Disclaimer: You know the drill. Not mine…
Author's Note: As you can see, Book 5 is out and I didn't make my deadline. Trust me when I tell you I *really* wish I had. But alas… It's now officially AU.
Just to let you know, until I finish this story (one more chapter to go, plus one or two epilogues), I've chosen not to read Book 5. In part because I know I won't get *anything* done until I've finished OotP, and partly because I want to keep this story within the context of which the majority of it was written.
That being said, I heard something the other day I *really* hope isn't true, but if it is, don't tell me, okay? Just know that, yes, I fully intend to finish, and as always I yearn for reviews. It's awfully quiet out there in fandom, so I'd love to hear from you (just no spoilers, okay?)
Chapter 38
"What is he doing here?! Arthur, how could you bring him?" Sirius' cries startled Remus awake so quickly he was struggling to find his wand before he was even fully aware of his surroundings.
"He asked to come, Sirius, and I think he has a right to," Arthur's gentle reply drifted from the door. Remus worked to sit up in bed, trying to still his pounding heart. He found his wand on the nightstand, and with trembling fingers grasped it tightly, trying to determine what had caused Sirius so much distress. He weakly pushed himself forward to get a better look at what was going on, blinking his eyes to try to get them to focus properly. Sirius was striding purposefully for the door, hands clenched into fists as he headed directly for Percy Weasley. Uh oh.
"Come to view your handywork?" Sirius snarled huskily, and Remus tried to throw his legs off the bed. It was more like a topple. This is going to go bad quickly. Arthur, Bill and Percy Weasley all stood in the doorway to the Hogwarts infirmary. Even from this distance, Remus could see Percy's eyes goggle.
He's never seen Sirius before. He has to know he's innocent, but…, Remus couldn't stop the tiniest bubble of amusement as he reached for his robe and with great effort managed to wrestle it on. Sirius on a good day is intimidating. He refused to think how heavy the robe felt in his hands. He tried even harder not to think about how everyone's first response when they met Sirius used to be charmed, not terrified.
Sirius never slowed as he headed for Percy, and Remus aimed his wand to stop him. Sirius had been sitting with Harry for days. Remus knew what kind of emotional state he was in. If he got his hands on Percy, Sirius *would* kill him.
"Sirius, stop," Bill said firmly, stepping directly in front of his brother. Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise as Bill purposely sheathed his wand and put his arms on Sirius' shoulders. Sirius pushed forward, forcing Bill a few steps back. Bill began talking quietly, urgently to Sirius as he blocked his path, trying to gain his attention, but Sirius barely noticed Bill. His eyes kept sliding back to Percy.
"Sirius, listen to me. You and I both know what he did. But so does he. He knows he was wrong. He's been helping us. If it weren't for him, we might not have such a strong case against Fudge," Bill said intently as he stood in front of his brother and tried to capture Sirius' eyes.
"He.." Sirius said, and his voice cracked. Remus winced at the raw pain so plainly evident and sent yet another silent prayer to the powers that be for Harry to survive. If he didn't… Remus shook his head. They all knew what was at stake.
"He might not recover. The damage is so severe, and the lingering effects of the Veritaserum in his system are hindering his ability to heal," Sirius explained, his voice gruff and unsteady. It's as if he's trying to get Bill's permission to *let* him kill Percy, Remus realized idly and wrapped his hands around the arms of the chair beside his bed, forcing weight onto his feet. He might yet need to stun Sirius.
He didn't collapse, which was a good thing. Remus pushed himself to stand, and watched as Madam Pomfrey came from behind the screens to see what all the commotion was about. She headed towards the door first, then her eyes lit on Remus, who'd frozen, hoping to escape her notice.
"Remus Lupin! What are you doing out of bed?" Pomfrey exclaimed, and Remus tried to smile reassuringly at her. Trying to get to Sirius before he *does* commit murder. Do *not* put me back in bed, Remus thought firmly, but said nothing. Partly because he knew if she did, he'd be too weak to stop her. He watched Pomfrey's expression change from irritation and concern to comprehension as she noticed Bill holding Sirius back.
"Come on. I've got enough patients," she muttered so that only Remus could hear, and brought her hand under his elbow to help support his weight as he took his first tottering steps towards the conflict. His tiny shuffles weren't getting him far. Remus shot a grateful look at the kindly matron who he'd come to care for deeply since his first years at Hogwarts. He was genuinely surprised she hadn't shooed everyone out the moment voices were raised.
"Not all wounds are physical," she whispered discretely at Remus' puzzled expression. He was shocked by her intuitive grasp of the situation.
"Sirius, he feels horrible. Let him see for himself what he's done," Bill said in a moment of stark insight. Percy flinched. Arthur remained on the sidelines, watching everyone closely. It was unexpected when Remus noted the tip of Arthur's wand peeking out from under his robes, kept discretely out of sight until it was needed. You still surprise me, Arthur. There was so much more to Arthur Weasley than most ever saw.
"What happened to Harry is on your head," Sirius pronounced as he locked eyes with Percy, then purposefully stepped back and out of Bill's reach. Bill sighed with relief and stepped into the ward. Remus knew the danger wasn't over, but at least a truce had been struck, at least temporarily.
"I know," a soft reply filled the shocked stillness of the infirmary. It was Percy himself who answered. Sirius nodded once then turned to seek out the source of the scuffling noises that filled the stunned silence. Sirius eyes widened, the manic fury fading as consternation replaced it.
"Thanks," Remus heard Arthur say softly to Bill, and realized he was thanking Bill for protecting Percy.
"That's what family is for," Bill replied stiffly, and Percy looked nauseous with guilt. Bill flashed a wry grin as he noticed his dad sheath his wand, completely ignoring his brother. There was pride in that smile.
"What are you doing out of bed?" Sirius asked in stern tones and headed towards Remus, frowning in disapproval. Where have I heard that before? Remus thought dryly, then realized his own wand was still in his hand. Discretely, he tucked it within his robes. It wouldn't do for Sirius to realize Remus had been about to hex him.
"It's unseemly to let you assault people who aren't even here to see us," Remus scolded gently. Arthur frowned.
"That's not true, Remus. Honestly, I wanted to come down here days ago. I'm sorry I couldn't." Even drifting in and out of consciousness, Remus was well aware of the scrutiny and pressure Arthur currently was under as the figurehead of the rebellion against the Ministry.
Just a few glimpses of the Daily Prophet showed exactly where Arthur spent his time: Standing before committees and explaining his every action and decision. Evidently not everyone realized Arthur only intended to take on the mantle of Minister of Magic temporarily.
Along with the Ministry trials, the newly launched investigations into the Unspeakables appeared to have captured the Wizarding world's imagination. Even though he knew the Daily Prophet loved to sensationalize, Remus was well aware of the public's existing fascination with Unspeakables. Turning evidence against their own proved sordid and tawdry reading, and the public apparently was eating it up.
"Yes. You've been busy, or so I've read," Remus observed dryly. Arthur actually blushed.
"Thank Merlin the Daily Prophet is on my side this time. Did you know Rita Skeeter has taken to sending flowers to my wife nearly every day?" he said, his voice a few octaves higher than normal. Remus snorted in surprise.
"You have to admit, Arthur, you're the best thing to happen to her in a while," Remus replied. Bill coughed.
"Comparitively speaking, of course," Arthur agreed, and abruptly Remus pictured Hermione Granger vigorously shaking a glass jar with a furious beetle inside.
"Why don't we find a place for you to sit," Bill asked Remus solicitously, glancing at Pomfrey who nodded in approval. Although he wanted to protest, Remus still hadn't made it across the room. He sighed softly in defeat. Sirius began noisily dragging a chair from beside one of the beds.
"Where do you want it?" Sirius asked a bit loudly. Remus glanced at the wall of privacy screens that hid Harry from view. Sirius followed his gaze and nodded solemnly, pulling the chair out of sight. They both knew the real reason why Arthur was here. Albus Dumbledore had woken up last night.
"How is he doing?" Arthur asked quietly. Remus was about to reply that he had no idea how Albus was doing, but realized that Arthur had meant Sirius. Oh.
"He took the Cruciatus for a considerable amount of time, but they believe he'll recover completely. He's still quite malnourished, but that won't last long," Remus answered. Pomfrey snorted in agreement beside him. He patted her hand with a grin.
"They found Pettigrew's body," Arthur said. Remus froze, eyes wide. "I want to take Sirius to the Ministry and have them question him under Veritaserum. I'm worried about him, Remus. He's at risk every moment he's out in the open like this. The sooner his name is cleared, the better." Remus swallowed, overwhelmed.
He'd waited so long for this moment. He was surprised by the bitter rage on Sirius' behalf that swelled in his heart. Too little, too late. Some of this must have shown in his eyes, for Arthur looked miserable.
"I know. It's pathetic, isn't it? Twelve years… What can recompense that? I've arranged for a considerable sum to be deposited in his Gringotts account, whose assets have been unfrozen. He'll never need to work, unless he so chooses," Arthur said, and shrugged, swallowing several times.
"Why does it seem so meager? I've wanted to hear this so desperately, and please don't get me wrong, I'm profoundly grateful for your efforts, Arthur. But it just seems like so little, too late…" Remus tried to explain. The grief and outrage for his friend seemed to twist like something living just beneath his skin.
"Harry wanted it. It meant more to him than his own life," Percy stated softly, and the determined, solemn expression on Harry's face just before he was taken by the Aurors flashed vividly before Remus' mind's eye. Yes. The truth helped to calm his frayed nerves and settle some of the anger and agitation he felt. Why do I feel like this? Is this because the wolf is gone?
Even if Sirius' freedom felt like a pathetic gesture, it would mean the world to Harry. Remus nodded.
"I agree. Let's get Sirius' name cleared, so Harry doesn't have to endure the anxiety of Sirius' testimony," Remus said. Arthur nodded, relieved. You're right to push this, and also to come to me first. It's going to take a lot of work to get Sirius away from Harry's bedside, even for a moment.
"Thank you, Remus. And how are you doing? I heard the most amazing news," Arthur said with a gentle smile.
Remus closed his eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. I'm free. He realized belatedly that it had even been an hour or so since he'd thought about it. As if feeling like this was perfectly normal.
The tidal surge of blind rage that burbled just below his consciousness was gone. He no longer had to fight his own instincts. The beast within him had been silenced. Instead, he was left with only his own thoughts. His own emotions. He was free of the Curse, the pain, the pervasive sense of dread that as each day passed, he was carried irrevocably closer towards insanity or death.
And although he would still feel better once he'd survived his first full moon, he already knew the truth. The utter stillness was breathtaking in its simplicity. It was just him. *He* was just a man. The predator that lurked within the shadowed corners of his mind was gone. He was normal. He struggled to suppress the strangled sobs that even now threatened to completely tear apart his composure.
This wondrous, amazing gift he'd been given was too much. The price was too high to reconcile. Would he trade being a werewolf again if it helped Harry, even now? Without hesitation. He'd been given the one thing in life he never even dared to dream of. The Wolfsbane Potion had been enough.
But this… No words could properly explain why he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time; that even these few moments of peace were enough to last him for a lifetime, and that he desperately wanted to give it all back for just one more chance to help Harry.
Instead, Remus said, "It's true. I'm cured." Such simple words for something so overwhelming... Pomfrey's breathing hitched beside him, and she squeezed his hand. Arthur's face lit with an enormous smile.
"I'm so happy for you, Remus. Do you…," he started to ask, then stopped, shaking his head. He must have been about to ask what happened. It was the general consensus that *no one* had a clear idea what happened at Azkaban. "How is your recovery going?" Arthur rephrased his question.
"With the proper amount of bed rest, potions, and time, he'll be nearly as good as new," Pomfrey pronounced. Remus disagreed. No matter how much damage he'd taken internally, he'd never be anything but *better* than new.
Finally they arrived at the wall of privacy screens. Sirius peeked out from behind one and stared at Percy, his eyes nearly black as he pulled it to the side to allow everyone to enter. Remus watched Percy Weasley closely.
His bearing was rigid with tension, his freckles the only color on his face. He had the careful posture of someone who'd practiced not letting his shoulders slump and to look everyone in the eye. He carried himself with puffy dignity, but it seemed as if there was no heart in it anymore, as if he was partially deflated. His legs moved jerkily as if he were forcing himself forward while his mind screamed at him to run. I would want to if I were him, Remus thought grimly, and noted Percy's horror and guilt, so plainly etched on his face, with satisfaction.
Remus gingerly settled in the chair Sirius had procured for him, letting out a large sigh of relief. Sirius settled in the chair directly beside Harry's bed, where he'd been most of the time since they'd arrived. Normally he leaned forward and talked softly to Harry, brushing absently at his flyaway hair. Today he perched like a gargoyle on the chair, his accusing eyes on Percy.
Remus could sympathize with the Weasleys' shocked faces. Pomfrey gently placed a blanket over Remus' lap, and he realized he'd begun shivering. Sirius' hard expression shifted each time he glanced at Harry. His eyes were haunted, lost, tender, hopeful, and angry all at once.
Harry didn't even look like a teenager anymore. His mouth and eyes were lined with the weeks of constant pain he'd endured. His cheekbones jutted out sharply, and the skin underneath his eyes was nearly a purplish black. His lips were dry and cracked, tinged the faintest blue, and his neck looked tiny compared to his head.
The body beneath the layers of charmed blankets was childlike. His limbs were visibly stick thin, even with the heaps of fabric laid upon him. He could have been twelve. He could have been older than Dumbledore.
And this is an improvement, Remus thought bitterly. Percy looked like he hovered between wanting to faint and vomit, caught indecisively between the two. Sirius' eyes bore into Percy ruthlessly, but Remus could not tell what his friend was thinking.
Harry's breathing had evened out to deeper, larger lungfulls of air rather than the shallow panting he'd done when the mediwizards had first revived him. Remus found himself checking Harry's pulse constantly, and noticed in just the past day or so that the thready flutter of his heartbeat had slowed to a more steady, calmer rhythm.
Harry's skin was thin and pale, like fine, dry parchment, and Remus could clearly see the bluish veins just below the surface. His coloring nearly matched the hospital linens, and only the dark shock of black eyebrows and hair were easily visible.
"Merlin," Bill said, almost involuntarily. He jerked his head away and glanced towards Pomfrey. "He's… Do you know if...?" Bill tried to ask. His voice sounded thick. Madam Pomfrey pressed her lips together grimly and shook her head.
"He's been stabilized by all the energy Albus and Severus were able to send him through the Portus Animus spell, but as for if he'll wake up… Only time will tell," she replied.
Percy's throat swallowed spasmodically as he wrapped his trembling arms around himself, as if to ward off sudden chills. Bill reached forward to rest a hand on Harry's shoulder, then hesitated, catching himself and letting his arm drop back at his side. That's right, Remus remembered. Sirius told me Bill was here right after the Triwizard Tournament.
It was Arthur's reaction that Remus expected the least. Tears streamed down his face completely unnoticed. He approached the bed tentatively, as if afraid even his footsteps would prove too much for Harry to handle.
"Oh, my boy. Look what they've done to you," he whispered, and with a haunted expression looked up at Remus. "I couldn't do it sooner," he said, his voice hushed, then turned his eyes to Sirius, who was now watching him closely. Arthur cleared his throat quietly, and spoke again.
"I tried to arrange for the assault when they first brought Harry in. I knew…" He cleared his throat again. "His dreams were so bad, I knew I didn't have much time. But the whole thing would have blown apart if I'd pushed it. I'm so sorry, Harry," he said huskily, and gently brushed his fingers against the side of Harry's face. "I failed you."
"No, Arthur. You did not," a weak voice disagreed from the furthest bed. Snape lay in the bed beside Harry, and Albus Dumbledore was in the last bed, closest to the infirmary window. He was sitting up, supported by a mountain of pillows, his nightcap askew on his head and his glasses firmly in place. When did you wake up? He'd been asleep when they'd first arrived, Remus knew, so the Headmaster must have wakened, put on his glasses and sat up in bed, all without anyone noticing.
Of course, now that he'd made himself known, Madam Pomfrey was immediately taking his vitals and summoning some broth and tea from the house elves. Arthur pulled away from Harry reluctantly, straightening his robes as he approached Albus Dumbledore's bed. Albus had more cups brought to the nightstand, and insisted Arthur pour himself some as well.
"I did, Albus. He was left in my care, and I wasn't able to protect him," Arthur replied wearily. Albus shook his head in disagreement, his beard sweeping back and forth upon his lap.
Remus understood what Arthur was implying. *It was my son who betrayed him.* Percy seemed to sense it as well. He remained the furthest from Harry's bed, pressed against the screens. He would glance at his father from time to time, but for the most part his eyes were locked on Harry.
Bill drifted to stand beside his father. There were two chairs on either side of Dumbledore's bed, and Remus noted with a touch of amusement that both father and son headed towards the chair furthest from Snape. Arthur sat heavily, and with just the twitch of an eyebrow sent Bill to settle in the chair closer to Severus. Seniority has its privileges. Albus politely pretended not to notice. Instead, he waited for Arthur to speak.
"How are you?" Arthur finally asked.
"I'm well, thank you. How are your children?" Albus asked. Arthur nodded.
"Good. They're good."
"So, what did I miss?" Albus asked blithely. Arthur nearly spat up the tea he was sipping. Sirius stirred beside Remus, and without thinking he put a hand on Sirius' forearm to calm him. Such a flippant statement was bound to trigger Sirius' temper.
"Wait, Sirius," Remus counseled, and thankfully Sirius listened, albeit not happily.
"Quite a bit, I'd say," Arthur replied to the Headmaster with a quirk of his lips. Drinking slowly, Remus watched as the Headmaster's presence and his determined ritual for tea soothed Arthur's guilt a bit and allowed a hint of humor to show through once again.
"I know you have many questions, but I'm afraid I'm not up to date with what's been happening. Why don't you start with your side of things?" Albus prompted. Arthur nodded, and began to speak.
The picture Arthur Weasley painted was grim. The Ministry was a mess. While the rest of the Wizarding world read page after page of damning evidence against Cornelius Fudge, Arthur was left trying to pick up the pieces and justify his actions at the same time.
The raids against the Grindelwald Recovery Foundation and the Ministry itself had proven the simplest, much to Bill's disgust.
"Fudge didn't bother with more than rudimentary concealing spells," he grumbled. "It was pathetic. A third year could have broken them, if anyone had ever bothered to *look*. All this evidence has just been *waiting*…" As his voice trailed off, Remus realized it wasn't disappointment at the lack of a challenge, but that the raid itself should have been done long ago.
"Clifton has already submitted ample altered documents into Ministry Evidence which are currently being compared with the originals you told us about in the Catacombs," Arthur added. Albus Dumbledore held his teacup with both hands and sipped thoughtfully as he listened.
"Clifton has the remarkable ability of distinguishing garbage from gems. Even as bureaucratic as the Foundation is, he was able to provide the first wave of concrete evidence directly linked to Cornelius Fudge himself," Bill added.
"Excellent. How did young Charlie fare?" he prompted.
Dumbledore's voice was quiet and muted, and Remus puzzled for a moment just what exactly felt different about the Headmaster. Power. That was it. Dumbledore always seemed to radiate that extra bit of energy that made people sit up and take notice. Even at his most harmless, Dumbledore's presence commanded people's respect
Now, however, his presence appeared to have been diminished. Even with the riotous colors of the nightgown McGonagall had undoubtedly brought for him (purple with a kaleidoscope of colored balls that were enchanted to bounce from pajama wrinkle to pajama wrinkle), or the lime green nightcap that, oddly, appeared to match said gown, he looked sallow and exhausted, as if old age had not just crept up on him but instead assaulted and bludgeoned him repeatedly.
"The Dracontine Division is more complex. Specialists were brought in right away. There are ample cursed objects and magical creatures to investigate, as well as an abundance of attempts to combine Muggle technology with magic," Arthur said. Albus nodded.
"Fudge appears to have been obsessed with replicating magical substances and materials with Muggle ones," Arthur continued.
"Evidently, Fudge was attempting to find ways of defrauding the Magical community as well. Remarkable. That will go a long way towards turning the Wizarding public against him. Especially those segments that don't care what happens to Muggles," Albus murmured. Arthur nodded. Sympathies waver when one's own pocketbook is involved.
"True. I hadn't thought of that. I don't think we need the help at this point, though. The Daily Prophet is currently crucifying him."
"How about that dragon?" Albus asked, and Remus could have sworn his beard twitched.
"That's going to take longer to deal with. It can barely move about the room, and has never flown a day in its life. I know the day is young, but so far my son has managed not to adopt it or turn it into a personal crusade. He's currently settling in with Ellis to begin the process of sifting through Muggle technology for magical evidence. By all accounts there is quite a bit to go through," Arthur reported.
"A Galleon says we end up with the dragon in our backyard within a month," Bill muttered.
"I won't take that bet," Arthur said with the faintest of smiles. Albus shifted to get more comfortable against the pillows. It was a very *human* thing to do, and a definite reminder that he'd only just woken up the night before.
"Perhaps that's enough for one day, Headmaster Dumbledore," Madam Pomfrey said gently as she plumped a couple of the pillows behind him.
"No. There's much left to discuss, and I suspect Arthur is in dire need of some answers. Unfortunately, there are some things I still must know. Firstly, how did the arrests go?" Albus asked.
"Arresting Fudge went beautifully. Happensdam was packing to go when we nabbed him. He's already confessed, and is willing to testify against Cornelius," Arthur said.
"He has much to be frightened about," Albus replied grimly, and his eyes seemed to glitter. The atmosphere in the Hospital Wing almost appeared to shimmer for a moment, as if the air itself darkened with the Headmaster's mood.
"We lost seven in Azkaban, including Pickering," Arthur said solemnly. Sirius stirred at Remus' side. He turned to watch his friend, whose eyes turned towards Arthur.
"Forrest Pickering?" he asked, his voice flat. Arthur nodded.
"Yes, Sirius. One of the Aurors who arrested you." There was a pause as Arthur swallowed a couple of times. Remus suspected the two must have been friends.
"Speaking of which, I have some things for you," Arthur said, his expression unreadable as he reached into the folds of his robes. "It's already been examined by the Ministry and released from Evidence." Arthur handed Sirius a wand. Remus frowned. That wasn't…
"I thought they broke it," Sirius blurted in a heartbroken voice.
"Forrest convinced them that it could prove valuable in trial against you… He tried very hard to get you a hearing, Sirius. He thought you were guilty, but he still felt you deserved to have your side heard," Arthur said. "I have Harry's wand, too." Sirius' eyes widened in surprise as he took Harry's wand from Arthur and held it tentatively, as if it were made of glass. "He'll want to have it when he wakes up."
Sirius' expression fell for the briefest moment as a sob escaped him, and Remus had to look away as his dearest friend tried to compose himself. By the time Remus looked back, Sirius' face was once again impassive, but his eyes swirled with emotion.
"Do I have Pickering to thank for that as well?" Sirius asked roughly. Arthur nodded. "How did he…?" Sirius asked softly, sensitive to Arthur's grief. Was Sirius glad? Did the Auror treat him badly, or was he sympathetic? Remus couldn't begin to gauge Sirius' responses.
"He was Kissed," Arthur replied, his own voice breaking for a moment as he scrubbed his hands wearily against his face. Sirius paled considerably, but did not say anything.
"He knew the risks, Arthur," Albus tried to reassure.
"Why didn't he die when the Dementors did?" Arthur asked angrily. "That should have happened, shouldn't it?"
"Alas, I'm afraid not. But his soul *is* free, Arthur. Of that I'm sure."
"Every single Dementor on the island was destroyed. Those Death Eaters involved in the attack who weren't killed outright are now veritable squibs," Arthur said, leaning forward intently. "We're sorting through the prisoners now, and so far it appears that much of same has occurred with them as well… Which leads me to the burning question: What happened? I know about the Portkey, but what about all that happened before it?"
This was the moment Remus had been waiting for as well. He'd been able to guess much, but there were still so many pieces missing.
"It appears young Harry Potter is capable of wandless magic," Dumbledore answered vaguely. Arthur shook his head.
"This was Harry? He did this?" Arthur asked incredulously. Albus nodded.
"Isn't this what your assault teams reported?" Albus asked curiously.
"It is, but… Albus, what spell was it that he used?" Arthur asked.
"What spell does it appear he used?" Albus countered.
"The Killing Curse," Arthur whispered.
"A variation of it, yes," Dumbledore agreed. "Mr. Potter took the Killing Curse and focused it on Dark Magic instead of an individual. Namely, Voldemort," he explained.
"How could he do that? He's fifteen," Arthur asked numbly.
"He's a powerful wizard," Albus replied.
"You can't leave this on him alone," Remus protested, nearly standing up in concern. The irony of Sirius' hand on Remus' shoulder to help calm him didn't escape him.
"Why? I think Harry has once and for all time proven just how strong a wizard he is," Albus answered, and Remus couldn't shake the feeling that the Headmaster was baiting him.
"Because he used Dark Magic. It won't be much of a stretch for the Ministry to decide he's the most powerful *Dark* wizard since Voldemort," Percy answered for them all. Sirius stood abruptly, toppling the chair he'd previously been sitting in, and went to go for Percy. There was no pause or hesitation, just movement.
"He's right, Sirius. This could end up hurting Harry. How do we protect him?" Remus asked, his hand shooting out and latching firmly onto Sirius' robes. Sirius turned burning eyes on Remus, but did not pull his robe free.
"We tell the public that I was the one to cast the curse," Albus replied.
"That's an awful lot of Memory Charms, Albus," Arthur said, shaking his head doubtfully.
"Not physically. Through the Portus Animus spell that linked Severus Snape to Harry," Dumbledore stated.
"And Snape to you," Remus marvelled. Dumbledore turned approving eyes on Remus.
"Yes, Remus. And me to Severus. Fascinating how the spell ended up actually working. Much like a domino effect, really. Harry's will fuelled the Killing Curse; the energy he drew from Severus allowed him to focus it specifically, and the energy I provided allowed for both of them to survive how Magic itself mutated those commands," Dumbledore said, his eyes bright. Clearly he found it intriguing.
"Magic mutated it?" Sirius asked. Remus was grateful Sirius was paying attention to the conversation. He took it for a good sign. Letting go of Sirius' robes, Remus gingerly righted the toppled chair for him.
"This delves quite a bit into magical theory. I dare say I've learned more about magic in the past week or so than I have in many years," Dumbledore said.
"Magic isn't finite," Remus said aloud, remembering the predominant theories he'd studied at Hogwarts. Sirius sat heavily.
"So it would seem," Dumbledore answered demurely. His calm exterior didn't hide the light in his eyes.
"So Harry's curse couldn't *kill* Dark Magic," Remus speculated, following the logic.
"So it mutated into… what? Stripping wizards of Dark Magic?" Bill asked, his expression intrigued.
"It fed itself. I watched the light pulse as Harry spoke the curse. The Dark Magic was stripped from Voldemort, then the Dementors, and fed back into Harry, which then shot back out to seize the Death Eaters, then the Aurors," Sirius answered, his eyes unfocused, clearly visualizing what had happened. Remus suppressed a shudder. He remembered all too well just how it felt to have the magic searching through everything that made him human, passing judgement.
"Remus' Lycanthropy," Arthur stated.
"Precisely. It took out the Dark Curse of Remus' Lycanthropy, but left the rest of his magic untouched…" Dumbledore said certainly. "Harry never intended the curse for anyone but Voldemort."
"So much for magic being neutral," Remus said with a frown. He'd been rather partial to that theory himself.
"Ah, but it is," Dumbledore said in what Remus could have sworn sounded like professorial tones.
"Not if it knew what Dark Magic was," Bill agreed with Remus.
"But did it? Who cast the spell?" Albus prompted, not waiting for an answer. "Who set the parameters of what it could do? When the spell couldn't perform the way Harry intended it to, it turned to Harry to define just what he considered Dark."
"Merlin. A Curse that managed to mutate and find a way to sustain itself. It could have gone on forever," Arthur said, shocked at the ramifications.
"Fortunate for us that Azkaban is as isolated as it is," Dumbledore agreed. They all sat in stunned silence for a while.
"What stopped it?" Remus finally asked.
"It ran out of fuel, so to speak. It extended itself as far as it could, then backlashed once there was no longer any Dark Magic to convert," Dumbledore replied.
"What about Harry, then?" Sirius demanded, distraught. Magical backlash from failed spells had killed many a witch and wizard.
"Thankfully, Harry was protected from the majority of the energy surge," Dumbledore replied wearily. There was no mystery as to who had been the buffer.
"So, you're going to say you performed the Killing Curse through Harry?" Bill asked.
"Exactly. No need for memory charms. Only those here, who I trust implicitly, know the truth," Albus replied. Sirius glared at Percy.
"I don't trust him," he stated flatly. Remus had to agree with him.
"Sirius Black, you have my oath as acting Minister of Magic that my son will do nothing to endanger the life or well being of Harry *ever* again," Arthur promised solemnly. Percy's face was flat, but his eyes were suspiciously wet.
"And if he does?" Sirius persisted.
"He won't," Bill said. "If he does, I'll Memory Charm him."
"I promised Harry I'd protect him," Percy said, looking straight at Sirius, and it was as if he'd just dropped a mask. His face was contorted with grief and guilt. His eyes begged for forgiveness, even though he dared not speak the words. "I swore he wouldn't have to take Veritaserum, and he did," he croaked, sounding very young. Percy appeared to hunch in upon himself, making him seem much smaller, and his hands were curled into fists. Sirius looked sick.
"An Oath?" Dumbledore asked. Percy nodded. The faintest hint of magic was the only indication to Remus that Dumbledore was testing the weight of the Oath. Whatever he sensed, it was enough to raise both of his eyebrows high into his forehead. "Indeed."
Sirius alone was unimpressed, but the rest of the room appeared to begin to believe him. Percy had given a Wizard's Oath to protect Harry, and failed. Should he endanger Harry again, the Magic would extract a heavy price.
"So how was Harry able to perform Dark Magic?" Arthur asked, bringing the discussion back.
"It appears that not only the castors are imbued with Dark Magic. Their victims are as well," Dumbledore replied. "Harry's dreams and the connection to Voldemort have provided ample exposure." Remus sighed wearily. More than enough.
"So with this link you have with Severus… Does it inadvertently link you with Harry?" he asked. Sirius gasped. He hadn't been as aware of the particulars of the spell. Dumbledore shook his head.
"I wish it could. I cannot reach Harry directly. However, I have been able to speak with Severus. While he cannot sense Harry's consciousness, he has been able to ease the effects of the Veritaserum and allow Harry's body to begin normal recovery. Perhaps even accelerate it. He's no longer dying," Albus said gently, looking directly at Sirius.
"Will he be alright?" Sirius asked breathlessly. Remus knew it could not possibly be so easy.
"Only time will tell. But in a few days time, I believe Harry will be stable enough for his friends to begin visiting him," Albus said with the faintest curl of an encouraging smile.
"Now would be a good time for you to come with me to the Ministry and get your name cleared once and for all, Sirius," Arthur said. Sirius froze and blinked owlishly a couple of times.
"They found Peter's body. Arthur wants your testimony under Veritaserum. It's all he needs to process your release papers," Remus said quietly into Sirius' ear.
"It's not that I don't trust you, Arthur…" Sirius said with a frown. Arthur raised a hand.
"I absolutely agree. You'd be accompanied by myself, Bill, Charlie, Mad Eye, Minerva, and Filius. I've also created a Portkey for you," Arthur said and handed Sirius a chocolate frog. Sirius frowned at the frog for a moment.
"Messy," he stated.
"Hopefully not," Arthur replied, understanding Sirius wasn't truly talking about the candy melting.
"I'm not leaving him," Sirius decided.
"Wouldn't you rather have your name cleared before he wakes? Think how anxious he'll be while you're gone giving testimony," Remus said. Sirius swallowed, his eyes lighting from Dumbledore to Arthur and back to Remus. He'd used the best tool he could to waver Sirius' resolve.
"He's not waking up anytime soon, is he?" Arthur asked Pomfrey. She shook her head confidently.
"No, certainly not. I hate to be the one to remind you, but there are no guarantees Mr. Potter *will* wake up," Pomfrey said regretfully. It was as if she'd sucked the air out of the room.
"Well then," Sirius said in a strained voice, "Perhaps this will give him an incentive." Sirius stood decisively. Remus went to stand as well, but Sirius placed a hand on his arm. "No, Remus. You're in to condition to travel anywhere." Remus struggled to remain calm.
"I'd feel better if I was there," he said, frustrated with how his voice quivered. It's my health. Really. How could he explain the sudden wave of panic that threatened to overwhelm him at the thought of Sirius' testimony going wrong?
"I would, too. But I'll be okay. And even if I'm not… Maybe they'll throw me in the same cell they're holding Fudge," Sirius said with manic glee, his face snarling tightly. Remus shivered.
"Okay. I'm convinced you can take care of yourself. Besides, you've got your wand back. Just be careful, and don't do anything foolish," Remus said with emphasis, forcing his tone to be light, although he knew he nearly laughed desperately at the expressions on each of the Weasleys' faces. There was a reason people had feared Sirius. They still should.
"I won't, mum. Honest," Sirius said lightly as, just like that, the moment passed. Whereas he'd been considered mercurial before, the ex-convict redefined it now.
Sirius crossed towards the privacy screens, pausing at Harry's bed to whisper something in his ear before straightening to leave. "Shall we?" he asked with quiet dignity. Arthur nodded and stood.
"Are we done?" the current Minister of Magic asked Albus politely. Dumbledore nodded and made a weak shooing motion with his hand.
"Your public awaits you," he replied wryly. Arthur grimaced. Percy slipped to the other side of the door, carefully keeping his father between himself and Sirius. Remus decided that was a smart idea.
"Headmaster," Bill said politely, and stood as well. "Remus," he nodded to Remus.
"Good luck," Remus called, reluctant to see Sirius go.
"Yes... Wouldn't that be something?" Sirius agreed, his tone ironic to such depths that Remus was too stunned to say anything else as his friend left the Hospital Wing to try to regain the freedom he'd lost so many years ago. Remus swallowed the lump in his throat, terrified for Sirius, and realized he hadn't felt a thing at the news of Peter's death.
TBC…………….