Chapter 49: The Truth Will Set You Free

Octavia shifted her feet to make herself comfortable, she had come down here to be with Hagrid should he need her, but there was also a part of her that hoped she could sneak Buckbeak away. That there was a chance she could set the poor creature free so that he wouldn't have to fall to what was handed to him by a malicious Pureblood with no heart.

She was down here for two reasons; she had heard from Hagrid that he had found Ron's pet rat. She was close to getting her hands on Peter and setting Sirius free. She had even told him he just had to hold out a little longer and he would be able to come home with her. But tonight she had to worry about Buckbeak, and she just hoped that Sirius didn't do anything rash.

She had watched as Harry, Ron and Hermione entered Hagrid's hut. Both she and Remus had a feeling it would happen but since tonight was a Full Moon Remus promised he would watch them from his office while Octavia stayed here on the grounds.

She caught sight of her daughter up in the sky, and she shook her head. Willa was always one to find a loop hole. Technically she wasn't down here on the ground watching this.

There was a noise behind her, and she turned her to see Harry and Hermione heading way, her stomach instantly dropped at the sight of them. They didn't look like the same clean third years that she had spotted through Hagrid's window and the fact that Hermione had used her Time-Turner to come back and do something, for her to use it for something other than attend her classes something bad had happened tonight.

She kept her tears at bay and shook her head, "no I do not want to know what goes wrong tonight." She spoke harshly. She didn't want to think about the possibilities.

"But," Harry spoke, but Hermione nudged him.

"Don't Harry, she doesn't interfere, and we have to be careful. We didn't see her the first time round, so she has to be doing something else at the same time." Hermione explained, and Harry looked back at her.

"Hermione's right Harry, I know of the Time Turner. It doesn't matter why I just do. You have to be careful how you tread, changing the wrong thing will create a paradox. Whatever you two are fixing has to be done in the right way. Hermione has been using her Time Turner all year, so listen to her. For now, I'm here to get Buckbeak out of here." Octavia spoke, looking back over at where the Hippogriff was tied up in the pumpkin patch.

At first, Octavia thought she was going crazy, sensing something like she did. It felt odd to her, it was like the killing curse, despite the cold sensation she felt around it. The air also felt different, and it was the same whenever she had come across the spot where Hermione had gone back in time.

She had gone to Dumbledore and questioned as to what could be going on within the Castle, and he had informed her of the Time Turner.

"But Dumbledore told us not to be seen," Harry pointed out.

"I bet he did, but as you will soon come to learn, I am not like either of you. For now, we have to worry about Buckbeak. He is our main concern."

"But-" Harry started but stopped by the look on Octavia's face.

"Don't Harry, I have a feeling whatever you are doing is because of my husband. I do not wish to know what is happening, or what will happen tonight. I need to have a clear head and after what you've accomplished the last two years keeping my husband out of trouble should be easy enough for you," Octavia spoke with a slight smirk on her face.

"We should go now," Harry spoke.

"No!" Hermione hissed.

"What, why?" Harry questioned.

"Hermione's right. The committee and Dumbledore are on their way down. They need to see Buckbeak otherwise Hagrid will be in more trouble while you two are supposed to be in the Castle." Octavia answered first, her gaze flicking back over to where she could look through the window at the three third years. Her gaze flickered up to where she could see her daughter. This is going to end badly with Willa up there. She just hoped that whatever her daughter sees she doesn't think too much of it.

Who is she kidding? This was her daughter she was thinking about.

Octavia tuned out their argument, Harry asking to just run in there and grab Pettigrew and she let out a growl. She now had a feeling as to what happens tonight, and she wasn't looking forward to it.

The three of them stayed in silence as they watched Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave Hagrid's hut. Harry threw his invisibility cloak over the three of them allowing them to disappear and the committee members and Dumbledore enter Hagrid's hut.

Octavia went to run forward to get Buckbeak but Harry beat her to it, "Harry," she hissed.

She watched as Harry struggled to get the hippogriff to move but before it was too late, the two of them were back under the safety of the trees. "Harry you were foolish to run out like you did." She scolded him and Harry looked at her in shock.

"What, why?" Harry questioned but Octavia pointed up to the sky where the figure was slowly disappearing and she could see both Harry and Hermione's face pale.

"If you're lucky Willa will think you three ran under here under cover of the trees but she will question where you got the invisibility cloak," Octavia explained and Harry nodded. "Just be more careful for the rest of the night. Now do you need Buckbeak for what you have to do?" she questioned and they nodded. She took a deep breath before looking back at Hagrid's hut. She had warned Dumbledore she may steal Buckbeak so hopefully he will help cover for them.

"Harry we have to move around so we can see the Whomping Willow," Hermione spoke.

Octavia stayed where she was as the two third years walked away with Buckbeak. She didn't want to know what was going on but there was a part of her that feared what would happen to Sirius.

It was when she heard Harry yell that's Ron that she changed her mind, she wanted to know what happens. They said they didn't see her so clearly she doesn't get involved but she couldn't sit back and not know anything.

She joined Harry and Hermione just in time to see Sirius drag Ron towards the Whomping Willow, them disappearing into the tunnel she knew that existed there.

"Please tell me Ron is okay," she questioned softly, startling the two of them.

"He's okay; leg is a little banged up is all."

"Pomfrey will patch him up in no time." They explained and Octavia nodded.

"Of course she would, the injuries I sustained as a student proved as such," Octavia added in and the two students looked at her but didn't question it.

Octavia winced as she watched Harry get walloped by the tree. She knew that had to hurt since she had been hit by one of its branches before. Once they completely disappeared Dumbledore and the committee walked right past where they were and she was grateful that they had managed to get in quickly. She feared what would happen if the adults had caught sight of two minors run towards a highly dangerous tree.

"Here comes Lupin," Harry's comment caused Octavia to look over at where she saw Remus head towards the tree. 'Please keep them safe,' she thought to herself hoping Remus knew what he was doing and that Remus at least took his potion before coming down here.

Octavia was glad that Harry finally realised that he couldn't change things, they had to progress as they did the first time. She wanted to run out there and grab the Invisibility Cloak, Remus had missed it and they obviously didn't have it now but then again she had no idea if such an item can time travel like normal clothing articles.

She turned and put her attention on Buckbeak as Hagrid walked past humming a tune, clearly pleased with his creatures escape but Buckbeak wanted to get to Hagrid.

"Shhh Buckbeak, you can't get Hagrid in trouble." She stroked the hippogriffs feathers to calm the creature down and it didn't take long for Buckbeak to nuzzle her.

"So that's it, we're all down there," Hermione spoke and Octavia turned to look at them.

"What do you mean all down there, who else goes down there?" she questioned the two of them and they shared a look. "Tell me."

"Snape," Hermione answered and Octavia took a deep breath.

"Are you sure I don't turn up?" she questioned once more and they nodded.

She didn't like that Snape and Sirius were so close together and she wasn't there to keep them civil. Sirius was still uncertain about the ex-Death Eater and didn't trust him regardless of her trying to convince him otherwise.

After they had tied Buckbeak to a nearby tree, the three of them took a seat on the ground. Hermione was the one to break the silence.

"Harry, there's something I don't understand… Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I passed out." Hermione and Octavia's breath hitched, she had to remind herself that Sirius was all right. She saw him enter the Whomping Willow and the two third years were fixing everything.

"I saw this large silver thing come across the lake and it forced the Dementors to retreat," Harry spoke and Hermione's mouth was slightly open.

"You caught sight of a fully corporeal Patronus, they're the only thing powerful enough to force them away," Octavia explained, looking over at them. "What did it look like?" she questioned.

"It wasn't your dragon," Harry pointed out.

Octavia didn't say anything at first. She just thought of Sirius before conjuring her Patronus. "I have two Patronus," she spoke with a smile as she watched her dog jump around them.

"It wasn't your dog either."

"If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light them up? Couldn't you see who it was, surely it was a Professor?" Hermione questioned, eager to find out who it was.

"Yeah I saw him," Harry started slowly. "But maybe I imagined it, I mean I wasn't thinking straight and I passed out straight away."

"Who did you think it was?" Octavia questioned, a lump forming in her throat. She had a feeling where this was going, why Harry was so quiet.

She still didn't know the full details as to what happened tonight but if Harry was saving Sirius, then he had to have told the full story of what happened. She believed it would have involved the truth about what happened all those years ago. Remus would have explained how he knew where they were, how he got the map working and it would have led to Harry finding out James could turn into a stag and she remembered the shape after the match against Ravenclaw, the form that looked so much like James' stag.

"I think it was my dad…" Harry answered quietly and Octavia nodded. She knew how much Harry looked like James, whatever happens, wherever they go, Harry is the one that saves them.

Time passed slowly for Octavia, her still sitting under cover of the trees wondering what happens tonight. They all slowly left the tunnel and appeared on the grounds but she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Snape unconscious.

"Whoever did that to Snape will wish they didn't," she commented, quickly noticing the look on their faces. "Oh, Merlin you two didn't attack him?"

They both nodded and she shook her head, quickly noticing that Peter was also standing among them. This was what they wanted. They wanted to show Peter to the Ministry to prove Sirius' innocence.

Octavia looked up at the sky before back at where Remus was standing, fear filling her. "He didn't take his potion did he?" she questioned and they shook their heads. "Fuck," she muttered. She quickly caught sight of the werewolf heading towards them. "You two need to run."

"What about you!?" Harry questioned.

"I've done this before," she commented before transforming.

"Snow," she heard them both breathe before she turned and growled at them, indicating they should move.

She watched them both head towards Hagrid's hut before she turned back around just as the werewolf caught up with her, tackling her down to the ground.

She knew she was in for a long night.

.oOo.

"Snow?" Octavia opened one eye and looked at Remus before closing it and letting out a groan.

"I'm getting too old for this shit," she complained sitting up and stretching out her back.

"At least you don't have any broken bones." Remus pointed out, and Octavia stood up and gave him a pointed look.

"Why didn't you take your potion last night?" she questioned.

"I guess seeing Sirius, Peter and Harry all together I just had to go and make sure no one got hurt in the cross fire. Sirius would have done something stupid."

"He should have listened to me. I would have gotten the rat! I just had to get Buckbeak free." Octavia snapped, standing up and walking over to where Remus was positioned on the ground and making sure he was okay.

"You know I have to resign now," Remus sighed, and Octavia shook her head.

"You don't have to. You just feel the need to. What did I miss last night?" she questioned taking a seat in front of him.

Over the years Octavia had improved her healing spells. In fact, they both had because of the Full Moons. Remus filled her in on the events she missed in the Shrieking Shack while she slowly healed his wounds, leaving the more severe ones for Poppy to treat.

"I could have killed them, Snow. If Padfoot hadn't been there I don't know what would have happened and then at one point the wolf's attention was snapped to where you were. It caught a whiff of you, I'm assuming as soon as you transformed and it picked up a member of its pack." Remus spoke, and Octavia nodded.

"I'm just glad my curiosity got the better of me. I planned to free Buckbeak and then spend the night in my office but seeing a second set of Harry and Hermione there; I had to stay behind and see what happened."

Octavia still had no idea what happened after she and Remus left last night, left the main group of people and as such she doesn't know what happened.

"Come on let's get you up to the Castle, the wolf having control has left wounds that Poppy should look at instead of me," Octavia spoke as she stood up and waited for Remus to join her, an arm around his waist to help him up to the Castle.

Just as they emerged from the forest, they ran into a thrilled Hagrid. "I suppose we are both in good spirits this morning."

"I'm sorry?" Octavia questioned, hoping to come across as innocent.

"Beaky escaped last night, can't've tied him up properly but I 'ear Black escaped as well," Hagrid spoke, and a smile appeared on Octavia's face.

"That is real good news Hagrid, now I must get Remus up to Poppy since last night's transformation was a little rough on him," Octavia spoke, looking over at Remus.

"Of course. I do have to ask Lupin; you didn't come across Beaky did you?" Hagrid questioned.

"No, not at all. O kept me away from everything."

"Good to hear," Hagrid responded.

"Yes so we must be off but if you ever wish to hear how Buckbeak is, send me an owl." She grinned at Hagrid, and his smile grew even more.

"It was you," Hagrid pointed out, and Octavia lifted a finger to her lips.

"Sh." She responded with a smile.

"Come on Snow," Remus spoke, urging her forward.

"I'll see you around Hagrid," Octavia spoke and began stepping forward.

"You stole a hippogriff?" Remus questioned when they were further away from Hagrid.

"Well if we're talking technicalities, it was Harry, and I'm assuming that is how Sirius escaped," Octavia spoke, and Remus chuckled at the comment.

"Honestly the way you go on about technicalities and loopholes one would think you were almost sorted into Slytherin like Willa," Remus responded with a slight smirk and Octavia acted offended.

"Please Moony, Gryffindor all the way. I had to argue with the hat about placing me in Slytherin, wouldn't put me there no matter how much I tried." Octavia responded. She still couldn't believe that at one point she was arguing to be placed in Slytherin to keep a connection to the family that abused her.

"I think that right there proves that the hat did the right thing by putting you in Gryffindor Snow."

"That and I ran around every Full Moon with a werewolf, hell I still do," Octavia responded.

"And I thank you for that Snow. You don't understand how much I am grateful for everything over the years." Remus spoke quietly.

"You're family Moony. We do anything for family." Octavia looked up at him with a smile.

"Good because speaking of family, there is a certain invisibility cloak still in the Shrieking Shack," Remus responded, and Octavia nodded, changing their course of direction towards the Whomping Willow.

.oOo.

Willa moved off the steps and entered the Gryffindor common room, grateful for finding Harry alone for a change. Ever since what happened in the Shrieking Shack Harry hadn't been alone, he was always surrounded by his friends.

She had heard from Octavia and Remus about what happened, the truth coming out and Pettigrew escaping as he did. She was furious that he was gone and along with him was any chance of Sirius coming home.

"Hi Harry," she chirped, walking over and taking a seat beside him at the desk.

"You know, don't you?" he questioned, and she raised an eyebrow. "The truth about your dad."

"Only since the match against Ravenclaw. I heard about your parents, and I was too angry to hear mum and Moony out, and then they refused to tell me, said my OWLs were more important. It was after what he did to Ron that mum forced me to sit down and hear the whole story. She didn't want me to tell anyone and told me to stay out of it," She answered, and he nodded.

"I hear you have a fancy invisibility cloak," Willa spoke, a grin on her face.

"What about it?" Harry questioned, unsure as to what she could possibly want.

"Well considering the hurtful things you said to me over Christmas break, the fact that the twins handed over a map that I hold dear to my heart and you threatened to kill my father. How about you let me borrow that fancy invisibility cloak, and we're even?" Willa spoke, a sly smile on her face.

Harry narrowed her eyes, studying her for a moment. "I would have settled for the fact that we're friends Willa." He pointed out, and she shook her head.

"We're family Harry," she corrected before standing up and walking towards the portrait hole, heading down for lunch in the Great Hall.

.oOo.

Octavia was exhausted. She didn't remember ever being this exhausted once a school year was over at Hogwarts but it could also have to do with the trouble surrounding Sirius, his escape from Azkaban, and her strained relationship with Willa.

She was just grateful that when she finally got around to telling Willa the truth behind it all, the truth about what happened all those years ago that Willa believed her, that she had so easily accepted the truth behind Sirius' actions and seemed to no longer hold any anger towards her father.

"How are you doing Snow?" Remus questioned as he entered the study located on the ground floor and found her looking out the window.

"Where is he?" she asked in response, not turning to look at him.

Ever since she heard about Sirius escaping from Hogwarts and the Ministry once again she had been worried about him and how he was coping since she hadn't heard from him, or Remus in the last couple of days.

"His Uncle Alphard's, he wanted me to make sure you were okay with him coming here. He's worried you're beyond mad at him for not returning all those years ago and then him going against the plan we had about getting Peter to show his face." Remus explained. Octavia nodded before conjuring her Patronus, smiling at the dog that appeared before her and Remus. She gave it a message for Sirius before sending it off.

"Just because I'm mad, doesn't mean he can't come home. I doubt the Aurors will turn up here again this summer. Dumbledore believes us when we say he's innocent and that Peter is the one to blame, but there is nothing he can do without Peter. We can't bring Padfoot into the Ministry without concrete proof that he's innocent, we need to hunt down Peter."

"It still isn't safe for him to stay here forever, especially considering you and the girls go back to Hogwarts again in September."

"You could come back with us if you take back your resignation," Octavia pointed out, and Remus shook his head.

"No way, I almost hurt Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Imagine how you would feel if I did attack them or if it was Willa or Emerson. I know I would be beside myself if I hurt them because of my condition."

"But you also know we wouldn't hold it against you if you did," Sirius spoke from the doorway interrupting their conversation.

"I'll make a start on dinner," Remus spoke before fleeing the room, leaving Sirius and Octavia alone.

"How mad are you?" Sirius questioned as he walked over and stood in front of his wife.

"You went against our plan. I told you that Hagrid had the rat and I was going to deal with it, but no you had to intervene. I don't care if he was given back to Ron, I would have handled it Pads, but yet once again your anger got the better of you!" Octavia yelled, and Sirius winced as he stepped forward and took her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, okay I'm really sorry. I just saw the rat get away from Ron and I had to go after him, I didn't even mean to attack Ron like I did." Sirius explained and Octavia nodded against his chest.

"I just wanted you to be able to come home without any fears."

"I know Snow, but I can't stay here this summer, I need to go somewhere safe," Sirius spoke, and Octavia pulled away and stared at him.

"What do you mean 'I'? Don't you mean 'we'?" she spoke harshly, and he let out a sigh.

"You can't come with me Snow, it'll be dangerous, and you could be in a lot of trouble," Sirius responded.

"Oh yes because being on the run with a convicted murderer is so much worse than, you know, battling in a war at the age of 17, having to face Voldemort at the age of 11." She narrowed her eyes at him, and he let out a sigh, placing his hands on her face. "I'm coming with you Pads."

"What about Willa? Are you seriously going to leave her for the summer?" Sirius questioned, and Octavia pulled away.

She reached around and scratched the back of her neck, "yes Willa."

"What about her Snow, she is okay isn't she?" Sirius questioned, panic clearly evident on his face and in his eyes.

Octavia quickly stepped forward and softly kissed him. "She is fine. It's just a conversation we will have to have with Remus."

"Okay, if you're sure but why isn't she here?" he questioned.

"Moony said she went to the Burrow with the Weasley family. The twins needed her help with something. She'll most likely end up having dinner there before returning home at some point tonight." Octavia quickly explained, pleased at seeing the previous panic on her husband face disappear. "Come on, let's go help Moony with dinner I'm sure you remember how to set the table yes?" she questioned, teasing him slightly. He looked put out, but she just smiled at him before linking her fingers with his and leading him out of the room.

.oOo.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who continues to read, set alerts and review my story it means a lot to me but reviews mean even more as they let me know what you enjoy.

Hopefully everyone enjoyed the way I let the Shrieking Shack play out. I'm rarely one to rewrite scenes from the book, my lack of Quidditch matches should be evidence of that so from the beginning I never planned to have Willa or Octavia in the Shrieking Shack because Pettigrew always escaped that night, the night played out exactly the same as it did in the book.

What are everyone's thoughts on what happens during the summer? And not to mention the upcoming year with the Triwizard Tournament?

Thank you EmilinLove for being my Beta.

Thank you to YumiKnowsBest and Paulies1994 for reviewing, it means a lot to me.

My heart goes out to anyone living in any of the affected areas with the storms that are hitting America right now. I do hope you and your families are all safe and okay.