Chapter 9

The Ancient Council

When Sirius sent the invitation to the heads of the remaining most Ancient families he hadn't expected all of them to show up. In fact, if he had to bet, he would have said none would show up, or maybe Bones since Amelia was Richard's older sister and he probably consulted her. They met on consecrated ground and under a flag of truce as tradition dictated. But Sirius was never one to care much for tradition and certainly didn't believe that the ones who held a place in the Death Eater ranks would honour the truce. So he had backup. On-standby of course. He would only act if and only if he and the others who didn't kiss Voldemort's slimy robes were in danger.

The site was an old Wiccan place for the harvest ritual. No one with an ounce of self-preservation would shed a drop of blood on such a site, but the Avada Kadavra didn't shed any blood. Sirius leaned on one of the eroded stones in the circle that used to be a table as one by one, they apparated. When everyone was present he stood.

'Welcome, and thank you for accepting my invitation tonight.' He spoke.

'Two days ago you shook the Wizengamot up with your presence Mr Black. I believe most of us are here out of curiosity.' Said Daniel Greengrass.

'As the newest head of one of the founding families, I thought it best to introduce myself to you all properly.'

'We already know who you are Black.' Augusta Longbottom said.

'Quite right. You know me as the man who served 12 years in Azkaban and escaped only to be declared innocent a few weeks back without a trial and not much explanation. I'm afraid if you came here for that explanation you will be disappointed. However, some of you know the truth of my innocence.' His eyes went from Bones to Nott, Avery and Selwyn. The last three were known or suspected death eaters.

'I also called you here today to meet you in person since I have not had the opportunity before. My interest in the Black family had been only how to escape from it in the past.'

'And now?' asked Nott

'And now I am the new head of my house. Rather obvious with me attending that farce of a hearing two days ago.'

'So it's also true you are Harry Potter's new guardian?' Tiberius Ogden asked.

'He is my godson and I have been given guardianship over him upon clearing my name.'

'Will you want to reform the old Black political alliance?' asked Selwyn

Sirius smiled at that 'My interest in politics is rather limited at the moment. I took the Black seat away from Malfoy because he was never entitled to it and because my own political ideals don't align themselves with his.'

'Are you saying you are allying yourself with the Mudbloods?' hissed Nott

'I'd advise you not to use that term around me Nott or I might consider calling you out.' Sirius said calmly but the edge of the threat was like a blade cutting the night's air. 'And no, I'm not allying myself with anyone. As I said, my interest in politics is limited as I am focusing on something more important to me at the moment.'

'So you'll stay neutral?' asked Greengrass

'I will vote the way I see fit after hearing both the pros and cons of every new piece of legislation.'

'And what pray tell is more important than governing the country?' asked Ogden.

'Taking down Voldemort.' Sirius said and silence settled over the 9 present.

'You can't possibly tell us that you believe he is back!' said Smith finally. 'You, as the boy's guardian should check Potter in the insane asylum not indulge in his fantasies.'

'It isn't a fantasy and Harry isn't insane. I called you here tonight not just to make your acquaintance but to let you know the House of Black is going to war.' That statement went down even worse than Voldemort's name being uttered.

'You can't be serious!' Nott said 'You're one house!'

'And Voldemort is a sadistic megalomaniac who would see our world burn, muggle-born or purebloods alike. Don't sneer Selwyn, Voldemort destroyed one of the 12 families in the last war. The MacKinnon family died by Voldemort's hand.'

'Even more so not to go against him as one family, if in fact, he is back as your godson claims.' Said Bones. The last part was spoken more to throw off the fact that the Bones family new the truth. Richard had always been cautious after his brother's death in the first war. Preferring a neutral stance rather than openly supporting the light.

Sirius laughed at that. 'I think the Black family will be quite capable of taking on Voldemort on its own. After all, he did covet Black family members because of their power. However, you are right in saying going at it alone is foolish since he himself has servants even amongst us here.'

'How dare you accuse us-' Avery barked

'Feeling guilty, Avery?'

'You're the one to talk, the famous right-hand man of the Dark Lord. You may be proclaimed innocent through some machination but you are a Black. Your brother was a known Death Eater, your cousin Bellatrix too.'

Sirius lifted his sleeves to reveal unmarked forearms. 'Lift up your sleeves if you dare.' Sirius said.

'Whatever for?' Avery backed away.

'It has come to light that Riddle's followers have allowed themselves to be branded like cattle with the dark mark on one of their forearms.'

'How do you know this?' Ogden asked.

'Harry saw the sign on Pettigrew's arm when Voldemort touched it with his wand and summoned his most loyal supporters to him the night he got his body back.' Explained Sirius.

'Pettigrew, the one you were said to have killed in 1981?' asked Greengrass

'He was the real secret keeper to the Potters and their betrayer. And no, unfortunately, the git escaped back in 1981. I plan to get him sooner rather than later. But that is neither here nor there. You have a choice to make, all of you here. I have declared my intention to wage war on Voldemort and Magic is my witness. You all have sworn an oath to protect magic on the islands. I understand if some of you wish to take no part and those who will remain neutral will have my word that I won't attack any of your families. I can't guarantee your safety from Voldemort or if you are caught in the crossfire.'

'And if we choose a side?' asked Bones

'If you choose to fight Voldemort we can ally of course in our common goal. If however, you choose to side with him, then the gloves come off. I will fight to imprison as much as it is possible but if any of you here threated Harry I will fight to kill.'

'That is going a bit to the extreme, isn't it?' asked Smith

'This is a grownup war. If either side threatens children they will have sunk low enough in my eyes that there can be no redemption for them.'

'One would argue that Mr Potter is already entangled in this as he was the one to vanquish the Dark Lord and the one to claim he has seen him rise again.' Nott said shrewdly.

'I don't care how entangled you, Voldemort or anyone else might argue Harry is in all of this. He is under my protection and I have given warning. Anyone dumb enough to test me can do so at their own risk.'

'Fair enough.' Augusta said 'Wars should be fought by adults not children, no matter how extraordinary those children may be.'

'Well said Madam Longbottom.' Said Ogden

'If…and I say if…the Dark Lord is indeed back.' Added Nott 'What would neutrality mean from your point of view, Lord Black?'

'I'm not interested in subtlety Nott. Harry told me you were in that cemetery that night. You wish to know if neutrality holds even though you've thrown in your lot with the half-blood bastard.'

'How dare you?'

'What? Call him a half-blood bastard, or tell the truth about how low the Noble and Most Ancient House of Nott has fallen?' Nott calmed himself surprising even Sirius. 'Your preservation instinct is commendable. And to answer your question. Neutrality from you and your Death Eater palls would hold if and only if you will not go skipping to provide Voldemort with information. After all, even spies have their loyalties. Obviously, I don't need to add that taking up wands and doing his bidding is siding with the guy. But if you vote to pass a piece of shit legislation that favours purebloods I won't call you his supporter just a bigoted git, you are entitled to your opinion and your vote as is anyone really.'

'This meeting is between the founding houses. He-who-must-not-be-named is not privy to this information even if one of the houses has sunk so low as to follow a lesser house.' Said Ogden testily.

'Yes, well, I wouldn't count too much on old oaths when most of them lay forgotten since the beginning of the first war.' Sirius sighed.

'How much time do we have to decide?' asked Greengrass

'My war against Voldemort is already in motion. Should you need time to think about it then I will consider you and your house as neutral.'

'How? You've barely been back in the country for two days!' added Bones

'I didn't have to be inside the country to strategize. And every moment counts especially with an inept Minister who refuses to accept reality only because it's not as rosy as he wants it to be.'

'Fudge is an idiot.' Snorted Greengrass.

'Stupidity can sometimes cause more problems than pure evil.' Sighed Sirius.

'Is he really back?' asked Smith fear in his voice.

'I'm afraid so. It was a miracle Harry survived to tell us right after the third task. And even with the evidence shoved under Fudge's nose he refused to believe the truth.'

'Evidence?' asked Augusta

'Digory's death, Harry's testimony, Crouch Jr.'s testimony or the account of it because Fudge had him kissed before he could testify officially, Karkarof's disappearance. You have to be blind deaf and dumb to think they were all coincidences and ravings of mad men. Anyway, I believe it is time to adjourn for tonight. I have given my warning about what is to come. It is now up to you to make your own decisions.'

'Thank you, Lord Black.' Said Ogden 'We will take what you said under advisement.'

'If we need to contact you?'

'Letters addressed to Lord Black will find me at Black Manor. I should tell you that coming uninvited there is likely to cost you your life. The defences have been raised and they won't come down until Voldemort is no more.'

'What about the house in London?' asked Nott.

'That is off-limits.' Sirius said simply.

They said their goodbyes and the first to go were Avery, Selwyn and Nott followed quickly by Greengrass and Smith.

'Madam Longbottom.' Sirius said softly

'Yes, what is it?'

'I wish to request an audience with you at your convenience.'

'What for?'

'To right a wrong. A member of the Black family has injured the head of your house. I wish to discuss restitution with you.'

'I will think about it and send you my answer by owl.'

'Thank you. And good night.'

Bones and Ogden had lingered and when Augusta disapparated they did too with a curt nod. Sirius was left alone in the night. He sighed as Leila approached him two minutes after.

'No one approached the gathering. They didn't speak of it to Voldemort before they came.'

'Or Voldemort wanted to know what this was about first and not show his hand in a place he couldn't attack without his magic being hurt by the consecrated ground.'

'Or that. Do you think they will tell him now?'

'The old oath of secrecy with regards to these meetings is powerful but can be circumvented with cunning and the three most suspect to be Voldemort's men are cunning.'

'Nott asking about neutrality might mean he is thinking of it.'

'Nott is the shrewdest of them all. Selwyn is smart, but the Selwyn family was never a friend to the Black family. One of my ancestors almost whipped out Selwyn's whole house, he only decided against it to humiliate them further. The late Avery Lord was a very good friend of my grandfather's but Avery Jr. has not the brains his old man had, he was also always trying to compete against me in school and never got the upper hand. I didn't understand why until Regulus told me our grandfathers were having a friendly bet discussing which heir was better. Avery knew of it, while I did not. He hated me for winning that bet for grandfather even without knowing anything about it. If I had to say who is most likely to tell, it would be Avery.'

'So do we eliminate him now?'

'Not yet. But keep a close eye on all of them.'

'Longbottom, Bones and Ogden too?'

'Yes'

'You don't trust them?'

'They stand to gain very little in an alliance with Voldemort, but fear for their families or themselves can turn even best friends into traitors.'

'You've grown colder.'

'I'd like to think I've grown wiser.' Sirius smiled at her but it wasn't a smile that reached his eyes.

'Perhaps you are right.' Leila sighed 'But you've lost a bit of your fire, and that silly naiveté that led you to my doorstep.'

'I was a hothead and an idiot with a somewhat damaged mind.'

'Still, there was a lot more warmth in that idiot.'

'That idiot wouldn't have been fit to fight this war.' Sirius snorted thinking of his past self.

'True, but I sometimes miss that idiot.' She said before leaving him alone.

What good was it, missing a dead man? To fight men like Voldemort, the first to die in battle is innocence. He wouldn't lie to himself and say he didn't miss those times, when he trusted unconditionally, when even in the darkest abyss of Azkaban he could still find the good in people, but those times had to end, no, Sirius reflected, they had ended a long time ago, only he was too much of a fool to see it. To accept that Mr Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were gone the moment the four teens left Hogwarts and the real world twisted and pulled them every which way. Wormtail was only the most brutally changed, but the other three weren't the Marauders anymore either.

Short chapter? I thought it best to have it as a separate piece. Who do you think will be on Voldemort's side in the end? Who will join Sirius in his fight? And what will Sirius offer Augusta as restitution? That will have to wait because next time we will see some Black family drama. Until next chapter, happy weekend.