"H-Harry-" Tom's voice was so quiet and it shook with the most intense fear. "How?"
But Harry couldn't help, couldn't think straight. Each second was only getting worse as all light failed to escape him.
"Lyra," Harry whispered, a single tear slipping from his good eye.
Never before had Lyra felt so real. The fact that she was out there, living and breathing, existing. But she was still so far away.
Tom seised the front of Harry's shirt and shook him slightly, his words spilling out as terror splintered between them.
"Riddle shouldn't be able to find her-"
"I-what?" Harry breathed.
Tom snatched the single diary piece from Harry's limp hands and held it at eye level between them.
"If Riddle was going to find Lyra he'd have done it weeks ago-" Tom said as his fist crumpled the parchment. "Not now."
Harry snapped at this, focus finding him as he stared at Tom, his good eye barely seeing through the darkness.
"How long?" Tom demanded, his voice barely holding steady.
Harry reached out, his own hand shaking as he pressed it against Tom's chest, as if this would somehow repair the damage that had splintered between them. How could he answer that. But Tom was waiting, and he deserved an answer.
Harry looked down, staring at anything but Tom.
"Since my birthday."
Harry didn't dare look up, despite the lack of any further heartache ricocheting between them. Instead, further tears swelled as Harry's composure buckled.
"You wanted me to leave her out there. Leave her on her own for Riddle to take-"
But Tom wasn't giving up so easily and his fingernails scratched painfully into Harry's decayed arm.
"I tried to talk to you," Tom said, the lingering warmth of his breath stolen immediately by Harry's chill. "I tried to determine how much of Lyra you'd given away-but you just wouldn't talk to me."
A shame so strong coursed through Harry. And this time Tom could feel it, reacted to it even as he drew away ever so slightly.
"Lyra was meant to be safe," Tom breathed. "You refused even to share her with me, I thought you'd done the same with Riddle, given him just enough so you could survive. Lyra has remained hidden for months. So why now?"
But the answer was already in Harry's hand. And he held it up trembling, wishing he had never decided to come to Hogsmeade.
"Your wand isn't that meaningful," Tom said slowly as he raised his own wand higher so that Harry's wand was illuminated with a dim light. "Not really, not enough for Riddle to find Lyra-"
Tom broke off, his expression steeling over as he instead lent back and opened up his empty palm to to reveal the crumpled parchment.
"The diary piece," Tom whispered, his own eyes shutting as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's why Riddle sent you it in the first place. He wanted me to find it. He knew you'd hide it-"
A chill rushed through Harry, and now Tom's hot anger was not enough to protect him against Harry's influence. Tom swayed, leaning back on his heels as Harry scrabbled forwards to stop him collapsing completely.
"Then why send me my wand?" Harry pulled at Tom, his withered hand barely holding steady. "If the diary piece should have been enough?"
"He wanted to drive a wedge between us," Tom whispered. "Riddle knew I hadn't found the diary piece, he knew I'd have to come with you to retrieve your wand and Riddle needed to sow just enough distrust between us so that he could squeeze in, even briefly, just so that Lyra would show herself-"
Crack!
The darkness resounded. A ripple of cold air rushed around them, plunging their terror further. They were no longer alone.
Harry was barely aware of his wand being pulled from his fingers, nor the fact that Tom was hauling him to his feet. Harry's good eye swam in and out of rapid focus but found little in the darkness.
Dozens of voices surrounded them before one by one patronus' burst into life, plunging the shadow back in on itself, back into Harry.
Harry cried out, his remaining strength evaporating as he scratched his fingers across his decayed skin. Tom's own wand was out, his own curses countering the arrivals own. Two advancing patronus' were struck with a purple light and they froze, their deadly white forms deteriorating to leave them unprotected, while another three were blasted backwards in a stream of deep red light. The dæmons howls reverberating through the night.
The remaining however, circled them, unrelenting, closing in with every desperate breath.
There were too many, and Harry dug his fingers in harder, desperate for their light to fade.
"Stay your wands," Tom snapped, his wand suddenly emitting a burst of light which flooded the ground, casting long shadows over Harry and himself.
But the light could not be sustained, not when Harry was steeling it, and the darkness exploded back seconds later.
One by one, the patronus' flicked back to their more appealing forms, leaving it just as impenetrably dark. Instead, a half dozen wands lit up, casting a dimmer light than Tom had just projected.
"Well that's new," a familiar voice grunted as a tabby prowled out of the darkness, with Scrimgeour on her tail.
Tom's hand snaked out to tighten around Harry's wrist, while with his other he raised his wand and pointed it directly at the auror.
Scrimgeour halted, his eyes narrowing, as he surveyed Harry a little too closely. Harry tried to stop shaking, to pull away from Tom but his legs felt as if they'd collapse at the merest of breezes.
"Why are you out here alone?" Scrimgeour asked, and with the subtlest of movements the wands behind him fixed upon them.
Harry blinked as his head swam. He desperately tried to focus on Scrimgeour, on Nala, or any of the dæmons, just to gain some focus, to force his mind to recognise the severity of the situation but it was impossible. Beside him, Tom remained deadly silent, his own wand never leaving Scrimgeour's heart.
"Harry and Tom are with me."
Harry clung to Tom, barely remaining standing as they both jerked their heads to see Professor Lupin's face suddenly illuminated in the dim wand light, by his side, also barely visible in the darkness was Niamh.
If Harry still had a heart it would have stopped.
Tom shifted slightly, twisting so that he was just in front of Harry, but he kept his silence. Harry slumped into the back of Tom, relishing the brief reprieve that Lupin's distraction had granted.
It took a moment before Scrimgeour to speak again, but he made no indication to the aurors behind him to lower their wands.
"There's starting to be a few too many of these occurrences," Scrimgeour said quietly, his voice barely audible as Nala hissed. "Particularly under your care, Lupin."
In turn, Niamh prowled forwards, coming to also position herself between Harry, Tom and Scrimgeour.
"I think it's just as prudent to teach Harry about all his capabilities," Lupin said. "Unless Harry learns what he can and cannot do, then how is he supposed to master any sort of control?"
Scrimgeour grunted at this, his mouth twisting into an unpleasant scowl.
"There is a time and a place, Lupin. One would almost assume you're deliberately trying to antagonise Potter," Scrimgeour said. "Hoping he'd fail?"
Lupin didn't respond to this, but Niamh certainly did. She raised her hind legs and snarled, his huge wolf like teeth looking ready to tear Nala limb from limb.
"Why were you out at the edge of Hogsmeade anyway?" Scrimgeour said, his wand deliberately sparking as if daring Niamh to strike. "Not planning on meeting an old friend are you?"
Niamh nearly lunged forwards then and there, but Lupin weaved his fingers into her mane.
"I wasn't taking Harry to Sirius Black," Lupin said. "If that's what you mean?"
Scrimgeour shot a look at Harry and Tom at this, before he cleared his throat and turned to the group of aurors surrounding them.
"Dawlish, Savage, search the nearby area," Scrimgeour instructed.
Two aurors, one with a squirrel and the other with a crocodile dæmon broke apart from the group, their wands held aloft and casting shadows across the small path and the wild bushes that lined it.
"So this isn't the first time that Potter has done this?" Scrimgeour asked. "Turning day to night is hardly the skill any third year should be capable of."
Lupin paused ever so slightly and this was enough for the aurors mouth to twist into an unpleasant smile.
"Fudge will want to know about this," Scrimgeour said, as he fixed Harry with a hard look. "If Potter is getting worse."
"Harry is perfectly fine," Lupin said tersely.
Scrimgeour took a deliberate step towards where Harry clung to Tom. Nala swiped her tail back and forth, her large cat eyes glowing in the wand light.
"Very well then," Scrimgeour grunted, his challenging eyes fixed on the pair of them as he waved his wand towards the imposing darkness. "Potter, if you don't mind?"
Harry couldn't speak, could barely stand as he lent against Tom. How could he stop it. The darkness itself consumed him, radiated from him.
Tom twisted around so he was in front of him, and even though his wand light barely penetrated the darkness, Harry could see Tom's pale, frightened face staring back at him.
"Harry," Tom said carefully. "Look at me."
In turn, Harry shut his eyes, his breathing shallow.
"Harry," Tom tried again before lowering his voice to the barest of whispers. "They could help-"
"No!"
Harry didn't mean to shout, as he curled his hands into Tom's shirt as a feeling so internally cold plunged through him, but at the same time it was shifting, alleviating. Another bout of something completely alien rushed through Harry, overpowering every sense as the darkness plunged deeper, but it wasn't because of Tom. What was Lyra doing?
It happened almost as quickly as it had started and Harry had absolutely no control. It was like watching something from afar, but not really seeing it at all.
Harry could have sworn his scar prickled, but it wasn't totally unpleasant.
Lyra.
Something had changed.
"It's fine," Harry stressed. "I'm fine, really, Tom."
Revealing that they could locate Lyra, would also tell everyone that Harry could see more than dæmons. That he can identify links between people, find Death Eaters even.
But Lyra had meant to be safe. Tom had been so certain.
"Harry, we can't leave her with him," Tom whispered. "Anyone but him."
And it was true, Harry knew that.
But the Ministry and Dumbledore were just as bad. They would never let Harry keep Lyra. Not when they wouldn't even give him a wand.
"Tom," Harry forced a thin smile onto his face. "I'm okay."
Tom looked set to argue but the darkness was receding, the light creeping back in as the daylight penetrated back through the clouds, so that everyone was blinking abruptly.
Fortunately, it was enough to appease Scrimgeour.
"You should get Potter back to the castle, Lupin," Scrimgeour said grimly. "And I'd make sure that any more of these incidents are put a stop too, Dumbledore can't protect Potter for ever."
Lupin's expression flashed as this, the wolf within him rushing to the surface.
"Is that a threat?" he snarled.
Nala blinked her large eyes at this, paying Niamh, who had lowered her head and growled, no heed as she leapt up to balance precariously on Scrimgeour's shoulder.
"Merely a statement of fact," Scrimgeour said. "It only takes one horrific mistake."
Lupin looked set to argue, his own wand hadn't left his grip the entire exchange. Niamh circled them, her teeth exposed and fur ruffled as she poised to attack.
Tom opened his mouth before he shut it abruptly as Harry squeezed his hand and shot him a pleading look.
"Please-"
Tom's expression was equally challenging, his face so pale and eyes wide as he shook his head and lowered his voice.
"We have to do something-"
Harry swallowed, his throat tightening.
"Trust me," he whispered.
Tom's hand twitched slightly, their bond fluctuating with all the wrong emotions. Tom had no reason to trust Harry. Not now.
"Is there a problem?"
Scrimgeour's voice cut like a knife between them, and Harry and Tom jumped, their hands slipping from each other.
"No, there's no problem, is there?" Lupin said, also casting a wary eye over Harry and Tom.
In turn, Tom wound his hand back around Harry's wrist so that it was iron tight. He gave it a hard, painful squeeze. But Harry had made his decision.
"No," Harry said. "Everything is fine."
It was a lie and everyone knew it. There was no way anyone could miss Harry's rapid deterioration, or the way he sunk into Tom.
But for whatever the reason even Scrimgeour seemed content to let it go, for his raised his hand signalling for the aurors behind him to depart.
"Come on then. Let's get you back to school," Lupin muttered and he jerked his head towards Harry and Tom. Niamh looked reluctant to withdraw, but she obediently lowered her head and turned away.
Harry took a single rattling breath, as Tom seised under his elbow and helped Harry take a reluctant step back down the path.
Behind them, they could hear the cracks as the aurors and their dæmons disapparated.
Lupin watched carefully, but his lips were pressed tightly together.
Tom shot him a scathing look.
"Why are you here?"
"Not now, Tom," Lupin said, his voice oddly quiet as he made his way to follow his dæmon. "We'll talk back in the castle."
The walk back into Hogmeade was exhausting. A kind of numbness and a sense of complete unreality were upon Harry as Tom half pulled, half carried him after Lupin.
Had he made a mistake.
To leave Lyra alone when she was now so exposed.
Harry ached to see her golden link spilling from his chest, just for confirmation that she was still there, that she was safe. But Lyra would never be safe, not now.
Beside him, Tom was lost in his own thoughts, for their bond reverberated with a growing terror that could not be quenched. If only Harry had told Tom about the diary piece from the start.
Harry wanted to stop, but Lupin seemed set on getting back to the castle promptly, for he quickened his pace, despite Harry and Tom already struggling to keep up.
Hogmeade was still packed with students and dæmons. Groups were huddled together, their dæmons held tightly in their arms as they peered up at the sky.
Up ahead, Harry spotted Sephronia and Ramiron amongst the crowd.
Ron and Hermione were standing just outside the Three Broomsticks, and just like a number of other students who staring upwards. At the sight of Harry, half the students broke away, their dæmons hurrying along with them, careful to avoid the dead ground from Harry's transformation just a few paces away.
"Oh," Ron said as he shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded towards the sky. "Guessing it was you who made the sky go all funny then?"
Harry jerked his head slightly but he couldn't even form a response.
Hermione however beamed at them.
"Harry, Tom, we didn't think we'd see you. Do you want to get a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"
"I'm sorry, Hermione," Lupin said immediately, making to steer around them. "I'm taking Harry and Tom back to the castle."
Hermione's face fell, but Sephronia and Ramiron looked positively relieved at this as they perked up.
But they didn't get much further.
Niamh halted, her claws scrapping into the dirt. Her ears pricked upwards as she turned her sharp eyes towards Ron and let out a single low growl.
Ron froze and took a hesitant step back at the sudden hostile wolf.
His terrier barked, but Sephronia didn't stand a chance. Her ears flattened as she whined, her tail tucked between her legs as Niamh advanced with a single long stride.
"Niamh," Lupin called, and even he looked momentarily surprised by his dæmons reaction. The huge wolf growled again, her huge teeth baring down on Ron and Sephronia.
Ron backed up further, but his heels were now brushing the decayed ground and he clearly wasn't going to take another step. Instead his hand itched towards his pocket.
"Er, Professor?" Ron said.
Niamh was right there, only a few centimetres away from Ron as she raised her head and gave a long deliberate sniff at Ron's bag which gave a very loud squeak and started to move violently.
"Nia, now!"
The wolf looked like she would refuse, before she finally turned her whole body, and trudged reluctantly back to Lupin's side.
Ron at once slipped his bag off his shoulder and reached his hand in, only to draw it out promptly swearing.
"He bit me! Scabbers bit me!"
Lupin twisted his fingers tight into Niamh's mane, as if this would somehow prevent her from straying. But Niamh only growled again, her body lowering as if to pounce.
"Ron, I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into her-"
Sephronia wasn't taking any chances, and she darted away in the direction of the Three Broomsticks. Ron was left scrabbling with his bag and his bloodied finger, before Hermione hurried forwards and grabbed his arm, tugging him away from the ferocious dæmon.
"We'll see you both at the feast tonight," Hermione said as she shot an apologetic look towards Harry and Tom as her, Ramiron and Ron followed Sephronia into the pub.
Harry had never been in the school carriages before. Instead, from spending both his second and third year summers in the castle, he'd never even been close enough to see that the carriages were pulled along by these huge skeletal like horses with wings. They were completely fleshless, their black coats clinging to their bones of which every single one was visible.
"We'll wait for the next carriage," Lupin said as Harry's attention was drawn away to a group of Slytherin's in front of them. Their dæmons looked ready to flee, rather than clambering into a carriage where no easy escape available.
The next skeletal horse trundled up and stopped before them.
Lupin gestured for Harry and Tom to get in, but he was barely paying attention as he shot Niamh a confused look.
Niamh however stretched her huge body and leapt into the carriage, momentarily startling Harry as she sat opposite him, totally fearless. Lupin clambered in behind them, the small cartridge door swinging shut as the skeletal horse began to move.
"Harry, you can see dæmons, even when they appear to be something else?" Niamh growled.
"I-what?" Harry nodded as his dead eye focused on Niamh whose ferocious form was hidden.
"Have you see anything, anyone I should say, who aren't as they appear?"
When Harry didn't answer, Niamh growled again, her huge body shaking the carriage as he continued to move along the dirt path.
"Niamh, what are you-" Lupin started, but she snapped at him, her sharp teeth almost taking off his hand entirely.
"Have you seen any dæmons like me, that are different if you look with your demented eye?"
Harry shook his head, thinking back to what Fred and George had said about Hagrid's dæmon and the marauders map.
"No."
Lupin looked unsettled as he wrung his hands together, and Niamh growled.
"Are you sure? If you were only looking with the wrong eye?"
"I said no," Harry snapped.
But Nimah was not deterred, if anything she rose herself to her full height, and Harry ached to see the true werewolf despite every inch of him shaking and desperate for Lyra.
"Have you seen a dæmon that takes the form of a rat?" Niamh growled.
"A rat dæmon?" Harry frowned. "No."
The look that Lupin was giving his dæmon was terrifying, and it was clear to see the bit of the wolf within him.
"I mean, Ron's got a pet rat, he's had him since he came to Hogwarts-" Harry said, half distracted as his knuckles tightened. "But he's just a rat-"
At this Lupin actually chanced a glance behind them, out of the carriage window and back in the direction of Hogsmeade. He looked desperate to speak to his dæmon and Harry was thankful Lupin was not interrogating them straight away.
Harry and Tom however, still had their own problem to worry about.
"Does Riddle still have Lyra? Is she safe?" Tom whispered urgently.
Harry shook his head ever so slightly as his fingers clenched into the carriage seat.
"I don't know, something happened-"
Tom's hand gripped around Harry's arm, he squeezed it so tightly it hurt.
"What-" Tom whispered, his voice low and urgent. "What do you mean something happened? Is Lyra safe?"
Harry only shook his head again, his good eye welling up as he tried desperately to make sense of the twisted ache that ripped through him.
But his torment was made worse as the carriage suddenly jerked against the path and a chill, one terrifying familiar seeped into the small carriage. Tom immediately drew his own wand, and he looked absolutely terrified.
"Knock us out," Tom demanded, startling Lupin who had been absorbed in his dæmon.
"What-" Harry started, but Tom shook him slightly to shut him up.
"Please," Tom said again and he closed his eyes as Harry's own fears began to swell.
Lupin understood immediately, and he drew his own wand and pointed it at Harry.
"No," Harry started as he scrabbled back in the seat, "Tom, I can't-"
Harry didn't want to sleep. He wanted to speak to Tom, he needed to get Lyra back.
"Harry, it's for the best," Lupin said. "It'll only be for a few minutes and then we'll be past the dementor's influence."
Tom squeezed Harry's hand, but he could offer no true comfort.
30 minutes earlier
"We're running out of time, Min," Sirius said. "She's bound to have crossed already, it'll be hard to pick up her scent again-"
Sirius and his dæmon were crouched low in the undergrowth at the edge of a bank that led down to a small brook. They were somewhere in the North of England, not too far from the coast. Sirius could smell the salt air from the wind that was blowing inland.
Mintaka swiped her tail back and forth but she didn't respond to Sirius, instead she merely swept her eyes across the small embankment. The clouds had descended and they hung low in the sky, making it more difficult to see amongst the shadows.
"If we head further up the valley we may see if she changed track-"
Mintaka growled quick and low as she grabbed Sirius' torn sleeve in her mouth and pulled him to look further down the stream.
"Look! Over there!"
Sirius jerked his head round, his mouth slamming shut as he squinted against the treeline.
"No, further up," Mintaka said. "By the water."
There on the edge of the bank, a small creature was silhouetted against the rippling water.
Sirius beamed and grabbed Mintaka, shaking her scruff excitedly.
"I knew it; I knew she'd show herself to us."
He made to edge closer, but Mintaka moved her head to block him.
"Wait-" Mintaka said and she pressed her nose into the dirt. "There's another scent and its one I recognise."
Sirius slipped down lower, the adrenaline suddenly rushing through his veins. Mintaka sniffed the ground, her nose brushing into the dry grass. She lifted her head suddenly, her tail unmoving as she met Sirius' gaze in alarm.
"The impostor."
The older Tom Riddle had been disturbing, and Harry had clearly been attached to him in some way or another, but why was he here now tracking Harry's dæmon.
"Harry's not with him?" Sirius asked sharply.
"No," Mintaka said. "With any luck the aurors picked him up at St Pancras."
"Hmm," Sirius said as he glanced down the bank. He could see no sign of the older Tom Riddle, and he didn't particularly want to run into him now. But then again, the impostor had been reluctant to interact with Death Eaters before when they'd met, perhaps the same was true now. Maybe he would be alone.
"Look!" Mintaka said again, but this time her voice was dulled from her previous enthusiasm. "He's right there."
Sure enough, not more than a couple of meters away stood the transparent Tom Riddle. How did he get so close without them noticing.
But Mintaka had another concern.
"How did he find her?"
Sirius shook his head.
"The impostor was connected to Harry, so he'll be connected to Harry's dæmon. He'll have had an easier time tracking her then we did-"
"Shh-" Mintaka started suddenly, "He's speaking."
Sure enough, the impostors voice was drifting towards them, it was just loud enough to hear above the babbling water.
"I didn't expect you'd be so difficult," Riddle said. "But then again, Harry fought me the whole way too."
The small creature shifted, her ears picking up as she turned to face Riddle, her body catching the light so that Sirius and Mintaka could see her clearly for the first time. Harry's dæmon had light brown fur and her face was white with darker brown surrounding her eyes.
"A pine marten-" Mintaka started abruptly. "I would never have guessed that, not when Aneiesdl and Arkinel were so different-"
"Shh," Sirius hissed his mind flashing back to James and Lily's dæmons despite himself. "He's still talking."
"Would you like to know the name Harry has given you?" Riddle asked, and Sirius and Mintaka were close enough to see a thin smile spread across the impostors lips.
The pine marten didn't respond, she didn't even move as she only watched Riddle who crouched down just in front of her.
But Riddle didn't seem to mind, his full attention was absorbed and nothing else mattered but the pine marten in front of him as he held out his hand.
For a moment, Sirius hoped the dæmon would bite Riddle, as the pine marten shifted forwards suddenly, her nose only inches from Riddle's outstretched fingers.
"Your name," Riddle whispered, as if it was the most sacred thing. "Is Lyra."
A gust of something that certainly wasn't wind swept through the brook. The water rippled, and leaves fell from the overhanging trees.
This time, the dæmon moved again, but this time further as her small claws scratched into the rock as she climbed onto Riddle's forearm.
Sirius scowled, his own nails digging into his palm.
It wasn't right. Harry's dæmon belonged to Harry, and no one, not even the distorted soul of Lord Voldemort had that right.
Riddle exhaled, his whole attention stolen by Harry's dæmon as he ran his clearly shaking fingers through her untidy fur.
"Now," Mintaka growled and raised her body, ready to lunge forwards.
"Wait," Sirius said, his voice low as he seized her mane. "I'll need to transform."
He had expected Mintaka to disagree, to say that it was too dangerous and no time had passed since they'd last shared her body. But she only nodded.
"Do whatever it takes."
"See you on the other side," Sirius whispered.
They both moved at once, in perfect synchronisation.
Mintaka leapt down the bank aiming straight at Lyra, her large legs carrying her quickly and silently towards the impostor. Sirius was right beside her, pushing through the undergrowth despite the brambles ripping at his skin.
Riddle looked up one moment too late. His wand only half raised, and Lyra still held out before him. His face flashed with uncensored shock, as he was at Sirius' and Mintaka's mercy.
Sirius threw his arm forwards, catching Riddle square on the chest as his other hand pressed against Riddle's neck. Riddle had no chance. The touch of a human on a dæmon was forbidden. Riddle crumpled, powerless as Mintaka's teeth scratched into the back of the pine marten's neck, plucking her from Riddle's grasp with no resistance.
The look of pained fury from the impostor, yet that was all he could managed as Sirius snatched the wand from Riddle's grip and stuffed it in his own pocket.
Mintaka turned and fled through the stream, water soaking her fur as she bolted, the pine marten gripped firmly by her scruff.
Sirius waited, his hand firmly on Riddle's neck, to prevent him from retaliating.
"You can't keep her from me," Riddle hissed, his voice strained from the forbidden touch.
Sirius only grimaced at him and squeezed his hand tighter.
"She doesn't belong to you."
Now Riddle was delusional as he turned his head, his mouth splitting into a terrified smile.
"Harry as good as gave her to me."
Sirius snarled, his hand reaching for Riddle's wand. But the pull of his soul, the pain that flooded him as Mintaka continued to run was tearing at him from within.
Without so much as another word, Sirius shoved Riddle away hard and slipped into Mintaka's mind.
Sirius didn't stop. Not for half and hour, not for an hour. His paws were stinging and bloody, his legs strained and burning with a fierce longing to stop. But he wouldn't, he couldn't.
Harry's soul depended on him.
If Riddle had found Harry's dæmon once, he could do it again and again. And the lack of a wand wouldn't slow him down for long. No, they had to keep moving.
The sun had long since set when Sirius finally collapsed, his legs wrecked and his chest heaving from exhaustion.
They were in a small dirt clearing in a forest Sirius had never been in before. Sirius dipped his head low and placed Harry's dæmon onto a large flat rock that sat just off centre of the clearing. And then in an instant, he detached himself from Mintaka.
Mintaka was rapid, her teeth lunging straight for Sirius' neck. He had no time to reach for the impostors wand, yet again he hadn't uttered a spell in over 13 years and to do so now on his own dæmon would be foolish.
Sirius threw up his arm catching Mintaka against the side of her head. She snarled, regaining her senses and instead dived for Sirius' leg. He was too slow and her sharp teeth sunk into his shin with little effort.
Sirius howled, his clenched teeth unable to stay shut as pain reverberated up his leg. Satisfied, Mintaka tightened her jaw causing Sirius to thrash against the ground, his head slamming back hard as he cried.
The pine marten remained still, her tail brushing around as if only mildly interested at the scene before her.
Sirius could only lie there, his hands clutching into Mintaka's fur as he failed to pull her off her bloody leg. But his gaze never slipped from the small creature, he wouldn't let her out of his sight now.
It took an age before Mintaka finally came to her senses and she dislodged her sharp teeth from Sirius' leg and began to nurse the wound clean.
"Get off," Sirius grunted, as he shifted his own weight. Mintaka drew back, her claws scrapping into the ground as she whined.
But Sirius had no time to spare attention to his dæmon. He had only one thing left to do now, and it was the single reason he had escaped Azkaban and was here now.
Sirius heaved himself up and hobbled up to where the pine marten was curled up, watching with such wide eyes.
"The impostor called you Lyra, is that your name?" Sirius asked.
The small dæmon blinked up at him, but she didn't utter a word.
Mintaka whined again, her tail ducking between her legs as she gave Lyra a small encouraging nudge.
But the dæmon only stared back, her fur mattered but still absolutely silent.
Sirius ran his hand through his own long tangled hair.
"Come on," he said quietly. "Let's take you home."