Chapter 4!

Thank you for the support: the favourites, follows and reviews.

However, I did get a review from a Guest who said 'gagworthy Mary Sue. You should be embarrassed.' I get it that not everyone likes the same things and so in a story and I'm open to constructive criticism, but I didn't see this review to be that. If you're going to write something "negative", I would appreciate that it's done in a helpful way (motivations to why something's bad and perhaps some advice of improvement?). I deleted that review and I will delete reviews like that if they are not written as constructive criticism in a 'professional' way.

I hope I didn't offend anyone because I don't mean to, I just say what I think of the case of reviewing.

Wow, this is a long AN... I don't own anything about the Harry Potter world, JK Rowling does.

Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Because you had a bad day, you're taking one down. You sing a sad song just to turn it around.

End of June, 1994. . . .

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, had had a really bad day. He would go so far to say it was the worst day of his career as Minister. Not only had they captured Black – just to have him slip through their hands once more – but that blasted hippogriff had also managed to escape. Lucius Malfoy would surely throw a fit for that and Fudge could only hope that the newspapers didn't get words about Sirius Black's once again remarkable escape.

He sighed as he walked towards Dumbledore's office for an official chat about the Black situation. A black situation indeed.

The corridors of Hogwarts were empty. It was late at night or early morning, depending on how you wanted to look at it. Fudge thought his steps echoed too loud and a small part of him almost waited for Black to jump out from the shadows and murder him like he had done Peter Pettigrew and all those muggles thirteen years ago. He shuddered, the sound of Black's mad laughter still ringing in his ears. He sighed again. The sooner they caught him, the better. Perhaps Fudge could have a nice time sleeping for a change then.

He stood outside the gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster's office. Fudge straightened out his robes and tried not to look as tired as he felt.

"Sugar Quill", he said, remembering the password Dumbledore had told him before.

The gargoyle jumped aside, revealing a staircase that went in a circle upwards. Fudge climbed the stairs as quickly as his short legs allowed him. He could hear the gargoyle jump back to its original position.

When he was standing in front of the grand office door, he felt like a little schoolboy again. His hand was raised, but he didn't know if he should knock. After all, he was the Minister of Magic for Merlin's sake; he should not need to knock. But at the same time, it was impolite to just bark into someone's office, especially if this someone is Albus Dumbledore.

Before Fudge could make up his mind, there was a low call from the other side of the door.

"Please, come in, Cornelius."

Fudge lowered his hand and opened the door, fighting down the pinkness on his cheeks. How Dumbledore could know everything was a mystery to him, but he supposed he was grateful for it. It was without doubt that Dumbledore gave good advice.

Dumbledore's office looked the same as the few previous times Fudge had been there. It was a circular room with portraits of older Headmasters and Headmistresses covering most of the walls, now sleeping or pretending to do so. There was also shelves with books in different colors and on a table was some funny looking instruments that Fudge had no idea what they did. The golden perch where Dumbledore's phoenix used to sit was empty.

The Headmaster himself was seated behind his desk. His blue eyes were twinkling behind his half-moon glasses, but Fudge could not phantom the reason to why he would look amused.

"Have a seat, Cornelius", Dumbledore offered and nodded towards a chair in front of his desk. "Let's get this over with, shall we? Night is getting old and so are we, if I dare say so."

Fudge sat down, fidgeting a bit uncomfortably. Dumbledore took out a box of something from one of his drawers and offered it to Fudge.

"Sherbet Lemon?"

Fudge looked down at the yellow, sticky things in the box. The smell of lemon made its way up his nose; sour but oddly sweet.

"No thank you", he answered curtly, taking off his bowler and started to spin it around in his lap.

"If you say so", smiled Dumbledore and put the box back after taking one himself. "Personally, I feel that sugar is the best cure for restlessness and dark times. Everyone needs something sweet in their lives."

Fudge let out a noise that could've meant anything. He sighed and pursed his lips together.

"Dumbledore, I. . . .", he started to say, but the words stuck in his throat. He tried again: "I can't believe Black escaped. Are you sure that you don't have a theory how. Apparation seemed to be out of the question. . . ."

"You can't Apparete within Hogwarts, that's correct, yes."

One of the portraits on the wall snorted in a way that not even Fudge could excuse for a snore. Fudge ignored it, looking searchingly at Dumbledore. Dumbledore swallowed the last of his Sherbet Lemon and folded his hands over his long, silver beard.

"Hogwarts has many secrets", he eventually said, looking calm. "Not even I know them all. It seems that Sirius Black must've found a way out that no one had found before."

"But how?! He was locked up in a tower for Merlin's sake, with guards at the door. It should be impossible. . . ."

"Magic can do a lot of things, Cornelius", said Dumbledore with a small smile.

"I just can't understand. . . ." Fudge shook his head as if to get rid of something unpleasant. He sighed, feeling his pride ache, and tried a new approach: "What about Remus Lupin, hm? I heard from Snape that he and Black had been friends before. And I must say that it would be likely that he would've tried to help Black escape there in the Shrieking Shack. The fact that he's a werewolf. . . ."

"I trust Remus Lupin", Dumbledore cut him off and there was a warning in his voice. "I know that you were against me appointing him a teacher – a fair share of people was – but the students haven't complained. He has been more than capable, even with his condition. I'm sure that he was only trying to help there in the Shack, protecting Mr Potter, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley from certain dangers."

Fudge huffed, looking disgruntled.

"And then he turned into a werewolf", he said snappishly, looking shrewdly at Dumbledore. "He could not only have hurt three students – Harry Potter of all people! – but also giving Black time to escape. It was lucky that the Dementors and Snape acted as they did or Black would've escaped. Well, he managed anyway. . . ."

"You seem to forget, Minister", Dumbledore said, still sounding polite but with a hard look in his eyes, "that those Dementors was about to give an innocent student, a mere child, the Kiss. I want them gone by the morning or is the Ministry inquired to still have them here?"

That was another blow to Fudge's pride and career. The Dementors, whom he had ordered to guard the school, had turned and almost Kissed a thirteen year old boy. And again, not any usual boy, but Harry Potter. Fugde shuddered to think about what would've happened if Potter had actually been Kissed. Fudge's career would have been over then and he would surely have been put into Azkaban. At least a werewolf bite would have been better, to an extent. Potter would have been alive then. Well, it was no use to dwell upon it. No harm had come done.

"Of course they'll be removed", Fudge assured the older man. "What they did was unheard of. I'll have them gone as soon as possible, but we still need to discuss Black."

"What more is it to discuss?" Dumbledore sighed and turned his famous X-ray look to watch Fudge.

Fudge moved in his seat, twirling his bowler around so it was just a blur of purple. He tried to come up with something to say, something that would express his desperation of getting Black caught. He wetted his dry lips, before asking, quite carefully and slowly:

"And you are certain that Lupin didn't help him escape?"

"I am certain", Dumbledore said gravely, though the twinkle in his eyes was somewhat back. "Mr Lupin is currently a werewolf, running around in the Forbidden Forest. There's no chance that he would have been able to let Black out from Filius's office." Before Fudge could speak again, Dumbledore continued in a voice that held traces of humor. "Then of course, there are other options of who could have helped Black escape. Severus Snape was there when he was captured, as you know, but between you and me, it doesn't seem very likely that he would help Black, now would it?"

Fudge got the impression that Dumbledore made fun of him. Fudge remembered Snape's reaction to Black's escape very well. The man had looked mad, completely furious. Fudge couldn't recall anyone he had met that had reacted like that ever in his whole life. Though with a background like Snape's, Fudge didn't exactly trust the man's sanity.

Dumbledore's mustache twitched and almost glittered in the light from the candles as he smiled. Fudge wasn't smiling. On the contrary, he looked very disgruntled. He had stopped twirling his bowler. The portraits on the walls were suspiciously quiet. Fudge straightened up but Dumbledore beat him to the word:

"Then there are also the three children that were present during this event, though I'm afraid that Mr Weasley would've had quite the difficulty with walking as his leg is broken. . . ."

"Oh, for the love of Morgana, Dumbledore!" cried Fudge exasperatedly and now he was sure that the portraits were awake, hearing them laughing quietly and watching him being mocked. "I understand what you want to say. Black's escape is a mystery and we have no suspects. Let's leave it there. Godric, what a day this has been. . . ."

He wiped his forehead with a saffron colored handkerchief, looking positively exhausted. Dumbledore's gaze softened and he smiled an almost apologetic smile.

"Was there something else?" he asked, rolling his thumbs. "What are your plans about Black now?"

Fudge sighed again and he felt older for every sigh he drew.

"No, that was it, I believe", he said and he started to get up. "The Dementors will be gone by the morning and I'll give Lupin the benefit of the doubt. As for Black, I have no idea. . . . Do you think there's a chance he will return?"

"To Hogwarts? I doubt it", Dumbledore answered sincerely.

"Oh well. . . ."

Both men stood up; Fudge short and chubby, Dumbledore tall and thin. Fudge put on his bowler again and offered Dumbledore his hands after a brief moment of hesitation. Dumbledore accepted it.

"Well, I appreciate your help, Albus", Fudge said formally. "Even though the outcome could have been different."

"Anytime, Cornelius", Dumbledore said humbly. "Minister."

Fudge nodded and was about to leave when a phoenix appeared. It looked tired and ugly, its usual bright feathers somewhat duller. Dumbledore patted the phoenix as it landed on its perch.

"Fawkes's nearing his burning day", Dumbledore informed Fudge while looking at the phoenix with fondness. "I sent him out to check the school grounds, but Black's not here."

Fudge barely listened. He stared at the phoenix as if he had never seen anything like it.

"They're powerful, aren't they?" Fudge eventually asked. "Phoenixes I mean."

"Why yes", Dumbledore replied and looked at the Minister with a slightly curious gaze. "They can carry heavy things, their tears have healing powers and when they die, they're reborn. They are also loyal to those they think deserve their loyalty. I am very lucky to have Fawkes."

"Yes, very lucky indeed. . . ."

Both Dumbledore and Fawkes looked at the Minister, who seemed to be in deep thoughts. The portraits had opened their eyes and were curiously gazing down on the two men and the phoenix. Outside, the sky took on a deep blue, a shade darker than Dumbledore's eyes. Dawn was arriving.

Fudge gave the phoenix a last calculating look, before turning to Dumbledore, now smiling.

"Well, I should leave. I have a Ministry to run after all." He chuckled lightly and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the sudden mood change. "Thanks again for your time, Albus and don't worry about Black. I'll make sure that he's back in Azkaban in no time."

This made the portraits start to mutter between each other and Fawkes made a raspy chirp that still managed to sound hauntingly sad. Dumbledore furrowed his brows.

"What are you planning, Cornelius?"

Fudge was already at the door. He smiled and waved one hand in a careless gesture.

"Nothing you need to worry about. Take care now and I'll see you about the planning of the Triwizard Tournament this summer."

With that, he left the office. Dumbledore could hear him whistle as his steps faded away.

So, that was that.

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