Veritas 18
Okay, I'm going to get this warning up right now – these next two chapters are going to end in cliffhangers. I'm not trying to be cruel, but there it is. I do promise to get the chapters up quickly, though, so no needless suffering. Obviously the final chapter will have no cliffhanger.
I also feel the need to warn people that I don't like messing too much with the cannon of the ultimate plot of Rowling. I.E.: You won't see Voldemort in these, and I have no idea what she's up to with proving Sirius' innocence. Obviously I'm taking extreme liberties with other things, but I'm not going to touch those two items. I am assuming, in my little universe, as the visions of the future show you, that things work out for Sirius. And I am ignoring her suggestions that Harry doesn't survive. I read Joseph Campbell too, and I know that the hero's cycle is often tragic, though it vindicates the innocent.
The Raiders game is blaring in the background, as are the rather vicious and vociferous comments of our little peanut gallery (although I can't believe a bunch of almost MDs really want the entire Steelers' defensive line to die….). But they want to know what happens, too, so they made me get the laptop up. I'm being told to get this finished, damn it! So….
Sirius & Liz rejoin Remus in Hogsmead to wait to see what Malfoy does next. Pembroke and Sirius have a 'chat', and Sirius finds out what really happened to his parents. And then….
(Disclaimer: you know it by heart. None of JK Rowling's characters are mine, I'm just taking them for a spin. Pembroke's mine, but I'm not sure I want him.)
***
Sirius paced in the flat, anxiously waiting for Liz to get there. By now, Malfoy may have easily alerted the Ministry that Sirius Black had been walking plain as day across Westminster Bridge towards the Ministry itself. Or, he may have gone off to speak with his own Death Eater co-horts. I wish there was some way of tracking the bastard. Then we wouldn't have so many maybes to deal with. He suddenly thought of his mother, who had been by all accounts a gifted seer. She probably could have…. But Sirius never believed in any of that, really, and certainly had no gift for any of that himself. Besides, Liz had lots of interesting things around the place, but he didn't see anything that they could try and skry with.
Suddenly Liz came in, out of breath from running up the stairs. She beamed at him, obviously relieved to see him there.
"Okay then. We need to go, and I think we better get out of London the same way we came. If Malfoy's alerted the Ministry, then they will pay very close attention to all activity, and that includes apparating. They may in fact be trying to trace you coming here as we speak, but that will take a little time."
She grabbed the bag with their things and turned back to the door, but Sirius stopped her.
"Hey, wait. Good job. Thank you."
She smiled shyly at him, and nodded. "Anytime, Mr. Black."
Sirius quietly took her face in his hands and kissed her. He had meant it to just be a quick and simple kiss, but she dropped the bag to put her arms around him and the kiss quickly escalated. We're going to make it, Miss Harker; we have to.
Finally they pulled apart and looked at each other.
"I guess I shouldn't worry so much about you giving up on me."
"No, you shouldn't. Now, let's leave."
Liz led Padfoot back down to where she had the cab that had brought her back to the flat waiting. She let Padfoot get in, then climbed in herself and told the driver to take them to Charring Cross. He eyed the dog, then pulled out without a word. Liz scratched Padfoot affectionately and leaned down to whisper in his ear.
"One thing's for sure, with you about I'll never have to worry about getting mugged."
Padfoot gave a small bark & wagged his tail.
They reached the station and Liz led them quickly through the crowds to catch the northbound train. They suddenly noticed there were a large number of witches and wizards, carefully scanning the crowds. Liz tightened her hold on Padfoot's lead instinctively, and he leaned against her, trying to somehow reassure her that it was okay. Okay, so we know that Malfoy tipped them off. Just keep walking, Liz. Keep walking….
"I say! Excuse me, Miss? Miss!"
Sirius instantly tensed up as a familiar looking wizard stopped Liz. Sirius couldn't place him, but he knew, at least, that this man was sympathetic to Dumbledore, because he could swear he'd seen him at a few meetings. But that was when he was there as….oh, shit. He recognizes Padfoot.
Liz smiled at the man, and Sirius was heartened at least to see that she was projecting her usual calm, collected and easy-going manner.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
"Well, actually, I don't believe we've met. My name is Terusius Mifflin. Miss…?"
"Mrs., actually."
"Not Mrs. Lupin, by any chance? Mrs. Remus Lupin?"
"No, actually. Mrs. Godine. But I am good friends with Mr. and Mrs. Lupin."
The wizard smiled at this.
"That explains it then. I recognized your dog there, as Remus'. Such a beautiful animal. Are you minding him for them?"
Sirius looked up at Liz, who smiled down at him and gave him a quick wink. Sirius looked away, as he saw two wizards obviously from the Enforcement arm approaching them. He shuffled a bit to get Liz' attention and she followed his gaze. Just as quickly, though, she turned back to Mr. Mifflin.
"Yes. They've just taken a few days' holiday, and I've been looking after the dog while they were away."
The Enforcement wizards now stepped up to them. Liz heard the crowds fade as the wizards obviously cast some sort of silencing cone around them.
"Mifflin," said one of them in a tense voice. "How are you? And you are….?"
"Elizabeth Godine. Can we help you?"
The first wizard nodded tersely. "We've just had a report that Sirius Black is in London."
Mifflin looked shocked, and Liz tried very hard to look as stunned.
The second wizard gave a grimace. "Not just anywhere, mind you. He was walking across Westminster Bridge, right towards the Ministry. But he was spotted, and fled. I don't even want to think what he might have been up to."
The first wizard nodded, then looked hard at Liz and Mifflin. "It has been suggested that Black is being aided by a suspected Death Eater, so we're assuming he's back with his old crowd now and they're protecting him. We've been given orders to watch all of the muggle transport stations, since we assume Black won't use magic, knowing he's been spotted. May we ask were you are going?" He said, looking calmly at Liz.
Padfoot couldn't help giving a low growl at this and both Enforcement wizards gave him a nervous glance. Liz gave a small laugh and jerked Padfoot's lead so he had to take a step closer to her.
"Don't mind him. He's been cranky all morning and these crowds make him nervous. I'm on my way down to Exeter, actually." Sirius hoped they didn't ask to check her ticket now that she'd lied to them.
"She's actually returning the dog to his owner, Mr. Lupin." Mr. Mifflin chipped in with an overly large smile on his rather dull looking face. "I know the animal well. Isn't it lovely?"
"Lupin? Oh, yes. Lupin. Well. We know all about him. You'd best give him a warning that Black seems to be back and moving about. And now that he seems to have a family to protect he'd best be careful." The wizard shook his head and glanced at his partner who just shrugged. Sirius was livid now. Bastards. Remus is a better man than the two of you put together will ever be.
"Goodbye then." The noise of the busy station suddenly returned. "Do keep an eye out, and if you see anything suspicious, contact us immediately." They moved off and quickly vanished into the crowds.
"My goodness! Mrs. Godine, are you sure you'll be alright? Allow me to at least see you to your train."
Liz shook her head firmly. "No, thank you. That won't be necessary, I'll be fine. I seriously doubt any of us shall run into Mr. Black here in the station. It was nice to meet you, and I'll give Remus your regards."
He smiled blankly again. "Please do. And offer my congratulations. I haven't seen him a while and I know he and his wife had a baby. I hope all are well."
"Yes, they are. Thank you and goodbye." Without another word she stepped away from him and continued down the station towards their track. Padfoot strained the lead a little, but she held him back with a surprising strength. "Stop it," she muttered. "Don't draw any more attention to yourself, your size already gets heads turning. Just keep going and hope that that man doesn't suddenly realize that the westbound trains are at the other end."
They saw other wizards as they walked, as calmly as possible, to the track with their train for the North, but nobody else approached them. Finally, they got into the train. Liz had paid for a private compartment, and she sat Padfoot down opposite her as she settled and took out a book. Padfoot barked once and looked at the still open door, but she just gave him a light kick and didn't look up.
"Not yet. If they search the train before it leaves, and we've got that locked, it will look suspicious. If we run into the same wizards because a fuss is kicked up, I'm going to have to act like an idiot and try to convince them I just got on the wrong train. So sit down and shut up."
Sirius climbed up onto the seats so he could watch out the window. She gave him a slightly annoyed look, but said nothing. There were wizards on the platform, but they were watching people coming in, not getting on the train. Finally, the conductor gave the signal and the train slowly started moving away. At that instant a head popped in to their compartment, giving them both a fright.
It was another Enforcement witch. She gave a quick smile and looked them both up and down. "Sorry. Just checking. Have you…."
"If this is about Black, I've already spoken to some of your chaps in the station."
"Right then. Thank you." The witch disappeared and Sirius saw her jump off the train just before it cleared the platform. She walked back towards two other Enforcement wizards, shaking her head. Sirius turned to look at Liz, who had now gone pale and had her head in her hands. Finally she looked up at him, shaking her head, then stood to lock the door and pull the blinds. She turned to face him and leaded on the door, shaking slightly.
Sirius transformed back and sat there, staring at her. He felt a little pale himself, and finally gave a shaky smile, and held his hand out to her. Slowly she pushed away from the door and came to sit next to him, curling up against his shoulder.
"That was not fun, no matter what you say."
Sirius gave a small laugh. "No, that wasn't. At least we know that Malfoy went back to the Ministry before he did anything else. Too bad we can't get word to Remus…."
Liz sat up and grabbed her bag. "Don't be silly. I'm not the only one with a cell phone."
Sirius had to grin as Liz punched a number and waited. "Katie?"
Sirius listened to the one-sided conversation, never taking his eyes off her and reaching out to slowly stroke her hair while she spoke. She smiled at him but didn't keep his gaze.
"We're fine, yes. We're on the train North….Yes, so it would seem. Enforcement witches and wizards were all over the station….Yes we did speak to them….you can say that again. Look, get word to Remus that….is he there? What happened….Oh….Well, Malfoy would, wouldn't he?….So we're not the only ones who had an exciting morning….Look, tell Remus we'll be there around 6:30….Fine, yes…yes….Don't be wicked, Katie….No, he's not sleeping, and he feels fine. Don't you?" Sirius nodded as she looked at him. "Yes he's nodding. Okay, we'll see you soon. Give Malcolm a hug from Sirius," she winked at him, and he smiled.
Liz turned the phone off and sat back against his shoulder.
"Well, Malfoy went absolutely spare over your little prank. Seems he tried to implicate Dexter in aiding and abetting you. Which, of course, he is, but nobody paid him any mind because he was just so livid at the time and was screaming insults at the "moronic, incompetent, disgraceful' head of Enforcement. And then he demanded that they go immediately to the Lupins, also accusing Remus of helping you. Good thing Remus didn't go to Hogwarts yesterday and waited until later today. But, by coincidence it would seem, Albus Dumbledore was there too, and calmly pointed out that Malfoy has, on several other occasions, tried to use Remus' past association with Mr. Black to incriminate him, so this was nothing new. Malfoy shut the hell up because the only way he could press his accusations against Remus would incriminate him as well. The wizards apologized to them for causing such a fuss, warned them to be very careful now that Black seemed to be moving about again, and left."
Sirius sighed. "Well, at least Malfoy had a bad morning, too."
"One more thing. In light of this, they are not going to have Snape tell Malfoy you've been seen up here, because Malfoy will most likely take the note directly to the Ministry and the school will be descended upon by officials and…."
"Dementors. Good point. Not to mention we haven't warned Harry about this and they'll go right to him. Harry knows enough to tell them that he wasn't willingly speaking to me and that he's lucky he got away alive, blah blah blah, but still. Liz, I bring that boy nothing but grief."
Liz gave a grunt of distain and poked him in the ribs. "Don't say such stupid things. Harry loves you more than anyone and you know it. No wallowing."
Sirius smiled slightly and kissed her hair. "Right. Sorry."
"What happened to all the fun you were having?" she said, teasingly.
"Vanished when that last witch nearly scared me to death. Liz, now you see why I was so reluctant to talk about Padfoot. He's rather useful. For the life of me, I still can't figure why Peter hasn't let on about it, but as you can see, it's still a secret, or they would have looked at me much differently, and probably would have forced me to transform."
Liz shook her head. "Who knows. Anyway, Mr. Black. We've got a few hours to think about things. I'll go and get us lots of food, as I'm suddenly starving, and we'll talk. Do not, "she added, standing to leave, "fall asleep. Or you get an extra dose of potion."
"Yes, ma'm."
***
They got off the train at the nearest muggle town to Hogsmead and walked out of the station looking for Remus. He was standing quietly just outside the edge of the pool of light cast by one of the streetlights just beside the entrance. Remus smiled quietly, but Sirius could see that he had been fretting, and was visibly relieved when they walked over to them. Remus dropped down on one knee and patted Padfoot on the head.
"Hello. Very, very glad to see you. Both," he added, looking up at Liz. He stood back up and motioned them to walk with him down the street. It was very dark and cold, and Sirius was glad for Padfoot's thick pelt. There were no stars visible and a light fog had started to form. The streets were full of muggles moving about, but he could only catch glimpses of faces in the half-light that came from shop windows or from the headlights of the cars as they walked. Mostly he seemed surrounded by dark shadows and the heavy dull noise of the traffic. He started to feel a little ill, and the familiar buzzing in his head that came back whenever he started to get over stressed started again. Trying to calm himself, he kept his gaze on the ground, hanging his head so low his muzzle practically hit the pavement. He relied on Liz just walking him forward and directly him with the lead. Liz and Remus seemed to be discussing something in low tones, but he couldn't really hear them.
Remus did call to him softly, though and brought his attention back.
"Padfoot? You need to know that there are Enforcement wizards here in town, because Albus, not Malfoy, suggested that it might be a good idea to have them here, quietly and unobtrusively keeping an eye out. I am also here 'helping' them. Okay? This was done so someone didn't suddenly get the notion to bring all the dementors back. So far, that's been enough, and Fudge is staying out of all of it. Malfoy didn't hang around the Ministry. He left shortly after lunch, but Dexter has no idea where he went. I've been to the house, and right now it's deserted, so we're going to take you both there and then Liz and I are going to get Pembroke."
Sirius barked once so Remus knew he'd understood.
"Good. We're just going to get down this street up here to an alleyway and I've got a portkey there to take us to the house, so you don't have to change just yet, just in case. The Ministry can't track who uses a portkey anyway, so even if they do detect it, I'll know about it and I'll tell them it was me."
They continued to walk in a calm fashion down the wet sidewalk. Sirius would feel his paws starting to go numb, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the cold, daymares, or the sleeping curse. I'll have to take an extra dose of Katie's antidote to be on the safe side. I am feeling a little drowsy.
Remus finally led them down an alleyway and deep into the shadows.
"That's the portkey. Ready?"
They all reached out to touch an old rolled up newspaper at the same time, and Sirius suddenly found himself standing on the drive outside of his father's old retreat. The house was barely discernable in the darkness, and looked like nothing more than a huge shadow looming above the heavy forest of trees on either side. It was an old wooden frame house, rather like Remus' Tudor, but not nearly as welcoming. There were no beautiful gardens here, just a solitary gravelled drive that led across a flat featureless lawn up to the front doors. Quickly they went inside, and Remus lit his wand so they could see where they were going. He led them into the old dining room, in the middle of the house, and lit the lamps.
"This is the only room without windows, so nobody can see the light. Sirius?"
Sirius immediately transformed and watched both of their faces fall at the sight of him. I must look like I feel. He gave a weak smile.
"Liz, could you give me one of those extra…." Liz didn't wait for him to finish before reaching into her bag and handing him a small bottle. He drank the contents and shuddered, then gave her back the bottle.
"Thanks, I think."
She smiled and handed him a piece of chocolate. "That'll take the taste away and you look like you could do with some."
Sirius nodded and bit into the chocolate, instantly feeling better, but still shaking slightly from the cold. The buzzing in his head dimmed, but didn't go away. He looked around the room and was surprised to see that it was still decorated just as it had been before. Nothing seemed to have moved, although oddly everything was clean. He looked at Remus, who smiled.
"I cleaned it up, but as you see nothing has changed. All of you father's things are still in his study, even, and their clothes are upstairs in their room. There are even a few of your old things in your room. Listen, I know that Katie told you we nixed the idea of having Snape contact Malfoy. Instead, we opted to have Pembroke contact Malfoy."
Sirius raised his eyebrows at that. "How did you manage that?"
Remus frowned. "Well, I…."
Sirius stopped him. He knew how much Remus hated using the unforgivable curses, but obviously that would be the only way to force Pembroke to write such a note.
"Thank you, Moony. I know what that means to you."
"S'all right, Padfoot. He deserved to suffer. We're going to bring him here to talk to you. As soon as he's here, we're going to send the note. That will give you some time with him before Malfoy gets here. Dexter is here too, and he Liz and I will hide in the house to wait. We are hoping that Malfoy comes here with only a few of his most trusted compatriots. If he arrives with a sizable force, which seems unlikely but you never know, we'll have to….
Sirius put his hands on his shoulders to give him a little shake and stop him. "We have enough to deal with without getting too much into the what ifs. I know you're the master at coming up with all the ways a plan can go wrong," and here he grinned as best he could at Remus, "but, as I believe I used to tell you then, 'Moony, shut the hell up and let's get on with it'."
Remus did smile in return. "And, sometimes, you were right."
"I'm feeling lucky. This will be one of the sometimes."
Remus' smile faded, but he said nothing else. He turned to go, looking at Liz. She nodded at him, but stepped over to Sirius before joining him to leave.
"Alright Mr. Black, please be very careful."
"You too, Miss Harker."
She smiled. "I love you, Sirius."
Sirius' heart leapt. He'd hoped to hear her say that again, but he hadn't expected to hear it so soon. "I love you, Liz."
Liz turned to go and she and Remus disappeared into the night. Sirius stood there, smiling, just enjoying a small instant of feeling very, very good. It's going to work out. It's got to. I owe too much to too many ghosts not to do the best I can….
He looked around the room, then lit his wand very softly and walked back out into the hall. The intense silence of the old place seemed to make everything look more ominous in the near darkness as he quietly walked up the hallway with barely a sound on the old rug. Slowly, he opened the door to his father's study and walked in. Remus was right, nothing seemed to have moved or been touched in all those years the house had stood here alone and waiting for another living soul to finally cross the threshold. Now someone was back, but it was so silent and so tense it didn't bring life back into the place. The house seemed to know that, and kept as silent and unwelcoming as it could, still waiting.
Sirius checked that the heavy old drapes were pulled before stepping into the room fully to look around. The bookshelves were lined with familiar books. Sirius stared at them, all in their old places, just where he would expect to find them. Then he caught sight of the one picture his father had kept out. It was a picture of him, his mother and his father, sitting on the grass by the river, eating a picnic lunch. Sirius stood there, frozen, seeing the figures still moving and smiling at each other. They were still smiling, even after sitting alone and in total darkness for so long. His mother looked more beautiful than he had ever remembered her being, and his father looked…so incredibly happy. Why is it I never remember him looking like this? He stared at himself, about 9 or 10, he couldn't remember exactly, laughing happily at his father. Sirius tried desperately to remember what they were doing, but that was one more memory Azkaban seemed to have taken.
He turned quickly and walked out of the study, still making barely a sound. He could feel the fury and angry rising up in him. Pembroke, you bastard. They were so young; they didn't deserve to be murdered by a coward and a traitor like you. You are going to tell me why you did it, if I have to curse you into next year. I have nothing to lose.
He went upstairs to look into his parents' old room. They had had a beautiful huge room with windows overlooking the river. But there was no view now except the total darkness of the night outside. He silently closed the drapes, then re-lit his wand and crept forward. He went over to his mother's dressing table, absently pulling open one of the little drawers where she used to keep what few pieces of jewellery she had other than her wedding band, which she never took off. Sirius could hear her humming, absently, like she used to when he would sit there with her when he was very little. He could feel his hand shake slightly as he reached into the drawer to see if anything was in there.
He was startled to feel that there was a ring in the very back of the drawer, but nothing else. He drew the ring out and held it up to this face to look closely at it. It was an old simple silver posy ring. It was dark with tarnish from having sat untended to for so long, but he could still read the 'you and no other' on the band. This must have been his promise ring to her. She only took it off to change it for her wedding band. He gazed at it for a few moments, and was about to put it back in the drawer when he stopped and suddenly smiled as a thought occurred to him. I think, maybe, they wouldn't mind if I used this myself. Carefully he tucked the ring into his robes and went back downstairs. He nearly ran into Remus.
"There you are! Look, we've got Pembroke in the dining room. He is bound at the moment, but once we know Malfoy's here…."
"I haven't forgotten the Imperious Curse wither, Moony. And holding Pembroke shouldn't be a problem. He hasn't suddenly gained some extra power, I trust?"
Remus shook his head. "You and I are more than a match for him. I've had no trouble and neither should you. Liz and Dexter are hidden in the main room off the front hall, where they can hear the front door. I'm going to be in the passage to the kitchen, behind you, where I can better hear what actually is going on in the dining room in case you need me."
They went back towards the dining room, and Sirius stopped Remus just before he went in. "Remus, if Malfoy curses me a bit, don't tip your hand too soon. Let him, I want him to talk, and see what we can get. Understood?"
Remus glared a bit but nodded and turned to go into the next hallway.
Sirius walked into the dining room, where Pembroke was bound to a chair at the head of the table. His eyes quickly shifted to try and see who it was. Sirius stepped over in front of him and smiled icily. Pembroke had the good sense to look terrified.
"Hello, cousin. Well, we have a lot to discuss. Thanks for the dog bite; very interesting. You finally learned to do something beyond the Basic Book of Spells level four. And considering you barely got five OWLS, and only three NEWS, I believe, yes? Sorry, my memory isn't what it sued to be. I find I am missing large chunks of things here and there. That rather fits, since I also lost 12 years of my life rotting in a cell. But you know that, because I remember you coming to see me. Why did you do that? Were you there to see if I had finally gone mad? Or were you guilty over something? Hoping I was dead, or dying, so that I might never find out what you did to my parents, were you?"
Pembroke struggled a bit against his bonds and shook his head wildly as Sirius stepped forward.
"You did do that, didn't you? You sick, evil, weak and useless thing. I want to know why. Perhaps if you tell me, I won't turn you over to Malfoy. Oh, didn't Remus mention? Malfoy is about to suddenly discover who's been double-crossing him as of late. You, dear cousin. And you are going to tell him everything. I remember what Death Eaters used to do to traitors; you might not because I believe you, at that time, were carefully hiding in some obscure government job and doing absolutely nothing to try and stop the darkness that was about to destroy everything."
Pembroke had sweat running down his face now. He still shook his head weakly, but stopped looking at Sirius.
"Of course, you seem to have overcome your reluctance to do anything with your life. But why this? That's what I can't figure out. How could a coward like you, who has never cared about anything, suddenly become inspired to do the things you did?"
Sirius flicked his wand at Pembroke, who flinched, then gasped for breath as the gag fell from his mouth.
"Sirius…."
"Don't talk to me unless I ask you a question."
Pembroke looked at him, but said nothing.
"Did you kill my parents?"
"No."
Sirius walked up very close to Pembroke and leaned down. "I don't believe you. My father, it would seem, was killed by a very powerful and unique sleeping curse. The same one that you tried to kill me with the other day. Not your handiwork? Then whose?"
Pembroke shook his head. Enraged, Sirius reached out with a snarl and grabbed Pembroke by the hair, forcing him to look at him.
"You tell me what happened and you tell me now. I may be accused of killing any number of people but the truth is to this day I have never taken another life. I believe you know that. But that can change, and I have nothing to lose by killing you. Right now I think you killed my mother and father, in cold blood. That's reason enough for me to kill you. Tell me why I shouldn't."
Pembroke stared at him for a few moments. Sirius could feel that he was shaking, but Pembroke was trying very hard to look defiant as he looked at him. Sirius could see that there was something different in Pembroke's once empty gaze. Now there was a darkness to him. Things had definitely changed. Finally Pembroke nodded, and his mouth actually twitched into a dark smile.
"I didn't kill them, Sirius. But I know who did. And yes, he did teach me how to make the sleeping draft. And I did curse the dog. You always thought you were so bloody superior to me. But you were blind to everything around you that didn't suit you. You broke their hearts with your indifference to them, you know. I'm amazed you suddenly seem so concerned with them."
Sirius couldn't control himself any longer and let go of Pembroke's head long enough to punch him as hard as he could across the face. Pembroke gagged, and Sirius could just picture the look on Remus' face, knowing Remus could easily hear everything that was going on.
Pembroke gave him a murderous look. "You're going to convince Malfoy we're working together holding me there with a beaten face?"
Sirius raised his wand and tended to the wound. "Of course not. Good as new."
He looked back at Pembroke. "So, who did kill them? Answer me on this, Pembroke, and maybe you won't have to find out just how vicious and deadly Malfoy really is, in case you weren't aware."
"Do you remember Blamires?"
Sirius tried to think back. Blamires?
"We arrested him; he was a Death Eater."
"You arrested him. You and James. You had him thrown into Azkaban. But what you don't know is that he didn't stay there. He was released, during the trials that took place after the 'death' of Voldemort, after you were revealed to be a traitor yourself and…." He gagged as Sirius grabbed the front of his robes and twisted.
"Be very, very careful how you speak to me, Pembroke," he said softly, then let go.
Pembroke took a few deep breaths, and looked back at Sirius with even more hatred than before. But he was more careful with his words.
"After you were imprisoned, he was released. And he wanted revenge. He was never the same after Azkaban. His name, though cleared, was ruined. His family disowned him and threw him out. He and I had been in the same class at Hogwarts, and one day he came to me to ask for help. I took him in, feeling that it was unfair he not be given a chance. After all, he had been released. This was no way to treat an innocent man."
"He wasn't innocent, Pembroke."
Pembroke sneered. "No, but who could trust anything you said anymore? The only thing he was really being held on was your word. And Potters, but obviously…." Pembroke managed to stop himself finishing that sentence.
"I know something about being put aside, don't I? I know what it's like to have everyone make unfair assumptions about you, and to never give you a chance. You, you were always the one. Everyone expected such great things from Sirius. Special Sirius, born under such powerful stars, with so much promise."
Sirius gave a mirthless laugh. "Joke's on you, isn't it? My life has been quite the opposite of blessed. So you, once again, seemed to have wasted yourself on nothing."
"You never understood that your mother really had the gift. And that when you were born she saw both great triumph and great tragedy for you. All she and your father ever wanted to do was to somehow stop the tragedy. Nothing is written, it is only a possibility. What happens to you happens because you make it or you let it. You let it happen. None of this would have, if you had just once managed to control yourself for five minutes and think about someone else. I know what really happened that night, dear cousin. I know all about Pettigrew. He told me himself."
Sirius couldn't say anything, he just stared at Pembroke, who now grinned maliciously at him. "Blamires couldn't get revenge on Potter, because Potter was already dead, and Harry was hidden where no one could find him. But he could do something to you. He was the one who killed your father. Did him a favour, really, Sirius; Uncle Samhain was never the same after he lost you. It absolutely broke them both. Everything they had ever feared had come true, and you were gone. They believed in your innocence, you know; but they never knew how they might prove it. And they never knew who it was who had really been the traitor. I think they might have suspected Remus for a while, but in truth they always liked him and couldn't really bring themselves to believe he could do such a thing. They may have felt differently, I suspect, if they knew what he really was…. "
Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. They believed I was innocent? But they never, not once came to see me, or tried to speak with me…
Pembroke continued.
"Blamires didn't have to do anything to your mother. Your father's death was more than she could bear. She just wasted away. Blamires had planned on killing her, too, but he was waiting in case any suspicion lingered that your father hadn't just ended his own life because of the shame you brought on him. So, she saved him a lot of trouble."
Sirius raised his arm to hit Pembroke again, but managed to stop himself.
"And now you think you're just going to get Malfoy to believe I've been helping you? Trust me, Malfoy made damn sure I haven't been. He's refused to take this fine house I've offered him for a long time, waiting to see…." Pembroke suddenly stopped and, for the first time, looked truly scared.
Sirius smiled and leaned closer. "Oh, Pembroke, finally you figure all of this out. Malfoy is in no mood, I can assure you, to hear excuses, or listen to lengthy explanations. You did fail to protect that house in the New Forest. You did allow us to escape and expose the sight. You were there the night Remus and I escaped the mansion, with what we needed to bring down that circle. You have no excuses to offer. And now you are about to corner Malfoy and expose him and, no doubt, one or two of his most trusted cohorts. And, I suspect make him look like a fool to Voldemort. Here Malfoy has had the opportunity to deliver the best safe house imaginable to him. Right next door to Dumbledore and Potter. And Malfoy is going to have to admit that he was almost fooled by you. Worthless, weak Pembroke Black. What did they promise you? Did they need to promise you anything? Were you just so desperate for anything…."
"Sirius, don't do this."
"Are you begging me? To be honest, Pembroke, I hope Malfoy kills you on the spot tonight. That will save me the trouble…."
"Sirius, I didn't kill them, I told you…."
"But you made damn sure that Blamires could, didn't you?"
Pembroke said nothing. They stared at each other for a long time, until suddenly, Sirius heard a noise coming from the front hall. Instantly he turned to Pembroke and raised his wand. Pembroke tried to speak, but Sirius was too quick for him.
"Imperious"
Pembroke immediately froze in the spot, his face becoming blank and expressionless. Sirius undid the ties holding him, and forced him to stand. Pembroke stood frozen next to him as he stared at the doors leading to the front hall, waiting for them to open.
Finally, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps crossing the front hall. They stopped for a moment, then came up to the dining room doors, and the doors were opened
Malfoy stepped out of the darkness into the room. Remus was right, Malfoy did not come alone. He had three other wizards with him. Sirius didn't recognize two of them, but his heart almost stopped when he saw the third.
Draco.