THE SOUL OF BLACK.
What if Sirius really was everyone thought him to be? A Death Eater. A Murderer. Twelve years ago, he failed in his attempt to kill Peter... After he is exposed, he kidnaps Harry to escape the Shrieking Shack.
PROLOGUE.
"Harry! It's a trap! He's the dog. He's an Animagus...!"
Harry looked down, following the paw prints on the floor to a pair of filthy human feet. He looked up slowly at the man standing in the shadows.
Filthy, matted hair hung to his shoulders, his skin was like a corpse, Ron's wand held tightly in a thin hand. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black. "Expelliarmus!" He croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.
Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry. "I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it will make everything much easier..."
Hermione moved to stand in front of Harry, "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us, too!"
"Fine by me," Sirius said as his grin widened.
"No!" As Sirius pointed Ron's wand at her, Harry drew his wand, pushing Hermione behind him. "Take Ron and get out of here."
Sirius grinned evilly, "And what makes you think I would let them leave?"
"It's me you want," Harry stepped forward, positioning himself between Sirius and the door, shielding Hermione and Ron behind him. "They have nothing to do with this."
Ron stared at Harry in horror, "Harry, no!"
Hermione shook her head, "We're not leaving without_." She broke off as they heard muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor, someone was moving downstairs. "We're up here!" Hermione screamed loudly. "We're up here – Sirius Black – Quick!"
Sirius whirled toward the door, then he lunged towards Harry, holding him tightly as he struggled in a vain attempt to escape.
The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready… He froze inside the door, his eyes wide as he stared at Harry as he struggled in Sirius' grip. "Let Harry go."
Sirius snorted and shook his head, "I don't think so."
"He's an innocent child, Sirius."
Sirius shrugged, pressing the tip of Ron's wand against Harry's throat. "So long as you do as I say, Harry won't be harmed." Grinning evilly at Professor Lupin, he nodded towards Ron and Hermione, "Now, toss your wand over here and go stand with the kids."
As Professor Lupin complied; throwing his wand at down Sirius' feet as he backed towards Ron and Hermione, Sirius grinned down at Harry. "You were wrong before, about me wanting you." He said quietly, "I am after someone though, someone in this room right now; someone who until quite recently, I believed to be dead… Peter Pettigrew."
Still struggling, Harry scowled, "Pettigrew's dead…" he forced himself to look up into Sirius' face, "You killed him."
Black threw back his head and laughed, "I meant to," he scowled, his yellow teeth bared, "But little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though, This time, I'll really kill him."
"What're you talking about?"
"Why don't you show them who you really are Peter?" Sirius' gaze lifted, focusing on Scabbers, who began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning in Ron's hands, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Transform now or I'll kill Harry!"