Due to the unexpected passing of a dear friend of mine, you are getting the new chapter earlier than normal because I really, really need something good at the moment and your reviews always make me smile.

In loving memory of my dear friend Camden. February 24th 1995 - November 7th 2016.

Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more.

Lyrics you have always loved deeply, but are all the more accurate for you now. May you have finally found the peace and happiness you so deserve but couldn't find here.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Remus smiled as James and Sirius helped him up after he'd tumbled through the hole into the Room of Requirement.

"I'd have thought you would have finished growing into those gangly limbs of yours by now," James teased as he turned to look around the room.

"I don't think that will ever happen," Sirius commented absent-mindedly with his eyes closed, the room's layout changing when he concentrated.

"Do I need to remind you of how clumsy you became when you finally shot up?" Remus blinked as towering walls of items appeared, forming what looked like a labyrinth of roads, bordered by piles of damaged furniture and books the amount of which he'd never seen.

"I did not! James was the one tripping and bumping into everything," Sirius protested, seemingly unimpressed by the sight before him as he picked a direction and began to move into it.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, he's right," James laughed as he took the lane beside the one Sirius had entered. "He's the one who rubbed our sore limbs and brewed potions to help us with our growing pains while he himself cheerfully skipped through the process."

"True," Remus remembered, smiling as something else crossed his mind while he picked the lane on Sirius' other side and looked around for the diadem Sirius had described to him. "Hey Sirius, remember when you actually managed to crack a rib from laughing when James tumbled from his own broom because he miscalculated his swing?"

"You swore you'd never mention that again!"

Remus yelped as something hit him right on the head, surprised to see a stuffed bunny land at his feet.

"Did you just throw a bunny at me?" he asked incredulous, looking around as he heard a smothered laugh.

"Seemed like a better idea than a cauldron," James shrugged, waving at him from a small distance away.

"I have an enormous stuffed troll here if you'd prefer that," Sirius' voice sounded further away, telling Remus he'd made more progress than they had.

"Why...you know what? I don't even want to know how that got here, just leave it where it is," Remus shook his head as James stifled a laugh. "Maybe it would be a nice present for Harry?"

"Are you trying to traumatise my son, Moony?" James raised an eyebrow.

"Just his father," Remus laughed before he caught sight of something else. "Hey...could a living dragon survive in here?"

"I doubt it, why?" James climbed a pile of broken tables to get a look at what Remus was looking at. "Are you sure it are dragon egg shells?"

"I think so."

"I think we'd have heard a dragon by now if it was in here with all the noise the two of you are making," Sirius laughed. "And for the record, James. You did threaten him, but he never actually swore not to tell anyone."

"What did I do to deserve you guys?" James threw up his arms in mock despair.

"Aww, you love us, really," Sirius became visible as he climbed on top of a large blistered cupboard, looking around.

"You, always. Not so sure about him right now," but James was grinning as he said it so Remus just gasped in mock shock as he turned to his bespectacled friend and pretended to wipe away a tear.

"Fine, be that way. I'll just have to run off with your brother."

"Might be there's a sunset and a horse hidden in here somewhere among all this junk," Sirius called back. "I think I found it."

"That's fast," Remus muttered as he and James made their way towards him, coming to a stop beside a chipped bust of a very ugly looking old warlock that was standing unsteadily on a crate to see Sirius kneel beside a pillow on which a tiara, decorated with a blue sapphire shaped like an oval was rested.

"Is that truly the Horcrux?" James asked as he handed Sirius his handkerchief so he could pick it up and the Room's layout became bare before their eyes.

Aware Sirius had probably requested space to work with, Remus watched as his best friend placed the diadem on the ground.

"Yeah, can't you hear it wailing?" Sirius rose to his feet again and now that he´d mentioned it, Remus could indeed make out the faint noise, though James shook his head.

"No, but seeing that you two can I assume it's probably influenced by dark magic as I can't really detect that the way the two of you can."

"Might have a point there, it's almost like it's calling out to end its suffering," Sirius muttered as he pulled out his wand and Remus shivered as he realised he was right. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah," Remus raised his wand in precaution as James wrapped a protective shield around Sirius just in case and without another world Sirius began to recite the complicated and ancient spell.

High-pitched shrieking filled the air around them, though Remus was quick to muffle the sound so it wouldn't break Sirius' concentration.

Before their eyes the diadem lit up as it caught on fire and all three of them winced as the shrill shrieking broke from his silencing charm before abruptly cutting off.

A moment later Sirius' mirror vibrated and while he and James answered it, Remus put the fire out before it could spread.

"It's gone, the smoke died just now," Lily informed them over the loud crying of Harry.

"Good, did its screaming wake him up?"

"There was no screaming here, the lantern burst into flames and my yelp woke up Harry."

"Are you all right?" Sirius scanned her worriedly.

"I'm fine, I hadn't expected the fire but you guys taught me how to deal with hostile Fiendfyre."

"Fiendfyre?"

"Same thing happened here," Remus joined them.

"Does that mean the other Horcruxes burst into flames as well?" Lily bounced Harry on her hip, shifting the mirror to the table to be able to use both arms freely.

"We can check the ring as we know exactly where that one is located," James suggested.

"Might be wise," Lily nodded.

"We'll check to be sure, hey pup?"

Harry immediately quieted down at the familiar nickname.

"Siri come home?" he sniffled.

"Soon buddy, Daddy and I need to do something else first. Mummy told me about the fire?"

"Bad fire, but Mummy made it gone."

"Good Mummy, did you know Remy put our fire out?" Sirius smiled as Harry's green eyes widened in amazement.

"Remy did?"

"Yes," Lily had to stifle a laugh as Sirius nodded solemnly.

"Good Remy!"

"Good Remy indeed, think you can keep Mummy company for a bit longer, champ?"

"Yeah! Siri and Daddy home soon?"

"Very soon, pup. And we'll even bring along Remy for the night."

"Really?" Harry clapped his hands happily, tears completely forgotten now.

"Yeah, but I expect you to be asleep when we get back so you'll have to see him in the morning, all right?"

"You make pancakes?"

"Only if you're asleep," Sirius bargained. "Will you be good tonight?"

"Yah," the enthusiastic toddler nodded happily at the promise of pancakes and James and Remus chuckled as Harry buried his face in Lily's shoulder in a clear promise to sleep, his mother mouthing a silent thank you.

"Atta boy, see you soon, buddy," Sirius closed the link and put the mirror in his back pocket again. "How big is the damage?"

"Not bad, I caught it in time to do nothing more than burn the ground the diadem was on," Remus assured him as he knew Sirius cared about the castle. "How are we going to Little Hangleton? Back through the tunnel or are you asking Tiffy to take us from here directly?"

"I can't, this is one of the only locations in the world where a House-elf cannot Apparate in or out off, even when their master is calling," Sirius explained. "No idea why but we'll have to go through the tunnel again and I'd rather Apparate there than risk bringing Tiffy along."

"Willingly Apparate three times in one day, never thought I'd see the day," James whistled impressed.

"Yeah well, I might just use it more often if it means I get to keep you around longer," Sirius muttered, looking down.

"Nah, we'll stick to your motorbike if we're not in a hurry," James stepped forward to wrap an arm around his brother, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I assume you don't want to confront Dumbledore yet?" Remus asked after giving them a moment to draw silent comfort in each other, aware they hadn't truly let down their guards yet as they would not have felt safe enough to do so before.

"No, I rather have we are all rested for that. Let's go to Little Hangleton and call it a night, what does your little book say?" James squeezed Sirius' hand as the other pulled out the small black book and paged through it to the Gaunt's family tree.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, born the thirty-first of December nineteen twenty-six, date of passing, Thirty-first of October nineteen eighty-one," Sirius read. "Gaunt bloodline extinguished."

"We've truly done it," Remus breathed out amazed. "After so many years, the war is finally over that easily?"

"Don't count on it, just because the big boss is gone doesn't mean his followers are," James sighed. "Now the real challenge begins as I have no doubt others will try to rise to power."

"And they'll continue doing so as long as the Ministry is corrupt and half the Wizarding world is bigot," Sirius added. "That reminds me, can you send off a Patronus to the Longbottoms?"

"To tell them to stay in hiding because it's not safe yet?" James asked to confirm.

"And that they shouldn't trust Dumbledore, tell them you'll explain as soon as you can but to stay hidden no matter what they hear, at least until you've managed to speak to them," Sirius nodded.

"Do you think they'll believe you?" Remus asked as James shot off his Patronus.

"They won't take a chance with their son's safety," Sirius confirmed. "We wouldn't take the slightest chance with Harry either."

He looked up to Remus. "Are you going to remain standoffish like that or are you going to give us a hug?"

"Like you need to ask," Remus smiled as he stepped forward to meet his best friends in a tight embrace, holding on for several moments until James stepped back with a smile.

"Let's go," he led the way back to the tunnel and they made their way in.

"Found what you were looking for?" Aberforth was waiting for them on the other side, helping them through.

"Yeah," Remus straightened.

"Can you keep something quiet for now, Abe?" James looked around the Inn to see it empty.

"No one's here, I closed up after you guys arrived so no one would disturb us. And you should know the answer to that by now," Aberforth grumbled.

"He's dead."

"He? You mean..."

"The main villain, Lord Snakiness," James grinned as Aberforth sank into the chair Sirius quickly pulled up.

"Are you yanking my chain, boy?"

"No, he showed up at my house earlier this evening..."

"But the Fidelius..." Aberforth's blue eyes widened in shock, turning to scan Sirius for injuries.

"We have concrete evidence that Peter betrayed us," Sirius softly told him and Aberforth immediately understood.

"That worthless piece of ..."

"We know and we will get to the bottom of that, but that is not our main priority right now," James told him everything that had happened.

"Albus has always kept secrets and he is a manipulative old fool," Aberforth rubbed a hand over his face.

"I know, you've warned us against him. That is the reason we refused his offer for him to become our Secret Keeper," James admitted. "I didn't like the idea of Sirius endangering himself for our sake, but I didn't trust Dumbledore enough."

"And you were clearly right. Knowing him, he was probably counting on you to do so," Aberforth growled. "If he's truly known about Pettigrew like I suspect he did, then I wouldn't put it above him to have framed Sirius for your deaths, just to get a powerful political opponent out of his way."

"I'm not..."

"You are the grandson of Arcturus Black and his heir, he made it known that you would take his place even when Orion Black was still alive," Aberforth said. "You've already proven that you cannot be controlled, by various actions while still at Hogwarts and your sheer refusal to follow Dumbledore's lead if you disagreed with his actions. Evident in both your actions when James went missing during a confrontation and your actions involving Remus."

"Meaning that he'd believe I am too dangerous to leave in place?"Sirius' voice was soft as he was clearly thinking about what Aberforth was saying.

"Our Wills and the laws would have kept him safe," James argued. "Not even Dumbledore can avoid either of those and Lily and I made sure to both mention the decoy in our Wills."

"With the level of corruption going on at the Ministry I wouldn't be surprised if they somehow lost your Wills or claimed there were none in the first place. And the Goblins wouldn't be a recognised party to vow for the existence of one."

"Abe has a point. We need to tread careful if we are going to confront Dumbledore," Sirius sighed.

"I will help in any way I can," Aberforth promised. "But to be sure he cannot play with your minds despite how strong your shields are, it might be wise to finally put on your rings to add a layer of protection to your minds and protect Remus in some way as well."

"I'll need to talk to Arcturus about getting my Heir ring and give Remus the Matriarch ring. There is no rule only the actual Matriarch can wear it," Sirius thought out loud.

"Wouldn't Walburga have that one?" Aberforth wondered.

"No, Arcturus took it from her after I ran away and has been holding onto it since I am not engaged to anyone."

"And that ring would protect me from anything Dumbledore might attempt?" Remus turned to Sirius.

"Yes, it will give you the same protection the Heir ring has. Even if potions are put in your food or drinks, the ring will annul the effects if your nose doesn't detect them. Same with obedience and controlling spells," James was the one who answered, raising his hand to show them the ring he always wore. "I was meant to pass it on to Harry after our father died, but I couldn't bring myself to wear his Lord ring yet."

"Understandable," Aberforth rose to his feet again. "But you need to get a move on, if you are going to check that thing and remain unnoticed for now. It won't be long before someone will notice the Gaunt line has ended, meaning he's gone. You better be careful, though. He might be gone, but his Death Eaters are still out there."

"We will be. Thank you, Abe, for everything," Sirius clasped hands with him but Aberforth wouldn't have any of it and pulled him into a hug. "You be careful out there and stay alive, you hear me kid? All of you better do so."

"We will," Sirius promised as he stepped back. "I'll send Tiffy to inform you when we arrive back home safely."

"You finally agreed to take that little one on?"

"She wouldn't be safe from your brother's questioning once he found out we'd taken James' cloak back so she'll be safer with me now."

"She will be. I'll keep an eye out for her then," Aberforth patted Sirius' shoulder, once more pulling him into a hug and Remus gave a single nod when the older man locked eyes with him in a clear request to keep Sirius safe.

"We need to get going," James placed a hand on Sirius' biceps with a nod to Aberforth, promising the same thing and Sirius turned to him.

"I guess I'll have to Apparate you guys there," he grimaced; both James and Remus grinned at him as they placed a hand onto his arms so he could indeed do so.

"Watch it!" Sirius' hand shot out to stop them both as they took a step forward, almost crashing into an old man standing only a few steps before them.

"What happened?" Remus watched men in black suits and wearing yellow helmets run around.

"Where..." the man shook his head confused. "The old shack caught on fire. Said they should've broken it down years ago."

"Why didn't they?" Sirius asked.

"Private ground. Owners haven't been seen since I was a young man, but the government can't just level the darn thing to the ground without permission."

"So no one lived there?"

"Not since the tramp passed away as far as I know."

"James, they can't put that out if it's Fiendfyre," Remus whispered as Sirius spoke to the man.

"I know, I can subtly turn it into a normal fire if you distract the man," James whispered back.

"You've lived here all your life?" Remus spoke up as James began to mutter under his breath and the man distractedly turned to Remus.

"I was born here. I used to work as a gardener for the Riddle family living up in Riddle House up the hill," the man indicated to a large manor just barely visible through the darkness.

"The Riddle family?" Sirius asked.

"You're not from around these parts, are you?" the man raised an eyebrow grudgingly.

"No, my brothers and I were passing through when we saw the flames and decided to check it out," Sirius explained smoothly. "So who are the Riddles?"

"Were, you mean. They're all dead now, died many years ago."

"All of them?" Remus asked surprised.

"Killed, all three of them. Thomas, Mary and their son Tom were all found dead in the drawing room one morning by a maid."

"How were they killed?" Sirius inquired.

"No one knows. They were in perfect health, just keeled over overnight without a clear cause," the man leaned closer almost unconsciously. "Some say the gardener's done it; others say they were scared by something so badly, their hearts just stopped."

"Why would they think that?" Sirius' voice lowered as he matched the man's gossipy tone of voice, leaning in slightly as if greatly interested in what the man had to say.

"The maid found them with sheer terror frozen onto their faces, like they'd seen something terrible just before they died."

"So they suspected the gardener because the spooked to death theory wouldn't work? How would you have killed them if there's no mark on them? I mean, you were their gardener, not a magician, right?" Sirius looked genuinely interested enough that the man only startled momentarily before shrugging and Remus couldn't help but marvel at how easily his best friend made people openly talk to him without even realising they were telling things they would've never told anyone.

"I told the police I saw a boy climbing the hill, but how a teenager would manage to kill three people without a struggle, I haven't the foggiest."

"Very odd. Was their son young?"

"Oh no, in his late thirties. Eloped once with the tramp's daughter. It was the scandal of the village for quite a while. Especially when he returned without her a couple of months later, claiming to have been hoodwinked."

"He thought he'd knocked her up and that's why he married her?" Remus raised an eyebrow as he realised why someone would have been forced to marry another like that back in that time.

"Was only a matter of time before he knocked someone up."

"But he returned, meaning she wasn't pregnant and he left her when he realised the truth?" Sirius frowned.

"Who knows? Either way it served him well, the whole family were arrogant twats and very unpopular. Though the son attracted quite a few women with his dark looks and smooth talking," the man's eyes travelled over Sirius as if he thought he was made of the same stock and Remus shifted uncomfortable.

"I see. I don't suppose they will rebuild the shack?"

"God, I hope not. Awful thing has been a sore sight since before I was born. Anyway, they'd have to trace the owner as like I said, it's private property."

"Who owns the ground the shack was on?"

"You interested in buying it, lad?" the man's blue eyes narrowed. "Aren't you a little young to be thinking about investments? You barely look like you're out of school."

"Just interested in the history of towns like these," Sirius smiled disarmingly. "I meant no offence."

"I...sorry. I think they were called the Gaunts. You might be able to find more about them in the town's archives," the man swallowed, caught once more in Sirius' natural charm. "They usually have records like that."

"Thank you, I just might look into it. We should get going though, before our family gets worried because we've not been in contact," he nodded to the man before turning back to James as Remus could sense the fire had changed, finally allowing the firemen to get control over it.

Without another word they made their way down the hill as they were aware the man was staring after them. "Did you hear all that?"

"Yeah, what do you think?"James softly asked.

"He might have used his paternal family's deaths to create that Horcrux," Sirius advised. "Do you think we should warn Gringotts and the Malfoys?"

"If there is a fire there, then it's already too late to save anyone," Remus swallowed.

"Malfoy Manor is fairly big; we can't not try, can we?" Sirius turned to James.

"As much as I don't like them, we can't just let them die if we might make a difference," James grumbled but took both of their hands to Apparate them to Wiltshire.