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Chapter 4 – The Rumor

Five years had passed since Voldemort's death. Snape's disappearance was never explained and Sirius Black had howled his outrage and swore he find the man if it was the last thing he ever did. He didn't know it then but it would be but not for a few years.

Dumbledore's legend increased as did his power. Lucius Malfoy might have a lot of wealth and the potential for "inheriting" more but despite the large amount of bribes he paid out he didn't acquire the amount of power he wanted and needed to challenge Dumbledore, lead another "crusade" or even become Minister of Magic. From what his sources told him, Dumbledore had decided that Lucius Malfoy and certain other people would never become Minister of Magic if only because he wouldn't allow it.

It seemed that Lucius didn't have the proper attitude, the humility necessary to serve the public and most importantly, he'd never be the sniveling, sycophantic toady which Albus Dumbledore required him to be. Therefore he would never rise higher than Albus let him rise which meant, he'd have wealth, power, prestige and many votes in the Wizengamot but nothing else. Dumbledore wouldn't let him be on the Hogwarts Board of Governors because he didn't want Lucius to have any power or say in how Dumbledore ran "HIS SCHOOL" as Dumbledore considered it his personal possession.

So Lucius bided his time and found other things to interest him. He comforted himself with the thought that Dumbledore couldn't live forever and even for a wizard old age was debilitating. No one knew Dumbledore's real age as that was a well-kept secret. He had gone as far as having his and his brother Aberforth's personal records sealed. All agreed he was well over 100 years of age but some sources said he was nearing 120 and others said he was closer to 150. Whatever his age, he had the health, stamina and vigor of a much younger man and people wondered how he managed it.

It was a well-known fact that certain rituals could be done to keep a wizard or a witch looking young and being healthier than they should but it was also rumored that the rituals used dark magic or at least which Dumbledore was saying was dark magic. If dark magic was involved then the Leader of the Light wouldn't being doing such things now would he?

Some said that Dumbledore kept his health and powerful magic because he was the Leader of the Light. Since his heart, mind and soul were so "pure" (as in goodness not blood) it served to keep him hale and hearty so that he would have the necessary time and stamina to mold the world into goodness, to transform Britain into an earthly paradise of virtue and enlightenment and that Merlin himself was working in the "great beyond" to help Dumbledore, his natural successor, accomplish his sacred mission.

And people actually believed it.

It had been Dumbledore himself who started the "rumor" and the logical explanation for his excellent health and extraordinary power. It was a continual source of amusement for him every time he heard it mentioned. If people knew the truth they would be truly horrified but there was no danger of the truth being learned otherwise Voldemort would be considered a saint.

But Voldemort was dead and would soon only be remembered as the second Dark Lord that Dumbledore defeated to save the world. But memories were short and Dumbledore was already making plans to create the third Dark Lord he could defeat. He only needed a strong enough wizard – or even a witch – and because of what he had planned and was doing in Britain, the wizard would have to have been born (or at least educated) in another country. He had his spies look for promising young wizards and while they thought he was just interested in helping a deserving child, he was looking for his next victim.

However, his spies brought to his attention other rumors. Of course they couldn't possibly be true but some things were being said…on the Continent…that, well, there was a possibility that…You-Know-Who was still alive. It was quickly added that it probably wasn't You-Know-Who – since he was dead, utterly defeated by Albus Dumbledore – but if such a wizard existed, it was probably a follower of You-Know-Who just pretending to be that evil and very dead wizard and seeking only to cause panic and terror.

One name was given. There had only been one wizard powerful and talented enough to be considered and he had strangely escaped, it was said by using unknown magic as he did not have a wand and no allies to rescue him. Yes, Severus Snape had been the youngest Potion Master in the last 100 years, was known to have been a member of the Inner Circle of the late Dark Lord, was acknowledged to be extremely intelligent and well-versed in magic, had been credited with inventing some very powerful new spells, was an extremely good dueler, totally ruthless and, of course, thoroughly evil.

There was even a slight physical resemblance between the two since both were tall and of medium build, had ebony hair and eyes which could look into your mind and sear your soul. Both were cold, calculating, cunning, cruel men who despised love and family and, it was said, both were Half-bloods. It was further whispered that they had admired and worshipped Albus Dumbledore and sought his good will and favor but hadn't received it as he sensed the darkness and evil in them and knew they were beyond redemption.

Sirius Black knew that sounded like Snivellus and he demanded that the Ministry give him a troop of Aurors to hunt down that #%*&#*$#76#&&#&& and bring him back to Britain to get justice and stop the $*#$#*&#*#**&& from gaining any power or followers. The Minister of Magic refused saying that since Snape had been at death's door (due to Sirius' interrogation) the chance he had survived was very little and Minister Bagnold refused to waste wizards and money in a useless quest.

"If you think it's him and want to have a leave of absence to go look for him, you may" she told him.

She knew he had the money and "friends" who would help him and, quite frankly, the man was more trouble than he was worth. Although a talented Auror and despite having been a Gryffindor, the man was still a member of the notorious Black Family and had a mean streak in him. His treatment of Severus Snape was legendary and his only regret was that the man had disappeared before he could kill him. After "losing his prey" he had lashed out and was known for using excessive force when arresting someone. He also insisted on being the Auror in charge of doing the quarterly inspections of Azkaban and these inspections consisted of taunting, humiliating and the actual torturing of the inmates especially if they were Death Eaters.

His reputation was dreadful and if it hadn't been for Dumbledore "convincing" Bagnold not to press charges or dismiss Black from the Auror Corps, the Minister would have done so in a heartbeat. Outside of his job he was still the womanizer he had been in Hogwarts and during his Auror training and no woman, be she witch or even Muggle, was safe from his "attentions" if he desired her.

Because he was the next Lord Black after his Grandfather died (who had been at death's door for the last 20 years to hear any of his family members talk), he had great personal power and despite his reputation families wanted to marry off a daughter, sister or niece to him. However, like he did at Hogwarts, he'd "court the girl" long enough to "seduce her" and then publically cease the courtship "because the girl's a slut" and many an innocent Pureblood girl's life was ruined because her "value" had been greatly reduced.

But Sirius Black had no intention of ever marrying as he had a secret. He was sterile. His Mother had been desperate because she was about to be divorced for infertility. In the Black Family "divorce" meant the infertile spouse died in a freak accident or got an incurable disease. Walburga had used a dark spell which allowed her to get pregnant and birth a healthy (meaning magical) male heir but she totally ignored a very important part of the ritual and both her boys were born sterile.

His Grandfather had found out and Sirius was useless to the Black Family. He had already been permanently banned from being an heir even after his brother Regulus died. This was due not just to being sorted into Gryffindor but because he made it perfectly clear to everybody that his fondest wish was for the House of Black to end. He would never be the next Lord and Head of House but it was not made public and people just thought he was the heir to the powerful House. So Sirius truly enjoyed himself and "pranked" Magical Britain by ruining their daughters.

But all good things come to an end, even Sirius Black as he took up Minister Bagnold's offer and went looking for Severus Snape. He blamed him for James' death even though it was Dumbledore's fault but Sirius knew he couldn't go against Dumbledore. Sirius had his own plans for Snape. He wouldn't be taken back to the Ministry for trial and justice or allowed the "luxury" of Azkaban or the mercy of the Dementor's kiss. No Severus Snape would be Sirius Black's plaything for as long as he painfully lived. His every waking moment would be painful, all his dreams would be nightmares, his great mind would be eventually destroyed and then Snape the turnip (or vegetable of his choice) would only be able to feel pain, wonder why and receive no answer.

After his eventual death, his life would be summed up that he was NOT a brilliant Potioneer, an intelligent wizard and scholar or even an excellent dueler but merely an UGLY, SNIVELLING, DARK, EVIL, COWARDLY, WORTHLESS PIECE OF DUNG DEATH EATER who had finally been captured and brought to justice by that most noble and honorable of Gryffindors, Sirius Black. Snape would merely be a footnote, an oily stain at the bottom of a page, when the biography of Lord Sirius Black was finally written.

A year after Dumbledore defeated Voldemort and once things had calmed down enough, Sirius had started to ghost write his own biography by writing notes of how he wanted his life's history to be written. He wanted the book to start with his sorting into Gryffindor which marked the beginning of his fight against the Dark and putting him on the correct path – the Path of the Light – telling of his, and his beloved Cousin James' adventures and valiant fight against evil by "hilariously pranking" the potential evil doers and wannabe Death Eaters.

Naturally, he and James' sexual prowess's and "success" with witches would be carefully (and shamelessly documented) and Sirius would "tell the truth" and the "real reason" why James had married that evil, shameless, worthless Mudblood whore Lily "the Community Broom" (because everybody rode her) – he had been spelled with Amortenstia by the %*#$&#& ^^ ^ so she could marry into wealth, fame and power and lead to James' destruction because unknown to anybody – except of course Dumbledore who found out too late to prevent what had happened – the $*#$#*#&&# Mudblood whore was setting James up to be killed so that she could inherit his money and run off with her $#*&$*#&#&# lover Snivellus Snape (see footnote _ on page _ of chapter _ in the biography re: "the oily stain of humanity").

Oh yes Sirius Black had dreams, all of which he was confident would come true despite what his $*#&$#&#&& Grandfather Arcturus arranged for. Sirius and Dumbledore knew that Arcturus had forever disowned Sirius from getting the Lordship for many reasons, the most important one being that Sirius made no secret that he would see the destruction of House Black once and for all because it was dark, evil and unredeemable. Oh he would take the money and power but use it for "Good" with Dumbledore's help.

Dumbledore would "help" by overturning Arcturus' Will and he would personally write and see special laws enacted which, if one read them and understood their true meaning and what they represented, one would know that it was the beginning of the end for individual freedom and liberty in Magical Britain, that Dumbledore was changing any and all laws to achieve his personal goals and eventually (but very soon) Albus Dumbledore would not only be above the law, HE WOULD BE THE ONLY LAW IN MAGICAL BRITAIN.

In fact, everything was almost in place and all Sirius was waiting for was hearing that Arcturus had finally died. The wily old $*#&#*#&& had become a recluse early in 1981 and had seen no one because he knew his life was in danger. He was under the strongest of wards and rumor had it he had cast his own Fidelius. Dumbledore had been trying to lure him out to prove that he was alive but Arcturus knew if he did leave the safety of Castle Black, he would not return as either Dumbledore, Sirius or Lucius Malfoy (who was trying to get the Lordship for his son Draco) would see him dead.

But it was only a matter of time before he actually died and Dumbledore could wait and Sirius had his own money from his Uncle Alphard and the lie that he was still going to inherit the Lordship, so he was content. His unloved Mother had died two years ago and although Sirius did inherit (access only) to the house, all of the heirlooms, important artifacts and most of the infamous Black Library were gone, probably due to Arcturus.

Sirius toyed with the idea of living there but since it had been basically stripped bare of anything of "value" and it needed too much work and had too many bad memories, he decided to totally destroy all remaining contents and gut the inside. Had it not been situated in a heavily populated Muggle area, he would have cast fiendfyre on it. When he was finished only the shell of the house remained due to the Family Magic, and he had derived much pleasure in destroying as much of the House of Black that was currently in his power to do so.

There had been some valuable furniture, antique carpets and Goblin made silver which he had taken before he began his destruction as that could be sold and bring him some much needed money. He had inherited a fortune from his Uncle Alphard but in the past five years he had already spent half of it and if his Grandfather lived another ten years…well Sirius would be hurting financially. He did maliciously leave the portrait of his hated Mother to burn – after taunting her about it for as long as possible. He laughed at her curses. He cruelly told her that the Black Family Tapestry would "die with her" because no one ever would ever again be born into the Family and "It will well and truly end with me" he had smirked.

What Sirius didn't know was that the Tapestry was only a limited copy which showed all legitimate heirs who LIVED IN GREAT BRITAIN. The main Tapestry which contained the names and history of ALL BLACKS living and dead was in a secret room in Castle Black and no one ever knew of its existence except for the Lord and his main heir. Sirius had never been the "main heir" and knew nothing about the main Tapestry otherwise he would have been totally scared out of his mind.

Since Minister Bagnold gave Sirius Black permission to hunt for Snape, he took her up on it and financed the hunt with his own money and took "volunteers" with him to help capture, and deservingly punish, Snivellus before bringing him back for trial, etc.

Three of his Auror buddies and Remus Lupin made up the search posse which was also going to be one wild party culminating in the capture and "just and deserving punishment" of Snivellus Snape before what was left of him (either dead or alive) was triumphantly brought back to Britain.

Sirius fully expected to receive an Order of Merlin for his heroic actions and although it would never bring back James or begin to compensate for his loss, if nothing else it would PROVE BEYOND ANY DOUBT that the Marauders had won and Snivellus had lost.

He couldn't wait for the fun to start.