A/N – Okies, soz about the delay… There's a lot of changing POVs in this chapter, I'm sorry but it was kinda necessary.  Enjoy!…

Chapter 50 – Padfoot's Pride

Pettigrew snuck between the bars of the cell and came up towards the bed.  As his twitching nose sniffed the air.

He couldn't help but wonder if this had once been Sirius' prison cell.

Summoning his strength Peter transformed back into human form and crept towards Procyon Equuleus.

"Mr Equuleus… Please wake up."  He whispered giving the man a shake.

He awoke easily and his startled eyes grew wider when he recognised Peter.

"You're… I… Uh…"  He stuttered.

"Shh, We have to go.  You have to come and help me." 

"But…"

Peter groaned.  "Just please come with me.  We need to get you out of here before they come."

"They?"  Asked Procyon narrowing his eyes.

"You-know-who will send death eaters to question you.  Believe me, you don't want to be here when they come."

Said Wormtail his face twitching nervously as if his whiskers were still there.

Equuleus needed no further persuasion and soon he was hurrying away from his cell clutching a scrawny rat with a silver paw in his hands.

*~~~*~~~*~~~*

Sirius couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for Draco Malfoy as he stood outside of Dumbledore's office shifting guiltily from foot to foot underneath the invisibility cloak.

Dumbledore's ever-calm voice floated through the door.

"Would you care to join us Sirius?"

With a startled jolt Sirius slipped out of the cloak and slipped inside.  He was surprised to see Draco gave him a small smile and didn't seem to mind as he took the second chair across from Dumbledore.

"Now.  I suggest that the best course of action would be for Mr Malfoy to be tutored by you Mr Black.  For now… this is only a temporary arrangement.  What is your opinion Sirius?"

Sirius was staring wide eyed at Dumbledore as if he'd sprouted an extra set of bushy white eyebrows.

"Me?!  Teach?  Well I…"

"Alright, well what about you Mr Malfoy?"

Sirius turned to Draco who to his great shock was grinning.

"I think it's a great idea Headmaster."

Sirius' mouth fell open, "But… I… well if he wants… but…"

"Wonderful!  That's settled then.  I'm sure that Professors Inigma and Lupin would be quite happy to help you out Sirius, I expect Draco's lessons to begin tomorrow."

Sirius left Dumbledore's office thinking about something other than Harry for the first time in weeks.

*~~~*~~~*~~~*

The sun was low by the time Harry approached his destination.

The day's last few tendrils of light forked across the purple sky, here and there touching the tips of waves around the desolate isle on which the towering fortress of Azkaban stood.

Harry was sharply reminded of his flight from the very place not so very long since.  Looking down at his translucent self he mourned the loss of his powerful animagus body.  But deep within Harry felt something beginning to stir.  It felt as though there were some great force inside of him, straining to be released.

With a bold lack of trepidation Harry started again towards the prison and slammed open the heavy chiselled oak doors feeling ready to, at last, meet his fate.

*~~~*~~~*~~~*

Ginny sat in silence listening to Professor Figg's shortened explanation, which was entirely for the benefit of the others who all looked varyingly angry at having been 'left out' once again.

The youngest Weasley shook her head knowingly, being the youngest, and the girl had made that situation all too clear to her.  And she'd never felt herself a part of Harry's circle of friends.  Fleetingly she wondered whether Harry would ever really get to know her…  then she remembered everything that was going on and felt herself blush at the thought of her silly romantic 'problems'.  Annoyed with herself Ginny cringed and curled her hands into fists

She was suddenly aware that Arabella had stopped talking.

Opening her eyes Ginny was made aware of why, and she gasped.

Professor Figg had disappeared.

*~~~*~~~*~~~*

Remus returned to Dawn Inigma's office glad that the undercurrent of emotions that had been stirred by his visit to Snape's room had dissipated.

He could never come to terms with Severus' cruel remarks and abject hatred.  It was obviously hard to ignore but to Remus especially it seemed impossible to endure.

He'd always hoped that somehow he could get through to Snape, make him understand that not everyone was against him.

Pushing thoughts of the stubborn Slytherin from his head Remus went to enter the office.

"Moony!  Hang on a tic!  I need a word!"

"What is it Padfoot?"  Asked Lupin without even turning around.

"You'll never guess what old Bumble-bore's thought up now!"

Feeling the helpless smile creep determinedly onto his face he finally turned around to look at Sirius.

"I guess you'll have to tell me then Sirius."  Said Remus cocking an eyebrow at Padfoot's I'm-blatantly-proud-of-myself-for-something face.

"No! no! You may now address me as Professor Padfoot… and I swear that I shaln't answer to any other name!"  Replied Sirius throwing back his shoulders and sticking his nose in the air.

"He hasn't!"  Cried Lupin his eyes almost bulging from their sockets.

"No, of course not!  At least not what you think!  I am, from this moment on, the personal tutor of a one Draco Malfoy."

Remus doubled up with laughter and needed Sirius' help in getting into Dawn's office.  He couldn't stop laughing as Sirius explained his new 'position' to Dawn and his fits continued as Sirius sternly reprimanded him for his 'ungentlemanly posture and lack of poise'.

Thoughts of anger, frustration, worry, and a certain Severus Snape, disappeared from Remus mind completely.

*~~~*~~~*~~~*

Arabella Figg could safely say that she had never been more surprised in her life then at that moment.  Within a few seconds she understood that she had been transported somewhere, and it was only a few more seconds before she realised where she had reappeared…

Azkaban.

And as if realising oneself to be in the lair of the Dark Lord, with no idea of how one came to be there was not enough.

Voldemort himself stood across the room from her, wand raised, his eyes blazing with searing anger that could almost kill by itself.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*hit's self over the head with a handy frying pan*

I'm sorry!  Okay?

I know I promised the fight would be in this chapter, well, it's now in the next chapter.

I will write as fast as I can.

I'm sorry again!

It's such bad luck that as soon as I get a little time to write my brain falls asleep and I find out that my muse has taken a vacation in Lapland.

*sighs*

still.  At least I've got something to post now.  Hope you liked it.

Luv

Jona

xxx