Disclaimer: Don't own anyone but Ebony.
Author's note: Sorry about the computer mess up with the last chapter. I can be kind of technologically challenged sometimes. This chapter might be a bit slow moving, but it's necessary. The exciting parts coming I promise.
Chapter seven: The Escape
Sirius headed for his bed room, not really intending to sleep. His mind was crammed with thoughts about the events of the night. He knew he had to do something. He wasn't sure what. Ebony could not leave the house. She was wanted already by the ministry of Magic, if they found her out on the street somewhere it could be catastrophic not only for her, but for the order. The things she could tell them if they forced her to were innumerable.
Besides, they had no reason to throw Ebony out. She wasn't, she couldn't be a spy. Of course, he thought, the real reason he wanted her to be innocent was a very selfish one. He simply didn't want her to leave. It had become impossible to contemplate life at Grimmuald place without her. Even thinking about the concept was nearly unbearable. He had no idea why he felt so strongly for a person he had only met less than five months ago, but he knew she was innocent. She had to be. Still, There was a small voice of uncertainty muttering through his brain. How well did he really know her ? Could he be certain she was telling the truth? The more he thought about it, the more he realised there was no way to be absolutely sure about Ebony.
Sirius continued to stare at the wall beside his bed. No matter how he looked at it Ebony's situation was hopeless. He knew Mad- Eye Moody wouldn't take no for an answer. Especially not after what happened last year. Sirius was willing to bet that Mad-Eye would toss her out into the street himself if he got the opportunity. The only possibility of keeping Ebony safe while satisfying the rest of the order was to sneak her out of the house and find somewhere else for her to stay. Someplace where no one, especially not any one from the ministry, could possibly find her. He sat for several moments racking his brain for a way to execute his plan. It was quite a while before he remembered. There was a Hippogriff in the room directly above his. Of course! How could he have forgotten about Buckbeak. He had used Buckbeak to escape once, he was certain Ebony would be able to use him to do the same thing. She could fly to the cave above Hogsmead. That was where Sirius had hid for several months without being detected. Surely no one would be able to find her there. This new plan was useless, however, if he didn't at least talk to Ebony about it. This was the part he dreaded. But Sirius knew it couldn't wait another minuet.
With very little hesitation he left his bedroom to climb the many stairs to the attic. Surely she would not be asleep. Not after everything she had heard. Moments seemed like hours before Sirius finally reached her door. He rapped very softly. She heard him
"Come in."
He opened the door. Ebony sat, wide-awake, at the small windowsill over looking the neighboring street. Her knees were pressed close to her chest and she had wrapped herself in the cloak she wore when she had been found in the snow bank. Her hair fell loosely across her shoulders and in the lamp light created a ripple effect that Sirius had only seen before in ponds or rivers.
" What is it?" She asked coldly. Transfixed, he had lost his train of thought.
"I just." He started weakly.
"If you came here to apologize there's no need." She said still staring out the window.
"Why not?" Sirius asked. He could feel his temper beginning to rise again. Why had he expected this to go smoothly?
"Because you were right of course." She answered as she turned to face him.
"After all why should you trust me? I'm just a nutter you found off the street! I'm surprised, no, shocked that you didn't chuck me out earlier, if I'm that expendable! It's almost like being able to get rid of that old house elf isn't it?"
"That's not true and you know it!" He said heatedly
"Then what is true Sirius? Tell me! What is the truth?" Ebony was now standing with her arms folded across her chest, a stubborn look penetrated her pale face. Sirius took several moments trying to devise a sharp comeback for her question before he realised that they had little if no time to argue. The next meeting was scheduled for the following week and if Sirius knew Mad eye, he would want Ebony gone long before then.
"Come on. I need to show you something." And before she could say anything Sirius had taken Ebony by the hand and was leading her down two flights of stairs into Buckbeak's room.
All though he had told Ebony all about the hippogriff he had used to escape from the dememtors, he had never introduced her to Buckbeak. There was no use putting it off if Ebony was to escape within the week.
"Promise me you won't scream." Sirius warned her as he moved to open the door. Ebony rolled her eyes. "Why on earth would I-" She let out a very high pitched gasp as Sirius opened the door to reveal the enormous winged creature chewing on a large bone he had been fed after dinner.
Ebony stood fixed in the door way. Her eyes were glazed and her mouth hung slightly open in shock. "This is Buckbeak." Sirius said. She simply nodded and continued to stare at the hippogriff. Buckbeak was now looking up at the bone he'd been knawing. Ebony shook her head slightly as if waking herself from a trance. Then, before Sirius could stop her she approached Buckbeak cautiously. They stared each other down for a few moments. Sirius began to prepare for the worst. He was amazed when Ebony very suddenly bent her knees into a very quick bow. He had never told her how to befriend a hippogriff. And he was sure there were no books in the house on the subject.
"How did you know to do that?" Sirius asked.
Ebony, who was now stroking a content looking Buckbeak, shrugged.
"I don't know. I guess the same way I knew Percy Weasly was a git when I first met him, or how I knew that spell." She answered non-chalantly. A wave of doubt was washing over Sirius's mind again. It must have showed in his face, because Ebony began to stare at him with the same betrayed look that he had seen just after the order meeting.
"You don't believe me." She said quietly. "I knew you wouldn't." She went back to petting the tip of the hippogriff's beak.
Sirius opened his mouth to contest, but found that there was nothing to say. He couldn't lie and say that he believed her completely, but he couldn't tell her that she had to leave either. Ebony must have sensed his dilemma because she quickly changed the subject.
"So, this is how you escaped all those dememtors." She said as she began to circle the hippogriff.
"All this time I'd been picturing some sort of winged horse! How ever did you manage to keep something like this out of sight for a year?" She looked up at him eagerly. Sirius smiled in spite of himself. He must have told her the story at least a dozen times. She always seemed to enjoy hearing it.
"Well, it wasn't easy." He began. And soon he was hastily re telling the story of his life as a fugitive, completely forgetting the urgency of Ebony's situation. He told her again of the two ghosts he'd met in France and the vampire convention he'd listened in on in Transylvania. Ebony sat on the floor stroking Buckbeak and listening quietly. It wasn't until the story reached the cave in Hogsmead that Sirius remembered his plan. Should he tell her? He had to. She wouldn't take it lightly, he was sure of that. There was no doubt that she wanted to stay and would put up a decent fight if she was forced to leave. Still, this was the only way to keep her safe, if she didn't leave tonight the others would force her out later. Sirius opened his mouth to tell her this when:
"I wish I could see it." Ebony said suddenly. "See what?" Sirius asked hopefully. "Hogsmead! Even from a cave it sounds wonderful!" This was perfect! Perhaps he wouldn't have to tell her about the plan after all. Maybe he could just convince her to leave for Hogsmead of her own accord. She already knew about the cave, and would have sense enough not to be seen by any one.
"Oh it is!" Sirius exclaimed a little too enthusiastically. "I'd venture to say it's the most lovely spot I've ever been in, and I have been to quite a few." To his great relief Ebony was staring out the window as she listened to him, looking extremely anxious. "In fact.you could go tonight." Sirius said in what he hoped was a casual sort of voice. "The window's wide enough for you to take Buckbeak. It would only be for a day at the most, and you do need to get out of the house." She would see through it. She was certainly not an idiot after all, and you'd have to be to believe a story like the one he'd told her. Sure enough Ebony was now eyeing him suspiciously.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Ebony asked half jokingly. "No." Sirius added altogether too quickly. She gave him a playful sort of smile as she took up her habit of silently pacing around the room. Sirius watched her with great anticipation. He felt as if he were a defendant waiting for a verdict from a jury. No matter what went through his mind in those moments however, he could never have anticipated what would come next.
"Why don't you come with me?" Ebony said abruptly. She had stopped pacing and now stood a foot to the right of Buckbeak. "What?" Sirius stammered. "Well, if it really would only be for one day and I really do just need to get out of the house, then what's the harm in you leaving the house too? God knows you need it more than I do, besides two fugitives are better than one." "But." Sirius began to protest. It was true something, perhaps even the majority of him wanted to go. Remus had left just after the meeting, on Order business. No one would miss him for only one day. Suddenly he wanted more than anything in the world to leave the clogged mansion behind if only for one day. But for some reason he could hear Molly Weasly's voice in his head telling him that if he left he would be endangering everything the order had worked for.
"Well, if your scared, I completely understand, just an idea." Ebony said smiling playfully. She knew she had touched a nerve. "Fine! But just for a day." Sirius said as he moved to mount Buckbeak. Ebony's smile broadened. Sirius held out his hand to help her up onto the Hipogriff. He bent forward and unlatched the window. "Hold on." He said to Ebony who was now seated securely with her arms around his waist. And in less than two seconds they were rising far above the streets of london. Sirius felt a cool summer breeze on his face for the first time in months. For the first time in little less than a year, he was free.
Author's note: Sorry about the computer mess up with the last chapter. I can be kind of technologically challenged sometimes. This chapter might be a bit slow moving, but it's necessary. The exciting parts coming I promise.
Chapter seven: The Escape
Sirius headed for his bed room, not really intending to sleep. His mind was crammed with thoughts about the events of the night. He knew he had to do something. He wasn't sure what. Ebony could not leave the house. She was wanted already by the ministry of Magic, if they found her out on the street somewhere it could be catastrophic not only for her, but for the order. The things she could tell them if they forced her to were innumerable.
Besides, they had no reason to throw Ebony out. She wasn't, she couldn't be a spy. Of course, he thought, the real reason he wanted her to be innocent was a very selfish one. He simply didn't want her to leave. It had become impossible to contemplate life at Grimmuald place without her. Even thinking about the concept was nearly unbearable. He had no idea why he felt so strongly for a person he had only met less than five months ago, but he knew she was innocent. She had to be. Still, There was a small voice of uncertainty muttering through his brain. How well did he really know her ? Could he be certain she was telling the truth? The more he thought about it, the more he realised there was no way to be absolutely sure about Ebony.
Sirius continued to stare at the wall beside his bed. No matter how he looked at it Ebony's situation was hopeless. He knew Mad- Eye Moody wouldn't take no for an answer. Especially not after what happened last year. Sirius was willing to bet that Mad-Eye would toss her out into the street himself if he got the opportunity. The only possibility of keeping Ebony safe while satisfying the rest of the order was to sneak her out of the house and find somewhere else for her to stay. Someplace where no one, especially not any one from the ministry, could possibly find her. He sat for several moments racking his brain for a way to execute his plan. It was quite a while before he remembered. There was a Hippogriff in the room directly above his. Of course! How could he have forgotten about Buckbeak. He had used Buckbeak to escape once, he was certain Ebony would be able to use him to do the same thing. She could fly to the cave above Hogsmead. That was where Sirius had hid for several months without being detected. Surely no one would be able to find her there. This new plan was useless, however, if he didn't at least talk to Ebony about it. This was the part he dreaded. But Sirius knew it couldn't wait another minuet.
With very little hesitation he left his bedroom to climb the many stairs to the attic. Surely she would not be asleep. Not after everything she had heard. Moments seemed like hours before Sirius finally reached her door. He rapped very softly. She heard him
"Come in."
He opened the door. Ebony sat, wide-awake, at the small windowsill over looking the neighboring street. Her knees were pressed close to her chest and she had wrapped herself in the cloak she wore when she had been found in the snow bank. Her hair fell loosely across her shoulders and in the lamp light created a ripple effect that Sirius had only seen before in ponds or rivers.
" What is it?" She asked coldly. Transfixed, he had lost his train of thought.
"I just." He started weakly.
"If you came here to apologize there's no need." She said still staring out the window.
"Why not?" Sirius asked. He could feel his temper beginning to rise again. Why had he expected this to go smoothly?
"Because you were right of course." She answered as she turned to face him.
"After all why should you trust me? I'm just a nutter you found off the street! I'm surprised, no, shocked that you didn't chuck me out earlier, if I'm that expendable! It's almost like being able to get rid of that old house elf isn't it?"
"That's not true and you know it!" He said heatedly
"Then what is true Sirius? Tell me! What is the truth?" Ebony was now standing with her arms folded across her chest, a stubborn look penetrated her pale face. Sirius took several moments trying to devise a sharp comeback for her question before he realised that they had little if no time to argue. The next meeting was scheduled for the following week and if Sirius knew Mad eye, he would want Ebony gone long before then.
"Come on. I need to show you something." And before she could say anything Sirius had taken Ebony by the hand and was leading her down two flights of stairs into Buckbeak's room.
All though he had told Ebony all about the hippogriff he had used to escape from the dememtors, he had never introduced her to Buckbeak. There was no use putting it off if Ebony was to escape within the week.
"Promise me you won't scream." Sirius warned her as he moved to open the door. Ebony rolled her eyes. "Why on earth would I-" She let out a very high pitched gasp as Sirius opened the door to reveal the enormous winged creature chewing on a large bone he had been fed after dinner.
Ebony stood fixed in the door way. Her eyes were glazed and her mouth hung slightly open in shock. "This is Buckbeak." Sirius said. She simply nodded and continued to stare at the hippogriff. Buckbeak was now looking up at the bone he'd been knawing. Ebony shook her head slightly as if waking herself from a trance. Then, before Sirius could stop her she approached Buckbeak cautiously. They stared each other down for a few moments. Sirius began to prepare for the worst. He was amazed when Ebony very suddenly bent her knees into a very quick bow. He had never told her how to befriend a hippogriff. And he was sure there were no books in the house on the subject.
"How did you know to do that?" Sirius asked.
Ebony, who was now stroking a content looking Buckbeak, shrugged.
"I don't know. I guess the same way I knew Percy Weasly was a git when I first met him, or how I knew that spell." She answered non-chalantly. A wave of doubt was washing over Sirius's mind again. It must have showed in his face, because Ebony began to stare at him with the same betrayed look that he had seen just after the order meeting.
"You don't believe me." She said quietly. "I knew you wouldn't." She went back to petting the tip of the hippogriff's beak.
Sirius opened his mouth to contest, but found that there was nothing to say. He couldn't lie and say that he believed her completely, but he couldn't tell her that she had to leave either. Ebony must have sensed his dilemma because she quickly changed the subject.
"So, this is how you escaped all those dememtors." She said as she began to circle the hippogriff.
"All this time I'd been picturing some sort of winged horse! How ever did you manage to keep something like this out of sight for a year?" She looked up at him eagerly. Sirius smiled in spite of himself. He must have told her the story at least a dozen times. She always seemed to enjoy hearing it.
"Well, it wasn't easy." He began. And soon he was hastily re telling the story of his life as a fugitive, completely forgetting the urgency of Ebony's situation. He told her again of the two ghosts he'd met in France and the vampire convention he'd listened in on in Transylvania. Ebony sat on the floor stroking Buckbeak and listening quietly. It wasn't until the story reached the cave in Hogsmead that Sirius remembered his plan. Should he tell her? He had to. She wouldn't take it lightly, he was sure of that. There was no doubt that she wanted to stay and would put up a decent fight if she was forced to leave. Still, this was the only way to keep her safe, if she didn't leave tonight the others would force her out later. Sirius opened his mouth to tell her this when:
"I wish I could see it." Ebony said suddenly. "See what?" Sirius asked hopefully. "Hogsmead! Even from a cave it sounds wonderful!" This was perfect! Perhaps he wouldn't have to tell her about the plan after all. Maybe he could just convince her to leave for Hogsmead of her own accord. She already knew about the cave, and would have sense enough not to be seen by any one.
"Oh it is!" Sirius exclaimed a little too enthusiastically. "I'd venture to say it's the most lovely spot I've ever been in, and I have been to quite a few." To his great relief Ebony was staring out the window as she listened to him, looking extremely anxious. "In fact.you could go tonight." Sirius said in what he hoped was a casual sort of voice. "The window's wide enough for you to take Buckbeak. It would only be for a day at the most, and you do need to get out of the house." She would see through it. She was certainly not an idiot after all, and you'd have to be to believe a story like the one he'd told her. Sure enough Ebony was now eyeing him suspiciously.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Ebony asked half jokingly. "No." Sirius added altogether too quickly. She gave him a playful sort of smile as she took up her habit of silently pacing around the room. Sirius watched her with great anticipation. He felt as if he were a defendant waiting for a verdict from a jury. No matter what went through his mind in those moments however, he could never have anticipated what would come next.
"Why don't you come with me?" Ebony said abruptly. She had stopped pacing and now stood a foot to the right of Buckbeak. "What?" Sirius stammered. "Well, if it really would only be for one day and I really do just need to get out of the house, then what's the harm in you leaving the house too? God knows you need it more than I do, besides two fugitives are better than one." "But." Sirius began to protest. It was true something, perhaps even the majority of him wanted to go. Remus had left just after the meeting, on Order business. No one would miss him for only one day. Suddenly he wanted more than anything in the world to leave the clogged mansion behind if only for one day. But for some reason he could hear Molly Weasly's voice in his head telling him that if he left he would be endangering everything the order had worked for.
"Well, if your scared, I completely understand, just an idea." Ebony said smiling playfully. She knew she had touched a nerve. "Fine! But just for a day." Sirius said as he moved to mount Buckbeak. Ebony's smile broadened. Sirius held out his hand to help her up onto the Hipogriff. He bent forward and unlatched the window. "Hold on." He said to Ebony who was now seated securely with her arms around his waist. And in less than two seconds they were rising far above the streets of london. Sirius felt a cool summer breeze on his face for the first time in months. For the first time in little less than a year, he was free.