38. State of Being
Ron and Hermione returned to a frowning best friend. Harry had a tight expression as he greeted them back. Initially, they had been concerned that it was bred from resentment, but that was unlike Harry's character.
Hermione coughed to capture her friend's attention.
Hearing it, Harry ceased his stride and turned towards them. He had been in the middle of an internal debate and didn't wholly appreciate the interruption, but he hid that fact. The trio stood there as the silence stretched. Hermione seemed to be trying to cajole Ron into action.
At long last, Ron actually focused to the matter at hand and helped present a united front.
"Harry what's the matter?" Hermione began.
The question furthered his frown as he made to reply.
Ron grasped him on the shoulder and had a concerned, but uncomfortable expression. "We're your mates, of course we noticed. You didn't even look excited about seeing a mess of new magical trinkets. You're practically in love with those."
"What Ron's trying to say is, you can rely on us. If we push this aside, you'll just brood over it and distance yourself. Don't deny it, your solution for any difficult issue is to dismiss company and work through your problems alone. But, you don't have to, you know?" Hermione looked timid at the suggestion. The bags under her eyes were emphasized by her look of concern.
Ron, on the other hand, was shifting as though he wanted to be anywhere but here. Emotional conversations such as these weren't his cup of tea. It made him anxious and tongue tied.
Harry was of similar disposition. With the exception of the Pale Lady, he liked to keep his problems private. If living with the Dursleys and Hogwarts had taught him anything, it was people were all too glad to devour a person at their weakest.
But, these were his good friends. Pushing his glasses up, he looked at them resignedly. "Alright, but we need to go somewhere before we begin. Anywhere with water really. I have a spot."
Both of them nodded in acceptance as they followed him. Harry led them to one of the many watering stations Hagrid had set up for magical creatures. He pulled out his spell book.
"Isn't that the book you like to read?" Ron began as he looked over the cover.
"Yes, it is. It's a spell book. Hold it, Hermione, that isn't important", Harry said as Hermione began to open her mouth. She looked abashed, but nodded resolutely. "I'm going to cast two spells, one to breathe underwater and another to teleport."
Opening the book, he chanted, "Treading water, dancing dark turmoil, a glance for something given (Drowning Life)." Immediately following that, he chanted, "It is not down on any map; true places rarely are. (Aqua Conveyance)."
Like that they were gone from Hogwarts.
…
Each of them stood tense outside of a healing room of Ys. Harry was unsure, Ron impatient, and Hermione was reluctant. The door opened and the merman healer gestured towards them.
"Sirius Black can speak to you, though try not to overexert him", the middle aged healer instructed.
The trio walked into the room. Black was surrounded in a bubble on a white sheet bed. Black looked a lot better from his injury in the Forbidden Forest, though he was still weak. Harry took the front.
"Black, why did you save me?" Harry asked.
Black rose slowly and looked at Harry with pained eyes, "I owe your parents that much. I couldn't afford another failure towards them." The man coughed painfully.
"But you betrayed them", Harry asserted.
"No! I did no such thing. It was Peter Pettigrew. My failure was suggesting that rat as guardian. There was a powerful charm meant to protect you and your parents. In my infinite wisdom, I nominated Peter, believing that I could fool everyone." Tears escaped his eyes and he continued, "I couldn't let you get hurt."
Hermione was skeptical, "Why didn't you explain yourself to the officials? Better yet, why didn't you go to the Aurors from the very beginning?"
Black gritted his teeth and replied, "I was foolish, but I didn't want Peter to leave unharmed."
"Good job there mate", Ron muttered sarcastically and received a smack on the arm by Hermione.
This was all very nice, but something bothered Harry. As noble as it sounded, if it was at all true, there was an oddity. "Why now? What pushed you to search for me now?"
Black looked at him with serious eyes, "Harry there have been whispers of dark things in Azkaban. Word has spread to the prisoners that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is recruiting. You are in more danger than ever. His followers will soon return to him. I needed to get out of there, the Dark Lord is aware of my true allegiance and would kill me. "
The group of friends looked at each other in anxiety.
"But that can be saved for later. I need to find Peter and prove my innocence. That rat could be anywhere, especially with his Animagus form. He should be an old rat with a missing toe, if I haven't gone completely mad."
All three students didn't dare breathe. If what the man said was true, Ron's pet rat was actually Pettigrew in disguise. It was ingenious, not only was he safe, but he could keep tabs on Harry through Ron.
Hermione had a hint of a smug expression. She appeared liberated from all of Ron's anger about their respective pets. The glare Ron was giving her was warning her to not brag. She merely smiled in return.
Harry ignored the byplay. He rubbed his chin in thought, they needed to capture the traitor. Eyes solemn he spoke, "We need a plan."
