Chapter 11:
Just a Friend
No one in Gryffindor Common room slept that night. They all knew the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught.
McGonagall came back at dawn to tell them he had escaped.
Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.
A large group of people were bunched around the bulletin board a week after Black's break in.
"Hogsmeade, next weekend," Phoenix heard Ron say to Harry. "What d'you reckon?"
"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes," said Harry quietly.
"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again...I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" Hermione yelled.
"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.
"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black did to you! I mean it, I'll tell-"
"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled?" said Ron furiously. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"
Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.
Sighing, Phoenix stood and walked over to Harry and Ron and looked right at the red head, "If you are going to allow yourselves to lose a friendship over an old rat or a broom, you are more pathetic than I thought."
With that, she walked away from him and back to her seat to finish work.
"Did she just threaten me?" Ron asked.
"No Ron, she actually told you something we both should listen to. We have let a broom and a rat get between us and Hermione." Harry sighed.
"Harry, how can you take her side?" Ron said.
"Because she is my friend too, and she makes more sense than the lot of you." Harry replied.
"I need to talk to Hermione." Harry sighed and walked over to Phoenix.
"Hey Harry, can I do something for you?" She asked.
"Yeah, can you talk to Hermione for me?"
"You are a kidder Potter."
"No, really." He replied.
"Wow, you really weren't kidding, but have you noticed? She hates me, just like everyone else in the castle."
"Please?"
"Fine, but I won't talk to her for you, I will tell her you want to apologize, that is why you want me to talk to her right?"
"Yeah, I have been wrong, and you have made me see sense." He sighed.
"Ok, I will be down in a minute, hopefully, with Hermione." She sighed and stood up. She walked away and Harry was starting to see, the grace he saw was just like fire. Her body flowed like fire as she disappeared up the stairs.
Phoenix knew someone was staring at her as she made her way up the stairs. She quickened her pace and made it to her dorm with little fear. She walked in and found Hermione sitting on her bed.
"Granger, Potter needs to talk to you. He wants to apologize about something." She said and sat on her own bed.
"How do I know you aren't lying?" She asked.
"You don't, well, not until you talk to Potter." She replied.
"Why are you helping Harry?" Hermione asked.
"You're a smart girl, why do you think?" Phoenix asked. Personally Phoenix really didn't know why. Did she…
'I don't like him. Not like that.' She told herself. 'He's just a friend.'
"You are really strange."
"That's why I'm a Lestrange." Phoenix smiled and walked out. She went back to her seat where Harry was pouring over an old piece of parchment.
"I told her." She informed him.
"Thanks, I need to talk to you after." He said meeting Hermione at the couch by Phoenix.
"What do you have to say?" She growled.
"I'm sorry for being such a jerk. You were right, I am being stupid and will get myself killed."
"What about Ron and Hogsmead?"
"I'm not going, I'll stay here with Neville." He replied.
"You weren't kidding." Hermione told Phoenix.
"Hermione, you are like my sister and you make sense." Harry explained. Phoenix smiled at how he would admit his mistakes so openly.
"I will be watching for you Harry." She said.
"I wouldn't ask anything different." He chuckled. She just gave him a nasty look and stalked off.
"What was that about Harry?" Ron asked.
"That was him taking charge of his life and learning that sometimes life is better than a little fun." Phoenix said.
"What did you do?"
"She helped me Ron, and she's right." Harry intervened.
"I have work to do, fight nice, boys." She said and sat back down. She was silent as she worked and Harry admired that. Her commitment to work, but also that unlike Hermione, she wasn't all work and no fun. She had her share of adventures. She was also so forgiving if the person was kind to her.
Phoenix walked down the stairs and found Harry sitting in a corner looking at something.
"Phoenix, I know you are there, can you come here a minute?" He asked.
"What is it bubble brain?" She sighed and walked over. She had heard of what happened in Hogsmead and was now pissed at him and Draco. Draco had made fun of Harry and Harry had been mean back, not to mention he broke his promise to Hermione. Harry and Draco were not her favorite people at the moment.
"I have something that may just pull me back on your good side." He replied.
"It better be good." She said and sat next to him.
"'Member me telling you about the Marauder's map?" He asked.
"Yes I do, what about it?" He smiled and pointed to a blank piece of parchment.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He said and tapped the parchment with his wand. A map of Hogwarts appeared. He pointed to one dot in particular.
"Peter Pettigrew." She read. "Is he really there?"
"Yes, shall we go find him?"
"Maybe he can finally be caught." She said. Harry took that as a yes and pushed the portrait hole open. Phoenix stayed right by him and looked at the map over his shoulder.
"If you want to see the map, just tell me."
"Sorry Harry, I am just nervous about what will happen." She said.
"Happen, what do you mean?"
"When we get Peter, what will happen with Sirius and my mother." She said.
"Everything will work out, I promise." He said as they turned the corner. They saw Peter's name on the map, but even when they were standing right over him, they couldn't see him."
"He's under the floor boards." She replied. "Quick, someone's coming." Her wand went out and Harry quickly followed her example.
"Mischief Managed." He heard her run behind a statue and went to join her as he shoved the map in his pocket, but a light shone in his face before he could.
"Look who we have here, Potter." Snape's said.
"Professor." He replied.
"Do you think you will get away with it tonight Potter? Sneaking out of the castle at night. Mr. Potter is a law unto himself. He doesn't have to listen to the rules laid down to protect him." Phoenix wanted to jump out and defend him, but she noticed how Harry had positioned his body. His front was facing her and almost hiding her. Snape looked opposite her and by the way he looked, he didn't want her in trouble too.
"You are so much like you father, strutting around the castle at night, and for what, a little fun." Snape said.
"My father didn't strut, and neither do I." Harry growled.
"Turn out your pockets Potter."
"What?" Harry asked.
"Turn—out—your—pockets." Snape repeated. Harry did and a blank map and wand were in his hand.
"What is this?" Snape said snatching the map.
"Spare bit of parchment." He said with a shrug.
Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry. Phoenix was starting to get scared.
"Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?" Snape said. "Why don't I just throw it away?"
"No!" Harry said quickly as Snape reached to take it.
"So!" Snape said. "This isn't just a bit of spare parchment is it Potter?"
"No sir, it is a gag from Zonko's. Phoenix gave it to me for Christmas."
"Let me see." Snape muttered taking out his wand.
"Reveal your secrets." He said touching his wand to the parchment.
"Show yourself!" Snape said tapping it harder.
As though an invisible hand were writing upon, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.
"Read it." Harry nervously looked down and started reading. Phoenix was getting nervous.
"Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."
It didn't stop there.
"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Mooney, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."
"Let me see that Potter." Snape growled. Phoenix was holding in so much laughter then she was about to burst. The map didn't stop there either.
"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that and idiot like Snape ever became a Professor."
Phoenix chuckled to herself over that one. Sirius was truly correct.
"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape Good Day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."
At that point, Professor Lupin appeared.
"Is there a problem here?" He asked. Harry sort of zoned out as they talked and picked up on things like, "Full of Dark Magic?" "Harry got it from a joke shop." And even "It looks like a Zonko's product to me." Phoenix was frozen, hoping Lupin couldn't scent her.
"I will take care of it." Lupin said. Snape handed it over and left. Lupin waited until the man was gone.
"Ok Phoenix, I know you're there, come out." He said.
"Damn it!" She yelled and rolled out from behind the statue.
"I think fifty points from Gryffindor will do." He said.
"Yes sir." Phoenix grumbled.
"Why were you two out so late?" Lupin asked.
"We saw Peter on the map sir." Phoenix said.
"Do you know the maker?" Harry asked.
"We've met."
"Met? He's one of them, isn't that right Mooney?" Phoenix asked.
"You're Mooney?"
"Yes Harry, I am."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You will learn that a lot of people keep secrets. Some dark, some not so dark."
"Let's go back to the common room." Phoenix sighed. Lupin nodded and took the map with him. Phoenix told Harry about the map and the makers on the way. They got back at one in the morning and fell asleep as soon as they reached their beds.
