Chapter 64
Sirius' Choice
"Who are you?" Sirius turned around and pulled out his wand. He was a little overly cautious due to the area he was in.
He saw a man step towards him and take off his hood. He was very young looking and quite handsome. Though Sirius didn't notice he was trying to figure out where he'd seen him before.
"Your mother had me over for dinner one time a few years ago." He told him as though he knew exactly what Sirius was thinking.
"Voldemort."
"You have a good memory. I expected no less from a Black." Voldemort stepped towards Sirius again, Sirius backed up. "I was under the impression I scared you a little last time we met. May I assume from your body language that I am correct?"
"You weren't exactly a fun person to talk to."
"You were young then, the matters of importance were to you a bore."
"Well that and you were talking of murder and power. I have never been interested and still am not if that is what you are here for."
"I offer you something far greater than power."
"I already have everything I need thank you, and don't bother with 'if you join me your parents will love you again' it will not work, I chose my path."
"I offer you protection."
"I don't need your protection."
"I was not referring to you."
Sirius gave him a guarded look. "Then what were you talking about?"
"I was speaking of your friends." He said, somehow managing to find his one weakness.
"They don't need it either."
"On the contrary they do more than you know. The world is getting more and more dangerous each passing day."
"Yes, but guess who's fault that is, certainly not the ministry's. Your subordinates are the one that are causing it to be dangerous."
"Only further proof that it is only I that can protect them, my subordinates, as you call them, answer to me alone. They will leave your friends alone if I say."
Sirius looked away, he couldn't think of an argument. What if he was right?
"I will order my people to keep them unharmed in exchange for your loyalty. Are you not willing to do anything to protect them?"
Sirius remained silent.
"Your werewolf friend in particular, do you truly believe anyone besides yourself will protect him once he leaves school? After his seventeenth birthday he must register do you believe anyone will protect him when they know what he is? The Ministry of Magic is doing everything they can to destroy werewolves, who will protect him from that? You? You will be able to do nothing. You will be helpless." Sirius winced at his words.
"Join me Sirius Black and I can personally guarantee you that your friend will be safe."
"Why me? I'm twelve, what good can a twelve year old do? I cannot even legally use magic."
"That does not seem to stop you though does it? That is not important, there are skills you have that are of far greater importance than your magic skills at the moment."
"I- I..."
"Sirius!" Sirius turned to see James behind him.
"What are you doing man? It's been like forever." James walked up beside him, just now noticing Sirius' company.
"Who are you?"
"James let's go."
"What?"
"Let's go." He said and started pulling James behind him.
"Do not think you can run away from the choice Sirius Black. I will return for your answer."
They were significantly far away, nearly back at Diagon Ally, before Sirius slowed down and let go of James.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, James. Nothing."
RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL
Remus paced in front of the store, Sirius had been gone for three hours now. James left to go get him after an hour. Remus was worried despite all their reassurances. Remus' dad was feeling bad because as the oldest he should have been the one looking for him but James had grown up in this setting while Lyall Lupin was entirely lost.
Finally they saw James and Sirius coming towards them, they both looked kind of lost. Remus ran towards them.
"What happened what took so long?" He asked.
"He got distracted by some guy and won't tell me who he is or what he wants."
"Sirius are you okay?"
"Ya, I just, I need to go."
"What?"
"I need to think, I need to go back."
Sirius and James looked at each other.
"But you hate it there."
"It's quiet in my room. I'll talk to you later."
Sirius walked into the store, presumably to use their fireplace, leaving behind a very confused group of people."
"I hope that guy didn't hurt him."
"I don't think we'll know if he did or not for a long time."
"Do we need to go anywhere else?"
"I don't think so."
"Maybe we should head back, we promised your mother we'd be back before it get's dark, and if we ride that stupid bus than we really don't have much time to spare."
"Ya let's do that. You'll talk to him about it right?" Remus looked back at James.
"Ya, it's going to bug me if I don't find out."
"Good."
"Remus,"
"What?"
"I don't know who that guy was, but he kinda scared me."
"Trust that instinct. It's stronger than you know." Remus said before following his father back to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Ya," James was silent for a while before looking up at Peter "Ready to go?" Peter nodded and they went back in the store.
A cloaked man turned away from the front of Cauldron's Top with a smile that would make anyone cringe.
The pawns were all in place and one was going to become a knight.