"Who are you? What are you doing here?! What did you call Gemini?!" Sirius whipped out his wand. Glared viciously at Tony. Ready to strike if he said one wrong word.
Tony's mouth went bitter. This wasn't like last time's virtual portrait. This was living, breathing Sirius. The kind who'd hurt when he hit!
Lupin followed behind Sirius. Disapprovingly blocked him. "Relax, Sirius. This should be Gemini's guest."
Then turned. Looked at Gemini gently. "Is this your friend? If you ask me, you're not quite suitable. He's a bit—looks even older than us."
Hearing Lupin's words, Sirius got more furious. His wand tip already couldn't hold back. Started sparking.
"Alright, stop it. This is my friend. Bad mouth. He has a daughter." Gemini rolled her eyes at Lupin. Don't think she didn't hear it—Lupin was fanning flames.
Tony nodded frantically. "Right, right! We're just friends. I have a wife! I just have a loose tongue!"
"Really?" Sirius looked at Tony suspiciously. Then at Gemini.
After getting confirmation, Sirius finally glared at Tony with a dark face. "If you can't talk properly, don't talk. Have a wife but still flirt everywhere."
Done speaking, Sirius forcefully bumped Tony. Put his arm around Gemini's shoulder. Walked straight to the parlor.
Lupin smiled politely at Tony. Nodded. Followed Sirius inside.
Tony could only touch his nose. Carefully followed behind.
"How'd you get here?" After everyone sat, Gemini asked. "Lupin's little problem solved?"
Sirius sighed. "How could it be that easy? We went to that place following Dumbledore's introduction. Found their so-called control method was consuming large amounts of Draught of Living Death. That stuff affects your brain if you drink too much. With the full moon approaching, we could only hide in some deep mountains. Waited for Lupin to recover before coming back."
"And then?" Gemini poured tea for everyone. Continued asking.
Sirius drank a sip of steaming tea. "Was about to ask you. Why can't I go home? After we came out, originally planned to go straight home. But got spat out by the fireplace. Could only detour to the Leaky Cauldron. But I was clearly standing at my doorstep. Still couldn't find where home was. No choice—we two could only come find you."
Gemini's expression didn't change. Briefly explained recent events.
Sirius's mouth gaped. Tea flowed down his chin. Dripped on his pants. Startled him into a strange cry. Quickly wiped. "You're saying you and your friend, plus Chinese friends, eliminated 1/6 of Voldemort?!"
Gemini looked at Sirius with disdain. Raised her wand. Cast Scourgify on him.
Sirius shivered. Hair almost stood up.
"Yes. Could say that. But 3/6 more were handled by Dumbledore." Gemini continued.
Sirius counted on his fingers. "So 2/6 left? Any leads? How did Voldemort split himself into pieces?"
Gemini pursed her lips. "Horcruxes. Of the remaining two—one's the main soul. One's Harry."
Sirius kept counting on his fingers. Didn't notice what Gemini said. "One main soul, one Har..."
Lupin's cup fell to the floor. Made a crisp crack. The cup shattered. Tea splashed everywhere.
"What did you say?!"
"Harry?!"
Both stood up in sync. Faces very ugly.
Gemini nodded. "Right. One is Harry."
"What's a Horcrux?" Lupin asked darkly.
Gemini looked at Lupin surprised. "You don't know? Why so agitated if you don't know?"
Lupin fell back into his seat. "Anything connected to Voldemort can't be good. Just thinking about it—must be very dangerous."
Sirius couldn't sit still. He paced excitedly before the table.
"You know?" Lupin asked Sirius.
Sirius stopped abruptly. "Of course I know! Why wouldn't I?! Anyone who enters the study in pure-blood families knows! How dare he?! How dare he?! He actually made five?! One of them is Harry?!"
"So what exactly is a Horcrux?" Lupin frowned.
Sirius choked. Stood motionless. After a long time, said hoarsely: "A Horcrux is—through the evil act of murder, you tear apart part of your soul. Seal it in an object. If the main body dies from irresistible factors, the separated soul will reawaken. And survive."
Lupin gasped. "So Harry is because of James and Lily's deaths?"
Sirius turned his back to them. Head lowered. Motionless. Fists clenched tight. "What do we do? To completely kill Voldemort, we must destroy all his Horcruxes. But, but Harry—what do we do?"
Lupin looked at Gemini and Tony. Both acted like nothing mattered. Quietly drinking tea.
"I think you can ask Gemini, Sirius. If there was really something, she wouldn't be this calm." Lupin relaxed. Said to Sirius.
Sirius spun around. Stared at Gemini fixedly. "Really? You have a way to solve this?"
Gemini leisurely drank a sip of tea. Savored the taste in her mouth. Completely ignored him.
Sirius scratched his head. "Sorry, Gemini. Did I do something wrong again?"
Lupin watched Gemini tease Sirius with amusement. What little brotherly loyalty he had—completely tossed aside in this moment.
After some commotion, Gemini finally said slowly: "If it were up to you two, the grass on Harry's grave would be as tall as you."
Sirius and Lupin awkwardly touched their noses. These two—one got himself thrown in prison over guilt. One wandered outside from low self-esteem. Completely trusted Dumbledore.
"What's the method?" Sirius asked urgently.
Gemini glanced at him. Put down her cup. "You should be quite familiar. Chinese Daoist magic."
Sirius reflexively sat straight. Properly upright on the sofa. Feet together. Hands on knees. Eyes forward.
Gemini barely held back laughter. Continued: "The Daoist sect researches soul-related magic very deeply. For Harry's situation, Master Sun had masters specializing in this area look at it. Fortunately he was young then. The soul fragment hadn't been in his body too long. Paid a certain price. Separated the fragment out. Sealed it in a jade pendant."
"What price? Can it recover?" Sirius's upper body couldn't help leaning forward. Asked worriedly.
Gemini rolled her eyes. "Let me finish. Voldemort's soul fragment is sealed in the jade pendant. That master erased the consciousness in the fragment. What remains is pure soul energy. Harry carries it close. First—can nourish Harry's soul damaged from separating the fragment. Second—everything contained in that soul can be absorbed by Harry. Used to strengthen his own soul."
Sirius relaxed. "How much longer? It's been many years, right?"
Gemini pursed her lips. "Who knows? After all, matters of the soul—who can say for sure? Maybe absorbed tomorrow. Maybe not until Harry comes of age."
Sirius sighed disappointedly. Thought again. Smiled. "Already very good. So only the main soul left?"
Lupin followed up: "Any leads on the main soul?"
Gemini spread her hands. "You ask me, I ask who? The main soul is Dumbledore's responsibility. He's the type who says nothing until the end. Ghost knows how much he's hiding."
Sirius looked at Gemini reproachfully. "At least show Dumbledore some respect. After all, he's that old."
Gemini good-naturedly nodded in agreement. This point really couldn't be argued.
"So now the only problem is—how do we get home?" Sirius looked at Gemini blankly.
Gemini laughed. "You can try summoning Kreacher. Have Kreacher pass a message for you."
Sirius's face froze. "Kreacher won't listen to me. He only listens to my foolish brother."
At this, Gemini realized what she'd overlooked. Her own little uncle was still lying at the bottom of that dark lake!
Gemini shot up. Startled the people around her.
"What's wrong?" Tony asked.
Gemini's face looked terrible. "Nothing. Just thought of something. Sirius, don't talk about Regulus like that. He's the only one in the Black family who can truly be called a hero. Completely different from you—this hero with water in him."
Sirius's face darkened. "He, what did he do? Wasn't he killed by those Death Eater accomplices? Isn't he in the cemetery?"
Tony looked at Sirius with pity. He remembered their world's portrait-Sirius when he learned about Regulus. That kind of breakdown. Didn't know what living Sirius would do.
Seeing Tony's expression, Sirius grew more uneasy. He keenly sensed—his brother's death seemed suspicious.
"What exactly happened?!" Sirius couldn't help asking.
Gemini glanced at him. "We need to prepare. Tony, prepare equipment for the cave. Need fire. Need a living thing. You understand."
Tony nodded. "Don't worry. Leave it to me."
Gemini ignored Sirius. Went straight into the study. Wrote to Dumbledore. Asked him to come after student curfew. Be prepared. They were going to bring Regulus home.
Next, Number Five next door made noise. Steve came out fully equipped. Holding his shield. Knocked on the door. Peter also carefully stored his new wand in his wrist holster. Climbed in from the wall.
Hawkeye poked an upside-down head from the kitchen. "Need me?"
Gemini shrugged. "Probably not. You can stay home for backup."
Hawkeye pouted. Felt like he came for nothing. Silently retracted his head. Said nothing.
Sirius looked at them surprised. "These are all your friends?"
Gemini smiled. "They're guardians of the world. Many more partners haven't come."
Lupin tidied his suitcase. Stood up. Looked at Gemini. "We can go too. We can help."
Gemini nodded. "Naturally. If you don't go, Sirius must. He's the most important one."
"Oh right, and Snape. Sirius, I must warn you. We must rely on Snape. If you offend him, I'll personally expel you from the Black family." Gemini said to Sirius almost coldly.
Sirius looked out the window unnaturally. "Must it be him?"
"Otherwise? Where else will you find me a Potions Master skilled in obscure potions who's also reliable?" Gemini raised an eyebrow.
Sirius coughed. Muttered quietly: "Is he really reliable? Gloomy snot-slug."
Gemini smiled. "If you offend Snape even once, I'll knock you out. After all, only need your body there."
Seeing Gemini's smile, Sirius shivered. Repeatedly promised he'd absolutely keep quiet. Wouldn't say a word. Only then did Gemini reluctantly relax.
After an absent-minded dinner, everyone waited silently in the parlor. Until Dumbledore came with Snape.
"Where's Professor Green?" Gemini looked behind Dumbledore. Didn't see that tall, thin figure.
Dumbledore smiled. "He has something. Am I alone not enough?"
Gemini pursed her lips. "Both fine. Called you mainly to witness. Not expecting you to do anything."
Dumbledore good-naturedly smiled. Said nothing.
Snape glared at Sirius darkly. Snorted coldly. Said nothing. Just placed bottles of black and green potions on the table. "Only these for now. And some potions need on-site preparation. I brought everything. What are you doing?"
Gemini carefully picked up a potion. Looked. "Soon you'll know. No need to be so anxious."
Snape's mouth corners pulled down. Collected the potion bottles he'd taken out. Stood in the corner. Silent.
Gemini looked at everyone in the room. "Ready?"
"Oh!" Tony responded appropriately. Holding a sheep. Called out loudly. People around silently stepped away from him.
"Kreacher!" Gemini called.
CRACK!
Kreacher appeared in Number Four Privet Drive's parlor. "Honored Master, what does Master need Kreacher for? Can Black Manor reopen?"
Gemini looked at him. "We're going to bring Regulus home. Do you still remember that location?"
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