"Jareth, old friend. It was so kind of you to escort Miss Williams back to Hogwarts. Though one might ask why you've come Aboveground. Is there anything wrong in the Underground?" Jareth frowned. "Of course there's something wrong. There are currently three horrid muggles contaminating my beautiful Bog." Sarah just snorted. "I'd hardly call the Bog beautiful," she said. "But compaired to the Dursley's, it's the most beautiful sight in the world." Snape raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what was being talked about. Dumbledore chuckled. "I take it, then, Sarah, your information is correct?"
Sarah nodded. "And if Harry has to stay with a blood relative for his safety, I'll gladly take him. Those...those...creatures aren't fit. You should see the way they act about us. Called us freaks. And to look at their house, one would never guess Harry lived there. And Dudley.... If the Ministry didn't keep tabs on underage use of magic, I'd think Harry had used an engorgement charm. I never thought it was possible for anyone to be wider than they are tall, but somehow Dudley's managed it. And Vernon's just as huge. You can't possibly send him back there, Headmaster, and I will gladly let him stay with me."
"I doubt young Harry would want to stay in the house at all. Honestly, Jareth, did you really dump the Dursley's into the Bog of Eternal Stench?" Dumbledore asked. He sounded stern, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. "Of course I did, Albus," Jareth replied. "They're too old, too ugly, and too stupid to be turned into goblins. And that's saying quite a bit. It's disgusting that they were allowed to walk the earth, let alone be related to Sarah. I appeared and dragged them away on her request. I dumped them into the Bog, but when they climb out, they'll be at the beginning of the labyrinth."
At this point, Snape had had enough. He had questions, and he wanted answers. "Albus, will you please explain to me who this man is and how the bloody hell he and Sarah actually apparated into Hogwarts? I thought it was impossible. And what are you people talking about with the Underground and the Bog of Eternal Stench and such nonesense?" Dumbledore just chuckled. "I almost forgot. Where are my manners? Severus, this is Jareth, King of the Goblins, and a very old friend. The Underground is his home, and I'm afraid the Bog of Eternal Stench is leftover from a magical experiment gone horribly wrong."
It was Sarah's turn to raise an eyebrow. She had never before heard how the Bog was created, and was happy when Jareth continued Dumbledore's explination. "Ah yes," Jareth said, chuckling. "What a lesson the three of us learned that day. Never mix Fae magic with wizarding magic. You will never get the same result twice, and it's never good. I seem to remember that's also how the junkyard was created."
"Ah, but the question remains," Dumbledore stated, "how do you know young Sarah here?" "Albus, do you remember nine years ago, when I told you someone had actually beaten the labyrinth? It was Sarah. Although it would seem we're forever connected. Her wand contains the one hair I ever gave as a wand core." Sarah nodded. "So we've tried to be friends over the years. Though he just found out it was my wand that contained his hair today. And it's worked out pretty well," she said. Dumbledore, of course, had a feeling there may be more than just friendship between them, but that would be discovered later.
"So I take it the two of you are old friends, Albus?" Snape asked, nodding towards Jareth. Dumbledore nodded. "We grew up together in the Underground. My father was representative in court of the humans there. The place is filled with magic, Severus, so it was no surprise my brother Morath and I were accepted into Hogwarts. Although now, he has a bird on his head. He tried to become an animagus and didn't quite make it. And odd thing though. Surrounded by the magic of the Underground, the bird has a mind of it's own." Jareth laughed. "I was wondering how that happened. I asked, but he wouldn't tell me.
The foursome glanced at the library door as a man and dog walked in. Upon entering the library, Sarah jumped slightly as the dog turned into a man. Sarah recognized him immediately, and had her wand out in seconds. "Petrificus Totalus!" With that, Sirius Black fell to the ground, petrified. Snape smirked. Remus Lupin looked at Sarah. Dumbledore just chuckled. "There was no need for that, Sarah. Sirius is no harm. He's on our side." Sarah risked a side-ways glance at Dumbledore. "But he betrayed Aunt Lily and Uncle James! He's the reason-" She stopped as Dumbledore shook his head. "I believe, child, there are some things to explain."
Dumbledore walked over to Sirius, pulling out his own wand. "Enervate," he said, softly. Sirius stood, rubbing his head where he had hit it on the floor. "Nice way to greet a guy, petrifying him," he muttered. "And some friend you are, Moony. You didn't even catch me." Remus laughed. "Sorry, Padfoot. The lady had her wand out and was hexing you so fast I didn't have time." Snape cleared his throat. "And just what are you two miscreants doing here?" he asked. Sarah was still waiting for her explination, but apparently wasn't going to get it any time soon. Her wand, however, remained pointed at Sirius.
"And he calls us miscreants," Sirius said. "I mean, look at him. Even in his school days, he swept around the school at night like a great black bat. Except for the night he found his robes had mysteriously disappeared, and he had to go all the way to the Gryffindor common room in his boxers with the pink hearts!" he said. He and Remus both burst out laughing. Sarah looked at Snape, then at Sirius. "Are you serious?" she asked. Sirius grinned. "Why do you have to ask my name? You petrified me, you obviously know who I am." "You know what I meant, Black," she growled. She still didn't know how Dumbledore could just trust him.
"Sarah," Dumbledore said, "Mr. Black did not hand information to Voldemort." Sarah winced at the name. Like nearly every other witch and wizard, she was scared to death to even hear the Dark Lord's name. Dumbledore ignored it, however, and continued. "Sirius convinced James and Lily to switch secret keepers. It was Peter Pettigrew who turned them over to Voldemort. Sirius is innocent, although without Pettigrew in our hands, alive, we can't prove it, and Sirius can't return to the wizarding world officialy." Snape snorted. "I wouldn't have believed it myself. He nearly killed me when we were in school. But I saw Pettigrew at the Death Eater meeting right before term started."
Jareth yawned. "While all this is very interesting, I'm afraid I have to return to my kingdom. I need to see if I can't persuade Hoggle to get near those pitiful excuses for humans long enough to lead them back to the beginning. They're so stupid they won't even realize what he's doing." With that, the Goblin King disappeared. Now, Sirius and Remus were both blinking, unable to believe their eyes. Finally, Sirius just grabbed hold of Sarah's wand and pointed it downward. "You think you can point that thing somewhere else? You might kill me." Sarah glared. "I'm tempted to do just that, Black. You persuaded Aunt Lily and Uncle James to change to Pettigrew, so in a way, you're still responsible." Sirius just glared right back. "I know that, and believe me, I feel the guilt. But what I want to know is what did Petunia think of her own daughter also going to Hogwarts? I know she hated Lily and hates Harry." Sarah growled. "I am NOT Petunia's daughter and would prefer not to claim her as family. My mother was their half-sister Linda." Sarah smirked. She had clearly shocked Black. The other man...Moony?....also looked rather shocked.
"Remus? Did you know Lily had another sister?" Sirius asked. Remus shook his head. "The information just recently came to light," explained Dumbledore. "It turns out the entire reason Sarah accepted the post of librarian at Hogwarts was because she wanted to find her family in England. She has even volunteered to take care of Harry once summer comes so he won't have to live with the Dursley's anymore." Now Sirius gave a genuine smile at Sarah. "Right. Anyone who likes Harry, I suppose I can like. What do you say, Sarah? Friends? Or atleast a temporary truce?" he asked, holding out his hand. "Fine. Truce," she replied, reaching out to shake his hand.
Instead of a handshake, however, Sirius kissed Sarah's hand. She withdrew it quickly. "Watch it, Black. Behavior like that is likely to end the truce." She and Sirius were so busy staring at eachother that neither noticed the other occupants in the room. Dumbledore just smiled, and Remus was doing his best not to break out laughing. Nor did they notice when Dumbledore, Lupin, and Snape all left, Snape muttering about preparing his lessons for the week, and Dumbledore and Lupin discussing whether Sarah and Sirius would kill eachother or get married.