“Did you notice Crouch?” Leo asked as he watched Piper pace.

“No I was a little bit busy having a heart attack because one of your sons was dangling from a stick high in the sky and thinking of all the ways I’m going to ground your other son!” she shot out and Leo glared at his two visitors who were biting their lips amused on the couch.

“What about Crouch?” Remus asked.

“He looked worse than in the Feast and he didn’t react, to anything,” Leo said. “When everyone was flinching or awing- nothing. I mean even Snape had reactions.”

“Crouch is a very by the book man,” Sirius said bitterly. “There probably is some rule against showing emotions in public. I mean, the guy sent his own son to Azkaban just to maintain his image.”

“From what I learned his son was a Death Eater,” Leo frowned. “But what I don’t get was why he didn’t excuse himself from the trial. Conflicts of interest and all.”

“Exactly to show he wasn’t conflicted,” Remus said shrewdly. “Nothing is more important to Crouch than his career. If he thinks that it is good for his carrier to be still as a stone while teenagers face dragons, he will.”

Leo frowned slightly, “He wasn’t still as a stone…he was more…apathetic. I mean, Snape was still a stone, glowering down at the students. But Crouch, it’s like he was in another world. And he looked even more ill than when I saw him the first time.”

Sirius shrugged not very concerned about Crouch’s health. For all he cared Crouch could drop dead.

“Have you had any luck with finding out how to get the Horcrux out of Chris?” Remus changed the subject eyeing Sirius carefully and knowing what a sore subject Crouch was to him.

“No,” Piper shook her head sitting down. “We’ve been searching the library here and nothing.”

“Paige is searching Magic School,” Leo explained. “There was the book where I’d seen it. But it only explained what it was and why it shouldn’t be done. I think that if she finds anything it will be in some hidden corner, after all, it doesn’t get more “personal gain” than a Horcrux.”

“We’ve been discussing it,” Sirius said leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “And we wondered why Voldemort would have more than one Horcrux. If it was just to be on the safe side or if he had other reasons. We’re pretty sure he had to have more than one or he wouldn’t have been so careless with the diary.”

“And he started young. That version of Voldemort Chris fought was what, sixteen, seventeen?” Remus asked. “Chris said he was a half-blood who wanted nothing to do with his Muggle heritage. So for Voldemort magic was very important. So we figured that if he had a reason it had to be magical.”

“Yes, but what?” Leo asked.

“You would be amazed about what one can find out through bureaucracy in the Magical World,” Sirius smirked. “Remus here had the idea of learning more about Tom Riddle Jr.. About what he was interested in.”

“So I looked into what were his interests in school. His O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, our exams,” he added for Piper’s and Leo’s benefit. “They are a matter of public record. And Tom Riddle Jr. was quite adept in Arithmancy. It was one of his electives and he had bonus points for extra work on both his O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. He had even been offered an apprenticeship.”

“What has that got to do with anything?” Piper asked but Leo had caught on.

“Arithmancy is all about numbers and how they affect magic and the strongest magical number is seven,” his eyes grew wide. “He would have made seven Horcruxes to make his immortality stronger.”

“That’s what we think,” Sirius nodded. “But we don’t think he knows Chris is one or else he wouldn’t have tried to kill him in his First year. So it’s the piece of Voldemort that is lurking around, the one in Chris plus six others. One has already been destroyed and now there are still five missing.”

“That could be anywhere,” Leo said dispiritedly.

“No,” Remus shook his head. “I don’t think so. I think that even as twisted as Voldemort is they are still pieces of his soul, and more so, they are his guarantee to immortal life. He would want to keep them safe and probably close by. He entrusted one to Lucius for safe keeping, why not to his other Death Eaters?”

“And we have to remember that if he wanted to use Chris’s death to make one he didn’t manage to, so he probably hasn’t made his last one yet,” Piper added.

“We don’t know that for sure. In Chris’s dream he saw Voldemort kill a man. He could have done it there,” Sirius said dubiously.

“Which Death Eater’s would Voldemort trust?” Leo asked.

“I know Bellatrix Lestrange bragged about being his favorite, but because she bragged doesn’t really mean anything,” Remus said. “But Sirius and I will go check the Black family home to see if there are any clues there.”

“My family supported Voldemort, and my cousins, with one exception, and brother were Death Eaters. I’m not proud of my family having such a past but at least thanks to our archaic system I do have access to Bellatrix’s vault as Lord Black. Being in Azkaban the goblins consider her incapacitated. But the problem is that even if the goblins don’t care about me being an escaped felon I can’t really waltz through Diagon Alley.”

“Can’t Remus do it for you?” Piper asked.

“No, only the current Lord Black can. As my heir, Chris could if I was considered incapacitated by the Goblins. But since I’m not in Azkaban anymore, and have withdrawn from my vault by owl order, he can’t.”

“That poses a problem,” Leo said. “It’s too risky for you to go there even under disguise. You wouldn’t be able to keep your disguise inside the bank and from what I heard about goblins and wizards relations, I can’t see the goblins going out of their way to make sure no one in the bank finds out who you are.”

“No, they won’t. But at least it’s a lead,” Remus said. “We can see later if we can or even need to access her vault later. Right now, Grimmauld Place would be a good place to start. We will go as soon as possible.”

“And I’m sure my parents must have had something on Horcruxes too,” Sirius grimaced.

---

 “Halliwell!” Smith called Wyatt as he was walking towards the great hall for breakfast the day after the First Task. Wyatt groaned as he saw he was surrounded by his little burly gang, Stabler, Walker and Ryan. Smith had always been a bully. He enjoyed showing how he was better than others at school and often liked to antagonize Wyatt. Usually Wyatt had his friends with him and Smith never did more than talk. But his friends were all back at Magic School. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Going for breakfast,” Wyatt drawled.

“You don’t think we know you’ve been helping the Potter brat?”

“He’s not a brat and the last time I checked that’s exactly what the Elders asked us to do,” Wyatt said through gritted teeth.

“He’s a cheater and I don’t protect cheaters,” Smith crossed his arms over his chest in what he obviously believed to be a threatening pose.

“He didn’t put his name in!”

“A cheater and a liar, you should be ashamed of yourself. But since you aren’t, I think you ought to learn a lesson.”

Wyatt snorted, “You’re kidding me right?” he might be younger and Smith was about twice his size but he was the Twice-Blessed. Magically this guy had nothing on him. But Smith smirked.

“No Magic allowed in the halls Halliwell,” he drawled. “The Headmaster’s son wouldn’t want to give a bad example now, would he?”

And Wyatt started realizing the mess he was in. If he used magic and broke a school rule, that would be awful for diplomacy, but if he didn’t he’d get pounded. They were four against one. Smith swung the first punch and he was fast to duck. He tried running for the door but it was blocked by Stabler and Ryan grabbed him from behind. Smith was about to punch him again grinning manically when two identical blurs knocked him down. Another two Hogwarts’ students he recognized as being a seventh year Gryffindors advanced on Walker and Stabler drawing their wands as Lee Jordan, the twins friend, drew his wand and pressed it to Ryan’s neck.

“Let him go,” he hissed. “We have no problems with getting a detention.”

Ryan let Wyatt go instantly.

“Are we good?” one of the Weasley twins who were both sitting on Smith asked. “Are we all calmed down?”

 “Yeah, yeah, please geroff me,” Smith gasped.

“Good.” and they slowly got off him pointing their wands at him. All four Gryffindors let the four Magic School Student’s huddle together never lowering their wands.

“Remember, Gryffindors always have each other’s back, before you try to attack a Gryff again. Actually, that’s mostly a rule for any house,” one of the seventh years shrugged. “Now scoot.”

“Not you,” Lee Jordan didn’t take his wand away from Ryan’s neck. “You’re coming for a chat with old McG.”

“What? Why?”

“You were assigned to Gryffindor for the duration of your stay here, therefore you’re a Gryffindor and abide to Gryffindor rules. And Gryffindors do not attack each other and always have each other’s back. No matter how pissed off at each other they might be. We’re a family. Clear? Now, we’re going for a chat with our Head of House who will deal with your breach of House rules. Let’s go.”

“You attacked me,” Ryan squeaked.

“No, I was forced to stop you from attacking a family member. Now mama McG is going to ground you. Let’s go!” the seventh year snapped pushing Ryan along.

“Are you okay,” George asked and Wyatt nodded grinning. He very much liked those house rules. He walked to the Great Hall with Fred and George and they sat close to Hermione, Ron and Chris. Wyatt smiled as he watched Chris and Ron chatting excitedly as if they had never fought. He was a little disgruntled at Ron, and couldn’t believe Chris forgave him that easily but he was happy for his brother. That didn’t stop him from pulling Ron aside later in the evening after the festivities though. Chris being tied with Krum in first place had the Gryffindor partying till dawn.

“Did Chris tell you?” he asked already knowing the answer. Ron nodded.

“Good, you do that to my brother again and you’ll have me to answer for,” Wyatt poked Ron on the chest.

“I won’t,” Ron said firmly and when he added he looked sick. “I- I thought he was going to die today. He’s my best friend- I’m never leaving him again.”

“Good,” Wyatt nodded.

---

Wyatt had managed to avoid his mother quite deftly the previous day. Such were the advantages of such a big castle. But unfortunately he could no more. After class that day as she dismissed the students Piper gave Wyatt one pointed glare that showed him that his “getting to class just in the nick of time” trick had been caught on and that if he tried to run away after class he would be in even more trouble.

So, when class ended, quite silently Piper made him follow her to hers and Leo’s quarters and as soon as the door had been shut she turned on him:

“FLYING! FLYING! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! HOW COULD YOU HAVE POSSIBLY THOUGHT YOUR FATHER AND I WOULD ALLOW SUCH RECKLESS-“

“It was perfectly safe. And Chris is really good at it,” he tried to defend himself.

“And when you told me you had been playing Quidditch the fact that it involved flying on a twig escaped your mind?”

“S’ a broom, and Chris’s is a really good one,” Wyatt corrected her but she shut him with one pointed glare.

“You and your brother are not allowed on brooms anymore!”

“You can’t do that mom!” Wyatt protested.

“Of course I can I’m your mother-“

“Chris has been flying for four years. He loves it. He’s in the Quidditch team, you can’t just come and forbid him to play!”

“I’m his-“

“That he never knew he had mom! You have to adapt to him too you know?” he asked gently and Piper’s face fell as she saw the logic on Wyatt’s reasoning. Piper sat despondently on the couch and Wyatt sat next to her putting his arms around her shoulder.

“S’ okay mom. We knew it wouldn’t be easy,” he tried to say something but this was just one more thing that showed that Chris hadn’t been raised as he should have been. Wyatt decided to change the subject to something he’d been meaning to talk to his parents since the day in the Room of Requirement.

“You remember when Christy and Billy kidnapped me?”

Piper nodded.

“How I got away?”

“You orbed.”

“No I didn’t mom. I tried telling you, I was orbed. I didn’t orb. Remember how my future self kept telling you that he didn’t have his powers, that that would be impossible. But then he had this smirk on his face, like knew what had happened.” Even though Wyatt was quite young he remembered that experience quite well.

“Chris?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think he did it accidentally. He must have felt through our bond that I needed help and orbed me to grandpa’s. To somewhere I thought safe. And my future self knew that. He said it, he didn’t have any powers. So someone had to have cast the spell that sent him alone to the past. And I bet it was Chris, and he just didn’t come so we wouldn’t know the future and especially the Elders wouldn’t know about him. We’ve been talking. And he’s been telling me about his bouts of accidental magic. And I think he orbed once. I think his Elder powers have been leaking through the bind.”

“What are you saying?”

“That you should unbind his powers so we can train his Elder powers.”

“But they would be an immense tell off,” Piper said worried.

“He orbed a pillow to himself when we were training summoning,” Wyatt said flatly.

“How?” Piper asked lost. “He shouldn’t have been able to.”

“I didn’t tell him his powers were bound. I wanted to see if he managed to do it even with the bind. But I think it’s better if he learns to control his powers when they’re completely free and not just when he really needs or wants it to.”

“You’re right,” Piper nodded. “Powers sometimes are tricky to control,” she winced as she remembered her problems with her explosive powers and some of Wyatt’s as he was growing up. “And he needs to rein them in. But I don’t know if now with the stress of the tournament is the best time.”

“Actually, we all agreed someone entered him in it to hurt him right? So I think he would benefit with having a quick getaway if he needs it. I think he should train his orbing.”

“There are wards-“ Piper started but Wyatt cut her off.

“Not in the Room of Requirements. It won’t let anyone orb in or out of the castle. I tried. But inside the room I was be able to because the room provides what one requires, so if he needs he will have a place without orbing wards. Or else he wouldn’t even have been able to orb the pillow to himself. I haven’t been able to orb stuff to me anywhere else.”

Piper nodded thoughtfully. She had a lot to talk with Leo. Well, at least if he could orb he would be able to orb to safety if he fell off his broom. So no more flying inside the no orbing wards, she nodded to herself.

Wyatt shook his head imagining what could be going on his mother’s head and the fights they would generate. Oh, well. Welcome to teenage life with parents Chris. He’d be sure to show Chris the tricks; after all, he was dying to get back on a broom.

---

“I don’t understand,” Leo said confused as he watched Sirius pace from the couch. Sirius and Remus had flooed to Leo’s and Piper’s quarters, the Halliwells having given them full access, and Remus had gone in search of the couple and brought them here. Then they had started to talk about Horcruxes, Sirius’s brother and a house-elf and Leo was thoroughly confused. “What has your brother to do with this?”

“Well,” Sirius said excitedly. “Horcruxes are the darkest kind of magic. And my parents were into all that stuff, so I thought we could get some information in the Black Family’s library, like we told you. So we went to Grimmauld Place, that’s my family’s home. Anyway, it was completely abandoned, and well, not very friendly. But the thing is, we were discussing the Horcruxes and what we could find and I had completely forgotten about Kreacher, don’t worry I ordered him not to talk about it with anyone-“

“He is the Black family’s house-elf,” Remus explained at the other two bewildered looks.

“Anyway,” Sirius continued his convoluted tale. “We were talking about ways to destroy a Horcrux and we found a few. Fiendfyre, Basilisk venom, none that was useful to us in Chris’s case but the thing is Kreacher heard us and well, instead of insulting us like he had when we first entered the house he came begging us for help to finish Master Regulus’s orders and then well-“ Sirius looked lost, “What he told us- he- my brother- I was so harsh on him, so wrong-“

Remus continued the tale taking pity on Sirius, “Regulus, Sirius’s younger brother, had joined the Death Eaters, but somewhere along the way he realized that what they were doing was wrong. You have to understand. Sirius’s family was very high strung on the pure-blood principles and Regulus followed them. But I don’t think he agreed with Voldemort’s methods. He was young and wanted to please his family. But I think by the end he saw Voldemort for the monster he was. And I think Kreacher’s story helped him a lot to realize that,” he took a deep breath and explained how Kreacher had told them about Regulus lending him to Voldemort and Voldemort taking him to a cave where he safeguarded a locket. About the horrors he lived in that cave and about how the only reason he survived was because of the house-elf magic that made him fulfill his master’s orders, and Regulus orders had been for him to go back home. And then how Regulus made Kreacher take him there, how he exchanged the lockets and ordered Kreacher to go back and destroy the locket, and died there.

“We always thought Voldemort killed him. His body was never recovered. We only knew he was dead because the family tree tapestry is charmed to record every birth and death in the family,” Sirius looked down at his hands. “I couldn’t save him. I tried to convince him that they were full of bull but I couldn’t- Kreacher heard us, and by now he had figured what the locket was by himself. And he asked our help. We tried Fiendfyre, contained. But it didn’t work. I think the locket has to be opened and I think only Chris can do that. Because Voldemort would use a password no one else could, and because the locket has Slytherin’s emblem. And Slytherin, just like Voldemort was a Parselmouth.”

“I don’t know,” Piper looked lost. In one hand they had to destroy that locket. There was no question about it. But on the other, she didn’t want to get Chris involved. She didn’t want to burden him with the knowledge of what Voldemort had turned him into. She looked at Leo’s eyes which mirrored her doubts. He gently took her hand and squeezed it.

“We’ll just tell him about the Horcruxes, not that he is one. And we’ll make it clear for him and for Wyatt,” because Leo knew there was no way of telling one son and not the other. “That we, the adults, are dealing with them. That they should just worry about school and solving his egg. He’ll have enough in his mind with his powers being unbound.”

“You’re going to unbind his powers?” Remus asked curiously. Leo nodded and explained the conversation Piper had with Wyatt.

“But if Wyatt is right, then that means we’ll find a way to save him!” Sirius said excitedly and Leo hated having to burst his bubble.

“Not necessarily. The future isn’t set in stone. That is why it’s so dangerous knowing about it. Because anything you do, any choice you make can change it completely. We once saw a future where Piper and I had a daughter and Prue, her sister, was alive. She’s dead now and we never had a daughter. For all we know in the future that Wyatt came from we found Chris in some other way, or he might have still been a Horcrux at the time because Voldemort never managed to take power and we never had to deal with it or we may have been able to save him. The fact that there is a chance for a future where he gets to live e to twenty-four doesn’t say much.”

“So, for all we know in that future he never became the Boy-Who-Lived?” Remus asked.

“No, he had to. Chris was already the Boy-Who-Lived by then. Any future people we meet at a certain time are from a possible future that is based in the fact that everything that has happened up until that moment did happen. You understand now why the Elders thought Chris a threat? Why time-travel is so forbidden? Because one little thing can change everything, and not always for the best,” Leo said and shook his head sadly. “I know Chris. He knew how important that rule was. I don’t think the Elders had to worry about him like did. They thought he was a spoilt child who didn’t like the outcome. But he wasn’t. For him to have come back…the future had to be really bad, he had to be really desperate.”

“Well,” Piper said nodding and standing from the couch not wanting to really talk about the Elders. “I’ll call the boys. I believe we better do this in the Room of Requirement. To be safe. That Fiendfyre sounds dangerous.”

The others nodded and Piper left.