The Cold Room
Part 2 – 15
Harry Potter was sitting on his bed one night during the second week of November. He had gone off of the sleeping potion entirely by now as suggested by Hermione; she didn't want him to get addicted too it (she had done more research on it) and though the potion wasn't addictive in the regular sense, it was best to use it when one had a nightmare or something of that nature.
Currently, he was surrounded by deep red drapery that was almost black in the feeble light of the Lumos spell his wand was performing, and the Marauder's Map lay open before him. There had been an increase in the security ever since Harry had gone to Professor Lupin and told him about the visit Black had made to the dorms. Harry hadn't seen hide nor hair of Black since then – but for some reason, he wished he could see the Escapee.
Sirius Leigh Black was his Godfather and had every right to see his only Godchild. By wizarding law (Lupin had explained to him) Sirius had all legal rights to Harry even though he was living with muggles. The only reason why Sirius couldn't exercise any of his rights was because he had been arrested for the apparent betrayal of James and Lily Potter and therefore had no rights at all. On the other hand; that wasn't necessarily true. Sirius Black could argue that he was the only legal guardian and in that case could give out parental slips for Harry (such as permission to go to Hogsmead) even though he was behind bars.
Sirius could also insist on a secondary guardian being instated of his choice (no matter what creature it was, it was an outlandishly old practice that pureblood families still kept). Which obviously meant that if Sirius Black wanted his Godson to be taken care of by the Malfoy family (Narcissa being family and all) than the law had to let him do it. Harry also had to follow certain rules as well – if it was ordained by Sirius Black, than he had to do it; which meant that Black could disband him from Quidditch (though Lupin didn't see that as a possibility because Sirius had always been crazy over the game) and the school would have to take Harry off.
Harry turned a leaflet of the page over; he wasn't particularly afraid of what Sirius Black could do with him legally, he had no control over Harry's finances which pretty much left Harry most of his freedom (somewhat). Harry was also sure that Black would only want to keep him happy and in so doing would give him any permission form he wanted.
All in all – those thoughts were pretty worthless seeing as Harry didn't know one darn thing about Sirius Black in the first place. Not his favorite color, or his favorite thing to eat. Nor did he know if the man liked muggles or detested them like any other proper pureblooded person.
Harry sighed as he caught the tag of Snivellus Snape going about the library – Harry had figured out that the Marauder's must have hated Slytherin in some way and so the map had special features for those Slytherins. One could always tell if a Slytherin was coming their way by the little symbol of a snake above the name.
Unknown to Harry, however, was another enchantment the original founders of the map had put into place, and of which could only be instigated by the Marauder's themselves or their offspring (Though Mr. Moony didn't dare tell this to Mr. Prongs). This ingenious charm was a tracking charm for each other. If one Marauder was lost or in trouble, the other Marauder's could find them by using the map. However, the only way of doing so the appearance of an animagus (or a Werewolf depending on who it was).
This charm had unknowingly been turned on by Harry when he had first used the map – it was now that he saw a small drawing of a rat, with the name above that said Peter Pettigrew. He also had to do a double take, took off his eye glasses, rubbed them against his pajama shirt and then put them back on.
The drawing of a rat was making it's way down the third floor corridor – making no stops along the way and looked interested in a secret passage that Harry knew was blocked. However, it looked like the depiction of the rat did not know this.
Harry immerged from his dark hole, threw on his ratty old robe and torn up slippers – he quietly made his way out of the dorm room and through the common room. Before exiting he consulted the map which gave him an all clear sign – and Harry made his way out into the seventh floor corridor that led straight to the Gryffindor Tower.
The rat, or whatever it was supposed to be, was getting closer to the secret passage way. Harry ran down his own corridor, and stopped in front of a picture of a Gryffindor Knight on it, he pulled a secret lever that was hidden in the wall and the Picture swung forwards, admitting him into an obscure passage that the Map had suggested to him. Harry took this secret passage and in no time at all was on the third floor of the castle.
He looked about him and glanced at the map – there were no Professor's around whatsoever – he folded it up but did not whip it of its contents. As the feeble light from his wand made the pictures cringe and tell him to go back to bed, Harry could hear the little pattering and squeaks of a rodent. He knew he was getting close – but how close he would never know, for at that point…
A hand shot out of the darkness, grabbing his wand and extinguishing the light. After a short tussle – Harry found himself in a room he had never seen before. When the light came again, from Harry's own wand, he was surprised to see who had effectively 'captured' him.
The man was tall with dirty black hair the hung about his face; Ice blue eyes were looking at him keenly and the clothes were dirty and even more torn than Professor Lupin's. Another thing that hit Harry at that moment, was the he was at the mercy of Sirius Black.
"The last time I saw you – Hagrid was taking you to Dumbledore – I wish I could have held you that one last time before…"
"So, you are Sirius Black?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Sirius replied, "You look so much like James,"
"And I have Mum's eyes, I know," Harry rolled his eyes.
"And you're father's humor," Sirius smiled, then he turned grim.
"What do you think you were doing out there this late at night?"
"I was…"
"Looking for Pettigrew?"
"I saw a drawing of a rat on the map – and…I couldn't help but see," Harry said, looking pointedly at the map in Sirius' hands. Sirius looked at it, before he said the word's that would wipe the map clear.
"I guess Moony didn't inform you of the danger that Pettigrew can put you in?" Sirius snorted.
"Wiat! who is Moony?" Harry asked.
"He's you're defense teacher, now answer the question," Sirius almost chukled. Harry decided he had best do as he was told, he didn't want to make this man mad.
"Well, I didn't think he was that magically powerful," Harry replied. At this, Black conjured two chairs out of the air and bid Harry to sit down, while doing so himself.
"Normally, I would say that you were right; Pettigrew didn't have much talent in the way of magic, he was a coward during school and he always begged for Remus' help – but when he betrayed Prongs and Lily to the dark side – well, he should have been sorted into Slytherin," Sirius spat.
"Why did you pull me out of the hall way then? Wouldn't Pettigrew be too afraid to deal with me?" Harry asked.
"You kidding? he would love to get his hands on you – I haven't heard much about you, I've been stuck in Azkaban for a very long time, but I have heard things," Sirius said, "It makes sense that you're brilliant! Prongs was and so was Lily; oh, the things we did!" Sirius smiled a little.
"So, what are you doing in here anyway?" Harry asked, he didn't want to get Sirius remembering happier times and then turn violent. He wasn't sure what to think of the man, and he wasn't too sure that he could trust the man to not hurt him in anyway.
"Well, what do you want me to say? I'm here to kidnap you? I'm here to keep you safe? I wish I could, and I am, but – I'm really after that rat!"
"Oh…" somehow, Harry had wanted to hear something else, though he wasn't sure what that was.
"Now, see here, the sooner I can get my hands on that rat, the sooner I can give you the home you deserve, or at least, get someone that we both trust to give you a home," Sirius said.
"I know, there are loopholes you can use," Harry sighed.
"I have something to give you…" Sirius said, the sharp turn of conversation leading him to search the pockets of the Azkaban issued robes. From an inside pocket, he pulled out a dirty piece of parchment.
It said: I, Sirius Leigh Black, being of sound Mind and Body – hereby give my Godson, Harry James Potter, permission to go to Hogsmead on the delegated weekends the school sets forth.
"I know it isn't much…" Sirius hadn't finished his sentence before he had an arm full of thirteen year old boy thanking him greatly for this gift.
"Well – all right then, I must go and find that rat, but before that, I'll escort you to the tower," Sirius said. He led Harry out of the secret room (which closed up straight away) and they used the same secret passage to get the seventh floor that Harry had used earlier.
Before stepping out, Sirius looked strangely parental as he ruffled Harry's hair and sent him packing off to bed – the boy took his wand, map and permission slip with him while Sirius Black turned and went back down to the third floor corridor. Back in his animagus form again, Padfoot sniffed around for the rotten trail of the traitor.
A.N – I have a few points to make…
1) The secret passage that I used in this chapter, I made up, I needed a simple way to get Harry down to the third floor corridor without getting caught by Professor's.
2) The secret room that Sirius pulled Harry into isn't the Room of Requirement – it is just a simple room that students can use for privacy.
3) The note the Sirius gave Harry was whim on my part – I thought it would be cool if Harry got it sooner rather than later – there is also a joke in the note. See if you can find it!
4) I also made up the wizarding laws pertaining to guardianship. I think it was rather clever on my part.
Well, I do believe that is all I have to say at the moment – I know that Harry wasn't exceptionally surprised or scared in this chapter; it's because Lupin has told him everything! And I mean everything! About Sirius Black history with James and Lily and Harry himself. So…yeah…sorry if it doesn't make sense.
Ta,
Poppy