The smile.
"And you let her?" Sirius raised an eyebrow. "I hope you didn't harm her in any way, because if you did-"
Kreacher glared at him before answering him. "Oh please! Kreacher raised two children. Kreacher can take care of third."
Sirius stopped mid rant at the answer; two children? And then it hit him; Regulus and him. Their mother hardly had done any things he was doing these days. Memories suddenly rose to surface – him riding on Kreacher's back as the elf flew him around the house and Regulus clapping from the floor, Regulus and him having food fight and Kreacher shaking his head in amusement, trying hopelessly to clean the room, Kreacher reading stories from a story book to Regulus and him.
Sirius shook his head to clear his mind. Kreacher was not a regular elf; his mother had taught him to read and write just so he could help the children, so that she couldn't be bothered with it all... any of it. It was only when Kreacher had started teaching the traditional and usual pureblood nonsense had Sirius drifted apart.
Till then, he recalled surprised, Kreacher was his best friend.
Sirius loudly cleared his throat... those were uncomfortable thoughts. "I will clean her up and be on my way home." And Kreacher actually looked sad at that. Or i am going mad.
Kreacher just waved his hand and Hermione was clean, her spoon and bowl gone. She looked surprised at her hand which was holding her spoon, blinked rapidly and then clapped. She was a mild-mannered child, she was. He remembered Regulus used to cry at something similar. Most of weird or magical things usually amused her.
Taking the child in his arms, Sirius walked to the door, Kreacher following them. "Er-" what do you say to a house-elf you hate? "We are going." Well worded. "Bye."
With that, Sirius hurried out of the door and apparated to Remus' place. But not before seeing Kreacher waving at young Hermione.
"All done?" Remus asked from the door. Sirius threw him a glare before focussing on the spell that packed clothes.
Remus chuckled as he walked in. Sirius was hopeless when it came to packing – muggle way or magical way. He took a seat on the bed beside Sirius' suitcase.
Sirius paid no attention to him, at least tried to, but failed spectacularly. He was hopeless at packing and needed his friend's help.
"The least you can do is help," he muttered darkly.
"Why, it's more fun this way," the werewolf said. "And how many times are you going to play the 'I'm going with Severus' card?"
"Forever!" Sirius answered heatedly. "Why did you have to bring that up? For a second there, i could pretend i wasn't going with the greasy git."
"He stopped being greasy a long time ago, Sirius," Remus sighed.
"He is still a git," Sirius countered.
"And you are still a baby," Remus said, as he waved his wand and the suitcase was packed.
Sirius scowled at Remus, before muttering a 'thanks'.
"Look Sirius" Remus started, "I know you don't want to go with Severus. I would have gone if Dumbledore had allowed me to." Apparently, prejudices against werewolves were stronger and harsher in Africa, if it was possible. "Plus, i think Severus is still uncomfortable around me."
Sirius' head jerked up. "What? Whatever for?"
Remus gave him a look. "Because of the incident, i suppose. It's not easy to drive out of your mind a picture of a savage beast baring its sharp teeth at you."
Sirius looked away guilty. Luckily, he was saved from further embarrassments by a call from downstairs. James was calling him which meant Dumbledore and Severus had arrived.
Within fifteen minutes, Sirius and Severus stood facing each other, holding a spoon between them, one face scowling and one impassive. Exchanging final goodbyes, Severus and Sirius disappeared from view, leaving a crying infant, worried marauders and amused old professor.
"Let's hope they don't kill each other," James muttered.
Hermione answered by crying louder.
