Born Free
Sirius sat outside the infirmary. He knew that Moony was hiding something from him. But, for the first time in his life, he decided to trust Moony's judgement. If it was that important that Harry see this woman, then it needed to happen. He looked up as Snape came down the corridor. He grunted as a way of greeting.
"Moving to guttural sounds now, Black? I'm quite proud. Maybe you can try one syllable words soon."
Sirius glared at the man but kept silent. He wasn't going to let Snape get to him.
Snape continued, "They won't let the puppy inside will they? Afraid you'll loose control and piss all over?"
Sirius took a deep breath and began praying that Remus would come out soon. He didn't think he could be the 'bigger man' for much longer.
Snape saw that Sirius wasn't taking the bait. He stepped closer to the man and stared into his eyes. "Wait until you see what's in that room, Black. It's the answer to all of your dreams and wishes. What would you want most in the world, hmmm? A bed? Or maybe custody of that brat Potter? Or even a…"
Snape never finished his thought because Sirius had him shoved against the wall in a heartbeat. "You can say anything you want about me, Snape! Don't you even touch Harry!" He jostled Snape a little more. "You are a sad human being." Sirius stopped yelling. His voice toned down to a whisper. "You know what I wish? I wish I had never met you." He let Snape go and sat back down.
The Potions Master frowned and adjusted his robes. He pulled the door to the infirmary open. "Do you remember Narcissa?"
Sirius grunted in response.
"I'm sure you do."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sirius noticed Moony was coming out of the infirmary with Cornelius Fudge in tow. He glanced around hurriedly, looking for a place to hide.
Snape smiled, "I wouldn't worry about hiding, Black. I think they're looking for you."
"Damn bastard! You turned me in!"
"As much as I would like that pleasure, I…"
Remus stepped into the argument. "Don't Severus. Please." Remus looked at his terrified friend. "Fudge is here to tell you something, Sirius."
Sirius swiveled his head to look at the slightly overweight Minister of Magic.
Fudge sighed and held out a roll of parchment. Sirius took it carefully, hoping it wasn't a Portkey straight back to Askaban. "The Ministry of Magic will be releasing this statement as soon as possible. We will hold a formal hearing within the week. I would like to be the first to apologize, Mister Black."
Sirius gaped, "Wha… what?"
"You're a free man, Mister Black." Fudge looked everywhere but at Sirius. "Congratulations." He nodded his head slightly and stepped around Sirius to continue down the hallway.
Sirius stared at the roll of parchment in shock. He couldn't open it. It had to be a trick. Something that Snape had set up.
Remus kneeled next to his friend and put his hand on Sirius'. "It's not a trick, Padfoot. You're free."
Sirius looked into Moony's eyes and knew then that everything he had hoped for was finally coming true. "How?"
"Read it."
Sirius opened the parchment. He began to read. It was a witness account. A paper detailing that this witness knew that at the last minute, James Potter had switched Secret Keepers. It accused Peter Pettigrew of betraying James and his family. Sirius needed to know. Who had James told? He looked down at the signature.
Remus sensed Sirius tense up. "It's not a trick. Sirius? It's really her. She's in the infirmary. She wants to see you."
Sirius felt tears running down his cheeks. "I didn't kill her?"
Remus helped Sirius up from his chair. "No, Padfoot. Lily's alive." He hugged his friend. "Come on. Let's go in. Harry's been dying to tell you."
Sirius sat outside the infirmary. He knew that Moony was hiding something from him. But, for the first time in his life, he decided to trust Moony's judgement. If it was that important that Harry see this woman, then it needed to happen. He looked up as Snape came down the corridor. He grunted as a way of greeting.
"Moving to guttural sounds now, Black? I'm quite proud. Maybe you can try one syllable words soon."
Sirius glared at the man but kept silent. He wasn't going to let Snape get to him.
Snape continued, "They won't let the puppy inside will they? Afraid you'll loose control and piss all over?"
Sirius took a deep breath and began praying that Remus would come out soon. He didn't think he could be the 'bigger man' for much longer.
Snape saw that Sirius wasn't taking the bait. He stepped closer to the man and stared into his eyes. "Wait until you see what's in that room, Black. It's the answer to all of your dreams and wishes. What would you want most in the world, hmmm? A bed? Or maybe custody of that brat Potter? Or even a…"
Snape never finished his thought because Sirius had him shoved against the wall in a heartbeat. "You can say anything you want about me, Snape! Don't you even touch Harry!" He jostled Snape a little more. "You are a sad human being." Sirius stopped yelling. His voice toned down to a whisper. "You know what I wish? I wish I had never met you." He let Snape go and sat back down.
The Potions Master frowned and adjusted his robes. He pulled the door to the infirmary open. "Do you remember Narcissa?"
Sirius grunted in response.
"I'm sure you do."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sirius noticed Moony was coming out of the infirmary with Cornelius Fudge in tow. He glanced around hurriedly, looking for a place to hide.
Snape smiled, "I wouldn't worry about hiding, Black. I think they're looking for you."
"Damn bastard! You turned me in!"
"As much as I would like that pleasure, I…"
Remus stepped into the argument. "Don't Severus. Please." Remus looked at his terrified friend. "Fudge is here to tell you something, Sirius."
Sirius swiveled his head to look at the slightly overweight Minister of Magic.
Fudge sighed and held out a roll of parchment. Sirius took it carefully, hoping it wasn't a Portkey straight back to Askaban. "The Ministry of Magic will be releasing this statement as soon as possible. We will hold a formal hearing within the week. I would like to be the first to apologize, Mister Black."
Sirius gaped, "Wha… what?"
"You're a free man, Mister Black." Fudge looked everywhere but at Sirius. "Congratulations." He nodded his head slightly and stepped around Sirius to continue down the hallway.
Sirius stared at the roll of parchment in shock. He couldn't open it. It had to be a trick. Something that Snape had set up.
Remus kneeled next to his friend and put his hand on Sirius'. "It's not a trick, Padfoot. You're free."
Sirius looked into Moony's eyes and knew then that everything he had hoped for was finally coming true. "How?"
"Read it."
Sirius opened the parchment. He began to read. It was a witness account. A paper detailing that this witness knew that at the last minute, James Potter had switched Secret Keepers. It accused Peter Pettigrew of betraying James and his family. Sirius needed to know. Who had James told? He looked down at the signature.
Remus sensed Sirius tense up. "It's not a trick. Sirius? It's really her. She's in the infirmary. She wants to see you."
Sirius felt tears running down his cheeks. "I didn't kill her?"
Remus helped Sirius up from his chair. "No, Padfoot. Lily's alive." He hugged his friend. "Come on. Let's go in. Harry's been dying to tell you."
