Three weeks after that battle, it was decided that having Rabastan Lestrange on their side was a boon they never expected, simply because of the amount of information he has because of Bellatrix and Rodolphus, and how they can never keep their mouths shut.

Rabastan had entranced the entire Organization when he just confirmed Regulus' suspicion that Bellatrix had a horcrux.

He had said that in her vault at Gringotts, her personal Vault, holds something the Dark Lord entrusted to her, and she had to keep it safe at all costs.

And so, this is how Arcturus and Rabastan found themselves at Gringotts. Rabastan was going to go to the Lestrange Vault, whilst Arcturus - as the patriarch of Bellatrix's family and the senior family between the Lestrange's and the Black's, he could go and peruse her vault as much as he needed or wanted.

The Goblin took Arcturus down to Bellatrix's vault first. Only Black's or Lestrange's were allowed to enter, so the Goblin had to wait outside the vault whilst the old man and the young teen entered.

Immediately they were hit with dark magic from every angle. Arcturus could feel the horcrux in here, he really could, but the cup must have been incredibly well hidden because he could not find it and sorting through all those dark items would be catastrophic if they could physically curse a person. He and Rabastan exchanged a silent look before nodding.

Arcturus took out the mirror that he now had and called for Charlus.

"Yes?" Charlus answered, the mirror incredibly close to his face. Arcturus rolled his eyes.

"It's in here, but it would take ages sorting through all of the dark items. And it would be very dangerous."

"What do you suggest we do?" Charlus sighed.

Arcturus groaned. He loathed having to do this, but it seems as if he has to. "I can disown her as a Black and seize her vault." He spoke. Charlus' face softened.

"Come back, we'll discuss it with the team. As long as we know where it is, that's what matters."

Arcturus nodded sharply. He and Rabastan left the vault, claiming they will be back another time before thanking the Goblin and apparating back to Potter Manor.

It seems that Rabastan and Regulus have either become very adept at sneaking out of Hogwarts, or Dumbledore just didn't care.

Which would be quite on par with Dumbledore's behavior. Slytherins? Who gives a fuck about them anyways.

Once the older man and younger Lestrange popped into the Potter foyer, Arcturus immediately darted off to Charlus' study with a hasty hello at the Members in the kitchen. It seems that Potter Manor had become the official headquarters and living area for The Grey. It was certainly big enough to house them all and more, and everyone found they liked being close to the people they considered family.

Rabastan spotted the pretty Marlene McKinnon with the formidable Alice Longbottom sitting in the kitchen with Lily Potter, making drinks and laughing about one thing or another.

It was so difficult to believe these people were just one year his senior. 19-20 years of age, so accomplished. Fighting in a war. Directly pissing off the Dark Lord.

He's heard Rodolphus and Bellatrix complaining about Marlene McKinnon, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, the Longbottoms, the Prewett twins, the Potter's and Emmeline Vance by name because the Dark Lord truly loathed them.

Every fight, every duel, those people were the first responders. They were the ones that fought the fiercest. He saw Emmeline Vance, with her silvery hair and striking violet eyes sitting on the loveseat with a book pouring over its contents. She seemed to be more isolated from the girls, at least that was Rabastan's observations.

He, despite not being the biggest book smart person in the world, was smart in his own way. He observed. He liked to observe. Unlike Rodolphus, he was never a fanatic. He simply didn't care.

How could he believe 'mudbloods' were inferior when he quite literally watched Lily Evans, infamous gryffindor 'mudblood' hex someone silly, they were babbling, tripping over their feet, and purple for two weeks. Even the Matron couldn't undo the spells she'd done.

He knew Rodolphus couldn't do that. He knew the only true prowess Lucius Malfoy had with a wand was the killing and cruciatus curse. Not things he'd prefer to brag about. He knew Corban Yaxley seemed to have a liking for muggle women. Antonin Dolohov, however, was quite brilliant. Making spells and curses that were horrifying beyond imagination. But even he didn't believe in blood purity.

No, Dolohov simply loved the hunt. Loved the kill. He was a psychotic, blood thirsty man with only one rule. No children. No kids.

He would do just about anything to anyone, but if anybody was below 17, he would not lay a wand against.

Rabastan mused, for a moment, the difference between 17 and 16. It was an hour. If he was killed an hour before his 17th birthday, would he be considered a child? What difference would a minute, an hour, or a day make? Is 17 still not a child?

The Potters, Longbottoms, McKinnon, Regulus, his brother, their friends, this Potter alliance or Order or whatever they are being called, are they not just children?

Children in a war, yes. But children nonetheless. Sure, the Potter and Longbottom women were with child, but a child having a child is still that. A child.

Why were they responsible for fighting the war and winning it? It was a bitter thought, truly. They already had the world of the next generation and the future on their shoulders. It was unfair of them to have to shoulder the burden of the present. Of trying to make sure there will be a future.

And Rabastan watched, bitterly as the McKinnon lioness laughed, her mane of blonde hair glistening in the chandelier light and her blue eyes alit with a sparkle of mirth and youth. A playful smirk resting on her face, her red lips pulled up and mischief on her face.

And for a moment, his eyes flashed, from seeing the woman so full of life right in front of him to laying dead and cold on the floor. With an auburn haired woman holding the body and crying in rage. The same redheaded woman who was now laughing and resting a hand on her stomach that had a small bump already forming.

It wasn't fair. But then again, he thought bitterly, his mind flashing back to when Bellatrix decided to practice her torture unforgivable prowess on him, life wasn't bloody fair, was it?

James Potter sat in his office with Lily, Remus, and Sirius. He was truly feeling quite overwhelmed, and their presence always seemed to calm him down.

So, they were sitting there, lost in their thoughts before Sirius broke the silence.

"Your birthday is next week." He said, looking at James.

"Oh," He said disinterestedly. "Is it?"

"Yes, it is love." Lily murmured, running her fingers through his already messy jet black hair. He leaned into her touch with a soft smile, and closed his eyes blissfully.

"It doesn't matter," James whispered.

"How could it not matter? You're turning 20, you prat." Remus said exasperatedly.

"And once again, it doesn't matter. Not with everything else going on." James said firmly. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"We're doing something and that's that." He spoke deftly, ignoring every protest and whinge that came out of James' mouth.

On the other end of the room, Regulus, now also a full time resident at the Potter manor, decidedly done with Dumbledore's shit, strolled into the kitchen, accosting Alice, Marlene, and Emmeline.

"Hello Reg," Emmeline spoke kindly with a soft smile. Regulus quite liked her. Kind but fiery. Calculating, and cunning. A perfect Slytherin.

"Hey Emmeline," He spoke informally. He was used to the formal pureblood jargon but quite honestly, he had never felt so free. He should feel scared, he was in the epicenter of a civil war. But he felt free. At peace. Like he finally had a family. People who cared, and who he cared about in return.

"What's up?" Marlene asked with a grin as she looked up from her cereal. His eyes met hers and he grinned back.

"James' birthday is next week."

A strangled noise came from the back of Alice's throat. Regulus looked at her in confusion.

"I bloody well forgot to get him a present!" She squeaked, running with a slight waddle out of the kitchen to where Regulus assumed Frank was. He let out a small bark of laughter as he turned back to Emmeline and Marlene.

"So, do you know what to get him?" He asked nonchalantly. Marlene snorted.

"I've had his present since the end of February. And let me tell you, he will love it." She said confidently.

"Oh yeah?" Regulus challenged. Emmeline's eyes just darted between the two, amused. "And why's that, love?"

Marlene spluttered in shock for a moment at the term of endearment that left Regulus' mouth before she narrowed her eyes. "Because it's from me and he's been my diaper buddy for 19 years and he loves me." She said arrogantly and Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Can't compete with that, can we?" He asked somewhat sarcastically.

"Not even Sirius can compete with that." Emmeline snorted. "And Sirius is James' boyfriend."

"I thought Remus was James' boyfriend?" Marlene mused.

"No," Regulus snorted. "Remus is Lily's boyfriend."

"I've never thought about it like that," Marlene admitted. "But now that I have it makes so much sense."

"Doesn't it?" Regulus nodded, before shooting a sly look at Emmeline. "Sirius can get a girlfriend too,"

Emmeline tensed, and glared at the smirking Marlene and Regulus. "Never in a million years."

"Why not? You'd be.." Regulus trailed off.

"Electric," Marlene smirked whilst wiggling her eyebrows. Regulus nodded in affirmation.

"He's your brother!" Emmeline said, affronted. "Should you not be disgusted?"

"The more attention he can give to someone else, the less he pays attention to me." Regulus shrugged. "For seven bloody years all I wanted was for him to pay attention to me and now he's doing it too much."

Marlene sniggered at his predicament. "I know. He always asks me where you are. 'Marls, where's Reggie? Marls, do you know what Reggie's doing right now? Marls help me find Reggie.' I swear the man is obsessed."

Regulus groaned and Emmeline snickered.

All of a sudden the moment between the three was ruined by a loud bang and crack of apparition.

There was a blood curdling yell that made Regulus' blood drain. Marlene and Emmeline paled and sent scared looks at one another before the three of them sprinted from the kitchen, meals and drinks forgotten to the source of the anguished noises.

There were footsteps coming rapidly from every direction, and truthfully, Regulus thought he might throw up at the sight that greeted him.

Alastor Moody was in their room, carried by Fabian and Gideon. They were doing auror work together, he knew that Fabian volunteered to help with the Auror Corps when curse breaking wasn't really bringing in the income, Regulus was assuming.

The man's nose was cursed off, a huge chunk missing. He had several wounds on his body. But the worst one was his leg. It was completely off. Amputated.

Blood was spurting from the wound and Regulus immediately ran over along with Dorea, the two casting diagnostic charms to see which spells were used on his body. He was groaning in pain, his voice hoarser than normal. Maybe from the pain. Maybe from screaming. Regulus didn't know. He turned immediately to the twins who were shaken and covered in blood.

Fabian had a gash on his forehead, whilst Gideon was bleeding from the left side of his abdomen. He was clenching the wound with a look of barely suppressed pain on his face.

"Sit down you bloody idiot," Regulus growled. "You're injured."

Gideon collapsed on the couch and Lily went to him and tore his buttoned shirt open.

Regulus thinks he threw up at what he saw, but couldn't be sure. The wound was a long, deep gash on his left side. It was festering, bleeding and infected. Puss was coming out from either side, and the wounded outer area was black. There were black veins that were stretching out from the wound, like a poison, and making their way throughout his body.

Dorea seemed to have sedated Moody and stopped the bleeding, so the attention was all on Gideon. Fabian was inconsolable as he looked at his brother, paling even more so with a thick sheen of sweat now on his face. Lily began trying every healing spell she knew, but to no avail.

James came running back from the library apparently - Regulus didn't even know he left. He had an ancient looking tome in his hand and plopped it on the table, the page open.

The Withering Curse, paired with a cutting curse it seemed.

"It's a Mage spell." James said. "It's known to be in Battle Magic, which the Potter's are experts in. Potters along with the Peverell's, since the beginning of Camelot have been Battle Mages. There has to be a counter curse somewhere."

Charlus was pouring through the Family Grimoire that had been in the Potter Family since the days of Camelot whilst Dorea and Lily were trying and failing to heal him.

Regulus - to his shock - was instructed to help Charlus look in the Potter family books. That was when he found it. He made a yelp of noise to get everyone's attention.

"I found it! The Withering Curse and it's counter." It was in a foreign language that Regulus seemed to be vaguely familiar with. Making out only a few words.

James and Charlus looked at the curse. "What language is that?" Regulus asked, wide eyed.

"It's old English," James admitted. "Anglo-Saxon."

"WHAT?" Lily said in shock. There was no way anybody could begin to be able to pronounce it.

Charlus and James shared a grim look, and James nodded. Charlus was too old to be able to use the power required for the spell. James pocketed his wand, and everyone watched with rapt attention, even Fabian, who looked up from his hands enough to see James pocket his wand and walk over to Gideon, with the ancient tome in his hand.

James put his palms over the wound, Gideon cried out in pain. James' grim look turned worse.

"I'm sorry mate," He muttered.

"Just do it, Potter." Gideon gritted out. He nodded.

Then, James began chanting. "Ablawung hrycg aldorbana. Gehwyrftnes asetnys cynewulf cædmon giestrandæg. Tacan benimirjg se deófolcræft."

Everyone watched in shock as James' eyes glowed in power, his normally hazel eyes now iridescent. His hands that were on Gideon's side, now glowed gold. A searing gold that filled the room with light and warmth. Gideon let out a blood curdling scream that made Regulus' eyes fill with tears and his heart plummet to his stomach.

With the blink of an eye, the glow was gone, James took his hands off the wound and found it was no longer infected, and the blackness caused by the withering curse was receding and disappeared all together.

All that was left was the cut, which Dorea healed quickly and wrapped.

Everyone was staring at James. He was silent.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Sirius demanded, voice shaky.

"Potters.." James tried to explain. "When a Potter turns a certain age..the age of five, they enter a specific type of training. We learn the old tongue, fluently."

Sirius was still staring at him. They all were. He floundered, and looked to his father for help. Charlus took over.

"Old Magick, before wands, had no focal point. The magic was consecrated through the very core, and flowed through the body. The only sign a person was doing magic would be a glow of their eyes. The Potter's dedicate their lives to preserving the Old Ways. We practice both old and new magic. That's why sometimes you see James reading a glamoured book and when you ask why he lies."

"I knew you wouldn't always be reading the Transfiguration textbook!" Sirius accused. James shrugged guiltily.

"Is it possible to use this power to..kill Voldemort?" Arcturus asked. Everyone's eyes were once again on James and Charlus.

"It's..possible. But nobody's used magic like this in combat for years." James answered swiftly. "Mainly I use it for menial stuff. Wandlessly bringing a book to me, or cleaning my desk."

"I always wondered how he did that," Remus muttered under his breath.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius asked, hurt on his face. James' face scrunched in guilt.

"I couldn't..not until now."

"Why not?" Lily demanded, affronted she didn't know. She was his bloody wife.

"It's a Potter family thing. The only reason I did it now is because Gideon was dying. But this cannot be spoken of to anyone outside this room. If word reaches Voldemort what kind of magical knowledge we have access to, our targets will be bigger." James said.

"Everyone will need to do an unbreakable vow upon exiting this room." Charlus said grimly. This was met with sighs of acceptance.

All James could feel was dread. With a dash of relief, that this secret was now revealed and he didn't have to lie to his best friends and wife any longer.

Narcissa Malfoy neé Black was not as stupid as one would assume. She was a socialite, and part of being one means observing. Looking beneath the cracks. Chinks in one's armour. She knew Lucius Malfoy was a disgusting man. She couldn't get out of marrying him however. Her mother and father would never allow it after Andromeda's..indisgretion with a muggleborn named Ted Tonks. She met the man once before. He seemed to be a kind fellow. However, Narcissa is now with child. She will do anything to protect her unborn son, even if it means getting away from her so-called husband. Especially if it means that.

Supporting the dark lord, she could deal with. Being his lackey, she could deal with. Lucius being his right hand man? That was already in too deep. Much too deep, much too fast. She knows he's hiding something. She can feel the dark magic emanating from his study. The study only he or she was allowed to enter. So when Lucius was out for a raid and would be gone for quite some time, she made her move.

The disgusting magic was interfering with her health and the health of her unborn child, and that simply would not do. She was weak, bedridden for most of the day. Feeling angry, irritated, or just downright bitter for days and days on end. Once she entered the study for the first time in months, she was hit with the disgusting feel of the magic full on. She did as many protective spells over her stomach as she could before moving in to look for the object in which the magic was emanating from.

She regrets how she didn't reach out to Sirius after he left the Black family, and after this, she would rectify that. Rumor has it that he's been in Potter Manor with the rest of the vigilante group that is being dubbed the Order of the Grey in the Daily Prophet.

It took an hour before she found it, hidden in a crevice in Lucius' bookshelf. The moment she touched it, she felt the vile magic and had to bite back the vomit that was crawling up her throat. She was a Black who spent her days hidden in her family's library. She knew what dark magic was, and she knew this was the most vile form of magic she had ever seen in her life. It wasn't just dark, she felt that it was more black than her true name.

She tried every spell she could think of to destroy it. Cutting curses, withering curses, severing curses, anything. But it remained undamaged. As a last, desparate resort she grabbed a fistfull of floo powder, intending to use the study's floo to get out of the manor as soon as possible and hopefully never look back.

She held her wand tightly in her hand and whispered "Fiendfyre." A hot lick of red fire left her wand, going towards the harmless looking diary. The second the fire touched it, it let out a ghastly shriek as a black puff of smoke turned into Lucius Malfoy in front of her, saying vile things. Things about what he wants to do to her, things about killing her and their unborn child. She felt herself losing control and poured more power into the spell until the puff of black smoke was gone and the diary was naught but ashes on the scorched desk. She ended the spell, breathing heavily at the magical exhaustion. She pocketed her wand, and with her free hand resting on her baby bump, tossed the floo powder into the fireplace and called out "Potter Manor."

Amidst all the confusion of James' new magical prowess being revealed, only Sirius saw the floo flare brightly, and saw a very pregnant Narcissa walk out. She looked pale, a thin sheen of sweat on her face. Her eyes were wild with..fear? In all his life, he had never seen his cousin afraid.

"Cissa?" He breathed despite his better judgement. The voices around him died down as they stared at the beautiful now Malfoy woman who looked as if she was about to collapse at any moment. He ran over to her and steadied her. "Narcissa, what are you doing here?" He asked. "Did Malfoy do something?"

"Dark magic..diary..fiendfyre." She mumbled. Sirius' brows furrowed as he set her down on the unused sofa and Dorea grabbed her some water and a calming draught.

"What happened?" Regulus repeated, his voice soft and tender. Just how she remembered her gentle, loving cousin. She smiled a soft smile.

"There..there was a dark item in Lucius' study." She did not miss the fact that this 'Order' exchanged looks. "It had been affecting me for months, affecting the baby rather negatively. Lucius he..he was out on a raid so I snuck in. Nothing I did destroyed it..except fiendfyre." She murmured.

James mouthed the word fiendfyre, a lightbulb going off in his head. One of the horcruxes had been destroyed.. by Narcissa Malfoy.

"As soon as I destroyed it, I came here. I cannot be married to that man anymore," She whispered, tears filling her cerulean blue eyes. "I cannot live there, please, help me."

Arcturus spoke first. "Of course we will help you, Narcissa." He whispered tenderly. He took out his wand and spoke an oath, as the Black patriarch, he can anull the marriage. And so he did. "He will not harm you here."

Regulus took Narcissa in his arms as she wept tears of relief.

AUTHORS NOTE: Hi guys. It's been a while, I'm so sorry! I was out of my country until recently, I had a rhinoplasty surgery and then got COVID because somehow nobody knows how to wear their masks over there. Anyways, I'm back home, fully recovered from COVID thank god. And, I have not discontinued this story. I know many of you are in dismay because of how fast it is going, but that's because early on I decided to make the story short. Maybe 10 chapters, maybe a little bit more. It's shorter than what you all are probably used to and I am sorry for that. But I just honestly can't think of any obstacles I can put in their way because they really are the best of the best. Charlus and Arcturus the best of the previous generation and the rest of the members the best and brightest in their fields. It would make sense for them to find the horcruxes and connect the dots a hell of a lot easier than Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Harry and Hermione because they didn't grow up the knowledge of magic and didn't and don't have access to knowledge like this, knowledge that those before them had. Family magic, family secrets, etc. And Ron because (he left in the middle of the horcrux hunt) and let's be honest, he never cared much for knowledge and education. He is a full on jock and I stand by that. Also the chapters and some scenes take place weeks and sometimes months after one another. This started in late December, and it is now March, right before James' birthday which I believe is March 27. A lot of things go on behind the scenes but I don't write those in favor of developing the characters and to have exciting things happen in each chapter so y'all don't get bored reading haha. Anyways, James' magic that he used in this chapter is inspired by Merlin's magic in the show by BBC called Merlin. It's amazing and I totally recommend you watch it. The words he said were in Old English, I wrote this chapter weeks ago so I don't quite remember the translation anymore but it was something about Healing, taking away the Black magic imbued in the wound and breathing life back into Gideon. Thank you all so much and as always, tell me your thoughts! What you would like me to add, to change, anything. What characters you would want to join them in this fight, and specifically, who you want to be the one to ultimately kill Voldemort in the end. I was thinking of making it a team effort of James, Remus, Sirius, and Regulus, because that's how it all began, but I'm not sure and I'm debating for it to be either James (as a parallel to Harry) or maybe one of the Black's to do it.