He wasn't entirely certain he wouldn't have made the same decision in his grandfather's shoes; years of misery but eventual rescue versus guaranteed doom? Indeed, if he'd been told he had to stay in Azkaban for thirteen years to prevent an apocalypse he might have agreed to it. But to make a decision that would mean Harry would suffer…no. There had to have been a third option, Sirius told himself briskly, even if his grandfather had never tried to find it.
"I wish I could have explained this in person but Oona informed me that either path would evolve without me; I would live for less than ten years more. Once she had left, I called my personal Healer and he confirmed that I had the early symptoms of the degenerative wasting disease Oona had predicted. My body would waste away (and it has, I am bedridden these days) but my mind would remain as it always was until the end .
I was coming to terms with the news about my health when the arrest of your cousin, her husband and his idiot brother combined with your situation left the House of Black's reputation in tatters. (I would have made reparations to Augusta but I feel she is more likely to accept them from you – if you haven't already offered her a formal apology, I would encourage you to do so. She was the power behind her husband and will make a formidable ally.)
I had a choice then; I could remain in public for as long as I could and try to rebuild the House of Black or I could spend the years in isolation doing as much as I could to ensure that you would have the resources you and Harry needed to defeat the Dark Lord when you finally escaped.
Again, it must be patently apparent which path I chose to follow."
What?!
Sirius blinked heavily and reread the last part of the letter. Why? Why would his grandfather have made such a choice? Nothing had been more important to him than his reputation and the House of Black…
And it still was, Sirius answered his own question with a surge of cynical surety. His grandfather must have known that rebuilding in the wake of the LeStranges and his own incarceration would take years – probably years he didn't have physically. No, option two would mean his grandfather could convince himself he was doing the right thing while hiding his disease from everyone.
"Self-serving old…" Sirius muttered under his breath.
"There are many things to tell you but where to start?
Firstly, I would talk about the House of Black. You will have realised I left you as Heir and hopefully assumed your rightful place as the Head of the House. I'm certain you will have adopted Harry and made him your Heir but if you haven't, you should. Do what you wish with Bella and her husband.
Lucius Malfoy has already wormed his way out of trouble but he was Marked and quite frankly has illusions of grandeur. He has consolidated some power among the old Black alliance by the time you read this. He will do anything to save his own skin. You may find some of the information gathered on him useful to keep him in line. Narcissa wasn't Marked and could be useful to you; she has a head for politics. Their child, according to my sources is a spoiled brat; I leave his fate to you.
The rest of the minor lines I have ignored to date given my belief their squib blood or undesirable matches weaken the overall strength of the House of Black."
Sirius snorted. That right there was a major political difference between himself and his grandfather. Well, he didn't care about those things; family was family.
"However, my acquaintance with Lily Potter changed my mind about the latter so I leave it up to you to determine their inclusion or exclusion.
Speaking of which, my next topic is Harry."
Wait. What?! Sirius frowned heavily. When had his grandfather and Lily become acquainted? And he suddenly remembered Bertie's memory of his grandfather seeing Lily when Sirius had been captured; of promising Harry the family magic.
"Sirius, you should get Harry's health checked out as soon as you can. I had a wizard private investigator track down Harry in the muggle world once he was of school age and to say his report was alarming would be an understatement. The muggles have badly neglected him. The man I hired was so incensed about the state of the boy when he returned to deliver his findings to me that I had to obliviate him so he wouldn't do something rash and bring Albus's attention to my interest in Harry. I did have the situation reported anonymously to the muggle authorities but they failed to do anything of substance.
Secondly, he is a powerful wizard and will need training. I have left memories in the bottom drawer of the desk that you need to see. If you do nothing else, Sirius, please watch these memories."
Sirius paused in his reading once again and unlocked the drawer. He withdrew what looked to be a custom made box filled with vials of silvery memories. He sighed and set it on the desk top. He picked up the letter again.
"In the middle drawer of the desk is all my research about family magic – you will understand the importance of this when you have watched the memories."
His grandfather had researched family magic? Of course, he had seen Harry's affinity for himself. He unlocked the middle drawer and drew out three journals filled with notes; two rare books and a thick folder of parchment.
Remus was going to drool, Sirius thought bemused.
"Lastly, the top drawer contains all the information I could gather about the Dark Lord – his real identity, likely boltholes, his secrets. I fear he retains an existence thanks to making a horcrux – Regulus asked me about them before he disappeared. I have included all my research on these foul things in his file.
I hope I have provided enough for you to win against the bastard."
Sirius scrambled for the top drawer and once again found a veritable stack of paper. Clearly, his grandfather had used his isolation well. He returned once more to the letter.
"You were always my favourite, Sirius. You are an intelligent, powerful wizard with strong values and ideals. Beyond the bloodline it was the reason why you were always my Heir. I failed to rein in your mother – I had thought formally making you Heir would be enough to curtail her insanity – and I regret that more than I can say. If you had come to me that night rather than the Potters, Sirius, I would have chosen you, protected you.
You have a weighty responsibility with young Harry. He will need you and I know you will not falter in caring for him and guiding him.
Know that I have been and always will be very proud of you, my Grandson.
May Merlin and Morgana bless you both.
Your Grandfather, Arcturus Sirius Black."
His eyes were stinging with unwanted tears by the time he finished and Sirius dropped the letter back on the desk while he brought himself under control.
A knock had him surreptitiously swiping at his eyes before he called for his visitor to enter. It was Remus.
His friend's eyes narrowed on him immediately. "Are you OK?"
"Fine." Sirius answered brightly.
"Uh-huh," Remus said knowingly, "I believe I've heard that 'fine' before when you got ambushed by your brother and friends, and almost ended up in the infirmary for a month because you ignored the fact that one of your ribs was broken."
"None of my ribs are broken now." Sirius said irritably. He waved Remus over to the desk and pointed at the stack of information. "My grandfather's research on family magic."
As he predicted, Remus was happily distracted.
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