Hogwarts was as wonderful as Sirius had remembered. The pictures in the
Great Hall covered all of one wall, and it was impossible to ignore them.
There were few spaces where the pictures had been taken down, but more of
the pictures were surrounded by hearts. Either that or they were empty.
Professor McGonagall was sitting near the front, and she looked up as they opened the door. Sirius was leaning on Ginny for support, but he was still walking - still moving himself.
McGonagall looked up and started, standing quickly and half-running to meet them. Sirius stopped as she reached them, and Ron and Ginny looked at him and followed suit. The Headmistress looked at Sirius long and measuringly and then said quietly, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I every suspected you." She put a hand on his shoulder. "It's good to have you back."
She turned her eyes breifly to Ron and Ginny, and nodded. "Good job, you two."
"Headmistress -" Ginny began, but McGonagall shook her head, looking at Harry.
"Is he all right?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "He wanted to know, before he died. Is Harry all right?"
"He's blind," Sirius said quietly, looking at the tiled floor. "He's been blind from somewhere around two years."
Professor McGonagall stared at him as if he had just said that he had actually joined the Death Eaters after all, and then she let out a deep breath.
"Oh, no," she murmered, laying a hand on Harry's. It was freezing cold. "The poor boy.I suppose they might be able to heal it at St. Mungo's, but I'm not sure."
It was Sirius' turn to look startled. "I hadn't even thought about that," he breathed. "I thought we were going to die down there."
"You need rest, and treatment," the Professor said, laying her hand on Sirius' shoulder again. "I'll give you a Portkey to St. Mungo's. Could you two accompany them?"
"Of course, Headmistress," Ginny said politely. "Could you send word to our parents? About everything?"
McGonagall nodded, and looking at Sirius, who was looking at his staff and avoiding all eye contact, said quietly, "When you've been. treated, will you be able to tell us more precise details?"
Sirius nodded, still not looking at her, Ron or Ginny, and turned to lay a hand on Harry's.
Professor McGonagall was sitting near the front, and she looked up as they opened the door. Sirius was leaning on Ginny for support, but he was still walking - still moving himself.
McGonagall looked up and started, standing quickly and half-running to meet them. Sirius stopped as she reached them, and Ron and Ginny looked at him and followed suit. The Headmistress looked at Sirius long and measuringly and then said quietly, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I every suspected you." She put a hand on his shoulder. "It's good to have you back."
She turned her eyes breifly to Ron and Ginny, and nodded. "Good job, you two."
"Headmistress -" Ginny began, but McGonagall shook her head, looking at Harry.
"Is he all right?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "He wanted to know, before he died. Is Harry all right?"
"He's blind," Sirius said quietly, looking at the tiled floor. "He's been blind from somewhere around two years."
Professor McGonagall stared at him as if he had just said that he had actually joined the Death Eaters after all, and then she let out a deep breath.
"Oh, no," she murmered, laying a hand on Harry's. It was freezing cold. "The poor boy.I suppose they might be able to heal it at St. Mungo's, but I'm not sure."
It was Sirius' turn to look startled. "I hadn't even thought about that," he breathed. "I thought we were going to die down there."
"You need rest, and treatment," the Professor said, laying her hand on Sirius' shoulder again. "I'll give you a Portkey to St. Mungo's. Could you two accompany them?"
"Of course, Headmistress," Ginny said politely. "Could you send word to our parents? About everything?"
McGonagall nodded, and looking at Sirius, who was looking at his staff and avoiding all eye contact, said quietly, "When you've been. treated, will you be able to tell us more precise details?"
Sirius nodded, still not looking at her, Ron or Ginny, and turned to lay a hand on Harry's.