0. . .oO•.o. Travelling Home .o.•Oo. . .0

Warning: This story might contain mild content, themes, and language which some may find offensive.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners, JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer. The original characters and plot are the property of me - the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement intended.


A/N: Hey everyone! First, I would like to apologise for the less-than-regular updates, but rest assured I will not abandon any of my stories even if my stories become slow in the development of them. A big thank you for the reviews that I have been receiving, this chapter introduces another of my main characters that is including within this story, and also sets the ball rolling for the upcoming story too.

Anyway, here is Chapter Three! Please review/follow/favourite!


0. . .oO•.o. Travelling Home .o.•Oo. . .0

CHAPTER 3

~Harry~•

Timeline for this chapter: June, 1994 – August, 1994

If I am being honest with myself, I have never been part of a stranger group. There are eight of us here in all: Crookshanks the cat is leading the way out of here, who is being closely followed by an unconscious Severus Snape, my Potions Professor, who is currently being levitated along our path by Sirius Black, my wrongly convicted Godfather. Subsequently is Remus Lupin, my Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and old family friend, who has his wand trained ahead of him on Peter Pettigrew, the man who betrayed my parents and only tonight found out that he has actually been hiding all this time as a rat animagus. Next is Ronald (Ron) Weasley, my best and mad-for-Quidditch mate, and then there's Hermione ('Mione) Granger. She's just wonderful in every way in my eyes. Last of all there's me, Harry Potter, where at the end of every year here at Hogwarts something has gone wrong for me.

'Mione's cat, Crookshanks – the fluffy orange fur ball that is part Kneazel - is leading the way down the stairs. Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron are next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next is Snape, drifting creepily along, held up by his own wand, which is being pointed at him by Sirius. 'Mione and I bring up the rear of our odd group.

Getting back into the tunnel is difficult. Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron turn themselves sideways to manage it; Remus still has Pettigrew covered with his wand. I can see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks is still in the lead. I'm right after Sirius, who is still making Snape drift along ahead of them.

"You know what this means?" Sirius asks abruptly to me as we make our slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," I state.

"Yes…" says Sirius. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," I admit, briefly allowing my mind to drift back to that particular day.

"Well…your parents appointed me your guardian," continues Sirius stiffly. "If anything was to happen to them…"

I wait. Does Sirius mean what I think he means?

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," Sirius reassures needlessly. "But…well…think about it. Once my name's cleared…if you wanted a…a different home…"

Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of my stomach. This has to be a dream, one that's becoming real.

"What — live with you?" he say, accidentally cracking my head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursley's?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," says Sirius quickly, a frown appearing on his face. "I understand, I just thought I'd —"

"Are you insane?" I exclaim in a hushed tone, my voice sounding easily as croaky as Sirius'. "Of course I want to leave the Dursley's! Do you have a house? When can I move in?"

Sirius turns right around to look at me, eyes wide. "You want to?" he says in shock. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" I say.

Sirius' gaunt face breaks into the first true smile I have seen upon it. The difference it makes is startling, as though a person ten years younger is shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he is recognizable as the man who once laughed at my parents' wedding, a photograph that Remus had shown me.

We do not speak again until we reach the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darts up first; he evidently presses his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron clamber upward without any sound of savaging branches. Sirius levitates Snape up through the hole, and then stands back for 'Mione and me to pass. At last, all of us are out.

The grounds are very dark now; the only light is from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, we set off. Pettigrew is still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. My mind, however, is buzzing. I'm going to leave the Dursley's! I'm going to live with Sirius Black, his parents' best friend…I feel as if I'm in a daze…What will happen when I tell the Dursley's that I am going to live with the convict they've seen on television?

"One wrong move, Peter," says Remus threateningly ahead. His wand is still pointing sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently we trample through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape is still drifting weirdly ahead of Sirius, his chin bumping on his chest. And then -

A cloud shifts. There are suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Our party is bathing in the ever-so-bright moonlight. Snape collides with Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron, who stop abruptly. Sirius freezes. He flung out one arm to make 'Mione and I stop.

I can see Remus' silhouette. He has gone rigid. Then his limbs begin to shake.

"Oh, my —" 'Mione gasps. "He hasn't taken his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

What potion had Remus forgotten? Oh no — the full moon...Wait!

Flashback: Earlier on that night.

The evening is drawing nearer now. I best be getting back to the Common room, and meet up with Ron and 'Mione just as we had planned.

"It's been nice talking to you, Professor, but I should get going. It's getting late," I say.

"Please, Harry, call me Remus," Prof— Remus requests. "And so it is. I've enjoy our little discussions too, Harry."

"I'll see you after the weekend, Remus," I say, bidding him farewell.

A small smile passes the man's lips at the mention of his name. "Yes, I'll see you then, Harry. I look forward to it."

As I slide my satchel off the desk, I hear something small drop to the floor, making a tinging sound on contact.

Looking to the ground, I see the fallen object just underneath the table; I crouch down to pick it up to see that it's a potion phial. "Sorry, Remus, I think I accidently dropped this," I apologise.

"Oh...erm, thank you, Harry. This is my medicine from Madame Pomfrey as I've been rather ill lately." Remus explains. "Which also reminds me to take it this evening, very important you see?"

After I watch Remus down the entire contents of the phial, I leave the room but I cannot help but feel that there is something more to what he had said.

End of Flashback.

"Run. Now," Sirius whispers, but the order is still there. "Leave — RUN!" his voice suddenly louder.

"Wait!" I exclaim.

"Harry, you need to—"

"No, you don't understand," I reason quickly. "Remus took his potion tonight. I saw him do so."

Sirius hesitates for a split second, "Are you absolutely sure?" he asks looking conflicted between backing down and protecting us all.

"Yes, he drunk it all," I reassure.

There is a terrible, but equally painful, snarling noise snapping us both from our thoughts. Remus' head is lengthening and so is his body. His shoulders are hunching. Hair is now sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which are curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks' hair looks to be standing on end again; he is backing away —

As the werewolf rears, snapping its long jaws, Sirius holds his ground by my side, choosing to believe what I have told him. But not in human form – he has transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog with pitch-black fur stands in my Godfather's place, sending a low warning growl towards the werewolf just ahead of us. As the werewolf hears the sound, it immediately cowers, but only slightly, releasing what sounds like a whimper back that makes it appear vulnerable and scared.

I stand in place, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the interaction to notice anything else happening around me. It is 'Mione's squeal that alerts me —

Pettigrew has dived for Remus' dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, falls roughly to the cold ground below him. There is a bang, a burst of light — and Ron lays motionless. Another bang — Crookshanks form propels into the air and back to the earth in a heap.

"Expelliarmus!" I yell, reacting quickly and on instinct to the attack, pointing my own wand at Pettigrew; Remus' wand flies high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" I shout, warning him as start running forward. But he doesn't listen. "Petrificus Totalus!" In an instant, Pettigrew's arms snap to his sides. His legs spring together. His whole body rigid, he sways where he is standing and then falls flat on his face, stiff as a board. Pettigrew's jaws are now jammed together so he cannot speak. Only on approach to his fully bound form can I see only his eyes are moving, looking at me with evident horror and fear.

There is a light howl and a soft rumbling growl; I turn to see the werewolf, Remus, with his furry head held back with a howl now echoing through the air, into the distance. Turning to me now with its big yellow eyes, he began taking careful and hesitant steps towards us all; still as a large black dog, Sirius is bouncing around cheerfully just in front of Remus, almost as if he is encouraging him to move closer.

"Sirius, he attacked my friends and was going to for you two next; I couldn't think what else to do," I explain in a rush when the dog cocked his head towards Pettigrew's frozen form.

I turn my attention quickly to 'Mione as she dashes over to where Ron lays on the ground.

"What did he do to him?" 'Mione whispers, clearly worrying for our friend. Ron's eyes are only half-closed, his mouth hanging open; he is definitely alive, I can see his chest rising and falling slowly with every breath, but what is sad is that he doesn't seem to recognize us at this moment in time.

"I don't know…" I reply honestly.

I look desperately around. Sirius and Remus are both looking around just like curious animals do…we have no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair.

"We'd better get everyone up to the castle and tell someone," I say, pushing my hair out of my eyes, trying to think straight. "Come —"

It isn't long before we are all walking along the long rickety bridge that leads to one of the castle's courtyards. 'Mione has taken the lead, who is levitating an unconscious Ron just ahead of her as well as carrying Crookshanks in one arm. Sirius, well Padfoot should I say, is next, dragging Pettigrew along the ground with his bare teeth not even considering be careful with him. Sirius had instructed Remus to go back and rest inside the Shrieking Shack until he returns, just so he'll be safe, and after some reluctance, he obliged to what Sirius had asked. And then there is me levitating Snape with extreme caution on my behalf, still unconscious too, back to the castle; as if he doesn't hate me enough already, he is going loath me when he finds out and make it his mission to make my life hell whenever he can.

We have caught Pettigrew and are going to turn him into the Aurors'. By this time tomorrow, he will be locked away. By this time tomorrow, Sirius, my Godfather, will be free.


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