Confessions

Even the most adept minds are prone to forget things from time to time. The most adroit plotters make their little mistakes. Sirius Black was no exception to this rule. He made the mistake of not telling James of the afternoon's happenings. Sirius was one of those people who liked to carry out their operations entirely by themselves. Where there is only one in a secret, the secret is more liable to remain unrevealed. There was nothing, he thought, to be gained by telling James. He forgot what the consequences would be if he did not.

So, Sirius kept his own counsel, with the result that James went over to the school on Monday in gym shoes. The boys were on their way to the first class of the day, Latin, when they were stopped in the hallway by Mr. Filch.

"What are you wearing on your feet, Potter?"

"Gym shoes, sir."

"Are you not aware that gym shoes are not the appropriate attire for school? Why are you wearing gym shoes?"

"I have lost one of my shoes, sir."

A gulp escaped from Mr. Filch's lips as his face went rather blank. After a moment of silence, he quickly spluttered "Very, well. Off to class." And rushed off down the hall.

"Well, that was rather strange wasn't it?" said James, looking at the boys.

"Any idea what that was about?" asked Remus. None of the boys replied but an attentive observer would notice that Sirius' face had gone pale.

…

James put his head in his hands as he watched the Snape and Longbottom batting in the nets at cricket practice.

"They're not that bad, James!" Lily said as she watched with him.

"Evans, my dear. I don't believe those two could hit a beach ball with their bats!"

"Well, it's just as well they're in the team for their bowling then." replied Lily as she watched Franks stumps get knocked over, to illustrate James' point.

"You need to step out at the ball and keep your head still, Longbottom!" James called out. "What do you mean their bowling? Snapes bouncer to me the other week was one of the saddest things I've seen in my life!"

"Well that's not his strongest ball. He's best if he just sticks to bowling a good line and length. You were in his head is all it was."

"I'll take your word for it." James replied looking doubtful. "What about Longbottom? what does he bowl?"

"He's quick, he'll bowl around 80 to 85mph and get the ball to move off the pitch"

"good, good." James said as he ran his hand through his hair. As he was in deep thought on plans for the team, a second-year girl came up to him and informed him that Mr. Filch wanted to see him in his office.

"This incessant demand for me is a nuisance." sighed James. "It's one of the worst things about being popular."

"I don't think he wants you for a cup of tea, James." replied Lily with a grin.

"If he offers, I shall edge away. Sirius has tea waiting for me in the study upon my return."

"How charming, you two make a very cute couple." said Lily, sticking out her tongue.

"The two cutest guys in the school would make the cutest couple I suppose." replied James "Anyway, I'd best be off, see you later Evans."

"Bye, Potter."

….

James entered the study to find Sirius Black agonizing over a puzzle.

"I don't wish to be harsh" said Sirius, without looking up "But the man who invented this thing was a blighter of the worst type. You come and have a shot."

"The man's an absolute driveling ass" said James hotly.

"Me, do you mean?"

"What on earth would be the point of me doing it?"

"I'll give you five pounds if you manage the puzzle. Five of the best isn't a bad start in life."

"I'm not talking about your rotten puzzle."

"What are you talking about?" asked Sirius.

"That ass Filch. I believe he's off his nut!"

"I know but what did he do? Did he jump out at you from behind a door? Or else announce that he is a teapot or something of that nature?"

"You remember that someone painted his cat?"

"Like it was yesterday" said Sirius "Which it was, pretty nearly."

"He thinks I did it." said James, running his hand through his hair.

"Why? Have you ever shown any talent in the painting line?"

"The silly ass wanted me to confess. Jawed a lot of rot about it being to my advantage later on if I behave sensibly."

"Then what are you worrying about? Don't you know when someone wants you to confess, it simply means they don't have enough evidence to start in on you with?"

"Evidence!" said James. "My dear chap, he's got enough evidence to sink a ship. He's got evidence sweating out of every pore! Now, he's dead certain I painted the cat."

"Did you, by the way?"

"No." said James shortly "I didn't but after listening to Filch I almost began to wonder if I had. The man's got stacks of evidence to prove that I did."

"Such as what?"

"It's mostly about my shoes. But dash it, you already know about that. He said you were with him when he came looking for them."

"It is true that he and I spent a very pleasant half hour together inspecting shoes, but how does he drag you into it?"

"He swears one of the shoes was splashed with paint."

"Yes. He babbled to some extent on that point. But what makes him think the shoe, if any, was yours?"

"He's certain that it's somebody from this house and is hiding it somewhere. And I'm the only chap in the house who hasn't a pair of shoes to show, so he thinks it's me. I don't know where the dickens my other shoe has gone. I've got two pairs, of course, but the other pair is getting cleaned."

Sirius sighed

"My dear Prongs" he said. "all this sad affair shows the folly of acting from the best motives. In my haste, meaning to save you unpleasantness, I have landed you in the cart. Are you particular about dirtying your hands? If you aren't, just reach up the chimney a bit."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Go on get it over with, reach up the chimney."

"I don't know what the game is." said James, kneeling by the chimney and reaching up. "But-Hello, what's this?" James dusted off the object in his hand. "It's my shoe!"

"It is your shoe" agreed Sirius "And, you may have noticed, it has a red stain across the toe"

"How on earth – by Jove! I remember now. I kicked up against something in the dark that night I was helping Wormtail out. It must have been the pot of paint."

"Well, this confirms my frequently stated opinion that Wormtail is one of natures blitherers. Look at the tight place he's put you in!"

"It is a tightish place." admitted James.

"What was the position of affairs when you left Filch. Did you two part as adversaries or did you simply part with mutual courtesies?"

"He said I was Ill advised to continue conducting myself in this manner, or some rot, and I said I didn't care, I hadn't painted his bally cat, and he said, well then, he must take steps and well, that was that really."

"Quite sufficient, I take it, that he is on the warpath. What do you anticipate his next move to be?"

"I suppose he's gone to the old man about it"

"A very worrying time our headmaster must be having with this painful affair. What do you think his move will be?"

"I suppose he'll send for me."

"He'll want you to confess, too. Masters are all about confessions. They sustain themselves on confessions." Sirius said bitterly. "The worst of it is, you can't prove an alibi, because about the time Filches cat was bathed in paint, you were playing round and round the mulberry bush with Filch."

There was a tap at the door.

"See how we have trained them." said Sirius. "They now knock before entering. There was a time when they would attempt to smash the door in."

James opened the door to show Lily standing there looking concerned.

"Ah, Lily!" said James. "Come in, come in. Would you care for some tea? Sirius has a beastly difficult puzzle we could use your help with."

"Maybe later, Potter." said Lily "I've been told to inform you that the headmaster wants to see you in his office."

"I told you so" said James, looking over at Sirius.

"Don't go," suggested Sirius "Tell him to write."

"What's all this about?" asked Lily.

"Filch seems to think I'm the one who painted his cat, I can only assume it is about that."

"What a load of rot!" said Lily

"Well-err, yes. My thoughts exactly." said James, surprised that Lily was taking his side. "Well, I'd best head off then. It'd be poor form to keep the headmaster waiting."

"You'll be alright" said Sirius "Just keep telling yourself you'll be alright. Stout denial is the thing. Don't go for airy fairy explanations. Simply stick to stout denial. You can't beat it."

…

The headmaster was just saying "I don't think you realize the full extent-"when there was a knock at the door. A voice said Mr. Filch to see you, sir and the chief witness for the prosecution came into the room.

"I'm sorry for interrupting you sir, but-"

"Not at all Mr. Filch."

"I have discovered…that is to say, I have been informed that it was not Potter that painted my cat."

James and Dumbledore both stared at the speaker. James felt a wave of relief crash through him. Stout denial was a risky game to play and up until this point, it had not been working.

"Not Potter?" said the headmaster

"No. It was a boy in the same house, Black."

Black! James was even more surprised now. He couldn't believe it.

"Black!" said the headmaster "What makes you think this?"

"Simply this." said Mr. Filch "The boy came to me a few moments ago and confessed."

James had an acute feeling of depression at this news. He wasn't in the least bit thankful or jubilant to hear that Sirius was taking the blame. All he could do was think that Sirius was done for. There was an awkward silence as the headmaster digested this news.

"May I go, sir" said James, taking advantage of the pause.

"Certainly, James." said Dumbledore.

Just as James reached the door when there was a knock.

"Come in" said Dumbledore.

It was Lily.

"Yes, Lily?"

Lily was breathing particularly heavily as if she had been running.

"It wasn't Potter who did it, sir."

"No, no miss Evans. Mr. Filch was just saying-"

"It was Fabian Prewett."

The headmaster gave a yelp of astonishment and Mr. Filch leapt out of his chair. James' eyes opened to their fullest extent upon hearing this news.

"Miss Evans." said the headmaster

"Yes, sir"

"What do you mean?"

"It was Prewett, sir. He told me not five minutes ago. After he heard James was taking the blame for it, he told me it was really him, sir."

"If it was really Prewett who painted Mr. Filch's cat, I cannot understand Black's motives in confessing…"

The headmaster pressed a bell on his desk and the headmaster's assistant came into the room.

"Mr. Barlow, Kindly go across to Gryffindor house and inform Mr. Black that I would like to see him."

"If you please, sir, Mr. Black is waiting in the hall."

"In the hall?"

"Yes, sir. He arrived just after Miss Evans saying that he would wait, as you would probably wish to see him shortly."

"Very well" said the headmaster "ask him to step in"

The door opened and Sirius entered the room. He entered the room as would the guest of the evening who is a few minutes late for dinner. He seated himself in a deep armchair (which both James and Lily had avoided in favour of less luxurious seats).

"You wished to see me, sir?"

"Mr. Black, you came to Mr. Filch earlier and admitted that it was you, who had painted the cat?"

"Yes, sir."

"It was absolutely untrue?"

"I am afraid so, sir."

"But, Black. This is the most extraordinary affair. What induced you to do such a thing?"

Black sighed softly.

"The craze of notoriety, sir." He replied sadly.

"I beg your pardon?" replied the headmaster

"It is remarkable" continued Sirius placidly "How frequently, when a murder has been committed, one finds men confessing that they have done it. Men who are out of the realm of possibility of having committed the crime. It is one of the most interesting problems with which anthropologists are confronted. Human nature-"

"Sirius" said the headmaster. "I should like to see you alone for a minute. Mr. Filch might I trouble…? Evans, Potter."

He made a motion towards the door. When Sirius and Dumbledore were alone there was a silence for a minute.

"Would you care to explain yourself truthfully now, Mr. Black."

"Strictly between ourselves, sir..."

"I will certainly respect any confidence…"

"I don't wish anybody to know, sir. This is strictly between ourselves."

"I shall, of course, tell nobody, Mr. Black" said the headmaster, now looking concerned.

"Well it was like this, sir. Potter told me that you and Mr. Filch suspected him of painting the cat, and there seemed to be a danger of him getting expelled, so it didn't seem an unsound scheme if I were to go and say I had done it."

There was a pause.

"It was a very wrong thing to do, Mr. Black. It was very noble of you but still very wrong." The headmaster held out his hand to Sirius "You may go now, Mr. Black."

"Not a bad old sort," said Sirius as he left the room and found James and Lily waiting for him in the hallway. The group started walking. "Not a bad old sort at all. I must drop by from time to time and cultivate him."

"You are the limit." said James "What's he done?"

"Nothing. We had a pleasant little chat and I tore myself away."

"You mean he's not going to do a thing?"

"Not a thing."

"Fantastic." said James. "Oh, I forgot to mention earlier, Lily, I wrote to the captain at Reikine, I'm pretty confident he'll be up for it."

"Wonderful!" cried Lily as she hugged James, causing his heart to perform a backflip. "I think I'll take you up on that offer of tea in your study now. We should celebrate." She said as she merrily skipped ahead of the boys.

"What really made you tell Filch you'd done it?" James quietly asked Sirius.

"The craving for-"

"Oh, chuck it. You aren't talking to the old man now. I believe you did it to get me out of a jolly tight corner."

Sirius' expression was one of pain. "My dear Prongs, you wrong me. I'm surprised at you."

"Well, I believe you did all the same, and it was jolly good of you too." said James clapping him on the back. Sirius moaned.