Author's Note:

Thank you for the kind birthday wishes — I saw Captain Marvel and visited with some family — CM was amazing if anyone is interested.

I wanted to talk about time travel real quick here as I know a few of you have commented on the fact that time travel doesn't work the way that I wrote it.

As I posted in the end note of chapter 139: When it comes to time travel the concept is always convoluted and crazy. I looked at it like this: If they go back in time and stop something from happening, no one else would remember it happening any other way because they changed it. Therefore, even though everyone physically saw the dead body of Sirius Black, by going back in time and preventing it from happening, no one else remembers him being dead except for Harry and Hermione, which means that Dumbledore knows he sent them back in time to try to capture Pettigrew, but doesn't know about Sirius' death. Yes, it will be addressed. No, Harry is not going to deal with it well. And yes, all will be explained. As a writer, I think I can get a little creative license in how exactly I want time travel to work and since time travel in itself is fiction, at least for now, I can do what I want with it and I wanted to save Sirius.

Also, been really wanting to add in this little "Black Widow" rumour because it's fun and yes, I do know it is six in total, but remember this is only the end of third year. I made up my own names as well since none have been provided yet to my knowledge.

Reviews and Comments: To mdauben: It does suck that Remus has to go to Azkaban, but also, he did break the law and there does need to be some kind of consequence for that. Harry did get it off of his chest, but he and Sirius definitely still need to talk more. To Paola1991: I am happy Remus wasn't executed as well. Yes, Sirius will talk to Dumbledore, but first he and Harry will talk about it more. The Grangers will be made aware as well. Thank you. To jadely31: The pieces are slowly coming together, yes. Thank you! To Steelcode: Ha, any more excitement and you'll have to take sedatives before bed is funny. Yes, we still don't like him going to Azkaban, but poor Remus does have to be punished. Sirius is slowly starting to make some connections. More will come with that. To Guest: Umbitch definitely deserves some jail time herself, but unfortunately she is getting away with it — for now. Harry is frustrated and his moody teenager bit is coming out. He's not a child, but he's not a man and he and Sirius have a lot to work out. Thank you! To alix33: Umbitch is pretty awful, this is true. Thank you! To Sparhawk537: Thank you! To scrappy8: Thank you! To darkhk: Thank you. I will not confirm any deaths or not deaths of characters. To Shamelessnweird: Thank you!

To purplevictory: Thank you! Yes, it was very traumatizing for Harry and on top of Remus, he has a lot going on. He and Sirius really need to talk some more and they will, but right now they are both overwhelmed with everything. I don't think Sirius stepped out of character at all. He was also shocked and overwhelmed and I wanted to show that. To supersandman86: Thank you! Yes, Remus did recognize his pack. Remus will be very overwhelmed by everything for sure. Peter being in safe hands for now… well, right now he's safe, but I guess you'll have to wait and see what the future will bring. Harry will definitely be thankful to Ginny for the petition for Remus. Thank you! To coloredwords: It was heavy, but needed. Thank you! Yup, even Snape signed it. To Moony The Sheep: Yes, a lot happened! Thank you very much! To Josh: I love that you anxiously await them. Thank you! To speedsONEandONLY: Moony definitely loves his family and yes, the petition will surprise him. Harry and Sirius have a lot to talk about. Zee moving in? Not quite yet. Thank you!

To E-Dett: It was a lighter sentence for Remus. Umbitch will be disciplined but not as much as she should be. Sirius and Harry will talk. But Sirius is very overwhelmed himself with everything and upon learning "he died." I think he deserves a moment to catch his breath as well. Thank you! To Wolf's scream: Thank you! Umbitch should be shared with filing a false report, yes, but Fudge rather likes her. To Lost: Thank you! Harry is definitely being angsty that's for sure! To Saz J: Thank you! I can't stop smiling when you tell me you're proud of me! Azkaban definitely sucks for Remus, even when we understand it. Thank you! To Sleepyhawk502: Thank you! We will see more of Draco soon and I'm sure some of that will involve Harry. To Guest: Thanks for saying ASC is amazing. I appreciate you! To trekkifulron: Thank you very much! I'm glad you're enjoying it! To Ana: 30 days is definitely better than dying, but poor Remus indeed! Umbitch does deserve the worst kind of death for her actions. I am happy to hear your hatred for her as increased. Teenage Harry fighting with your parents is normal, I agree. But poor Sirius was a bit overwhelmed by everything himself and on top of Harry being a moody teen, he was ill prepared. It's nice to hear from Thea and as to Zee not being at Black Cottage… all will be explained. Thank you for saying ASC will always be one of your favourites! Thank you!

To Yelena: Thank you very much! To Jennibrolawrence: Thank you! Yes, they all definitely need to talk to someone, but whether they will or not… well. Thank you! To Jmcglynn522: You're welcome for the early update! It is unfair for Remus to go to Azkaban despite understanding why. Umbitch aka the Twatnugget still makes me laugh and yes, she deserves worse. Thank you very much! To Bigmike33321: LOL, thank you!

Thank you to my Beta — SilverStarwolfe!

My posting schedule: Every Tuesday or Wednesday (usually the latter) and sometimes on the weekends.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-THREE:

The One Where Both of Them Feel Like Shit

Harry couldn't sleep that night.

He just kept replaying his conversation with Sirius over and over in his head and he felt incredibly guilty. He knew that his father loved and respected him. He knew that Sirius would do everything in his power to keep him safe. But he couldn't help but feel a little resentment to the fact that he had been forced to keep Sirius safe. His thinking was irrational and he knew that, but he also couldn't stop the thoughts either; nor turn them off in his brain long enough to sleep.

He eventually made his way down into the common room and noted that it was after three in the morning. Ron and Neville were both still in the hospital wing and he didn't have access to the girl's dormitories to find Hermione or Ginny so he decided to try to find solstice in a snack from the kitchens.

He really didn't feel like being alone.

He tugged his invisibility cloak on and made his way down to the kitchens, tickling the pear in the portrait and slipping inside. The last thing that he had expected to encounter was Ginny sitting with Theodore Nott, eating breakfast, drinking hot chocolate, and laughing.

"Ginny?" he spluttered in surprise, tugging the cloak off.

"Harry! Come join us."

He could only nod as he made to sit with them at the table.

"Scrambled eggs and toast?" Ginny asked him.

He nodded again and the house elves quickly hurried to prepare him the same breakfast that Ginny and Theo were eating.

"Er, what are you two doing down here?"

"We're having an important club meeting," Theo said with a smirk. "Ginny and I have formed an Insomniacs Club. Would you care to join?"

Harry snorted at that. "Sure, why not."

A house elf put a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of him and he eagerly dug in. "So, do you two do this often?"

Ginny smirked at him. "Only for a few weeks." She reached across the table to touch his arm. "I'm so sorry about Remus."

He nodded.

Theo stared at him for a moment. "Ginny told me that he's your uncle. He's a great professor; everyone likes him. I helped Ginny with the petition thing and almost everyone from Slytherin House signed it."

"Thanks for that; it meant a lot. It really helped in the Wizengamot too. He will be our teacher again in September as long as he agrees to take the job back, which I can't imagine that he won't after he sees the petition."

Ginny squeezed his arm gently. "What happened in the Wizengamot?"

Harry sighed and blew his hair out of his eyes. "Not enough, but everything. Uncle Siri stopped the execution order, which was complete bollocks to begin with, but because he never registered himself as a werewolf, he still has to pay a fine and spend thirty days in Azkaban starting tomorrow morning, well today actually," he said, glancing up at the clock above the door.

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry."

He shrugged. "Uncle Sirius says that he'll pay the fine and that thirty days will be terrible, but that it could have been worse. They're going to make sure that he is well guarded by Aurors just in case anyone tries to make a pass at the execution idea." Ginny continued to rub his arm and he covered her hand with his own. "Thank you, Ginny. The petition that you guys pulled together was incredible and it will mean so much to Uncle Rem, too, when he sees it."

"You're welcome," Ginny said. "It was the least I could do and no one deserves it more."

Theo smiled. "I agree. The bloke deserves it. After the Lockhart thing, we need some good professors around here and we all know that Quirrell was a joke. Not to mention that Defence Club is just about the best thing that we have going in this school. And without Lupin, who even knows if it would continue."

"Yeah, that is true." He let go of Ginny's hand to eat his eggs.

Ginny smiled at him. "Theo and I were just discussing our summer plans. He's going to spend some time in Italy and I'm incredibly jealous. I'd love to go to Italy one day!"

Theo shrugged, a soft smile on his face. "Only for a week. Mrs Zabini wants to host some grand engagement party for her new fiancé."

"New fiancé?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Does she go through very many?"

Theo chuckled. "You don't know the tales of the lovely Bellarosa Zabini?" When Harry shook his head, he rubbed his hands together and grinned widely. "Ooh, they are incredibly fascinating! She's been nicknamed the Black Widow in certain circles."

Ginny's eyebrow rose. "Why?"

"Well, it all started when she was sixteen," Theo began, stretching his arms back as he spoke. "She had an arranged marriage with Lord Antonio Zabini, the Baron of Sardinia; married him the day of her seventeenth birthday. They married, had Blaise a year later and a little over two years after that, Antonio died in a suspicious accident, leaving Mrs Zabini a widow and heiress to the entire Zabini fortune."

Harry's eyebrow rose slightly. "Okay, that's interesting I suppose, but how is that a fascinating tale? How did he die?"

Theo smiled. "That's why it's fascinating. Nobody knows how he died. They claimed that it was a spell gone wrong as he was known to dabble in curse breaking. Nothing more was found out about it. But, when Blaise was six, the lovely Bellarosa Zabini married again, this time to Lord Tristian Beauchamp, a very wealthy nobleman from Paris. Two years later, he died of poison and the rumours escalated that he had been cheating on Bellarosa with a man and that she had found out about his many indiscretions. Nothing was proven and all of Beauchamp's worthy goods were passed on to his widow after his death. She married again when Blaise was ten. Another rich nobleman, this one old enough to be her father, a Lord Stephen Barkley. He dressed her in jewels, adopted Blaise as his own son and made him his one true heir. Three months later, it was said that he had a heart attack while bedding his beautiful wife. And the lovely Bellarosa found herself widowed again and once more left with an astronomical amount of riches and jewels."

"This is a lie," Harry said on a laugh. "There's no way that she's been widowed three times!"

Theo chuckled. "Four actually. Six months after Barkley's death, she married again, this time to a young heir of the Sanders family. They were barely married a year when he fell from his broomstick, breaking his neck and all of his gold and properties once more fell to his widow and her son."

"And she's engaged again?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide. "I think I'd give up."

Theo nodded. "Husband number five, the elderly Lord Jason Stanford, half-blood, disgustingly rich, and completely enchanted by her beauty. And when I say elderly, Mrs Zabini is thirty-two and Stanford is seventy-five. The wedding is set for the beginning of August. Blaise tells me that it won't last."

Harry stared at him. "Come on, you're having us on!"

"I wish I was. Mrs Zabini is nicknamed the Black Widow in certain pureblood circles. She is insanely wealthy. She has the power to buy entire countries if she wants to."

"And Blaise?"

Theo shrugged. "It's his mother. He only has her and his aunt who is a bit mad. When his father died, Blaise was made the Zabini heir. He lost his grandparents just before he started at Hogwarts, so he's the last Zabini left — the Baron of Sardinia."

"And his mother still goes by Zabini?"

"It's a sign of respect. When she's married she goes by her new name, but when she is widowed, she resorts to the surname that she shares with her son. The engagement party should be fun. Draco and I are making bets on how this husband is going to kick it."

"Theo!" Ginny exclaimed, her eyes wide. "What a horrible thing to do!"

He grinned. "I don't want the bloke to die, Ginny, but, I'm just saying that it seems kind of inevitable that it's going to happen and when you put his age on top of the odds, it doesn't look good."

"Do you think that she's killing them all?"

Theo gave a noncommittal kind of shoulder shrug. "Unless Blaise is doing it and I doubt he murdered his first step-father as a kid, you have to admit, it does look rather suspicious. But there's no evidence to say that she is. It could just be one weird coincidence after another that they all keep dying on her."

Ginny's mouth opened in horror. "That's just horrible!"

Harry was staring at Theo now, his eyebrow raised in question. "And your parents have no problem with you spending so much time at the house of a potentially known murderess?"

Theo smiled. "Well, it only means that I'm out of my father's way, so he's all right with it. Besides, I'm only going for a few days to attend the party and then I'll be going to stay with Aunt Cissa and Uncle Lucius."

"You call Draco's parents aunt and uncle?"

"Yeah, I do. Auntie Cissa is the most amazing woman in the world and they treat me like family over there. They told me to start calling them aunt and uncle when I was a kid."

Harry nodded. "No offence meant, Theo. What about your mother?"

"She's dead. You know how that feels, Potter."

Harry glared at him. "No reason to make it personal, I didn't know. I'm sorry."

Theo shrugged. "It's all right. I didn't know her anyway, but she was said to be quite beautiful. I was barely four when she died."

"I'm sorry, Theo," Ginny said, putting her hand on his arm.

He smiled at her. "So, before we went majorly off topic here, Potter, let's hear about your summer plans?"

Harry smiled. "I don't have any definite plans. I'm hoping to go to the World Cup. Uncle Sirius told me that it was a possibility, but I don't know for sure and I think that I'm going to be spending some time in America."

"America? That could be fun."

"Yeah, I think so."

Ginny smiled at both of them. "I should head back up to Gryffindor Tower. I want to shower and start packing my things. I also promised Colin that I'd help him with his photos after breakfast today. Harry, can I sneak under that cloak with you?"

"Yeah, of course," he said, standing up. "Theo, it was, er… nice talking to you."

Theo smiled. "You too, Potter. And don't worry, chick, I promise to write this summer."

She beamed at him. "Good."

Harry wrapped the cloak around both of them and they walked quietly back to Gryffindor Tower. They were almost at the portrait of the Fat Lady when Ginny tugged him into the empty room on the right and pulled the cloak off, closing the door behind them. She moved to sit on the sofa in the corner.

"What?" he asked her. "I thought that you wanted to meet Colin."

"I will. Come sit with me."

Harry sighed and moved to sit next to her on the chesterfield.

"You aren't going to lose them. Either of them."

He opened his mouth to speak and then shut it again.

Ginny took his hand in hers. "Hey, look at me." When his green eyes met her brown ones, she smiled kindly at him. "Did you sleep at all before you came down?"

Harry shook his head. "Uncle Siri and I had an argument and I said some things."

She nodded. "You'll talk some more when you go home and you'll work it out. You're both too stubborn. That's the problem."

He grinned a little at that. "I guess we are, yeah."

Ginny smiled and hugged him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I… I need to think about some things."

"Okay. But if you need to talk, you know where to find me." At his nod, she smiled and offered him her hand. "I'd love an invisible escort back to the tower?"

Harry couldn't help but smile at her as he nodded. He covered them both in the cloak before they left the study room and made their way down the hall. Once they were inside the common room, Ginny headed towards the girls' dormitories, stopping when he called her name.

"Thanks," he said, simply. "For everything."

Her smile lit up her face. "Anytime."

He watched her hurry up the stairs, feeling a little lighter. Ginny always knew what he needed, he thought. He couldn't imagine a better friend. He made his way back up to his dorm to shower, a smile on his face.

~ ASC ~

Sirius arrived back at the Ministry of Magic just before six, meeting Ted and Andromeda in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Kingsley was waiting for them outside of the holding cells and nodded in greeting before opening the one on the far left and letting them inside.

Remus had obviously just transformed back into himself because he was staring at Tonks, wide-eyed as tears rolled down her face.

Kingsley unlocked the cage and handed Remus a set of grey prison robes. "Remus, I'm going to need you to put these on."

Remus only nodded, tugging the trousers on, his face pale. Tonks threw her arms around him before he got to the shirt and he kissed her forehead tenderly.

"I won't let you go," she whispered.

Remus kissed her again and pushed her away from him. "You have to." He tugged the shirt over his head and turned to look at Sirius, his eyes widening at the sight of Ted and Andy.

"Ted, Andromeda," he said quietly, looking shame-faced as he stared at the ground.

Andromeda hurried into the prison cell, kissed Remus on both cheeks, and then tugged her daughter into her arms. "My daughter will be waiting for you when you get out."

Tonks broke away from her mother to kiss Remus deeply. "I love you."

He held her tight for a moment before he pushed her back towards Andromeda and watched her parents hurry her off.

Sirius gave him a small smile. "You were amazing last night. I know that you don't want to believe it, but you didn't hurt me, you didn't hurt Harry, and you didn't hurt Tonks. You knew that we were your family and that showed them exactly who you are."

Remus nodded, his face pale. "I know how lucky I am to have only gotten thirty days, don't think I don't know that."

Kingsley stared at him. "I'm sorry about this, Remus. But prison time is the punishment for not registering and the fact that Agent Barrow offered you thirty days for thirty years of not registering is a sign of just how little you did wrong. You have never hurt anyone while being a werewolf and that is a point in your favour. As to the fine of three hundred Galleons, Dumbledore has already taken care of it."

"What? Why?"

Sirius grinned. "You made quite the impact on your students, Professor Lupin, that's why!"

Remus merely raised an eyebrow in question. "I — I don't understand."

Sirius pulled the petition from his jacket. "Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater presented this to the Wizengamot last night. This is a copy that I made for you."

Remus accepted the petition, his eyes widening as he skimmed the first page. "What?"

Sirius grinned widely. "You are an incredible professor and no one cares that you're a werewolf. Dumbledore expects you back on the first of September and so do they. You think about that while you're in there, Rem. I want you to read that and remember how many lives you've touched, remember how many people love you, and remember that you have a gorgeous woman who will be waiting for you when you get out. Don't disappoint her and don't disappoint your students."

Remus nodded, tears in his eyes. Sirius hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead before hugging him again. "Thank you. How's Harry dealing with it?"

Sirius shook his head. "Not well. We had a big row about it last night. I know that we were planning on waiting until his birthday, but would you mind if I give it to him early? I promised to tell him everything when he comes home at the end of the week about my past and my childhood and… I think it's time."

"Yes, I think that's a good idea, Sirius. Go ahead and give it to him. You two need to work everything out. Will you tell him that I love him?"

"Of course." He hugged him again and Kingsley nodded at him as two Azkaban guards came to escort him out.

"I'll write to you," Sirius told him.

Remus just nodded and disappeared with the two guards.

Kingsley put a reassuring hand on Sirius' shoulder. "He's going to be fine. He's in a low-Dementor area of the prison. He will have access to owl post on a weekly basis that will be thoroughly inspected before given over to him. He will have no visitor access and we will be making sure that he is given the Wolfsbane Potion for his last few days before he is released. I will be personally checking in on his welfare."

"Thanks, King. It means so much that you've put yourself on this task. I know how much Remus appreciates you doing this."

Kingsley nodded. "I've always liked Remus and when I learned his secret back when we were in school, I knew what kind of man he was then. I understand the reasoning behind this punishment as does he, he broke the law and he knows that. Thirty days and he'll be out."

"What does a low-Dementor area of Azkaban look like?"

"Nothing like yours did, Sirius, so stop worrying. He might have a Dementor walk by his cell once a day. They won't be haunting the walls and pressing in on him like they were for you. You were in a high security area made for murderers and Death Eaters. He's going to feel them of course, there's no where in that fortress you can't, but he's going to be just fine, I can assure you. I'll see you on the twenty-fourth and you can take him home."

Sirius nodded. "Good."

"Hey, Sirius, before you go, what happened out there in the forest the other night?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, his eyes on Kingsley.

"I mean," Kingsley said, slowly. "Fudge ordered thirty Dementors out after Pettigrew and Lestrange and only eighteen came back."

Sirius frowned. "So, there's twelve Dementors still loose somewhere?"

"No," he said, carefully. "I mean, there were thirty out there, but your Patronus… the power of it… seemed… it liquified twelve Dementors; turned them to dust to ash to whatever you want to call it, but they're gone."

Sirius' eyes widened. "I didn't realize that a Patronus could kill a Dementor?"

Kingsley stared at him for a long moment. "I've never seen one powerful enough to do it, but I've heard rumours that it was possible. To take out twelve? What the hell kind of happy thoughts were you thinking?"

Sirius grinned at him. "Good ones. See you around, King."

He thanked him again, collected Remus' wand, filled out the proper paperwork to justify taking Remus' belongings, and then headed home. He had just stepped into the living room when he smelt the cooking and he smiled, making his way into the kitchen.

Zee was at the counter scrambling eggs and sizzling bacon and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the side of her neck. "Hi," she said, turning to kiss his lips. "I figured that you didn't eat before you went to see Remus this morning."

"I missed you last night."

She smiled. "You had a lot on your plate, so I went to my own place."

Sirius nodded and held her closer. She put a plate together and passed it to him.

"Sit and eat."

He did as she told him; sneaking a piece of bacon to Marauder and eating quietly.

Zee ate her own eggs, her eyes on him as she watched him eat. "Did you sleep at all?"

"About two hours maybe," he told her, honestly. "Harry and I had a fight."

She raised her eyebrow. "About Remus?"

"About a lot of things," he murmured.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He snorted. "Apparently that's my problem, that I don't talk about it."

Zee didn't answer.

Sirius stared at her for a moment and then he let out a long sigh, pushing his empty plate away. "He's angry at me for not telling him about how my parents treated me, for not saving him from the Dementors, for letting Remus go to Azkaban. He's pissed at me for just about bloody everything."

"Sirius…"

He accepted the hand that she slid across the table and squeezed it tightly. "I don't know if what I said to him was right and hell, I don't even know if I'm doing it right half the time. He's growing up on me, but he's still a kid, too, and… by the time I was his age, the things I'd seen and done… and that scares me."

Zee stood up, moving around the table and making herself comfortable in his lap. Sirius wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck.

"He blames me. He blames me for Remus going to prison and for… hell he blames me for everything. He said some stuff about losing me which would lead to losing you and he doesn't want to lose you either."

Zee smiled, her fingers gently running through his hair. "Where does he think I'm going? I love both of you way too much to go anywhere without a fight."

Sirius smiled against her neck, kissing the skin there. "I died."

"Hmm?"

"I… I died or I was supposed to die, I'm not sure how it works exactly but… Harry and Hermione used a Time Turner to capture Peter and Harry sent his Patronus in to save me and him from the Dementors."

"What?"

Sirius outlined what had happened: Explaining how Dumbledore had reminded Hermione that she possessed a Time Turner and what had transpired before and after before telling her about his fight with Harry. When he was finished, Zee just framed his face with her hands and kissed him, deeply.

"What was that for?"

"For being you: The incredibly brave and stupid man that I love."

"Hey!" he said, pinching her hip as she laughed.

"I love you. I don't know how the Time Turner works and how it changed anything or what it changed, but I do know that Harry loves you very much. That was a very traumatic thing for him to have to undergo no matter what the circumstances were. As for your fight, baby, he doesn't blame you! He knows that you would move the world for him in a heartbeat and the fact that he thought that he lost you and that he changed time to get you back is enough to make anyone freak out a bit. He would do the same for you and that's what I love about the two of you — you're a team and I would never want to get in between the two of you."

"You agree with him, though."

"You need to say it all aloud, Sirius. You just need to talk about it. I've said it before and I know that you don't want to, but you need to. Harry feels that he can tell you anything and that's wonderful; that is truly a relationship to be proud of, but maybe he feels that you don't trust him as much as he trusts you." She put a finger over his lips when he made to protest. "I know that's not true, but it could be how he feels. You once told me that the Muggles who took care of Harry when you were in prison, abused him. He would understand what you went through, Sirius."

"I don't want to dredge up old memories for him," he said.

Zee merely raised an eyebrow. "For him or for yourself?"

When he didn't answer, she kissed his cheek.

"Maybe both," he admitted, quietly. "I put that life behind me, Zahira."

She shook her head. "No, you haven't, not really, and that's part of the problem, Sirius. Talk to him about it. I think it would be good for the both of you. You're a team as you're always telling me and teams trust each other. Trust him like he trusts you. I know that you already do, but please, do this for the both of you."

He sighed and wrapped her tighter in his arms. "I will. I told him that when he comes home we're going to talk. I didn't… I didn't do enough for him last night and I know that but… Merlin, the shock of everything on top of Remus… I should have done more for him; he needed me to do more and I just… I let him down, Zee."

"No, you didn't," she said, kissing his cheek. "You'll talk and you'll work it out."

"The two of us definitely need to talk," he agreed. "He only has a week left of school anyway and I have a few things to take care of in the meantime."

Zee kissed his cheek. "What do you need me to do?"

"You're amazing, do you know that?" He kissed the tip of her nose. "I just need you here with me."

She nuzzled his neck, kissing his throat. "I'm right here."

Sirius smiled at her words, feeling his heart soar. "I have some errands to run; things I need to get done."

Zee nodded. "I'll get the word out about the next FUVP meeting, I assume you want to have it this weekend?" At his nod, she smiled. "I'll take care of it. I've also spoken to my grandparents. We're going to leave on the eighteenth of July and we'll come back on the eighth of August. I'll set up the portkeys. Don't give me that look, I know you want to go just as much as Harry does."

"No," he said with a pout. "I'd much rather spend all that time with just you and Harry."

Zee kissed him. "We're going. You and Harry need a holiday as well and this will be good for the both of you. I'll reach out to everyone about the meeting and then I have to go to work. I might have to go to Paris for a few days, but I'll be back before you pick up Harry on Saturday." At his nod, she smiled. "Now go on, get your errands done."

She stood up and made to clean up the breakfast dishes and Sirius patted her bum, affectionately. "I love you."

Zee smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. "I know it. Go on. You'll feel better once you get organized and ready for Harry to return home."

Sirius nodded, tucking his hands into his pockets before leaving her in the kitchen. He felt better already and he was ready to get a few things out of the way.

The first being a Gringotts appointment and then he had a few choice words that he had to say to Dumbledore.

And not all of them were going to be pretty.

~ ASC ~

Sirius stepped out of the Floo into McGonagall's office later on that afternoon, nodding at her when she looked startled. He could see that she was busy marking exam papers so he reached down to scratch Nyx behind the ears.

"Even teachers have homework, doesn't seem fair."

She smiled at him. "Doesn't it?"

"Can you take a break? I need to have a word with you and Albus."

McGonagall stared at him a moment and nodded. "Of course. Nyx, stay here."

The large hybrid cat of tiger-Kneazle-zouwu merely purred and laid her head back down.

"How's Nyx adjusting to life at Hogwarts?"

"Very well actually. Though she doesn't seem to like Mrs Norris and takes to terrorizing the poor cat. Mr Filch is not very pleased."

Sirius chuckled. "I think that's hilarious."

"As you would," McGonagall told him with a smirk and he knew that she found it more amusing than she was willing to admit herself.

They walked companionably to Dumbledore's office and Dumbledore nodded at them from behind his desk.

"Sirius, Minerva, what can I do for you?"

Sirius let out a slow breath. He stood in front of the headmaster's desk with his arms folded across his chest. "Albus, you know that I respect you more than anyone. You are a wise wizard and you've done a lot of good in your life; made a lot of great choices and saved a lot of people over the course of your life."

"But?" Dumbledore asked, his long fingers tapping together.

"But, what the hell possessed you to give a Time Turner to a fourteen-year-old-girl and then convince her to use it with my son to go back in time and change the events of the other night?"

Dumbledore's mouth opened in surprise before he promptly closed it again.

McGonagall's eyebrow rose. "Miss Granger promised me that she would only use it for her academics!"

"Which she did," Dumbledore said, slowly. "Until the other night when I asked her to use it for something much more important."

Sirius merely stared him down. "Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be arguing with my son over something that I didn't even understand? He told me that I died and that you had him and Hermione go back in time to stop that from happening!"

McGonagall paled now. "What? You — what?"

Sirius placed his hands down on the headmaster's desk, his eyes flashing in anger. "I know that you have your own reasons for doing things and sometimes I even understand why you choose to do it that particular way, but putting that responsibility on MY son! Putting the thought into his head that only HE could save me! That was unacceptable!"

"You're alive, aren't you?"

"Not — the — point," he hissed through clenched teeth. "Yes, I am bloody well alive and yes, I am grateful to be alive and grateful to my son for saving my life, but the point that I am trying to make, Albus, is that he shouldn't have had to do it! If you were going to meddle in something as dangerous as time travel then it should have been you, old man!"

Dumbledore nodded, his blue eyes twinkling in mischief. "Hard for me to do, however, when I was occupied with the Ministry proceedings while all of this was happening and when Fudge was waiting for me to discuss the escaped prisoners on Hogwarts grounds."

"That's a bloody excuse and you know it!"

"Harry and Hermione knew what the events were that transpired. They knew how to find Pettigrew and how to capture him. They knew when Remus would transform and where he would go. Most importantly, Harry knew how to cast a Patronus, his Patronus might I add, to save you, and to stop you from questioning what you saw."

Sirius stared him down. "That's not what I'm questioning, Albus. I'm questioning the fact that you put that responsibility on two young teens and they could have gotten themselves killed! Time travel is one of the most dangerous bits of magic to be playing around with and you let kids do it!"

Dumbledore stared at Sirius for a moment. "I won't apologize for it. Harry and Hermione are two very bright students. They are strong and independent, quick thinkers in times of distress. I had every faith in them being able to pull this off and frankly, giving Harry the chance to save you was exactly what he needed. I think it helped him deal with the closure of losing you, even if he only lost you for a moment."

Sirius scoffed in response. "You and your goddamn greater good! Sometimes, it's not for the greater good, sometimes it's because you're an old man who thinks your age gives you the right to decide how everyone else should think and act!"

"Sirius!" McGonagall scolded, reaching out to grab his arm.

"No, Minnie! You know the damn prophecy and you know that Dumbledore believes Harry has to fight Voldemort in the end and I know what he's doing! He's tossing my boy into situations to see how well he handles himself, testing him for the upcoming final battle! He did it his first year by putting the Mirror of Erised somewhere for Harry to stumble upon; by letting him learn just enough clues to go down after the stone and come face to face with Voldemort. I'm tired of it! My son is not an experiment that you can test your theories on!"

"Sirius!" McGonagall said sternly, holding his arm tighter. "Albus doesn't think that."

Dumbledore let out a slow breath. "Maybe you're right, Sirius; maybe I am unconsciously trying to test him, but I can assure you that it is not my intention to do so. In the moment, I watched Harry grieve for you. I watched him cling to Miss Zacarias like a lifeline and I knew that losing you wasn't an option. Not only for Harry, but for the Wizengamot as well as for the Horcrux hunt. I knew that Miss Granger had the Time Turner in her possession and in my haste, I thought that it had to be done now and it had to be done quickly and efficiently in a way that no one would notice and no one would attempt to stop. I asked Miss Zacarias and Minerva to leave the room. I spoke to Miss Granger and I let her and Harry decide what to do. I wanted them to go back and save you. They chose to also capture Peter on their own. They were brave and determined and I was incredibly proud of what they accomplished."

"I'm bloody proud of him for doing it, Albus, don't think I'm not! He saved my life! He gave us Peter — though how useful he will prove to be is another story, but he did it!" Sirius explained, his voice raising again. "But my point is that he shouldn't have been put on the spot to have to do it! I won't have him forced to do your dirty work, Albus! I will not allow it!"

"Sirius," McGonagall began, slowly. "Albus understands as do I. Harry is a remarkable young man. He's brave and strong and loving and you know just as well as I do that he's your son just as much as James'."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She smiled at him. "Stubborn as a mule and immovable as a mountain when it comes to doing what he can to protect those he loves! It's the reason that he went after Miss Weasley in the Chamber, the reason that he went back in time after you, and ultimately the reason why Albus gave him the chance to do so. If he had found out that there was a chance for him to save you, even the slimmest non-existent chance, and he wasn't given that opportunity to try — what do you think he would have done?"

Sirius sighed, his hands fisting at his sides. "I get it. I do. But do you understand where I am coming from? You gave a bloody Time Turner to a fourteen-year-old-girl to use for school! What kind of authority approves that? How is that safe? How is that even allowed?"

"I wrote to the Department of Mysteries about it myself," McGonagall admitted. "She was so determined; almost in tears when she begged me to be able to sign up for all of these classes and she is the brightest witch that I have seen grace these halls in decades. I wanted to give her the opportunity to succeed and this opportunity came up. She promised to only use it for her academics; to tell no one that she possessed it, and she kept her word."

"She did. It was me that interfered," Dumbledore said, quietly. "And I do agree that I could have maybe made a different choice in the matter, but this was the outcome and I think it worked out quite well no matter what the circumstances were behind it."

Sirius nodded. "I'm alive so I can't exactly argue that. Harry and I have a lot to discuss when he comes home and I plan on viewing his memories of the night of, if he'll allow it. I still don't like it."

"I'm sorry, Sirius," McGonagall said, her eyes on him.

"In the meantime, this Saturday after I pick up Harry, I want to have another meeting of FUVP to discuss the ring we collected months ago and to discuss the cup."

"You know where the cup is?"

"Possibly, Minnie," Sirius told her. "Peter told me that Bellatrix has it in her vault. I went to Gringotts before I came here and made an appointment for a full examination of the Black vaults for next week. I'm going to take Harry with me."

"You would have access to her vault?" Dumbledore asked, curiously.

"I should be able to, yes," Sirius told him. "As Lord Black, I can technically access any member of my family's vaults, but considering Bellatrix was a Black before her marriage and is now on the run from the Ministry of Magic, I can officially put a hold on her even gaining access to her vaults."

"Interesting," McGonagall said with a nod.

He nodded. "Harry and I will do that next week and see if the cup is indeed inside. I have a bit more to do concerning the ring. There's an interesting symbol on the stone within the signet ring and I wanted to learn what it was before we destroy it. I didn't know if was important at all or if it will affect how we destroy the ring. I don't believe it will, but I wanted to investigate it nevertheless."

"What is the symbol?" Dumbledore asked, curiously.

Sirius shoved his hands into his pockets. "It's a triangle with a line and circle through the middle. I've seen Xenophilius Lovegood wear the symbol around his neck on a chain. I finally heard back from him last night as he's been travelling abroad and he told me that it's something called the Deathly Hallows."

Dumbledore paled and gripped the edge of the desk. "What did you just say?"

"The Deathly Hallows," he repeated, looking at Dumbledore in bewilderment. "Does that mean something to you?"

His hand shook as he held onto the desk. "It's on the ring?"

"Engraved on the stone, yes."

"I need to see that ring, Sirius."

Sirius stared at him for a long moment. "You will. On Saturday."

"Sirius, you don't know what the ring means, you don't know what it represents —"

" — Actually I think I do," he interrupted, his eyes on the Headmaster. "And judging by your reaction, I think that you know a bit more about becoming the Master of Death than you've let on. The ring is completely safe, I can assure you. You may examine it on Saturday and not before."

Dumbledore made to protest, but then nodded, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "I — I think that's probably for the best."

Sirius stared at him for a moment. "You'll explain everything about it before we destroy the Horcrux."

Dumbledore nodded. They both understood that it hadn't been a question.

McGonagall was staring between the both of them, eyes wide. "What on earth is the Deathly Hallows and how exactly does one become the Master of Death?"

Sirius smiled at her. "I've done a bit of research on the subject, but I think Albus has a story that will explain even more of it."

"Saturday," Dumbledore said, quietly.

Sirius nodded in turn and left the office lost in thought. Dumbledore's reaction to the symbol was interesting and he wondered what exactly it was that his old headmaster knew about the myth and what exactly it had to do with Voldemort and his Horcrux.