Hello, peeps! I've successfully uploaded a picture of what Sapphire looks like. If you wanna see it, look at the cover and that's her!
Now onto a more serious matters…..Why aren't you guys reviewing? I see all of the views this story gets; it would make me happy if you would say your opinion, I don't care if you hate it or love it, as long as I know somebody cares! Sorry about that, I'm in a bloody horrible mood right now. I saw the Order of the Phoenix again and hated watching Sirius die. I know in my book he won't! He'll still go through the veil though, but it won't kill him. Yet. Well, now onto the story!
When I came to, the first thing I saw was a copy of the Daily Prophet. It read:
BLACK STILL AT LARGESirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. "Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it - who'd believe him if he did?" While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.
I looked at the picture. A man with long, black matted hair and a waxy, sunken face was blinking slowly at me. I was transfixed by the picture. I knew that man from somewhere, I could tell by the strange feeling in my gut. It was the same one I got from seeing that dog.
I also got the feeling he was innocent, that he was framed. I blinked. How would I know that? I had never met this man in my life….had I? Sirius Black…where do I know that name from?
My thoughts were interrupted by a startled shout of "Sapphi…I mean Hermione! You're awake!" I looked behind me, confused. Harry stood there, next to a gangly youth in a purple uniform.
"What? Where am I, Harr-" I stopped at the look Harry gave me.
"Well, Hermione," Harry emphasized the name. "After you fainted, we got onto this bus and are heading to Diagon Alley."
"Oh."
The driver slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley. "Thanks," Harry said to the driver. He jumped down the steps and helped me down, then we helped Stan lower our trunks and Hedwig's and Lunae's cages onto the pavement. "Well," said Harry. "'Bye then!" But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. "There you are, Harry, Sapphire" said a voice. Before I could turn, I felt a hand on my shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!" Me and Harry looked up at the owner of the hands on our shoulders and I felt a bucketful of ice cascade into my stomach - we had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself. Stan leapt onto the pavement beside us. "What didja call Neville and Hermione, Minister?" he said excitedly.
Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted. "Neville? Hermione?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter. And this is Sapphire Potter." "I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! And Hermione's Sapp'ire I can see 'the scars!" "Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked them up, but we need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..." Fudge increased the pressure on my shoulder, and me and Harry found ourselves being steered inside the pub. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord. "You've got them, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?" "Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry or me. There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying our trunks and Hedwig's and Lunae's cages and looking around excitedly. "'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville? 'Ermione?" said Stan, beaming at us, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder. I grinned wolfishly (A.N Hint, hint) and said "Whoops."
"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.
"'Bye," Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar. I gave a salute to them."'Bye, Neville! 'Bye 'Ermione!" called Stan. Fudge marched us along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room. "Sit down." said Fudge, indicating a couch by the fire. Me and Harry sat down, me feeling goose bumps rising up my arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Harry. "I am Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic." We already knew this, of course; Harry had seen Fudge once before when I was petrified, but as he had been wearing our father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that. Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and us and left the parlor, closing the door behind him. "Well," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think...but you're safe, and that's what matters." Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward us. "Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. You too, Sapphire. Now then...You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley." (I growled at this) "Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done." Fudge smiled at us over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew and niece. Me and Harry, who couldn't believe our ears, looked at each other, and Harry opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again. "Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays." I unstuck my throat. "I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," I said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive." Harry nodded, agreeing with me.
"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other - er - very deep down." It didn't occur to me to put Fudge right. Me and Harry were still waiting to hear what was going to happen to us now. "So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and..." "Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about our punishment?"
Fudge blinked. "Punishment?" "I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!" "Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!" I grinned again. Never?But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic. "Last year, me and my sister got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in our uncle's house!" he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said we'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!" Unless my eyes were deceiving me, which they NEVER do, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward. "Circumstances change, Harry...We have to take into account...in the present climate...Surely you don't want to be expelled?" "Of course I don't," said Harry. I agreed with him."Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you."
Fudge strode out of the parlor and I stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for us at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what Harry had done? And now that I came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic? Well, maybe, seeing as he is so full of himself!
Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper. "Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable. Um", he continued, looking at me. "Seeing as there is only one room available.."
"I'll stay with my brother." I snarled, glaring at the Minister of Magic."
"Very well, then. Just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand...I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you two for me." "Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?" "Don't want to lose you two again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no...best we know where you are...I mean..." Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak. "Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know..." "Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked. Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak. I smirked at this. Surely the big bad Minister wasn't SCARED, was he? Of an innocent ma- wait, what? How should I know Sirius Black was innocent?"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed...and they are angrier than I've ever seen them." Fudge shuddered slightly. "So, I'll say good-bye." He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, apparently had an idea. "Er - Minister? Can I ask you something?" "Certainly," said Fudge with a smile. "Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but our aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission forms. D'you think you could -?" Fudge was looking uncomfortable. "Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not yours or Sapphire's parent or guardian -" Thank god, I thought.
"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave us permission..." "No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly. "Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't...yes...well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry. You too, Sapphire." And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand(I glared at him), Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry and me. "If you'll follow me, Mr. and Miss. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up..." We followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for us. Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling.
"If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, or you, Miss Potter, don't hesitate to ask." He gave another bow and left. Me and Harry sat on the bed for a long time, Harry absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. I could hardly believe that we'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that Harry wasn't expelled, and that we were now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks. "It's been a very weird night, Sapphire," Harry yawned. I didn't reply. I was busy thinking about that dog and Black, wondering why I got that feeling. Wondering why I felt the burst of love I felt looking at my twin brother.
Chapter two, DONE! I made up my mind about the Animagus issue, you'll figure it out soon! Until next time,
Moonpaw(my Marauder nickname)