Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
The betrayal.
Sirius and Harry were talking about quidditch when Hermione stormed in, a big smile on her face.
"Hello, Sirius. Excuse us a moment." Without waiting for an answer she dragged Harry from the bed and to a corner of the room, leaving a surprised Sirius lying in the bed.
"Phoenix? What happened?"
"I think we've got it!" Harry looked at her confused for a moment before his eyes brightened up in understanding.
"You mean it?" Hermione nodded happily.
"Ron has started making it. Can you come?" Harry's face darkened and he glanced at Sirius who was still looking at them.
"Is it really necessary right now? I don't think it would be a great idea for me to leave right now, he has taken it very hard." Hermione nodded in understanding.
"Ok, but come as soon as you can, we are in the dungeons." Harry nodded and watched her go out again. He turned around and went to sit on the bed again.
"Is something wrong Harry?" The boy smiled reassuringly at him and shook his head.
"No, everything's fine. She just found out something she had been working on for a while and wanted to tell me." Sirius's face cleared up and smiled gently at his godson.
"I see she hasn't changed much." Harry laughed.
"Oh, she has, just not in her work." They talked a while longer till Madame Pomfrey came in saying Sirius needed to rest. Harry nodded but stayed till Sirius felt asleep.
Quickly he made his way to the dungeons, an excited feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He just arrived at the room where Hermione and Ron were when he heard a cry. Quickly he opened the door and the first thing he noticed is a little rat trying to scurry out of the room. Quickly he picked the little animal up and looked at it closely. It was marked with a little Phoenix, meaning it was one of the animals they used to do tests. Looking up he saw his two friends hugging, with large grins on their faces. Silently he closed the door and walked towards them, noticing a cauldron with a silvery substance in it. Phoenix noticed him and grinned.
"We did it!" She launched herself into his arms, and started to giggle. "After so many months we did it." Harry slowly began to smile.
"Are you sure?" Ron approached them and nodded.
"Yup. In fact that little guy you're holding is our first success." Dragon stepped away from Phoenix and examined the rat closely. It seemed to be in perfect health, skirming between his fingers.
"I can't believe it, is he alright, I mean, there are no side efects are there?" Phoenix shook her head.
"Of course not, you know it as good as we do. That's one of the reasons it took us so long." There was silence for a few minutes, then Harry spoke softly.
"Now what? Are we ready to test it with humans?" Hermione nodded.
"Yes Harry, it's ready." After a moment she asked in a soft voice. "Are you sure about this?" Harry bit his lip but nodded.
"Yes, I want to try it. Not only for me, but also for Sirius and Remus." His friends nodded in understanding. Ron grinned and slapped him on the shoulder.
"I guess it will make up for Sirius and Remus's Christmas present, because those things you bought for them in Hogsmeade aren't really all that good." Harry looked at him a little embarrassed.
"Look who's talking, you were the one who wanted to buy your mother a dung bomb." Ron laughed, remembering Hermione's and Harry's reaction that day, they had made it very clear they wouldn't let him give a dung boom to his mother, how angry he had been at her at that moment. Hermione had picked up some nice flowers from a store which Ron was grateful, it wasn't a great gift, but it certainly was nicer than the prank. Hermione shook her head at the two and turned their attention to her.
"If we are going to do this as a Christmas present, we'll have to do it tonight, we don't know how long it will take for the potion to take effect for people who have been frozen for so long." The boys nodded. Harry looked at his watch and swore.
"Damn, lunch began twenty minutes ago, we might want to get to the great hall before they think we have disappeared again." Ron and Hermione nodded and Ron put the remaining potion in a couple of vials, with Hermione and Harry sealing them securely. After they had finished cleaning up, they raced up the stairs and entered the great hall, who everyone was eating silently. Relieved looks crossed everyone's features when they saw them come in, the trio smiled radiantly at them, making most of the teachers wonder what they were up to. They sat down together on one end of the table and quickly ate, all the time discussing something about muggle biology, trying to take their minds away from what they were about to do that night. While they were having their desserts Remus came in and walked directly to Harry. He bend down over him and whispered.
"Sirius had a nightmare, I've not been able to calm him down, can you try?" Harry nodded quietly and then told Ron and Hermione he would see them later. He left the room followed by Remus and silently they made their way to the hospital wing. Remus decided it was better to stay outside and told him to call him if he needed anything. Harry nodded and went in. His godfather was curled up in bed, sobbing softly, with Madame Pomfrey looking over him slightly exasperated. Harry motioned for her to leave, and for once, in stead of complain she did as he had asked. Quietly Harry walked to the bed and sat down on it.
"Sirius." The man looked up at him a little before turning around. Harry frowned, he had thought everything had been ok earlier, it seemed he had been wrong, there was something else bothering his godfather. "Sirius, please, I can't help you if you try to ignore me."
"Leave." Harry looked slightly shocked but didn't move. Patiently he waited for the man to continue. "I said, leave. You don't care, you can stop pretending." Harry was now utterly confused.
"I have not the slightest clue about what you're talking about. Of course I care, and I'm not pretending."
"You're lying." Harry sighed in frustration.
"I'm most certainly not lying, and before you say something you'll regret can you tell me what this is about?" Sirius stayed silent for a while. Harry's patience was wearing thin when his godfather finally talked.
"Yesterday you told me all this was only an act, that you only pretended to care because of Dumbledore's protection." Harry narrowed his eyes, he remembered it now.
"Sirius, you are sometimes so dense. Yes I said that, but it was a lie, I couldn't let the death eaters know we care about you, it would have put you all in danger." After a moments silence Sirius answered in a subdued voice.
"I don't believe you." Harry gritted his teeth in annoyance, he stood up and started to walk to the door, if he stayed much longer he would have said or done something harsh. When he arrived at the door he stopped and silently looked at the crying figure.
"You are free to believe what you wish, Mr Black, but know that nor my friends nor I need Dumbledore's protection anymore, we have strong enough powers to survive on our own. Now I'll leave you alone, good evening, sir." Without another word Harry walked out of the room, leaving a shocked Sirius behind. Never had Harry talked to him that way, and he slowly realised that he had done a huge mistake. In his pain he had pushed Harry away. Quickly the man stood up, and dressed in some robes he had found laying on a chair. With quick steps he rushed out of the room, nearly sending Remus to the ground.
"Sorry, Moony, have you seen Harry?" The werewolf nodded a little uncertain.
"Yes, he seemed very upset, why? Is something wrong?"
"Yes, where did he go to?" Remus pointed a direction and Sirius didn't waste his time following it.
"Padfoot, wait!" Remus stormed after him, trying to get out of him what was wrong. Sirius ignored him and looked around frustrated, he knew there was no chance in finding Harry that way. With a sudden inspiration he stormed to his room, Remus still following him closely. Once there he took a piece of parchment and muttered.
"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." The marauder's map appeared and he began to look around it for a sign of his godson. His heart dropped when he didn't see him. As a matter of fact, Hermione and Ron weren't there either. Lowering the map, he sat on the bed, a defeated look on his face.
"He's gone Moony, this time I've lost him."
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews.
The betrayal.
Sirius and Harry were talking about quidditch when Hermione stormed in, a big smile on her face.
"Hello, Sirius. Excuse us a moment." Without waiting for an answer she dragged Harry from the bed and to a corner of the room, leaving a surprised Sirius lying in the bed.
"Phoenix? What happened?"
"I think we've got it!" Harry looked at her confused for a moment before his eyes brightened up in understanding.
"You mean it?" Hermione nodded happily.
"Ron has started making it. Can you come?" Harry's face darkened and he glanced at Sirius who was still looking at them.
"Is it really necessary right now? I don't think it would be a great idea for me to leave right now, he has taken it very hard." Hermione nodded in understanding.
"Ok, but come as soon as you can, we are in the dungeons." Harry nodded and watched her go out again. He turned around and went to sit on the bed again.
"Is something wrong Harry?" The boy smiled reassuringly at him and shook his head.
"No, everything's fine. She just found out something she had been working on for a while and wanted to tell me." Sirius's face cleared up and smiled gently at his godson.
"I see she hasn't changed much." Harry laughed.
"Oh, she has, just not in her work." They talked a while longer till Madame Pomfrey came in saying Sirius needed to rest. Harry nodded but stayed till Sirius felt asleep.
Quickly he made his way to the dungeons, an excited feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. He just arrived at the room where Hermione and Ron were when he heard a cry. Quickly he opened the door and the first thing he noticed is a little rat trying to scurry out of the room. Quickly he picked the little animal up and looked at it closely. It was marked with a little Phoenix, meaning it was one of the animals they used to do tests. Looking up he saw his two friends hugging, with large grins on their faces. Silently he closed the door and walked towards them, noticing a cauldron with a silvery substance in it. Phoenix noticed him and grinned.
"We did it!" She launched herself into his arms, and started to giggle. "After so many months we did it." Harry slowly began to smile.
"Are you sure?" Ron approached them and nodded.
"Yup. In fact that little guy you're holding is our first success." Dragon stepped away from Phoenix and examined the rat closely. It seemed to be in perfect health, skirming between his fingers.
"I can't believe it, is he alright, I mean, there are no side efects are there?" Phoenix shook her head.
"Of course not, you know it as good as we do. That's one of the reasons it took us so long." There was silence for a few minutes, then Harry spoke softly.
"Now what? Are we ready to test it with humans?" Hermione nodded.
"Yes Harry, it's ready." After a moment she asked in a soft voice. "Are you sure about this?" Harry bit his lip but nodded.
"Yes, I want to try it. Not only for me, but also for Sirius and Remus." His friends nodded in understanding. Ron grinned and slapped him on the shoulder.
"I guess it will make up for Sirius and Remus's Christmas present, because those things you bought for them in Hogsmeade aren't really all that good." Harry looked at him a little embarrassed.
"Look who's talking, you were the one who wanted to buy your mother a dung bomb." Ron laughed, remembering Hermione's and Harry's reaction that day, they had made it very clear they wouldn't let him give a dung boom to his mother, how angry he had been at her at that moment. Hermione had picked up some nice flowers from a store which Ron was grateful, it wasn't a great gift, but it certainly was nicer than the prank. Hermione shook her head at the two and turned their attention to her.
"If we are going to do this as a Christmas present, we'll have to do it tonight, we don't know how long it will take for the potion to take effect for people who have been frozen for so long." The boys nodded. Harry looked at his watch and swore.
"Damn, lunch began twenty minutes ago, we might want to get to the great hall before they think we have disappeared again." Ron and Hermione nodded and Ron put the remaining potion in a couple of vials, with Hermione and Harry sealing them securely. After they had finished cleaning up, they raced up the stairs and entered the great hall, who everyone was eating silently. Relieved looks crossed everyone's features when they saw them come in, the trio smiled radiantly at them, making most of the teachers wonder what they were up to. They sat down together on one end of the table and quickly ate, all the time discussing something about muggle biology, trying to take their minds away from what they were about to do that night. While they were having their desserts Remus came in and walked directly to Harry. He bend down over him and whispered.
"Sirius had a nightmare, I've not been able to calm him down, can you try?" Harry nodded quietly and then told Ron and Hermione he would see them later. He left the room followed by Remus and silently they made their way to the hospital wing. Remus decided it was better to stay outside and told him to call him if he needed anything. Harry nodded and went in. His godfather was curled up in bed, sobbing softly, with Madame Pomfrey looking over him slightly exasperated. Harry motioned for her to leave, and for once, in stead of complain she did as he had asked. Quietly Harry walked to the bed and sat down on it.
"Sirius." The man looked up at him a little before turning around. Harry frowned, he had thought everything had been ok earlier, it seemed he had been wrong, there was something else bothering his godfather. "Sirius, please, I can't help you if you try to ignore me."
"Leave." Harry looked slightly shocked but didn't move. Patiently he waited for the man to continue. "I said, leave. You don't care, you can stop pretending." Harry was now utterly confused.
"I have not the slightest clue about what you're talking about. Of course I care, and I'm not pretending."
"You're lying." Harry sighed in frustration.
"I'm most certainly not lying, and before you say something you'll regret can you tell me what this is about?" Sirius stayed silent for a while. Harry's patience was wearing thin when his godfather finally talked.
"Yesterday you told me all this was only an act, that you only pretended to care because of Dumbledore's protection." Harry narrowed his eyes, he remembered it now.
"Sirius, you are sometimes so dense. Yes I said that, but it was a lie, I couldn't let the death eaters know we care about you, it would have put you all in danger." After a moments silence Sirius answered in a subdued voice.
"I don't believe you." Harry gritted his teeth in annoyance, he stood up and started to walk to the door, if he stayed much longer he would have said or done something harsh. When he arrived at the door he stopped and silently looked at the crying figure.
"You are free to believe what you wish, Mr Black, but know that nor my friends nor I need Dumbledore's protection anymore, we have strong enough powers to survive on our own. Now I'll leave you alone, good evening, sir." Without another word Harry walked out of the room, leaving a shocked Sirius behind. Never had Harry talked to him that way, and he slowly realised that he had done a huge mistake. In his pain he had pushed Harry away. Quickly the man stood up, and dressed in some robes he had found laying on a chair. With quick steps he rushed out of the room, nearly sending Remus to the ground.
"Sorry, Moony, have you seen Harry?" The werewolf nodded a little uncertain.
"Yes, he seemed very upset, why? Is something wrong?"
"Yes, where did he go to?" Remus pointed a direction and Sirius didn't waste his time following it.
"Padfoot, wait!" Remus stormed after him, trying to get out of him what was wrong. Sirius ignored him and looked around frustrated, he knew there was no chance in finding Harry that way. With a sudden inspiration he stormed to his room, Remus still following him closely. Once there he took a piece of parchment and muttered.
"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." The marauder's map appeared and he began to look around it for a sign of his godson. His heart dropped when he didn't see him. As a matter of fact, Hermione and Ron weren't there either. Lowering the map, he sat on the bed, a defeated look on his face.
"He's gone Moony, this time I've lost him."
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews.
