Hello again! So to answer the last question asked on a review, I purposefully skipped the tea with the Malfoys. Chapter 13 was going to be about that but then I decided that I wanted to relay that from a Malfoy's point of view, mostly Draco, but before that can happen, there a few situations that haven't happened yet, so that situation has been pushed back. Don't worry it will be present in the future as a flashback or a recap of all events from Draco's point of view. Also there will no relationship between Remus and Astrid. Maybe. I haven't decided who and where to add love and relationships but it won't be any time soon. Hope you enjoy!

Dumbledore

Chapter 14

Albus sat in the plush armchair. Blue eyes surveying the gentlemen before him. The dark-haired Lord Black too was surveying him back. His grey eyes empty, his face a perfect pureblood mask. The young werewolf stood behind his friend, his face too equally blank. It distinctly unnerved him that the gentlemen who used to be unfailingly loyal to him and had always respected him were no regarding him with something akin to indifference.

"My boy..." Albus began.

"Don't" Sirius cut in raising his hand.

"Do not 'my boy' me after all that you have done."

"All I have done?" Dumbledore asked bemused.

Minerva pursed her lips, wisely staying silent beside the headmaster. She was looking forward to seeing Albus thoroughly demolished by the gentlemen in front of her. She herself had been very displeased with him, dismissing her claims all those years ago, and even last year not telling her that Sirius was innocent.

"Yes."

Thinking that he meant this to be his decision regarding young Harry's residence, Albus spoke up.

"Sirius, Remus you have to understand, Harry has protections that only Petunia can give him. He must return there, for only then will he be truly -"

"Safe?" This time it was Remus that had interrupted him. Frankly, Albus was getting tired of not being heard.

"I'm sorry Albus but your definition of safe must differ from ours. You see, when we say someone is safe, we expect them to be safe from being abused, being denied food, clothes, toys, affection, love." Remus stressed.

"What?" An indignant Minerva shouted.

"Minerva my dear..." Albus spoke weakly.

"You told me he was safe! That he was happy! I told you! I told you he wouldn't be happy!" She shouted at the old wizard.

"I admit that his circumstances might not have been ideal, but the blood wards Lily erected would keep him safest from Voldemort, I felt that was the most pressing concern." Albus stated stubbornly, refusing to accept his mistake.

A harsh laugh escaped Sirius. "Those blood wards were formed from love Albus, they would only hold if Harry and Petunia loved each other. Trust me there was no love there on either side."

"Well, they might be weaker than what I wanted, but they will hold when Harry returns to the Dursleys."

Sirius slammed his hands on the desk, standing up from the desk, shaking in anger. His magic reacted to his feelings, the house atmosphere becoming oppressive as the house magic bent to his will.

"When...When..." Words escaped the young lord, a red haze clouding his mind. Remus stepped forward, a hand pressed to Sirius's back he whispered in his friend's ear to calm down. Sirius closed his eyes, breathing in and out as he tried to wrestle the magic back in.

"Let me make one thing very clear to you Albus Dumbledore. Harry is my godson, our son actually since we adopted him. You have no right to decide where he stays, you never had any right. As to what you want. I couldn't care less. If you try to do anything underhand, go against me or try to take Harry away from me, I will destroy you. I will simply take my family and vanish. Am I clear?" Sirius hissed out staring down Dumbledore, fire burning in his eyes.

"My boy you don't understand, the wards..." Albus protested weakly.

"The wards are broken." Remus stated plainly.

"They broke the moment Harry had a new home with us, his true family." Remus's amber eyes too seemed to glow with righteous indignation. Albus stared dumbly at the two men in front of him.

"Let's talk about the other 'safe' decisions you have taken regarding Harry shall we? Year one, oh that's a good year. His first foray back into the magical world. Did you send one of the professors? A ministry official? Or did you go yourself? No, of course not! You sent Hagrid!"

"Hagrid was perfectly capable of reintroducing young Harry to the wizarding world." The protest was started half-heartedly.

"How much ever well-meaning he is, we all know Hagrid is not the best person to reintroduce him to the magical world. Now, what Astrid thinks is that you sent him because Hagrid's loyalty to you would reinforce itself subconsciously in Harry." Sirius stopped surveying the reddening man in front of him which had just confirmed his suspicions and the appalling expression on his previous head of house.

"But of course, the great and good Albus Dumbledore would never use someone, especially an 11-year-old child like that, would he? And of course, there's the whole matter of the philosopher's stone and all the so-called 'traps' you laid to keep Voldemort away, which were beaten by three kids. Also how on earth did a possessed teacher even come to enter Hogwarts?"

"Or how about the fact that there was a bloody basilisk running around in the second year and none of the teachers could figure it out. Really, how many creatures are there that can petrify a ghost? A handful? And 'Slytherin's monster'? That didn't clue you in that it is a snake that can petrify snakes?"

"The highlight of course has to be last year." Sirius continued sarcastically, his hard glare never wavering from his previous headmaster. He didn't elaborate on that, knowing that everyone was aware of the events quite clearly.

"How uncharacteristic Abus. You have no answer." Remus commented dryly.

"What about the other events? What good reason did you have to bind Harry's core before literally dumping him on the Dursleys?" This was the one point that had bought Remus close enough to want to happily rip his old headmaster apart on the next full moon.

McGonagall turned pale, her body stiffening, while Albus just closed his eyes, almost in anguish.

"You don't understand, I had to. It was too dangerous otherwise."

"Dangerous? Dangerous? Are you serious Albus? You could have killed him! What possible reasoning do you have for that?" It was the transfiguration mistresses who screamed now.

"I really want to hear this now! What possible explanation do you have for this?"

"Minerva, I know you are rightly angry, but this is sensitive information and I cannot divulge it so openly." He said apologetically.

"You are not his guardian! Sirius and Remus are! You have no right! Absolutely no right to withhold this information and you will undo the binding Albus Dumbledore!" McGonagall continued her tirade, his comment only instigating her further.

"It's fine Minnie." Sirius said to the outraged professor with admiration and affection.

"We know about the Horcrux, both that and the binding have been removed." Remus spoke up now.

"You...you know...but how? A vessel has to be destroyed to destroy a Horcrux!" Albus exclaimed.

"Not unless you have a potions and runes prodigy trained by Cassieopea Black personally." Sirius commented dryly.

"Perhaps we should discuss this more privately?" Albus said glancing at his deputy, clearly wanting her out of the room.

"Frankly we trust Minerva way more than you. We will be discussing this with Minister Bones and Director Croaker soon. Unfortunately, our last meeting was canceled since they were busy. You are welcome to join Albus, but just know that you are not the leader anymore. You don't run the ship, you don't hold the cards. This is regarding my son, me, Remus and Astrid will be making the decisions. Cross us or try and manipulate Harry in any way, and we will happily aide Astrid in whatever plans she has to exact revenge on you." Sirius said bluntly in response.

Albus winced. He knew that Ms. Black was as proficient with her curses as any Black, the only reason she didn't join Voldemort was that she had a very grey view of the world. She is certainly a very worthy adversary and one whose wrath he didn't want to incur. With a heavy sigh, he nodded his head, knowing this was the best thing for him, he didn't hold all the cards and maybe just maybe that was okay. Truth be told he had been running ragged in this war against Voldemort, maybe he did need some assistance and fresher perspective. While he was sure he could escape Astrid Black at least, for now, he wasn't so sure about his deputy. Willing to delay the confrontation at least for a few hours, he bid a hasty goodbye before retreating. The last thing he saw was his transfiguration professor embracing the young Lord with tears in her eyes and apologies on her lips. A gentle smile made its way onto Albus's lips before he exited the imposing Grimmauld Place. Maybe this was a good thing.