Part Twenty-Three
Sirius was so upset, that he didn't bother to touch the knot on the trunk of the Whomping Willow. He just barreled out of the hole at its base and barely felt the blows as the tree struck him.
He didn't want to believe it, but the proof had been too overpowering. If he wasn't the Secret-Keeper, how could he have known where the Potters lived while in hiding? And if he wasn't the Potters' Secret-Keeper why did everyone think he was? Even Dumbledore knew that he had been the Secret-Keeper. If, for some reason they had changed, they would have at the very least told Dumbledore, wouldn't they?
It was quite some time before Sirius stopped running and collapsed. He didn't know where he was except that it was somewhere in the Forbidden Forest. He turned back into his human form and bent his head and cried as if his heart would break.
"Friend of Hagrid, I thought I told you that you were not allowed in this part of the Forest." said a low solemn voice.
Sirius raised his head and found that he was facing a centaur with a palomino body.
"Oh, hello, Firenze," he said.
"You are bleeding, friend of Hagrid," said Firenze. "You must be more careful in the decisions that you make, especially those involving one who is like your brother."
"You don't have to tell me that, Firenze," said Sirius. "What I have just learned may kill the only friendships that matter to me."
"Things are not always what they seem, friend of Hagrid," said Firenze. "Remember that those who are loyal and true will always remain loyal and true. That what may seem to everyone else to be true is quite often not. Humans are fond of saying that they are only "human." And sometimes mistakes are made that seem to be the only course of action to make. That doesn't make them right. Remember that. Be well, friend of Hagrid," he said and disappeared as quickly as he came.
Sirius stood up. He hoped that the centaur was right. That whatever had happened could be changed by changing the decision that he had made, or by finding out the real truth of the matter. There was no way that he would
ever knowingly betray his friends. He heard James coming toward him and turned.
"Sirius," James said putting his arm out for Sirius to take. "You're hurt. We don't believe that you would ever do such a thing. That is not you. Come back and we will read the rest of the book. I know that all of this will eventually be explained. There has got to be something else going on."
Sirius nodded. Only then did he become aware of the pain that radiated from several deep cuts on his body. His left leg would not bear his weight and he fell to the ground.