Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, in fact sometimes I think they own me.
A/N: Ok at the minute I'm actually channelling Sirius Black, don't ask how or why, he's pestering me and it's very annoying. He wants me to forgive him and let him have control of the body. He overran me and broke my CD player so I'm mad at him. However it should prove useful in this story as I'm actually supposed to be writing about what happened to him during the first year of his escape from Azkaban. Ok now he's desperate to take control and promises to write it well. Ok Padfoot, but if you break my Mum's laptop then I will personally come in there and put a new meaning to the phrase 'dead as a doorknob'.
Tee hee hee, I'm freeee! I'm also a blonde girl but that's just a small side effect of this channelling thing. So you want to know what happened to me during the year after I escaped? Ok I'll tell you
Sirius Black: The Prisoner of Azkaban
It was nearly midnight and I was swimming hard against the current, I had to get away from that island. I'd had enough. I fought for breath as I strained. Finally I felt my paws touch the floor of the sea, lake, thing (Hey I'm not the smartest marauder). I could only think of getting to land and finding my way to Hogwarts to find that rat Wormtail. One good thing came from my swim though, the water washed all the fleas off, they had been plaguing me for years since last time they thought to let me have a bath.
I couldn't describe how happy I felt when I finally reached land and looked back at the tiny castle that had been my prison for so long. I remembered all the happy memories of my school days and afterwards. It was an amazing feeling that had been denied me too long. With a dog grin I set off on my way north. It would take me weeks to get to Hogwarts, I wasn't sure of the way and I was still weak from my incarceration. (Hey I learned a new word!) Despite that I felt the need to make a slight detour by Godric's Hollow and then Privet Drive, to check up on my Godson. Although I had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't want me to check up on him.
I sniffed the air and caught the scent of my prey, well not prey exactly, but of the person I was following. Anger and fear reeked so much that it made me sneeze. I crept along the gap between a garage and fence and saw him. I was shocked at how much like James he looked the same hair, same sort of height. In fact when I first saw him I thought it was James. Until he looked up from the trunk he was searching through and stared right at the gap where I was hidden. Lily's eyes gazed at me. I shrank back until he looked back to his trunk.
I took a step forward intent on examining my Godson, I wanted more than anything to go up to him and find out what was wrong that would lead to him being out here at night on his own reeking of anger and fear. Harry looked at me again and I'm pretty sure he saw me, for he raised his wand and took a step back. Then tripped. I almost laughed it was so comical, but dog vocal chords aren't designed to laugh so I decided against it. Quite suddenly a BANG sounded and the knight bus appeared in all its three-decker purple glory. I turned and fled in case another wizard should see me and recognise me. Although there was only one person who wasn't dead or in hiding who could do that whilst I was a dog. Moony.
Halloween. Always one of my favourite holidays. I loved the feast at Hogwarts more than anything and I wished beyond all things that I were down in the great hall with my friends chatting or pulling pranks. But instead I was stalking the halls of Hogwarts making my slow way up to the Gryffindor common room. It was slow going I had to dodge several students who were late for the feast or weren't going. If only I had the Marauders Map (P-you know what that is right? RR-Yes they do Pad get on with it) then it would be a lot easier. I had swung by Filch's office earlier but it had gone, either stolen or thrown out. I hoped the first. I approached the Fat Lady cautiously wondering that now I was here how I was going to get in the common room. I didn't know the password.
"Sirius Black?" the fat lady asked in surprise as I stepped into the light, I reached into my robes and pulled out a knife I had acquired. I didn't have a wand anymore so it would have to make do.
"Hello Fat Lady, I need a favour, I need to get into that common room now," I said trying to be polite, the portrait obviously thought I was guilty just like everyone else.
"No I can't do that, even if you had the password I wouldn't," she replied in just a polite voice, though she was obviously surprised that I was so sane. Well I was surprised I was sane so that didn't surprise me. (If you followed that you're a genius)
"Why does everyone think I'm here to kill Harry? I don't know you'd think after seven years of watching me and James someone would realise that he was closer than a brother to me," I sighed, it was getting annoying. I'd heard a lot since my escape, including the fact that Moony had completely disowned me as a friend. And he was supposed to be the smart one. (Ok he really is, but that's not the point)
"Open or I'll be forced to use this," I said hefting the knife closer to the portrait, I wouldn't really but she didn't know that.
"No, you're an evil traitor, you're a blotch on the Gryffindor name, I'm ashamed to have known you," she said and my mind flashed back to when I was little and words so like those had been thrown my way, they still made me angry even if I hadn't heard them for over fifteen years. The Fat Lady screeched as I saw red. How could she say that? Why did everyone think I was worthless?
Fortunately before I could do any serious (ok double entendre on my name I know) the sounds of the feast ending reached my ears. I turned and fled, as did the Fat Lady.
I crept along the edge of the Forbidden forest keeping a close eye on the students and teachers that bettered their way through the driving rain. I had some shelter from the trees, but was just as wet as most other people heading down to the Gryffindor Hufflepuff match. It should have been Slytherin but I had overheard someone say it had been changed. When I reached the end of the forest I ran straight across the grounds keeping as low as possible. No one saw me, they were to busy discussing the match or fighting against the weather.
I climbed a stand lying down on top of its slight roof. I watched as the two teams rose up and started to battle the weather and each other. Harry was a good flier, I noticed as he fought to see through his glasses, he'd be having a hell of a time in this downpour. Gryffindor were ahead when the captain called for a time out, a young witch of Harry's age ran over and did something to his glasses and they set off again.
I felt something cold sweep over me. The dementors. I stood at my vantage point and watched as they swept towards the Quidditch pitch. I almost slipped and fell as I saw Harry freeze on his broom as he raced the other seeker for the snitch, he fell through the air and the other player grabbed the snitch in their hand. Dumbledore slowed Harry's fall and ran out to him looking absolutely livid. I wanted to run over and check Harry was ok. But I knew that would earn me a one-way trip back to Azkaban. Instead I headed back to my hideout looking up briefly as I saw Harry's broomstick crash into the Whomping willow. I winced, if there was anything left of that broom when it was over Harry would be very lucky indeed.
I leant back against the wall of my cave, the Daily Prophet in my lap. As usual there was the piece about me and where they were looking for me and how they were getting close. I snorted with laughter and turned the page. They were no nearer to catching me than they were to inventing self spelling wands. I glanced over the rest of the paper and something caught my eye. An advert for the latest racing broom, a firebolt. It even had the order form, I wouldn't need to go a shop to get it. It was nearly Christmas and it said they delivered for Christmas day. I owed Harry thirteen years of presents, and he needed a new broom. Why not get him the best around? I used my knife to cut it out and grabbed a quill I had stolen and filled in the form. I put down Harry's name but my bank number. Hopefully they hadn't cleared it out, I doubted it but you could never know.
I put the form to one side for the cat to take to the post office for me, along with my gift for Moony. A picture of the Marauders the last time we were all together, with a cryptic note on the back. Moony was smart, he'd figure it out. I hoped.
The cat was back, finally. And from the looks of it he'd managed to get something useful. A slightly damaged but perfectly legible (look more new words!) piece of paper hung from his mouth. I grinned and held out a piece of fish I'd saved from my last meal. If you could call it that.
"Good kitty," I said and the cat purred as it let the paper drop to pick up the fish. I scratched his ears and he purred louder. It had taken a while to gain its trust, but I had managed it. It had taken the order form for Harry's broom and the envelope with Moony's picture to the post office and seemed too pleased with itself for it to have failed.
It was one smart cat. I thought as I picked up the piece of paper, it was a list of words that would be meaningless if they had not been headed with the words 'passwords for the week'. I grinned, now I had a way to get into Gryffindor common room. Though I'd have to do it tonight, for it was Saturday and presumably they only lasted from Sunday to Sunday. I gave the cat one last scratch and transformed heading towards the village and the castle and hopefully my freedom.
I crept along as silently as I could. Unlike the last time I was here there were teachers roaming the halls. I had almost run straight into Moony but had caught myself at the last second and Moony had been preoccupied with something so he didn't notice me. (Weirdo, and I was supposed to be the crazy one) In one hand I gripped my knife, in the other the list of passwords.
"Stand and fight you scurvy knave!" someone said and I froze, slowly I looked up at the portrait that had spoken, it was the crazy knight who appeared to have taken the part of the Gryffindor entrance guardian. (Is that what it's called? I don't know, it's a long time since I was in Hogwarts)
"Sir Cadagon! I should have known," I muttered, "Now my friend can you tell me which of these passwords is correct?" I asked and read out the words Sir Cadagon listened intently.
"That's the one for today, though how you got the full weeks worth I don't know," he said, "Proceed fellow warrior," (That guy is completely bonkers, worse than mad-eye for knowing who's friend and who's enemy) he said swinging forward. The common room was empty thankfully. I slipped inside and closed the portrait softly and headed for the boys stairs. Wormtail was with the boy, Weasley was he called? Who was in Harry's year, so if he looked for Harry's firebolt then he'd be able to find the boy he had a picture off in his pocket.
It wasn't hard. Harry hadn't had time to put his broom away so it stood there gleaming in the moonlight. It wasn't hard to then find the boy with flame red hair, which signified the Weasley gene. (What? I'd heard about the Weasleys even if I'd never actually met any of them) Just as I tried to pull back the hangings they caught. With a silent sigh I tore them open with my knife, making far too much noise than I meant to. The Weasley boy rolled over and woke up. For a second our eyes locked and he yelled. So much for surprises, I thought and once again ran for my life before the teachers appeared.
I bounded down the street into Hogsmede heading for the Three Broomsticks. Rosmerta always had a few scraps for the starving stray I had become (emphasis on the starving). However just as I reached the pub and started to turn I spotted a man heading to the pub from the direction of the castle. Damn it, I thought as I recognised him. Moony, what on earth was he doing down here on a weekday. Didn't he have classes to teach or something? (You know he never told me why he was there, so called friend) I toyed with the idea of leading him away and explaining everything to him, but I probably wouldn't get the chance to speak, so instead I whined then turned and ran. Great now I'd have to find some other place to get some food, I'd had enough of rats. I faintly heard Moony call 'Padfoot?' but I was too far away for him to do anything else. (Not exactly intelligent I hear you cry? shows how idiotic me and James were)
I was getting bored, I was waiting for the cat but it hadn't turned up yet. (I don't know why I was working with a cat, I'm a dog for goodness sake) I'd moved my base of operations into the shrieking shack a couple of days ago and shown the cat how to get in through the base of the tree. I had asked it to come down tonight and meet me here, however I was still waiting.
In fact it was a good job the cat hadn't come because at that moment I heard yelling and the red haired boy appeared out of the middle of no where chasing after something on the ground. Quickly followed by Harry and the young witch that had helped him at the Quidditch match. After my initial shock I realised it was James' invisibility cloak and the scurrying thing was Wormtail. He had probably smelled me the little rat and was trying to make his escape. Well that wasn't going to happen anytime soon, so I jumped up and bounded over. I sent Harry to the floor but misjudged my leap in the setting sun and tripped. But I was on my feet and facing the red haired boy who had tight hold of Wormtail. Don't move boy. I thought and leapt for the rat. But the boy moved and I grabbed his arm instead. Oh well it would have to do, I thought and dragged the boy down into my hide out.
I sighed, as I sat in my cell, well not really a cell but close enough. Typical that I ended up back in one after such a good night. Harry and his friends, Hermione and Ron, as well as Moony believed that I was innocent and I had almost had Wormtail, but then the moon had risen in its lovely full glory. And Remus had forgotten to take his potion (Idiot, he knew full well it was a full moon). Again typical. I couldn't blame him though I would have forgotten as well. It's not everyday that you discover one of your best mates you thought was dead isn't but is a traitor, and that you're other best mate who was a convicted criminal turned out to be innocent.
A knock at the window made me look up, I felt my jaw drop as I saw Harry and Hermione there on what appeared to be a hippogriff. Harry tried to open the window but failed so Hermione cast the unlocking spell and the door flew open.
"How – how -?" I asked weakly (I keep telling you I'm not smart), I couldn't believe it I didn't really listen to Harry's explanation, or lack of one as it seemed. I just climbed up and out of the window onto the hippogriffs back. There was no time to be polite, as soon as I was on Harry ordered the hippogriff up and we rose to the roof. Harry and Hermione slid off its, Buckbeak's, back and told me to go. I didn't want to leave him. (Why? I ask myself) I tried to thank him and I asked how Ron was but they told me to leave, well they didn't have to tell me twice, well actually they did. (Again not smart) I wanted to say so much but I had to leave.
"You are – truly your father's son Harry…" I said and Buckbeak took off and we flew into the full moon until the castle was well out of sight.
Sirius: So there you have it, what happened, briefly, the girl wouldn't stop bugging me until I made it shorter. Oh well, I even got the hang of this… what'd she call it… laptop. Weird. Oh well I'm going to go now before I break it like I did the CD player thing. Why'd muggles have to make things so complicated?
Rasa: Yes get lost you idiot, I don't know. Anyway I hope you enjoyed that. And he managed not to break the laptop, which was quite impressive. Sorry about all the comments though, I couldn't stop him. Anyway now I need to get hold of Moony so he can write his side of the story…
