House Hunting

Ronda called Beth the next day, "I've got a lead on a place that might meet your needs. There's a house that was built by a big shot architect it was supposed to be his retirement home. However he put it off a little long, he got diagnosed with cancer six months ago and never even got the chance to live there. He died last night, rumor has it his son in California inherits everything. But the son is a hot shot attorney in Santa Barbara and probably is going to want to sell, however it's going to in probate for at least six weeks. And I know you guys were looking for something ASAP."

"We found a temporary place so if you can arrange for us to see it soon, that would be marvelous that way we'll know if we should jump on it or continue looking.."

"I'll see what I can do. Ciao."

Beth came home with take out that night because she was craving Thai food. When she got to the dining room she found Sirius elbow deep in a mess of papers, engineering and computer texts, and circuitry boards. "What are you doing?"

Sirius jumped. He had been so engrossed in what he was doing he hadn't even heard Beth come in. "Beth, Merlin is it that late already? I was just..." his voice trailed off as he realized what a mess he had made. "Crud." He pulled out his wand and waved it everything instantly flew into neat piles on the sideboard. He rose from his seat and came over to hug her. "I decided to start trying to adapt a magic based computer and I lost track of time."

"So is this what you do all day?"

"No, I start the day looking at the papers and make decisions about the finances, then I make any necessary phone calls then, I do this. It's engrossing and relaxing at the same time."

"Are you missing Harry?"

"I..yes, I do miss him especially when it's about the time he used to come home. I'm sorry I don't have dinner ready tonight I lost track.."

"of time, I know that's okay I was craving Thai tonight so I stopped and picked some up. Summer rolls, chicken satay, pad thai..."

"Sounds delicious. You know in the future if you give me a heads up I'm a pretty decent cook."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"And where would a noble wizard like yourself learn to cook?"

"I'll have you know I was the potioneer of the Marauders. Remus specialized in charms and runes, James transfiguration and I did potions. I was third in my class in potions. Only Lily, Harry's mum, and Severus Snape, who is one of the world's leading Potion Masters, were ahead of me. Then there was me taking care of Harry, I kind of had to learn to cook. Liana insisted." A sad expression came over his face.

"Tell me some stories."

"What?"

"Tell me some stories."

"About?

"Anything. Everything. When you proposed you said we didn't know each others back stories. Let's fix that. Tell me about the Marauders."

"Okay the Marauders...Well I can't tell about the Marauders with starting with James..."

The weeks leading to the wedding were full, full of activity, full of stories, full of a growing sense of rightness for Beth and Sirius.

 ....

Sirius looked down at Harry, "You ready?"

Harry looked trustingly up at his god father. "As I'll ever be."

Sirius led the way into the room he had booked for this early lunch with Amelia, Grimjaw, Remus, Andie and Ted. He'd arranged with Beth to take Susan and Tonks souvenir shopping and to lunch so they wouldn't be privy to the emotional explosions that were likely to occur after he shared information with his allies. He'd had debated sending Harry to school today instead of including him but Harry already knew what Sirius was going to share and his presence might influence the rest. So he was here. Once every one was there he suggested to the wait staff that they wouldn't need lunch for two hours and they could help themselves if drinks were required. After they left he carefully put up privacy wards and silencing charms. He poured himself a bracing cup of tea before starting.

"Thank you all for coming. I would like it if you all would make an oath that everything that gets said in this room stays in this room. I Sirius Orion Black swear on my life and magic that everything that gets said in this room stays in this room. And I will tell the whole truth as I know it."

"I Harry James Potter swear on my life and magic that everything said in this room stays in this room, and I will tell the truth as I know it."

Remus was astounded; little Harry was too young to have a wand but even as young as he was , everyone had felt the pulse of magic when the boy had made his oath. As a baby Harry had shown indicators he would be powerful but this was surprising. He slowly brought out his own wand. "I Remus John Lupin swear on my life and my magic that everything said in this room stays in this room and I will tell the truth as I know it."

Amelia hastily pulled her wand, "I Amelia Renee Bones swear on my life and my magic everything said in this room stays in this room unless agreed by the others present it needs to be shared with particular people we all agree to and I will tell the truth as I know it."

Grimjaw, Andromeda also gave Amelia's modified version. Ted being a muggle could not make an oath. But he too promised to keep the information to himself. Sirius, Harry and Remus modified their oaths to match the rest.

Sirius pulled from his pocket a box holding a pensievie. He pulled from his own head the memories of the summary appointment with Sri. He pulled the letter from Regulus, and Harry's medical file from a briefcase. Then he looked at his allies. "Thanks for coming, Amelia I'm not sure how much of this will be a repeat of what I told you in Japan, that last night those memories for me are pretty foggy after the attack that happened when I got back to Indonesia. So if I repeat stuff please forgive me.

"We all know that on October 31,1981 Voldemort attacked the Potters in Godric's Hollow. I took Harry after the attack and fled England mostly due to a promise I made to James. Most everyone in England has made the assumption that Moldyshorts is dead. He's not. He made Horcruxes." At confused looks on multiple faces, he explained, "A horcrux is a soul anchor, it's made when a person, in this case Moldyshorts, commits a ritualized murder to splinter their soul and takes the resulting fragment and puts it into another object. Regulus' letter informed me that Moldyshortts had done this more than once. The end result is he isn't dead, he will be back. Regulus...here read his letter for yourselves." While they read he looked at Harry and said softly, "Do you want to tell them or do you want me to?"

"Together, you tell them the early stuff I'll tell them my decision."

Sirius nodded.

....

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