He could admit that Sirius had played the Wizengamot like a harp; just like Arcturus. The House of Black had always wielded immense wealth and power in pursuit of its political goals. He could even admit that he agreed with most of the decisions Sirius seemed to have made: that he had taken a position that placed the House of Black staunchly against the Dark Lord was fantastic news but his actions in regards to the LeStranges was worryingly ruthless. Everybody deserved a chance for redemption.
Sirius waved away the praise. "We've meandered from the point."
"Yes, we have." Albus admitted. "I concede that Harry going back to the Dursleys would be difficult for him but I don't see any other way to maintain the blood protection. Measures can be taken to ensure Harry had minimal contact with them, but I'm sorry, Sirius, I must insist he return there."
Sirius's eyes fired up again. "You just don't listen, do you? Firstly, you mustn't insist anything. You don't have the authority under any of your many positions to tell me to do anything in regards to MY son; I am his blood, legal and magical guardian NOT you! You are nothing more than his Headmaster and, if you ever get your head out of your arse, a possible friend and ally."
Albus blinked at the caustic tone and harsh language. "There's no need for that, my boy."
"I think there's every reason because you don't seem to understand that: Harry. Will. Never. Go. Back. To. The. Dursleys." He punctuated each word by stabbing his finger onto his desk.
"The blood protection…"
"The Dursleys are no longer at Privet Drive." Sirius cut him off harshly.
Albus froze and examined the younger wizard's intent expression. "What did you do?"
"I gave them a new house with new wards. Petunia was ecstatic about living in her dream town and without Harry." Sirius sat back, looking unconcerned.
"But the blood wards…"
"Will fail very shortly." Sirius pointed out. "With nobody of Lily's blood residing there."
Albus closed his eyes. "Then the blood protection…"
"Is fine." Sirius said.
Albus snapped his eyes open in shock.
"Remus tracked down the spell he and Lily had discussed. It mentioned that the blood protection would erode without an anchor of blood within a home. Luckily, Remus found an adoption blessing within the same text." Sirius explained. "We did the ritual yesterday as it has to be performed by the women of the House. Harry's blood protection is anchored by Black blood now."
"And you couldn't have told me this before?" Albus asked, genuinely irritated at how Sirius had allowed him to believe the blood protection was in danger and gone.
"No." Sirius wagged a finger at him. "I was interested to know if you'd put Harry's best interests first and whether you'd be willing to listen to someone else's view."
"Ah." Albus felt a rush of chagrin and reached for a lemon biscuit in the absence of his comforting muggle sweets. "I rather failed your test, I fear."
"I wouldn't say you'd get a Troll…" Sirius said dryly.
"Just a Dreadful." Albus sighed and munched his biscuit. He wasn't sure how he could patch things up. He'd been so certain that he knew best. On one hand, he was despondent at losing control of the situation and yet, on the other, he admired Sirius's and Remus's ingenuity. They had achieved both securing Harry a happy home where he was loved and the maintenance of the blood protection; something Albus had failed to do.
"If I was your Professor, I would say that you need to stop believing that you're the only one with the answers, share your problems with others and listen to them, and most importantly; acknowledge that there are more important things in raising a child than simply keeping him alive." Sirius said crisply.
Sirius got back to his feet and walked over to the mantelpiece where he looked at the crest of the House of Black for a long moment, leaving Albus to consider his words of advice. Albus took a drink of tea to wash down the biscuit.
"So how is your search for the horcruxes going?" Sirius asked suddenly.
His tea went down the wrong way and Albus coughed violently in danger of choking for a long moment. He took a breath to recover and Sirius passed him a conjured glass of water. Albus drank deeply and sighed with relief as the soreness in his throat eased.
Sirius returned to his seat. "Anything you would like to share?"
Albus stared at him and wondered just how much Sirius knew. Did he know about the horcrux within Harry – he had mentioned that they'd attended a healing clinic…or was his knowledge restricted to the diary that Harry would have described in telling all about his second year adventure with the basilisk? He recalled that the discussion about the blood protection had been a test and he had failed. This was his second chance, Albus realised. If he did not give full disclosure here…
"I believe I have much to share and not all of it good news." Albus offered gravely. "You know of the diary, I presume?"
Sirius gave a slow nod. He propped his head up with one hand, his elbow resting on the table. His Head of House ring glinted at Albus.
"As soon as I saw it I knew what it was. Such a vile act; a vile trick to flee from death, indeed." Albus said, with renewed disgust at what Tom had done. "I'm not certain but I think the diary was an accident created by the death of Myrtle as Tom called the basilisk forth from the Chamber when he was a student at Hogwarts. He poured much of his personality between its pages and when he killed her, the damage to his soul caused it to fracture and a piece sheared away and became one with the diary." He sighed heavily. "Whether Tom's interest in horcruxes predated that incident or whether he had already started to learn of them…I rather believe when he realised that the diary had been turned into more than a journal when it wrote back to him, it prompted his curiosity and led him to a conversation with Horace."
"Old Slughorn?" Sirius grimaced. "Sluggy would have had access to a lot of Dark knowledge through his network. If he didn't know about horcruxes, I'm sure he would have known someone who did to point Tom at."
"And I fear he did." Albus said. "I tracked Horace down last summer but he refused outright to admit to any discussion. His entire demeanour was one of heavy guilt." He sipped his tea. "I believe once Tom had confirmed what the diary was, he stopped writing into it, possibly around the middle of his sixth year. But no doubt Tom made others – he would not have stopped at one. Three may have been his initial goal…seven is more likely. He had an obsession with the number. How many he made before his confrontation with Harry that night…"
Good Merlin, the prophecy! Another piece of vital information he had kept to himself for so long…was he meant to give that up too? Maybe he could offer what was already known by Tom…
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