A Grim Return (3?)

Chapter 3 ---------------------------------------------

"So where have you been, Sirius?" asked Harry, "the last thing we saw was you going through the veil."
"Yes," added Hermione, "Dumbledore told us you'd died."
"Hence Harry having this house," added Ron.
Remus looked at Sirius inquisitively.
"Well, some of it I know, some now makes more sense, and the rest... well, it's a little vague," replied Sirius, "but I will tell you." He took a deep breath, "you know I was hit with the Stunner by my darling cousin Bellatrix, and may I say I am grateful to you finishing her off for me," he added with a wink at Hermione and Ron.
"After I was knocked backwards, just as I was going through the veil, I managed to Apparate myself away to Remus' cottage in the heart of the Welsh countryside."
"But," interrupted Hermione, "I didn't think you could Apparate within the Ministry."

Sirius nodded, "quite correct, except there's nothing to stop an animal Apparating, if you catch my drift. I had just enough time to transform, then Apparate before I passed through the veil completely. Did you not hear the voices from the veil afterwards?"
Harry nodded, confused.
"Well, those voices were of the people beyond the veil. They were confused that I had managed to escape from that situation, and were shouting for an explanation. Except, all that anyone on the 'right' side of the veil can hear, is muttering, rather than distinct words."
Remus shuddered, "I heard some words," he whispered, "one 'advantage' I suppose of being a werewolf. They were shouting 'where is he?', but I wasn't paying enough attention to their cries." Remus hung his head. "If I had, we cold have got you back sooner."

Sirius put his arm over Remus' shoulder. "I doubt you could have done. When an Animagus Apparates from a secure building such as the Ministry, they are trapped in the place they Apparate to. They cannot transform back, although I knew it was still risky to attempt it, and cannot leave the building."
Ron looked confused. "If you went to Lupin's house, how come you didn't see him there?"
"I didn't go back there," Remus replied. "Dumbledore had me trying to 'convert' the werewolves to the right side, if you remember, then I moved in with Tonks until we all came here. I didn't even go back to collect any of my things. Too many bad memories. Like there were here."
Harry nodded, he hadn't wanted to come back here, but there was nowhere else he could stay. He had to be with someone because of his injuries, and this was the only house that could hold him, Ron, Hermione and Remus comfortably.

"Each time I tried to move away from the front gate, it was like there was an invisible wall blocking the rest of the path. Every night I slept in the dog bed that Remus still had set up on the floor... I couldn't even get onto the double bed in that room."
Remus laughed quietly, "I forgot I had that set up to stop you climbing on the furniture."

Ron and Harry exchanged glances, and Hermione grinned. "I knew it," she said, "how long had you been living together then?"
Ron gasped, and Harry nearly fell of his chair, but Sirius just gave a weak smile. "Since we left school, Hermione. Was Remus pining that badly then?"
Hermione nodded, and Remus blushed slightly. "It's only natural though," Hermione continued, "if you'd been together for that many years, both before and after Azkaban, then he would have missed you dreadfully."

Sirius looked thoughtful, "I think that helped, actually. I could tell the Dementors were around, but Remus' wards prevented them from entering the room or the garden. Then, they seemed to disappear, and after about 2 years, I tried to get out of the garden gate, and it flung open for me. I ran back into the house, and jumped onto the bed. Breathing in the scent from Remus' pillow, gave me enough memories to be able to transform back."

Sirius paused, "I guessed that somehow Bellatrix was dead, for that part of the spell to have lifted. I remembered there was a Muggle library in the village nearby, so I found this old cloak in the wardrobe, and walked down there. I went through every Muggle newspaper I could find."
Hermione nodded approvingly.
"They had a huge article," Sirius continued, "on what they called the 'depressive fog' lifting, which I guess was the disappearance of the Dementors?"
Remus nodded, "the Dementors were banished just after Harry destroyed the last horcrux."
"I then tried to find out what had happened to the Order. I couldn't find any references to Dumbledore or anyone, and I couldn't afford to ask anyone, for fear that I would be captured again. So I did the only thing I could think of. I came back here."

Author's Notes:
Getting onto the main plot now... what do you reckon - shall I continue it?