A/N) 200 reviews? Wow! Thank you everyone so much for the feedback! I'm so glad this story is going down well.

Just a slight warning for this chapter: Sirius says a swear word. Where it occurs I figured it would be something he would say at that point.

Twisting Time

Chapter Ten

Friday 15th November 1985

"I am surprised you have decided to return to the Black family, Sirius." Albus Dumbledore leaned back in his chair contemplating the young man in front of him. "I can understand your reasons for doing so but it does place you at risk. What if this is a plot to assassinate you in retribution for what you did to Voldemort?"

Sirius sighed. He had been over this with the Headmaster already. Did he have to go over it again just because the old man was paranoid? "It could be but it isn't. My grandfather was always fond of Regulus even before I became the dishonourable heir. If he wasn't going to listen to me, he'd listen to Reg… especially if Regulus' opinion changed over time… I was always different. I think I wanted to challenge their beliefs whilst my brother lapped it up, wanting to be the good, perfect son I strove not to be. But then reality and life happened and perhaps he wasn't as bad a person as I thought he was… Perhaps I influenced Regulus, gave him that little bit of doubt and perhaps my grandfather had it too. He just needed pushing from someone other than me."

"Even if I advised you against doing this…" said Dumbledore.

Sirius shrugged. "We need to take risks. We haven't made any break-through in the last four years. We haven't even discovered how Voldemort survived." He narrowed his gaze at the older man. "I know you do have your theories. Neglecting to share them of course." He had the nagging feeling that Dumbledore was still of the belief Harry would play an important role and didn't want to spill all the information he had to Sirius. Still, Sirius was keeping things from Dumbledore too. He wasn't going to trust him completely. He doubted the Headmaster trusted him fully either.

"I have faith we will make progress soon," replied Dumbledore calmly. "Returning to the Black family fold will not do you any favours. The publicity surrounding Walburga Black's opinion of her hero son shocked many. They would worry where your true allegiances lie."

Sirius snorted and laughed. "The public isn't that stupid." Though they could be since they had believed Fudge when he had branded Harry and Dumbledore liars. Hopefully he could avoid that same scenario from occurring again. "If you recall my grandfather made a public statement in apology. I have since gone back and read exactly what he said. The signs were there in his speech that signified his own changing opinion. He may be old and the Head of my house but Arcturus Black isn't as much as a Pure-blood wizard as he used to be. As for my reconnecting with them? I have to. I need the Black family library. And Grimmauld Place could become a safe haven in future. If the public do think my allegiances are changing then I will need to remind them I live in a Muggle neighbourhood. And I own a motorbike. That flies. No Pure-blooded wizard would ever sully themselves with Muggle things if they were against them in any shape or form."

The Headmaster took a heavy sigh. "I see there is no way in dissuading you from this course of action."

Sirius folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not letting you control what I do with my life."

"I have never done that, Sirius."

"In my old timeline you did. You consigned me to Grimmauld Place to keep me safe. Yet keeping me locked up there was the last thing you should have done. I was desperate to get out… And…" he swallowed. He'd got himself killed. "I was foolish and you are not entirely to blame for that incident… but it would have been avoided completely if you had just told Harry the truth."

Dumbledore remained silent, watching Sirius' blazing eyes carefully. He still had a lot of anger over Dumbledore's treatment of him in his old life yet it was beginning to wane.

"I cannot apologise for what I did because I have not done it and nor will I. You have seen to the timeline changing. Harry is a normal child without the burden of prophecy. Voldemort remains concentrated on regaining his form and getting hold of you. I am concerned for your safety. I do have spies and rumour has reached me of his continued obsession with you."

Sirius stilled his face. "He won't get me," he stated bluntly. "But I know what you are doing, Albus. This is where you and I differ – you still believe Harry will be the Prophesised child. He won't be. Not working with me fully will hinder our progress. You still work towards the assumption that something will happen to James and Lily. But it won't. Not while I am around to stop it." Sirius had noticed it over the years. The Headmaster still took an interest in Harry. But not Neville even though he fit the terms of the prophecy exactly.

"We should always plan for contingency," replied Albus. "Just because you have beaten the prophecy for now doesn't make it any less valid. We need to be prepared, surely you can understand that? James and Lily do."

"If I told them who I really was they might see it differently," stated Sirius calmly. "As of now they heed your warnings because you've told them there is a high chance of Voldemort focusing on their son when you tell me the complete opposite."

"Harry needs to be ready if you fail," replied Dumbledore.

Sirius gnawed his teeth together. "I won't." Though he couldn't be sure of it himself. Voldemort was dangerous and unpredictable. He'd surprised the Headmaster in the old timeline by laying low after his return. Sirius knew he was in danger because Voldemort would want to take his mind apart and learn everything about the future he came from. "I know you worry reuniting with the Blacks will endanger me further because they could easily hand me over. I believe my grandfather wouldn't do that. My grandfather on my mother's side might though his younger sister is more inclined to side with the Head of the family rather than her own brother. There is a risk in going back but I have to take it."

Dumbledore inclined his head. "Very well. I do, however, have one other proposition for you."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"

"Your safety is paramount. Voldemort will return – we both know this. Therefore I have a job offer for you."

Sirius swallowed. "Right…" He would hear him out before turning him down.

"The Muggle Studies Professor will be retiring at the end of the school year. You could take up her position. You have ample experience with Muggles and…"

Sirius cut him off. "I'd be safe." He shook his head. "No, I have to decline. I'm not needed at Hogwarts yet. If Voldemort makes his move it will be in ninety-one. Six years away. Though he may have coincided it with Harry's return to the Wizarding World. I don't think he did. I think I need to be at Hogwarts while Harry is attending…" He couldn't place why but he had a feeling that everything would kick off when his godson began his magical education.

"Are you certain? The position may not be available when you want it to be…" said Dumbledore.

"I know…" Sirius shrugged. "Either way I will be here when Harry attends Hogwarts." He sighed. "Look, for now, I need to be working with Remus. We have another six years before I need to worry about Hogwarts. It will work out. And I'll be careful around the Blacks."

Dumbledore rose from his chair. "Just be sure you are doing the right thing, Sirius."

"I will be."

"He offered you a job?" Remus gaped at him.

Sirius laughed. "He did. And he disproves of reuniting with the Blacks."

"You still turned him down?"

Sirius sipped from his glass. "Yes. There is still too much to do." He wasn't going to tell Remus he was planning on being at Hogwarts while Harry attended.

Remus sighed. "Padfoot… We're not doing well. We're stuck in a dead end. Maybe taking up the position wouldn't be so bad."

"We do have a lead." He reached into his pocket and withdrew Regulus' letter his grandfather had allowed him to keep. He had not shown Dumbledore the letter, choosing to keep it to himself until he had been able to investigate. Perhaps the Headmaster wouldn't have been so against him reuniting with the Black family if he had known Sirius' true intentions.

Remus rolled out the parchment and read through the letter his eyes widening as he reached the words Sirius had found to be most important. I intend to destroy that which makes him immortal so that one day he can be defeated. "He found something?" his werewolf friend choked out.

Sirius nodded, running a hand underneath his chin. "It seems so but what I don't know. This is why I turned down Dumbledore's job offer because I need to investigate this. If Voldemort is immortal I doubt he would have one fail-safe. I will have to bring Dumbledore into this at some point but not now. He's not sharing with me so I'm not sharing with him."

Remus frowned. He disproved of the secrecy between the two wizards. He had attempted to get Sirius to be truthful but it fell on deaf ears.

"Don't say it, Moony. I know you want me to work with him fully, but he isn't a saint. He may be to you because he gave you a life you thought you would never have. I'm grateful he did. He keeps secrets from me as well. Even if I told him everything he still wouldn't share with me."

Remus handed the letter back to Sirius. "So… how do we go about this? Regulus died…"

"I know. That's the problem. He must have told someone. Not my mother. She would have loathed him if he'd turned from the dark side. My dad died at the same time as him. He wouldn't have known either. But Reg was always close to Kreacher… I wonder… "

"Kreacher?" Remus asked.

"The house-elf my parents owned," shrugged Sirius. "Kreacher adored Regulus and hated me." And betrayed me, he thought thinking of Kreacher's role in his death.

"Would he tell you if you asked?"

"I don't know. But to get him to talk to me I'd have to be nice to him," said Sirius, shuddering. He still hated the house-elf. "That's going to be difficult."

Remus rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you'll manage."

Sirius doubted it.

"What I do not understand, Arcturus, is why you would name the blood-traitor your heir when he has destroyed the very person who gave us all hope to live in a Pure and respectful world!" Pollux Black ranted, clutching his fists in anger and his dark eyes blazing at his cousin.

Arcturus shook his head. He had expected this. Pollux was the father of Walburga Black. She had learned her prejudice beliefs from him. "Poll… The world is changing. Our family needs to change with it if we are to survive. Do you wish for our name to die out?"

Pollux sneered. "It's better to die out than allow a blood-traitor to inherit. My great-grandson should be the one to inherit."

"Draco Malfoy?" sneered Arcturus. "He's not a Black!"

"He's more a Black than Sirius will ever be!" spat Pollux in return.

"Sirius is more a traditional Black," said a calm, willowy voice.

Both man glanced towards the elderly lady sitting on the other side of the room. Her grey hair was tied up in a bun and her soft blue eyes were nothing like the hard gazes both Arcturus and Pollux Black had.

"He's not a traditional Black! He fraternizes with blood-traitors and Mudbloods and filthy Muggles! They're scum! All of them!"

Cassiopeia Black sighed. She had never married. Unlike her brother Pollux, she had never really agreed with more of the Pureblood prejudices they had been taught growing up. Alphard, her older brother, had been disowned for giving Sirius money but also for his own views on Muggles. They may be filthy but they weren't bad. Muggles must have some good attributes if they were able to produce magical children. "I think we fail to see what Muggles could bring to us. Sirius is different but it is a good different. Regulus was the same. He was never like you Poll."

"He would have been if he'd been my child…" snarled Pollux. "Unfortunately I let my grandson, my heir remain with you."

"I am the Head of this house. Regulus was once the heir. It was my job to teach him but it was also his job to teach me. I learned things from him. We will die out if we do not adapt to the changing world. Look at what has happened to our family because of the way we raised our children? We do not have long lives, insanity is a high point… Look at your granddaughter, Bellatrix. She was insane before she was sent to Azkaban. This is what inbreeding has done to us," explained Arcturus calmly.

"It is what keeps us Pure," Pollux responded. "I will not betray our values. The whelp of an heir is not legit in my view."

"Fortunately you are not the one who will dictate who is heir. Even if I die before you, you will not inherit. The right of succession would fall in Sirius' favour," smirked Arcturus. "Even the Wizengamot would refuse you successive rights."

"Orion's children were weak. They came from you," snarled Pollux angrily. "You have weakened our bloodline. I should never have paired my daughter with your son!"

"Sirius and Regulus were lucky they were not insane. Father only agreed to the match because you were adamant it would make our blood purer than it already was. Walburga's intended husband should have been someone else, not my son!"

"Enough!" Cassiopeia shouted, rising from her chair and glaring at the two cousins. "This is what blood purity has done to us! We have lost so many family members from the past war. Continued inbreeding will ensure our heirs will not live long enough to continue our noble bloodline!" She turned flashing eyes to Pollux. "At the moment it is unwise to show support for the Dark Arts in this political climate. We are declining and our power has waned. Sirius can aid us here. He may not be who you wish him to be, Pollux, but he is a powerful wizard and it would be foolish to deny him his inheritance simply because he does not agree with you."

Pollux's eyes narrowed. "I remember when you were for blood purity."

"I still am," replied Arcturus. "We still are. But to deny the way the world is going is to hinder the Black family. To progress we have to make sacrifices. I've already lost one heir to the Dark Lord. I do not intend to lose another. I want to restore the Black name."

"Draco Malfoy is a good enough heir!" said Pollux. "He is of excellent heritage."

"That he may be but Draco is too young at present. If the Black heritage was passed on before Draco is of age, his father would come to control it. Lucius Malfoy may be a perfect example of Pureblood aristocracy but I do not wish for him to get his hands on our money, heirlooms or properties," said Cassiopeia, turning her nose up at the thought. "Due to the traditions of our family and magical law, only male descendants can inherit. Draco, after Sirius, would inherit. But Lucius Malfoy would control it if Sirius was to die before Draco became of age."

Pollux snorted. "Our legacy is better handled in the hands of a Malfoy than that blood-traitor."

Arcturus sighed. "I am not changing my mind. I have already filed the relevant documents with the Ministry. Sirius will be my heir."

Pollux glared at the senior Black, his fingernails pulling at the chair as if he wanted to rip the very fabric underneath them. "Mark my words, Arcturus, the blood-traitor will destroy our purity and run this house into the ground. I surely hope I am still around to see it just so I can prove to you that your decision was wrong."

Arcturus sighed. He knew he was making the right decision. He still wanted blood-purity but it would be stupid of him to disregard Sirius' right to inherit because he had taken a different path from his fellow family members. And Sirius was traditional despite being a rebel. He was still a Black at heart; fiercely loyal to his family and protective of those unable to fight back, despite being cunning and intelligent.

Still, Sirius was his grandson. And the last hope the Black family had left to restore itself to its former glory.

Pollux sat quietly after Arcturus had left and Cassiopeia had retired to the kitchen. He clenched his arthritic hands ignoring the pain in his knuckles as he considered the future of the Black line. How had it come to the blood-traitor being granted his inheritance? It should have been Narcissa's boy. He and Lucius had been planning it for years. All they needed was for Arcturus to pass away though now he knew his Will left everything to the blood-traitor the plan would need to be changed.

Arcturus was still in good health.

Murdering him now would only ensure the blood-traitor inherited which wasn't what Pollux desired.

There was only one other option left to him. He should have done it long ago when the boy had first run away from home. But back then Arcturus had been fully involved with the Dark Arts and had happily decreed Sirius a worthless blood-traitor. Yet now he stood to inherit and Arcturus was making amends to ensure the Black name continued.

Pollux reached for a quill and a piece of parchment.

He scribbled two sentences on it.

The blood-traitor has become a problem. He must be dealt with.

Folding the piece of parchment up and slipping it into an envelope, Pollux wrote: Lucius Malfoy.

Lucius would know what to do.

Sunday 24th November 1985

"It surprises me that a family who hated Muggles would choose to live in a Muggle area of London, in one of their residential areas," said Remus as he stared up at the depilated house. The houses next to it looked well cared for whereas this house looked like it was beginning to fall apart.

Sirius grimaced. "My family wanted to remain away from the magical community but close to the Ministry. It's one of the oldest buildings in London. It was adapted over time to stay in keeping with the area. The house wasn't always hidden from view… But as more and more Muggles came to live here, my family wanted to avoid them so my father decided to put as many protections on it as possible to prevent Muggles from noticing us. I remember when I was younger… I used to sneak outside and play with the children… My mother didn't like that…" grinned Sirius.

Remus snorted. "If she hated Muggles I can see why."

Sirius pushed open the front door, raising his wand as he did so, carefully moving through the door and into the hallway. He glanced around. It was filthy. In his old timeline the house had been neglected for a decade before Sirius had come along to reclaim it, now he was there within a few months of his mother's death, yet the house was disgusting. "This place looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years… My mother must have gotten really careless in her last few years… Why didn't she order Kreacher to -" His eyes fell over the curtains that hid his mother's portrait. He narrowed his gaze.

"Sirius? What is it?" asked Remus as he stepped up beside his friend.

He pointed to the curtain where his mother's portrait hung behind it. He decided to lie and whispered to Remus. "Grandfather told me my mother had installed a portrait of herself. It screams. Loudly. We need to be quiet when going past that portrait there." His grandfather had told him no such thing. He just wasn't going to wake the portrait up. He'd had enough of her screaming banshee voice in the year he had been stuck in the place.

Sirius led Remus up the stairs to the top-floor where he paused at the top of the stairs. His searched out the name-plates on each door. One for Sirius and one for Regulus.

Remus tapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Why are we coming up here?"

"Regulus' letter. I didn't search his room before so I could have missed something…" murmured Sirius.

"You've been back here after you ran away?"

Sirius winced, realising his mistake. He quickly tried to correct himself. "No, I meant I never used to go in my brother's room. He did try to get into mine, multiple times."

"Oh. It sounded like you had searched your home before," commented Remus.

Sirius shrugged and walked towards his brother's bedroom, opening the door and stepped into the room. It was as he expected: a monument to Voldemort. Even when he had remained hidden in the household before his death, Sirius had never brought himself to be able to visit his little brother's room. Maybe if he had he would have found something that could have aided in the war effort? He hoped he would find something similar here. "We'll start our search here."

"Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Whatever Regulus found that makes Voldemort immortal," replied Sirius, beginning to rifle through the draws of the desk.

Remus raised one eyebrow. "And he would have put it in his bedroom?"

"I don't think it would be anywhere else," shrugged Sirius. He already knew what was in the house thanks to the year he had spent living there. Of course he was supposing Regulus had left something behind.

Remus joined in the search, pulling out drawers, rifling through folders and opening cupboards as they both searched.

As Sirius pulled back the covers on Regulus' bed and picked up the pillow, his fingers brushed against something metal in the mattress. "Huh?" Quickly he pulled back the sheet covering the mattress revealing a tiny compartment that was zipped up. "I think I've found something."

Remus looked up and moved from the wardrobe, where he had been going through the pockets of the robes still hanging inside, to Sirius' side. "That's an unusual hiding place…"

"Not where one would expect to find a hidden compartment. And it was magically made too." Sirius unzipped the compartment and found a small metal box inside. He picked it up, examining it, frowning as he did so. "It's not magically locked…" His eyes found a padlock with number dials used as locks. If he got the right combination of numbers it would open.

"Would it be as simple as something as his birthday?" asked Remus.

"Dunno," said Sirius, but turned the dials so his brother's birthday were the dominant numbers. He tried opening it but it wouldn't budge. Frowning Sirius then changed the combination to his own birthday – 03/11/59. There was a soft click and the box opened. "Looks like he wanted me to open it and no one else would consider trying my birth date."

Inside, scrunched up very small, was a small piece of parchment which simply had Sirius' name scribbled across it in Regulus' handwriting. Carefully he picked out the dusty parchment and unfolded it, finding a short letter for him. It was dated September nineteen seventy-nine.

Brother,

I have come to realise that the Dark Lord is not someone I wish to associate with. The things I have seen done and have been asked to do… They are evil. I can't bring myself to stay with him any longer, especially not after I learned his secret.

I wanted to please the Dark Lord. He needed a house elf and I volunteered Kreacher. When he returned, what I learned from Kreacher horrified me. I had to stop the Dark Lord. I know I won't survive but ensuring his defeat is more important to me than my own life.

Sirius, he's made a Horcux.

"FUCK!" Sirius cursed. He had never known how his brother had died and now he was beginning to feel guilty. But it wasn't that, that had led to him yelling. It was the notion Voldemort had a Horcrux. He should have expected it. Several books in the Black Family library had mentioned them. And Sirius wasn't stupid. He knew what the basic principle of a Horcrux could do but since they were outlawed it wasn't a term many witches and wizards were comfortable with or remembered. His eyes moved back to the letter, grinding his teeth together in frustration.

I'm going to destroy it if I can. If I fail Kreacher will know. I gave him specific instructions.

I suspect I will not see you again, brother. I'm sorry I was cruel to you in school. I regret I did not listen to you when I had the chance.

I hope you can forgive me.

Your brother,

Reg

Remus had read the letter over Sirius' shoulder. "Well… that complicates things."

Sirius grimaced. "If Regulus failed to destroy this Horcrux it would be why Voldemort survived." In both timelines, he mentally added.

"Or…" Remus swallowed, daring to voice the unthinkable aloud, "he made more than one."

Looking down at the letter again Sirius made a face. "I hope not. If there is only one of these it should be easy to ascertain where it is if Regulus failed to destroy it. Though it seems Kreacher has some knowledge… Urgh… why didn't I talk to him before about Regulus' death last time I was here?"

Remus threw Sirius a look but didn't comment.

Be careful, Sirius, if you keep slipping up Moony will notice.

"Right," Sirius coughed, "we need to talk to Kreacher." He walked out the room. "He usually sleeps in the kitchen."

Remus followed as Sirius walked down the stairs, lighting the lamps as he went to give a bit more light to the old house. He reached the ground floor and then stepped quietly around before stopping at a closed door. He opened the door and walked down a few more steps before stepping into the drab and dreary kitchen.

"Kreacher!" Sirius yelled.

A loud POP and an old house-elf appeared in front of them. He took one look at Sirius and started to mumble under his breath. "The blood-traitor has returned. How dare he soil this noble house with his traitorous blood. Oh my dear Mistress would have a fit if she knew he had returned."

Sirius knew he had to lay down some ground-rules. "I order you to not wake my mother's portrait ever again. You are forbidden from insulting me and any of my friends and family. You have been passed into my care and you will answer every questions put to you."

Kreacher glared up at Sirius, hatred flickering in his eyes.

Sirius took a deep-breath. "How did my brother die?"

"Kreacher can't say."

"I just ordered you to answer all of my questions!" replied Sirius. "Why can't you say?"

"Master Regulus made me promise not to tell anyone in the family."

"Ah," Sirius groaned. "That complicates things."

"Why?" asked Remus, watching the house-elf with pity reflected on his face.

"Even though Regulus is dead if he gave Kreacher specific orders not to tell anyone in the family how he died, I cannot overrule him." How was he supposed to find out?

Remus grinned wolfishly. "It's simple, isn't it? He can't tell anyone in the family… So anyone who has an inch of Black blood cannot be told. But…"

"Someone who isn't related can…" Sirius eye's widened as he grinned at his friend. He turned back to Kreacher. "Fine. You can't tell me what happened to Regulus but you can tell Remus if I'm not here. Therefore I order you to obey and answer any of Remus' commands and questions. You are to remain here until Remus dismisses you. Understood?"

Kreacher fidgeted, going through the words in his head, trying to figure out a way to not do as his current Master had said. He cursed silently under his breath and Sirius smirked.

"Right, well, I'll be in the Black Family library," said Sirius as he patted Remus on the shoulder. "It's on the second floor when you're done."

"You're just leaving me here with him?" Remus stared at Sirius incredulously. "Alone?"

"I can't bring James here can I? Besides I gave Kreacher orders to obey you. He can't say what happened to Regulus while I'm here! You're not a member of our family therefore Regulus' last order does not apply to you."

"Fine," growled Remus. "But you owe me."

Sirius laughed and left the kitchen, making his way back up to the ground floor and then up the stairs again towards the library. Last time he had been here he had thrown out all the books without looking at them but now he had a legitimate need to actually read them. His family had one of the largest collections of dark magic books in Wizarding Britain – and now they knew Voldemort had created at least one Horcrux perhaps the Black family library would have some books on them.

"Lumos!"

A ball of light shot from his wand and floated in the middle of the room. Each wall had a bookcase standing up against it, filled to the brim with books. "Hmm. Where to start?"

Slowly, Sirius began his task.

He'd only flicked through ten books before Remus arrived in the room having finished talking to Kreacher. Sirius glanced over the top of the book he was reading – Dark Objects and How to make them – before settling it down in his lap. "Well?"

"Regulus joined the Death Eaters when he was sixteen years old. He started to have doubts very early on but didn't want to act against them. Voldemort asked Regulus to use Kreacher for a mission and Regulus consented…" Remus bit his lip, "He used Kreacher to test defences set up around a locket Voldemort wanted to keep hidden. He left Kreacher to die after he was satisfied but Regulus had ordered Kreacher to return no matter what. Regulus asked to be informed what the Dark Lord had wanted a house-elf for and… Sirius… he was horrified at what happened to Kreacher."

Sirius' face was slowly going white.

"Regulus created a duplicate of the locket, asking Kreacher to take him to the place Voldemort had hidden the locket. He wrote a note and left it inside the fake locket… Kreacher was reluctant to go into details of what happened… Regulus drank a potion which made him so thirsty… The locket was hidden in a cave, on a small island surrounded by water… Regulus tried to quench his thirst through drinking the water…" Remus swallowed. "He was dragged under the water by Inferi Voldemort had placed there. He had told Kreacher to take the real locket and replace it with the fake one and then leave without him and destroy the locket. Regulus drowned… and Kreacher took the real Horcrux…"

"Did he destroy it?" asked Sirius quietly. He felt horrified at how his brother had died.

Remus shook his head and reached his hand into his robes and lifted out a golden locket with a serpentine S in glittering green stone inlaying on the front. "I asked Kreacher for the locket… He gave it to me. I told him that you intended to finish what Regulus started." He handed the locket to Sirius. "Kreacher couldn't open it. He hasn't been able to fulfil Regulus' last command."

Sirius touched the locket and immediately felt dark magic pouring into his skin. "Rem…" he swallowed thickly. "This has his soul in it… A part of Voldemort is in this locket…" He grimaced and slipped the chain over his neck. "This is the only way to keep it safe until we can figure out a way to destroy it. Horcruxes are not easy to destroy." He had learned that from one of the books he had skimmed through earlier though it had not detailed how they were destroyed which was frustrating.

"We should go to Dumbledore," Remus advised. "He may know the uses of how to destroy these things."

"Maybe. But… not yet. Let's go through this room first. And after that… I will talk to Kreacher." Sirius wished he had known before what had turned his brother against Voldemort and harming Kreacher had been one of the sure ways to end his brother's fascination with the Dark Lord. Regulus had made amends for the mistakes he had made in his past. Now it was Sirius' turn to find peace with Kreacher… Even if the little elf had betrayed him and sent him to his death…

Perhaps it wasn't too late to forgive and forget the mistakes of the past?

Muttering under his breath, unbeknownst to his friend, Sirius made a vow: "I will not make the same mistakes I did in the past. I can't fail."

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think.

Okay... so Sirius now knows about Voldemort's Horcrux (or one of them) but he doesn't know how many he has or if its just the one and nor does he have the means to destroy this one either.

Dumbledore is concerned by Sirius taking up his inheritance and his worries are valid especially since, as you can see, Pollux (Sirius' grandfather on his mother's side) is not happy and would rather his great-grandson, Draco Malfoy, be the heir. I didn't want all the Black family to suddenly become good and I certainly believe there would be some anger at Sirius inheriting and they might try to do something about that.

Regulus didn't send Sirius the letter for the simple reason he wasn't sure Sirius would believe it. He hoped that one day his brother would return to Grimmauld Place and find it. If there is anyone who Regulus would have wanted to know the truth it would be his blood-traitor of a brother. Regulus intended for Sirius to find the letter but wanted to make it difficult for him.

Sirius wanting to be at Hogwarts when Harry attends... its more Sirius wants to protect Harry and he has a feeling that Voldemort will make his return then. Voldemort does know Sirius is a time-traveller but what else does he know? What other information did he learn before Sirius shut him out? So Sirius wants to take precautions, especially when it comes to Harry.

Until next time,

the-writer1988