Chapter 5: Betrayer
Meanwhile Remus was having a difficult time in the Headmaster's office. He was trying to persuade Dumbledore into reading Sirius's letter, but unfortunately the Headmaster wouldn't even glance at it. After his failed attempt with the Headmaster, Remus went to his and Ambrosial's chambers where he planned on writing to Alexea. In his letter he wrote about how Dumbledore wouldn't hear reason from him, but if Alexea came to the school, Albus would have to listen to her because she was pleading her husband's case to the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.
The rest of September went by quickly after this, with Skylar still not talking to Hermione, and without Hermione forcing her to. Another person taking Skylar's supposed change of heart badly was Harry. The two of them had been dating since January of their second year, and then all of the sudden Harry received a letter telling him that they were no longer together.
On most weekends Hermione would either go to her parents or uncle's chambers and talk to her little sister Tawny and do their homework together, or she would spend it with Harry and Ron having fun. On October 31st, Hermione had to leave the Halloween feast early to make her way to the Whomping Willow, where she entered the secret passageway underneath the gnarled tree trunk and make her way to the Shrieking Shack, where she met with Remus and Ashwin. She did this all believing that she hadn't been followed.
But, unbeknownst to Hermione, someone had indeed watched her leave the Great Hall and had followed her outside. Once Hermione was hidden from view, having entered the passageway, Draco Malfoy smirked before walking back inside to tell Skylar what he had just seen.
"Sky, follow me." Draco whispered as he walked back into the Great Hall. Slowly a reluctant Skylar stood up and followed him back out of the hall. "Guess what I just saw." Draco said, but at his cousin's look he continued. "I followed Granger outside and I saw her enter the Whomping Willow through a hole in its trunk….and you know what tonight is, right?"At Skylar's shake of her head Draco answered, "Tonight's the full moon. I bet that that mudblood's a werewolf, just like Professor Lupin…" While Draco continued to mutter and mumble to himself Skylar began to worry about her twin.
"That's a very good theory Drake, but… don't you think Professor Dumbledore would already know about this, if Granger really was a werewolf, and have told the school?" Skylar asked him, once she heard him mutter something about Hermione being expelled. Draco stopped his ranting and looked thoughtful at this, "I guess your right Sky…" Skylar just smiled at him and lead the way out of the classroom they were occupying.
Soon it was December and the students had the chance to return home for Christmas, and Hermione decided to stay at Hogwarts so she could spend some much needed time with her family, and more importantly some time with her twin. Thankfully Draco had decided to return home to his manor in Wiltshire, which left Skylar available to talk to. That is, if she ever showed up. She never came to see Hermione, and she even avoided going to her parent's chambers for fear of seeing Hermione there.
On Christmas Eve, Hermione was taking a walk up to the Owlery so she could send Juliette a letter, when she literally ran into her sister. "Oh, sorry…Skylar?" Hermione said upon seeing her sister trying to get past her. Skylar said nothing; she just pushed past Hermione and entered the Owlery. "Skylar?" Hermione questioned, new tears budding in her eyes… she never thought that her sister was ignoring her because she wanted to…
"What do you want, mudbl…"Skylar started to ask, but stopped halfway through when she realized what she was about to call her sister. But it didn't matter, the damage had been done. The look on Hermione's face made Skylar back away in fear. Tears were still falling from her eyes, but they weren't the sad tears from before, no these were hot, angry tears that fell from bright amber eyes.
"Hermione?" Skylar asked as Hermione turned away from her. "I have nothing to say to you Miss Snape…" Hermione said as she started walking back toward the castle. "Hermione, please don't walk away…" Skylar said still standing in the doorway of the Owlery. Slowly Hermione came to a stop and turned to face her sister.
"No, I now know where I stand with you Skylar, and I want to make it perfectly clear that I will not be treated like that. I'm not just some person that you can toss to the side when you've had your fill of them. I'm your sister, your twin… I'm the other half of your soul!" Hermione said, screaming the last part out in anger. Skylar didn't say anything; she just stood there, shocked and scared. "I have feelings too Skylar…and you just severed any ties you still had with them." Hermione said, glaring at her now crying sister.
"Hermione, you don't understand…" Skylar tried to say, but was cut short by a look from amber eyes. "I did understand that on the first day of classes that you couldn't talk to me because Draconis was blackmailing you. I even understood that you couldn't risk coming by the chambers, in case I was there…" Hermione said, taking a step closer to her sister. "I understood perfectly well until you started to call me a mudblood." She continued, her hair now growing three shades lighter.
"I… I'm expected to act like a proper pureblood. I'm supposed to call muggle-borns that, since their blood isn't pure like mine or Draco's. And since you're a muggle-born, I'm supposed to call you that." Skylar said while staring at the ground, hoping this explanation would make everything better. She looked up at Hermione, and proceeded to back into the wall behind her, where she slid to the floor in fear.
It seemed that Skylar forgot that she was talking to her more powerful, pureblooded werewolf twin; which caused Hermione to forget about the protections they had put in place just for her sake, for there was now a snarling, half transformed werewolf standing on the grounds in front of Skylar.
"Hera…" Skylar whispered as Hermione, who was now sporting claws, canines, white blonde hair and amber eyes, advanced on her. "Have you forgotten that I'm your twin?!" Hermione managed to growl out through her long canines. "That I have just as pure blood as you do?! Unless…" Hermione continued, now pausing in her advance toward Skylar. "Unless you're counting the fact that I was born with werewolf blood in me?" She whispered her eyes wide.
"No, never Hera…" Skylar said still seated on her bum. "Your blood's just as pure as mine, even purer… because you would never even think about calling someone 'dirty blood'." "Then explain to me Skylar Ambrosial Celeste Lupin, why you would call someone that? Why you would abandon your family, just because someone told you too? Why act like something you despise? I want the truth, now!" Hermione said, growling out the last word with finality.
Skylar nodded her head quickly, "You said you already knew about Draconis blackmailing me, but you never found out about this. On Halloween he dragged me out of the Great Hall to tell me that he followed you outside and watched as you entered the Whomping Willow…. And since he saw the full moon he figured out that you were a werewolf." Skylar paused here, letting her words sink in.
"I had to convince him that you weren't, but he was still suspicious. I finally told him that I would do anything if he didn't tell the entire school of this idea. So, he's been making me ignore all the other houses, and call people 'dirty blood'. I never meant to become a bad person." It was obvious that Skylar was finished. Her tears had started to come faster towards the end, and now they were causing her to shake in sadness.
Throughout her sister's tale Hermione had stood unmoving. Now that she had finished Hermione walked a few steps closer to her. "Well I…" Hermione was at a loss for words. "Please, stand up." Hermione said closing her eyes tightly. Skylar looked up at her before she carefully stood up.
"I'm sorry Hermione." Skylar said taking a clawed hand in hers. This startled Hermione, her eyes flying open. "When we turn 16, I promise to return to normal. I'll even tell Draco to stick his wand somewhere that the sparks shoot out of his ears… But until then, you know I can't be seen with you. So, I want you to know right now that I miss you terribly." Skylar said, lifting the hand she was holding and placing a kiss upon it.
Hermione felt all her anger dissipate at her sister's words, along with all traces of Hera. "Just promise me a few things." Hermione said, smiling a little bit. "Anything" Skylar said smiling back at her. "Promise me that you won't call anyone a mudblood ever again, no matter what Draconis says." Hermione said a steely glint in her now honey brown eyes. "I promise." Skylar said hanging her head in shame.
"Now now Sky, there's no need to get upset again. The next thing I want you to promise me is a lot easier to do." Hermione said lifting her sister's head up. Skylar smiled sadly at her. "Just promise me that you'll visit Tawny more. She really misses you." Hermione finished with a smile. Skylar let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "I can do that."
After the encounter with Skylar Hermione went back to Gryffindor Tower to talk to Harry and Ron. She told them why Skylar had been acting different and told Harry that Draco made Skylar write the letter had had gotten. Which made Harry a much happier guy, and yet he had the urge to go and punch a certain blonde haired Slytherin.
Soon Christmas break was over and the students returned from their homes and started classes again. The rest of the year went by to quickly for Hermione and her family. In March Remus got a letter from Alexea telling him that Dumbledore wouldn't read the letter she had brought with her, but that her son, a second year Ravenclaw student, had a plan that would surely free Sirius. But it involved Sirius breaking out of Azkaban and coming to Hogwarts. Remus sent a reply back telling her to let her son get on with his plan.
Remus didn't hear back from Alexea until the last week of May, with only one sentence written. "It's done, be ready by next week." The next day at breakfast a student ran into the Great Hall holding onto a Daily Prophet while yelling, "HE'S ESCAPED! SIRIUS BLACK HAS ESCAPED AZKABAN!" During the following chaos, Remus sat back in his chair at the Head Table and smiled to himself. Apparently the plan had started.
The next week seemed to drag on for Remus until it was finally a week from the day he had received the letter from Alexea. Throughout every class and every meal Remus waited for some sign as to the next part of the plan. Finally at dinner, he got his sign. The meal had just been served when the doors to the Great Hall burst open. The students nearest to the door screamed, as Sirius Black, escaped criminal appeared in the doorway.
"Bloody hell, would you stop screaming, I'm not gonna hurt ya." Sirius said as he walked farther into the Great Hall. "Stop where you are Mister Black, you're not welcome in this castle." Headmaster Dumbledore said standing from his chair. Instead of stopping, Sirius continued to walk towards the Head Table. "Mister Black, if you continue to stay here, I'm afraid that I will have to have you removed. And I'm sure that the Aurors won't mind coming to help."
"Albus, you really believe I'm guilty?" Sirius asked once he finished walking up to the Head Table, standing right in front of Dumbledore. "I most certainly do… and, if I'm correct, so do the Aurors." Dumbledore replied with a smile as Sirius slowly turned around to face the ten gathered Aurors. "Take him away!" Dumbledore said, the smile on his face growing bigger. The Aurors closest to Sirius grabbed onto him, even though Sirius was standing stock still staring at the man he had placed all his trust in. They then proceeded to lead him toward the doors he had just entered through.
"Madam Bones, please make sure that he goes into the High Security ward in Azkaban, we don't want him breaking out again, do we?" Albus said to a woman that had been behind the Aurors. "Of course not Albus, we'll make sure he's taken care of." Madam Bones replied before walking after her Aurors.
The Aurors were almost out of the Great Hall when a tall Ravenclaw stood up. "Wait, you cannot arrest him without first meeting with a member of his family to ensure that he is in fact guilty of the crimes you are arresting him for." Madam Bones turned around to look at the young boy. "Considering that you are the only one with the knowledge and courage to stand and say this, I take it that you are Mister Black's son?" The young Ravenclaw nodded his head. This caused exclamations of surprise to start around the hall.
"According to a law passed by the Wizengamot, the guilty party in question has the right to ask his family for help in proving his innocence. And since my father has been doing this, but no one at the Ministry or here at Hogwarts will listen to a word he or my mother says, the Black family has the right to sue the Ministry for everything they own and produce… and since I'm sure you don't wish for that to happen, you will listen to me."
At this announcement, Madam Bones was giving the Ravenclaw her full attention. "Mister Black, you have the Wizengamot's attention, you may plead your father's case." The Ravenclaw smiled and proceeded to tell the tale that Sirius had written to Remus, even including how the Headmaster wouldn't hear reason from Professor Lupin or his mother Alexea Black. Once he was finished the entire hall and all the Aurors were looking around in shock.
"Well Mister Black, I thank you for your honesty, but I'm afraid I cannot release your father on the sole fact that we cannot prove what really happened all those years ago." Amelia said sadly, before turning around and walking back toward Sirius who was still being held by the Aurors. "Wait Madam Bones!" Someone called out after her, once again Amelia turned around to see Ron Weasley running up to her. "Weasley?" Amelia asked once Ron was standing in front of her. "What do you want?"
"Please Madam Bones, that Ravenclaw, Sirius's son, he's telling the truth. I… I have a rat that is missing a toe. And well all they found of Pettigrew was a finger…" Ron said pulling out his rat Scabbers. Once Scabbers saw Sirius he tried everything he could to get free of Ron's hands. "He's been in the family for twelve years."
"Can it be?" Amelia said upon seeing the rat. "Mister Weasley, I need you to hold onto your rat tightly. I'm going to try something and if it works, and you and Mister Black are telling the truth then Sirius Black will be free." With that said Amelia pointed her wand at Scabbers and a bright blue light came out and enveloped wormtail. It was like watching a sped up film of a growing tree, and just as suddenly as it had started, it was finished and in scabber's place was a grown man with balding hair.
The whole hall stared in shock. There, before them stood a man that was supposed to be dead. "Galloping Griffins, he's alive." Amelia whispered before yelling for the Aurors to release Sirius and arrest Peter. Once Peter was in chains, Amelia walked over to Sirius. "Mr. Black, you are cleared of all charges that have been brought against you. I would be most humbled if you would accept my apologies on the behalf of Auror Headquarters and the Ministry of Magic."
Sirius looked at Amelia before shaking his head sadly. "I'm sorry Madam Bones, but I cannot accept your apology on behalf of the Ministry, yet I understand you were just following orders." Amelia smiled at Sirius. "You are a free man Mister Black." She then turned back to the Great Hall. "Albus, you will be hearing from the Minister soon. Goodbye." And with that she was gone.
"Well I'd just like everyone to know that… it's great to finally be free." Sirius said with a big smile on his face before he walked over to his son. "Uhhh, hi son" He said awkwardly. "The name's Jasper."The Ravenclaw said with no smile on his face. Sirius's smile faltered a bit, but he nodded anyway. Meanwhile Remus had stood from his place at the Head Table and had made his way up behind Sirius.
"Hey Padfoot…" Remus whispered into his ear, which caused Sirius to jump so hard that he stumbled into Jasper. "Moony?" Sirius said as he turned around to face Remus. After looking him over, Sirius embraced him. "We still have a problem Siri…"Remus whispered into Sirius's ear before they pulled away. Sirius gave him a confused look before their problem started talking. "Mr. Black, you still are not welcome in this castle. If you do not leave immediately, then I will have someone escort you out." Sirius and Remus turned, along with rest of the Great Hall, to look at the still standing Headmaster.
"As you wish Dumbledore, but I will be back." Sirius said before turning back to Jasper. "I'll send you a letter of permission to return home for this weekend. We have a lot of catching up to do." Jasper said nothing, he just nodded his head. Sirius smiled at his son, then to Remus before he started making his way to the doors, halfway there he stopped again.
"Hi Harry… I don't know if Remus told you but," Sirius started to say to Harry but was cut short as a pair of arms wrapped around him. Sirius's smile grew as he realized Harry was giving him a hug. "Harry, I'm your Godfather." He felt Harry nod against his shoulder. Slowly Harry released his grip on Sirius, until they were standing an arm's length apart. "I promise to keep in touch Harry. We, along with Jasper, have a lot of catching up to do." Sirius said as he stared into the face that looked so much like his dead best friend. Harry nodded his head, unable to find the words to express how he felt.
Sirius took one last look at Harry, then back at Remus and Jasper before he left the castle. The rest of June went by quickly for most, except for Hermione, Harry, Skylar and the newly met Jasper Black. But finally it was the end of the year feast, to which Hermione sadly did not enjoy. It was then time for everyone to board the train and return to London.
In one part of the train Tawny Lupin smiled as she sat in a compartment filled with other girls her age. She had had a great year and everyone loved her pretty blonde hair and blue eyes, and she loved the fact that no one but her family knew that that was far from her true appearance; except for maybe one other person who was currently sitting in a different compartment awaiting his return to Black Manor.
In another part of the train the Golden Trio sat alone, surprisingly not even getting a visit from Draco and his Bodyguards. After an extremely long train ride, the Hogwarts Express pulled into Platform 9 ¾, where the students unloaded their trunks and left to go home. Hermione left Harry and Ron after saying her goodbyes and met her aunt waiting outside the gateway on King's Cross Station. Juliette greeted Hermione with a smile and then they proceeded back to her car.
Hermione smiled to herself as the car drove out of the parking lot. This would be the last time she had to return to her aunt's house for the entire summer, because this time next year she would be awaiting her 16th birthday.