A/N: Thanks for all your reviews! I'm finally be doing what I've been dreading – read Book Five. Have read over a third of the book now, and so far, I don't like it as much as I liked the first four books. That's because Sirius and Harry are always so unhappy. This fic, as you know by now, will be AU, continued from Book 4. I'll never make Sirius and Harry feel so useless and miserable.
Sirius will not die in this fic! Even if I go insane someday and kill him off somewhere, he will soon be revived by the Sorcerer's Stone or whatever stone that can do the trick.
Time For Tricks And Gifts
"What's this?" Sirius looked around his new bedroom in horror.
April lightly punched his arm and said happily, "Not bad huh? I've always wanted a room like this!"
"Pink is not exactly our favourite colour, April," Remus told her. Sirius and Remus were back in the Shrieking Shack for the first time since they reunited there at the end of Harry's third year.
"I've added black too. Look! Most of the furniture are black. I've only conjured some pink to the bedsheets, cushion covers and lamps to add a bit of colour," she defended herself, before looking pleadingly at Sirius, "You do like the black, don't you?"
Sirius rolled his eyes. "You're crazy, woman! Just because I'm called Black, it doesn't mean that I want to live in a black room as well. Once the lights are off, we'll not be able to see a thing in here. And pink! Whatever are you thinking of?" He chuckled in amusement and added, "You're not thinking of moving in here, are you?"
Remus quietly observed the pair. They obviously did not get along when they first met a few days ago. And Sirius had been so mad with April for the trick she pulled on him, that even Remus failed to stop him from sending the Howler. Something must have happened to break the hostility between the two of them. Remus made a mental note to ask Sirius about this when they were alone.
"Albus put me in-charge of decorating this place. You'll just have to live with this!" April was merrily telling Sirius.
"Did he really? You'd better tell the truth or I'll…" Sirius raised his hand in a mock menacing manner.
She burst out laughing. "Alright, you win. I volunteered to get this place ready for you guys and Albus raised no objection. Well, I'm just curious to see how two grown men will look staying in a place like this. Looks like I'm not going to get my wish!"
"Ms Flamel, we are here to protect you, not to amuse and entertain you. If you want a doll house and silly dolls to go with it, go buy yourself some!"
April stopped Sirius as he attempted to draw out his wand. "I'll do it," she said sulkily, before raising hers and changing every piece of furniture in the room into varying shades of cream and white.
Remus nodded approvingly. The room looked much better now. Actually, it had never looked this good. The thick layers of dust were gone, the walls were newly painted, the smashed and worn-out furniture had been replaced. The room looked cosy and comfortable.
"Thanks, April. This place looks good," Remus told April.
"I'll do the same to the other rooms later," she assured Remus, before glaring pointedly at Sirius. "Well, at least there's ONE decent person here who appreciates my work."
Sirius chose to ignore her remarks. There was something he had to ask. "How's Harry? When can I meet him?"
She hesitated for a moment. "I'm sorry, Sirius. Albus gave strict instructions that Harry should not know that you are back at Hogwarts grounds. He thinks Harry and his friends will not be able to stop themselves from visiting and this may raise suspicions and let someone discover that you're here."
Sirius looked so crestfallen that she quickly offered, "I'll be your messengers. I will make sure that you get any message from Harry immediately. But as for your messages to Harry, I need to hold on to them for a day or two before passing them to him. Harry is a smart boy and he'll suspect that you're near if he gets your replies too soon."
Sirius nodded. He did not like this arrangement but he knew that he had to comply. He comforted himself that he was at least near Harry and would be able to rush to his godson should the need arise.
"I have to let you know something," April continued. "Don't even think of sneaking into the school to catch a glimpse of Harry. He may be closely watched, without him even knowing it."
Remus ventured a guess, "Draco Malfoy and company?"
"Yes, Albus and I both believe it to be so."
"That's why the headmaster kept them here at Hogwarts even after Harry has confirmed that their fathers support Voldemort?"
"Yes, you're quite right." she admitted. "It may be useful to have them in the school."
"How can we be sure that they are watching Harry?" Sirius asked.
"There's only one way to find out," April turned her gaze to the floor. "If Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle are indeed spying for their fathers, the Death Eaters will come after me very soon."
*
Harry and Ron were having a hard time staying awake at Divination. The dim lighting and heavily perfumed smoke in the room were making them very drowsy.
"Mr Weasley, would you care to share with the class what your tarot cards reveal?" Professor Trelawney's dreamy voice rang out.
He was saved by a loud knock at the door.
"An interruption in class today! This is exactly what I saw in my crystal ball. Some of us are going to hear some bad news," Professor Trelawney cried as the circular trapdoor swung open. "Ah, Professor Flamel! I knew you will visit today."
"Hi Sybill. May I borrow Potter and Weasley for a minute?" April asked with an urgency in her voice.
"Certainly, my dear," Professor Trelawney replied with a knowing smile. "I'm afraid you have unfortunate news for these poor kids."
"Of course you're right, Sybill," April said gravely. "Potter, Weasley, come with me at once!"
Harry and Ron quickly followed April.
"What happened? Is Si….Snuffles in trouble?" Harry asked as they climbed down from the silvery ladder onto a tiny landing.
April gave the boys a wide grin and a wink, before pressing a finger to her lips, indicating for them to remain silent. As soon as the trio left the North Tower, she went into a laughing fit.
"I'm afraid you have unfortunate news for these poor kids," she imitated Professor Trelawney, before bursting into laughter again.
The boys could only stare at her in confusion.
"I'm sorry," she managed in-between giggles. "This woman is a scream. Minerva was right. Sybill loves predicting misfortunes and I'll get my way as long as I play along with her."
It was Ron who managed to find his voice first. "Is anything the matter?"
"No, boys. Everything is fine. I'm sorry if I've scared you. I only wanted to rescue you from that horrid class. Thought there may be a better way to spend a nice afternoon instead of hearing when you will meet with your next misfortune."
When Harry and Ron remained silent, she start to shift her feet uneasily. "If you would rather attend class, I'll bring you back and tell her I'm done with you."
The smile returned to her face as the boys both began shaking their heads vigorously.
"Excellent! Follow me," April quickly walked down the corridor. Harry and Ron followed her into her office on the second floor.
After inviting Harry and Ron to be seated, April retrieved three packages from a drawer and began handing them to the boys. "This is for you, Harry. This is for Ron. And this is for Hermione. Please pass it to her for me."
April looked at the stunned expressions on Harry and Ron's faces and chuckled, "I swear I'm not playing a trick on you! I went for a bit of shopping and couldn't resist buying these. Go on, open the packages and tell me if you like them!"
Harry and Ron looked at each other for a second before tearing open the packages excitedly. Each of them unwrapped one long quill. Harry's quill was green while Ron's was blue.
"I've got a red one for Hermione. These are Recording Quills. With these, you'll not have to worry about taking notes in class anymore. It will do all the work for you."
"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed. "This is what Rita Skeeter has!"
"Rita uses the Quick Quote Quill, "corrected Harry.
"Rita who?" April asked.
Harry gave April a brief explanation of their encounter with Rita and her past articles on Harry and Dumbledore.
"WHAT A BI… Opps, sorry. I promised Albus that I'll mind my language. Well, anyway, magical tools are like all other forms of magic. It's the wizard or witch who chooses how they will be used – for good or evil."
"Thanks, April. This is great," Harry said, raising this quill.
She looked pleased. "Glad you like it. It's really simple to use. You just need to knock the tip of the quill hard on a parchment twice to get a detailed list of incantations that'll work the quill. From what I understand from Remus, Hermione will find this most useful."
"That's no doubt about that," Ron replied wryily. "Hermione will probably make her quill duplicate the books in the entire Hogwarts library."
April grinned at the redhead, before retrieving out a small object from another drawer and presented it to Harry. "I'd like you to have this, Harry."
It was a ring, cast with a clear bright green stone.
"The stone is an emerald," April told Harry. "Wear this ring at all times."
"What does it do?" Ron asked, leaning closer to his friend to take a better look at the ring.
"When there is an untrustworthy person near you, Harry, the stone will turn from its present bright green to the colour of mud." She gave a low sign and added, "Albus told me how Crouch took on Moody's identity last year. I think this may come in useful."
"Thanks, April. I'm sure it will." Harry shuddered, remembering how he had been lured to the graveyard where Voldemort was resurrected.
"I've made three of these rings. When one of the wearers is in danger, the stones in all three rings will turn red…blood red. Then we will know that one of us need help."
"Wow! You made them?" Ron cried, impressed.
"Yes," April smiled at the redhead. "I've always been interested in using stones for magical purposes."
Harry slipped the ring onto his finger, stared at it for a while, and asked, "Who has the other two?"
"Albus has one. I have one too." April was blushing, her face almost as red as Ron's hair. "Albus is worried about both of us. He asked me to make this trilogy of rings so that he can send someone to our rescue should either one of us be in danger."
Harry understood what April meant. Both of them were high on Voldemort's wanted list – Harry for obvious reasons, and April for the Sorcerer's Stone.
"Guys, I need your help." April said suddenly as the boys were about to depart. "I need the two of you to tell Hermione something. But make sure that Draco Malfoy hears it as well."
Harry and Ron gave her their undivided attention.
***
Please review! :)
