"Come on, let's go upstairs. Until I know what to do, we won't tell anyone. If someone asks, we'll just say we got up early and went for a spin". Sirius put his arm around Jessie's shoulder, and they left the room. He sealed the door shut with every protective charm he could think of. Marius, Regulus and Gavin were listening to Lucius' account of their adventures in Antwerp as they entered the dining room. Regulus asked, "What's the matter with you? I saw you go off in the dead of night". "Jessie wanted to go flying on a motorcycle. She tried it alone first because she didn't want to make a fool of herself. After all that happened lately, I thought it best to keep an eye on her". "With the Invisibility Cloak?". "I didn't want to unsettle her". Regulus did not ask further, though it was obvious that he was not convinced.
"Where are the boys, by the way?" Jessie asked before they sat down. "With Sophie. They have classes". Marius said: "No, they're not. After breakfast Sophie accompanied Auntie Andromeda to do some shopping. So classes are cancelled this morning". Sirius looked at him puzzled. "I'll go and look for them. I don't want them wandering around the grounds unattended". He cursed and angrily threw his napkin on the table, "Can someone please tell me why no one in this house feels obliged to sign out when they have plans? I'm really getting tired of having to look for someone all the time". He turned and, with Marius, Regulus, Gavin and Lucius, set off in search of the boys. They eventually found the boys in the mews. Procyon was kneeling in front of a casket and the others had gathered around him in a semicircle. In his hand, Procyon held the wand that had fallen out of the pocket of Cygnus's crony and which they had used to escape their prison. He aimed it at the lock of the casket and shouted "Alohomora". With an audible click, it opened, and he raised the lid with an exclamation of triumph. The others clapped their hands enthusiastically. Asterion stepped up. "Well done, brother. Now let me give it a try". He closed the casket and took the wand from his brother. It only took him a single attempt to open the casket as well. Teddy was the next to try. He also accomplished his task with ease. When Phineas stepped forward, Procyon said: "Leave it. The two of you are far too young for this. Something could go wrong, and if it does, we'll be the ones to blame". Outraged, Phineas snatched the wand out of his brother's hand. Alphard had jumped to his feet and now was standing next to his twin brother. "Stop it, Procyon. We are not too young for this. You could never have opened the door to our prison in this house without our help. You tried to do it. Only when we all did it together it worked. Leave us alone, or I'll tell Daddy that you've kept the man's wand". "I'm warning you, you silly little grass. If Daddy takes the wand away, none of us will be able to practise any more". Asterion put a hand on his twin's shoulder and said, "Calm down, okay? Why don't you let Phineas have a go at it? What's the big deal about it?". Procyon nodded and gestured invitingly. Asterion locked the casket and Phineas knelt before it. He shivered with excitement as he pointed the wand at the lock and whispered, "Alohomora". On the second try, the casket unlocked. He handed the wand to Alphard who knelt down. With a determined look, he waved the wand at the lock and attempted to open it. It did not work for him. With each attempt he became more insecure. His hands were shaking, and he was on the verge of crying. Procyon leaned forward and snorted, "I told you, you're too young for this. Wait a few more years and stick to tending to your stupid plants before you start trying to do magic again". Alphard burst into tears. "You are wicked. I'm a wizard like everybody else. You just don't want me to do it as well", he sobbed bitterly.
Sirius had heard enough, so he stepped up. The boys jerked back and stared at him guiltily. "So, so, you kept the wand from the man. How long have you been practising?". Asterion stammered", Daddy, please don't get mad. You once said yourself that no one can tell who is using magic in a wizard's household. And that you did magic at home when you were not yet of age. We have watched you performing magic and learned the spells you've used by heart. Now that we came upon this wand, we wanted to try the easier charms ourselves. Please don't be angry with us". Sirius stifled his smile. "I see. For a start, Alphard is helping us a lot by learning how to cultivate magical plants. We need them for our potions, and if we can grow them ourselves, especially the more rare and exotic ones, then we don't have to buy them in London or to find them in the wild and we can be self-sufficient. Therefore, his gardening is a very valuable contribution". Alphard's little face lit up with pride at the praise he received. "Moreover, and that applies to all of you, and to Procyon in particular. Not everyone gets the job done on the first attempt. Some need a little more practice to be successful. On the other hand, perhaps he is better at other tasks. I was expecting you to encourage Alphard, to help him, and most of all to be patient and wait for him to reach the finish line. Any of you could find yourself in a situation where you would need the support of someone else. I would have thought you knew that". Procyon lowered his head in shame. Then he put his arm around his brother's shoulders, led him over to the casket and placed the wand in his hand. "Come on Alphard. Give it another try. I am sure you can do it". They were both on their knees in front of the casket and Alphard had a hard time opening the lock. Nervously, Sirius crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping that the little one would get the job done. When, on the tenth attempt, it finally worked, Alphard gave his brother a huge hug. The others cheered excitedly and clapped their hands enthusiastically.
When the applause had subsided, Sirius took the wand from Alphard and said, "Now listen closely. You are right. Regulus and I practised magic long before we went to Hogwarts. So, I am not going to confiscate the wand from you. But I do want you to be careful with it and use it wisely. Cast only those spells whose effects you are sure of. Ask one of us if you're in doubt. You are old enough to use the wand responsibly. Which brings me on to a different subject. There are many secrets in this house that we have yet to discover. The west wing, in particular, is completely unexplored. There may be magical creatures hiding there, and Muggle traps waiting for you. Without an adult wizard at your side, I forbid you to venture there. And bear in mind that Cygnus will not leave it at the first attempt. The entire compound is now shielded to prevent him from entering, even in his Animagus shape. Nevertheless, be on your guard. This is war, boys. And you are a target for our enemies. Always remember this. If I find that you have betrayed my trust and disobeyed the rules, I will make sure that until you are of age you will not use any magic outside of Hogwarts. To give you some extra motivation, I've decided that you're old enough to fly a real broom. Can I have faith in you, lads?". The boys vowed to abide by his rules and whispered to each other excitedly. "A real broom... incredible. Uncle Regulus was a Seeker ... he'll teach us Quidditch... yay!".
The adults returned to the dining room. "Do you think they can be trusted?". "All of them except Procyon. He is so much like me that I am not sure if I can. I didn't obey our parents' rules. However, our situation was completely different. My father never had any understanding for me. Let's put it this way: I was independent at a very young age, and I want the same for my boys. I'll keep an eye on Procyon to make sure he doesn't do anything foolish. I hope it was a lesson to him that Cygnus used the Cruciatus Curse on him, and that he takes my warnings to heart". While Sirius was filling his plate, Jonathan came in and took a seat at the table. He turned to Sirius: "Yesterday, I was already in bed when you returned. While you were gone, a man called Mercuria's phone. He said his name was Mark Evans. He asked me to tell you that he has found Merope's grave". Lucius let out an audible exhale and Sirius frowned. "Did he say how he came across it?". "Obviously it was a fluke. His son was taking part in a project at his school. The students had to look for humorous epitaphs on tombstones in the large cemeteries. When Mark heard about it, he instructed his son to ask his classmates to keep an eye out for the Riddle grave in their search, telling them that Merope was a distant relative and that the family had been looking for her grave site for a long time. And a group did find her". "And where is it?". "I have no idea". "What the hell is that supposed to mean?". "This man knows where that tomb is. But he hasn't told me. He said he would come along when you looked for it. Who is he, by the way?".
Sirius groaned. "Mark Evans is the cousin of Lily and Mercuria. A Muggle. I should have guessed. He's a real mate and a nice chap. But he's all about adventuring, you know. Indeed, one would think that his life would be as exciting as it can be for a Muggle. I've given him a flying motorcycle; he goes diving in the seven seas and does many other things that most non-magical people wouldn't even dream of. But for some reason, he has always been of the opinion that the only place he can have a real adventure is in the Wizarding World". "So, what do we do now?", Regulus asked. Sirius took a sip and said: "We take him with us, of course. What's the choice?". "We could make him tell us where the tomb is and then erase his memory". Sirius shook his head at that. "I don't want to screw him up. He is a good friend, really, and we might need him again one day. Also, too many people already know about the tomb. If we obliviate him and his son later asks him about it, he'll know we've tampered with his memory. No. We're taking him with us. What is the worst that could happen? Whatever we'll find there will be a clue at best". "Then we can trust him?", Gavin threw in. "Absolutely. Mark is completely and utterly trustworthy. And very discreet. And Merope was buried by Muggles, let's not forget that. It's possible that a wizard won't even notice what's important about the grave. After all, as far as Voldemort is concerned, there is one thing that most wizards tend to forget: he was a half-blood and he lived among Muggles as a child. Yes, he had only contempt and scorn for them. But what he learned about them as a child, he never forgot. And pure-bloods do not have that kind of knowledge. So how did you leave it with him?". Jonathan replied. "Before we ended our conversation, he said he would get started from his home early this morning. He should arrive by lunchtime. You can't imagine how excited he was about it". Sirius grimaced, "I have sufficient imagination to paint this picture".
Mark arrived just as they were about to have lunch. He had presents for the boys and a big hug for Sirius. "Sirius, old boy, you're looking great. I'm glad to see you're okay again". He greeted the others cheerfully and shook Jessie's hand enthusiastically as Sirius introduced them to each other. "I'm happy for you both. Curey hoped you'd find someone to live with soon. She's been worrying about you, didn't think you should be alone". Sirius was at a loss for words. "You knew about her condition?". Mark's face lit up. "Oh, yes. She visited us to tell us about her illness. After all, we are her only family. Other than Petunia. But the two of them have never been on the best of terms. Surely, they had not spoken to each other for a long time. We knew that this illness ran in her mother's family. So, it was good for her that it went very quickly. She was not built for a long period of infirmity". For the rest of the afternoon, Lucius and Sirius filled the others in on the story of Tom Riddle's mother, describing how, among the possessions left in Lucius's house after Voldemort's death, they had found a scarf with the Slytherin Crest on it, from which a vision of Merope's grave had risen.
Over dinner, they talked about Mark's discovery. Sirius noticed that Jessie had listened silently the whole time. Finally, she frowned and shook her head. "There is something about all this that is troubling you. Tell us what it is", he asked her. "There is one thing in particular that makes me wonder. Perhaps it's because I'm not a witch and have a different perspective. Imagine the circumstances. This young woman has been abandoned by her husband, whom she seduced using a love potion, and comes to the orphanage, very pregnant and completely destitute, where she gives birth to her child. Then she dies. Neither her husband nor her family knew of this, and even if they had, none of them would have cared. The staff of the orphanage organise her burial. But they are not wizards who can conjure up a beautiful grave for her to lie in. So, she will certainly have been buried in a pauper's grave. I don't think that anyone has put up a tombstone for her. In our world, they're damn expensive. But if she was in an unmarked grave, how did her son find her?". The group fell silent. Eventually Regulus suggested, "Perhaps she isn't buried there at all. Maybe there is just a gravestone there." Sirius shook his head vigorously at this. "No, that's where she's buried. Of that I am sure". "Then give it to us, Black", Lucius chimed in. "You know that Mercuria recorded the contents of the Healer Montalenfer's book on her dictaphone when she realised, she was losing her mind. I have been listening to the tapes". He made a pause. "And?". "This healer was truly a master of the Dark Arts. No wonder his contemporaries sentenced him to death and burnt his books. What he discovered is terrifying. He was almost obsessed with death. You already know about his cure for healing the ripped soul of a wizard who has made a Horcrux. But he also had a theory that in any family of wizards there are always a few members who are more gifted than the rest of their kin. He devised a method of transferring their special abilities to living descendants, even if the ancestor had long since died". "So, what outstanding qualities did Merope possess?". "None at all. But since his father was a Muggle, Tom Riddle knew that all his extraordinary qualities must have come from his mother's family. When he grew older, it must have dawned on him that his ancestors had included some exceptionally gifted wizards. He wanted to concentrate their abilities in himself. My guess is that he was at least familiar with this one chapter of the Healer Montalenfer's book. Perhaps he found an old extract. Whatever. In simple terms, the method that he has discovered consists of two steps. The first one is to perform a blood spell on a close ancestor who is in a direct line of descent. For Riddle, this would have been either Merope or his grandfather Marvolo Gaunt. Both were dead by the time he took an interest in them. The procedure is tolerably easy to perform, while there is still a living relative, but it becomes extremely demanding, if one must take recourse to a deceased one. In Montalenfer's time, when most people died at an early age, it was obviously quite common for a wizard who wanted to attempt the experiment to find no living candidates. He therefore developed a spell to locate the remains of deceased kins. This may well have been Tom Riddle's method of locating his mother's burial place, because he knew that Marvolo's body had been cremated, and therefore dropped out as a candidate. Having found his mother, he must have performed the Blood Charm, a very dirty and unpleasant business indeed. Then he could begin to acquire the skills of his gifted ancestors. That is, if he knew who they were. The spell will only work if the person who casts it knows exactly who it is whose abilities he is trying to acquire. In Riddle's case, I suspect this was Salazar Slytherin in the first place. He knew him to be an ancestor. Whether or not he made use of any others is just a matter of conjecture. After all, there was no family tree for him to refer to, as there had been in the house at Grimmauld Place. On the other hand, the lineages of all the pure-blood families are recorded in a great many books. But in the end, it doesn't really matter. Riddle is dead and so are his powers. The only thing that interests us is the grave of his mother". Jonathan asked, "Are you sure there's anything there? I mean, perhaps this Tom Riddle just needed his mother's remains to acquire his ancestral powers and there's nothing else to this". Sirius nodded ponderously. "It's possible, of course. But to be honest, I don't think so. He finds the remains of his mother and uses them to perform the ritual. Why would he then bury what is left of her somewhere else and erect a gravestone for her? No, I'm convinced that there's more to it than meets the eye. It certainly wouldn't hurt to go and have a closer look, even if we don't end up finding anything". "Yes", said Lucius, "you're right, in my opinion. The Dark Lord never had a home in his life. He has travelled abroad a great deal, and when he has been in the country, he has stayed as a guest with someone". "What's one gotta do with the other?", asked Gavin. Malfoy looked at him with an arrogant air. He continued: "Everyone has a few possessions that he values. He needs a place to keep them, even if they are just a few. Well, he can always keep them with him, of course. It is likely that the Dark Lord did this as well, in general. But some things he hid in places where he thought they would be safe. Like his diary with me, the Hufflepuff Cup in Bellatrix's vault, Flint's book in a Muggle Auror's locker, etc. His mother's grave is certainly one such safe place. Nobody would ever dream of seeking it out. Apart from us, who else would know the story of Merope at all? Harry Potter and his pals. And why would they want to go looking for her grave? The more I think about it, the more I believe we will find something".
Jonathan asked, "Where is this grave, by the way?". Mark looked at him wary. Finally, he replied, "In London. I'll take you there". Sirius interrupted. "All right. Let's go there tomorrow then. Who's comin'?". Andromeda bent forward and said firmly, "We'll all go. The boys can stay at Dorkas'. The grounds are well protected. Whatever the Dark Lord was trying to hide, I suspect it will be difficult to find. Any ideas are welcome". Lucius clapped his hands in agreement. "Then we should all go to bed soon to get an early start". Mark shook his head. "That is not a very good idea. It is true that the grave is in an area of the cemetery where there have been no burials for more than fifty years. But the cemetery is also a park. A lot of people go there for walks. Many tourists also come to visit the tombs of Muggle celebrities buried in the old part of it. So, it is very busy during the day. Having people passing by all the time, curiously watching what we are doing, is certainly not going to help". Sirius nodded, "An excellent point. We'll be on our way in time for dusk".
Mark paused for a moment before remarking, "The cemetery is very, very old and is one of the most haunted places in London, perhaps in the whole country. There have been reports of ghosts, including a nun and a cyclist. Well, I guess you guys are familiar with them. The tombs are said to explode occasionally, and there are a lot of them. People wanted to be buried above ground if they could afford it. Well, you never know! It seems that some tried to get out of their coffin. And there are rumours that a vampire may be at home there. A gentleman from the East whose coffin was taken to London. A group of Satanists brought him back to life. Now he haunts the cemetery. Finally, although no one has seen them yet, the wailing of banshees can be heard there. This means, we must be prepared for some unpleasant encounters", he whispered and glanced at them in confusion. The wizards had listened, dumbfounded, as he went on explaining. A loud roar of laughter broke out. Regulus bent forward and patted Mark's hand. "Don't worry about it. Now that we know, we can prepare ourselves for whatever may come our way. I'm sure that together we can ward off all ghosts. And the vampire as well if there is one". "I heard about the exploding coffins too", Jonathan interjected. "In those days, bodies that were buried above ground had to be placed in an airtight coffin made of lead. The idea was that, as the body decomposed, the miasmas would be prevented from escaping. The gases produced as the body decomposed sometimes caused these lead coffins to explode when the concentration inside became too high. So, there's at least one simple explanation for this", he said. Lucius snorted. "If there are ghosts out there, perhaps one of them has observed what Riddle was doing when burying his mother". The cemetery and what they might find there dominated their conversation for the rest of the evening.