Disclaimer: HP Belongs to JKR and OCs belong to me!
Chapter 46: The Death Sentence
The snowy white owl sitting in the tree closest to the gates to Hogwarts watched as Severus Snape left the school before disappearing as soon as he was shielded by trees.
The previous day the same owl had sat in the same tree and watched as first Remus Lupin, and then Sirius Black, had been led out of the school by an armed guard before they had vanished. It had not stirred when, less than twenty minutes later, it had also watched the Potions Master make his way to the same gate before heading into the woods and vanishing, just as he had today.
Deciding it had better do something other than simply watching and, aware that time was running out, the owl flew down towards Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid immediately spotted the bird and as it landed on his arm, he scratched its breast. "I suppose yeh want a snack, don't yeh?"
The owl bumped her head against Hagrid, and smiling, he opened the door, the owl flying from his arm into his hut and landing on his bed.
Almost immediately, Nagini began frantically hissing, and so Hagrid headed over to her cage. "Now wha's up with yeh?"
Nagini hissed several times, trying to make herself understood. Harry had warned Hagrid about Nagini's jealousy of Hedwig, and Hagrid waggled a large finger at the snake.
"She won't harm yeh, yeh daft girl. Now will yeh, Hedwig?"
As he finished speaking, Hagrid turned just in time to see the owl disintegrating. Horrified, he started to move over towards his bed, ignoring Nagini's worsening hissing. At that moment, a mist glided behind him and dove into the cage, Nagini going silent for one moment before the frenzied hissing continued afresh.
Now concerned for Nagini after the owl's strange demise, Hagrid decided to free her from her cage and take her out of his hut. Having missed the merging of snake and mist, when he opened the cage he was taken unawares, and Nagini struck out at him, pumping large amounts of venom into him. Grabbing his hand, Hagrid staggered backwards while the snake fled out of the cage and through the still open door.
Hogwarts Infirmary
Having been released a day early on the promise he would return to Ravenclaw and stay in bed, Harry was just leaving his room when he was horrified to see Remus and a burly seventh year Ravenclaw, David Berry, floating Hagrid into the hospital. "What happened to him?"
"Nagini bit him," Remus said, before he turned to Madam Pomfrey. "And judging by his color and breathing, I'd say it's going to be fatal if he doesn't receive an antivenin for a Green Burmese Venomous Python."
"I don't have any as the snake is very rare, and I never imagined Harry's snake would ever bite anyone," Poppy worriedly said. "Professor Snape will have to brew some."
"I just saw him leaving the school, Ma'am," Berry informed her. "Not long before I found Hagrid lying on the ground."
Harry interrupted. "Hermione or I could brew it, I expect."
"You're still not well," Poppy said, before saying, "I'll contact St. Mungo's." Even so, her same concerns about the rarity was again an issue, and, because the snake did not exist outside of the magical world, she would also be unable to use her Muggle contacts. "But it isn't exactly something I expect them to have on their shelves."
Deciding to cover both options, while Poppy flooed the hospital, Remus set off at a run to try and track down Hermione. He found her at his first port of call, the library.
"I need you to brew an antivenin for a snake bite, Hermione, specifically for Harry's snake."
Hermione immediately jumped to her feet, the urgency in Remus' tone making it evident that this was a matter that could not wait. She headed into the back of the library and quickly withdrew a potions book that she hoped would have what she needed. She rapidly scanned the index and discovered the book did, before turning to the page and reading the instructions.
"It should only take about ten minutes but I've never done it before, although it seems quite straightforward. Why don't you contact St. Mungo's?"
"Madam Pomfrey is doing so, but she's doubtful they'll have antivenin because this snake is so rare, and, as you probably know, snake bites rarely happen, with most people steering clear of them thanks to their links to Voldemort," Remus said, as he followed Hermione towards the dungeons. "We need to run."
"Go ahead and set up a gold cauldron with two pints of distilled water so that it's boiling," Hermione instructed Remus, aware she would be unable to keep up with him.
The water was already boiling when Hermione arrived and she deftly began to assemble what she needed, calling upon Remus when she needed help. "Get fairy wings for me." She then stirred the potion counterclockwise twice before adding two wings and then finally some optional ginger root to stop nausea, a side effect of the potion if the item was missed out. "We just need to wait for one minute and then stir clockwise three times for it to be done." She glanced at Remus as she waited. "Who's been bitten?"
"Hagrid," Remus told her, keeping an eye on the time. "As you might have already guessed, Nagini did it."
"That's going to upset Harry when he finds out," Hermione said, noting that she had fifteen seconds left.
"He already knows."
With the potion about ready, Hermione pointed to the shelf. "Can you get me a vial, please?"
Remus passed Hermione the vial as she began to stir the potion. She then ladled it into the vial and corked it. "You'd better take it. I'll follow."
By the time Hermione reached the hospital wing, a still somewhat pale Hagrid was already sitting up and he gave her a huge smile.
"Thanks, 'ermione."
Filius Flitwick, who had by now joined everyone in the hospital, sat on the edge of the reinforced bed. "What happened?"
Hagrid gave Harry a sorrowful look as he began. "I went into the hut to fetch Hedwig a snack and Nagini began hissing like mad, she did. I told 'er not to so daft and turned back to talk to Hedwig but she was gone; she was jus' a pile of ashes. So I decided to get Nagini out but when I opened 'er cage, she bit me and fled. I'm really sorry, Harry."
By now Harry understood the sorrowful look Hagrid had given him. "Do you know what killed Hedwig?"
Hagrid shook his head. "No, she was alive one minute and gone the next."
Filius spoke to Remus. "Would you mind taking a look?"
"I'll go now."
"I'm coming with you," Harry said, ignoring Madam Pomfrey's annoyed look.
Hermione also tagged along and, when they reached the hut, they found Nagini's cage empty and the owl sized pile of ashes.
Having seen various memories of Quirrell's attack on Harry on the Hogwarts' Express, Remus made an observation. "It almost looks like when Quirrell died on the train and all that were left were the ashes rather than a body. Obviously Hedwig was unable to sustain him for as long."
Hermione jumped to an obvious but only partially correct conclusion. "Voldemort must have jumped into Nagini when Hedwig began to crumble, and I bet he had something to do with Black attacking Harry."
"At least he's safely locked away," Harry said, believing the same as his girlfriend.
"He might be but Nagini isn't," Remus remarked, before casting a spell and putting as much power into it as he could. "Accio Nagini."
Nothing happened. Harry also tried before the trio headed outside, copying their actions, but again to no avail. Going back inside of the hut, Harry looked down at the pile of ashes. "I need to bury her."
And so, with Remus' help, Harry buried Hedwig's ashes before saying a Muggle prayer and then heading back up to the school.
Laurifer Manor
Completely unaware of what was happening at Hogwarts, Severus was currently seated before Tom, this being the first chance he had to speak to the man since his brief report the previous day when he had informed him about Sirius' and Remus' arrests.
"So what news to do you have for me today?"
Severus took a mouthful of the wine that a house-elf had served him before answering, "The Dursley boy survived Black's attack."
"A pity but I won't be wasting any more time going after him. He's served his purpose. Have you found out yet why Lupin was arrested?"
"No, but I imagine he probably attacked Black," Severus said, before going on to reveal some slightly more interesting news. "However, I did spot Bones heading for the hospital wing yesterday, and so I decided to try and use my Animagus form to eavesdrop. It's how I found about the Dursley boy surviving."
"And…?"
"It turns out that Potter isn't quite as pure as the driven snow as he'd like everyone to believe. He used borderline Dark Arts spells on Black as well as the Killing Curse, although evidently he failed."
This surprised Tom immensely. "I wouldn't have thought him capable but where would he have learnt such spells? From Lupin or the Weasleys perhaps?"
Severus snorted, the idea of any of those suggested helping Harry become proficient in the Dark Arts completely ludicrous to him. "The Weasleys don't have it in them, and, while he might have attacked Black in anger, Lupin is too much of a goody two shoes to even think of writing down a Dark Arts spell, let alone teaching something like that to Potter."
"Then from whom do you think he learnt it?"
"I know from one of my contacts in the Ministry that he's good friends with several Aurors there, including Nymphadora Tonks, a relative of Black's but like him, she's Light-sided, and Annabelle Jameson, a newly qualified Auror who used to be in Hufflepuff."
"Is Jameson from a Dark Family?"
Severus nodded, realizing that Tom had no idea of Anna's background. "She has a half-sister, Johanna Jameson, whose mother is, or should I say was, Selena Gregory."
Tom let out a hiss of shock. "So that would certainly explain where Potter has picked up his illegal lessons. Do you think either woman would be worth approaching?"
"If Annabelle is teaching Potter to defend himself, I doubt she'd consider it," Severus mused. "And I've no idea about her sister's allegiances as she never attended Hogwarts, and so I can't say for certain about her."
The mention of Johanna's mother led Tom to ask about a possibility that occurred to him. "Is there any chance this Johanna could be Voldemort's daughter?"
Severus suspected otherwise. "Reddington Malfoy vanished at the same time as Selena Gregory was murdered. The rumors are that Johanna was Malfoy's daughter and that Lord Voldemort killed both him and Selena when he discovered them in bed together, although Jameson obviously still kept the child after her mother's death. I can only assume that either the Malfoys didn't want her as she was illegitimate and not a child of the Malfoy heir, or the child was actually Jameson's daughter."
"Something you missed telling me before," Tom pointed out, more than a little annoyed at Severus for failing to do so, although he could have said the same about Lucius.
"I can only apologize as I didn't realize it was important," Severus said, hoping that Tom was not going to punish him.
"I suppose it's not," Tom said, before returning back to the matter at hand. "So how did Bones take the news about Potter's slide into our territory?"
Taken slightly aback at the change in subject, but relieved that Tom had made it, Severus took another sip of his wine before responding, a smirk on his face. "He was placed under house arrest until he can be taken to Azkaban and tried for using an Unforgivable."
Having been unaware of Ignotus' visit, Severus had no idea that Harry had, in fact, been released nor that Remus had also been similarly blessed, Severus having left the school moments before Remus had arrived back just in time to help Berry with Hagrid.
Tom's smile now matched Severus' own. "That is good news." He rose up. "I want you to monitor the situation and report back tomorrow."
Severus was not exactly happy about this, but was thankful that the weather was unseasonably warm or he imagined he would freeze to death if he had to hang around outside of Harry's window, even for the short period of time he would have available to him. "Of course, but I may not be able to find out much and it may be late when I finally manage to get here as it's a school day."
"That's fine. You may go."
Severus put down his half finished wine and left.
The Next Night
Although he was angry that Severus had not turned up at all, Tom pushed his anger aside as he decided to have an early night and headed for his bed, before pulling back the sheets to get in. He still so relished the feel and odor of the crisp cotton against his skin after so long in the diary, but his journey into sleep was to be interrupted when a hissing voice called out his name.
Tom turned around and demanded in Parseltongue, "Show yourself!"
A large green hued snake slithered into sight. "It's been a long time since I gazed upon that face."
Tom automatically reached up and touched his cheek. "I beg your pardon."
"You don't recognize me, do you?" the snake hissed, making it almost sound like a laugh. "I'm you, Tom."
"Lord Voldemort?" Tom asked, but he failed to mask his disbelief as he did so.
"Yes," the snake confirmed.
Tom wondered how Voldemort had tracked him down. "How did you find me?"
"Snape," Voldemort simply said.
Tom was furious at the news but hid it as he asked, "Snape brought you here?"
"Of course not willingly," Voldemort disparagingly responded. "Snape is a traitorous bastard who only thinks of saving his own skin."
"I don't understand."
"He killed Bella," Voldemort hissed. "I knew then that he'd turned against me, and so I began to take over rodent bodies, watching him. Then I eventually took over an owl and tried to follow Snape a few days ago, but was unable to do so. So I decided a different approach would be needed and, after leaving the owl, I took over the body of this beauty and followed Snape here."
"Exactly how did you manage it?" Tom asked, intrigued as to how a snake would have served Voldemort any better than an owl, even though it obviously had.
"I sank my fangs into Snape's ankle just as he disapparated," Voldemort explained, his hissing angry. "I knew from spying on him as an owl exactly where he left from and so I lay in wait for him."
"And where is Snape now?" Tom asked, wondering why his most trusted servant had not come to tell him what had transpired, particularly as Voldemort had confirmed that Snape had led Voldemort to Tom unwillingly.
"Hogwarts I expect. I pumped enough venom into him to kill him," Voldemort hissed in delight.
Tom shrugged as if unconcerned. "I suppose I can always find another Potions Master."
"True, and do you know why I'm here?" Voldemort made it sound as though he had known Tom existed, when, of course, he had not. Discovering Tom's existence had simply been fortuitous when Voldemort had realized where he was. Now though he had a plan, a plan that Tom was about to hazard a guess at.
"So that we can be merged," Tom speculated, unable to think of any other reason, and then he lied. "I've had people out looking for you for exactly that reason, but they failed to discover any trace of you."
"Bella sheltered me," Voldemort hissed, still angry at his most faithful servant's death at Severus' hand. "She then sacrificed part of herself to try to bring me back. But the ritual failed, and so, as you correctly guessed, I've decided that we'll need to merge instead."
Tom felt nauseated at the very idea, but he let none of this show on his face. "I'm afraid I need to look up the correct ritual for our merger."
"I know the ritual already," Voldemort informed him. "You'll need to brew the soul merging potion, although I doubt you'll be familiar with it."
Tom had read about it, more than aware that one day Voldemort might well seek him out. "Commisceo Animus." He then lied. "But I don't know how to make it."
"Then I'll tell you what you will need and how to make it. Do you have a potions lab here?" Voldemort hissed, also having looked up the potion in detail and committed it to memory.
"A very basic one," Tom said, lying once more, relieved when Voldemort did not appear to realize he was being dishonest.
"That will suffice," Voldemort decided, before stating, "The potion will take you one day to brew."
"Then I'll start in the morning." Tom fully intended to get a good night's sleep.
"You'll start now," Voldemort ordered, fed up with his existence as it currently stood.
Tom wished he could simply destroy the snake but he was well aware that Voldemort would revert to his misty state, and Tom would then have no idea of where the man was or what he was up to. "Very well, I'll start on it now."
After giving Tom instructions on how to brew the potion, Voldemort slithered over to the fireplace. "A fire would be welcome before you leave."
Tom aimed his wand at the fireplace, which was how he guessed Voldemort had managed to gain access into his room. "I'll see you later."
"You'll return in one hour." Voldemort lifted his head for a moment, looking directly at Tom, before coiling up.
After walking into the large and spacious potions lab in the basement, Tom discovered that Severus was not in Hogwarts, but had sensibly headed for Tom's own private lab and was now brewing frantically. Tom headed over to him.
"You've been bitten, haven't you?"
Severus was already feeling dizzy and acknowledged he had. "Potter's snake sank its fangs into me just as I was disapparating. I tried to kill it when I arrived but Lucius was in the way. It slithered off somewhere. Lucius is searching for it." Severus wobbled as he added fairy wings, the venom effectively doing its job.
Tom pushed him aside and placed the book he had in his hand on the side. "I'll finish this."
Sweating, and getting more disorientated by the second, Severus let Tom finish the potion and, a short time later, after taking it, he started to feel like himself again. "Thank you, Tom."
"You're more than welcome, Severus," Tom said, and then he let him in on a secret. "Lucius won't find the snake; it's in my rooms."
"You killed it?" Severus asked.
"I didn't dare take the chance. You see, the snake is Voldemort, and he knows you killed Lestrange and that you're a traitor, Severus. And the reason he bit you was to kill you, and because he wanted to see where you went, bringing him here to me." Tom knew that despite Voldemort's words about a merger, he must have had no idea that Tom had been revived.
Severus bowed low. "My humblest apologies."
"On reflection you may have done me a favor," Tom informed Severus, who he knew had expected to be punished. "Voldemort wants me to make the Commisceo Animus potion."
Aware of what the potion did, and although he was surprised that Tom seemed to want to go ahead with the merger, Severus immediately offered to make it. "I'm almost completely recovered now and would be happy to brew it for you."
Tom shook his head. "I'm not going to merge with that thing. I'm going to make the Laqueum Animus potion instead."
Also aware of this potion's abilities, Severus guessed at what Tom had planned. "You're going to trap Lord Voldemort's soul somehow?"
Tom smiled in acknowledgement. "I thought in a book would be most fitting. I'd ask you to make the potion but you'd be betraying your former master if you did so."
As part of Voldemort's former Inner Circle, Severus' oath was far more reaching than a standard Death Eater's oath, and he was well aware that if he betrayed Voldemort by making the potion for Tom, it might kill him. However, he still felt obliged to offer his services. "But as you're part of him, I'd still be serving you, or at least I believe I would."
"I don't want to lose my Potions Master, so I do believe that we shouldn't take the chance, Severus," Tom said, as he began to move swiftly around the potions lab putting together what he needed. An hour later, he straightened up. "I have to return."
When Tom entered the bedroom, the snake glanced at the gold clock on the mantelpiece. "You should be at stage one. What color is the potion?"
Tom relayed what he knew Voldemort expected to hear. "An opaque silvery-blue with silvery flecks."
"Excellent!" Voldemort hissed. "Soon I'll take my revenge on Potter, something I believe you've so far failed to do."
"You obviously know that I tried during the Triwizard Tournament," Tom said, his voice tight, although he still had no idea how Harry had been able to avoid him at the graveyard.
"I do," Voldemort acknowledged, having been able to overhear the panicked conversation between the teachers as he had hidden in rat form beneath the quidditch stands. "And given that I know that the boy is still alive, I do believe my statement about your failure is correct."
Tom did not appreciate the gloating hiss that came out of Voldemort's mouth and he therefore brought up Voldemort's own disappointment. "I could say the same about failure to you, especially as you also tried to kill Potter and didn't succeed, thanks to his mother, I believe."
"Lily Potter!" Voldemort's hissing was full of anger, both at Lily's actions and Tom's remark. "Stupid girl! She should have stood aside, leaving me to ascend to my destiny."
Tom decided his creator was full of pride, a path he never intended to take, fully intent upon learning from Voldemort's mistakes. "Why would you even let her live? Severus said it was because he'd been a loyal servant."
"Up until then he had been, and I therefore agreed that if the Mudblood didn't offer up any resistance, then she could live, although it went without saying that both of her children would have to die." Even though he had agreed to Severus' request, Voldemort had never understood Severus' obsession with the redhead, particularly as she had been a Mudblood, albeit a brilliantly talented one. "I should have just stunned her."
"So was it painful?" Tom asked, when a silence fell, as this was something Severus had been unable to tell him.
"Yes!" Voldemort hissed, nodding his head, his scales glistening in the firelight. "Every part of my body felt as though it was being torn apart. I existed in the world by taking over small animals' bodies but they didn't last long. Eventually I took over a teacher, feeding off his life force to survive. Then he was destroyed, and, after his death, Bella found me and she nursed me until I was strong enough to undergo a ritual to restore me into a true body. Unfortunately the ritual went wrong. I suspect now that Snape deliberately didn't follow my instructions, something I intend to see that you do." Voldemort pinned his gaze on Tom. "I want to see the potion."
"Of course," Tom said, guessing correctly that Voldemort did not entirely trust him. Leading the way down the stairs, Tom let Voldemort follow him, before opening the door to his potions lab. As the snake slithered in front of him, Tom stunned it.
When Voldemort came to, it was to find himself trapped in a cage, both Tom and Severus watching him. "What is the meaning of this?"
Tom placed a book next to the cage. "Did you really think that I'd merge with you?"
"You are weak without me," Voldemort pointed out. "You're only a piece of my soul, and should you die then it would be final."
"Rather that than merge with you," Tom said, his voice revealing his disgust. "How we might look after such a merger repulses me."
"I only looked like that because of splitting my soul so many times," Voldemort hissed at Tom. "And if I had not done so, you would not be here."
"No, I would not," Tom admitted. "But I fully intend to make the most of the opportunity that has been given to me."
Voldemort tried bargaining with Tom. "I could help you achieve what you seek."
Tom had expected such a plea and he ignored it. "You can offer me nothing that would induce me to merge with you. Obviously I can't kill you, but I'm going to make certain that you can give me no more trouble."
Voldemort did not betray his fear of what Tom might do, merely asking, "So you're going to put me on ice?"
"Not exactly how I'd have phrased it, but yes," Tom said, picking up the leather bound book he had fetched from his library and showing it to Voldemort. "This will be your new home. I thought it quite apt."
As he read the title, despite his predicament, Voldemort could not help but be amused by Tom's irony. "The Lair of the White Worm. Quite droll."
"I thought so." Tom picked up a vial of potion and threw its contents into the cage. "This will separate you from the snake."
Inside Nagini, Voldemort steeled himself as he was ripped forcibly from his vessel and he reverted back to his gaseous form. Trying to flee through the bars of the cage, he found himself unable to do so and he was forced to listen as Tom picked up a second vial of potion.
"This potion will imbue the book with absorptive qualities. When I slide it in through the bars, your essence will be drawn inside." Tom poured the potion over the book, watching as the book glowed pink before resuming its original brown color. "Then I'm going to place this book in the library here in Laurifer Manor."
Voldemort felt himself being sucked into the book as it was placed inside the cage. Within moments it was over, and he was bound inside. He soon began to feel sleepy and, just as Tom had slept in a dormant fashion in the diary without any life force to feed him, Voldemort too would eventually reach the same state.
Severus let out a sigh of relief. "I have to be honest, I was half afraid it would fail."
"Voldemort isn't going to be a bother to either of us ever again, a little like Black," Tom said, just as relieved but not showing it. "So what news on Potter?"
"When I returned, he'd been released and Lupin was back as well," Severus said, disgust filling his voice. "I couldn't return here sooner as I had to attend a meeting to discuss what had happened to Hagrid - Nagini bit him. Flitwick suspects it was Lord Voldemort and that somehow he'd been in cahoots with Black."
Tom grinned. "That's even better. I'm convinced that such evidence makes Black's plea of innocence even more damning."
Severus grinned back. "And it's another stake in Potter's heart as well. He was rather upset from what I can gather about both Nagini and his owl."
Almost as if she had heard her name, Nagini gave a faint hiss, causing both men to look towards the large cage. Tom walked over. "I didn't think she'd survive."
"Are you going to kill her?"
Tom shook his head. "No." He then hissed at the snake, "I can you help you."
Severus was surprised when Tom gently fed the snake a restorative potion before hissing at it, the snake weakly responding.
"What does it want?"
"To be protected from another attack like Voldemort's," Tom said, smirking as he had already come up with an idea as to how he could use the snake. "I've told her if she agrees to bond to me, I'll protect her, unlike her former master."
"You're going to turn Potter's snake against him?"
Tom's smirk grew. "I do believe I am."
Severus mirrored Tom. "Another blow for Potter then."
Tom again smiled, before offering something up that he knew would make Severus even happier. "Before you leave, tell me, would you care to witness Black's death?"
"I imagined it would be a closed viewing."
"It is, but Lucius will be there, and he wondered if I wanted to accompany him, which of course would be rather difficult. However, I'd be happy for you to attend in my place if you would care to do so."
Severus' eyes lit up almost greedily. "I would."
"Then perhaps you should contact Lucius to make the arrangements." Tom picked up the book. "I'll let you see yourself out."
Tom whistled jauntily to himself as he made his way upstairs and into the library. Smiling, he slid the book back into the spot he had originally taken it from. He knew that none of the Death Eaters would ever want to read Muggle books, to say nothing of the fact that the library was his private domain. Voldemort would therefore remain in the book forever and, once he had the Hallows, he, Tom, would be the one to go on to rule the wizarding world.
2nd November 1996
Harry glanced up at Remus as he came into the library. "Hi."
"We have to go," Remus said, before turning to Hermione. "Can you pack up Harry's things and leave them in my room?"
Hermione agreed, surprised at how quickly Remus hustled Harry out of the library.
Harry too was surprised. "Where are we going?"
"The execution has been brought forward to today," Remus said, as he headed to his rooms. "We can floo out from my room as Filius has agreed to keep the floo open until I leave at the end of next year."
Harry did not care so much about the floo – he was more interested in the change of date for the execution. "Why bring the execution forward?"
"I don't know, but I suspect it's to stop any rescue attempt," Remus said, as he opened his door, before turning to face Harry. "Harry, if you don't want to go, then you can stay here. I didn't want to ask you in front of everyone."
"I'm going," Harry said, his voice resolute.
"Then leave your secondary wand here and let's go."
Remus then took Harry's arm and they stepped into the fireplace, before they disappeared in a flash of green smoke. Upon arrival, Remus handed over his wand and Harry had to do the same. They were then led upstairs, passing numerous Aurors as they went along.
"There are a lot of Aurors around," Harry said, commenting on how many they had passed.
"I'm not surprised given Black's history," Remus remarked, as they finally reached their destination.
On walking inside, Harry stiffened and whispered, "What's Snape doing here?"
"Come to gloat," Remus said, scowling at the man who was sitting with Lucius Malfoy. "He hates Black more than anyone else I know."
"I doubt it," Harry said, his voice full of detestation. "I think I can safely say I hate him more than Snape."
Remus sat Harry down next to Arthur Weasley, who he had also asked to attend just in case Harry needed more support. "Thanks for coming, Arthur. Do you know why there's been a change in date?"
"No." He then greeted Harry. "Hello, Harry. Molly wanted to come to be with you but I told her no due to how bad I expect it might be. How are you holding up?"
"I feel sick," Harry admitted, his stomach churning. "I just want it to be over."
"Another twenty minutes and you should get your wish," Remus said, as he also sat down.
The twenty minutes seemed to take forever to go by but finally the time of the execution arrived and Sirius was led into the room.
Harry could not help but stare at the man who had destroyed his family and, to some extent, Harry's life.
Remus placed a hand on Harry's arm as Sirius was moved to stand in front of the archway, the Veil that shrouded it fluttering as if in a wind. "Don't look if you don't want to, Harry."
"I have to," Harry said, his eyes firmly glued on the condemned man.
Both of them fell silent as Amelia asked if Sirius had anything to say before the execution was carried out.
Sirius did, and he turned to face Harry. "Harry, I'm so sorry I hurt you but I didn't want to do it."
"Then why did you?" Harry asked, after struggling to find his voice, his nausea of earlier returning.
"I had no choice."
"And what about my parents and my brother?" Harry yelled, anger overcoming his sickness. "Why did you betray them? Was it because you had no choice?"
Sirius' voice was full of anguish as he said, "I swear I didn't do it. It was Wormtail who betrayed them." He knew he had failed to get through to Harry when Harry looked away. So instead he turned his attention to Remus. "Please, Moony," Sirius pleaded, "you have to believe me about Wormtail. He's the one who killed those Muggles, not me."
"Don't you dare denigrate a good man, Black!" Remus snarled, his face full of anger as he refuted his former friend's comment.
Sirius tried one more time. "Remus, please, I know I'm going to die for what I tried to do to Harry and for killing those people, but honestly, I didn't give up James. If I'd known what would happen, I would've been his secret keeper. Please, please, forgive me for not doing so."
"Go to hell, Black." Remus then deliberately looked away just as Harry had.
"I'm already there," Sirius murmured quietly before turning his gaze away from his former friend.
Sirius had desperately wanted Remus to give him absolution for switching places with Wormtail but it was clear that even in the face of his pleas, Remus hated him and absolution was the last thing on his mind. Sirius therefore turned back to face Amelia.
"I'm ready."
Amelia placed a black piece of cloth over her shoulder and read out the death sentence. "Sirius Orion Black, you have been sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss for the murders of Marjorie Dursley, Timothy Greer, Virginia Granger …"
The list went on for some time as Amelia named every single victim she believed that Sirius had killed, although he had not admitted to killing all of those on the list. "After this part of the sentence has been administered, your body will be cast through the Death Arch and into the Veil. May Merlin have mercy on your soul."
A pale and clearly shaking Sirius was then led behind a screen by two of the contingent of Aurors that had been guarding him.
While the issuing of the decree was public, the actual moment of the Kiss and the sight of Sirius' body being cast through the archway would be hidden, as it was considered too horrific to watch, the law having been changed by Tiberius Ogden after Harry's adverse reaction to his aunt's execution.
Ogden did not want an entire room of people having to be obliviated, so only the Aurors who had volunteered would remain behind the screen to act as witnesses while the Dementor did its work. They would then be the ones to carry out the final part of the execution.
Harry shivered as the Dementor glided in, its path taking it away from the spectators before it vanished behind the screen. His knuckles turned white as he grasped his trousers when he heard a horrible sucking noise before a flash came from behind the screen and the Dementor reappeared, before gliding away and being taken out. Then a minute later, the screen was lowered to reveal only the Aurors standing there.
Remus thought the Aurors looked terrible, and he glanced at Harry, who did not look much better. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know," Harry said, his voice shaking. "I think I'd like some fresh air."
"Then I believe we should leave," Remus told him, afraid Harry was going to be sick. "Let's go."
Following a couple of the other spectators out, Harry held on to Remus' arm until they were clear of the spinning room. Arthur then said his goodbyes after Harry reassured him that he would be okay, before Arthur headed off home to report to Molly on how things had gone.
Once they reached the departure area, Remus decided to side-apparate Harry and as they arrived just outside of Hogwarts, he held on to him as Harry leaned over and threw up. "I shouldn't have let you go."
"I wanted to go," Harry said, when he was able to speak again.
Remus cast several spells on Harry to freshen his breath and clean him up. "Do you feel up to walking?"
Harry shook his head and burst into tears, crying uncontrollably for a few minutes, before angrily swiping at his tears and asking, "Why am I crying? I'm glad he's dead."
"I know but you're crying because it's how you always deal with stress once things have calmed down," Remus reminded him. "And it's okay."
It was then that it occurred to Harry that Remus too must be upset. "Are you all right? I'm sorry, I should've asked."
"I understand why you didn't, Harry, and no, I'm not all right," Remus admitted, having felt almost as sick as Harry but pushing it aside to take care of his charge. "That was harder than I imagined it would be."
"Then perhaps you shouldn't have gone," Harry said, noticing that Remus appeared to be close to tears as well.
"Just like you, I had to," Remus said, before glancing up at the school. "Do you feel up to walking yet?"
"Yes," Harry said, the shaking in his legs having subsided a little.
"Then let's go to my rooms. I expect Hermione's probably waiting for us." Remus then opened the gate to the school and led Harry inside.
