Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.
Prewiev: Well, the obvious happens, finally. Regulus and Snape get into a shouting match in front of the family. Sirius is being blunt. Arcturus and Pollux are find ingsomething suspcious.
Read, enjoy and review (because I really want to know what you are thinking about this story).
Chapter six: First Day of Spring.
If any Muggle happened to be standing on the west side of the river Otter, which happened to be running through the village of Ottery St. Catchpole would be really surprised at the sight of three men and one woman sitting on the east side of the river. The fact that they were sitting wouldn't be really surprising but their outfits would be. But since no Muggles were around Regulus concentrated at Verascez who was sitting on the grass cross-legged and her speech.
"If Pettigrew isn't at the Burrow we are going to check the Diggorys, the Lovegoods and the Fawcetts," she said firmly. "But first we need to make sure that the Weasleys are out of the way."
"A decently sized cat could get close to the house unnoticed and check if they are planning to get out," Snape pointed out.
"Crookshanks is with mum," Regulus muttered.
"I wasn't referring to your four-legged toothbrush Regulus," Snape snorted. "Rather to Verascez's charming little self."
At that comment Verascez rolled her eyes in annoyance and muttered, "Fine scared cats. I'll go and watch them from the front yard but you are staying in the garden behind the trees."
She stood up and transformed into a pretty, brown-furred cat. After a nasty glare in their direction she ran in the direction of the house.
"My cat is not a four-legged toothbrush," Regulus huffed and folded his arms.
"Bottlebrush then," Snape muttered.
"You are scared of a shampoo," Regulus replied.
"Says the man who looks like he didn't touched a hairbrush in a year," Snape replied.
"Enough! Both of you!" Lupin hissed at them. "Unless you want someone to know that we are here."
Regulus glared at him while Snape snorted, "Sure Mr Prefect."
"If you are done quarrelling like first years can we please search the house?" Verascez's voice came from the distance.
They quickly caught up with her. She was leaning against the tree, hidden from the view of the house.
"Already gone?" asked Lupin.
"Seems to me that they'd gone shopping," Verascez replied. "Though I'm not sure if all of them left. I saw her and five kids, one probably stayed behind."
"The one missing is at Hogwarts," Snape muttered. "Lupin, go ahead, we are following your nose."
They approached the front door carefully. Lupin at the front with Verascez behind him, she was followed by Snape and Regulus was at the end. The door, thankfully were unlocked so they got inside quickly.
As Regulus predicted the house looked like a small tornado passed through it, at least through the kitchen and sitting room. They stood in the kitchen, Lupin in the middle with other three around him. Lupin sniffed the air and pointed at the stairs. Verascez nodded and she followed him, wand in her hand. Snape rolled his eyes at this but nevertheless followed them. Regulus like before followed them.
They made their way through the first landing and after a moment Lupin lead them to the second landing. On this one were two bedrooms. After a second Lupin pointed at one of them and laid his finger on his lips.
Verascez pointed at Lupin then at the door and once again at Lupin. Then she turned to Regulus and pointed at his jumper. He nodded and took it off quickly. In the meantime Lupin tiptoed to the door and laid his hand on the knob.
At that Verascez mouthed 'Ready' and when all three of them nodded she glanced at Lupin and gripped her wand even tighter. Lupin opened the door silently and Verascez peered inside. A flash of the red light coming from the inside of the room indicated that she stunned Pettigrew.
"He is sleeping," she whispered. "But I stunned him just to make sure. Regulus, your jumper. We will change him after we leave this house."
Regulus nodded and entered the room. The rat was lying on the bed. He folded the animal into his jumper and left the room.
They left the house hastily and quickly came back to their first post at the riverside, closing the door on their way out.
"I will stun him once again before you unfold the jumper, Regulus. I want to make sure that he doesn't wakes up as he transforms back. Then I'm putting Animagi Transformation Resistant Charm on him so we don't have to worry about him transforming. Since it would be nice if our knowledge about his animagi ability remain a secret I will modify his memory so the last thing he remembers is falling asleep here, in his human form," she said and nodded at Regulus to lie the jumper on the ground.
He lied it down and back away for about two steps. Verascez stunned the rat again and gently unfolded the jumper. All four of them saw a rat with a missing toe. Verascez took a shaky breath and pointed her wand at him. The light flashed out of her wand and they saw that the rat started turning into a human. He looked quite well considering that he spent last few months as a rat. Pettigrew didn't changed much since Regulus saw him for the last time. Mousy, colourless hair, pointed nose. Verascez let out the breath she was holding and mumbled the incantation of Animagi Transformation Resistant Charm. Seconds after it another spell flashed from her wand and she took a shaky breath.
"Done," she mumbled.
"So what are we doing now?" asked Regulus.
Mirzam whipped the sweat from her forehead with her left sleeve before she replied calmly, "You are coming back to 12 Grimmauld Place and tell your mother that we got him. I'm taking him to the Ministry and hopefully before the day ends everything will come back to normal."
"Want to pass any other news?" asked Regulus.
Mirzam shook her head and said, "If I'm going to have any I'm going to use your aunt or uncle. See you some time later today."
They nodded and disapparated. She stared at Pettigrew before she stunned him once again, for safety measure of course. She grabbed his wrist and apparated into Auror's apparating point.
She landed on her bum next to Pettigrew who was still unconscious. She quickly gathered herself from the ground and nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Is it him Mirzam?" she heard Madam Bones's voice. "It's a good thing that I decided to leave through this point and not the one down."
Mirzam turned around to face the older woman and said, "It's really him. What now?"
"Stay with him and I will collect the attorney and alarm the Wizengamot that we are going to have a hearing today," Madam Bones replied.
"Please contact Ignatius Prewett, Madam. I know that he is here today," Mirzam pleaded.
"The family is aware of Sirius's innocence," Madam Bones stated.
Mirzam nodded.
"Wait here and I will send someone to help you," Madam Bones said and left the room.
Ignatius was bored out of his mind. He came to the Ministry for morning duty as attorney. Nothing had happened for last three hours and he started considering going on early lunch when he heard a knock on his door.
"Come in!" he called out.
The door opened and Madam Bones peeked inside, "Pettigrew had been found. I alarmed Wizengamot already. The hearing is in a hour in court room number ten."
"How is Mirzam?" he asked quickly.
"Fine, though she looks like she didn't slept last night but I know better than to send her home. She is with him now, I send her an Auror to help. Remember a hour," Madam Bones said and she left.
Ignatius grinned as he picked up a quill and wrote down at a piece of parchment:
Lucy,
The rat had been found. The hearing starts at eleven o'clock. Pass the news to the family.
Love,
Iggy
He stood up from the desk and picked up the letter. He approached the fireplace in two steps and threw the Floo powder on the fire and whispered, "9 Golden Lane, London."
The flames turned green and he threw the letter into them. Then he went to pick up his attorney robe.
It was the highest time to get his nephew out of Azkaban and he would be damned if he let the rat get away.
Lucretia was reading the book in an armchair in the living-room. She hated when Iggy was at the Ministry and she had a day off. Today happened to be one of this days. She was flipping through the book lazily when the flames in the fireplace turned green and a piece of parchment flew out of it.
She grabbed it quickly and read:
Lucy,
The rat had been found. The hearing starts at eleven o'clock. Pass the news to the family.
Love,
Iggy
She jumped from the armchair, threw the book on the ground and ran to the fireplace. She quickly threw the Floo Powder into the fire and stepped inside. She called out, "7 Park Road, London."
She landed in her parents' living-room fireplace and nearly fell out from it. The noise alarmed other three occupants of the house and drawn them into the living-room.
"Pettigrew had been found," she breathed out. "Hearing starts at eleven."
"Did Mirzam caught him?" asked her father impatiently.
"I don't know the details but I think that she did. Can one of you pass the information to Cassiopeia," she asked quickly.
"What about Wally?" asked her mum.
"I think that she already knows but we may go to see her and check," Lucretia said quickly.
"I will alarm, Cassie," said Pollux quickly.
Walburga was in the middle of preparing the early lunch when she heard a crack of apparation in the hall. Five second later Lupin ran into the kitchen with a yell, "We got him!"
Pettigrew had been found. She was so happy that she hugged Lupin tightly and quickly felt Regulus's arm around her shoulders.
"We don't know what will happen now but Verascez took him to the Ministry. All we can do now is to wait for the news," said Snape, he sounded excited.
"Thank you," Walburga whispered as she pulled away from them. "All of you."
"You are welcomed," Lupin replied.
"Will you excuse me for a moment but I need to call the rest of the fam…" she was cut off by five cracks of apparation in the hall.
"Wally. The rat had been caught!" Lucretia called out and soon Walburga was hugged by her sister-in-law. "The hearing is at eleven o'clock so if everything will go smooth Sirius can be home for the night."
"Who are these men?" asked her father, who just entered the kitchen, followed by her parents-in-law and her aunt.
"One of them you already know. They helped Mirzam catch the rat," Walburga replied as she pulled away from Lucretia. "The others are Remus Lupin and Severus Snape."
"Is it Regulus?" asked her father in shock.
"That would be him," Walburga nodded. "Mirzam brought him here these morning. How she did it, I don't know since instead of talking he rather listened."
"That's a very long story and since I don't like repeating myself I'm waiting for Sior to show up and then I will talk," Regulus said firmly.
"You grew a backbone, Reggiekins," Cassiopeia snickered.
"Always had it, I just kept it secret," he replied.
Mirzam stayed by Pettigrew's side with her eyes fixed on the filthy rat so she was startled once again when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Madam Bones told me that you'd found supposedly dead man and that I was supposed to help you guard him," said deep male voice.
She turned around and when she saw tall, bald black Auror she exclaimed, "Shacklebolt!"
"That's me," Shacklebolt chuckled. "And that would be…" he pointed at Pettigrew.
"For me he looks like Peter Pettigrew, you know that poor chap who was supposedly killed by Sirius Black," she replied calmly.
"Your partner," Shacklebolt pointed out.
"Pardon me for being a bit paranoid when I see supposedly dead people theoretically killed by my partner sleeping peacefully," she muttered and rolled her eyes on him. "Harry Potter can wait a day, really. It's not that I'd found something really mattering about him."
"You are flushed, overexcited and I will let you get away with it today because I know you well enough to know that you won't do anything dangerous without a really good reason. But as soon as the mess is cleared I'm taking you out and I won't let you leave before you tell me what you got yourself into," Shacklebolt replied.
"Are you asking me on a date or threatening me?" she snorted. "Because Sirius wouldn't like both."
"It wasn't his fault, all things which had happened that night, was it?" Shacklebolt asked quickly.
"As far as I know he is completely innocent but the confirmation of his side of story is lying behind me and awaiting a trial," she replied.
"Then he will go with us," Shacklebolt stated and he shook his head as he added, "Woman, what you got yourself into?"
"Funny little thing called love," she grinned.
"I'm getting the wedding invitation," Shacklebolt said and send her a meaningful glare.
"You and Madam Bones," she snickered. "But as far as I know best man is already occupied. You can walk me to the altar if you want, though I will have to check if someone else doesn't want this place."
Shacklebolt chuckled, "That would be a sight worth seeing, I'm younger than you, remember."
"Details," she rolled her eyes.
"I think is time for us to go down," Shacklebolt said. "Madam Bones mentioned that the hearing will start at eleven o'clock."
"Aurors lift?" she asked.
"Aurors lift," he nodded and pointed his wand at Pettigrew.
The members of Wizengamot were already seated in their place. Ignatius had his papers and the bottle of Veritaserum in front of him and the chair awaited for Pettigrew.
"Bring in the man," called Madam Bones.
The back door opened and Mirzam together with tall, bald black Auror entered the courtroom. Pettigrew was being levitated by the man. They passed the floor quickly and put unconscious Pettigrew on the chair then both stepped three steps back.
"Mr Prewett, please administer the Veritaserum and Enervate the man," said the Minster for Magic.
Ignatius nodded and stood up from his place. He approached Pettigrew and poured three drops down the man's throat and quickly revived Pettigrew before stepping aside.
"Mr Prewett your questions," said the Minister calmly.
He prepared himself for this questioning well, in a way which allowed him to not give away his knowledge beforehand.
"Is your name Peter Patrick Pettigrew, born at 13th April 1960 to Patricia and Patrick Pettigrew?" he asked calmly.
"Yes, it's me," Pettigrew replied mechanically, driven by the potion.
"How do you explain the fact that Sirius Black supposedly killed you and yet you are here? Did he missed you?" Ignatius asked his second question.
"Sirius?" Pettigrew chuckled. "Sirius wouldn't miss a target even if he had been blindfolded. He wanted to kill me when he found me but pity overtook him. I sized my chance and blew up the street. Then I cut off my finger so it would look like he killed me and transformed into a rat and got away."
"Why Sirius Black wanted to kill you?" Ignatius paid no attention to the rat part, yet.
"Because I was the Potter family Secret Keeper. Sirius switched with me shortly before the charm was performed. He thought that if the Dark Lord would go after him while I was the Potters's Secret Keeper, the Potters would be safe. It would have worked if I wasn't serving to the Dark Lord for a year before that day. Fool, that's what he was. He thought that he was protecting them and he thrust their life into my hands," Pettigrew replied.
Ignatius heard collective gasps but he paid no attention to them and continued asking, "You mentioned before that you transformed into a rat after you blew up the street. What exactly did you meant by it?"
"I'm an Animagus, I take the form of the rat," Pettigrew replied.
"Are you registered?" asked Ignatius.
"I'm not," Pettigrew replied.
"That would be all your honour," said Ignatius and turned to the Wizengamot. "I would like to call Sirius Orion Black as a witness. It would be good if we heard his side of story because from what I distinctly remember the man didn't get a trial. I guess that we owe him one."
"Very well Mr Prewett. Aurors, Shacklebolt and Verascez would bring Mr Black from Azkaban after they put Mr Pettigrew in the waiting cell, with Animagi Transformation Resistant Charm on it," said the Minister. "Any objections?"
All hands remained down.
"Auror Verascez, Auror Shacklebolt, please do as I said," said the Minister. "I'm calling a break till one o'clock. Madam Bones, Mr Prewett please ensure that the Aurors get proper passes. Dismissed."
Mirzam tried her best to resist the temptation to kick Pettigrew in the shins and succeed. By the time Pettigrew was in waiting cell Madam Bones and Ignatius prepared them proper passes to Azkaban and she and Shacklebolt apparated to the harbour where the boats to Azkaban awaited.
"Calm down unless you want to fell overboard," Shacklebolt said calmly as he started the boat.
"Could you calm down if you were in my place Shack?" she muttered.
"If I was in your place I would test Anti-Apparating wards of Azkaban," Shacklebolt chuckled.
"The worst part is over," she mumbled. "The worst part is over and I'm thankful for it."
"I get the idea. But I want you to remember that his hearing is at one o'clock," he said.
"Your point Shack?" she glared at him. "Are you suggesting that I'm going to jump him as soon as I see him?"
"I was just recalling the facts," Shacklebolt snickered.
Mirzam rolled her eyes and turned her head in the direction of Azkaban. Today was the first day of spring and Sirius was going to be a free man. No Demontor would take it away.
Sirius knew that today was 21st March, first day of spring but through the walls of Azkaban he didn't felt it. Two Dementors at his doors served as perfect mood killers.
'Wonder if Mirzam is going to visit today?' he asked himself. 'It would be great if she did.'
For last month she, Homam and the rest of the family were the only thoughts which kept him going. He yearned to see them all, as a free man. Mirzam's stories about them gave him some ideas how family was doing but they weren't enough.
Since Mirzam told him that she loved him and promised that she will get him out from Azkaban he spent most of his time thinking what he wanted to do after he was set free. His first thought was taking his grandfathers to real football match, if they found watching one on TV entertaining, the real thing will make them even happier. Of course he laughed his ass after Mirzam mentioned grandmother's Melania complains about their Chelsea vs. Manchester United quarrels.
Next thing was buying Homam his first, actually second, toy broomstick, he knew that Mirzam as a Seeker would agree with him but persuading his mother would be hard. But the thing he wanted to do the most, was proposing to Mirzam, with a bang. He remembered James's proposing and he really wanted something to dim James's proposing.
Some would said that proposing to Mirzam would be too soon but it really wasn't. She loved him and he loved her and they were supposed to have a kid together. Why wait? His mother would accept his decision, if she had nothing against Mirzam posing as Homam's mum why she would have something against her marrying her son. Besides if his mother was fine with it she could give him Black family wedding rings.
After he ran away from home, Black family wedding rings were the only thing he didn't took with himself and regretted not doing it very much. He could buy another pair of course, but they were so expensive that saving the money for them, even with his more than decent wage, will take him ten years. But the rings were worth every single Galleon jewellers demanded for them. Each wedding ring had only one other that fit. The rings were supposed to act like a monitor, they were supposed to be warm in touch if the other person who was wearing the ring was happy, safe and healthy. But if something had happened to the other person who was wearing the ring, the other ring would turn icy cool in touch. With Mirzam and him being Aurors, he wanted to come back to his job after he was freed, the rings would be another form of ensuring each other safety.
'Dad kept great-grandfather's Sirius and his wife's rings after they died,' he reminded himself. 'Maybe mum will allow me to use them.'
He was so wrapped up in thinking about getting married even if didn't proposed yet that he failed to hear the steps on the corridors and only after the door to his cell clicked open he realised that someone was going to visit him.
He stood up from his cot, ready to great Mirzam, because she was the only person who could come to visit him. As expected she appeared on the top of the stairs.
She looked stunningly beautiful with her hair wild, messed by the wind from outside. He eyes were sparkling with happiness. Her face was pale, like she didn't slept well, but there was a blush on her face which made him think that she ran all the way to his cell.
When she spotted him she ran down the stairs and threw herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. Having her here felt so good.
"You lost a bet Verascez, you owe me a dinner," came deep chuckle from the doorway.
"Get lost, Shack," she huffed in annoyance.
"You spent half of hour at telling me over and over that you aren't going to jump him and that was the first thing you did," said amused voice.
Sirius pulled away from her a bit and saw Kingsley Shacklebolt, fellow Auror standing on the top of the stairs. Shacklebolt was grinning like the two of them was the most amazing thing he ever saw.
"We are taking you to the Ministry, Sirius," Mirzam said happily. "Your hearing is at one o'clock, Peter's already took place," she added and hugged him tightly.
"Your uncle demanded your presence as a witness and from what I know even if he didn't demanded for your trial you won't be coming back to this place," said Shacklebolt with a smile.
He was going to be a free man again. He was going to walk out of this fucking place and never come back. He was going to see his kid, his mother, his friend, his family. The happiness which filled him made him feel like he was going to burst from it. She did it, she found Pettigrew and everything was going to be fine.
"Marry me," he whispered to Mirzam as she raised her eyes to look at him. "If you love me, marry me."
She smiled at him in a way which made his knees go weak and replied in shaky voice, "I will."
He kissed her deeply, trying to pour all happiness he felt into that kiss, to show her that he meant what he said. When she respond to his kiss he caught her under her knees with his left arm, secured her back by his right arm, lifted her from the ground and spun around three times. He pulled away from the kiss but didn't stopped looking at her, she was smiling widely, her eyes were shining with happiness.
"That was the most hilarious proposing I ever saw," chuckled Shacklebolt. "Beats James Potter's proposing to Lily Evans in the middle of Great Hall. But I think that your family would appreciate if you repeated it in more pleasant surroundings," he added.
"That's the plan," Sirius replied without tearing his eyes from Mirzam.
Ignatius was pacing up and down the corridor to court room ten. They should be here any minute. He didn't alarmed the rest of the family, he wanted to let Mirzam bring him to 12 Grimmauld Place where, knowing the family, the fest was waiting for them.
"Wonder if they let him take a shower," he mumbled to himself. "It would be more dramatic if they didn't."
"Mr Prewett, we are here," called Shacklebolt from the end of the corridor.
Ignatius instantly spun around and saw Sirius lead by two Aurors down the corridor. He was still in his Azkaban's robe, still dirty and shackled. Good, drama effect will be on their side. But despite the robe, shackles and being dirty Sirius was grinning like mad. Mirzam on his right side was glowing with inner light.
'If he didn't proposed to her already I'm going to eat my hat for dinner today,' he thought cheerfully and smiled at them as he said, "You are just in time. Good to see you, Sirius."
"They told me that drama will work the best," Sirius grinned at him.
"Then whip that grin from your face for a moment. You can grin as long as you can later. Now, let's make them cry," Ignatius said cheerfully.
Sirius momentarily schooled his face to look like a face of a man to whom all bad things in the world had happened.
"Ready?" Ignatius asked seriously.
"As ready as we can," said Mirzam, Sirius and Shacklebolt nodded.
Ignatius pushed the door open wide and entered the room. He walked past the chair and stood in front of the Wizengamot.
"Ladies, gentlemen, prisoner Sirius Orion Black," he said dramatically and turned around to the chair.
Shacklebolt and Mirzam sat Sirius down on the chair and like before with Pettigrew they took three steps back.
"Shall I begin?" Ignatius asked. "Since we already agreed that using Veritaserum against former Auror is pointless let me question our witness without it."
"Please proceed, Mr Preweet," said the Minister calmly.
"Are you Sirius Orion Black, born to Orion and Walburga at 23rd November 1959?" Ignatius asked calmly.
"Yes, that would be me," Sirius replied timidly as he looked at Wizengamot with so sad look that if Ignatius didn't knew better he would sniff.
"Were you Secret Keeper of the Potter family?" Ignatius asked stoically.
"I wish, I was. But I was too obvious to be Secret Keeper," Sirius replied quietly. "I would never even suggest the switch if I suspected that Peter Pettigrew, the man I suggested for James's and Lily's Secret Keeper, was the traitor."
"What had happened when you found Peter Pettigrew after the Potter family had been killed?" Ignatius asked.
"I found him on the street. I wanted to kill him, I won't deny it, but something stopped me. He might have sold James and Lily to You-Know-Who but for previous ten years he was one of my friends, I wanted him to make me understand while he threw away ten years of friendship just like that. If I knew what he was going to do next… I might have hexed him myself and bring him here for questioning … He used my hesitation … He had nothing to lose and he blasted the street, but not before he accused me of betraying my friends and cutting off his finger. I saw him transforming into his Animagi form, a rat and running away. He had nothing to lose, and freedom and life to gain … He knew that if I caught him he would be doomed," Sirius whispered slowly.
"So it was the want of revenge which made you chase after Pettigrew?" asked Madam Bones.
"He betrayed the trust we put in him," Sirius said quietly. "He was James's and Lily's Secret Keeper. Had he chose to keep the Secret like he was supposed to, my friends would be still alive and I wouldn't end in Azkaban for something I haven't done."
"Any other questions?" asked Ignatius calmly as he turned to face the Wizengamot.
"Mr Black why you didn't informed at least a one person about the switch? After all it would a back up for you?" asked the Minister curiously.
"That was beside the point. If someone knew about the switch," Sirius paused to sigh heavily, "therefore You-Know-Who could go not only after this person but Pettigrew himself. That's what I thought back then. I wish that I told someone about the switch now."
"Thank you Mr Black for me it would be all. Anyone else?" asked the Minister.
No one said anything.
"Very well then. Those in favour of clearing the witness, Sirius Orion Back of all charges against him?" the Minster asked stoically.
Everybody, including Ignatius raised their hands.
"Those in favour of returning Mr Black to Azkaban?" Minster asked again.
All hands remained down.
"Very well," said the Minister cheerfully. "Cleared of all charges. Mr Black please contact Madam Bones for settling the matter of your compensation for wrongful imprisonment in next few days."
Ignatius turned around to Sirius just in time to see the shackles which held him fell down on the floor. In the same moment Mirzam who was standing behind the chair swayed on her feet and if it wasn't for Shacklebolt who caught her she would fell to the ground. Sirius was at her side in a blink and took her from Shacklebolt.
When the Minster called the Wizengamot for clearing Sirius and all hands raised in the air Mirzam's head started spinning. She worked for it long and hard, maybe even too hard but it happened, the way it was supposed to. Sirius was going to come back home today and everything was supposed to be fine.
When the Minster announced Sirius clearing the world around Mirzam spun so hard that she swayed and if it wasn't for Shacklebolt she would fell on the floor. She welcomed the blackness which came with open arms, she needed rest.
The shackles let go from his wrists and in the same moment Sirius heard a small stumble behind. He jumped from the chair and gathered unconscious Mirzam from Shacklebolt's arms. He secured his grip on her and picked her up.
"My office, we will use Auror lift," said uncle Ignatius quickly.
Sirius nodded and followed the man to Aurors lift without turning around to Wizengamot. All the way to the office he wondered how vulnerable she looked in his arms. How many sleepless nights she spent at chasing after Peter? But he was here now, a free man again and he would make sure that she was going to be fine, he would be damned if he let anything bad happen to her.
Thankful for the fact that today was Sunday and DMLE looked completely deserted they passed the way to uncle Ignatius's office undisturbed.
"Lie her on the couch," said Ignatius as he opened the door. "We will revive her in a moment."
"Do you know if she slept last night?" Sirius asked quietly as he lied her down on the couch.
"She looks like she didn't," Ignatius answered grimly. "But your mother mentioned lately that she was pushing herself to her limits since she talked to you for the first time."
"She shouldn't done it," Sirius whispered timidly. "Few more days in Azkaban would be worth seeing her healthy."
"Don't said it, Sirius," Ignatius said calmly as he lied his left hand on Sirius shoulder. "She did it all for you and your kid. Love is amazing thing, it can drive you to do things you never ever thought of doing, give you the strength to keep going while the world crumbles around you."
"I know," Sirius whispered. "Believe me, I know."
"Of course you do," Ignatius's tone lightened. "You were always smart boy."
"Too smart for my own good. I really should have told someone about the switch," Sirius sighed.
"You should, you didn't. But what counts is that you are free man again," Ignatius agreed with him and added, "But if you don't marry this girl after everything both of you have been through I'm taking back the smart boy comment."
"I will marry her," Sirius smiled sheepishly. "In fact I already proposed."
"When?" Ignatius asked curiously.
"In Azkaban, just before we left my cell," Sirius mumbled.
Ignatius started snickering uncontrollably, "Merlin, boy, you have a timing. But at least I won't have to eat my hat."
"Do you think that I should repeat it once again, this time in front of the family?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Your mother would appreciate it," Ignatius sighed then pointed his wand at Mirzam and said, "Enervate."
She woke up slowly and rubbed her head weakly.
"How are you feeling?" Sirius asked with concern.
"Good," she mumbled.
"You aren't good," Sirius shook his head. "You just fainted. Did you even slept last night?"
She shook her head and answered weakly, "I'd been on my way to Bristol last night."
"Why you were in Bristol?" asked Sirius, hers answer surprised him. "Besides couldn't you just apparate to Bristol."
"I wasn't even aware that I'm going to end in Bristol, Sirius," she replied.
"Then why you went to Bristol?" Sirius asked patiently.
"Cursed necklace," she mumbled.
"You never wear necklaces, let alone cursed ones," Sirius reasoned.
"I wasn't aware that I was wearing it," she sighed.
"Can you please stop beating around proverbial bush?" Sirius sighed.
"I promise you that before the midnight you will know more than you ever wanted. Now there are more important things to do," she said calmly.
"Like?" Sirius asked.
"Like a bath. You being dirty was a drama effect for Wizengamot," said Ignatius calmly. "However I have a feeling that your mother wouldn't let you come within ten feet near your son without a bath and I have a distinct feeling that Mirzam here would agree with her," he added after a moment.
"Wholeheartedly," Mirzam mumbled. "Besides as far as I know your family Sirius they are waiting for you with a feast. Actually I wonder why they weren't at the hearing, uncle Iggy?"
"I forgot to tell them," Ignatius snickered. "Really, I was so worried about you that the last information I passed to them was the one about Pettigrew's hearing. Besides why make them all come to the Ministry when you are supposed to leave it in a matter of hour at worst."
"Two minutes," Mirzam mumbled. "I was hoping that we could go to Grimmauld via small detour throug my flat."
"How long it's going to take?" asked Ignatius curiously.
Mirzam glanced at Sirius pointedly and said, "About a hour at least. Maybe even a hour and half."
"I'm leaving the Ministry at three o'clock anyway," Ignatius said quickly. "Should I came over to your flat or meet you at Grimmauld."
"Meet as at the place at three o'clock," Mirzam mumbled as she stood up from the couch slowly. "If you go inside on your own I have a feeling that you may not survive it."
"Meet you at three," Ignatius said and hugged, firstly Sirius, then Mirzam.
"Auror apparating point?" Sirius asked as he took hers left hand in his right.
"Unless you want to go all the way down," she smiled at him.
They walked out from the office and made their way to Auror apparating point.
"Let me side-along you," he said as he tightened his hold on her hand.
Mirzam's flat looked exactly the same it looked last time she saw it, before she left for the convention. The flat might look the same but it felt differently.
"Something had changed," Sirius whispered.
"Frankly I hardly lived here since your aunt decided to spill the beans about Homam. Your mother made me stay at Grimmauld at least six nights during the week. I haven't been here for last month," she said as she wrapped her left arm around him.
"You like Grimmauld Place?" he asked quietly. "It's bigger than your flat."
"It's not a matter of the size, Sirius," she sighed. "Your mother told me how many protection charms are set around that house and I added few of my own. It's the safest place I can think of. Besides your mother plans to renovate it, she is just waiting for your opinion, already has mine."
"So we are going to live with my mum," Sirius stated. "Should I be worried about it?"
"We don't have to," she said and looked straight into his eyes. "But I think that you should at least give it a try. I don't know the person she was before but I like what I see in her now."
"Okay, let's give it a try," he nodded and added, "You mentioned a bath."
"I did," she smiled, "you know where is the bathroom. I'm going to bring you some clothes and clean towels."
He watched her as she left the hall and shook his head, he was doomed.
He entered the bathroom and smiled at familiar yellow tiles. He approached the tub and turned the hot tap on, then he poured some apple foam bath into it. Since the tub just started filling in he approached the mirror.
His reflection scared him. He knew that he lost some weight in Azkaban but he didn't suspected that he lost so much that it was clearly visible on his face. He was sickeningly pale under the dirt he gathered for last few months, almost as if his skin was made from wax. His cheekbones got even more pronounced that they used to. His hair were a tangled mess and the five o'clock beard and moustaches he had in the moment he went to Azkaban got longer. His nails needed trimming too. He looked terrible, how so beautiful woman like Mirzam hadn't any objections of kissing him.
"Sirius I found your…" Mirzam said as she entered the bathroom but upon seeing him in front of the mirror she stopped in the middle of the sentence and dropped clean towels and clothes to the floor. "What had happened?" she asked in concern as she approached him.
"Look at us," he whispered and pointed at the mirror. "We are like the beauty and the beast."
She gave him one-armed hug and lied her head on his shoulder as she said, "Do you remember that it's not important how the world sees us but how we see each other? For me you are the most handsome man in the world who happens to need a very deserved bath."
He gave her small, unsure smile and hugged her back as he said, "I will bath, but under one condition."
"I'm not going to bath with you if we are going to come back to your mother's house at three," she shook her head.
"Actually I was hoping that you will tell me how did you caught Peter," he snickered. "Though the fact that you don't want to bath with me worries me a bit."
"It has nothing to do with you Sirius, rather with the fact that your family knows where my flat is and if we don't show up at three o'clock they will come here looking for us. I just want to spare them a heart attack," she giggled. "As for catching Peter I was going to talk to you about it before we left anyway."
"So?" he asked and pulled down his Azkaban's robe.
"In you go," she pointed at the tub. "I'm not talking until you are inside."
"Fine," he replied and pulled his sweater together with t-shirt through his head. "What about Bristol?"
"Bristol is going to explain himself on his own, actually is waiting for you to come," she said and took his dirty clothes and threw it to the basket with dirty clothes as he stepped out from his jeans and boxers and entered the tub.
He sat down in the warm water and moaned agonizingly. Merlin how he could live so long without a bath.
"Nice bath?" she snickered as she picked up his jeans and threw it to the basket as well.
"You have no idea," he mumbled happily. "I never thought that one can orgasm through his skin."
"I get it," she giggled. "You should have seen me after I ended in a huge puddle of mud in Tavistock. I looked like a mud monster."
"Pretty mud monster," he mumbled. "So did Remus agreed to help you?"
"He did, Bristol and Severus as well," she said simply.
Severus? Did she meant Snape or did his hearing got worse in Azkaban?
"Snape?" he asked nervously.
"That would be him," she nodded.
"Snape agreed to help you?" he asked in shock. "In getting me out of Azkaban? Are we talking about the same man?"
She shook her head and said, "Snape didn't agreed to help me in getting you out of Azkaban, he agreed to help me into sending to Azkaban the man who sold the life of woman he loved to Voldemort. Result is the same while motivation is different."
"Snape and Lily?" he asked in shock. "I thought that Lily said that it never went beyond friendship."
"It probably didn't," Mirzam nodded. "From Lily's part, at least. I think so. But it doesn't mean that his feelings for her didn't went farther than friendship because his actions are pretty explainable."
"What kind of actions?" Sirius asked as he poured a dollop of shampoo on the top of his head.
"He was the first person who found out that your mother had Harry," she said simply. "In fact he found about it the same day she kidnapped him. There is more," she paused to take a deep breath, "he prepared Familious Potion, he requested only to let Homam keep his mother's eyes. I have nothing against since even with me as Homam's mother it's pretty easy to explain."
"From your tone I gather that I have to be civil to him," Sirius sighed.
"Yes," she nodded. "Because you are going to see him quite often no matter where we are going to live he will be coming around to see Homam. That's my final word about Snape."
"I'm not very keen of letting it go," Sirius mumbled and he rinsed his hair. "Seriously it's Snape we are talking about."
"Without him I would never got Homam back," Mirzam stated. "If it wasn't for him I would never found him in Malfoy Manor. In fact I would have never suspect that Homam was there. If he really didn't cared about the kid he would never let me know anything about the kidnapping. Therefore I think that I have every right to knock being civil to him into your head," she said seriously.
"Okay, okay, okay," Sirius sighed. "I will let the grudge go if you want."
"I'm telling you this because I have strong suspicious that he is going to be at Grimmauld Place, unless he ran away like that time when I sent your mother with Homam in hiding," she said simply.
"He ran away?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Dumbledore hired him as Potion Master after Slughorn retired. Since neither your mother, nor me, nor Snape are planning to make Dumbledore think that we know where Harry Potter is he decided that it would be the best for all of us if he didn't knew where I sent them," she explained. "He risks a lot Sirius, I want you to remember it when you see him."
"Fine, I already agreed," Sirius mumbled. "So how did you find him and who is Bristol?"
She rolled her eyes at that question in annoyance, "As I said Bristol is going to introduce, or rather reintroduce himself to you when we get back. He helped a lot Sirius, without his fresh mind I would be still looking for the rat. As for where the rat was you will never guess, the Weasley family from Ottery St. Catchpole."
"Is that Bristol a charming bloke?" he asked, faking jealousy in his voice.
"Really charming," she giggled and at the scowl on his face she added, "Whip that scowl from your face nothing is going to happen between him and me. He is obsessed with Voldemort."
"Pardon?" Sirius mumbled. "He is obsessed with Voldemort and he helped you?"
"Well, he likes to do things which will piss Voldemort off. Former Death Eater who got into deep shit but didn't liked the idea of sinking in it," she said with a shrug. "Very, very interesting character with even more interesting past."
"Sounds interesting to me," Sirius muttered. "Do I need to know something else before we go?" he asked curiously.
"Nothing I'm aware of," she replied.
"So how did you found Pettigrew?" asked Cassiopeia curiously.
"Regulus was smart," Snape mumbled uncomfortably, like the idea of sitting at the table with the members of Black family made him uncomfortable Walburga realised.
"Mirzam was quick," added Lupin with a nervous smile and he ruffled Homam's hair since the kid was sitting on his knees.
"And Lupin here," Regulus pointed at Lupin who was sitting next to him, "had super duper werewolf nose without which we would be still searching that house."
"Regulus!" Walburga hissed at her younger son.
"Did I said something I wasn't supposed to?" Regulus asked nervously and at the look on her face he muttered, "Oops."
"Werewolf?" asked Pollux curiously. "You don't look like one."
"Full moon is in a week," Snape mumbled. "Hence the nose."
"Lupin suffers Pre-Full Moon Syndrome," Walburga explained.
"How do you know it madam?" Lupin asked in shock.
"Mirzam," Walburga sighed. "Yesterday before she brought you she quoted half of 'Hairy Snout, Human Heart' also mentioned that outside the full moon you are as dangerous as lady's powder puff."
Everybody except Homam, who didn't knew what was going, snorted at that comment.
"I wouldn't said it mum," Regulus snickered. "He was one of best duellers at Hogwarts."
"When you were bitten?" asked Arcturus curiously.
"I was six, my father got on the bad side of some werewolves who were responsible for the slaughter in Tavistock in 1965," Lupin mumbled. "They found that it was him who was chasing after them and in revenge they went after me."
"That means that you were a werewolf when you entered Hogwarts," said Pollux pensively. "How you managed to last through Hogwarts?"
"Safety house," Lupin replied shortly. "Heavily warded so I couldn't get out of it. I spent every full moon inside it."
"But Mirzam told me that Sirius and James and Pettigrew knew about it," said Walburga.
"They knew," Lupin nodded. "From what I remember Sirius and James discovered it shortly before the end of our first year. They cornered me after summer holidays. It got a bit easier when I didn't had to lie to them that I'm going to visit a sick relative every full moon. They were really supportive, maybe even too much for their own good."
"What do you mean?" asked Pollux quickly.
"Sirius," Lupin sighed. "During that holiday Sirius found at home a certain book which he took back to Hogwarts. For two years I couldn't get out of them anything about what they were planning, that was until I found Sirius and James at our dormitory while they were trying to find a way to vanish Sirius's tail," he smirked at that. "I threatened to report them to Dumbledore if they didn't explained me what they were planning."
"Let me guess," Regulus mumbled. "Animagi Transformation gone awry?"
"It did," Lupin sighed. "Someone woke him up when he was supposed to find his form. He only saw a tail," he snorted at that. "He kept it until he fully transformed for the first time."
"You were fifteen then," Regulus mumbled. "I don't remember him coming back home for Christmas with additional body part."
"Because by Christmas he was already an Animagus," Lupin explained. "Scared me to the death when I saw him for the first time."
"Why?" asked Lucretia curiously.
"Everybody would be scared if they saw a death omen lying on their bed, especially with a full moon in two days," Lupin snickered.
"Death omen?" asked Pollux sceptically.
"A grim," Lupin explained. "A huge one on that."
"You are telling us that Sirius and his friends mastered Animagi at the age of fifteen," Pollux mumbled.
"Well, Sirius was fifteen," Lupin nodded. "James and Peter were sixteen."
"And all of them failed to register," added Arcturus pointedly.
"With the war outside neither Sirius nor James were keen of that idea. Any information about their registration could fall in wrong hands," Lupin explained.
Arcturus whistled at that and said, "So he ended in Gryffindor for a very good reason."
"Go ahead and tell what he did," Snape snorted.
"I think I got the idea," Regulus sighed. "The fact that he spent last three months of his sixth year as an outcast speaks for itself. He send you after Lupin on the full moon."
"He did," Snape muttered.
"And as a person who owns at least half of the brain you should know better than go and check it by yourself," Regulus added. "If I saw the signs in my first year and managed to keep my yap shut all these years knowing that if Dumbledore let a werewolf attend Hogwarts then he came with decent security measures, therefore you could do it too."
"You knew that Lupin was a werewolf?" asked Pollux in shock.
"I did. Pardon me for being interested about my brother," Regulus snorted. "My point is," he turned to Snape, "that the fault lies in you both. Yes, he shouldn't done it but you shouldn't listen to him if you knew what was better for you."
"Listen…" Snape started but Regulus cut him off.
"So he send you after a werewolf on the full moon night and you drove away the woman you loved and joined the service of the man who killed her," Regulus snorted in annoyance. "Which one is more stupid?"
"Says who, Mr Hypocrite?" Snape snorted angrily. "I distinctly remember your excitement about joining him."
"I don't deny my own stupidity which nearly got me killed," Regulus snorted.
"So was it stupidity which killed the White girl?" asked Snape sarcastically. "Remember that I was there, I saw you."
Regulus paled drastically at that and he gripped the table so hard that his knuckles turned white as he snarled, "If you were there, then you remember what had happened after she died and I very much assure if I was give that choice once again, I would do it, knowing what came afterwards. I would come back to each and single, fucking raid I took part of and I would do over and over again what I've done. Because unlike you I managed to save innocent people I cared the most in the world from death or the fate worse than death! Unlike you I had no problem with dying for them!"
"Don't you dare…" Snape started angrily.
"I dare!" Regulus snarled as slammed his fist against the table and stood up. "I dare! I fucking dared to tip the Ministry about most of the raids! I fucking dared to save as many as I could! I fucking dared to send my brother to fucking Finland to save his life knowing that by doing it I signed fucking death warrant on myself! I fucking dared to do something which could stop the Dark Wanker for destroying our world! You did nothing! You didn't even fucking twitched when the Wanker tortured and murdered your own father!"
In that moment Walburga saw how much of Sirius was in Regulus. Hair wild, eyes murderous, nostrils flaring, this was Sirius every single time he spoke up for something he cared for.
"I fucking dared to do something when all you did was sitting back!" Regulus hissed through gritted teeth. "I fucking risked everything I had!"
"So did I!" Snape snarled. "I couldn't do anything for my father. I couldn't allow the Wanker to doubt in me! My father was a bastard but I knew that his death would kill my mother because for a reason I couldn't get she loved him so much that she abandoned her family and everything she had for the fucker! But I couldn't allow the Wanker to doubt in my loyalty because from it depended lives of innocent people!" Snape slammed his fist against the table. "Sometimes you have to chose lesser evil, sometimes you have to chose whom to sacrifice for others to live. It's easy for you to say that you risked everything you had when you have your family around you. I have no one because I chose to sacrifice the life of my father for two families who could be warned just in time before they were supposed to be attacked!"
"That's what makes us different Snape," Regulus hissed. "Choice. You chose life, I chose death. It's a fucking miracle that I'm still here and maybe I'm here for a reason. I'm still ready to chose death, over and over again because my life doesn't matters to me, no more than the lives of my family. I was ready to die for my brother, even if I knew that he will never know what did. I chose to be a master of my own death and I chose to do everything I could to ensure that Lord Voldemort would be a mortal once again."
At that Snape paled drastically and whispered, "You found it."
Regulus sat down on his chair and folded his arms on his chest before he replied, "I was the one entrusted with its care. Or more specifically I was the one who supplied the house-elf for that task. But Wanker, like Wanker underestimated the power of the house-elves, he chose to not remember that the house-elf's highest biding is his master request. Wanker left him to die and I made sure that he thought that he indeed died. That gave me an upper hand on the Wanker, I knew something he didn't and I used my knowledge very well."
"Did you destroyed it?" asked Snape quietly.
"Not personally," Regulus replied in equally quiet voice. "Someone had to make sure to take it out and I… I was already as good as dead. But before I drunk that potion, brilliant invention by the way, Liquid Cruciatus," he said with a grimace. "Combined with the lake full of inferis was a certain death but here I'm, still alive. But enough of me, back to the subject. If it wasn't destroyed then it's still here, in this house," he pointed at the floor. "Speaking about it, how did you found out?"
"Dumbledore suspects that he might have one," Snape replied. "Makes sense."
"I wouldn't risk saying that he has one Severus," Regulus shook his head. "On two I can agree even if I managed to come with other four possible and one inside. I had a lot of free time when I was lying at the hospital in Bristol as a defenceless squib."
"Squib?" Pollux mumbled.
"That's what I was, maybe I'm still one since I can't perform any kind of magic above the second year level. I apparated through Anti-Apparation Wards, it nearly killed me," Regulus answered simply.
"You are mad," Snape whispered.
"Good thing that I was because otherwise it wouldn't work," Regulus shrugged. "You are spoilsports the lot of you, I was waiting for Sirius to not repeat myself over and over again and you," he pointed at Snape accusingly, "made me talk. I'm not doing anything until Sior shows up."
Walburga risked a glance at the rest of the family. The shock to the news about Lupin being a werewolf vanished and was filled by shock of Regulus's confession. She was shocked herself that Regulus didn't have problems with risking his life. In her eyes he was still a little boy, weaker than Sirius, far less courageous.
But in front of her was sitting a young man who had been through a lot in his short life, a man who had no problems with sacrificing his life.
"Can you explain something more?" asked Arturus timidly.
"I feel that I already explained too much. Don't take it personal," he shrugged. "What time it is?" he changed the subject quickly.
"One o'clock," replied Cassiopeia. "Let's make a break and eat lunch. You boys," she waved between Lupin and Snape, "staying around."
"I need to hear out what Mr I'm-Not-Going-To-Say-Anything-Until-My-Brother-Comes-Back is going to say," Snape replied.
"I hoped to stay around to see Sirius," Lupin added.
"Fine then, lunch for ten since something is telling me that the trio isn't going to show up anytime soon," said Cassiopeia briskly.
Walburga, Lucretia, Cassiopeia and Melania stayed in the kitchen to make lunch. Regulus, Snape and Lupin wander out to the garden with Homam while Arcturus and Pollux decided to make good use from Orion's library.
"What the kid meant by ensuring that the Wanker will be mortal once again?" Arcturus asked from bellow the ladder.
"I have no bloody idea," Pollux muttered as he tried to balance on the ladder. "But whatever it was made him switch the sides quickly. What do you think of that Lupin chap?"
"Wolfboy?" asked Arcturus. "Seems nice chap, looks as dangerous as lady's powder puff. Besides you saw how Wally reacted, if Mirzam and Sirius trust him then he is trustworthy. Think that we can get him to sort this library? He is Hercules's grandson after all."
"We may try," Pollux muttered as he pulled out particularly heavy book from the shelf and handed it to Arcturus. "What do you think about the vampire?"
"Snapey?" asked Arcturus. "I think that both him and Reggie got in really deep shit if that battle of wills in the kitchen is any indication. Try the other one."
"It won't move," Pollux muttered. "I think that Orion glued it to the shelf."
"Can you at least read the title?" Arturus asked.
Pollux cocked his head a bit to the right and tried to read the worn out title, "Secre… I suspect Secret or Secrets … next part I can't read … Dar … Dark … A… Can you bloody move," he slammed his fist against the spine of the book.
The slam pushed the book deeper to the confines of the shelf and it fall on the left since Pollux already took off the books on its left.
"A little force," he snorted and pulled the book from the shelf.
He opened it and read on the title page, "Secrets of the Darkest Art."
"Take it and get down," Arcturus muttered and gripped the ladder tighter.
Pollux got down with the book in his left hand. He walked to the desk with Arcturus at his feet. Pollux sat down at the chair and waited for Arcturus to pull over another one.
"Look for something connected to life, immortality," Arcturus muttered as he sat down.
Pollux said nothing and started flipping through the book. First quick flip allowed him to catch his eye on something which didn't looked like the print of the book but a handwriting, familiar handwriting. He flipped through the book once again and found the page on which the handwriting was. The title of the chapter read:
Horcrux, the deadliest sin.
'Horcrux' part was printed but 'the deadliest sin' bore resemblance to Orion's scratchy handwriting. Pollux scanned the rest of the page quickly but he saw no notes of Orion's and turned the page. There nestled was lying an addressed envelope, it read:
To Sirius Orion Black from Orion Sirius Black
Talis pater, talis filius.
Carpent tua poma nepotes
"Like father, like son. Your grandchildren will collect the fruit of your work," Arcturus translated quietly. "What in the name of Merlin's lousy underwear it means?"
"Let's read it and we will find out," Pollux mumbled and he ripped the envelope open.
Inside the envelope was lying two pieces of parchment. Pollux pulled both of them out and began to read aloud the first part:
13th November 1979, 12 Grimmauld Place, London
Dear Sirius,
If you are reading this letter then I guess my funeral already took place. I'm sure you wonder why in the name of Merlin's lousy underwear your father appears to know about his own death before it even occurred. I'm not a seer to foresee my demise and frankly I assure you that it didn't even took place. I can't give you more details beforehand but I can tell you one. The body inside the coffin isn't mine, just looks like mine – never polyjuice a corpse if you don't want to have drastic results. You might ask who is that folk who lies in my coffin. The answer is plain and simple, a corpse from hospital morgue, some homeless guy who died during the winter at place near the house. I didn't not kill him, that one I can promise.
Enough of the corpses when living are real trouble. I know your alliance Sirius, I know about the Order of the Phoenix and how active you are in it. Don't fret, no one sold you, I just have my way of keeping my eye on you. I know that you would do everything you can to oppose Lord Voldemort but what you are doing now you are doing in vain. Before you throw out this letter let me finish. I think that your actions are vain because opposing You-Know-Who openly will only get you in troubles but there is other way around to mess with him, a better but more dangerous one.
If you read this letter therefore you have the book in which I put it. Now take the book out of rubbish bin and find the 'Horcrux' part. I know that reading it would give you nausea but I beg you to read everything about them before you come back to reading second part of my letter, it's very important that you are aware of what a Horcrux is before you read the rest of my letter. Now to the book you go.
The letter ended here and Pollux glanced at Arcturus and mumbled, "Read the book or the letter."
"Orion tells Sirius to read the book first. We aren't Sirius," Arcturus pointed out. "Read the letter."
Pollux took the second part of the letter and began to read:
So you read about the Horcrux. Scary, isn't it? Now let me tell you a story about young foolish boy who got highly educated in Dark Arts. He read this piece to, at the age of seventeen and got the scare of his life.
Horcrux with the way it's supposed to work in a small way can ensure immortality of the person who created it, while the Horcrux is kept safe and intact the creator of it would live even if his or hers body somehow got destroyed. He or she can't die as long as the Horcrux exist, that's why I think opposing You-Know-Who openly is just giving your life in vain. I know, for sure that Voldemort possesses at least one Horcrux, this means that he cannot die. But he doesn't possess just one, Sirius, I have very strong suspicious that at least six or seven Horcruxes of his exists, what they are and where they are I do not know. But to win the war with him, win for good, the Horcruxes needs to be destroyed before someone tries to kill him, doing it sooner will only be a vain sacrifice.
I can't really explain it here, in this letter but maybe by the time you read this letter I'll manage to possess some kind of the knowledge about it. That's why I need you to meet me at the solstice in a small inn in Treen. Don't worry about the year or time of the year of it because I'm going to wait for you there at every solstice till I die, this time for good.
Maybe you are curious about my reasoning. For example why I abandoned your mother? The answer is simple: if Regulus's death taught me something, it taught me how close Voledmort can get to me without even knowing. My work could endanger Regulus's life, and it might endanger yours if he ever gets a wind about what I'm doing.
I beg you to come and see me in Treen at solstice, that would be one of two times of the year when I'm going to be in Great Britain, don't bother to look for me before it because even I don't know where I'm going to through the rest of the year. But if there is one thing I can promise is that I would rather die myself before I let You-Know-Who gain even more power than he already has.
I beg you to come and see me because it's the only way I can make sure that my grandchildren are going to live in a better world, in a world which knows not the war.
All my love my son,
Orion
"Seems like your son got himself into very deep shit, Archie," Pollux muttered.
"Do you think that Regulus knows?" asked Arcturus quietly. "He acts like he does."
"The question is, why Sirius didn't got this letter, or the book?" Pollux sighed heavily. "Orion faked his death, that's a fact I won't deny but then again why he never told us in what he was getting."
"Would you tell us if you were in his place?" Arcturus mumbled. "I feel relieved that he is alive. I didn't read the book but Orion's letter gives me vague idea of what that Horcrux thing is and if You-Know-Who possesses at least one of them then we are in trouble."
"If You-Know-Who possesses one that means one thing Archie," Pollux mumbled as he folded the letter and put it in the envelope. "He is not as dead as our world is assuming."
"Think that we should give it to Sirius as soon as he comes back?" asked Arcturus nervously.
"I don't think so," Pollux shook his head. "It would be a downright cruelty to throw it at him on the first day of freedom. Let him have some time with his girl and kid before we throw it into his face," he added pensively.
"I agree but we need to approach Reggie about it," Arcturus nodded. "We can afford few days of peace since You-Know-Who is in no shape for coming back and probably won't be coming back for a longer while without outside help."
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and both men turned to face the intruder who peeked his head through the door.
"Mum wants you to come down for lunch," he said cheerfully.
"Reggie, come here for a moment," Pollux gestured at him.
Regulus entered the room and approached the desk. Pollux handed the book to him and hissed at him, "If you even breath about it today to him I'm going to skin you alive. You can wait few days more if you waited this long."
Regulus paled when he saw the book and whispered, "So you know."
"We do, telling Sirius today if he gets here would be a downright cruelty. You know him, he will get himself so worked up that he won't sit down for days," Arcturus added. "Don't tell your mother, yet."
"I won't," Regulus mumbled. "I won't."
Freshly bathed, shaved, with his hair cut short Sirius dressed himself in his jeans and shirt. He really wanted to have his wand back but Mirzam told him that going to Diagon Alley today would be a very stupid thing to do since the public must get to know about his innocence first.
"Do you know what awaits us when we get there?" he asked her curiously when she entered the room.
"A party from hell," she replied. "So brace yourself for getting your life hugged out of you."
"You look beautiful," he sighed.
"I look clean," she replied. "After the party I'm going to sleep for at least twelve hours and if someone dares to wake me up I'm going to hex him or her into next year," she sighed heavily.
"Let's go," he said and he stood up from the bed. "If I know uncle Iggy he is already waiting for us at the place."
"He is not brave enough to get inside with your family on rampant," she snickered. "I tell you something, I like them. They are noisy, nosy, they quarrel a lot but I like them."
"Which one the most?" he asked curiously.
"Your mother and your aunts," she replied. "They are strong women, very charismatic. But I can't help but wonder what kind of man was your father?" she added pensively.
Sirius scratched his head as he recalled the memories of his childhood.
"He was a bookworm. The family kept teasing him that he narrowly missed getting himself sorted to Ravenclaw. But then again when Reggie and I were kids he was the best father I could imagine to have if you removed pure-blood bigotry talks. He was very quiet, never talked if he didn't had to. Mother kept telling me if I inherited not only his appearance but also the character she wouldn't have at least five nearly heart-attacks by the time I reached ten years," Sirius sighed. "He was completely henpecked by mum but he never seemed to mind it."
"You don't have his character at all," she snickered. "You have your mother's character, that one I can testify for even under Veritaserum."
"I'm supposed to take is as insult or a complement?" he asked jokingly.
"I would take it for a complement. You are obsessively overprotective and once you make up your mind there is no power in the world to talk you out of it," she smiled at him. "Ready to meet the family?"
"I should be asking this question," he snickered. "After all they are my family and you are my fiancée."
"You think that we should tell them that you proposed or repeat this performance in front of them?" she asked curiously.
"I would never heard the end of it if we tell them that I proposed in Azkaban," he chuckled. "Therefore prepare for being asked one more time."
She gave him a light kiss and smiled at him before she said, "Come with something surprising."
"I will," he nodded. "Ready to go?"
She nodded and they disapparated from her flat.
They apparated next to worried Ignatius who was hiding behind a small oak and glaring at the house under number 12.
"Thank Merlin that you are here because I don't think that I could stand staying here any minute longer," Ignatius sighed and turned around to face them. "You look great."
"We still have fifteen minutes," Sirius pointed out.
"And your family is on the other side of the street," Ignatius muttered. "In fact that orange spot at the library window didn't moved even for an inch since I apparated."
"Orange spot?" Sirius asked in surprise. "Looks like a cat, then again mother never allowed us to keep animals."
"That would be Crookshanks," Mirzam said simply. "Bristol's cat."
"Who is Bristol?" asked Ignatius.
"Don't bother," Sirius snickered. "I tried to ask her but all she says is that I will have to see him for myself."
Mirzam rolled her eyes at that and said, "Actually Bristol is a member of the family, supposedly dead one."
"The only male, supposedly dead ones, members of the family, at least from the span of last few years would be Orion and Regulus," Ignatius muttered. "Which one of them is Bristol?"
Sirius glanced at Mirzam she grimaced uncomfortably before she replied, "Regulus."
"Regulus?" Sirius breathed out.
"Yep, him," Mirzam nodded. "Remember that without his help I would be still wracking my mind where the rat could be," she reminded him sternly.
His supposedly dead brother was alive and owned a cat. He also made Mirzam chase after him to Bristol and helped her in catching Pettigrew. Sirius felt like the earth started spinning backwards.
"Let's go before they send search and rescue squad after us," Mirzam said briskly.
Lunch seemed semi-pleasant affair Walburga decided. Whatever issues Regulus and Snape had they sorted it out in the garden, with Lupin acting like a negotiator. Even now Lupin was sitting between them with Homam at his knees. It seemed like the family acknowledged Lupin's conditions but the shouting match between Regulus and Snape throw them off so much that no one even dared to twitch in the direction of Lupin to take the kid from him.
Even better Arcturus, retired Head of Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, engaged himself with Lupin in a talk about latest werewolves regulation. Cassiopeia who listened intently to their conversation from time to time threw her few Knuts into it. Pollux, retired Head of Portkey Office at Department of Magical Transportation engaged himself into a talk with Regulus about apportation. This left Snape at Lucretia's and Melania's mercy as they managed to talk him into issues of Improper Use of Magic Office. Walburga herself watched this exchange with a grin.
The only three people missing were Ignatius, Sirius and Mirzam, they were probably still engaged in clearing Sirius. She sighed in regret that Orion didn't lived to see this. Even if he had some objections she would manage to quickly persuade him into accepting the things in the way they were.
She heard the front door upstairs opening and she glanced at the family. They seemed so engaged in their respective talks that they probably didn't heard it. Walburga as quietly as she could stood up from the table to not disturb them and she went upstairs.
In the corridor was standing Ignatius with his cloak folded in half, next to him was standing smiling Mirzam and behind her was standing Sirius with an uncomfortable look on his face.
Walburga felt herself smiling widely at that. Sirius was home.
"Brace yourself Sirius," Mirzam snickered. "I have a feeling that in a matter of seconds you are going to be hugged to death."
"Can't you shield me?" Sirius asked timidly. "I want to see my son before I die."
"Sirius, Mirzam," Walburga said in quiet but happy voice. "Good to see you."
"Hey mum," Mirzam said and she went to greet her, hauling Sirius, who was holding her hand with herself.
Walburga hugged her quickly and glanced at Sirius. He looked sickeningly thin and pale but he was clean and looked like he had his hair cut. She smiled at him and pulled away from Mirzam as she drew him into embrace and said, "Good to see you again Sirius. You have no idea how happy I'm to see you."
"I'm going to slid into the kitchen, hopefully they won't realise that I came back before you had a proper chance to greet each other," mumbled Ignatius and he left the corridor.
"Hey mum," Sirius mumbled sheepishly.
"For Merlin's sake, she isn't going to kill you," Mirzam sighed in annoyance.
"Yeah, I'm more worried about these waiting downstairs," Sirius said weakly.
"No big deal," Walburga said as she pulled away from him. "In worst case you will have your aunts crying onto your shoulder."
"That's what worries me the most," Sirius admitted. "How is Homam?"
"Last time I checked he was eating Lupin's salad since Lupin was too busy with talking to your grandfather. Arcturus is grilling him about werewolves regulations," Walburga answered.
"So you…" Sirius started nervously.
"Know that your friend happens to have furry little problem once a month," Walburga finished for him. "I trust judgements of you both," she motioned hers head at Mirzam and Sirius, "if Mirzam says that Lupin outside the full moon is as dangerous as lady's powder puff then I have no problem with him."
"Is Regulus here?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Yes, he is," Walburga confirmed. "He got into a shouting match with Snape, who is still here, suffering the torture of having Lucy and Mel boring him to death with their job related stuff. As for Reggie he wants to talk to you about something, rather dark thing which got him into a real mess. We couldn't get more from him."
"What should I expect from Snape?" Sirius asked with a grimace.
"It's not what you should expect from him but rather what you should do for him," Walburga send him a glare. "I know what you did to him and if you don't want to cause real trouble you better apologize to him young man, before the day ends."
Sirius glanced at his shoes uncomfortably.
"He really helped a lot, Sirius. Without his help we would be speaking now not in this corridor but in neighbour cells in Azkaban. Therefore let go of that childish grudge," Walburga said sternly.
"I will apologize and I will be civil to him as long as he is going to be civil to me. Mirzam already told me that I should get used to seeing him around," Sirius mumbled.
"Smart girl," Walburga nodded. "Inside we go," she motioned with her head at the kitchen door.
She let him go and went first down the kitchen stairs. It seemed that no one paid attention to Ignatius's entrance since he was sitting silently on the free chair while the rest was still occupied with their talks.
"Look who came," Walburga called and she motioned at the kitchen stairs where Sirius, still hiding behind Mirzam was standing.
For a moment it seemed that everything in the room had froze. No one moved from their places, they just stared at Sirius in shock. Suddenly Lupin stood up, with Homam in his arms and approached standing duo. He smiled at Sirius and gave him one-armed hug which Sirius reluctantly returned and passed Homam into Sirius's arms.
"It's good to have you back, Sirius," Lupin said cheerfully.
Sirius secured Homam with his left arm, smiled down at the kid who smiled back then he glanced at Lupin and said, "It's good to be back, Remus."
That seemed to snap the rest out of their shock and soon Sirius was hugged to death by older members of the family. When they backed away from him a bit, Regulus stood up from his chair and approached him with a small smile.
"Sior?" he asked timidly as he extended his hand to Sirius.
"Rear," Sirius smiled back at him and instead of shaking Regulus's arm he gave him one-armed hug.
When he let Regulus pull away Sirius glanced above the heads of the rest of the family to the chair where Snape was sitting. He went around them and with Homam still in his left arm he approached Snape's chair and extended his hand.
"I apologize," he said in serious, sincere voice. "For everything I have done to you. You risked a lot for me and my family. Please accept my apology."
Snape seemed shocked by Sirius's apology and he glanced at Walburga then at Mirzam as if checking if it wasn't some kind of a prank. Then he looked back at Sirius and stood up extending his hand to Sirius and said, "Apology accepted. It's not your fault that you have a twisted family."
"Hey!" exclaimed Cassiopeia.
"Tell me something I don't know," Sirius snickered at that and he shook Snape's hand.
"Here he goes again," Cassiopeia huffed.
Walburga snickered. Sirius was still Sirius and nothing would change him.
"I think that some people here needs some food before they faint from hunger," she said cheerfully. "Sit down and we will finish lunch."
They came back to their places. Melania next to Snape. Lupin with Snape on his left and Regulus on his right. Regulus, who was sitting at the right corner of the table had Pollux on his right. Next to Pollux was Walburga's chair. Next to her was sitting Cassiopeia with Arcturus on her right who on his right hand had Sirius and Homam. On Sirius's right was sitting Mirzam. Next to her was sitting Ignatius and Lucretia who had Melania on her right.
Walburga brought Mirzam and Sirius the plates with their lunch and came back to her chair next to her father. For a moment they were eating in comfortable silence then Sirius cleared his throat.
All eyes fixed on him. He grinned at that then turned to Mirzam.
"Busy for the rest of your life?" he asked cheerfully.
So what you think about this one?
Orion causes problems, doesn't he? Imagine Walburga's reaction once she finds out about him, assuming that Arcturus and Pollux would be brave enough to tell her. As for these two, I'm planning a special plot, just for them, since I abandoned them in the name of bringing Sirius back to the family but I promise that I'm going to fix it in next chapters. As for Orion himself, assuming that he shows up at solstice in Treen, he is going to end in real trouble. As for mild reactions to Remus's charming alter ego I knew what I was doing by letting Regulus and Snape having a shouting match straight after that confession. My thoughts about Sirius's and Mirzam's romance are voiced as Sirius's thoughts in Azkaban and later. The wedding rings idea came from some slash fic I read ages ago, seemed appropriate idea since we are talking about 'The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black'.
Next chapter: Mirzam gives the answer to Sirius's question. 'Harry Potter Club' is trying to fool everybody by comitting a murder without murdering anyone - to clarify 'the lot with certain knowledge' decides that worrying about the case of Harry Potter vanishes with his death but since killing Homam is beside the point they decide to look for substitute. We will, finally, meet Andromeda, Ted and Dora - I'm going to write it even if it's going to kill me. I will probably come with something else but I'm sleepy like you have no idea and I can't think straight.