Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, all recognized characters and specialized jargen belong to JK Rowling.
The Slytherins were not happy about being moved one Halloween night, especially seventh year girls, Ella, Delilah and Jane. The girls all loved their dorm in the dungeon. It was nice that the sun never woke them up in the summer, though they were given automatic candles that lit the room every morning at eight every morning. The girls got around this with eye masks and their head of house had to admire their cunning, true Slytherin girls, although he wasn't happy about the complaints he received over their lateness, but as they were 'his girls' it didn't matter so much to him.
That night the girls spent in sleeping bags in the great hall with the rest of the school. They found a space together and Ella began complaining.
"I don't see why the whole bloody school has to be moved. He's after Gryffindors, not us. Therefore they should just move them," she said.
"Or just Potter, you have to admit moving one kid is easier," added Jane.
A deep voice met their ears.
"Problem ladies?"
It was Professor Snape, their head of house. Jane pretended she hadn't said a word, but Ella was quite comfortable being honest with him.
"Black is of no threat to the rest of us, his violence on Gryffindor tower proves that. Therefore it should be them who are moved, not the rest of us," she replied.
"Quite so Miss Howard, but the headmaster does not wish to take any chances. However you are an adult," said Snape.
Ella smiled. She stood up and walked out of the great hall and went to the dungeons, back to the bed she was accustomed to. When she got to her dorm, she found a surprise guest on her bed. A black dog. She couldn't help but find him cute, rather than a threat.
"Hello, now how did you get here? You're not Hagrid's," she said.
The dog turned its head and Ella slowly approached it to pet it incase he wasn't friendly, but he let her as she continued to smile.
"You can stay if you budge up, go on, I'll have to get you out of here tomorrow," she said.
The dog seemed to understand and moved over. Ella patted the dog until she fell asleep, but woke up a couple of hours later to find the dog gone and a strange man on her bed.
"Holy Merlin!" She shouted.
The man jumped and covered her mouth. Ella struggled violently, it was mass murderer Sirius Black. She could have cursed her own stupidity. Sirius saw tears start to form in her eyes, she was convinced it was the end.
"I am not here to hurt you, or any other student here, if I remove my hand will you give me chance to explain?" He asked.
Ella managed to nod. She would keep her promise if he kept his but she was certain to report the incident to Snape the next day.
"You're an animagus," she said.
"Yes, I learned at school, as did my friends. One is dead, one faked his death to frame me. Know of any very old rats?" he asked.
Ella didn't at first thought until she began to remember two sorting ceremonies. Two ginger boys had the same rat, Weasley boys. One was in her year and the other third or second she didn't really know, but she did know that it was a long time for a rat.
"Yes," she replied eventually.
Sirius looked at her.
"Very good, now listen to me, he has a missing toe," he began.
"Peter Pettigrew," said Ella.
"Good, you're quick. Now I know the popular belief is that I betrayed the Potters. I did not. I stopped being their secret keeper so that Voldemort would come after me," he added.
"They made Pettigrew..."
"Yes. I need to get that rat, I need to be free, but if I get him, I'll kill him. You understand?" asked Sirius.
Ella nodded. Sirius Black was innocent and his release into society as such depended on the rat. He didn't have to ask it of her.
"Could you...?" he began.
"Yes, I'll try," she added.
Sirius smiled and looked at the door. Ella shook her head.
"No don't, they're looking for you," she said.
"Why aren't you with everyone else?" Asked Sirius.
"My argument was that you were after Gryffindors. My head of house said as I am of age, I can go where I please," she replied.
Sirius laughed, much like his animagus form.
"I am from a family of Slytherins, not one of them have the same wilful nature and understanding as you. Are you sure you are in the right house?" He asked.
Ella smiled, but felt insensitive.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"What for?" Asked Sirius.
"What you, Azkaban, when you didn't do, it must have..." replied Ella.
"Don't. It's not your fault, you were hardly alive," he added.
"I know that I just..." she began.
"Careful, you are a Slytherin you're not supposed to be nice," he added.
"We're not all bad," said Ella.
"So I see," said Sirius.
Ella let him sit down, he looked around and smirked.
"Not as bad as I thought," he said.
"How did you get up here?" She asked.
"Either it doesn't work on animals or men over eighteen. I figured if your head of house is a male and some girls have had a fight in their dorm, it would make things hard," he replied.
Ella nodded, it seemed a reasonable idea to her. Sirius smiled slightly at her and she looked at him with polite curiosity.
"It's nice to have a civilized conversation," he said.
"Don't get used to it," said Ella.
"Why not?" He asked.
"You're going to have to deal with some reporters and loads of crap when you get free," she replied.
Sirius looked amazed and then frowned slightly.
"You think I'm not used to crap?" He asked.
Sirius' expression softened as Ella's looked apologetic and concerned.
"I didn't mean anything like that, I'm sorry," she replied.
"No I am. I shouldn't take it out on you, you've not turned me in, you believe me and offered to help," he said.
"It's ok," added Ella.
Sirius looked at Ella properly for the first time, to the untrained eye she was nothing special, standard brown hair, green eyes, but to him she was his only ally. She meant every word she said. Meanwhile, Ella looked at Sirius, his dark eyes, his tattered form and knew he had been through hell and back.
"What's your name?" Asked Sirius.
"Ella Howard," she replied.
"Ella, at this moment in time, you mean everything to me," he said.
She looked at him with mild surprise and put her hand on his. Sirius looked down, he was being treated well. He looked up again and her lips met his. He responded, for a moment he was a young man again, but the reality of it was he had aged twelve years. He pulled away.
"I can't," he said.
"Ok," said Ella.
"I..." he began.
"I said ok," she said.
Ella went to a different bed and went to sleep. Eventually she woke up and found no dog and no Sirius. It was early, slightly dark. Was it a dream? She returned to her own bed, there were black dog hairs on it. It wasn't a dream but that left the unanswered question of where Sirius went?
Jane returned to the dorm and shook her head at Ella, followed by Delilah who began ranting instantly.
"Well I hope you think you are cool! Never again! If any other teacher dares inter-house unity me again, I will pack my bags, NEWTs or not! I see you haven't been murdered!" She shouted.
"No, no I haven't. Is breakfast ready?" Asked Ella.
"Probably," replied Jane.
Ella went downstairs and took advantage of being the only one there, she took some food and went outside with it. She had no idea where Sirius was, but decided to go by the forest and leave it there with a note that read 'for the dog'. She then went back inside for her own breakfast but couldn't help but stare at the Gryffindor table.
"What is wrong with you?" Asked Jane.
"Nothing, well something, I'm not sure," replied Ella.
Jane and Delilah shook their heads. Ella was distant all day; Snape had to stop her blowing up the classroom and sent her out. He kept an eye on her as best he could as he received reports from other members of staff, even Jane begged him to have a word.
All day, Ella had been wondering how to get hold of the Weasley boy's rat. The girls were getting ready for bed when there was a polite knock, which meant trouble. Snape opened the door and the girls all covered themselves as best they could.
"Everything alright ladies?" He asked.
Jane and Delilah both answered.
"Yes sir,"
Ella did not nod or reply. Snape frowned and personally addressed her.
"Miss Howard?"
Her eyes seemed to sparkle when she was addressed.
"How long should a common rat live sir?" She asked.
"Four years is uncommon," he replied.
"You'd say ten or more is impossible?" Asked Ella.
"Quite? What are you saying?" He asked.
"If a rat lived that long, it cannot possibly live that long. Have you not noticed the hand me down rat on the Gryffindor table? Head Boy Weasley had it when he first came here, now his little brother owns it, does that seem right to you?" She asked.
Snape looked at her and then made to leave as he spoke.
"The school owes you Ella Howard!"
He left and returned a few minutes later with the rat in question.
"Take out your wand, with me when I drop him," he ordered.
Ella did and watched. Snape lowered his wand, it was not who he had thought or hoped it to be. Jane and Delilah screamed.
"Get the headmaster Miss Stone," ordered Snape.
Jane left as Peter Pettigrew faced Snape and Ella, who already knew what he did.
"What really happened to the muggles? Did Sirius Black really betray the Potters or was it you? Are you...?" She began.
Snape revealed the man's arm. There was a faint outline of the dark mark. He was furious, the way he glared at the other man.
"You sold..." he began.
"She would never have loved you," said Peter.
Snape struck him and then raised his wand.
"Ava..."
Delilah screamed and Ella got to Peter first.
"Stupefy!"
The rat man was stunned and Snape lowered his wand. Delilah was hysterical.
"He tried to kill him! He was going to kill him! Why didn't you stun him? It should have been him you turned your wand to!" She shouted.
"I am sorry. Patrificus Totalus!" said Ella.
She froze her friend and turned back to her teacher. He looked at her with a surprised expression.
"She's right. It should have been me you turned on," he said.
"No. You're a fully qualified wizard and this man murdered thirteen people, framed an innocent man and sold a person's family for his own safety, I couldn't watch him alone," she said.
Snape nodded in acceptance of her logic. She was a bright girl, perhaps too bright for his house. Yet other things were troubling him, things that Ella voiced.
"You do know this means Sirius Black is innocent of everything he was accused?" She asked.
He said nothing.
"You and he are around the same age, did you know him?" she asked.
"A bully Miss Howard, who deserved everything coming to him. I personally was not surprised to hear what he had done," replied Snape.
"But not a lifetime of dementors surely? I wouldn't wish that on any of my exes," she added.
"Your exes Miss Howard, you have dated?" He asked.
Ella smiled, Pettigrew stirred and she moved on her guard. Snape shot cords out of his wand to have him tied up.
"Did you kill those muggles? Did you sell the Potters? Did you frame Black?" Asked Snape.
"Yes, yes, yes, be merciful Severus, I am not the only death eater in this room," replied Peter.
Ella turned quickly to Snape, she already knew, all the Slytherins knew because all their parents were marked in some way.
Dumbledore arrived with enforcements and Peter was taken away. Snape was left to settle the girls, Ella couldn't rest her curiosity.
"Who would never love you?" She asked.
"Enough Howard. Get to sleep, take the morning off, all of you," ordered Snape.
Ella knew she had crossed the line and made out like she was doing as she was told. When Snape left she sat up, Jane looked over at Delilah.
"She's not moved," she said.
"My doing, we had a situation. Some of us are used to deatheaters, more than others," said Ella.
"You were a kid," argued Jane.
"I was nine before we were found," added Ella.
"The papers said you were five," said Jane.
"The papers say Potter was one month old when he defeated the Dark Lord, he was over twelve months," argued Ella.
"How do you know so much?" She asked.
"I pay attention," replied Ella.