Chapter 26: More Powerful than Magic

Third Year

If you had asked Tawny at the beginning of the previous summer where she would be by this one, she would never have believed she would be strolling down the tunnel to the shrieking shack hand in hand with Sirius, levitating an unconscious Snape (occasionally letting his head scrap the ceiling of the tunnel) on the way to Dumbledore's office.

For the first time in twelve years, she could picture a future with Sirius that could actually happen. Finally, after all this time they could get married, give Harry a few siblings, and just live their lives together... Just thinking about it almost brought tears to her eyes. In just a short while, Sirius was going to be a free man... wow. Surely it was too good to be true.

"Tawny, we might want to consider putting a fidelus charm on the house." Sirius said, "Once the story breaks that I'm a free man, we'll be surrounded by reporters. Either that or we should consider moving to Grimmauld Place. Not that moving back to that hell is my first choice by any means."

"Grimmauld? Trust me, that is a last resort kind of place."

"I guess we should be looking for a reliable secret keeper then," Sirius said, squeezing her hand and directing his gaze ahead of them.

In front of them were Remus, Peter, and Ron all shackled together to keep Peter guarded at all times. When asked, Ron had insisted on being the other person tied to him, sickened at the Scabbers' – Peter's – betrayal. Harry and Hermione followed right behind the trio and helping a struggling Ron and Remus with the difficulties of not only being in immense pain while navigating the tunnel but doing so while being tied to two other humans.

The group had barely made it out of range of the whomping willow as the clouds rolled away, reviling the shining bright full moon. Immediately Remus stopped in his tracks.

Tawny and Sirius looked up at the moon, and back to one another, the realization hitting them at the exact same moment. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, seeing the panic on his godparents' faces.

"Harry, Hermione back up very slowly... Ron, don't move." Tawny said, not taking her eyes off Remus.

Before her eyes, she watched as Remus shrieked in pain as every bone in his body began to crack and shift. With a particularly loud pop, he fell to the ground, taking Peter and Ron down with him onto the grass. Remus back began to arch, and his painful cry transformed into a deep howl.

"Reducto!" Tawny cried, breaking off Remus's shackles from Ron's and Peter's. The breaking of the chains only made the transforming wolf angrier as he shifted his focus to Ron and Peter.

"Tawny," Sirius said, grasping both of her hands in his. "Take the kids to the castle. I'll handle Remus."

"No, you can't take him on alone!"

"This wouldn't be the first time, remember? Now, go!"

Sirius immediately dropped both of her hands and leaped towards Remus, transforming into Padfoot mid-air. Padfoot tackled Remus, wrestling him away from Ron and Pettigrew.

Ron jumped back in fear, tugging a struggling Pettigrew with him. Pettigrew eager to escape, began kicking at his ankle shackles, doing whatever he could pull away from the restraints including fighting off an already badly hurt Ron.

Tawny froze, feeling as if everything was in slow motion before her eyes. Remus and Sirius fighting one another in a series of slashing and growling, tumbling over one another towards the forbidden forest. Ron fighting to keep Peter from trying to escape, and Harry and Hermione trying to keep Snape from floating off, still under the levitation charm.

Five minutes ago, everything was fine. All her problems were about to be solved, the future was so bright. Now... pure and utter chaos. She was so lost in the moment that the only thing that alerted her was Ron's scream. Breaking free of her thoughts she saw Peter punch Ron square in the stomach, and lunge forward in the grass. In his shriveled little hand, Remus's fallen wand.

Instantly she realized what was happening. "No!" Tawny yelled as she dove after Peter. But it was too late. She landed on the ground, her hands just brushing his wormlike tail as he darted out of her reach and disappeared into the tall grass. Not only had Peter disappeared, but so had his confession.

"Tawny, help!" Hermione cried, catching Tawny's attention. She turned around, to see Ron, lying on the ground, moaning in pain.

The bite on his leg was oozing thick blood, and his wrist, now covered in gashes from being shackled to and fighting with Pettigrew had begun bleeding as well.

"Ron, it's going to be okay," Tawny promised. Raising her wand, Tawny began to chant, "Vulnera Sanentur." As the spell started working, the blood flow began to slow, and the skin started slowly, and what Tawny took from Ron's intensified moaning, painfully etching back together.

"Ron, please be quiet. We don't want to attract Remus." Tawny said quickly before returning to the spell.

"Here," Hermione said, taking Ron's hand in hers. "Squeeze my hand when it hurts." Ron nodded, biting his lip and holding on as tightly as he could to Hermione's hand. She winced in pain quietly but didn't tell Ron to stop.

As Harry and Hermione gathered at Ron's side, Tawny continued the incantation, Ron's cries of pain were not the only ones the group heard. Coming from the forest was another whine, that of a dog's. Before Tawny could respond, Harry had already jumped up and began running towards the trees after the sound. "Harry, no!"

"I've got to help him, Tawny!" He yelled back as he disappeared into the tree line.

"I have to go after him." Tawny began, getting up.

"Wait," Hermione caught her arm, "What about, Ron?"

"The bleeding should have stopped for now. His skin is knitting back together. It should hold long enough to get him to Madam Pomfrey. Go, now!" Tawny finished, following in the direction Harry headed.

Tawny reached the lake just in time to see the rest of the dementors scattering as different directions. What were they fleeing from? Across the lake, lighting up the water around it was a shining bright stag. The stag, what she recognized as a beautiful, incredibly powerful patronus, took one more look at her, before running off, and fading into the darkness.

Tearing her attention away from the patronus, was the two, incredibly pale bodies Harry and Sirius. Tawny rushed to their sides, terrified of what she had missed. Was the patronus too late? Had the dementors administered the kiss to both of them?

First reaching Harry, she pressed her ear to his chest, hearing his faint heartbeat still ringing through him. Mentally, she checked off that he was going to be okay. Taking his icy hand in hears, she then leaned over to her fiancé.

Sirius already tattered shirt was covered in more gashes, this time accompanied by blood from the open wounds on his chest and arms from what she assumed were Remus's claw marks. Luckily for him, the wounds were not as deep as the bite he had given Ron. Leaning down, she listened for his heartbeat too. Relief washed over her body hearing that familiar sound. Although it was even fainter than Harry's, it was still there.

Dropping Harry's hand, she waved her wand silently casting a charm. Instead of the tip of her wand lighting up, it began to blow warm air. She took turns, waving her wand over their bodies, doing her best to heat them up. In the processes of trying to suck out their souls, the dementors had drained almost every bit of heat from their bodies. She knew that the charm wasn't going to be enough, but at least for the moment, she could warm them up, and return some life to their dying bodies before finding a way to get them back up to the castle.

"Everything is going to be okay." Tawny whispered to them over and over again. Knowing they probably couldn't hear her, the words were mostly to reassure herself. Everything was falling apart, but at least two of the people she loved most in this world were alive. How? She didn't know. Who could have cast such a powerful patronus? Who would've? Who even knew that they were down there at the lake? She didn't know and didn't care. Whoever it was, she was going to be thanking Merlin for them for quite some time.

Focusing so strongly on the charm and the two in front of her, she didn't hear the person creeping up behind her until "stupefy." That was the last thing she heard before everything went black.

...

Tawny awoke in Dumbledore's office with her head pounding. She reached up to feel it, but her wrist stopped as if it was caught on something. Looking down she noticed her hands and ankles, chained up.

"What?"

"Those are shackles. That's what happens when you break the law Ms. Lovegood." Tawny didn't even have to look up to recognize the high-pitched voice taunting her.

"I would tell you it's nice to see you Dolores, but I would be lying."

"Ah yes, I remember that wonderful attitude. The dementors are going to love that in Azkaban." Umbridge finished with a wicked giggle.

"I would take Azkaban any day over being locked in this room with you."

"That's enough Ms. Lovegood." Tawny turned to see Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge leaning against a cabinet.

Before she could retort, Dumbledore's office door swung open.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Cornelius," Dumbledore said, elegantly sweeping into the room. "I had a brief matter to attend to." Looking to Tawny he said, "Are the shackles necessary, Minister?"

"Yes, Ms. Lovegood has been arrested for helping a fugitive."

"Helping a fugitive? All I did was try to help Sirius and Harry after they were both nearly kissed by dementors! What did you want me to do, Minister? Let my fiancé and my godson slowly die? I don't think so!"

"That is not what Severus Snape has informed me of."

"Well that's a shocker," Tawny replied, rolling her eyes heavily.

"He says that you, and Mr. Lupin – an unregistered werewolf – assisted in keeping Black at large, as well as fighting him off to keep Black out from being brought in."

"Neither Remus or I helped Sirius. He specifically kept us out of the loop because he knew that you, and the rest of the world, would assume we were on his side. As for the fighting, it was only to keep Sirius safe while we got an explanation as to why he escaped Azkaban, and to collect proof of his innocence."

"Proof of his innocence?" Umbridge, scoffed. "The ministry has been through this. Sirius Black is guilty of murder-"

"No, he isn't! I had proof! Peter Pettigrew is alive, and up until an hour ago he was going to confess to framing Sirius, for murdering those twelve muggles and handing over James and Lily Potter!"

"Peter Pettigrew died ages ago, killed by Sirius Black!"

"No, I promise he isn't dead!"

"Then where has he been all this time?"

"Right under our noses. He was an unregistered animagus, a rat. He's been in his rat form since that night, unknowingly being housed by the Weasley's as their pet rat, Scabbers. I had him tonight. Sirius and I were bringing him in when... well, you know... but he escaped during the struggle."

"He escaped, very convenient." Tawny had to conjure every ounce of self-control to keep herself from breaking out of her chains and forcefully ramming her wand down Umbridge's fat throat.

"Cornelius, while Ms. Lovegood's actions have shown us anything tonight, it's that there is more to the story of Sirius Black than we have previously thought. Maybe it's time to consider investigating her claims."

"What is there to investigate? It's a lie, Albus!"

Tawny tuned out the two as their discussion began to get heated – heated for the minister that is. She knew that the Minister was never going to believe her story. Tawny looked to Dumbledore and Fudge, watching their debate. Dumbledore was trying to plead with Fudge to stay the dementor's kiss. If only he had a reason. If they had just stopped Peter from escaping, Sirius would be free. But no. Of course, it wasn't that simple. Or was it?

When watching the two, a cabinet behind the headmaster caught her eye. Shining brightly in the middle of what to be looked to be a thousand viles filed with wispy memories, was a pensive. Tawny may not have had Peter's confession in person, but earlier in the evening, in front of everyone, he admitted what really happened that night...

"Take my memories!"

"Excuse me?"

"I have a memory, of Peter Pettigrew confessing everything to me. You don't need him. All you need is a pensive. You can see it for yourself, Minister."

"That would be evidence that Mr. Black might not be as guilty as you once believed," Dumbledore added.

"Everyone believes he's guilty because all they have heard one side of the story. I have the other. Please, use my memory. Listen to the other side."

"One memory cannot be enough to keep Mr. Black out of Azkaban," Umbridge argued.

"Then might I propose a trial?" Dumbledore said, making Dolores Umbridge nearly start fuming. "Sirius Black was denied a trial twelve years ago. Give him one now. You say the memory isn't enough, then allow him to have witnesses. People that knew him at the time, that were with him that night, let them tell their stories in front of the Wizengamot, and let them decide if the evidence is enough to set Mr. Black free."

"Sirius can also testify on his own behalf. Let him tell you everything that happened. Give him the opportunity to clear his name. You can't possibly let an innocent – or a possibly, innocent – man suffer the dementor's kiss."

"This is preposterous! Sirius Black is a convicted murderer and even entertaining this idea is-"

"The only opportunity to save the ministry from scandal," Dumbledore interjected.

"Scandal?" Scandal? Not even Tawny had seen that one coming.

"Harry Potter, an innocent boy, was nearly kissed by a dementor this evening. The dementors, being under the orders of the Ministry of Magic, nearly caused the wrongful death of a student of Hogwarts. When that news is broken to the public, reporters from all over will come to question Harry Potter. Not only will he be able to tell them of the Ministry's negligence, but knowing Mr. Potter, he will also inform the reporters of his godfather, and the Ministry's denial of his final plea of innocence before his execution."

"You'd be willing to smear the name of the Ministry?" Fudge asked through gritted teeth.

"I? No, not at all Cornelius. However, the reporters would truly enjoy exposing the truth about the Ministry's wrongdoings. I know Rita Skeeter and Xenophilius Lovegood specifically, would happily jump on the story when given the opportunity. Gossip can be more powerful than magic."

"I predict, that if that story breaks, you'll be out of a job before you know it," Tawny smirked, doing her best to look smug even being restrained by shackles.

"How dare you threaten the Minister!" Umbridge squealed, lunging towards Tawny. Fudge, acting quickly, stopping her.

With a huff, he replied, "Mr. Black will have one day to present his case to the Wizengamot. Until then, the kiss will be postponed, and he will remain in custody of aurors at the ministry. If found guilty, the dementors will be waiting on site to administer the kiss."

"If found innocent?"

"Although it is highly unlikely if Mr. Black is found innocent..." Fudge sighed, "he will be free to go."

Tawny felt a wave of relief wash over her. Maybe her future with Sirius was still possible. She just had to make sure that he didn't do anything stupid before they had the change to clear his name.

"Dolores, send for Shacklebolt and Tonks. They can come to collect Black."

"Before you take him, I need to see him," Tawny said, standing up and nearly tripping over her shackles.

"Ms. Lovegood, I believe you've already asked for a lot this evening-"

"He needs to know what's going on. He will come with Kingsley and Tonks willingly if I talk to him first. Please, this is the last thing I'll ask for. Just give me five minutes."

"Cornelius don't make this harder than it has to be."

With one final groan, the minister replied, "Five minutes. Then he's off to the ministry."