Summary of last Chapter:
- Gideon Prewett notifies Bartemius Crouch Sr. of Walburga's assassination and both immediately rush to the scene
- With help of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody they find Martin Foucade and believe him to be behind the assassination
- The news confuse the magicals of Britain aswell as Albus Dumbledore who tries to find a reason for why a death eater would orchestrate the assassination of a known supporter while Alastor Moody is simply happy that a death eater is in Azkaban, both hope the Blacks won't join Voldemort now
- Voldemort is incensed at the news and demands an explanation from his followers, he receives it from Bobby Rosier, one of the aurors guarding Walburga
- Arcturus and Orion talk about how to go forward, Orion mentions he named the twins Lyra Aquila and Leo Cygnus, Arcturus approves of the names
- Sirius wakes up shortly before Katerina Ruslanovich enters the room, she tells him she will get his family
Chapter 6:
16th January 1975, England, St. Mungos:
„The patient will see you now" Orion absently minded heard the guard say. After the attack, security at the hospital had been increased. He nodded at the guard and entered the room where he found his son looking at him with an expression Orion couldn't quite place. His father wasn't able to come right away unfortunately as he was in another Wizengamot session. Orion grimaced, he didn't envy his father, there was likely a lot of yelling involved as it happened so often these days. The Wizengamot had effectively been in deadlock for some time now. Nothing was passed while the general situation got worse by the month. His son's voice brought him back to the present.
„Hello father. Come to finish what mother wasn't able to do?" Sirius asked and he heard the healer gasp and say „Wh..What? You mean Walburga Black did this to you?" she said with a shocked face and Orion knew he had to act quickly.
Sirius was stunned when his father suddenly drew his wand and obliviated the healer before she could even bat an eyelid. After his father sent the healer outside he turned to Sirius and asked with a low voice that was almost a whisper „Are you out of your mind son? Do you hate your house this much?".
Sirius could only gape at his father. He asked the only thing his mind was able to grasp on at the moment.
„Wait are you telling me noone knows that it was mother who had me under the cruciatus?" he asked incredulously but his father merely smirked and said
„Son, noone apart from your grandfather, your healer until just now and naturally the two of us know that you have been cruciated in the first place. We do not want our family's reputation to be tarnished, do we?". Sirius' head swam with this new information.
„Soo... what's going to happen with mother now... wait has she given birth yet?" he asked eager to see his little brother and sister though he didn't really want to see his mother again... ever if he had anything to say about it.
„I expected you to ask something like this, here the prophet from over two weeks ago" his father said handing said paper to Sirius and he saw the leading headline.
Walburga Black assassinated by imperiused muggleborns, death eater behind the assassination! Lord Black refuses to comment!
„Wait wait wait, mother is dead?" Sirius asked incredulously. He saw his father nod in confirmation and remembered her pregnancy
„Wait father, what about my siblings? Are they alive?" he asked worrying about them and being relieved when he saw his father nod again
„They are alive and healthy. You will be able to see little Lyra and Leo later, Sirius. In fact the healer luckily had a change of heart when she spoke with me and allowed you to be discharged immediately" his father said with a smirk which turned into a grimace. His father waved his wand and Sirius could feel privacy charms set in. His father continued „But before we go, there is something we need to talk about. I apologise Sirius for everything that your mother has ever done to you. I have truly failed you and I hope that her death is me and your grandfather's (who by the way will also apologise to you later) first step into making it somewhat up to you." his father finished talking and Sirius' head was swimming but then he caught up to something.
„Wait what do you mean that my mother's death is you and grandfather's first step into making it up to me whatever that means?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
„Well why do you think would a fricking death eater decide to kill the woman that has publicly supported his Lord before? Wouldn't make quite sense if he did it on his own no?" his father asked him sarcastically with a smirk and realisation dawned upon Sirius. His father and grandfather were actually the ones behind the assassination. He didn't know what to think of this, this was such a huge and sudden turn of events.
„Wow you actually imperiused the death eater?" Sirius asked with wide eyes.
„No no, an imperius would have been noticed just like it was noticed on the two muggleborns our victim chose. No an confundus and some convincing was all it needed, the lad was quite eager to please his Lord" his father laughed out loud and Sirius looked at his father with new respect. While Sirius personally wouldn't do such a thing he could see and respect the ingenuity of his father's plan.
„Well I can... appreciate what you've done but don't think I will suddenly support the dark wanker" he said looking at his father who laughed out loud
„Hah you call him the dark wanker? Well I approve of the nickname" his father then grimaced and said
„No I don't expect you to suddenly support him... Sirius you will tell noone of this but you probably knew or atleast suspected already that I and your late mother were supportive of Voldemort's actions. Well Walburga never stopped being a fan but my eyes were opened when he completely eradicated the Shafiqs. That told me that he wouldn't stop at anyone, not even a pureblood family that was part of the sacred 28. His willingness to murder fellow purebloods had me and your grandfather concerned and it made us question his true goals. If this were to continue he would eventually give us too an ultimatim: Submit to him or be eradicated. Blacks never submit to anyone so... well you can imagine what would happen. Anyway, as it stands now we Blacks are closer to joining the Ministry and Dumbledore's new little band of vigilantes against Voldemort than to joining him."
Sirius was speechless, his entire view of his father and family in general was getting turned up on its head. He thought about the whole situation for a few more minutes and then remembered something.
„Can I atleast tell my friends about this?" Sirius asked his father. He didn't want to keep this secret from them.
„Under one condition Sirius. Have them sign a magical contract that they will not tell this to anyone alright?" his father replied and Sirius nodded in acceptance.
„What is going to happen now though father?" Sirius asked. He had planned to ask James' parents in the summer if he could live permanently with them but perhaps that might not be needed now. He would have to see how things with his father went from here. His father motioned to the door and said
„Well first we are going to get you out of here, then I am taking you to your new siblings. And after that? Well how about some father son bonding time? I am eager to see what my son has learned at Hogwarts during the last few years." his father said grinning at him and Sirius couldn't help but grinning back in response. Maybe the summer wouldn't be quite so bad after all.
19th January 1975, Scotland, Hogwarts:
„I, Prongs of the Marauders hereby declare the first meeting of the Marauders since the return of Padfoot open." said James and Sirius could only chuckle at the thought of their new nicknames. Just a few months ago James, Peter and Sirius found out what their animagus forms were going to be. James animal was a deer, Peter's a rat and Sirius' a dog hence their new nicknames Prongs, Wormtail and Padfoot.
James, Peter and Remus were glancing at eachother, each didn't know if they should give their condolences about the death of his mother. Sure she was his mother but he also loathed her with passion, but she was his mother. They didn't know what to do. Luckily Peter opened the conversation going with the safer route.
„I am glad that you are back Sirius, something was missing without you" Peter said smiling at Sirius. Sirius grinned at his shy friend in response.
„Good to hear that I was missed Wormtail." he said and became sirius...serious. „I am sorry to break the good mood but I have found something out and I don't think I can keep this from you, you guys are my best friends after all" he continued now looking at each of his friends with a serious face.
„Well Padfoot shoot it out already" said James with a grin.
„No not yet... you have to sign a magical contract first.. yes I know guys I can see your expressions and I know I am asking for a lot but this is pretty much a family secret. If this leaked to anyone else my family could be pretty much destroyed and yes I know that I wouldn't have cared about this a month ago but things have happened and me and my father have made up and yes everything will make sense once you sign the contract and I tell you the secret" he rambled on not noticing his friends glancing at eachother.
„Well this must be some secret for you to take this many precautions... alright I am curious now so I will do it" said Remus and Sirius glanced gratefully at his friend.
„Well if NerdyMcNerdNerd here is in then I am in" James said grinning excitedly getting a glare from Remus in return.
„NerdyMcNerdNerd? Please James where did you get this nickname from this time?" Remus asked shaking his head.
„Well uhh Sirius? If they are in then I am gonna sign that contract too, I don't wanna be left out" Peter said wringing his hands and gaining a slap of approval on the back from James who just said „Thats the spirit Wormtail".
15 minutes later saw them sitting in a circle again after James, Remus and Peter had signed the contract and Sirius could see that James was becoming impatient.
„Come on Sirius, you gonna finally spill the beans?" he whined.
„Argh alright alright... Okay guys you remember I was in the hospital?" Sirius asked into the round.
„I mean yeah... they wouldn't let us know why though and only said you had an accident." Peter chimed in. Sirius then began telling them what happened
„Well yeah basically that was a whole load of dragon shit. No there was no accident. What happened was that I and my dear mother got into a fight over Voldemort. She didn't appreciate me calling him by the nickname we created for him, she kinda lost it and held me under the cruciatus for some time..."
„Holy shit she actually used the fucking cruciatus on you?" James asked incredulously.
„Language James." Remus said chiding James „But Sirius I agree with him. I am surprised that this wasn't all over the papers though."
„Well apparently my grandfather scared the healer that heard what happened into submission twice so noone else knows. But this isn't the craziest thing. So you remember my crazy bitch of a mother being assassinated in St. Mungos after she gave birth to my new siblings?" Sirius asked his friends.
„I mean yeah that one was in the paper you know?" said Peter shyly.
„Yeah right, so oh I forgot to mention that it was my grandfather who actually saved my life. He heard my screaming, burst into the room and took mother out before taking me to St. Mungos. Anyway he and father then actually orchestrated the assassination.." said Sirius before getting interrupted by James.
„No way, your father had his own wife assassinated? Damn your family is even scarier now" said James.
„I agree but I think Sirius' mother may have had finally gone too far and so their only option was to take her out after giving birth." said Remus.
„Anyway so thats the secret" Sirius said finishing his story and feeling relieved now that he did so.
„Wow Sirius, remind me not to ever get on your family's bad side in the future alright?" said Peter shaking his head. He knew that his friend's family was ruthless but this was on another level.
„So anyway Sirius. We heard you went to visit your new siblings. Mind telling us a bit?" James asked trying and succeeding to lift the mood.
„Oh yeah I forgot to tell you about little Leo and Lyra. So both are basically the average infants, they cry and sleep a lot."
**End of Chapter**
Characters in this chapter and the amount of chapters they have been in:
- Orion Black (5)
- Sirius Black (3)
- Katerina Ruslanovich (3)
- James Potter (1)
- Remus Lupin (1)
- Peter Pettigrew (1)