Chapter 9: Unexpected Loyalty
Things went well during Ms. Falcon's visit of the manor. She approved of everything in the house. Of course, she didn't know what Lucius and Draco were really like with Clarice; otherwise she would have brought her back to the orphanage.
After Ms. Falcon's visit, everything went right back to the way they had been during the Christmas holidays. Clarice would try to avoid the Malfoys and Lucius would rape her at night. The one week holiday felt like it would never end.
By the third day of the holiday, Clarice started to venture around the Malfoy's neighborhood. While she was out one day, she came across a very big black dog. The dog looked like the Grim, but Clarice wasn't afraid. If in fact it was the Grim, she would welcome death.
Everyday the dog would find Clarice, no matter where she went. When she realized the dog was really friendly and attached to her, she confided in the dog about life at the Malfoys. What harm could it do, right? It's only a dog. It can't talk to people.
On her fifth day with the Malfoys she had already told the dog about life at the Malfoys. Oddly, the dog led her away from where the Malfoys were to a cavern. Clarice, not caring about getting back to the Malfoys manor, followed the dog into the cavern. She, of course did have her two wands. In the back of the cavern, Clarice fell asleep on the dog. However, when she woke, the dog was gone.
"Good evening. Did you sleep well?" came the hoarse voice of the man who now stood in the cavern with her.
Clarice was shocked.
"You're...you're...Sirius Black. The escaped murderer from Azkaban."
"Yes, I am Sirius Black, Clarice. Please, don't be alarmed. I won't harm you. I promise. You are armed...I am not. You are more dangerous to me than I am to you."
Clarice was very scared. She knew the magical community felt that Black was extremely dangerous. Then it hit her. Something was off.
"You're an Animagus aren't you? You were the dog that led me here into this cavern. You were the one I had confided in."
"Yes, Clarice, I am. I am also your uncle. Please don't be afraid. I don't want to hurt you."
"Oh my Goddess. I just got you killed! No! You need to run. To hide and never to show your face again. If you do, you will be killed. Please."
"What are you talking about? I'm still alive."
"Not for long. Malfoy promised if I ever told anyone what he did to me he would kill that person."
"I'm not afraid of Lucius Malfoy."
"Well, you wouldn't if you were You-Know-Who's right hand man, as you were."
"I never worked for Voldemort."
Clarice flinched. She had never heard anyone call You-Know-Who by his proper name. It scared her a bit.
"Don't say his name. Then why were you in jail?"
"For a murder I did not commit."
"Murder? Just one? I thought including the Potters, the number was up to fifteen."
"I did not murder the Muggles or Pettigrew or the Potters, though I might as well have killed James and Lily."
"You told Voldemort where they were. You were their secret keeper."
"No, I wasn't. I convinced James and Lily to use Peter at the last minute. I figured that Voldemort wouldn't think James would use such a weak wizard as Peter. Peter betrayed them. I convinced them to use him though, so it was as good as my fault."
Sirius began to cry.
"I believe you. But if you didn't kill Pettigrew and those Muggles than how did they all die?"
"Well, for a long time I believed Pettigrew was dead. In fact, he's not. He's at Hogwarts. He, too, is an unregistered Animagus. He can turn into a rat. He blew up the street and cut his finger off to escape the Ministry of Magic. I didn't kill him. He's alive."
Realization sunk into Clarice. Ron had a rat that slept in his dormitory, the same one Harry slept in, and that was missing a toe.
"You don't mean Ron Weasley's rat Scabbers do you?"
"Yes I do."
"Oh my goodness, he can easily kill Harry!!! We've got to stop him, Sirius!"
Now it was Sirius' turn to be shocked.
"We? You want to help me?"
"Well, for some reason I do really believe you about what happened twelve years ago. I also know that it is possible to believe someone is dead when they're not. Everyone thought I've been dead for almost fourteen years. I just found out that I have family in you and Harry and apparently Professor Dumbledore. I don't want to lose that just yet. I'll help you in any way I can."
Sirius thought about it. Clarice sounded just like his little sister. He wasn't ready to let go of her either.
"Bring me to Hogwarts as your dog."
"Deal."
Things went well during Ms. Falcon's visit of the manor. She approved of everything in the house. Of course, she didn't know what Lucius and Draco were really like with Clarice; otherwise she would have brought her back to the orphanage.
After Ms. Falcon's visit, everything went right back to the way they had been during the Christmas holidays. Clarice would try to avoid the Malfoys and Lucius would rape her at night. The one week holiday felt like it would never end.
By the third day of the holiday, Clarice started to venture around the Malfoy's neighborhood. While she was out one day, she came across a very big black dog. The dog looked like the Grim, but Clarice wasn't afraid. If in fact it was the Grim, she would welcome death.
Everyday the dog would find Clarice, no matter where she went. When she realized the dog was really friendly and attached to her, she confided in the dog about life at the Malfoys. What harm could it do, right? It's only a dog. It can't talk to people.
On her fifth day with the Malfoys she had already told the dog about life at the Malfoys. Oddly, the dog led her away from where the Malfoys were to a cavern. Clarice, not caring about getting back to the Malfoys manor, followed the dog into the cavern. She, of course did have her two wands. In the back of the cavern, Clarice fell asleep on the dog. However, when she woke, the dog was gone.
"Good evening. Did you sleep well?" came the hoarse voice of the man who now stood in the cavern with her.
Clarice was shocked.
"You're...you're...Sirius Black. The escaped murderer from Azkaban."
"Yes, I am Sirius Black, Clarice. Please, don't be alarmed. I won't harm you. I promise. You are armed...I am not. You are more dangerous to me than I am to you."
Clarice was very scared. She knew the magical community felt that Black was extremely dangerous. Then it hit her. Something was off.
"You're an Animagus aren't you? You were the dog that led me here into this cavern. You were the one I had confided in."
"Yes, Clarice, I am. I am also your uncle. Please don't be afraid. I don't want to hurt you."
"Oh my Goddess. I just got you killed! No! You need to run. To hide and never to show your face again. If you do, you will be killed. Please."
"What are you talking about? I'm still alive."
"Not for long. Malfoy promised if I ever told anyone what he did to me he would kill that person."
"I'm not afraid of Lucius Malfoy."
"Well, you wouldn't if you were You-Know-Who's right hand man, as you were."
"I never worked for Voldemort."
Clarice flinched. She had never heard anyone call You-Know-Who by his proper name. It scared her a bit.
"Don't say his name. Then why were you in jail?"
"For a murder I did not commit."
"Murder? Just one? I thought including the Potters, the number was up to fifteen."
"I did not murder the Muggles or Pettigrew or the Potters, though I might as well have killed James and Lily."
"You told Voldemort where they were. You were their secret keeper."
"No, I wasn't. I convinced James and Lily to use Peter at the last minute. I figured that Voldemort wouldn't think James would use such a weak wizard as Peter. Peter betrayed them. I convinced them to use him though, so it was as good as my fault."
Sirius began to cry.
"I believe you. But if you didn't kill Pettigrew and those Muggles than how did they all die?"
"Well, for a long time I believed Pettigrew was dead. In fact, he's not. He's at Hogwarts. He, too, is an unregistered Animagus. He can turn into a rat. He blew up the street and cut his finger off to escape the Ministry of Magic. I didn't kill him. He's alive."
Realization sunk into Clarice. Ron had a rat that slept in his dormitory, the same one Harry slept in, and that was missing a toe.
"You don't mean Ron Weasley's rat Scabbers do you?"
"Yes I do."
"Oh my goodness, he can easily kill Harry!!! We've got to stop him, Sirius!"
Now it was Sirius' turn to be shocked.
"We? You want to help me?"
"Well, for some reason I do really believe you about what happened twelve years ago. I also know that it is possible to believe someone is dead when they're not. Everyone thought I've been dead for almost fourteen years. I just found out that I have family in you and Harry and apparently Professor Dumbledore. I don't want to lose that just yet. I'll help you in any way I can."
Sirius thought about it. Clarice sounded just like his little sister. He wasn't ready to let go of her either.
"Bring me to Hogwarts as your dog."
"Deal."