Chapter 25:

Normal Pov

Harry was surprised. Five minutes, by the time they were in the all in the tunnel moving, Jules was fast asleep on Sirius's shoulder.

"You know what this means?" Sirius asked Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free." Harry said.

"Yes… But I'm also… I don't know if anyone ever told you- I'm your godfather." Sirius said nervously.

"Yeah, I knew that." Harry said.

"Well, your parents appointed me your guardian. If anything happened to them…"

Harry waited. Did Sirius really mean what he thought that he meant?

"I'll understand of course, if you want to stay with your Aunt and Uncle. But… Well… Think about it. Once my names cleared… If you wanted a… a different home…"

"Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Harry's stomach.

"What? Live with you?!" He asked excitedly, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course. I thought you wouldn't want to," Sirius said quickly. "I understand. I just thought I'd-!"

"Are you insane?" Harry said. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?" Sirius turned around to look at him in surprise.

"You want to?" He said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah I mean it!"

Sirius's face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask. They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crooshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed the knot in the tree, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron climbed up through without any sign of savaging branches.

Sirius and Juliunna went up next, with Hermione and Ron behind them. At last, all of them were out.

The grounds were very dark now. The only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Harry's mind was buzzing. He was leaving the Dursleys. He was going to live with Sirius Black, his parents Best Friend… He felt dazed… What would happen when he told the Dursleys he was going to live with the convict they'd seen on television…!

"One wrong move Peter." Lupin growled, his wand was still pointing sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly largely. A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

Lupin stopped abruptly, making Pettigrew and Ron almost trip. Sirius froze. He held out an arm to make Harry and Hermione stop. Jules blinked her eyes sleepily, and leaned back so she could look Sirius in the eye.

"What's up?" She asked. Sirius put her on the floor and pushed her back so Harry could get her.

"Trouble." He said.

"Oh my-!" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run." Sirius whispered urgently, pushing them back. "Run now."

But Harry couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. He leapt forward but Sirius caught him around the chest and threw him back.

"Leave it to me. Run!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head and body was lengthening. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crooshanks hair was on end, and he was backing away.

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws. Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bear like dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself fee of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it around the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. There were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.

Juliunna stood transfixed at the sight, too intent to watch the battle to leave the scene. Harry gripped her arm tight at Hermione's scream.

Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand. Ron fell. There was a bang, a burst of light, and he lay motionless on the ground. Another bang and Crooshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at Pettigrew. Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" Harry shouted, running forward.

Too late. Peter transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's arm and out of sight. There was a howl and a trembling growl. Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest.

"Sirius, he's gone. Pettigrew transformed." Harry yelled. Sirius was bleeding. There were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again. And in an instant, he was pounding away across the grounds after Lupin.

Harry, Hermione and Jules dashed over to Ron, who was lying on the floor. "What did they do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed his mouth was hung open. He was definitely alive, they could hear Ron breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize them.

"I don't know…"

Harry looked desperately round. Sirius and Lupin both gone… They had no one but each other for company. "We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone. Come-!"

But then, from the range of their vision, they heard a yelping. A whining. A dog in pain.

"Sirius." Harry breathed, and in a second, he was running straight into the clearing that Sirius had gone into. Hermione ran after him, while Jules kneeled down next to Ron.

"So… Should I go get help or should I… Follow her and Harry or something?" She wondered aloud awkwardly. Ron groaned and turned over. "Well, let me take a little walk to decide." She shrugged, walking back over to the Whomping Willow. "Just got to go get Crooshanks and then I'll be on my way-!" A large thick branch swung her way, but she wasn't fast enough. The branch hit her in the head so hard she was knocked off her feet and fell ten feet away.

Aww man She couldn't help but groan when she felt herself drifting off from consciousness.

…

"Shocking business… shocking…miracle none of them died… never heard the like… by thunder it was lucky you were there, Snape…"

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it."

"Thank you very much Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact it was my niece's work."

"Lucius Malfoy's daughter, No!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape…They obviously thought they were going to catch Black empty handed. They've got away with a great deal before now. Potter, Weasley, and Granger. I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… And of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the Headmaster-!"

"Ah, well Snape… Harry Potter you know…" We've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet- Is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended, at the very least, for leading his friends into such danger. Consider; Minister, against all school rules. After all the precautions put in place for his protection. Out of bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer, and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmead illegally too."

"Well, well… We shall Snape, we shall see… This boy has undoubtedly foolish…"

Harry lay listening with his eyes tight shut. He felt very groggy. The words he was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from his ear to his brain, so that it was difficult to understand. His limbs felt like lead, his eyelids too heavy to lift… He wanted to lie here, on this comfortable bed, forever.

"What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors, you've really no idea what made them retreat Snape?"

"No, Minister… By the time I had come round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl-!"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretches, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

There was a pause. Harry's brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of his stomach…

He opened his eyes.

Everything was slightly blurred. Somebody had removed his glasses. H was lying in the dark Hospital Wing. At the very end of the ward, he could make out Madame Pomfrey with her back to him, bending over a bed. Harry squinted. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madame Pomfrey's arm.

Harry moved move his head over on the pillow. In the bed to his right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. On the other side of the room was Jules, but she wasn't moving.

Madame Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Harry's bed. He turned to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life. It looked like a small boulder.

"Ah, you're awake!" She said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.

"How's Ron? And what happened to Jules?" Harry asked, pointing to the unconscious Juliunna across the room.

"They'll live." Madame Pomfrey said grimly. "As for you two… You'll be staying here until I'm satisfied your- Potter what do you think your doing?" Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.

"I need to see the Headmaster." He said.

"Potter," Madame Pomfrey said soothingly. "It's all right. They've go Sirius. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now-!"

"What?!"

Harry jumped up out of bed, Hermione had done the same. But his shout had been heard in the corridor outside, next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape and entered the ward.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" Fudge said. "You should be in bed. Has he had any chocolate?" He asked Madame Pomfrey.

"Minister listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius! He's-!"

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face. "Harry, Harry. You're very confused. You've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down now, we've got everything under control-!"

"You haven't!" Harry yelled. You've got the wrong man!"

Minister listen, please." Hermione said. She had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing imploring into Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat. He' an Animagus. Pettigrew I mean. And-!"

"You see Minister?" Snape said. "Confunded, both of them… Black's done a very good job of them."

"We're not confounded!" Harry roared.

"Ministry, Professor!" Madame Pomfrey said angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed! I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen-!"

But Madame Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth. He choked, and she sized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed. "Now please Minister, these children need care. Please leave-!"

The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry swallowed his mouthful of chocolate with difficulty and got up again.

"Professor, Sirius Black-!"

"For heavens sake!" Madame Pomfrey said hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster I must insist-!"

"My apologies Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger." Dumbledore said calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black-!"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he planted in Potter's mind?" Snape spat. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive-!"

"That indeed is Sirius's story." Dumbledore said, surveying Snape closely through his half moon spectacles.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" Snape snarled. "Peter Pettigrew was no in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see him on the grounds-!"

"That's because Juliunna knocked you out! You didn't arrive in time to hear-!"

"Miss Granger, bite your tongue!" Snape shouted at Hermione, making her glare back.

"Now Snape," Fudge said, startled. "The young lady is disturbed in her mind. We must make allowances-!"

"I would like to speak to Harry and Hermione alone. Cornelius, Severus, Poppy, please leave us."

"Headmaster!" Sputtered Madame Pomfrey. "They need treatment. They need rest. "

"This cannot wait," Dumbledore said. "I must insist."

Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her.

Fudge consulted a large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The Dementors should have arrived by now," He said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"I wish to speak to speak to the children, alone." Dumbledore repeated. Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen." He breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

"My memory is as good as ever Severus," Dumbledore said quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was till holding. It closed behind hem, and Dumbledore turned to Harry and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the same time.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth! We saw Pettigrew!"

"Listen." Dumbledore said, making Hermione and Harry quiet. "I am afraid it is too late. What we really need, is more time."

"But-!" Hermione began, and then her eyes became very round. "Oh!"

"Now pay attention." Dumbledore said, speaking very low and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the Seventh Floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more then one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you, you must not be seen! Miss Granger, you know the law."

Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in. It is-!" He consulted his watch. "Three minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind him.

"I'll explain it to you." Hermione smiled, taking out her sparkling time turner.

…

Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron and Juliunna, who were still lying motionless at the end of their beds. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.

"Did I hear the Headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"

She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept her chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Harry could hardly swallow. He and Hermione were waiting. Their nerves jangling…

And then as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madame Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them…

"What was that?" Madame Pomfrey asked in alarm. Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madame Pomfrey was staring at the door.

"Really-! They'll wake everybody up!" Madame Pomfrey muttered.

Harry was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer-!

"He must have Disaparated Severus, we should have left someone in the room with him. When this gets out-!"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CANNOT APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS- HAS- SOMETHING- TO- DO- WITH- POTTER!"

"Severus, be reasonable, Harry has been locked up-!"

BAM!

The door of the hospital wing burst open so loudly, both Juliunna and Ron woke up and nearly fell out of bed.

Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself. Fudge appeared angry. But Professor Snape looked insane and near a possible breakdown.

"OUT WITH IT POTTER!" Snape bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"Professor Snape! Control yourself!" Madame Pomfrey shrieked.

"See here Snape, be reasonable." Fudge said. "This doors been locked, we just saw-!"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted and his mouth was bared in a grimace.

"Calm down man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" Snape shrieked. "HE DID IT! I KNOW HE DID IT!"

"That will do Severus." Dumbledore said quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madame Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" Madame Pomfrey said, bristling. "I would have heard them!"

"Well there you have it, Severus." Dumbledore said calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid that I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled around, robes billowing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced." Fudge said, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced." Juliunna said, crossing her ankles and throwing her arms behind her head in a relaxing motion. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one!" Fudge said. "Oh, I better go alert the Ministry." Fudge said, and the second the door closed behind him and Dumbledore, Juliunna jumped out of bed. Much to Madame Pomfrey's anger. "Oh no, you get in that bed Missy!"

"Get off me!" Juliunna snapped, pushing her away. Well that takes guts. Harry thought. Juliunna sat at the bottom of her bed, and buried her bandaged head in her hands.

"Hmm… That's funny. I'm half expecting something."

"What are you expecting?" Hermione asked.

"Well… Every time I get hurt, whether I'm at home or away from home, my mother seemed to always know. She always came running. And when she comes, no matter who's around, she always embarrasses me by giving me kisses and cooing all over me." Juliunna said, and Hermione laughed at he thought.

"Well I doubt that she'll be coming now." Ron said, pushing himself up. "Everything happened so fast. I'm not sure that an owl would get to your manor that fast."

The words weren't even out of his mouth when the door slammed open. In the door way, were the Malfoy's? Madame Pomfrey stood up quickly.

"Oh where is my baby?" The women who were obviously Juliunna and Draco's mom said.

"She's right here." Madame Pomfrey said, and Juliunna looked up from her hands. "Right on cue." Harry heard her chuckle. "Mommy!" She cried, holding her hands up. Narcissa ran forward and picked up Juliunna, cuddling her.

"Oh my baby. Are you okay sweetie?" She cooed, rubbing the dried blood from her hair. "Yes Mommy." Juliunna said. She said.

"Oh, Uncle Snape told us what happened." Narcissa said, holding Jules closer, as if she was actually dying.

"Oh he did, did he?" Juliunna said, furtively annoyed.

"Oh yes." Lucius Malfoy stepped forward, with Draco close by, trying to contain his excitement. Harry, Hermione, and Ron watched the family curiously, Hermione trying to contain her giggles.

"Now I know where you've been going when I caught you sneaking off to that tree! You've gone and got yourself confunded and was helping a, Serial Killer escape." Lucius said in a way that instantly convinced Harry that Mr. Malfoy knew that Sirius was innocent, but he didn't say anything. Madame Pomfrey had gone off into her office again.

"Uncle Snape told us how he saved you-!" Juliunna snorted, interrupting her mother.

"Did you see him yelling all up and down the hallway? He was mad." Juliunna smiled, and Lucius let out a chuckle.

"I did. And I must say it was pretty entertaining-!" Juliunna and Lucius laughed, but Narcissa silenced them both with a glare.

"Oh I heard you were injured and was captured by two grown men, along with a bunch of other children! Oh I just had to come and see you." Narcissa cooed, planting large and protective kisses all over Juliunna's face.

"Told ya!" She shouted over her mothers shoulder at the Golden Trio, who were smirking at her.

A/N:

Yay! I'm almost done this one. I'm making a sequel for Book Four. I'll post the name of said sequel in my last chapter.

I think I'm just going to put in one last chapter. Anyway.

Loves,

BellatrixRemiraBlack