A/N: Thanks so much for all the response I've been getting! I hope you'll enjoy this 'cause we're only 1 chapter removed from the end now! By the way; I need a title for the sequel to this, any suggestions?
hpfanfromholland: You're from the Netherlands? That's awesome, I'm from Belgium, and I'm glad you liked it!
Chapter 10
We went to the castle, and were quickly met by Dumbledore, McGonagall and the rest of the core staff. Snape soon spun his tale – he even tried to take credit for chasing off the dementors, but I corrected him, telling everyone that Harry had cast that spell and had passed out from exertion. Snape knew better than to try to argue, I'd just show everyone the memory.
Dumbledore stared hard at me, his usual twinkle gone from his eyes. I hoped he was using legilimency, because I was thinking 'Sirius is innocent, Sirius is innocent, Pettigrew is alive, Sirius is innocent!' very hard. I could've imagined it, but I would've sworn I saw Dumbledore nod, almost imperceptibly.
I followed my nephew and his friends to the hospital wing, forcing myself not to look as they took Sirius up the stairs to lock him up somewhere. The Minister of magic showed up soon, and Snape retold his story, this time leaving out the dementor part altogether. Unfortunately for him, I picked up the story where he left off, making it seem like we were both just telling the same story. Fudge was a little sceptical that a third year could have performed that spell, until I told him about the private lessons he'd been receiving, and that I'd told him some very good news just a few minutes before, making it seem like just luck.
"Order of Merlin, second class, I'd say. First class if I can wangle it! And definitely third class to you, Miss Potter!"
"Thank you, Minister," we both said, though Snape seemed a tad angry that I got some recognition as well.
I returned to Harry's bed, shielding him from Snape and Fudge's view. I saw his eyes twitch, and immediately realized he must be awake. "Hi, Harry," I whispered, as inaudible as I could make it. I squeezed his hand gently and felt him squeeze back.
Snape was telling Fudge about how stupid Harry had been, and that he should be expelled. I just had to intervene.
"Excuse me, Minister," I said, getting back up and joining their conversation. "I believe professor Snape is making a mistake. I tracked down Harry by using a locator spell I'd put on him a little before Easter, and found them with Black. I managed to ask Harry why they were there. It seemed they had snuck out to visit their friend, Hagrid, to support him, but left before the committee got there. Black caught them on the way back to the castle, when Ron Weasley's rat escaped from his pocket. Highly irresponsible, but Harry would never go looking for someone who wanted to kill him."
Snape was slowly turning red, and if looks could kill, his glare would've had me twitching on the ground the moment I opened my mouth. Fudge, however, seemed to think this was far more likely a scenario for the much-beloved Boy-Who-Lived.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, Miss Potter, if you insist on talking this to death I'll need you to step outside," Madam Pomfrey whispered, walking up to our small group. "My patients need rest!" she insisted.
"Of course, of course," the Minister muttered and made his way outside, followed closely by Snape, but I stayed where I was.
"Can I stay with Harry? I promise I'll be quiet. I'm just worried," I said.
She looked me up and down, assessing me, but nodded curtly eventually. I smiled at her, and went to sit down next to Harry's bed, who was still pretending to be asleep. Madam Pomfrey went over to Ron's bed and looked over his injuries again.
Harry opened his eyes a crack, but they were unfocussed, so I put his glasses on his nose. "Better?" I whispered, leaning over him so Poppy wouldn't see that he was awake yet. Harry looked over to Hermione to see that she was wide awake as well, she looked at me and pointed at the door, which was still open.
I quickly got up and closed the door as quietly as I could, and hurried back. Madam Pomfrey looked over, saw that the teens were awake, and disappeared into her office. She came back with the biggest block of chocolate I'd ever seen, and my addiction kicked in, making my mouth water.
"How's Ron?" Harry and Hermione said together, as Madam Pomfrey started breaking off pieces from the block with a hammer.
"He'll live. As for you two… you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're– Potter, what do you think you're doing?"
Harry was sitting up and had grabbed his wand. "I need to see the headmaster," he said urgently.
Poppy's expression softened. "Potter, it's alright. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now–"
"WHAT?" Harry pushed off my hand and jumped off the bed, while Hermione did the same. But his shout had been heard through the doors, and Fudge and Snape hastened in.
"Harry, Harry, what is this?" Fudge asked, looking agitated. "You should be in bed – has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey.
Before Harry could say anything I poked him in the side, hard. "I'm working on it!" I hissed in his ear, pretending to give him a hug.
"He's just a little confused, Minister, and he hasn't had any chocolate. Poppy and I will see to it that he gets some," I said, hoping Harry would get the hint.
My nephew however, must've hit his head when he passed out on the shore of the lake, because he opened his mouth again. I stuffed some chocolate in there and pushed him back onto the bed.
Snape glared at me, clearly not convinced. He seemed about to say something at my challenging look, when Dumbledore walked in.
"Headmaster, I insist that you remove these people from the infirmary, they are exciting my patients!" Madam Pomfrey said.
Dumbledore held up a hand. "Of course, Poppy, but I must speak with Mr Potter and Miss Granger. Cornelius, Severus, Poppy, please leave us."
"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest!"
"I'm afraid this cannot wait," he replied, giving her a look. She pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large golden pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.
"The dementors should be arriving any moment now, I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll meet you upstairs." He crossed to the door and held it open fro Snape, only to realize the other man hadn't moved.
"What about her?" he asked, indicating me. I held my tongue, knowing better than to loose time by arguing with the professor.
"She's Mr Potter's legal guardian. I would've asked for Miss Granger's as well, but as they muggles, they cannot enter Hogwarts unless in an emergency. Now if you please, Severus."
Still, the potions master didn't move. "They are confounded, professor, talking to them now will make no difference."
I pinched Harry when he seemed likely to open his mouth again.
"They insist there is a chance Black is innocent! Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he went on. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"
"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," Dumbledore said quietly.
Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the same time, while I sat down on the bed next to Harry.
But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations. He went on to list all the reasons why no one would believe them, but I saw the twinkle in his eye, and knew that he had a plan.
"But you believe us," Harry said, despair heavy in his voice.
"Yes, I do," the headmaster replied quietly. "But I have no power to make others see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic… What we need-" he looked from Harry to Hermione, "is more time."
"But… OH!" Hermione said, clearly understanding what he was talking about, even if Harry and I didn't.
"Now, pay attention. Sirius is locked in professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor., thirteenth window from the right of the West tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law, you know what's a stake… you – must – not – be – seen!" he impressed on them. I frowned, how could they make a difference now? And why would the location of the window? Unless…
Dumbledore had turned on his heel, but looked back as he reached the door.
"I am going to lock you in. It is-" He consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."
"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind the headmaster. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"
But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.
"A timeturner, of course!" I said, jumping off the bed to have a closer look.
"A what?" Harry asked.
"A timeturner, it allows the wearer to go back in time for a short amount of time. One turn is one hour. I'm assuming this is how you got to all those classes Harry told me about?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. It must've cost her months of persuasion to get the ministry to give a thirteen-year-old that dangerous a device.
She blushed. "Yes, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone. It'll be a tight fit to get this around everyone, though…"
I held up my hand. "I can't come with you, I'd just draw attention. I think Dumbledore meant that this is something you have to do by yourselves." I pulled Harry close in an embrace. It was amazing how much I cared about him, after only knowing him for a few months. "Good luck, and be careful. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," I joked.
Harry nodded, while Hermione put the chain around both of their necks. "See you in a second," I said, and then they were gone.
'One – Norwegian Ridgeback – Two – Norwegian Ridgeback – Three–' I counted to myself, until the doors opened again and the two teens ran through them.
I smiled as they walked towards them. "Well, at least I didn't have to wait long…" I said with a grin. "How did it go?" I asked, enveloping Harry in a hug, and putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
Harry beamed. "Two innocent lives saved, just as Dumbledore said. Sirius is safely on his way, along with Buckbeak," he said once I'd released me.
He stopped talking, and not a moment to soon, because right at that moment Madam Pomfrey walked in. "Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"
Harry and Hermione wisely accepted the chocolate she offered them in silence, but they seemed entirely too tense.
I sat with them in silence, talking enough for the three of us. I told them about how James used to play pranks, both on me and on some of our neighbours. I mentioned Lily next, how she had 'adopted' me as a little sister, and would confide in me, and help me get back at James if he tried to prank me. But that was as far as I got, as we heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them…
"What was that?" Madam Pomfrey said in alarm.
Now we could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey and I were staring at the door. "Really – they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?" she said.
Finally, we could understand what they were shouting.
"He must've disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out-"
"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close to the hospital wing. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS. HAS. SOMETHING. TO. DO. WITH. POTTER!"
"Severus – be reasonable – Harry has been locked up-"
BAM! The door of the hospital wing burst open. Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore looked his usual serene self, but the twinkle in his eyes betrayed his amusement at the situation. Fudge looked angry, but Snape was beside himself, to the point of getting red in the face.
"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"
Before Madam Pomfrey could intervene, I had stepped in between the enraged professor and my nephew, my only instinct to protect him. I pulled back my arm, and before I knew it, my fist connected with his face. Snape lost his balance and fell backwards, unconscious.
The first thing I noticed was shock at what I'd done. The next was pain in my hand. I let out a long string of curses, clutching my hand close.
"Miss Potter! The last time I heard such language, your brother was in here with a broken arm after a Quidditch match!" Madam Pomfrey chastised, pulling my arm to her. She only gave it a brief look before touching her wand to it. "Just bruised," she said, before moving to look at the rapidly forming bruise on his temple.
Harry and Hermione – and Fudge for that matter – were openly staring at me, open-mouthed. The corner of Dumbledore's lips twitched, and the twinkling in his eyes reached epic levels.
"Oops?" I said.
"Madam Pomfrey, are you sure you can't leave that there?" Harry asked, grinning far too much.
"Harry!" I scolded. "I didn't mean to hit him!"
"But it was still bloody brilliant! Ron's going to be so disappointed he missed it!" he said, his smile reaching from ear to ear.
"Harry James Potter! Just because it was funny, doesn't mean you get to torture your friend over it!" I said. Not much of an admonishment, but I couldn't really blame him for laughing when that was all I wanted to do, and only the presence of the Minister kept me serious.
"We'll write this off as mother's instinct then?" Dumbledore suggested, smiling at me. "I believe Severus will be very disappointed in the morning."
"He's not the only one who's been disappointment! The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well… I'd better go and notify the ministry…"
"And the dementors?" asked Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"
"Oh yes, they'll have to go," Fudge said. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy… Completely out of control… no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight…" The Minister and Dumbledore kept talking as the elder of the two led the other out of the hospital wing.
A low moan came from the other side of the ward, and Ron lifted his head.
"Wh- what happened?" he groaned. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"
Harry, Hermione and me shared a look.
"You explain," Harry and I said at the same time, looking at the girl. I grabbed a piece of chocolate, broke it in two, and offered the other piece to Harry.
Life would sort itself out, it always did.
A/N: What did you think of Emma's maternal instincts?
