Chapter Thirteen
"So," Remus started the next morning as he and Harry sat in the Great Hall for Breakfast, "what are you going to do today, Harry?" Harry shrugged his shoulders, twirling his fork in his potatoes.
"I don't know. Wait until the Dursley's come to get me," he muttered. Remus's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that they've been gone a while," Harry explained, dropping his fork on his plate and looking up at Remus. "They should be back by now."
"Do you know how long they were going to stay in Mexico for?" Remus asked. Harry shrugged his shoulders again.
"I don't know. Uncle Vernon said a few weeks, maybe even a month! But I know that he didn't know when they'd return. He was just saying that."
"Well," Remus said, "I hope it's not anytime too soon."
Harry smiled. "Me too." He hesitated before asking, "Is there any cake left, Remus?"
"Uh, I think so," Remus replied thoughtfully. "Why?"
"Just wondering," Harry said. "I'm starting to have a craving for cake!"
Remus smiled, glancing down at the plate full of food in front of Harry. "Not until you finish your breakfast." Harry nodded and picked his fork back up, plunging them into the potatoes and stuffing them into his wide-open mouth. Remus chuckled.
"Don't make a spectacle of yourself," Remus advised with a smile. Harry swallowed the lump of potatoes in his mouth and looked at Remus in puzzlement.
"Spectacle? Who, me? I'm just eating my food like you said," Harry said with an innocent grin. Remus just chuckled and turned back to his own food. "I'm going back to Snape's chambers," Harry informed Remus abruptly, getting up from his chair.
"Are you all right?" Remus asked in concern. "Do you feel sick? Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, I'm all right," Harry assured the older man, "I just have to do something." He walked down the through the aisle of empty strips of tables, grabbing Slyther off the top of a table, who was just finishing up a plate of fish. "Come on," he said to the snake, "we have to go back down to Professor Snape's chambers and get the piece of cake. I want to give it to, er, you-know."
It? I thought we finished visiting it! Slyther exclaimed angrily. Sometimes I cannot believe you, Harry.
"I know you know by now that Sirius is not a murderer," Harry said in a whisper, continuing to walk through the corridor to get to Snape's quarters. "So would you just drop it?"
Fine, Slyther said airily. But why do I have to come with you?
"Because I have to write a letter," Harry explained briefly as he entered the quarters, "and my owl is here. I can't write the letter without him. I don't want you to get any trouble down in the Great Hall without me to supervise you."
Hah! Me, Slyther the Slytherin, needing SUPERVISION? And who are you planning to write to? Slyther asked, squirming to get down. Will you let me go? I'm not a stuffed animal!
"Sorry," Harry apologized, setting the snake down on the hardwood floor.
So have you decided what to name your bird yet? Slyther asked, almost enviously. How about…Featherhead?
Harry, with the owl perched on his arm, looked at Slyther curiously. "Featherhead? Where do you come up with these names?"
Fine, said Slyther, what about Paddy Whacker?
Harry burst out laughing. "You don't expect me to name this owl 'Paddy Whacker', do you? I hope you're just kidding."
Well, since your so 'gifted', what do you propose?
"I dunno," Harry said, bringing the owl close to his face so he could inspect it. "I was thinking maybe Ember."
Ember, Slyther repeated, why 'Ember'?
"I don't know!" Harry exclaimed, bringing the owl over to an oak-colored desk and setting it gently down on the desk, pulling out a piece of parchment. His eyes wandered the table until he found a quill and a bottle of ink. "It's just the owl's eyes. See the color, Slyther? It just…suits her."
Since when has 'he' become a 'she'? Slyther asked, slithering over in Harry's direction.
"It's just the way she looks," Harry said, dragging his eyes away from the parchment to survey his owl. "Her eyes, her face. Wouldn't you say so?" Harry dipped the tip of his quill in the black liquid, bringing it down to the parchment. Just then, he stopped. Who would he address this to? Since the owl would be new at this message delivering, what if she messed up and brought it to the wrong person? Somebody who might be trying to capture Sirius, perhaps? Then they'd know who knew where Sirius was, and then Sirius would be recaptured…
Well, I'm not a gender expert, Slyther said, and Harry could almost hear him roll his eyes if he were a human. Oh mighty, smart human, the snake added for a sarcastic touch.
"Who should I address this to?" Harry wondered out loud. "Definitely not Sirius."
Well, Slyther said, what about Snuffles?
Harry started to laugh. "Snuffles?"
Sure, Slyther encouraged, why not? Just another one of my 'whacky names' as the almighty human would say.
"Let me guess," Harry said in feign thoughtfulness, "that 'almighty human' is me?"
Right on. Oh, and you know I still prefer Erland for your name. It just suits you now. And definitely Paddy Whacker for the bird.
"It's an owl," Harry corrected Slyther. "Maybe Snuffles might be good for Sirius as an undercover name."
You're not serious, Slyther said, I was joking!
"So?" Harry said, dipping the tip of his quill in the ink bottle again, starting off with a 'Dear Snuffles.' "It's a good undercover name. Whether you were kidding or not."
Dear Snuffles,
How are you doing? Do you like the owl? Anyway, I'll meet you as soon as Ember (my owl) comes back. I'll also explain more when I get there.
Love, Harry.
"There," Harry said, satisfied with what he wrote. "That's good enough for a letter. I'm not expecting him to write back, since he doesn't have a quill, but—"
"Who's the letter to?" Snape's voice drawled from behind Harry. Harry froze, a dab of liquid ink dropping onto the parchment.
"Huh?" Harry said, stuffing the letter inside of his sleeve. "What letter?"
A cold smirk settled on Snape's lips. "Don't play dumb with me, Potter. I know certainly well you're corresponding with Black. Why lie to me?"
"I'd wish you'd stop eavesdropping in on our conversation," Harry hissed glancing down at Slyther briefly. He brought his eyes back up, matching them to the Potions Master's. Harry narrowed his eyes. "It's not nice."
"Well, go ahead," Snape said, waving his arms. As if showing Harry that there wasn't anybody stopping him from sending the letter. "It doesn't matter to me whether you write to Black or not. Although you're practically digging your own grave."
Harry looked at Snape suspiciously. "Sirius Black isn't a murder like everybody thinks. And I think I'm the only one who knows that."
"Think what you want," Snape said coldly, "because Black is a murder. I'm just surprised that you haven't told Lupin yet."
"Please," Harry exclaimed out of the blue, "don't tell Remus about this. He'll get mad; he thinks that Sirius Black is a murder. Professor, please."
Snape seemed surprised that Harry had easily called him Professor, though you could hardly tell. Harry only noticed this because Snape's eyebrows inconspicuously rose, but Harry could just catch a glimpse.
"Please," Harry repeated, a pleading look spread across his face.
"Very well," Snape said shortly. "But this'll be the only time. Do you understand me?"
A relieved smile crossed Harry's face. "Yes, Professor." Harry waited until Snape left, his cape billowing out behind him, walking out of the room. "Okay," he turned to the owl, which he had now officially named Ember. "Take this to Sirius, all right? He's in the Shrieking Shack." Ember gave a soft hoot, a sign that she understood what Harry was telling her.
Do you trust that the greasy human will keep your secret? Slyther inquired. Harry glanced down at Slyther, his eyes telling the snake that he hadn't a clue.
"I hope so, because if he blabs to Remus, he'll lose all the respect I have for him," Harry replied truthfully.
It's hard to even believe that you HAVE respect in the greasy human, Slyther remarked.
Harry turned back to Ember, who was looking a bit unsure of what to do. "Do what I said, Em. Take this to Sirius down in the Shrieking Shack." He gently slid the letter into the owl's beak, and it flew off and into the bright blue sky through the open window to the right.
-
"Come on," Harry said, letting Ember trail after him and Slyther as they walked towards the Whomping Willow. Harry hoped that he'd be able to go to the Shrieking Shack and back in a matter of seconds, before Remus found out that Harry had left. And, hopefully, Snape would keep his promise and not tell about his rendezvous with Sirius.
Ember hooted softly as she, Harry and Slyther (who was perched normally on top of Harry's head) entered the abandoned shack.
"Harry?" Sirius asked tentatively, unsure of who had entered the shack.
"Yup," Harry said cheerfully. "I've brought you something to eat."
"Mmm," Sirius said happily as he eyed the cake that Harry offered. "Looks delicious."
"It is," Harry agreed.
"And I reckon that that owl of yours was a present from the one and only Remus Lupin?" Sirius said with a grin, diving into the piece of cake as if his life depended on it.
"Actually," Harry replied slowly, "Professor Snape picked her out."
Sirius snorted. "Professor? Please, Harry. Snape won't be your professor until you're eleven, so you don't have to refer to him as Professor."
"Well," Harry said, clearing his voice, "we should go. I just came by to give you that, and since I snuck out, Remus might have a fit if he came into Snape's quarters to find it empty."
"Just—before you go—" Sirius hesitated, before handing Harry what seemed like a picture. "Go ahead, turn it around." Harry did as he was told, and a slow smile crept onto his face.
It was the picture of Lily.
He took in his mother's features: her almond shaped green eyes, just like his. Her thick, dark red hair hung down her shoulders. Her smile was warm and welcoming, and she stood in front of the Evans's home.
"I know it's not the best birthday present, but I found it and—"
"It's perfect," Harry said with a grateful smile. He smiled again before gathering up Slyther, who had slithered from Harry's hands and had been exploring the shack, and left, with Ember flying freely above them.
-
A/N: Well, there you go, thanks!