Author's Note:
First of all WOW — thank you! That chapter hit an overall high on number of reviews for me; most reviews of any chapter so far — even if most of them say the same thing lol.
Secondly, I know, I know! I am a terrible person and I've been crying while writing…
And third, this chapter is going to back track a little, but bear with me as you all know by now that I have a plan and like I said last chapter, I am 21 chapters ahead of what I am currently posting.
Reviews and Comments: To WarMunger98: Well, Sirius and Harry found themselves in some trouble. To ninaz08: Well, so many reasons. To scrappy8: Thank you! To nshaikh281: It is quite unfortunate. You hope it's a nightmare? We will see. Thank you! To LunaFireFly11: I know, wtf is a fair review. To katherinecmcmanus: Ha, you think it's some Death Eater trickery? We shall see. To annagardner11: Thank you! I will leave you hanging a little bit longer. To Taraimperatrice: You think Sirius and Peter swapped bodies and Peter is actually dead? That would be interesting. To SHolmes34: Are they going to go back and save him? We'll have to see. And yes, it is good I post so regularly isn't it? Thank you! To alix33: Poor Neville indeed. Lady G definitely still scared Pettigrew. Thank you! To Guest: I am sorry you've decided to give up on this story. To ella144: Yes? To coloredwords: I know, my heart aches for Harry as well. Poor Neville and poor Sirius. Thank you!
To sam139nyc: Thank you! Harry and Zee do need Sirius. To Guest: Harry needs to use the Time Turner to go back and save Sirius? It's true, he does. To Guest: Does Hermione have the Time Turner? I don't know. Well, I do, but you know LOL. To AntarticInferno: The Time Turner has to work or I will have a mob at my front door? LOL. Good to know. Thank you! To E-Dett: Thank you for your woah. To Helena. : Aww, please don't cry. You will find out soon. Thank you! To LoveHP: I will consider you being a shook a compliment. To fons19: Thank you! Yes, everyone is hoping Hermione has the Time Turner. To Pendalf: Fudge definitely deserves to be kissed after that. He is an idiot and doesn't have malicious intent, just a moron. Thank you! To AntiCreator: Sirius can't die, well, I assure you he can. But whether I keep him dead or not is another thing altogether. To bigmommak: You want me to use the Time Turner to save Sirius? To supersandman86: Harry will definitely never get that image out of his head. Yes, Harry's Patronus has the potential to be very powerful, but this was the first time he's faced a real Dementor. We are going to see more of his power come into play. Thank you!
To aj613: It's not possible for Sirius to die and Hermione better come through? Good to know, thank you. To Fruitcake49: To be fair, a chapter where I kill Sirius Black shouldn't really be one that people like. I'm sorry you are no longer going to follow this story without first waiting to see what comes next, but to each their own. To Soccerislife08: I am sorry/not sorry for doing this to your heart. To Guest: Thank you! I love that people still find me on SIYE even though I haven't posted on there in well over a decade. My Beginning Series was moved over to ffnet when I started writing too much spice. Thank you for saying I've made the Sirius raised Harry story original in my own way. I appreciate that! To darkhk: I will accept this. Thank you. To x-shadow-x-kisses-x: Aww, don't ugly sob, maybe there will be a Time Turner. To Guest: Thank you for saying that I have proven myself to be a prolific and talented writer and therefore there is no way the last chapter was just happenstance. Yes, everything I write does have purpose to the overall plot. No, Sirius hasn't raised Harry yet and I think you might be right, it's not the last of Sirius Black. Thank you for saying that even if Sirius is dead, you will continue to read because it's a hell of a great story. That means so much to me! Thank you!
To riddermark: Why is always the question. To MarilynT: Yes. Thank you. To Moony The Sheep: I am kind of honoured I made you cry and gasp in shock. Thank you! To Wolf's scream: Yes, I did dress Sophie as a non-issue. Neville was angry and let it overpower him a bit. I think the Dementors can affect anyone who has a soul, including animals. It's just harder for them to read animals like they can human. To turnthepage21: Thank you! To Guest: I have to bring Sirius back with Hermione and the Time Turner? We'll see. To geekymom: That is a lot of no's LOL. Thank you! To AKBookGirl: Does Hermione have the Time Turner? You will have to wait and see if this is fixable or not. To SarikaS: Yes, Sirius had a miserable life in canon and its rude of me to kill him now, I know. Thank you! To akshutalankar: Thank you! As to the Time Turner, wait and see. To PolarWriter95: I accept the long no. To josht1987: LOL, I love that you don't normally wish harm upon people but you say I better hurry LOL.
To CrazyKitCat: I do have a plan! People need to trust me more. To Nria Tardo: Well, he can die as he's human, but whether I keep him dead or not remains to be seen. To cha-chris: I did give you all those fluffy chapters before giving you this. I had to show some happiness before breaking your hearts. Thank you! To Claire Fraser cf: Well, you just read Sirius' death, that's what happened. Thank you! To : Hopefully they will think of the Time Turner, yes. I like that you refuse to think of Sirius as being gone forever. To speedsONEandONLY: Ha, get that Time Turner now, noted. Thank you! To LoveHP: I love that you are waiting for an update like a mad woman, thank you! To Josh: There better be some serious Time Turning happening LOL. I love this. Thank you very much! To Saz J: You know me, girl, gotta keep things interesting. Thanks! To Guest: Thanks for loving my story and thanks for crying over it. It means a lot to me that I can bring those kinds of emotions with my writing.
To Steelcode: I know, poor Harry and Zee. Thank you! To Jbrowne26: I am sorry that you were binge reading and ended on this chapter of all things. This is true, there are no bodies or paradoxes in Prisoner of Azkaban. Would the Time Turner even work? So many questions. Thank you! To Rachael Frost: I know, not in third year, not like this. Thank you! To Guest: I better fix this with the Time Turner or else? Noted. Thank you. To SoCalGirl28: You hope Harry destroys Fudge? He did basically attempt to murder innocents, but in his defence, he's a bit of a moron. I am sorry I broke your heart. To Bee: Thank you for following ASC for a while and thanks for saying it's one of the best you've ever read. I'm glad you are enjoying the Chamber of Secrets stuff and yes, this chapter was a killer (seriously). Thank you!
To Hellpony: Everyone is hopeful Hermione has the Time Turner. To Jpink3125: Bring Sirius back? Noted. To Savageness321: Why would I do that? So very many reasons. As to Hermione having the Time Turner, we shall have to wait and see. To Greaterthan84: Yes, I killed Sirius. To leflemmeenrose: I can't tell you Hermione will fix it. You shall have to read on and find out for yourself. To haithuong313: I'm glad was a shock, kind of what I was going for. Thank you! To Bigmike33321: I am two books too early, this is true. To kyciona: Thank you! Hopefully they will! To jennibrolawrence: Thank you for saying zoinks, what a chapter! I love that people yelled out what. I do have lots of plans and yes, Zee is included in those. Thank you! To HpF2: Your heart stopped? Thank you! I definitely consider that a compliment. You think Remus will resign now and that Harry will longer go visit Zee's family in Georgia? Yes, lots of interesting theories. Thank you!
Thank you to Steel for helping me formulate some of my ideas into words.
Thank you to my Beta — SilverStarwolfe!
My posting schedule: Every Tuesday or Wednesday (usually the latter) and sometimes on the weekends.
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I feel bad so here it is!
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINE:
The One With the Time Turner
Neville ripped himself away from Harry, the rage he felt unlike anything he'd ever experienced. This woman had tortured his parents. She had tortured them for hours and now they didn't even know who he was; who they themselves were.
He wanted her to die.
No, he wanted her to suffer the way that she had made them suffer. His hands wrapped around her neck at the exact moment that he felt a pull in his navel and then he was flying and landing on top of her as they crashed to the ground.
Pettigrew was staring at him in horror. "What are you doing, you idiot?" he hissed.
The shock of having left the shack was enough to make Neville snap out of his rage, but unfortunately, it was also enough to no longer claim the element of surprise on Bellatrix.
The slap sent him falling to the ground as she grabbed a fistful of his hair and dragged him to his feet.
"Ooh, the little baby wants to play rough now, does he?" She trailed her long, sharp fingernails down his cheek, slicing into his skin so that he bled; he winced.
She smiled and then she leaned in and licked the blood from his cheek. Her wand flicked forward and red sparks hit him square in the jaw. He felt his face explode with pain as he fell back, landing on his bum as she cackled in laughter.
"Crucio," she said with glee.
Neville screamed as his whole body seemed to be stabbed from the inside out. His arms and legs bent the wrong way and then suddenly the pain was gone and he was on his knees on the stone floor, panting.
"Bitch," he muttered, spitting blood onto the floor.
"Bella, stop!" Peter shouted, attempting to get between them.
Bellatrix shoved Peter away from her and gripped Neville's chin in her hands, her eyes meeting his. "I'm going to torture you for hours, days even. And you, little baby, you're going to beg me to kill you because it's going to make what I did to your parents look like child's play."
Neville paled and before he could even think about why it was a bad idea, he spit in her face.
She backhanded him and then he was being put under the Cruciatus Curse a second time.
"Bella! Stop!" Peter shouted as she lowered her wand. "You can play with him later! The Dark Lord needs to be fed!"
Bellatrix stared at Peter for a moment, her eyes full of hate and then she sent a knockback jinx at Neville. It threw him back into the stone wall and he felt the pain screaming in his head before his world went black around him.
~ ASC ~
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Tonks screamed as Harry tore off after Sirius towards the Forbidden Forest.
She stomped her foot in frustration and looked up at Ron who was still breathing heavily before glancing down at the unconscious and battered Neville that Pettigrew had brought back to them only moments before. She took a long slow breath before conjuring two stretchers and levitating each teen onto one.
"Come on. We need to get you both up to the castle to see Madam Pomfrey."
"What about Harry? There are Dementors out there and... Lupin turned into a werewolf!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes wide. "He's a bloody werewolf!"
Tonks nodded. "I'm aware of that, Ron. Sirius is out there with him and Zee's panther. They'll keep him safe and safe from others."
They were just arriving at the castle doors when Snape came barrelling outside.
"Miss Tonks! What happened to these boys?"
"Snape, take them to the infirmary! I have to go!"
Snape made to grab her arm, his eyes narrowing. "There is a werewolf on the loose, you stupid woman! Letting you run off would be suicide!"
Tonks yanked herself away from his grip. "I know what I'm doing. I'm an Auror and more qualified than you! Get these boys to the infirmary, Snape."
Then she was running back towards the forest, ignoring Snape's calls. She made it into the entrance of the forest before she stopped, her heart pounding in her chest. She had to find him. She'd stun him, petrify him, and drag him home if she had too, but she had to find him. If he hurt anyone he would never forgive himself and she knew that.
She moved deeper into the forest, listening for sounds, for any sign of movement. She wrapped her hand around the ruby between her breasts, the feel of Remus' erratic heartbeat against her skin. He was moving, she thought.
She ran further, tripping on the uneven ground and falling to her knees. She winced when she noticed that her knee and her hand were both scratched and bleeding, but she got back up. She wiped her bloody hand on her jeans and then smiled to herself.
The blood!
Tonks moved around the area, rubbing her blood on the trees nearby. It took only moments for the wolf to come.
He looked massive as he stood up on the hill, looking down into the meadow that she was in. His large paws left imprints in the ground almost as big as her head and he moved in her direction in a slow but steady prowl, his eyes never leaving hers.
Tonks held her wand up, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "Remus," she said softly, her eyes meeting the amber eyes of the wolf. "Remus, it's me, Nymphadora."
The wolf's head titled slightly at the name, but he continued to prowl towards her, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Remus," she said again slowly. "You don't want to hurt me. I'm safe. I'll keep you safe. I'm your mate."
The wolf kept moving towards her, his eyes seeming to stare into her soul. The amber gaze moving over her body and he licked his lips.
Tonks slowly sat down on the ground, not taking her eyes from the wolf. He wouldn't hurt her, she thought. He knew her, but she gripped her wand tightly in her hand anyway.
"It's me, Remus, it's me, baby. Come to me."
He stared at her, stopping to sniff the blood on the ground, his tongue lapping it before he licked his lips again and moved towards her. Her skin pimpled in gooseflesh and she swallowed, nervously.
"Remus," she said again, almost reverently.
She lifted her wand, her hand shaking. This was it, she thought, she was going to have to stun him and hope it at least slowed him down. Werewolves were really powerful creatures and Sirius had warned her that one stun would slow him down, but that it wouldn't hold him off for more than a few seconds.
She had to do it now, she thought.
But then the wolf lay down in front of her, his tongue licking the blood from her knee and she froze, letting out a sigh of relief. She reached out to rub her hands over the wolf's fur and he curled into her, his head in her lap.
"Shh," she said softly, breathing slowly. "That's right, Rem, I'm here. You keep me safe."
He licked the blood from her hand before he shoved his face back into her lap, his front paws lying on either side of her waist on the grass around her.
Tonks gently traced her fingers through this thick fur. "I'm here, Remus. I'm here."
Her arms tightened around the wolf when she saw the Dementors fly overhead. She shivered at the feel of them nearby and the wolf pressed his body heat closer to her. She heard a distant yell as Harry came running out of the trees, his head bleeding.
"Tonks! Quick, cast your Patronus!"
Remus, whose head had risen at Harry's voice, growled.
Tonks gently stroked him. "Shhh, it's just Harry, darling."
She raised her wand, thinking of the man, of the wolf in her arms — and sent a beautiful large silver wolf billowing out into the woods as Harry ran after the Patronus.
She continued to stroke the wolf, her ears listening to the eerie silence around her. "Shh," she cooed softly. "It's going to be all right, Remus. It's going to be all right."
~ ASC ~
Zee sat in the hospital wing with Hermione as Snape came inside with the two stretchers, one boy on either one.
"Neville!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "They found him?"
Snape shrugged. "I have no idea. I met Miss Tonks at the castle doors and she pushed them at me and took off again. I tried to stop her."
Zee nodded, her eyes moving between Ron and Neville. "Ron, how's the leg?"
"It's not too bad," he told her, his eyes on Hermione who was being closely examined by Madam Pomfrey. "Is she okay?"
"She's going to be fine. Just a little off from the stunner. Where's Harry?"
"He ran off after Sirius."
Zee closed her eyes, her hands twisting nervously in front of her. "And Lady G?"
"The panther ran off after Pettigrew when he brought Neville back and then Sirius went after them both."
McGonagall came rushing into the hospital wing, her eyes moving over the students. "What on Merlin's name is going on? The Aurors have arrived and there are over thirty Dementors sweeping the grounds looking for two escaped Death Eaters? Thirty of them? Why so many? That's enough to take out half the school!"
Snape snorted. "Black's still loose on the grounds with Potter. Lupin forgot to take his potion and is running wild and rampant somewhere as is Auror Tonks. I didn't see Pettigrew or Lestrange, but I imagine that's who Black is chasing after — and as for the Dementors — Fudge brought more of them when he showed up with the Aurors ten minutes ago."
McGonagall paled and placed a hand over her heart. "Merlin's beard!"
Dumbledore appeared behind her, his eyes serious. "The Aurors are heading out into the forest after the Dementors."
"I warned them that there was a werewolf on the loose," Snape said simply. At McGonagall's scowl, he shrugged. "They need to be aware of what's out there, Minerva. Protecting Lupin's secret isn't possible anymore and you know it! They have to know what the dangers are of running out there!"
McGonagall bit her lip and nodded. "No, I'm sorry, Severus. You're right. They do need to know if they're going into the forest."
Snape nodded. "Longbottom was returned, however."
"Returned?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes wide.
Ron spoke from the bed where he was waiting to be checked over by Madam Pomfrey. "Pettigrew, he came back and he brought Neville. He was unconscious and he left him at the base of the Willow. He tried to escape then, but the panther attacked him and then Sirius was in his Animagus form and he chased him down when he ran. Then Harry went after them too."
"Foolish boy," Snape sneered.
Madam Pomfrey was checking out Neville as she went along. She healed his broken nose, doing a diagnostic over him as she set his broken arm and she pursed her lips. "This boy was put under the Cruciatus."
McGonagall gasped. "Will he be all right?"
"Yes, but he needs to rest."
She forced a healing potion down his throat as well as a sleeping draught before she worked on the cut on his cheek. He didn't wake, despite her ministrations.
She was setting Ron's leg when the Minister of Magic stormed into the hospital wing.
"What is the meaning of this, Dumbledore? Two! Two escaped Death Eaters on Hogwarts grounds! And you thought that I was mad when I insisted on the Dementors coming here and protecting the school!"
Dumbledore held up his hands to Fudge. "Cornelius, we don't yet know how the prisoners managed to get onto the school grounds at all, but you must call off the Dementors at once! There is still a student loose on the grounds as well as Lord Black. The Aurors will find Pettigrew and Lestrange."
"I'm not calling them off! Oh, no! We've been searching for those damn prisoners for months! If the Dementors find them, they will be Kissed and justice finally served!"
"Cornelius! There are innocent people wandering the school grounds! You must order them off. You know what a Dementor is like. They do not take orders well and to have so many offerings before them, it's foolish to allow them the opportunity to feed."
Fudge crossed his arms in front of him. "I am the Minister, not you, Dumbledore! I know what I'm about! The Aurors know what they are doing as well and I can promise you, those responsible tonight will be brought to justice!"
Ron winced as Madam Pomfrey elevated his leg and passed him a pain potion. "It will heal, Mr Weasley, but it will be painful. Drink that up and I'll give you a sleeping draught."
Ron only nodded, his eyes on Hermione. "'Mione, you okay?"
Hermione moved from her hospital bed to sit on Ron's and nodded. "I'm fine. Do what Madam Pomfrey says, Ron."
He smiled at her sheepishly and drank his potions, his eyes on Zee.
Zee was pacing back and forth in the hospital wing, itching to go out and to find her boys. The thought of both of them out there with a werewolf on the loose as well as the Dementors sent fear straight to her heart. Remus wouldn't be a problem as long as Tonks found him in time. She knew that the bond between them would be enough to hold Remus in place, that had been proven over Christmas, but the Dementors…
Sirius' mind was still not the strongest. He pushed everything down deep inside of him and he refused to talk about it. Nightmares still plagued him on a regular basis and she knew that those bad memories that the Dementors would pull from his mind had the ability to paralyze him with fear. She wasn't sure if he would be strong enough to fight them off.
But Harry could be.
She had never before seen such an amazing Patronus as the one that Harry could produce. The way those three animals, each one a representation of one of his fathers; the way they surrounded him and protected him. It was extraordinary. She'd wondered if the ability to produce three animals meant that he could also send three separate messages to different people at the same time. It would be an unprecedented skill.
But if he let his fear overcome him… she didn't know how well his Patronus would work under those circumstances and as powerful as he was becoming, he was still only a thirteen-year-old-boy, and a student at that. And he had never tried his Patronus on a real Dementor before. She knew how hard the charm was. She'd never been able to master it herself.
She twisted her hands nervously at the thought and glanced up at the clock. It had already been over forty minutes since she had left them at the base of the Whomping Willow.
"Professor," Ron said from the bed, his eyes drooping from the effects of the sleeping potion.
"Yes, Mr Weasley?" McGonagall asked as she approached the bed.
"Pettigrew… he said that he came with a message for Sirius. He knows where the… next one is."
McGonagall's eyes widened slightly and she reached down to brush his hair away from his forehead. "Thank you. You can tell me the rest in the morning. Rest now."
Ron's eyes had already closed and Hermione clutched his hand as he fell asleep, her eyes worried. "Shouldn't they be back by now?"
Zee nodded, her eyes moving to McGonagall. "How many Aurors were sent out after them?"
"Two," Fudge said from the doorway, his lips pursed. "Arnett and Shacklebolt and I gather that Auror Tonks is also somewhere on the grounds?"
Zee nodded. "Minister, we need to get outside and find them. The more of us out there, the better chance of succeeding."
"Absolutely not," Fudge said, his eyes annoyed. "I have an entire army of Dementors on the grounds and I can assure you that they will find them and the Aurors will handle the rest. Are you an Auror, Miss —?"
"Zacarias," she said quickly. "No. I'm an Agent of the DRCMC. I just think that if we were out there, we could help find them and we could…" she trailed off as they heard movement in the hall and she rushed past Fudge.
Shacklebolt saw her and immediately moved forward to grab her arms. "Zee, it's best if you let us bring them in."
"Bring them in — Harry and Sirius? Did you find them?" She attempted to look around Kingsley, but he pinned her back against the wall, his strong arms holding her in place and blocking her view.
"We found them, yes."
Zee pushed at him. "Let me see them!"
Kingsley waited until Arnett had the stretchers floated into the hospital wing before he let go of her arms and she rushed inside.
Lady Godiva was stretched out across one stretcher, her paws on Harry's shoulders. His face was scratched and smeared with dried blood and she rushed over to him, gently brushing her fingers through his hair. Lady Godiva nodded at her, settling herself on the end of the hospital bed as Harry was moved from the stretcher. Madam Pomfrey moved to check him over and Zee turned to the second stretcher.
Her eyes widened in horror as she realized that the broken man lying there was Sirius.
"Zee, I'm sorry," Kingsley said quietly from next to her. "The Dementors moved in and we weren't… we weren't fast enough to stop them. I ordered them back and that panther threw herself on top of Potter. She hid him from the Dementors, but Sirius… he was too exposed and when we got there… they were already feeding on him. My lynx ripped the one away and… I'm so sorry for your loss."
She let out a gasping sob, gripping his hand and touching his sunken face. Tears poured down her cheeks as her fingertips moved across his face, over his neck and chest and she touched the dog tags that he wore around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. She stood up, her face tear-stained and she turned on Fudge just as McGonagall shoved the portly man through the door of the hospital wing and into the hallway as he blustered apologies.
"There is no excuse for this!" McGonagall exclaimed. "It is unacceptable that this should have happened! Sirius Black was an innocent man!"
Fudge looked pained. "Yes, well, the Dementors were just doing their job, guarding the school as they were instructed too. Perhaps they recognized Black from his time in Azkaban and they… they were just guarding the school!"
"YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED THEM TO BE NEAR THE SCHOOL IN THE FIRST PLACE!" McGonagall shouted, loudly.
"WELL, TWO DEATH EATERS ESCAPE AZKABAN AND THEY DO SHOW UP AT THE SCHOOL! I THINK THAT I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING AFTER ALL, DIDN'T I?" Fudge demanded, his lime green bowler hat was crooked on his head and he looked flustered at having been shoved out of the hospital wing by the deputy headmistress.
"YOU BASTARD!" Zee shouted, stomping towards him. She punched him in the arm, attempted to punch him a second time, but arms grabbed her from behind and held her back.
"ZEE!" McGonagall said loudly. "Hitting him isn't the answer!" she said, holding the small woman back against her.
Zee struggled for a moment in her arms before she turned into them, sobbing.
McGonagall wrapped her arms around the small woman, tasting her own tears.
"Cornelius!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "The Dementors are not welcome here! I've said it countless times now and you've chosen to ignore me. Now they've attacked a student and they've Kissed an innocent man! They're to be removed immediately from the premises!"
"Yes, well, that was rather unfortunate," Cornelius responded. "Lord Black was a good man and to see him… well, I've already ordered their immediate removal from the school. Shacklebolt has gone to take care of it. They're gone."
"After inflicting untold damage!" McGonagall exclaimed.
"Yes, well, I apologize for that. They will be dealt with. As for Black… I am sorry."
A guttural cry erupted from the hospital wing and Zee turned, running back through the doors as she watched Hermione wrap her arms around Harry tightly from behind in an attempt to comfort him.
Harry struggled in her arms as Zee came running into the hospital wing followed by Dumbledore and McGonagall.
Zee rushed straight to Harry and Hermione moved out of the way as she tugged him into her arms, tears rolling down her cheeks. She cradled his head down against her breasts as Lady Godiva nuzzled his hip and Zee kissed the top of his head.
"I know, Harry, I know."
"It's my fault! I should have stopped them!"
"No!" Zee said, kissing his tears. "This is the fault of the Dementors! They didn't care that he wasn't who they were looking for and there were too many of them. "
McGonagall looked over at Sirius' body and tears rolled down her cheeks before she moved to Harry's hospital bed and gripped his hands. "Harry, dear, I'm so sorry."
He turned from Zee to McGonagall and sobbed on her shoulder, deep jarring cries that surprised him as Hermione looked on helplessly. Dumbledore closed the door to the hospital wing, his eyes on Sirius before he closed them and moved to stand on the edge of Harry's bed.
"Poppy, I need a moment alone here."
"Albus, these students need rest and treatment!"
Dumbledore held up his hand. "They do and they will get it, I promise. Please, a moment?"
Madam Pomfrey glared at him before she turned and went into her office, closing the door behind her.
"Minerva, Miss Zacarias, I would like a moment alone with Harry and Hermione."
Harry gripped Zee's hand, clinging to her for a second before he nodded and she stood up.
"A moment only, Albus," she insisted. She brushed Harry's hair away from his face. "I'll be right back. I'll stay as long as you want me, darling."
He stared at her gratefully. "Lady G can go with you so that you won't be alone."
Zee leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I love you, Harry." She wiped his tears away with her thumb before she whistled and Lady Godiva followed her out of the room, she turned at the door to look at Dumbledore as McGonagall stepped into the hall with her. "Five minutes only, Albus; and then I'm coming back in to be with Harry. Minerva, can you show me where the kitchens are? I want to make sure they eat something other than chocolate tonight."
"Of course," McGonagall said. "We'll go together."
The door closed behind her and Dumbledore smiled. "I like her."
Harry wiped at his tears, his eyes glued to the bed that contained Sirius' body.
"Harry, I'm very sorry about Sirius. He was a good man, a good father and he didn't deserve to go out like that. No one does in my opinion," he said sadly.
Harry stared at him, his eyes full of anger. "The Dementors killed him and he didn't even do anything! And now he's… he's dead!"
"I know," Dumbledore said sadly. "But maybe he doesn't have to be."
Hermione stared at him in confusion. "Professor, there's no spell that can bring back the dead!" At his piercing look, she gasped. "You don't mean… it would be breaking every law, Professor!"
Dumbledore's eyes looked at Harry in sadness. "Yes. It would be doing everything we made you promise not to do. Are you up to the task, Miss Granger?"
Hermione stared at him for a moment. "Stop it… but the Dementors, they came and… everyone has seen his…" her eyes fell on Harry who's emerald orbs were staring at her like she was the saviour of the whole world. "Yes."
Dumbledore smiled. "I suggest going back to the beginning and maybe you can do more than just stop this tragedy from occurring. You know the laws, Miss Granger. I am going to lock you in. It is five minutes to midnight. Three turns should do it. Good luck."
He nodded at them as they heard the door to the hospital wing click closed and lock behind him.
Hermione tugged Harry to his feet. "Where's your wand, Harry?"
"Here," he said, grabbing it from the nightstand. "What are we doing? What's going on?"
Hermione ignored him and reached down the front of her shirt to pull out a long bronze chain with an hourglass dangling on the end, encased in a ring. She tugged him over to her, making sure that her own wand was in her holster before she put the chain around his neck too and picked up the hourglass.
Hermione turned the hourglass over inside of the ring three times.
The dark ward dissolved.
Harry had the sensation that he was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colours and shapes rushed past him, his ears were pounding, he tried to yell, but couldn't hear his own voice.
And then he felt solid ground beneath his feet, and everything came into focus again.
He was standing next to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors.
He looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck. "Hermione, what —?"
"— In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a broom closet. She opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and the mops, then slammed the door behind them.
"What — how — Hermione, what happened?"
"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off of Harry's neck in the darkness. "Three hours back actually."
Harry found his own leg and gave it a very hard pinch. It hurt a lot, which seemed to rule out the possibility that he was having a very bizarre dream.
"But —"
"— Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!" Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door. "Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to the Black Lake!"
"Are you telling me," Harry whispered, "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?"
"Yes," said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. "I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than four people… and yup, that's Neville telling me about how he was stumped on the Goblin Rebellion question on page six of the exam."
She broke off, still listening intently.
"We've gone down the front steps…"
Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few questions answered.
"Where did you get that hourglass thing?"
"It's called a Time Turner, Harry," Hermione whispered. "And I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear that I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so that I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies which was true until right now… I've been turning it back so that I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But… Harry, I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?"
Harry stared at her shadowy face. "There must be something that happened around now that he wants us to change," he said slowly. "What happened? We were walking down to the Black Lake three hours ago… unless," his eyes lit up. "He wants us to capture Pettigrew before everything happens! If we capture him, Neville won't be hurt! You won't get taken and Sirius… he will never even come here!"
"Harry," Hermione said in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen —"
"— We'd only be seen by ourselves and Pettigrew!"
"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting out in front of yourself?" Hermione demanded.
"I'd — I'd think I'd gone mad," Harry admitted carefully. "Or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on."
"Exactly! You wouldn't understand; you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"
"Okay!" Harry said in frustration. "It was just an idea, I just thought —" he trailed off, his eyes wide. "Kreacher!"
A loud crack startled them and Kreacher looked around in confusion. "Master Harry, why is you hiding in a broom closet?"
Harry grinned widely at the house elf. "Kreacher, don't worry about that right now. I need you to run up to my dorm and grab my Invisibility Cloak. It's urgent, please!"
Kreacher nodded and Disapparated with a loud crack. A moment later he returned, the cloak in his arms. "Here is your cloak, Master Harry."
"Thank you, Kreacher! You've been a big help."
The elf beamed at him and disappeared.
Harry held up his cloak with a grin. "I have an idea," he said pulling Hermione close to him and covering them both with the cloak. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course," Hermione said as he tugged open the door to the broom closet and the two of them began to run towards the greenhouses. "Harry, remember, if we're seen…"
"Invisible, remember?" he said from her left.
They ran towards the greenhouses and waited. Hermione gripped his arm tightly in hers as they stood nearby and watched for Pettigrew.
They watched as Pettigrew seemingly appeared out of nowhere, transforming from rat to man, and grabbed her, his wand at her throat. Harry made to move, but Hermione squeezed his arm.
"Not yet."
"If we don't get him now, he's going to take you into the Shrieking Shack!"
Hermione nodded, biting her bottom lip. "I know. But we can't change everything, Harry. We have to be careful; see, there you are!" she said, pointing to where Harry, Ron, and Neville appeared in front of Pettigrew and Hermione.
He nodded. They watched as Pettigrew stunned her and she collapsed against him before he turned and ran towards the Whomping Willow and disappeared into the tunnel. Ron charged after her, sliding down just before the tree began to move again.
"Why did Ron go after him like that? He didn't even wait for you and Neville!"
"He was worried Pettigrew would hurt you. We all were."
Hermione blushed at that statement, but didn't say anything else on the subject.
A few moments more and Harry and Neville disappeared beneath the tree as well.
"This is the strangest thing that we've ever done," he said moving towards the Willow. He took a deep breath and nodded at her. "When Pettigrew returns with Neville, I'm going to grab him."
Hermione nodded, her eyes fearful. "Harry… this is so dangerous, if you see yourself or if the cloak slips… for even a moment… use your mirror! I didn't even think… you can call Sirius and warn him!"
Harry shook his head. "I can't. Ron had it, which means that I don't have it right now, but the Harry inside of the Shrieking Shack does."
Hermione frowned and nodded. "Okay… I guess this is the best plan we've got; we'll grab Pettigrew when he comes out."
They waited for what seemed like forever, both sitting in silence as they watched the tree for signs of movement.
Hermione moved closer to Harry, her hand still on his arm. "I was watching you in the hospital wing and… Zee really cares about you, and her panther… I've never seen an animal so attuned to anyone, but she does whatever Zee needs. She protected you in the forest, Harry. If she wouldn't have covered you, you would have been Kissed too."
"I love her, Hermione. She's… I want her to be my mum. I want her and Sirius to be together and I want her to be… if he's gone, I'm going to lose her too."
Hermione leaned in and kissed his cheek. "No, you won't. That woman cares about you way too much. Even if… you won't lose either of them, Harry."
He nodded, biting his bottom lip as Hermione held him. They sat there, arms around each other under the cloak until finally, after almost an hour, they saw Remus hurrying towards the Willow.
"He didn't take his potion," Harry said in alarm. "He's going to be free somewhere on the grounds and he's going to be dangerous."
Hermione nodded, standing up with him as they carefully adjusted the cloak over themselves. "We can't change everything, Harry," she repeated.
Harry only moved closer to the Willow as he watched Remus come out with to stand with Zee and Hermione while he and Sirius held Ron between them and Lady Godiva walking behind them. Tonks came rushing from the castle, running first to Harry and then to Remus. The sun was already mostly set by now and the darkness was starting to rise into the sky. Harry winced as he watched Remus push Tonks away as the painful transformation began to take over his body.
The panther moved to block them and growled and Remus let out a howl that sent shivers down Harry's spine as a dawning realization struck him.
"Hermione!" Harry said suddenly. "We've got to move!"
"We mustn't, I keep telling you! Pettigrew's not here yet and we can't —"
" — We can't interfere, I know, but Uncle Moony is going to run into the forest; right at us!"
Hermione gasped. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? Pettigrew's going to arrive any moment and —"
Harry grabbed her and tugged her deep into the forest, the sounds of Remus' howls chasing them. They ran faster, tripping over the edge of the cloak until Harry ripped it off of them, tucking it under his arm and grabbing Hermione's hand in his. She tripped over a root and he grabbed her and kept running. They fell, crashing and rolling down the small hill and Harry wiped blood from his face at the scratches as they tore through low-hanging branches in their attempts to escape.
He could hear the wolf's big paws as it pounded after them in the moonlit forest. They seemed to be running forever and Harry's heart was pounding in fear… if they couldn't get away from the werewolf, they would never get back to Sirius in time. Hermione gasped when Harry pinned her back against a dark tree, covering her body with his as the wolf seemed to sniff him.
"It's me, Uncle Moony," he whispered to the wolf, trying to keep his voice calm and steady despite his pounding heart. "It's Harry, your pup."
The wolf stared at him, sniffing his back before he nuzzled into Harry. Harry let out a sigh of relief and gently pat the wolf's head. The wolf turned to growl at Hermione, but Harry pressed his body against hers, pushing her closer to the tree.
"No, Uncle Moony, she's a friend. She won't hurt me."
The wolf seemed to accept this, his ears perked for sounds in the forest and then he sniffed the air, his eyes glinting and he tore off in the opposite direction.
"Did he… know you?" Hermione asked, her face buried against his chest and her entire body trembling in fear.
Harry nodded, holding her for a moment. "Yeah, I think he did, but lucky for us, something else caught his attention. Come on!"
He grabbed her hand again and they ran back towards the direction of the lake, stumbling over the uneven ground and large tree roots and Harry grabbed her before she rolled down the hill into the little meadow where Tonks sat on the ground, her wand raised and her hand out to the wolf.
Harry watched in fascination as Tonks spoke to the wolf and he moved towards her if as if he knew who she was.
"He's going to hurt her, Harry!" Hermione whispered next to him.
Harry shook his head. "No, he won't. She's his mate and… last time she calmed him. Wait and see. She has this under control. He knows her, like he knew me."
Hermione gasped as Remus moved closer to her.
"It's me, Remus, it's me, baby. Come to me."
They watched in fascination as the wolf lay down in front of her, his tongue licking the blood from her knee. She reached out to rub her hands over the wolf's fur and he curled into her, his head in her lap.
"Shh," she said softly. "That's right, Rem, I'm here. You keep me safe."
He licked the blood from her hand before he shoved his face back into her lap, his front paws lying on either side of her.
Tonks gently traced her fingers through this thick fur. "I'm here, Remus. I'm here."
"See? He's protecting her," Harry said, more relieved than he wanted to admit.
"That's amazing," Hermione whispered, staring at the Auror and the wolf below them. "I had no idea that werewolves were so protective of those they loved. The books always claim them to be wild and untamed beasts. But look how he protects those he loves, his family."
"His pack," Harry told her with a smile.
Hermione smiled back at him before she shivered.
Harry felt the familiar darkness and fear gripping him and he started to panic. "Uncle Sirius! Hermione, we need to cast a strong Patronus and we need to do it now!"
He tore away from Hermione and ran out from their cover in the trees. "Tonks! Quick, cast your Patronus!"
Remus, whose head had risen at Harry's voice, growled.
Tonks gently stroked him. "Shhh, it's just Harry, darling."
She raised her wand and a beautiful large silver wolf came billowing out into the woods as Harry ran after the Patronus.
Hermione looked up as Harry raced towards her. He grabbed her hand in his and they ran after the large silver wolf Patronus as it bolted through the forest towards the Dementors.
"Harry! What are you doing? We can't be seen!"
"Trust me, Hermione!" he shouted as he ran.
They followed Tonks' Patronus through the forest to the swarm of Dementors that were surrounding Harry, Sirius, and Lady Godiva. Harry watched as Sirius' dog Patronus tore through the Dementors and his own misty failures attempted to do the same, but then more Dementors came and Sirius' Patronus weakened. The Dementors moved forward even more and Harry watched as a rat crashed out of the trees to the ground as a man, whimpering in fear, his back clawed open. He seemed to stumble as he attempted to crawl away and then screamed in pain as he changed into the form of a rat once more.
"Hermione, get that rat! I've got my dad!"
"Harry!"
But he was already running.
He ran down into the forest as Lady Godiva lay down in front of them, whimpering in fear and he thought about the man who had raised him, the man who had given him a life, a family and a home, the man who loved him more than his own life, about the woman in the hospital wing who loved him and who loved the man he considered his father and without thinking, without questioning how he was going to explain himself if anyone saw him: He moved forward to cast his Patronus.
And as he yelled the words: Expecto Patronum, the spell wasn't a feeble attempt at all — it was magnificent. Out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but the blinding, dazzling silver-white animals that were his Patronus.
They circled him for a moment and he waved his wand and they went running and galloping silently and swiftly away from him, across the black surface of the lake and around the meadow, coming in from all sides. He watched as Tonks' Patronus took up the fourth side and the two wolves, the dog, and the stag charged at the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, exploding into the bright light and illuminating the entire forest and grounds around them.
Thirty Dementors collapsed and disappeared into the night as if they had never been at all.
They were gone.
The Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Harry across the still surface of the water. The three animals, surrounded him and he felt safe and as he watched as Lady Godiva nudged his body onto her back as Sirius held him in place, pale and gaunt-looking, rubbing the panther's head.
"Good girl, Lady G, good girl. You got our boy," he said and then he collapsed to the ground next to them.
Hermione came rushing over to him. She was holding a cage in her arms with a squealing rat trapped inside and she was glaring at him. "What did you do?" she demanded fiercely. "Did anyone see you?"
"I just saved all our lives..." Harry said with a smirk. "You got him?"
Hermione nodded and let Harry take the cage from her. "I put an unbreakable charm on the cage so that he can't transform. Harry… how did you… what happened?"
"I knew I could do it, Hermione! My Patronus failed down there because I let them get to me! I was scared and I let that affect me. I've never made a corporeal Patronus in front of a real Dementor before and I think on some level I was scared that it wouldn't work. There were too many of them, but this time, I knew I could do it because I had to do it and… it charged all of them away and they… vanished, exploded almost."
"That's really advanced magic, Harry. Whenever you made a Patronus before it was always white but that was… a blinding silver and powerful. You really did it. They exploded and lit up the forest, it was incredible! You truly drove them away."
He grinned at her. "And you really caught Wormtail. Now come on," he said, covering them with the cloak just as Shacklebolt and Arnett ran towards Harry and Sirius and conjured stretchers for them both.
Hermione was tugging on his sleeve now. "We have ten minutes to get back to the infirmary before Dumbledore locks us in."
They ran towards the castle, trying to stay hidden under the cloak and keep the squealing rat quiet.
"Shut up in there, Wormtail," Harry hissed before he finally thought to put a silencing charm on the cage.
"Three minutes, Harry!"
"Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.
"I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. "One minute!"
They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay — I can hear Dumbledore," Hermione said tensely. "Come on, Harry!"
They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.
"I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Three turns should do it. Good luck."
Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry and Hermione ran forward, throwing the cloak off. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver moustache. "Well?" he said quietly.
"We did it!" Harry said breathlessly, thrusting the cage into Dumbledore's arms. "Here's Pettigrew! And we stopped the Dementors!"
Dumbledore beamed at them. "Well done! I think —" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in."
"Uncle Sirius?" Harry asked eagerly, his eyes searching Dumbledore's blue ones desperately.
Dumbledore smiled, his eyes questioning, but he nodded. "Unconscious; quick, I hear Professor McGonagall and Miss Zacarias returning from the kitchens."
Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the infirmary. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed; Neville, asleep in the bed next to Ron, and Sirius, unconscious on the bed where before he had…
Harry hurried over to him, the sight of his handsome face pale, but very much alive. He put a hand on Sirius' shoulder and gripped his hand. The warmth under his fingers made him smile and he leaned back against Hermione when she hugged him tightly from behind.
"He's alive!" he exclaimed in joy, tears in his eyes.
"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?" Madam Pomfrey demanded as she came out from the office.
She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure that they ate it.
The door to the hospital wing opened and Zee and McGonagall came inside. Lady Godiva hopped up onto Sirius' bed, stretching out on the end, her yellow eyes on the matron as if daring her to tell her to move.
Harry, who was sitting on the side of Sirius' hospital bed, turned slightly when Zee's arms came around him. He rested his head against her breasts, her heartbeat near his ear and he ate his chocolate.
It was only five more minutes before Sirius stirred.
Zee, one arm still wrapped around Harry, reached over to stroke his cheek and he opened his eyes,
"Hi," he said softly, a small smile on his face.
Zee kissed Harry's temple and then leaned down to kiss Sirius' cheek. "Everyone is fine."
Madam Pomfrey came over to the side of his bed and handed him a large piece of chocolate. "Eat."
Sirius grinned at her, sitting up and doing as she asked. He'd just taken his first bite of the chocolate when Harry launched himself into his arms so hard that he knocked the breath out of him.
He chuckled and wrapped his arms around his son. "Hey, I'm fine," he said, kissing the top of his son's head.
Harry only nodded, his face buried against his father's chest. "I know."
His eyes met Hermione's from across the room and she smiled at him and nodded.
And he knew, no one else would remember the truth as they had changed it.
And it was the best thing he ever could have changed.
End Author's Note:
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the little of Time Turner stuff from the last chapter, that belongs to lovely JKR from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
When it comes to time travel the concept is always convoluted and crazy. I look at it like this: If they go back in time and stop something from happening, no one else would remember it happening any other way because they changed it. Therefore even though everyone physically saw the dead body of Sirius Black, by going back in time and preventing it from happening, no one else remembers him being dead except for Harry and Hermione, which means that Dumbledore knows he sent them back in time to try to capture Pettigrew, but he doesn't know about Sirius' death. Yes, it will be addressed. No, Harry is not going to deal with it well. And yes, all will be explained. Be patient.
I know that this is what most of you were hoping would happen and lucky for you it is the route I chose, but I CAN promise you that not everyone is going to be safe in this story. I can't say who and I can't say when and I can't say how, maybe not immediately, but bad things will be happening. Buckle your seat belts folks — I have a few twists and turns coming your way! The next 2-4 chapters literally cover less than 48 hours so be prepared!
Thank you and please review :)