Barnaby didn't know what had happened in the depths of the Ministry of Magic that night, but the sensationalistic Daily Prophet quickly shed some light on the matter, definitively revealing that Voldemort had returned, and the magical community had no choice but to accept reality.
"Fudge is going to have a lot of trouble for covering it up for an entire year," commented Tonks, dressed in a bathrobe after a morning shower, as they all shared a breakfast prepared solely by Lily.
It was excellent, making their eyes light up, and Sanshi was eager to learn how to make it herself and put her own spin on it.
"It seems the Second Wizarding War is about to happen," Barnaby swallowed his food and shared his opinion with a resigned expression. "Fortunately, I've already taken precautions, and between the supplies I've bought and the small garden next to the yard, we won't be lacking anything."
"It's nice to have such a forward-thinking man by my side," Tonks joked before continuing to read, her face turning somber. "It seems we'll have to attend a funeral soon."
Barnaby paused his meal and looked at her, puzzled.
Had someone they knew died?
Tonks turned the newspaper directly toward him, showing an article casually reporting the death of Sirius Black. She was Sirius's second cousin, as her mother, Andromeda Tonks, was the sister of Bellatrix and Narcissa, who were Sirius's direct cousins.
So, it was only proper to attend the funeral, even if there was no body to bury. That last part was strange, and they gave no explanation for it.
"Was your mother very close to him?" Barnaby asked, curious.
"They didn't get along badly," Tonks put the paper down on the table. "I mean, compared to how my mother was treated by her family? Sirius was much nicer."
Though personally, she didn't know him well. Even when he was freed from Azkaban, the man didn't show much interest in knowing the family, paying much more attention to Harry Potter.
"Mmm," Barnaby wiped his mouth with a napkin. "We'll need to buy clothes for the funeral; we don't have anything suitable for an occasion like this in the wardrobe."
And with Voldemort's return, the prices for that type of attire might soon rise, along with its frequency of use.
"Wouldn't you rather make something yourself?" Tonks asked him.
"No," Barnaby shook his head. "At least, not for this type of event. Let's go after eating, before the place gets too packed with panicking people."
Tonks nodded, staring at the newspaper for a moment.
"Are you thinking about your parents?"
"Yes, now that his return is 'official,' I worry that those who have held back over the past year might snap and start acting recklessly and aggressively," Tonks frowned at the thought. "While there are bigger targets, my family could still be a target of some low-level thugs too eager to please Voldemort..."
Tonks stopped and looked at Barnaby, uncertain.
"Do you think the name curse is back in effect?"
"Probably, though as long as we're within the barrier surrounding our house, we don't have to worry about that," Barnaby assured her, taking her hand to comfort her, recalling the complex barrier Frieren had helped set up.
As Tonks predicted, they soon received an owl with the location and date of Sirius Black's funeral. This led them to Diagon Alley, where they could see the atmosphere had grown much darker and more depressing.
Even the sky was overcast, refusing to let any sunlight through, as if reflecting its discontent at the news.
"It's lucky that even with everything going on, Madam Malkin could help us find something suitable," said Tonks as they exited the well-known shop.
She had it easy; it didn't take her more than fifteen minutes to find something in her size. It was Barnaby who had to order a tailored suit, which took half an hour to complete and adjust.
"Yes, though I have the feeling she seemed both amused and annoyed when she found out we got married," Barnaby mused aloud absently.
"That might be my fault," Tonks smiled sheepishly. "My mother promised her she'd make my wedding dress when I got married, but honestly, I don't think she could have topped the dress you made me."
In fact, she was sure the dress she wore at her wedding would be impossible to replicate, even for someone as skilled as Malkin. She simply wouldn't have the right materials on hand, let alone in the necessary quantity.
To be fair, it happened so many years ago that neither she nor her mother remembered it.
She hadn't expected the seamstress to bring it up after all this time—it was an awkward moment.
"Oh, so that's what happened..."
It made sense, then.
Three days later, Sirius's funeral took place without incident.
There weren't many attendees, and Barnaby recognized most of them, especially a few figures who stood close to Andromeda, like Dumbledore and Harry, who had come to say goodbye to his godfather.
Barnaby couldn't help but have a thought cross his mind.
"Now that Sirius is dead, the inheritance should follow magical laws. But why is his will so unusual and mentions Harry as his heir?"
According to magical law, Draco and Tonks were the closest heirs to the Black family due to their mothers being Sirius's cousins, and he left no direct descendants.
The difference was that Draco was marked as pureblood, while Tonks was not, though that mattered little when Tonks's age put her ahead of Draco, striking an odd balance. Magical laws are a tangle of conditions.
But now, Sirius's will denies both their rights in favor of Harry, backed by Dumbledore.
Barnaby knew Lucius and Narcissa wouldn't be happy with this will and would appeal to adhere to magical law, even if it meant having to share the Black fortune with someone like Tonks.
They certainly weren't about to let Harry, and by extension, Dumbledore, receive such a substantial infusion of money they could use to resist their master.
In fact, Sirius's will held almost no weight in this circumstance. Only if he had expressed a preference for one of the two legitimate heirs would his will carry weight that was impossible to ignore.
"If Lucius really wants to swallow up the entire Black inheritance, the only way is to reach an agreement with Tonks to have her renounce her part of the inheritance or..." Barnaby narrowed his eyes with a cold glint. "I'm going to have to prepare some additional contingency measures. Better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them."