Aurors IX
"Do you think they're all right?" Harry asked Jenny as she paced up and down. She stopped suddenly, looking as if she'd forgotten that he was there, forced a smile, and turned to him.
"Of course they're all right," she assured him. "Sirius and Remus can both look out for themselves." Her smile faded. "Why don't you do some homework or something to take your mind off everything?"
"I suppose," Harry said. He walked past the window and glanced out. He pulled up with surprise. "Jenny! The Dursleys are back!"
"I guess that Imperius Curse Marissa put on your uncle wore off," she said, coming over and looking too. "Perhaps we can get Sirius to go over and scare them when he gets back."
"Yes, that would be fun," Harry agreed, grinning. "I can just see Dudley running for cover with his hands over his fat rear end."
They watched as the Dursleys fearfully approached their house, opened it, and went in.
"Should we tell them you're here?" Jenny asked.
"No," Harry said firmly. "I don't want them to know I'm anywhere about, they'll find some way to make me miserable."
"Oh, Harry," Jenny said, her face full of compassion. "I'm so sorry."
"For what?" he asked, his brow furrowed.
"All the years you had to spend with them. You should have had someone to love you, but the Ministry…" she stopped. "And Dumbledore did think it best, I suppose. At least you were safe there – though I don't think he knew just how much your aunt and uncle hate us."
"Did you ever meet them?" Harry asked. He'd been wondering that for some time now.
"I met Petunia a few times, yes," Jenny said, "Usually during the summers when I'd come to visit your mother. And they were both at your parents' wedding, I don't know why. Lily only invited them because she felt she had to."
"They probably thought it was their duty," Harry suggested. "Or maybe they were hoping to see just how bad wizards are."
"That day was one of the best of my life," Jenny recounted, sitting down. "Your mother looked more lovely than I'd ever seen her, your father was just bursting with pride and happiness." She sighed. "I don't suppose you've seen any pictures of it, living with those," she glanced toward Number 4, "but they made quite a sight."
"Actually, I've got some photos in my album," Harry said, jumping up. "Hold on a minute." He ran upstairs, rummaged through his trunk, pulled out his thick photo album, and hurried back down. "Hagrid made this for me a few years back," he explained.
"Yes, that sounds like something Hagrid would do," Jenny agreed. Harry flipped through the pages to the wedding photographs.
"Hey," he said, pausing at one picture, "is that you?"
"Let me see." She looked at it a moment, then nodded. "That was me. I was Lily's bridesmaid, you know." She smiled sadly. "None of us thought – not once…" she paused, and Harry saw a tear in her eye. "Voldemort's hurt a lot of people," she said slowly. "But sometimes it seems that some of us were hurt worse than others… he killed your parents, and Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban because of that. You have to live with relatives who hate you. Remus – Remus lost all his friends in one night." She stopped again.
"What did you do for all those years?" Harry asked. He didn't want to say, if you were such a good friend of my mum's, why didn't you come and look after me, but Jenny seemed to understand what went unsaid.
"I hid," she said bitterly. "I wanted to take care of you, Harry, but I wasn't permitted to. So I hid, and avoided Remus, and did my best to forget that I'd been happy, once. And blamed myself for plenty of things."
"How could you be blamed for anything?" Harry wondered. "Nobody ever thought you worked for Voldemort, did they?"
"No." Jenny looked at Harry, soberly. "But when I thought Sirius was guilty, when I thought he was a traitor and spy, I thought I should have seen it, should have somehow stopped him from betraying your parents. And I wondered whether something I had said or done had made him join the dark side." She smiled. "We were never the most harmonious of couples, not like your parents – I don't know that they ever really fought more than about three times in their lives."
Harry suddenly remembered something he'd been wanting to ask her for some time now. "Jenny," he said tentatively, "A while back – when we had Pettigrew and thought we were going to clear Sirius then and there – Sirius offered to let me come live with him. I just wanted to find out if that would be okay with you?"
"Why, Harry," Jenny said, now smiling again, "Of course I want you to come live with us."
Harry grinned with relief. "Thanks," he said.
"Of course, we do have to clear Sirius first," Jenny reminded him. "And convince Dumbledore to let you come."
"Why wouldn't he? Surely you and Sirius would be able to keep Voldemort away? And I'm not entirely useless." He looked both puzzled and insulted.
"Not entirely," Jenny agreed, winking at him. "But if it comes down to keeping you safe with the Dursleys or putting you in danger with us, I'm not sure what Dumbledore would choose."
"I'm not afraid," Harry said.
"Of course not." Jenny sighed and closed the picture album. "You're James' son."
Just then someone knocked at the door. Harry glanced out the window.
"It's them!" he said excitedly.
"Sirius and Remus?" Jenny asked, jumping up. Without waiting for an answer she opened the door. And started laughing.
"Get in here," she said finally, and Remus, grinning too, came inside. He was leading Sirius – as a dog, of course – by a leash and collar.
"This is priceless," Jenny said. "Harry, you don't have a camera do you?"
"No," Harry said. He was trying not to laugh himself. If a dog could scowl, Sirius was doing so. Remus pulled the collar off him and he transformed quickly.
"I thought you were worried I'd get hurt," he said to Jenny, who was still laughing.
"I was," she said, sobering herself. "But you did look funny!"
"Yeah, Snuffles," Harry said slyly.
"Snuffles?" Jenny and Remus spoke together, turning to Sirius, who didn't answer, and to Harry, who was grinning broadly. "What's this 'Snuffles' business?" Jenny asked.
"I thought it was best that Harry didn't use my name at Hogwarts," Sirius said stiffly. "That's all."
"But – but Snuffles!"
"It really doesn't suit you," Remus observed. "Whatever made you choose that?"
Sirius muttered something that no one caught.
"So," Jenny said, "Come and sit down and tell us what happened. Did it work right?"
"Yes, perfectly," Remus said. "Everything went just as we'd planned."
"So hopefully the Ministry won't be looking for me anymore," Sirius said. "No doubt Snape'll get the Order of Merlin for that."
"Well, that's a small price to pay for them not hunting you," Jenny said with a smile. "Now, we've just got to wait for the Death Eaters to come tonight. Once that happens – what then?"
"Turn Marissa over to the Ministry," Remus suggested. "Dumbledore's in charge there, he'll know what to do."
"I don't really think I like this plan," Sirius remarked. "There are a lot of things that could go wrong."
"That's what I said about you faking your death," Jenny said, frowning. "But you did that. Is this really more dangerous? They won't be sending too many Death Eaters, we've got the element of surprise, and there are three of us."
"Four," Harry said indignantly.
"It might be a good idea to have you go somewhere, ah, safer," Remus suggested tentatively. "The Weasleys would be glad to see you, I'm sure."
"And what if Voldemort's got spies around and finds out I went there?" Harry asked. "I thought the Weasleys couldn't protect me." He rolled his eyes exasperatedly.
"Remus is right though." Sirius sat down, his brow furrowed. "It's not safe here for you."
"And it's perfectly fine for you." Harry looked at the three adults. "I'm not a baby!" he said. "I've faced Voldemort four times now, and lived. His Death Eaters can't be as bad as he is."
"You have survived," Jenny admitted, sitting down next to him. "And that's just why we have to be careful to make sure you're safe. Do you have any idea what would happen if Voldemort killed you? People would panic, worse than ever before. You're a symbol, Harry, and if Voldemort ever manages to kill you, that would be a symbol too."
"That's what he said," Harry remembered. He looked down at his feet, almost mumbling. "When I saw him last. He said the same thing."
"Because it's true," Sirius said. "That's why he wants you dead, and it's one of many reasons we need you alive."
"But I want to help," Harry said. "You might need me."
"To do what?" Sirius looked amused. "You're not allowed to do magic, Harry, remember?"
"In an emergency," Harry began, but Remus cut him off.
"An emergency is what we're trying to prevent, Harry. There won't be one unless you're here when the Death Eaters show up."
"I – well," Harry stopped.
"I'll go to the Weasleys with you, Harry," Jenny said. "Explain things to them, if you like. We can go by Floo Powder."
"Can I come back when this is over?" Harry asked, giving in.
"You can come to my house – my real house," Jenny said. "And your friend Ron, too, if he wants."
"All right," Harry said. "Fine, I'll go." He picked up his scrapbook and went upstairs. A few minutes later he came back down, carrying Hedwig in her cage. "I, ah, can't lift my trunk," he said as he put Hedwig down.
"We'll get it," Sirius said, and he and Remus went upstairs. With many thumps and bumps, the trunk was brought downstairs.
Just as Harry was about to throw his Floo Powder into the fire, the doorbell rang. Jenny hurried over and peered through the window.
"It's someone from the Ministry!" she exclaimed. "Remus, you take Harry and go, Sirius, you'd better hide."
"Come on," Remus said to Harry, pushing him forward to the fire. In a moment, they were gone, and all that was seen of Sirius was a black tail heading down the stairs. Jenny opened the door.
She didn't recognize the man, just the uniform. He was obviously from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He looked very uncomfortable.
"Are you Jenny Black?" he asked, consulting a piece of parchment in his hands.
"I am," she said. "Do you want to come inside? The neighbors are staring." It was actually just Aunt Petunia. It seemed her vacation had not cured her of her favorite pastime.
"Yes, thank you," the man said. He followed her in and sat down in the chair she offered him. "I'm, ah, Samuel Archer, Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"And, if I may ask, why do you wish to talk to me?" Jenny asked politely. Her heart, however, was pounding in her chest. Did he know that Sirius was alive, and here? Was that why he was here?
"Are you aware that at ten o'clock this morning, Sirius Black was killed by one Severus Snape, a professor at Hogwarts?"
"No," she lied. "Was anyone else hurt?"
"No," he said, looking at her confusedly. "Black was your husband, was he not?"
"He was," she said coldly. "Surely you do not think I was assisting him?"
"Oh, no," Archer said hurriedly. "The thing is – you see – " he swallowed and looked at his paper. "Two hours later, the Ministry of Magic received proof positive that Sirius Black never – never committed any of the crimes he was imprisoned for."
"What?" Jenny stared at him. "You what?"
"I'm afraid that Black was innocent," Archer said.
"You sent an innocent man to Azkaban?" Jenny didn't have to act anger here; she was furious as she stared at this little man, nervously shuffling papers in his hands, remembering all those lost years.
"We – we – the evidence pointed to him, of course," Archer babbled. "And everyone thought he was insane, you know. The Department just sent me to inform you, since you are Black's next-of-kin, I suppose. I'm sure there'll be some sort of reparations, of course."
"Reparations?" Jenny stared at him. "You sent an innocent man to Azkaban. You ruined who knows how many lives and you think you can make reparations?" She glared at him. "I want you to leave, now." Archer's mouth worked but no sounds came out. He stood hurriedly and walked to the door, glancing nervously back at her now and then. Jenny followed him to the door and slammed it behind him, then collapsed onto the sofa.
"What was that all about?"
She glanced up. Sirius was standing in the entrance of the room. He crossed and sat down beside her.
"I head you yelling, and then the door slammed, so I thought I could come and find out what happened."
Jenny sighed. "Some idiot from the Ministry. They know you're innocent, Sirius."
"What?" He started up and looked at her. "How?"
"He said they got information shortly after your 'death'." She brushed a strand of hair out of her face and went on. "He was here to apologize, I think. I got rather testy with him, lost my temper."
"It sounds like something Voldemort would do," Sirius said. Seeing her puzzled look, he went on. "Giving them information like that after I was, er, killed. It's designed to make the Ministry look bad, can't you see?"
"Of course," Jenny agreed. "Though they don't need much help with that. But I probably did go a bit overboard… I was so angry, he was saying something about 'reparations'… as if they could pay a bit and make everything fine. How are they going to give you back those twelve years? And what about me, and Harry, and Remus?" Her voice began to rise again until it seemed she was on the point of either tears or curses.
"They what?" Sirius stared at her. "That's absurd! I'd like to throw a few of them in that hellhole for twelve years, chase them across England, and try to kill them, for a start."
"That sounds just about right," Jenny agreed. "And while we're at it, shun the rest of the Ministry for things they can't help. All these self-righteous little bureaucrats, where were they fourteen years ago? Hiding in their holes, afraid to come out! If it hadn't been for people like you, and Remus, and – and James and Lily, I'd like to see where their precious Ministry would be now! They're finding out now just how much they need us, aren't they?"
"I suppose we're being a bit hard," Sirius sighed, sitting back.
"I don't think so," Jenny said stubbornly. "After all we've been through, and done, I don't think it's possible to be too hard on people like that."
"And what was our alternative?" Sirius looked her in the eye and spoke in a much calmer tone. "Let Voldemort win? We made our choices, Jenny, and everyone else made theirs, and there's no changing what's happened."
"No," Jenny agreed. "I wish we could. I wish we could go back and fix things…"
"So do I," Sirius agreed. "So do I."
The Floo Powder had its customary effect on Harry – it made him feel slightly ill as it dumped him into the Weasleys' grate. Harry saw several people as blurs – his glasses had come off and he put them back on quickly.
"Harry!" Ron looked shocked, then hurried over to help pull him out of the fireplace. "What're you doing here?" He was interrupted by Remus' arrival. "Professor Lupin?"
"Long story, Ron," Harry said. "Ah, I'm wondering if it would be all right for me to stay with you? Not for long, just a few days or so…"
"Of course dear." Mrs. Weasley hurried over and began brushing Harry off. "I'm so glad you came. In fact I was going to send Arthur for you tonight, I was so worried about you, poor dear. You must be horribly shocked."
"About what?" Harry asked, staring up at her. Her face was full of concern over his welfare. It was an expression he was getting just a bit more used to now.
"You don't know?" Ron asked. "About Sirius, I mean?"
"What?" Harry thought for a minute, then realized. "Oh, right, you think he's dead too."
"What?" Now Ron looked puzzled. "Snape killed him this morning, we were there."
"So was I," Remus put in. "I'm glad our little deception worked so well. Sirius is fine, Ron."
"Thank goodness," said another voice. Mr. Weasley stood in the hall; apparently he had just gotten home. " The Ministry's in such an uproar. Black's been cleared – posthumously, they think. It'll be a huge disgrace once the Daily Prophet gets hold of it."
"Don't tell anyone," Remus said hurriedly. "It's rather complicated, but no one's to know Sirius is alive, for a while at any rate."
"Wait a minute," Harry said. An odd look was on his face. "If they know Sirius is innocent, did they arrest Snape for murder?"
"No," Mr. Weasley said. "They said there was no way he could have been expected to know that Black was innocent. He won't be getting the Order of Merlin, though."
"Too bad," Harry said, grinning. "Anyway, I have to stay here, Sirius said, until –well, for a day or two."
"Of course you may," Mrs. Weasley said. "Ron, help him haul his trunk up to your room. Get your brothers to help."
"Mum, they're out back testing something explosive," Ron told her. "Harry and I can get it. Come on, Harry, I've got a tank of Double-Ended Newts I want to show you."
This part is rather shorter than I'd like, but I've been having writer's block… let's see, this part advances the story by what, three hours? It's getting to feel like Wheel of Time, where most of the books seem to be five thousand pages and it's still the same week.
There, that was my pointless comment for this note. Ah, J.K. Rowling rules! (The new biography of her stinks though, so don't bother to buy it, just read it at the bookstore like I did.) The part with the picture album was inspired by a gorgeous picture at the UHPFC, one of BJ's of course. It's the picture that was mentioned in PoA, the one of Lily and James' wedding day. That girl is more talented than the illustrator of the books!
Ok, done rambling. I hope to have more up before my vacation!
KB