***Disclaimer*** I did not create all of these characters. That honor
goes to J.K. Rowling. Please read and review. If I made any mistakes,
please tell me. I did proofread this unusually, but I was just reading it
to avoid plot holes. I know that some of it is a bit repetitive (Patrick
McHenry's cringing at Voldemort's name), but that is just the way I felt
like being. I am already working on Chapter Four: Off to the Burrow. By
the way, if you found this before Chapter Four, re-read Chapter Two because
there were some changes to it.
TIMES ARE GETTING DARKER
Chapter Three: At Dumbledore's
Patrick McHenry, in his owl form was tapping on Albus Dumbledore's window, with a letter tied to his leg.
'What does Patrick want with me?' thought Albus Dumbledore, noticing how the owl seemed to have a goatee, so he opened the window and took the letter.
Dear Albus,
I have received a warning of You-Know-Who's return from You-Know-Who from a wizard named Remus Lupin who said that he was a friend of yours and Sirius Black's. Was he telling the truth?
Patrick
"Patrick, why do you play this game?" asked Dumbledore.
"It's fun," said Patrick after he transformed back into his human self, showing that he did indeed have a goatee explaining the owl's.
"Well, what Remus told you was true. Voldemort has returned." At the mention of Voldemort's name, Patrick cringed.
"Do you have to say HIS name?"
"I see no reason not to."
"You do now that it scare the living guts out of most of us, don't you?"
"I know, but I scared the living guts out of Voldemort." Patrick cringed again.
"So what's this about Sirius Black being framed?"
"After the events of the night of Voldemort's downfall," Dumbledore said, and Patrick cringed yet again, "Peter Pettigrew encountered Sirius Black in a street with twelve Muggles, cut his own finger off, yelled 'James and Lily! How could you, Sirius?!,' blew up the street, transformed into a rat, and went into the sewer, killing twelve Muggles in the process. Cornelius Fudge was the first to arrive on the scene, and arrested Sirius—charging him with killing thirteen people with one curse. The Ministry of Magic needed to do a lot of memory charms on Muggle witnesses. Pettigrew then made himself at home at Arthur Weasley's as his son Percy's pet rat, Scabbers, and then Percy's younger brother, Ron's. Sirius was sent to Azkaban, where he only escaped about two years ago."
"How did he escape?! More importantly, how did he survive?!"
"By transfiguring himself into a dog."
"Is that how he escaped or survived?"
"Both."
"So how do you know that Sirius is innocent?"
"Pettigrew is alive. Three of my students saw him, and one of Hogwart's Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. We haven't had much luck with them lately. Speaking of that, since you're here, would you accept a position as Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher at Hogwart's?"
"No thanks, Albus. I need to tend to the McMillen Schools of Magic and the school boards would definitely not like me resigning with such short notice."
"You needn't resign. You could use a Time Turner and Portkeys."
"No! I won't use a Time Turner! I've had enough of them. I don't think anybody should be allowed to use them—even if it's just for studying purposes."
"As you wish. However, will you consider the job offer for next year?"
"You don't sound too confident on whoever you'll get this year."
"Well, you wouldn't feel confident if you'd gone through four teachers in four years and find out that the fourth teacher wasn't who you thought he was at the end of the year."
"Oh. Hey what's this?" asked Patrick, noticing the Marauder's map. However, it was in it's blank state.
"Oh, that's just a piece of parchment that I need to return to one of my students," said Albus Dumbledore. He had taken the Marauder's map from Barty Crouch at the end of the last school-year for safe-keeping, and he would return it to Harry on Christmas.
"Why do you need to return a piece of parchment to a student?"
"It's the right thing to do. You never know how much a student might be able to afford."
"Oh, well about this You-Know-Who business. When did he return?"
"Near the end of last school-year. He killed one of my students and attempted to kill another one. I've already taken liberty to pull some strings at the Ministry of Magic, even if Cornelius won't. I'm beginning to suspect that Cornelius is involved with Voldemort in some way." Patrick cringed at the sound of Voldemort's name—again. "He refused to believe that Pettigrew is alive and Sirius is innocent, and refuses to remove the Dementors from Azkaban. And he even brought one into the Hogwart's Castle!"
"Well he was first one on the scene after the apparent death of Pettigrew and arrests Sirius. He insists keeping the Dementors at Azkaban and brought one into the Hogwart's Castle. It sounds to me that he IS on You-Know-Who's side—even if he's not a Deatheater.
"He also refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned." Patrick cringed yet another time. "He also refuses to believe that we need the giants to help us."
"You're asking giants to help us?!"
"Yes. It's better if they're on our side than Voldemort's."
After Patrick cringed yet again, he said, "You're right. I just hope they don't betray us."
"I have faith that they won't. I've sent two half-giants as envoys to them. Now I need to tell you what I need you to do. You need to pull strings at your Ministry—,"
"We don't have a Ministry of Magic. We have Local, County, State, and Federal Governments of Magic."
"Well needless to say what they are, you need to pull strings in the United States Government of Magic."
"I'll do that."
"But before you do, I need you to send a letter to Sirius Black. He should be at Lupin's."
"I'll do that, but do you have any idea how awkward it is asking a true owl where somebody's home is and explaining to them that you're not a real owl; that you're an Animagus?"
"No."
"Well, believe me, it IS awkward."
"I just have two words to say."
"What are they?"
"Mumble Jumble."
"You know that I thought you were crazy when you were shouting, 'Love! Love!' at me, but then I figured out that was the weapon the Potters needed. However, now that you've said, 'Mumble Jumble,' it looks like I might have been right. So long." Patrick transfigured into an owl and let Dumbledore tie the letter to Sirius Black to his leg. Then off he flew, wondering what the letter said.
'I hope the strings he pulls will pull the Ministry of Magic's strings,' thought Dumbledore. 'I better ask Hagrid if he thinks he'll be back in time for the school-year.' He wrote a letter to Hagrid, asking just that, and then sent it out with an owl that had delivered him a letter right after Patrick had left. When he looked at the letter, he saw that Hagrid had made contact with a giant.
TIMES ARE GETTING DARKER
Chapter Three: At Dumbledore's
Patrick McHenry, in his owl form was tapping on Albus Dumbledore's window, with a letter tied to his leg.
'What does Patrick want with me?' thought Albus Dumbledore, noticing how the owl seemed to have a goatee, so he opened the window and took the letter.
Dear Albus,
I have received a warning of You-Know-Who's return from You-Know-Who from a wizard named Remus Lupin who said that he was a friend of yours and Sirius Black's. Was he telling the truth?
Patrick
"Patrick, why do you play this game?" asked Dumbledore.
"It's fun," said Patrick after he transformed back into his human self, showing that he did indeed have a goatee explaining the owl's.
"Well, what Remus told you was true. Voldemort has returned." At the mention of Voldemort's name, Patrick cringed.
"Do you have to say HIS name?"
"I see no reason not to."
"You do now that it scare the living guts out of most of us, don't you?"
"I know, but I scared the living guts out of Voldemort." Patrick cringed again.
"So what's this about Sirius Black being framed?"
"After the events of the night of Voldemort's downfall," Dumbledore said, and Patrick cringed yet again, "Peter Pettigrew encountered Sirius Black in a street with twelve Muggles, cut his own finger off, yelled 'James and Lily! How could you, Sirius?!,' blew up the street, transformed into a rat, and went into the sewer, killing twelve Muggles in the process. Cornelius Fudge was the first to arrive on the scene, and arrested Sirius—charging him with killing thirteen people with one curse. The Ministry of Magic needed to do a lot of memory charms on Muggle witnesses. Pettigrew then made himself at home at Arthur Weasley's as his son Percy's pet rat, Scabbers, and then Percy's younger brother, Ron's. Sirius was sent to Azkaban, where he only escaped about two years ago."
"How did he escape?! More importantly, how did he survive?!"
"By transfiguring himself into a dog."
"Is that how he escaped or survived?"
"Both."
"So how do you know that Sirius is innocent?"
"Pettigrew is alive. Three of my students saw him, and one of Hogwart's Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. We haven't had much luck with them lately. Speaking of that, since you're here, would you accept a position as Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher at Hogwart's?"
"No thanks, Albus. I need to tend to the McMillen Schools of Magic and the school boards would definitely not like me resigning with such short notice."
"You needn't resign. You could use a Time Turner and Portkeys."
"No! I won't use a Time Turner! I've had enough of them. I don't think anybody should be allowed to use them—even if it's just for studying purposes."
"As you wish. However, will you consider the job offer for next year?"
"You don't sound too confident on whoever you'll get this year."
"Well, you wouldn't feel confident if you'd gone through four teachers in four years and find out that the fourth teacher wasn't who you thought he was at the end of the year."
"Oh. Hey what's this?" asked Patrick, noticing the Marauder's map. However, it was in it's blank state.
"Oh, that's just a piece of parchment that I need to return to one of my students," said Albus Dumbledore. He had taken the Marauder's map from Barty Crouch at the end of the last school-year for safe-keeping, and he would return it to Harry on Christmas.
"Why do you need to return a piece of parchment to a student?"
"It's the right thing to do. You never know how much a student might be able to afford."
"Oh, well about this You-Know-Who business. When did he return?"
"Near the end of last school-year. He killed one of my students and attempted to kill another one. I've already taken liberty to pull some strings at the Ministry of Magic, even if Cornelius won't. I'm beginning to suspect that Cornelius is involved with Voldemort in some way." Patrick cringed at the sound of Voldemort's name—again. "He refused to believe that Pettigrew is alive and Sirius is innocent, and refuses to remove the Dementors from Azkaban. And he even brought one into the Hogwart's Castle!"
"Well he was first one on the scene after the apparent death of Pettigrew and arrests Sirius. He insists keeping the Dementors at Azkaban and brought one into the Hogwart's Castle. It sounds to me that he IS on You-Know-Who's side—even if he's not a Deatheater.
"He also refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned." Patrick cringed yet another time. "He also refuses to believe that we need the giants to help us."
"You're asking giants to help us?!"
"Yes. It's better if they're on our side than Voldemort's."
After Patrick cringed yet again, he said, "You're right. I just hope they don't betray us."
"I have faith that they won't. I've sent two half-giants as envoys to them. Now I need to tell you what I need you to do. You need to pull strings at your Ministry—,"
"We don't have a Ministry of Magic. We have Local, County, State, and Federal Governments of Magic."
"Well needless to say what they are, you need to pull strings in the United States Government of Magic."
"I'll do that."
"But before you do, I need you to send a letter to Sirius Black. He should be at Lupin's."
"I'll do that, but do you have any idea how awkward it is asking a true owl where somebody's home is and explaining to them that you're not a real owl; that you're an Animagus?"
"No."
"Well, believe me, it IS awkward."
"I just have two words to say."
"What are they?"
"Mumble Jumble."
"You know that I thought you were crazy when you were shouting, 'Love! Love!' at me, but then I figured out that was the weapon the Potters needed. However, now that you've said, 'Mumble Jumble,' it looks like I might have been right. So long." Patrick transfigured into an owl and let Dumbledore tie the letter to Sirius Black to his leg. Then off he flew, wondering what the letter said.
'I hope the strings he pulls will pull the Ministry of Magic's strings,' thought Dumbledore. 'I better ask Hagrid if he thinks he'll be back in time for the school-year.' He wrote a letter to Hagrid, asking just that, and then sent it out with an owl that had delivered him a letter right after Patrick had left. When he looked at the letter, he saw that Hagrid had made contact with a giant.