Discalimer: I forgot to say so in the beginnig of last chapter but the sing used there comes form the motion picture Spirit. Really a beautiful song. I still don't own harry potter. but the plot is mine and so is Mary and Shadow.
A/N: So here it is the third chapter. I will say right away that it is not one of my best ones. I was having major problems whit writing Dumbledore and then get rid of Sirius afterwards so I could post chapter four (it will come as soon as I get it form my beta reader.) Thnak you ever so much instantkarma for beta my chapters. And I'll also thank SparklePrincess, Lady of Severus, Sydney Wood, Kitty Malfoy, Marston Chicklet, Dizzy Flower, Individual-9086 and Aradia Libra for reivewing my chapter. Love you all. You have no idea how much it means to me. So even if this chapter sucks. Please review and I promis I'll get chapter 4 out soon.
Chapter 3 - A stranger
Mary was kneeling down besides Sirius. Why he was unconscious, she didn't know. There were signs in the snow that some one else had been there, but who they were she didn't know ether. She had to ask when she had gotten him home. She pulled him up with much effort since he was much taller than her. She got him over to Shadow dragging him in the snow hoping it would be that last time she dragged him any where, he was damned heavy.
"I wonder how many times I have to drag his ass around?" She couldn't help thinking. Shadow had laid down, obviously in an attempt to help her. She put him so he was hanging over Shadows back, shaking Shadows reigns she made him stand up, then Mary started on the long way home with Shadow right behind her. She knew that she could find the way, but that wasn't what was bothering her.
It was James-...Sirius. Thousand questions rolled inside her head. Who was he running from? Why had he lied about his name? Why had she lied to cover him up? Why did she feel so relived that he was okay? Was he okay? All these and many more rotated inside her head countless of times. The wind was blowing against her. It wasn't all that strong but it was colder than ice and the snow was deep and thick so she constantly sank down and had to struggle to get up again. Many times this happened she just sat still resting before starting again. Shadow wasn't in any better shape and he had a much heavier loud that he was used to.
Then finally around 9:00, when the sun had started to peak over the horizon, Mary could see her house in the distance. Shadow noticed it to and both of them, even as tired they where put up the speed. 20 minutes later they stood in front of the little house. Mary led a very grateful Shadow to the stable. When she was inside she pushed Sirius in a big heap of hay. She took of the saddle and put Shadow in his box. The she took out his brushes and started brushing him with long strokes. The she found a towel and rubbed his legs warm, after that she filled his crib with hay and put on his blanket.
"I'll be back with some warm water." She whispered in his ear, "I just have to take that big stupid guy inside and take a bit care of him first you know."
Shadow nodded his head, as in understanding, and Mary didn't doubt for a second that he did understand. She gave him a couple of gentle strokes before leaving the box. Sirius was still unconscious and Mary was so tired that just the thought of dragging him into the house almost made her want to scream. She needed to go inside and get some thing that could help her do the job. She left the stable and went inside the house. It was still dark inside since she hadn't many windows, so she didn't notice the stranger until she was halfway in the room.
"Who are you?" she said in surprise "And what are you doing here? Get out!" She could feel a mixture of panic and anger fighting there way up but she pushed them down. She kept a tight control of all her feelings.
"Always keep control Alina" a familiar voice rang inside her head. "Never let them see that you are afraid. If they to know, you are finished."
"I'm Albus Dumbledore." Came the calm answer, "and you must be Mary Jenson I presume."
"How do you know me?" Mary was really scared now.
"I read the letter you sent to Harry about Sirius. Is he alright?"
Mary looked at the old man, he looked concerned. Was this a trap? She shook her head to sort out her thoughts.
"Mary, get a grip girl." She thought to herself, "Don't go paranoid."
She looked up at the old man, he seemed confused.
"Is he alright?"
"I don't know."
"Do you know where he is?"
"Yes, he's in the stable."
"The stable?"
Mary was starting to get a bit annoyed with the man.
"Oh I'm sorry, should I have carried out him in his royal bed, since I haven't collapsed yet. How rude of me." She said dropping down in a chair. She definitely did not like this man, why she couldn't really tell but there was some thing.
"No of course not. I can go and get him."
"No you can't. I'll go whit you."
She got out of the chair and headed towards the door again. Outside the sun was now high in the sky. Mary never got over the fact that even if the sun came up later in the morning, it rose much faster here. She walked over to the stable and went inside. Sirius was still in the pile of hay that she had dumped him in when she had come in her the first time that morning. Dumbledore got out his wand and muttered some thing; he seemed oblivious to the fact that Mary hadn't seen magic before. Then he remembered.
"I'm terrible sorry miss Jenson, if I have startled you." He obvious meant Sirius, which was now floating about half a meter above the ground. But Mary didn't seem startled she seem horrified, and was looking at the wand in his hand like it was the end of her days.
"Miss Jenson please let me explain."
"No. I don't want your explanations. I have things to do."
She turned around on her heel, and moved quickly out of the stable. She went inside again, where she thought of Shadow. She warmed water and poured it into a bucket. She picked it up and went outside, completely ignoring Dumbledore that was walking inside with Sirius. Inside the stable again, she poured the lukewarm water into Shadow's water tray. He lowered his head and started drinking from it. She gave him a couple of strokes over his back, then went outside again. The cold wind smacked against her chin reminding her that winter was soon coming, and not long the frost would be in. The sun was gone now, behind dark clouds. They looked like foul weather was coming and Mary didn't like them one bit. She stood there a long time, just letting the wind play with her hair. She told herself that it was just because she was tired and needed some reawakening, but she knew deep down that that wasn't true. She was afraid, she was scared to death.
~*~
Darkness was all around him, an endless darkness; but it was something that made him try to come back.
"Back where?" he asked the voice that was calling. But it didn't answer, it just kept calling. It was so strong. Stronger than him and he found himself following the call. He opened his eyes to see.
"Dumbledore." He said looking a bit surprised that the headmaster was there. "What are you doing here? And what happened?"
"Well we received Miss Jason's letter and I came here to see if you are alright. What happened? Well I was hoping that you could answer that Sirius"
"I can't remember much, its all a blur, there where dementors and they where…" he suddenly stopped in mid sentence his eyes widened and his face, if possible got even paler. He sat up panic stricken his eyes flashing wildly and sweat starting to erupt on his forehead. He could hear the screams in his head; he could feel the pain, that was dulled down by the cold before. The sensation when this soul had left his body.
"They where going to…. they where about … no … they did, but then…… light and…"
"Clam down. Tell me what happened."
Sirius sat up looking around. He was back at Mary's little house. It looked more or less like it had when he had left. He took a deep breath, and continued.
"I was running, because I thought some one was coming after me and I was right. Igor Domengar and McNeir, they showed up with dementors and they where asking me fore some thing, I can't remember, and then it gets, blurry and the last thing I remember before blacking out is that the dementors tired to suck my soul out and this big white shining image, like a patronus or some thing like it. But bigger way bigger and much more shiner than any one I have ever seen."
"Hm."
"Do you know what it could have been Headmaster?"
"No, I don't and that worries me."
"How did I get back here?"
"I believe you have to ask Miss Jenson about that."
"Mary?"
"What do you know about Miss Jenson?" the Professor asked.
"I know that she is a Muggle, and that she has lived about every where on the whole planet."
"What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. She lived in the Sates then she moved to Norway, then to France. She has lived in Japan, China, Australia, India, England, Chile, Ecuador, about every place in this world."
"Hm, and you are sure she is a Muggle?"
"Yes I'm sure. She doesn't know who I am. And every wizard and witch knows me."
"Hm."
"You don't seem to believe me."
"There was some thing I noticed when I first meet here. Like an aura that only the most powerful wizards and witches has. Voldemort as one and young Harry as one, but this was one of the most strongest I have ever felt. Extremely strong, yet she was horrified when I did magic."
"Dumbledore, Domengar talked about a stone that I was suppose to have, do you know what he was talking about." he said quickly.
"No I don't."
But Sirius thought the answer came a bit to fast. There was something about this stone, and he was sure that Dumbledore knew, but kept it from him.
"So, you don't know any thing about Miss Jensons past?"
"Why do you want to hear about my past?" the voice came from the door.
Sirius turned his head looking at her. She looked pale and tired. Mary looked from Dumbledore to Sirius and back to Dumbledore again.
"I was just trying to-"
But she cut him of.
"Mr. Dumbledore, I am not really interested in knowing why you asked about my past. All you need to know about it is that is none of your business."
"Miss Jenson, have you ever seen magic before I preformed it on Sirius here?"
"I refuse answer that question."
"Miss Jenson it is important that you answer the question."
"I will not."
"Where do you come from Miss Jenson?"
"I will say it again: None of your business."
"Have you ever had contact whit the magical world before? Do you have any relatives that are connected to the Wizarding world?"
Mary exploded inside; she was so angry. How dare this man come here and try to dig up things that she desperately tried to keep buried?
"That is it! Dumbledore, I refuse to stand here in my own home listen to this."
Sirius looked at her. She wasn't tall, she was rather short actually, but it seemed like she was growing fast. Her hands where two tight fists, and her eyes where blazing with rage. She was glaring at him, but when she spoke again, he was surprised that her voice was still calm, even if it had a steel tone to it.
"You are not welcome here anymore. Sirius here is sick and that is the only reason I'm not throwing him out too. But you I am. You obvious have a way to get back to where ever the hell you came from. So I suggest that you go there now, before I do something, that will make you regret that you didn't."
Dumbledore had to keep a tight grip on himself to stop him from smiling. He just nodded, took out his wand and apparated away.
Sirius was sitting stunned in the sofa, looking at her then at the spot where Dumbledore had been just a little wile ago.
"What" he asked, "did you do?"
She didn't answer him, but sunk down in a chair again. She had her head in her hands, and Sirius got the impression that she was crying. But when she looked at him again, her eyes where clear and devoid of tears.
"I want a explanation." Mary demanded
"Well I don't know what to say." Sirius said truthfully.
"You don't do you? Well let me tell you what I know and you can fill in the blanks. I take you in, you say you are James. I go away and I find out that you are not James but Sirius Black, an escaped prisoner from God knows where and that you killed 13 people. I come back, and are actually worried for you because some one was looking for you and find my home in ruins and you are gone. And after I have cleared up every thing, an owl comes and delivers a letter from some boy. An owl! I write back because I was worried that you had got lost or some thing. I look for you, find you, take you back to my home and then there is a stranger in my home. That is some sort of freak. And…." Mary seemed to be losing her grip. She got up and started pacing around. "He asks me about my past. And this magic thing. Now Sirius...tell me what the hell is going on!"
"Okay. Eh. Short version. There is a wizard world that lies hidden in the Muggle world you live in. Muggle are all the people who do not have any magical powers. I am a wizard too, and for about 14 years ago I was accused of killing my best friend, his wife and siding with who is possibly the most evil man in the world."
"What about the 13 people?"
"Well that wasn't so important to the ministry. I was sent to life in Azkaban, wizard prison. I escaped about two years ago. And they are really out get me back then. I am to have my soul sucked out."
Mary was staring at him. Then she shook her head.
"This is way to crazy to be any thing but true." She shook her head again, then she looked at him. "Did you do it?"
"Do what?" he said looking up, his face was more sad and drawn and still pale as snow.
"The things you where accused for."
"Do you know that that is the first time any one as ever asked me that. Ever since James and Lily died, everyone except for five people, thought I was the worst man after Voldemort. You know that night when I woke up here and you made me soup and all that?"
She just nodded.
"That was the first time in 14 years that I had been sitting at a dinner table. First time in 14 years!"
Mary sat silence beside him, she wanted to say something, but she didn't know what to say. She remembered all the scars she had seen, and all the small twitches when she had said some thing or done some thing that seemed quite ordinary. She felt lost, like it was her that was sitting in the sofa whit her hands lifeless in her lap and her head bowed down. But it wasn't her. It was Sirius. But then he lifted his head.
"Why did you get so mad at Dumbledore?"
She stiffened and didn't answer.
"Mary, I want to know. You just practically chased one of this century's most powerful wizards out of here. I want to know why!"
Mary stood up very abruptly. All pity she had felt for this man disappeared.
"I told him it was none of his business. And it is not your either. You are obvious to be that way to, so you can go. NOW." Mary's voice was full of anger.
He looked shocked at her. For one moment he thought that he would try to explain to her that he didn't mean any thing by it, but the look on her face made him change his mind. He just nodded and went out the door, closing it behind him. Mary was right, it was no good idea to go further up in the mountains now. He would head back towards civilization again. Sirius changed, and started running. But as he was leaving the house behind him he felt that a part of him was left there. A part, that if some thing didn't happen, he would never get back.
Mary felt bad the minute the door closed, but she didn't go after him; she couldn't.