Author's Note:

Just a helpful reminder and no, I am still not officially splitting up this story. This chapter officially starts part VI.

Part I: Chapters 1-49 — Harry's first year with his dads. (1985-1986)

Part II: Chapters 50-61 — Harry ages 7-11. (1987-1991)

Part III: Chapters 62-73 — Harry's first year at Hogwarts. (1991-1992)

Part IV: Chapters 74-105 — Harry's second year at Hogwarts. (1992-1993)

Part V: Chapters 106-143 — Harry's third year at Hogwarts. (1993-1994)

Part VI: Chapters 144-present — Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts (1994-)

Reviews and Comments: To hills: Sirius will definitely fight for his boy! I know, I can't wait for the Hinny romance to begin either LOL. To supersandman86: Sirius will definitely be interested in seeing the memories and yes, especially after Kingsley told him about Dementors being destroyed by the power of a Patronus. Yes, Sirius does appreciate Dumbledore and his actions, but he also knows how dangerous it was for Dumbledore to let him do this. Ha, you think Nyx will cause trouble for Filch and Mrs Norris? Oh, she definitely will. Thank you! To KittenWithAnAx: Thank you! I've never seen the tv show The Flash, but I will take that as a compliment! Thanks for loving my work! To Moony The Sheep: Thank you! I do think Dumbledore is a good man, so sorry to disappoint you there. To alix33: Thank you! Yes, Theo is good and entertaining company, isn't he? To annagardner11: Thank you! To scrappy8: Thank you!

To WarMunger98: Yes, the Deathly Hallows. Thank you. That is exactly how I see Dumbledore, human with human mistakes. But yes, it was nice to see Sirius give him a piece of his mind. It is kind of entertaining for Mrs Zabini to be known as the Black Widow, isn't it? I know, Harry and Ginny are just too cute. Thank you! To Wolf's scream: Ha, I don't know if Dumbledore plays Poker well or not, but in this case, he was caught. To speedsONEandONLY: Happy Birthday! LOL, the Insomniacs Club, where sleepovers are few and far between — so accurate! You think Zee is planning a heart-to-heart with Harry? We shall see. Sirius is definitely debating the method. It's a lot that Harry has a lot on his plate and telling him and helping him understand everything is a lot. He wants to help him and keep him safe. Thank you! To geekymom: Thank you! To Paola1991: Thank you! I think both were right in this situation. I like showing Dumbledore as a good man who makes mistakes. Yes, Harry and Zee will definitely talk. You think his birthday present will be the memories? We'll see. Thank you!

To coloredwords: Minerva is such a great surrogate mum for Sirius! I love Ginny and Theo's friendship and promise lots more to come. Thank you! To krbuchler: Thank you! To Guest: Thank you very much for saying you went back and re-read the last six chapters and think "it is amazing when you read it all in one go." Thank you! To Saz J: Thank you! It definitely was time for the argument between Harry/Sirius and Sirius/Dumbledore. To Ana: Thirty days is nothing compared to thirty years, but yes, poor Dora. I am planning to develop more between the Theo and Ginny friendship yes, but not a relationship because Theo is gay. Zee definitely needed to tell Sirius this, but he is stubborn. Thank you! I'm excited for the FUVP meeting as well! To Steelcode: Sirius may have been close to decking Dumbledore, this is true. Thank you! To storp930: Thank you!

To teachergirl: Yes, Sirius is the adult and yes, he knows this. As I've said, I don't write this chapter to chapter. Please be patient and see the outcome of things before accusing me of doing it wrong. To Jmcglynn522: Thank you! Ha! You think I should just drop the next 10 chapters? I mean, I could, but then you would have to wait that much longer for the 11th chapter lol. Sirius and Zee should get married? They aren't even ready to move in together yet — let's not scare them LOL. Thank you!

Thank you and please review!

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-FOUR:

The One With the Elder Wand

Tonks sat on the chesterfield in her flat, her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees. Her eyes hurt from crying, but she couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks.

It had all just happened so fast.

One minute she was going after Remus and then there were Death Eaters on the grounds and then Sirius and Harry had run off. She had thought that once she had found Remus in the Forbidden Forest that everything would be all right, but Snape had told the Aurors his secret. He had never registered himself and now, he was sitting alone in a cell in Azkaban.

The thought of him alone there with the Dementors nearby was enough to send shivers down her spine. He was going to be alone with his nightmares and she wouldn't be there to comfort him and that thought hurt her even more. An entire month in a cell… she couldn't fathom how he was going to stand it.

The sob tore through her and she buried her face in her knees just as someone banged loudly on her flat door. She ignored it. It had already taken her two days to get rid of her parents and she wasn't going to sit here and wallow forever, but she needed this time to herself to come to terms with it. She had been suspended for two weeks from her job, after all, and now she was alone, without her mate, and she felt like something was missing from her life. She gripped the ruby between her breasts, the feel of her mate's heartbeat in the palm of her hand calming her slightly as someone banged on the door again.

Tonks ignored the incessant knocking, instead grabbing the jumper that Remus had left there and covering herself in it like a blanket.

"NYMPHADORA, OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR NOW BEFORE I BREAK IT DOWN!"

She jumped to her feet in surprise and hurried to open the front door. The sight of the tousled red hair and the strong freckled arms was all she saw before she was engulfed in his warm embrace. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, the familiar scent of smoke and wood calming her before she elbowed him in the gut.

"Don't call me, Nymphadora!"

He chuckled and tugged her back into his arms, moving her to the couch and sitting down. "Knew that would get your attention."

"What are you doing here, Charlie?"

He used his calloused thumb to wipe her tears away. "Your dad showed up at the reserve."

Tonks' eyes filled up with tears again and she snuggled into his embrace. "They put him in prison, Charlie! In Azkaban! Like a criminal!"

He kissed the top of her head, his warm arms wrapped around her. "He broke the law, Tonks. Don't look at me like that, you know he did! Not registering is an offence and he was lucky to only get thirty days in the first place."

She nodded. "I know."

Charlie ran his hand up and down her back. "Your dad that said you got suspended?"

"King said that I was too emotional and that I couldn't be on guard duty for Remus; that I needed to take a step back."

"Are you going to tell me that he was wrong to do it?"

She shook her head. "No, I am too emotional! It's just the thought of him being in that cell, in that prison all alone and close to the Dementors and… his nightmares are going to bother him and I won't be there to comfort him."

Charlie smiled, kindly. "He knows how much you love him."

"I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry that I never told you that he was a werewolf. He's my mate, Charlie. He's… my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but he is. He gave me his heartbeat."

Charlie reached down to touch the ruby and smiled when he felt the pulse there. "He's hopelessly in love with you, I could see that. And I get why you didn't tell me; it wasn't your secret. But… his mate, doesn't that mean that he marked you?"

She nodded and placed a hand just under her left breast. "Here, on the underside of my breast. Sometimes, when he's near me, it tingles… almost as if it's for him, you know?"

He smiled at her. "He's a lucky man, Tonks, and he knows it." He leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Now, have you actually just been sitting here and crying?"

"No," she insisted, stubbornly.

He smirked. "Liar."

"I don't know what to do, Charlie! I'm all alone here, but I couldn't stay with Mum and Dad anymore. Mum was smothering me, and I can't go to work because I'm suspended. I'm just so worried about him!"

Charlie nodded. "I get that and worrying is more than acceptable, but do you really think that Remus wants you to put yourself in some form of prison while he's not around? Hmm?"

"No," she mumbled.

"Good."

"Did Dad really show up in Romania?"

Charlie grinned. "Sure did. I found him sitting by my tent, tapping his fingers on his legs. He looked me up and down and said my clothes were dirty and to change as I had five minutes before a portkey took me back to London."

She goggled at him. "He didn't even… Charlie, is your job all right with you just leaving?"

"It's fine, Tonks. I took some time off. I was due for a holiday anyway. I split it between now and two weeks in August so I can go to the World Cup. I spoke to Dad and we're looking at getting tickets."

Tonks smiled gratefully at him. "You came here just for me, really?"

Charlie hugged her close to him. "You've been my best friend since we were eleven. While I may be pretty shitty at keeping in touch with you and I did move to the other side of Europe, when my best friend's dad shows up in Romania and says: 'Dora needs a friend right now,' where else do you think I'm going to be? Wild Erumpents couldn't keep me away."

Tonks kissed his cheek and hugged him tight. "I'm so glad that you're here."

He rubbed her back again, smiling as he spoke against her hair. "Me too. Now, first things first — you go take a shower and change out of these 'pity me pyjamas.' I'm going to head to that Thai place that you love and stock us up on food. We're going to eat and then we're going to start packing up your flat. I believe that you told me you had a nice little cottage that you were moving into with that mate of yours."

Tonks wiped at her wet eyes. "It's not ready yet. We've been busy and we didn't finish painting it and the bathroom is only half done and we didn't decide how to fix it yet."

Charlie leaned in and kissed her cheek. "So, I'm here all week. Let's make it ready."

Tonks simply beamed at him.

~ ASC ~

By the time that Saturday came around, Sirius wanted to destroy the ring just so that he could destroy something. Harry was basically ignoring him; responding only with short responses when he mirror-called him. Zee was working in Paris. He hadn't spoken to Dumbledore or McGonagall since he had called Dumbledore 'an irresponsible old man.' With Remus in prison, he was really starting to feel rather alone.

His nightmares had come back in full force and he spent most nights sitting in the gazebo outside with a glass of Firewhiskey in his hand, waiting for the morning to come. He spent his time researching the Potter family tree more thoroughly. He let himself into the Potter vault at Gringotts and pulled out the Potter family tapestry that had once hung on the wall in the entranceway of Potter House, to trace the family's origins. He smiled as he read the names there.

His eyes once more focusing on the name of Hardwin's wife, Iolanthe Peverell, the woman who brought the Invisibility Cloak into the Potter family, if the stories were to be trusted. Not to mention that through the Peverell family, the Potters were also brought into contact with the Gaunt family, who were distantly related to Salazar Slytherin himself. It was Fleamont's younger brother, Charlus Potter, who had married into the Black family by marrying Sirius' great-aunt Dorea Black. Charlus and Dorea had both died during the war along with their son, William, when they had opposed Voldemort.

Harry was the only Potter left which made him the rightful heir to the Invisibility Cloak, but also led Sirius to question once more the story of the Deathly Hallows and the idea of being able to become the so called Master of Death. What did that even mean?

He ran his hands over his tired face, smiling gratefully at Kreacher when the elf brought him a cup of strong tea. The elf had been popping in to Black Cottage pretty regularly lately to check up on him and every time he appeared in Number Twelve, Kreacher would merely look at him in concern, like he was currently doing now.

"Master Sirius has had enough whiskey. Kreacher brings Master Sirius tea instead."

Sirius smiled at the elf. "You're right, Kreacher. Thank you."

He had only taken one sip of his tea when Zee came into the kitchen. She took one look at him and shook her head.

"No. Upstairs, right now!"

Sirius merely raised an eyebrow. "Problem, my dear?"

"You look and smell like a drunken, homeless man. Upstairs, now. Get in the shower and get the stench of whiskey off of yourself. I'll get you a sobering potion. Harry doesn't need to see you like this."

"Zee, I'm not drunk."

Zee stared at him. "I didn't say that you were. I said that you smell like a drunken, homeless man. Go!"

Sirius nodded, knowing better than to argue with her, especially when she was right, and he went upstairs to use the shower. The bloodshot eyes that looked back at him in the mirror told him of how little he had been sleeping this week and he knew how tired he was. But he was mostly worried about what the Deathly Hallows meant in terms of the context of the Horcrux and about talking to Harry. Having his son ultimately ignore him for the last six days was more hurtful than he had thought it would be.

He stood under the hot spray, letting the water beat down on his face before he washed up and used a cleansing charm on his clothes. He fixed his hair, but didn't bother shaving down the stubble, giving him a four day rough looking beard. He made his way back downstairs and into the kitchen of Number Twelve. Zee was staring at the chalkboard as if lost in thought. He cleared his throat from the doorway and she smiled at him.

"Drink this."

"I don't need a sobering potion, I swear."

"It's a Pepper-Up Potion and you will drink every last drop or I will pour it down your throat myself."

"When did you get so bossy, woman?"

Zee gestured for him to sit down; then she sat on his lap and passed him the potion. "Drink."

Sirius rolled his eyes, but did as she asked. "There! Happy now?"

Zee kissed him. "No, but it's a start." She gently tucked his wet hair behind his ears. "You are going to start taking better care of yourself. I know this tension between you and Harry must be tough, but do you think that he wants to come home and see you looking like death after everything that he's been through in the last week? I go away for a few days and you just let yourself go."

"I haven't been sleeping much."

Zee slipped her arms around his neck. "I can see that. Are you overthinking too much or has it been nightmares?" At his shrug, she kissed his cheek. "Emotional and physical well-being, Sirius. Promise me that you'll take better care of yourself, please?"

He kissed her lips. "Maybe I'd rather have you take care of me."

She smiled. "Aren't you sweet, but you are a grown-arse man who can take care of himself, when he's not being a bloody, stubborn arsehole!"

Sirius chuckled. "I missed you. You were gone too long."

Zee's eyes softened. "I know that it wasn't a great time for me to leave, but Yaxley needed me to work in Paris for a few days to help deal with the escaped Erumpent from the reserve. And you insisted that you would be fine."

"I lied," he murmured, nibbling on her neck. "Harry is barely talking to me and with Remus in prison and you gone I just… the nightmares don't come as often when you're beside me."

Zee sighed. "I'm sorry that I left you."

"No," he murmured, kissing her throat. "You have to work, I'm being stupid. I just need to talk to Harry and I think… everything will balance out. It's just that with Moony in Azkaban and you gone and Harry angry at me and… everything was just culminating at once. I'm fine, really."

She merely raised an eyebrow at him. "No, you're not, but talking to Harry will solve some of it, I suppose."

"What does that mean?"

She sighed. "I sometimes think that you forget that Harry is almost fourteen."

"No, I don't. I'm well aware of how old he is, Zahira."

"Not the age, no, but based on how you treat him. You letting him into all of this FUVP stuff, keeping him informed, letting him help… this is a lot for anyone to handle, Sirius, let alone an almost fourteen-year-old-boy. This is overwhelming for me and for you so how do you think he's feeling? He has every right to be cross with you."

"Well —"

" — No," she interrupted, placing a finger over his lips. "Let me finish. Harry experienced something incredibly traumatic and after everything that he has been through, losing you, and then saving you, only to then watch the Ministry cart Remus off to prison is more than anyone should bear, let alone someone his age. When he does act his age and tries to express how he's feeling, you seem surprised by it. He's not an adult, Sirius. You are. I think that it's about damn time you stop and remember that; take accountability for your own actions."

"My actions?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, your actions!" Zee exclaimed. "He's pissed at you and he's allowed to be. He expects you to be the parent."

Sirius stared at her for long moment before he spoke. "And I'm failing him."

"That's not what I'm saying," she said, softly. "You are an incredible father! You're always there for him whenever he needs you. You're always honest with him. You're a team and I love that about the two of you, but you are the adult and sometimes I think you forget that he's not quite grown up yet."

Sirius let out a slow breath. "You're right." He rubbed a hand over his face. "We have a lot to discuss after the meeting this afternoon."

Zee turned her head to kiss his lips, her fingers running through his unruly beard. "Yes, you do. He needs to know; to be reassured and you need the comfort of sharing it with someone just as much as he needs to near it. You need to talk about it. It will be good for both of you."

"Do you — I mean, do you want to be there?"

Zee smiled at him and kissed him chastely on the lips. "This is for you and for Harry. I need my boys communicating and on the same page again. You know where to find me when you need me."

"That I do." He rubbed his chin over her cheek, making her laugh. "And the beard?"

"Is that what this monstrosity is?" she asked, her eyes twinkling at him in amusement.

He grinned sheepishly. "I thought I'd try something new. You don't like it?"

Zee bit her bottom lip. "Let me decide later."

Sirius wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Why later?"

Zee nipped at his ear and whispered something rather suggestive that made his eyes widen. She winked and crawled off of his lap at the sound of the kitchen door opening, smiling kindly at Bill.

The smile she had brought to his face was worth it, she thought. She leaned down and kissed him. "The train should be arriving in fifteen minutes. Go get your son."

Sirius stood up. "Harry and I will be back in a bit."

"I'll be here," Zee said, turning to thank Kreacher as he brought out a vegetable and fruit tray along with some cheese, meats, and crackers to snack on.

Sirius said goodbye and left Number Twelve, Apparating once he got outside, and arriving on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. He shoved his hands into his pockets and waited rather impatiently for the Hogwarts Express to pull up. He waited less than ten minutes and he kept his eyes peeled for the messy black hair, smiling when he saw his son get off the train.

He waved at him and Harry nodded in his direction. He was talking to a lean, dark haired boy that he didn't recognize. He said something that made the boy smile before Harry waved at him, said goodbye to Ron, Hermione, and Neville, and then turned to head over to him, pulling his trunk behind him.

"I'm ready," he said, quietly.

Sirius nodded. "Good. I missed you."

Harry only stared at him. "Let's just go."

Sirius put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. "I know that you're still pissed at me and we're going to talk, I promise. But first things first, we're going to deal with the ring."

Harry's head snapped up, his eyes on his father. "Actually?"

"Yes, actually. I told you, Prongs-Harry, you and me, we're a team. Come on; we'll take the tube there."

Harry's mind began to wander as they headed to the London Underground. Sirius was going to let him see how they destroyed the ring. He was taking him seriously and he knew that his father felt just as guilty about their argument as Harry did. After talking to Ginny the other day he knew that she was right and that once they spoke, they would both feel better, but he couldn't stop himself from feeling angry at his father. He felt like he was being kept in the dark about so many important parts of his father's life and he didn't know how to respond to it. He wanted Sirius to trust him.

If he was bringing Harry to Number Twelve though to show him how they destroyed the ring as they had the locket, that was trust. He sighed and let out a slow breath as they climbed onto the train.

"Uncle Siri?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"I'm sorry that I've been a prat."

Sirius ruffled his hair. "So have I so… I guess we're even."

Harry grinned. "You're really going to let me sit in?"

"There's a lot of things that we need to talk about, Prongslet, I mean, Harry, and we will talk. I promise. But first I want to get this taken care of and I think some of what we're going to discuss tonight is going to tie into what we need to talk about as well. I want you there. You're just as much a part of Operation FUVP as the rest of us."

Harry beamed at him. "Thanks."

Sirius put an arm around him and hugged him to his side for a moment. "We'll talk though, I promise. When we get home tonight." He kissed the top of his son's head and squeezed him close for a moment.

Harry nodded, smiling at his father. They hopped off of the underground at Angel Station and made their way to Claremont Square and onto the hidden porch of Number Twelve. Sirius put Harry's trunk in his grandfather's study before nodding towards the kitchen. Harry stepped inside and everyone greeted him.

Zee jumped up to hug him and kissed his cheek, making him smile at her. He hugged her a little longer than necessary and she kissed his forehead, making him smile in appreciation before he took a seat at the table and immediately began to help himself to the snacks that Kreacher had provided.

"How was the end of school?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Okay. Got my exam marks and some projects for the summer to work on. Percy finished school, too, so a few of us attended his little ceremony."

"That's nice," Zee said with a smile. "How did you do on your exams?"

"Pretty well," he said, sheepishly. "Uncle Siri owes me some Galleons."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll get to that," Sirius said.

Bill raised an eyebrow. "You're going to pay him for his grades?"

"We had a deal," Sirius told him. "I wanted him to apply himself a little better so I told him that for every Outstanding he achieved I would pay him five Galleons and for any Acceptable or lower he achieved, he would owe me five Galleons."

Bill chuckled. "Sounds like a fair deal to me. So, what's the verdict, Harry?"

Harry reached into his pocket to pull out his annual report card and grinned widely. "Uncle Siri owes me forty five Galleons."

Sirius' eyebrow rose. "You got an O on everything?"

Harry shrugged. "Not everything, History of Magic was only an E and so was Astronomy."

"So, I owe you thirty five Galleons and really? You didn't get an O in Astronomy, I am literally a star — have I taught you nothing?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "But every answer isn't Sirius or Orion."

"It should be," Sirius said, making Harry snort in laughter.

Sirius turned to talk to Kreacher as Zee smiled at him. "Still, those are wonderful grades. Good job, Harry. You should be very proud of yourself."

"Thanks," he said, feeling extra proud of himself to know that Zee was also proud of him.

Zee leaned in and kissed his cheek, murmuring softly in his ear. "Harry, Sirius told me about what happened that night. I am not going anywhere, no matter what happens, I will always be here for you. I promise."

He glanced at her from underneath his lashes, the back of his neck heating a bit. "But what if —"

She kissed his forehead and placed a finger over his lips to silence him. "I love you and I'm not going anywhere and neither is my family. You are my family and no matter what happens, even if… even if Sirius had… I will never not be here for you. I will always love you and be here whenever you need me and I'll be here even when you think that you don't need me. I promise."

Harry nodded, tears in his eyes and he hugged her, tightly. "I love you, too, Zee."

Zee kissed the top of his head, holding him close. "You'll be okay, darling," she kissed his cheeks. "And you make him talk to you tonight. He needs to talk to someone."

"He should talk to you," he told her.

Zee smiled. "Maybe after he tells you, he'll share it with me. You are his heart, Harry."

Harry kissed her cheek before he moved back to sit straight in his seat. "So are you."

Zee beamed at him as she watched Harry help himself to the fruit and vegetables on the table. "Ditto."

Sirius moved to sit down next to her and smiled. "Kreacher says that he's going to throw some sandwiches together for us," he told them as he reached for a carrot stick. "Zee, are you asking Harry why he doesn't know more about stars when he has me in his life?"

Zee rolled her eyes at Harry and they both grinned.

Harry looked up as Dumbledore and McGonagall made their way into the kitchen followed by Moody and Tonks.

Tonks sat next to Harry and he elbowed her lightly. "You okay?"

She gave him a small forced smile. "I will be. Charlie's staying with me for a bit."

"My brother's in town?" Bill asked in surprise.

Tonks nodded. "Until next Friday. He hasn't told his family yet because he's been spending all of his time with me, but I'm still suspended for another week and I think he was heading to the Burrow to surprise your parents before he goes back to Romania."

Bill grinned. "Good. I'm going to pop in for dinner tonight, too, before I head back to Egypt."

Harry smiled at her. "Are you moved into the cottage yet?"

"Almost," she told him. "Charlie is helping me and trying to take my mind off of Remus. We're finishing up the renovations." Harry nodded and squeezed her arm, gently. She leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, little brother."

He grinned at her as Sirius stretched in his seat and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"I think everyone knows why Remus isn't in attendance tonight, but I would like to say that he is doing all right in Azkaban and will be out in twenty-three more days so please just keep him in your thoughts."

Bill nodded. "I was surprised to learn that he was a werewolf, myself. Ginny wrote to me about the petition that she and Percy put together for him. He's a decent bloke and from what I hear, an amazing professor."

"He's a wonderful professor, indeed," McGonagall said with a smile. "We look forward to having him back with us in September."

Dumbledore nodded. "Agreed."

Sirius smiled at the room. "Thank you. Being a werewolf is something that Remus has struggled with for as long as I've known him and knowing that all of you can look beyond that to the man that he is, means a lot to me and more to him then you can possibly know. I know that I've been preoccupied with trying to help my friend and haven't done much in terms of the Horcrux hunt these last few months, due to my involvement in the Wizengamot with trying to blacklist Bill 426-A17, and I apologize for that."

"Don't apologize," Moody said, gruffly. "Umbridge's prejudices are over the line and it's nice to see you stand up to her, Black; put her in her place. I don't consider that doing nothing as allowing her to get away with what she's been doing is basically the same to me as supporting the same ideas that the Dark Lord used to go on about. Bully for you. Now let's move onto this damn ring."

Sirius grinned. "Thanks, Alastor. As to the ring, Bill, Moody, Tonks, and I did discover it on the Gaunt property as Moody suggested."

Bill nodded. "It was warded carefully and it wasn't without injury that we obtained it. Tonks was severely injured and Sirius and I obtained minor injuries in the process. The wards were very dangerous, but we got through them and we obtained the ring, successfully."

Tonks outlined the varying wards that they had to get through to access it and McGonagall's eyes widened as she listened, attentively. Sirius left the room to get the ring while Tonks explained how they had obtained it. He carefully dropped the ring into his hand and placed it in the middle of the kitchen table.

"It's the signet ring of the Gaunt family, believed to be Salazar Slytherin's original ring, but I think that I've proved that claim to be false."

Bill lifted an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Can you all see this symbol engraved on the stone?" At everyone's nod, he stood up and drew the three symbols onto the blank chalkboard wall near the door.

△ = Cloak of Invisibility

I = Elder Wand

O = Resurrection Stone

"These three symbols together represent something called the Deathly Hallows," Sirius said, drawing the triangle with the circle and line through the middle. "I recognized the symbol as something that Xenophilius Lovegood wears on a chain around his neck so, I wrote to him to ask what it meant. He explained to me that it actually is part of the Beedle stories, specifically that of The Three Brothers."

Tonks frowned at that. "The brothers who cheated Death?"

Sirius nodded. "I've been researching it all week to try to make sense of what Lovegood told me. It seems that there are some people who believe that the story is actually fact. In the thirteenth century, there were three brothers who obtained these magical objects and these three brothers are actually buried in the graveyard of Godric's Hollow: Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus Peverell. As you know from the children's story, Death stopped them when they attempted to cross a dangerous river and used magic to conjure a bridge. This prevented them from drowning, which is how they caught Death's attention. He offered them a reward, which was secretly a way to claim their deaths in another way, but he was outsmarted. Antioch wanted the most powerful wand and Death made him one from the wood of an elder tree with a Thestral hair core and Antioch bragged that he had the greatest wand that the world had ever seen. He found himself constantly in duels to prove the wand's worth and eventually he was slain and the wand was stolen. The wand can actually be traced thought history from Antioch Peverell. I spoke to Garrick Ollivander yesterday, since he is so well versed in wand lore, and he told me that after Peverell had the wand it was possessed by Emeric the Evil before he lost it in a duel to Egbert the Egregious. It disappears for a time here, but a century later, Godelot had it in his possession."

"Godelot, the bloke who wrote Magick Moste Evile, which specifically discusses Horcruxes?" Bill asked, his eyes widening.

"That's the one," Sirius said. "Oddly coincidental, isn't it? It is said that Godelot was locked in his cellar by his own son where he eventually died there and his son Hereward became master of the Elder Wand. Again, the wand seems to have disappeared from history at this point, but in the eighteenth century, Barnabas Deverill claimed to possess it before he was murdered by Loxias. Loxias was a right bastard in his own right and Lovegood claims that he renamed the Elder Wand 'the Deathstick' and when he was eventually murdered, everyone — even his own mother — claimed that they had been behind it, but the wand is actually believed to have passed on from Loxias to someone named either Arcus or Livius before again it disappears into history for over a century. A Russian wandmaker came across it in the nineteenth century, Mykew Gregorovitch. He tried to duplicate the wand's powers and even let it slip that he possessed the fabled wand, but sometime around the turn of the century, the wand was stolen from him. It is rumoured that the Dark Wizard Grindelwald possessed it before he was imprisoned in Nurmengard."

"So, the wand is real?" Harry asked, his eyes wide. "The most powerful wand in all of history?"

"It seems so, if you believe the fabled wand from the story, is the same wand that is passed throughout history," Sirius explained. "And I don't know if it is truly the most powerful wand in history, as the witch or wizard who holds the wand has more to do with it if you ask me, but I'm not an expert in wand-making."

Tonks scratched her forehead, her eyes on the board where her cousin had drawn the three symbols. "And the Resurrection Stone?"

Sirius pointed to the ring on the table. "I think the stone in the signet ring is the Resurrection Stone. It has the symbol carved into the stone, not into the ring, and Cadmus Peverell is the brother believed to have asked for the stone as he wanted to be able to see the woman he loved again. It is through Cadmus' line that the Gaunts came to be in possession of the stone, which at some point was made into a signet ring. My guess is Cadmus had it made so that he would always have the stone on him. This also proves that it did not belong to Slytherin, who would have died a few hundred years before the Peverell brothers even encountered Death."

"And the cloak?" Zee asked.

"It belongs to Harry," he said, simply.

Harry's eyes widened. "My invisibility cloak is the Invisibility Cloak?"

Sirius nodded. "Logically it fits into the timeline. Monty gave that cloak to Jamie before he started at Hogwarts; told him that it had been in the Potter family for generations. Invisibility Cloaks don't last for generations and that cloak is still in immaculate condition. According to the Potter family tree, Hardwin Potter married Iolanthe Peverell, the granddaughter of Ignotus Peverell, who in turn is the one who asked for the cloak in order to hide from Death until he was ready to greet him like an old friend," Sirius explained.

Moody nodded. "And you're saying that Potter has this cloak?"

"He does. It was passed down to him his first Christmas at Hogwarts."

"What does it mean if one is to possess all three of these magical items?" Bill asked. "Is it significant in some way?"

"It makes you the Master of Death," Dumbledore said, quietly, from the back of the room. His eyes were on the ring in the middle of the table. "I used to believe at one time that possessing all three Hallows could help make the world a better place; that one could be a master over life as well as death and because of my foolishness, many were killed."

"Albus," McGonagall said, gently, taking his hand in hers. "We all make wrong choices in our youth. You are not to blame for it. He is."

Sirius' eyebrow rose. "Who is?"

"Gellert Grindelwald," McGonagall said, softly.

Dumbledore's eyes carefully went blank at the name. "As most of you are aware, I am the one who defeated Grindelwald in a duel in 1945 and subsequently put him in the prison that he himself had created. He's still imprisoned there. But what you might not know was that in my youth, Gellert and I were once friends."

Tonks' eyes widened in surprise. "You were friends with a dark wizard?"

Dumbledore smiled at her. "I was young and I was blinded by him. I was seventeen, he was nineteen and he completely fascinated me. My mother had passed away and I was staying home to take care of my brother and sister so that my brother could finish school and I was bored. Gellert arriving in Godric's Hollow to stay with his great-aunt, Bathilda Bagshot, seemed to be to be exactly what I needed. We were both intellects seeking topics to discuss and debate. We were both idealistic and ambitious. He told me that he had dropped out of school from Durmstrang Institute to go on an adventure for the mythical Deathly Hallows, which led him to Godric's Hollow and to the graveyard with the Peverells, who he believed were the original holders of the Hallows. I later learned that he was expelled from school for performing twisted experiments on other students."

"That says a lot coming from Durmstrang. They basically bloody teach the Dark Arts there," Moody interjected.

Dumbledore nodded. "He had a way about him. He was charismatic and charming and he convinced me to join him on his quest for the Deathly Hallows and I was desperate for something outside of my house and my family and I let myself get drawn in. Together we had this wild idealistic dream of acquiring the Hallows and becoming the Masters of Death, which would make us both immortal and invincible. We dreamed of overturning the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy and creating a new world order in which witches and wizards became the benevolent overlords of the world, over the Muggles. We always said that it was 'for the Greater Good' of the world. Muggles forced into subservience. We wizards triumphant. Grindelwald and I, the glorious young leaders of the revolution. Oh, I had a few scruples. I assuaged my conscience with empty words. It would all be for the greater good, and any harm done would be repaid a hundredfold in benefits for wizards. Did I know, in my heart of hearts, what Gellert Grindelwald was? I think I did, but I closed my eyes to it, which makes me just as much as to blame."

He let out a slow breath. "My brother recognized what I was letting myself fall into and he tried to stop me. Gellert became enraged at this and performed the Cruciatus Curse on him. I defended my brother and well… let's just say that we parted ways. He went on to build Nurmengard Castle in the Austrian Alps where he would hold his opponents or enemies or anyone he deemed unworthy to be kept there as a prisoner and above the entrance he inscribed my words: For the Greater Good."

"Albus, it was a long time ago," McGonagall said, kindly.

Dumbledore gave her a small smile. "It was and eventually he was taken down, but there was a lot of death and a lot of terror in between under the banner for the greater good and sometimes I wonder if I could have stopped him sooner. I have tried for decades to re-coin that phrase as being something to help others: To inspire hope. Sitting here today and listening to Sirius talk about the Hallows, my first thought was to grab that ring and run."

"It's cursed, Albus," Moody said, quietly. "If you were to put that ring on your finger, you would die."

Dumbledore nodded. "Which is why we need to destroy it immediately."

Sirius nodded his agreement, lifting the Sword of Gryffindor in his hands. "Even if it destroys the stone?"

"Especially if it destroys the stone," Dumbledore said, quietly. "A stone to talk to the dead does nothing but bring pain to any who use it."

Sirius nodded and moved over towards the ring on the table as everyone backed away. He held the sword over the ring, before pushing the tip down into the centre. It cracked slightly and the sight of his mother rising from the stone, her snarl already in place was enough. He closed his eyes, ignoring the image, and pushed; the cracking sound shattered just as a deafening cry echoed throughout the room, followed by green smoke. A flash of green snapped through the air and then it was gone.

Moody immediately rushed over and performed his spell, nodding. "It's gone."

Sirius reached down to pick up the broken and cracked ring, his eyes on the stone. "And the stone is cracked, but still very much intact."

Zee's eyes widened. "It's actually still intact?"

He nodded and held it up to show it to her. The moment he did, he felt rather queer and jolted at the sight of James Potter standing on his left and he quickly dropped the stone back down to the table.

"Sirius, what is it?"

He swallowed slowly. "I — I think it still works."

Dumbledore nodded. "Remember, it does not truly bring back the dead, but only their shade. They cannot pass over and do not belong in this world. It drove Cadmus mad with grief and he killed himself over it."

"What are we going to do with the stone?" Zee asked, carefully. "This isn't exactly something that we can keep lying around?"

Sirius grabbed a towel from the counter and carefully wrapped the stone in it. He didn't want to touch it with his bare hands again. "I'm going to lock it away for now. I think that's probably for the best."

"And the cracked and broken ring?" Tonks asked.

Sirius smiled. "It's going in the box with the locket and the diary."

He left the room to seal away the treasures in the warded vault in his grandfather's old study before returning to the kitchen and the list on the chalkboard.

FUVP Hit List:

1. DIARY (found in Chamber of Secrets through vault of Abraxas Malfoy) ✓
2. LOCKET OF SALAZAR SLYTHERIN (found in seaside cave) ✓
3. SIGNET RING OF SALAZAR SLYTHERIN (found on Gaunt abandoned property) ✓
4. CUP OF HELGA HUFFLEPUFF (rumoured to be in vault of Bellatrix Lestrange)
5. UNKNOWN
6. UNKNOWN
7. VOLDEMORT HIMSELF

Sirius pointed to number four on the list. "This is one of the other topics of discussion for tonight. I have been given information concerning the cup of Helga Hufflepuff potentially residing in the vault of my insane cousin."

"What does that mean for us?" Bill asked. "It's not like we can break into Gringotts and obtain it."

"True," Sirius said with a grin. "Breaking into Gringotts would be insane. However, Bellatrix was a Black and was imprisoned meaning that her possessions technically come back to her family since her husband was also imprisoned. Her being on the run doesn't help matters. I have set up an appointment for Wednesday afternoon. Harry and I are going to go through the entirety of the Black vaults and see if there is any truth behind this rumour and if she has it, well, it will soon be in our possession."

"Of course that means that we still have one unknown Horcrux to try to discover," Moody said, his eyes on the board.

"Don't you mean two?" Harry asked, looking up at the board and then at Moody.

Sirius nodded, his eyes on his son. "Yes, he does. We have been contemplating that it could be something belonging to another founder and Moody means that other one is completely unknown."

Moody nodded. "Right, that's what I meant."

Harry ate a piece of cheese, eyeing his father for a moment before he nodded. "So, Wednesday we're going to check out her vault?"

"We are," Sirius said.

Dumbledore stood up, he looked kind of pale and McGonagall took his arm. "Another one destroyed for now, excellent job, Sirius."

"Albus, thank you for your help as well and the information on the Hallows."

Dumbledore nodded and moved to the door.

"Wait!" Harry exclaimed. "I have a question, Sir?"

Dumbledore turned to Harry, his eyes twinkling. "What would that be, Harry?"

"If it was rumoured that Grindelwald had the Elder Wand when you defeated him and he went to prison, so what happened to the wand?"

"Harry, Professor Dumbledore doesn't know anything about the Elder Wand," McGonagall said.

Dumbledore hesitated and then he reached into his robes. "No, I don't know much about it to be honest, but I do know that it's been very loyal to me for the last forty-nine years."

Sirius' jaw dropped open. "You have it?"

Dumbledore held the wand up. "I won it, didn't I? I stopped chasing the Hallows years ago, but the wand…"

Harry grinned at him. "That's brilliant, Sir."

"Thank you, Harry."

"Is it really the most powerful wand in the world?" he asked, eyes wide.

Dumbledore shrugged. "I can feel its power, but I cannot honestly say that any of the magic I have performed with this wand is any more extraordinary than the magic I performed with my old wand. The wand may choose the wizard, but it's the wizard who has the magic to work the wand. Remember that."

As Dumbledore left the kitchen with a surprised McGonagall, Bill chuckled.

"Well, I'll be damned, that old coot has had it the whole time."

Tonks smiled. "He defeated a dark wizard, I think he deserves it."

Sirius shook his head and let out a slow sigh. "Anyone else ever think talking to him leaves you with more questions than answers?"

"All the bloody time," Bill said with a grin.

Sirius nodded at Harry. "Grab your stuff, Harry. It's time to head home. We have some things to discuss."

End Author's Notes:

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the bit from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and nor do I own the research on the history of the Elder Wand.