Chapter 44: The New Horcrux
The winning story is number 3, about Harry, I'm about to release some chapters, have a look and see if you're interested.
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- Remus, hello! - We hugged tightly to the werewolf who had emerged from the fireplace. - You finally managed to make it to France.
- Sirius locked himself in the mansion after he was attacked, and he and Alastor are practising some creepy spells in the basement," the werewolf grinned. - I was tired of flying around the training room with them like a ball. Besides, he's practising techniques that are tied to the Black family magic, and I'm no help to him. Not yet.
The last words made the werewolf visibly embarrassed.
- And today I snuck out to see you so we could have a little chat. - Lupin rose from his seat and, lowering his voice, continued. - And seriously - I want to walk through the magical quarter of Paris and pick up a nice ring.
- Congratulations! - I tapped my older mate on the shoulder, happy with his decision. - Then I'll try to find something suitable for Fleur's birthday present.
- As your former classmates would probably say," Lupin laughed softly, "you're a lucky man. They'd be referring to the fact that a Veela has her eye on you, but I'm talking about your ability to withstand the spell of Veela attraction without turning into a drooling idiot.
- I've seen how Hogwarts reacted to Fleur," I cringed, the unpleasant memory stabbing at my heart.
- But a lot of teenagers just need to see an attractive woman and forget about everything else, so they don't need Weil magic," Remus smiled, walking over to the fireplace. - Which team gets into the magical quarter?
- At the old lion's.
After the werewolf said the key word, I joined my older companion, who was already looking at the ancient oak vaults of the large restaurant we'd just left.
- Not a bad place," the werewolf whistled, and I noticed only now that Remus' appearance had changed dramatically. He'd abandoned the plain but tattered clothes I'd seen him in most of the time and was now wrapped in a dark blue robe embroidered in silver, not unlike a generic wizard.
- Sirius convinced me," Remus replied, a little embarrassed, noticing my scrutiny. - He opened an account for me, telling me that since I didn't want to accept his help as a friend, I'd have to do what my future head of the family told me to do.
- I see," I said, exchanging quick handshakes with the two young men from the Gryphon Faculty sitting at a table near the fireplace.
- How are you settling in at Beauxbaton? - The werewolf's yellow eyes looked at me with care and concern.
- It's much easier than Hogwarts," I answered honestly. - No one expects me to defeat the Lord, or to go crazy, as Skeeter had written in her articles. And here I had friends I could trust with my back.
- I'm sorry, Harry," Remus had a slightly guilty expression on his face. - We couldn't protect James' son.
- It's okay, Lunatic," I touched his shoulder reassuringly. - "It's Dumbledore's fault, and the prejudices of the 'common wizards' who expect me to kill Voldemort single-handedly.
- You're probably right," the werewolf sighed heavily. - "Sometimes I'm amazed at how eagerly all these people have jumped on the Headmaster's story about the Chosen One, even though if they'd all picked up wands in the First War, Voldemort would have lost before he got to Godric's Hollow.
- Sirius is trying to change that," I grinned. - He told me that he'd commissioned a whole series of newspaper articles on patriotism and the courage of wizards.
- Maybe something will come of it," Lupin smiled diplomatically. - 'Come on, we need to pick out a present for Nymphadora.
We'd probably spend most of the day wandering among the countless shops in the magical quarter of Paris - the space duplication charms used back in the Middle Ages had divided Muggle and magical Paris, creating a huge territory, almost a third of the current French capital - but I'd asked Ciaran for advice yesterday, and the wizard had suggested a good place. In an inconspicuous alleyway of the Old Kings was a simple house of dark maroon brick, with tiny windows and a pointed roof. But in the shop located here, knowledgeable people could find the most interesting things that would take much longer to find in ordinary jewellery shops or artifact shops.
- Good day, gentlemen," the shopkeeper addressed us in French, a wrinkled old man, whose age I would define as comparable to Dumbledore's. When he noticed that Remus didn't know the language, however, the old man switched to English. - What can I do for you?
- Perhaps we could start by taking a look at what you have in your cabinets, Honoured Master," Ciaran said, many of the artefacts for sale had been made by this old man, so he deserved to be respected.
And indeed, small glass display cases were very densely arranged around the small hall, containing real works of art. Jewellery, a few weapons, amulets, rare books, luxury items, and many other interesting, and often mysterious to me, things.
Lupin went to the display case, the velvet interior of which was almost completely hidden by the many rings and jewels, and I walked around the room, glancing at the items in it, hoping to find something that Fleur would like, and that wouldn't be the trivial gold jewellery that friendly family members gave on birthdays and holidays. I wanted to find a gift that would suit Veela, showing how important she had become to me over time.
The old man, seeing the werewolf's obvious interest in his wares, moved closer to the ring display, and I was left alone, surrounded by several glass cabinets. Some ancient wooden dolls, literally breathing magic unknown to me, stared at me silently with empty painted eyes as I looked around the cabinets for anything of interest.
"- Jewellery? - I pondered, tensely examining the things around me. - An amulet? Definitely not a doll, I doubt Fleur would appreciate the joke..."
Pulling out my wand, I muttered one of the most powerful spells for finding sources of magic and was almost blinded, as if I were in the centre of a star cluster. There were so many enchanted things here that their bright light made my eyes water. Quickly identifying the source of the brightest light, and therefore the most seriously enchanted item, I made my way to the right display case.
An amulet. A small pendant woven from fine gold threads, with a small sapphire embedded in its centre. The amulet contained a whole group of spells that I couldn't recognise because they were too complex and layered. Desperate to make sense of this artefact, which scornfully ignored all my diagnostic spells, I called out to the owner.
- Are you interested in this amulet, young master? - The shopkeeper smiled enigmatically. - It is an amulet made by an unknown master, unfortunately for me, especially for Veelas.
- What do you mean, master? - I raised an eyebrow in surprise, intrigued by this answer.
- This amulet allows Veela to hide her aura, turning into an ordinary girl, albeit a very beautiful one.
- That's interesting. - Why don't Veelas use these amulets?
- Because they are very uncommon. - The old man shook his head. - The secret of making them is not lost, as you might think, but it takes a rare skill to weave such delicate streams of power to create such an amulet.
- If you compare this work to jewellery, a Veela amulet weaves threads of energy as thick as a human hair, whereas even the finest jeweller is unable to work with such threads. That is why only a few wizards," the old man was clearly back on his favourite horse and spoke with increasing enthusiasm, "are able to create such delicate things. Here are enclosed and disguise charms, and reflection charms, and a dozen more spells, which can be listed for a long time.
Attracted by the shopkeeper's lively story, Lupin also came closer.
- How much do you want for that amulet? - It must have cost a fortune, but considering what Fleur had told me the other day, it would be the best gift for a Veela who'd been frustrated more than once by her inability to block her own attraction.
The old man's price was more than reasonable. In fact, the elegant ring with rubies that Remus had bought wasn't worth a third of the price of the amulet, even though Remus hadn't bought a simple piece of metal, and the wedding ring hadn't been enchanted with the simplest of charms. In this case, however, I decided that no good would come from good and obediently counted out the required sum, feeling that I had surprised the wizard - it was unlikely that he had expected that a teenager who came into his shop would calmly part with the money on which the average wizarding family in England could live for many months without needing anything.
Having received - as a gift from the establishment - a small velvet case, on which the wizard with me incredibly cleverly put the spells of strength and signalling, I put the purchase in the pocket of my robe.
After bowing to the old man, who was pleased with the successful transaction, we left the shop, still impressed by what we had heard.
- I think I know what I'm going to do after I defeat Voldemort," I grinned.
- You're going to be a jeweller? - laughed a satisfied Lupin.
- Exactly.
Same day. Black Mansion.
- Lunatic, a dementor down your throat, pull yourself together! - Sirius, who had been watching his friend's torment, only smirked derisively.
Remus seemed to be torn between incredible happiness and embarrassment, unable to pull himself together and still go to the next room, where Nymphadora Black and her mother were currently having tea.
- She'll definitely take you up on your offer, you furry problem," Sirius laughed frankly. - Remember how cleverly she'd dealt with the issue of you not responding to all her flirtations with you.
- Ugh," Remus looked both pleased and still embarrassed at the same time. - I feel like I'm going into battle.
- We're going to fight! - Black, smiling conspiratorially, snapped his fingers. - Kreacher!
The houseboy appeared in the room and stared faithfully at the master who had revived the former gloomy glory of the Black family.
- Bring us each a shot from the barrel in the far corner of the third wine cellar," Sirius commanded curtly.
The elf disappeared, only to reappear a few seconds later, gently holding a tray with two tiny shot glasses filled with black liquid in his furry paws.
- Let's drink to your luck," he grinned, raising the shot glass. - Here's to everything going well for you.
The wizards clinked their glasses, and Remus immediately grabbed his throat with his hands.
- What is this?! - He struggled to get it out. - I feel like I've drunk pure alcohol!
- Almost," Black smirked. - It's a tincture of magical herbs my great-great-grandfather put in the cellars. You can't buy that stuff in any rarity shop.
- Solid," the werewolf whistled, blushing. The half-millennium-old tincture had a truly invigorating effect.
- Now you need something to eat," Black said, "or the smell of alcohol from your mouth will blend in nicely with the matchmaking!
The third houseboy silently handed the werewolf a pickled mushroom on a fork, took the glasses and vanished.
- Now come on, Lunatic," Sirius nudged his friend toward the door and walked into the dining hall after him.
- Sister, I have something urgent to ask you," Sirius led the woman delicately out into the corridor, where a gleeful laugh came from.
- Hi, Dora," the werewolf smiled, kissing the girl gently on the cheek.
- What happened at Uncle Siri's?
- I don't know," Remus answered honestly, not even guessing what business Sirius could have come up with to keep Nymphadora's mother out of the room.
- You look worried, my wolf," Nymphadora hugged the werewolf's neck tightly, "is something wrong?
- Not exactly," Lupin gently unclasped the girl's thin arms, taking her palms in his, and knelt down.
- Miss Black, my love, I ask you to be my wife.
Nymphadora's eyes went wide for a second, and then with a joyous squeal, the girl embraced the still kneeling werewolf, making Lupin sway.
- Yes!" There was so much happiness in that word.
The wizard took out a thin ring from his pocket, decorated with rubies that glistened bloodily in the light of the lamps, and put it on her slender finger, kissing the girl's palm.
- I love you.
- And I love you, my children," came Black's mocking voice from the doorway. - Be fruitful and multiply.
Sirius dodged two spells fired almost simultaneously and continued.
- Since we have a living and fully authorised head of the Black's, that's me," he grinned through his thirty-two teeth, "then you, my friend, may well join the Blecks as Nymphadora's husband.
Andromeda, who had followed Bleak in, hugged Lupin and Nymphadora, who were still holding hands.
15 January, Hogwarts, Great Hall.
Like any other morning, during breakfast the Great Hall was soon to be filled with owls bringing in the mail and newspapers the students had written out. However, the atmosphere in the hall was very different from the usual one - there was no longer the benign omnipotent light wizard, in his place was something troubled and absorbed in his thoughts. There was no look of the kindly grandfather, his "calling card", either - Dumbledore at times very carefully squinted his eyes around the tables, as if looking at something unknown.
However, the other teachers, except Minerva McGonagall, were unaffected by the reason for the Headmaster's mood; Sprout and Vector were discussing something animatedly, Snape, who had apparently been assigned to sit next to Umbridge today, was wrinkling his nose as he listened to the thin voice of the "professor" who was eagerly proving something to the dark wizard.
- What happened to the Headmaster? - Hermione turned to Neville, knowing that Harry's friend was more often than not in the know about what was going on in England thanks to his grandmother and Sirius Black.
- You'll find out for yourself soon enough... - Longbottom seemed rather tense as well. Knowing the crushing defeat the Headmaster had suffered at the hands of Harry and his team, Neville feared what Dumbledore would do once he received the summons to the evening meeting of the Wizengamot, initiated by the demand of the Longbottom and Black houses, where Amelia Bones, Fudge and other officials had also been invited. - Soon the owls would bring the mail, and you would learn that the world you lived in had irreversibly changed.
Neville grinned stiffly, imagining the collapse of the girl's ideals, who had always seen Dumbledore as the wisest and fairest wizard who knew what was best for everyone.
With a crack, the windows under the very roof of the Great Hall opened, letting in a flock of owls, hooting, screeching, flapping their wings. Landing in front of the students, the magical owls waited patiently for the children to remove the tethered newspapers or letters and put a few copper or silver coins into the little pouches around the owls' necks for delivery.
Silence fell over the Great Hall as soon as the pupils got to Skeeter's article about the Tribunal proceedings. A couple of minutes later, however, the silence was replaced by loud voices discussing what had happened, rushing to share their opinions with their friends, to speculate, to accuse, to justify.
Neville cringed at the sight of it. Having been forced to grow up a lot in the past six months, he had gradually come to regard most of the students as children, as indeed they were. The bulk of Hogwarts students didn't care much about politics or the upcoming war; all they'd done in the past year was discuss articles about the Tournament, wonder if Potter had gone mad, and pester the fourth year with idiotic questions.
The young man's gaze shifted to the Slytherin table. They were quietly discussing the action that had taken place in Germany, occasionally casting cautious glances furtively towards the Headmaster's desk.
- Students of Hogwarts," Dumbledore's loud voice echoed through the room. - I regret to say that some of what was written in the article is true.
The hall gasped.
- I'm not finished yet," the Headmaster's voice had taken on a hardness uncharacteristic of him before, the great wizard's power had enveloped him in a tangible cocoon, and it was clear that the old man had certainly not lost his magic yet, even if he had just lost a large part of his influence in the country.
- Unfortunately, Harry Potter, who had disappeared from the country in the summer, running away from the responsibility imposed on him by all the peaceful wizards, had changed a lot. I don't know who tipped him off...''
Neville listened to the old wizard and marvelled at his skill. Even after losing the lion's share of influence in the country, after receiving an unbelievably strong and painful click in the form of the loss of his guardianship rights, Dumbledore was still a consummate manipulator. Twenty minutes of lengthy reasoning and the children are already convinced that what happened was merely the result of a temporary disagreement between the all-powerful headmaster and the runaway Harry Potter.
Luna Lovegood caught Neville's eye and smiled, trying to cheer the young man up. The sunny, still childlike genuine pure smile carried a touch of Luna's magic, and Longbottom felt something akin to a kiss on his cheek.
It was clear that, even stripped of his positions outside of Hogwarts, the Headmaster would still be just as dangerous a creature, and unlikely to let go of the remnants of unspoken power over the country easily. The next thought that came to Neville's mind was horrifying. He wondered what would happen when the Headmaster finally lost the political battle with Potter's allies. Wouldn't the school turn out to be a big trap for the children? Longbottom had high hopes that Harry would return to Hogwarts next school year, capable of possibly handling the Headmaster with the support of his men.
The Potions class that followed breakfast had been disgusting. Snape, who had finally managed to pass his probation and retained his professorship with the Headmaster's support, hadn't changed his behaviour much.
The professor stopped taking points off for ridiculous and insulting reasons, but doubly mocked the underachievers, generously handing out punishments for mistakes in potions. But, to give the potions master his due, now he at least explained to the students their mistakes, showed them what and how to do it correctly before giving them a task in class. At least that was good, because Neville didn't have time for endless work-ups - he was busy with lessons, homework, training with the Auror, dueling club he had organised, and Luna....
Neville smiled involuntarily at the thought of the girl. Luna, who had become his closest friend in less than a fortnight, was inimitable. In many ways she was still a child, and from time to time she would come up with solutions to the problems that plagued Longbottom's head that he could only marvel at the unconventionality of her approach. Even at the dueling club, Luna, who was a year younger than Hermione, was not inferior to her in any way; her wand seemed like an unnecessary addition to her spells, and Neville wouldn't have been surprised to learn that his girlfriend was casting spells without it, just masking her skills. Luna's spells didn't have much power, but they were always remarkably cunning and unexpected, at the last training session she had cornered Fred Weasley with Confundus alone, throwing them out at some incredible speed. After the lesson, George was drinking firewhiskey and muttering something about crazy girls who shouldn't be allowed to hold a wand until Neville politely asked him to shut up and stop talking nonsense.
Naturally, Neville, who had been brought up in the old aristocratic tradition by a strict grandmother, did not even think about a closer relationship with the girl, limiting himself to kissing and hugging her. But even the mere thought of her fuelled a real fire in his blood. Luna was as if she was shedding her mask of the Madwoman, becoming a very lively, cheerful and passionate girl. Though her trust in Neville and his feelings sometimes frightened the young man, who assumed that the girl who had fallen in love for the first time was simply not thinking of any dishonesty on his part, so he promised himself not to be fooled by such trust.
Stirring the potion simmering in the cauldron with a copper ladle, Neville glanced over at the table next to him. Ron, who had just been punched in the nose by Hermione for trying to put too much powder in the cauldron, was now carefully measuring the snow-white particles on a scale, while Granger was pecking away at the mortar at the speed of a woodpecker, trying to get the potion ready before the end of the lesson.
- Mr Weasley, now you've started to measure out the right amount of reagents before you pour them into the cauldron. - Snape's calm voice, though he still hated Gryffindors but had to restrain himself, came over Neville's ear. - 'That's progress, considering you spent four years throwing whatever you could into the cauldron.
"- Seems to say everything calmly, but he always says things that make the person he's talking to feel watered down...," Neville marvelled to himself as he looked at Ron, who was angry at the teacher's comment.
Malfoy, who had been laughing gloatingly at the Dean's remarks, was as happy as ever.
Finally the exorcism of the negligent students came to an end. Snape, wrinkling his nose, read out more or less decently prepared potions to everyone present, but Gryffindor's score was still not enough to cover the points Snape had taken away for mistakes in potions and cooking techniques.
The next lesson, Defence Against the Dark Arts with Umbridge, was going to be even worse - Snape, though a complete bastard, at least knew his business and could teach someone something, provided that that someone didn't belong to a faculty he hated and wasn't named Weasley or Longbottom.
Umbridge's lessons, with her wholehearted support of the Ministry of Magic's policies, were a challenge for all students without exception. Gryffindors were irritated by her hatred of Dumbledore and her demands for discipline, Puffenduys by her contempt for her students. The Ravenclaw students despised the woman for her lack of logic, and the Slytherins despised her for everything, and for her lack of ancient lineage in particular.
- So, my dear students," Umbridge's thin voice penetrated deep into my skull and made me cringe as if from a toothache. - Today we are going to study the theory of the Protego defence spell.
Hermione, who was sitting on the Defence next to him, was skewered with disgust.
- The Protego spell is performed with a horizontal and then circular movement of the wand, simultaneously with which the sorcerer pronounces the word Protego as clearly and audibly as possible. If successful, a golden film appears around the sorcerer, reflecting most spells directed at you.
Neville felt his eyes glaze over; it was almost impossible to stay awake during theoretical wizarding lessons, and even the most stalwart of them gave up in the end.
- The span and speed of the circle wand outlined the boundaries of the shield being created, and these boundaries also depended on the magical power of the sorcerer.
"Merlin, how much better this would all look if we could do the spells practically at the same time as the theory," Neville forced his body to stay upright.
- Now take notes on the chapter on the conditions under which this spell should be used. - Dolores returned to the lectern, looking favourably at the heads bent over their textbooks.
Sadly, even the gong that signalled the end of the pointless and horrible lesson did not spare the students from Umbridge - next on the schedule was a lesson on political literacy.
- So, my dear students," Umbridge looked round the class with a satisfied look, "today I will give you topics for independent study and essays, the best of which will be published in The Prophet, and their authors will be awarded letters of thanks from the Minister of Magic.
- Thank all the gods, that's it for today.... - Neville slumped into the armchair in the Gryffindor sitting room with relief. - The only advantage of Umbridge's lessons is that we only see her two days a week.
- But what days," the twins immediately appeared behind him. - A few lessons a day with the great wizard Toad, that's no joke. Neville, are you sure you don't want some candy?
George grinned and held out his new invention to the young man.
- 'And what's going to happen to me? - Neville waved away the "generous" offer. - Will I be covered in feathers? Will I grow a beak? Or, like Colin, will I grow wool and get moose horns?
The twins laughed.
- Yeah, brother, he's not that easy to fool. We have to test our inventions on someone, Neville.
- You might just get to the point," Hermione appeared next to him, "where you poison someone with your sweets, and then you'll lose points and be expelled!
- Miss Terrible Head Girl wants us to leave, we always follow Miss Terrible Head Girl's orders," George spoofed the way House elf's talk and the twins left, dodging a pillow thrown in their direction.
- Neville, I've been talking to a couple of Ravenclaw students," Dean Thomas sprinted to land on a nearby sofa. - Zhou Chang wants to participate in the class.
- If the others agree and Chang signs the contract, I don't mind," Neville made a mental note to bring up the new girl at the next group meeting.
16 January 1996, Black Mansion.
Sirius Black, swaying perceptibly, walked into the library. The unscheduled meeting of the English Wizengamot, which was also attended by the Minister of Magic, and the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, had concluded successfully. Albus Dumbledore, who had not had time to regain his influence after his crushing defeat at the Tribunal, had lost his position as Chairman of the Wizengamot and his membership in the Wizengamot in one day. Even though they had weakened the position of the Dark Lord's rivals, Sirius was pleased. Sooner or later, Voldemort would be killed by Harry or all of them together, and Dumbledore, in all the years of the First War, with his considerable power in the form of the Order of the Phoenix, had never achieved any particular success. So this time too, having a considerable position in the political arena, the Headmaster was mired in intrigue and could do nothing useful.
After the aristocrat's grand drinking party with Alastor and Lupin, he needed an ancient volume with a curse of rare complexity and trickery, which he intended to give Arthur Weasley the next time they met. Alastor, interested in such an idea, demanded that the book be brought immediately. Staggering over, the man caught his foot on the edge of the shelving unit, from which a rather thin cloth-bound book fell from the impact of his foot, unfolding about halfway through.
Black swore as he bent down to pick it up from the floor, but he sobered up a little as he glanced at the scrawled lines in familiar handwriting. Quickly flipping through the beaded pages, he reached the last entry of the diary.
- Merlin and the underworld.... - Exhaled the man. - Regulus!
Grabbing the notebook in his hand, Black sprinted out of the library, heading for the living room where his friends were sitting.
- Silence! - He shouted as he entered the hall.
Alastor jumped up from his seat and snatched up his wand, spinning his artificial eye frantically.
- Black, are you drunk as hell already? - roared the auror, "Why... scare you like that?!
- I found a record of another Horcrux!
When he heard that answer, the auror hid his wand and literally flew over to Sirius, who threw the notebook on the table.
All three of them were deep into reading the last diary entry of Sirius' younger brother Regulus Arcturus Black, who had sided with Voldemort during the First War and mysteriously died shortly before it ended.
"Today I am finally and definitively convinced that the Lord has created a Horcrux - even I, a descendant of a dark family, am horrified by this. An incomplete soul in a now incomplete body - Voldemort has ruined any chance of passing on the invaluable line of the great Salazar Slytherin to mages. The mage who created the Horcrux forfeits the ability to procreate.
Damn thing, and he's the one I served faithfully for a year and a half!
I've managed to locate the cache with the Horcrux hidden inside. Hopefully, my abilities will be enough to get through the defences and destroy Voldemort's vault of souls. Kreacher, who I have ordered to come with me, will have to take whatever is left of me out of the cache.
May Merlin be my protection."
The diary broke off, blank pages following.
Sirius rose from his seat with a contorted face, tears streaming down his cheeks.
- I thought he was a traitor until the last moment," he literally moaned.
Remus and Alastor silently clapped him on the shoulders. Auror used his wand to pull three glasses of brandy towards them.
- May his sleep be sound. - Alastor tossed the empty glass into the fire.
As he drank, Sirius regained his ability to think.
- Kreacher," the old and gaunt houseboy appeared and stared at his master adoringly. - Can you take us back to where my brother took you?
- Kreacher can," the houseboy said hoarsely, "Kreacher can. Only there's nothing there, nothing there.
- There's nothing? - Lupin, as the most patient and sober of all, took over the questioning.
- Master Regulus and Kreacher were in an underground cavern. Lots of evil magic, the reanimated dead, creepy traps. - The houseboy's body shuddered at the horrible memories. - Master Regulus pulled a golden locket from an enchanted bowl, defeating the defences.
- Where is the locket now?
- Master Regulus couldn't destroy it and ordered Kreacher to hide it in the house. Kreacher did. Master Regulus said he was going to kill the brat and left. Kreacher never saw Master Regulus again," two tears ran down the houseboy's cheeks.
- Where is the locket now? - Remus looked worriedly at Sirius, who was slumped in his chair, clutching his head with his hands.
- It was stolen by Fletcher, the vile thief. Master Sirius wasn't master then, and Kreacher couldn't punish the vile thief himself. And then Master Sirius became master and stopped letting the thief on his doorstep.
- Now," Alastor rose from his chair, heading for the fireplace. - I'll order my men to search carefully for the bastard and bring him to me, safe and sound. Remus, take a walk down Dark Alley - the rat is probably sitting in a pub somewhere, drinking with some rogues.
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