Next morning, Sirius sat down with Mercuria at the kitchen table and beamed at her encouragingly. With a deep sigh, she took off her earrings, necklace, and a ring, and placed the pieces side by side on the table. He looked quizzically at them. "What's that?". Mercuria snorted. "What do you think it is?". "The time-turner?". She nodded. "It didn't seem very clever to create it as a single piece. You must fit the pieces together, which might be beyond most wizards. But while we're at it, can you try to put them together with magic?". Sirius pulled his wand from his pocket and pointed it at the jewellery. "Reparo". Nothing happened. "Coniungo". "Merge". He shook his head. "Great, magic doesn't do the job, I just wanted to make sure of that". Mercuria picked up the pieces and put them together with a few deft moves. Sirius took the time-turner carefully as she handed it to him. "It looks very different from Hermione's. More like a watch". "They're not all the same of course. With Hermione's piece you could only travel back a few hours. With this one you can go back many years. But it's impractical if you must turn the crown because you don't want to spend hours to set the right time. On this you must operate these five little cogs to set the year, the month, the week, the day and the exact hour. Then you'll see the selected time down here". "And how do I activate it?". She handed him a small slip of paper. He pointed his wand at the time-turner and said the incantation, "Tempus solvit, viator pervenit ad metam cum magica potestatem". A faint glow spread from the tip of the piece until the whole time-turner shone with a dazzling light. They looked at each other as the glow went out. Sirius said, "I suppose it' s ready to be deployed. What do you think? Shall we give it a try?". Mercuria nodded. "Then let's hide in the pantry. From there we can overhear what is going on in here". They got up and went into the pantry, where Mercuria showed Sirius by the light of his wand how to set the time-turner. Then she linked arms with him and operated the small lever at the bottom. Seconds later they heard their own voices from the kitchen. Their time travel lasted only ten minutes, so they stepped back into the kitchen shortly afterwards. "Ok. Seems that it works perfectly. Come on". Sirius put the chain with the time-turner around his neck, pocketed the bottle of Polyjuice Potion, took her hand and led her out of the house to the lawn, where his motorbike was parked. He mounted the bike and pulled Mercuria close. "Darling, I'll see you soon. Believe me, everything will be all right. Tonight already, I'll be back. I promise you that". His heart tightened when he saw the sadness reflected in her eyes. She murmured softly, "Please come back to me. Remember, James doesn't want you to save him, believe me". Sirius smiled, kissed her, and started the engine. Then he took off. He waved at her while he soared high into the sky and took one last glimpse of the diminishing figure looking lonely and lost in the distance below him, before he pushed the invisibility button and sped up north.
Sirius advanced fast. He landed in Hogsmeade next to the Hog's Head and checked the vicinity of the pub thoroughly. After he had ascertained that no one had noticed his arrival, he parked the bike and cast a protective charm on it before he pulled the chain with the time-turner out from under his shirt. Carefully, he set the time he wanted to travel to and moved the knob. He felt dizzy for a moment when he found himself standing in front of the door of the Hog's Head. Whether his journey had been successful, he could not say. There was no clue to tell him the precise date, except that the village was covered in a thick blanket of snow. Sirius remembered that the winter 1980 had been exceptionally cold and it had already started to snow heavily well before Christmas that year. He pushed down the handle of the front door and found that it was locked. A good sign. For Aberforth should still be at Hogwarts with the other members of the Order of the Phoenix. He held his wand against the door lock, murmured "Alohomora", entered and relocked the door. Now he had to be quick. He put the bottle with his Polyjuice Potion on the counter and and looked around for a good hiding place. If he wanted his plan to succeed he had to overpower Aberforth instantly on his return from Hogwarts and by all means had to avoid a duel with the landlord. From his school days he knew that there were two points of access to the pub. The front door and a secret passageway that connected the basement to Hogwarts. James, Remus, Peter and he had discovered it when utterly bored they had started to roam and map every nook and cranny of the castle. After a few weeks when they had been convinced to have come across every hidden room and long forgotten access to the school, they had incorporated their knowledge of the place into a map, which on top had shown the exact position of every single person on the grounds. One day it had been gone, but as it had been protected by a powerful charm they had not worried that anyone else might use it. Sirius was surprised that he still recalled most details of the Marauder's Map even though he had last seen it more than two decades ago. He realised that he could not keep an eye on both the entrance door and the stairs to the basement, because they were too far apart from each other and therefore he had to make a decision. In the end, he relied on his instinct and hid behind the front door.
Shortly afterwards he heard heavy footsteps approaching the pub and Aberforth's voice calling out "Alohomora". The door swung open, and the innkeeper entered. As the door slammed shut, Sirius leapt forward, pointed his wand at the landlord and called out, "Stupefy". Taken by surprise, Aberforth was thrown backwards and fell unconscious to the floor. Sirius muttered, "I'm sorry, my friend. But I had no choice". Then he plucked a hair from Aberforth's head and mixed it into his Polyjuice Potion. He shook the bottle and drank. Then he tied Aberforth up and manoeuvred him into a back room. His transformation into the landlord of the Hog's Head had just been completed when he heard voices from outside approaching the pub.
Sirius took a deep breath and moved behind the counter as his friends entered. James led the way as usual. He grinned broadly and raised his hand in greeting before he chose a table by the window. Lily, pretty as ever with her red hair and emerald eyes gave him a friendly smile. Remus, whose somewhat haggard appearance was heightened by his worn clothing. The physical stress of his regular transformations was already beginning to manifest itself in a few white hairs. Peter, not quite as submissive as in later years, did not yet seem to nurse any treacherous thoughts and felt a natural part of their group of friends. Padfoot entered last of them all. Tall, elegant, and self-assured, he nodded to Sirius and sat down at the table with the others. Sirius knew that his younger self had noticed every detail of the room despite his apparent aloofness. As expected, Padfoot took a seat from which he could keep an eye on both the room and the lane in front of the pub.
James came up to him, greeted him friendly and ordered a butterbeer for Lily and whisky for himself and his friends. "Nice of you to reopen so quickly after the meeting", he said. Sirius grinned, "What do you want, Potter. After all, I make my living from the pub". James nodded, carried the drinks to his friends and joined them at the table. Sirius leaned on the counter and watched them. How cheerful they were despite the difficult situation. They laughed and bantered, and of course James stood out as always. His jet-black hair was sticking up messily, he gesticulated wildly with both hands, and his mouth wouldn't stay shut. The others listened intently and repeatedly burst out laughing. It stung Sirius to see his friend so full of life just like he remembered him. He couldn't take his eyes off him. Oh James, why had it to end in such a disaster? Sirius felt incredibly sad and noticed tears trickling down his face. He turned his back to the group and wiped them away. In a flash, he felt the pain of having lost his friend, as if he had lost a part of himself. Nothing in all these years had been able to fill the void James' death had created.
Outside, it had started to snow again. When Sirius had regained his composure, he turned around and observed his friends. The opportunity was such a favourable one. He just had to give James a hint and everything would be different. Something like, "There will come a moment when you have to make a choice. No matter what will happen and no matter what you are being told, pick Sirius". Yes, just these few words, and everything would be alright. Suddenly he saw Mercuria's tear-stained face before his inner eye and he heard her choked voice, "Nothing will be alright, believe me. Nothing at all. He wouldn't want it, you understand... he wouldn't even want it. Just let him go in peace". He knew she was right. James wouldn't have wanted it. They had all been ready to lay down their lives in the fight against Voldemort. To die for their ideals if it meant they could contribute to his downfall. Well, Peter didn't, but then again he didn't count. But James certainly did.
Sirius was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice that his friends had got up and were now heading for the door. He stepped out from behind the counter and hurried towards them. "Goodbye, Aberforth, and Merry Christmas". James held out his hand and seemed surprised when in a sudden impulse Sirius hugged him and squeezed him tightly. James patted him reassuringly on the back and said, "Well, well, old friend. I'll see you again soon enough". Sirius swallowed hard to suppress the tears that were welling up. He quickly let go of James and hugged Lily warmly. And then Remus. When Peter stepped in front of him, he had to restrain himself from breaking the traitor's neck. Instead, he grabbed his hand and squeezed it so tightly that Peter gasped in pain. He saw James open the door and caught one last glimpse of his friend before he disappeared forever. When he turned around, his younger self stood in front of him at a safe distance, his hand outstretched to say goodbye. He sighed and said, "Sirius. Do you have a moment? I'll buy you a drink and tell you a story which concerns you personally". After a moment's hesitation, the young man nodded, and they sat down at a table. Sirius referred to the scene young Padfoot had just witnessed and told him about Hallie and Marius. At the end, he leaned forward and said, "I don't know what happened between you and Hallie, and I don't care. But I do know one thing. If the boy stays with her, she will break him. That child would be better off dead than growing up with that woman. If his father doesn't take care of him, then the boy is lost".
Sirius stood up, gave his younger self a punch on the shoulder and walked back to the counter. He watched as young Padfoot, deeply lost in thought, left the pub without another word. He took a deep breath, poured himself another whisky and lit a cigarette while he waited for the effects of the Polyjuice Potion to wear off. Was everything all right now? He would know once he had returned to his own time. He reflected on their discussion. While he had been telling his story, he had seen himself for the first time as Mercuria perceived him. Again and again she had told him that his state of mind was mirrored in his eyes. Now he had observed how young Padfoot's grey eyes got lighter or darker, depending on his mood. In the end they had turned almost black, and he had known then that his story had fallen on fertile ground. He sighed, stubbed out his cigarette and emptied his glass. He opened the door to the back room, lifted the spell from Aberforth and made sure he was okay, stepped out of the pub and went to the spot where his motorbike was hidden in the future. There he pulled out the time-turner, set the time and returned to his present.
Sirius jumped into the saddle and took off. While he flew back home, he rummaged through his mind. And found memories which had not been there in the morning. Aberforth's story had stuck with him. And after he, together with Mercuria and James, had made sure that the disastrous casket of Doom had been transferred from Rosier's portrait into Uncle Phineas' painting, he had wanted to check the truth of the story in the new year. Equipped with James' invisibility cloak, which he had lent him some time ago, he had travelled to Hogsmeade. He had followed Hallie and had observed her secretly all day. Very quickly, he had found that Aberforth had not been lying. If she had spoken to the boy at all, she had scolded him. She had not touched the child either. He had followed them home to their small flat off the main road and had watched as Hallie had told the boy to sit down at the table and moments later had placed a plate in front of him. Then she had said, "I must leave again. When you have finished your meal, you will go to bed, and I don't want to hear or see you anymore, do you understand?". Marius had nodded and she had left. As soon as the door had clicked shut, the boy had started to cry. A weak, heart-wrenching sob. Sirius had felt like sitting down beside him and cry too, so sorry he had been for the boy. Instead, he had taken off the Invisibility Cloak and had approached Marius carefully. When the boy had spotted him, he had cringed in panic, had begun to shake violently and had closed his eyes. Sirius had crouched down beside him and had spoken soothingly to him. "Hello Marius. I'm your Daddy. I came here to meet you. I'm so happy that I have finally found you". The boy had blinked at him, his big grey eyes flashing in disbelief. Sirius had conjured up a handkerchief and had carefully wiped away the tears before he had gently taken the child into his arms. For a moment Marius had resisted, then he had snuggled close to Sirius and had sighed loudly, murmuring "Daddy?".
Sirius had been stuck in a quandary. It had not been part of his plan to take the child with him at their first encounter. Initially, he had intended to get a first-hand impression of the situation, gradually make friends with the boy and also talk to Mercuria, who so far knew nothing about the matter. He had also envisaged to come to an agreement with Hallie. As a matter of fact, he had wanted to ask Hallie to leave the child to him. This would have been a win-win situation for everybody involved. He would have compensated her generously, of course. Financially. But then something had told him that his plan was bound to fail miserably and that negotiating with Hallie would be a huge mistake. She obviously held him responsible for all her misfortune. And since he himself had not been available to her, she took her frustration out on his son. He had recalled that Aberforth had mentioned in a by-sentence that she and her boyfriend had broken up before Sirius had met her. He had cursed. She had used him. Only then had he realised that. She had wanted the baby to win back her boyfriend, and he had been in the right place at the right time to have her pregnant then. Why, of all the women he had spent a night with, had it to be this horrible schemer who had conceived by him and who had wanted to use her pregnancy to drag another man down the aisle. When her plan had failed, she had no longer needed nor wanted the boy. At that point Sirius had realised that there was no chance of an agreement with Hallie. The boy had been her bargaining chip. If Sirius had wanted the child, then he would have to take the mother as well. Aberforth had told him that people shunned Hallie. As Mrs Sirius Black, she would have been vindicated, and her dreams would have come true. Her demands had been non-negotiable, Sirius had been sure of that. He had snorted angrily. Not for a moment longer would he leave his son in this woman's care. He had looked down at the boy who had cuddled up in his arms. "Marius, I want to take you with me. Would you like to come with me?". The boy had nodded shyly. "Then show me where your stuff is". He had put the child down on the floor. The boy had taken his hand and had plodded with him to a door. Sirius had opened it and had peered inside. Except for a little cot with dirty bedding the room had been empty. There had been no toys or pictures. Nothing to make the room look a bit friendly. A few pieces of clothing had been scattered on the floor. Sirius had put a coat and shoes on the child, had stuffed the rest of the clothes into his leather jacket and had lifted the boy up. Then he had thrown the invisibility cloak over them both, had left the flat and the house, had mounted his motorbike and had flown to Antwerp.
It had been February and cold, but Sirius had held his son close to him, to keep him warm. Why did parents believe that they could use their children as they pleased? His own parents had been narrow-minded and callous. Therefore, he had known how Marius must have feel. But he would ensure that the boy was all right. Throughout his ride, he had been seething with anger. He had landed in the centre of Antwerp and had hesitated an instant before he had opened the front door to the brickstone townhouse where Mercuria had lived on the topmost floor. What if she had a visitor? Now it had been too late to avert her of his visit. He had had to take the risk of creating an unpleasant situation with his unexpected appearance and resolutely had climbed the stairs to Mercuria's flat, while he had thought about how to break the news to her. He had been relieved to see that Mercuria had been sitting at her worktable, drawing into her sketchbook. When he had approached her, she had looked up in surprise. "Sirius, what has happened? Why didn't you let me know that you were coming?". She had walked up him and had kissed him. "There wasn't time. I want you to meet someone. This is Marius. My son". Tenderly he had turned the child in his arms so that she could have a look at him. Surprised, she had gazed at the boy. "Hello Marius. I am pleased to meet you. Is there anything I can do for you? Are you hungry or thirsty?". The boy had buried his face at Sirius chest. They had waited patiently until he had dared to look at the woman who had spoken so friendly to him. Then he had whispered, "Thirsty". She had laughed. "Yes, I am sure you are. Wait a minute precious, I have something delicious for you". She had gone to the fridge and had poured a glass of juice. The boy had drunk greedily. When he had emptied his glass, he had smiled at her shyly. "It would be best if you put him to sleep now, don't you think?". Sirius had changed Marius into his pyjamas and had held the boy's hand until he had been fast asleep. Then he had got up and had sat with Mercuria.
"Let's hear what happened". Sirius had told her the whole story, from the moment Aberforth had approached him in the Hog's Head. Finally, he had asked, "Do you think you can take care of him? I'll come as often as possible to support you. I couldn't leave him there". She had smiled. "Sure. Everything will be fine, believe me. Do I have to expect any consequences? Is there any such thing as Interpol in the Wizarding World? I'd hate to spend the rest of my life in prison for child abduction?". Sirius had looked at her uncomprehendingly. "What's Interpol?". Mercuria had giggled. "There's a centre in France that the police of each country can contact if they suspect a crime has taken place cross-border. Like in this case. But you don't even have a police force, right?". Sirius had raised his eyebrows. "We have the Aurors. But I don't think they cooperate with Aurors from other countries. Listen Mercuria. The situation in the Wizarding World in Britain at the moment is such that a lot of people disappear or are simply being killed. James and I explained that to you. I can't imagine anyone going in search of a little boy at a time like this. He's just gone. Besides, only James and Remus know that you and I are involved. I do have general concerns about Remus, but nevertheless I'm sure he won't tell anyone about us". "Ok, how long are you staying?". "How long do you need me?". "The boy has got nothing. No clothes, no toys, no bed. Nothing at all. I suggest you stay until we've bought him some outfit and he's settled in here. I don't think it would be good for him if you disappeared again straight away". Sirius had pulled her close and had kissed her passionately. "I knew I could rely on you". She had giggled. "Hey, stop that. Tonight we share our bed with your son". Sirius had grinned, "Then we should have some fun before we go to bed, what do you say?". He had opened her blouse and had bent down. "I think you have some fantastic ideas, Mr Black".
Deep in the night, as they had slipped under the covers, Marius had been sound asleep. Late the next morning, Sirius had been woken up by merry laughter from the bathroom. He had gotten up, had dressed and had peered into the room. Mercuria had been kneeling next to the tub where Marius had been taking a bubble bath. Together with a yellow plastic duck and a small toy sailing ship. The boy had splashed around excitedly in the water and had gurgled with joy. Sirius had smiled as he had entered. "Well, Marius, are you having fun?". The boy had stretched out his arms to him and had called, "Daddy". Sirius had fetched a towel, had wrapped the boy into it and had lifted him out of the tub. "You're very skilled at that. I have no idea how to handle a little boy like that". "I could practise on Harry. You learn that quickly. Children are actually quite undemanding, I have discovered". He had dried the boy and had helped him dress. Mercuria had looked at him uncertainly. "What does a child like this eat?". Sirius had laughed. 'We're doing some shopping now and I'll show you. As long as I'm here, I'll do the cooking and you watch". "Yes, and when you leave, you'll give me your wand so I can do it then". They had laughed heartily. After breakfast they had gone into town and Sirius had bought his son everything he needed to feel at home. Back at Mercuria's flat, he had partitioned off part of the room with a wall where he had set up a cot and a small wardrobe to hold the clothes he had bought for the boy. Next to Mercuria's work area, he had set up a small corner where Marius could play with the toys his father had given him. "I think he has everything he needs for now. I'll stay the whole week until he's settled in." Sirius had been very pleased with himself. All in all, it had gone well and he had been satisfied that everything had now been sorted.
The evening before he had intended to travel back to London, he had noticed that Mercuria had been lost in thought. Something had been troubling her, he had been sure about it. "Dear, what's wrong?". "Sirius, what am I supposed to do if you're not around anymore? I mean, anything could happen to you any day. And then what?". Sirius had eyed her in amazement. "I do hope you'll look after Marius if something happens to me". "Of course I will, that's out of question. But that's not the point". "What is it then?". "Think about it. The son of two wizards pretty sure is a wizard too. That means the boy will go to school when he's eleven. To Hogwarts. Just look at him. I bet you looked just like him when you were two. Somebody's bound to recognise him for who he is. A teacher or someone from the village, perhaps even his mother. And then what? You abducted him, Sirius. Even if it was for his own good, what will happen then? You won't be there to sort it all out. And what will they do to me?".
Sirius had reflected her words. She had been right. As always. He had to make sure that Marius didn't come to Hogwarts under any circumstances if something happened to himself. Because then Mercuria would be in serious trouble. Finally, he had said, 'There are other schools of magic. Durmstrang, for example, and Beauxbaton. Durmstrang is out of the question. They cultivate a distinctly pure-blood cult. Beauxbaton is all right, I as far as I know". "Sounds French to me. Might even be closer to Antwerp than Hogwarts". Sirius had laughed. "When we went on our graduation trip back then, James, Lily, Remus and I, we passed by there. It's on the Côte d'Azur, near Cannes". Mercuria had clapped her hands. "That's perfect. Then you must ensure that he goes there. Please get it done as soon as possible. One never knows". From then on, whenever Sirius had flown down to Antwerp, it had felt like coming home. Marius would run to him with open arms to be picked up and cuddled while Mercuria had beamed with joy.