It was quite the scene the next afternoon, when Minerva, Remus, and Sirius Floo'd back to Prince Manor. I'd placed a blanket down on the floor, surrounded by cushioned and cuddly toys, and Cassia and Al were getting acquainted with Titania, who was reveling in all the unexpected attention from her cousins. Severus and I sat on the couch, observing them, while sipping cups of tea, while Regulus and Ariadne were doing the same upon the loveseat across from us.

Remus gaped, but quickly got out of the way as Tonks hurried through the Floo after him, his eyes briefly on her as she looked around the room. "You didn't mention it being this large a surprise," Remus said at last.

"I should say not!" Minerva said indignantly, putting her hands on her hips. "Regulus Black, as I live and breathe!"

Regulus blinked at the sight of his former Deputy Headmistress, and shot a look of thanks as Ariadne took his cup of tea from him. Regulus got to his feet as the Floo went off again, leading Ted, Andromeda, and Draco to step through it. Regulus stepped towards Minerva, and promptly showcased his bare arm to her, leading the elderly witch to raise her eyebrows. "Severus gave me the potion as soon as I'd woken up and had brunch," he explained.

The Floo went off one last time, with Lucius and Narcissa stepping inside the parlor.

Andromeda immediately went to stand beside her sister, who looked shocked. "It's all right, Cissa," she said gently to her.

"But...but... He's alive, Dromeda!" Narcissa whispered back, her voice shaking.

Kreacher stepped in shortly thereafter and snapped his fingers, while his other hand was occupied by another tea tray, filled with biscuits and all the tea accoutrements one could begin to imagine. Immediately, the room expanded with wizard space, allowing for more chairs, loveseats, and couches to appear, so that all our guests would be accommodated. Kreacher smiled to himself as he watched Andromeda comforting Narcissa, and walked into the center of the room, placing the tea tray onto the coffee table.

"Kreacher will be setting the table for fifteen this evening," he drawled, and I nodded at him with a smile. "Kreacher will have to make more roasts," he said, obviously thinking aloud, before he popped away again.

Andromeda led Narcissa towards a loveseat, while Ted and Lucius took the two chairs on either end of it, as if understanding their wives needed one another at the moment. "It's going to be just fine," Andromeda was assuring her sister.

Tonks, meanwhile, looked up at Remus, who took her by the hand, and led her to another loveseat, much to my happiness, and tucked his hand in hers.

Sirius and Draco occupied a couch to watch the scene unfolding, while Regulus led Minerva to a throne-like chair and set her gently into it.

"I trust your judgement, Severus, Sirius, Cressida," the headmistress continued, staring down at Regulus, who had previously knelt before her, "although I am beginning to feel as if I am in some sort of shock..."

"Shall we send for Kreacher to fetch something for you, Minerva?" I asked lightly.

Minerva swallowed. "Perhaps some whiskey wouldn't be remiss..."

"Kreacher," Severus called.

Kreacher popped into being, the requested whiskey already in his nimble fingers. "Tiffy is setting to work the large dinner, Master Severus, Mistress Cressida," he informed the two of us as he approached the headmistress. "Kreacher is bringing Headmistress Minerva only the finest from Scotland," the wizened house-elf said, giving her a small smile.

Minerva was immediately touched. "Thank you, Kreacher," she said softly, and took the whiskey from him, which she downed immediately, before clearing her throat. "Now," she said, handing the glass back to Kreacher, who bowed and returned to the kitchen, and motioning for Regulus to take his seat beside Ariadne, "tell us what you know, Regulus."

Regulus sighed, obviously knowing entirely well that he would have to go over his story again, for what was likely the second time in the numbered days. "I had begun having doubts about Riddle for some time, so I kept quiet initially, until he let something slip, due to the fact that he still believed me loyal to him," he began, and, everyone who hadn't yet heard the story, leaned forward with curiosity. "Riddle mentioned that he'd managed to pave the way towards his own immortality and, initially, I believed he'd made contact with Nicolas Flamel, due to his own brewing of the Elixor of Life, via the Philosopher's Stone."

"But Flamel has always been loyal to Dumbledore, or, had been, once he knew the truth about the headmaster," Remus said softly.

Regulus nodded. "Exactly, so I knew I had to dig deeper, which led me into the Black family library, leading me to discover Horcruxes," he continued. "Riddle used the word himself, but I was having difficulty understanding the logistics, as any sane person would, but, once I read about them, I was truly horrified. I didn't want to draw skepticism towards me by asking him directly, and so I performed the research in secret. With only Kreacher at my side, I ventured to the location where Riddle had let slip that he'd left the Horcrux in question—a cliff face by the sea, where the orphanage had taken him and the rest of the children in the 1940s."

"Notoriously hard to get to," Ariadne put in, shaking her head. "I later found out from Regulus that there was no way to get in there directly. Regulus and Kreacher had to Apparate first to the rocky formation out in the sea, and then to the top, before they were able to Apparate directly into the cave itself. No-Maj individuals who are, shall we say, daredevils in nature, would likely find no issue with climbing down the rock face with rock climbing equipment, sort of like how a mountaineer would accomplish things."

Minerva cocked her head to one side. "Do you mean to tell us, Ariadne, that you yourself went into the cave as well?"

Ariadne nodded, almost as if she had been expecting the question. "I did," she confirmed, and every Malfoy, plus Ted and Andromeda, Remus and Tonks, Sirius and Remus, as well as Minerva all drew back in fear. "I arrived at the cliff face with my familiar, a Kneazle called Kamaria, after seeing it depicted in a historical account of magical places in England. I still don't know why my uncle had access to it," she said softly, "as he was very against Regulus being in his home... Anyhow," she said, shaking it off, as if it was still a sore subject for her, after nearly twenty years, "upon our arrival, I saw that a path had been carved into the cliffside... I still think that Lady Magic had me in her thoughts that day, almost as if she was literally leading me to my destiny, to help Regulus, when he surely wouldn't have survived otherwise."

"Wouldn't have survived?" Lucius asked, looking terribly worried. "What do you mean?"

"Emerald Potion," Severus informed him softly, leading Lucius, Narcissa, Ted, Andromeda, Tonks, Draco, and Remus to draw back in horror, which likely meant that Lucius had informed them all of the pertinent things they'd been involved in as Death Eaters. "One of Riddle's Horcruxes was literally lying within it, in a basin, upon a crystal-type monument in the cave. In order to enter the cave, a sacrifice of one's blood must be given and, if the sacrifice was accepted, you were granted admittance. I willingly parted with my blood, and then Kreacher and I ventured down a dark corridor, further into the cave, where we saw a small boat waiting. The water below it was dark, with only the crystals in the monument, as well as within the walls, providing any source of light. Kreacher and I got into the boat, floated across the river, although I sensed something ominous beneath its depths, and made it to the monument. We managed to climb on top of it, and, even though I attempted to bring the locket out without drinking, I knew that such a feat would be impossible."

Severus sighed, and I took him by the hand. "Whenever any object, especially a dark or cursed one, is encased in Emerald Potion, it becomes impossible to remove, unless it is drunk." He shook his head. "I wish I'd never made that potion," he spat disgustedly, and I cuddled into his side, knowing entirely well that he needed comfort right now.

"It's all right, love," I whispered to him, despite knowing entirely well that it was not all right, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Despite Kreacher's pleas, I drank the potion," Regulus continued, shaking his head. "My worst memories at the time involved me not listening to Sirius, and leaving Grimmauld when he'd taken the opportunity to do so when he was sixteen," he went on, clearing his throat as his emotions threatened to get the better of him. "Once the potion was drunk, I managed to retrieve the locket, and hand it over to Kreacher, before I was assaulted by an urge to vomit. I slipped down the crystals and into the water, screaming at Kreacher to get out of there and never reveal my location to anyone. There were Inferi in the dark water, which is why I'd suspected something ominous before, and they immediately dragged me under. I tried to fight them, of course I did, but my wand was lost, and water was slowly but surely filling my lungs, that, after a few moments, I gave up..."

"Which is when Kamaria and I arrived outside the cave," Ariadne said, knowing that she had to take over the story for a bit. "Kamaria went off to explore the woods, potentially to do some hunting, which is when I saw the path to the cave. I fancied myself a novice Magizoologist at the time, and figured that, perhaps, there would be worthy magical creatures to study, perhaps in the cave itself. I went down the path and smelled the blood, still dripping down from the rocks, which still permitted me entrance into the cave. I heard the water splashing and got in there as quickly as I could, quickly deducing that Inferi were the cause of it, as well as Regulus literally fighting for his life. I remembered our lessons in History of Magic about Inferi, and got Regulus away from them, taking him outside, calling for Kamaria, and getting us out of there."

Regulus's eyes filled with love for his wife, taking her by the hand. "Ariadne nursed me, with the healing knowledge she had, as her own mother is a healer," he explained. "She took me back to the home of her aunt and uncle, who were away on a trip with their children to see a relative, with Kamaria keeping watch over me the entire time. Ariadne expelled the water from my lungs, provided healing potions, as well as a licorice root tea to return my strength. She told me about herself, deduced that I was against Riddle, despite the mark upon my arm, and arranged for an emergency Portkey to bring me back with her to Virginia, where she was from."

"I knew he wanted to make a worthy go of it somewhere else, due to Regulus telling Kreacher not to tell anyone what he'd been doing that day," Ariadne said softly. "I also knew that he'd intended to die in that cave, but, as I'd saved him, he needed somewhere safe to go."

"We returned to the States within three days, and, by that time, her uncle had informed her two older brothers, Ray and Bash, what Ariadne had been doing," Regulus continued. "Initially, I was interrogated, due to their status as employees for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the MACUSA, but they quickly deduced that I meant no harm. They also informed me that I was a good candidate for asylum, as well as new identity, but that I would need to have a permanent tie to the community beforehand."

"I offered to marry Regulus," Ariadne said softly, and many present gasped. "No, it didn't start out as a love match, though I was attracted to Regulus by that point, though I didn't bring it up, as I didn't feel as if I was worthy of him, or that he would ever look at me that way."

"Which was completely untrue," Regulus said, shaking his head with a chuckle. "We were married rather quickly, and had Cassia just nine months later."

Cassia, meanwhile, shot her parents a dark look. "Mom, Dad, please," she said, huffing and crossing her arms.

"Then we had Al just two years later," Ariadne continued.

Al, meanwhile, interrupted his playing with Titania to groan. "Guys," he whined.

"We realized we were in love by our honeymoon," Regulus explained, flushing pink, as did Ariadne, "though we'd been...close...since before the wedding."

Sirius smirked, clearly proud of his younger brother.

"Anyhow," Ariadne said, clearing her throat, "Regulus could never let the Wizarding World of Great Britain go, knowing entirely well that Riddle could have just as easily made more Horcruxes to ensure his immortality. So, we decided to become Animagi, to ensure that we would be able to fight as efficiently as possible, once a battle came, and came back here to impart our knowledge."

"Knowledge about there being more Horcruxes?" Minerva asked, looking deathly pale at the prospect of it.

"Unfortunately, yes," Regulus confirmed. "We knew we had to come back and warn everyone on the side of the Light as soon as possible. We've done as much research as we can, to the point where he managed to procure questionable literature by equally questionable methods, as well as deduced that every Horcrux that was made by Riddle likely had to do with momentous events throughout his life, as well as placed in significant locations."

"That certainly does make sense," Minerva said softly. "Hogwarts was likely a breeding ground for him, due to his years spent there, and likely happiness stemming from it..."

"Initially," Severus put in, "though it likely wouldn't last, probably due to the fact that Dumbledore refused him the Defense Against the Dark Arts position."

"And then subsequently permitted him to walk free and among us, despite what he believed to be a dangerous threat to the Wizarding World," Remus practically spat.

"The Hogwarts ghosts could prove to be helpful to our cause, in any case," Lucius put in, obviously having given it quite a bit of thought. "They've been there for centuries, if not longer, and surely remember what Riddle was like as a student, as well as a young man. Perhaps they will have an idea or two about what could have been potentially transformed into a vessel for a portion of Riddle's soul."

"That's an excellent idea, Lucius," Narcissa said, beaming at her husband.

"I'm on good terms with the Bloody Baron, as is Draco," Severus put in. "Perhaps he and I could speak to him..."

"If he doesn't resent me for being re-sorted," Draco muttered darkly.

Severus shook his head. "I'm sure he doesn't. Above all, he wants students to be safe."

"Dad and I can talk to the Fat Friar, if it will help any," Tonks put in quickly, looking very excited at the prospect of it, while Ted nodded. "Hufflepuffs are notoriously noble, and we'd be able to figure out some information on him, if we ask politely..."

"Kingsley will easily be persuaded to enquire information from Helena Ravenclaw," Minerva said, nodding with satisfaction.

"The Grey Lady, you mean?" Draco asked, obviously curious.

"She doesn't answer to that name, and isn't fond of it," Minerva informed him quickly. "Filius told me that sometime ago, when I inadvertently made it a faux pas early on... It took her quite a while to forgive me for my ignorance..."

"Perhaps Remus and I could speak to Sir Nicholas," Sirius mused. "He's always eager to help those currently in Gryffindor House, or alumni."

"Good thought, Sirius," Remus said, nodding.

"Severus and I have agreed that we'll be going to the orphanage as soon as possible," I told Minerva, who nodded at us.

"It's due for demolition soon, as a Muggle, London-based company has bought the building and the land around it," Severus explained. "The last thing we'd want is potential evidence getting away from us."

"The moment that Narcissa and I defected from Riddle, Malfoy Manor became inaccessible to him," Lucius said thoughtfully. "If I could get a team together, I could go into the library and see if there are any potential books to aid us."

"I believe we'd be able to spare Alastor and Bill Weasley, at the very least," Minerva said, thinking it over.

"I'll help," Narcissa said quietly, taking her husband by the hand. "I won't have you going back there without me, Lucius, I won't."

"So will I," Andromeda confirmed. "I wasn't sorted Slytherin for nothing; I can be bloody cunning if I want to be, and Bellatrix tends to skulk in areas she's not wanted. She can be downright vicious if she wants to be, and I know entirely well she'll be on a team of Death Eaters to take over the manor again."

I scoffed. "Bloody vicious indeed," I muttered, and Severus immediately put an arm around my shoulders, while Regulus gritted his teeth at the notion of what his cousin had put me through, and Ariadne shook her head in sympathy.

"On a happier note," Minerva said softly, "I contacted Headmistress Partridge as soon as Sirius had informed me about Cassiopeia and Altair."

The teenagers in question turned to regard Minerva.

"I am satisfied with your marks at Ilvermorny, and there will be two places available to you on the first of September," she declared. "You may come in between now and then to be sorted, as I'm quite sure you don't want to be made a display of with the first-years."

Cassia nodded. "Thank you, headmistress," she replied, answering for them both.

"Preferably before we owl order your new robes," Ariadne said with a giggle.

"Kingsley wants to meet with you about the position of Auror Guardian to Hogwarts," Tonks said softly, addressing Ariadne for the first time.

Ariadne inclined her head. "I'm looking forward to it."

Minerva looked around, pleased at the exchange, as well as the notion that everything seemed to be coming together. "I'll ensure that the house ghosts cooperate, and get a team together for your mission to the manor, Lucius," she declared.

Lucius bowed his head to Minerva. "I am much obliged, headmistress."

"Cassiopeia and Altair can come in this week to be sorted, as well as select their class schedules for sixth and fourth-year respectively," Minerva continued, leading Regulus and Ariadne to nod at the plan, with Cassia and Al looking particularly excited. "They are registered, then, as Animagi?" she clarified.

"In the States," Ariadne said softly, "underneath our undercover surname, Ash."

"Will you want them to continue using that surname?" Minerva asked. "I don't believe Hogwarts will mind, one way or the other..."

"I'm a Black," Cassia stated boldly, sitting up straight. "I was born a Black, I'll go into Hogwarts a Black, I'll graduate from Hogwarts a Black, I'll face down Riddle as a Black, and I'll do as much as I can for the Wizarding World of Great Britain as a Black."

Regulus smiled with satisfaction at Cassia's words. "That's my girl," he praised.

"That settles it for Cassiopeia, then," Minerva said, turning to regard Al. "And how about you, then, young man?"

Al smirked. "I, too, would like to be enrolled as a Black," he drawled, no lack of passion in his voice, despite his laid-back approach. "Can't hurt..."

"Very well, then," Minerva said, nodding her head. "I'll just pop back to the castle and make the arrangements, before coming back for that delicious roast you promised."

Severus got to his feet, with me just beside him. "Of course, headmistress."

I stepped forward to embrace her. "Thank you for listening."

Minerva smiled. "I plan to do that quite a bit more than my predecessor, I assure you," she told us all, before she turned towards the Floo, called out her destination, and vanished in the spark of green flames.

Lucius got to his feet, straightening his own robes. "Might I utilize your library, Severus? I should think you have plenty of literature to sift though that will be beneficial to us."

Severus nodded. "Of course, Lucius. It is up the staircase, and through the hidden door on the landing, covered by that lovely tapestry with a unicorn. We don't wish to give away our secrets to just anyone," he said with a chuckle.

Lucius grinned. "No, I suppose not," he agreed, venturing towards the staircase, with Narcissa, Andromeda, Regulus, and Remus in his wake.

"I have to pop back to the castle myself," Sirius said, getting to his feet. "I have some grading to do before supper..."

"And I need to study with Hermione in the library," Draco said, standing as well.

I nodded. "Be back for dinner, then," I said, waving them off.

Ted turned to regard Tonks as Sirius and Draco vanished into the flames. "Shall we go and see about that conversation with the Fat Friar? I don't think he'll need too much convincing from Minerva's end..."

Tonks grinned. "You're probably right," she agreed, hopping to her feet and offering her hand to her father. "Let's go and speak with him."

I watched as the father and daughter disappeared through the flames, and watched as Ariadne got to her feet as well.

"Well, we three had better ensure that you're up to snuff when it comes to Hogwarts," she decreed, gesturing for her children to stand up. "We'll go outside and utilize the expanse of grounds for a run... If that's all right with you both?" she asked, turning her attention towards Severus and me.

"Of course," I assured her, smiling as Cassia and Al flanked her on each side.

"You'll figure out where the wards end," Severus said as he walked them to the door.

I looked down at my daughter, who was kicking her chubby little legs and grinning up at me. I smiled and bent down, picking her up into her arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Well, you certainly do well in mixed company, my love," I said, smiling again as Titania rewarded me with the most delicious giggle.

"You're such a natural."

I looked up and beamed at my husband, my heart pounding as he stepped back into the parlor. "I couldn't be happier with her," I agreed.

Severus came closer and gazed down at our daughter, who looked up at him with her wide, expressive eyes. "Do you think, perhaps, in the future, she may have a brother or sister?" he asked, though there was no pressure in his tone.

I grinned. "I'm counting on it," I replied, rocking our daughter gently in my arms as her eyes fluttered. I burrowed into Severus's arms as he wrapped them around me, nevertheless saying softly, "I can only hope that, by the time it happens, we've made significant strides in making the world a safer place."

Severus sighed. "I've no idea how we're going to accomplish that, not yet, save for destroying all those bloody Horcruxes..."

"That's why we have all the help we could ask for," I told my husband gently.

It was then that there was an unexpected crack of Apparition from outside, and, turning, Severus and I spotted a familiar figure on the edge of the wards, a rare sense of dread entering my subconscious as I realized that his blue eyes were not twinkling.