Arcturus, Melania, Alphard, and Cassiopeia arrived at Grimmauld Place to find Andromeda healing those who had been injured while the children were talking quietly with each other. Narcissa, Marius, Ilaria, and Sirius looked up as they saw them approach.
"Well?" Sirius asked. "How did it go?"
"He's dead," Arcturus announced. "Tom Riddle is no more."
Everyone stopped their conversations after hearing that.
"You're joking, right?" James asked, surprised.
"No, I am not," Arcturus replied. "Happy New Year!"
"Yay!" the children yelled.
"Oh, thank Merlin!" Ilaria said with a sigh of relief.
"How did it happen?" Lucretia asked, now completely healed.
"Bellatrix," Melania informed everyone. There were gasps from around the room.
"Bellatrix?" Andromeda asked. "What exactly did she do?"
"She killed him," Arcturus explained simply. Many of the family members started talking to one another in disbelief, surprise, and for some, excitement. Sirius, however, knew that there was more to it. He knew his grandfather too well. Arcturus never gave short answers like this. He was hiding something, and Sirius was determined to find out what it was. He decided to confront his grandfather about it. After all, Arcturus tended to tell Sirius things he didn't tell the other children, or even some of the other adults.
"Grandfather," Sirius began, but Arcturus signaled for him to wait.
"I know many of you have questions, but it is late, and some members are being healed as we speak, and some are tired from fighting," Arcturus explained. "I will answer your questions tomorrow. Before everyone leaves, however, I would just like to make one more announcement. Cygnus and Druella will no longer be welcome within our family, due to them turning against us, and trying to help the Death Eaters hurt us. Family always comes first, and they have decided to fight for the other side. That is a betrayal that cannot be forgiven."
Andromeda and Narcissa exchanged a look of joy. Sure, Narcissa had been able to get along with her parents a little better than Andromeda had, but that didn't mean she liked them. In fact, she despised them, though she had not had the courage to stand up against them like Andromeda had. Bellatrix had always been the favorite child, and both Narcissa and Andromeda had accepted that years ago. Now, however, that probably wouldn't be true.
When Sirius and Regulus returned to Black Manor, Melania told them to go to bed, and that they would discuss everything in the morning. Sirius and Regulus both went to their rooms. Regulus went straight to bed, but Sirius did not. He needed answers, and he would get them tonight.
Arcturus was in his office, writing a letter to Lord Bones requesting an emergency Wizengamot meeting first thing in the morning for a priority trial for Bellatrix. He had just finished the letter when Sirius knocked on the door.
"Enter!" Arcturus called out. Sirius walked in and sat across from his grandfather. "I should have known you'd be by to see me," Arcturus commented. Sirius shrugged as he looked around.
"I think I prefer your office at Hogwarts," he said with a smile.
"I personally prefer the office here, because I do not have nosy portraits listening in on every conversation I have," Arcturus replied. "Especially Phineas' portrait. Though, he has been helpful once in a while."
Sirius grinned. "Yeah, he's been helpful a few times, but he really has an attitude problem," Sirius stated.
"Agreed," Arcturus said with a sigh. "He's always been like that, even when he was alive. Family is very important to him, but he really has always had an attitude problem."
"This family always has attitude problems," Sirius muttered. Arcturus stared at him. "Alright, I lose it sometimes, but I used to be worse," Sirius defended himself. Arcturus chuckled.
"All Blacks have their own unique tempers and attitudes," Arcturus said. "For example, Lycoris liked to gossip with everyone, and she was very manipulative, and she could be very sweet to those she liked, and the complete opposite to those she didn't like. Our father really hated her attitude towards him. It's one thing to be outspoken, but it's another when you're pranking your own father and just being plain cruel. Regulus I was the quiet, distant, and obedient one, I was the only one who didn't believe in blood purity, and Lycoris was the gossip. Anyway, we can discuss generations of our family another day. Why aren't you in bed?"
"I wanted to know what exactly happened tonight," Sirius said immediately. "All the details, not just that Bellatrix killed Snake-face."
Arcturus nodded in understanding. "I plan to send out a family letter tomorrow, but I know that you will not rest until you know everything." A family letter was where the head of the family sent a letter to every single living family member. Family letters were very rare, only used in very urgent times. Since the House of Black had been attacked, this called for one of those letters.
"Yeah, I don't want to wait for a family letter," Sirius said.
Arcturus started explaining the battle, where Pollux, Irma, Cygnus, and Druella had been conflicted until Arcturus had told them to pick a side. He explained how Pollux and Irma had chosen family, but Cygnus and Druella chose the opposite side.
"I was not outside of the castle for a lot of the battle, seeing as I was dueling with various Death Eaters, but what I have gathered from several family members is that Walburga started dueling Cedrella, then Cygnus went out there to join Walburga, and they both tried to take down Cedrella. Lucretia went out there to even out the duel. However, it seemed like no one was getting anywhere, so that's when Bellatrix arrived at the scene. She told her father to leave Lucretia alone."
"Wait, she DEFENDED Aunt Lucretia?!" Sirius asked, shocked.
"Yes, indeed," Arcturus confirmed. "She even took down Cygnus and Walburga long enough to ensure Lucretia was alright. That was when Voldemort arrived. Cedrella, Lucretia, and Bellatrix tried taking on Voldemort, but both Cedrella and Lucretia got very injured, and Bellatrix was put under the Cruciatus Curse. That's when your grandmother and I got out there. Cedrella and Lucretia were taken inside so they could be healed at Grimmauld Place. Druella came outside when your grandmother returned, so it was Bellatrix, your grandmother, and myself against Cygnus, Druella, Walburga, and Voldemort."
"A little uneven, eh?" Sirius stated.
"Yes, but Bellatrix was most helpful," Arcturus continued. "She turned into her Spanish Fly animagus form, and distracted Cygnus, which was all we needed to take him down."
"Brilliant!" Sirius exclaimed. "I never thought I'd say this, but go Bellatrix!"
Arcturus nodded and continued to explain the battle. He explained how he had used elemental magic to bind Voldemort so he could not escape. Sirius remembered the last time his grandfather had used elemental magic. It had been during the duel in the Chamber of Secrets.
"After he was bound in place, Bellatrix cast the Killing Curse, and it hit its target. That is how Tom Riddle was defeated once and for all," Arcturus finished.
"Wow," Sirius said, stunned. "Bellatrix has changed so much. First, she warns Narcissa about the attack on Hogsmeade, then she defends Narcissa during the Hogsmeade attack, then she warns all of us of an incoming attack during the ball, and then she defends our family and kills Snake-face. What has changed so much between the original timeline and this one?"
"I believe," Arcturus started. "It's the fact that in the original timeline, she was never held accountable for her actions, and she remained a Black, later a Lestrange, and she was never lectured by her sisters or myself about her behavior. This time, she was held accountable, she was disowned, and the three of us all gave her a lecture. That could have changed everything. When she didn't have any family to fall back on, she really started to realize that she was on the wrong side. At least, that is my guess. I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if that is the big difference here."
"Wow," Sirius finally said after a moment of silence. "You and Bellatrix were amazing!"
"The public will believe it was all Bellatrix," Arcturus said. "Only the family will know the full story." Sirius nodded in understanding. Arcturus really disliked attention from the press.
"I still don't forgive Bellatrix for everything she's done, but I guess she did the right thing, finally," Sirius remarked.
"I even told Bellatrix as such, that I do not forgive her yet for her actions, but that she did the right thing," Arcturus replied. "I am trying to pull some strings to get her a trial first thing tomorrow morning. After all, she was a Death Eater, so she has to answer for her actions, but hopefully, when they know that she was the one to end Voldemort, they will let her go."
Sirius was hesitant before he asked, "You're not just allowing her back into the family, are you?"
"No," Arcturus said firmly. "She will need to prove herself first. She's only defended us a few times, so it's not enough to know for sure if she can be trusted. However, I promise you, if I ever reinstate her into the family, you, as the Heir, will know about it beforehand. When I was the Heir back in the day, I was never informed about any major decisions beforehand, and I always found out when everyone else did. I've been doing my best to make sure you are aware of upcoming decisions before they happen, and I also try to get your input."
"Thank you, Grandfather," Sirius said gratefully.
"Now, get to bed," Arcturus said sternly. "I need to get this letter sent out, then I need to officially disown Cygnus and Druella."
"Why bother?" Sirius asked. "They're probably going to Azkaban anyway."
"If for some reason, they are not found guilty, I do not want them to think they can just come back to us," Arcturus explained. "I also do not want them to have access to the Black Family vaults."
"Oh, got it," Sirius said, standing up. "Thanks for explaining everything to me, Grandfather. Bonne nuit."
"Bonne nuit," Arcturus responded. Sirius left the room, finally going to bed. It was now two in the morning.
Arcturus did not go to bed. He had so much to do, and he wanted to get it all done now. Therefore, he stayed up for the entire night, sending the letter to Lord Bones, writing the family letter that he sent out immediately, then he officially disowned Cygnus and Druella, and wrote a letter to them, informing them of their disownment. Finally, he prepared for Bellatrix's trial. He planned to use memories to help her case. Unlike the Muggle World, where there were lawyers and attorneys to help with court cases, Wizarding court cases did not work like that. The people involved had to find an ordinary person to help them prepare for their trial, and sometimes, people would be alone in preparing for it.
Finally, at six in the morning, he was done with everything. He then received a response from Lord Bones. He had accepted the request for an emergency Wizengamot meeting. It would start at 8:00. Arcturus had two hours to do his morning routine, and have breakfast. He immediately wrote to Bellatrix, informing her of the trial in two hours. He sent it with his fastest owl, Hadar.
Arcturus hoped that all the work he put into preparing for the trial would pay off. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake by helping Bellatrix. The trial would reveal her true intentions, so he would know soon if this was all worth it.
Translation
French: Bonne nuit.
English: Good night.