THANK YOU! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter, had i known all i needed to do was post a small rant, i would have done so sooner, lol. It makes me very happy to know that there are indeed quite a few people who do care about this story, even if they don't express it. So, without further delay:
Chapter Six
Aftermath
Severus Snape swept through the corridors up to the hospital wing, uttering curses to Remus Lupin under his breath. Several first years ran to get out of his way as he strode around the last corner and burst into the room. How could the man be so foolish as to allow the third year to confront a boggart-dementor, or whatever the creature was that had caused Undol to drop back into this state?
Severus maneuvered toward the back bed where Poppy had already set the boy down and made him as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.
'At least he isn't screaming like last time', Severus thought sarcastically as he approached. Indeed, Undol was merely laying there, eyes staring off into space, his skin as cold as ice.
"I've tried everything I can think of to bring him to consciousness, but nothing has worked." Poppy said, looking very concerned. It wasn't often that she was unable to heal a student's injury, but Undol was definitely not an ordinary student. Severus leaned close to check the boy's vital signs again, even though Poppy had said that they were stable, when he heard a slight whisper escape Undol's near purple lips. Severus blinked, surely he hadn't just spoken, but despite himself he leaned close, straining to hear.
"Ath..elas… Ath…elas…" came the soft murmuring.
Severus stood up suddenly, mind racing. He had heard of that name somewhere. Athelas, it was a plant; that much he remembered. Summoning a house elf, Severus called several old books of Potion herbs and immediately started to search them. After what seemed like several hours, he found it:
'Athelas, also known as Kingsfoil.
Plant with powerful healing properties. The Athelas plant had long leaves that give off a sweet and pungent fragrance. The scent had a refreshing and invigorating effect on those who inhaled it. Athelas could be used to ease pain, and it also had the power to counteract the effects of the 'Black Breath' exuded by the Nazgûl according to legend.'
'When the black breath blows
and death's shadow grows
and all lights pass,
come Athelas! come Athelas!
Life to the dying
In the king's hand lying!'
"Poppy," Severus said hurriedly, and she bustled over to him, "Do you happen to have any Kingsfoil in your herb stocks?"
"Kingsfoil?" she said slightly confused, "Let me see." She half ran over to her store cupboards and started shuffling jars and boxes around. Severus reread the entry several times; thinking hard of how he could use the plant to help heal the boy.
"Ah, here's some. It's not much, only seven or eight leaves." Poppy said, returning with a small jar of leaves. Severus snatched it away and studied them. "A bowl of boiling water Poppy, quick." As she summoned a bowl and filled it with boiling water form her wand, Severus set two of the eight leaves aside, for use right now on Undol. He would take the other six leaves and experiment on making a healing potion with them, Poppy wouldn't mind, as she clearly had no other use for them.
Afterward he crushed the two leaves into the boiling water and stirred it around with his wand, finally setting the bowl near Undol's head, hoping the legend was true. Several stressful minutes later, the boys eyes refocused, and his breathing deepened as he returned to consciousness. Severus sat back in the chair he had summoned, sighing deeply; it had worked.
Undol inhaled deeply, then looked around with a small smile on his face, "I smell Athelas, was that your work Professor?"
"Indeed it was Mr. Undol." Severus said with a small smirk. "But my question is why it was necessary? Would you please explain this…" he added, sliding a hand across the red wound on the boy's bare chest. Undol hissed in pain at the pressure, but did not cry out. "If I knew sir, I would tell you." Severus could tell the boy was lying because Undol refused to look him in the eyes.
"Was it…" Severus consulted the book he had found Kingsfoil in, "A Nazgûl, Mr. Undol?" The boy's face paled slightly, but he didn't answer. Severus merely nodded, "I thought so." And Severus strode away immediately, off to inform the Headmaster of this potentially important news regarding Mr. Faykan Undol…
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The story of the boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.
The story about Faykan collapsing due to his boggart was the only story that was circling faster. People, mainly Nott and his group of Slytherins, kept bringing it up in the middle of classes. In the corridors too, which just lead to many other people bombarding Faykan with questions as to what it was, and why he had had such an attack from it.
Faykan had taken to walking the halls from class to class in his animagus form just to avoid attention, and had coerced Harry into carrying him so he wouldn't be stepped on or delayed by curious people. Harry only consented because his friend had a point. Even with Harry carrying him from class to class, people still stopped him to coo at and stroke Faykan, thinking he was Harry's pet. "The only good thing out of this," Faykan had said, "is that I get extra food out of it, and sometimes a few people actually scratch a sweet spot."
Harry was also growing to dread the hours he spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at him. He couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though she was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things that others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Harry, as though he were on his deathbed.
Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.
"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats.
At the start of October, however, Harry had something else to occupy him, something so enjoyable it more than made up for his unsatisfactory classes. The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, had started training sessions three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish Harry's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.
Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.
"What's happened?" he asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy while Faykan the fox rested; curled on Ron's lap.
"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October, Halloween."
"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."
Harry sat next to Ron, a smile creeping on his face, as Faykan leapt across to Harry's lap, brushing against his chest and practically begging for Harry to run his hands through his soft black fur. Harry rolled his eyes at his furry friend, "Honestly Fay, you really want me to treat you like a pet don't you." If foxes could smile, Harry was sure Faykan would be grinning from ear to ear.
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Crookshanks was enjoying this new home that his mistress had brought him to. He had all the space he wanted, even with the hundreds of other cats that lived in the huge building with him. Crookshanks had met a few of the other cats in the last few days, and they had all said that it would be wise for him to avoid one 'Mrs. Norris', as she was very rude and obsessed with helping her master catch the children when they had done things that displeased the old man. Crookshanks didn't know what would make a cat act that way, but had decided to just take the advice as it was.
He had met several other creatures in his explorations of the grounds, but none had been nearly as interesting as the large, shaggy, black dog that wasn't a dog. He tried to hide on the edges of the forest, but Crookshanks had seen him, and had confronted him about his shady behavior. It had been difficult for him to understand the dog man, as if he wasn't used to speaking, which Crookshanks found extremely odd. However, he could understand enough to learn that the dog man was desperate to get inside the castle, specifically the tower rooms where Crookshanks' mistress and her friends lived. Crookshanks had a feeling that it must be related to the rat man, because the dog had the same scents on him, yet he was different from the rat man; less dangerous.
Crookshanks had agreed to help the dog man enter the castle after his mistress and her friends left for the day, just in case they tried to stop them. He was now scouting out the lower room for other ways to get in without going past the big picture door of the pink woman. Mistress was sitting in a big chair next to the red and black haired boys. Lying on the black haired boy's lap was the old fox, not only was he hiding that he was old but he was hiding that he was a person now, Crookshanks was certain that he would never understand humans…
He leapt onto his mistress lap, a small snack clutched in his mouth; a spider.
"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said the red haired boy, scowling. He definitely didn't like Crookshanks, and that confused the cat to no end. All he had ever done to the boy was tried to save his life from the rat man.
"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Mistress. Crookshanks purred while he ate the spider, watching the red haired boy for any signs of agitation. Hopefully he would mention where the rat man was hidden so Crookshanks could try again to stop him.
"Just keep him over there, that's all," said the boy irritably, turning back to his paper. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."
And there it was, just the information Crookshanks had wanted. He glanced over at the black haired boy as he yawned loudly, and noticed the old fox watching him intently. There was something odd in that piercing blue gaze, and the smells coming from the old one were so strange that Crookshanks hesitated slightly. He could smell the scents unique to the fox person, but also the scent of the black haired boy. Not too odd, seeing he was lying on said boy, but the old fox was saturated in the boy's scent, as if it was part of him as well. Crookshanks pondered this for a few more seconds, and then promptly dismissed it, it was not his problem because the old fox was not a threat to his mistress, but the rat man was.
He pounced, landing squarely on the red haired boy's bag and began tear at it; searching for the rat's hiding spot. "OY!" the boy yelled, grabbing the bag, "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"
The boy started spinning the bag in the air, trying to dislodge Crookshanks, but only succeeded in sending the rat flying from his hiding place.
"CATCH THAT CAT" the boy yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified rat.
The rat dived under a large chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.
The red head and mistress hurried over, and mistress grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and pulled him away. The red haired boy flattened himself and pulled out the struggling rat by the tail. They began arguing with each other, but Crookshanks was busy watching the old fox. While everyone in the room had stood or moved to watch the spectacle the children were making, the old fox had simply jumped to an arm of the chair and settled down to watch with mild curiosity.
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Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry, Faykan, and Hermione were working together on the same puffapod. He continued to sulk the entire way up to Transfiguration class, almost coming to a boiling point while they were waiting for Professor McGonagall to arrive.
Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.
"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Harry (carrying Faykan the fox), and Ron went to join the group.
"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox." She glared at Faykan in Harry's arms, as if he was the guilty animal.
"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."
"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"
"Err…"
"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!"
The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You... you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"
"Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't l?"
"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. "Was Binky an old rabbit?"
"N-no!" sobbed Lavender. "H-he was only a baby!"
Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders.
"But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.
Parvati glared at her.
"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group, "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today," Lavender wailed loudly, "and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock…"
"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."
Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into the classroom, they seated themselves on either side of Harry and didn't speak to each other for the entire lesson.
Harry was about to get up and head for the door as the bell rang, when Professor McGonagall called them all back.
"One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"
Neville put up his hand.
"Please, Professor, I-I think I've lost…"
"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."
Faykan poked Harry in the back from his seat behind him, and nodded at Professor McGonagall, pulling the two forms out of his bag. They made their way up to her, smiles plastered on their faces as Faykan handed her the signed forms. She read them quickly and the frowned down at both of them, which caused their hearts to sink slightly.
"I'm sorry boys, but Professor Dumbledore has deemed it necessary that you both not be allowed to go to Hogsmeade."
They both started to complain loudly, demanding reasons why they weren't allowed, and that it was unfair that they couldn't go even with signed permission forms. She refused to budge even an inch, or to explain the Headmaster's reasoning. Finally she turned to look at them with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? "I'm really sorry, boys, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson."
There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an 'all-for-the-best' expression that made Ron even angrier. Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first once they got into Hogsmeade. Faykan had a sour look on his face, but didn't say anything concerning the matter.
"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer them both up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."
"Yeah," said Harry gloomily, "great."
The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if he was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made him feel any better about being left behind. Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the dementors being able to see through them. Percy had ,what were possibly the least, helpful words of comfort.
"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweet shop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, apart from that, you're not missing anything."
Faykan had merely rolled his eyes at Percy.
On Halloween morning, Harry awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing his best to act normally.
"We'll bring you both lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for them.
"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Faykan and Harry's difficulties.
"Don't worry about us," said Harry, in what he hoped was an offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."
He accompanied them to the entrance hall where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors checking off names on a long list. He was peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.
"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Nott, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the dementors?"
Harry ignored him and made his way back up the marble staircase, towards Gryffindor Tower.
"Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze.
"Fortuna Major," said Harry listlessly.
The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first and second years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.
"Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry!"
It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunity to speak to him. He was sitting in a circle of chairs with other first and second years, with Faykan the fox held in his arms, and he was petting him absently. Faykan was trying to brace himself against each stroke of Colin's hand; obviously he still hadn't understood that he was petting too hard, despite Faykan's constant hints.
"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not? Hey," Colin looked eagerly around at his friends, "you can come and sit with us, if you like, Harry!"
"Err… no thanks, Colin," said Harry, who wasn't in the mood to have a lot of people staring avidly at the scar on his forehead. "I… I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."
After that, he had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.
Faykan squirmed out of Colin's grasp and dived out of the portrait hole after Harry, changing when it had closed fully.
"What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after them as he walked away.
Together Faykan and Harry wandered toward the library, Faykan complaining about Colin as they walked. Halfway there, Harry changed his mind; he didn't feel like working. They turned around and came face to face with Filch, who had obviously seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.
"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.
"Nothing," said Harry truthfully.
"Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own, why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"
Faykan shrugged.
"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch. He stood glaring until they both had passed out of sight.
But Faykan didn't want to go back to the common room; so they climbed a staircase, Harry thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig, and were walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Harry?"
They both doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.
"What are you two doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"
"Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice.
"Ah," said Lupin. He considered Harry for a moment. "Why don't you two come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."
"A what?" said Harry.
They followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.
"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."
The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.
"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."
Faykan nodded, still watching the grindylow.
"All right," said Harry awkwardly.
Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.
"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid, but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"
Faykan laughed half heartedly, while Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.
"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.
"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry and Faykan a pair of chipped mugs of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"
"No," said Harry.
He thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog they'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. He didn't want Lupin to think he was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think he couldn't cope with a boggart.
Something of Harry's thoughts seemed to have shown on his face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Harry?"
"No," Harry lied. He drank a bit of tea and watched the grindylow brandishing a fist at him. "Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the boggart?"
"Yes," said Lupin slowly. He eyed Faykan for a moment before returning his attention back to Harry.
"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly.
Lupin raised his eyebrows.
"Well, besides the fact that I needed to handle the situation quickly," he glanced at Faykan again, who was staring down into his cup of tea, "I would have thought that was obvious, Harry,"
Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.
"Why?" he said again.
"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."
Harry stared. Not only was this the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from himself and Faykan) was Professor Dumbledore.
"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom right after that other creature..." he hesitated and sent another glance at Faykan before continuing, "I imagined that people would panic further."
"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I… I remembered those dementors."
"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well... I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is fear. Very wise, Harry."
Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he drank some of his tea.
"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.
"Well... yeah," said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the dementors…"
He was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in," called Lupin.
The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry and Faykan, his black eyes narrowing.
"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"
Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Harry, Faykan, and Lupin.
"I was just showing these boys my grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.
"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."
"Yes, Yes, I will," said Lupin.
"I made an entire cauldronfull," Snape continued, "if you need more."
"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."
"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.
Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled.
"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering. Faykan sniffed loudly, which caused both Harry and Professor Lupin to look at him, but he just shook his head and returned to his tea.
"Why…?" Harry began. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question.
"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."
Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands.
"So," Professor Lupin said, glancing at Faykan again, probably hoping to ease some of the tension between them, "May I ask you Mr. Undol, what creature that was that your boggart turned into?"
Faykan mumbled something into his teacup, but Harry couldn't understand him, "What was that?" Lupin said.
"It was a…" Faykan paused for a moment, then drew a deep breath and continued, "A, Nazgûl…"
"A what?" asked Harry, and to his surprise, Professor Lupin answered. "A Nazgûl, Harry. Basically a greater type of dementor. According to legend, they were the original creators of the dementors, marking their victims with darkness that consumed their bodies and transformed their spirits into hungering wraiths of shadow and cold…"
Faykan shivered slightly, and Professor Lupin stopped at once. He drained the goblet and pulled a face. "Disgusting," he said. "Well, boys, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later."
Faykan merely nodded again and stood. "Right," said Harry, putting down his empty teacup.
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Sirius Black waited at the edge of the Forbidden Forest for his friend Crookshanks to come, signaling the all clear for him to enter Hogwarts. Sirius planned to enter and kill Peter during the Halloween feast, making sure that most, if not all, of the students would be in the Great Hall and out of the common rooms.
The sun was starting to set when Crookshanks appeared, and Sirius set off, disguised as the large grim. Together they clambered through one of the many secret passageways into the castle and made their way up the staircases towards Gryffindor Tower. If not for his single-mindedness to kill Peter, Sirius would have been ecstatic about being inside Hogwarts again, his first true home.
They pounded down the last corridor before reaching the fat lady's portrait, and skidded to a halt. Coming around the corner was a large, jet black fox. Crookshanks eyed it, clearly knowing something about it, but Sirius couldn't understand his feline friend well enough to ask what.
The fox didn't move, it simply froze upon seeing Sirius' animagus form, and he assumed that it was just an animal, and could easily be ignored. Approaching the fat lady, he transformed back into a human. "Password…" she said, eyeing him.
"My dear Lady," Sirius began, his voice raspy from disuse, "Wouldn't you let this one slide, just once… I remember you thought very fondly of me when I was at school. Do you remember? I was just hoping to pop up and see the common room once more, what do you say?"
She glared at him, "No password; no entrance. That's the rule." She said hotly.
'Blast, I'm so close!', Sirius thought angrily, fury surging through him.
The bloody rat was right there, right on the other side of that door. And he couldn't get in. He slammed his fist on the portrait in fury. "Let me in!" he demanded, but the fat lady just watched him rage, wide eyed and frightened. Sirius continued to beat and scratch at the painting, finally slashing it several time with his large knife. As he drew it the fat lady screamed and dove into the painting next to her. Again and again he cut and torn at the painting, hoping that he could force the door to open.
The fat lady was running now, up the stairs through the portraits, screaming and crying as loud as ever. Crookshanks clawed Sirius' leg to get his attention, clearly telling him to run. Sirius bolted, diving down the stairs as he changed into the grim, Crookshanks at his heels. Looking back Sirius could see the fox just sitting there, calmly watching him flee. Almost… sorrowfully? But surely not, that was an odd emotion to see on the face of an animal. Sirius dove through the secret passageway just as students started emerging onto the marble staircase, coming from the feast.
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