Here we go again. Okay. Nothing belongs to me. I wish Sirius was mine but alas he is not.
Okay in this part Remus finds out about what Sirius and James did when they took the potion. And he's not to happy about it. The girls find out and Sirius gets a warning from Voldemort. By the way I wrote this part before the fourth book came out so the whole seeing Voldemort thing with the scars I didn't take from the book.
Chapter 21: the truth comes out
When we woke up the next morning Remus was already up. We went to breakfast and he still wasn't there.
"It's not the full moon, is it?"
No, that's next week."
"then where is he?" We checked all around. No one had seen him. Then we snuck out and went to the willow. Peter transformed while we looked out. He pushed the knot and we climbed in. But Peter turned back.
" I have some work to do."
"Okay we'll see you later."
Sure enough Remus was setting on the bed on the second floor of the shrieking stack..
"Remus, There you are. We've been looking for you all day." He didn't look at us. In fact he didn't move.
"Remus?" I walked over to him. Nothing. I waved my hand in front of his face. His hand shot out and grabbed mine.
" Stop it Sirius." He growled. I frowned and tried to pull my hand back. But he wouldn't let go.
"Remus, let go." I tried to laugh but it died in my throat. He didn't answer. I pulled harder. He only tightened his grasp. I couldn't believe how tight he held my hand. James had come over.
"Remus, what's wrong?"
"Let go, please. That hurts."
Last night. I heard you. You thought I was asleep. I wasn't. Tell me."
"Tell you what, Remus?" I tried to sound causal.
"What you did. The night you took the potion. Tell me everything." My wrist throbbed in pain.
"Will you let go? Please. That really hurts." He released my wrist. I rubbed it.
James bit his lip.
"Now tell me." He sounded more like the wolf than Remus.
"There's nothing to tell."
"you did something. Something you didn't want to tell me. You were talking about your deaths."
"Remus, we did something that will make sure you are safe. It's not very important."
"What do you mean?" He asked. The angry wolf look was gone form his eyes, only to be replaced by a confused one. James and I shared a long look. We really didn't want to tell him. But he wouldn't let us leave until we did. And frankly I was a little scared. He had looked so much like the wolf in that second I could have sworn he was. James made the decision for us.
"Okay."
We told him about what the lady said. We took turns telling the story
"She asked us if we wanted to do one more thing."
"She said Voldemort had seen what we did for you. And that he would try to use it against us. That he knew we would do anything for you guys."
"So she asked us if we wanted to do something that would make sure Voldemort could never hurt you guys."
"What did you do?" Nether one of us wanted to say it.
" She asked us to give up one year." James said.
"One year? One year of what?"
'Our lives." I whispered. I wasn't sure he had heard me. Then his eyes widened. He shook his head
"You didn't. Please tell me you didn't." We didn't answer him and he stood up and paced around the room. " Oh, God. You did." No one said anything. Remus stopped pacing.
"Why?"
"Remus, You are our friend. More like a brother. We would die for you."
"And I for you, but give up a year of your lives? Why?"
"We couldn't live with ourselves if Voldemort killed you in order to get to us." I told him.
"But Voldemort isn't after you." James's eyes shut tight. I guessed what he was seeing. And I knew Voldemort would be after James sometime.
"There's something else you aren't telling me." Remus said softly.
"Yes."
James opened his eyes. "When we gave up a year, she showed us some thing. A warning."
"What was the warning?"
"She showed us the other's death." James said softly.
"Well, actually, I didn't see your death. It was more like after."
Remus stared. " So you know how Sirius is going to die?" He nodded.
"And you know how James is going to die."
"No. I didn't see him die. I just saw a house and I felt things like I knew he was dead. But I didn't see him."
There was silence. Then James spoke.
"tell him what you heard, with the betrayal thing."
"Oh yeah. I felt betrayed. And I heard someone say Wormtail." I didn't tell him how it had seemed filled with anger and hate and how it sounded like my voice.
"Wormtail? Peter? What about him?"
"I don't know. I don't' know If he was dead too, or he was the traitor or what."
"well we should warn him." Remus said.
"No! If we tell him, he might tell someone else, and they'll ask him how he know and soon he'll tell everything." I said.
"He's right. WE didn't even want to tell you."
"I know."
"It's not that we don't trust you. We just thought you might feel guilty or you might worry too much or something." Remus took a deep breath.
"Well, I'm glad you did. I just can't believe you would do that for me. You've done all this stuff for me and I haven't done anything for you."
"Yes you have. You've given us the adventure of a lifetime every full moon. We never would have done this if it hadn't been for you. We wouldn't have known we could do this. That's all we need." James told him.
"thanks you guys, You don't know how much that means to me." We left the shrieking shack our fears and worries lifted for the moment. But that would soon change.
Chapter 21: Voldemort's warning
Our afternoon class was divination. And it would turn out to be my first encounter with Voldemort. That I could remember anyway.
The room was filled with smoke and it made my eyes feel heavy and sleepy. I don't remember what she was teaching that day. I flinched as a pain shot up my chest and stopped right over my heart, where the scar was. But one moment James was falling asleep and Peter was asleep and drooling, the next I heard a huge explosion. It rocked the castle and I fell out of my chair. We ran for the door. The teacher herded us down the stairs and to the front doors. But standing in the great hall was Voldemort. I had never seen him but I knew it was him. He laughed and raised his wand. Green light shot out of it and hit the nearest student who happened to be James. He fell to the ground. I could tell he was dead. More light shot out and students began to fall all around me. Remus fell and so did Peter. Lily and Erin were next. Even the teachers. Dumbledore and McGonagall. Even Snape. Soon I was the only one standing. I closed my eyes but the images wouldn't stop. Voldemort laughed
"Let this be a warning, Black. Join me or lose everything you hold dear." He laughed a high pitch eiry laugh. Filled with evil. I could only shake my head in shock. I was surrounded by my dead friends and teachers.
"No, No. Can't be true. No."
"Sirius?" A voice came though my clouded vision. James's voice.
"Can't be. Dead."
"Sirius! Wake up." Some one slapped my face.
"Ow!"
"Sorry Padfoot." James's voice again.
" Are you okay man?" Remus. I opened my eyes. I saw faces above me. I picked out James's and Remus's and Erin's and Lily's farther back. Professor Tralawny helped me up.
"Are you alright, Mr. Black?" she asked.
"Wha, what happened?"
"You just kinda fell out of you chair. I thought you were asleep but I couldn't wake you up." James helped me into a chair.
"What about the explosion and Voldemort?"
" What are you talking about? There wasn't an explosion."
"And Voldemort isn't here."
"I do believe you have had a vision." Professor Tralawny stated. "That is what happened sometimes, class. And the clarvounent energy around my classroom is perfect for such an experience."
" No, I just, I need to get out of here." Before anyone could say anything I was out the door. James, Remus, and Peter were on my heels.
"We told her we were taking you to the nurse's." Remus said when they caught up.
"Great."
"Padfoot, what happened?" I sat down on the top of a staircase. They sat down next to me. I shook my head.
"I'm really sure. I thought we were in class and James was sleeping, Remus was paying attention as usual. Why do you pay attention in that class of all classes?"
" Because I'd like to pass. Unlike some people I knew. Prongs"
"Shut up. Then what?"
" There was this big explosion. It shook the castle. I guess we were evacuating or something cause we went downstairs and when we got there Voldemort was standing there. And He just started laughing and this green stuff came out of his wand and it hit the person next to me." I paused remembering the look of terror on James's face as he fell. He didn't even have time to cry out.
"Who was that?" Peter asked.
"James." I didn't know if they heard me I spoke so low. James put his hand on my shoulder. I took a deep breath.
"Then he started hitting other kids and teachers. Everyone. You guys. The girls. Dubmledore, even Snape, until I was the only one left. Then he told me that was a warning." The evil voice echoed in my head. I would never join him of course, but still. He had taken both my parents. I knew what he was capable of.
Remus bit his lip and then stood up. He pulled me to my feet.
" What are you doing?"
"I'm not doing anything. You are going to see Professor Dumbledore." Without another word he dragged me to Dumbledore's office, James and Peter in tow.
"What was the password?"
"Umm, everlasting gobstopers." We walked through the door. No one was in the office
"Oh well, no one here. Guess we'll have to come back later." I turned to leave. Remus and James grabbed my shirt.
"I don't think so Padfoot."
"Oh come on Prongs."
"Sit." He pointed to a chair in front of the desk. " We wait." And we waited. About an hour later Dumbledore walked in to the office his eyes on some papers, his expression troubled. He walked across the room and sat down at the desk without saying anything. After a few minutes Remus coughed and Dumbledore looked up.
"How did you boys get in here?"
"Ummm, the door?" James responded. He raised an eyebrow.
"Is there a reason you are here?" Remus nudged me.
"Um, Professor something happened to me in class." I told him what had happened. When I had finished, he stood up and paced back and forth behind his desk.
"Alright. I need to talk to a few people, but when I have something to tell you I will call you. Thank you for telling me."
We left the office with no more answers than when we had entered.
We heard a voice announce " Will all the teachers please report to the teachers lounge after class."
We looked at each other and grinned. Remus shook his head. Peter started to whine but he was silenced by a look from the rest of us. James took off at top speed and was back in less that five minutes with the invisibility cloak.
"No James. You can't spy on the teacher's meeting."
"Fine Peter, if you don't want to go don't. There'll be more room for us. We are going to find out what is going on." And he pulled the cloak over himself, Remus, and me. Slowly we walked down the hall into the teacher's lounge. We waited till another teacher came then we snuck in behind Professor Sprout. We made ourselves comfortable (or as comfortable as you can when you are sharing and invisibility cloak with two other people and you have to keep every part of you under it)
There was a lot of chattering No one seemed to know why they were there. Dumbledore wasn't there yet.
"Professor Flitwick? Do you know what this is about?"
"No, I don't Minverva. I would have thought he would have told you at least."
"No. Not a word." Just then professor Dumbledore walked through the door.
"I would like to thank you all for coming here. I believe we may have a small emergency."
"What?" There was a burst of soft voices.
"You all know Sirius Black." I could tell by the looks on the teacher's faces they knew me very well.
"What has the little troublemaker done now?" Beaker asked.
"He has done nothing. You are all aware of the circumstances surrounding his parents death?" The group looked less annoyed and more frightened as they nodded. "I have reason to believe Voldemort" Most of the teacher flinched at the name " may be trying to contact Sirius in some kind of attempt to kill him." The room exploded in noise.
I felt James and Remus both tense beside me.
"How do you know this?" Madam Pomfry asked
" The boys came to me today to report Sirius having some sort of vision in Divination. It involved the school being attacked and everyone being killed. Voldemort spoke to him. He said it was a warning."
" Professor Dumbledore, I mean no offence to you when I say this, But how do you know it wasn't just a lazy student falling asleep in class and having a nightmare? Given that both his parents were killed by you-know-who, it would be very easy for him to dream about it." Beaker looked very smug as he said all this. James and Remus had to hold me back.
"Because I spoke to both Orion and Fiona Black a few days before their deaths. They both told me of a dream they had where Voldemort killed every one they loved. This is a trait of his. He will try to kill this boy."
"But why?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Why Sirius?"
" I don't know." He paced back and forth. "Though I fear his dream might have been a warning as to what Voldemort will stoop to, to get a hold of him. I want security increased. The boy isn't to be left alone anywhere. I want a teacher near him at all times possible."
"But professor, you know those boys. They can get away form anyone anytime."
"Are you going to tell him?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Yes."
"But why? He is only a boy. It would scare him to death."
"He already knows. This only means Voldemort is getting closer. And it is not just Sirius I worry about. That boy is very loyal to his friends and those he cares about. Voldemort knows this. He may try to use it against him. I want you all to keep an eye out and let me know the moment you see something suspicious. Meeting adjourned."
We waited till the room was empty and then left. No one said anything, but we had to go back up to our room and then back downstairs and outside for care of magical creatures. So we ended up being late for class. Professor Kettleburn yelled at us. He told us we were banned from all trips to Hogsmeade that term. Although I think it was because of what Professor Dumbledore said.
Chapter 22: the girls find out
That afternoon we managed top get away from Professor McGonagall who had insisted on staying in our common room while we were doing our homework. It was a Hogsmeade weekend, but we couldn't go. We finally managed to slip away by saying we were going to bed and sneaking back down under the invisibility cloak. We waited by the Three Broomsticks, the tavern at Hogsmeade, for the girls. They arrived right on schedule. They sat down at our table. No one said anything for a while. Then James got up.
"Come on. We have something to show you." We walked up the path to the shrieking shack. Everything was quiet. Even the crickets were quiet here. We knew there was nothing to be afraid of, we knew Remus was the "ghost" everyone was so scared of. But still there was something in the air that sent a shiver up my spine.
Erin leaned close to me and I put my arm around her.
"Sirius, why are we here?" We had stopped in front of it. James motioned and we moved forward. We slipped through a broken window we had found earlier. We came here every full moon but we always used the secret entrance. Now it would look to strange if we met there. So the guys and I checked out the place for another entrance. The girls stayed close and were almost shaking with fear, but they didn't question why we were here. They sat down on the moldy old couch while peter took the chair and Remus and I used the floor. James paced for a few minutes.
"Lily, Erin. We have something to tell you. Now no matter what you hear tonight, you must promise not to tell another living soul for your entire lives."
"That bad huh?" Lily smiled We didn't smile back
"Please Lily. This is serious." The girls didn't expect me of all people to be serious, but they agreed. Well acutely they did but not seriously Siri… oh you know what I mean.
" The first thing you show know is about Remus. Otherwise nothing else will make sense."
"Remus?"
"Yes, I'm, I'm." He couldn't seem to get it out. I gave him a reassuring smile. " I'm a werewolf." He said it very fast.
The girls thought for a minute and then lily smiled.
" Is that all?" Erin asked. " I thought it was something important."
"Yeah, something we didn't already know."
"What?"
"Do you think we're stupid? We saw the signs. We didn't say anything to protect you. We knew you'd tell us when you were ready."
"You mean, you don't care?"
"Oh Remus, of course we don't. You are our friend. We love you." He smiled.
"Thank you. Oh and this shack? It's not haunted. Everything you hear. That's me. There is a tunnel under the whomping willow that leads too here. We come here every full moon."
"We?" Lily asked
"There is something else. After we found out about Remus we found out a way we could be with him during the full moon."
"But James, werewolves are dangerous to humans."
"I know. Padfoot. Show them."
"Why do I have to. Why can't Peter or you?"
" We already talked about this. Because I'm the better talker an it'll take Peter forever."
"Hey, I'm not that bad."
" Yes you are. Fine but I'm not doing any tricks."
"But you're so good at fetch."
"Remus if you don't shut up I will bite you. Then you'll have to go get rabies shots. How do you like that?"
"Fine."
"Padfoot." James warned.
"Changing." I closed my eyes and almost instantly I felt the change happen. I was soon sitting there on the ground my tail waving happily. The girls sat in shock.
" He's, he's," Erin stammered
"An animagus. We all are."
I gave James a look that I hoped said can I change back now.
" No you can't." he told me. I gave him my best puppy dog face which since I was a dog must have worked really good on the girls.
"Oh, he's so cute." The reached down and started to pet me. I rolled over and Erin scratched my belly.
I changed back. We stayed there for hours talking and telling them everything. At first the girls were annoyed at us for keeping them in the dark for five years. But soon they let that go. We even told them about giving up a year. Peter, hearing it for the first time, never said anything. But for a faction of a second I saw a look of hatred cross his face. It was directed at me.
The next few weeks were great. I felt as if a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.