Well, I hope you all enjoyed HBP! I did. Brilliant twist at the end! Excellent book, much better then the fifth one, I think. Anyway, I thought I'd update early because term ends tomorrow for me and I don't know whether I'm going on holiday or not, so I thought you'd like an update! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Prongs Rides Again
Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Sirius Discovery
The school spoke of nothing, apart from Fred and George's escape, for days. By the end of the week, Umbridge was fed up of hearing how she had let two students escape her grasp. James found it highly amusing that the new headmistress could not control the school without the aid of Filch. The other Professors were still making life hard for her. If she wasn't a Ministry Employee, James felt that he would've had some form of sympathy for her, however he didn't.
As the O.W.Ls approached, James' work became heavier and he struggled to get all the papers marked so his students could go over what they had done wrong and improve. He set more and more essays on handling magical creatures, so that the students knew how to write about caring for a magical creature in the exam.
On the whole, James didn't know who was more scared, him or the students. After all it would be his teaching methods that the students were to be following. And if they failed, he would blame himself.
A week before the O.W.L exams started, James received the shock of a lifetime.
Ever since meeting James Potter, Umbridge had been suspicious of him. She had kept watch on him, hoping to find some way of getting him arrested, but nothing had come up. As she walked round the Castle, she noticed James and his pet dog walk out into the grounds. It was night time and she was patrolling the corridors.
Frowning, Umbridge followed making herself invisible. Fudge had given her an Invisibility Cloaks from the Ministry and she kept it with her at all times. No one knew about it. It was certainly the perfect way to spy on Potter. Making sure that the Cloak was wrapped securely round her small body, Dolores Umbridge, followed James to the Whomping Willow.
Entranced she watched as he picked up a stick, jabbed it at the base of the trunk and crawled inside. The black dog followed, and then Umbridge followed, making sure that she was still completely covered.
She followed a secret passageway until they came to a trapdoor that opened up into a house. With an eerie feeling inside her, Umbridge realised that this was the Shrieking Shack.
She heard three voices from up the stairs. Silently she tiptoed up the stairs. Peering into the a room a sight she never thought she'd see met her eyes.
Sirius Black stood in the center of the room laughing, his eyes shining, the dog no where to be seen. James sat on a bed, and Remus Lupin was standing in a corner looking afraid.
Seconds passed and Remus went rigid.
Umbridge remembered. He was a werewolf. She took a step back, but not before seeing James Potter transform into a Stag, and Sirius Black into the black dog that she recognised.
Seeing enough, Umbridge made her way back to the Castle, planning exactly how she'd catch James Potter out.
The following morning a weary and tired James Potter and dog-formed Sirius Black returned to Hogwarts Castle and went straight into breakfast. James sat at the staff table, Sirius sitting on the floor between his feet. Students were pouring in ready for classes. James grinned at Harry, seeing him glance up.
"Good morning Mr Potter." Umbridge said, standing in front of James.
"Hello Dolores. Have a good night?" James asked, trying to keep the conversation light.
"It was a pleasant surprise."
He didn't like the tone of her voice and her answer. It made him suspicious. Then he saw five wizards standing behind her, their wands out, and their expressions grave.
She stepped back allowing them to come forward.
"What's going on?" James asked befuddled. Sirius came out from under the table, his doggy eyes looking at the five Wizards intently.
"You are under arrest, Mr Potter." one Wizard said.
"WHAT? Why?" James demanded.
"For consorting with a dangerous and convicted murderer."
James swallowed. Did she know? He was suddenly very afraid, but he managed to keep his cool and look each Wizard in the eye. "I don't know any dangerous and convicted murderers."
"How about Sirius Black?" Umbridge asked sweetly.
"I haven't been." James replied.
"Oh really?" Umbridge's smile grew larger. "Seize the dog."
James stepped in front of Sirius. He would not let them take his best friend. "I won't let you."
"Then you are admitting that that dog is Sirius Black because you are protecting him." Umbridge replied.
Oh bugger. James thought. "Well, there's one thing that I can still do."
"And what's that?" Hogwarts High Inquisitor asked, now aware that the whole student body was watching the exchange. Her eyes were glinting success, and a foul smile crept onto her face.
"RUN!" James yelled. Pulling out his wand he cast a stunning spell, hitting an Auror, sending them to the floor.
"Padfoot transform!" James ordered. It would be easier to escape if Sirius was in human form.
Within a second Sirius had transformed, and the two had started for a sprint down the Greta Hall and out into the Entrance Hall.
As the two runaways passed the Gryffindor Table where Harry was sitting, James distinctly heard Hermione Granger shout: "SIRIUS BLACK!"
Screams erupted all around them, as students scrambled to get out of their way. Panic rose and several students delved right out the way so that they blocked the Auror's path. Trained not to harm the innocent, they couldn't cast any spells for fear of hitting the children, thus enabling James and Sirius to escape the commotion.
"AFTER THEM!" Umbridge shouted, waving her hands in the direction of the two escapees.
The other Professors at the head table sat and watched. They would not help Umbridge. She had Aurors to do her dirty work. Besides what was the point of arresting an innocent man?
Harry swivelled in his seat to face Hermione. "Why did you do that?"
"Do what?" she asked.
"Shout out about Sirius?" Harry replied, crossly.
"Because someone had to make the obvious statement! We have to appear scared! Everyone was shocked by his sudden appearance. And with everyone running and blocking the Aurors path it will give James and Sirius time to escape. I only did it so that others would react to it, and cause enough commotion. Students want to stay far away from Sirius as possible. I don't think they realised it was him until I said something. Once they did the students rushed out into the aisles to escape him in case he hurt them."
"Sirius wouldn't hurt anyone!" Harry yelled.
"We know that, but they don't." defended Hermione.
Harry bit his lip, not saying anything.
Professor McGonagall was now issuing instructions to the students, and as the Professors started to take them back to their Common Rooms, Harry was called over to McGonagall, who informed him that she wanted him to lie to Umbridge if she interrogated him about Sirius. Harry promised he would, knowing full well that he couldn't betray his father and Godfather like that.
Following the rest of the Gryffindor's back to their Common Room, Harry fervently hoped his father would escape and that nothing bad would happen to his remaining family. He had only just regained his father. Losing him again would harm Harry more then Voldemort ever could.
Before the twins had left Hogwarts, they had given Sirius a few of their jokes. He had planned to use them on the last day of term, however now that opportunity had been taken from him by the fact Umbridge had somehow found out about him. Sirius cursed, biting his lip, as he thought of the wasted joke products the twins had given him.
James noticed his expression as they ran through the corridors, students screaming and diving out of their path.
Sirius grimaced. "Just thinking what the Weasley Twins left me."
"Zonko products?"
Sirius grinned, even if he was in a sticky situation. "Yeah."
"Use them." James instructed. "Lets leave our mark on Hogwarts."
"Good think I have most of their products with me." Sirius answered. "How are we going to get out of here?"
"By Floo. Dumbledore's Office. It may be locked to Umbridge but its not locked to me. McGonagall told me that Dumbledore has enabled the Office to accept the heirs of past headmasters. Someone in my line was a headmaster. So, hopefully I can gain access to the Office and we can use his fire to get back to Headquarters."
"And if not?"
"Then we're bugged, mate." James smiled sheepishly.
They round a corner with the Aurors in pursuit. Umbridge lagged behind, her screeching cries echoing all around.
Sirius reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, red pen. He pressed the tip, and threw it over his shoulder. It landed as the Aurors ran forward. One stepped onto it, and the pen exploded in a variety of colours. Out from the pen spilled a liquid, a yellow liquid, that the Aurors began to slip and slide on. One's leg got trapped and the Auror tried casting a freeing spell on him, but that only caused the goop to cling tighter to him.
"What was that?" James asked.
"Sponge Pen. Latest model from Zonko's. Fred thought it would come in handy for sticky situations."
"He was certainly right." James agreed.
Sirius skidded round a corner, nearly running head long into a bunch of Aurors that must have been waiting for them. He raised his wand, ready, but James grabbed his arm. The other Aurors pursuing them were a little way behind them, trying to help their friend out of the goop.
"James!" Sirius cried, but his friend shook his head, clearly telling him not to pick a fight.
One of the Aurors, Kingsley Shacklebolt, stepped forward. "Go, now. Dumbledore gave us orders to get you out of here." He stepped aside, allowing the two fugitives to run past. James grinned and ran, with Sirius behind him. The Aurors with Kingsley watched them pass, and then followed the black man to the commotion involving the other Aurors.
The coast was clear. They were almost free!
They reached Dumbledore's Office and James declared: "Bubblegum Heir, James Potter of Gryffindor House!" The stature opened revealing stairs and the two ran up them, bursting into the Office as the door swung magically open for them.
James crossed the room to the fire and grabbed the Floo Powder, sprinkled it onto the fireplace and it burst into green flames.
"Bubblegum Heir?" Sirius asked, confused.
James shrugged. "It's Dumbledore's sweet tooth. Apparently my ancestor who was once a headmaster here, liked saying the word Bubblegum. That's where it comes from, as well as from the sweet Bubblegum. It's hard to explain Sirius, so don't ask me."
"Fine. Just sounded odd for you." Sirius agreed.
James handed Sirius the bag of Floo Powder who put his hand in and pulled out some of the soft powder. Standing in the fire, he let the powder spill onto the fireplace, and Sirius shouted: "Twleve Grimmauld Place!" and then he was gone, falling through the grates, keeping his elbows tucked in, until he came out of the fire place in the kitchen of his childhood home.
James followed minutes later and he arrived coughing and spluttering out soot. He glared at Sirius who was laughing at the state of his friend's appearance. "Shut up Padfoot."
"Did they see where we went?" Sirius asked, referring to the Aurors and Umbridge.
"No." James said. "Thankfully, or they would be storming this place right now I should think."
Suddenly Remus Lupin strode into the room, a look of relief spread across his strained features. He should have been resting due to the fact that it had been the full moon the night before, but it seemed he cared more about his friends then he did about his own health.
"What are you two doing here?"
"Umbridge tried to arrest me for consorting with a 'murderer'." James supplied, looking slightly annoyed. "She uncovered Sirius. We had to make a break for it. We managed to escape, but now I'm a wanted man."
James buried his face in his hands. "I can't even keep my promise to Harry now. I said I'd always be there for him for now on, and when he needs me the most I'm not there. There's no way I can show my face again at Hogwarts, not while Umbridge is on the prowl."
"What are you going to do then?" Remus asked, pulling up a chair and sitting himself next to James. Sirius stood off to the side.
"I'm just going to have to stay put, aren't I?" James replied. "It's the safest thing for me."
The news spread like a wild fire all over the Wizarding World in a matter of hours. Sirius Black had been hiding at Hogwarts, disguised as a dog. The Ministry of Magic officially recorded him on the register of Animagi so that members of the public could recognise him if they tried to. An alert was put out for James Potter's arrest, with an award of 5000 galleons to be paid to the person who handed his whereabouts over, yet no one came forward.
Even the Wizarding World began to suspect that Sirius Black and James Potter should be given chance. If they had not harmed any students while under Dumbledore or Umbridge's nose, then surely they couldn't be that bad, but Cornelius Fudge would have none of it, and was determined to have the two Wizards brought to justice.
All the while, James and Sirius remained safely hidden at twelve Grimmauld Place.
It was not until the week of the O.W.L exams that things began to take a nasty turn for the Wizarding World.
During his History of Magic exam, Harry Potter fell asleep, and what he saw changed his future forever…
There was a shape on the floor at the very end, a black shape moving on the floor…Harry's stomach contracted with fear…with excitement…
A voice issued from his own mouth, a high, cold voice empty of any human kindness…
"Take it for me, Potter…lift it down, now…I cannot touch it…but you can…"
And as Harry watched, the shape on the floor scrambled to their knees and Harry felt his heart begin to pound.
James Potter locked eyes with Voldemort, snarling. "I will not help you. Not after what you've done to Lily."
"Very well…CRUCIO!" Voldemort yelled.
The curse struck James and he fell back, screaming, his back buckling in agony. "HARRY!"
"NO!" Harry flung out his arms, falling off his chair, his scar searing with pain. As pain roared though his body, he gingerly looked around, noting that the students were staring at him from their exam tables, and then darkness over took him, as the examiners rushed forward.
TBC
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NEXT UPDATE: I have no idea when the next update will be. I'm having it betaed and it might take a while. I may be able to update next weekend, I may not. Keep a look out. The next chapter is the Department of Mysteries Chapter.
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MissBlackPotter