Chapter 4

The Escape

3 days. It had been 3 days since Fudge's last visit to his cell; the visit where Scrimgeour had mentioned Alexis, his Alexis, his Daughter! He had to get out and soon. He did not think he could stay in the dank cell any longer.

Sirius shook his shaggy head and glanced around his cell with blurry eyes. 'How to get out,' he thought to himself. He vaguely remembered hearing stories of witches and wizards breaking out of the Ministry's "interrogation" rooms, maybe… 'No,' Sirius thought, looking around his cell noticing only solid stone and close-set bars. 'They can't be true.'

A moan escaped his chapped lips as he fell sideways onto the floor, his head hitting the stone floor with a dull thunk. Just as he was closing his eyes, Sirius felt a cold something drift across his cheek. He jerked upright his eyes wide open, scanning the empty cell. As his eyes tried to penetrate the dusky corners of his stone box, he felt it again. 'It feels like a little gust of cold air…but, where?' He ran his fingers through his greasy hair, trying to think. 'Where, where?'

His dirty, scabbed fingers felt their way across the moldy wall. 'That air has to be coming out of an opening, some kind of…' His fingers stopped. He had found a small hole in one of the corners, right where two of the walls met with the floor; the hole itself was smaller than his closed fist and was jagged around the opening.

Sirius flattened himself on the floor and peered out of the hole; he could catch a small glimpse of the night sky. His heart gave a little start as he watch the few stars he could see shine. There was now a chance, a small chance, of escape, but how?

Sirius sat back up and put his head in his hands. Images of Dumbledore's Mirror of Erised floated around in his mind along with the memories of all the trick doors and staircases at Hogwarts. He shook his head in order to clear his cluttered mind. 'No, no. It's none of those!'

He laid himself back onto the ground and stared intently at the hole. 'If only I knew how to get this thing to open, get bigger, anything,' he thought furiously. Sirius lay there, thinking of various ways that could provide his escape. He jumped up suddenly and kicked at the wall.

"Open, dammit!" he snarled at the hole. His eyes suddenly widened and his face went slack. He dropped to his knees and slowly shook his head. The hole was getting bigger! Soon it was big enough for a dog to get through. 'A dog?' he thought, 'Of course.'

He got up and threw himself against the bars and quickly checked the hallway, nobody there. He ran back to the hole, changing as he went. A mass of black fur blocked the opening to the hole and then it was gone. The hole began to close rapidly, leaving the cell as it was before, except this time it was empty.

"Have you checked it thoroughly?"

"Of course I have, you idiot! He isn't there!"

"He can't have just disappeared. Move over, let me check."

"…"

"Shit! He's gone."

"See? I told you!"

"…"

"Oww! What'd you hit me for?"

"You were supposed to be watching him!"

"I was! I was only gone about 15 minutes or so. I had to go to the bathroom!"

"…"

"Don't give me that look!"

"…"

"Stop glaring at me! It was a mistake!"

"Well, now we have to tell the Minister about your mistake."

"Right. You tell the Minister and I'll meet up with you later."

"No, you're going to tell him, seeing as how this is your fault."

"Well, this is going to be fun."

"Come on."

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his quiet office at Hogwarts when a clock struck once, twice, then fell silent. He looked up, slightly surprised.

"Merlin's beard! Already 2 o'clock in the morning?" he said aloud to no one in particular. He put down the ancient scroll he had been studying and glanced around at his circular office.

Fawkes the phoenix was perched upon his stand, sleeping over his old ashes; his great red and orange feathers sparkling in the candlelight. There were a number of small, spindly tables on which several strange silver instruments stood emitting small puffs of different colored smoke or strange whirring noises.

Albus rubbed his eyes tiredly and decided that it was high time he got some rest. He stored the ancient scroll back into its silver and black case and put it into the lower drawer of his desk. He was walking around his office, putting out the various candles when his fireplace came to life with a blazing green fire.

On instinct, Albus stepped forward to help the figure that stumbled out onto his carpet. The figure grabbed a hold of Albus' arms and almost tripped over the rug. Albus steadied the man and then looked at his face; he almost dropped the stranger in shock.

"Sirius!"

"Albus," croaked the other man, "Albus, you have to…to help me, Albus. She's in danger. Albus, Alexis is in danger!" At this point, Sirius grabbed Albus' shoulders in a painful grip and stared wildly into the older man's eyes. Albus forced Sirius into a chair and knelt before him.

"Sirius, you have to calm yourself and listen to me!"

"But Albus! Scrimgeour threatened Alexis. I need to get to her."

"Do not worry. She's safe. Now listen to me. How did you get to my office?"

"I broke into a wizard home and used their fireplace. Don't worry," Sirius added, noticing the slightly alarmed look on the old man's face, "The family was gone for the night. Are you sure she's okay, Albus? I need to see her."

"I will see if I can arrange something, Sirius. But answer me; you are supposed to be stuck in that veil. What happened?" Sirius stared at Dumbledore for a few moments, then said…

"I'm not really sure what happened, Albus."

"Well, tell me. We'll figure it out," Albus said, drawing up a chair and sitting across from Sirius. Sirius leaned forward and began o tell his story.