Dumbledore didn't think much of Douglas's little trick, and Douglas saw no need to explain himself.
Under the cover of a Disillusionment Charm, the two made their way along the lane to the graveyard beside the church.
After a brief search, they found the battered remnants of the Riddle family tomb.
Dumbledore looked at Douglas, puzzled.
"Are you planning to remove old Riddle's bones?"
Douglas shook his head.
"No, I'm wondering if there's something I can add."
Dumbledore gave a gentle warning.
"Douglas, if things are truly as you suspect, then no matter what you add to those remains, Tom will notice. He was, after all, the Potions Professor's favorite student…"
Douglas just shrugged.
"I'm not that naive, Professor. Where I come from, there's an old saying: 'Win the mind, and you win the war.'
I want to leave him a message. Imagine—he sees the walls in the house covered in writing, and then comes here to find what I've left. What do you think he'll feel?"
Dumbledore's eyes sharpened, his voice calm.
"If it unfolds as you predict, he'll feel as if his life is being manipulated. And that's the one thing he hates above all else…"
Douglas smiled faintly, then, using the same spell as before, inscribed behind the crumbling tombstone:
Father's bone, servant's flesh, enemy's blood.
Dumbledore stared at the words for a long moment. Then, with a wave of his wand, he added another line beneath Douglas's:
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Douglas let out a soft sigh. He'd never been to Godric's Hollow, but he'd read that this very phrase was carved on James and Lily Potter's gravestone.
He couldn't tell what Dumbledore meant by leaving such a message for Voldemort—was it a final plea, or a declaration of war?
Suddenly, Dumbledore spoke:
"When you have the chance, you should take Harry to Godric's Hollow."
Douglas nodded.
The blazing sun was slowly sinking behind the far-off hills, its golden light fading into a deep, glowing red. The sky in that corner blushed crimson, and the old church was bathed in the sun's last golden veil.
The great wooden cross atop the steeple cast a long shadow across the ground, inching closer to where the two stood.
When Douglas returned home, Harry had already come back from Diagon Alley and was sitting at the table, waiting for him. He was half-heartedly previewing next term's textbooks, but his expression was far from cheerful.
Sirius—in his Animagus form—lay quietly nearby.
Dobby was overjoyed to see Douglas return and launched into a detailed account of his day's adventures; after all, he'd made quite the spectacle of himself in Diagon Alley.
Harry hesitated, then asked,
"Uncle, are you about to do something again? I saw your note saying you'd gone out with Headmaster Dumbledore, and everyone's been acting really strange today."
Douglas took a sip of soup, not answering directly. He suspected Harry must have overheard or noticed something unusual.
Seeing Douglas's questioning look, Harry quickly explained how Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had behaved toward him that day. Even with Dobby at his side, they seemed worried he might wander off.
And, just before leaving, Mrs. Weasley had given him strict instructions not to stray from Douglas for the time being—without explaining why.
Douglas said nothing, simply picked up a piece of meat, set it on a plate, and bent down to offer it to Sirius.
He gave Sirius a quick wink. Sirius nodded his doggy head in response.
When Douglas straightened up, his tone turned serious.
"You're right, something has happened in the wizarding world—and it concerns you.
Do you remember the fugitive, Sirius Black, reported in the Daily Prophet?"
Harry nodded, his face earnest.
"I saw it in Diagon Alley, too. His photo was plastered everywhere. The posters said he killed thirteen people with a single curse, and called him Voldemort's most loyal follower.
Everyone was talking about the Azkaban guards—apparently, they're going to be stationed at Hogwarts…"
At that, Harry noticed Padfoot (Sirius) looking a little out of sorts.
Douglas coughed meaningfully, reminding Sirius to keep it together.
Harry, thinking Padfoot was just hungry, picked up another piece of meat and put it in Padfoot's dish, giving his head a gentle pat. Sirius quickly pulled himself together.
Harry continued,
"So, does everyone think Sirius Black is going to sneak into Hogwarts to kill me?
But people always say Voldemort only ever feared Dumbledore.
If Black was Voldemort's most trusted follower, wouldn't he be just as afraid of Dumbledore?
As long as Dumbledore is at Hogwarts, I think it's the safest place in the world."
There was something Harry didn't say aloud—he'd already escaped Voldemort's grasp twice. He didn't see himself as completely helpless anymore… (Even if the third time, Douglas had intercepted things.)
Douglas gave Harry a thoughtful look.
"It's not just your friends who are worried. The night I brought you home, I received a letter from the Ministry of Magic. They asked me to watch over you and keep an eye out for any sign of Black."
Harry blurted out,
"Did you and Headmaster Dumbledore go out because you found a clue about Black?"
Douglas shook his head, then countered,
"That has nothing to do with you. Let me ask you—how much do you actually know about Black?"
Harry considered for a moment.
"How much? Just what the papers and the wanted posters say, I guess…"
Douglas nodded, sighing.
"Harry, you're not an eleven-year-old child anymore. You're thirteen now.
A lot of people think you shouldn't know about this, but I believe you have a right to hear it."
Harry nodded solemnly.
Douglas said quietly,
"Sirius is your godfather."
The words hit Harry like a Stunning Spell. He froze, his fork clattering to the table.
Padfoot barked in protest. He'd expected Douglas to tell the story gently, helping Harry accept the truth bit by bit. Instead, Douglas had dropped the bomb right away.
Harry stared at Douglas in disbelief.
Douglas couldn't help but laugh at Harry's stunned expression, instantly shattering the tense mood in the room.
Harry snapped back to his senses, blurting,
"Uncle, are you serious? My parents were heroes who fought against Voldemort. How could my godfather be Voldemort's accomplice? You must be mistaken, you must…"
The more Harry spoke, the more agitated he became. Sirius stepped forward and gently seized Harry's trouser leg in his teeth, his eyes filled with concern.
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