Chapter 3
Sirius woke up that morning with the same thought in his head… which was absolutely nothing. The collar made it hurt to have the thoughts he had so he didn't think. He just thought 'never say it'. Voldemort had been trying to persuade him with Serena. He wanted Sirius to say 'All I have left is Serena' but Sirius knew that was bullshit but he couldn't tell why he knew it was bullshit.
Sirius sat up and saw Serena. His heart leapt because she looked like the old Serena but he told himself she wasn't the old Serena. Just because her eyes were brighter and she had red hair… and her lips were their normal red… stop that!
Sirius was too far into this and he knew it. Every time he reprimanded himself the collar took a little more of his normal self away. He probably would not survive through August.
"Hello, Sirius." Serena says in an uncharacteristically cheerful voice.
"That's the first time you called me that since I got here." Sirius says croakily since he'd not used his voice for a while.
"Well I'm different than when you came here." Serena says smiling.
"I don't believe you." Sirius says. "I can't let myself believe you. You're a trap."
"Believe what you want Sirius…" Serena purrs seductively.
"Fine! I can't take this shit anymore!" Sirius yells. "My wife is here… the world believes me dead… Dumbledore even buys it… I give up." Sirius sighs deflatedly and Serena can see that his eyes are wet. "Nothing out there for a dead man… Nothing out there for me. Not anymore."
"I'm serious, Sirius. I'm different." Serena says.
"Then curse Voldemort." Sirius challenges but Serena shakes her head.
"See. You are here. Nothing is out there" Sirius points at a window. "What do I have to do?"
"Say what he's been trying to get you to say." Serena says frowning.
"Fine... gladly… It's the truth now isn't it?" Sirius says and starts to talk.
"No! It isn't the truth! Harry still believes you're alive!" Serena says in a loud whisper.
"He's the only one. Remus is dead… who cares? Sirius that you knew is dead now." Sirius says.
"Damn it." Serena says to herself.
"Huh?" Sirius asks.
"Just say what you were gonna say." Serena snaps.
"Ok. All I have left is Serena." Sirius says and it's like his mind changes. He suddenly is inclined to evil and to think of Voldemort as his leader rather than Dumbledore. And he can finally think of Serena as his again.
"Welcome to Hell, Sirius." Serena mumbles.
"What's that darling?" Sirius says.
"Uh… nothing." Serena says.
"Good. Now let me go so we can tell our master the news." Sirius says.
'Dearest Dumb-bledore,
It is I. I am not dead. I never was. Your foolishness will bring you duds… You should've done what Harry said but now you'll find you'll soon be dead.
Enjoy the Rhyme?
Sirius'
Dumbledore stared at the letter again. There was no mistaking the script was that of his former student. That meant Harry was right… Sirius was alive and apparently evil now.
Dumbledore sighed heavily. Why had he given up so easily? He was breaking his own statement and choosing to believe what was easy rather than what was right… It is September the 1st he'd call Harry to his office and ask to see his Dream Catcher. Then he could figure out what happened. He had to set this right.
He ran as fast as he could. Scrambling through the brush and trying not to fall. If he fell it would be too late… maybe it already was. The pain in his side and the burning in his lung was getting unbearable. Still he had to run. He had to get the message delivered.
His eyes started to unfocus and his breathing was deeper yet less of it was coming in. He wasn't gonna make it… he had to find someone… had to warn anyone.
"HELP!" He cries out as he emerges from the forest. "ANYONE HELP!" He was getting dizzy. He could hardly breathe anymore. "Please…" His voice was weaker. He pushed his legs to the castle. He got into the Great Hall where everyone was enjoying the opening feast. Every eye looked at him as the doors banged open.
"They're coming. They're coming soon…" And with that he collapsed.
"Mundungus! Alexander go and help him. Minerva alert Madame Pomfrey. Students get to your dorms!" Dumbledore says.
Alexander rushes to Mundungus Fletcher's side. "It's his lung. There's part of an arrow in there. He's barely alive." Alexander sings phoenix song and his phoenix comes to him. Alexander points at Mundungus and the phoenix cried onto the wound. "That will only heal the holes he needs more extensive treatment. He has probably blood in the lung and maybe the arrow is deeper… through the lung…" Alexander lifts the big man up like he weighs nothing. "He needs to get to St. Mungo's but I don't trust them after they botched up with Charlie like that. They didn't know a cure for something as basic as shock… wait that was that Romanian Hospital. Maybe he does need St. Mungo's then. I know somewhere better. Phoenix Memorial. A hospital founded by my great-great-great grandpa. And ran by his son and that son's son and that son's son's son, my grandpa, and then my father. I gave it to my brother Aaron. It is a high quality place made for injuries like his." Mundungus' eyes shoot open.
He looks around and thinks he's outside because of the ceiling looking like the sky. "Oh no I didn't make it got to warn them…" He rolls out of Alexander's grip and hit the floor.
"Mundungus calm down. You made it." Dumbledore says.
"They're coming… Tomorrow at night… Death Eaters and some dark creatures… They are gonna attack relentlessly until the defenses Hogwarts are crumbled." Mundungus says and pants a little before coughing and spitting blood.
"Relax. Rest. Don't worry anymore. We're gonna get you help." Alexander says picking him up again.
"Ok, Alexander, you and Rosalyn get him to the hospital and the rest of you go back to your duties. Falcore, bring Harry to my office. Tell him to bring his Dream Catcher." Dumbledore says leaving.
Alexander and Rosalyn went through the Floo Network with Mundungus to Aaron's office.
"Brother?" Aaron seems amazed.
"Yes. It is I. I'm sorry I haven't seen you in so long and I wish to catch up but…" Alexander hands Mundungus to him.
"What has happened to this man? He looks pale… short of breath, and if I may take a guess has lost a lot of blood?" Aaron says.
"Yes. An arrow pierced his side into, and possibly through, his lung. I had my phoenix heal the holes to stop the bleeding." Alexander says.
"Oh what if the arrow was tipped in poison brother?" Aaron asks.
"You can check. Just do something. This man has information but his health is top priority." Alexander says as Mundungus coughs up more blood.
"I have been teaching my men some new procedures," Aaron starts walking out of his office to a room across from the nurse's station. "a sort of muggle like surgery using magic. It has been successful. Every try out has passed. We will need his permission until we get this into approved advanced curriculum for anyone studying the art of Magical Medicine, Spells and Potions."
Unknown to them Mundungus had opened his eyes. "I give you permission. I can't die yet… too much I have to do still… do anything."
"Ok I have two witnesses… that's good to the Ministry." Aaron says. "I'm going to have to X-Ray your chest. I need you to be still."
Aaron mutters a spell and draws a square over Mundungus' chest. The square floats up and shows Mundungus' lungs breathing and the arrow piercing through the lung with the tip coming out of the end and almost hitting the pumping heart. The heart goes erratic and suddenly the tip pokes out more and touches the heart creating a hole. "Out you two! CODE BLUE! Team 2-12-20-5 report!"
A team of 3 doctors and 4 nurses enter the room as Alexander and Rosalyn quickly leave.
Back at Hogwarts Dumbledore has told Harry that he knows Sirius is alive and, he has reason to believe, evil. Harry loses his temper.
"Please forgive me for this later but… I TOLD YOU! I told you he was alive! Do you think my nightmares wouldn't tell me?! No they never lie! Apparently you think I do. I must leave now before I say more that I will regret. Please try to spy on my Dream Catcher… it won't work since you aren't me and are not permitted to use it by me. I hope you listen better later, Headmaster, or as Sirius put it… 'You should've done what Harry said but now you'll find you'll soon be dead.' Good day Professor Dumbledore." Harry storms out leaving the Dream Catcher on Dumbledore's desk.
"He took that much better than I thought." Dumbledore mused. Suddenly Sirius' head appears out of the Dream Catcher. Dumbledore sees a collar on his neck. Sirius then talks.
"Fine! I can't take this shit anymore!" Sirius yells. "My wife is here… the world believes me dead… Dumbledore even buys it… I give up."
"Oh what have I done…" Dumbledore puts his wand up to his temple and siphons some memories into his Pensieve.
A few hours later at Phoenix Memorial…
Aaron walks out taking of some bloodied muggle scrubs. "I'm sorry… I don't think he's gonna make it. We did everything we could and fixed most of the injuries. We even got most of the blood out of his lungs… but we tested it and there is some unknown poison in there. We're running every magical and muggle test we can think of but now that the arrow hit his heart it is traveling faster. He is getting green and still coughing blood. His breaths are rattling. He wants to see both of you though."
"OK." Alexander says and he and Rosalyn walk into Mundungus' room.
Mundungus takes in a rattly breath. "Alexander, Rosalyn. I need you to know that Sirius is in the Death Eater ranks. He is right hand actually. Your other brother is in the ranks too." Mundungus takes in another rattly breath. "Voldemort will come in the attack… that will be 5-6 months away. He's after you and her… If I don't live… Take care of the little one." Mundungus pats Rosalyn's stomach and his hand feels extremely cold. "He's after your child…"
"How did you…?" Alexander seems shocked.
Mundungus leans his head back drawing his blankets up to his chin. "It's in a prophecy. He, sorry to spoil any surprise, will be a key to defeating some evil scheme of Voldemort's so Voldemort must see him be dead… protect him." Mundungus breathes heavily. "I will not live longer than a few hours if they do not figure out what this poison is."
Alexander pulls a small black box out of his robe's pocket and does a reenlargement spell on it. He pulls a vial with a golden liquid out and hands it to Mundungus. "This should help you feel at least a small bit better."
Mundungus drinks it in a gulp and his color looks more normal. "It did help a little. Thanks a lot."
"No… Thank you." Alexander says.
Harry was up in his dorm wondering what possessed him to scream at Dumbledore like that. Harry felt bad now but he had been right. He was gonna let Dumbledore stew. He had every right to be mad. Dumbledore had let Sirius be changed! His godfather was Voldemort's right hand… feeding info on Hogwarts' defenses and so was some other guy who claimed he worked in Hogwarts… I guess Dumbledore isn't as grand as I used to think.
"His hand was so cold… I can still feel its chill." Rosalyn rubs her stomach.
"I wonder…" Alexander stares and Rosalyn's stomach.
"What?" Rosalyn asks.
"I'm just wondering if he maybe transferred some of his remaining strength into a protective something… that would explain the chill." Alexander says and looks through the window at Mundungus who is shivering.
"Why would he do that? He needs all his strength to try to live." Rosalyn frowns.
"Maybe he doesn't expect to." Alexander says and sensing Rosalyn's discomfort from the chill he sends a wave of heat to her stomach.
"Thanks." Rosalyn smiles meekly.
"We've found the poison!" Aaron screams running out of the lab. "It is an intricate mix of muggle poisons and magical potions. In six hours the Draught of Living death will kick in and he'll go into a sleep that will magnify the muggle and magical poisons. We need your potions knowledge, brother."
"Anything. I'll do anything." Alexander says. "I have the cures to most muggle poisons in my case. Let's get to work."
Aaron and Alexander disappear into the lab.