A/N Pheww - finished this one - and it's half term :D YAY! Enjoy - and thanks for all the review so far: BigBadWolfTardis, DaughterofTheHuntress, 81, BurnedSpy, CrazyPandaHobbit and Lily Rae :)
Chapter Nine
What happened in Hogsmeade
Luckily, on Monday, Professor Lupin was back in his classroom and working again when they went to Defence Against the Dark Arts next. As soon as they entered, they burst out all their annoyance over Snape taking over Defence.
"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?"
"We don't know anything about werewolves –"
"- two rolls of parchment!"
"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" asked Lupin.
"Yes, but he said we were really behind –"
"He wouldn't snap out of it –" Amara said.
"- he wouldn't listen –"
"- two rolls of parchment!"
"Don't worry," smiled Lupin. "I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."
"Oh no," said Hermione. "I've already finished it."
Their lesson was very enjoyable after that – Lupin had brought a Hinkypunk to the class, a one-legged creature that looked like it was made of smoke.
"Lures travellers into bogs," said Lupin. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead – people follow the light – then –"
The Hinkypunk made a squelching noise against the glass.
The bell rang and everyone went out of the classroom, but Harry got called behind.
"Wonder what he wants with Harry," said Amara as they went through the corridors.
"Amara! Uhm – Amara!" came a voice from behind them. Amara, Ron and Hermione turned to see Roger Malone hurrying towards them.
"Oh, hello Roger," said Amara. Roger had finally got some nerve back in Ancient Runes and had managed to speak to her finally.
"You left this in Ancient Runes this morning," said Roger hurriedly. He thrust a textbook into her hands.
"Oh, thanks Roger!" Amara beamed, making Roger blush.
"That's OK," he said. "Um, bye then."
"He's pretty pathetic," sniggered Ron as Roger went out of sight.
"Shut up," snapped Amara. "I think he's sweet."
When she got back into her dormitory, she found a piece of parchment in her textbook.
RM.
That was all it said, and Amara frowned at it, confused. Then, she realised where she had seen it before – the Valentine's card from the year before.
"It was Roger!" said Amara to Hermione as she came back from the shower.
"What?"
"Roger gave me that card last year!"
"Oh," said Hermione, and she giggled. "Does he fancy you then?"
Amara blushed. "Oh dear," she giggled. "I think he does."
-OOOOO-
December slowly made its way around and the news that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff made the Gryffindor's spirits rise. Amara received a letter on the first day of December from her parents, who she hadn't written too nearly as much as she had last year.
Dear Amara,
We know you're busy at school, but you really need to write more than once in a while. Tessie's going mad without anyone at home – she has to wait until you're in your fifth year until she can go (which I guess she can)! Anyway, we were writing to tell you that we have decided to go on a little excursion this Christmas – we're going to see your Great Aunt Hillary in Australia for about three weeks. You are very welcome to join us, however, we don't know if both you and Ethan would be able to come, for it's very expensive and you'd either have to miss a week of Hogwarts or go back on the aeroplane on your own. Write back a reply with Archimedes soon!
Love
Mum & Dad
"Amara, did you get that letter too?" asked Ethan from next to her.
"Yeah, what're you going to do?" Amara said.
"I'm staying here," Ethan said. "Eddie and Piper are staying too."
"Yeah," said Amara and glanced at Harry. "I think I'll stay here too, you know how annoying Great Aunt Hillary is."
Professor Flitwick definitely got into the mood of Christmas when there was only two weeks left. He decorated his classroom with real fairies. Ron and Hermione were staying for Christmas as well, as McGonagall had collected all the names staying. As well as this, there was going to be a Hogsmeade trip on the last weekend of term.
"Excellent," Amara grinned. "I can get those bonbons for Tessie!"
-OOOOO-
Amara, Ron and Hermione all bundled up the day of the Hogsmeade trip. They said their goodbyes to Harry in the Entrance Hall before heading off towards the village, trying to get out of the cold wind ripping through their layers.
They decided to go to Zonko's first, where they could get Harry his Christmas present. Then they went to Spintwitches and got Ethan's Christmas present (a book on Beaters). Then they made their way to Honeydukes to get the remainder of the presents, for there were more interesting things there.
Amara loaded up on all the things she wanted to buy for her family, before helping Ron and Hermione buy some extra sweets for Harry too. They went over to the 'Unusual Tastes' section, to see what they could find.
"Hey, what about these blood lollipops?" asked Amara, holding one up.
"Urgh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione said.
"How about these?" asked Ron, showing them a jar of Cockroach Clusters.
"Definitely not."
Amara shrieked and whirled around. Harry stood there, grinning madly.
"Harry!" Hermione squealed.
"How did you get here?" asked Amara.
"Wow," said Ron. "You've learnt how to Apparate!"
"'Course I haven't," said Harry. "I just saw Fred and George. They gave me this map – The Marauder's Map – it shows everything in the castle – where everyone is and everything! It also shows the secret passageways out of the castle – that's how I got here, it landed in the cellar in Honeydukes."
"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!" Ron exclaimed. "I'm their brother!"
"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you Harry?"
"No I'm not!" said Harry.
"Honestly, Hermione," said Amara, shaking her head. "You're clever and all that, but seriously, you can say the dimmest things!"
"Amara's right – are you mad?" Ron goggled. "Hand in something that good?"
"If I hand it in, I'll have to tell them where I got it! Filch'll know Fred and George nicked it!"
"But what about Sirius Black?" hissed Hermione. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"
"He can't be getting through the passages," said Harry. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And the other three – one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through – well – it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar – so unless he already knew it was there …"
Harry stopped, but Ron pointed to the notice on the sweetshop door.
BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
Customers are reminded that until further notice, Dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of the Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall.
Merry Christmas!
"See?" Ron said. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear the break in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!"
"Yes, but - but -" Hermione struggled to find something else. "Look, Harry still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade, he hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet - what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?"
"Have you seen the weather?" Amara asked. "It's hard for anyone to find Harry in this - and come on Hermione, it's Christmas!"
Hermione looked very worried.
"Are you going to report me?"
"Oh - of course not - but honestly Harry -"
"Seen the Fizzing Whizzbees, Harry?" Ron asked. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred has me one of those when I was seven - it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick." Ron looked thoughtful. "Reckon Fred'd take a hit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?"
Amara rolled her eyes and went to pay for her sweets. When they were done, they headed out into the blizzard.
"Do you want my scarf, Harry? I have two on," Amara shouted, noticing Harry shivering. He nodded and she unwound it from her head and gave it to him. It didn't really help much, for the fierce wind whipped through it.
"That's the Post Office -"
"Zonko's is up there -"
"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack -"
"Or Dervish and Banges -"
"Tell you what," said Ron. "Shall we go for a Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"
Everyone agreed, so they all trundled up the street and hurried into the cosy, noisy and busy pub.
"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron, blushing. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?"
So Amara, Hermione and Harry went to the small table in the corner, next to a tall Christmas tree. Ron came back with four mugs of Butterbeer.
"Happy Christmas!" he said and they all echoed it, before drinking.
The door opened and Amara choked on her Butterbeer, spilling some of it onto the table. McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid and Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, had just wandered into the pub. Ron and Hermione, who were the ones next to Harry, forced him under the table. The group that had entered started towards them, so Hermione whispered: "Mobiliarbus!"
The Christmas tree shifted to the left, obscuring them from view. Madam Rosmerta came to their table, her turquoise sparkly heels flashing.
"A small Gillywater –"
"Mine," McGonagall said.
"Four pints of mulled mead –"
"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.
"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella –"
"Mmm!" squeaked Flitwick.
"So you'll be the redcurrant rum, Minister," Madam Rosmerta said.
"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us …"
"Well, thank you very much Minister," said Madam Rosmerta and she walked away quickly, before flashing back again.
Amara wondered if they were going to be long, because she did not want to be stuck there – and Harry couldn't be seen. What if they didn't leave until everyone else had? They'd get into a lot of trouble if they arrived back after sundown. To take her mind off things, she drank some more Butterbeer, but even that taster sour now.
"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?"
"What else, m'dear," Fudge replied quietly, after checking no one was listening. "but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened at the school at Hallowe'en?"
"I did hear a rumour," said Madam Rosmerta.
"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.
"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.
"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away... It's very bad for business, Minister."
"Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. He shifted on his seat. "Necessary precaution... unfortunate, but there you are... I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore-he won't let them inside the castle grounds."
"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"
"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground.
"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse... We all know what Black's capable of..."
"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought... I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."
"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."
"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity, "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"
"I certainly do," said Fudge.
"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"
"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall, making Amara lean in to hear better. "Do you remember who his-best friend was?"
"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here-ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"
There was a clunk beneath them. Ron kicked Harry whilst Amara cast a wary glance at the Christmas tree. She couldn't blame Harry for dropping his tankard. She was in shock herself.
"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course-exceptionally bright, in fact-but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers -"
"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."
"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"
"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."
Sirius Black was Harry's godfather? Amara's eyes went round as she stared at Hermione and Ron, who both looked just as shocked.
"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"Worse even than that, m'dear..." Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble, making it hard for Amara to hear again, she leaned over so that she was right next to the Christmas tree. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."
"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.
"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find-unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"
"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself... and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."
"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.
"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."
"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"
"He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed -"
"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.
"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it -"
"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.
"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.
"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead... an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.
"Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"
"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him -' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won't need it anymore,' he says.' I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him.
"But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd 've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to em anymore..."
A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said, with some satisfaction:
"But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"
"Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew-another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."
"Pettigrew... that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta.
"Hero-worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather, sharp with him. You can imagine how I -how I regret that now..." She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.
"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death.
Eyewitnesses-Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later - told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens..."
Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy ...foolish boy... he was always hopeless at dueling... should have left it to the Ministry..."
"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands-I'd've ripped him limb-from-limb," Hagrid growled.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I-I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him... a heap of blood-stained robes and a few - a few fragments -"
Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.
"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement 'Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."
Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh.
"Is it true he's mad, Minister?"
"I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man-cruel... pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them... but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored-asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the dementors seemed to be having on him-and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."
"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to re-join You-Know-Who, is he?"
"I daresay that is his – err - eventual plan," said Fudge evasively. "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing... but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again..."
There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.
"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, he'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall.
So, one by one, the teachers left and Madam Rosmerta returned to her place at the bar. Amara was in shock, having heard the conversation without thinking about it. James Potter was best friends with Sirius Black? He was the reason Harry had no parents? Amara felt a surge of anger rush through her at the thought. If Sirius Black had not been friends with James Potter, Harry would be enjoying life with his parents without worrying about the Dursley's or Voldemort!
Amara peered under the table with Ron and Hermione. They stared at him for ages, all not knowing what to say.
