Chapter 186 – Brothers' Conversation (Part 1)
"After that, I rushed to James's house, but all I found was rubble—and Hagrid, who had come to protect Harry. I gave him my motorbike and asked him to get Harry to safety. Then I went after Peter Pettigrew. I really thought I could catch him..."
Sirius's emotions grew more agitated as he spoke. Over the years, he had carried deep regret for everything that had happened.
Watching him, Lupin sighed and said gently,
"It's over now, Sirius. At least Harry is safe, isn't he?"
He turned to Harry with a soft smile.
"You must be Harry. Your eyes…"
"So much like my mum's. I know," Harry replied quietly.
Lupin smiled, nodding in quiet acknowledgment.
Phineas spoke up.
"All right, why don't we all sit down? You can talk while we eat."
Once they were seated, Phineas kept mostly quiet. Today was a day for reunions—Harry was meeting his godfather for the first time, and Sirius and Lupin were reconnecting after years apart. The atmosphere was a mix of nostalgia and cautious hope.
During dinner, the two Marauders shared memories of their Hogwarts days. Listening to their tales, Phineas couldn't help but think that even the troublesome Weasley twins were well-behaved compared to the chaos these four once caused.
Everyone stayed the night at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Lupin left early the next morning to return to his work at the Black family's shop.
Phineas had only taken a single day from Harry's school holiday, so Puff was instructed to return Harry to Hogwarts.
As for Phineas himself, he didn't need to return. Dumbledore understood that, given his current position and responsibilities, it wasn't realistic for Phineas to remain at school like an ordinary student. Especially now that Sirius had returned, there were countless matters within the Black family that needed attention.
The redistribution of power, assets, and influence between the two men was a matter far more complex than any transaction between families in the past.
"Don't just stand there staring. If you miss him, you can always visit him at Hogwarts," Phineas said, noticing Sirius watching the spot where Harry had disappeared with Puff.
"Now, it's time we discuss our affairs."
Sirius nodded, coming back to himself.
"You're right. So, where do we begin?"
Fresh out of Azkaban, Sirius knew little about the current state of the Black family—or their business holdings. In truth, he'd never known much about the family's operations to begin with. Disowned as a teenager, his name burned from the family tapestry, Sirius had been shut out long ago.
Phineas thought for a moment before replying.
"Well, I'll give you a quick overview of the Black family's current situation, and some of the changes I've made over the past few years."
Sirius nodded.
"Eleven years ago, shortly after Mother passed, most of the pure-blood families in the wizarding world began targeting the Black family's businesses."
Sirius's eyes widened.
"That shouldn't have happened. The Elder Council—"
Phineas gave a sardonic smile.
"Yes, the Elder Council. It was the Rich family who led the charge. The Gaunt family had already been wiped out by Voldemort, breaking the balance between the old lines. And with the only adult member of the Black family locked away in Azkaban, the Council saw an opportunity to shift the power structure."
Sirius looked away, visibly ashamed. He had never considered how his actions had affected Phineas. Back then, all he had focused on was revenge—on finding Pettigrew, avenging James and Lily. He hadn't thought beyond that.
Phineas continued.
"Thankfully, the Selwyns still supported us. They bought me a few months to regroup. I used that time to hit back at those who tried to seize our assets."
Sirius looked at Phineas with incredulity.
"How did you manage that? You were just a kid at the time."
Phineas chuckled.
"I had foresight. The day after Mother died, I went straight to Professor Dumbledore and asked him to place a Fidelius Charm on the house. Then I acquired several house-elves from Kreacher to handle protection and security. That gave me the freedom to focus on the rest."
"After that, it was straightforward. Most of the families targeting us were either under the Rich family's influence or had close ties to Voldemort. I simply gathered enough evidence and handed it to the Ministry and the Wizengamot. For the sake of their bloodlines and family legacies, they turned their focus inward—and left us alone."
He paused, smiling grimly.
"What truly worked was fear. At my age, with no elders guiding me, people assumed I had nothing to lose. And people like that... are dangerous."
Sirius nodded slowly, absorbing it all.
"What happened after that?"
Phineas took a sip of water, then continued.
"I sold off some of our more desirable businesses in Britain—made it look like I was retreating, selling under pressure. But in truth, I used the gold to build new ventures across Europe. Now, wherever there's a magical community on the continent, there's a piece of the Black family. Even in the New World."
"But their laws are too strict, and I don't trust their system yet, so I haven't expanded much there."
"Once I had the capital, I bought back many of our original holdings under a new name. I also funded a few werewolf communities—and created our own private defense force."
Phineas made it all sound simple, but Sirius knew how hard it must have been. Even without knowing the details of the family's enterprises, he understood the scale of what Phineas had achieved.
And more than that, he understood the weight of what he had left behind.
The Elder Council had stepped in at one point, and Sirius knew full well what that meant. Even in the New World, the Council's influence carried weight.