"Well, she certainly deserves this, especially since the whole punishment thing with a wizard as a neighbor only happens due to her own bigoted views," Veronica added, feeling this was just gold.
"Oh, not just one wizard." Sirius turned to Remus. "Moony, you said you would be at my side if I make a hard cut. Now is the moment to see if you really mean it. After all, you lamented often enough about the stigma you are facing."
"You mean... moving in... with you?" Seeing Sirius nod, Remus needed some moments to think about it.
Normally, Remus was a person strongly opposed to charity for himself, due to him having started to associate charity with pity over his lycanthropy - something he disliked immensely. People who didn't know him as well as his friends did could mistake it as misguided pride. However, he realized that what Sirius was offering was not charity at all, it was something entirely different. Sirius wanted to help his friend get a fresh start without the stigma of his lycanthropy. Further, he clearly wanted his friend in his life and have him be part of Harry growing up.
With all that in mind, it proved impossible to decline Sirius' offer.
"I...yes... I have no idea what else to say," Remus stammered, overwhelmed by such compassion.
"No need to say anything. It's enough you agreed."
Wait a moment... Thomas realized.
Thomas chuckled after finishing the thought. "You know, that will perhaps horrify the Dursleys even more?" Seeing blank looks, he added, "Look, two adult men living in the same house. What kind of conclusion you think Petunia and Vernon will come to?"
Finally realizing what he meant, Sirius and Remus started laughing at this unintentional prank they would pull on the Dursleys. Little Harry looked confused at the sudden laughter, while Veronica could only shake her head at this somewhat childish display.
"At times I don't get male humor, though I do understand why they find it funny," she told Harry.
...next day, November 21st...
Kreacher knew this would be a difficult day right when he got the morning edition of the Daily Prophet for his Mistress Walburga. Just one look at the headlines - a habit he adopted after several close calls with her temper - was enough that he knew to be careful.
"Oh, Mistress Walburga will not like this at all. Kreacher needs to be careful," he whispered to himself, dreading what he knew would come next.
The big story of course was Mistress Bellatrix going to Azkaban. Walburga Black wouldn't like that at all, having actually approved of most of the horrible things Bellatrix did as part of the Death Eaters. That was a huge blow to the House of Black. However, the thing hitting even closer to home was the story about that swine Sirius. In his warped worldview, thanks to his surroundings, Keacher put all the blame for the alienation between Sirius and the family at Sirius' feet.
However, what was printed in the newspaper about the traitor was a totally different kind of bomb.
Kreacher was fully devoted to the House of Black, and especially to Mistress Walburga after Master Orion's sad early demise. However, he also had certain survival instincts, and as much as he wanted his Mistress to cut off his head and put it on display like with his predecessors, he first wanted to serve the House of Black for as long as he could. That however would hardly be possible by becoming collateral damage of his Mistress' moods.
More in the back of his head also was the rationalization that he could only finally figure out how to destroy that locket of Master Regulus if he would live long enough to find a way. The hope to accomplish that and the idea that he was still following the order actually kept him sane.
"The morning paper, Mistress," he said after entering the morning room.
Walburga Black simply took it with no further comment. After all, someone in her position shouldn't thank a house-elf for the expected service and even acknowledging them more than necessary was discouraged. She thus also didn't notice Kreacher quickly departing for the room with the silver cabinets as an excuse for his absence.
It took only one look at the headlines for her mood to worsen significantly.
The morning newspaper was her only source of news, having secluded herself a lot after the deaths of her husband Orion and her son Regulus. This was the first time she read of what happened the previous day. She had already expected that Bellatrix would never live to see the light of the day again - getting caught red-handed like she did could only result in life in Azkaban. No, it was the other news story that enraged her to no end.
The more she read what her wayward son had said, the more agitated she became. How dare this shame to all Blacks say these things?!
Sure, she'd known for years that her elder son had gone blood-traitor, did so already during his years at Hogwarts - the very reason why she had disowned him and blasted him off the family tapestry. Normally, such behavior from her former son would no longer surprise her - though still anger her. Yet, all of his past transgressions paled compared to his actions as of yesterday.
"Declaring this... Right in front of everyone!" she hissed when reading how Sirius saw the magical world and his disillusionment with it.
The biggest nugget was yet to come however.
"He plans to do WHAT?!" Mrs. Black finally exploded, threatening to rip the newspaper apart. "He wants to live like a lowly mudblood!? I bet he's using the money this traitor Alphard left him. This... this goes beyond mere blood-traitor! Ohhh, I should have killed him when I still had the opportunity!"