Disclaimer: See chapter 1 (Spoiler, I own nothing in this story)

As Xander put the finishing touches on his letter, the strange elf, Kreacher, signaled for his attention, again. This was the fourth time since he arrived that he had done so, the first was to officially claim the property, the second was to authorize Kreacher to leave the house for Black family business, and the third time was to authorize increasing the number of elves 'to the amount befitting the House Black', whatever that meant. This time, it seemed like the little creature had a list of Black properties in his hands. Well, time to find out what he wants. He seemed awfully giddy about whatever it was, which had Xander and Sirius a little worried.

Hi everyone,

I know I said I would call, but today has been pretty hectic, and evidently my family house here is still in the 1800's, so no phone. On the bright side, I get to send you a magic owl. No idea how, but it should get to you within 24 hours. Supersonic Bird Mail for the win. Magic is awesome and all, but I miss conveniences like phones and electricity. At least there is toilet paper and indoor plumbing.

Less awesome is that my luck still stands. After the reading of my dad's will, a bunch of thugs attacked the street I was on. No one was hurt, thankfully, but I feel like it might be just as dangerous here as there. Different but the same. My cousins and uncle are...interesting. They are sneaky and tricky, but I get the feeling the ones I've met so far are good people, just a little odd. Of course, that oddness could be a magic thing or a British thing, I don't know.

Giles headed to the Watchers today, so he might have some more information once he looks at their records. Don't tell him this, but he has helped me more than he could possibly know. I had to talk with this one wizard without him, and we almost got into a fight, or as they would say, a magical duel. We didn't, but it was close.

Anyway, it has been a long, long, long, long day, and tomorrow will probably be just as long. I'll call you all when I get a chance, but know that I am alive and well. I miss you guys, and I don't know when I'll be able to visit, but I'll do it as soon as I can. Now that Sunnydale has been Xander-free for a week, everything still standing? Donut shop go out of business? The owl will wait for you while you write back, so please do.

Xander

P.S. Did I tell you, I got hired as a teacher at a magic school? Bye!

Narcissa put the final seal and protective spells on the envelope addressed to her son. After meeting The Lord Black, and knowing his interest in Sirius, and Sirius' extreme care for Harry Potter, her son would be wise to avoid conflict with the boy until she could gather more information. Alexander promised to visit tomorrow, so hopefully she would be able to glean how much danger they could be in. Even so, some extra caution would be warranted on her son's part.

Son,

News from Cousin. Avoid conflict with ALL lions until further instructions. Family at stake. No defiance will be tolerated.

Mother

The owls were particularly helpful to Luna, especially since she carried with her a side of bacon. The owls loved when Luna visited, she always brought the best treats and bribes, and every owl fought over the right to take her letters to her father, who was always generous with them.

Oh father, I saw the most amazing Wrakspurt infestation today, they were so savage, but luckily the castle chased some of them off. I think I made a new friend today. I made sure to have extra servings of pudding at dinner tonight to keep away the Merplesporks. How are things going with the Quibbler? Any rich investors proposition you to fund our Summer Expedition yet? I should have a couple new articles for you, one very important and exciting. It is sure to sell out. I am just having trouble getting a picture of the defense teacher eating a fly in her true form, but once I do the world will know that the ministry is raising a pixie army to destroy the blueberry crops. Did you know that some students here didn't know that the elves were in charge of Hogwarts? I wonder if my peers are going to know anything useful at the end of the school year. I hope so, but I fear they will be as full of Nargles as last year. I can dream, though.

Give my love to everyone, and I shall see you during Winter Break.

Your little moon

"Hee hee hee, this will be great," Sirius murmured under his breath.

"What's great?" Xander asked, overhearing his uncle who was sitting at the writing desk.

"My letter to Harry. Thanks for letting me add some stuff to the end. I finished with 'Whatever you do, make sure to…"

"Ahh, the classic cliffhanger. Did you learn anything from Rita?" Xander inquired.

"Plenty, but there was nothing so urgent you can get out of cramming for your exam tomorrow. I haven't forgiven you for sticking me with her, by the way. I set out a few study books that could help, and, sadly, my mother's portrait might help. She was something of a historian herself. Listening to her moon over your grasp of the subject, one would think you were born to it."

"Thanks. Last question, Kreacher just asked me something weird, do you know anything about a Black Empire?"

Sirius responded to Xander's question with a blank, perplexed, and then concerned looks.

Harry,

With any luck you will receive this letter before anyone hears about it from the Daily Prophet. The man delivering this letter is the rightful leader of House Black, and as such is very important. He is using his position to get me a new trial, which will finally clear my name and will let you stay with me during the summer. It is all very early still, so I don't know any details yet, but I have the feeling that it will be soon.

Even with all he is doing for me, keep your guard up around him. He is Regulus' son, my nephew, so I am not completely certain his loyalties don't lie with Voldemort. The Order will know soon if he is to be trusted. There is so much to tell you, about what Alexander being alive and Head of House Black means to me and to you, more than I can and should go into in a letter. I'll arrange a visit as soon as I can, but in the meantime you can ask Lord Black whatever questions you want. Be polite and considerate, even if it is difficult, because he holds your godfather's fate in his hands.

Enough of that, how is school going? Snogged any girls yet? I have some new pranks that I have thought up that I can send you, new stuff that Hogwarts hadn't seen yet. You can try out on some snakes, but make sure to be very careful. The ministry is meddling with Hogwarts, and I don't know how they will take my nephew's call for my public trial. I doubt they will, but some of the less intelligent officials might try to hurt you to get back at me. Watch your back, and let your friends watch your back too.
Snuffles

P.S.

Alexander didn't get the chance to give you my letter yesterday, but he promises to give it to you before Breakfast. Ignore what I said earlier. He's a right prick. While he was out gallivanting around Hogwarts, he stuck me with an unholy terror of a 'press secretary', whatever that is. Bloody woman wouldn't stop with her questions; she just kept on asking for hours. Prank Alexander the first chance you get. Even if it costs me my freedom, it will be worth it to get back at him.

Now that that is out of my system, you need to know a few more details about what is going on. Alexander talked with me about what happened at Hogwarts, and convinced me to share with you more information than other members of the Order usually do.

Xander's new press secretary, which is like a personal journalist, I think, is Rita Skeeter. Before you get upset, Alexander somehow has her on a leash. Surprisingly, she is sticking to the truth, and everything she'll publish in the Daily Prophet tomorrow was reviewed and approved by me and Alexander. Alexander says he has something to discuss with Hermione, so I assume you'll know about what exactly that is about soon after reading this. He is well aware that Rita is a bottomfeeder, but he says she'll be our bottomfeeder. With the press already flaying you, it can't hurt to have her on our side.

Alexander is going to be your History of Magic professor. He'll be taking a competency exam tomorrow, and from the practice exams we've gone over here at headquarters, he'll be more than fine. Better than Binns, at any rate. Right now he is talking with my mother about it, and if you can believe she is not screaming her head off. If anything she seems to love him which has me a little worried. Keeping Alexander around would be worth it just for keeping her quiet. Evidently since he is Regulus' son, it makes him acceptable in her eyes. Thinking about it, her portrait might not listen to me because I'm not the rightful heir. Never mind about that, let me worry about that.

Dumbledore won't agree to this next part, I've asked plenty of times, but it is time to start learning about Wizarding Politics. For that, you will need to find a pureblood witch or wizard to tutor you without anyone knowing. Go for a cute witch tutor. Even if it's a boring topic, and politics is, the studying is more fun that way. You'll need a good basis in it before I can explain some things to you. Not that I don't want to, but you won't understand. Think of it like trying to brew a Choir potion without understanding the Basics Reactions Chart, or trying to play an instrument with wax in your ears. Hopefully you'll understand enough by Winter so I can explain the Potter alliances and contracts to you. Its important Harry, otherwise I would not bother you with it.

That brings me to my last point. Merlin, this letter is getting long. Try to build friendships with the other houses. If not friendships, alliances. If not alliances, acquaintances. With the war brewing, you'll need everyone you can. As much as it pains me to say it, see if you can find anyone in Slytherin as well. Don't trust them, but open lines of communication, so to speak. If your enemies manage to isolate you, they will kill you that much easier. Trust me when I say isolation is a slow death.

And for Merlin's sake, whatever you do, make sure to . . .

Daphne was nervous about this letter. The information she relayed, while not everything she knew, was enough to help her father significantly in his political maneuvering. Thanks to this chance meeting, she essentially had the inside track on the new Lord Black, something she hadn't even shared with best friend Tracy Davis, not yet. It was almost a perfect opportunity for her. Almost. What bothered her was how easy it all was, almost as if it were a trap. She bit the end of her quill before finishing the letter with her family code for potentially compromised information, but she could not tell for sure. Hopefully, her father and mother could help her see more clearly the truth when they next visited.

Father,

I will forego the usual pleasantries due to the importance of my message. I have met The Lord Black at Hogwarts. He is a young American barely out of school and has almost no knowledge of our culture, but is an extremely apt learner. He is moldable if properly handled, but that may prove more difficult than usual since he grew up on an actual Drundle. As far as I could discern, he is truly neutral. He may be what our families have been looking for.

One of my sources and I gave The Lord Black a tour of Hogwarts, twice, and it appears that he intends to stay at Hogwarts 'For Medical Reasons'. While I am uncertain what these reasons are, I do not believe they are a smokescreen for anything. I am following up on one lead I have as to what medical condition it might be. He seemed genuine and without guile, but he is a Black so I will make sure to tread carefully.

With the current familiarity that we have, I believe I will be able to insert myself as an advisor during his stay. If you do approach him, know that he does not respond favorably to threats, but is extremely amicable to politeness and personal requests/favors. Please send me a copy of House Greengrass' current contracts and alliances regarding the House Black so I may be fully prepared when our paths meet again.

Regarding the other project, all is well. 42 blackbirds flew away when the Lynx ate stew. Solo homework needs revision, but can be turned in for a passing grade. I may need a tutor when available.

Daphne

Kreacher cackled with glee when he sent out his message. He was unsure if Master truly understood what he authorized Kreacher to do, but all that matters is he had the proper authorization. With the Bad Master and his associates taken care of, he would be able to go to more recruitment sites, starting with the Elf Pub in Diagon Alley. Many family-less elves spent their days drunk at the Pub, so he was hopeful that many would join up.

To The True Servants of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black,

The true Lord Black has returned, and He is Glorious. Make ready for his inspection. The spare uniforms will be filled, the rooms will be opened. Already more have flocked to us when I was able to leave. The world has changed, but our sworn duty has not. When you are visited, go and recruit those who are lost and those who are forgotten. The Black Elf Regime under our new Lord is rising again. Praise Lord Alexander Black!

Kreacher, Black Land Steward

Dumbledore sighed with frustration. He had drafted over a dozen letters to Sirius, and all of them failed to convey his sorrow, his reasoning, and his support of a new trial. Hopefully draft #14 will be better.

My dear Sirius,

Your nephew, young Alexander, informed me that my mistake those long years ago has come to light. I can only say that what I did, I did for the sake of Harry. James told me two days prior to that fateful night that you were their secret keeper, and I had no reason to doubt their word. That does not explain, however, the lack of a trial.

You know what we are guarding now, you have known about It since the beginning. I know James told you what It contained. Having heard straight from the Potters that you were guilty, a ruse that I now know was designed to protect them, I saw little reason to doubt your guilt. I did not, however, want the knowledge of what It said out in court, where anyone of any allegiance would be able to hear it. Should you have revealed the existence of It, or worse recited what It said, young Harry would have been in even greater danger than you could imagine. As it happened, the blood wards have protected Harry from 71 magical attacks before he arrived at Hogwarts, including death curses, entropy curses, and rituals designed to kill. Unfortunately, the wards are such that those who attempted them are no longer living, so we may never know the real extent of the attempts against him, nor who was behind them.

This does not excuse what I did and I rightly deserve your anger, but it should help explain why I signed off on your incarceration. Since you escaped, and the truth revealed to me, I have attempted several times to get you another trial, but Cornelius Fudge backed by Lucius Malfoy outmaneuvered me at every turn. I was surprised at this vehement resistance, but we now know why he blocked your trial since it was Cornelius who originally took you into custody and pushed for this in the first place. So many mistakes, but that is the blessing and curse of being able to look into the past.

I know we do not agree on every single thing, but we both want what is best for Harry. With Crouch dead and no clear politically-reliable successor to his position, and with Amelia Bones being the reasonable woman I know she is, there should be no obstacles left for your nephew to get you a new trial, and any he does encounter I will do my best to remove as my penance. With the hiring of your nephew as a teacher and trying to thwart Umbridge's plans for the students, I fear I will not be able to visit for a while to discuss this in a more private setting. Should things progress as I anticipate with your trial, you should be able to visit Hogwarts in your true form next month or so. I hope you will schedule some time to meet with me.

Good luck, and I will continue to keep an eye on your Godson and your new nephew. And I hope one day in the future you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

A.P.W.B.D.

The letter written, the lethal antitheft spells in place, the figure in a dark cloak released the owl to deliver the information to their Master, Lord Voldemort. Without a word, they wheeled around and headed back to their assignment.

My Lord,

There is a new head of house Black in England, the son of Regulus. He has taken control over the Black fortune and has thwarted an assassination attempt by over a dozen hit-wizards without a single non-combatant casualty. While the Ministry continues to deny your rebirth, my sources say he has not yet chosen a side. The Black has, however, accepted a position as a professor at Hogwarts, which may sway him away from our cause. He is powerful, but very young. While I could not get away to report this in person, I hope you feel it is important enough to warrant my sending a letter to you. I will continue with my assignment and await any changes in your orders.

Your Servant