One week later marked six months of Sirius being in the past. He could not not believe it had already been six months. He knew he had already made so many changes, it was hard to keep track of them all. Some of the changes happened without him even realizing it until it had already happened. Then there were some changes that happened thanks to his grandfather.
Sirius didn't know how he would have handled everything without Arcturus helping him. In fact, Arcturus had taken over for the most part, so Sirius could enjoy being a child again. It felt great being a child again. He was also happy that his relationship with Regulus was still as strong as ever. He wondered what changes were to come.
"Sirius? Earth to Sirius!" James yelled. Sirius blinked.
"Sorry, James. I must be tired," he said. "I'm going to go to bed."
"Yeah, it is kind of late," James agreed.
"Er, you mean VERY late?" Lily asked.
"Right, yeah," James said with a shrug. "Good night!"
"Good night," Sirius replied, closing his Charms textbook. He headed up to the boys dorm, and settled into get some sleep.
Sirius found himself floating. It felt like he was flying, just without a broomstick. He then blinked. He saw that he was in a room, but he wasn't alone.
"Hi Sirius," Regulus said. "We can only do this once, because two worlds cannot co-exist for more than six months, because too many changes have occurred. So we're going to tell you all the stuff we think you'll need to know, because after tonight, this world will no longer exist."
"We?" Sirius asked, then blinked. Standing next to Regulus was his grandfather.
"Listen Sirius, and listen well, because Regulus and I don't have much time," Arcturus said sternly. "I know you have questions, and I will answer them, but do try not to interrupt me."
Sirius couldn't do anything but nod. He couldn't believe he was about to get more information that could possibly help him change things for the better.
"Firstly, I've always believed that the Black family could sort out their differences without me getting involved," Arcturus began. "Oh, how wrong I was. I didn't agree with some of the decisions that were made, like Andromeda being disowned, for instance. As you know from being Lord Black yourself before you went to the past, any member of the family can disown another member of the family, but the head of the family can overrule that decision. I wish I had overruled the decision to disown Andromeda."
"Why didn't you?" Sirius asked.
"Because I assumed that someone would come around one day and bring her back into the family," his grandfather answered. "And that was only one of the decisions that the family made that I didn't step in and do the right thing. I am very glad that will not happen this time around. I believe that by telling me about what would happen to the family in the future, it made me step in and take a more active role."
"But after I ran away, you still said I was the Heir, even though Mother disowned me," Sirius started to say.
"That was one of the few times I stepped in. I overruled her decision to disown you. But at that point, I was starting to lose confidence that the family would keep going. I started regretting not being in a more active role. But then things took a turn for the worst."
"What?" Sirius asked.
"When I became a Death Eater," Regulus said quietly.
"Indeed," Arcturus said. "When Regulus became a Death Eater, Dumbledore used his power as Chief Warlock to bring a vote forward that, if successful, would force the House of Black to go back to being in the dark faction."
"Wait, people can VOTE to force someone to go from neutral to dark?" Sirius asked angrily.
His grandfather nodded. "I think that Wizengamot rule needs to be repealed, but the point is, Dumbledore had a lot of power due to still being headmaster and Chief Warlock, so the light faction followed him without question, and he was about to get a few neutrals to join the light faction to vote to make the House of Black part of the dark faction. Dumbledore did this because he didn't want the House of Black to have power, especially because he was under the impression that the House of Black were full of Death Eaters, which, I suppose it was, but the point is, he wanted me, in particular, to lose any kind of political power I had."
"But your political power is untouchable!" Sirius exclaimed.
"It may seem that way, but there is one way to get rid of that power, and that is if the House of Black were to be forced into the dark faction," Arcturus explained. "Sure enough, Dumbledore was successful in making the House of Black everyone's enemy. So when you were thrown into Azkaban without a trial, I tried telling the Wizengamot to give you a trial, but Dumbledore and the light faction blocked any attempts."
"So, you DID try to get me a trial?" Sirius asked.
"Sirius, I know we were never close originally, but you are still my grandson, and everyone deserves a trial," Arcturus said. "I tried for months to get you a trial. I even tried to visit you in Azkaban, but I was denied."
"We cannot let the House of Black go back to the dark faction this time around," Sirius declared. "We need your political power. I know you hate getting attention, but well, you know?"
"I do know, and while I never have liked the attention that power brings, I understand it's necessary in order to keep the House of Black going, and since I am apparently now headmaster, we cannot let the House of Black be in the dark faction, because that would even affect my role at Hogwarts," Arcturus said. "Sirius, while Regulus may not become a Death Eater this time around, Dumbledore could still try to push our house into the dark faction. He doesn't have as much power this time around, because he's already been censured, but he could still possibly get enough people to vote for that. He already seems to despise me how it is, so it's only a matter of time before he tries going this route. He NEEDS to be removed as Chief Warlock."
"I'll talk to your other self about how to get him out of there," Sirius promised.
"Grandfather, we don't have much time left," Regulus said nervously. "And we still have two things to talk about with him."
"Right you are, Regulus," Arcturus agreed. "Sirius, did you notice that when Bellatrix was at Hogwarts, she didn't look me in the eye?"
"Yes, and you noticed too, but we just thought it was her being her usual disrespectful self," Sirius admitted.
"No, it's because she knows that I am a legilimens, and there was something she didn't want me to know. If I knew what she was hiding, then she would be in the same boat as your mother."
"What? You mean, she has something she shouldn't have?" Sirius asked, horrified. "But Aunt Lucretia checked during the Yule Ball!"
"That's because it's not WITH her," Arcturus cut in. "It's in her vault. In the future, it went to the Lestrange vault, but it will be in her vault under the Black Family account since she's not marrying Lestrange. It's Hufflepuff's Cup. It is yet another object that has black magic in it."
"Then we have to get that cup and destroy it!" Sirius exclaimed.
"And now, Regulus is going to show you something," Arcturus said. Regulus nodded, and waved a hand. In front of his eyes, Sirius saw Dumbledore going to retrieve a ring, and when he found it, he put it on. Sirius saw his hand become poisoned and black. He then saw Snape trying to contain the curse.
"You mean, that's another one?" Sirius asked.
"Yes," Regulus confirmed. "He was foolish to put it on, but he did anyway. So you guys have to get that ring too, and make sure no one puts it on."
"Are there any more Horcruxes that we need to find?" Sirius asked.
"In the future, there are two of them that you won't have to worry about, but here and now, yes," Arcturus said. "We don't know what it is, but we have reason to believe that there is one at Hogwarts." Sirius' mouth dropped open.
"At Hogwarts?" he asked in disbelief.
"That's what I just said," Arcturus responded. "Now, we're almost out of time. I want you to know Sirius, that after I couldn't get you a trial, I completely lost hope that the family would ever live on. I had nothing left to live for. So I stopped caring about my health." He sighed. "I wanted to live to at least be an old man, perhaps one hundred fifty at least. I believe, however, that this time will be different. I have grandsons to raise, and a school to keep track of, especially the Marauders." Sirius snorted. "Sirius, show this memory to those who know. I am proud of you for confiding in at least a few members of our family. I know it wasn't easy, but you have people to help you. Keep changing things for the better."
"Yeah, make sure Grandfather gets to at least be a great-great-grandfather," Regulus teased. "But all in seriousness, thank you for doing your best. You're not done yet, and you still have a lot to do, but keep doing what you're doing. And, promise me one thing."
"Another?" Sirius asked.
"Promise me you'll unite the Hogwarts houses," Regulus pleaded. "I don't like people being so divided, and the biases run too deep. Please, promise me you'll try."
Sirius wanted to say that Gryffindor was the best house, but he couldn't just ignore this promise. "Alright, I promise," he promised.
"Thanks, Sirius," Regulus said with a smile. "Good luck!"
"Good luck, Sirius," Arcturus said before everything went black.
Sirius woke up suddenly, breathing heavily. He knew none of that had been a dream, but it felt like one. He knew that now, the world he had once known no longer existed, not even in death, but he was determined to take what he had learned tonight and do what he could to make it a better future