Chapter 112: Sirius Black

Summer at 12 Grimmauld Place settled into a stricter rhythm than Edward expected. His fire work remained supervised after the library accident, and his own walnut wand never left the rules that came with it. He studied Riddle's failed experiments for warning signs rather than trying to repeat them, then spent the rest of his time on ordinary defensive spells, schoolwork, and the beginnings of Occlumency theory.

The last subject frustrated him most.

Books could explain that thoughts were easier to invade when emotion ran unchecked. They could describe concentration, false surfaces, and the difference between suppressing a memory and protecting access to it. None could tell Edward whether he was actually doing the work correctly.

He wrote to Dumbledore asking for a qualified instructor instead of testing himself against an unknown Legilimens.

That decision still felt new when someone knocked hard on the front door.

Kreacher appeared in the study doorway. "The Minister for Magic is outside, Young Master. Mr. Malfoy is with him. And an Auror."

Edward closed his notes. "Let them in."

Cornelius Fudge entered first, dressed too formally for a private summer visit. Lucius Malfoy followed with his usual composed expression. The Auror remained close to the door and introduced herself before accepting Kreacher's suspicious stare as part of the furniture.

Fudge refused tea.

"Mr. Black, I am afraid this is not a social call. Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban."

The name landed differently in Grimmauld Place than it would have anywhere else. A burned gap on the family tapestry marked Sirius's removal from the House. Kreacher had used his name for years as an example of betrayal. Regulus's old notes had used it more carefully.

Edward kept his face neutral. "What does the Ministry believe he intends to do?"

"He was convicted of betraying the Potters and murdering twelve Muggles along with Peter Pettigrew," Fudge said. "He may seek Harry Potter. He may also attempt to contact surviving members of his family."

The Auror corrected him quietly. "Those are risk assessments, Minister. We have no confirmed sighting near either location."

Edward noticed Lucius look at her.

"If he approaches this house," the Auror continued, "do not confront him. Use the Ministry alarm we are leaving with you and remain behind the wards."

Lucius rested both hands on his cane. "Sirius was never predictable. Do not let family sentiment make you careless."

Edward almost pointed out that most Black family sentiment toward Sirius involved burning his name from a wall. He decided against it.

"Was he given a trial?"

Fudge blinked.

The Auror answered. "He was imprisoned under wartime emergency authority. I do not have his full case file with me."

That was not a denial.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"And Peter Pettigrew's body?"

"Only a finger was recovered," she said.

Lucius's expression sharpened. Fudge began explaining the number of witnesses and the size of the explosion, as if volume could fill the gap.

Edward listened without arguing. Peter had been declared one of Sirius's victims. Twelve Muggles had died. The Ministry considered the case settled. Those were facts about the official record, not proof that every conclusion in it was correct.

When the visitors left, Kreacher locked the door behind them with unnecessary force.

"Sirius Black brings disgrace even from prison," he muttered.

Edward walked to the family tapestry. "Tell me what Regulus thought of him. Not what Grandmother thought. Regulus."

Kreacher's mouth tightened.

"Master Regulus fought with his brother. Master Sirius mocked the family and left."

"That was not my question."

The house-elf looked at the burned space on the tapestry.

"Master Regulus once said Sirius was a fool who would die for his friends before he betrayed them. He said it after they argued."

Edward turned.

"When?"

"Before Master Regulus disappeared."

That did not clear Sirius. Brothers could misjudge each other. It did make the official story less comfortable.

Edward asked for Regulus's old letters. Kreacher brought a small box of household notes, school scraps, and unsent drafts. Sirius appeared rarely. Where he did, the language was angry but familiar. Regulus accused him of arrogance, betrayal of the family, and reckless loyalty to James Potter. He never described Sirius as a coward or informer.

One unfinished note contained a line Edward read twice: You always choose your friends over us, even when they do not deserve it.

That sounded like a grievance. It also sounded incompatible with the idea that Sirius had sold those friends to Voldemort without cause.

"We do not know enough," Edward said.

Kreacher looked relieved until Edward continued.

"I want to hear Sirius's account."

"No."

The refusal burst out so quickly that Edward almost smiled.

"Young Master will not hunt an escaped prisoner through Britain."

"Agreed."

Kreacher stopped.

"I am not tracking him through blood magic, family wards, or anything else that tells us where a person is without consent. Even if the old books contain such a method, using it on a fugitive while I am underage is exactly the kind of plan that ends with a second incident report."

Kreacher's shoulders lowered by a fraction.

"Then how will Young Master speak with him?"

Edward considered what the Ministry itself believed. If Sirius cared about the Potters enough to betray them or enough to be falsely accused of betraying them, Harry remained the obvious point of interest. The Ministry would watch Privet Drive. Sirius would know that.

"We do not search every road," Edward said. "We tell Dumbledore I have questions and ask whether any safe contact becomes possible."

Kreacher disliked Dumbledore almost as reliably as he disliked Sirius, which made his silence impressive.

Edward used the secure Floo that afternoon. Dumbledore listened to the questions and did not dismiss them.

"Sirius's imprisonment occurred during a period when procedure failed in many directions," the Headmaster said. "That does not establish his innocence. It does justify caution about assuming the record is complete."

"If he contacts Harry, I want to know before someone kills him."

"You want to question him."

"Yes."

Dumbledore regarded him over his spectacles. "And you will not attempt to locate him yourself?"

Edward thought of the Restricted Section and answered without embellishment. "I want to. I am telling you because I do not trust that desire to improve the plan."

Dumbledore's expression softened.

"That is useful information. Stay at Grimmauld Place. If a lawful and reasonably safe opportunity for contact appears, I will send word."

For three days, none came.

Then a Ministry notice reported a large black dog seen twice near Little Whinging and dismissed the sightings as unrelated.

Edward read the notice at breakfast.

Kreacher read it over his shoulder.

Neither spoke for several seconds.

Edward reached for the Floo powder instead of his cloak.

Before contacting Dumbledore, Edward copied the Ministry notice into his case notes and separated what it established from what it merely suggested. Sirius had escaped. A dog had been seen near Harry's neighborhood. Neither fact proved the dog was Sirius, much less that he meant Harry harm. The exercise felt almost childish, but the Chamber had taught Edward how quickly fear could turn a possibility into certainty.

He left the original notice with Kreacher and took only his notes to the fireplace. If Dumbledore found the sighting useful, the adults could decide what came next. Edward would not turn suspicion into permission simply because the suspect shared his surname.