Ad Altiora Tendo

by Sarcadae

Summary:

Sirius Black was never disowned. Sirius Black is the Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban without a trial.

Lord Arcturus Black will not let his Heir suffer one more minute.

Let the enemies of the House of Black know : Parate iudicium. Prepare for judgement.

Notes:

Will you look at that ? A new project ! When will I stop ? Probably never.

I will be focusing on this work for now, I might update my other works in that time, but it will be sporadically. I'm way too invested for this. I have a rough draft for the next few chapters, and I'll try to update every week or two weeks. I even recreated the Black Family Tree with a few additions, as well as created two other Tree for some of my OCs. I am insane.

Anyway, enjoy ! I might add another thing tonight for my casting, because there will be a few OCs in this work, and I have special references.

Chapter 1: Of Lords and Heirs

January 7th, 1982

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was never silent. There was always the sound of running boots, quills scratching on papers, and orders being shouted. The department was always alive.

But not today.

The doors suddenly burst open, letting in an icy wind that made papers fly everywhere. Every Aurors present shot to their feet, their wands in hand, only to stop and stare, shocked. At the door stood a man wearing dark robes with fine silver accents, his grey eyes surveying everyone in the room, daring them to move a muscle. His gaze settled on the door to the director’s office, and the wind grew colder. His stride was powerful, reminding everyone that despite his age, he was still fit and more than capable of handling them if they so breathed wrong.

Two more people followed behind him : a man, probably of the same age with stunning blue eyes dressed in long blue robes to match his eyes, and a woman with short blond hair and green eyes, dressed in a black low-cut dress and matching chocker. The most shocking of all, perhaps, was that the older Aurors in the department immediately recognized her, standing tall and averting their gazes from her.

There was a loud bang as the door to the director’s office blew open, followed by screaming coming from inside.

“What in Merlin’s name is going on ?! What are you-” Crouch Sr stopped talking, his mouth open and eyes wide with shock. He quickly regained his composure and bowed deeply to the man in front of him.

“Lord Black, I wasn’t aware you were coming. I sincerely apologize for my rudeness.” Crouch Sr stood back up, but he looked anywhere but the furious man in front of him. Even he had some survival instincts, and everyone knew you do not anger further Lord Arcturus Black unless someone wanted to die a painfully slow death.

“Crouch, it has come to my attention quite recently that you imprisoned a man in Azkaban without a trial.” Even his voice sounded cold, and his words brought shivers down everyone’s spines. Crouch paled dramatically, and he tried to stammer an excuse, but Lord Black cut him off with a raised hand.

“I do not wish for your excuses, they are not welcomed nor appreciated. I am here today to know why my heir, Sirius Orion Black, was thrown in prison without anyone lifting a single finger.”

The only sound heard was Crouch’s attempts at explaining himself. Everyone else was standing with slowly downing horror. Had they really sent the heir to a Most Ancient and Noble House in Azkaban without a trial ? Have they really been so blind ?

“B-but Sirius Black w-was disowned...” Crouch’s voice grew quieter the more he spoke in the face of Lord Arcturus’ fury. It was becoming clear quite quickly that they made an enormous mistake.

“He was never disowned, my daughter-in-law doesn’t have the power or the right to do so. Neither did my son when he was still alive.” Lord Arcturus said, his eyes never leaving Crouch’s face. “Only the Lord of an Ancient and Noble House can do so. And I can assure you, Crouch, that I never disowned Sirius. So now, will you answer my question ?”

Crouch remained silent, growing paler by the second, his hands shaking. Lord Black made a little humming noise, before turning towards his companions.

“Lord Ferrell, Lady Holloway, it seems we have all the information we needed.”

“Indeed, Lord Black.” Lord Alton Ferrell said, his deep voice reverberating around the silent room.

“We should leave now, then.” Lady Teressa Holloway added, looking around her former office with disdain, before turning on her heels and leaving the room. “This department clearly isn’t the same as when I was Director. A pity, really.”

“The real pity is all the years you spent working here.” Lord Alton said as he followed her, a little smirk on his lips.

“Alton is right, you should not have waisted all these years here. Clearly, all the things you accomplished were for naught.” Lord Arcturus added, the cold wind slowly dying down with each step he took in the direction of the doors.

They were nearly out when Lord Arcturus stopped and turned to face Crouch, still in the same place, frozen on the spot.

“One more thing.” He began, focusing on Crouch. He waited until the man looked at him before continuing. “Bartemius Crouch, you imprisoned my heir. You left him to rot in that place. You have made an enemy in the House of Black. Parate iudicium.”

They all could feel Lord Arcturus’ magic settling on Crouch, before the man fainted, crumpling on the floor like a puppet whose strings were cut. Lord Arcturus turned on his heels and left the room, leaving everyone frozen in shock.

---

Lord Arcturus Black was never as furious as he was when he was informed that his heir, his grandson, Sirius, was imprisoned in Azkaban since November of 1981. He just managed to get to the dueling room in the basement of Nightwell Keep before letting his hold on his magic go. He felt a lot of emotions all at once : fury, anger, disbelief, horror, betrayal, fear. When his lovely wife came to see him, nearly an hour had passed. His magic had calmed down by that point, but it truly settled with a gentle push from his wife’s magic.

They spent the rest of the day questioning their daughter, Lucretia, on everything she had learned. They never got notified of Sirius’ incarceration, or the events leading up to it. Someone in the Ministry didn’t think it important, and for that, they will pay. The Black temper was infamous for its coldness, and these fools would learn quickly to never mess with the Black Family.

As soon as Lucretia finished, Arcturus contacted Alton and Teressa. They were both dear friends of his, having gone to Hogwarts at the same time. When they heard what happened to his grandson, they were both furious. They immediately offered him their help in getting Sirius a trial, and bringing him back home. Because there was never a doubt as to his innocence. Sirius and James Potter were basically brothers, and Sirius was little Hadrian’s godfather, he would never betray them like The Prophet and everyone else said. If the British Ministry still insists on the contrary, there was only one thing left to do. Bring this up to the ICW.

Luckily for Arcturus, he had a lot of power with the International Confederation of Wizards, and so did his friends. Alton was a member of the Jury Panel, and Teressa was a private investigator since she left her place as Director of the DMLE. It was only a matter of time before the Magical World remembered why the House of Black was feared since its creation.

Chapter 2: Reflection of the mind

Summary:

The birds were singing while they flew, and the horses down in their paddocks were happily trotting about. It was a peaceful sight.

Sirius Black would never take those things for granted again.

Notes:

Hi ! So sorry for the late update, but I helped my best friend move places, and we spent four days packing her stuff and cleaning after her good-for-nothing ex. Yes, I am still a bit salty about it, and so is she. Anyway, I couldn't write this chapter until after I came back, but I got ropped into babysiting my niece, and she is one little hyper active baby. There's a reason I nicknamed her "little frog", she won't stop jumping and squirming around. It also doesn't help that I write these chapters as I go, because aside from a rough outline for this story and some ideas for scenes waaaayyyy later, I have nothing. But fear not ! My muse is kicking my ass tonight, so I'll probably write the next chapter tonight.

Slight trigger warning for implied child abuse. It's only a sentence, but I prefer saying it now.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter ! And tell me what you think about it !
(Also, sorry if there are any mistakes, but English isn't my mother tongue, and I don't have a Beta, so I'm struggling a little to be as grammatically correct as I can.)

The sun was shining high over the grounds of Nightwell Keep, the Ancestral Home to the Black family. The various ponds and fountains scattered around the property were reflecting the light, casting the whole area in a gentle glow. The wind was blowing slightly through the trees, ruffling their leaves as well as the many flowers present in the gardens, multiple scents filling the air. The birds were singing while they flew, and the horses down in their paddocks were happily trotting about. It was a peaceful sight.

Sirius Black would never take those things for granted again.

Two days ago, he was brought out of his cell in Azkaban and then transported in another cell (much better than the one he was previously in, he might add. It even had a toilet) in the Ministry of Magic. A quick meal and a quicker shower later, he entered the Wizengamot chamber and was finally given a proper trial, where he had the absolute pleasure of watching Lady Teresa Holloway tear into Crouch Sr. and everyone involved in his imprisonment. And then, he watched as Edmond Ferrell, the son of Lord Alton Ferrell and a private investigator from the ICW, dragged a silent and bound Peter Pettigrew in the room. He would have gone for the little traitor's throat if Lady Teresa hadn't put a hand on his shoulder to restrain him.

Pettigrew was found guilty of the crimes Sirius had been wrongfully convicted, after an intense questioning by Edmond, helped with the use of Veritaserum. Everything was quite a blur after that. He remembered Minister Bagnold's words, sentencing Peter to the Dementor's Kiss. He remembered being led out of the courtroom by Lady Teresa into an adjoining meeting room, were his grandparents waited. He remembered his grandmother's open arms and reassuring words, his grandfather's steady presence at her side, his magic engulfing him in a slightly cold wind. He had never felt as protected as that moment.

And now, two days later, he was enjoying a quiet moment in the back garden of the ancestral house of his family.

Nightwell Keep was as magnificent as he remembered. Three stories tall, with high windows and higher ceilings. The grey stone of the building gave it a cold edge to anyone not familiar with his family. There were more than a hundred rooms in total, and even some members of the Black family didn’t know every room inside the building. The massive grounds were home to beautiful gardens, majestic fountains, huge stables and paddocks, three glass greenhouses filled to the brim with Muggle and magical plants alike, and a Quidditch pitch near the forest line circling the entire property.

To him, it was home. Not like Grimmauld Place, who was another prison he barely escaped. Not like the Potters' home either, a temporary safe place for his two remaining years at Hogwarts before his majority.

Nightwell Keep was the place where he was born, where he first felt his family magic right after his birth, welcoming him in a light winter breeze. It was the place where he discovered his adventurous spirit, exploring the gardens and the grounds around the property, finding all sorts of plants and creatures, going on long walks with his grandfather and spending afternoons with his grandmother on horseback. It was where his Aunt Lucretia would give him all sorts of gifts after her expeditions with her husband, were his Uncle Alphard would tell him all about the people he got to meet on his travels, were his Great Aunt Cassiopeia would tutor him in her private study. Nightwell Keep held his best memories of his family. And now, hopefully, it would held all of his godson's.

His godson. Harrison James Potter. Little Harry. How could he forget about him ? How could he leave him behind to go after the man responsible for his parents' murders ? He still has trouble recalling everything that happened that night, but that is one thing he can remember clearly. Giving Harry away to Hagrid and going after Pettigrew.

Sirius growled in annoyance. It still didn't make much sense in his head. He knows he would have never let Harry go like that. He was his godfather, the one person his parents entrusted him to take care of the little boy. And instead, he went against everything the title stands for and left Harry alone. Well, not alone. He left Harry with Petunia Dursley.

This time, his growl was of pure anger and hatred for the woman. When Megan Holloway came to Nightwell Keep the day after his release with her brother Edmond in tow, a little bundle in her arms, he could have kissed her right there. Harry was a little bigger than he remembered, but he had the same wild black hair like his father, and his mother's deep emerald eyes. The scar he vaguely remembered, having healed it the best he could before giving Harry away to Hagrid. But the sunken cheeks, the lightness of his body, and the deep red marks around his throat were things he would have never imagined even in his darkest dreams.

Were it not for his grandfather's quick thinking and quicker Stupefy, he would have Apparated to the Dursleys' doorstep immediately. It took a few hours and two Calming Draught before everyone was sure he wouldn't do something that would get his arse back in Azkaban quicker that he could say Quidditch. Although, after Edmond finished retailing everything that happened in the short hour he and his sister left to retrieve Harry, he wasn’t the only one who needed the calming potion. Sirius could feel his temper rising, as well as the urge to repay tenfold the Dursleys for their treatment of his godson.

A cold wind settled over him, calming him gradually. Turning his head to the side, he watched as his grandfather sat in the chair opposite him. Sirius had gone to one of the back patios of the house for some calm, but apparently his grandfather still possessed the uncanny ability to find him even when he didn’t want to be found.

After a tea tray and some biscuits were left for them on the table by a house elf, his grandfather looked at him, his grey eyes staring into his own.

“I could feel your inner turmoil all the way to my office. Speak now boy, or you will drive yourself mad by the end of the day.” His grandfather’s voice was calm, soothing, and helped greatly Sirius into speaking what was on his mind.

“I was just going over everything that happened since the trial.” He said, taking a sip of his tea. When his grandfather only hummed, prompting him to continue, he added with a sigh. “I just...Something doesn’t feel right.”

“What is it ?” Sirius took a few minutes to answer, grasping a stray strand of thoughts that wouldn’t leave him alone since his first night back in Nightwell Keep.

“That night...” He cut off with a shudder, remembering all too clearly the sight of his best friend’s body on the floor, glasses askew, lifeless gaze fixed on the ceiling, and then Lily’s body, crumbled in front of Harry’s crib. He slightly shook his head, willing the images to the very back of his mind. “I wouldn’t have left Harry to somebody else. I remember holding him in my arms, thinking I had to get him somewhere safe. Then Hagrid showed up, saying he would get him to Hogwarts. I argued with him, because I wasn’t leaving without him, and Hagrid relented, and we left the house together. But after that.” He frowned, going over everything that happened after they left the cottage. “After that, everything is just a blur, as if I was in a fog. The next thing I remember, I was in a Muggle street, and there were Aurors pointing their wands at me.”

His grandfather reclined in his seat, looking at him intensely. Sirius looked in his eyes, hoping to see some sort of guidance or comfort. When he felt a light prodding in his mind, he let his grandfather enter his head, looking through his memories of that night. It felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, before his grandfather retreated.

A slight icy wind around them was the only indicator that his grandfather had found something. Judging by his suddenly hard steel eyes, Sirius could guess it was bad. He felt himself pale a little, dreading the answer his grandfather had found in his mind.

“Grandfather ?” He prodded gently, reaching for his cup with slightly trembling hands. His grandfather’s silence was making him panic a little.

“You were right Sirius. Something definitely isn’t right regarding your memories of that Samhain.” He took a deep breath, looking into the grounds filled with flowers and bushes. It was a few minutes more before his gaze locked back with Sirius’. “Someone tampered with your memories, as well as your mind. A lesser wix wouldn’t have caught the slight change, but we Blacks are not like others. Our minds are more complex than the average person, as a result to our ancestral magic. Thus, a wix trying to alter our memories or tamper with our minds will not succeed entirely.”

His grandfather reached for his tea cup, taking a quiet sip while letting Sirius process what he just told him. His mind was going a mile a minute, casting questions and theories at frightening speed. He finally shut his eyes, willing his mind to settle and let him breathe. It took a few minutes, and some of his Aunt Cassie’s old lessons buried deep inside his subconscious, but he was able to properly concentrate. Looking into his grandfather’s eyes, Sirius asked the only question that mattered right now.

“Who ? Who would do such a thing ?”

His grandfather looked into his eyes for a long moment, the sounds of the outside world fading to background music. He had a few ideas, conjured by his mind not a few minutes ago, but he refused to believe them. It couldn’t be.

“I am not entirely sure, your exposure to Dementors has suppressed quite a few things from your mind. But there is a faint magical signature attached to the Memory Charm from that night. I doubt you would recognize it, after all, you wouldn’t have spent a lot of time around that particular wix. Me, on the other hand.”

His grandfather trailed off, his eyes gaining a hard edge, while his magical aura reinforced around them, causing shivers to travel his skin. The Black Temper was infamous for its coldness, capable of freezing their enemies right where they stood. Sirius couldn’t remember ever seeing his grandfather losing the control he had over his temper. He definitely knew who was behind his altered memory. And from what he just said, Sirius knew them too.

“I believe it is time our family reinstate exactly why we are so feared across the Wixen World.” His mouth curled into a cruel smirk, and if Sirius wasn’t a member of the House of Black and thus, possessed a natural immunity to its effects (as well as possessing said smirk), he would have run away as fast as he could, as far as he could. That smirk promised nothing good to anyone outside of their family. “After all, we have a new enemy by the name of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.”

Sirius froze in his seat, before his magic erupted in a small storm around them. Snow started to fall from the sky, and a cruel smirk found its way on his face, echoing his grandfather's.

“No mercy for the enemies of the House of Black.”

Notes:

The term "Wix" is a neutral way of addressing witches and wizards. I can't remember which fic I read first that used it, but I do know quite a lot of author use it.

Alternative title for this chapter was "Serious Reflections" but I'm keeping that pun for later (x

Notes:

All the latin phrases are taken from Google. I vaguely remember my lessons from high school, but I still don't know how to speak Latin. (Does anyone even know how to speak Latin ?)

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of House of Black, Toujours Pur