Chapter 10

Sirius' 6th year passed without much happening. Mostly everything was as normal as could be, and in between his breakdowns about losing everyone that he cared about, he had what amounted to a wonderful time with his friends. That year was the best for them, or the worst for the staff, depending on how one chose to look at it. They had pranked nearly everyone in the school that year, and they'd made several more items that Sirius had remembered seeing the twins use.

Peter had grown back into the group and he seemed to have more confidence. What none of them knew but Sirius suspected was that Peter had taken league with the Dark Lord.

It was at the end of this year that Dumbledore had pulled him to the side and let him in on a few things. He'd called Sirius up to his office and erected a silencing barrier before starting the conversation. "I am sure that you've noticed something has been watching you, my boy… I would like you to know that it was me. Now before you say anything, I have some news for you and I'd appreciate it if you would let me get it all out in one piece. Perhaps take notes on what you wish to speak about afterward?"

Sirius frowned but nodded his agreement and was promptly given a parchment and quill.

Albus folded his hands and started in on what he had to say. "I've been watching you; I've even been looking through your mind with Legilimency to see what you have been up to. I've noticed a few things and I've also learned a few things that will benefit you in the long run. Before I go much further, I need to let you know that I know how to return you to your own body at the exact time you left. As you are well aware, and I am thanks to your memories, Sirius will fall into the veil during Harry's 5th year. That falling into the veil is actually what is needed for you to transition back into Harry's body. As you know the time turner has led you here, and that is particularly what the veil is for; to fix mistakes in time. Although it does not rewrite history, it puts the person into the accurate body for that time. Luckily it won't erase your memories, so if you have any intention of fighting off Voldemort when you return to your natural body, you need to spend your time remaining here wisely."

Sirius hadn't taken any notes at this point, he only stared at the old man looking as though he'd been slapped.

"Now doing this will, in essence, be the death of Sirius Black, however you will be reborn in the room at the exact time you left to travel back in time. This means there will be a few months of time that will not be accounted for in your life; think of it as a coma. Now, to get you into the veil I have been working with one of the children that I have been… well I suppose the only real way to phrase this is as bluntly as possible. Bellatrix works for me, she doesn't work for Voldemort. She is a spy, and I think you deserve to know this. I've seen your memory of the ordeal, and it looks as though everything pans out for the better, so we should be able to get you back safe and sound. Now there probably won't be anyone there to receive you when you come back, so I suggest trying your animagus out in Harry's body to escape. The Ministry won't be able to detect it as long as you cast a certain spell over yourself just before you do it, and I will teach you that spell next year."

Sirius' breathing started to get heavier and his mind started reeling.

"What I need you to do is spend the next few years of your life entirely dedicated to defeating Voldemort. You must be brave; you must learn these moves until it gets to the point that you absolutely could do them wordlessly and wandlessly with ease. It must become a muscle memory, you must do this. Do you understand? Give me a nod if you do." He paused for a moment and finally Sirius nodded. He wished he didn't have to lie to the boy, he wished that he could tell him the truth but… that one necessary lie to keep him from refusing to do all of this was what was needed. "Now, I will ensure that you pass your last year as long as you can ensure that you will devote any and all of your spare time to DADA training, even going as far as to learn some Dark Arts yourself. You must be ready for ANYTHING. Do I make myself clear?" Sirius nodded again and Dumbledore smiled. "Do not worry, my boy, all will be fine."

Sirius spent the next few years of his life doing exactly what Dumbledore had planned for him to do. He trained until he was blue in the face, until he had broken nearly every bone in his body twice, until he could master certain spells that should help him in the final battle. He started growing apart from James, Lily, Peter, and Remus. He wasn't seen around as much.

Rumors had started flying that he'd joined up with Voldemort, that the Black family had forced him to follow in the footsteps of his brother. Only those in the Order knew that those rumors weren't true, however some still had their doubts. Even Remus had begun to wonder.

Just as the boy had truly gained muscle memory for the spells he was forced to do, the fateful day that James and Lily was just around the corner. It was Halloween, 1981 and Sirius was berating himself, hitting his head against the wall. He'd let the time just slip away, he'd allowed that barmy old Headmaster to completely engulf his life. He hadn't been spending his time with his friends. Remus even seemed different. He never brought up anything about Sirius' life when he was Harry and he'd never even acted like he knew there was any kind of connection between James and Sirius other than that they were great friends.

Sirius found out quickly that Dumbledore had used mind magic on Remus, erasing anything that had to do with Harry Potter being Sirius Black. He'd ensured that Remus couldn't accidentally give something away to the enemy without knowing it. Sirius was furious over this; it was one of the main things that held his and Remus' bond together but as those memories were wiped, their bond grew further and further apart.

Sirius decided that he couldn't wait around. He had realized that he had changed a few of the smaller things from the stories that he'd told himself and he absolutely had to ensure that he changed this! He ran as fast as his legs could take him to the closet that had been assigned to him in the current Order's location. He mounted it and flew towards Godric's Hollow, hoping that he would be in time to stop Voldemort, to stop his parents' death, to stop it all!

He didn't care that his hair was whipping him in the face as he flew, he didn't care that he was really only half dressed with a robe haphazardly thrown on him, and he didn't care that he might send ripples throughout the universe. He needed to save his parents; that was all he cared about.

When he landed he saw what he'd most feared; perfect stillness and perfect silence. "No…" He whispered, praying that he wasn't too late. He burst into the door and looked around frantically. He pulled at his hair when he saw James lying on the floor, lifeless. "No!" He cried out, ripping some of his hair and letting it fall to the ground. He bent down and cradled his father as he heard himself muttering baby gibberish in the room above him.

He let his father go and went to check on Lily, finding much the same situation. He dropped his wand and it rolled to the top of the stairs, almost falling down them but not quite making it that far. He curled in on himself and let out an inhuman scream, the anguish and despair that he felt engulfing his entire being.

Suddenly he paused and had an idea. He just had to go back again, he could change it again! He needed to find a time turner. He ran from the house, half crazed looking, searching for his broom. It was nowhere to be found. He let out another shriek of frustration and ran toward the main road before remembering that he could apparate. Unfortunately for him, he had already been identified by two neighbors as Sirius Black and the floo calls had been placed, alerting the Ministry that something had went down in Godric's Hollow.

Sirius was soon located at Hogwarts and taken into custody as the prime suspect in James and Lily Potter's murder. Yes, the Ministry had found Voldemort's wand, but they had also found Sirius' wand, and Peter's finger at a nearby sight, alongside the bodies of 12 muggles.

Yes, Sirius had changed things alright; he'd ensured that he would be caught quicker than if he would have confronted Peter himself. He knew he was going to Azkaban, he knew that much wouldn't be changed, but still every step of the way he denied and tried to tell them that it was Peter. His ramblings were seen as a desperate man trying to pin the crime on someone else.

Dumbledore did not offer him any help in this matter. He attended the hearing and watched Sirius break down on the stand, but he did not offer any form of defense for the young man. In his mind this was as it needed to happen.

Sirius was promptly jailed in Azkaban. The only thing that the guards allowed him was a calendar and a stamp to mark the days; he wasn't allowed a quill seeing as they thought he might use it to kill himself.

Every day at the crack of dawn, like clockwork, the dementors would pass by his cell sucking the happiness out of him. In merely 3 weeks he was left a shell of the man he was before, drowning in guilt and sorrow, worrying about the future and his past, even going so far as to scream to the guards passing his innocence. There was no use though, no use whatsoever.

He did do one thing though, a daily routine. As night was setting and the prisoners would be forced into bed, he would practice the spells he had learned in his mind. His cell was protected against magic of any kind though, and this had him wondering just how he was going to escape.

Within 5 months of his incarceration he was delivering death threats to the other prisoners on his block. Another 2 months later he was begging for death. His mind and sanity were slowly draining.

It was nearly 2 years before some semblance of sanity returned to him in the form of a new guard. The guard, who refused to tell Sirius his name, brought him things. He started off bringing him food, then letters from the outside, from Dumbledore. In one such letter Dumbledore explained the guard's attitude as being so considerate towards him because he was a member of the Order and was very important for the future. In encrypted messages sent to him that he'd have to have at least 3 letters to put together, Sirius learned that his escape was being planned down to the very last detail.

For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, Sirius Black had hope. Try as they might, the dementors were never able to tarnish that hope. The unnamed guard would stop by every week, giving him one thing or another. Sirius could never quite place it, but there was something familiar about the guard. Trusting the guard became easy, and soon, Sirius was spilling information about himself to the guard.