c6

Halloween had come quickly for both Harry and Arcturus and the last six weeks had been busy. Something within the boy had changed since the night they had seen the giants and the change was one all too familiar for the older man. The boy was simply no longer a boy. He carried himself differently, he trained with complete abandon and he never once revealed even an ounce of what he was feeling. He had truly mastered hiding his emotions and the older man couldn't help but think that his long past friend had risen from the dead and was possessing the young man in front of him.

Yes, the final part of Harrys' childhood innocence was gone and he seemed to have come full circle. He had become what he needed to and the older man now believed he could not only survive, he believed he could win.

For Harry the changes had come naturally. For the first time in his life he felt as though he could and was being the way he was intended to be without the neglect and constant criticism he had received throughout his life. He hadn't made any conscious changes but he did notice them himself. He was no longer shy and meek. He was quietly confident and felt even more so as each day passed. The last month and a half had seen him grow in every way in leaps and bounds and he was very proud of himself.

Physically he was healthy, fit and strong. He had grown to be almost six feet tall and the training he had been doing had packed on considerable muscle mass especially when he compared himself to his previously under-nourished frame. He was a true athlete and one would only need to look in to his eyes to see the differences. His eyes continuously glowed with a gently dancing but bright emerald flame but that gentle flame would become a roaring inferno in an instant at his will. Now that his magic was stable and strong his body finally reflected it and his spell work was now simply phenomenal.

He was very fast and powerful and moved with the same grace he had seen his grandfather move with. He worked tirelessly on his magic; creating spell chains and combinations that were devastating.

He knew he was not ready to face Riddle yet but he knew that even now he would give any of his follower's serious problems in a fight and was confident he would soon be capable of defeating any of them.

He had begun training to face multiple opponents and had found his family magic was perfect for this type of fighting. He excelled in combat situations and when he watched himself back through the pensieve he himself couldn't believe that the young man he was seeing was himself.

Seeing the severed head of his friend had truly woken him to the reality of war and that reality had created what he had become. He was now a warrior and he knew that Tom Riddle would rue the day he went after the Potter's. If it was the last thing he did Harry would avenge those of his blood, those who were taken from him all too soon.

He had decided weeks before that he wanted to visit his parents and his grandparent's grave on this day. If anything he wanted to see where they rested and pay his respects to those who he had finally gotten to know over the last several months. He wasn't seeking closure on their deaths; he knew he wouldn't get it until the day he ended Riddle.

He hadn't broached the subject with the older man yet but he knew he would not deny him. Arcturus may be a surly git most of the time but he understood the worth and value of family.

Harry made his way into the drawing room as he did every day to have his breakfast and the usual short chat with the older man. He entered the room silently, took his seat and helped himself to his oats and fruit. When the older man said nothing for a few minutes it was Harry who broke the silence.

"Where are my family buried?" he asked neutrally.

The older man did not look at all surprised by the question but looked at his younger companion critically before answering.

"They will be buried in the Potter mausoleum in Godrics' Hollow" the older man replied with a frown. "Have you never been?" he asked in a quietly dangerous voice that Harry knew meant that he was displeased.

"No sir, my aunt and uncle never took me and no one has ever told me before. All I know is that my parents were murdered on Halloween and I was taken to them" he answered casually.

"And you want to go" Arcturus stated.

"Tonight" was the reply he received.

The older man looked at Harry and knew there was no stopping him even if he wanted to. He had become sure of himself and even stubborn the same way Charlus was.

He shook his head at young man but nodded at his request.

"We will go later tonight but it could be risky, the ministry or Riddle could be keeping watch on the place. I will send Elgar to scout it out for the day and if necessary we will come up with a way we can go without being bothered" he finished.

"Thank you sir" Harry said respectfully. "I really do appreciate it".

They continued their breakfast in silence until the older man had finished. He sent Elgar to watch the graveyard before opening a letter that had been delivered to him during the meal.

"Ahh the letters will be going out today so we will be having our meeting tomorrow" he intoned with a steely glint in his eye.

Harry just nodded at the man. He was looking forward to seeing Sirius again but knew this was not going to be the happy reunion with his godfather he had hoped for.

This was family business and Harry knew that it was going to be tense especially with the occupants not having been in a room together for many years.

He finished his breakfast and made his way to start his training for the day. He wanted the day to pass quickly as he was both eager and nervous about visiting the final resting place of his family.

The next couple of days would be interesting at the very least for Harry Potter.

(BREAK)

Today found Sirius Black in a very sombre and depressed mood. 14 years ago to the day his life had plummeted into the downward spiral that would haunt him forever. He lost his best friend and his wife and because of his own actions he had lost his godson also.

Sirius Black was innocent of the crimes he had been sent to Azkaban for but in his own heart he knew he was guilty. He was guilty of recklessness that had seen his one chance at redemption be squandered by his own actions. He was guilty of abandoning the boy he loved as his own son and he was guilty of letting his friends down in the duty he had promised to them if such events were to occur. He knew he would always carry that guilt with him and wished nothing more than to be able to turn back time and change what happened that night.

Alas, he knew that was not possible. Instead he wished for one more chance to be there for Harry the way he should always have been. He wished that he could have raised him in the loving home he would have had with him. And more than anything, he wished he was with the boy right now so he could keep him safe from what he knew was coming.

The past six weeks had seen Sirius at the busiest he had ever been. He trained morning, noon and night and began taking care of himself. He ate regular meals and would sleep soundly due to the exhaustion he would feel at the end of every day. He looked and felt healthier than he had in years. He was no longer emaciated and sallow skinned and his hair was sleek and shiny as it once was. The only thing that remained that demonstrated the hellish years in Azkaban was the haunted look in his eyes, a look that would forever be there.

It had taken a while for him to recover, much longer than he had anticipated. He hadn't expected his magic to be so badly affected by his stay in Azkaban but it had taken several weeks for it to stabilize and be the way it once was. He had honed his skills so that he was now at least on par with what they used to be.

Sirius Black was a skilled wizard and was no slouch in a fight. He hadn't learnt his family magic due to its dark nature but he had learnt more than enough to take people down when he needed to, he was a Black after all.

He was currently sat at the breakfast table contemplating how he would spend his day. He didn't want to train knowing his heart really wasn't in it today but he did not want to be idle either.

Before he could decide his thoughts were interrupted by a sharp tapping on the window. He frowned at the owl knowing that is was not likely to be good news. He opened the window to allow the bird access and as soon as he relieved it of its burden it exited immediately.

He recognised the wax seal of Gringotts and felt his stomach give an involuntary quiver. He knew this was not going to be a good thing. He thought for a moment before continuing. He knew he didn't owe the bank money as he had never had a loan and lived only on his salary and the gold his uncle Alphard had left him.

He knew he wasn't due to inherit anything as he had been cast out of his family at the age of sixteen by his mother.

He was at a loss and decided that opening it was his only option. What he read surprised him greatly but also made him nervous.

Dear Mr Black,

I am writing to you as the Goblin in charge of the Black accounts here at Gringotts. It seems that there are many things that need to be discussed pertaining to family business and other sensitive affairs that shall not be mentioned in writing. I request an audience with yourself tomorrow at 6pm to discuss these most urgent matters. I am aware of your current status and have therefore turned this letter in to a portkey that will place you outside the designated room in which we will meet at the time mentioned above. You have a magical vow that this is no trap and you will be safe within our walls from capture.

Yours in service,

Barchoke

Black Family account manager

The letter glowed a bright blue sealing the vow and the man simply stared at the piece of parchment in shock and as a nervous wreck. He did not know what to make of the letter but knew it was not wise to ignore a request for a meeting from the goblins. He would have to attend in secret of course but now he was truly curious. He sat back at the table and continued to ponder what business the goblins could possibly have with him.

(BREAK)

Andromeda Tonks arrived to work in her usual fashion. She sat her desk and looked over case notes for the coming week before fetching her morning coffee. Despite the setbacks in her life she had become a very successful lawyer and was proud of what she achieved.

At the age of 18 she had fled her family home when it was announced that she was to be married off to a man she had not chosen. She had already found love and had spent the last 3 years hiding it from her family because they would never approve of her choice in man. Her now husband Ted was a muggleborn and her being a Black meant that he would not be an acceptable choice.

She had always been proud of her heritage and proud that she had been born into a prominent family but her pride ended at the bigotry her family was well known for. She held nothing against anyone who was not born into a wizarding family and did not buy into the pureblood supremacy that was prevalent in the wizarding community. Her husband himself had always been talented and very intelligent and he and her complimented each other well.

Their daughter had inherited talents beyond both of them and seemed to have taken the best of both of their genes. Not only was she powerful in her own right but she had inherited the metamorph ability from the Black line. She was a fine auror and Andromeda was proud of her only child.

Despite the happiness she felt she regretted that all but one member of her family had turned their backs on her but she remained stubborn and married Ted Tonks anyway. Her cousin Sirius was the only one who had remained in contact with her and he maintained that contact until he went to Azkaban.

Andromeda had always been unsure of her cousins' guilt. She knew that James was nothing less than a brother to him and he truly idolised Lily Potter and respected her. She had tried to visit him on several occasions just to ascertain whether he was guilty or innocent but she had been rebuffed on every attempt. She had even been unsuccessful in trying to obtain the paperwork pertaining to her cousin, being told that it was senior ministry staff and for auror access only.

She had long resigned herself to the fact that she would get nowhere in her line of inquiries so she simply let it rest. To her it would be one of those things she had no control over and one of those things that would have to remain a mystery.

She had had a fairly happy childhood made easier by her two sisters who she had adored. Her older sister Bella was beautiful, intelligent and a fierce duellist and growing up, Andromeda had always wanted to be like her. She trained with her throughout her younger years and they would gossip as all young girls would but that changed when Bella returned to Hogwarts for her seventh year.

She had been seduced by the pureblood movement headed by You-Know-Who and had started to become what she was now known for; an insane killer.

It had broken Andromeda's heart to see her sister take the path she had chosen and no matter how much she pleaded with her older sibling, she knew her mind had already been made up.

Her younger sister Narcissa was always the favoured and spoilt one. Being the youngest she would always get away with everything and would charm anyone she came across. She was a talented witch in her own right but favoured potions and charms above duelling. Andromeda always believed that she would make a fine healer but that wasn't to be.

Her father had matched her with Lucius Malfoy and any hopes and dreams the youngest Black sister had, died with that match. She had become nothing more than a trophy and had truly adopted the life of a Malfoy. She looked down on everyone and became a snob and an emotionless shell of what she once was.

She had spent her life wasting away in an over-sized house and only left to shop or attend events draped on the arm of her buffoon of a husband. To Andromeda, the stagnation of her sister was wasteful and the wizarding world could have benefited from a woman with her skill and the care she had once shown.

She returned to her desk to begin her work day and had barely begun to put together her most current case when she was interrupted by a gentle tapping on the window. Thinking it was a new case she opened the window to admit the bird. It wasn't until the owl had left that she recognised the Gringotts seal. She had already received her monthly statement so was confused as to what the letter could include. She opened it and was completely shocked by the contents.

Dear Mrs Tonks nee Black,

I am writing to you as the Goblin in charge of the Black accounts here at Gringotts. It seems that there are many things that need to be discussed pertaining to family business and other sensitive affairs that shall not be mentioned in writing. I request an audience with yourself tomorrow at 6:30pm to discuss these most urgent matters. I would ask that you also bring your daughter Nymphadora Tonks and husband Theodore Tonks as the business discussed is likely to affect them also.

Yours in service,

Barchoke

The Black family account manager

The letter had Andromeda worried. Was it possible that her father had somehow created a marriage contract for her daughter without her knowledge? Or was it possible that it pertained to herself? She was no longer a Black and hadn't been for 25 years. She knew it was unlikely to be anything good and could only hope that whatever it was it was not detrimental to her family.

She quickly put everything away and grabbed the letter to head home. She had to inform her family of this development and plan accordingly.

(BREAK)

The mood within the castle had shifted from an undertone of tenseness to one of caution for many. The appointment of Umbridge had led to many strange happenings. Educational degrees had been implemented for several trivial reasons and those in the school bright enough to understand knew it was done to control them and dampen any kind of spirit.

People would be given detention with the toad and return confused and could not remember what they had done in the time spent with her. Hermione, not having served a detention with the woman had taken her concerns to McGonagall but had been told to keep her head down and let the storm pass.

The professors were worried. The students who had attended the detentions had shown signs of having their memory modified but they knew it would be difficult to prove unless they caught the woman in the act. Their positions themselves were precarious at best and were undergoing inspections by the odious woman. They were in no position to investigate fearing for their own livelihoods. Although it was upsetting and worrying the children did recover and there had so far been no physical evidence apparent to them. For now they knew if they wanted to retain their jobs they had to simply wait for this to pass and hope that it would be over soon.

The cardigan-clad woman had firmly pressed her will on all in castle and the days had become dark indeed under her tyranny.

Today was the day that Hermione and Ron had been planning for several weeks now. They knew to pass their OWLS and to be able to defend themselves when the time was right they needed to be taught properly. They had taken it upon themselves to start a group in which they and their peers could study together what they would need to pass their exams and be able hold their own in a fight.

The castle was in a much better spirit today as the students would get a respite from the rules the toad had implemented. It was the first Hogsmeade trip and the duo along with Neville and Ginny had chosen today to hold their meeting to garner interest in their plan.

They had spent the last several weeks quietly putting out word of their idea to people they knew they could trust. All in all they were expecting around 15 people to attend.

They were currently sat in the Hogs Head pub in the north of the village waiting for people to arrive. They had chosen this bar hoping it was far enough away from prying ears knowing that very few people came here.

They had only been sat with their drinks for around five minutes when the door opened and a group of around 30 students led by Fred, George and Lee Jordan entered the pub. There were students from all houses including a few Slytherins.

Upon seeing the group Hermione stormed towards the twins clearly panicked.

"How many people did you tell" she hissed at them quietly.

"Only a few" George replied shrugging.

"It seems that your plan is much more popular than you thought it would be Miss Granger" Fred said with an impish grin. "Bar keep" he yelled. "Butterbeers all round" he finished gesturing to the group and took a seat next to his brother where the rest of the students had assembled.

"What the hell are the snakes doing here?" Ron questioned angrily. "You know they can't be trusted".

"Well little brother of mine" Fred intoned, wrapping an arm around his younger brothers' shoulders, "It seems that Miss Greengrass here overheard us talking about it in the library and insisted that her and her two companions be allowed to join" he explained.

"Yes she was very insistent" George cut in. "My left cheek is still ringing from that hex" he added rubbing his posterior.

"They can't be trusted" Ron reiterated angrily.

"Oh shut up Weasely" Daphne interrupted. "If we wanted to drop you in it it would be Umbridge here instead of us" she pointed out.

Before Ron could reply Hermione chimed in.

"It's ok Ron" she said attempting to placate the irate red head. "I have runes and Arithmancy with Daphne and Tracey, I'm sure it will be fine" she finished not sounding overly sure of herself.

"Well I don't trust them and they will drop us in it the first chance they get" Ron growled.

"Can we just get on with it" Neville piped up irritably. "It would be bad if we were caught here like this".

"Fine, fine" Hermione said and went on to explain the idea to the group.

"So I was thinking that the older years could help us with our OWLS and we could all chip in on everything else" she concluded.

The group remained silent lost in their own thoughts. They all knew what Granger had suggested made sense and that they had a much better chance of passing their exams if they worked together. It was a much better prospect than relying on Umbridge and her sorry idea of what teaching was.

"If Harry was here I would have got him to teach us" Hermione said breaking the silence.

"Potter?" Tracey Davis broke in. "What could he teach us we don't already know?" she asked. "And is he even alive?", "Surely you know something, he is your best friend".

There was a majority agreement within the group demonstrated by rigorous nodding by many.

"Harry is by far the best at defence in our year and has actual experience" Ron answered irritably.

"What because he defeated a Dark Lord before he could hold a wand?" Astoria Greengrass asked. "It was luck, not skill".

"He didn't mean that experience" Hermione retorted angrily and quickly put her hand over her mouth once she realised her mistake. "And no, none of us have heard from him since before he went in the maze" she answered sadly.

"Well what experience did he mean?" Daphne asked neutrally.

The Weasleys' and Hermione shared a look until the brown haired girl nodded in resignation. She felt compelled to defend her friend and even though she knew it would bother him that she would explain what he had seen and done, she felt it was necessary if only to show there was some hope in this dark time.

"Remember our first year?" she asked the group. "We were told to stay away from the third floor corridor which we did but we found out someone was trying to steal something that was hidden there".

"What was it?" Susan Bones asked curiously.

"The philosophers' stone" Hermione almost whispered.

"You expect us to believe that the stone was at Hogwarts?" Marietta Edgecombe asked sceptically.

"It was" Hermione answered simply. "Professor Quirrell tried to steal it and Harry stopped him" She explained.

"You mean that stuttering moron who barely knew his arse from his elbow?" Lee Jordan asked.

"He was possessed by You-Know-Who" George answered.

Lee looked at his friend but didn't question him further. The twins had a knack for knowing almost everything about Hogwarts. The room was stunned by the proclamation and it took several moments for the silence to be broken.

"How did he stop him" Hannah Abbott asked quietly.

"We don't really know" Hermione answered. "But Harry killed him and was unconscious for almost a week after" she added.

"That's why you all got those last minute points" Daphne said suddenly in realisation.

"Yes it is" Hermione replied nodding.

"And there was second year" Ron pointed out.

"What, when all those students got petrified and none of us were told what happened?" a 6th year Hufflepuff asked.

Hermione just nodded her answer remembering the big yellow eyes of the basilisk.

"Someone opened the chamber of secrets and there was a basilisk inside, that's what was petrifying everyone" she explained.

"So the chamber is real?" Daphne asked in awe.

"Yes, the entrance is in moaning mytles' bathroom" she replied.

When no one spoke, not even to demonstrate their disbelief she continued.

"You have to be a parseltongue to open it, that's how Harry got in but it wasn't him petrifying anyone it was You-Know-Who again".

"And how did he manage that, he's dead" the same Hufflepuff boy interjected.

"I don't know but he did" Hermione said irritably.

"How do you know that then" he questioned equally annoyed.

"Because it was me that Harry saved from there" Ginny cut in looking upset. "I was taken in the chamber and Harry came in and killed the basilisk" she said fighting back tears.

"That basilisk must have been hundreds of years old and huge, how did he manage that" Tracey asked frowning.

"With a sword, he killed it with a sword and the help of a phoenix that blinded it" Ginny answered emotionally.

"You really expect us to believe that?" the Hufflepuff huffed disbelievingly. "Pull the other one Weasley".

"He did" Ginny retorted angrily. "The snake even bit him on the arm and the phoenix healed it" she added.

"So that's where he got that scar" Katie Bell piped up. "I asked him about it and he went quiet, I knew he didn't have it in first year" she said triumphantly. "I thought he got it at home or something" she finished.

At the mention of Harrys' home the teens in the know shared an awkward glance.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he did" George growled angrily.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Susan Bones asked.

"Let's just say Harry doesn't have the life we all thought he did growing up" Fred said. "He was raised by his muggle relatives and they are nothing but bastards. They treated Harry like a damn elf and barely fed the poor kid, we had to rescue him half-starved after his first year" he finished shaking in an unusual rage.

The assembled group were shocked by what they had heard and none could find any words to say to that final piece of information. The awkward silence remained until it was broken by the pompous Hufflepuff.

"And what else has Potter done that is so great" he asked sarcastically but with a little envy in his voice.

"Well you all saw him in the tournament and how well he did against seventh year students with a lot more magical education than him" Neville answered.

"And he can cast a corporeal patronus" Ron added.

"Bullshit" the Hufflepuff cut in. "Most grown wizards can't even do that" he pointed out.

"Harry can" Hermione said quietly. "I saw him drive away a hundred Dementors in our third year".

"Why would Potter have to do that" Tracey asked. "Apart from that quidditch match they stayed away" she said.

"They did, but they tried to attack Harry and his godfather at the end of the year and he drove them away" she explained coyly.

"Hold on, if Potter has a godfather then why does he live with those horrible muggles?" Susan asked.

Hermione and the Weasleys' shared a sheepish look knowing that this was likely to be the icing on the cake for those in attendance.

"His godfather is Sirius Black" Hermione finally explained.

If the room had been shocked before it was nothing compared to the shock they were feeling now. Harry Potters' godfather was the infamous mass murderer?

"Why would Harry save him?" Susan asked. "He betrayed his parents, everyone knows that" she said.

"Sirius is innocent" George cut in. "It was Peter Pettigrew who betrayed them, he's been hiding in his animagus form for years" he stated not elaborating further.

The room was completely silent once again so Hermione took the opportunity to move the conversation away from Sirius not wanting any more attention on that particular subject.

"Harry is the most powerful wizard I know, he is up there with both Dumbledore and You-Know-who but he has been quashed his whole life by his relatives. That's why he is so quiet and not very confident but believe me he comes through every time when it counts" She intoned. "I don't know where he is or even if he is alive but if he is I can promise he will do everything he can to stop him. I believe Dumbledore, he has no reason to lie to us. Why do you think the ministry has put Umbridge here and why do you think they are trying to discredit Dumbledore?" she asked. "It's because they are scared of the truth" She elaborated before she could be cut off. "Why do you think they want to find Harry so badly? It's because they know that he is the person everyone will look to when it all goes badly" She added. "It may have been luck when he was a baby, but he isn't a baby anymore" She finished breathlessly.

"That's why we want to have this study group" Neville continued. "We need to be ready for exams and for what's out there, because right now we would last less than a minute in any duel" he admitted.

"Swear on it" the Hufflepuff demanded.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked the boy confused.

"Swear on your magic that everything you have told us is true" he demanded again looking smug.

Without hesitating Hermione removed her wand, but before she could say a word she was cut off by Neville.

"You don't have to do that Hermione" he said placing his hand on her forearm.

"If it's the only way they believe me then I do" she answered sadly.

With that said she raised her wand and began to speak.

"I, Hermione Jean Granger, swear on my life and magic that everything I have said about Harry Potter in this meeting is true to the best of my knowledge, so mote it be" she intoned without hesitation, the golden glow surrounding her.

The group looked at her expectantly waiting for something to happen to the girl.

"Lumos" she incanted, lighting the tip of her wand.

The group were once again shocked. They had not expected her to comply with the request the boy had made but she had and had been found to have been honest.

The shocked group would leave today with a very different opinion of Harry Potter and what they thought they knew of the boy. Many realised that they in fact never knew a thing about him. Despite sharing a school with him for four years he had always been quiet and reserved and always kept his circle of friends small.

A seed of hope had been planted within many and all they could do was wait it out and hope that Potter would be coming back and could once again do what he had as a baby but this time with a more permanent conclusion.

"We have a piece of parchment for everyone to sign, so sign it and pass it along" Hermione said handing the parchment to Fred. "I promise I will keep it safe and we will let you know when the first official meeting will be and where it is once we find a suitable place" she finished.

The students signed the parchment with little hesitation and as soon as it made its way back to Hermione they began to disperse. After the group had left Hermione sunk in to her seat exhausted.

"That went well" Neville said.

"It did" Hermione agreed. "I just wish we didn't have to explain so much about Harry" she said feeling guilty.

"He will understand" Neville replied placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "If you hadn't they would have left and we would have been back to where we were" he added.

"I know but I still feel bad for breaking his confidence" she explained sadly. "I hope he forgives me" she said almost to herself.

"I'm sure he will" Neville answered. "Now can we please get out of here this place is even creepier than the shrieking shack" he stated with a shudder.

And with that the group exited the bar to enjoy what was left of their time away from the castle. At the end of the day, they would be going back but they knew they had achieved something today and felt much better for it.

(BREAK)

Harry had just finished his training day and was getting ready for his shower. He was both nervous and excited in his anticipation at finally getting to visit where his family were put to rest. He usually spent Halloween in quite the melancholy mood but today was different, today he would get to pay his respects and to finally get some closure. He wasn't the same as he had been in previous years, in fact his mood was one of determination. He felt more determined today than ever to give his family the over-due justice they deserved.

He finished showering and took his time getting dressed. He had chosen to wear a half buttoned khaki green shirt, a black vest, jeans and tan boots. He didn't want it to be a formal affair, the thought of his father laughing at him suited and booted did not appeal to him.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror and realised he needed to at the very least tidy up the facial hair that had quickly began to grow. He found that he liked it and that it made him look less child-like and more distinguished. He wore it as short stubble that blended to sides of his hair that he kept equally short. He kept his hair longer on top but just enough that he could control it with a simple messy style. He had found a really useful barbering spell in one of his grandfathers' journals, and with a little practice, he found that he was quite adept with it.

He made his way to the drawing room where Arcturus was waiting for him so they could eat before they would make their way to Godrics' Hollow. He entered the room and took his seat only to be frozen in place by a critical stare from the older man.

"Go and change in to a suit" he commanded simply.

Harry was about to protest but was cut off by the older man before any words could form on his lips.

"It doesn't have to be a formal thing but you will dress the part" he said firmly. "Charlus would hex you something silly if he was here and you went to visit their graves for the first time dressed like that" he pointed out.

Harry swallowed and nodded before exiting. He was back in the room ten minutes later wearing a navy blue ensemble with a plain white shirt and charcoal tie with a matching pea-coat. He waited for the nod of approval from Arcturus before he took his seat.

"We need to talk about tomorrow" the older man declared. "The letters were sent today and the meeting will take place tomorrow evening" he finished.

"Okay" Harry said confused. It wasn't like the older man to divulge details of his business with the teen.

"I want you to be there, but I have two requests" he said noting the surprise on the teen's face.

Harry just nodded in acknowledgement.

"Firstly" the older man began holding up a finger. "You will wear you cloak and only show yourself if I give you my permission, understood?" he asked with a stern tone.

"Yes sir" Harry replied a little sadly knowing he would be in the same room as his godfather and may not be able to speak to him.

"And secondly" Arcturus continued. "You stay hidden no matter what happens, this is family business and there's a chance it will become unpleasant but unless I give you my express permission you are to allow what will be to happen, do you understand?" he finished questioningly, glaring at the boy.

"I do sir" Harry answered sincerely.

He understood the importance of family business and knew any interference from him would incur quite the wrath of the oldest Black.

"Good" the older man replied, relaxing once again. "I think it is a good time to leave, Elgar reported no unusual people around the graveyard so it should hopefully go off without a hitch" he finished grabbing Harry by the arm.

They appeared on a quiet street in a village where a few Victorian style houses were dotted either side of the road. A church could be seen at the end of the road and Harry immediately understood why his parents would choose to live here. It was simply beautiful. There was a variety trees and lush green hills could be seen on the horizon. There was a smell of fresh pine and the air was thick and intoxicating.

The duo made their way in a casual pace towards the church where Harry knew the graveyard would be. Both were alert to their surroundings as had become their custom but they knew there was no threat, Harry could scarcely believe a tragedy such as the one 14 years ago could ever take place here. He felt a sense of familiarity with the village and he knew that something inside him recognised it as home.

They reached the entrance to the graveyard and passed through the kissing-gate that led on to a gently winding path that would take them through the entirety of the cemetery if they cared to follow it.

It was Charlus that led Harry to where the Potters' were buried.

Harry hesitated and found the hand of the older man on his shoulder. He looked up to see the usual stoic expression that he could see was forced a little.

"You take as long as you need" the older man said sincerely before walking away a respectable distance to allow the boy some much needed privacy.

The first grave he came to was that belonging to his grandmother. The tombstone was made of black granite adorned with the Potter crest and a beautiful gold cursive inscription;

Dorea Constance Potter

Proud Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Healer

Born 4/6/1925

Died 12/10/1980

Honour Thy Blood

Harry knelt beside the stone and placed a hand upon it and took a little time to simply absorb the moment.

"I'm sorry that we didn't get much time together but from what I know, you would have been an amazing grandmother" he said quietly. "Your brother has told me all about you. How caring and kind you were and how you would kick my grandfathers' arse when he needed it" he added chuckling.

He became thoughtful in silence, thinking of what he knew about her from what he had been told and what he had seen in the pensieve.

"If I can find someone who is half the woman you are when this is all over I know I will have done very well for myself" he whispered placing a kiss on the granite before standing.

He removed his wand and conjured a bouquet of red roses, placing it in front of her tombstone before stepping back.

He moved to his left and came to the grave that was the final resting place of his grandfather. It looked very much the same as his grandmothers. It was the same black granite and gold lettering;

Baron Charlus Henry Potter

Loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, Warrior

Protector of our lands and people

Born 23/7/1924

Died 15/2/1981

Honour Thy Blood

Harry placed his hand on the granite as he had with his grandmother but remained on his feet. He became lost in his thoughts of how much the man had become an influence on him over the past months. He swallowed deeply before speaking knowing he had to be strong.

"You've made me proud of who I am and where I come from" he began. "I will carry the Potter name with pride and do everything in my power to be worthy of it" he added sincerely. "Even in death you have taught me more than I can ever thank you for and I cannot put into words how grateful I am. You have given me the chance to avenge my parents and make that bastard pay for what he did to you all, and he will pay. If it takes my dying breath to finish him I promise you that I will" he said firmly. "Look after them all where you are now as you did in life and there will be a day when I will join you, hopefully a long time from now" he finished.

He again removed his wand but this time conjured a marble figurine of a Thestral and placed it on top of the tombstone securing it with a permanent sticking charm.

"I doubt very much that you would like flowers" he laughed. "But I know how much you loved her" he said gesturing to the grave of his grandmother. "I think this is much more fitting" he concluded before moving on.

He came to the grave of his father and stared at it feeling very confused, a confusion which quickly turned to anger.

The tombstone was a plain white stone with black writing. The Potter crest had been included but the grave certainly did not represent James Potter.

James Charlus Potter

Father To Our Saviour

Harry James Potter

Born 11/4/1960

Died 31/10/1981

We thank you for your sacrifice

Harry shook his head in frustration and looked towards his mother's plot that was next to his fathers'. It was fashioned in the same stone and writing as his fathers' but there was no Potter crest.

Lily Potter

Mother To Our Saviour

Harry James Potter

Born 12/2/1960

Died 31/10/1981

We thank you for your sacrifice

Harry began to shake in rage at the disrespect shown to the memories of his parents. There was much more to them than being just his parents but that was in no way reflected where they rested.

Arcturus feeling the fury emanating from the boy walked to his side and upon seeing the graves he understood the anger Harry was feeling.

"Clearly the ministry took the liberty of burying your parents" he deduced disgustedly.

Harry took a deep breath to calm himself before aiming his wand at his father's tombstone a deep look of concentration coming over him and the stone started to transform.

When he was finished Arcturus looked impressed at what he had achieved.

"You've been studying" he noticed with a little pride in his voice.

"Yes sir" Harry affirmed, not taking his eyes off his work.

He even had to admit himself that he was proud of the complex transfiguration he had just demonstrated.

The stone had been transfigured into granite and the writing had changed and was gold, reflecting the style of his grandparents. The reference to himself had been removed and it now stood a true and proud representation of what he knew of his father;

James Charlus Potter

Husband, Father, Marauder

May Prongs Run Free

Born 11/4/1960

Died 31/10/1981

Honour Thy Blood

Mischief Managed

"I won't even ask" Arcturus said shaking his head stepping away once again.

"It's strange" Harry began. "I know more about my grandparents than I do about you and you're my father" he continued sadly. "I know we would have had a lot of fun from what Sirius has told me and probably driven mum insane" he said shaking his head. "You were taken too soon" he stated.

He took a moment to compose himself before he continued talking.

"Thank you for protecting mum and me as best as you could" he intoned sincerely. "I will get the rat for what he did to us" he added confidently. "I will make sure that bastard suffers for everything" he growled. "I love you Dad and I will see you all again" he finished.

He concluded his time with his father by conjuring 2 marble figurines; one of a large shaggy dog and one of a werewolf which he secured atop the tombstone. To add to that he conjured a single white lily and placed it between the two before turning his attention to the grave of his mother.

He looked at it distastefully and quickly went to work transfiguring it in a more suitable monument to his mother. When he was finished it reflected the other 3 and the Potter crest adorned it proudly.

Lily Potter

Loving Mother and Wife

Undoubtedly The Brightest Witch of Her Age

Born 12/2/1960

Died 31/10/1981

Honour Thy Blood

"I've spent my whole life wishing you were here and being tormented by your final moments" he said sadly. "Hearing your voice after what happened in June has taken most of that away. I'm not going to apologise for all the things I will have to do because I know you understand and will forgive me" he spoke quietly.

Before he could stop it a tear broke free from his eye and he made no attempt to wipe it away.

"There's still not a day that goes by where I wouldn't give everything I own just to have you back for a minute" he said shakily. "I love you mum, and thank you for what you did for me, I promise I won't let it be in vain" he ended, wiping away the errant tear.

He conjured a marble figure of a stag and one of a lily and fixed them to the stone. He took one last look at the area in which he family had been laid to rest and made his way to Arcturus who nodded before making his own way to the graves.

When he had finished having his private moments he conjured 4 black roses and placed one on each tombstone. Harry was touched by the sentiment of the older man but knew he wouldn't appreciate him vocalising it. Instead he gave him a grateful nod as he returned. The older man returned the nod before disapparating with a soft pop.

Harry took one last look around him and one final glance at the graves of his family.

"I'll be back soon" he whispered quietly. With that he himself disappeared with a near inaudible crack.

Harry appeared in the drawing in room but did not take a seat, he felt the need to be alone and reflect back on the past hour of his life. To him it was one of those defining moments in a lifetime and he knew now that he would never be the same. His determination had become even more firm despite the fact he felt that that had not been possible.

"Thank you sir" He said monotonously.

He exited and made his way to his room knowing he wouldn't sleep any time soon. But instead of working he laid awake for hours just thinking of his family and truly taking in the experience of the night. It had been bittersweet but he knew it could not have been any other way.

He eventually fell into an easy sleep that night, the best sleep he had ever had in his short 15 years of life.

(BREAK)

Andromeda Tonks was not looking forward to the meeting she had been requested to attend with her husband and daughter. The Tonks family had spent the entirety of the previous day discussing all possibilities and outcomes and had put in place a contingency plan for if they needed to flee. They were all hoping that whatever the issue was that it could be dealt with in a way that their lives wouldn't have to change.

Ted Tonks was the most nervous of the trio. He had never had anything to do with the Black's, being a muggleborn, he simply would not have been worthy of their time. He was aware of their reputation of course and always wondered if his wife had truly come from the family.

There was no doubt of course that she had.

It wasn't only the uncanny resemblance to her sister that confirmed it but he had seen and been on the receiving end of her temper. If truth be told he was terrified of his wife when she was angry. She was very powerful and the fact that she was a Black could not be ignored in her moments of fury.

These moments were very rare however. She was a very loving and caring woman but would defend himself and their daughter to the very end if necessary. This thought made the impending meeting rest a little easier with the man. It wasn't that he feared the Blacks, he was a very capable wizard in his own right, but he feared what this meeting would mean for his family. All he could do was wait and see and just hope that whatever happened, they could handle between them.

Nymphadora Tonks was feeling confused more than any other emotion. She had never been exposed to her mother's family so didn't truly understand the severity of the situation. The Black family had essentially been non-existent throughout her life and she only remembered Sirius from when she was a child and he was always nice.

Whatever would happen she would not allow anyone to take control of her life in any way. She would do as her mother did and flee if necessary before that would happen. Although she was confident that whatever it was could be fixed, she couldn't help the twinge of nervousness that would appear every so often at the thought of the meeting.

(BREAK)

Sirius Black woke the next morning nothing less than a bag of nerves, wondering what the day to come would entail. He knew that things were going to be different after today one way or the other but he couldn't decide if that would be a good thing or not. On the one hand he was safe where he was and how things were. He was out of the direct line of fire and he knew there was no one who could get in to his house without his say so, his family had at least done a good job warding Grimmauld Place and for that he could be grateful.

On the other hand, he felt that he was merely sat on the side lines just waiting and watching as things progressed around him. Sirius was a man of action and would much rather be in the thick of it than sat doing what he deemed as nothing.

Yes, he knew that things would be changing for better or worse and all he could do was wait and see what the outcome of the day would be and hope that the changes would be positive for him.

He spent his day pacing and watching the clock, urging the time to either pass quickly in his braver moments or begging it to slow when the nerves got the better of him. Before he could decide completely on how he wanted the time to pass it was time to activate the portkey to the bank. It would be left to whatever deity was watching over him to decide his fate, a notion that did not sit well with the man.

(BREAK)

Harry and Arcturus were in the meeting room at Gringotts waiting for their guests to arrive. Harry, as promised, was sat in the corner of the room concealed by his invisibility cloak and despite the fact he knew he would not be able to talk to Sirius unless the older man said it was okthough he was excited at the prospect of seeing his godfather.

Arcturus was sat at the head of the large oak table that had been provided for the gathering and Barchoke was stood at the door waiting to greet the Black family members as they arrived. The two had had a conversation in which the goblin was told to not involve himself and allow what was to happen happen as Harry had been instructed. The goblin readily agreed, not wanting to be included in the meeting knowing the reputation of the family.

Not long had passed when they heard the arrival of a portkey outside the door and all the occupants of the room knew who it was. At the tentative knock of the door the goblin opened it to greet Sirius.

"Mr Black, please come in and take a seat" the goblin requested in his business tone.

"Thank you Ba…" Sirius froze at the sight of his long thought to be dead grandfather and paled considerably.

He seemed to find himself quickly though and yelped in shock before turning to sprint out of the still open door he had just come through.

"Get your worthless hide back here you mangy cur" Arcturus roared hurling a stinging hex at his retreating grandsons' rear end.

Harry heard his godfather yelp as the spell hit its mark followed by a thud as the man hit the floor. He couldn't help himself and had to stifle a snigger as the man reappeared rubbing his behind and gaping like a fish out of water.

"Will you stop stuttering, you look even more of a moron" the older man demanded exasperatedly.

"But you're dead" Sirius said dumbly pointing at his grandfather with a disbelieving finger.

"The fuck I am" Arcturus replied clearly irritated. "I'm sat right here and even a buffoon like you can see that, now sit down for fuck sake before I flay you alive you simpleton" he commanded pointing at a chair to his left.

The younger man complied knowing that it was not an empty threat. He sat staring at his grandfather dumbly and realised that this was going to be much worse than he anticipated, now the shit really was going to hit the fan.

"Are you going to hand me over to him" Sirius finally managed to ask discreetly withdrawing his wand from his sleeve under the table.

"If I wanted you dead I'd do it myself I don't need the help of a half-blooded bastard to help md with that" Arcturus spat. "And I'd put that wand back where you took it from before you find it rammed up your arse" he added glaring at the younger man.

Sirius just swallowed deeply, partly out of relief and partly from the nervousness that had settled in. It was then he that he realised what the older man had said and found himself confused.

"What do you mean half-blooded bastard?" he asked in his confusion.

"Ahh so Dumbledore is still his secretive self I see and hasn't seen fit to tell you what you're up against, that's another moron I'll be having a conversation with" he said quietly to himself.

"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked getting annoyed.

"We will get to the how's and why's later, we have things to discuss before everyone else arrives, and use that tone with me again you filthy mutt and I'll make sure you're neutered in both forms, understand? Arcturus questioned severely.

Sirius looked shocked and began jabbering again. He finally managed to speak but his voice had definitely climbed an octave or two higher.

"You know" he questioned flatly.

"Of course I know, you always smelt like dog. Either that or you have disgusting inclinations towards them. Is that what it is? You like to lay with animals?" he questioned. "Then again going by some of the witches you've been known to cavort with it wouldn't surprise me" the old man grimaced.

Sirius yelped in indignation and began sputtering incoherently. Before he could formulate words again Arcturus cut him off.

"We will get to your love life a little later" he said seriously. "But now we have other things to discuss".

With a speed the younger man wasn't expecting, Arcturus had him by the throat and had slammed his head on the table.

Upon seeing this Harry had to fight the urge to intervene. What had seemed initially amusing to him was now becoming clear that this situation was anything but.

Arcturus looked into the fear filled eyes of his grandson before he began to question him. He just hope that he was not about to be lied to, the younger man would do well to be honest, the consequences would not be pleasant.

"Did you do it" he hissed at his grandson. "Did you sell out the Potter's to that bastard?" he questioned.

It wasn't the fact that he believed Sirius to be guilty but he wanted to hear it from the man himself. He wanted to look him in the eyes and see the truth there. Arcturus was not a man who would listen to rumours or the testimony of others, he had to be sure for himself.

Sirius was furious at the question. His grandfather knew how close he was to James and Lily and knew that he would not have done it.

"I would have died first" Sirius spat, with venom in his voice.

Arcturus knew the boy was telling the truth and simply nodded. Seeing the anger in his eyes gave him hope that he had found a true ally for the Potter boy, hell, he couldn't fight this war alone.

"Good" the older man said releasing his grandson and returning to his seat. He watched Sirius rubbing his neck and gave him a moment to compose himself before he continued.

"Apart from myself you are the last remaining Black male, and when I die you will take over the family" he stated to the surprised younger man. "What do you plan on doing to continue the family line?" he asked.

Sirius looked more than a little embarrassed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously clearly unwilling to answer. Eventually he blew out a long breath and hung his head in what seemed to be shame.

"12 years in Azkaban takes away certain capabilities" he explained quietly. "The wand can fire spells but there's no magic in them" he finished in a whisper.

Arcturus had suspected as much but did not want to discuss the potency of his grandsons' seed with him.

"You have a contingency plan I assume" he stated neutrally.

"I made a will 15 years ago that leaves everything I own to my godson" he answered, expecting to be reprimanded again. "And I'd sooner see our family end and out fortune become nothing than hand it over to the Malfoys'" he spat distastefully.

Harry was surprised by the fact Sirius had left him everything and actually felt like he mattered to someone for the first time in his life. It wasn't the possessions that made him grateful but the sentiment the man had shown. He couldn't believe that he would mean so much to the man.

Arcturus just nodded at the answer his grandson had given him. He couldn't agree more with the man but was certainly not going to let him know that.

Before he could question him further he was interrupted by the man himself.

"Why are you back now, why would you want everyone to think you were dead?" Sirius asked sincerely.

"A few months before the Dark Lord fell your brother came to see me" he stated.

At the mention of his brother Sirius shot to his feet shaking instantly in rage.

"That bastard was a Death Eater" he growled in fury.

"Your brother has done more to end this fucking war than any one. If it wasn't for him the wizarding world would be fucked" the older man said dangerously. "Barchoke, can I use your pensieve?" he asked the goblin knowing his grandson would not believe him until he saw for the memory for himself.

"Of course Baron Black" the goblin agreed and summoned the stone bowl to place on the table.

Arcturus carefully withdrew the memory he wanted and placed it in the bowl and gestured for his grandson to enter.

It was a few minutes later that Sirius emerged looking both pale and emotional and fell into his seat in a stupor.

"He turned against him" he stated lamely.

"He did" the older man agreed.

Sirius frowned and looked towards his grandfather. He could not understand why he was being like this and why any of this mattered to the man.

"Why do you care?" he asked not taking his eyes off of him.

Arcturus was not surprised by the question and had expected it. He thought before he answered but would not hide the truth from the boy, he was family after all, something the older man had little left of.

"The first and second war tore my family, our family, to pieces" he began. "Our family will not survive another war unless we come together. I've spent my whole life trying to rebuild the Black family and before this bastard came along the first time we were doing well".

He paused before he continued.

"Not only that he killed my best friend" he said sadly. "No not my friend" he added shaking his head, "My brother" he finished.

"Uncle Charlus" Sirius said quietly. "But why come back now?" he asked again.

"I haven't been sat on my thumb these last 14 years" he grumbled irritably. "You saw the memory and what he mentioned" he said.

"Horcruxes? What the hell are they?" Sirius asked.

"It doesn't matter, I am dealing with them" the older man explained cutting Sirius off. "Just leave it to me" he added sternly.

"So you're on Dumbledore's side" Sirius choked in realisation, pointing at the older man in amusement.

"I am on my side" the older man corrected. "Dumbledore is too soft to lead anyone in a war. How can you follow someone who would have you stun your enemies and lock them up only for them to be released again?" he asked. "Dumbledore will get us all killed and condemn me for fighting the way a war is supposed to be fought" he finished.

"But Dumbledore killed Grindelwald" Sirius pointed out.

"No" Arcturus interrupted. "Grindelwald killed himself, he was hit by his own spell and even I'm sure that Dumbledore did that by accident" he hazarded.

Sirius just sat listening to what his grandfather had said and knew it was true. Dumbledore would insist on non-lethal spells that the Death Eaters certainly would not be using.

Before the conversation could go any further there was another knock on the door and the two men took their seats and waited for their guests to be admitted.

Sirius was confused but figured that the people who would be attending could only be members of the Black family. He was surprised however to see the Tonks family enter the room having expected it to be one of his distant aunts.

"Oh, shit" Andromeda cried when she caught sight of her grandfather. She then looked questioningly at Sirius who shook his head and shrugged.

The youngest member of the Tonks family was simply confused at the fear she could see in her mothers' eyes and even more confused at the presence of her cousin.

"Sirius, Dumbledore is going to go spare when he finds out you left the house" she hissed urgently.

"Dumbledore can get fucked" Arcturus cut in. "Now take a seat" he commanded to the trio who were still stood.

All three complied, Andromeda knowing that her grandfather was not to be disobeyed and the other two simply following her lead.

"Andromeda" the older man began. "It has been a while" he finished frowning.

"25 years" the woman replied with anger evident in her voice. "25 years ago I was cast out because I refused to marry Evan Rosier" She spat disdainfully.

"Cast out?" Arcturus asked sarcastically. "You left of your own accord" he stated.

Andromeda just stared at her grandfather in confusion but couldn't find a point to argue. She had left of her own free will but knew she would no longer be welcome or even considered a Black because of her choice of Husband. Before she could make her point the older man cut in again.

"You were never cast out Andromeda, your father never had the authority and when he came to me to have you removed I refused him" he explained. "The same with your hag of a mother" he added looking at Sirius.

The two could only stare at the older man in shock. They had never officially been cast out of the family? Neither could find the words to express what they felt; confusion, anger and annoyance mostly. They were saved the effort by Arcturus addressing Ted.

"You must be Theodore" he acknowledged the man distastefully.

"Yes sir" Ted answered nervously.

"To you it is either Lord Black, or Baron Black, understood?" he asked, glaring at the man.

Ted swallowed deeply but nodded.

"Yes Lord Black" he managed to stammer.

Nymphadora Tonks was confused as to why her mother would allow this man to talk to her father this way. She was angry and was about to give the man a piece of her mind when she was cut off by her mother.

"Be quiet, Nymphadora" she advised quietly, shaking her head vigorously.

"Ahh and you must be the daughter" Arcturus intoned, turning his attention to the young woman and looking at her appearance distastefully. "An auror and metamorph, a talent inherited from the Black line" he added.

The auror just nodded at the older man's observation.

"Why is it that you use the gift so liberally?" he asked. "It would be much smarter for you to choose one form for day to day use and only use the gift when you need it and not in such a fashion" he suggested, gesturing to her blue her and ample bosom.

"I like to be different and change things" she answered shrugging.

"No" the older man said shaking his head. "You like to stand out the way you do because you think it gives you your own identity" he said, his grey steely eyes boring in to her bright blue ones. "You think that someone would only want you for your ability to change your body and you've accepted that" he added. "Have some self-respect for fuck sake and stop trying to please people who don't matter, because I know you look nothing like this in your natural state" he finished gesturing to the woman who was looking shocked and upset at how accurate this stranger was.

"Why are we here?" Andromeda cut in noting how upset her daughter was becoming.

"We are here because we are the last of the Blacks and we have to discuss how we plan on surviving the coming war" Arcturus began taking his seat once again. "In the past I have allowed the family to have too much freedom and free reign on what they do but that stops now" he informed them firmly.

"I will not become one of that mad bastards followers" the youngest Tonks growled.

"Good" the older man said surprising the trio. "Let me explain why I am here and what I have been doing these last 14 years" he sadded to the confused threesome.

He then went on to explain the decimation of the Black family because of the rises of Voldemort and Grindelwald. He explained that Regulus had come to him and gave him certain information and that he had turned on his master. He did not mention the horcruxes as he had to Sirius not wanting anymore people to know. He explained how much he knew the wizarding world would change and how being a Black would become meaningless if the remaining family members survived, something he did not want to see happen after all of his hard work to re-establish the name as something significant.

When he was finished the trio were both shocked and flabbergasted. But they were not able to question the man further as there was another knock on the door that had the four guests looking confused and tense.

When the door opened and Narcissa Malfoy entered the atmosphere became very tense. Even Harry felt himself stiffen at her presence not being aware that she would be here.

The first thing Narcissa saw was 4 wands pointed at her but before she could reach for her own she caught sight of her Grandfather and paled from shock but mostly fear. This was not good for her at all.

"Sit down, Narcissa" the older man commanded in a sour tone.

Narcissa flattened her robes and took a seat next to the man alone on one side of the table who she then realised was her cousin Sirius. She quickly hid her surprise behind an impassive mask before addressing him.

"Cousin Sirius" she greeted him formally. "You are looking well for a man on the run" she observed with a raised eyebrow.

"Narcissa" Sirius intoned sounding bored. "You look thin and quite unwell" he said lazily and uninterested.

Narcissa chose not to dignify her cousin with a response but instead turned her attention to the other three people sat on the opposite side of the table. This time she could not conceal her surprise so well.

"Andi" she greeted inclining her head towards he older sister. "It's been a while" she finished.

"Cissy" Andromeda replied using her childhood nickname for her sister.

Narcissa chose to ignore the other two members of the Tonks family and instead addressed her Grandfather.

"Why were Lucius and Draco not invited?" she asked. "Surely if they" she said distastefully indicating the Tonks family, "are here then my son and husband should be also" She concluded.

"Your son and husband could not be any less of a Black if they tried" Arcturus replied sourly.

"My husband is a good man" she retorted "And Draco will one day be the head of this family" She pointed out.

"Your husband is a moron and your son is exactly the same" Arcturus answered angrily. "And I will be damned if I let the head of this family be a Malfoy" he spat.

Before Narcissa could reply she was cut off by her Grandfather.

"Lucius is nothing but a brown-nosing piss stain who should never have been allowed to marry into our family, he is not worthy and the offspring you have brought in to this world is not worthy of such a title, I would sooner see everything we own burnt to the ground before it goes to those fucking imbeciles" he concluded firmly.

Narcissa was shocked in to silence. She had not expected this nor had she expected to hear her family spoken of in such a way. She knew things were not going to end well for her here but remained quiet and waited to see how this would play out.

"Before we continue" Arcturus interrupted her thoughts. "You will all give a magical oath on both your life and magic that nothing you have seen or heard or will see and hear will be spoken of to anyone not in this room" he instructed.

"And if we refuse?" Narcissa asked panicked and angry.

"Then I will obliviate you until you are nothing more than a dribbling mess" he answered sincerely. "That includes revealing in any way that I am alive" he added seeing Narcissa thinking quickly.

All of the occupants of the table shared a look and Sirius was the first to give his oath followed by the two older Tonks. Nymphadora hesitated and before she could give her oath Arcturus interrupted.

"That also means you can't tell Dumbledore" he explained gravely.

Tonks just nodded before giving her oath and the group turned their attention to Narcissa who was clearly hesitant.

"Why am I here" she asked. "All you've done is insult my family and essentially cast them out" she finished nervously.

"You are here because you are family" Arcturus pointed out simply. "I know you are loyal to that idiot husband of yours but I am giving you the chance to put a contingency plan in place and if you decide you want out, then you will have the opportunity" he explained further.

"What about Draco?" she asked in reply.

"Your son is a Malfoy and will follow his moronic father, I give it less than a year before he takes that ridiculous mark" the older man estimated confidently.

Narcissa looked upset but knew it was likely. She would not turn her back on her husband though. Despite his flaws she loved him and her son more than anything.

Reluctantly she gave the same vow tht the rest of the family had given and sighed in frustration.

"I can't go against them" she proclaimed stubbornly.

"I didn't expect anything less" Arcturus replied shrugging. "But now I can rest easy knowing I gave you fair warning, the rest is in your hands" he finished.

"You mean to stand against the Dark Lord" Narcissa whispered in shock and realisation.

"I do" Arcturus said simply.

"But he will kill you all, none of you can defeat him" she pointed out.

"Then we will die trying" the younger Tonks interjected firmly.

"Then you are all fools" Narcissa deadpanned.

She sat for a moment and pondered the situation. There was no one alive who could stand against the Dark Lord and win. It was then she thought she realised what was happening and she couldn't hold back her laughter.

"You are siding with Dumbledore" she stated. "You think Dumbledore can finish the Dark Lord" she gasped disbelievingly.

Arcturus shook his head and smirked at his Granddaughter.

"Dumbledore can probably barely finish his dinner these days" he stated. "And no I am not siding with him" he added coyly.

"Then who?" Narcissa asked. "There is no one else who can stand against him and win, the only other person who people foolishly believed in was the Potter boy and he's dead, Lucius saw it himself" She pointed out.

Arcturus just laughed at her confusion. He had been waiting for this moment for days now knowing it would come to this. He edged his face closer to his granddaughter and smirked again.

"Dead is he?" he asked. "Why don't you see for yourself how very much alive he is" he finished smugly.

All at the table turned to see Harry Potter appear at the other side of the room, but this was not a Harry that Sirius nor Narcissa remembered. He no longer looked like a meek and vulnerable young boy, the person that stood in front of them now was nothing short of being a man. He was 6ft tall, athletically built with much shorter hair and stubble. He was minus his trademark glasses and scar and he was wearing a plain black t-shirt that fit him like a second skin, a pair of dark blue jeans and honey coloured boots.

Sirius stood slowly, hardly believing his eyes. He had been waiting for this moment for months and the confusion he should have been feeling was not registering. All he knew was that Harry was stood in front of him and he could now protect his godson.

Before Harry could say anything his godfather had cleared the room in the blink of an eye and was now clinging to him and sobbing uncontrollably in to his shoulder. Wanting the awkward moment to end Harry pushed the man away gently before addressing.

"For fuck sake , not here Sirius, pull yourself together" he hissed.

The other man, not having heard what his godson had said, started to ramble which turned in to quick talking as he vocalised a plan.

"We can get you away from here pup and I will keep you safe I promise, we can find somewhere to sit this war out" he finished sincerely.

Harry looked at his godfather and found he appreciated what the man was trying to do but shook his head all the same.

"I'm not going anywhere Sirius, I'm not running from him" he stated firmly in a no-nonsense tone.

"But you're too young to have to do this Harry, he will kill you" Sirius pleaded.

"He might" Harry agreed. "But I'll be taking that bastard with me" he finished vehemently.

Sirius turned to his Grandfather, his face a mask of fury.

"What the fuck have you done to him" he asked furiously.

"I healed him and gave him the tools, the rest is his own work" the older man shrugged with a glare.

"But he is just a boy, surely you're not serious" Andromeda cut in.

Arcturus looked annoyed but he knew he needed to make them understand why he was doing this. He looked at each person assembled and came up with an idea.

"How many of you have faced him?" he asked.

None of them apart from Harry raised their hands.

"How many times have you faced him Potter?" he questioned.

"Four times so far" he answered.

"Four?" Sirius asked as the rest of the room looked confused.

"When I was a baby, first year, second year and in the graveyard" he replied casually.

Everyone in the room looked even more confused. Arcturus just nodded and turned to address the rest of the group.

"Say his name" he commanded to them all. None of them replied and they looked nervous.

"Potter" he commanded.

"Voldemort" Harry said without hesitation, causing the rest of the group to flinch or shudder.

"None of you have faced him or dare even speak his name and yet you think Potter shouldn't?" he said glaring at his family.

"But he is just a boy" Andromeda reiterated.

Arcturus continued glaring at the assembled group before he nodded and proceeded with his plan. He knew it would be the only way.

"Fine" he began. "If all you see is a boy then prove it. One of you duel him, I don't care who, and if you win I will agree with Sirius that Potter should sit the war out and you can take him wherever you want to go" he bargained.

Before the group could even discuss the matter the youngest Tonks stepped forward.

"I'll do it" she declared. "I owe him one from July" she said with a little embarrassment.

"So you were Dumbledores' lackey who attacked me Miss Tonks?" Harry asked a little surprised. "You look better with pink hair" he added to the amusement of Sirius and the embarrassment of the auror.

"You won't be making jokes soon Potter" she retorted angrily through gritted teeth, making her way to the other side of the room.

Arcturus looked towards the goblin who just shrugged and waved his hand, causing the table to disappear.

"All of those not taking part stand behind this line" he said as he waved his hand again and a blue line appeared.

Arcturus grabbed Harry by the arm and spoke to him quietly so no other could hear.

"I meant what I said Potter" he growled. "If you lose then you go with him" he added nodding towards Sirius. "Don't fuck around and don't hold back, show them why you're here" he instructed firmly.

Harry just nodded at the older man. He did not want to hurt the young woman but he would be damned if he would be sitting this war out. This was his proving ground and he realised he had a lot to prove to the people assembled and to himself. He steeled himself and took his place opposite the blue haired auror.

"Begin when you're ready" Arcturus said casually with a shrug.

Tonks wasted no time and began to fire all kinds of spells at Potter stunners, disarming charms and even a few bludgeoning hexes.

Harry, to the annoyance of his opponent, simply batted them away lazily as if they were nothing.

The auror growled in frustration and began firing spells that had much less friendly intentions. She fired bonebreakers and concussion spells with vigour and a speed that most would struggle with.

Harry avoided the spells with a greater speed and grace that none in the room thought possible and he made it look easy. They were in awe at the 15 year olds ability and he had yet to even fire a spell.

Harry was becoming very annoyed. The auror was not duelling to just incapacitate, she was duelling to cause him injury. He saw a bone breaker coming towards him but did not move or shield, he waited.

The spectators cringed at the impending impact knowing it was going to be very unpleasant. They were again surprised as the Potter simply raised his wand and the spell stopped just in front of it and formed in to a ball. He then hissed at it and the spell turned from a dark blue to a bright pink which he launched back at the woman with incredible speed and power, sending her flying through the air and in to the wall, knocking her unconscious.

The people watching were all stunned at what they had just seen apart from Andromeda who ran to the unconscious form of her daughter to try and rouse her.

"What the hell was that Potter" Arcturus asked with a little awe in his voice, "That should not be possible" he stated.

"Something I've been working on" Harry shrugged casually. "Though I haven't tried it with anything stronger than a stunner" he added rubbing the back of his neck.

"How?" Sirius asked quietly.

"It's the same as batting the spell away but you block and manipulate the magic to capture the spell" he explained. "The second part is a parseltongue modification spell that's usually used for healing charms" he continued. "It usually modifies a bone knitting charm in to a skin sealing charm without having to end the spell" he explained further. "I found it works with combat magic and can turn a stunner into pretty much what I want, but it doesn't work unless it is done in parseltongue" he finished.

"That is quite something" Arcturus intoned.

"You're a parselmouth?" Ted asked nervously.

"Yes, it's something I inherited from my Black heritage" Harry answered the apprehensive man.

Narcissa just looked on in shock at the younger man but said nothing. She was admittedly impressed but this was just a friendly duel, she was not convinced by the boy.

"She won't wake" Andromeda called worriedly from across the room.

"It's ok Mrs Tonks" Harry said walking towards the duo. "I only turned it into a stunning spell you might not be strong enough to counter it" he explained leaning over the auror. "Enervate" he mumbled pointing his wand at the woman.

Nymphadora Tonks woke to the brightest green eyes she had ever seen. They were alight with power and there seemed to be gently flickering emerald flames within them that shone in the dim light. There was something else there that didn't seem to fit the power she saw; concern, there was concern in them.

She flushed a gentle pink and her hair turned involuntarily red at the beauty she saw in those orbs. Before she could compose herself or speak she heard the voice belonging to those eyes and she remembered where she was.

"My apologies Miss Tonks" Harry said sincerely. "I didn't expect it to be so powerful" he finished offering his hand to help her to her feet.

Tonks took the offered hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet by the surprisingly gentle grip of the young man.

"Ouch" she gasped suddenly rubbing her chest. "Why is it always the chest with you Potter" she said frowning.

Harry just raised an eyebrow at her and pointed his wand at her chest hissing a spell that made the pain dissipate immediately.

"You do make them quite the target" Harry retorted eliciting another flush from the auror who tried to control it but failed miserably. She was not used to being made to feel this way it was her who usually embarrassed other people and made them flush. She crossed her arms and huffed, scowling at Harry who just let a snort of laughter pass and shook his head at her antics.

Andromeda turned to her grandfather and addressed the man, still surprised by all she had seen.

"Why couldn't I wake her?" she asked confused.

"The boy is a lot more powerful than you" Arcturus answered matter-of-factly.

"But he is fifteen" she said exasperatedly.

"And he has already been through his magical maturity" the older man explained.

"Already" Sirius cut in sounding concerned, "But that shouldn't happen for at least a few more years" he pointed out.

"He is hardly the average wizard is he?" Arcturus asked rhetorically.

"How long did it last?" Andromeda asked.

"Potter" Arcturus called, garnering the boys' attention. "How long did your maturity last?" he asked.

"11 days" Harry answered shrugging.

"11" Sirius yelped, "mine was only 5 and James's was 6" he said despondently.

"Mine was 5" Andromeda added in awe.

"5 for me too" Ted chimed in.

"Nymphadora's was 6 I think" Andromeda said quietly. "How powerful is he?".

"Powerful enough to drive away 100 dementors" Sirius said in realisation. "When he was 13" he added.

Andromeda scoffed.

"A 13 year old producing a corporeal patronus is one thing but driving off that many dementors too?" she asked.

"He saved my life doing it" Sirius said quietly.

"I don't believe it" Andromeda said shaking her head. "It's just not possible" she finished.

"Harry" Sirius called, still quietly. "Can you show us prongs?" he asked.

Harry looked a little nervous and sheepish before he answered his godfather. He didn't want to disappoint the man but he couldn't give him what he wanted.

"It's not prongs anymore" Harry whispered.

"What do you mean" Sirius questioned worriedly.

"It's changed now and it's a she" he said looking at Arcturus who nodded in recognition.

"Can I see?" Sirius asked.

Harry swallowed but nodded and thought of the picture currently sat on his bedside table.

"Expecto Patronum" he whispered and his now familiar Thestral appeared in a burst of the brightest white light and a heat that warmed the entire room.

"Incredible" Andromeda said in awe reaching out to touch the creature. "You can actually touch her" she added just above a whisper.

"A Thestral" Sirius said in surprise with a frown which quickly changed to raised eyebrows that almost disappeared in to his hairline. "Aunt Dorea?" he asked Arcturus who nodded solemnly.

"The boy knew nothing of his family at all" he spat bitterly. "But I told him all about his Grandparents, it's up to you to tell him about his parents" he informed Sirius.

Sirius nodded knowing it is something he owed Harry and himself. He had barely spoken about James and Lily for fifteen years and there was no one he would rather discuss them with than his godson.

"Your wand" Sirius suddenly said loudly to Harry. "It was broken and Dumbledore has the pieces" he added. "What is that?" he asked looking at the wand still in Harrys' hand.

The rest of the room turned their attention to the mentioned wand and looked at it in confusion.

"What is it made of?" Andromeda asked eying the implement curiously.

Harry looked at Arcturus who glared at everyone in the room staring at the boy's wand. A wand was a personal thing and not something that should be asked about regardless of how curious it appears.

"You don't have to answer" Arcturus told him firmly still glaring at the gathered people.

"It's ok" Harry said. "They can't use it anyway" he added in amusement. "The outter is made of white ash infused with obsidian" he began.

"That's a Black trait" Sirius interrupted "But it should be a focus stone and combining those two like that must be very difficult" he surmised, looking confused.

"The guy couldn't do it that way " Harry said. "The cores are contradictory so one of them had to be put inside the obsidian like that so it could bond with the rest of the cores and wood" he explained what he had been told by the wandmaker.

"What are your cores?" Andromeda asked curiously knowing it was going to be far from a normal combination.

"Hungarian horntail heartstring and Golden griffin claw" Harry said and was interrupted again, this time Ted Tonks who whistled.

"That's quite a combination" he said impressed but was cut off by the teen again.

"Phoenix tears and basilisk venom" he finished quietly.

"Basilisk venom and phoenix tears?" Andromeda asked clearly surprised. "Having an affinity for one is completely unheard even but both" she finished shaking her head.

"I have them both in my blood" Harry explained.

"You'd be dead if you had basilisk venom in your blood" Narcissa cut in sceptically.

"Second year" Harry said darkly. "I got bitten by the snake, Fawkes healed it and I killed the basilisk with a sword" he added staring at the woman. "All courtesy of your husband who decided to plant an artefact belonging to Voldemort on an 11 year old girl" he spat through gritted teeth at the woman.

Andromeda and Ted looked from Narcissa to Arcturus who nodded.

"I've seen the memory" he confirmed. "However we are here to discuss what we are going to do next" he said, steering the conversation back to the business at hand.

"There's not much I can do" Sirius said frustrated. "I'm a wanted man" he finished.

"Then we need to find the rat" Harry cut in with disgust.

"That is your next project Potter" Arcturus decided. "Bring in the rat" he added.

Harry couldn't help but feel excited by the prospect of getting hold of Pettigrew, the rat would not get away this time if he had any say in the matter. Harry nodded at the older man and smirked at the opportunity.

"Do not kill him for fuck sake Potter" Arcturus commanded upon seeing the look. "If not this idiot will spend the rest of his life on the run" he concluded sternly gesturing towards Sirius.

"Kill?" the youngest Tonks piped up. "You don't expect him to kill really, do you?" she asked getting a nod of agreement from Sirius and Ted.

"This is war" Arcturus spat. "You kill or be killed, what, you plan on stunning everyone?" he asked sarcastically. "Because these bastards won't be firing stunners I can promise you that" he ground out.

"Dumbledore won't like that" Tonks pointed out nervously.

"Tough shit" Arcturus spat. "I am not Dumbledore and Dumbledore is not fucking in charge of anyone who opposes these bastards, if you listen to him you will die" he finished exasperatedly.

"You're all insane" Narcissa whispered quietly. "He is going to kill you all, you don't stand a chance" she added shaking her head.

Before anyone could say a word Harry stormed over to the woman, finally having enough of her presence and her attitude. Everyone felt the temperature of the room drop considerably as the teen made his way to her and shuddered at the power they could feel radiating from him.

Harry looked at her in the eyes with a penetrating stare and saw her pale at his towering figure.

"I am going to kill the bastard and any of the fucking morons who bear his mark" he spoke dangerously with conviction. "That includes your prick of a husband and your idiot son if he joins him" he added. "Do you want to know the type of man your husband is?" he asked rhetorically.

Narcissa simply could not answer and she was frozen with fear. She could feel her body shaking and lip trembling at how intimidated she was. She had only ever felt this kind of fear in the presence of the Dark Lord and she did not like it. She believed every word the boy was saying, she could see the sincerity in the emerald fire-filled eyes of him.

She swallowed deeply and waited for him to continue hoping he would let her leave. He knew she could not breathe a word to anyone and she just hoped he would remember that.

"Your husband and his friends watched and taunted a 14 year old as he was tortured over and over again by that cunt" he spat. "They laughed and spurred him on seeing it as entertainment" he added quietly. "And believe me I will tear them all limb from limb and piss on whatever is left" he finished through gritted teeth.

Narcissa was horrified at how feral the young man looked and knew he meant every word he was saying. Before she could even fathom replying the cold look left the boys' face and he looked his normal self.

"But don't worry Mrs Malfoy" Harry added casually. "I will make sure you get whatever remains of your husband" he warned in what seemed a joyful and condescending tone that only the woman in front of him detected the promise within. "Now get out" he commanded once again reverting back to his cold tone.

Narcissa spared only a small glance at her family before exiting the room as quickly as possible, watched the entire time by the Potter boy. Harry just curled his lip in distaste at the woman before turning to look at the other occupants of the room who all had fearful looks on their faces.

"Damn Harry" Sirius finally managed to utter. "You're terrifying" he added getting nods of agreement from the Tonks family.

"I meant every word" Harry replied quietly.

Arcturus looked at the young man appraisingly and had no doubt about the boys' ability and intentions. He was silently impressed and couldn't be prouder of him.

'Just like Charlus' he thought to himself nodding slightly.

"Where do we go from here?" Andromeda asked everyone in the room.

"Potter will get the rat" Arcturus reaffirmed indicating Harry who just nodded. "You and your husband keep your eyes and ears open and start preparing a case for this moron" he added gesturing to Sirius. "And you two" he said pointing at Tonks and his grandson. "I want to know what Dumbledore knows, he may be an old fool but he knows more than he lets on" he concluded.

"He doesn't tell us much" Sirius answered. "But he has members of the order guarding something in the department of mysteries" he explained.

"Does he?" Arcturus questioned scratching his chin. "Something he's after?" he asked.

Sirius and Tonks could only nod not being sure what exactly was being guarded.

"Find out what it is, it is obviously important" he commanded. "Anything else?" he asked.

"How was the funeral?" Harry asked quietly to Tonks and Sirius who looked confused.

"What funeral?" Sirius asked looking at Tonks who shrugged.

"Hagrid's'" Harry answered frustrated. "Don't tell me no one knows" he finished agitatedly.

"Know what" Sirius asked equally frustrated.

"About the giants" Harry sighed exasperatedly. "We saw them, about twenty of them and they had killed Hagrid and Maxime" he explained to the duo.

"Hagrid's dead?" Sirius asked dumbly. "But Dumbledore would have told us that" he mumbled quietly looking sad.

"He obviously doesn't know" Harry huffed in realisation. "You have to tell him, He and Hagrid were good friends" he finished sadly thinking of the half giant.

"I will pup" Sirius said, swallowing. "I'm sorry, I knew you were close to him" he added sincerely.

"It happens" Harry replied shrugging. "It will happen a lot more before this is done with" he concluded.

"What should we tell Dumbledore?" Tonks asked.

"Tell him you were seeing me" Harry said firmly.

"That will work" Arcturus agreed. "Say Potter told you to come alone or he wouldn't show" he instructed.

The other two nodded and prepared to leave. "How will we contact you?" Sirius asked.

"You won't" Arcturus commanded. "Unless it is an emergency then you call for his elf Dobby, but only if it is urgent, understood?" he asked.

They nodded, Sirius a lot more reluctantly but he did agree, it was much easier this way and they would less likely be found out. With that they both took hold of Sirius' return portkey and left.

Andromeda and Ted both bid their farewells and left also, leaving Harry and Arcturus alone with the goblin.

"That went as well as can be expected" Arcturus said. "You handled yourself well Potter, you should be proud of your performance" he praised the teen.

Harry just looked at the man impassively before replying.

"That wasn't a performance" he intoned sincerely and with that he disappeared with a gentle pop.

Arcturus looked at the goblin with raised eyebrows and got a shrug in return.

"Young Potter is quite something isn't he?" the goblin asked.

"He is indeed" Arcturus replied shaking his head and following Harry home in the same fashion.

(BREAK)

Sirius and Tonks arrived in the hallway at Grimmauld Place and silently made their way to the kitchen. They walked in on what was clearly an unscheduled meeting of the order and the room fell silent at their entrance.

"It's nice of you to join us" Dumbledore broke the silence sounding amused with a twinkle in his eyes.

Before Sirius or Tonks could reply the shrill tone of Molly Weasley cut through the room.

"Sirius Black!" she screeched. "Where on earth have you been" she asked with her hands on her hips.

Sirius felt immediately irritated by the overbearing woman and interrupted before she could begin her lecture.

"Not that it is any of your concern but I went to see my godson" he replied coldly.

"You saw Harry" Molly asked, forgetting the scolding she wanted to give the man. "Well where is he?" she added looking between the two new arrivals.

"Clearly he's not here" Sirius responded gesturing around the room.

"Well why didn't you bring him back?" she questioned angrily. "You should have made him come back with you, he's just a boy and he needs looking after" she finished in a scolding tone.

"pfft, yeah right" Tonks added quietly.

Before she could be questioned Sirius intervened on her behalf.

"Harry does not want to be here, he is safe" he said attempting to placate the distraught woman. "And believe me we couldn't make him come back if we wanted to" he grumbled shaking his head.

"What's that supposed to mean" Molly asked the duo who shared a knowing look.

"It means that Potter would wipe the floor with any of us who tried" Tonks explained. "Believe me, I know" she concluded remembering her duel with the teen.

"Surely you're exaggerating" Bill Weasley interjected.

"I wish I was" Tonks mumbled in reply. "I doubt even Moody would stand a chance" She added indicating the auror.

Moody looked excited by the prospect of that kind of challenge. "Aye, you think that?" he growled.

"I know that" Tonks replied. "He does things that I've never seen and you can't hit him" she said clearly frustrated. "And his power is just something else, he's already had his maturity" she added to those with confused looks. "Eleven days it lasted" she finished shaking her head.

"Eleven days" Dumbledore mused thoughtfully. "Mine was only nine and didn't start until I was 17" he added looking amused.

All the occupants in the room looked surprised by the information and shocked by the addition of what Dumbledore had said.

"He's really that powerful?" Kingsley Shacklebolt asked in awe.

"And faster than a hiccup" Sirius added seriously.

"How is he?" Dumbledore asked sincerely. "What has he been doing?".

"Training, obviously" Sirius began. "He's bigger than me and he's not a boy anymore" Sirius said sadly. "Whatever happened to him in that graveyard turned him into a man and a hell of a man at that" he added. "But he is ok, he has never looked better and healthier" he finished addressing Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was relieved to say the least. It was not often he allowed himself to form a close attachment with a student but Harry was different and had proven it time and time again. Dumbledore truly cared for the boy and wanted nothing more than for Harry to find some happiness in life, happiness he had always been denied.

"I'm pleased" he said simply.

"You're not going to try and bring him back?" Molly asked incredulously.

"You heard yourself that it wouldn't be possible" Dumbledore replied. "And I wouldn't force him if I could" he said sternly. "All we can do is support him when he needs it and he will need it" he added confidently. "The outcome of this war hinges on Harry and it is up to him to end it" he concluded.

"You can't be serious Albus" Molly interjected. "I thought you were joking before but you really mean it don't you? You mean for Harry to kill him?" she asked disbelievingly.

"I do" the older man replied firmly. "It is the only way" he added sadly.

"Really, Headmaster?" Snape cut in. "You still think that Potter will win this war?" he asked in frustration.

Before Dumbledore could answer Sirius interrupted his childhood nemesis.

"Not only has Harry vowed to kill that bastard, Snivellus, he has his sights set on anyone who has the mark" he said with no small amount of glee in his voice. "He says he wants revenge for what has been done to his family and himself" he finished putting emphasis on the word family.

"Well I don't believe a word of it" Snape spat. "He's just an arrogant and insolent whelp just like his father" he concluded.

"He's nothing like James" Sirius said a little sadly. "He's nothing like Lily for that matter" he added. "He is much more like Charlus" he said frowning.

"Then god help anyone who stands in front of him" Minerva whispered with a shudder.

Those who were not aware of the older Potter's reputation just shrugged and those who were felt a little easier knowing Harry was fighting the good fight. Moody and Dumbledore shared a knowing nod.

"Let's hope you don't run into him on one of your raids Snape" Moody growled in amusement. "If he is anything like his grandfather then he will not hesitate to kill you and believe me it won't be pleasant" he advised, smirking

"What was so great about Harrys' grandfather?" Bill Weasley asked.

"Charlus Potter was probably the toughest bastard in centuries to be born to the wizarding world" Moody explained. "He fought against Grindelwald personally and had a reputation of taking no prisoners. He came and taught us for a while when I was a cadet" he mused.

He shook his head at the painful memories of the training.

"Even Albus himself wouldn't want to fight him, isn't that right?" he asked the older man in amusement.

Dumbledore just shook his head.

"I had very little to do with Charlus but no I would not have wanted to cross wands with him" he admitted.

"Would have been a hell of a fight" Moody said sounding disappointed.

"Harry has a new wand then" Dumbledore stated to Sirius and Tonks, changing the subject.

"He does" Sirius replied. "It is very unique but I won't discuss it without his permission" he said firmly.

"Of course" Dumbledore agreed inclining his head. "Before we wrap up is there any other business?" he asked.

"Yes" Sirius sighed in a subdued manner. "Hagrid and Maxime's mission was a failure, Harry came across the giants here and they had killed them both Albus" he finished sombrely.

"Very well" Dumbledore said swallowing sadly, his eyes immediately shining with tears at the loss of his friend. "Meeting adjourned" he added, leaving instantly.

"Shouldn't we go after him?" Molly asked worriedly.

"No lass" Moody said shaking his head. "He will want to be alone a while" he added patting the woman on the shoulder.

With that the meeting broke up and only the Weasleys' remained.

"What is Harry up to?" Molly asked gently, not wanting to annoy Sirius.

"Well as of now he is hunting for a rat" Sirius answered happily.

"A rat?" Molly asked.

"All will become clear soon enough Molly" Sirius replied. "Goodnight" he added to the confused trio and he left the kitchen to head to his room for a much needed good night sleep.