A/N: this chapter is incomplete. I'm going to add more soon i hope. But I wanted to post something AND update you all.
Sirius opened his diary to the page for the day after finishing the coffee Remus had brought him. "So glad you spent so much time in America," he said as he took out his new pencil—Sirius had loved Harry's pencil wands and had the same made up for him—and began adding notes to his appointment schedule for the day. They were interviewing six Blackguard Aurors from Germany and three from Pakistan for positions as operatives.
"James and I were planning to try out for the Blackguards," Sirius said. "We were going to wait until Harry was able to walk then we were going to apply."
"You would've been good," Remus said.
Sirius sighed. "Nine interviews before lunch then the rest of the day is interviews with people I don't know what they do."
"They're all experts that people we know vetted already," Remus reminded him. All eleven people they were interviewing post-lunch were potential editors and researchers for the Encyclopedia Arcana.
There was a knock at the door and a woman stuck her head in. She smiled. "Hey Sirius, Remus."
"Kate, what's up?"
She brought in a thick stack of computer printouts, liberally covered with red, blue, and green ink from handwritten annotations. She and her husband, Dade Murphy, were muggle experts on Computers and the muggle's computer communication network with a ten year old daughter who was to begin at Ilvermorny next year but they were debating sending her to Hogwarts now that they lived in England due to their new jobs.
"This is the specs of what the internet is like right now and the handwritten notes are best guesses on what it'll be like in the next decade. The last thirty pages or so are ideas on what a magical net should be like. We worked on it with Chandra and Mallican." Chandra was an expert on the floo and Mallican was a muggleborn who had been fined a number of times for experimenting with muggle artifact enchantment. "Along with notes expanding on Granger's ideas. Why did she name it ARSE though?"
"She called it the Adult and Relative Support Environment," Remus said. "Still not sure she realized what it shortened as. Her other few ideas had rude acronyms too."
Kate giggled. "Will she be coming through any time soon?"
"I was debating bringing Harry by over the winter break but we could have the whole group of friends come by on a Saturday in a week or two."
Remus checked Harry's school and game schedule. "Next weekend would be good. And Albus already okayed the Angels on the grounds so we could introduce them. if he likes them, they can station an Angel there."
~•~
A Darkling appeared in the canopy of Harry's bed. The Wielder wasn't there. He waited.
Hours passed as students and house-elves came and went.
Then Harry walked in and changed from his dirty clothes into his bathing robe, went into their bathroom, then came out, drying his hair.
As he dressed, the Darkling whispered, "Master?"
Harry pulled on his boxers and his BDU trousers then a Superman shirt followed and he sat on the bed, looking up where Darklings always waited.
"Master, your godfather will be arranging for you and possibly your friends to visit the castle over the weekend."
"Oh. Thanks!"
The Darkling gave a salute then vanished back to where he was supposed to be, watching Sirius via the hollow bullet necklace Sirius wore. the Darkling who had taken his place returned to the Redoubt.
~•~
Dressed and hungry, he headed down to the common room and found Hermione and Sophie waiting for him. Sophie asked, "Superman?"
"Sirius picked it out. In a couple Saturdays, we'll be going to the Castle to see what's happening there," he told them. "Maybe. I think he has to get your parents' approval so probably write a letter?"
(following scene retcons a scene from last chapter. choose which version you prefer, I had forgotten I added the scene to the last chapter when I wrote this one. the bollocks dagger will appear again but its reveal won't matter.)
"He'll be here in a moment," Pomfrey said then left the office.
A few minutes later, Charlus floated in. "Sirius. How's it going?"
"I was reading some of my dad's old research on rituals. He came across some information on an artifact. His notes in the margins show he thought it was real but probably destroyed."
"Should we be looking for it? What does it do?"
"No need. It's upstairs under Harry's bed."
"Oh?"
"The Bollocks Dagger. From the markings on it, I think this is the one mentioned."
"It does something beyond turning into a stave that you can cast with?"
"Yeah. It seems that if one is holding it while talking with someone, you'll know if they want to have sex with you."
Charlus started laughing and didn't stop. Since he didn't need to breathe, he just kept laughing until he finally was worn out.
"Ser—Truly?" he asked.
Sirius nodded. "You didn't know?"
"No. It's just been in the family forever. Don't know where it came from."
~•~
Harry put down the letter from his godfather then turned to where the Keeper was hanging out of a shadow. "Really?"
He nodded. "Want a Darkling to bring it to you?"
"Yes, please."
A Darkling appeared, holding the blade out. "Here, Master!"
"Thank you."
He took the blade and removed the very penis-looking sheath then looked the blade over. Faint scratchings that might have been words but he wasn't sure. He put the sheath back on then looked the rest of the knife over. A faint scratching of the runes that he thought might have been POTTR but he wasn't sure. He didn't have that good of knowledge yet. Harry copied them onto some parchment then set it on the desk and handed the blade back. "Put this away in my room. But stay with it. If anyone other than Sirius tries to take it, restrain them. And have another Darkling with you so it can let the Keeper know if you need to."
The Darkling took the blade, pounded his chest and slung his fist forward, then disappeared.
~•~
Ron handed the parchment scrap back. "Yeah, those're the runes for Potter. Weird it doesn't have the E in it. Wanna play chess?"
Harry shrugged. "Thanks. Sure."
They played for an hour until there was a knock on the door and Hermione's voice. "Harry, they're here!"
The boys left the spilled chess board on the floor and headed downstairs to join the other three. Two hulking men were standing behind Sirius and Professor McGonagall.
"You kids ready?" Sirius asked as McGonagall tucked the permission letters into her robe's pocket.
They all nodded.
"Will you be flooing?" McGonagall asked.
Sirius shook his head. "We have shuttles for moving staff to and from work. It's waiting for us at the gates."
Remus walked into the common room. "You all have jackets? It's raining at the Campus."
"I'll get yours," Sophie said and went up to their dorm room while Harry tugged on his hooded sweatshirt. Neville and Ron went up to get theirs.
Once the others returned, they headed out of the common room and through the castle. As they walked to the gates, Sirius said, "Harry, this is Angel F and Angel G. They're part of your security entourage."
"How come you're so big and look alike?" Neville asked.
"Are you twins?" Hermione asked.
"Potions and illegal spells," one of the men said. "We're based in America. We're operatives for the Congress, directly under the orders of the president for the first few years that we're members of Greystave."
"What's Greystave?" Ron asked.
"A Fast-Reaction and Intelligence Agency. Our job is to destroy the elements that will harm people."
"Like the FBI?" Hermione asked.
"Closer to the NSA with a paramilitary leaning," one replied. "But we're a private company with a contract, not an official agency."
"Why?" Sophie asked.
"Legal reasons. Our body modifications done to an Auror would be a serious crime, aurors committing dark deeds. Done to a citizen, it's a crime if we don't serve the citizens for a certain period of time."
~•~
They stumbled off the bus, both girls nauseous along with Ron. Harry and Neville had both enjoyed the ride. Sophie had mentioned it was almost as bad as a roller coaster then had to explain them to Ron and Neville. Sirius decided to take the kids during the summer.
Man receives from oak a gift, the ability to battle ice, with a torch.
