I do not own or profit from the Harry Potter properties.
Out of the West
Chapter 14-Midnight Ramblers
Leo Green (who was also sometimes the man called Leo Gold, who was known to some as Otto Hahn, who was traveling as Phil Corvus) crept silently out of the Three Broomsticks in the company of Sirius Black (who was only under one level of false identity as George Simmons) into the crisp and dark night. The stars shone down on Scotland unwinking through the mid-October sky. Wizards, when not partying, were an early retiring folk, and no-one had cause to party, evidently, that night. Or at least those that had (Julia Rosmerta smiled slightly in her sleep as she gave slight, ladylike, snores) felt no need to wander the streets with low-lives, criminals and criminals to be. That status attached itself to the above young men who were that night planning Breaking and Entering, Evasion of Ministry Officials (Dementors on official business), and Murder. Or perhaps Committing Justice, in this case the two (Murder and Justice) seemed to lie in close contact with each other.
They made their way to Honeydukes Fine Confections, and after checking that the security at night was on the same laughable level as it was in the daytime, overcame the lock and quietly walked through the shop (acting with virtue they stole not one chocolate frog or slice of candied fruit) and down the secret tunnel that was hidden in the back room. Leo turned on his electric light and led the way. Sirius let him. Not only was his memory a bit rusty on the details of the tunnel after thirteen years, but his memory of several booby traps that were built in made him happy that "Phil" was in the lead to set them off. It was with a deep sadness that Sirius saw that whoever was using the tunnel these days had neglected to re-set the traps after themselves. Such neglect of the Art of the Prank was an insult to one of the Marauders. Still, it made their passage into the school that much quicker, if less amusing.
As they entered the dark and chilly corridor of the school Sirius cast a silence charm on their feet and took the lead. By the faint Lumos on his wand Sirius led the way up a steady staircase (at night even the stairs at Hogwarts took a break) and the occasional portrait of a sleeping notable wizard on the walls. Sirius was both a little annoyed, and a little impressed at Otto's pencil and notebook, which were floating in the air above their heads taking notes as they walked quickly to the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. Sirius was preparing to blast his way through the empty picture frame that guarded the entrance when his companion touched him and shook his head. The younger man leaned forward and place his hands on the stone at either side of the frame and silently did whatever he did (Sirius was never able to quite figure it out) to open a magically locked entrance.
After a minute Sirius began to get worried, Otto's face was covered in sweat, and a thin trickle of blood was coming from the corner of his mouth. Suddenly Otto pushed with all of his braced body, and gave a small grunt. There was a slight "click" from the picture, and it popped open just a hair. Otto was plainly exhausted, and went to sit in a seat in a niche near the door. Sirius whispered that he would go in alone and do the search (and grab), while Otto caught his breath. The kid might be deficient in a sense of humor, and way too industrious, but anyone who could defeat the spell keeping the Tower door locked at night deserved some consideration. Sirius and his fellow Marauders had tried several times to sneak in after hours by that method, and never made it. Leaving Otto with a Pepper Up Potion Sirius went in to the Tower, taking it slow (after all those years in Azkaban he wasn't going to blow it by rushing in with mad screams and giggles) and certain.
As Leo caught his breath and recovered he debated downing some aspirin with the Pepper Up Potion, he then saw a pale and ghostly ball coming down the corridor toward him. After a few seconds he realized it was a head of blond hair above a dark set of robes. He wondered if he would have to silence the approaching person. He hoped not, as it came closer it was obvious that the visitor was, 1-female, 2-young, 3-cute. All of these were things that were inhibitors to going violent for Leo. So another way to handle things would have to be tried. As she came close enough to see him, he moved over a little to the side, and patted the stone slab next to him in a friendly but commanding manner. Or at least he hoped so.
Luna was a little startled when a sudden motion from the seat near the Gryffindor Tower caught her attention. As she took another step closer she added fear to her current emotions. There was a young vampire sitting there (she could tell, there was blood on his face) gesturing her to come closer and provide… Well, on further consideration he probably wasn't summoning her to be a snack. The blood must mean that he'd already fed, so unless he was looking for dessert she should be safe. After all, this was a rare opportunity to interview a magical creature, one that not many second years had ever had. As a scholar and journalist it was her duty to take that seat. And afterward she could continue to locate the things her roommates had hidden from her, shoes, books and the like. He said "Hello" in a funny accent, but she didn't feel a bit of will-sapping glamour making her his puppet, walking picnic basket and love slave. All slightly disappointing, that.
Leo decided to start the conversation on the right track: "Hello, take a seat please. It's such a pleasant night for a stroll that I see you couldn't resist it either."
Deciding that politeness was the order of the night she replied, as she tucked her cold feet up under herself she replied: "Hello to you too. Are you a visitor here, or are you another one of the official Hogwarts monsters and dangers that aren't in the brochure?"
"You don't know me well enough to call me a monster. Only close friends and family are in on that! Do you think I'd merit being in the official literature? I'm not sure that I'd be a selling point for parents thinking about sending their children to the premier magical school in Britain."
Luna decided to help him out there: "Always wipe the blood away after you have a hellish feast, otherwise you won't be able to keep your poor, romantic, damned state from anyone. You have blood coming out from the corner of your mouth. No, the other corner. I don't think you should allow them to use your photo though, that mustache simply isn't impressive. You'd regret it forever if that image was the one that you left for posterity"
At the girl's information Leo reached up to his face, the wrong side at first (as we always do), and feeling the blood took out his handkerchief and wiped it away. "Actually, I just bit the inside of my cheek, sorry to disappoint you. I get so much hassle about this mustache, nobody sees its beauty!"
"So you're not a Middle European aristocrat turned into a creature of the night, with a tragic story of doomed love and tragic redemption?
"Not nearly enough love, and not a hint of redemption in sight. Just an unofficial person doing his irregular business. And you?"
"An official student on her unofficial business." Realizing that a bit more information would be polite she continued: "My dorm mates hide my things, but I'm honing my powers of observation and rounding them up every night. As a future discoverer of hidden truths and secret marvels I consider their little teasing ways as mere aids to training my skills." At that point she gave a little "Eep!" when the man she hadn't noticed coming out of the Gryffindor Tower touched her on the shoulder.
At Leo's inquiring glance Sirius shook his head. "Not a sign of the Rat. The boy woke up, had to Stupefy him. We'll have to use the Peter Compass, and hope to round him up before daylight. You may be right; leaving his body in the Main Hall may not be the best way. Would probably put people off their breakfasts. Not fair to the kids. Would give them a hell of a story to write home, though."
Noticing Luna's slight shiver Sirius quickly cast a warming charm on her. She smiled in gratitude. They might not be vampires, they might be unofficial people on irregular business, they might be violent maniacs, but they were also nice people.
"It would probably be better if you went back to your dorm now, and I really would appreciate it if you don't volunteer anything about meeting us tonight. Don't get in trouble or anything, but please." Leo finished, giving his best version of Puppy Dog Eyes. Luna giggled, and nodded her head. After all, a journalist had to protect and cultivate her sources, and there was certainly some big story in the making tonight.
Sirius would have liked to Stupefy her, and stash her somewhere warm and out of the way. But she had giggled, and he was too much a gentleman to curse someone after that. She had been going back toward the Ravenclaw area, perhaps it was just best to carry on.
As they followed the compass, having to backtrack occasionally, as it only indicated direction and not level, Leo repeated his proposal that Sirius turn Peter in to the Authorities (in some well prepared media event) instead of just wringing his neck. Even if people made the connection between Peter Pettigrew being alive twelve years after his official death and the impossibility of Sirius Black killing him in 1981, the fact that Peter Pettigrew had been killed in 1993, four months after Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban would probably lead to gossip. And everyone knew how nasty that could get!
Sirius nodded vaguely as they walked. After he had stunned the Weasley boy (definitely one of Arthur's kids) he had checked the other beds, and in the one nearest the window had seen Harry. Sirius knew that the only chance he'd have to fulfill his obligations to James and Lilly and protect Harry would be to give up the joy of seeing Peter bleed and die. There was no certainty that turning Peter in would work out, it was just the only way Sirius could see that led to better than a short life on the run, and a betrayal of his godson. But the thought of being Padfoot and snapping Wormtail's head off with his jaws was so tempting!
At last they found a tapestry on a wall near the kitchens that had the compass needle point to it, no matter how they orientated themselves. Sirius proposed setting it on fire, getting a disgusted look from Leo. Leo closed his eyes and tried pushing his Sie through the weaving to where Pettigrew was (probably) waiting. When that didn't work he imagined a curving tunnel of touch, going behind the tapestry from the side and feeling its way down the wall. There! In a crack in the wall, about six inches deep there was a warm thing with a rapidly beating heart. Leo reached out with Teek and grabbed it firmly, pulling it out as it tried to grab the stones, and then the fabric. The strength of a rat wasn't nearly enough. Wriggling and squirming in an unseen grip the rat was pulled before them. The compass needle kept its steady bead on the rodent. "Hello, Peter." Sirius said. The rat suddenly stopped struggling.
Someone unused to seeing a man turn into a large dog would probably have been shocked immobile to see a rat suspended in mid-air turn into a man, and hit the ground running. The sudden change in weight had broken Leo's Teek hold; he dove at the transformed animal, just in time to catch most of Sirius's Stupefy. At which point he lapsed into unconsciousness, hitting the ground rather roughly.
Peter caught only the fringe of the spell, but it was enough to make him misstep and crash into the wall. Before he could get his feet back in motion Sirius got him with an Immobulus, freezing him in place. Then a simple Stupefy, a Full Body-Bind Curse, and another Stupefy to top things off. He used Rennervate to revive Otto, and helped him to his feet. The poor man's face was bleeding from several scrapes and a bloody nose. A few uses of Episkey and all was right with the world, at least until Sirius felt his wand surge out of his hand and a voice coming from a source three feet from the ground inquired: "Who are you, and who have you bundled up so thoroughly?"