DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS JK ROWLING DOES.
Chapter 1- The Stray Dog
It was in the middle of the day, almost dinnertime, the sun still shone brightly. Harry took his time walking back to the house. Whatever Aunt Petunia was cooking she'd give him less of anyway. He relished when next week came around. His birthday was next week and his friends and godfather would undoubtedly send him birthday cakes. Thinking of Sirius made him feel odd, It'd been at least a month since the end of the school year and he hadn't heard anything from him since the beginning of summer. It was a feeling he couldn't quite place.
Close to the end of last school year, Sirius had said to him; "I expect I'll be seeing you again really soon, Harry."
So, naturally, he'd expected a bit more from him than; "See you soon. Be prepared."
This is what was in a letter that came at the beginning of summer from his godfather. He hadn't known what he meant, or how to "be prepared" for whatever it was Sirius had planned. It was no doubt Sirius was up to something, he didn't know what, though. This was all so frustrating, even more he had to keep it to himself. He couldn't talk to anyone about it to get a clue to what was going on with his estranged godfather. Hermione and Ron were out of the question, he couldn't put too much in a letter in case it got intercepted. Dumbledore might have a clue, though, but he couldn't bother him with something like this, he had better things to do, after all. Then another person crossed his mind. He sped up his walking, if Sirius was up to something, and it involved Harry, then there was one person who would know that he could ask. Remus. Remus would know what Sirius was up to. Why hadn't he thought of it before?
Harry suddenly got a chilled feeling just as he came to the house, and hurried inside. The Dursley's were all already sat at the table, eating. The television in the kitchen was turned on the news and the volume was loud. He shut the door.
"Where the devil you've been boy?" Vernon demanded
Harry said nothing, only rolled his eyes and sat down to eat. His assumption had been correct, Aunt Petunia had given him a quarter of what Dudley was eating. Suddenly, something on the television caught Harry's attention: "And in other news...it has been confirmed that notorious murderer, Sirius Black has been apprehended by authorities and will face trial..."
Harry nearly choked on his food. Vernon started to say something nasty to him, but Harry paid no mind and rushed up to his bedroom. He startled Hedwig by bumping her cage when rushing in. He muttered apologies and quickly found quil and parchment.
He wrote:
Moony,
Whats going on?
~Harry
"Alright, Hedwig, this says Moony, but take it directly to Remus,got that? And hurry!"
He watched his snow owl take off out the window, then sat there, contemplating. He didn't know whether he'd answer or not, but Remus had to know something. Harry noticed something flying towards his window. It wasn't Hedwig, he'd just sent her off. He recognized the owl as it came closer and instinctively moved out of the way. Errol came bursting through the window and landed none so gracefully on Harry bed.
Attached to the owl was the Daily Prophet. He took it and unrolled it.
Sirius' picture was on the front page. The headline read "Sirius Black Found!" . He read on, suspicions confirmed, Sirius was indeed heading for trial. Just what in the hell is he thinking? Reading more, he also saw that Dumbledore would be defending him during trial. That eased a little of his worry, but not enough. An hour passed, two hours.
It had gotten dark and still no sign of Hedwig. He didn't know how far Remus lived, so he didn't know how long it would take.
There was a loud "pop!" sound from outside. He heard his uncle swear loudly. Harry ran down the stairs. Before he could make it to the front door, Vernon's meaty hand grabbed a hold of him.
"What the devil was that? What did you do?" Vernon shouted.
"Calm down, it wasn't me, someone's here." Harry said impatiently. "And let go of me."
He tried to pry his uncle away from him to no avail. Their was a knock at the door. Everyone stilled.
"What's that?" Aunt Petunia said softly.
"I told you," Harry said. "Someone's here."
Another knock, this time louder. Vernon shoved Harry to the side and opened the door.
"Who are you?" Vernon demanded.
"I'm terribly sorry for coming so late," said a familiar voice. "But this is really important, Is Harry here?"
"He's asleep" Vernon lied, trying to shut the door in his face.
"No I'm not," Harry said, trying to get in front of Vernon. "I'm right here, let him in."
"Vernon, perhaps we should just let the man in," Petunia said.
Vernon mumbled something unintelligible and stepped aside. Remus Lupin stepped through the door.
"Remus!" Harry exclaimed. "You have no idea how glad I am you're here. You got my letter?"
"It's good to see you again too, Harry. And yes, I got your letter. But, shall we sit?"
Harry led him into the living room and they sat. The Dursley's followed like ghosts.
"When was the last time you heard from Sirius, Harry?" Lupin asked.
"The beginning of the summer."
Lupin was silent, in thought.
"Whats he up to?" Harry said. "I mean, why would he intentionally get himself caught."
Lupin chuckled. "I warned Sirius you might catch on quicker than he thought you would."
"So it was on purpose then, but why?"
"Has Sirius ever talked to you about living with him?" Lupin asked.
Harry frowned. "Yeah, once, but we never actually got the opportunity as long as he was on the run."
Again, Lupin was silent.
"Do you have any idea what he's up to?" Harry said.
"I might, but its more like a hunch." Lupin finally said. "Anyhow, his hearing is tonight."
"Tonight?" Harry said. "But he they just got him, didn't they?"
"Yes, but I doubt Sirius would want to go back to Azkaban, so Dumbledore pushed for the hearing to be tonight so their wouldn't be a wait."
Harry sighed. If he'd have told him he was doing this, he wouldn't be so frantic. A though crossed his mind.
"Remus." Harry said. "The reason Sirius got sent to Azkaban in the first place was because they believed he killed Pettigrew, only he didn't, Pettigrew turned into a rat and escaped."
"I know what you're saying." Lupin said. "And I've thought about it too, as did Sirius, he just didn't have the time to do it."
"In order to set Sirius free, we would have to have Pettigrew." Harry said. "But, Remus, that's not going to be as easy as it sounds."
Pettigrew, or Wormtail as they called him, always stayed close to Voldemort. Harry had another thought, this one more chilling.
"We find Him, we find Wormtail."
"What?" Remus said, he had been deep in thought too.
"Wormtail is almost always with Voldemort," Harry said, both to Remus and himself. "If we want to find Wormtail, we look for Voldemort."
Remus looked at him, thoughtful. "Dumbledore had said something like that too."
"If we do that, we'll all be dead, and Sirius would have gotten caught for nothing. Their must be some way around it."
Harry couldn't think of any. Suddenly, another loud "pop!" came from outside. The Dursleys, who'd been unusually silent through all this, jumped.
"Now who the devil is that?" Vernon demanded.
Harry looked at Lupin. "Is anyone else coming?"
Lupin stood, as if he forgot something. "I completely forgot they were coming..."
"They who?" Harry said, standing as well.
Just as Uncle Vernon was getting up to get the door, it opened. Harry stared in bewilderment. Standing in the hallway was Mad Eye Moody.
"Hey Remus, did you lose yer head? Hey there, Potter."
"Sorry about that Mad Eye. Harry wrote me worried about Sirius and I forgot everything and came here." Lupin explained.
"Mad Eye...what are you doing here?" Harry asked slowly.
"I'll explain that later," Mad Eye said. "In the mean time Remus, we have things to do."
"Right," Lupin said, eying Harry. "Lets go then."
"Wait." Harry said. "You're going to find Wormtail aren't you?"
No one said anything.
"I want to come with you."
"You see Remus, this is why I told you to leave Potter out of this, it ain't safe for him." Mad Eye said.
"I couldn't very well ignore his letter, Sirius is his godfather Mad Eye." Lupin began.
"Exactly," Harry said. "So it has everything to do with me. And don't give me that rubbish about this being too dangerous for me, I've done a lot worse things to danger my life before."
"We don't want to add walking into a den of Death Eaters to that list." Lupin said.
"But Remus.."
"Out of the question," Lupin said. "Sirius would never let me live it down if you went and something happened to you, I'd be hearing about it for weeks."
"Thats a terrible excuse, you know."
"Terrible as it may be, its a moot point." Mad Eye said. "Your not going."
"If you go walking into a den of Death Eaters looking for Wormtail, he'll run away while they all fight you and you'll never find him." Harry said. "If I came, it would be the perfect distraction."
Lupin looked at him incredulously. But he could tell by Mad Eye's expression that he had him hooked. "That could work.." Mad Eye said.
Lupin turned to him. "No it can't, because he's not going."
"Come on Remus, think about it. The boy's got a point. Wormtail could take advantage of the opportunity to run, if we don't get him tonight, Sirius is going to Azkaban, and theirs nothin' that us or Dumbledore could do about it."
Lupin looked at Harry for a long time before answering. "Fine. Fine."
"But the first sign of Voldemort coming, you're out of there, Wormtail or not."
"I could live with that." Harry said.
"Alright then, now that that's all said and done, we'd best be going, the Minister's not known for his patience, and neither is Sirius for that matter." Mad Eye said.
They walked out, leaving the Dursley's standing in the living room like mannequins on display. Two other people were outside waiting for them.
"No time for introductions now, we're already late." Mad Eye said. "Plan's been altered. Potter's going to be our distraction. Let's go, Potter grab onto me."
Harry grabbed a hold of Mad Eye just in time for him to Disapparate. When Harry got his bearings, he noticed they were hidden by trees and bushes. He was about to ask where they were but he looked across the street and saw an entrance to a graveyard.
"Alright, Potter" Mad Eye said. "You go in there and you distract them, don't pull any crap or you'll have to deal with me. Remember, if anyone has a chance to get Pettigrew, take him. Now, go on Potter, Sirius is waitn'"
Harry started to go, Remus stopped him. "Be careful, Harry."
He nodded and went. He walked deliberately towards the graveyard. He stopped in the middle , graves surrounding him like a circle.
"Look who we have 'ere."
Harry turned and saw Bellatrix Lestrange coming towards him.
"I'd say your lost aren't you, Potter?"
Behind him, Lucius Malfoy was coming.
Calm down, Harry, play it cool, remember what Mad Eye said. Mad Eye wouldn't be too happy if he messed this up.
"Lost?" Harry said, trying to sound nonchalant. "What makes you think that, Lucius?"
"No, I don't think he's lost, Lucius," Bellatrix commented, standing right behind him now. "I think he meant to come here tonight."
"Oh yeah?" Harry retorted. "Why's that then?"
"Yes Bella, why?" Lucius chimed in.
"Its all over the papers Lucius, his precious little godfather's gone and gotten himself caught by the Aurors ," Bellatrix said.
"Ah, yes." Lucius said, coming to stand beside Bellatrix. Harry backed up. "Black's awaiting trial is he not?"
"I don't see how that's any of your concern." Harry said hotly.
"He's 'ere for Wormtail, Lucius." Bellatrix said. "Come out, you rat!"
Their was a whimpering sound and a movement behind one of the graves. It was dark out, Harry couldn't clearly see his surroundings. Pettigrew came out from where he was hiding.
"P-Potter," Wormtail stammered. "W-what brings you here?"
"Oh, I think you know the answer to that, Peter." Lupin said.
Wormtail hastily tried to get away from him, but Harry blocked him. Wormtail stood fearful.
"R-Remus."
"Well now, this has taken an interesting turn," Lucius said. "What do you say, Bella?"
"Let's kill them, Lucius!"
Bellatrix shot out a spell that was parried by Mad Eye, who was running towards them with anger. In seconds, the other two were on Lucius. Harry directed his attention back on Wormtail, who was trying to get away from Remus.
Harry moved so that he was blocking him again. Then he pushed him so he was in front of Remus.
"D-Don't, I beg you Remus, don't! Potter! Don't let him do it!"
Wormtail was clinging onto Harry desperately, but Harry merely kicked him off.
"No, Peter." Remus said. "I'm not going to kill you, but with where you're going, you're going to wish I had."
A blast of light shot out of Lupin's wand and Wormtail was in his rat form, he was also very still, Harry noticed.
"This'll hold him until we get to the ministry, then the aurors can have him." Lupin said.
They were both startled to hear Mad Eye's roar coming from the other side of the graveyard. Lucius and Bellatrix were attempting to run away, and succeeding very well. Harry felt a sudden chill creep through him. The air suddenly got a lot colder.
Between the shrubbery, a large green snake slithered its way toward Harry.
"Remus, we need to leave, now." Harry said.
"Leaving so soon? But the fun's just begun." came an animal-like voice.
"Ah Greyback," Lucius said, looking relieved. "We wondered where you had went."
Harry went still. Greyback. Fenrir Greyback. The Death Eater that was a werewolf. A blast from Greyback's wand knocked them all backwards. When Harry tried to get back up, Greyback knocked him back down with a simple wave of his hand. The force of it sent Harry flying and caused him to collide with a grave, making him temporarily incoherent and causing the tombstone to smash. He thought he heard Lupin yell his name, but he wasn't sure. He tried to stand to recollect himself, but only went to his knees. Other Death Eaters had come, and the others were locked in battle with them. Just as he was able to recollect himself, however, Greyback came with another swish of his hand and knocked him back down. This swish of the hand was more like a swish of the fist however, and it was to Harry's stomach. He distinctively heard his ribs crack. Their was a flash of light in front of him as someone hexed Greyback. Things started to get very blurry. Harry hit the ground.
Harry heard mumbled voices around him.
"You see, Mad Eye, I told you he shouln't have come, Sirius is going to kill me."
Lupin's voice, and none to happy either. Harry felt a warming sensation on his stomach. That was odd. He still couldn't open his eyes though.
"Your fault for showing up at his house the night we leave to capture Pettigrew, you knew he'd want to come." he heard Mad Eye retort.
"Come, now boys, this isn't a time to be bickerin'" came a woman's voice, one of the two others that came.
"Pipe down, Tonks, no one's bickerin'." Mad Eye said.
"Oh, look, I think he's comin' too." Tonks said.
Harry started to open his eyes, the pain receding from his ribs somehow. Lupin and Mad Eye were crouched over him. Lupin was mending his wounds, but stopped the moment Harry opened his eyes. The woman, Mad Eye called her Tonks, was standing beside Mad Eye, as was the other wizard.
"Harry, thank god!" Lupin cried. "You scared me for a minute there."
"Sorry," Harry mumbled, sitting up. "How long was I out?"
"Good ten minutes," Mad Eye said. "You're all better now thanks to Remus though."
"Thanks," Harry said to Remus.
"Your welcome, and this is only temporary, it'll last for another hour before your injuries come back, we don't have time to do it fully, I'm afraid." Lupin said.
"Yea, yea, and we don't have time to be sittin' here talkin' about it either, lets get the hell outta here and to the ministry. Remus let me hold that thing 'til we get there." Mad Eye said.
Harry was able to stand, he noticed they were far away from the graveyard, actually he realized he didn't exactly know where they were.
"We're close to the ministry," Lupin said as if reading his thoughts.
"Tonks, Kingsley, you two best use the Atrium so as to not cause suspicion." Mad Eye said. "Potter, you, me and Lupin will have to use the visitor's entrance."
Harry noticed, for the first time, that they were actually in London. He hadn't noticed when he first woke, but he did now. He went with Mad Eye and Remus along the dingy street where the visitor's entrance was located. They all managed to step into the broken down red telephone box. Mad Eye was the closest to the phone,picked it up, dialed the numbers 62442. A female voice echoed around them.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and your business."
"Alastor Moody," Mad Eye growled. "Here for Sirius Black's hearing."
A silver badge popped out, which Mad Eye stuffed in his pocket. The telephone box suddenly dropped down like a lift. It stopped in a long hallway with fireplaces lined up and down both sides. Harry followed Moody and Lupin down the hallway and through golden gates which were at the end. A series of lifts were on the other side.
They stepped in one and headed up to the Department of Mysteries.