Sirius Black couldn't help but feel trepidation as he waited. Waited for the confirmation. The Daily Prophet earlier in the morning had set him into a panic. He'd initially planned to go out marching towards the Ministry, demanding how Pettigrew could've possibly gotten away before he'd remembered his conversation with the boy.

'Don't do anything I wouldn't'

The boy had explicitly warned him, while he should've felt embarrassed at the fact a child barely reaching his teen years had felt the need to warn him. Two things made him feel nonplussed about it. One the boy seemed to have the headmaster's attention if what he'd seen so far was any indication. If the headmaster was willing to give him the time of the day and actually consider what he said... Then who was Sirius Black not to? Two? Everything he had considered doing as soon as he'd heard the news involved utter stupidity, really Rodrick was right to worry, Sirius briefly wondered why no one else had given him similar warnings before he'd remembered that this likely wouldn't have occurred without someone planning it beforehand and plus every other person who would've warned him was a Gryffindor and so likely had no idea what the Slytherin was up to... Sirius stopped for a moment to consider what Malfoy had to do with any of this before his thoughts trailed back to his initial plans.

Really, putting thought into his 'plans' showed just how ridiculous any of them would've ended up. It really was Moony's area of expertise to plan things out for the group. He was for the 80th time that day reconsidering his decision regarding not involving Lupin.

It was at that point that Kreacher decided to pop in, with a letter in hand. Sirius raised an eyebrow at the tame house elf, ever since the small party he'd hosted, the elf had lost a vast amount of his aggression. At first, Sirius had assumed it was because of the boy's threat towards the elf. Until he'd heard the whole story from Dumbledore(Horcrux left out, in this sense Dumbledore had merely told him it was a part of a plot to take out the dark lord), Sirius's respect for the elf had risen while his regret for his brother's death truly took hold of everything. Regulus had thought he could outsmart or in this case kill Voldemort... He'd failed in the end and the elf had been left with the impossible task. 'It certainly explains the elves previous attitude... 13 years and failing a simple task and at the end having lost the only person that treated you with respect...' Sirius sighed as he took hold of the letter in the elf's hands.

His eyes widened in what could be considered excitement as he read who the letter had come from, a grin etched itself onto the former Marauders face as he quickly made towards the fireplace. 'Why doesn't Rodrick have an owl,' he thought absentmindedly to himself, amused that Rodrick was using Kreacher as a messenger, not that the elf seemed to mind, in fact, it was almost as if he enjoyed the work given to him by the teen. Later on, Sirius would consider it almost hilarious that he had never questioned why a relatively dark house elf would willingly serve what had already been established as a very Slytherin wizard. Really it was only the confirmation that was needed.

As Sirius was about to floo through to Malfoy Manor, he absentmindedly wondered what his mother would've thought of the boy, seeing as Kreacher seemed to like him, the same could be said about the screeching painting he'd put in the basement. The basement he'd filled up with as many muggle things he could get his hands on. The woman's horror left quite a patrons worthy memory for the marauder.

...

Lucius had a passive expression on his face as he watched Black floo through to his home, he'd already made sure to keep the entire manor empty. If even a hint of what was about to happen came to light... The repercussions made Lucius shudder.

"Malfoy," Sirius spoke, his eyes roamed around the manor.

"Black," was Malfoy's stoic reply.

The two stared each other off before Lucius spoke up.

"Welcome to Malfoy Manor," the man greeted him in a mocking tone.

Sirius rolled his eyes before taking his wand out, "Where is he?" he cut straight to the point.

Malfoy didn't react to the show, instead, he merely turned and started walking towards a secluded room in the manor, it was originally kept as a room for his family heirlooms, the same he'd recently put into his vault. There couldn't be any unnecessary risk, the odds of the idiot currently whimpering in the room accidentally setting something off was too great.

Malfoy glanced backwards to see Black warily following him, keeping an eye out.

"Just so we're clear, I've already made Harry my heir, should you try anything,"

Malfoy had an exasperated look on his face, "Do remember I wasn't the one to host this little plot," He remarked as he walked on through the hallway, when he reached the door, he took his wand out before proceeding to cast off several unknown spells.

The words, unfortunately, did nothing to hide Black's disdain, "How exactly do you even know Rodrick in any case?" Black decided to question a somewhat amused Malfoy.

"I could say the same to you," Malfoy remarked, "The boy happens to be friends with my son, can you blame me for taking an interest?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes, "Even you must realise the amount of danger this could cause for you, I highly doubt you would accommodate this simply out of your son's friendships,"

For the first time in his life, Malfoy had a genuine expression on his face, in an almost hollow voice he responded, "Believe me, Black, You have absolutely no idea what kind of danger is involved,"

Sirius didn't reply, he merely stared passively at the door Lucius was currently casting spells off against. As soon as the blonde had finished, Sirius quickly walked through the door.

"Remember," Malfoy's voice stopped him in his tracks, "I need him left alive,"

Sirius stifled a growl at the man, "What exactly are you planning?" Before Malfoy could answer, Sirius decided to push on, "I don't see what you could possibly have against Pettigrew,"

"Perhaps," Malfoy idly remarked, "Do keep in mind, it wasn't my idea, to begin with, let's just say this is a matter of preservation... as an Ex-Azkaban prisoner... you should understand what that entails,"

Sirius seemed to stop in his tracks at the words before sighing. "I promised the boy I wouldn't kill him..."

Malfoy had a bemused expression on his face, "It's surprising how accepting you are of a Slytherin, considering your Hogwarts years at any case,"

Sirius stared at the floor, briefly recalling memories as a student, Malfoy was right, 15 years ago, he would've never befriended a Slytherin, let alone one like Rodrick. Sirius wasn't stupid, he could tell the boy was surrounded by dark magic... At the same time, something about him just didn't spell out evil. The fact that 15 years ago, he would've never believed a Gryffindor was capable of betrayal let alone one of his own closest friends nor the fact that the only reason he'd achieved his freedom so quickly was thanks to a Slytherin had a lot to do with it.

"Don't worry,"

"What?" Sirius turned back.

"What the boy has planned for Pettigrew is worse then any death you could ever come up with,"

He watched as a silent Sirius Black merely entered the dark lit room before he closed the door.

Lucius sighed, feeling tired of all the work he'd already put through and knowing that it was only the beginning.

...

It was an hour later before Sirius Black left the dark room, silent as a bat, the man didn't even acknowledge Malfoy as he walked back towards the fireplace.

Lucius took a look in the room, his eyes quickly widened at the quivering mess that was Pettigrew... He was relieved to see the man still alive but his current condition... He shook his head as he turned back to the retreating Black.

"They called you the black sheep of your family..."

Sirius stopped in his tracks momentarily, still staring ahead.

"What's your point?" he snapped through grit teeth, he was glad that Harry was currently in school. He wasn't sure he wanted anyone to see him like this.

"I doubt even Bellatrix could have the stomach to do what you just did..." Malfoy remarked evenly.

Sirius didn't react, he merely paced to the fireplace before he grabbed a handful of Floo powder and disappearing.

Malfoy let out a disgusted sigh before he reached into his robes and grabbed the damaged diary and threw it to Pettigrew. He took his wand out before he began altering the pathetic shell of a person's memories.

He wasn't sure how long it would be before Voldemort was back, Rodrick had only told him it would be in their fourth year, all he had to do now was keep Pettigrew alive until Voldemort saw to him. Until Voldemort was made to believe that Pettigrew had turned out to be a triple agent working for Dumbledore, to make it seem as if his goal was to get the dark lord's trust and have easier access to his Horcrux. To make it as if Dumbledore only believed one existed and he'd set Pettigrew the task of destroying it. That the price for it ended up being his closest friends... Voldemort would buy it in the end, as would anyone else. Dumbledore fought vehemently for the greater good, the idea of sacrificing two wizards for such a thing wasn't impossible.

As Malfoy closed the door, he quickly started sealing the room, only allowing a house elf in so as to keep Pettigrew alive, having completed his short goal, having set up Pettigrew as a triple agent who had betrayed them as soon as he'd gotten his hands on the diary.

He wasn't sure how Voldemort would react to the destroyed dairy but he was certain to enjoy the gift Malfoy would eventually give him in the form of the 'traitor'.

Only two people currently knew of the plan, no one else but Malfoy and Grindelwald. Lucius intended for it to stay that way. All Black had been told was the location and the fact Pettigrew couldn't die, however the simple opportunity to have a taste of vengeance had made it easy to keep the amount of information to that.

Unknowingly, as he walked away from the dark lit room, from an almost amnesiac, whimpering Pettigrew clutching the destroyed dairy.

Long before the Dark Lord's return, in an attempt to save face, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy had instigated the very downfall of Lord Voldemort.