DISCLAIMER: I still own nothing. Imagine me sitting here, owning nothing!
AN: I couldn't wait too much longer. I'm happy I got six reviews, though. Have fun reading this new chappy. And in not to awfully long we will bring Hogwarts into the mix! (okay a little MORE into the mix, because at the end of the chapter there's a tiny little bit of Hogwarts, but not much)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Suddenly, the convict let out a moaning sound from the back of his throat and collapsed onto the floor.
"Send it away, Remus," he said as clearly as was possible, Remus imagined, for someone who had almost no voice left.
"Why?" Remus asked, coldly, he already knew Black was talking about the dementor, "You deserve to remember that night. You deserve the dementor's effects."
"Noo.. ." moaned Black, his eyes rolling up into his head, "I didn't mean to, James. Remus I didn't do it. It was the Rat." The convict was sobbing onto his defiled sleeve.
The scene flickered oddly before Remus' gaze before he turned to face the dementor. To his astonishment and repulsion, it was moving towards the cell, its hands lowering its hood.
The sobbing from inside the cell decreased when the dementor reached Remus. Instead of closing the gap between it and the cell, the dementor turned to the man closest to him.
Damn emotions running high.
"N-no, wait, I'm j-just visiting.. ." said the werewolf, his vision obscured by white fog and cries of pain. Remus racked his brain and found a picture of himself greeting James, Peter, and Sirius after a long summer away from school. It wasn't powerful enough.
The dementor extended its hands.
"Moony," said a panicky voice from inside the cell, "the Patronous charm!"
The convict had forced his voice to move.
The werewolf again racked his mind for a memory powerful enough to keep a dementor at bay. Any memory that happened at Hogwarts would do- but just then Remus couldn't remember enough to drive it away or even slow it down.
"Happy thoughts," the convict mumbled, also searching his brain, "Remus- when you found out we were animagi!"
Remus took a deep breath and bellowed "Expecto Patronum!"
An enormous, silver, bear-like dog erupted from the tip of his wand and launched itself at the dementor. The dementor was thrown backwards and vanished into the shadows. Remus felt his head clear up and the cold prison become less so.
"I thought it would've changed," Remus muttered, sadly, "I guess once they choose a form they can't change."
"That's not true, Remus, I read that-" Sirius started.
"You read?" interrupted Remus, humorlessly.
"Yes. I read that they change form if the original one isn't the most loyal and protective of the person casting it," said the convict.
"You lie," Remus accused.
The man behind the bars laughed coldly, "You're the one who isn't going to be locked away for the rest of your life- go check it out. But first find Peter and kill him."
"Give it up with the rat!" the werewolf snapped, "He's already dead, you killed him, and nothing you say is going to change my mind!"
"Nothing, Remus?" Black asked, seriously, "Not even if it's the truth?"
"If you had told the truth they would have let you off!" Remus snapped.
"Really? What trial was this at? I certainly wasn't there." Said the werewolf's former friend.
"Stop lying to me!"
"Remus," said the prisoner desperately, "I have never lied to you. Name one lie- one reason I ever gave for you not to trust me."
"You worked for Voldemort," Said Remus.
"Me? A Death Eater? I am not, nor was I ever, working for Voldemort. You can bring some veritaserrum next time you come," said Black, then added sadly, "Not that you'd ever come back to see an evil, double-crossing, betraying, son-of-a-"
"You're admitting it then?" Remus interrupted.
"What?"
"You're admitting that you betrayed them."
"Never, Remus, I'm saying that's why you'd never come back into this horrible excuse for a prison again; because you THINK that I'm an evil, double-crossing, betraying, son-of-a-"
"Stop it, Black! You're getting on my nerves," said the haggard werewolf.
The convict winced at the use of his last name, "Sorry, Moony."
"And stop calling me that! We made up those names as the Marauders and now we are grown men. Strange even now to be saying that to you, though. Grown up, indeed."
Sirius Black stood back from the door and looked down at his horrid state of health, "You know, Moony, I don't feel much like an adult. I've been locked in this same room for ten years of my adult life and it makes me feel as though- mmm- I'm not quite sure."
"I know what it must be like in there, Black, every month I have to do the same thing. Locked in a small room with only myself for company."
"Haven't they found a cure yet?" Said Black, concernedly.
"No, and never will, I'll bet," said Remus.
"Say, Remus, you wouldn't happen to have a copy of the Daily Prophet on you, would you? And a quill, preferably. I miss doing the crossword puzzles. It's gonna be a long rest of my life if I can't do anything."
"I'll bet," said Remus, coldly.
The convict sighed. "You still don't believe me, do you?"
"No," said the werewolf shortly.
"I should've figured. It was too good to be true. I always had good luck in school. I suppose it's only fair that it's caught up with me now."
Remus looked at the thin, pale man trapped inside the tiny room and felt a short pang of pity, but quickly pushed it away. He deserved it. He did!
"Listen, Moony," Remus winced, "I swear on everything I still hold dear; Lily and James' memory, little Harry Potter's honor, Professor Dumbledore's honor, whatever honor I have left, I even swear on the precious memory of the Marauders, that I did *not* betray the Potters to Voldemort or anyone else."
The werewolf forced himself to remember that this man was the reason Lily and James were gone. "I can't trust you, Black. You were proven guilty."
The prisoner let out a moan of frustration, "Remus, you are the only person who will ever even come in here to listen to me and you don't believe me! I'm doomed to be in here for the rest of my life while that stupid Rat is out there bidding his time until Voldemort is powerful enough to watch out for him again. That's why he did it, Moony, Voldemort was the biggest bully on the playground! We should have realized before- the only reason he was *our* 'friend' is because we were popular. We were everyone's idols. We-"
"Shut up!" Yelled Remus, unable to take it anymore, "Stop lying to me! I can't believed you would sink so low! The only reason you are going on like that is because you want to get out of here!"
"Remus, I've got no hope of that, anymore. What I'm worried about is James' son. I'm worried about Harry. As a rat, Peter can get to anywhere he wants to get to and the most people will do is set out a trap. Harry is going to be defenseless against him. No one knows Peter's still alive- NO ONE EXCEPT ME, and I'm stuck in here where I can't hurt him!" The convict was breathing hard by the end of this speech, and he looked as though he was ready to attempt to break the bars with his bare hands to get out. Once he had calmed down, though, he looked scared and apologetic, "Sorry, I got carried away."
Remus resisted the temptation to laugh. Although hardly appropriate for the time, the werewolf had seen his school friend called Padfoot explode in the very same way when he was mad.
"I can't trust you anymore, Black. You lost your charming smile and persuasive ways when you were thrown in here and you're not getting them back," Remus said, coldly.
"I'M NOT TRYING TO!"
"Well what are you doing?" asked Remus in the same cold voice that startled even himself.
"I want you to promise me," the convict paused looking at his old friend as if wondering if he was about to be interrupted. When the werewolf said nothing, he continued, "that you will keep an eye on Harry for me. Ask Dumbledore for a job at the school and watch out for James' son. Talk to Dumbledore about his defenses in the school. And most importantly keep a wide eye out for the Rat. I bet you *anything* that Peter will be positioned and ready at Hogwarts so that if even a word of Voldemort's power reaches his ears, he will be able to deliver the last Potter to his master."
Sirius finished so bitterly that Remus could almost feel the hatred radiating off him. Despite his doubt, Remus couldn't help but feel that the convict's feelings for the rat-animagus were very real.
"Promise me! Please, Remus!" The prisoner had an impossibly pitiful look on his face and Remus felt his heart loosen a little bit for the young, carefree boy Sirius Black had once been.
"Maybe I'll think about it," Remus grunted, realizing that Dumbledore would most likely give him a job- it would be the best job he had ever had, considering he had been shunned and looked down upon his entire adult life. 'And when I was a kid,' added a little voice in his head.
"Thank you."
Neither of them moved for a while. The silence was painful.
Sirius opened his mouth again and cleared his throat, "Er- Remus? Are you gonna leave now? There's nothing more I would really be able to persuade of you, knowing how stubborn you were in school, and you I should think you would contact Dumbledore as soon as you got back. School year's about to start, and all."
"Ah, yes. I- I'll be going then." Remus turned to leave, but stopped before he got to the door. He turned around. Black was still standing by the door of his cell looking longingly out, "You're giving up that easily?" Remus asked, suspiciously, "I don't remember you EVER doing that at school."
The dark figure shrugged and said, "Dunno, guess Azkaban's had its effects on me. Actually, I've just thought of something else- look for the Marauder's map, will you? It's probably still in Filch's office from when we planted it there," Remus saw the convicted murderer grin widely, "unless our heirs have already come to Hogwarts and found it."
"I'll keep my eyes open." Remus replied, his voice still frosty, "If I see anyone with a large sign on their head that says 'Marauders in the making' I'll ask if they have any maps I could use."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sirius sighed. It had gone well. At least now there was a slight chance of Peter getting caught- even if it wasn't by him. Sitting down to resume his counting of the drips falling from the wall, he realized that Remus hadn't agreed to give him a Daily Prophet. Sirius sighed. Ah well, the drips would just have to be interesting enough. . .
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Remus reached his house, he found himself running over his conversation with Sirius in his mind. Absently, he walked over to his fireplace and drew out his wand. With his right hand he lit a fire, with his left he grabbed a small handful of Floo Powder. Throwing it in the fire he stepped in. As clearly as he could, he said the words 'Headmaster's office at Hogwarts'.
When he stepped into the circular office he immediately spotted Dumbledore sitting quietly at his desk, papers spread before him. Brushing ash from his robes, Remus walked into Dumbledore's line of vision.
Without looking up, Albus Dumbledore said, "Hello Remus."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
How's it goin? Story what you expected? Turning out bad? Tell me if you think I should go in a different direction. Feedback is welcome: criticisms, 'nice jobs's', anything you want to say so I know you're reading is appreciated.
I have other stories too, and I could be working on those instead, but. . . I like the way this one is goin.
AN: I couldn't wait too much longer. I'm happy I got six reviews, though. Have fun reading this new chappy. And in not to awfully long we will bring Hogwarts into the mix! (okay a little MORE into the mix, because at the end of the chapter there's a tiny little bit of Hogwarts, but not much)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Suddenly, the convict let out a moaning sound from the back of his throat and collapsed onto the floor.
"Send it away, Remus," he said as clearly as was possible, Remus imagined, for someone who had almost no voice left.
"Why?" Remus asked, coldly, he already knew Black was talking about the dementor, "You deserve to remember that night. You deserve the dementor's effects."
"Noo.. ." moaned Black, his eyes rolling up into his head, "I didn't mean to, James. Remus I didn't do it. It was the Rat." The convict was sobbing onto his defiled sleeve.
The scene flickered oddly before Remus' gaze before he turned to face the dementor. To his astonishment and repulsion, it was moving towards the cell, its hands lowering its hood.
The sobbing from inside the cell decreased when the dementor reached Remus. Instead of closing the gap between it and the cell, the dementor turned to the man closest to him.
Damn emotions running high.
"N-no, wait, I'm j-just visiting.. ." said the werewolf, his vision obscured by white fog and cries of pain. Remus racked his brain and found a picture of himself greeting James, Peter, and Sirius after a long summer away from school. It wasn't powerful enough.
The dementor extended its hands.
"Moony," said a panicky voice from inside the cell, "the Patronous charm!"
The convict had forced his voice to move.
The werewolf again racked his mind for a memory powerful enough to keep a dementor at bay. Any memory that happened at Hogwarts would do- but just then Remus couldn't remember enough to drive it away or even slow it down.
"Happy thoughts," the convict mumbled, also searching his brain, "Remus- when you found out we were animagi!"
Remus took a deep breath and bellowed "Expecto Patronum!"
An enormous, silver, bear-like dog erupted from the tip of his wand and launched itself at the dementor. The dementor was thrown backwards and vanished into the shadows. Remus felt his head clear up and the cold prison become less so.
"I thought it would've changed," Remus muttered, sadly, "I guess once they choose a form they can't change."
"That's not true, Remus, I read that-" Sirius started.
"You read?" interrupted Remus, humorlessly.
"Yes. I read that they change form if the original one isn't the most loyal and protective of the person casting it," said the convict.
"You lie," Remus accused.
The man behind the bars laughed coldly, "You're the one who isn't going to be locked away for the rest of your life- go check it out. But first find Peter and kill him."
"Give it up with the rat!" the werewolf snapped, "He's already dead, you killed him, and nothing you say is going to change my mind!"
"Nothing, Remus?" Black asked, seriously, "Not even if it's the truth?"
"If you had told the truth they would have let you off!" Remus snapped.
"Really? What trial was this at? I certainly wasn't there." Said the werewolf's former friend.
"Stop lying to me!"
"Remus," said the prisoner desperately, "I have never lied to you. Name one lie- one reason I ever gave for you not to trust me."
"You worked for Voldemort," Said Remus.
"Me? A Death Eater? I am not, nor was I ever, working for Voldemort. You can bring some veritaserrum next time you come," said Black, then added sadly, "Not that you'd ever come back to see an evil, double-crossing, betraying, son-of-a-"
"You're admitting it then?" Remus interrupted.
"What?"
"You're admitting that you betrayed them."
"Never, Remus, I'm saying that's why you'd never come back into this horrible excuse for a prison again; because you THINK that I'm an evil, double-crossing, betraying, son-of-a-"
"Stop it, Black! You're getting on my nerves," said the haggard werewolf.
The convict winced at the use of his last name, "Sorry, Moony."
"And stop calling me that! We made up those names as the Marauders and now we are grown men. Strange even now to be saying that to you, though. Grown up, indeed."
Sirius Black stood back from the door and looked down at his horrid state of health, "You know, Moony, I don't feel much like an adult. I've been locked in this same room for ten years of my adult life and it makes me feel as though- mmm- I'm not quite sure."
"I know what it must be like in there, Black, every month I have to do the same thing. Locked in a small room with only myself for company."
"Haven't they found a cure yet?" Said Black, concernedly.
"No, and never will, I'll bet," said Remus.
"Say, Remus, you wouldn't happen to have a copy of the Daily Prophet on you, would you? And a quill, preferably. I miss doing the crossword puzzles. It's gonna be a long rest of my life if I can't do anything."
"I'll bet," said Remus, coldly.
The convict sighed. "You still don't believe me, do you?"
"No," said the werewolf shortly.
"I should've figured. It was too good to be true. I always had good luck in school. I suppose it's only fair that it's caught up with me now."
Remus looked at the thin, pale man trapped inside the tiny room and felt a short pang of pity, but quickly pushed it away. He deserved it. He did!
"Listen, Moony," Remus winced, "I swear on everything I still hold dear; Lily and James' memory, little Harry Potter's honor, Professor Dumbledore's honor, whatever honor I have left, I even swear on the precious memory of the Marauders, that I did *not* betray the Potters to Voldemort or anyone else."
The werewolf forced himself to remember that this man was the reason Lily and James were gone. "I can't trust you, Black. You were proven guilty."
The prisoner let out a moan of frustration, "Remus, you are the only person who will ever even come in here to listen to me and you don't believe me! I'm doomed to be in here for the rest of my life while that stupid Rat is out there bidding his time until Voldemort is powerful enough to watch out for him again. That's why he did it, Moony, Voldemort was the biggest bully on the playground! We should have realized before- the only reason he was *our* 'friend' is because we were popular. We were everyone's idols. We-"
"Shut up!" Yelled Remus, unable to take it anymore, "Stop lying to me! I can't believed you would sink so low! The only reason you are going on like that is because you want to get out of here!"
"Remus, I've got no hope of that, anymore. What I'm worried about is James' son. I'm worried about Harry. As a rat, Peter can get to anywhere he wants to get to and the most people will do is set out a trap. Harry is going to be defenseless against him. No one knows Peter's still alive- NO ONE EXCEPT ME, and I'm stuck in here where I can't hurt him!" The convict was breathing hard by the end of this speech, and he looked as though he was ready to attempt to break the bars with his bare hands to get out. Once he had calmed down, though, he looked scared and apologetic, "Sorry, I got carried away."
Remus resisted the temptation to laugh. Although hardly appropriate for the time, the werewolf had seen his school friend called Padfoot explode in the very same way when he was mad.
"I can't trust you anymore, Black. You lost your charming smile and persuasive ways when you were thrown in here and you're not getting them back," Remus said, coldly.
"I'M NOT TRYING TO!"
"Well what are you doing?" asked Remus in the same cold voice that startled even himself.
"I want you to promise me," the convict paused looking at his old friend as if wondering if he was about to be interrupted. When the werewolf said nothing, he continued, "that you will keep an eye on Harry for me. Ask Dumbledore for a job at the school and watch out for James' son. Talk to Dumbledore about his defenses in the school. And most importantly keep a wide eye out for the Rat. I bet you *anything* that Peter will be positioned and ready at Hogwarts so that if even a word of Voldemort's power reaches his ears, he will be able to deliver the last Potter to his master."
Sirius finished so bitterly that Remus could almost feel the hatred radiating off him. Despite his doubt, Remus couldn't help but feel that the convict's feelings for the rat-animagus were very real.
"Promise me! Please, Remus!" The prisoner had an impossibly pitiful look on his face and Remus felt his heart loosen a little bit for the young, carefree boy Sirius Black had once been.
"Maybe I'll think about it," Remus grunted, realizing that Dumbledore would most likely give him a job- it would be the best job he had ever had, considering he had been shunned and looked down upon his entire adult life. 'And when I was a kid,' added a little voice in his head.
"Thank you."
Neither of them moved for a while. The silence was painful.
Sirius opened his mouth again and cleared his throat, "Er- Remus? Are you gonna leave now? There's nothing more I would really be able to persuade of you, knowing how stubborn you were in school, and you I should think you would contact Dumbledore as soon as you got back. School year's about to start, and all."
"Ah, yes. I- I'll be going then." Remus turned to leave, but stopped before he got to the door. He turned around. Black was still standing by the door of his cell looking longingly out, "You're giving up that easily?" Remus asked, suspiciously, "I don't remember you EVER doing that at school."
The dark figure shrugged and said, "Dunno, guess Azkaban's had its effects on me. Actually, I've just thought of something else- look for the Marauder's map, will you? It's probably still in Filch's office from when we planted it there," Remus saw the convicted murderer grin widely, "unless our heirs have already come to Hogwarts and found it."
"I'll keep my eyes open." Remus replied, his voice still frosty, "If I see anyone with a large sign on their head that says 'Marauders in the making' I'll ask if they have any maps I could use."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sirius sighed. It had gone well. At least now there was a slight chance of Peter getting caught- even if it wasn't by him. Sitting down to resume his counting of the drips falling from the wall, he realized that Remus hadn't agreed to give him a Daily Prophet. Sirius sighed. Ah well, the drips would just have to be interesting enough. . .
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When Remus reached his house, he found himself running over his conversation with Sirius in his mind. Absently, he walked over to his fireplace and drew out his wand. With his right hand he lit a fire, with his left he grabbed a small handful of Floo Powder. Throwing it in the fire he stepped in. As clearly as he could, he said the words 'Headmaster's office at Hogwarts'.
When he stepped into the circular office he immediately spotted Dumbledore sitting quietly at his desk, papers spread before him. Brushing ash from his robes, Remus walked into Dumbledore's line of vision.
Without looking up, Albus Dumbledore said, "Hello Remus."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
How's it goin? Story what you expected? Turning out bad? Tell me if you think I should go in a different direction. Feedback is welcome: criticisms, 'nice jobs's', anything you want to say so I know you're reading is appreciated.
I have other stories too, and I could be working on those instead, but. . . I like the way this one is goin.