Chapter 14 Borderline

"Fantastic." Sirius muttered to himself as Dobby disapparated. "I've got my life in the hands of an Elf that 'has a plan.' Whatever it is I sure hope it works. We've come too far to be stopped now. If necessary, I can just make a break for it but that would leave Dobby holding the bag and I don't want to do that to him."

A hoot from Pig brought Sirius out of his thoughts. "Oh, yeah." He said to the tiny owl, "You better wait outside. They don't need to find you in here. If they do, they'll figure you were smuggling me messages and then we'd both be in the dungeon for a couple of months."

Pig gave a nervous hoot and flew to the window to wait on the ledge.

Sirius could not help but wonder what Dobby's plan was. The afternoon passed and long shadows were beginning to fall around the prison complex. Sirius reckoned that the time was about 8 PM. The shift would be changing in the east tower about now which meant the next one would be at midnight.

"Perfect." Sirius thought. "Assuming Dobby gets back here by then."

There were noises outside in the passageway that made Sirius jump. It was the sound of loud arguing voices.

".can't believe the inhuman treatment you give these poor souls." Said a woman's voice.

"Madam." Came the answer in a voice Sirius recognized as Cromwell's, "You have no idea the kind of people these inmates are. Most are murders and various types of low lives of the worst kind. These are not the sorts you would invite to your Sunday Whist game."

"Warden Cromwell." Came the reply, "I thought we had an understanding that these people would henceforth be referred to as 'Patrons.' Calling them inmates or prisoners is very damaging to their self-esteem. How do you expect to rehabilitate them if you give them no hope?"

"Mrs. Periwinkle." Said Cromwell patiently. "Let me explain this to you one more time. Rehabilitation is not what we do here. Those who are sent to Azkaban have no hope because they are not leaving this place. This is a prison, not a Quidditch Club. Only the most vile of the vile are sent here and here they will live out their days."

"If you call what they are after your dementors get through with them living." Mrs. Periwinkle responded. "And that is why we have come to put a stop to your barbarous tactics. And just who do we have here?"

"This is Sirius Black." Said Cromwell evenly.

"And what is his alleged crime?" asked Mrs. Periwinkle bluntly.

"It is not 'alleged,' Madam." Said Cromwell. "He blasted a whole section of a street, killing twelve muggles and a wizard. There were many witnesses."

"Will you please stop calling me Madam?" Shrilled Mrs. Periwinkle, "I do not operate a House of Ill Repute."

"As you wish." Said Cromwell through gritted teeth.

"You know as well as I do that often things are not what they seem." Continued Mrs. Periwinkle tartly. "Now please allow me to do what I came here to do."

"Very well." Sighed Cromwell as he opened the door to Sirius' cell.

The door swung open and Warden Cromwell, Mrs. Periwinkle and two other women Sirius did not recognize stepped in. An Azkaban wizard waited in the passageway. Mrs. Periwinkle was a tallish, stout woman with steel gray hair. She was wearing a rather loud, purple flowered dress and a floppy, purple straw hat. The other two were somewhat more conservative in their mode of attire with one wearing a charcoal pinstriped suit and the other a Navy blue blazer.

"Mr. Black." Said Cromwell, "This is Mrs. Periwinkle, Mrs. Sterling and Mrs. Hitchcock. They represent the Azkaban Protest Team and they would like to ask you some ques..."

"MERCIFUL HEAVENS." Screamed Mrs. Periwinkle pointing at Sirius' Carpet. "Warden Cromwell, we provided new carpets for you to place in the patron's accommodations. Would you be so kind as to tell me how this threadbare, worn-out excuse for a rug was given to this poor man?"

"Mrs. Periwinkle." Said Cromwell. "Since I did not personally supervise each installation, I cannot give you the details."

"I like this carpet." Sirius interjected, "Gives the place character."

"You see?" Cromwell beamed. "There is no problem."

"Indeed." Mrs. Periwinkle snorted. "You have this poor man so brain washed he can't think in any way but what you want. Call the house Elf at once."

"No, no." Sirius begged, "It's really okay."

"Young man." Mrs. Periwinkle gushed, "I know about your situation here. I know that you are reduced to a shell of your former self and you fear reprisal if you anger the authoritative establishment."

Sirius and Cromwell exchanged glances. Cromwell gave a slight shrug as if to say, "This woman is bonkers."

Mrs. Periwinkle turned to Cromwell and said "Warden, you have this worn-out old thing changed at once."

Sirius watched helplessly. Surely all their plans could not be up in smoke because of this. Then Dobby appeared from out in the hall.

"Elf." Said Cromwell, "What do you know about this carpet?"

"Dobby put it in the room, Mr. Warden sir." Said Dobby.

"Where did it come from?" Asked Cromwell.

"Storeroom, just like the others." Said Dobby innocently. "I just pick one out and bring it. I don't think it would make anybody mad. Dobby just do what he's told."

"Well, we need to change it out." Cromwell said.

"Sorry Mr. Warden Sir, no can do." Said Dobby. "Not till tomorrow morning."

All eyes turned to Dobby. "And why not?" Cromwell wanted to know.

"Because Quartermaster has only key and he is off the island till later tonight on supply run." Dobby explained.

Everyone looked at each other. "What if you needed something from that storeroom in the meantime?" Asked Mrs. Periwinkle.

"Dobby guesses we wait for him. He not be gone long. If he knew you were coming he would probably not left."

"Your visit was quite unannounced." Said Cromwell dryly.

"It was supposed to be Warden." Snapped Mrs. Periwinkle. "What good is a surprise visit if it's not a surprise, hmmmm? Very well. But I want this young man to be provided with a proper carpet as soon as it can be arranged." She stomped out of the cell with the other two women, Dobby and Cromwell at her heels. The door shut and the lock clicked.

Sirius sat on the bed as Pig emerged from the window. He hooted and flew to Sirius. "Pig." Said Sirius stroking his feathers, "If I don't stop having these close shaves, I'm going to get old before my time. All we can do now is wait for Dobby."

It was now quite dark outside. Pig and Sirius flew around the guard towers to see if they could establish when the guard in the east tower would change. As they flew they saw two dementors heading for the west guard tower. "Probably less than an hour to go." Sirius thought to himself. "Dobby better be there when we get back or we are in deep trouble."

They flew back to the cell to find Dobby waiting for them. He seemed very excited. "You won't believe what Dobby find out." He said breathlessly. "A.P.T. is leaving at midnight. That Mrs. Periwinkle will have the whole prison watching her leave."

"All right." Said Sirius. "Pig, you watch the east guard tower. Let us know when the relief dementors are headed there." Pig hooted and flew out the window.

Turning to Dobby, Sirius said, "Let's start getting things together. You roll up the carpet and I'll get the wand." He grabbed the bars and hoisted himself up high enough to get the chopstick/wand from its hiding place in the mortar crevice. By the time he had done that, Dobby had the carpet rolled up.

"Mr. Sirius Black sure the carpet will fit through bars?" Dobby asked.

"It better." Said Sirius, "But let's try it."

They took the rolled up carpet and tried to fit it between the bars. They found that they had to loosen the roll and then it would fit with only slight difficulty. They then sat and waited for Pig to return.

Before long, Pig was at the window hooting animatedly. "What's going on Pig?" Sirius asked the owl, "Is it time?" Pig hooted again and did a flip on the bed.

"All right." Said Sirius to the others, "Let's do this."

They pushed the carpet between the bars. When it was almost out, Sirius grabbed an end so they would not loose it. With a final push, the carpet cleared the bars. "Ali-Hoopla." Said Sirius. The carpet went rigid and floated outside the window. "Dobby." Said Sirius, "Can you apparate onto that carpet?"

"Piece of pie." Said Dobby. When the others gave him a questioning look he said, "Easy as cake?"

"Never mind," Said Sirius, "Just do it."

Dobby disapparated and appeared outside the window on the carpet. Sirius changed to the dog then the owl and followed Pig out the window and onto the carpet. Pig and Sirius decided to take one last flight around to make sure everything was quiet. The dementors were conferencing in the east tower. That was good. In the courtyard the APT was preparing to leave in a very loud and disturbing way. The dementors in the guard towers all watched with mild interest. "That's it." Sirius thought, "This is our chance."

They flew back to the hovering carpet and assumed his human form. Sirius sat cross-legged on the carpet and leaned forward slightly. The carpet began to move. "Down! Faster!" He commanded.

The carpet immediately plunged in a steep dive toward the rocks below.