Nott stood up. "I will donate the same again to round the numbers up to one million for each."
Dumbledore blinked. "Well, this is a surprising day. It is remarkable to see such support from such disparate parts of our political spectrum. Thank you gentlemen." He looked over to Cornelius. "I trust this is acceptable?"
"More than," Cornelius said, smiling in delight, "I'm sure Director Bones and Director Croaker will be able to put the additional funds to good use. I will bring a revised budget to the August session." He cleared his throat. "May we move to the vote for the proposed Committee now the funding for it has been sorted?"
The vote went swimmingly, passed with only a few votes to the negative, and it was the last order of business for the day.
Sirius let himself be ushered out and into a waiting press melee by Cornelius. He knew it was needed but he hated it.
"Daily Prophet! Rita Skeeter!" Rita grinned at him. "How is Harry enjoying his new guardianship situation?"
"I believe Harry's view can be determined from his agreement to the adoption we announced." Sirius said bluntly.
"He couldn't come with you today?" Rita pressed.
Sirius smiled tightly. "Harry's safety is paramount. As much as we would have both liked him to attend, we knew today would draw a great deal of attention and thought it best he remain at home."
"Lord Black!" Another reporter grabbed his attention. "Any comment on the miscarriage of justice that saw you incarcerated in Azkaban?"
"I am disappointed that the Ministry I worked for failed to provide me with my basic legal and human rights," Sirius said, recalling the prepared statements Brian and Remus had made him learn, "but I am grateful to the current administration for correcting the injustice, particularly the efforts of the Minister and Director Bones."
Cornelius puffed up beside him.
"Your political agenda seems to contradict the reputation of the House of Black, what do you say to that?" Another reporter yelled.
"That I am my own man as my family discovered when I was the first Black sorted to Gryffindor." Sirius answered.
"Do you deny your actions led to the death of the LeStranges?" Someone else shouted.
Sirius pinned the seedy looking journalist with a hard stare that silenced the crowd. "The LeStranges tortured two very wonderful people, who were also my friends, into insanity. They as good as murdered them and certainly deprived a child of his parents as though they had. The LeStranges brought dishonour to the House of Black and were stripped of their magic. I have no regrets." He held up a hand. "One more question?"
"How do you feel about taking over Harry's guardianship?" Rita got in before her rivals could.
Sirius smiled genuinely. "I'm honoured to finally be allowed to do the job that his parents tasked me to do as Harry's godfather. Nothing is more important to me than Harry. I will do everything in my power to protect him and ensure he has a happy life." He held up a hand. "If you'll excuse me, I must leave you in the very capable hands of the Minister. Thank you."
He headed for an open floo and wasn't surprised when he saw Dumbledore waiting.
It was past time for them to talk.
o-O-o
The atmosphere was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Albus glanced around the comfortable study with wonder. He had never been to London Black Manor before. Arcturus had preferred the Black country estate, not that Albus had been there often either given their differing politics and alliances but there had always been an invitation to the Black New Year Ball before Arcturus had gone into seclusion. His gaze landed finally on the young wizard sat behind his desk. Sirius surprisingly radiated a sense of belonging, rightness and authority for all that he had decried his family and heritage in the past.
Albus sat on the other side, contemplating his options and what to do. There were two critical items Albus had to address with Sirius; one was to return Harry to the Dursleys as soon as possible because of the blood protection and the other was to regain some favour with the man who now held Harry's guardianship. He wasn't foolish enough to think it was going to be easy. Evidently, Sirius had been very busy since he had flown away on the hippogriff – he had somehow broken the compulsion Albus had placed upon him for his safety, assumed the Lordship and manipulated events from there to gain custody of his godson. On one level, Albus admired what he'd done; Sirius had gotten Cornelius to do his job, the Ministry to award him guardianship and he'd sent Albus on the proverbial wild nargle chase to keep him away from England while Sirius made his first alliances and they completed the adoption. The love that had prompted Sirius into taking on the mantle of the Black family history he had literally run away from must be great and powerful indeed, Albus mused silently, and it would make Albus's task that much more difficult, all the more so for where they were.
There had been a brief heated discussion on where to meet but Sirius had gotten his way. He had bluntly told Albus that he didn't trust him not to try something but the protections in Black Manor had enough of a reputation that he knew Albus would understand the consequences of trying something within the confines of the Black home. Albus had conceded the location as unimportant but sat within the study he could admit to himself that he was almost intimidated by the magic he could feel around him.
A house elf had popped in and out with refreshments, and Dumbledore picked up his tea, smiling a little at the lemon biscuits that accompanied it. He needed to take the first step towards reconciliation, Albus decided, and cleared his throat.
"Firstly, Sirius, let me begin by apologising to you for my part in the miscarriage of justice that you suffered." Albus began sincerely. He was truly horrified that his inaction had led to Sirius's suffering as an innocent man. "The days following the defeat of Voldemort were chaotic but I confess that when the dust settled I realised I could not remember a trial for you. I believed you guilty as you had been the Secret Keeper and determined if there had not been a trial, it was not worth the pain of dragging up memories that one would cause. I let my anger and grief for James and Lily blind me to doing the right thing. I am very sorry, my boy."
"And your reason for sending two kids to save me at Hogwarts rather than providing me with the protection of the Chief Warlock?" Sirius countered. He leaned back in his chair, regarding Albus almost impassively.
"Ah, well, there I have no excuse."
Albus could see that he'd taken Sirius by surprise in the slight flare of his nostrils; the widening of his eyes.
"Mea culpa as the Romans used to say. Once again in your regard, I did what was easy than what was right." Albus said.
"Why?" asked Sirius baldly.
"Several reasons," Albus prevaricated, taking a sip of his tea, "but I think you know the main one."
"The compulsion charm rather gave it away." Sirius pointed out dryly.
Albus winced. He had known from their discussion on where to hold their talk that Sirius was likely aware of the compulsion Albus had placed on him at Hogwarts and he was honestly embarrassed by it. "I believed it was for the best given Cornelius's determination to have you Kissed. Rather you were abroad and safe, dear boy, than close and…"
"Near to Harry." Sirius interrupted. He picked up his own tea and took a large gulp as though he required fortification.
"I was going to say dead." Albus corrected gently despite Sirius being right in that ensuring distance between the two had been one of Albus's other reasons. "Harry would have been devastated if something had happened to you."
"Forgive me if I think your motivation wasn't quite as pure as you make it out to be. If you'd added a destination to your compulsion, no doubt I'd still be a fugitive," Sirius retorted, "and I'm not certain you've ever made a decision for Harry that took into account his happiness."
His eyebrows shot up that. "Every decision I have made in regards to Harry has been to keep him safe."
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