SIR RON

Rupp, you there?  I have had the most wicked day.

Oh dear not another travesty…

What?

You said there was wickedness afoot—

Oh man… Rupert, "wicked" is a good thing.

Pardon?

Wicked.  You know like "That was wicked flying" or "What a wicked move"?

Oh, a new type of vernacular… I think I am beginning to catch on, sir.  Please continue.

I don't know about you sometimes mate. 

Anyway, it's been a great day!  It's like I'm some sort of celebrity or something!

I take it the events of the other night have not spoiled you mood, dear sir.

That's just it.  Everybody wants to know about it!  We didn't go to sleep last night, of course, but when we got down to breakfast everyone was looking at us, but they weren't; they were looking at ME!

And this is a good thing?

Well, yeah!  I mean it's not the first time the entire Great Hall has stared at me, like that time Mum sent me a howler, talk about embarrassing… But usually they're all looking at Harry and I just happen to be there.  Not this time!  Today they were looking at me, and only me!  Everybody wanted to know the story.  Rupp it was great!  I've never felt so… so…

Appreciated?

Yeah.  Something like that.  I know I shouldn't be happy about it.  I mean it's not like I wanted to wake up and find Black or anything.  So I shouldn't feel guilty if I'm enjoying it, should I?

Well… No sir, I shouldn't think so.  It's not as if you allowed him in to the castle.  As for this Longbottom fellow—

Rupert.  I told you.  Leave Neville alone.  I do feel kind of guilty about him, though.  McGonagall won't even let him have the passwords anymore, or go on Hogsmeade visits. They're really giving him a bad time of it.

For your sake, noble master, I shall keep my comments to myself.

Thanks, I think.  It's odd you know, when people come up to us in the hall and they want to talk to me, not Harry.  Half the time it's like they don't even see him.  I kind of feel guilty, about being happy that no one notices Harry, but he doesn't seem to mind so I don't feel quite so bad.  There is one thing that still bothers me though…

Only one thing?

Are you making fun of me?

Never, sire.

Humm… I'm going to ignore that. 

Please do.  What was the one thing that was bothering you?

The more times I tell the story of what happen last night, the more confused I get.  Why would he take off like that?

I thought we decided that he was unbalanced?

Yea I was thinking about that… Truth is that he wasn't mental; he seemed to be perfectly sane—

After twelve years in that hell-forsaken place!  Impossible. 

I know.  That's what I thought too… But, well, I was in the kitchen this summer… cleaning up after a little bit of a… accident…  Anyhow, I heard Dad in the living room talking to Mr. Diggory, he also works at the Ministry, Diggory said that when Fudge went to see Black in prison he was just as normal as you or I (other than the fact that you're a deceased spirit living in a book).  I thought it was just Ministry gossip before… but then when we heard it straight from Fudge himself over Christmas...

Pardon my interruption, but who is this Fudge chap?  And what would he have been doing in Azkaban?

Cornelius Fudge.  He's the Minister of Magic.  Apparently he has to do check-ups there every so often.  He was the one we over-heard at Christmas talking about Harry's Mum and Dad.  He the one who spilled the beans about Black being Harry's godfather.  I almost wish he hadn't of said anything…

Sir Ron, it is futile to wish for things that can not be.  I understand that your concern for Mr. Potter makes you want to harbor him from the ugly facts of life… but sometimes this too shall be for the best.

Do you honestly think that talking like a stuffy old coot makes you sound smarter?

I, well, it's—

Just kidding Rupp, don't take it so hard.  I know I can undo what Harry knows, it's just that when its stuff like that… there's a reason no one told him before.

Technically speaking, no one told him this time.  It seems it was your magnetism for unruliness that, how did you say it, "spilled the beans".

Hey!  Harry deserved to go to Hogsmeade.  The Dementors have checked the town several times, Black couldn't have been there.  Besides even he's not stupid enough to attack in broad daylight, not with everyone in the country looking for him.  It was perfectly safe!  Besides no one saw him and nothing happen to him, he was just fine.  It's not out fault that they had to talk about it in a public place.

I was simply referring to the fact that you and your friends had listened in… I said nothing about Mr. Potter actually being on the excursion.

Oh…

Master Weasley, is there something you aren't telling me. 

Well, no… not exactly.  It's not any big deal really… It's just that…

Yes…

Like I said nothing happen to him, he was perfectly safe.  He just needed a little help getting out of the castle… So he, sort of, well he had to… he snuck out.

You.  Snuck.  Him.  Out!  Don't you think that's a bit dangerous?  I must admit I had previously wondered why the faculty would allow a young boy to wander about when his life was in such mortal peril.  I had no idea you were involved in this deceit, young Weasley.

I didn't do it!  My brothers did!

Masters Fred and George I presume.

Yeah… how'd you know that?

Well other than Master Percy they are the only brothers you mentioned having at school with you… and it hardly seemed like something the elder Weasley would approve of.

That's an understatement.  I think if Perce even knew about it he'd turn Harry into Dumbledore himself.  He doesn't care about anything anymore besides how shinny his badge is, and how big his head is.  Anyway I was telling you what Fudge said—

Actually, no sir.  You were about to explain to me exactly why you would approve of allowing your brother to put you friend in such a dangerous situation.

You sure?  I thought we were talking about Fudge?

Positive, sire, you can read back if—

Are you sure you wouldn't want to hear about Fudge instead?

In due time, but I think we must stick to priorities, Sir Ron.  I think a full explanation is in order.

Priorities!  And it's not a priority to hear about the UN-madness of Sirius Black?

I highly doubt it's possible that Black could be as sane as you claim.  But if you wish for me to believe that then you are going to have help me understand the motivation behind your espionage.

I didn't do it!  I told you that.  It was—

Fred and George.  Yes I recall that, but you don't seem too bothered by it either, and I'm having a hard time comprehending your approval of the situation.

You aren't going to leave me alone until I tell you about this, are you?

I'm afraid not, sire.

Fine, but remember I had nothing to do with it.  By the time we found out about it, Harry was already there. 

Understood, please continue.

Alright… Well it seems that the culprits, Fred and George, had this wicked map.  And it showed all the tunnels and secret passages in the castle, including several that lead out to the village.

And they didn't turn it in?!?!  Sirius Black could have been using one of those to get in!  By keeping it they are putting everyone's life in danger!

You sound just like Hermione sometimes, you know that?  Would you quit being so dramatic and let me finish?  You were the one who wanted to hear this story.

Fine, young master, please continue.  But be notified that I do not like the sound of this.

When you do ever?  Look, Harry explained it all already.  There are seven tunnels leading out of the castle.  Filch knows about four of them, so they are of course going to be guarded.  Of the other three: One is caved in, one right under the Whomping Willow, and the last one leads right to the cellar of Honeydukes.  Harry used the one under Honeydukes, and there's no way Black can use that one.  He wouldn't dare so his face in there in the day, and at night there are Dementors prowling the streets so I doubt he's be stupid enough to go then either.  Even if he did try, the owners live right above the shop; they'd heard him break in.  So you see, it's perfectly safe.

What about the other one?

Which one? They one under the Whomping Willow?

Yes, what if he was using that one?

Then Fudge was wrong and he really is off his nut.  That tree is exactly what it sounds like, a willow that Whomps!  It broke my wand and nearly our necks last year when me and Harry flew my Dad's car into it.

When you what?

We flew my Dad's car into it. 

I shall resist the urge to ask the myriad of questions that statement brings up.  We have more important matters to attend to.

Huh?

Nevermind. 

Truth is that it's next to impossible that Black even knows about that passage.  Even if he didn't know what kind of tree it was and went snooping… trust me one Whomp from that Willow and you will never go back!

I see that there is no arguing with you tonight, young sir.  If you feel that your map is secure and that Mr. Potter is not unduly risking his life on these… outings, then I suppose there is nothing I can do to stop you.  Please only note a word of caution.

We'll be careful.  Besides the next Hogsmeade visit isn't for a couple of weeks, they'll probably have caught Black by then.

Really?  The last time we spoke on this issue you were quite sure to the contrary.  Why the sudden change of heart?

They're really cracking down around here since last night.  This morning Professor Flitwick was teaching the doors to recognize his face and everything.

That, at least, is a comfort. 

Well I'm glad that you feel better.  I know how much the threat of a murderer would bother those that are already dead.

Low blow, Ronald Weasley. 

It is your safety that I fear for—

Really, I would think if you were afraid for me you would have wanted to know why Black is especially dangerous; because he's sane.

Back to that are we?  I told you already the prospects of someone living in Azkaban, if one can really call that living, for twelve years, and walking out sane is a near impossibility.

Then Black should enter the Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw, because the odds sure seem to be in his favor.

… Now who is mocking who?

Are ready to hear me out?

Always.

You could have fooled me.  Like I was TRYING to say, Fudge says that when we he went to do his inspection of Azkaban Black was perfectly normal.  So normal, in fact, that he asked for Fudge's old paper; said he missed doing the cross-word puzzle.  And he was the most heavily guarded prisoner in the place to boot. 

Oh, that is rather unsettling.

No kidding.  The more I think about it the more I can't figure it out.  Before it was easy to say that Black was off when he ran away, that's what we wanted to believe.

We?

Yeah, we.  You're the one who said he couldn't have walked out of that place sane.

I still can't fathom how he walked out of that place at all.

You and everyone else in the Ministry.  But the fact that he did escape only proves that he wasn't mental.  Dad said that the Dementors drain people of their powers if they're in there long enough.  The amount of time he was in there… my Dad's plugs should have had more powers than he did.  And yet he still managed to pull off some serious Dark magic to get himself out.

So if he truly did have his wits about him, why would he have been so skittish when you screamed?

Good question, did you come up with that all by yourself?  That's what I've been trying to figure out.  Harry thinks it might have been because he knew that once I screamed he would have had to kill every single person in Gryffindor tower to escape, possibly everyone in the castle.  Maybe he knew that once everyone had woken up his only choice was to flee or fight and the odds wouldn't really have been in his favor in a fair fight.

I doubt a monster like that even knows how to fight fair.

True.  Well, speaking of Harry, he should be getting back from practice soon.

Isn't it a bit late for Qudditch training sir?

You'd think wouldn't you?  Wood thinks we've got a shot at the Quidditch Cup so he's been working the team into the ground.  It'll all be worth it though if we can flatten Slytherin this year.  Last time—

Oh, here they come.  I gotta go, I told Harry we'd work on Divination together tonight.

Later Rupert.

Later?

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