After the first task

10

Sirius Black sat back as he surveyed the room. Amelia Bones, Augusta Longbottom, and Adrian Greengrass were all seated around the table talking with one another.

This is something I thought I'd never seen in my life Sirius thought.

"Alright, since we're all here lets get down to business" Sirius said.

"Oh Merlin, Sirius, you're leading this meeting" Adrian said jokingly.

"Yes I am, but I have instructions from Harry and Hermione so I'm not going in blind" Sirius said and held up a thick pack of parchment as proof.

Chuckles were heard around the table.

"Okay, first order of business is the taking over of the Daily Prophet. How's that going?" Sirius asked now in his business mode.

"Very well, it's going slow, but soon we'll have the majority of the stock" Adrian said.

"Good, Amelia, what's the situation with the Ministry?" Sirius asked.

"Not very well, Fudge is blocking every attempt I try and make with raising the auror forces" Amelia said.

"That's not good, if we don't have a force we'll be unprepared for when Voldemort strikes" Sirius said frowning.

"I'm doing my best, but Fudge won't listen to reason" Amelia said frustratingly.

"He's thick, and will only listen to those who fill his pockets with the most gold" Adrian said frowning.

"Yes, but I have a plan to stop this" Sirius said smiling.

"Oh boy, what are you scheming Sirius?" Augusta asked, she had been around the old marauder enough to know that he was planning something.

"Oh, I was just going over the marriage contract that was made between Malfoy and my cousin Narcissa and found some interesting clauses" Sirius said.

"Well out with it, what are they?" Amelia asked, not in the mood for Sirius' dramatics at the moment.

"Well Lucius has broken the contract by being branded as one of Voldemort's follower, since according the contract that he can't be marked or branded. I don't remember the clause exactly, but that what it says in a nut shell," Sirius said.

"You have to be joking?" Adrian said shocked.

"No I am not, anyway, I got a letter from Narcissa too, asking for me to find a way to break her marriage" Sirius said.

"That's something I didn't think she'd ever do or even want" Amelia said, not believing their luck.

"Cissy is smarter than you give her credit. She hates being Lucius' wife and wanted out for a long time" Sirius said.

"What about her son?" Augusta asked.

"She doesn't really care about him, his father has influenced him too much and she doesn't think that he will change" Sirius said.

"So you're going to break their marriage?" Amelia asked.

"Yup, I already did Bellatrix and her husband, I had the goblins also get back the bride price" Sirius said.

"Wow, so what will happen to Lucius when he no longer has Narcissa as a wife?" Adrian asked.

"He's going to be a hell of a lot poorer since the Malfoys get most of their money and influence from the Blacks" Sirius said grinning.

"So you're going destroy Lucius with a stroke of your quill" Augusta said.

"Yep, I have the papers all set to go" Sirius said grinning.