A/N

Well, here's the second part to the scene – I don't think this will be the last, however…

Recap

"-Come on, I don't have all day." And so, student and teacher – former, of course – made their way down the corridors, heading towards the kitchens.

An awkward moment or two passed, before the dark-haired man cleared his throat. "You know, this doesn't mean that I've forgiven you or anything…"

"The thought never crossed my mind," mumbled the witch, dryly.

But maybe there is some hope…?

Chapter Eleven: Order of the Phoenix, Meet Sirius Black

"When you say…Walburga," said Hestia Jones, apprehensively, "You are just talking about her portrait, right?" Dumbledore nodded.

"Of course my dear," he said, "If she was actually here in the flesh…well, let's just say this wouldn't be our Headquarters."

"That remains to be seen," said Moody, grumpily. "If this does belong to the Blacks – which I don't doubt it does; no wonder the place looks as dull as a graveyard – I don't think many of us would feel safe here."

A rather stately witch who was seated opposite him shook her head.

"I rather think that this would be the perfect place for Headquarters," she said. "Who would ever think that we use this place? And when I say that, I mean a place linked to such a Pureblood fanatical family like the Blacks."

There was a series of murmurs following her statement.

"You do have a point there, Emmeline," said Dedalus Diggle, from his seat. "I-" He was stopped when two things happened, one after the other.

Mad-Eye Moody, whose magical eye had been busy swiveling around in its socket, suddenly stood up with a roar, sending his chair flying back as he pointed his wand at the closed kitchen door.

Before anyone gathered in the kitchen could do or say anything, the door to the kitchen was opened, revealing a dark-haired man and a mussed up older woman, who seemed to be relying her dark-haired companion when it came to staying upright.

"-Oh…" was all that the witch could manage, as she looked up tiredly, only to see a furious Mad-Eye Moody standing with his wand pointed at her.

She blinked. What? She looked again, narrowing her eyes this time.

Oh, no, it wasn't pointed at her; it was pointed at her companion.

Her soft exclamation was immediately followed by gasps, squeals and yells, as a mixture of fear and anger erupted in the gathered members of the Order.

Dumbledore closed his eyes, warily.

"Oh dear…" murmured the pink haired Tonks as she too jumped to her feet, although she wasn't pointing her wand at anyone.

"GET AWAY FROM HER! YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY AURORS AND POWERFUL WIZARDS AND WITCHES. DON'T TRY ANYTHING UNLESS YOU WANT TO END UP DEAD!"

The dark-haired man cringed at the volume of the grizzly-haired Auror's voice – it would no doubt wake the portrait of his mother – even as his grey eyes swept the room, taking in familiar and not so familiar faces.

"Why," he said, as he took his time to look in the eye everyone who was standing with their wand pointed at him. "It's lovely to see you all too."

McGonagall groaned inwardly at the tone of her former student's voice, just as she pulled her arm from his shoulders.

"That's right Minerva," said an elderly wizard – Elphias Doge – his wand hand shaking slightly. "Step away from him. We won't let him hurt you any more than he has," he added, as he took in the cuts and scratches that the Transfiguration Professor had on her.

McGonagall blinked.

"I – what?"

"Gentlemen – and ladies – please, lower your wands," started Lupin, as he tried to fight his way towards the front of the group, "You don't understand, it's not like-"

"-He betrayed you and your friends, Remus," said Kingsley, as he stepped forward confidently, never once taking his dark eyes off the 'criminal', "There is no need to pity him."

The dark haired wizard was eyeing the powerful Auror, looking interested.

"I don't think I've seen you before," he said, cocking his head to a side, "Who're you?"

"An Auror."

The 'criminal' rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that," he said, as he gestured towards Mad-Eye.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt," said Kingsley, calmly, "I'm the head of the Auror-team whose sole task is to capture the traitor Sirius Black?"

The grey-eyed man looked interested.

"Is that so?" he murmured, before a grin appeared on his face. "The only act of mine that could possibly make me a traitor was when I ran away from home, which in turn led to my being disowned by my family." He feigned a wide-eyed expression of innocence. "Are you working for my mother? Or any other Pureblood-Retrieval-Crew?"

McGonagall sighed.

What was he thinking? Anyone of the people in the room could attack him at any moment and he wasn't doing anything to prevent them from stifling that mad urge!

"Must you antagonize them so?" she murmured, glaring at the dark-haired man, who simply shrugged.

"I antagonize them?" He snorted. "Well, how do you like that?" He raised his chin, suddenly causing him to appear…regal, if that was even possible. "We have here a bunch of foolish people who have the audacity to point their wands at me when they are standing in the kitchen of my house."

Grey eyes flashed dangerously. "I would say that they are the ones antagonizing me. Wouldn't you?"

"Shut up boy!" yelled Mad-Eye, causing sparks to break out from the tip of his wand. "You are a wanted criminal! You should be glad that none of us have killed you yet, for all that you have done!"

"All that I have done…" echoed the dark-haired man, as he suddenly stiffened.

"I believe he means the murders," said Hestia Jones, venomously. McGonagall shook her head warily at the witch, mentally pleading with her to stop. "The murders of-" her voice quivered, "-Lily and James."

"Murderer," added Mad-Eye, just as venomously.

And just like that, the proud shoulders slumped, and the chin lowered. Long black bangs covered the once flashing grey eyes, hiding them from the Order members' view.

"Was that really necessary?" asked Lupin, as he viciously pushed past Mundungus Fletcher, who, although he had risen to his feet, was staring at the dark-haired man with his mouth wide open. "There was no need for-"

"Sometimes, Lupin, I really wonder whose side you're on." Lupin paused, turning to stare at Sturgis Podmore. "Of course, being a werewolf, it must be hard to be disloyal to the man who your kind are avid supporters of, is it not?"

A stricken expression quickly crossed the kind, brown-haired man's face.

"Podmore," said Emmeline Vance, disapprovingly.

"Was that really necessary?" questioned Molly Weasley, a frown on her face, from her place in between her husband and eldest son, who hadn't drawn their wands. The three of them, of course, knew of the dark-haired man's innocence.

"He's a werewolf, ladies. And he seems to harbor an urge to protect Black from us. Forgive me if that makes me think he has followed the rest of his kind to kiss the Dark Lord's feet."

"Leave him out of this, you bastard." The barely concealed hatred in the voice was painfully evident. The dark-haired man raised his head, eyes flashing. "You," he snarled, taking a step forward, "are no better than Voldemort and the rest of his followers! How dare you-"

"Stupefy!"

The dark-haired man ducked as the jet of red light went flying over the top of his head. A startled exclamation caused him to quickly turn his head; McGonagall had narrowly missed being Stunned.

"Why you-"

McGonagall's eyes widened when she saw Mad-Eye open his mouth, somehow guessing his less-than-honorable intentions before the spell he wanted to cast left his lips.

"Sirius-"

"Crucio!"

"NO!" She screamed as Mad-Eye uttered the curse. The dark-haired man, caught off guard and with his head turned, fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself as he writhed under the curse.

"Incacerous!" Ropes appeared out of Kingsley's wand, and wrapped around the still-writhing man's form. Lupin shouted, and McGonagall vaguely heard Tonks scream something before the pounding of blood in her ears stopped her from hearing anything else.

All she saw was a striking, dark-haired and grey-eyed boy, looking at her with a cheeky grin on his face.

All she saw was a pale, gaunt-faced dark-haired man with a haunted expression on her face.

All she saw was the rope-bound, writhing figure on the ground.

Then she saw red.

She pointed her wand at the large, magically enlarged table that everyone was gathered on the other side of.

"Confringo!" There was a very loud 'bang!' as the table exploded spectacularly, startling everyone gathered in the room – even Snape, who had calmly remained seated – sending splinters of wood flying in every direction and, more importantly, distracting Mad-Eye and causing him to stop the curse that was aimed at the dark-haired man.

She staggered towards the quivering, heavily-breathing figure, her dark eyes wide. "Finite," she muttered, causing the magically-created ropes to disappear, before she dropped to her knees beside the dark-haired man, her hands shaking as she reached out to him.

"MINERVA, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE-"

"Enough." No one could deny the power that radiated from the voice, as its owner stood straight and tall, clear blue eyes flashing.

"What in the – no, Dumbledore, we've finally got him-"

"Alastor Moody, you will stop this foolish behavior immediately," said Dumbledore, his voice no more than a hiss. He stared his friend in the eye for a second or two, before turning to the startled wizards and witches in the room. "And you," he said, his voice still quiet, "will lower your wands."

In any other circumstance, it would have been amusing to see everyone – well, those who had their wands drawn – do that the elderly wizard said, without hesitating.

No one said anything as the elderly wizard stared at the rubble at his feet for a moment, breaking eye-contact with it only when the magically-enlarged table was in one piece again. "Minerva…?"

The dark-haired witch looked up at him, a distraught expression on her face as she held her former student in her arms.

"He-" she cleared her throat, "-he's in shock," she whispered, tightening her hold on the vulnerable man as he shook, moaning quietly.

Dumbledore moved quickly, so that he was kneeling down on the other side of the trembling young man. He placed a hand on his forehead and quickly checked his pulse before nodding.

"Remus." The brown haired man was at his side in a moment, eyes flashing dangerously as he passed Mad-Eye and Kingsley. "Would you please take Sirius outside? Perhaps just to the living-room, for I will need him here once he has…recovered somewhat." He sent the brown haired man a pleading look when he opened his mouth to argue with him. "Please, I need him to speak with everyone when I'm done with them."

Lupin nodded curtly as he Levitated his friend out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him and leaving no one in doubt of his anger.

Dumbledore stood up gracefully, not noticing that his Deputy staggered as she did the same. "And as for the rest of-" With quick reflexes, he caught the dark-haired witch as she swayed, and a moment later, McGonagall found herself seated on one of the unoccupied chairs as the cuts she had on her were magically sealed and healed.

"…Is she alright?" questioned Bill Weasley, breaking the silence as he stared at his former Head of House. "She looks pale…maybe she'll need a potion or something-?"

"There will be no need for that," cut in Snape, from where he had been kneeling and healing his colleague. "She is just tired. And distraught, for which, I suppose, I must congratulate two oh-so-subtle Aurors," he added, wryly.

"Minerva," said Dumbledore, before Mad-Eye or Kingsley could say anything. "What happened?" The witch glanced up at him and blinked a few times, before she cleared her throat once more.

"The Forest," she explained, her voice steady. "Rolanda said-"

"-Yes, we know that," said Dumbledore.

"Isn't it obvious that the bastard Black-"

"-As much as it kills me to say this," cut in Snape, "do stop insulting Black for a moment and let Minerva tell us what happened before you jump to conclusions." He shook his head. "How the Ministry selects their Aurors I really don't know."

Of course, he was immune to the glares he was receiving from the Aurors in the room, although he did notice the smile on the pink-haired Auror's face.

"Did you know that the Forbidden Forest houses Acromantulas? Well, they do. And you don't seem too surprised about that…you knew didn't you?! Merlin, Albus, I really am going to hex-" She stopped, composing herself. "Anyway, one party of Acromantulas apparently invaded another party's territory…and there was an ongoing…war of sorts which I, oh so smartly, walked into the midst of."

She glared at Mad-Eye. "I was injured while fighting a few of them off and while running as fast as I could away from the creatures. And Sirius let me in when I knocked, and, seeing that I could barely stand, helped me here, before you decided to hex him."

"Sirius? Minerva," said Kingsley, sounding confused, "That man is-"

"-Is there something you'd like to tell us, Dumbledore?" questioned Mad-Eye, as he stared shrewdly at his friend.

There was a moment's silence, before Dumbledore nodded, settling back down in his – repaired – seat.

"Yes," he said, his voice calm. "Sit down, all of you. For this will take some time. Severus, did you bring-?" The Potions' Master nodded as he took something out of his pocket and enlarged it to its proper size. It was Dumbledore's Pensieve.

The elderly wizard nodded, looking pleased. "Good." He enlarged the Pensieve even more. "I want everyone to gather around. We can't all take turns in going in, so we'll have to do it like this, I'm afraid. I was hoping this could be done with all of us dealing like the civilized people we are...but apparently, my faith in you was wrongly invested."

He started putting his memories into the Pensieve, via his wand. "Allow me to tell you the truth, concerning that Halloween night, fourteen years ago."

A/N

Okay, that was long…and I guess that a part-three will be following this! Sigh. I really should learn to cut short these scenes. Oh well.

Hope you enjoyed this as well.

Till next time,

Siriusgirl1