"He turned to the light?" he querulously asked.
"No," she replied. "I'm sorry, but he only found out that Tom Riddle, the real name of the Dark One, was actually a half-blood and not the pure-blood he claimed to be. Regulus was angry at having been fooled and that many of the Dark One's followers were the same. His intent to destroy the Horcrux, once he learned of it, was to punish the Dark One for lying to and fooling him and others, no more."
Sirius nodded back. The Lovegood girl's explanation made sense to him.
Thinking a bit more he then asked, "You said three more and you've only told me of two. What's the other one?"
"Sorry," she replied. "But that is one that only Harry can deal with. I cannot inform you as it would lead you to hunting it down and destroying it before it is time for it to be destroyed. It would also lead you to your death and you need to be here once Harry returns."
"You'll inform Harry?" he asked.
"No," she replied. "I will not need to. Harry will destroy it in the process of destroying the Dark One."
Sirius collapsed onto one of the armchairs and indicated for Luna to sit on another.
Once she sat he asked, "You named the Veil of Death the... Portia Astra?"
"Astra Porta," she corrected. "It's Latin."
Sirius frowned in thought and muttered a bit before he looked to her in shock. "Star Gate!?" he exclaimed.
"Yes," she calmly returned. "That is its proper name in modern English. It is also far, far older than the Unspeakables think it is." "How old?" he demanded.
"Literally, hundreds of thousands of years," she returned.
Sirius damn near fainted.
Two days after Hermione returned home from Saint Mungo's, the day after the Hogwarts Express returned to Kings Cross from Hogsmeade loaded with students returning home at the end of the 1995/96 school year and after Hermione had 'sequestered' herself in her room, crying for the first of them - she had finally stopped that and was now reminiscing. She'd been doing that for the past day.
The Grangers had a knock at their front door and Hermione's father, Marcade, answered it. He and his wife, Sandra, had taken the week off to 'be there' for their grieving daughter. As far as they all knew her best friend, Harry, was dead with not even a body left behind to bury. When Marcade opened the door it was to a man dressed impeccably in a bespoke suit standing outside. The only thing that stood out against his apparent appearance was that his shoulder-blade length dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, tied with a black ribbon.
"Mister Granger?" the man politely asked.
"I am he," replied Marcade.
"I am Lord Sirius Black," replied Sirius. "Your daughter is a friend of my godson, Harry Potter. May I... come in?"
Surprised, Marcade stepped out of the doorway while holding the door open and replied, "Of course, my Lord."
As Sirius stepped forward he held out his hand to shake and said, "Please, call me Sirius."
Marcade automatically accepted the hand and said, "Marcade Granger. Please call me Marcade... or Marc, if you've a mind to." "You prefer Marc?" asked Sirius, releasing hands.
"Yes," replied Marcade.
"Then I thank you for allowing me to address you so informally, Marc."
Marc then indicated further into the house and a door off the hallway in which they stood. "Please," he said. "Our sitting room is right there."
Sirius gave a nod and said, "Thank you." And preceded Marc into the room.
As he entered he saw a woman of similar age rise in surprise; and paused.
Marc smoothly stepped past and said, "Lord Black, this is my wife, Sandra."
Sirius walked over, took the woman's offered hand and, instead of shaking it, turned it palm down and raised it to his lips as he bowed forward. He lightly kissed the back of her knuckles and, as he released her hand and straightened, smiled and said, "A pleasure. And, please, call me Sirius."
"S-Sandra," she hesitantly and softly returned. "Or Sandi."
"Please have a seat," said Marc, indicating an armchair. "Can I get you anything?"
As Sirius sat in the offered chair, he said, "Whatever is available and you care to join me with is fine."
"Tea?" asked Sandra.
Sirius smiled back and said, "That would be lovely."
Sandra muttered, "Yes. Tea." And hustled out of the room.
As she left, Marc said, "We heard about what happened to your godson. We're sorry for your loss." Sirius sadly smiled back and said, "Thank you."
"And, what can we do for you?" asked Marc.
Getting right to the point, Sirius replied, "I would like the opportunity to speak with your daughter, Hermione. However, ifyou allow me to speak with her, I must insist that at least one of you... you and your lovely wife, that is... also be present. It would be... ungentlemanly... otherwise."
"As proper," nodded Marc.
Once Sandra returned with the makings for tea on and in a lovely serving set of silver, Marc quietly said to her, "Could you go and inform Hermione that Lord Black―"
"Just let her know 'Sirius', please," said Sirius, cutting in. And explaining, "She would be unlikely to know I've taken up my Lordship and already knows me as 'Sirius'." Sandra gave a nod and said, "Will do. I shan't be a moment."