Sirius Black. Now known as a hero who died protecting Harry Potter but during my Third Year was known as a murderous mad man who was out to kill Harry. I recall the train ride to Hogwarts that year. I was sharing a compartment with Susan, who I adopted as my best friend, and Justin. We were just in the middle of trading Chocolate Frog cards when the train stopped. I was excited to get back to Hogwarts so I stood up to look at the window, but it was raining and dark. Even if we were at Hogwarts already I wouldn't have been able to see the castle. The lights flickered and dimmed. Something was wrong. The three of us looked outside of our compartment door just in time too see a large, dark figure pass by. The air turned a bitter cold, it felt like the air just froze into place and we could no longer breath. My mind began racing. All my doubts of being good at anything returned, my worries about being able to do well in my new classes, and my worst fear of Cedric not returning my secret feelings for him all flooded into my head and I felt myself starting to shake, the sobs that were forming frozen in the cold. Then, just as quickly as it started, it ended. I felt warmth begin creeping back into my fingers and I could breath freely again. Apparently Susan and Justin were the same because all three of us just started looking at each other blankly.
"What was that?" asked Justin, his voice low in case it came back.
"One of the guards of Azkaban," I whispered. "A dementor."
Susan remembered her mom talking about chocolate helping after being in close proximity with a dementor and we still had our chocolate frogs to eat. We didn't enjoy them, though. It felt like eating an antidote for an emotional poison. I will admit, however, that we all felt much more cheerful after our first few frogs.
Suddenly we heard a scream. It was coming from quite a few compartments back, but it was loud enough for us to hear. Justin, seeming to be the bravest Hufflepuff in the compartment, slowly opened the door and poked his head out to see what was happening. Just as he did, though, a blonde headed boy almost ran into him!
"AHHHHH! HELP!" he screamed, half running half tripping down the train corridor, "IT'S CHASING ME!"
Justin immediately closed the door and just stifled a laugh. It just so happened to be that blonde headed boy was Draco Malfoy. I can now say that I believe he was finally properly punished for what he did our First Year.
When we arrived at Hogwarts the dementors were everywhere, posted at every entrance, looking menacingly down at us. (Well, we couldn't see their faces due to their large black cloaks, but I could swear that if their faces were visible they would have been menacing.) Dumbledore told us that we should not be afraid of them as we do not give them any trouble. They were not fooled by disguises, or tricks, "or invisibility cloaks" he added for some reason. I knew I wasn't going to get in any trouble with the dementors because I wasn't even close to being brave enough to be just ten meters away from it.
On our first day of Transfiguration Professor McGonagall taught us about Animagi, people who could turn into animals. She demonstrated by turning into a cat and received a resounding applause from the class. This got me to thinking.
"If the Dementors aren't fooled by any disguise but they haven't found Black yet. Maybe he's some sort of Animagi?" It seemed to be a good explanation.
While doing some research in the library Professor Sprout found me and came over to see what I was doing.
"My, that is a lot of books you have there," she chuckled. "What in the name of Merlin are you looking for?"
"Information about Animagi," I said, flicking through the table of contents of a rather dusty book. It was tickling me nose "Achoo!"
After the sneeze I received a rather disgruntled look from Madam Pince but ignored it and turned to a random chapter.
"Why?" asked the Friar.
I looked on the other side of her and saw a promising book. "To find out if Sirius Black could be one of some sort,"I stated, trying to not to accidentally run into her as I reached for it.
"Tranformation and other States of Deception," I read. "See, I remembered Dumbledore saying that the dementors are not fooled by disguises, but then why hasn't Sirius Black been recaptured? He must be hiding in some sort of disguise if no one has seen him, but we learned about Animagi today in Transfiguration and I thought maybe he's one." By the time I finished explaining the book was already on the table, blowing dust everywhere. I held my breath so as not to sneeze again.
The Professor smiled at me. "Dear, if he were an Animagus the Ministry would know."
I looked up at her. "They would?"
"Why of course. Any Animagus has to be registered with the Ministry. If he were one then they would have said so, see?"
I looked down at the book. All my work was for nothing. I could have been studying for Charms during those hours I spent! But no. I had to spend it looking for information on the kinds of animals he could have possibly turned into. There was also the detail I forgot about Hagrid being able to find any animals around that didn't belong, so we were still safe. I had gotten all excited, thinking I was going to find the reason why people weren't able to find Black and finally stop him from causing any more trouble. Then I had another thought.
"Professor Sprout, is it unheard of for a wizard to turn into a plant?" I asked.
She looked at me, her forehead scrunched in thought, "I have not heard of such a thing. But I suppose it is possible."
I got all excited again. I began looking through the book I had just picked out and found a chapter on wizards and witches having the power to turn into trees or small bushes in times of trouble. I had found the information I was looking for. I took my book and went straight to Professor McGonagall. She dismissed the idea with a kind smile, but did say it was valiant effort.
Valiant effort indeed.
After the attack on the portrait of the Fat Lady on Halloween night my theory seemed to be confirmed. The teacher searched everywhere for Black but couldn't find him. He obviously turned himself into some sort of shrub on the grounds and the teachers just passed by him.
I tried to explain the idea to my friends, but they only gave me strange looks. I knew that if someone would listen to me something would happen. Soon word got all around the school that I was saying Sirius Black could turn himself into a flowering shrub. And I was. I didn't see anything wrong with it because I believed it to be true.
I became the laughing stock of Howarts. I was not only the Hufflepuff who happened to get stuck in the dungeon but also the Hufflepuff that thought Sirius Black could turn himself into a shrub. But no one really minded or made fun or long. I was just a regular Hufflepuf to them.
(But in my defense, I was not all that far off. Sirius Black, along with several of his friends, were secretly Animagi who had not registered with the Ministry and Black could turn himself into a large, black dog. But no one takes a Hufflepuff seriously.)
