Chapter Twenty-Four
The Unsuspected
"Right, now Podmore. don't go any where, don't sneak away or get distracted. whether or not this works depend on our escape." Moody said firmly. "Right then, come along Kingsely we'll head off first."
Mad Eye and Kingsely started up the path to Azkaban.
The sun was just beginning to come up. The air was musty and the grass was water with dew. The darkness began to light up and all Harry could see were two figures disappear into the prison.
They waited.
Something didn't feel right.
His scar gave an unpredicted shock.
"Okay Harry let's." But Angel was cut off.
"Seri!" Mad Eye croaked from the fort. "Death Eaters!"
Without another word, Angel changed into a dog and bolted up to the prison. Sturgis Podmore jumped up and trailed behind her. Harry golped, he was learning it for his safety and if him doing it could help keep some of Voldemort's scum in prison. He whipped his forehead and got out of the boat. He closed his eyes. Within moments, his body was a stag. His four legs carried him up the grass and the path. For the first time in his transformation, it actually felt right. His hooves pounded the ground with ease, barely even leaving a mark.
The entrance to the place was empty except for one dead men lieing over his chair. Harry ran passed it. He heard a yelp.
"Sirius.. But. but.. I killed you!" It was Lestrange, backing away from the black dog, eyes huge in terror.
Harry stayed in the shadows and watched. Mad Eye, Podmore and Kingsley were standing around a big black dog, whose teeth were showing and snarling.
A man appeared out of no where behind Bellatrix. it was Wormtail. "Sirius? It can't be you! Not Padfoot!" Peter stepped away, shaking head to toe.
An evil grin took over Harry's feelings. Peter was afraid of a ghost.
Harry jumped out of the darkness, his white legs prancing. "JAMES!" Peter fell on his butt, his face white and twisted in horror. "James, but you're. but you and Lily are.. Prongs.."
"Potter?" Bellatrix said nastily. Stepped back, tripping over Wormtail.
"Oh both of you; leave those fucking animals alone. And get those stupid Ministry Workers." Said a matter-of-factly toned boy. His hand flew briskly in the air, pointing at Moody. There was no doubt in Harry's mind it was Percy.
At this, Bellatrix and Wormtail regained there strength and pounced at the group. Kingsely had slip away, deeper into the fortress.
Percy hissed a spell.
Angel jumped at Bellatrix and had the front of her neck robes tightly in her mouth.
Harry reared up on his back legs and charged at Peter.
Three barred doors opened.
Moody gave an exciting scream when he hexed Percy and threw him against the wall.
Podmore was standing aside cheering the event on.
Three more black hooded figures stepped out of the cells.
Harry as the stag kept rearing up and charging at Wormtail, who kept running away from him.
There were now six Death Eaters and four of them.
Harry finally caught Wormtail on by his robes, pinning him to the ground.
Bellatrix had thrown Angel against the wall.
Moody had been locked in a jail cell.
One of the new Death Eaters shot a curse at Harry. His four feet stumbling back off Wormtail.
Podmore jumped to his feet and ran to Moody, letting him out of the cell and then to the dog, rocking its head trying to gently wake her up.
Harry shook his head, glaring at the six black figures in front of him. They WERE out numbered.
Kingsley came back, his wand out stretched, his mouth pushed into a line. Mr. Weasley was behind him. His robe more dirty than normal and looking like Christmas had come early. His wand was also outstretched, pointing strangely at his third oldest son.
"I thought you would stop all this Percy!" Kingsely sneered.
"So little you know about me." Percy snarled.
"Wake up." Podmore said uneasily.
Harry reared up again.
"Get back in your cells, Yon, Malfoy, Doge. now." Mad eye forced. "Lestrange, Weasley, you are welcome to join them." Moody blasted a spell and three of them stumbled back into a cell.
"Someone's coming." Podmore squeaked.
"We've got to get out of here!" Kingsely piped.
"Author, go."
Harry wasn't paying attention much after that, all he saw was Percy and Bellatrix, standing there, loathing in their eyes and he felt the same for them.
He charged.
He reared up and right before his two front hooves impacted Peter's chest, his body began to change.
Harry fell to the floor a sixteen year old boy.
"Potter!" Wormtail squeaked happily. He kicked Harry in the chest making Harry roll over, away from him.
Something happened to him.
It was like that his body no longer wanted to be a stag.
Now that he thought about it, his body never really did.
His chest ached, and his head was dizzy.
Harry's limbs hurt so bad it felt like needles being pulled through them.
"Come on," Bellatrix scorned. Percy, Wormtail, Yon, Haden Doge and Gaylord Malfoy all stood and followed Lestrange to the entrance.
"They're getting away!" Podmore screamed, jumping to his feet.
"Let them go," Kingsely said. He helped Harry to his feet. "Let's get out of here before we are busted for busting Author out."
"Right, come on." Moody swept over and helped Harry get up. Podmore was carrying Angel, who was slowly coming around and Kingsely helped Author.
They left the prison an odd parade. Dawn was already there and the sun was coming over the horizon as an electric orange and bright pink. They seized across the mote surrounding the prison and made haste to the car and back to the Order. None of them spoke. they could already see the headlines.
Four Death Eaters Escape From Azkaban!
"This is awful!" Mrs. Weasley moaned, throwing the Daily Prophet down. "They think Author is a Death Eater.."
"They did before," Bill argued.
"Now they have facts," Mrs. Weasley sniffed. "They think Lestrange and Wormtail. and my Percy.." She went into a fit.
"Now, Molly." Mr. Weasley eased, a smile painted on his face, "Everything will work out. if we have to I can pretend I was a Death Eater and then join forces with Dumbledore and said I switched."
This seemed like a good enough idea to Harry, though it did seem easier to just go ahead and tell Fudge it was Percy.
"Come on Harry," Angel took Harry's upper arm. "We have to be going in a minute." Harry nodded, and left the living room.
"Dumbledore and Poppy are up stairs." Angel solemnly went upstairs, and Harry half dreaded following her. And just as he knew, she pushed open Sirius's bed room.
"Well, Albus he's barely alive. Actually, he really shouldn't be." Madam Pomfree said as they entered the room. "He hasn't been breathing for some time and." She became aware of Harry and Angel in the room and cut off mid sentence.
"We better get back." Dumbledore said.
Angel nodded. She edged closer to the bed and sat on the edge. Her hand brushed the hair gently off Sirius's forehead and her lips brushed against his cheek.
Harry stepped back and looked around the room. All the pictures that were hanging on the wall were looking down that the pair of them. The faces that were smiling and making faces where frowning and some trailing tears down their cheeks.
A noise came from the door and Harry turned around. Charlie was leaning against the frame.
"Charlie.." Angel sighed, no looking up. "Can you take all these pictures down and put them away for me? Kreacher will help you."
"Angel," Charlie said softly.
"No, don't. call me Seri or make up a name or something." Angel said shaking her head. "I can't live up to what my parents were. I shouldn't carry their name."
"Angel," Charlie started across the room.
"We have to go. Harry's been gone for a day and I'm sure Ron and Hermione are worried." Angel whipped her face, glanced at Sirius one last time and stood.
"Professor, can we go now?" Angel asked softly.
"Yes.." Dumbledore said. He picked up a scrap piece of parchment and touched it with his wand. "Five seconds." Madam Pomfrey, Angel and Harry all touched the parchment.
They were back in Dumbledore's office.
"I have patients to attend to." Madam Pomfree declared before leaving.
"Seri?" A raspy voice behind them croaked.
Angel turned around. It was Phineas Nigellus.
"Oh, it's you." Angel sighed. "Good evening grandfather."
"Bad day?" Phineas asked cheerfully.
"Bad life," Angel groaned.
"Sirius isn't dead Phineas." Dumbledore said to the picture.
"What?" Nigellus cried. And before anyone could explain further the old man was gone from his frame, visiting his one at Grimmauld Place.
"Harry," Dumbledore said, turning on him. "Please sit down."
"By Professor, I'll see you later Harry." And Angel left the office.
"Harry," Dumbledore repeated as the door snapped shut. He fingers were pressed together, his elbows resting on the desk. "I must ask you to keep your member ship of the Order secret. I can't afford too many people knowing about it and students coming to my office complaining that they want in."
"Why did you let me in? You said you had to be of age and out of school."
"Yes, I said that, but you see." Dumbledore froze, a look on his face Harry hadn't seen before. Dumbledore was deciding on words. "Harry, we. I. have been asking you to trust me for so many years and for so many years I have failed you."
"How?" Harry asked before thinking.
"I didn't trust you with the truth for five years, I didn't trust you to tell you about your family; or last year at all." Dumbledore said plainly.
"But you let me go after the Sorcerer's Stone and you believed the story about Sirius in my third year. and you let me enter the Triwizard Tourniment."
"Yes, I did. but that wasn't trusting. or at least, what I see trusting as. Instead of trusting that you could get the stone by yourself, I helped you. I just didn't believe you; I believed Sirius. and it was in my bad judgment that you entered the tournament."
Harry thought on this for a moment and then said, "So what are you trying to say?"
"That letting you enter the Order is a silly old man's way of saying 'I trust you.' And I understand why you want to be in it."
"You do?"
"Well, naturally after Seri told you your family's history, I guessed you wanted to stop being found in a fight and start looking for one." Dumbledore said plainly.
Harry nodded, knowing that it wasn't a guess that Dumbledore had read his mind.
"And Professor. do you think Angel really wants everyone to call her Seri?"
Dumbledore smiled at this. "Yes, yes I do actually. She finally piecing her life back together and you always called her Seri when you were little."
Harry felt his ears turn pink.
"Well, Harry, I believe you should go tell Ron and Hermione about this. They should be most pleased in the tail you have." Dumbledore beamed.
"Err. Professor, can I ask you something?" Harry stuttered.
"Certainly."
"Should I tell Neville about the Prophecy?"
Dumbledore removed his elbows from the desk, no doubt taken aback by the question. Finally, he looked at Harry intently. "Whenever you feel it is right to tell him." He said simply. "Now, remember not to say a word about the Order and hurry up before supper get cold."
Harry left the office, petting Fawks on the head and bidding Dumbledore good night.
It wasn't far down the corridor till Harry was caught around the neck.
"HARRY!" Hermione was hanging on him.
"I'm fine Hermione, honest." Harry peeled her off of him and set her on her feet.
"Hi mate," Ron said cheerfully.
Harry grinned, "Boy do I have a lot to tell you all." Harry looked over his shoulder. "We need somewhere to talk."
They found an empty class room, sat down and Harry told them everything, well almost everything. And, like always, they were the perfect audients.
Hermione bust into tears when Harry told them about his parents, Ron started giggling when Harry told them about the break in to Azkaban, leaving out him being part of the order and an animagius.
"So, we should be seeing Sirius around." Ron said happily. "Him being alive and cleared and all."
"Yeah, I bet he was tickled pink when he found out his name was cleared." Hermione said cheerfully.
"And that he had an Order of Merlin First class." Ron added.
"And that he had a daughter."
"He's not awake." Harry said plainly.
"What?" Hermione and Ron said together.
"When we brought him out, he was just. asleep." Harry shrugged.
Hermione and Ron looked at each other. "Maybe he was supposed to be dead." Hermione said softly.
"No, Seri's mum said he wasn't." Harry argued.
Harry bit back words...
"Why do you call her Seri?" Ron said.
"Because she asked us to." Harry said plainly, getting up and walking to the door.
"Why?" Hermione pushed.
Harry heaved a sigh and turned to look at them. "Because that's what I used to call her."
"When was that?" Ron asked, half laughing.
"When I was a baby I guess." Harry said, feeling sweat break his brow.
"Why would Sirius's daughter be around you so much that you knew her name at age one?" Hermione asked.
"Because she my cousin!" Harry yelled, throwing his hands in the air.
Hermione and Ron clasped their hands to their mouths.
"Her mum and my dad were cousins." Harry continued. "Her mum and my mum were friends. her dad and my dad were friends. need I draw you a picture?"
"Harry.." Hermione said soothingly.
"You need some rest mate. you've been though hell in the past day, go to bed." Ron said.
And not finding an excuse not to, Harry did as he was told.
"Right, now Podmore. don't go any where, don't sneak away or get distracted. whether or not this works depend on our escape." Moody said firmly. "Right then, come along Kingsely we'll head off first."
Mad Eye and Kingsely started up the path to Azkaban.
The sun was just beginning to come up. The air was musty and the grass was water with dew. The darkness began to light up and all Harry could see were two figures disappear into the prison.
They waited.
Something didn't feel right.
His scar gave an unpredicted shock.
"Okay Harry let's." But Angel was cut off.
"Seri!" Mad Eye croaked from the fort. "Death Eaters!"
Without another word, Angel changed into a dog and bolted up to the prison. Sturgis Podmore jumped up and trailed behind her. Harry golped, he was learning it for his safety and if him doing it could help keep some of Voldemort's scum in prison. He whipped his forehead and got out of the boat. He closed his eyes. Within moments, his body was a stag. His four legs carried him up the grass and the path. For the first time in his transformation, it actually felt right. His hooves pounded the ground with ease, barely even leaving a mark.
The entrance to the place was empty except for one dead men lieing over his chair. Harry ran passed it. He heard a yelp.
"Sirius.. But. but.. I killed you!" It was Lestrange, backing away from the black dog, eyes huge in terror.
Harry stayed in the shadows and watched. Mad Eye, Podmore and Kingsley were standing around a big black dog, whose teeth were showing and snarling.
A man appeared out of no where behind Bellatrix. it was Wormtail. "Sirius? It can't be you! Not Padfoot!" Peter stepped away, shaking head to toe.
An evil grin took over Harry's feelings. Peter was afraid of a ghost.
Harry jumped out of the darkness, his white legs prancing. "JAMES!" Peter fell on his butt, his face white and twisted in horror. "James, but you're. but you and Lily are.. Prongs.."
"Potter?" Bellatrix said nastily. Stepped back, tripping over Wormtail.
"Oh both of you; leave those fucking animals alone. And get those stupid Ministry Workers." Said a matter-of-factly toned boy. His hand flew briskly in the air, pointing at Moody. There was no doubt in Harry's mind it was Percy.
At this, Bellatrix and Wormtail regained there strength and pounced at the group. Kingsely had slip away, deeper into the fortress.
Percy hissed a spell.
Angel jumped at Bellatrix and had the front of her neck robes tightly in her mouth.
Harry reared up on his back legs and charged at Peter.
Three barred doors opened.
Moody gave an exciting scream when he hexed Percy and threw him against the wall.
Podmore was standing aside cheering the event on.
Three more black hooded figures stepped out of the cells.
Harry as the stag kept rearing up and charging at Wormtail, who kept running away from him.
There were now six Death Eaters and four of them.
Harry finally caught Wormtail on by his robes, pinning him to the ground.
Bellatrix had thrown Angel against the wall.
Moody had been locked in a jail cell.
One of the new Death Eaters shot a curse at Harry. His four feet stumbling back off Wormtail.
Podmore jumped to his feet and ran to Moody, letting him out of the cell and then to the dog, rocking its head trying to gently wake her up.
Harry shook his head, glaring at the six black figures in front of him. They WERE out numbered.
Kingsley came back, his wand out stretched, his mouth pushed into a line. Mr. Weasley was behind him. His robe more dirty than normal and looking like Christmas had come early. His wand was also outstretched, pointing strangely at his third oldest son.
"I thought you would stop all this Percy!" Kingsely sneered.
"So little you know about me." Percy snarled.
"Wake up." Podmore said uneasily.
Harry reared up again.
"Get back in your cells, Yon, Malfoy, Doge. now." Mad eye forced. "Lestrange, Weasley, you are welcome to join them." Moody blasted a spell and three of them stumbled back into a cell.
"Someone's coming." Podmore squeaked.
"We've got to get out of here!" Kingsely piped.
"Author, go."
Harry wasn't paying attention much after that, all he saw was Percy and Bellatrix, standing there, loathing in their eyes and he felt the same for them.
He charged.
He reared up and right before his two front hooves impacted Peter's chest, his body began to change.
Harry fell to the floor a sixteen year old boy.
"Potter!" Wormtail squeaked happily. He kicked Harry in the chest making Harry roll over, away from him.
Something happened to him.
It was like that his body no longer wanted to be a stag.
Now that he thought about it, his body never really did.
His chest ached, and his head was dizzy.
Harry's limbs hurt so bad it felt like needles being pulled through them.
"Come on," Bellatrix scorned. Percy, Wormtail, Yon, Haden Doge and Gaylord Malfoy all stood and followed Lestrange to the entrance.
"They're getting away!" Podmore screamed, jumping to his feet.
"Let them go," Kingsely said. He helped Harry to his feet. "Let's get out of here before we are busted for busting Author out."
"Right, come on." Moody swept over and helped Harry get up. Podmore was carrying Angel, who was slowly coming around and Kingsely helped Author.
They left the prison an odd parade. Dawn was already there and the sun was coming over the horizon as an electric orange and bright pink. They seized across the mote surrounding the prison and made haste to the car and back to the Order. None of them spoke. they could already see the headlines.
Four Death Eaters Escape From Azkaban!
"This is awful!" Mrs. Weasley moaned, throwing the Daily Prophet down. "They think Author is a Death Eater.."
"They did before," Bill argued.
"Now they have facts," Mrs. Weasley sniffed. "They think Lestrange and Wormtail. and my Percy.." She went into a fit.
"Now, Molly." Mr. Weasley eased, a smile painted on his face, "Everything will work out. if we have to I can pretend I was a Death Eater and then join forces with Dumbledore and said I switched."
This seemed like a good enough idea to Harry, though it did seem easier to just go ahead and tell Fudge it was Percy.
"Come on Harry," Angel took Harry's upper arm. "We have to be going in a minute." Harry nodded, and left the living room.
"Dumbledore and Poppy are up stairs." Angel solemnly went upstairs, and Harry half dreaded following her. And just as he knew, she pushed open Sirius's bed room.
"Well, Albus he's barely alive. Actually, he really shouldn't be." Madam Pomfree said as they entered the room. "He hasn't been breathing for some time and." She became aware of Harry and Angel in the room and cut off mid sentence.
"We better get back." Dumbledore said.
Angel nodded. She edged closer to the bed and sat on the edge. Her hand brushed the hair gently off Sirius's forehead and her lips brushed against his cheek.
Harry stepped back and looked around the room. All the pictures that were hanging on the wall were looking down that the pair of them. The faces that were smiling and making faces where frowning and some trailing tears down their cheeks.
A noise came from the door and Harry turned around. Charlie was leaning against the frame.
"Charlie.." Angel sighed, no looking up. "Can you take all these pictures down and put them away for me? Kreacher will help you."
"Angel," Charlie said softly.
"No, don't. call me Seri or make up a name or something." Angel said shaking her head. "I can't live up to what my parents were. I shouldn't carry their name."
"Angel," Charlie started across the room.
"We have to go. Harry's been gone for a day and I'm sure Ron and Hermione are worried." Angel whipped her face, glanced at Sirius one last time and stood.
"Professor, can we go now?" Angel asked softly.
"Yes.." Dumbledore said. He picked up a scrap piece of parchment and touched it with his wand. "Five seconds." Madam Pomfrey, Angel and Harry all touched the parchment.
They were back in Dumbledore's office.
"I have patients to attend to." Madam Pomfree declared before leaving.
"Seri?" A raspy voice behind them croaked.
Angel turned around. It was Phineas Nigellus.
"Oh, it's you." Angel sighed. "Good evening grandfather."
"Bad day?" Phineas asked cheerfully.
"Bad life," Angel groaned.
"Sirius isn't dead Phineas." Dumbledore said to the picture.
"What?" Nigellus cried. And before anyone could explain further the old man was gone from his frame, visiting his one at Grimmauld Place.
"Harry," Dumbledore said, turning on him. "Please sit down."
"By Professor, I'll see you later Harry." And Angel left the office.
"Harry," Dumbledore repeated as the door snapped shut. He fingers were pressed together, his elbows resting on the desk. "I must ask you to keep your member ship of the Order secret. I can't afford too many people knowing about it and students coming to my office complaining that they want in."
"Why did you let me in? You said you had to be of age and out of school."
"Yes, I said that, but you see." Dumbledore froze, a look on his face Harry hadn't seen before. Dumbledore was deciding on words. "Harry, we. I. have been asking you to trust me for so many years and for so many years I have failed you."
"How?" Harry asked before thinking.
"I didn't trust you with the truth for five years, I didn't trust you to tell you about your family; or last year at all." Dumbledore said plainly.
"But you let me go after the Sorcerer's Stone and you believed the story about Sirius in my third year. and you let me enter the Triwizard Tourniment."
"Yes, I did. but that wasn't trusting. or at least, what I see trusting as. Instead of trusting that you could get the stone by yourself, I helped you. I just didn't believe you; I believed Sirius. and it was in my bad judgment that you entered the tournament."
Harry thought on this for a moment and then said, "So what are you trying to say?"
"That letting you enter the Order is a silly old man's way of saying 'I trust you.' And I understand why you want to be in it."
"You do?"
"Well, naturally after Seri told you your family's history, I guessed you wanted to stop being found in a fight and start looking for one." Dumbledore said plainly.
Harry nodded, knowing that it wasn't a guess that Dumbledore had read his mind.
"And Professor. do you think Angel really wants everyone to call her Seri?"
Dumbledore smiled at this. "Yes, yes I do actually. She finally piecing her life back together and you always called her Seri when you were little."
Harry felt his ears turn pink.
"Well, Harry, I believe you should go tell Ron and Hermione about this. They should be most pleased in the tail you have." Dumbledore beamed.
"Err. Professor, can I ask you something?" Harry stuttered.
"Certainly."
"Should I tell Neville about the Prophecy?"
Dumbledore removed his elbows from the desk, no doubt taken aback by the question. Finally, he looked at Harry intently. "Whenever you feel it is right to tell him." He said simply. "Now, remember not to say a word about the Order and hurry up before supper get cold."
Harry left the office, petting Fawks on the head and bidding Dumbledore good night.
It wasn't far down the corridor till Harry was caught around the neck.
"HARRY!" Hermione was hanging on him.
"I'm fine Hermione, honest." Harry peeled her off of him and set her on her feet.
"Hi mate," Ron said cheerfully.
Harry grinned, "Boy do I have a lot to tell you all." Harry looked over his shoulder. "We need somewhere to talk."
They found an empty class room, sat down and Harry told them everything, well almost everything. And, like always, they were the perfect audients.
Hermione bust into tears when Harry told them about his parents, Ron started giggling when Harry told them about the break in to Azkaban, leaving out him being part of the order and an animagius.
"So, we should be seeing Sirius around." Ron said happily. "Him being alive and cleared and all."
"Yeah, I bet he was tickled pink when he found out his name was cleared." Hermione said cheerfully.
"And that he had an Order of Merlin First class." Ron added.
"And that he had a daughter."
"He's not awake." Harry said plainly.
"What?" Hermione and Ron said together.
"When we brought him out, he was just. asleep." Harry shrugged.
Hermione and Ron looked at each other. "Maybe he was supposed to be dead." Hermione said softly.
"No, Seri's mum said he wasn't." Harry argued.
Harry bit back words...
"Why do you call her Seri?" Ron said.
"Because she asked us to." Harry said plainly, getting up and walking to the door.
"Why?" Hermione pushed.
Harry heaved a sigh and turned to look at them. "Because that's what I used to call her."
"When was that?" Ron asked, half laughing.
"When I was a baby I guess." Harry said, feeling sweat break his brow.
"Why would Sirius's daughter be around you so much that you knew her name at age one?" Hermione asked.
"Because she my cousin!" Harry yelled, throwing his hands in the air.
Hermione and Ron clasped their hands to their mouths.
"Her mum and my dad were cousins." Harry continued. "Her mum and my mum were friends. her dad and my dad were friends. need I draw you a picture?"
"Harry.." Hermione said soothingly.
"You need some rest mate. you've been though hell in the past day, go to bed." Ron said.
And not finding an excuse not to, Harry did as he was told.