The discovery of the remains of Peter Pettigrew's corpse and Frank Longbottom's exsanguinated body threw the magical government into an uproar. With Director Bones leading the investigation and being the first to make a positive identification on the pieces of Wormtail's broken body, there was no way for Minister Fudge and his flunkies to deny that until very recently Pettigrew was very much alive, and very much a Death Eater. Amelia Bones, being the professional that she was, immediately called into question everything that was supposedly known regarding Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and their respective roles in the murders of both the Potter family and the dozen muggles at the scene of Black's confrontation of Pettigrew.
Much to Fudge's chagrin, the evidence uncovered in Bones' investigation seemed to support the ridiculous story those two pain-in-the-arse children had spun earlier that summer. Fortunately, Bones was still unaware of what had transpired at Hogwarts that evening, other than the fact that Black had been captured but somehow managed to escape. Professor Snape had been beside himself with rage, to the point that he had outright accused Potter of having something to do with it despite the fact that the boy couldn't have possibly been involved due to being laid up in the infirmary the whole time. That had certainly been an embarrassing evening, and Fudge had been only too happy to leave the school that night.
Nevertheless, Bones nearly chewed his hindquarters off once she discovered that there were no records whatsoever of any trial or interrogation that Black had undergone. She made it clear that she wasn't blaming him for Black being imprisoned without a trial, thankfully – they had the previous Minister for Magic, Millicent Bagnold; the former head of the DMLE, Bartemius Crouch Senior; and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Albus Dumbledore to thank for that. No, she tore into him for issuing a "Kiss on Sight" order for a man who was conceivably innocent – "After all, he never was convicted, was he?" – and for stationing the dementors that would administer said Kiss at a school filled with children, of all places. "It's not enough that the Ministry threatens to arbitrarily end the life of a Lord of an Ancient and Noble house without due process of law, we have to threaten the lives of our very future on top of that?" Expressed that way, Fudge realized that his plan to keep the Ministry from looking bad had failed spectacularly.
"How can we salvage this?" he asked, almost whining.
"You mean, how can we save your reputation?" Bones spat. "Never mind. All you have to do is rescind the 'Kiss on Sight' order, explaining how new evidence has come forward to suggest that Black has never had a trial. If you play it right, you can be seen as fixing a grievous mistake made by your predecessors. Hell, present the evidence I've found. Explain that Pettigrew was alive after all, and a Death Eater on top of that. I can back that up. As a Death Eater, he certainly doesn't deserve an Order of Merlin. Revoke it, promise that Black gets a trial under veritaserum, and you should be fine. And give me Crouch Senior! We have him linked with his son's escape from Azkaban – his son who was a duly-convicted Death Eater – and now with the incarceration of a potentially innocent man, a decorated and respected auror, no less, without a trial, in that exact same hellhole."
That sounded fine to Fudge. Of course it would be easier to sweep everything under the rug and pretend that nothing was wrong, but if a scandal was inevitable it was much better to lay it at the feet of predecessors and political opponents. And given the recent events at the debacle of the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, it didn't seem that Crouch or Dumbledore would have a very effective response. "So was it the vigilante that murdered Pettigrew?"
"Yes. Drew and quartered him too, it looks like. While he was still alive, as best we can tell. And, of course, the word Justice written in his blood on the wall of the chapel, in the middle of where each piece of Pettigrew's body was nailed up, either through a wrist or an ankle."
Fudge shuddered. "We have to stop this madman!" he said. "How many people has he murdered now?"
"Quite a few," Bones said. "However, what do you expect my aurors to do? Our department has been gutted." She diplomatically refrained from mentioning that she knew who was chiefly responsible for those budget cuts – it was, in fact, the first person killed by the assassin, Lucius Malfoy. She knew full well that Fudge had been firmly in Malfoy's pocket. With the arrogant blond ponce's death, the opportunity for a less corrupt government had finally come to pass. She, for one, was quite thankful, the gruesome details of his demise notwithstanding. "We need more funding, not only for equipment but for recruits as well. Let me build my auror and hit wizard force, and we'll see about tracking down the killer before he can do any more damage."
Fudge agreed, and word was spread throughout the auror force that while Black was to be apprehended if found, no dementors were to be called and he was to be brought in alive at all costs. Meanwhile, a statement was issued through the Daily Prophet detailing the results of Bones' investigation, along with the rescinding of the "Kiss on Sight" order and an invitation for Black to turn himself in so he could finally stand trial.
***DIM***
It was two days before the New Year when Luna approached her two best friends. They had returned to Grimmauld Place on Boxing Day, much to Sirius' joy, and they had spent the next few days cataloguing the haul from Glastonbury Tor. They were all amazed at the different types of armour, weaponry, and accessories, all with potent enchantments unheard of in the wizarding world. The blonde girl had been somewhat distant ever since Christmas Eve, though it was obvious she had a lot on her mind as opposed to being upset with anyone.
She acknowledged that fact first while apologizing for any upset she may have caused. "I have a unique opportunity," she explained, "but the sacrifice is great." Hesitantly, she reached out and took her friends' hands, joining them all together in a circle. "Before I make my decision, though, I have to know one thing." She couldn't quite meet their eyes, and in fact began to blush.
"What is it, Luna?" Hermione gently prodded after a moment. She could tell her friend was nervous about something but was determined to support her no matter what.
"The last thing I want is to cause any trouble for you two," she said at length. "I know you are committed to each other like I've never seen before, and I'd never do anything to disrupt that. I am sure you two will be getting married one day and have an amazing life together." She took a deep breath and continued in a softer voice. "All that being said, though, could you have ever accepted me as a second wife and sister-wife?"
The other two were gobsmacked. Both had grown up in the nonmagical world and were thus naturally of the understanding that a marriage was between just two people.
Hermione was the first to recover somewhat. "Is... is that normal in the magical world?" she asked, her voice hesitant.
"Not exactly, but it's not unheard of either."
It took another moment for Hermione to collect her thoughts. "Luna, I've never even considered such a possibility, to be honest."
"Me neither," Harry added.
"I really don't like the idea of sharing my man," the brunette witch continued. "If it was anyone besides you, though, I'd never even consider it. I've told you before, you're as important to me as Harry, just in your own unique way, and I know you'll be an integral part of our future together."
Her boyfriend nodded his agreement. "You're as close as family to us, Luna. Closer than most, even. Like Mione said, you would be the only one we'd even consider for such a position."
"We love you, Luna," Hermione finished.
Luna smiled, her eyes brimming over with tears. "Thank you so much," she said. "You have no idea what that means to me. In some ways it makes my decision harder, but in others it makes it more honest."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"The spell that identified my discipline said that I am best suited to the one called Nature's Beloved. Amongst other things, it will allow me to bond with a unicorn, and not just like a familiar bond either. It will be my constant friend and companion and will even let me ride it into battle like a war horse. That's why I asked you about the unicorn necklace you gave me, Harry. If I do this, though, I am in effect taking a vow of chastity. Otherwise the unicorn will not allow the bond, and if I get married one day I will have to give the unicorn up."
Her statement stunned her two friends. They knew that there were unicorns in the Forbidden Forest by Hogwarts, but never had they even heard of a unicorn voluntarily entering such a relationship. Hagrid had never even implied that such was possible.
"What does that mean, Luna?" Hermione asked. "For your future, I mean."
"I suspect that I will have less to do with society than I do now," Luna said. "It's quite alright, though. I've always loved the forest, much more so than the city. It's like a second home to me."
"What about us?" Despite herself, Hermione felt her own eyes filling with tears. In the short time they'd known her, Luna had become an indispensable part of their life. Her absence would be an open wound that would be long in healing.
Luna smiled at her. "Don't worry, Hermione," she whispered. "You and Harry will always be part of my life, I promise." She leaned forward and pulled the other girl into a tight embrace. "I can do this now with a clear heart. Knowing that you and Harry accept me like you do, even willing to consider me as a second wife, allows me to follow this discipline because I choose to do so, not that I do so because I have no other options. Thank you for giving me that." She pulled her wand out from behind her ear where she frequently carried it and removed the glamours that disguised the pointed tips of her ears. "You are my family," she whispered. "Never again will I have to hide who I am."
Her two best friends wrapped their arms around her as the three pledged their eternal love and loyalty to each other.
***DIM***
Sirius was ecstatic when he read that at long last he was to be given a trial. Andy and Remus went to the Ministry of Magic with him to support him during his trial. Harry, Hermione, and Luna wanted to go as well, but they knew that Dumbledore would probably be there, and if he was then there was no doubt that he would cause trouble of some kind.
Andy came back at the end of the day, explaining that Sirius had been interrogated by Director Bones, and was currently in a holding cell overnight for his own protection while he waited for his trial scheduled for the next day. Remus opted to stay with him, which Bones had allowed. Convinced of his innocence, Bones took extra measures to make sure that the cell was as comfortable as possible and that his meals were excellent. She even allowed him a glass of wine with his dinner that night.
While disappointed that his godfather was still at the Ministry, Harry nevertheless remained optimistic about the trial tomorrow. After studying and practicing some of the new spells they'd learned from the Divina Bellica, the teens turned in for the night.
Andy left the next morning after breakfast to return to the Ministry. The trio made an honest attempt to continue with their studies that day, but their thoughts kept wandering to the trial. Harry especially grew increasingly nervous as the day progressed. Would his godfather finally be exonerated, thereby granting him the freedom to openly live with a real family of his own, rather than technically hiding with a fugitive? Or would Sirius be thrown back into Azkaban to rot?
The girls did not allow him to withdraw into himself as he would have as recently as a year ago. Hermione especially distracted him with surprise kisses every so often, and even Luna would come up and hug him at random, usually with a comment about hugs being particularly effective in scaring off wrackspurts.
Late that afternoon, the floo activated and Sirius jumped through, followed closely by Remus and Andy, and let out a bellowing cry of exultation. "Free at last!" he exclaimed. The celebration lasted until well after dark, and the teens were allowed small glasses of wine to toast his freedom.
"By the way," he told them, "Dumbledore seemed especially put out with the whole situation, but Bones all but forced the trial through. For some reason he did not seem all that interested in hearing the truth of my innocence. I'm sure if it had been up to him I would've been sent back to Azkaban."
"I don't doubt it," Harry snorted. "Meddling old bastard. As long as you were still legally a fugitive, he was willing to make a token effort at helping you, or at least looking like he was, probably so that I'd think he was on my side and listen to him without questioning him. With you free, any claim he might have over me is erased for good. Now there is no way he can get me back under his thumb."
"You should've seen Amelia tear into him, pup," Sirius laughed. "To hear her tell it, you'd've thought he practically staged the whole thing with Wormtail just so I'd be locked away!"
As it was also New Year's Eve, Sirius invited Andy's husband Ted and their daughter Nymphadora to his house to ring in the new year. That night at midnight, Harry shared a long, passionate kiss with his girlfriend, then the two pulled Luna into their arms and simultaneously gave her a kiss on each cheek.
"Thanks for being a true friend," Hermione whispered in her ear.
"You'll always have a place with us," Harry reaffirmed in her other ear.
Her teary-eyed smile was all the thanks they needed.
The next day, New Year's Day, they told Sirius that they needed to go to Hogwarts, preferably before classes resumed. "Not Hogwarts specifically," Harry hastened to add, "just the Forbidden Forest. We need to take Luna there."
"I presume that you'd prefer the old goat to remain unaware of your presence," Sirius observed.
"If at all possible."
"Best thing to do then would be to apparate to the Shrieking Shack," his godfather mused, referring to the ramshackle building on the outskirts of Hogsmeade that was rumoured to be haunted. Years ago, during his own matriculation at Hogwarts, the Shrieking Shack was where Remus Lupin had been allowed to safely transform into his werewolf form every full moon. There was an underground secret passage leading from there to right under the Whomping Willow, a strange tree that Harry was half-convinced was possessed by a demon due to its penchant for violently attacking any living creature that came within reach of its limbs. The tree stood by itself on the northwest side of the school, not too far from the Forbidden Forest. A small hill hid it from the view of anyone in the vegetable patch and greenhouses on the north side of Hogwarts, while the crumbling remains of an old curtain wall, now long disconnected from the rest of the school, protected it from the view of the school itself.
Harry and the girls liked that plan, as it would minimize their time out in the open on the school grounds.
"We just need to be careful in the woods," Sirius cautioned. "It's not called the Forbidden Forest for no reason."
"We certainly don't want to run into Aragog or any of his family," Harry agree. At Sirius' quizzical look, he elaborated. "Acromantulas. Hundreds of them."
His godfather paled. "Right. Definitely do not want to meet them. It'll probably be too cold for them anyway. Hopefully. Best to dress warm then, and what about that armour that you kids found?"
He was referring to several cuirasses they had found, each made of overlapping plates of leather rivetted together and secured in place with multiple buckled straps. Dyed black that shifted to a dark red-orange at the edges of each piece of leather, the armour, while simple in design, was stunning in appearance. Hermione was beside herself when she read in the catalogue that each cuirass was enchanted to render the wearer immune to all death spells and magical death effects, such as the Draught of Living Death, all necromantic spells, and spells that attacked or drained one's energy. "That means that we may have protection from the killing curse!" she had exclaimed. Hesitant to stake their lives on it, the others nevertheless agreed that wearing this armour would certainly be beneficial – and as it was made of leather, it wouldn't weigh terribly much.
Each cuirass had a series of runes stamped on the inside, and Hermione explained to the others that they would each have to put a drop of their own blood on a particular rune set before donning it for the first time in order to make it resize to a perfect fit. After that, the cuirass would be considered their own and would resize itself as they grew.
The weapons were left alone, as none had any real-world experience wielding them. While the knowledge they possessed was the equivalent of the blademasters of old, the actual experience they needed was non-existent. A few weeks of training and practice, though, would start to give them that critical experience. In the meantime, they had no intention of staking their lives on untested equipment.
After donning the armour with heavy winter coats on top, Sirius apparated the three teens to the Shrieking Shack and they all went inside before they were seen. He led them down to the basement and opened the door to the secret passage. After what seemed like the better part of an hour but was probably only half that at the most, Sirius carefully opened the exit, reached out, and pressed a certain knot on the tree trunk.
"That calms the tree down for a couple of minutes," he explained. "That'll give us enough time to get out of range of its limbs."
The trio hurried after him and soon found themselves at the edge of the imposing woods. A light snow had started falling from the leaden sky by this point, but nothing was accumulating on the ground. The only sound they could all hear besides their breathing was the chill wind blowing through the oak, pine, beech, sycamore, and yew.
"Okay, we're here," Sirius whispered. "Now what?"
Harry and Hermione looked at Luna, who wore a faint smile on her face. Without a word, she stepped into the trees, following what looked like a faint game trail. Her two best friends traded a wordless glance with each other before falling in behind her. Sirius, muttering to himself under his breath, brought up the rear.
Five minutes later, he was sure that he didn't have a prayer of finding his way back. They were not following any of the trails, yet Luna seemed sure of where she was going. He hoped for all their sakes that she did. While winter this year did seem to be a relatively mild one, he had no intention of spending a winter night in northern Scotland outdoors with no shelter, mild or not. His godson and his girlfriend followed the strange blonde girl without complaint, looking for all the world like a young couple out on an afternoon stroll. All he knew for sure was that said strange blonde girl was leading them roughly northward, perhaps northwest, and that only because they crossed a stream that he suspected was the same one that flowed into the north end of the Black Lake. His sense of direction was confirmed a few minutes later as they came to a section of the forest a few minutes later where the trees had thinned somewhat to primarily bushes, with quite a few briers and brambles thrown in for good measure. Looking to his right through the sparse underbrush, he could identify the outlines of the greenhouses almost a half-mile distant.
It wasn't long before their way was obscured by a thick bank of fog. All four could feel the raw, magical energy emanating from whatever lay beyond. While the feeling they each experienced was certainly not the cloying, oppressive aura of evil, neither was it the peaceful serenity of unmistakeable good. Rather, this was the wild, primal force of the natural world, one that was not so much hostile to humans as unsympathetic to weakness. Sirius felt Padfoot, his animagus form, responding to the ancient power, knowing that here was sanctuary for him and his kind. Despite himself, he shifted to the form of a large, black dog and bounded up beside his godson and his girlfriend, who followed Luna up to the fog without hesitation.
The blonde girl chanted an arcane phrase and the thick, opaque miasma thinned to a soft mist with green motes of fae light dancing in its midst. She led the other three into the light haze, over ground covered in tall grass and woven through with vines. It was surprisingly easy to walk through the overgrown terrain, and if not for what their eyes were telling them they each would have sworn that they were walking across a freshly-cut lawn of soft, springy turf. It took them a few moments to realize that the bitter chill of the Scottish winter was gone, replaced with what felt like a pleasant spring afternoon.
"This is a druid grove," Luna whispered to the others, her voice filled with reverence. She pointed out four trees at the edge of the mist, each standing at a point of the compass, each covered with carven runes that glowed a soft, pleasant green. "I used to make one to stay in when my housemates locked me out of the tower at night, though mine only lasted through the night. This is old magic, powerful magic. I doubt the Romans had even come to these shores when this grove was lain down. Only my mother's people know these spells, and it would have taken them a full year of casting the spells on a daily basis to make a permanent grove."
"So are those trees anchors, like ward stones?" Hermione wanted to know.
"Somewhat. While they help hold the edge of the grove, their primary function is to defend it," Luna explained. "If someone or something hostile tries to enter, the fog will thicken to the point that it actually slows them down. Likewise, the grass and vines on the ground will attack, and if they do not turn around and leave, the nearest runic tree will also attack. They can uproot and move around, you see."
Hermione shuddered. The whomping willow was bad enough, she thought, remembering the story of Harry and Ron barely escaping the temperamental tree after crashing Mr. Weasley's flying car into it at the beginning of their second year. She didn't want to think about the damage such a tree could cause if it could move around.
"What's next, then?" Harry asked, looking around.
"We should all take a seat," Luna said. "This may take a while, I'm afraid. I have to spend some time fasting and in meditation."
"How long should that take?"
"No idea." Her rueful smile was nonetheless cheerful.
"Meditation certainly wouldn't hurt our own disciplines, I'm sure," Harry mused.
Padfoot changed back to his human form. "Are you serious?" he asked, his voice incredulous.
"No, you are," Luna responded with a cheeky grin.
Sirius blinked. It wasn't often that he had one of his favourite personal jokes turned back on himself. "You know what I meant," he groused. "You're expecting us to just wait around here while you meditate, waiting for something to happen? It could take all night! Hell, it could take days!"
"You can always chase squirrels while we meditate," Hermione suggested, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Chase squirrels..." Sirius shook his head. "If I didn't know you were just taking the mickey I'd be upset," he said at length. "Never let it be said that a true Marauder failed to stand for those under his care! I'm here to support you, and here I'll stay."
"Good boy," Harry deadpanned.
"All three of them, dammit," the elder Marauder muttered under his breath, deliberately looking away. He knew he'd collapse in laughter if he made eye contact with any of them, his last shreds of dignity going up in smoke.
The three teens traded amused smiles before settling down in a tiny circle. Vines immediately sprang up from the ground underneath them, shaping themselves and drawing the three back into soft, comfortable seats. Harry and Hermione knew that they were not required to be here, but leaving Luna here alone was unthinkable. The bond the three shared was still in its infant stage of development, but already they could tell that it went much deeper than even blood. Luna was their sister in all but blood, maybe even closer than that, and they vowed that they would never leave her side, just as she'd vowed never to leave theirs.
Seeing the young ones slip into a meditative trance, Sirius transformed back into Padfoot, appointing himself as guard.
The thin afternoon shadows lengthened as dusk approached with no sign of the teens awakening. Padfoot stood and stretched before walking over and flopping down beside Harry. The sense of peace the grove offered to one of Padfoot's kind was overwhelming, and it wasn't long before the big black dog's eyes were closed in slumber, his tail occasionally wagging in the midst of some pleasant canine dream.
All through the night the trio sat, hands clasped in meditation. The early morning sky was starting to turn grey in the east when Luna's eyes shot open. Her silver orbs almost seemed to glow as her two friends came out of their own trances. "We need to go," she said, her voice commanding.
Hearing her voice, Padfoot woke up as well, stood, and shook himself vigorously before sitting back on his haunches.
"Lead the way, Luna," Harry said as he took his girlfriend's hand.
Though they had remained in a seated position for the entire night and much of the previous afternoon, none of the teens had so much as a stiff muscle in their entire body. In fact, none of the three could recall ever having as restful a night's sleep.
Luna took them deeper into the forest, Padfoot trotting through the woods at their side like a guardian shadow. After they'd been walking for the better part of an hour, they all noticed the early morning sunlight glistening off frozen droplets of water seemingly hanging in the air. "Spider webs," Luna pointed out, gesturing ahead. Sure enough, the sparkling webs grew thicker as they progressed deeper into the forest.
"Great," Harry muttered. He recognized the thick webs draping the trees as belonging to acromantulas, gigantic spiders that could easily grow to the size of a car. He'd had an up-close, personal encounter with an entire nest of them back in second year during the Chamber of Secrets fiasco, along with Ron Weasley. Hermione at that time had been lying petrified in the infirmary, the critical clue to the monster's identity still clutched in her frozen hand. To this day, just the thought of how close he'd come to losing her forever made him clench up inside.
As if sensing his thoughts, the gorgeous brunette at his side squeezed his hand and gave him a soft, loving smile. Together they stayed close behind their younger friend as she led them deeper into the frozen woods. Feeling a growing sense of unease, Padfoot moved closer to the three teens as well. Acromantula silk was some of the strongest natural fibre produced in the world, even in its unrefined state, and it would be a disaster to get caught up in the raw, sticky webbing.
From up ahead, they heard a barking sound accompanied by thrashing in the underbrush. A moment later, it was followed by a chittering sound and chitinous clacking. "Come on," Luna said, quickening her pace as she brandished her wand.
The thick acromantula webs arched up into the naked treetops, creating a frozen canopy that was deceptively beautiful, belying the horrifying nature of the aberrant creatures that spun them. Harry couldn't remember how large the nest was, as it was dark when he and Ron had last been there, but he knew it would have to be large enough to accommodate several hundred of the nightmare spiders. As impressive as these webs were, they could only be the outlying ones. He was certain that the shadows he saw moving overhead were the giant spiders that still made occasional appearances in his dreams, and accordingly kept his eyes upon them. One of the larger shadows rushed through the webs, dropping down from the treetops on a thick cord of silk.
Luna took in the scene at a glance. The colossal spider was immediately evident, as was its intended prey, a lone red deer, apparently a hind, caught by one of her front legs on a strand of sticky webbing stretched across the ground. The female deer bleated in terror as she caught sight of the unnaturally gigantic arachnid skittering its way toward her.
The blonde Ravenclaw knew that acromantulas were aberrations, unnatural monsters first created by wizards as far back as the eighteenth century in order to provide guards for treasure hoards, secure installations, or repositories of forbidden knowledge. Not to mention that they were native, if one could say they were native anywhere, to southeast Asian tropical rainforests, not temperate forests in northern Scotland.
She launched an overpowered cutting curse at the huge spider before it could get near the trapped deer with its deadly fangs. The pink ray of magical energy sliced through the creature's head and almost entirely through its engorged frame, spilling its black ichor across the frosty ground. It collapsed with a sharp clatter, its legs curling up in death.
"Watch out for others," she ordered as she approached the terrified deer. As Harry, Hermione, and Sirius, back in human form, took defensive positions around them, wands poised and spells on their lips, Luna sang a quiet, soothing song to the hind as she reached out a gentle hand and stroked her head. The deer's frightened blowing subsided as she felt reassurance flow from Luna's touch. Two quick severing charms later and the deer was free from the web. After freeing the deer, she carefully banished the severed ends of the web away so that no one else would get caught.
The chittering in the treetops peaked with the death of the gigantic spider. Even as Luna cut the entrapping web from the deer, other eight-legged monstrosities dropped down from overhead and tried to surround the interlopers. Sirius blasted into pieces two that tried to cut off their escape route, even as Hermione cleaved another three in half with her own cutting curse. As he was facing in the direction of the heart of the acromantula colony, Harry launched a fireball large enough to engulf a hippogriff toward the two coming at them from that direction.
He'd never heard a spider scream before, but now he heard two screaming in tandem as the superheated magical fire stuck to them like glue, cooking them alive. Their insides quickly began to boil, ultimately forcing their bloated carapaces to burst with loud pops, sending broken shards of still-burning chitin and slimy ropes of foul black liquid flying through the trees. Noxious steam arose from the shattered corpses, filling the air with the scent of death.
"Luna?" he queried, eyes darting up and around nonstop as he searched for more foes.
"Let's go," she said, leading the frightened deer away from the distant acromantula nest with a firm but gentle hand.
Harry doused the magical flames with a jet of water from his wand as the others fell in behind Luna, all keeping wary eyes open for danger. Though he wouldn't have any issues burning the acromantula menace from the forest, he had no intention of lingering here to make sure the fire did not spread to other parts of the woods. Nor did he have any intention of signalling Dumbledore or anyone else at Hogwarts to his location, which a raging fire most certainly would.
Fortunately, no other spiders bothered them as they retreated with the deer. They soon left the acromantula territory behind and decided to stop to rest when they reached a small clearing. While they caught their breath, Luna inspected the deer's leg that had gotten caught in the web. Once cut from the main web and after continued exposure to the frigid air, the remaining strands were brittle to the touch and she was able to scrape them off the deer's leg with her fingernails. Once she was done cleaning the remnants of the web from the deer, she arose to her feet, caressed the deer behind her ears, and kissed her on her velvety nose. "Take care, my friend, and stay away from the spiders," she admonished. The hind licked her on the cheek before turning and bounding off into the trees, the opposite direction from the vicious spiders.
Sirius shook his head, watching the red deer disappear into the treeline. "Mark my words, one of these days that damn nest of spiders is going to be a massive headache for someone," he remarked.
"Just hope it's not us," Harry agreed as he ran his fingers through his girlfriend's hair.
They heard a whinny from the edge of the clearing and turned to see a beautiful white equine figure with a pearl-white spiral horn growing from its forehead. Without saying a word, Luna approached the unicorn and knelt before it, her head bowed. The unicorn regarded her for several long minutes as the other three looked on in awe, and at last lowered its head and nuzzled the blonde girl. For a moment Hermione thought she could see a silver light flare around the two, and tears pricked her eyes as she was overwhelmed with the simple beauty of what she witnessed.
A radiant Luna stood and wrapped her arms around the unicorn's neck before leading her new friend over to meet the others. "This is Kaisa," she introduced, "but she said I can call her Sparkledust. I always wanted to be friends with a unicorn named Sparkledust."
"Never change, Luna," Hermione chuckled. She had to admit that she adored how her little blonde friend could offer truths so deep and profound that they would render a philosopher speechless one moment, and the very next just casually say something that one would expect from a hyper-imaginative child. It was impossible to try to categorize the quirky Ravenclaw, and she knew from personal experience that one would soon experience a towering headache were one to try. No, the best thing to do with Luna Lovegood was to accept her as she was and enjoy the ride.
After the introductions, during which Kaisa was friendly toward them all, though she wouldn't let Sirius touch her, the unicorn nuzzled Luna once more before fading away.
"Wait, where'd she go?" Harry asked.
"She knows that I have work yet to do where she cannot just tag along," Luna explained. "She'll come when I need her, though. Even though we can't see her, I can still feel where she is just as she can feel where I am, and we can always hear each other too."
Sirius looked around. "So there's really no more reason to stay here, then?"
"Not at all."
"Good. As much as I'm glad you've bonded with your new friend, this whole wood makes me nervous. The sooner we're shut of it the better, I say."
"Can you apparate from here?" Hermione asked.
Sirius looked around. "I could, but getting back here is the trick. These woods all look alike to me, and there's nothing that really stands out to guarantee that I'd show up back here. No, the best thing is to get back to the Shrieking Shack first, and then we can get back to London."
Luna led them unerringly through the woods but stopped as they neared the forest edge nearest to the whomping willow. "Trouble," she whispered, pointing toward the temperamental tree.
"Oh, no," Hermione groaned. "What the hell is he doing?"
Like an emaciated bat, the familiar form of Severus Tobias Snape, Potions Master, Head of Slytherin, and all-around arsehole of Hogwarts paced back and forth near the hidden passage to the Shrieking Shack, intently studying the ground just out of reach of the tree's bludgeoning limbs.
"We'll have to go the long way around," Sirius whispered, pointing back through the trees to the south. "We can do it at the gates though."
"Follow me," Luna said. "And stay quiet." She led them south, moving like a ghost through the trees. They could see the back of Hagrid's house and his little garden as they carefully crossed over one of the main trails through the forest and continued south. At last they came to the southern edge of the forest and saw the wall surrounding the school property over a hundred yards away across open ground. Almost directly south were the main gates to the school, but they were clearly visible from the castle. Several hundred yards to the west, they could see where the forest grew right up to the wall. There was also a small copse of trees against the wall halfway between there and their current position, and as best they could tell was mostly blocked from the castle's view. Luna pointed to the sparse thicket. "We can climb one of the trees and slip over the wall that way," she said. "We should move quickly but don't run. If we run we may attract the attention of nargles, and you can be sure that they'll say something to the wrong people."
They made it across the open ground without incident and were over the wall and walking down the frozen dirt road on the other side a few minutes later. Once they reached the familiar landmark of the Hogwarts front entrance, Sirius apparated back to London, taking Luna and Hermione with him. A minute later he reappeared, grabbed Harry's arm, and the two of them disappeared.
***DIM***
"There was definitely someone there," Snape reported. "The ground was too frozen to hold a clear footprint, but I could tell that several people passed through recently."
"Was there anything that could give us a clue as to their identities?"
He shook his head. "Nothing besides the knowledge of the passageway itself," he said. "There is a short list of those who know of it, and I put Black and Potter at the top of it. I'm sure it had something to do with them," he sneered.
"Thank you for checking, Severus," Dumbledore sighed. The loss of his arm had affected him a lot more than he'd anticipated. Now that his magical core had stabilized – at a mere fraction of the strength it used to have! – he had to relearn how to cast with his left hand. His attempts were slow and painful to bear, but he knew he had to persevere regardless. The loss of the Elder Wand, though, was what truly crippled him.
He was sure he'd seen several people leave the secret passage under the whomping willow last night, and given the circumstances had elected Severus to double check this morning after he'd gotten back from taking care of Voldemort. He was surprised that the dark lord had been rendered unconscious like that for so long. On the one hand, it was an inconvenience to his plans, but on the other hand it would give him time to find Harry Potter and arrange the final confrontation between the two wizards of prophesy.
It was imperative that he get young Harry back under his control again. The lad had a destiny to fulfil, after all! But thinking about getting the brat back under control was useless if he couldn't even find the lad to begin with. He was sure that if someone were to look for the meaning of the word frustrated his picture would be right there beside the definition.
Now that Sirius Black was a free man, he could no longer use the former inmate as leverage over the boy. He was positive that the boy's godfather was living at one of the many Black properties, and most likely Harry was with him. For all he knew, those two little strumpets were with them as well. But damned if he could recall where any of the properties were! He suspected fidelius charms at play and knew full well that the only effective way through that particular charm was through treachery on the part of the secret keeper. No, a fidelius charm meant they were all but untouchable.
If we cannot find them, he mused, then they will have to be drawn out. That meant that he would have to use family ties. And that meant he would be best served using the Granger chit's parents.
Xenophilius Lovegood was out because he was currently on one of his ridiculous safaris overseas.
Sirius' cousin Andromeda Tonks and her family, Ted and their daughter Nymphadora, was also out. Andromeda was a former Black, and though she did not ascribe to the bigoted pureblood ways of most of her kin and had even been disowned from her family of origin for marrying a muggleborn, she was still in her heart a Black – and they were one of the most vindictive families he knew. Even Sirius would likely want his head if the full extent of his involvement in Harry's upbringing was ever dragged out into the light. As long as he could get the brat to play his part at the appropriate time, though, then his legacy would be assured, and Sirius' vengeance would not matter in the slightest.
Remus Lupin was likewise out. As a werewolf, there was only so much influence he could exert over the beast. Up until now, he'd played upon Lupin's feelings of obligation stemming from him allowing the werewolf to attend Hogwarts in spite of his affliction. Unfortunately, he was no longer certain of the werewolf's loyalties.
He didn't even consider the Dursleys. Based on Harry's recent behaviour, if it were ever known that they were in trouble from the wizarding world, the boy would likely return to Privet Drive to help the attackers, not save his relatives.
And that left the muggleborn's parents. Of all his options, they were the least protected, and the least likely to cause a problem, which made them the optimum choice. And given how close young Harry seemed to be to the girl, for her sake he'd be more likely to come out of hiding.
"Severus, I need you to pass on some information to Voldemort…" He proceeded to lay out his plan while the potions master listened with rapt attention.
"I will do so," Snape responded when he was done. "As soon as he wakes up. I have no idea what happened to him, but he is currently in a coma and there is no telling when he will awaken. He will require my presence on a daily basis until then. It may take days, weeks, or even months – I just don't know."
"Very well. It can't be helped. You are hereby granted an indefinite leave of absence until such time as he no longer requires your immediate assistance. Let me know as soon as he recovers so that we may set our own trap."
Dipping his head in acknowledgement, Snape left the headmaster's office. His mouth twisted into a cruel smile at the thought of the anguish the Potter brat would suffer from Dumbledore's plan. While he had every intention of seeing the dark lord Voldemort dead and gone for good, he had no love for the spawn of his arch nemesis, James Potter. If he could help accomplish the one while making the other suffer, then he would do so eagerly. And this new plan of Dumbledore's… well, he was looking forward to seeing the look on Potter's face, as well as his insufferable know-it-all mudblood bitch.
AN: Next chapter will be the longest of the story, and none of it will be focusing on magical Britain. As indicated in the previous chapter, the effects of a natural-born magic-user utilizing the Necronomicon are on a worldwide scale - at least in this interpretation. The Sentinels came into being by necessity - I couldn't see a legitimate way for Potter and Co. to be able to travel around the world stomping out fires. Hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for reading and for all the reviews! I read each and every one, and while I'm not able to respond to all of them I do appreciate the feedback.