The Contract
Chapter 140
Sirius made his way silently through the manor, focusing on ensuring he didn't disturb anyone. His mind was reeling over what he'd just learned, Merlin, how did he digest what his godson had told him? He wanted Harry to be wrong, to have failed, but Harry was so, so smart. Genius level smart, outdoing even his father and him and yes, even Lily. He hadn't been wrong; he knew even as he had thought those blasting thoughts. He hadn't been able to think of anything else since then if he was honest. How on earth did you live with something like that? He hated his mother, Merlin, glad she was stuck to her stupid bloody portrait in Grimmauld Place. However, he knew Lily and James very well, there was just something wrong. They would never ignore Harry…the thing was there wasn't much known about the spirit realm for all wizards and witches believed. It was just as much a conundrum to them, as it was say, what the muggles believed. He padded past Corvus' office which was uncommonly open. He usually kept it closed; he peered in but didn't find any evidence of the wizard being awake. Likely not, at this time of night, four o'clock in the morning, mostly everyone was asleep. He was the current and only resident that was an insomniac tonight.
Or not, Sirius thought, as he blinked rapidly, seeing Corvus sat at the kitchen with a House-elf serving him despite the late hour. "Is everything alright?" he asked his father-in-law in concern. Corvus had grown on him, just like Rodolphus had, so he asked not just for his husband or Harry but for himself too.
"It's just been one of those days," Corvus answered, he sounded tired but so very spirited, "Sleepless nights are a result of growing old, regretfully. Luckily, I have good company for those nights now. You, however, haven't had trouble sleeping for a few years." Giving him a look of concern, after Azkaban it had been difficult to get into a routine for all of them, but the clinic had done them a world of good in getting back into a routine and much needed normality.
"Did you know Harry tried to summon his parents?" Sirius asked, as he slid into a seat next to Corvus, smiling in silent gratitude to the House-elf who served him some hot chocolate.
Corvus straightened up, his attention most definitely caught by that statement, "He did?" he'd never expressed any indication of wanting to know them better. He'd often wondered if Harry was in some sense of denial, after all what was the point to it all? At the end of the day, they'd still be missing from his life, they were gone from this world never to return. They'd died so young, so much younger than his treasure. "What happened?" assuming it had been successful, how could he not believe so despite Sirius' wording, when evidence he'd just spent the entire evening conversing with existed.
"They didn't come through for him," Sirius confessed, before gritting his teeth, "I know next to nothing about necromancy, or spirits, or being a medium…but I do know that the James and Lily I knew…would have moved through hell itself to see their son. To speak to him." nothing in this world would convince him otherwise. They had loved Harry the moment they knew he existed; they'd been so incandescently happy when they realized they were pregnant.
Corvus fundamentally disagreed with that, they'd continued fighting a war after having a child. It was at the height of idiocy; Potter should have ensured his wife and son was safe from the touch of war at the very least if he idiotically decided to continue fighting. Fighting knowing there was already a target on your back, if it were him? He would have had his sons on the other side of the world, never mind the country. Instead, both had continued fighting, endangering their lives, their families, their son. It had ultimately led to the Dark Lord coming after them, and he was in no way condoning those actions…ah, but the past was the past. Nothing they did could fix it, time could not be rewound, well, strictly speaking. Even the Weasley's idiotic as they were, had refrained from fighting. "Not much is known to any of us, it's a craft steeped in mystery, family magics."
Sirius groaned, "The Potter vaults," it's likely Harry had gotten all the information he needed from the vaults. Or more accurately the Peverell vaults, which were part of the Potter vaults now, having long ago been merged with the first female Peverell who became a Potter. He didn't know – or want to know – much about his own family tree never mind the Potter one.
"Perhaps, I do believe, Harry spoke of searching the Black vaults," Corvus murmured, drinking deeply from his cup, relishing in the taste of hot chocolate and the cream that still remained on top. "There is unfortunately, nothing that can be done tonight. Get some rest, children tend to get up very early in the morning." He doubted Sirius would use House-elves, although, he'd always proclaimed he didn't want children, didn't want any of his blood out there in the world. Now he was the staunchest of them all, in his desire to take them in and protect them. Nearly everyone would do the same, for children were their future, their legacy and the preciousness we leave behind in the world when we pass.
"I'll take a half a vial of Dreamless Sleep draught when I go back up," Sirius promised, sighing softly at the delight, the House-elves made wonderful hot chocolate. "I need a favour though…"
"You want me to get in touch with the Headmaster?" Corvus deduced. He was so rarely called anything but 'Headmaster Slytherin' or Aurelius, oh nobody was forgetting he was the Dark Lord. Those that knew, kept their mouths shut, and unconsciously referred to him as his public personas, they were more used to dealing with him that way now. It was either those terms or 'My Lord' actually.
Sirius grimaced, giving a short jerky nod, "Yeah, I want…I want to…I want them to try and summon them, I mean it is possible right? They're cousins, both descendants from the Peverell lines?"
"You know it doesn't work like that," Corvus chided Sirius softly, the wizard knew it too, he was just desperate, his entire world was once again crumbling around him. The surest belief that had gotten him through his darkest days were coming undone. "Otherwise, every member of your family would be Metamorphmagus'." And that was just one of the many abilities the Blacks were born with. They weren't a long-distinguished line for nothing, and despite himself, Sirius knew this. Thank Merlin the young wizard wasn't in charge of the Black estate, frankly, Corvus believed he'd have set everything on fire through sheer spite. There was no denying Sirius was rather impulsive and once wronged, turned vengeful indeed.
Family magics only gifted those who were remarkably capable of harnessing such powers with the delicate touch they deserved. Some…regretfully do fail in that regard, thinking of Nymphadora Tonks, who's abilities had been taken from her. The very moment the rotten Tonks branch of the Black family tree was removed, any Black family abilities had been stripped from them. Magic declaring them no longer Blacks, it meant that no matter how many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, Nymphadora Tonks had, the ability will never be forthcoming again. A fate that the Black's rarely punished anyone with, including Marius himself. He had immeasurably surprised by that, although he ought not to have been. He couldn't imagine disowning, disinheriting and banishing either of his sons. How Lord Sirius Black the second had managed to let his son go, after raising him for eleven years baffled him.
Sirius' fingers twitched, as if he was stopping himself reacting impulsively, "Nevertheless, I'd like to talk to him,"
"You know where he lives, you know his name, you do not need me to act as a go between," Corvus pointed out deeply amused by Sirius at the moment. Trying to recall whether the Dark Lord and Sirius had ever been at odds since his resurrection. They seem to get on well enough in company, although, Sirius had never called upon the wizard before. He pondered on the hesitance to do so, what he, Sirius think would happen? Surely, he didn't think he'd be tortured?
Inhaling sharply, "He won't be there, will he?" would he be staying at Hogwarts or his home whilst Hogwarts was on holiday? He knew the wards within Hogwarts were updated very regularly, in fact, it had been made a law that it has to be done. If any headmaster attempted to prevent it, magic would immediately strip them off their title as Headmaster whether they were a tenured professor and or headmaster. The Dark Lord had made sure the students would always be safe.
"He will be, the students are returning to Hogwarts within days," Corvus answered, at least that's what Aurelius usually did, spent the days before the students returned by getting ready and last-minute preparations before the school term begun. "Write to him, I'm sure you'll either receive a reply or he will attend to you here."
Sirius nodded, making a mental note to write to Aurelius before he settled in for the night. He didn't consider it to be 'bad manners' due to the hour. The House-elves would ensure the letters were removed from the owl and set aside for their masters upon wakening up. If anyone had any emergency, they wouldn't write, they'd go through the Floo, so it wasn't as if the House-elf had to worry about important mail going astray for hours.
"Do you think I'm making a mistake?" Sirius asked, a far way look on his face, deeply contemplating the recent twists in his life. Not for the first time – and likely not the last – having doubts about this.
"We might not be the biggest family around, but between the five of us, the twins will thrive." Corvus answered, "My boys were raised well enough, even if they didn't have as much in the way of female role models." He'd wished he could have given them his wife, even if it meant his life in turn. They all helped, entire families, it's just the way it was. Although, a lot had changed these past decades.
That comment eased Sirius, just knowing he wasn't going to be solely responsible for them, "I'm not sure how we're going to be able to cope with them…I mean they're entering a phase where most Blacks begun accidental magic, adding Metamorphmagus on top of it…" giving a whoomph of a breath to finish his sentence.
"Marius has likely left you information you can use to help, he presumably had tricks to help him with their care," Corvus murmured sadly, the poor man had lost his entire family, he knew how it felt and wouldn't wish it on anyone. He'd raised those children on his own after losing his daughter. Corvus wasn't sure he would have had the same strength. Without magic, Marius had to have taught them to have care about their magic. If they did anything to him, he would have been defenceless, although, perhaps likely not. His siblings would have likely ensured he was as safe as possible. Until he lost them, at least he had confirmation one of his siblings died, but the other? Likely just stopped coming.
"I wish I had met him," Sirius sighed, finishing off his hot chocolate, "I wonder if he was like my uncle Alphard…" his uncle Alphard had definitely been his favourite family member. He hadn't had any children of his own, but was always there for the younger generation. He wished Marius had reached out; he would have been there so fast.
"Regretfully, we cannot blame the man for refraining," Corvus grimaced a little, the wizarding world's reactions to squibs…it wasn't their proudest moment. Things were changing though, squibs were being encouraged to remain in the wizarding world, Aurelius was even in talks about opening a small school for them, with subjects they could actually take which would and could lead to a career. Potions and Ancient Runes amongst them.
Sirius huffed out an incredulous laugh, "Yeah, you've got that right," honestly just thinking about what Marius had been through was enough to make him feel sick. He was glad he had magic, even with his terrible mother, eleven was too young to be cast out on your own. "I should head up, the will reading is tomorrow too." Yawning tiredly, his hand over his mouth as was polite.
"So soon?" Corvus asked in surprise, everything didn't usually quite run so smoothly even with Gringotts help.
Sirius nodded, "Since the twins and I are the only beneficiaries it won't take too long, I hope." There was nobody else alive who Marius had known and considered close, close enough to leave anything in his will at any rate. If he'd had anything he wanted to give to friends, he must have done it before he passed away. He sorts of wished Marius had known a few others that would get a mention in the will, it would be nice getting to know him a little more. Hell, he didn't even know what he looked like.
"The goblins won't let that happen," time was money to the goblins as they liked to say.
"Likely not, goodnight, sleep well," Sirius said, levitating the empty cup into the sink.
"Goodnight, Sirius," Corvus answered, following Sirius' lead, and levitating his mug over to the sink, as Sirius left. "Time to get some sleep, hmm…" Corvus said to the House-elf that was ever present, diligently taking care of him in all ways. From ensuring he took his potions, didn't get hurt or fall down with a dizzy turn, to making him coffee and hot chocolate when required.
"Goodnight my lovely treasure," Corvus murmured to the faux snoozing portrait, which winked at him after those lovely words. Corvus chuckled, as his fingers brushed the frame, he would need to see about an extra frame being made for her so she could have a position in his bedroom. Normally he wouldn't have borne such a thing, portraits in his bedroom. This was different through, that this was his wife.
Before too long he was ensconced in bed, troubled by Sirius' statement, but after clearing his mind, he drifted off to slumber. There was just no point to borrowing trouble.
Sirius' sleep had been peaceful, until he was roused startlingly, by House-elf magic that basically gave you the equivalent of a shot of adrenaline. Gasping awake, he jerked up into sitting position, his wand already in hand.
"Lord Slytherin is in the Floo, Master Black-Lestrange, you wished to see him?" Llrune questioned, not at all intimidated by the wand which had been pointed right at her face. She had been ready for such an occurrence, and had a shield over herself.
Sirius groaned, blinking blearily, "What time izit?" shifting the bed covers, keeping quiet so that he didn't wake his husband. There was no point of both of them being up at this early hour.
"Five twenty-seven," came the prompt reply.
Sirius' eyes widened, that was way earlier than he'd anticipated, he'd only had like an hour and a half of sleep, if that. Bloody hell, no wonder his head felt fuzzy, stretching out, yawning tiredly, he grabbed his robe, "Ask him to come through," this wasn't a conversation he really wanted to have at Hogwarts, least of all the headmasters office. Tying the robe closed, Sirius scrambled to find his slippers, he was not leaving his bedroom without them. The marble flooring would be horrendously cold.
"Right away," and with that the House-elf popped away.
Closing his eyes, Sirius fought the tired groan, Merlin it was too early for this. He knew he wasn't going to get back to sleep after this either. The twins would likely be up afterwards, but Rod would be watching them when he went to Gringotts. Unfortunately, Rod wouldn't be able to go in his place. Wills and will readings needed the people who were mentioned, nobody could just go and sit in your place.
Within a few moments, Sirius was up and out of the darkened bedroom. Being as quiet as possible whilst doing so. He was baffled when he couldn't find Aurelius in the sitting room – where he would have had to Floo in – was something keeping him?
A clearing of a throat had him turning, only to find Aurelius in the kitchen. "Some coffee?" he asked, disappearing back into the kitchen, and Sirius found him at the table with a small meal in front of him. Toast and scrambled egg and some bacon.
When Sirius sat down, he found himself being given the exact same foods and more importantly, Aurelius' slid over a mug of strong black coffee. "This is about the rituals we can't I assume?" his bright and intelligent eyes watching Sirius with that calculating curious look that he blessed everyone with.
Sirius smiled a bit ruefully, not surprised he had figured out why he was getting in touch. At least partly, since it wasn't fully why he was getting in touch. "Did you know Harry tried to summon his parents?"
Aurelius' was genuinely taken aback by the question, "I did not," he confessed sincerely, but it wasn't out of the realm of understanding. Anyone would desire to speak to long lost loved ones. Although, Harry had never expressed a desire to do so, but he'd likely be the last one anyone wished to tell that to, never mind Harry. He had after all, been the one to take them from him.
"They didn't come through for him, they should have right? I mean the ritual works?" Sirius ignored the food, focusing entirely on the conversation. Desperate for a resolution he feared he'd never see.
Aurelius frowned; he had no trouble eating the food the House-elf had prepared for him. "That depends on how he did the ritual, the magic we focused on was entirely different from say summoning spirits across the great divide."
"But he has the way of actually doing that, right? He's a necromancer." Sirius pointed out, hating that he felt like he didn't know his own godson at the moment.
Aurelius huffed a laugh, "Nothing is simple, even family magics. Especially necromancer magic as a matter of fact, frankly it's one of the most difficult arts to master. Nobody has become a Necromancer Master since the medieval times." Even he hadn't mastered that particular branch, he hadn't even attempted it. Dead people were no use to him, so why bother? The closest he'd gotten to necromancy was Inferi he created. The last three to accomplish being a Master of Necromancy were Peverell's.
"So, he might have gotten it wrong?" Sirius questioned thoughtfully, he was young, it was possible, well, he didn't personally think so. Harry was so intelligent that he completely left him in the mud when he got going on any particular subject.
"You don't believe that any better than I," Aurelius said dryly, he was the only one in the group that could keep up with Harry's vast intelligence. Corvus was just able to in a few subjects, but not in all subjects.
Sirius deflated, "No," he shook his head, he honestly didn't believe that. Although, it would have made everything alright in his world again. "If he got it right…and they didn't come…well, I'm not sure what to think of it." He confessed.
Aurelius remained silent, drinking from the warm cup, frankly he had nothing to say nor was he going to offer empty platitudes. Sirius wouldn't believe them anyway, since he was sitting next to the person who had killed them.
"Why wouldn't they come?" Sirius asked, stressed out to the max.
Aurelius stilled, wishing he hadn't come this morning, the last thing he wanted to be was Black's therapist. Just because he was going down the legal road, didn't mean he had changed that much.
"Do you know how to summon spirits? I'm sure Harry likely shared his work with you, right?" Sirius asked, a hopeful tone to his voice.
"Yes, and he did," Aurelius said slowly, as if suspecting this to be an elaborate trap or some such.
"Can you, do it?" Sirius asked bluntly, grey eyes boring into dark ones.
"I haven't tried," Aurelius declared, understanding now why he was asking. "Right now, the Unspeakables are trying to find out the answer to those questions burning in your mind."
"Are you reading my mind?" Sirius asked indignantly, tearing his gaze from Aurelius'.
Aurelius snorted, "No, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out what you're thinking." And he was very much a genuine, and had no qualms about modesty. "If that is all, I do need to get home, I have a very busy day ahead of me."
"No that's not all, I want you to help me!" Sirius stood up, "You owe me that at least."
Aurelius stiffened, his eyes boring into Sirius' offended and very annoyed. "Excuse me?" his voice lowering in his rage. Fingers twitching, mentally reminding himself that this was Sirius Black, one of his favoured husbands, and not a death eater. He couldn't go around cursing him for upsetting him.
"You killed Lily and James, you took my family away from me," Sirius stated grimly, "I kept quiet and let you carry on for my godson, if he can stand to be in the same room as you, so could I."
Aurelius' lips twitched; he had expected this sort of conversation years ago. Like everyone else, he had been under the assumption that Sirius Black didn't know what was going on under his nose. Hadn't known that Rodolphus and Rabastan were true loyal Death Eaters. Only to find out that he had known all along. Yet even then, when it was all out in the open, Sirius said nothing. Apparently, there was more Slytherin to Sirius than he realized. "How Slytherin you've become."
Sirius just gazed back expectantly, heart pounding, unable to believe he was essentially blackmailing the Dark Lord Voldemort. No wands drawn, no writhing under the Cruciatus Curse. Perhaps he had changed, and not just 'enough' to pass himself off as an intelligent wizard with a lot to give the magical world. "I want to be there when its' done, I want to be the one calling the shots."
"May I ask why you haven't asked your godson to do this with you?" Aurelius asked, completely baffled on why he was wasting his one favour on something that could be done elsewhere.
Sirius paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, surprised by the question. "Harry won't try again, you know him. He likely tried in a moment of weakness, but won't ever show it again." Not even the Ravenclaw in him would see that he tried again, for the sake of proving himself or the theory of the project. Not for his parents, not for anyone. He did what he set out to do and that was that.
Sirius had tried to get Harry to bond with the idea of his parents. To tell him about them, how he was like Lily with his love of learning, how crafty he was like James with his ability to create on the fly or long-term projects. Like the Marauder's map, even went on and on about the spells involved in it. How they'd become Animagus' to help Remus' wolf on the full moon. He listened, retained the information but didn't ask outright for more, didn't want to hear the stories over and over again.
Aurelius inclined his head, in agreement knowing this to be true. Harry had spent too many years being told that they were drunk unemployed layabouts, who got themselves killed in a car accident. Even knowing now that they had died for him wasn't enough to turn a decade of hatred, he'd felt for them into love. Harry had buried any feelings he'd had for his parents deep down; he'd had to in order to survive the Dursley's brutality. He believed it would take certain circumstances to unlock it.
"Very well, I'll speak to Rookwood," Aurelius answered, sitting back down, "Between the three of us, we'll attempt it, only if the Unspeakables have confirmation that it works without Harry's blood." He wasn't under any circumstances going to take Harry's blood in order to summon his parents, now that was just borrowing trouble.
Sirius deflated in relief, "Thank you," he murmured, his gratitude evident in his tone.
"Just so we are clear, you've used up your favour, try this again and I will curse you until you're a blubbering mess, am I understood?" Aurelius threatened him, while still sounding calm and composed.
Sirius blanched, before nodding, "Understood," he wasn't interested in blackmailing him, and wouldn't if he wasn't so determined to get through to Lily and James and give them what for! How could they ignore his son? What just because he accepted Aurelius? Because he accepted the Lestrange's? Hell to the no. Even if they came to him, he still wouldn't forgive them for not coming for their son. Harry would never be convinced of anything but negative reasons they hadn't come. The worry that he could be right was worse, Sirius refused to think the worst of his best friends, he just couldn't they had been his family, his everything for a whole decade. His chosen family.
"I shall be back in touch when I hear anything," Aurelius commented, "Have a good day." He added pleasantly, before he drifted from the kitchen.
Sirius just watched him go, nodding, yep, still completely terrifying, and looking good while doing it. He wasn't blind, Aurelius was hot, nothing on his husband though, at least in his opinion.
Rabastan slowly came to, the feeling of warmth suffusing his back, a bit too hot if you asked him. It took only a few moments for him to realize what that warmth was, or rather whom it was. Shuffling until he was on his side, facing Harry, a soft but fond smile on his face. At this rate, he'd never be able to repay Harry for everything he'd done for him, for his family. Raising his hand, his fingers drifted down Harry's face, "I hope to Merlin, father doesn't know about this, he won't be best pleased."
Harry proved he was awake by sniggering, "Nope, he'll pretend to be disappointed, the twinkle in his eyes will give him again." Smothering his laughter into the pillow. They hadn't spoken last night, like at all. "How are you feeling?"
"I am sorry if I worried you last night," Rabastan said, rubbing up his arm and then down before squeezing his elbow.
Harry shook his head, shoving the duvet down a bit, "You didn't," a few years ago he wouldn't have known what to do. He was a bit less…useless when it came to comfort now. At least when it came to people he loved, which wasn't a massive list to be fair, but long enough for him.
"Llrune?" Rabastan called, wrapping his arm around Harry, kissing his forehead with gentle kindness.
A pop announced the House-elf's arrival.
"Good Morning, Masters, how can Llrune help?" she asked, big eyes peering at them, a little bigger than normal, but composed all the same.
"Is father awake?" Rabastan asked, "Is everyone?" the time didn't give them sureness of who was awake and where they were. The family had busy schedules, his father's less so admittedly, but far greater than before Harry had come into his life.
"Master Corvus is in the sitting room; Master Sirius is gone to Gringotts and Master Rodolphus is with the children outside playing." The House-elf replied, making a gesture towards the window in their room.
"This I have to see," Harry said, curiously, rolling off the bed, he padded over to the closed curtains, which opened as he approached them courtesy of Llrune. With his nose practically pressed against the window, he watched with a smile growing on his face. "He looks like he's having fun."
"He's always wanted kids," Rabastan admitted, "He'd have given up that dream for Sirius, but I think he's mostly completely hyped that things have gone this way." Moving towards Harry and the window, watching his brother bonding with the children. There could have been worse ways really, to end up with kids.
"Did you guys ever discuss the potion?" Harry asked turning to face Rabastan curiously. "And what you're going to do?"
"We discussed it, briefly, knowing the twins are Metamorphmagus' makes all of us leery of changing one molecule of their DNA." Rabastan answered, "They might consider adding Rodolphus' blood but nothing definitive."
"Do it, if it doesn't turn out well, use the time-turner," Harry said flippantly, as if it was something he did frequently. He knew that Aurelius had a time-turner, but other than that, he didn't give it much thought.
Rabastan huffed out an amused chuckle, "Time shouldn't be toyed with so facetiously," he knew it had saved them all in a very crucial time, but it had been dealt with insidiously. Everyone had received their orders in an attempt to not change things more than need be. Aurelius had made sure that things had gone precisely as he intended them to.
Harry leaned back into Rabastan, unable to stop himself. The warmth of another human being was…comforting in a way he hadn't anticipated. Sure, he'd gotten used to human company, of loving others, felt desire, but this loving comfort was new. "I had a really good night's sleep," he confessed to Rabastan.
"Me too," Rabastan murmured, wrapping his arms around his fiancé, as he watched his brother chase two bright blue haired children around. "I must admit I'm rather jealous that they have the gift, it's one of the most desirable family magics out there."
"You never know, ours just might, I am a Black by blood after all," Harry commented, recalling the time his hair was shaved off. It had returned back to its exact previous state overnight. Accidental magic or some mild form of Metamorphmagus? "Can you imagine the havoc that could be created?" a note of thrill in his voice.
"Merlin, it would be a nightmare," Rabastan laughed a little, he could imagine just trying to figure out who was who, but the likelihood of their children having such gifts was very low. It wasn't often generation after generation had the same family magic gifts. Tonks and these two, it was quite fascinating really. To see it back and three in one lifetime. Well, two now.
"Have to make sure they know better than to let their self-worth be defined by their abilities." Harry added, leaning back against Rabastan. "Tonks spent her life hiding her looks, and trying to make herself out to be taller than she was…which affected her greatly."
"I'm still not sure how she actually passed her Auror training, whilst her ability to change her features was good…her inability to walk in a straight line without bumping into things was hardly subtle." Rabastan shook his head, just thinking about it, "She was…one of Dumbledore's chosen students, she'd have likely ended up in the Order if the war had started back up." Funnily enough, the idea of war starting back up made bile rise in his throat. Lives changed, priorities faded into something else, and all Rabastan wanted was Harry and the life he could see them having together as well as his career.
Harry grunted, oh, he detested the mere mention of Dumbledore. It brought the reminder of pain, a locked agony, as he stood transfixed before the mirror or erised. His entire body frozen and in severe pain due to his duplicity. In the end he'd gotten to see him destroyed, giving him a glimpse of his possible future. His future with Rabastan.
"Shall we eat here before heading downstairs?" Rabastan asked, when he noticed that his brother was beginning to herd the twin back into the warmth of the manor. Not that it was getting cold yet, it was September though, and it was beginning to become a little nippy, especially for children.
"That sounds perfect," Harry agreed, as Rabastan called out to the House-elf to arrange for them to have breakfast here.
"Did you work things out with your godfather?" Rabastan asked, opening the bedroom door fully. Just for proprieties sake, not that anything would happen, Harry was still young and they were only engaged.
Harry turned away from the window, to see the House-elf transfiguring a table and two chairs for them. "Yes, just a misunderstanding, really." He told him, as he moved over to take his seat, the smell of breakfast permeating the air after. His stomach growled, "I'm starving." He commented, as he begun to load breakfast onto his plate.
"Misunderstanding?" Rabastan questioned, "Are you cold?" noticing a shiver.
"No, I'm fine," Harry said, scooping up a spoonful of beans, putting one on his plate then another on Rabastans. "Thank you," he added to Llrune who nodded and popped away, well aware she wasn't needed any longer.
Rabastan joined him, digging into the food himself, this was nice. Spending time with Harry on his own, they needed to do it more often. Not that they'd get a chance, not for a few months at any rate.
"I explained about the ruined project, he's promised to help me redo it." Harry told him.
Rabastan arched a brow, staring incredulously at Harry, not believing that for a moment. sure, Sirius was intelligent, he'd created the most wonderous inventions which sold out immediately nearly each time. However, Harry had a different intelligence, one that differed from them all.
"It took me months to complete them, but I should be able to remember at least vaguely which books where what so I can rewrite it." Harry said wryly, "Note to self, always have a backup copy of my projects."
"I'm honestly surprised you don't," Rabastan confessed, picking up the sound of his brothers voice. He was talking to someone, probably his father. There was never a more careful wizard than Harry, so, sincerely he really was surprised.
"I'm regretting it," Harry answered, "I'm just glad it wasn't any of the other ones." Now those ones were…well, let's just say he'd been working on some of them for years. Literal years, not just a year, and it involved a whole lot more work too.
Rabastan winced after swallowing a mouthful of food, he could imagine so. He knew a lot of the books Harry carried around with him constantly were very rare. Worth a fortune on their own, he didn't even want to imagine the damage. There were a few that were even one of a kind, the ones he'd found in the markets in Egypt. Giving a hum of agreement.
The rest of their breakfast was in a comfortable silence, except the clink of the cutlery as they ate the delicious spread in front of them. Both could comfortably eat an English breakfast in the morning. Not that they did, this was a rarity, Harry preferred something light and filling in the morning.
"Llrune? It was delicious, thank you," Harry told her before she could say anything, "I'm going to miss this."
"It's only until Yule," Rabastan said, he had taken on two book projects to keep him busy. Other than helping his father with the estate, he didn't have much else to hold his time. "You are returning for Yule, aren't you?" he had every single holiday, it stood to reason that it wouldn't change. However, there were children in the manor now, he might prefer to stay where it was quiet.
"Just try and keep me away," Harry stated, "I'm going to go and get dressed, I want to know what happened during the will reading." He commented, going on his tiptoes to kiss Rabastan's cheek, before left the bedroom that would be both his and Rabastan's one day.
"Oh! Are you okay?" Harry asked, backpaddling into the room, "It was a good cry, right?"
If it had been anyone else, Rabastan would have been mortified. Despite the redness in his cheeks, he smiled a little, luckily not resembling a grimace much, "Yes, it was, now go get dressed." Chivvying Harry out of the doorway, as he closed the door.
He had been truthful; it had been a good cathartic cry. He'd actually had a conversation with his mother. He knew her voice, knew it like the back of his palm, with the memories he'd seen. Getting to talk to her though? It was…indescribable. Truly it was, it meant more than anything else in this world. She was just…amazing, he had her nose and ears, Rodolphus had her grin, and Merlin, they both had her sense of humour somehow. It was just out of this world. He couldn't wait to introduce Harry properly to her.
Harry was family whether they were married or not. Whether they married or not.
Rabastan swallowed, shoving his worries aside as he dressed. They were going to marry, and he refused to let anyone scare away his future. They'd made no headway in figuring out who sent that letter or why. It was a damn terrifying prospect, that someone was trying to kill them so ferociously. Nobody in Dumbledore's order had the smarts to do this, they were positive about that. Which was even more alarming, someone unknown, someone unpredictable. They couldn't think of anyone they had upset so thoroughly, especially not enough to target Harry specifically.
The Aurors were getting nowhere either.
The silence since could either be a very bad thing or a good thing. It might mean they wouldn't risk attempting it again, they'd blown all their money on the first attempt. And believe, it had been an expensive venture they reckoned.
Rabastan once dressed, begun to make his way downstairs. Following the sound of his brother chatting away, presumably speaking to their mother, and the twins. He peeked his head around the doorway to find Sirius with Rodolphus and the twins. "Hey, wow, I did sleep in, didn't I?" not that he'd actually checked the time.
Rodolphus chuckled, as the Floo flared to life, "You did," turning to see who it was, as Sirius scooped up the twin closest to the fireplace. They were nonetheless startled enough to cry out at the strange happenings.
The look of mild horror on Aurelius' face at the sight of the two children who suddenly looked like him was enough to have Sirius clutching his stomach laughing in hilarity. The children couldn't help but laugh too, finding Sirius' reaction funny, it might also have something to do with the vibrations under his ear at Sirius' laughing, in his chest.
"It's time," Aurelius stated, staring at Sirius expectantly.
"Whoa, wait a minute, what's going on? Time for what?" Rodolphus straightened and stood, glancing between his husband and the Lord he had sworn to serve. Glancing down at the child wrapping itself around his leg, clearly realizing there was some sort of tension in the air and doing their best to help.
"It's alright, it's just something I asked for," Sirius was quick to defuse the situation, and calm his husband.
"What did you ask for?" Rodolphus asked, completely befuddled, staring at his husband in confusion, he did not like the feeling of being left out at all.
"Help, I'll be back soon, keep an eye on the kids," handing off the second twin to Rodolphus, who looked bemused now. Relaxing now he knew something serious wasn't happening, the look on the Dark Lord's face had spoken volumes when he initially appeared.
Who would have guessed he was scared of toddlers?
With that Sirius and Aurelius were gone through the Floo.
"Portkey is set to go off in three minutes, it will take us directly to the Department of Mysteries," Aurelius declared, making straight for his desk the second he slid out of the Floo and grasping hold of the statue.
"How many favours did that cost you?" Sirius asked, wincing a little, especially considering it was actually activating within Hogwarts.
"Augustus Rookwood will meet us there, and the ritual will be done," Aurelius explained, holding the statue out, which was beginning to glow. Sirius was quick to snatch the top of the statue.
"Did you just say Augustus…" and with that it activated.
"Rookwood," Sirius finished, in front of the aforementioned wizard.
Ah, good you're here, follow me," Rookwood said, maniacal energy surrounding him.
"How many pepper-up draughts have you had?" Sirius asked, peering at the wizard in amusement.
"Three perhaps four?" Rookwood answered, eyes practically alit with passion, honestly, he would be bursting out of his own body if not for the calming draught. "I've been ordered to leave for at least twenty-four hours after this shift."
"Now this is the ritual space we'll be working with, everything has been drawn up, but please feel free to check, both of you." Opening the door, it was a room bereft of anything, except a bowl in the middle of the room. It was glowing with ancient runes.
"A ritual chamber," Sirius said, staring around in awe, man, he wasn't able to read even half of these sequences they had up. Aurelius was reading them easily as if it were every day words to him. "I had no idea there was anything like this down here." Death chambers yes, but actual ritual chambers no.
"There's a lot of rooms nobody even knows exists, and there are rooms that nobody knows what they do." Rookwood explained, "It's fascinating trying to determine things, rooms, objects, mysterious items that were here long before the Ministry was built." Such as the veil of death as it was known. The Ministry of magic had picked the perfect location to build on, using how to best protect magic and the wizarding world collectively.
"I'll bet," Sirius murmured, truth be told, back in the day it would have given him great pleasure to investigate the Ministry from top to bottom. With James and Remus at his side, just like they'd done with Hogwarts. Things change though, a lot.
"Your godson is very intelligent," Rookwood stated respectfully, for such a young boy to think everything through – including the possibility of the ritual going wrong – denoted a lovely intelligence as he'd thought earlier. Even he hadn't considered such a thing when he first started out, I was something he'd learned the hard way.
"Merlin, don't encourage him to work here," Sirius blurted out, but he wore a smug grin, very pleased to hear someone stating what was really the obvious.
"Bold of you to assume anyone could deter Harry from his goal," Aurelius murmured, as he turned away from the runes satisfied. "He has been on a course in which he has not wavered from even once." His grades continued to improve vastly each year; he was determined in a way that he'd only ever seen in himself.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he got dozens of jobs offers once he finishes school," Sirius confessed ruefully, and it would be nothing to do with his status as The-Boy-Who-Lived either. Harry had proved his worth as a wizard a dozen time over.
"That is definite," Aurelius agreed, "Let's begin."
"Here," handing over parchment to both Aurelius and Sirius, it was the words they needed to recite in the ritual all of the words, with theirs underlined. "New and improved."
The three wizards separated, kneeling before the three focal points, as dictated by the recommendations of the ritual.
In sync both Aurelius and Rookwood began to recite their words of the ritual, not only far familiar with the ritual – having performed it before – but also due to their frequent use of Latin.
"Sanguinis sanguinis mei, necromantia potestatibus invoco Potter, familiam familiae meae... Invoco te." Sirius recited, his heart pounding erratically,
Aurelius and Rookwood continued chanting over Sirius' own words, they were needed to be said in sync.
"Potter, veni ad me, te voco, responde vocatui, familiae familiae meae!" Sirius chanted, his voice with extra oomph. He was desperate for them to appear before him.
Aurelius began to exude a great deal of magic as his tenor began to rise with force.
Rookwood followed in Sync, both of them projecting a whole load of magic, as they waited for Sirius to pick up his cue, which he did without a moment's hesitation.
"Potters, veni ad me, te voco!" Sirius cried out, his own magic surging to ensure his call was heard, just like that the candles were wiped out, flames ceasing and a coldness crept into the room, it was like stepping into a freezer. "Show yourself! I swear to Merlin, James, Lily, if you don't appear I'll keep calling you until you get sick of hearing my voice!"
A/N – Oh my gosh I've re-written this chapter three times! 3! That's like 19 thousand words this past week, and I'm still not happy with it if I'm completely honest but I do believe it's as good as it's going to get so I've decided to publish it…so will James and Lily answer Sirius' call or will it go as unanswered as Harry's original call had been? R&R please