{Edited} The Chaotic Traveler - Chapter 22 (Patreon)

AN: Edited chapters do not count toward monthly quota's.

Chapter 22: A Sirius Discussion

Sunken cheeks, greasy hair, torn robes covering an emaciated skeleton, and wild grey eyes.

To say Sirius Black was in good condition was to say a Goblin was the highest of human beauty standards.

“You’re looking a little crispy there, man.” Jin idly blew out some blue smoke, intermixing with the black smoke coming off the man’s robes.

“I wonder why!” Sirius snapped back irritably.

“Yeah, that’s my bad.” Jin chuckled and plopped down on a log by the roaring fire Sirius may or may not have been tied to a few moments before. “My House Elf can be a bit imaginative with his instructions.”

The two men turned their heads to the side to see Sil hogtying Bron with the leftover rope.

“I cans cook the doggo real good!” Bron wiggled in protest in his cocoon.

“Stop making trouble for Master, Bron.” Sil grumbled and stuck his foot on Bron’s back to help tighten the ropes.

“I wish I could say that doesn’t happen.” Sirius sighed and took the offered seat across from Jin.

“Bad House Elf memories?” Jin questioned, not making a move to indicate he was bothered by Sirius keeping his back to the wall with Jin, the House Elves, and the exit in his line of sight.

“I was four when my family’s House Elf took my request to make a bird be quiet in the morning to mean snapping its neck and serving it for breakfast.” Sirius deadpanned.

‘I guess Bron isn’t all that unique after all.’ Jin internally mused. “Did it taste good?”

“To be honest, yeah.” Sirius pushed the dirty, burnt hair out of his face and slid narrowed eyes to Jin. “So, who are you supposed to be?”

“Jin Fluff, at your service.” Jin mockingly saluted with his pipe.

“Fluff?” Sirius snorted. “What kind of name is that?”

“Says the serious one.” Jin retorted.

Sirius’s eyes lit up a bit. “Hey, my name is based on a star; stars are cool.”

Jin grinned. “And mine is based on a cat; there’s a clear winner.”

“Of course there’s a winner; it’s me.” Sirius grinned back with yellowed teeth. “Dogs rule, cats drool.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Jin commented as Shadow hissed from his shoulder, spooking the hell out of Sirius, who didn’t notice the black cat in the shadow of Jin’s frame.

“Merlin’s tits.” Sirius clutched his chest. “That thing came from the shadows of hell.”

“Funny enough, her name is Shadow.” Jin chuckled and scratched his baby fluffball under her chin. “And I wouldn’t insult her if I were you. You really don’t want to know what a Kneazle’s claws can do.”

Shadow menacingly popped out her fearsome weapons, making Sirius twitch back on reflex.

“Noted.” The man swallowed nervously. “James pushed me into a Kneazle den once.”

Despite the odd admission, the man’s lips couldn’t help but twitch up in humor.

A moment of silence passed before Jin exhaled smoke.

“So, Sirius Black, the famous felon on the loose.” Jin began softly, his amber-eyed gaze locked on the man. “You look like shit, and that’s before my House Elf almost crisped you up.”

“You try spending a decade in that shithole.” Sirius snapped with a flinty gaze, all warmth gone. “And if you know who I am, why aren’t you running screaming or calling the Aurors? Are you one of the old man’s new agents for his shitty Order or something?”

The venom in Sirius’s tone toward Dumbledore’s Order momentarily surprised Jin, but then he realized Sirius must have been a member with James and Lily Potter.

“First off, fair.” Jin agreed that spending time with Dementors didn’t sound like a good spa day. “Secondly, I have my own reasons, and I have nothing against you. And finally, no, but I’m surprised by your antagonism toward the fabled leader of the light.”

“Surprised?” Sirius snorted with hard eyes. “I’ve had a decade to do nothing but sit and try to retain my sanity. That old bastard’s games got everyone I cared about killed, and then he let me rot in Azkaban without even giving me a trial.”

Jin frowned as he pulled on what few fragments he had on the man, having read up on history to fill in the gaps. “I thought it was Barty Crouch who threw you in jail?”

“Yes and no.” Sirius grumbled and shifted in his seat. “Barty threw me in, but it’s the Chief Warlock’s job to make sure everyone is given a fair trial. If they just let me speak, I would have taken Veritaserum and been free to watch over my godson!”

The older man growled with bloodshot eyes and seemed like he was a moment away from going rabid.

“Interesting tale.” Jin took in the man’s terrible mental state, not that he could claim the high ground on sanity. “Seems like you got a shit hand.”

“What would you know?” Sirius’s ire focused on him. “What would anyone besides the authorities or someone wanting revenge want with me at this point? I have nothing left!”

“You have plenty left.” Jin blew out a cloud and saw Sirius looking like he was ready to pounce on him. “Oh, relax, I’m not your enemy.”

“That’s what an enemy would say.” Sirius bit out.

Jin raised an unimpressed brow. “Would they?”

Sirius’s ire paused to actually think about that. “…maybe?”

Jin chuckled, reached into his pocket, and tossed the man a glass vial. “That’s a Wit-Sharpening Potion; drink it.”

“You just carry these around with you?” Sirius caught the vial and studied the glowing liquid, noting the familiar shade. “And why the bloody hell would I drink a potion a random stranger gave me? You think I’m twelve?”

“It’s my favorite potion; it helps with the whole messed-up head situation.” Jin tapped the side of his head and gestured to the dirty man. “Something you clearly have at the moment. Dementor exposure is some fucked-up stuff.”

“You don’t need to tell me that.” Sirius’s eyes grew haunted for a moment before he admirably shook it off. “I can recognize a Wit-Sharpening Potion, but I don’t need one. Say whatever you want.”

“I currently need you clear-headed, so you can take it yourself.” Jin’s gaze panned to his still-wiggling House Elf, now with a cloth over his mouth, who looked excited at Jin’s attention. “Or Bron can get creative.”

“Is that a threat?” Sirius narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, yes, it is.” Jin didn’t back down and pressed forward. “You may have your problems, but I have mine, and while I’d prefer us being allies, I am fully willing to go through you to get what I want.”

Sirius didn’t respond for a moment, weighing Jin’s words. “And what is it that you want?”

“To get laid.” Jin deadpanned hard enough to make Sirius snort a laugh and lose his edge. “But if you are referring to what I want with you, I just want to help.”

“You want to help me?” Sirius scoffed and waved the potion like a wand. “I can get behind the first point, although I’m warning you I’m straight.”

“And I’m in a relationship.” Jin flicked some ash at the man. “I do want to help you as a byproduct of what I want, though.”

“Bugger off.” Sirius spat into the fire. “No one wants to help me. If you want me to trust you, be specific.”

“Alright, fine.” Jin grumbled and threw the man a bone. “I want something the House Elf of House Black has tucked away; helping you is an easy way to get it.”

“Kreacher?” Sirius’s face was dumbfounded. “What the hell do you want with that insane old thing?”

“Nuh-uh.” Jin wagged a finger. “If you want to know more, drink that. I want us both under contract before we can be assured we won’t stab each other in the back.”

“I don’t stab people in the back.” Sirius shot back with a bit too much vitriol, then realized it. “Sorry, sore spot.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jin waved it off and pulled out a rolled parchment. “So, do we have an agreement, then?”

Sirius whistled at the sight. “All that just for me? I’d love to know how you got your hands on one of those things without the Healer Union getting on your ass.”

Jin had been looking into magical contracts since his visit to Healer Thorn, and Sirius’s reaction didn’t surprise him.

You don’t fuck with Healing Organizations in this world, or they were free to retaliate. No one wanted that.

“I have my ways.” Jin tossed the scroll up and down, ignoring how he found half a dozen of the things in the RoR. “And I’m still waiting for your answer.”

Sirius rolled the potion between his fingers, considering it. “What’s this contract about?”

“Standard confidentiality agreement.” Jin replied.

Contractual magic came in different forms with various restrictions.

Unlike many of the clichés Jin could recall, magical contracts couldn’t be overly complex, or they would fail entirely. The more complex the contract, the higher the resource requirements for the parchment’s creation had to be, making anything beyond simple deals an incredibly expensive endeavor.

It was a magical art that preceded the current age, with much knowledge lost over time, as verbal oaths were highly vulnerable to the speaker’s intent and often abused.

Some would say contractual magic was a form of ritualistic magic, bartering one thing in exchange for another with magic as the judge, jury, and executioner.

Or that was what Jin read, for that matter.

“Terms?” Sirius asked.

“On top of the standard confidentiality, we have one hour from signing during which we are both forbidden from telling lies.” Jin had long since considered how to make the man an ally. “You can choose not to speak, of course.”

“And the penalty?” Sirius looked like he was leaning toward going for it.

The herbs in Jin’s pipe glowed ominously. “You get the equivalent of a paddle to the nuts every time you lie.”

“…” Sirius blankly stared at Jin for a long moment before lifting the log he was sitting on and moving it a few feet away. “I feel like you would be a terrible enemy to have.”

“Is that a yes?” Jin ignored his comment and stretched out an open hand. “You help me, and I’ll help you; that’s what I’m offering.”

Sirius eyed the offered appendage thoughtfully, but didn’t take it. “What could you even offer me?”

“How about screwing your head on straight?” Jin pointed to the man’s head. “I honestly can’t tell how much those soul suckers messed you up, but what the fuck have you been doing since you got out of prison?”

“I’m hunting a rat!” Sirius growled. “It’s just taking a while.”

“No, you’re suffering from severe mental strain on a downward spiral without starting the healing process.” Jin stared into the man’s bloodshot eyes. “I know exactly how that feels, and you are not thinking logically. Can you even cast magic outside of using your Animagus form? The fact that you can speak coherently at all right now is something to be admired, but you can’t go on like this.”

“What would you know?” Sirius snapped back, feeling raw and vulnerable at the logic being used against him.

“I know because I’m in the same boat.” Jin tapped the side of his head and saw the man’s eyes widen. “I’m just farther along in the healing process than you.”

Jin wasn’t in any way a mind healer, but he could recognize the signs of someone going through what he was.

Healing his own mind had been a goal since he first woke up in the world, and Jin devoured any content he could find to help the process along.

“Who are you?” Sirius asked in confusion, studying Jin for any resemblance. “I’ve never heard your name before.”

“I’m just a traveler passing through.” Jin smirked and blew out smoke, chuckling at his own joke as he wiggled the scroll before him. “If you want more, sign on the dotted line.”

Something about Jin’s smile felt off, making Sirius hallucinate a swishing tail behind the large, lumberjack-looking, brown-haired man.

Then Sirius blinked and realized it was the damn black cat he had once again forgotten about, swishing her tail.

“Fine.” Sirius grumbled and stretched out a palm. “Let me see it.”

Jin tossed it over.

It took Sirius only a minute to read over the fundamental text and nod in agreement. “I need my wand back.”

“You planning to run?” Jin asked.

“And go where?” Sirius chuckled wryly with a depressed sigh. “I haven’t Apparated since before I was imprisoned; can’t risk it in my state.”

“Smart.” Jin was interested to learn that the risk of spatial travel was offset by the Mana within the caster’s body, since being squeezed through a wormhole would tear a normal human apart. Hence, Apparating while sick, injured, or drained of Mana was a risk most people didn’t take. Let alone doing it in Sirius’s mental state. “Sil?”

“Right here, Master.” Sil popped over, having been listening, and handed Jin the wand he’d taken from Sirius when they caught him.

“Thanks, bud.” Jin sent the little guy a nod and tossed it over to Sirius.

“You would thank your House Elf?” Sirius stared at Jin oddly as he caught the wand.

“Yeah? Why not?” Jin asked honestly. “Nothing more loyal than a happy House Elf.”

“Speaks well of you, at least.” Sirius idly noted and twirled the stick between his fingers. “I still miss my actual wand.”

Jin hummed and took a drag on his pipe. “Where is it?”

“Ministry holding.” Sirius gathered his Mana and signed his name on the parchment right beneath Jin’s signature. “Standard Auror procedure is to keep them locked up until a prisoner in Azkaban serves their term or dies.”

Jin blinked at the well-spoken answer. “Oh, right. You were an Auror, weren’t you?”

“Yeah.” Sirius sighed, rolled up the contract and tossed it back. “You didn’t think I’d been free this long based on luck, did you?”

“The thought did cross my mind.” Jin admitted with a chuckle, and the scroll’s magic reached out to the two, binding them like a blade pointed inward. “And we’re set.”

“Great.” Sirius grumbled and held up the potion. “Is this really a Wit-Sharpening Potion? Is anything else in it?”

Just because the man recognized it didn’t mean it couldn’t be spiked.

“Yup and nope, in that order.” Jin pulled out a second potion from his pocket. “I wasn’t kidding about them being useful. I had a healer prescribe me a bunch of them to fix my mind.” His lips twisted in displeasure. “Damn hard to get more, though.”

“No shit.” Sirius barked a laugh and downed the vial before his eyes flew wide open. “Bloody hell.” He shook his head like a dog and sniffed in disgust. “What is that smell?”

“You.” Jin deadpanned, pointing to his pipe. “If it wasn’t for this, I wouldn’t be sitting in a cave with your filthy ass.”

“Rude.” Sirius scrunched up his face. “But fair. Can you cast some Cleaning Charms on me? I don’t think I can trust myself right now.”

“Sure.” Jin popped his wand into his hand and shot them forward, not having any intention of advertising his wandless capability. “I’m not supposed to have a wand, though, so keep that to yourself.”

It was a light show of trust to reveal his legal issue, and Sirius only paused for a moment to give him a small nod.

“What did you do?” Sirius ripped off a few particularly nasty strips of his robe. “Piss on the Ministry?”

“Nah, some stuff happened out of my control, and the Ministry denied me a wand. Had to self-learn.” He explained in a general sense so he wouldn’t lie.

Jin was amused by the grimaces the man made as every Charm washed over him.

There was a reason magical culture still required showers, since Cleaning Charms were no pleasant experience.

“That’s gotta suck; the Ministry is full of dicks.” The man shook his hair and sighed as it stopped sticking to his skin. He looked even more ill despite the dirt and grime vanishing from his body. “I hate using this Charm. Feels like sandpaper on the face and soap in your mouth, bleh.”

“Well, it is meant for objects, not people.” Jin mused as a useful idea came to him.

He pulled out his journal and made sure to write it down. ‘Adjust the Cleaning Charm for biological use.’

“You keep a diary?” Sirius spat to the side and eyed up Jin’s journal.

“Self-study requires effort, you know?” Jin wrote out the rest of his thoughts.

“Right.” Sirius looked a bit apologetic there. “Good on you for not letting life get you down.”

“I do my best.” Jin chuckled, finished his thoughts, then shut it and put it away. “Just helps to keep my thoughts in order. I’d recommend it while you’re healing.”

“I’ll think about it.” Sirius ran his hand through his hair, pulling out debris. “What’s the deal with your mind?”

“Fractured.” Jin said simply. “Due to the shit I got mixed up in.”

“And that tells me so much.” Sirius snorted and managed to fix his hair to be somewhat less deranged-looking. “Better?”

“Much.” Jin nodded and went on. “So, back to my questions on what you’re doing, what have you been eating these days?”

“I…” Sirius’s eyes trailed off as he grimaced. “I’d rather not answer that.”

“I get the idea.” Jin waved it off as Sirius didn’t exactly look like he was eating anything healthy. “I’m pointing it out so you can realize that you need help. You need a healer.”

“And where am I supposed to get one?” The man threw his hands up. “I’m the most wanted criminal in this country. Anyone I go to will scream, run, or attack.”

That fact seemed to sadden him deeply, as if he couldn’t believe what his life had come to.

“Then get the hell out of here.” Jin withdrew a book he had prepared for this exact conversation and tossed it to the man, ironically using the words Fleur had used on him that morning. “The world isn’t limited to this dreary wet country.”

“International Criminal Law?” Sirius read the title with a frown. “You want me to go to another country? To do what? Get arrested looking for a healer over there?”

“To get your name cleared.” Jin pointed his pipe at the book. “Chapter 4, section 22, line 14. A felon charged in one nation may claim asylum in a foreign ICW member nation if they turn themselves in and submit to interrogation by Veritaserum.”

“That can’t be true.” Sirius ripped open the book to the indicated section. “Britain would have jurisdiction and override any hearing.”

“Same section, line 18.” Jin recited. “If proven innocent, diplomatic immunity is granted to the wrongly accused party regardless of claims made by the accusing nation.”

“But…” Sirius’s eyes widened as he read the page nearly a dozen times, and his wrung-out mind realized what this could mean. “Could I really be free?”

“You can.” Jin assured him with a small smile. “This country doesn’t have to be your cage, Sirius.”

Sirius looked down, deep in thought for a long moment before he shook his head. “I can’t see this working. Laws speak, but money talks louder. Fudge wants my head on a spike, and with that weasel Malfoy funding him for some reason, I know how easily they could bribe their way to get me back from foreign custody.”

“I have a theory on why Lucius Malfoy wants you in chains.” Jin pulled out a second book and held it up for Sirius to see. “I did my research before coming to meet you.”

“You mean before your House Elf jumped me.” Sirius’s lip twitched in slight amusement, as if he’d been pranked, before he took the book and raised a brow at the title. “Sorry to say this, bud, but how do you expect laws pertaining to the Sacred Twenty-Eight to be helpful here?”

“Chapter 2, section B, line 7.” Jin’s lips pulled up in a sharp smile. “An accused noble lord of the Sacred Twenty-Eight can demand a hearing before the Wizengamot. He must be voted guilty by a majority to be incarcerated.”

Jin was glad he could finally use the random extra Pureblood shit he was forced to read while studying Charms.

“Yeah, even I knew that one.” Sirius popped open the book with a disgusted expression. “My dear old mother made this bedtime reading material when I was five.”

“Cheerful.” Jin snorted and indicated the book with his chin. “Then use it.”

“Use it how?” Sirius shot him a confused look. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m not a lord.”

Jin exhaled a trail of smoke and let the silence stretch between them before responding. “You sure about that?”

“How the bloody hell wouldn’t I know that?” Sirius returned as if Jin were an idiot.

“Maybe the previous lord declared his heir before passing away.” Jin shrugged, fully knowing he was pulling from fiction for this part, but willing to take a calculated risk. “An heir that was the last male of his line to still be breathing.”

One fact Jin could verify, despite being at Hogwarts, was that Arcturus Black, the previous head of House Black, had passed away from old age and illness only two years prior.

Since then, no other family or individual had been legally able to claim the properties and fortune of the Noble and Most Ancient House Black for unspecified reasons.

‘It helps to make nice with the Pureblood students.’ Jin wasn’t just messing around by making connections and helping students with their studies. He’d subtly inserted parts of his meta knowledge related to the past into various conversations and been rewarded with common and uncommon insider knowledge.

“You think my grandfather made me his heir?” Sirius’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline. “I don’t know what you’ve been smoking, mate, but I was the white sheep of my family. My mother struck me from the family tree when I ran away.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Jin shrugged and stretched out his legs. “There’s a pretty easy way to test it.”

Sirius seemed dubious. “And how’s that?”

“Call for your family’s House Elf.” Jin said simply.

“You want me to call Kreacher?” Sirius deadpanned. “I’ve said his name plenty of times.”

“Yeah, but did you say it with the intention to call him?” Jin turned to his still-present House Elf, currently consoling a pouting Bron in the corner. “My Elf’s name over there is Sil.”

Neither Elf looked up.

“So?” Sirius asked.

“Sil.” Jin called with intent, and his House Elf immediately popped over.

“Yes, Master?” Sil asked from beside him.

“Could you get us a couple of drinks from the kitchen?” Jin eyed up Sirius for a moment. “I think we have some bottles of hard cider.”

“Hey!” Sirius argued with the choice. “I’m a grown-ass man.”

“Right away, Master.” Sil happily popped away as Jin addressed Sirius.

“And you’re also a good breeze away from keeling over.” Jin pointed out. “I’m trying to help you, not kill you by giving you poison.”

“Some poisons are good for you.” Sirius argued.

“How so?” Jin raised a brow.

Sirius replied, oddly serious. “It helps with things inside of me that I need to kill.”

“That only works if you live past the experience.” Jin pointed out.

“I hate that I can’t argue with that.” Sirius grumbled and looked down at himself, slightly looking under his robes and wincing at the sight. “I can’t unsee how bad this is; how didn’t I notice?”

“Fucked-up minds can do that.” Jin didn’t know what state he was in when he woke up. Still, he assumed he was in an even worse off than Sirius’s current state with his fractured soul, considering Jin had paid a Goblin multiple Galleons for directions to a brothel within hours of waking up while trying to find hidden easter eggs in reality. “Now, you gonna test it?”

“Fine.” Sirius grumbled and looked to the side. “Kreacher, come here.”

For a moment, nothing happened, and Sirius turned a dry look on Jin, but before he could speak, a harsh pop rang through the cave.

“Kreacher has a new Master?” A gravelly voice spoke out and made Sirius fall off his seat.

“Holy shit, that actually worked!” The man exclaimed in shock.

‘Thank Fleur’s glorious ass.’ Jin idly mused with an internal chuckle. “I had a feeling.”

Kreacher looked over at Jin just as Sil popped back in with the two bottles.

“I brought the drinks, Master.” Sil levitated the bottles, already chilled, and added a curvy sippy straw for Sirius’s bottle. “With the sick man straw.”

“Thanks, bud.” Jin sniggered at Sirius’s choking sound and put away his pipe.

Kreacher sneered at his thankful nod. “A Master thanking Elf? Disgraceful Elf. What hell has Kreacher been called to?”

“Disgrace?” Sil looked genuinely offended for the first time since Jin had met the little guy. “I am a good Elf. My Master is kind.”

“Yeah!” Bron popped over, still wrapped up in ropes yet apparently able to Apparate, and backed up his bro. “Master be the best! Those be fighting words!” The little guy somehow managed to find a carving knife and held it between his teeth. “Bring it on!”

Kreacher took in the new House Elf, eyes straying to the ropes binding his body and the blade leveled at him, and seemingly nodded in approval. “This one be a proper Elf.”

Jin almost snorted his cider through his nose at the confused expressions on his House Elves’ faces.

“Kreacher!” Sirius cut into the drama and pushed himself up. “You actually came.”

“Master called.” Kreacher turned to Sirius and studied him for a moment before sneering even harder. “Filthy blood traitor is now Master? Why is Kreacher being punished?”

“Hey.” Sirius sat back down, looking offended. “I’m not good enough for you?”

Sil chose that moment to levitate over Sirius’s drink, and the man rolled his eyes at the straw yet still used it. “Thanks, mate.”

Sil preened and bowed his head.

Kreacher looked even greener, if it was possible, at the sight. “Maybe Kreacher died in sleep? Bad dream? Must wake up from bad dream.”

Jin had to cough to clear his airways from how hard he was restraining his laughter, while Sirius couldn’t decide what emotion he was supposed to feel.

“Kreacher.” The older man finally found his footing. “Am I really your master now?”

The old House Elf looked like he was tasting something foul as he nodded. “Yes, Master. Even if you be a filthy blood traitor.”

“I’m Lord Black?” Sirius blinked in genuine shock. “You weren’t fucking with me?”

“I told you I had a feeling.” Jin took the man’s focus with a smirk and raised his bottle. “Congrats on your social elevation.”

A cold, rocky cave in the mountains where Sirius had been kidnapped and almost cooked less than an hour earlier wasn’t exactly the best location for a celebration, but Jin would offer it nonetheless.

“Thanks…” Sirius trailed off with a disturbed look. “Me? Lord Black? Am I having a bad dream?”

“Kreacher agrees with blood traitor master’s opinion.” Kreacher added, and it actually seemed to steady Sirius’s mind. “Very bad dream.”

Sirius ignored the creature and looked at Jin. “How did you know?”

“I said I had a feeling.” Jin answered for the third time and shrugged at the man’s pointed look. “Narcissa Black is a Malfoy now. Andromeda Black is a Tonks now. Bellatrix Black is a Lestrange now. You were the last remaining pure Black, and since the family is notoriously patriarchal in all but the most extreme cases, it was either you or the young Malfoy currently at Hogwarts.”

All of that was true as far as Jin knew from his studies, and none of it went against the contract. Once he decided to find Sirius, he asked the RoR for anything on the Black family history. Surprisingly, there were a few quite detailed records, as if someone of the bloodline was proud to show off.

Until they all started dying, of course.

“That’s… logical.” Sirius frowned, deep in thought. “I thought I was struck from the family?”

“Good Master put blood traitor back.” Kreacher cut in with an unhappy expression. “Fixed family tree.”

“Huh, never would have thought.” Sirius shook his head, bewildered. “So, this really means I might get to be free one day.”

“If you’re not an idiot about it, sure.” Jin focused the man’s attention by pointing to the two books. “As soon as that potion wears off, you’re going to get muddle-headed again. I can give you a few more, but you need to get your ass to another country. Turn yourself in, admit your innocence under truth serum, get a damn healer, fix yourself up, maybe get laid to relieve some stress, and by then, you can call a Wizengamot hearing without looking and sounding deranged.”

“Oh, is that all.” Sirius rolled his eyes but didn’t actually have an issue with the order of events. “Even if that’s all true, I still need to be here to hunt down a rat and watch over my godson.”

“Your godson is the Potter boy, right?” Jin took a sip of his drink as Sirius nodded and sipped his own.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you know.” Sirius scratched his head.

“It’s not exactly a secret.” Jin mused with a smirk. “While you were in prison, the story of the Potter family was everywhere. Hogwarts rumor mill is pretty impressive; some even seem to think Harry is your illegitimate son with Lily Potter.”

That also wasn’t a lie.

Jin caught all kinds of conversations while in his position. The school was a beehive of Broken-Telephone when it came to rumors.

“Not on my life.” Sirius laughed with a wide grin. “James and Lily were glued at the hip. I only ever took one shot at her before they started dating and got shot down hard. Harry’s 120% their kid.”

“He seems like a good kid.” Jin thought back to his encounter with him. “A little small, but he’s already charmed himself a witch, so good on him.”

“A witch?” Sirius perked up his ears, almost imitating a hound in interest. “My godson is getting witches?”

“From what I saw, yeah.” Jin smirked at the memory of his meddling. “Stumbled on him with his bushy-haired friend snogging in the forest.”

“That’s my pup!” Sirius cheered before blinking in realization. “Wait, the Forbidden Forest? Why there?”

“Who knows?” Jin shrugged. He didn’t actually know why they chose to follow him. “But the girl did blurt out that forests turned her on.”

“Er…” Sirius considered that. “I might have to give him a pep talk about crazy chicks.”

“To stay away from them?” Jin questioned.

“Merlin, no. They are the wildest birds around.” Sirius’s eyes nearly sparkled. “But proper protection is important around their types.”

“I would have figured he already had the talk at his age.” Jin mused.

“The general one, maybe. I meant the crazy-hot girl scale.” Sirius spent a solid few minutes explaining the scale of hotness to craziness to a curious Jin. “So if my pup found himself a Unicorn, he’d better take the plunge.”

Jin rubbed his chin with a great deal of philosophical insight. “That was an oddly well-thought-out argument.”

“I took my studies seriously.” Sirius nodded in pride, and Jin realized they had gotten off track.

“Right, back to the point here.” Jin coughed into his fist. “Your godson is currently behind some of the strongest wards in Europe and being watched over by one of the most powerful wizards alive who has a vested interest in his well-being.” Jin met the guy’s eyes. “There’s nothing you can do in your current state to improve his life while he’s there.”

“I…” Sirius wanted to argue, but with the potion clearing his mind, he couldn’t find any logical ground to stand on. “What if he calls for me? The boy hasn’t had family before, and I want him to know he is not alone.”

Jin paused to give the man an evaluating look.

“That’s honestly pretty noble of you.” Jin nodded in respect and chuckled as Sirius rubbed the back of his neck. “But how would he contact you?”

“I gave him a way to contact me.” The man didn’t say more than that.

‘I faintly recall something about mirrors.’ Jin scratched his chin. “Is there a distance limitation on your method?”

“Er…” Sirius tried to think about it. “I’ve never really stress-tested it when James and I used it.”

“Well, then you should risk it.” Jin waved his hand at the man. “You’re a mess. If you want to help the kid, help yourself first. You don’t need me to point out the obvious.”

“What about the rat?” Sirius growled with dark eyes. “I need to get him.”

“Why? To clear your name?” Jin pointed at the books. “I gave you a solid method that doesn’t involve someone else. Besides, do you even have any leads?”

“I know his scent!” Sirius exclaimed, then met Jin’s dry gaze and slumped. “No, I don’t have a lead. I spooked him away from the Weasley boy. He’s too good at running.”

“Then there’s your answer.” Jin nodded and leaned back. “You were an Auror, so you should know how this goes. Stop chasing an empty trail. If you heal up and clear your name, you can track him more effectively.”

“Would you quit it with the sound logic?” Sirius snarked back. “You’re making me feel like an idiot.”

“That’s because you know you were acting like one.” Jin shrugged at the man’s look. “Anyway, I already provided you with help by giving you the potion and a clear path. You can have your House Elf help get you out of the country; I’d recommend France, with how much they dislike the British.”

Jin’s amber eyes locked onto the older man like a lounging predator, making him tense up. “Now, think you could repay the favor?”

Sirius’s gaze narrowed in caution as he recalled Jin’s earlier words. “You didn’t specify what you wanted.”

“I didn’t.” Jin’s eyes slid to the waiting Kreacher, idly filing his nails with a sharp knife. “But he has what I want.”

Kreacher’s eyes widened at Jin’s intensity, and he took a step toward Sirius’s side as he swallowed. “Kreacher never seen this one before.”

“But I’ve seen you.” Jin commented mysteriously as he stared the House Elf down. “I want the locket, Kreacher.”

“No!” Kreacher’s expression shifted to panic. “You’s can’t have it!”

“What locket?” Sirius looked between the two in confusion. “Is that what you wanted so much?”

“He’s can’t have it!” Kreacher retreated to the cave wall, but the watching Sil and Bron took that as a challenge.

“Calling me a disgrace.” Sil grumbled and grabbed the rope.

“No running from the Boss!” Bron bodily tackled the older House Elf without a shred of hesitation.

‘I think I need to have a talk with Bron.’ Jin sighed at the elfish scuffle as Sirius grew more confused.

“Can someone please give me a straight answer here?” The man asked.

“It has to do with your brother.” Jin admitted, watching Sirius’s grey eyes lock onto him.

The man was out of his seat.

“Regulus? This has all been about Reggie?” Sirius pointed a finger at Jin, rolling his jaw to find the words before beginning to pace. “My brother’s dead. He died a filthy Death Eater.”

“Yes and no.” Jin confirmed as he watched Sirius pause. “I can’t speak for his life, but I know how the man died and what he did with his death.”

That was one of the few clear shards Jin could recall.

Sirius stared at him blankly for a long moment. “If I didn’t know you were under contract, I’d be punching you for saying that.”

“I figured as much.” Jin finished off his drink and stood to tower over the man, making Sirius’s eyes widen as he just realized how big Jin actually was. “But it wouldn’t have ended well for you.”

“Bloody hell, mate.” Sirius sized him up. “Do you have giant’s blood in you or something?”

“Even bad things can have benefits.” Jin chuckled and gestured for the older man to sit back down, something Sirius did grudgingly. “But that’s not the story you want to hear right now.”

“True.” Sirius stared at Jin like a dog wanting to eyeing a bone. “What happened to Reggie? Last I heard, my brother was a Death Eater in the Dark Lord’s inner circle. Then, one day, I got a letter from my grandfather saying he was declared dead on the family tree. That’s all. I figured he failed a job for the Dark Lord or something.”

“Like I said, I can’t say how the man lived.” Jin tossed more wood on the fire and sat back down, choosing his words carefully so he wouldn’t lie. “But I know how he died. And he died trying to do something good.”

“Like what?” Sirius pushed.

“Voldemort had a weakness.” Jin admitted while reigniting his pipe. “I don’t have all the facts or know all the details, but the Dark Lord split parts of his soul up by attaching them to certain items.”

Jin blew out a cloud, letting that sink in as Sirius’s already pale face turned whiter.

“Whatever the process does, it makes the items with a soul piece unbreakable, yet those same items are cursed and corruptive to whoever holds them.” Jin had plenty of time to examine the Diadem. “Regulus Black stole one of those items in the hopes of destroying it, and in the process, died to the trap protecting it.”

Sirius was locked onto Jin as he pointed his pipe toward the quivering old House Elf currently being held in a choke lock by the combination of Bron’s arm and Sil’s rope.

“Kreacher was with him that night.” Jin declared. “And Regulus gave him the locket, telling him to destroy it.”

The gaps in his memory didn’t reveal to Jin where the cave with the fake locket was hidden, or how Dumbledore and Harry had entered the cave, nor what they’d discussed.

Still, Jin did remember the final trap and the story of Regulus Black.

“Why would he…” Sirius’s hand trembled as he took in the news. “Reggie was a Slytherin through and through. He was part of the inner circle with Bella and the Lestranges; why would he betray the Dark Lord?”

The man thought back to his encounters with his brother. “When I was an Auror, we had documented proof of him being the Dark Lord’s left-hand man.”

“Who knows?” Jin idly blew out some smoke. “Maybe he was a true Slytherin, biding his time for the chance to strike?” He shrugged as Sirius looked at him. “Maybe he had a change of heart; who can say?”

“Yet you know how he died.” Sirius narrowed his eyes at Jin’s calm face. “How?”

“I have my ways; that’s all I’ll say.” Jin waved it away, not having a way of proving the story from his sources. “But if you want proof, ask your House Elf. He can’t lie to you.”

“Kreacher!” Sirius called out, and the House Elf popped to his side, still half-wrapped in rope.

“Yes, Master?” The elder House Elf was out of breath and side-eyed Jin with a look that clearly said he wanted to run away.

“Was what he said true?” Sirius stared down the older House Elf with a severe expression. “Did Regulus die betraying the Dark Lord?”

“I…” Kreacher growled and tried to fight it, but still forced out the answer. “Yes.”

“And you were there with him that night?” Sirius asked with intense eyes.

“Y-yes.” Kreacher gritted his teeth in annoyance.

“What was his last order to you?” Sirius pushed.

“To run… and destroy… the locket.” Kreacher bit down on the rope in aggravation. “But Kreacher failed.”

“Like I said.” Jin listened with half an ear and continued smoking. “It’s a unique curse.”

Sirius shook his head and refocused on Kreacher. “How did you fail?”

“Kreacher couldn’t destroy it!” The House Elf openly shouted. “Smash, cut, drop, acid, fire, nothing destroys it!”

“Where is it?” Sirius asked.

“In the closet.” Kreacher drooped his shoulders. “In manor.”

Sirius nodded and seemed to consider something for a moment before speaking. “Bring it here.”

“But Master!” Kreacher protested.

“Bring it here, Kreacher.” Sirius repeated in a harder tone, and the House Elf begrudgingly nodded and popped away while Sirius stared into the fire. “Why do you want the locket so badly?”

“Hm?” Jin realized the man was speaking to him and answered honestly. “I don’t really care about the curse. I want the item the curse is attached to.”

“The item?” Sirius turned to look at him in confusion. “Are you a Curse Breaker or something?”

A small smile tugged at the edges of Jin’s lips. “In a manner of speaking, yeah.”

Sirius opened his mouth to say more, but Kreacher reappeared with a sullen look. “I have the locket, filthy blood traitor Master.”

The locket’s chain sat in the House Elf’s palm.

A gold-encased amulet, with a stylized S in the design of a snake, dangling from a chain necklace.

“Let me see it.” Sirius demanded, and Kreacher reluctantly reached out to hand it over.

“I’d be careful with that.” Jin suddenly appeared next to the man and grabbed his wrist. “You’re being compelled.”

Sirius froze and snapped his gaze up to Jin, then widened his eyes at how easily he’d almost touched a cursed object.

“Bloody hell, I barely even thought that through.” Sirius got up and backed away. “Is my mind that weak?”

“Yes.” Jin answered easily, his eyes glowing with inner light as he studied the shifting colors beneath the locket’s surface. “But to be fair, that’s one strong curse.”

To Jin’s eyes, it was even more potent than the Diadem’s curse. “Do you mind if I lock that away in iron?”

“That’s probably a good idea.” Sirius refused to look back but agreed.

“Sil, get the box.” Jin called, and his dutiful House Elf soon had a small iron box waiting for him. “Kreacher, put it in the box.”

“No!” The elder House Elf cradled it. “Kreacher must destroy it!”

“Kreacher, do it.” Sirius ordered. “I can’t bloody turn around until it’s out of sight.”

Kreacher growled and shook with the effort but still followed the command and dropped it into the iron box before it was sealed.

“You’re good now.” Jin called, holding the box in hand with a grin, then dropped to a knee before the older Elf and stared him in the eyes. “And for the record, I plan to destroy exactly what Regulus wanted to destroy.”

“You will?” Kreacher looked up with teary eyes, which was terrifying on the House Elf’s ugly face. “Will destroy it?”

“Yes.” Jin nodded confidently, his pipe glowing slightly from silvery-blue flames flaring over the herbs. “Soon.”

“You want it so you can destroy it?” Sirius asked as he came back around, eyeing the iron box in Jin’s hand like a viper. “I thought you wanted the item itself.”

“I do.” Jin stood back up and handed the box to Sil, who quickly took it and popped away to add it to the Diadem’s hiding spot. “Regulus Black wanted to weaken Voldemort by destroying the unique curse he put on the locket. I need the item beneath the curse, so I plan to break the curse.”

“What does the item do exactly?” Sirius wondered.

“I have no idea.” Jin grinned at the man’s deadpan expression and spoke only the truth. “All I can make are guesses, but I’m still willing to try it.”

If the locket did what Jin hoped it did, he would profit immensely.

“I’m going to stop asking questions because I feel like you’re going to say something else that is going to fuck with my head.” Sirius sat down with a huff. “This has been an insane day.”

“Hey, at least you’re clean now.” Jin provided and took his seat beside the man. “And you don’t have to eat rats anymore.”

Sirius’s eyes widened. “How in Merlin’s saggy ball sack did you know I was eating rats!?”

“I have my ways.” Jin blew out a cloud while the older man gritted his teeth at the annoying, mysterious tone.

“I’m really getting sick of your shit.” Sirius flipped him off. “You’re trying too hard.”

“Hey, I think I’m making it work for me.” Jin shrugged.

Sirius bit back. “You’re not.”

Jin huffed. “I’ll take your criticism into consideration for the next random hobo I need to make a deal with.”

“I’m not a hobo!” Sirius argued.

Jin silently raised a brow at the man.

“Wanker.” Sirius grumbled, but a chuckle split through his annoyance; his mood was far lighter than he realized. “Thank you for this.”

“I told you I wanted to help.” Jin leaned back, satisfied with finishing his first goal. “I wasn’t lying.”

Sirius eyed the still-intact contract scroll and nodded.

“And you’re still not lying now.” The older man raised a palm in mimicry of the gesture he rejected from Jin earlier. “I owe you one for smacking me straight, Jin.”

“Technically, you paid me.” Jin pointed out.

“Just shut up and shake my hand.” Sirius’s brow twitched. “I’m trying to be friendly here.”

“Is that what that was?” Jin shook the hand in a firm grip. “I thought you were coming on to me.”

“Not on your life!” Sirius stood tall and spread his arms grandly. “My heart and soul belong to the fine ladies of the world.”

“You mean your blood pressure spikes for them.” Jin corrected.

“That too.” Sirius pointed a finger at Jin like a sword and grinned. “So, allies then?”

“Allies.” Jin nodded with a grin. “And speaking of which, before you leave to seek medical aid and asylum, I was hoping we could make another deal.”

Sirius sighed with a tired expression and sat back down. “I swear, if you pull another wild card on me, I’m leaving this cave.”

“You’ll be fine.” Jin waved it away with a kind smile. “No need to run and end up back on the spit.”

“You think that scares me?” Sirius scoffed and puffed out his chest proudly. “Ask Kreacher what my mother got me for birthday presents.”

The dejected older House Elf perked up at the topic. “Good mistress gave good gifts.”

Jin tilted his head in a mix of curiosity and confusion. “Was it worse than waking up being roasted on a spit by a deranged House Elf?”

“That’s not even in the top ten of the weirdest ways I’ve woken up.” Sirius puffed out his chest. “Hell, it’s not even the first time I’ve almost been cooked.”

“That’s a weird flex, but okay.”

Chapter End.

AN: Hope you enjoyed! Jin takes one more step forward, and Sirius's fate is changed for the better.

Phew, this was a longer chapter to edit. There were, so, many, fudging, errors! smash head on wall

And that completes the edits for CT. Technically. I'm not sure, I'll have to see just how much of the previous previous version I end up using and how much gets scrapped. I've rewritten this story too many times, so it gets confusing. I'll do my best to be fair.