Chapter 14: Sirius Seeks Help
Rita Skeeter was at the Daily Prophet's headquarters writing whatever she could find out in spite of already being known as an Animagus when two Aurors showed up looking for her. "How may I help you, gentlemen?" She asked in hopes they'd have something juicy to tell.
"Rita Skeeter, you are under arrest for not registering your Animagus form within the deadline established by law." Auror John Dawlish informed her. "Surrender your wand and put your hands up."
"Chief, do something!" Rita pleaded.
The Daily Prophet's Editor-in-Chief grabbed a camera and took a photograph of the arrest. "I don't care if my reporters are or write the articles for as long as they fill the first page, Skeeter."
Meanwhile, Sirius was at the Longbottoms. "Sirius, I'd like to say Augusta, Frank and I are terribly sorry for not defending you." Alice said.
"I don't blame you." Sirius calmly replied while enjoying the butterbeer Frank offered him. "Pettigrew tricked even Dumbledore. I notice you didn't mention Snivellus among those who are sorry."
"Technically, he defended you or at least your right to a trial." Frank explained. "Not that he doubted you were guilty, mind you. Severus was just afraid the lack of a trial might be used to get you out on some technicality."
"That figures." Sirius commented to Severus' reason to insist on a trial for him but then noticed something odd. "Severus? Since when are you on a first name basis with Snivellus?"
"Sirius, Severus Snape is no longer the lonely Dark Wizard you and James liked to play pranks on." Frank said.
"Come on, Frank." Sirius pleaded. "I understand that, without a real Godfather to take Harry in, you and Alice had no choice but to pretend to like Snivellus to be close to Prongslet but I've already met him and he's still the same git he was only older and greasier. We have to take Harry from him before it's too late!"
"Sirius!" Alice was shocked at what became of her friend.
"Harry became a Gryffindor in spite of being raised by Snivellus so there's hope but we must act quickly." Sirius declared. "I'll formally request fill guardianship rights over Harry and you may help me by telling everything Snivelly did under the belief I'd never be free to use against him."
"Have you already been declared sane?" Frank neutrally asked.
"Not yet but I'm certain Dumbledore can speed up things." Sirius cheerfully answered.
"I'd not trust Dumbledore if I were you, Sirius." Alice argued. "During all this time until it was time for Harry to attend Hogwarts he and his spy at Privet Drive thought the Dursleys were keeping the boy locked indoors the whole time and never tried to check upon him."
"Why didn't you warn him about Snivellus?" Sirius angrily asked. "Dumbledore would have done something to save Harry sooner."
"Between Severus and the Dursleys he's the best option." Frank affirmed. "Dumbledore deserved it for not wanting to let us be a part of Harry's life."
"Okay, I'm not denying even Snivellus is a better option than the Dursleys or at least the lesser evil but we must save Harry!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Sirius, you can trust us." Alice stated. "Severus is raising Harry well."
"I want to see it for myself." Sirius demanded.
"You may join us for the Holidays." Frank offered. "We invited Harry and Severus over and Severus cannot tell us who we invite."
"A Marauder-worthy prank, my friends." Sirius smiled.
As the days passed, it was finally Halloween. As a kid who became an orphan during that holiday, Harry had issues with celebrating it but Severus Snape helped him deal with it. Harry now devoted one minute of silence each Halloween to his deceased parents but otherwise took part of festivities. That year's festivities at Hogwarts were interrupted by Professor Quirinus Quirrell desperately showing up and screaming "Troll! In the dungeons!" He then calmed down. "I thought you needed to know." The Defense Professor fainted afterwards.
Headmaster Dumbledore instructed the students to be taken to their common rooms but Hermione Granger noticed something odd. "Wait a minute!" She asked. "Isn't the Slytherin Common Room located at the dungeons? What if the troll meets them?"
"Give it an Order of Merlin for ridding us of Death Eaters in training." Ron suggested.
"Weasley, that's not a nice thing to say!" Harry protested.
"I agree with you, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall sternly replied. "Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley." She then addressed the Headmaster. "Headmaster Dumbledore, don't you think we'd better keep the students here?"
"Good idea, Minerva." Dumbledore hesitantly replied. "You watch them and I'll look for the troll." Right after he left the common room, Professor Quirrell stood up and said he'd help Dumbledore.
The Headmaster then went after the troll and easily took it down. Fearing the loose troll was a distraction, he later went to the third floor. It turns out the reason he forbade students from going there was because he hid the Philosopher's Stone at a secret location that could be reached from there. Upon entering through a door that was supposed to be locked, he saw there was an enchanted harp playing to keep Hagrid's huge Cerberus calmed down, thus confirming his fear that the troll attack was indeed a distraction caused by someone wanting to steal the stone.
Having worked with the other Professors who devised protections for the stone, Headmaster knew how to easily pass them. Upon reaching his own protection, the Mirror of Erised, he noticed Professor Quirrell staring at the mirror. "The sabbatical you took last term changed you more than I realized, Quirinus." Dumbledore casually commented.
"Surprised, Headmaster?" Professor Quirrell maliciously asked without the stuttering those around him got used to.
"Not as much as I am upon feeling your companion's presence, Quirinus." Dumbledore gently answered. "Care you join our conversation, Tom?"
"MY NAME IS VOLDEMORT!" Tom angrily shouted.
"To me, you'll always be Tom Marvolo Riddle." Dumbledore explained. "What brings you back?"
Voldemort then took off Quirrell's turban, revealing his face on the back of Quirrell's head. "Look what Potter did to me, Dumbledore."
"You did it to yourself, Tom." Dumbledore argued like he's talking to a kid.
"No matter." Voldemort said. "I want the Philosopher's Stone so I can have a body of my own again and you'll release it to me or else…"
Dumbledore then drew his wand. "Nothing you do to me will make me give the stone, Tom."
"We'll see about that, old fool." Voldemort replied as he drew Quirrell's wand. The duel took almost a whole hour but eventually Quirrell's body gave in after all that time having to be a vessel for Voldemort's wraith self. Voldemort escaped but his mere presence confirmed what Dumbledore suspected. Voldemort wasn't really dead.
The next morning, Headmaster Dumbledore called the other Professors to inform them of Quirrell's "disappearance". "And now, Headmaster?" Professor McGonagall desperately asked. "Who'll teach Defense?"
"I'll temporarily teach the classes until I substitute I have on mind arrives." Headmaster Dumbledore explained.
"What if your substitute doesn't agree?" Professor Sprout asked out of concern.
"I am certain he'll come, Pomona." Dumbledore answered with a smile that made it clear he believed he knew that person very well or at least that he had something that person wanted to that point.
Five days later, during lunchtime, Headmaster Dumbledore addressed the students. "Please welcome our substitute Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Sirius Orion Black the Third."
End chapter.