It was after midnight that night, and I was awoken from a very sound sleep by a very faint voice.

"Sarah! Wake up!"

I opened my eyes, puzzled.

Was I imagining it?

It was like hearing someone shout at you from between 4 doors.

"Sarah! Sarahhh!"

I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

The sound was coming from my left.

I looked around, my eyes used to the dark.

Aha!

I opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out the tin can.

"Hang on a minute..bloody..."

I disentangled myself from the sheets and hopped over to the window, doing my best not to wake the other girls.

I unlantched the window and hopped onto the ledge, pushing my feet through the railing.

I pulled the door shut tight behind me.

The early March wind was bitter.

Should've brought a damn robe...

"You there?" Jill's voice echoed from the can.

"Yeah I'm here."

"Good. I've missed talking to you."

"Me too."

"You know, you didn't have to run away like that. I was going to tell you eventually anyway."

"Haha well you didnt have to hide from me all today either."

There was a short silence.

"So, did you break up with Dean?"

"Yes! Honestly Sarah, I'm not a harlot."

"Oh. So are you an Draco official?"

"...Yes."

"Is he... nice to you or something?"

"...Obviously."

"Of course, you're a pureblood."

She chuckled on the other end of the line.

Squinting in the dark I could make out a distant speck of glinting tin can fromt he Ravenclaw tower.

I shivered.

"Sorry. Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"Um, no? I'm awake now, thanks."

"Oh. Right. Sorry."

There was another short pause.

"Want to meet me in the common room?"

"Erm...Yeah, yeah, okay...The password's-"

"Wattlebird, I know."

I smiled.

"Alright then."

I opened the window behind me, which squeaked rather loudly. I stopped short, half out the window, my ears perked up listening for the slumbering sounds of my bunkmates to resume.

As soon as Lulu's murmuring gurgle joined Hermione's light whistling snore, I finished crawling out of the window and shut it tightly behind me.

Slipping my feet into unlaced shoes, I grabbed my Weasley sweater and slipped out of the dormitory.

Jill was sitting in the squashiest armchair, looking up at me with her fingers laced together, as if I was stepping into her office or something.

"Hey." she said softly.

"Hey." I sighed, flopping onto the adjacent sofa. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"I briskly walked."

"I see. Run into Filch?"

"Obviously not."

"So hows Dumbledore?"

"Just dandy. He's off to see the minister tomorrow. Gosh it must be exciting being such a brilliant man as Dumbledore."

"He's just leaving us here? With a serial killer on the loose? HELLO! EVERYTIME HE LEAVES SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. Especially this time of year. Tis the season for Harry Potter to save us all."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

"Honestly. Your sarcasm cuts me to the quick, wretched girl."

"If the truth must be my companion in the flames, then so be it!"

We giggled. Sometimes its fun to talk like an ass.

Hours later, I finally returned to my dormitory.

"Lets do this again! At my place next time."

"Okay. Night."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a grand total of 5 hours of sleep I was rudely awoken to battle another day.

The morning took forever to go by, as morning classes usually do.

Transfiguration. History of Magic. Divination.

It was my study period, and I was pacing in Lupin's empty classroom, babbling on my latest tangent thanks to Professor Trelawny.

"Honestly! That old bag goes on and on about Divination like she invented it. Its not even a real subject! Do you know how many muggles claim they can read the future? Alot. Its easy money because simpletons lap it up like dogs."

I paused for a breath, and put both my hands on Lupin's desk, staring him in the eyes.

"And do you know what sickens me the MOST about that class? The smell! Its like being stuck inside an antique perfume bottle thats been sitting in the sun, doused in lake water! I mean, if I'm not going to get an education in that class, some oxygen would be nice!!"

Lupin wasnt paying attention. He was staring down at a map, with little moving dots skittering about all over it.

"What's so important that you cant listen to my tyrade?"

"Hmmm? Oh!" He realized I was leaning over him, and quickly folded the map shut and put a book over it. "Nothing. Nothing, really."

"Professor." I gave him a look that said 'I am not a fool."

He sighed.

"This map." He pointed to the book. "Shows the entire school, as well as who is in it. Every hour of everyday."

My eyes widened.

HE'S GOT GEORGE AND FRED'S MAP?!?!?

"Erm...Thats interesting. Never seen anything like it. Ever." I tried to sound nonchalant.

"Well...I just...Really, Poe, don't you have a class?"

"Dont call me that. And no."

"Whats so wrong with the name Poe?"

"Are you JOKING? Does the phrase Tellytubbies mean NOTHING to you? Its revolting. I sound like I was named by a toddler, or an old woman who was trying to name her dog."

Lupin chuckled.

"Its not funny, professor!" I crossed my arms and sat on the desk. "Okay, Remus, seriously whats got you all flustered about that map?"

His face darkened.

"Its just...I confiscated it from a student last night. Said they were following someone they believed to be dead."

My heart dropped. Fred? George? They know dead people?

"Who?" I asked innocently..

"Harry Potter."

SUPRISE!

I breathed out a sigh.

"So what? Its Harry. Probably making up a story to get some attention. Been a quiet year."

Lupin shook his head.

"Thats the thing. He wasnt." Lupin pointed to the map. In the Gryffindor common room, the name Peter Pettigrew floated aimlessly in the boy's dormitory.

"Peter Pettigrew? Whose he?"

"He was...An old friend. He was the first victim of Sirius Black."

"Apparently not." I said, in a voice one used when talking to a moron. I caught myself and emitted a sympathetic "heh."

"Sirius was a friend of mine." Lupin muttered softly.

Lupin looked at me, then pointed his wand at the door.

"Muffliato!"

"What is it, professor?"

"Dont scream."

I was suddenly terrified. I leaped off his desk and backed away, not taking my eyes off Lupin.

"P-professor?"

My eyes widened as from his office, strode none other than Sirius Black.

Sirius Black, the notorious mass-murderer.

"Professor!" I shreiked.

"Sarah, Sarah, calm down! Think about what I told you! Peter Pettigrew was never killed! Sirius is innocent!"

I looked at the man whose face i had seen in wanted posters everywhere. He was shrunked and pale, his hair stringy and limp against his head.

"Remus, are you sure she can be trusted?"

"Yeah Remus, are you sure I can be trusted?" I echoed, my voice shriller.

Lupin held his wand before him. "You tell me. Do you need memory modification, or can I trust you to keep this a secret?"

"But- Professor! Hes a wanted man! The dementors!"

"Precisely!" said Lupin. "Sirius cannot stay here! He will be discovered."

"Thats why we need you." Sirius grinned.

"What?"

"The Shreiking Shack. We need you to get Sirius into the Shreiking Shack."

"I cant be alone with him!" I pointed at the man in the corner.

As if provoked, Black strode shakily down the stairs and approached me.

I leaned backwards, feeling the hard desk press into my back.

"I'm innocent!" His eyes were pleading with me. Black, hopeless eyes.

I suddenly felt pity for the man.

"I'll only go if I can notify Dumbledore."

Lupin and Sirius exchanged glances.

"Dumbledore wont turn you in." I explained to them, "But at least then someone will know if I dont come back..." I shot a harsh glance at Black. "And I'm taking Jill."

"Thumbleword?"

There was a silence as they considered.

"Alright." Lupin said finally.

I hastily picked up my satchel and walked towards the door, like a dog waiting to be let out.

"Meet me outside the front doors. Midnight. Disillusion yourselves." Sirius ordered.

I nodded.

"I'll be a big black dog."

I grinned a little.

Wasn't this exciting?

Move over, Harry.