"So, what's it like having two of your parent's old friends staying over?" Hermione asked as she and Neville walked up the stairs with Harry on the way to the Great Hall.
"It's quite a laugh." Harry admitted with a smile. "They're full of stories about what they and my father got up to at Hogwarts and after. Sirius is still quite weak from Azkaban, but Remus is helping to oversee his recovery. With good food, rest and exercise, plus a few nutrient potions, he should be almost fully healed by the time school finishes.
"And how did they react to your… large house-guest?" Hermione asked, laughter lurking in her apparently innocent question and Harry's mind flashed back to the day in question.
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"This is a really nice place. Once Kreacher and Dobby finish with Grimnauld Place, it should look maybe a tenth as good as this." Sirius nodded as he looked round, his friend and fellow-marauder Remus Lupin following him as they finished the tour of the rebuilt Potter Manor.
"It's not much, but I call it home." Harry snarked, waving them to take a seat. "Wait, Dobby? I've heard Draco mention him… isn't he a Malfoy elf."
"He was part of 'Cissa's dowry." Sirius shrugged. "She didn't want to answer to me as Lord Black when I finally claimed my title, or maybe it was that her husband wouldn't let her, so I reclaimed half her dowry as per the contract, and that included Dobby."
"Ah, that explains it." Harry mused, then he shrugged.
"I still can't believe that you got yourself a giant snake." Sirius sighed. "How did you do it?"
"You mean SssSthss the Basilisk? Oh, I rescued her from the Chamber of Secrets." Harry smiled. "Once the control curses were broken, she was happy to adopt one of the new greenhouses as her new home, although she sometimes curls up in my room. She's a good conversationalist."
Remus smiled at Sirius' gobsmacked expression.
"You speak Parseltongue?"
"I can, but it was easier to provide a translation device." Harry shrugged, not bothering to mention that it had been Jor-El who had made it in the manufactory deep underfoot. "The diadem that SssSthss wears not only translates her speech, it also projects a type of shield that means her gaze doesn't harm anyone that she doesn't wish to hurt."
"The food isss good asss well." Said a slightly metallic voice with a slight hiss. Harry grinned as both men turned, then almost seemed to teleport to the corner of the room furthest away from the giant Basilisk in the doorway. "They ssseem ssslightly jumpy, massster."
"Probably awed by your beauty." Harry said, trying not to collapse with laughter as Remus carefully peered out from behind the Grimm-like form that Sirius had flowed into. "Hungry?"
"I had a cow three daysss ago." SssSthss said with a slight flex surprisingly similar to a shrug. "I wasss about to take a nap, unlessss you want me for sssomething."
"I might join you." Harry smiled and SssSthss nodded before retreating through the door and flowing away.
"Join her?" Remus finally managed and Harry shrugged.
"When she curls up, she's surprisingly comfortable. I get a good night's sleep using her as a bed."
Sirius stared at him, then returned to his human form. "That is… just unbelievable. Heck of a prank though, pup, persuading her to sneak up like that in order to scare us. You're definitely a Marauder."
"Thanks, Padfoot."
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"My Dogfather and Moony adjusted quite quickly." Harry noted. "Uncle Remus seemed to find it reassuring, after thinking about it for a while and talking to SssSthss. Sirius was making snake-puns for the rest of the day, though. I don't know what dad was thinking, choosing him as my dogfather."
"Did you say Moony?" A familiar voice asked.
"I do believe he did. You… know Moony?"
"Of Moony, Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail?" The first voice continued as its owner, one of the Weasley twins, seemed to pop up out of nowhere to walk beside them, the other twin taking position on their other flank.
"Wormtail is not a Marauder." Harry stated coldly, then he frowned. "Those names… you found the Marauders Map?"
Both twins nodded, although they looked slightly puzzled.
"The Marauders… my father was one and Sirius told me about their map project." Harry said and the twin on their left suddenly gasped with realization.
"Yes, we were listening to the radio! Your dad was a stag animagus!"
"Prongs! Of course, and Black said he was a dog…"
"Padfoot! And you said Pettigrew…"
The twins exchanged long looks.
"Oh crap."
"Scabbers."
"Missing toe."
"Missing finger."
By this time, all five had stopped and Harry looked at the two pale-faced twins curiously.
"You two know where he is?"
"…where he was." One of the twins finally sighed. "Scabbers was our brother Percy's pet rat until he was passed to Ron, but don't rats normally live only five or six years?"
"Up to eight in captivity if looked after." Hermione confirmed.
"Ten years." The other twin winced. "We thought it was just a magic rat."
"Guess we were right."
"Do your parents know?" Hermione asked and the twins paled further.
"Mum. Will. Freak."
"Yes, she will."
.
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"Welcome back." Andromeda Tonks said in greeting as the students found their favorite seats and sat down. "Today, we will be discussing the phases of the moon and why certain potions are affected by it whereas others are not. Now, who wants to begin?"
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"That was a very interesting lesson." Hermione gushed as they exited the potions lab. "I knew that Moondew was one of the plants affected by the moon, but I never realized that Aconite was as well… Harry, isn't that Sirius Black out there with the teachers… That's Fiendfyre! I've read about it! Why did Professor Flitwick just use Fiendfyre?"
Harry stared out of the window at the courtyard where Albus, Flitwick and a few others were gathered. "I have a question of my own. What's Sirius doing here in the first place? Pardon me."
Harry broke into a run, carefully not exceeding that speed a normal human could achieve, and quickly reached one of the doors into the courtyard. Stepping through, he waved.
"Sirius, Remus… what's going on?"
"Another diary." Flitwick supplied, earning a confused look from Sirius.
"Actually it was a locket…"
"Oh crap. Another one?" Harry sighed, causing Sirius to give him a perplexed look. "How many did that idiot make?"
"He has to be running out of them." Flitwick stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Your scar, the diary, the locket… well, we shall see. Thank you, Mr Black, your help was greatly appreciated."
"Sirius-ly so." Black punned, earning several groans and a dope-slap from Remus.
"We were about to head for lunch." Harry said and Sirius perked up.
"Food? Lead me to it!"
Remus shook his head, but followed Sirius as the other man half-followed, half-pushed Harry towards the Great Hall.
"So, the Ravenclaw table, right?" Sirius asked as he almost bounced along. "Wow, do I remember my days at Hogwarts, I tell you, those Ravenclaw girls can be just so ki-umph!"
"Dammit, Padfoot!" Remus half-hissed as he kept his hand clamped over Sirius' mouth. "Remember the conversation we had about age-appropriate comments?"
Sirius sighed, but nodded and Remus released him, wiping his hand against his robe with a grimace of distaste.
"You know," Remus added thoughtfully, "I was almost a Ravenclaw myself, but the Hat finally decided that I fitted slightly better in Gryffindor.
"I was offered Slytherin, but there was no way that I was going to follow my family's example." Sirius shrugged. "Of course, it was your dad who really sold Gryffindor to me. We ended up sharing a compartment and the Blacks are traditionally a Dark family while the Potters are light, so when we realized who the other one was, we just sat there staring at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move, then the door opened and it was your mother. She looked at us and asked if all wizards were always so serious.
"Your father pointed at me and said Nope, only him. It was the first time I heard that Sirius/Serious pun and I fell off the bench laughing. By the time I recovered, she'd gone, probably convinced that we were nutcases."
"She would be right about that." Remus interjected. "You and James were."
"And what were you, then?"
"The one doing damage control." Remus shot back as he sat down beside Sirius. Harry sat down opposite them, then blinked as Fed and George plonked themselves down beside Remus, who gave them a quizzical look.
"Aren't you Gryffindors?"
"We are."
"But we checked."
"And except at official feasts, people are allowed, nay, officially encouraged to sit with their friends at whichever table at least one of them belongs."
"And since we are friends with Lord Potter, or at least not enemies, we decided to join you."
"After all, a chance to learn from the two remaining Marauders?"
"Padfoot and Moony?"
"How could we not?"
"They have a copy of the old Marauders Map." Harry supplied. "Oh, don't worry, I don't need it. Nev, Hermione and I all have our own maps."
"Well, you've one-upped us again." Sirius noted admiringly. "It took us almost four years to perfect our Map."
"I had some help." Harry demurred.
"Oh!" Sirius grinned. "By the way, I made a donation to Hogwarts, boosting their coffers somewhat, so now I have a standing invitation to all the Quidditch games. Sunday after next, I'll be there to cheer for you. As will Remus."
Remus paused eating to nod in confirmation.
"Thanks, Sirius." Harry smiled.
"Hey, I'm your Godfather, remember?" Sirius laughed.
"So, you made someone an offer they couldn't refuse?" Hermione giggled and Sirius looked blankly at her.
"What?"
Hermione sighed. "It's taken from one of my Dad's favorite films, called The Godfather. It's about the career of a criminal mastermind as he leads his organisation through the years."
"A film about a criminal?" Sirius mused, then he shook his head. "Muggles are weird."
Hermione opened her mouth to try and explain, but Neville gave her a look, causing her to sigh and apply herself to her food.
.
.
"Hey, just thought we'd pop by to tell you we're headed out." Sirius said as Harry exited the Transfiguration classroom. "I've dealt with what I needed to deal with… and I was right. It was at Malfoy's insistence that Narcissa didn't recognise me as Lord Black. Of course, this means that once I visit Gringotts to formalise things, you'll be my sole heir."
"…thanks?" Harry managed and Sirius grinned widely even as Remus started trying to pull him away.
"Well, gotta go. Mr I-used-to-be-fun-but-am-now-a-responsible-adult seems to think I need to be somewhere else. See you later!"
Harry gave Sirius a wave as Remus dragged him off, scolding him about the need to not keep a Gringotts Goblin waiting.
"That man is a child." Hermione huffed and Harry pounced on the opportunity.
"Really? I thought he was being very Sirius. Ow! Neville, help!"
"Oh no." Neville shook his head as he carefully stepped out of range. "You brought this one on yourself, Harry."
"Traitor!"
A blond Slytherin glanced at them as he moved past, but none of them noticed.
.
Narcissa Malfoy looked up from her marking as someone knocked on her door.
"Enter!"
The door opened and Narcissa smiled broadly, her normal reserve in abeyance since it was her beloved son rather than a social competitor. "Yes, Draco?"
"Mother." Draco said as he stepped into the room and Narcissa's mental antennae twitched at his tone. "I overheard a certain conversation which indicates that at least one of your plans for me has failed."
Narcissa allowed a trace of confusion to show. "Draco? What are you talking about?"
"You need to write to Father. Lord Black was visiting and he mentioned that since you did not recognise him as the true Lord Black due to Father's insistence, he is taking steps to cut me out of the line of inheritance."
Narcissa paled. "But… who will be his… Potter?"
Draco nodded as Narcissa rose from her seat and started pacing. "If Lord Potter becomes Lord Black as well, he'll have almost as much money as we have as well as far more political power… Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Draco."
Draco nodded, then withdrew and Narcissa moved over to the Floo, reaching for the bowl of Floo powder on the mantelpiece.
"Malfoy Manor!"
.
.
The fire in the Floo turned back to its normal reddish hue as Lucius stared in terrified horror at the space where his wife's head had been.
"Lucius…" Voldemort almost purred as he stepped out of the corner he had been in to prevent Narcissa from spotting him while still allowing him to overhear the conversation in its entirety. "I do believe that we need to have a discussion about the sorts of plans you come up with and the need to consider the follow through, hmmm?"
Lucius cringed as Voldemort walked over to loom above him.
"Follow me, Lucius. I do believe that I know how you can at least partially atone for your latest error. I was thinking of taking Pettigrew with me, but I do believe that you would be more suited."
"Anything, My Lord!" Lucius whimpered and Voldemort smiled coldly.
"Then grab your cloak, Lucius. There is a certain cave that I wish to visit and your presence will be invaluable…"
.
.
Millicent Bagnold looked angrily at the single-room flat that was her new home. In the corner, separated from the room only by a rather tattered curtain, was a shower stall and a toilet. A sink was nearby along with a small grill and in the other corner, a bed sagged on a cracked frame.
Bagnold dropped her bag on the threadbare and moth-eaten carpet. She had been incredibly lucky to have avoided Azkaban by selling off almost all her assets (and calling in almost every favor she had been owed) but now all she had to look forwards to was a one-room existence, relying on the unaugmented pension that was all she was officially entitled to as a former Minister of Magic.
And her new financial state was the result of that damned Boy-who-lived! She had tried to protect him and this was how he repaid her? Beggaring her and condemning her to this hideous existence!
Her teeth started grinding as she stomped over to the grimy window and glared out at the muggle street below.
She didn't know how, but she would get her revenge.
She would regain her House-Elves and her old house… no. She would claim the Potter Mansion as her own. She would regain her rightful place and she would see Potter humbled!
…Of course, she needed first to see what remained of her contacts and what assets she still had to call upon.
But she would get her revenge, no matter what she had to do or who she had to ally with.
The Boy-who-lived would fall.
And she would be there to gloat.