Chapter 3 Stone on Stone
Harry could hear things, but as hard has tried he couldn't open his eyes. So he laid there, listing to the conversation that was taking place over his bed.
"How much longer?"
"Three hours."
He thought it was Remus and Dumbledore, but it was a sullen tone, one he had never heard before.
"You know, Professor. I'd never thought it would turn out like this. James and Lil, dead, Peter, to the dark side, and Sirius..."His voice dropped off again.
"Harry must know something. Relax, remember he wouldn't have spoken in parseltounge if he hadn't known something. There is still hope."
"What? There is little, may I stress, little, chance of getting a kissed soul back. It is a lost cause..."
Harry, tried to speak then. "No," He took in a breath, he was tired, "No it is not Remus."
It took him another minute or so for his eyes to focus and for him to be able to sit up, but he was feeling better with each passing moment.
"How long have I been out?" While he asked this he was looking at his arm that had been healed, flexing his fingers to make sure everything still worked.
"Eight hours nearly. There are four hours until..."
"I know." He didn't want to hear it. His Godfather was going to live.
Now that Harry could look at Remus, he noticed how bad he looked. He had dark circles under the goldenish brown eyes that looked grim; his gray hair was limp and a complete mess. Remus looked at Harry and asked, "What were you doing, hissing in Parsletounge? You caused quite a ruckus, believe me, when you did that. The guy that pinned you down, exclaimed for nearly ten minutes that your worked with Voldemort until Fudge shut him up. The only good thing he's done."
"Basically I told a snake to go find that Dementor. I have a plan. I'll need your help though; I don't think I have the experience to do the spells correctly on the first try. I'd be able to get it, but this is one of those, do it once, get it right, or not at all. I need to have a dagger enchanted. I quote from the textbook, "Dementors can be killed by taking a enchanted dagger and stabbing them. However, the attack must be extremely close to a Dementor to do this causing ..." and it goes on. I'm beginning to sound like Hermione aren't I?"
Remus nodded with a forced smile. "I'll help you will the spell. How much time do we have before Sirius' soul is irretrievable?"
"A month. So we have plenty of time, but I want to start immediately."
****
Sirius sat against a stone wall
staring at the other stone wall. Stone around stone. His eyes had glazed,
breathing slow. He was awake, but he had let his mind go- far far away, to a
place untouchable by the darkest moments, or the happiest times. Brief moments
passed his mind…James and him in a snowball fight, his first kiss with a
hufflepuff girl, the taste of pumpkin juice, his parents…random moments. His
mind couldn't dwell on the present things, nor the important things, just facts
things lost gone from a youth bitterly destroyed and crumbled.
"Black."
It was
John's voice. He had been looking at him for a couple minutes, the only
movement from his body the slow rising of his chest. He didn't even blink.
Sirius didn't respond. Didn't move. His legs lying on the stone floor, back
against more stone. Grey stone.
"Black"
He spoke a little louder, it echoing. He wasn't even sure if Sirius was awake.
He looked like he had been kissed already. The doom in his heart.
Sirius heard the voice vaguely, and blinked. Slowly his head turned towards John, looking at the young boy. No compassion, no anger, all emotions gone. He was gone, hopeless, alone.
"You have a visitor."
Sirius nodded.
John walked away coming back with Remus who's eyes reflected those of Sirius'.
"Can you let me in his cell?"
John looked at the man, debating weather he was crazy or really thought this murder was innocent. "It is dangerous, but if you want, I can."
"Do it."
He opened the cell, and Remus walked in, crouching by his best friend. He hadn't moved anything but his eyes, and didn't say a word.
"Padfoot…" Remus' voice was low and near broken.
Sirius didn't speak, but whimpered, as an injured dog, and a single tear rolled down his face.
"I'm sorry Moony. I tried."
"I know. I had to come. I don't blame you."
"That doesn't matter anyway." He looked up, as if searching for a comfort, but only saw more stone. "Take care of Harry."
"Padfoot- I always will." Remus was shaking with contained emotion. He whispered very quietly, to prohibit John from overhearing "We're going to try and save you."
Sirius looked at Remus with an incredulous look and laughed.
"Don't delude yourself. I'm unsaveable now. It is over. I stay a shell for the existence of my life in a little white room with white walls...staring upwards, not seeing never knowing, just a heart beating and lungs breathing. Nothing else, nothing new... and I shall die, and spend eternity with a trapped soul, never caring never knowing." He closed his eyes.
Remus took a step back. "Just know... that you will always be remembered by me. I... must go old friend."
He turned and let John let him out. He was alone before he collapsed a cried.
Sirius was right- it was hopeless. But- for Harry- he'd give him the hope for the month to come.
-End of three-
K this was shorter. Four is written, but I want to get at
least part of 5 done before I give you it. I was originally planning to do this
in three parts…but it didn't work … guys PLEASE review. I write more and post
more that way.
