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Chapter One
It was an odd thing riding on a hippogriff; Sirius began to realize. But not so strange that he couldn't begin to think over recent events. Anger was first- anger at Peter... Wormtail, that filthy little traitor... But he had mused upon that countless times in Azkaban.
So instead Sirius thought of Harry, his godson- practically his son now- and being so close... so close to living with him and being proven innocent. But that couldn't overcome the ecstatic state he went into as he remembered Remus. Remus... Moony... knew the truth. He finally knew that Sirius hadn't betrayed him, Lily, and James. It was a thought that had very much haunted his dreams and waking moments for the past twelve years. Remus had accepted him again. That predominant thought was only interrupted when the hippogriff- Buckbeak, was it? -poked irritably at Sirius's hand.
'Where are we going?' It seemed to be asking. For a beast without speech, it was quite intelligent the ex-convict thought.
Where was he going? He thought. Now that he was, in reality, free of that damned prison, he really didn't know where to head next. He hadn't planned this far ahead when he broke out. Hell, the Animagus thought, I was hardly all together when I conceived my escape.
His first idea for a refuge was Lupin. After all, he knew the truth and Sirius would be safe with him. But he had no clue of where he was. Well... he knew that currently he was in the Forbidden Forest prowling about, but not where his real home was.
Remus was undoubtedly going to resign the next day- he still knew how the werewolf's mind worked after all this time. He knew that since he'd neglected to take the Wolfsbane Potion he was in danger of hurting someone that night.
This night? Yes, it really was still the same day. So much had happened that it didn't feel as it if it was. Sirius mentally sighed. So at the moment Remus's was out of the question.
Sirius was about the think of another possibility when Buckbeak prodded him again. He still hadn't answered the beast's inquiry.
"Just hang on- for now keep going south," he said his voice still croaky with disuse.
The one thing he knew he had to do was get away from Hogwarts. He didn't want Harry or anyone else in danger if he was too close-by. France could work, but he vaguely remembered there was another school in that country. Well, as long as he stayed far enough away from it he should be all right. But he still wanted desperately to contact both Remus and Harry before he got too much further. Glancing down haphazardly, he spotted a small village. He hadn't thought those kind of small places existed anymore. Reining Buckbeak down to a wooded area, he tethered the hippogriff tightly to a tree.
"Now. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" said Sirius slowly, trying to get the hippogriff to understand.
It pawed the ground absentmindedly, and Sirius took that as an okay.
A large black dog bounded towards the nearest hut. Summoning as much charm he could, Padfoot pawed and whined at a backdoor. It was dark, so he tried to make sure the whine sounded as gentle as possible, so as not to scare the inhabitants and not answer his pleas.
Yet as luck would have it the hinges of the door creaked and an older woman, who looked strangely familiar, peered blearily outside.
"Yes? Is anyone there?"
Padfoot emitted a kind yip and the woman looked down.
"Oh! Why hello there! You're pretty friendly for a stray," she said going to her knees. "Come on in. My husband's not home now, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you stayed the night until you find your home again." The woman had now suddenly assumed he was not a stray, but a lost dog. Of course, he didn't mind; it just made this a whole lot easier. "Follow me," the woman added and Sirius trotted in.
After being fed and watered, the woman, still nameless, settled back to sleep. Although extremely tired, he stayed up until he was sure she was sound asleep. He padded softly into the main room and transformed back to human. Rummaging through the desk he had found, he extracted a quill, ink, and parchment. Sirius dipped the quill and wrote to Remus, asking to stay with him until he had at least some semblance of a plan for his future as a man on the run.
The letter wasn't too revealing in case it was intercepted; and he had signed it as Padfoot to protect himself.
He sealed the letter and returned the supplies to their proper places before transforming once again. Retreating out of the house, he ran back to Buckbeak.
The hippogriff had fallen asleep, curled on the ground not unlike a dog; Padfoot nudged the beast until it woke up.
Stroking its feathers, now human, he whispered. "All right. I told you I'd come back. I'm sorry to have woken you, but otherwise you'd think I'd broken my promise. Now- let's sleep." Buckbeak blearily gave his assent and they both promptly fell asleep.
The next morning Sirius set off back to the hut of the woman, whose identity he still could not remember, to attempt to send his letter. Pawing and whining as he had the night before, she appeared again.
"Oh! I thought you'd run away!" she exclaimed. "I couldn't find you when I awoke! But-what's that in your mouth?" She removed Sirius's letter from his jaws and flipped it around.
"A letter? Why do you have a letter to-" she looked at the front, "-Remus Lupin?" She began to unseal it when Sirius gave a low warning growl.
"You don't want this opened, do you? Well, how about sending it? Would you be happy if I did that?"
Padfoot gave an enthused bark and circled around. Things were really going his way. Had people always been this friendly?
A tired Remus J. Lupin awoke. His head pounded. He couldn't remember what had just happened. Why was he in the Forbidden Forest? And at dawn? Then everything came rushing back.
Sirius was innocent- Peter had betrayed them- Harry knew the truth- Wormtail had escaped- he had transformed- and Sirius was... what was Sirius? Dead? Soul-less? Lupin tried to suppress a shudder and failed. No...no... Dumbledore... if Dumbledore got wind of this story, he would've prevented that. But, how could that have happened? He was too exhausted to think of the possibilities.
Wearily he stood, again grateful that when he transformed his clothes weren't ruined. Glancing up he saw that it wasn't quite dawn; there was just enough light that the full moon's glare no longer penetrated the Earth.
He began to walk toward the school and then remembered the dementors. Lupin was about to sprint to the entrance- hoping he had the energy- when he stopped and saw Hagrid's game-keeping hut off to the side. Abruptly, he dashed for it instead.
Knocking lightly, Hagrid answered promptly, finding that the half-giant was already quite conscious.
"Eh... who's knockin' so early... Lupin?" he queried.
"Hagrid, could you please... escort me to the Headmaster? I... don't think I'm up to it, considering the circumstances," said Lupin, swaying on his feet.
"Wha?" Hagrid looked around and then noticed the quickly fading moon, "Ohhh... but... Professor Lupin, why are you...?"
"Please Hagrid. I'm too tired... just bring me to Dumbledore quickly."
"Ah'right. Err..." the giant trailed off as something else occurred to him, "You didn' happen to eat anythin' las' night? Like a hippogriff?" he asked.
"No- no- I didn't eat anything... please... the Headmaster," he pleaded once more.
"Righ' righ'. I jus' hope you tell me wha' this is all about soon," replied Hagrid as he latched his door and came outside.
"Thank you."
Hagrid had little time to react as Lupin fell to the ground before him.
"Blimey mate. Yeh've really got to tell me now."
When Remus awoke again, it was to the sparkling face of the Headmaster in his office.
"Mmm... Dumbledore?" he mumbled first, then bolt upright like a child reacting from a nightmare. "Where's Sirius? Did... did you-"
"Please do calm down, Remus. I was informed of Sirius Black's innocence last night," he answered, looking a bit amused at the first words from his mouth.
"Is he all right? He wasn't sent back to Azkaban was he?" he asked hysterically. He knew his friend wasn't guilty! He couldn't bear it if he was imprisoned again!
"No, Sirius is quite safe. He escaped with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger's help."
"Thank god..." he breathed. Then, everything else hit him. "Headmaster? I'd like to resign. I- I was unable to-"
Dumbledore interrupted softly, "I understand Remus."
Lupin looked up into his eyes, twinkling with intelligence. He couldn't take it any longer. "Headmaster- I also would like you to know that... that I led Sirius, James, and Peter," he spat the last name, "to illegally become Animagi in our fifth year... I just thought you should know-finally." He looked away feeling much like he was fifteen years old once more and being punished for wrongdoings.
"Yes. Sirius informed me of that as well last night. Now if you're feeling well...?" Remus nodded, still avoiding the wizard's gaze. "Well as much as I'd love to stay and chat I must attend to other matters. If you'll excuse me. I trust you will able to gather your things without assistance?"
Lupin could only nod again. This was just too much generosity.
"I'll keep in touch." And Dumbledore swept away from the office.
Lupin took his time getting to his feet, numbed by the last hour's experiences. When he exited, he subconsciously took a path he knew would find little activity, recalling it from the Marauder's Map lying in his office.
As soon as he reached his room however, he saw a minute owl scratching impatiently at the window. Releasing the latch, it hooted in thanks and dove gracefully around the room waiting for Remus to read and write a reply to the letter.
Curious as to whom he'd be getting a letter from, he broke the unfamiliar seal and froze when the letter lay open.
Sirius. His handwriting was unmistakable.
Hands shaking slightly, he smoothed out the parchment and read. A plea for help- Sirius wanted to stay with him until he recuperated. Lupin reread it over before it sunk it and then collapsed into his chair.
"Oh Padfoot..." he cried softly.
Well- how was it? I think I did pretty damn good for my first time writing a HP fic. Of course, it did help that I've been reading quite a few Sirius/Remus fics lately... especially Ambiguity (which I recommend!!). But seriously, please review!! Reviews are so nice. ^.^
Chapter One
It was an odd thing riding on a hippogriff; Sirius began to realize. But not so strange that he couldn't begin to think over recent events. Anger was first- anger at Peter... Wormtail, that filthy little traitor... But he had mused upon that countless times in Azkaban.
So instead Sirius thought of Harry, his godson- practically his son now- and being so close... so close to living with him and being proven innocent. But that couldn't overcome the ecstatic state he went into as he remembered Remus. Remus... Moony... knew the truth. He finally knew that Sirius hadn't betrayed him, Lily, and James. It was a thought that had very much haunted his dreams and waking moments for the past twelve years. Remus had accepted him again. That predominant thought was only interrupted when the hippogriff- Buckbeak, was it? -poked irritably at Sirius's hand.
'Where are we going?' It seemed to be asking. For a beast without speech, it was quite intelligent the ex-convict thought.
Where was he going? He thought. Now that he was, in reality, free of that damned prison, he really didn't know where to head next. He hadn't planned this far ahead when he broke out. Hell, the Animagus thought, I was hardly all together when I conceived my escape.
His first idea for a refuge was Lupin. After all, he knew the truth and Sirius would be safe with him. But he had no clue of where he was. Well... he knew that currently he was in the Forbidden Forest prowling about, but not where his real home was.
Remus was undoubtedly going to resign the next day- he still knew how the werewolf's mind worked after all this time. He knew that since he'd neglected to take the Wolfsbane Potion he was in danger of hurting someone that night.
This night? Yes, it really was still the same day. So much had happened that it didn't feel as it if it was. Sirius mentally sighed. So at the moment Remus's was out of the question.
Sirius was about the think of another possibility when Buckbeak prodded him again. He still hadn't answered the beast's inquiry.
"Just hang on- for now keep going south," he said his voice still croaky with disuse.
The one thing he knew he had to do was get away from Hogwarts. He didn't want Harry or anyone else in danger if he was too close-by. France could work, but he vaguely remembered there was another school in that country. Well, as long as he stayed far enough away from it he should be all right. But he still wanted desperately to contact both Remus and Harry before he got too much further. Glancing down haphazardly, he spotted a small village. He hadn't thought those kind of small places existed anymore. Reining Buckbeak down to a wooded area, he tethered the hippogriff tightly to a tree.
"Now. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" said Sirius slowly, trying to get the hippogriff to understand.
It pawed the ground absentmindedly, and Sirius took that as an okay.
A large black dog bounded towards the nearest hut. Summoning as much charm he could, Padfoot pawed and whined at a backdoor. It was dark, so he tried to make sure the whine sounded as gentle as possible, so as not to scare the inhabitants and not answer his pleas.
Yet as luck would have it the hinges of the door creaked and an older woman, who looked strangely familiar, peered blearily outside.
"Yes? Is anyone there?"
Padfoot emitted a kind yip and the woman looked down.
"Oh! Why hello there! You're pretty friendly for a stray," she said going to her knees. "Come on in. My husband's not home now, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you stayed the night until you find your home again." The woman had now suddenly assumed he was not a stray, but a lost dog. Of course, he didn't mind; it just made this a whole lot easier. "Follow me," the woman added and Sirius trotted in.
After being fed and watered, the woman, still nameless, settled back to sleep. Although extremely tired, he stayed up until he was sure she was sound asleep. He padded softly into the main room and transformed back to human. Rummaging through the desk he had found, he extracted a quill, ink, and parchment. Sirius dipped the quill and wrote to Remus, asking to stay with him until he had at least some semblance of a plan for his future as a man on the run.
The letter wasn't too revealing in case it was intercepted; and he had signed it as Padfoot to protect himself.
He sealed the letter and returned the supplies to their proper places before transforming once again. Retreating out of the house, he ran back to Buckbeak.
The hippogriff had fallen asleep, curled on the ground not unlike a dog; Padfoot nudged the beast until it woke up.
Stroking its feathers, now human, he whispered. "All right. I told you I'd come back. I'm sorry to have woken you, but otherwise you'd think I'd broken my promise. Now- let's sleep." Buckbeak blearily gave his assent and they both promptly fell asleep.
The next morning Sirius set off back to the hut of the woman, whose identity he still could not remember, to attempt to send his letter. Pawing and whining as he had the night before, she appeared again.
"Oh! I thought you'd run away!" she exclaimed. "I couldn't find you when I awoke! But-what's that in your mouth?" She removed Sirius's letter from his jaws and flipped it around.
"A letter? Why do you have a letter to-" she looked at the front, "-Remus Lupin?" She began to unseal it when Sirius gave a low warning growl.
"You don't want this opened, do you? Well, how about sending it? Would you be happy if I did that?"
Padfoot gave an enthused bark and circled around. Things were really going his way. Had people always been this friendly?
A tired Remus J. Lupin awoke. His head pounded. He couldn't remember what had just happened. Why was he in the Forbidden Forest? And at dawn? Then everything came rushing back.
Sirius was innocent- Peter had betrayed them- Harry knew the truth- Wormtail had escaped- he had transformed- and Sirius was... what was Sirius? Dead? Soul-less? Lupin tried to suppress a shudder and failed. No...no... Dumbledore... if Dumbledore got wind of this story, he would've prevented that. But, how could that have happened? He was too exhausted to think of the possibilities.
Wearily he stood, again grateful that when he transformed his clothes weren't ruined. Glancing up he saw that it wasn't quite dawn; there was just enough light that the full moon's glare no longer penetrated the Earth.
He began to walk toward the school and then remembered the dementors. Lupin was about to sprint to the entrance- hoping he had the energy- when he stopped and saw Hagrid's game-keeping hut off to the side. Abruptly, he dashed for it instead.
Knocking lightly, Hagrid answered promptly, finding that the half-giant was already quite conscious.
"Eh... who's knockin' so early... Lupin?" he queried.
"Hagrid, could you please... escort me to the Headmaster? I... don't think I'm up to it, considering the circumstances," said Lupin, swaying on his feet.
"Wha?" Hagrid looked around and then noticed the quickly fading moon, "Ohhh... but... Professor Lupin, why are you...?"
"Please Hagrid. I'm too tired... just bring me to Dumbledore quickly."
"Ah'right. Err..." the giant trailed off as something else occurred to him, "You didn' happen to eat anythin' las' night? Like a hippogriff?" he asked.
"No- no- I didn't eat anything... please... the Headmaster," he pleaded once more.
"Righ' righ'. I jus' hope you tell me wha' this is all about soon," replied Hagrid as he latched his door and came outside.
"Thank you."
Hagrid had little time to react as Lupin fell to the ground before him.
"Blimey mate. Yeh've really got to tell me now."
When Remus awoke again, it was to the sparkling face of the Headmaster in his office.
"Mmm... Dumbledore?" he mumbled first, then bolt upright like a child reacting from a nightmare. "Where's Sirius? Did... did you-"
"Please do calm down, Remus. I was informed of Sirius Black's innocence last night," he answered, looking a bit amused at the first words from his mouth.
"Is he all right? He wasn't sent back to Azkaban was he?" he asked hysterically. He knew his friend wasn't guilty! He couldn't bear it if he was imprisoned again!
"No, Sirius is quite safe. He escaped with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger's help."
"Thank god..." he breathed. Then, everything else hit him. "Headmaster? I'd like to resign. I- I was unable to-"
Dumbledore interrupted softly, "I understand Remus."
Lupin looked up into his eyes, twinkling with intelligence. He couldn't take it any longer. "Headmaster- I also would like you to know that... that I led Sirius, James, and Peter," he spat the last name, "to illegally become Animagi in our fifth year... I just thought you should know-finally." He looked away feeling much like he was fifteen years old once more and being punished for wrongdoings.
"Yes. Sirius informed me of that as well last night. Now if you're feeling well...?" Remus nodded, still avoiding the wizard's gaze. "Well as much as I'd love to stay and chat I must attend to other matters. If you'll excuse me. I trust you will able to gather your things without assistance?"
Lupin could only nod again. This was just too much generosity.
"I'll keep in touch." And Dumbledore swept away from the office.
Lupin took his time getting to his feet, numbed by the last hour's experiences. When he exited, he subconsciously took a path he knew would find little activity, recalling it from the Marauder's Map lying in his office.
As soon as he reached his room however, he saw a minute owl scratching impatiently at the window. Releasing the latch, it hooted in thanks and dove gracefully around the room waiting for Remus to read and write a reply to the letter.
Curious as to whom he'd be getting a letter from, he broke the unfamiliar seal and froze when the letter lay open.
Sirius. His handwriting was unmistakable.
Hands shaking slightly, he smoothed out the parchment and read. A plea for help- Sirius wanted to stay with him until he recuperated. Lupin reread it over before it sunk it and then collapsed into his chair.
"Oh Padfoot..." he cried softly.
Well- how was it? I think I did pretty damn good for my first time writing a HP fic. Of course, it did help that I've been reading quite a few Sirius/Remus fics lately... especially Ambiguity (which I recommend!!). But seriously, please review!! Reviews are so nice. ^.^