Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or anything else that may be referenced in this chapter.

A/N: Massive thank you to you all for reading, reviewing, following and favouring, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)

Chapter 11

Peering over the top of the gorse bush Rose saw herself deliberating over which way to turn. She watched as she came to a decision and turned to the left, to follow Draco back to the castle. As she made to move, two Dementors swooped over her, knocking her to the ground. One remained hovering over her; the other kept moving, following Draco's distant silhouette. Rose stifled a gasp as something brushed past her shoulder, emerging from the depths of the forest behind her.

A patronus; a beautiful silver doe leapt at the Dementor that hovered over Rose, knocking it away from her with one great swipe of its head, just as the Dementor lowered its head to administer the Kiss. The doe kicked out threateningly at the Dementor with its front hooves; making the Dementor jerk backwards. The doe glowered at the Dementor as it turned and glided away quickly. Only once was it satisfied the creature or any of its fellows would not return did the Doe turn its back and stand over the unconscious Rose. As it stood over her, the doe began to fade slowly, until it was little more than a stretch of silverly ash, hovering in mid-air. Rose watched wide eyed from behind the gorse bush as the ash formed itself into a small silverly ball, which drifted slowly downwards and fell into the forehead of her unconscious form.

Rose remained frozen for several seconds, not really sure what had just happened, or what to make of it. She looked wildly around her for whoever cast the Patronus, but there was no-one in sight. It wasn't until a blinding white light shone brightly from her right did she dimly register that she should make her way back to Hagrid's cabin. Feeling slightly clammy, Rose got up from behind the gorse bush and moved swiftly and quietly through the trees, back to Hagrid's cabin; trying to work out what to say to Harry and Hermione about what she had just seen; or indeed, whether to tell them what happened at all. Something told her it would be better to keep what she had seen to herself and her closest confidants.

"Rose!" Rose jumped as Hermione's voice hissed at her from the darkness. "Rose over here!"

Looking around, Rose caught sight of Harry, Hermione and Buckbeak hiding behind a thick shrubbery further up the grounds and hurried over to them.

"What did you see?" Harry asked her immediately, his eyes strangely alight.

"A- a light," Rose answered, quickly deciding to lie until she had spoken to Severus, or at least Draco and the others about what she had actually seen. "The Dementor swooped over me and was seconds away from administering the Kiss when this big bright light shone from the right- from practically where we are now. It was so bright that it seemed to distract the Dementor and it looked up, but when it looked towards the light it seemed to panic and floated away quickly."

Harry eyes lit up even more as he smiled. "The light was me," he said. "My Patronus. You know how I said I saw dad?"

"Yeah." Rose nodded.

"Well, I actually saw myself." Harry explained.

Rose stared at him incredulously. "Pardon?"

"I saw myself, but I thought it was dad." Harry said. "I was across the lake because we went back in time; it messed things up a bit."

"…Right." Rose nodded, understanding a little. "So you drove away all those Dementors by yourself? That's scary advanced-"

"There's Snape!" Hermione interrupted. Harry and Rose turned and followed Hermione gaze. Severus was hurrying down the hill, towards Harry, Hermione and Sirius's unconscious forms that Rose had not noticed previously. Two stretchers hovered in mid-air behind him, carrying Ron and Rose respectively. Rose winced slightly as she saw how pale and empty she looked. 'No wonder Severus thought I'd been Kissed,' she thought, watching as Severus conjured another three stretchers and levitated Harry, Hermione and Sirius onto them, before turning and making his way back to the castle, the five stretchers floating along him in a sort of strange procession.

Hermione checked her watch anxiously and blew air through her teeth. "We've got forty-five minutes to rescue Sirius and get back to the Hospital Wing before Dumbledore locks the doors and someone notices we're gone… And Sirius hasn't even been locked up yet…"

They stared up at the castle for a few minutes, waiting for a sign that it was safe to move. Just has Rose had given up and was about to suggest that they chance it, one of the doors to the front of the castle opened, and a shadowed figure emerged from the castle. They watched the figure make its way through the grounds, and even Buckbeak seemed to hold his breath as they tried to figure out who it was and what they were doing. Then, as the figure passed a lit window, something silver shone into the darkness.

"It's Macnair- the executioner!" Harry hissed. "He must be going to get the Dementor! It's time!"

"Okay," Hermione took a deep breath. "Okay."

Harry climbed up onto Buckbeak's back and Rose gave Hermione a leg up and Harry and Hermione pulled her up. Hermione paled a little as Buckbeak swayed, preparing himself for a flight.

"You okay Hermione?" Rose asked.

"Yes," Hermione replied, somewhat shakily.

"Hold onto me," Harry said. "And Rose you hold onto Hermione; that way she'll be safe."

"Not, of course, that we'd let you fall from forty feet up in the ai-"

"Shut up." Hermione snapped as Harry nudged Buckbeak into flight.

It suddenly occurred to Rose that that might not have been the best thing to say. "Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"Don't worry," Hermione replied, looking anywhere but down. "With the stuff Malfoy says I'm not surprised you're a little insensitive at times."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rose asked, indignant on her own and Draco's behalf.

"Well, since you grew up together you would be a bit influenced by that fact that he's got the tact of a teaspoon." Hermione replied simply.

Rose paused, a bit flabbergasted by such an analogy. Hermione seemed to take her silence as a sign that she had conceded her point, and not a moment too soon, for they had reached the thirteen window from the right of the West Tower; and Sirius was staring at them in amazement from the other side of the glass.

"Open the window!" Harry called.

Sirius pried at the window and shook his head. "It's locked!" he called, the sound of his voice only just audible from where they hovered.

"Move back!" Hermione waved an arm at him, drawing her wand. Sirius moved away as Hermione pointed her wand at the window. "Alohamora!" she muttered.

The window unlocked with a small click and opened a little. Sirius hurried forwards and opened it as high as it would go.

"How did you-?"

"There's not time to explain- just get on, quick," Harry interrupted, holding Buckbeak steady. "You've got to go- Macnair's gone to get the Dementor!"

Quickly, Sirius scrambled out of the window and onto Buckbeak's back. Harry urged Buckbeak upwards and soon they were on the battlements of the West Tower. The three third years hurried from Buckbeak's back and Sirius moved forward and took Harry's place.

"What happened to Ron?" He asked anxiously. "And Ferret-Face?" he added as an afterthought.

"Oh, you're one to talk," Rose snapped, folding her arms and glaring at him. "You look like banshee! And what is this, 'pick-on-Draco-day'?"

"They're fine," Harry answered, ignoring Rose.

Sirius wheeled Buckbeak around and turned to face them. "Thank you all, so much. You really are your father's son Harry, and Rose-" he paused, considering the matter properly for the first time since Rose had knocked Severus out in the Shrieking Shack. "…For someone who's been raised by Snivellus, you're okay."

"…Thank you?" Rose raised her eyebrows slightly, and Sirius was reminded so forcefully of Snape he was convinced he tasted bile. He forced the feeling away, grinned at Harry, nodded and smiled to Hermione and nudged Buckbeak into flight. The hippogriff stretched its wings, took a running leap off the battlements and soared quickly and soundlessly away from the castle, and into the night.

Hermione looked at her watch. "Oh, no- we've only got ten minutes to get from here to the hospital wing!"

"Let's go then," Harry replied, turning to lead the way.

They ran through the door behind them and down a narrow spiral staircase into the West Tower. As they sprinted through the tower to get to the main part of the school, the sound of voices made them falter and flatten themselves against a wall.

"….Hopefully Dumbledore will elect not to complicate things," Severus's voice said. "Not, of course, he will have much of a chance to do so if the Kiss is performed immediately."

"As it will be," Fudge's voice replied. "Honestly I'm relieved to see the end of the affair: my wife has been beside herself with fear…"

Their footsteps faded away from the third years and were soon out of earshot. Running faster than ever, Harry, Rose and Hermione raced through the castle towards the hospital wing.

"Oh, Merlin not this again," Blaise groaned, having started violently upon seeing them sprint around the corner. "Is there an underground vault of Polyjuice Potion in this place or something?"

"Time Turner," Rose explained as she Harry and Hermione came to a halt. Professor Dumbledore, who had been on the point of locking the hospital wing doors, paused and turned around; looking at them curiously.

"We did it, sir," Harry said. "Sirius and Buckbeak have gone."

Dumbledore beamed, "Excellent, and I think-" he paused, listening. "I think you've just left: go in, I'll lock you inside. You too, Mr Malfoy."

"Did you tell the others?" Rose asked Draco as they, Harry and Hermione re-entered the Hospital Wing. Draco shook his head.

"Didn't get time." He replied, smirking slightly.

"Funny." Rose smirked back, rolling her eyes. As she did so, Madam Pomfrey burst from her office.

"Did I just hear the headmaster leaving? Am I permitted to take care of my patients now?"

She looked so very bad tempered that the third years decided it would be best to just get back into their beds and eat the chocolate she had given them. Harry and Hermione kept shooting anxious looks at the hospital wing doors. Rose and Draco stared at the opposite wall, eating their chocolate quietly, and waiting for the inevitable.

A great roar of rage suddenly tore through the air, echoing from high above them. Rose and Draco exchanged glances and discreetly divided up the last of their chocolate.

"What on earth?" Madam Pomfrey jerked her head towards the door in alarm. "They'll wake the whole castle!"

Footsteps were thundering along the corridor outside the ward, accompanied by the echo of voices. As one, Rose and Draco crammed their mouths full of chocolate; effectively preventing themselves from being capable of speech.

"He must've disapperated; there's no other way-" Fudge said.

"HE DID NOT!" Severus interrupted, practically howling in fury. "YOU CAN'T APPERATE OR DISAPPERATE WITHIN THE CASTLE OR ITS GROUNDS! I'M TELLING YOU, THIS HAS ROSE AND POTTER WRITTEN ALL OVER IT!"

"How-?" Fudge began.

"I KNOW MY DAUGHTER! SHE'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS, MARK MY WORDS!"

"Though to be fair; probably accidently."

"True."

"SILENCE, YOU TWO!" It seemed Severus had caught Blaise and Millicent's murmurs.

"Sorry sir."

"Yeah, sorry sir."

"Why don't the six of you return to your common room?" Dumbledore suggested. "Rose and Draco will see you tomorrow."

Most of the sound of the Slytherins making their way down the corridor was lost as the hospital wing doors burst open with such force that they slammed against the walls on either side of them. Severus charged into the ward, looking as mad as he had in the shrieking shack.

He rounded on Rose. "WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?!"

Rose pointed at her mouth, indicating that it was too full to speak, whilst at the same time donning her most innocent 'I-have-no-idea-what-you-are-on-about-but-whatever-it-is-it-wasn't-me' expression. Quickly, Draco mimicked her actions, lest Severus suspect him as well.

"Don't lie to me!" Severus snapped, glaring at them both; Rose more so than Draco. "I know you, Potter and Granger helped him-"

"Severus, please," Dumbledore spoke up. "I myself locked the very doors you have just burst through a mere ten minutes ago; it takes that long to get from here to the West Tower."

"And I have been with them ever since the Headmaster left!" Madam Pomfrey added, looking more annoyed than ever at the constant interruptions to her nursing.

"So, unless you are suggesting that these four suddenly have the means to be in two places at once, I see no reason to bother them any further." Dumbledore concluded, rather pointedly.

Severus made no response. Rose could feel that it was taking all his self-control not to break into her mind and find out what had occurred that way. Finally Severus, visibly fuming, turned and swept from the ward, his robes billowing out behind him. Rose sighed with relief inwardly. She figured she would eventually have to tell Severus what had happened, but was naturally anxious to prolong the time until she was grounded for both knocking him out and breaking the law by meddling with time for as long as possible.

"Well," Fudge shook his head. "The Daily Prophet is going to have a field when it gets a hold of this! All I need now is for them to hear of the hippogriff's escape and I'll be a complete laughing stock! I only hope that Black gets out of the country now so we can have a bit of a respite…I'd better go and inform the ministry."

"What of the Dementors?" Dumbledore asked. "They'll be removed?"

"Oh, yes of course," Fudge mumbled distractedly, spinning his bowler hat between his fingers. "Never dreamed they'd try and administer the Kiss to innocent school children… out of control and completely mad: I'll have them sent back to Azkaban immediately."

"Excellent," Dumbledore smiled, following Fudge from the ward. Madam Pomfrey followed them to the doors and all but slammed them shut, before relocking them and hurrying into her office, muttering furiously.

Suddenly, a low moan came from across the ward. Ron was stirring. He sat up and squinted around the ward. "Why are we here?" he mumbled groggily. "What happened to Lupin- and Pettigrew?"

Hermione glanced around. Rose and Malfoy were working their way through the chocolate they had crammed into their mouths, and Harry was looking at her.

"You explain things better," he said simply.

Hermione nodded and arranged the night's events in her mind as she turned back to Ron. "Well, you see…"

"…Wow," Millicent lent back against the beech tree on the bank of the Black Lake. "That's just… wow."

"Yeah," Pansy nodded fervently.

It was the following morning, and Rose and Draco had just finished telling their friends of the events of the previous night, from the moment Draco had seen Harry and Hermione disappear through the trapdoor onwards. They had been sceptic at first about Sirius's innocence, but were convinced after Draco had told them about Pettigrew.

"What I'm interested in," Draco began. "Is what drove the Dementor away from you, and what all that Patronus-ball-of-light thing going into your forehead is all about." he looked at Rose with his head on one side.

"You and me both." Rose agreed. "It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen."

"You sure you didn't see who cast it?" Blaise asked.

Rose nodded. "Positive."

"…Hey, maybe it was you," Crabbe suggested. "I mean, there were two of Potter running around that night."

Rose shook her head. "It was a doe. My Patronus is a gazelle."

"Oh." Crabbe frowned thoughtfully, trying to come up with another explanation.

"Rose!" Harry called, coming up to them. "Remus has just left," he said, "he wanted to leave as quietly as possible; but Professor Dumbledore wants to see us in his office."

"Why?" Rose asked as she got to her feet. Harry shrugged.

"I dunno."

"Oh, well; I'll meet you guys back here," Rose said to her friends.

"See you."

"Do you wonder where Pettigrew is now?" Harry asked Rose as they made their way to Dumbledore's office. The castle was deserted, as the students were taking advantage of the good weather and last Hogsmede trip of the year.

"I like to think he's been run over by a truck while crossing a road somewhere in his Animagus form," Rose replied. Harry snorted slightly as they approached the gargoyle.

"Pumpkin Fizz," he said to the gargoyle, which sprang aside with a bow.

"Ah, Harry; Rose, excellent," Dumbledore beamed upon their entering his office. "Please sit," he gestured to the two seats before his desk. Harry and Rose sat, looking at him curiously. "I want to congratulate you," Dumbledore said, "You did a very good thing in saving and innocent man and animal from a terrible fate."

Harry started slightly as though remembering something. "Er, Professor- during my Divination exam yesterday, Professor Trelawney went a bit- well, very strange."

"Really?" Dumbledore asked. "Er- stranger that normal you mean?"

"Yes; her eyes rolled back into her head and her voice went really deep. She said that- that Voldemort's servant was going to set out to join him before midnight and that the servant would help him regain his old strength. Then she went back to normal and didn't remember what she'd said. Did she make a real prediction, or was it just a weird fit?"

"Do you know, I think it was a real prediction," Dumbledore sounded impressed. "That's two in fourteen years… I should really offer her a pay rise."

"Hang on," Rose realised something. "You stopped Sirius and Remus from killing Pettigrew," she said to Harry. "Doesn't that make it-" she paused, suddenly remembering what Hermione had said about tact. Harry, however, had picked up her meaning.

"-My fault if Voldemort regains full strength again? Yeah." He nodded, sounding aghast.

"No, it doesn't," Dumbledore said. "You two should know from your adventure with the Time-Turner that the consequences of one's actions always run deeper, sometimes far; far deeper than what we originally intended and in some cases ever realise. This makes predicting the future a very difficult thing to do- Professor Trelawney, try as she might, bless her; is living proof of this. Let me assure you that you did a very noble and very good thing in saving the life of Peter Pettigrew. You see, Pettigrew now owes his life to you, Harry, and when a wizard owes another wizard his life it creates a certain bond between them- and I myself am certain that Lord Voldemort wants any follower of his to be in the debt of anyone other than himself- much less the debt of Harry Potter."

"But I don't want a bond with Pettigrew!" Harry exclaimed, sounding revolted. "He handed over my parents to Voldemort!"

"This is magic at its most deepest and most untouchable." Dumbledore said.

"And most horrific," Rose mumbled. "Imagine having a bond with that pathetic, sneaking, lying, foul-"

"It may repulse you now, Harry," Dumbledore raised his voice a little over Rose's mumblings. "But there may come a time when you are very grateful you saved Pettigrew's life."

Rose couldn't imagine when Harry would be grateful for such a thing as a bond with Pettigrew, and privately decided that the day that happened would be the day the whole world went mad. Harry looked to be thinking along similar lines. Dumbledore considered them both and Rose had the impression he knew what they were thinking.

"I knew your parents very well; both when they were at Hogwarts and afterwards," he said. "They would have saved Pettigrew, too, I am certain."

Rose felt a twinge in her stomach. 'I didn't want to save Pettigrew…' she thought. Lost in her thoughts, she missed the next few things that were said, but came back to earth as Dumbledore said;

"Therefore, Harry, you did see your father last night; as you found him inside yourself." Dumbledore paused before continuing. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some letters to write- including one about hiring a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"What about Professor Grubby-Plank?" Rose asked as she and Harry got up to leave.

"Unfortunately, last night Professor Grubby-Plank contracted a rather nasty case of Cerebrumous Spattergroit- and has completely forgotten she was ever a teacher. She has been moved to St. Mungo's hospital for treatment; and Healer's tell me it's going to be a long road to recovery." Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Oh, and Rose?" he added as Harry and Rose reached the door.

Harry paused as Rose turned, "Yes, sir?" Rose asked.

"Don't worry about telling Severus what happened; I will take care of it."

"Oh," Rose was a bit surprised, but shrugged it off; figuring that Dumbledore and Severus would eventually have to talk about the night's events. "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome. Have a good holiday, both of you."

"You too, sir." Harry and Rose replied, leaving the office.

"Hey, I almost forgot," Harry said, as he and Rose reached the second floor landing. "Before Remus left he gave me his copy of the Maurader's Map, so I was wondering if you wanted the original; it's practically a family heirloom, after all." He pulled the original map from his pocket and offered it to her.

"Yeah," Rose agreed, accepting the map. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Harry grinned. "I've left Ron and Hermione in the library, so I'll see you later."

"See you," Rose smiled, continuing down the staircase and out of the castle to her friends.

The last week of term before the summer holidays seemed to pass faster than the eye could blink. The Daily Prophet reported that had been spotted in Tibet, so the effort in to find him had been deprioritised as he was no longer in Britain. This meant that all the students who had been withdrawn from the school as a result of Sirius's being at large were to return to the school next year; and also that Madam Fudge was coming out of hiding. This put a slight damper on Rose's good mood that came with Slytherin winning the House Championship, as Madam Fudge's return to public life meant the return of etiquette class, but given that they were so far off she tried not to let it bother her.

Severus appeared to have gotten over his anger about Sirius's escape. Rose assumed Dumbledore had had a discussion with him and told if everything that had happened, which was why she found herself scrubbing cauldrons by hand every day during lunch as instead of being grounded. Despite the disgustingness of her task, it gave Rose the opportunity to talk to Severus about the doe.

"…You didn't tell Dumbledore, or Potter about this?" Severus asked as Rose concluded her tale.

"No," Rose replied, attacking a particularly stubborn lump of dried horned slug without success. "I only told Draco and the others. Why? I forgot to tell Dumbledore, but should I tell him and Harry?"

"No," Severus shook his head. "No, it would be best to keep it to your closet confidants."

"Why?" Rose asked, giving up in the dried horned slug and looking over the top of the cauldron at him. "Do you know what it means, then?"

Severus paused for a fraction of a split second. "No. But I want you to promise me that you won't tell anyone else about it."

"Okay," Rose said. "I promise. But-?"

"Good; now back to work." Severus's tone indicated the matter closed. Rose sighed and returned to the dried horned slug, her mind abuzz with questions.

The following day, the Prophet reported the Muggle Prime Minister had been found suffering from acute bronchitis is a specialist hospital in Albania. He had released a statement that he was withdrawing entirely from public life to focus on his recovery, but passed away two days later. Dumbledore, according to Severus- who had told Rose when she had come to him asking if Voldemort was actually dead-, believed that this meant Voldemort had gone into hiding. Where exactly he was now was a mystery.

Exam results were released on the last day of term. Fortunately, the Third Year Slytherins had managed to pass- Blaise even took the top spot in Transfiguration from Hermione by two-eighths of a mark and Goyle came second in Care of Magical Creatures. Contrarily, Rose failed Transfiguration even worse than she had the previous year, and it was once again only her 'O' in Potions that lifted her mark average to the extent that she was able to continue into the next year with her friends. Draco was a little sore over the fact that Rose had managed to increase her lead over him in Potions by another fifth of a mark- leaving him tied with Hermione for second place-, but given the fact that he was very likely to be at least and inch and a half taller than her by the end of the summer, he considered them even.

"Another year gone," Pansy sighed as the Slytherins arrived in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express, put their things on the luggage racks and sat down.

"Yeah," Rose agreed, shaking her head at how quickly time had flown. "You know; I rather think I fancy a quiet year next year."

"The only way you'll ever have a quiet year is if you spend it in in some kind of alternate reality and probably not even then." Draco replied simply.

Rose mock glared at him. "I could have a quiet year."

"You know, I reckon you could," Millicent looked thoughtful. "Provided, of course, you don't brew any sleeping draughts, or visit the Chamber of Secrets, or have any previously unknown godparent's and/or relatives break out of Azkaban; little things like that." She grinned as they all laughed.

"Somehow, I think I'll be okay." Rose smiled.

"Hey, can you look after my stuff for a second?" Draco asked Rose as the train neared the station. "I have to go and get something."

"Sure," Rose shrugged. "You'd better hurry up though, we're nearly there."

"Thanks, yeah," Draco mumbled distractedly, leaving the compartment. Pansy shot a warning look at Rose as she stared after Draco curiously.

"He'll tell me when he's ready; I know, I know," Rose muttered, falling back into her seat.

However, Draco had not returned by the time the train had pulled into the station. Having left his own stuff with Irma, Blaise helped Rose get Draco's trunk and a very disgruntledly caged Serpent over to Narcissa. Severus was helping Dumbledore in searching for Voldemort, so Rose would be staying with the Malfoys for the summer.

"Yeah, we get it: you hate being in a cage! Honest to Merlin," Rise sighed, frowning at Serpent. The owl merely let out another hair raising screech of distaste.

"Hello, Rose, darling; and Blaise," Narcissa smiled as they approached.

"Hi," they replied, smiling back.

"Oh, Serpent, come here." Narcissa took the owl's cage from Rose and began to stroke Serpent's feathers through the bars of the cage with a heavily jewelled index finger, cooing softly.

"So, I guess I'll see you sometime this summer?" Blaise said to Rose as he hugged her.

"Most likely," she said, hugging him back.

"Don't go accidently following potentially dangerous stuff without me." He said with a grin as they pulled away from each other.

"Who, me? Never. I am sense personified." Rose grinned back. Blaise chuckled.

"HERCULE!" Irma shrieked from across the platform. "GET YOUR POOR POSTURED, MISERABLY MORONIC EXISTENCE OVER HERE RIGHT NOW: I HAVE NOT GOT ALL DAY!"

Blaise rolled his eyes, wincing slightly at his sister's use of his middle name. "Bye Rosie."

"Bye." Rose smiled. Blaise smiled back, said goodbye to Narcissa and left.

"'Rosie'?" Narcissa questioned, peering at Rose over the top of Serpents cage, as Blaise made his way over to Irma with exaggerated slowness.

"Pardon?" Rose asked.

"Blaise called you-"

"I'm here! I'm here!" Draco gasped, skidding to a halt at Rose's side.

"Where have you been?" Narcissa asked.

"Getting something," Draco mumbled, grabbing his trunk and taking Serpent from his mother. "Shall we go then?"

"Oh, yes." Narcissa replied. Rose took hold of Miss Marple's cage and her trunk with one hand and took Narcissa's hand with her other. Draco took his mother's other hand and with a small 'pop!' they vanished, apperating away from Platform nine and three quarters, arriving almost instantly at Malfoy Manor, where the holidays awaited them.

The rat's small pink nose twitched from left to right as it ran down the wide, rough and badly cobblestoned high street. He was close; that scent was strong to those who could smell it.

Letting slip a small squeak of fear as one of a pair of large, heavy looking brown boots suddenly struck the ground nearby him, the rat altered its course; darting right into a narrow gap between two overflowing, and strangely repugnant smelling recycling bins. But even that scent did little to mask the one that burned the rat's throat and watered his dull, mud brown little eyes in repulsion and fear. The rat huddled in its crevice, waiting for the man to pass.

A scuffling noise to his left made the rat turn, so fast his soft underbelly scraped on a chipped section of cobblestone. Whimpering with pain, the rat found itself facing a curious pair of round, glittering red eyes.

The owner of these eyes was another rat, rather aged, with a long, thin scar across his left cheek. He held the look of one who had lost an awful lot of weight in a very short period of time.

"Food?" he sniffed hopefully.

"No," the brown eyed rat replied. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," the rat's head dropped in disappointment all the same. "It's been this way for nearly a year now; my store can last a few more days."

"What's happened to the rest of the food?"

"Nothing; that I know of," the rat shrunk its neck back slightly, the closest thing to a shrug possible. "There's a big pile of it up around the back of the Big House on the hill- I used to live there with my friends Two-Claw and Chip-Ear,- but one day the old caretaker got wise and lay down some traps and we had to scarper. Then the caretaker left for a bit, so we went back- and he didn't bother us again when he came back. But around the middle of last year Chip-Ear was killed in the night. Two-Claw and I nicked off sharpish; then of course Two-Claw got foolhardy and said he wasn't letting anything get between him and his food anymore and he was going back to the Big House. I tried to stop him all the way up there I told him he was being stupid. Next thing I know we're in the grounds of the Big House, this smell's thicker than air and Two-Claw's been devoured by a giant snake."

"Snake?" the brown eyed rat repeated.

"Yup. Didn't even chew. Just one big snap and bam! Luckily, I got away, so as far as I know the food's still there. I'm Scar-Face, by the way." The rat nodded.

"Wormtail," the brown eyed rat replied, nodding back.

"Figures. Your tail's balder than a newborn baby."

Wormtail brushed away the jibe. "So, how do I get to the Big House from here?"

"You're kidding." Scar-Face stared at him incredulously. "You're not seriously going up there after what I've just told you."

"That's none of your concern," Wormtail said, with as much dignity as he could muster. "Just tell me how to get there."

"But-!"

"NOW!"

Scar-Face jumped. For a moment Wormtail's voice had sounded almost human.

"Alright; don't get your tail in a twist. You go out of here, round the back past the pub and up the hill past Old Maggie's cottage- careful, she's got cats- keep going up the hill and the gate is on your left."

"Thank you," Wormtail turned to go.

"You got a death wish or something?" Scar-Face called after him. Wormtail paused, considering the question.

"…Of a kind, yes." He replied, and darted out into the street.

He had done it. He had left the recycle bins, gone around the back past the pub and snuck past Old Maggie house and her cats. He now stood before a wrought iron gate, staring up in fascination at the Big House. Whatever he had imagined, this run down, Muggle Manor was most certainly not it. But the smell was stronger than ever, and the smell of Dark Magic was unmistakeable to animals. Wormtail took a deep breath and transformed back into a human. With trembling fingers, he reached for the latch of the gate.

The gate creaked open so loudly that several birds flew from a nearby tree in alarm. Wormtail proceeded up the winding driveway to the manor, and knocked with the rusty brass door knocker that was shaped like a lion, and waited.

Nothing happened for several minutes, but Wormtail dared not knock again. Then, the door opened a crack and a man peered out at him.

He was a very short man, shorter than Wormtail, and he looked to have aged many, many years in a short space of time. His shoulders were hunched to such an extent that he was almost doubled over and his wrinkled skin was so transparent and stretched so tightly across his bones Wormtail could actually see the joints. He was completely bald and his face held an old snakelike quality. Nevertheless, he wore an expensive Muggle and his gleaming red eyes regarded Wormtail through their cat-like pupils shrewdly; calculatingly.

Wormtail gave a shuddering gasp and sunk into a low bow. "M-Master. Master."

Silence. Wormtail was observed with boredom. Unnerved, Wormtail hurried into further speech.

"I-I pledge myself to you and your cause; I dedicate my life to the prosperity of the Dark Order-"

"Such lies, Wormtail."

Wormtail fell silent.

"However you will be useful to me." Voldemort continued.

"My-my Lord?"

"Yes, decidedly so," Voldemort acted as though Wormtail had not spoken. "Get inside, Wormtail and light the fire: we have much to discuss."

A/N: Please review! :)