Black's Break In
Late afternoon was drawing in as a great black dog eased its way out of the shadows at the base of the tree. Pressing its paw to the knot on the trunk, the Whomping Willow shuddered and its branches ceased all movement.
The dog was as big as a bear and as black as pitch with a coat of tangled, matted fur that hung loosely around its skinny frame.
It edged across the grounds and paused in the shadow of the school building, sniffing the air and looking around. All at once it seemed to notice the hooded creatures that guarded the school and its dark eyes rolled heaven-wards as it made an odd sort of noise in its throat. Almost like it was chuckling.
Honestly! Thought Sirius Black, If I got past the Dementors once, does Dumbledore really think they'll stop me again?
The dog made its way to a loose stone at the base of the building, knocked it aside with its shoulder and wiggled inside the hole.
Suddenly, arms reached out of the hole where the dog had disappeared, tugged on the stone slotting it back into place so that you couldn't tell that it had moved at all. Inside the tunnel, Sirius lent against the wall, his knees squashed up against his chest, smirking. I guess it was Fudge that put the Dementors there, he thought to himself, God knows that Dumbledore wouldn't have approved! He let out a short, harsh of bark of laughter and transformed back into his animagus.
Crawling along the passage for a time, the dog bumped its nose against a hulking mass of soil and rock. He gave a huff of annoyance and began to scratch a hole in the mud near the base of the blockage. It took nearly half an hour, but eventually the dog's snout forced its way through the final layer of soil on the other side and the rest of its body followed, scrabbling through the gap and, after shaking itself to dislodge the excess mud, trotted on to the end of the passage.
On the fourth floor of the castle, a rather battered old mirror swung silently on its hinges and the shadows beyond it shifted to reveal a man squinting in the light, barefoot, with over-large robes, dripping off his gaunt, drawn figure. Matted elbow length hair was carelessly swept off his face as he glared around for any sign of movement with haunted, shrunken eyes.
As the mirror glided back to resume its innocent facade with a click, a ghost appeared at the end of the hall, absentmindedly humming 'Oh Potter, you rotter'. The man stepped back into the shadow of an alcove to wait for the spirit to pass, but, as if sensing his presence, stopped right in front of the alcove and glanced around.
"Hello Peeves." Said Sirius, his voice gruff and cracked with disuse. The Poltergeist nearly jumped through the ceiling, so great was his shock, and spun around to face him.
"Master Black!" Peeves' voice was riddled with shock and reverence as he bowed low to Sirius. When the Marauders were at their peek at Hogwarts, James and Sirius had become good friends with Peeves, and Peeves would always stay out of their way if they were preparing a prank. Over the years Peeves had grown to respect James and Sirius immensely, though he had never got on with Remus or Peter.
"Not been mean to Moony have you Peeves?" Asked Sirius, the trace of a smile on his thin lips.
"Oh no, Master Sirius! Not at all, well, a bit! And I must say how good you're still looking!"
"Huh!" Huffed Sirius, "I'll believe that when Moony's sorted out his furry little problem!"
Peeves chuckled, though he had no idea what Sirius meant. "I have business here tonight, Peeves so I would ask you to tell me when the feast is over, in case I run over time."
"Oh, so not murdering wee Potter then, like everyone says so?" Enquired Peeves.
"What?! No, of course not! Why do you think I chose today?" Black turned away, indicating that the conversation was over.
"Good luck on your business then Sir! Whatever it is!" Called Peeves after him and swooped off to assume his post at the feast.
Black continued his way through the castle, jumping through portraits and sneaking round corners until he reached his final destination. The Fat Lady's Portrait.
"S-S-Sirius Black?!" The Fat Lady stuttered, dropping her wine glass so it shattered on the floor of her portrait. "What are you doing here?" She hissed, eyes wide.
"Admiring the view." He replied dryly. "No, I wish to enter Gryffindor tower."
"No."
"No?"
"N-no..." The Fat Lady's resolve was cracking "I- I can't let you in. Never!"
"Oh, come on! You know me! Please! There's something I have to do!"
"Never!" Repeated the Fat Lady, tightening her lips. "I thought I knew you at school! I thought you were different to the rest of your family because you were put in Gryffindor, but oh, no! You're just the same! How could you support You-Know-Who?! How could you betray poor James and sweet Lily? YOU MURDERED THEM!" She ended her furious tirade by shrieking the last sentence, tears sparkling on her round cheeks.
"Let me in, now." Said Sirius, pulling out a dagger. The six inch blade sparkled in the candle light.
"I'll never let you in! MURDERER!" Screamed the Fat Lady.
"I DIDN'T KILL JAMES AND LILY!" roared Sirius, pain twisting his features, though his body wasn't harmed. He slashed violently at the painting, shredding the canvas, as the Fat Lady ran off screeching at the top of her lungs, leaping from painting to painting until she was out of sight.
"Master Sirius!" Cried Peeves, who had just appeared behind him. Sirius spun around, the knife raised, breathing heavily through his nose so his chest heaved. Upon seeing Peeves, he dropped his arm and looked at him expectantly, though he was still breathing heavily. "Sir, the feast has finished, you've got to leave now!"
Sure enough, the distant sound of footsteps and laughter were emerging from a few floors below.
"Good man, Peeves." Said Sirius "Erm, I suppose you can tell them it was me, but keep everyone away from the fourth floor for about ten minutes."
Peeves gave him a salute and flew off down the corridor. Sirius sprinted off, annoyed at himself, how could he lose his temper like that? And he failed to kill the rat!
"Gillyweed." He grunted to a painting of an underwater cave and he slipped through, just as the first students turned the corner into the corridor with the portrait of the absent Fat Lady.
Albus Dumbledore hurried through the castle, quite agile for a man of his age. He had just conjured a pile of sleeping bags for the students in the Great Hall and then ran straight after Black. He thought he knew where he might have gone, if only he got there...
Dumbledore skidded round the corner into the fourth floor corridor, wheezing, just in time to see the old mirror closing swiftly.
"Sirius Black!" Dumbledore thundered. The mirror halted briefly, then swung back open again to reveal the man in question hovering uncertainly in the doorway, staring at the wand pointed at his chest.
Sirius' eyes flicked between the wand and Dumbledore's face, his body tensed, still caught between fight or flight.
"We don't have much time, so answer me truthfully." Dumbledore came to a halt in front of Sirius, regarding him gravely. "Are you, or are you not, in league with Voldemort?" As Sirius was hesitating, he urged him, " Tell me quickly!"
Sirius looked straight into Dumbledore's penetrating gaze, unflinching.
"No." He stated clearly.
Dumbledore visibly relaxed, lowering his wand. "Very well, I thought not but I had to be sure, you understand? So you didn't betray Lily and James?"
"Yes-no-it wasn't my fault! I didn't realise he would..." Sirius' voice began to break.
"Then who?" Pressed Dumbledore, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't underst-" His eyes widened suddenly in realisation. "Oh, not..."
"Peter Pettigrew!" Sirius spat the words like they tasted foul in his mouth.
"Sirius..." He breathed, eyes wide. "I didn't know, I'm so sorr-"
"Save it." He muttered viciously. "I'll get my revenge." He began to turn away as a sudden thought struck him. "How did you get past Peeves...sir?" He added as an afterthought.
A weak smile formed on Dumbledore's lips. "Oh, he did try..." He replied, an ominous tone to his voice.
Sirius gave him a small grin but it didn't last long, he hadn't smiled in a while and it felt odd on his face.
The two men nodded at each other, then Sirius ducked out of sight behind the mirror and Dumbledore turned on his heel to listen to Snape's progress report.
So now you know why Dumbledore thought Sirius was innocent when he speaks to Snape in the Great Hall O.o
This is the first Fanfiction I've attempted to upload, what do you think? (Can you tell I'm asking for reviews yet? No? Ah, well!)
~AnnieTaphouse