Title: I'm Sorry
Author: Artemis Luna Diana
E-mail: artemislunadiana@yahoo.com
Rated: PG
Pairing: hints of possible HP/DM
***
Breakfast in the Great Hall is usually a quiet affair. Students drift in and out of the hall grabbing muffins or bagels. Some choose to stay and eat a hot breakfast, most don't. Mail comes in fairly early during the process, gifting some students with packages from home and others with howlers informing the rest of the school of their misdeeds. Scattered amongst the students are those who like to keep up with various things in the outside world. Subscriptions to Witches Weekly and the Daily Prophet aren't as popular as those to Quidditch Weekly but are still quite numerous.
When he entered the Great Hall that morning, as usual as late as possible, he was understandably shocked to find it almost as full as during a feast. Students were clustered together whispering excitedly over… something he couldn't really see. He walked to his table and sat down beside his friends, peering over at the papers spread between them. One glance at the headline answered all of his questions.
He was one of the few students who realized that this was not a good thing.
"Can you believe this?" one of his year-mates asked.
He scanned the hall, looking for one particular person…who it seemed had yet to make an appearance. He looked to the Staff Table. Dumbledore didn't have his usual twinkle, and Snape seemed to be trying to decide if he should be happy or upset. The others were overjoyed. Apparently even the teachers hadn't the information he had, besides Snape and Dumbledore of course.
His attention was drawn to the doors of the hall as the one he'd been searching for entered and then stopped in surprise. The young man walked to his house table and asked his friends something. For a response, they handed him a copy of the Daily Prophet.
The paper slipped from numb fingers and fell to the floor. Those around him leapt up, demanding to know what was wrong. He tried to break free of them, but they held him back in concern.
He stood up, ignoring his house-mates questions and approached the shattered teenager.
"What do you want, Ferret?" one of the young man's friends sneered.
He ignored her. Shattered green eyes met understanding grey. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
The young man nodded, miserable in grief.
"Mr. Potter, why don't you come with me to my office." Dumbledore had finally arrived.
He watched the headmaster lead Potter away and then glared at those around him. He turned to walk away but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
"He'll know now. They all will."
He sniffed. "I realize that." He paused and glanced to where the other had gone. "But, he needed it."
Snape released his shoulder and glared at Potter's friends before walking out of the hall. He looked down at the floor to the scattered paper before leaving as well.
Sirius Black
Killed in Ministry Raid!
Perhaps it had been unwise, but he had finally revealed which side he was on to Harry Potter. He had been after him for months to make a decision, and now he had his answer. Unfortunately, so would Voldemort and his father. Somehow it didn't surprise him that he was risking his life to make Potter feel a little better.
***
The End.
A/N: I have no idea where this thing came from; it's probably one of the shortest things I've ever written too, and I don't particularly like it. But I figured I'd post it anyway, so cheers!
~Artemis Luna Diana~