Sirius, Regulus, Amelia, and Capella sat in the library, studying their Latin flashcards. They were waiting for Dolores to show up. Some of the other members of their group had gathered the day before to study, seeing as Madam Pince didn't like too many people in the library at once. They were just lucky enough to get Dolores that day, seeing as she had not wanted to study on a Friday night.
"She's late," Regulus stated. Sirius looked at his watch. It was true. Dolores was two minutes late.
"We have a test on Monday," Capella said. "She better show up to study, seeing as she is the most lacking in understanding the words."
"Who cares if she passes? It's not our problem," Regulus pointed out.
"But we are graded as a group, so if one of us does badly, that will affect all of us," Sirius reminded his brother.
"Hem hem!" an all too familiar voice said from behind them. Dolores Umbridge walked up to their table, empty-handed.
"Where are your flashcards, Dolores?" Amelia asked.
"I don't need them," Dolores declared.
"But we're here to study," Sirius snapped.
"I already know all of the words," Dolores said.
"Oh, really?" Capella asked. "Alright, let's see it then!"
"Er… well..." Dolores stammered.
"What's salvus?" Amelia asked.
"Er… happy," Dolores said.
"No. Salvus means safe," Sirius corrected her.
"And simplex is small," Dolores tried again.
"No, simplex means simple," Capella corrected her, getting irritated. "You really don't know your words, Dolores."
"Yes, I do!" Dolores shrieked.
"Shhh!" Regulus shushed her. "You'll get us in trouble with Madam Pince!"
"Well, look, I don't care!" Dolores snapped. "I know all of my Latin words that we're being tested on. You guys are the ones who are wrong!"
"Well, we, unlike you, have flashcards that tell us the correct words!" Sirius shot back.
"Then give me your flashcards!" Dolores demanded.
"No, go get your own!" Capella said louder than probably necessary.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Dolores spat.
"Don't talk to my cousin like that!" Sirius growled, his anger rising.
"Oh? And if I do?" Dolores asked.
"Blacks don't tolerate rude, selfish, cruel people like you!" Regulus stated angrily.
"I am not cruel or selfish!" Dolores shrieked.
"Out! Out of my library!" Madam Pince snapped, glaring at them.
"Now see what you've done!" Capella hissed as they left the library.
"Maybe we should all calm down and talk as a group," Amelia commented, trying to get things back on track. "Let's go to a study room, and we can talk from there. Dolores, why don't you go get your flashcards, and we'll meet you in the study room just down the corridor from here?"
"Fine!" Dolores snapped. "I'll go get my flashcards, then I'll show you all how good I am!" She ran back to the Slytherin Common Room.
The rest of the study session was tense. Dolores seemed to think she was right about everything, even when she wasn't. Sirius was close to losing his temper when he received a telepathy message from his grandmother.
"Sirius, please come see us, immediately," she said. "We're going to go retrieve the ring Horcrux."
Sirius turned to the group. "I have to go," he informed them. "Grandmother needs to see me." He stood. "Reg, Capella, I'll see you later. Good luck with her." He sent one last glare towards Dolores before leaving the study room.
When Sirius arrived at the headmaster's office, he saw his grandparents and Aunt Lucretia waiting for him. When seeing Sirius, Arcturus raised an eyebrow.
"You look like you are angry about something," he commented. "What happened?"
"Toadface," Sirius growled.
"Sirius, don't call people names," Melania scolded him.
"But she is a Toadface!" Sirius protested. "She clearly doesn't care about the Latin class, and she won't study! We're going to get points taken off because of her!"
"Sirius, perhaps doing one of the meditation exercises before we leave will be beneficial," Arcturus told him.
Sirius knew his grandfather was right. He sat in one of the chairs, and took a few minutes to calm himself down. After all, he needed to focus on the upcoming task.
"Alright, I'm ready," Sirius finally said. "Where are we going?"
Arcturus nodded. "The Gaunt Shack," he said. "When we arrive, there are wards that will need to be removed before we can enter, then we will have to search the shack for the ring. Sirius, I don't think I need to tell you how dangerous this could become. If one of us tells you to do something, do it. Do not ask questions, don't disobey us. Do I make myself clear?"
Sirius nodded. "Yes, Grandfather. I understand."
"Good," Arcturus said. "Lucretia, do you have the portkey ready?"
"Yes," Lucretia said. "It will take us close to the Gaunt Shack." The four of them grabbed onto the portkey.
When they landed, Lucretia led the way. They approached a set of wards that even Sirius could feel. Sirius and Melania stood back as Arcturus and Lucretia worked on disabling the wards.
Lucretia suddenly gasped as if in pain. Arcturus turned towards her, concerned. "Lucretia? What's wrong?"
"Anti-phoenix wards," she replied. "Father, you'll have to disable these ones. I cannot disable them." She stood back to stand with Sirius and Melania.
Arcturus disabled the wards Lucretia had mentioned, then motioned for her to join him again. They finished disabling the wards not long after.
The four Blacks walked into the shack, always on alert for any potential traps. It didn't take long before Sirius stepped on a floorboard that squeaked. He paused, and knelt down to inspect it. The floorboard was rotting, which explained why it was squeaking. It was also loose, which was odd.
Sirius looked up at his grandparents and Aunt Lucretia. Lucretia gave Sirius a stern look. "Let me have a look," she said. "Step aside, please."
Sirius stepped aside, watching as Lucretia removed the rotting floorboard. There, lay a box. Lucretia opened the box, and inhaled sharply.
In the box, lay a beautiful ring. "I can feel the black magic," she stated. "I found it."
Melania stepped forward, and waved her wand over it. "There's a compelling charm on it," she explained.
"Then we need to destroy it before it can do anything," Sirius said.
"Agreed," Arcturus said, taking out one of the basilisk fangs that he brought with him. He immediately stabbed the ring. They heard a scream and saw a black mist. When the mist was gone, everyone smiled.
"It's gone," Lucretia said in relief.
"Thank Merlin!" Melania exclaimed.
"Just one more to go!" Sirius said excitedly.
"Yes, now, let's get back to Hogwarts," Arcturus said. "Lucretia is looking unwell."
"I'm alright, Father," Lucretia reassured him. "It was just exposure to the black magic."
"Either way, you should go home and rest," Melania told her daughter.
Lucretia nodded. "I'll be in touch soon, so we can start planning how we're going to find the one in Hogwarts," she said.
When she had left, Sirius, Arcturus, and Melania went back to Hogwarts via portkey. That day was a victory for them all. It meant, just one more Horcrux to go.
Author's note: Just so everyone knows, Voldemort would have known that phoenixes can detect black magic, and of course, he wouldn't want a phoenix to find one of his Horcruxes, so that's why he put up anti-phoenix wards, so no phoenix could go in and find it. But because Lucretia can turn into a phoenix, she can detect the anti-phoenix wards. I hope that makes sense. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!