AN: I'm terrible at updating I'm so sorry! I've even had this chapter written for a little while. I did however, watch the third movie recently and it sparked something inside me so I'll be writing and updating more consistently! I've just been super duper busy (I just got married on Saturday!) but now that the wedding is over I have more time to actually do stuff thank god!
Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and who's followed and favorited as well! It means a ton!
Chapter Thirty Six
"Boo."
Before I could stop myself, a loud shriek left my mouth causing everyone in Honeydukes to turn and stare at me. My face went bright red and I spun around trying to see who whispered in my ear. Only to find… nobody. What the hell?
"You alright there Cass?" Ron asked a few feet away from me as he and Hermione were pondering the unusual tastes section of the candy store. It was the last trip of the year so the store was packed.
So who decided to scare me? Probably some random prick.
"Yeah I just thought I heard something…" I mumbled running a hand through my hair embarrassed. Ron just rolled his eyes before holding up a thing of Cockroach Clusters.
"You think Harry'll like these?" He asked and both Hermione and I wrinkled our noses.
"Definitely not."
Ron nearly dropped the door and I spun around to see Harry standing with a wide smile on his face. I looked and saw he had his school bag around his shoulder with a familiar cloak peeping out of the corner. That prat…
"What the hell Harry!" I gasped shoving his shoulder. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"Language Cass." Hermione sighed before putting her hands on her hips and turning back to the raven haired boy. "Wh- How did you get here! You know you're not supposed to leave the castle right?"
"You've learned to apparate?" Ron guessed but Harry just shook his head while Hermione shot Ron a look.
"'Course I haven't." Harry mumbled then pulled out a ratty piece of paper. I leaned in looking at it. "Fred and George gave me this map. It keeps track of everyone in Hogwarts and has a ton of secret passages and stuff."
"How come Fred and George never gave it to me?" Ron demanded looking outraged. "I'm their brother!"
I checked my watch and felt my stomach clench. I was going to be late if I didn't hurry… I had completely forgotten since Harry showed up.
"Before this turns to an all out argument I've actually got to go pick up last minute gifts from Galdrags." I said and all of them looked at me confused. "It's the uh clothing store. I can meet you guys at the Three Broomsticks afterwards if you want."
I tried not ignore the suspicious look that Hermione was shooting me and gave them all as convincing of a smile that I could.
"How about we meet in half an hour?" Harry asked smiling and I felt an even harder pang of guilt. "Ron and 'Mione can show me a few more shops."
I gave him a quick hug before rushing out of the shop. I was just praying that my face wasn't as red as I felt like it was. Merlin I needed to get better at this.
I glanced behind me to make sure that they weren't following before heading over towards the dodgy looking pub that was off of the main street. I tried not to attract attention towards myself as I slipped through the door of Hogs Head.
The pub owner gave me a small nod before jerking his head towards the corner of the store where Theodore was sitting with two mugs of butterbeer in front of him looking rather bored. I dropped a sickle on the bar before hurrying to Theo who perked up a bit seeing me.
"I was starting to think that you weren't going to come." Theodore mumbled as I sat down and I gave him an apologetic smile.
"I got caught up in some stuff. I'm so sorry that I'm late." I apologized and he rose an eyebrow at me.
"Was it Potter?" I tried to ignore the edge to his voice and nodded pulling one of the butterbeers closer to me. Theo grunted before leaning back in his chair. "I'm surprised that you've managed to slip away with how close you four are."
My mind raced as I tried to think of what to say. Theodore and I started to sneak out to see each other a couple times a week and while it was fun and exciting it was also exhausting having to lie to the rest of the trio. I could tell that Hermione was suspicious but… nobody could find out.
If any of the Gryffindor's found out I'd be blacklisted immediately- accused of being a spy for the Slytherins and...if any Slytherin's find out then there was a chance that Theo's father would find out and he'd get in a ton of trouble. I knew I was already labeled as a blood traitor in the Pureblood community and there was no way I was dragging Theo down with me. Especially since we knew that it was a temporary thing.
He'd get engaged eventually and neither of us were looking for anything long term. It was just something fun. Something different and honestly… I'd like to keep it as casual as possible.
"I just told them that I was slipping away to pick up some Christmas presents… though we are supposed to meet in a little bit." I sighed and he nodded.
"You know sometimes I do wish that we could spend more time together…" He sighed and I gave the dark haired boy a soft smile. His expression then turned dark and I watched as his grip tightened on his mug. "I know that we can't… I just-"
"I get it Theo." I murmured placing my hand over his. I pulled his fingers off of the mug and interlaced them in my own. I smiled a bit looking at our hands together. "We have to keep it how it is though. We both need to remember that this won't last forever."
Theodore smiled a bit sadly before nodding. I never had seen him look this… conflicted about anything though…
But I get it. It was hard spending time with him and not wanting to spend more time. Not wanting to just be with him and having to refrain from telling him stuff until we next hung out. It was almost painful yet… it had to happen.
"I guess we can just enjoy it while we can." He smiled and I nodded before putting my bag on the table.
"I got you a Christmas gift. I hope you don't mind… I just wanted to give it to you before you left for break." I pulled a package out of my bag but stopped as I saw that he had a small package in his hands.
"Guess we thought the same thing." He laughed and we exchanged gifts.
I opened the package as carefully as possible. Opening the black box that was in the package I couldn't keep the smile off of his face. Inside was a thin rose gold necklace chain with a simple lion head in the middle that matched. My heart swelled just looking at it and I looked up at Theodore who also had a large smile on his face.
"This is perfect Cass. Merlin I've been looking at this book for ages how did you know?" He asked holding up The Practical Potioneer.
"I just had a feeling. I know how much you love potions and thought it looked interesting enough." I smiled and put the necklace on, smiling as it rested cooly on my neck. "Thank you so much by the way. I love it… I really do."
Glancing at my watch I felt a pang of disappointment when I realized that I was supposed to meet the others ten minutes ago. I really wanted to stay and hang out with Theodore some more but I knew that I had to get going.
Theodore must have seen my face because his smile fell and he quickly put the book in his bag and cleared the table of trash.
"You'll owl me?" I asked standing up and he nodded doing the same. He grabbed my hand and I savored how warm it was.
"Cassie I-"
I didn't even let him finish. I pulled him closer to me and pressed my lips against him. At first he was a bit hesitant. But then his lips started to move against mine. They were soft yet rough and tasted like butterbeer. It was so much different than kissing Emily but it was still.. so nice.
Theodore broke away first and the smirk on his face told me everything. I could feel the blood rushing to my face as I tried avoid his gaze. Merlin maybe I shouldn't have done that…
"Sorry." I breathed even though we both knew that I wasn't sorry.
"Just go meet your friends Malfoy." He laughed pushing me towards the door. I gave him a thankful look before rushing out of the bar trying to ignore the bemused look that the bartender was giving me.
Merlin I needed to control myself. Something about Theodore just set butterflies loose in my stomach.
As I opened the door I almost stumbled back from the blizzard that was forming outside. Pulling my scarf up to my face I quickly walked towards the Three Broomsticks that I could already tell was busy. Hopefully the others already found a table…
Almost immediately I saw Ron and Hermione sitting at one of the tables next to a large Christmas tree. I started to wave at them but they gestured for me to hurry over, their expressions grave.
My stomach flopped. What had happened? Did Harry get caught?
"What happened?" I demanded hurrying over. "Where's H-"
"Shh!" Hermione slapped her hand over my mouth and gestured under the table.
I glanced down to see Harry scrunched down under there looking as nervous as the other two looked. I was about to ask what they were doing when a voice cut through the air, answering my questions.
"-Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"
I had to bite back a curse at Madam Rosemerta's words, my blood running cold. All of the joy and warmth I had felt before was gone. Peering through the tree I saw that Rosemerta was sitting with Flitwick, McGonagall, Hagrid, and the Minister of Magic? What the hell?
"Precisely." McGonagall said. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course- exceptionally bright in fact- but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers-"
I glanced down to see that Harry's face was pale, his eyes staring blankly in front of him. Hermione and Ron both looked too shocked to say anything. Reaching down I placed my hand on Harry's shoulder- giving it a small squeeze that I hoped was comforting.
"I dunno. Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."
"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers! Inseparable!" Flitwick chimed in.
"Of course they were." Fudge scoffed. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."
We knew that they had to be close enough for Harry's dad to name Black godfather but best man too? This was not looking great.
"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" Rosmerta asked.
"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge dropped his voice and I had to lean closer to hear what he was saying. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."
The Fidelius Charm? How come I've never heard about that one before… I glanced over at Hermione who's eyebrows were furrowed confused.
"How does that work?" Madam Rosemerta asked much to my relief.
"An immensely complex spell." Flitwick said. "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find- unless of course, the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret Keeper refuses to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window!"
"Should we be listening to this?" I breathed glancing down at Harry worridley.
None of the others responded.
"So Black was the Potter's Secret Keeper?" Rosmerta asked.
"Naturally." McGonagall sighed sounding more tired than I had ever heard her sound. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potter's Secret Keeper himself."
So many people seemed to know that Black was going to be the Secret Keeper. Of course that was going to put him in danger but to completely betray and turn your back on your best friends for years?
I glanced over at the trio, my heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. I couldn't even imagine betraying any one of them. Just the thought of it made my stomach feel heavy. How could someone do something that… that cold?
"He suspected Black?"
"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements. Indeed he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who." McGonagall said darkly answering the bar owner's question.
"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"
"He did. And then barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed-"
"Black betrayed them?"
"He did." Fudge confirmed. "Black was tired of his double-agent role. He was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potter's death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at that very moment. When he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it-"
"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid suddenly roared causing me to jump back.
My stomach was in knots. This guy who was willing to betray his best friends and lead them to their deaths was out and after Harry. What the hell?
"I met him." Hagrid growled. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! it was me that rescued Harry from Lily an' James' house after they was killed! Just got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used to ride.
"Never occured ter me what he was doin' there. I didn't know he'd bin Lily and James' Secret Keeper. Thought he jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what eh could do. White and shaking he was. And yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!"
"Hagrid please!" McGonagall pleaded. "Keep your voice down!"
It wasn't like the group of them were gossiping really loudly. I mean honestly. Just glancing around I could see a handful of students clearly listening in on their conversation. It wasn't just us.
If they wanted to talk about something to this caliber they should have found somewhere more secluded. Especially since the minster was involved. I mean the Minister of freaking Magic was enough for people to want to eavesdrop.
"-Dumbledore knew he'd been the Potters' Secret Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night. Knew it was a matter o' time before the Ministry was after him. But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His best friends' son! But when a wizerd goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em anymore…"
Silence.
I was almost afraid to breathe in case one of the teachers heard us. This whole thing- this whole sick and twisted thing made my hair stand on edge.
"But he didn't manage to dissapear did he?" Rosmerta asked after another moment. "The Ministry of Magic caught up with him the next day!"
"Alas, if only we had." Fudge sighed. "It was not we who found him, it was little Peter Pettigrew. Another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret Keeper, he went after Black himself."
I felt Harry move under the table and I felt his hand grab my own. I gave it a small squeeze trying to ask if he was okay but he kept his eyes tightly shut, his grip on my hand tightening.
"We can leave." I whispered to him but he shook his head. His eyes opened and I was taken back by the amount of pain and… grief that they held.
"Pettigrew died a hero's death." Fudge was saying. "Eyewitnesses- muggles of course, we wiped their memories later- told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And when he went for his wand- Well of course Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"
Hermione choked back a gasp and I bit the inside of my cheek.
"Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all of those people." Fudge sighed. "I-I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there- laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and few- few fragments-"
Fudge cut himself off before he could finish. The air felt thick- it was almost like it was hard to breathe. Merlin's beard I knew that the first war was terrible but… I never heard about it to this extent. Mother and Father never talked about it. I knew that Father said he was forced to fight for the Dark side but… thinking about him along with Black- doing stuff that Black did?
A shudder ran up my spine and I took in a deep breath trying to calm my nerves.
"-I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored- asked if I finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed oding the crossword. Yes I was astounded at how little effect the dementors seemed to be having on him- and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."
"But what do you think he's broken out to do? Good gracious Minister, he's not trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?" Rosmerta asked.
"I daresay that is his- er- eventual plan. But… we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again."
And that was the end of that. McGonagall quickly rushed the Minister out of the pub with the other teacher's following. Rosmerta rushed back to the bar and after a few moments of silent I underneath the table to see Harry staring blankly up at us, pale faced.
"Harry?"