A dark gray shadow landed on the grass of the dog walk across from the row houses of Grimmauld Place. A darker shade dropped from its back and led the larger shadow across the dark street. They shimmered as they vanished into the shadows between numbers 11 and 13.
As the Door closed behind the Hippogriff's tail, Sirius cast a wandless [Luminous] causing an orb of light to form over his finger, lighting the entryway. From the deep shadows a twisted mockery of a house Elf shambled into view.
"You are not wanted here." It's muttering, cracking unused vocal cords. "Bad Master should just let Kreature die."
"Wish that I could ole chap. But the Heir of House Black needs to be relocated from the muggles that are holding him against the Will of his Parents. I need a few things from my old room. They should still be there as I ordered the room sealed as the Heir of Black and Father never was Lord."
"Yes yes, Master must rescue Young Master Draco from the muggles. Kreature will straighten up Master Reggie's Room. Then Kreature can start to plot Master's Death. "
Sirius just blinked as he looked at the Elf as he began to turn and climb the stairs as he muttered to himself. "Kreature, tell me the truth. Why is the house in such disrepair?"
"Mistress Died. Master not here to rebind Kreature to service. Kreature not have the magical strength to clean properly, and Kreature was slowly overwhelmed."
" Would Kreature accept my bond, if the only order I give you is to clean the Manor until it is fit for my Heir? " he offered his hand, palm down.
The Elf turned rummy eyes to the Human. "That is all you ask of Kreature?"
"Well… I would ask that you see to the needs of my guest while I handle the details of the mission. But just put him in Mother's room, I am going to have to gut it for the young master, and his brides anyway."
" Brides? " the bat-wing ears snapped up like Padfoot's. "As in more than one? "
" Well… " Sirius smirked. "He is going to have to rebuild two Houses after all." The Escaped Prisoner knew that the two of them were talking about two different lads, but the old Elf had served with Honour and Distinction for going on a century, and while he found the custom of cutting of the elf's head and mounting it on the wall, if not having the whole elf stuffed and mounted, distasteful. His three years in Potter Manor gave him a better way to remember the faithful Elves that served the House.
Besides he would need the laugh this prank would give him later.
Kreature all but I shoved his head into Sirius' palm. "Kreature Serve."
The power drain put Sirius on his knees, but before his tearing eyes, the Clock on Kreature rolled back twenty years.
The Elf closed his eyes and breathed deep… and exhaled. A snap of his fingers and the feathered beast vanished. A frying pan appeared in his hand, just before he popped away.
The wizard had not taken two steps before the insane giggles of an Elf going around the twist, the screeches of magi-vermin defending their nesting rounds, and the ringing 'tings of many small things hitting an iron skillet were heard coming from the parlor.
"Okay, note to self. Get someone to watch the Manor until the Pup and I return."
At his old bedroom, he commended the door to open for the Lord of the House. As the door creaked open the air in the room rushed out. Due to the Heir Seal creating a vacuum seal, there wasn't even dust in the room. From the trunk at the foot of the bed, he pulled his first Wand. His Mother took him to France for a Bespoke Baton. When he ran away from home just after his fifteenth birthday he had left it in the trunk, sealed by his command as Heir.
As the yew and twin cored wand was lifted from the trunk by the tips of his fingers, a sweet burn surged up his arm across his chest to bury itself behind his heart. With him already on his knees, he did not have far to fall as his muscles spasmed not so unlike an orgasm. Only sex could never touch this feeling. He would know… he tried… many times with many witches and a few wizards.
Hey, it was the 70s. You had to be there.
When he could speak… "At last, My arm is complete." He sighed as he struggled to his feet. "And now I know what the man was talking about. Thank you Lils. I pride myself for always having a quote or a quip for every occasion."
As he climbed to his feet, he noticed a vial belt travel case. As the charm work was Lily's, he knew it was good. It held three doses of the potion that would trigger the Animagus change in a wizard… of course it was under a stasis lock spell.
Stripping nude, The guant Lord Black looked himself over before using a spell of Lily's to gently clean the body and Hair, be used Dorias charm to style his hair and beard in the manor of his grandfather. Then he dressed in his old school robes, before altering them to fit his underfed frame. Slipping into real dragon leather boots, and a dragon leather belt to keep the trousers around his hips, he was done.
The potion vial case also served as a wand holster. As he fixed the case to his belt, and slid the wand home, he threw open his wardrobe and drew out his best over robes.
Throwing it about his shoulders he posed before the mirror. "Can I pull this off or does it scream 'Dumbldore's sidekick'?" The silk robe/overcoat/cape fell to his midcalf instead of his ankle.
Digging once more into the trunk, Padfoot rooted out the folded bills of pound notes that he had squirreled away after he and James had snuck into Muggle London and bought his motorcycle posters. He knew that he would need more, but he would take of that once he crossed that bridge.
He swished about and exited the room, leaving the door open and the rags on the floor. As he passed the parlor, the doxy swarm had pulled back into the curtains. Kreature was swinging his arms too loosen up his old and under used shoulders. "Kreature, I am heading out on House business. You should have access to the Household Accounts, correct?" At the elf's nod, "Pop over to the butcher and pick up a suckling pig or two for the Beast. I will be gone for a few days. If you can, clean everything but Mother's room for as long as I keep him there. Feed him twice a day until I return." He paused to peer about the room. "All cloth items in this room are beyond repair. They are to be replaced or refurbished. Just make sure that they are something stylish that the Lady of the House can entertain on, but the Lord can violate the Lady over later."
"Will Bad Master be Violating anyone here? " Kreature sneered.
" Alas, no. Any Violations will be done elsewhere. Due to my incarceration, I can't breed an Heir of Body. But that's what Pup is for. As part of My Godfather Vows, I blood adopted him, when he was just days out of the womb." He blinked and looked at the Elf. "I know you are fully charged and need to burn off everything but ten percent. But make sure you rest. I don't want to return and find the Black Elf dead because he refused to rest and recharge."
With that he exited the House by the way of the back door. As the wooden barrier rattled as is sealed itself on his heels, Sirius Black breathed deep, and picturing a place in mind, vanished with a crack.
QTR
Lupin stepped down from the Muggle train onto the deck of the old station. He pulled the hat lower over his eyes and stepped into the sunlight. He was heading to his cabin/shack on the hill overlooking the village behind him.
Then a scent was carried across his nose.
"Are you trying to get caught?" He growled.
The dandy reading a paper looked at the patched professor. On closer inspection, it was today's Prophet. "I screened the muggles with a notice- me-not charm as soon as I got here. "
" And what, Merlin pray tell, are you doing here? "
" Found out where the pup is. "
Should be in School for the rest of the week." Lupin sighed.
"And after that?" The Animagus raised his eyebrow with his trademark smirk of 'i know something and it will be fun for us… trouble for them. '
Lupin stilled.
"Got another question for you." Sirius folded his paper, "Do you know why there's no werewolf attacks across the pond?"
Lupin huffed. And waited for his friend to finish chasing his own tail.
Sirius, seeing that Moony was not going to play the game, sighed. "I learned just before that night, that someone or something had stripped the curse from the affected, and while they still change during the full moon, the only way to spread the condition is blood transfusion or by parent to child."
"And the hunt? "
The packs usually avoid people on running nights, and because the Wolf doesn't need to hunt for food, they are not so violent. So if I could arrange a trip to say… New Jersey, would Moony be up for a little hoodoo, voodoo? "
" Are we taking the cub? "
" Yes."
"How soon?"
"Which day is the Pup riding the train?"
"Friday. Should be getting to London at about five, maybe six."
" So, I visit Tuni at half four, and wait for the fat man to bring the pup home. Once everyone is home, I borrow Prong's Cloak, and take the pup to Gringotts. Sign a few papers, transfer a few funds… " Sirius stood to stand at the professor's shoulder. "Found a few quid from the last time I was Home. How about I treat you to tea?"
"A cuppa is now a Pound thirty five." Moony smirked at his friend.
Sirius smiled. "Yes. Then you can treat me to a late lunch." He barked at his joke. Before digging the small pack of singles and fives from a pocket and passing it to Lupin. "Here, you deal with the money. The math confuses me. Come we have Mischief to Manage."
QTR
Friday about noon, Harry leaned on the window, chewing on a Liquorice Wand, as he watched the countryside fly by.
Ron was bonding with the little scops owl, as they both were preening.
Hermione was curled up around Crookshanks with a book, as Hedwig roosted overhead.
He thought back to the letter the feathered snitch delivered.
Dear Harry,
I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.
I believe the Ministry are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogsmead, so that the security on the Castle will be lifted.
There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Broom. The orange beast took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from Gringotts vault number seven hundred and eleven - my own. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather.
I would also like to apologise for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.
I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable.
If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me.
Let's have Tea.
I'll write again soon. Sirius
P.S. I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat.
P. P. S. The owl bites.
The second page was permission to attend Hogsmead Village. The whole thing was in the breast pocket of his robe.
He let the rocking of the train lull him to sleep.
He dreamed of flying… but it was different than when he was on his brooms…
QTR
As he drug his trunk into the house, Aunt Petunia called for him to come to the Kitchen.
Harry sighed, but obeyed.
As he pushed into the kitchen, he noticed that Uncle Vernon and Dudley were frozen just steps from the door and Aunt Petunia was sitting at the table with a gentleman called…
Only the man was a gentleman only by breeding.
Black grinned as he continued to point the wand at the woman. "Hey Pup! Cliffhanger?"
Tbc