Thank you to my reviewer for the last chapter, The Fourth Bride. I'm glad that you're enjoying it!
Regulus reenters the room with a bucket of popcorn, "Did I miss anything?"
"Nope, Remus is just going to talk with the head of the Transportation department and the DMLE," Lily says.
"Mr. Lupin, I don't think that you understand. Black is in the highest security cell, and he can't have visitors popping in and out. Plus I highly doubt that he's even sane. He has dementors hanging around his cell twenty four seven," Madam Bones, head of the DMLE, says.
"I understand, but I also know that I have the right t visit him. We spent seven years living in the same dorm and ten years as friends, there are some things that I wish to discuss with him, even if he won't respond." Remus's voice is calm and commanding.
The head of transportation speaks up, "Besides, we don't know what would happen to a werewolf if they were to be transported through the wards of Azkaban."
"I believe that's my worry and not yours."
Bones gives a hint of a smile at that comeback while the head of transport is fumbling for a good response.
"Anyway," Remus cuts him off, and turns to Madam Bones, "Someone I know told me that I could see Black under article twenty two B, subsection thirteen."
Madam Bones nods, "You're friend is correct. Alright, when do you wish to see Black?"
"As soon as possible."
"Very well, there's an Auror visiting Azkaban later today to make rounds and be sure that the Aurors on station are not being affected too badly. You can go with him." Bones stands and leaves the room. The transportation head gives Remus a glare before leaving the room.
Remus gives a marauder-ish smirk then mutters, "Thanks guys."
An hour later and Remus is waiting in a lobby for the auror who is supposed to be visiting Azkaban.
"Are you Remus Lupin?" A deep voice asks.
Remus turns and sees a tall, bald, dark skinned auror, "Yes, and you are?"
"Kingsley Shacklebolt," the man replies.
Remus nods, "A pleasure to meet you. How are we getting there?"
"Do you know where Davencreek Port is? Yes, good. Apparate to the third pier there." With that Shacklebolt leaves with a crack.
Remus follows and finds that the boat they're using to get across the water to the island that is barely visible to Remus. As they board Shacklebolt talks about different things that Aurors have to do and how people are selected to work at Azkaban.
"Usually people selected for Azkaban are some of the worst as far as behavior and attitude goes. Those Aurors who have cruel streaks in them, or are conscious of a lot of Dark Magic. Those are the people who we do not wish to have out on the streets where they could potentially hurt others," Shacklebolt explains.
Remus gives a small nod, "Ok, that makes sense."
"I think I remember Sirius talking about that one day," I say, "Moody had barely convinced the head of the DMLE that he didn't need to be placed on the Azkaban run again."
"What do you mean again?" Lily asks.
"When we became Aurors they picked a couple of them to do the Azkaban run. They would either bring prisoners back and forth to the island or would be living there as guards. Sirius managed to be the guard to last the longest there, three months. The DMLE wanted him to be a guard again, but Moody managed to convince them that it would be a bad idea because it would affect him too much mentally," I say.
Remus looks down and his eyes widen slightly, glancing at Azkaban, which is starting to come into view for him, he seems to be curious.
"Is something wrong Lupin?" Shacklebolt asks.
Remus shakes his head, "No, nothing. Excuse me; I'm feeling slightly sea sick."
"That's not right. Remus doesn't get sea sick."
Remus moves to the bow of the boat and looks over the starboard side.
"James? Regulus? Can either of you hear me?" he whispers, "Well, this is weird. Moony can sense Padfoot. I can feel the wolf pacing and howling and whining. I don't know what to think, but I'm sure that there's something there that's still Sirius."
Ten minutes later and the boat lands on the dock. Remus follows Shacklebolt into a room that is on the ground level. There is a window that shows the outside of the prison, a fireplace with a couple of chairs around it, a wooden table with chairs and a vase of flowers. Remus walks to them and smiles.
"Oh as if that bouquet is not perfect," he says, "Purple hyacinths, a couple of Irises, a few pear blossoms, bittersweet and baby's breath."
"What does that matter?" Regulus asks.
"You've never looked at what different flowers mean, have you?" Lily asks.
"No. Why?"
"Because then you would understand."
Sirius looks up as he hears the door to the ward opening. There isn't a prison inspection today, so what's going on? When footsteps stop outside his cell Sirius tilts his head and turns to the door. An Auror is standing outside with a set of shackles.
"Black you have a visitor."
Sirius blinks, a visitor? Who would want to talk with him? Unless it's…no, don't hope. Just move. Standing slowly he lets the shackles attach to his wrists and ankles. Out the door and down the stairs, so many stairs. It's odd being in a space that's larger than his cell, odd that he's walking more than a few paces without having to turn around, odd not having dementors around because he feels almost…happy.
They arrive at a door and the auror unlocks it and pushes Sirius in, summons the shackles and then shuts the door, locking it once it is closed. Sighing, Sirius looks for the visitor. When he sees the man a slight smile crosses his face before leaving. Patched robes, grayed hair and amber eyes. Remus hasn't changed a bit.
"Hello Sirius," Remus says, voice low, but carrying across the room easily, "Shall we sit? There's a fire in the fireplace, and you look like you're freezing."
Sirius manages to croak, "You aren't mad?"
Remus shakes his head, "No, because I remember about the madness within."
"What made you change your mind?"
"It's a really long story, and I suggest that you get comfortable before we start." Remus moves to sit in one of the recliners and waits for Sirius.
Sirius closes his eyes and is still for a moment, then his head tilts to the right ever so slightly almost as if he's listening to someone or something.
"What is he doing?" Lily asks.
"Listening," Regulus and I say at the same time. I look at him in confusion, "How do you know?"
Regulus gives a light grin, "You forget that I'm his brother. Sirius did this all the time when he was younger and we were playing hide and seek."
"Yeah, he's usually listening to Padfoot when he does that," I say.
Remus waits patiently as Sirius seems to war against himself. He knows that it might take a while for Sirius to trust him again, after all what kind of person leaves their friend to rot in prison?
Sirius opens his eyes and nods, then sits down in the recliner opposite of Remus, "What's your long story? I'm listening."
"You never were one for patience were you?" Remus grins, "Well, it started about eight years ago or so, it was the December right after James and Lily had died. I was sitting in the cottage and all of a sudden I hear a voice that sounds like Prongs. I convince myself that I'm hearing things because I'm reminiscing too much, but then one of the pictures from when we were in our fourth year is ripped. In one half is the three of us, you James and me, in the other is Peter. Then, about a year ago, I start to get poltergeist activity. Prongs was visiting again. He and a friend of his made me think about what happened, and then managed to talk some sense into me. Made me remember the real Padfoot and not the one the media had created. I trust Padfoot now, like I should have since the beginning."
"You really do?"
"Yes."
"Now what do we do? Wait, who was the friend who was with Prongs? Was it his flower?"
"Is that the best they can do? Call me your flower? It's so obvious!" Lily huffs.
"Sorry Lils, but you don't have an animagus form, and we don't know what else to call you." I give her should a light squeeze.
Lily frowns, a calculating look in her eye.
"Actually, no. It was the Little King who also came."
Sirius's eyes widen, "It was…then he's…."
Sirius stands and walks to one of the windows. It's obvious that being away from the dementors for even the short time he has is doing him some good. He looks a little less crazy than he did before, but there's still something in his eyes that isn't quite right.
"I was also told to tell you that mini-Prongs needs Padfoot's help. He's still at Petunia's."
Sirius looks up at Remus, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I was just told that he needs your help. I'm not allowed to see him, and don't even know where he's at. I've asked Dumbles countless times to go see him, but he never lets me. Sirius, I want to help. So if you happen to think of anything that could be helpful, then let me know." Remus leans back in his chair and waits, knowing that Sirius will think of what to do in his own time.
Sirius paces for a moment, his eyes a light with determination, "Question, do you still live at the cabin?"
"Yeah."
"Ok," Sirius sits in his recliner, "So what have you been doing these last few years?"
"You know, it's always freaked me out how quickly he can change subjects like that," Lily mentions.
"Oh, nothing much, just been working the few odd jobs here and there. I think the longest one that I held was at a muggle bank. I was one of the accountants there. Was a fairly good job, but learning about the computer was a pain in the arse, too many problems and glitches with it at times. Of course the one they had us using were far too outdated," Remus remembers.
"Computers?" Sirius asks.
"It's a muggle invention. An electronic device that can take information and store it. It's kind of like a file cabinet, but smaller and doesn't use paper. Instead it saves things on a hard drive that uses memory, much like a pensive," Remus explains.
Sirius nods, "That makes sense."
"I've been living between my father's place and the cottage. I've been thinking that I'll stay at the cottage for another week or so then move back into the city. After all, Dad's place is so much smaller than the cottage. I never realized that the place is really supposed to hold three people than one," Remus muses, "Though it's a good thing that it's so far away from most others in civilization, I don't have to keep the back door locked."
Sirius gives a grin, "Pity, just any camper could walk right in. I take it you still have those wards up though?"
"Naturally."
There's a knock on the door of the room and a moment later an Auror enters. By this time, though, Sirius and Remus had moved to opposite ends of the room, Remus had his wand out, and the two men were glaring at each other.
"Mr. Lupin, are you finished?" the auror asks.
"Yes, please take him out." Remus's voice has turned cold and he lowers his wand, still glaring at Sirius, who keeps silent.
The auror re-shackles Sirius and escorts him out of the room, shutting the door. Remus gives a slight smirk and flicks his wand to the ceiling. Straightening his robes, he heads out to the boat and follows Shacklebolt back to the mainland.
Back in his cell Sirius finds a surprise. There's a pile of blankets on top of his cot along with a note, yet the Auror doesn't say anything about them. Once the Auror leaves he picks up the parchment and reads it.
Sirius,
Here's a little something to help you out until you decide that you're ready to leave. Just come on over to the cottage and you'll have a bed, food, and clothing waiting for you. I know that this can't begin to make up for the years that I left you in here to rot, but I'm hoping that you'll forgive me and allow me to help you with Harry, as I know that he will be the main factor in your leaving Azkaban. If anyone can break out of that place, it's you. Good luck, and I hope to see you soon.
Remus
Sirius smiles at the blankets and looks out the window. If he's going to break out of Azkaban then he has to use all of his wits. He has to focus on this so that he doesn't become overtaken by the dementors.
"What is it that I used to tell Regulus?" Sirius mutters as he sits on his cot running his hand on the blankets, "In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity."
Regulus smiles, "That and that 'Honor among thieves is the ancestor of all honor'."
"Come on Sirius, think. Stop moping around and listening to those stupid memories. Harry needs you," Sirius says, "Think. Think. What can you do?"
Sirius stands and starts to pace. He mutters under his breath and keeps looking at the bars on his window and on his door. As the sun starts to set and the shadows in his cell elongate, Sirius turns to Padfoot and keeps pacing. Back and forth, back and forth. The night grows darker and colder. The dementors reckless. Yet none of this seems to have an effect on the pacing dog.
"What's he doing?" Lily asks.
"Planning," I say, "he used to do this all the time when there was a kink in a prank that we were working on and no one could figure out what to do. It usually has a pretty good outcome when he paces."
Padfoot stops in front of his cot and jumps onto it. Nuzzling the blankets into place Padfoot curls up and stares out the window, slowly drifting to sleep. A flash of lightning streaks the sky and outside a storm starts to rage. Breakfast is fed through the bars and Padfoot wakes. Sirius turns back and grabs the tray, eats the food and shoves the tray back between the bars. He then takes the blankets and wraps them around himself. Transforming into Padfoot again, he stares at the door for a few moments before squeezing between them slowly. Once he's out he travels down to the ground floor and walks right out the front door.
"He did it. He did it! He broke out of Azkaban!" Regulus cheers. He jumps up from the couch and starts to do a little dance.
James smirks, "Way to go Padfoot. You accomplished the biggest prank of all."
"I hope he makes it to Remus's alright. I hope Remus doesn't get in trouble," Lily worries.
"Lily, they're Marauders! They'll be fine!" Regulus chuckles, "I can't count how many times they broke into the Slytherin common rooms and pranked us. It was hilarious."
Lily glowers, "They shouldn't have done that."
"Oh come on Lily, I would've thought that living with James for a few years would've stopped you from being so law abiding," Regulus jokes.
"I can't help it. Being Prefect and Head Girl affected me more than Potter I guess," Lily says. Smirking as I sputter at her calling me Potter, something she only does when she's upset with me.
I finally just smile, "Come on Lils, I know you want to have a little fun."
Lily smirks, "What are you thinking James?"
"House wide Prank war," I say.
Regulus groans, "Don't do it."
"Fine, I accept."
We both face Regulus, who is looking at the ground. He finally looks up at us with a very Slytherin-ish grin.
"You asked for it."
AN/ Ok, I have a little thing for you all. If you leave a review with 1) the meaning of the bouquet in Azkaban and 2) the names of the people who said the quotes that Sirius and Regulus (the quotes are italicized) then I will write you a Harry Potter oneshot with the main character of your choice. Can you tell that I'm in need of some ideas? Good luck to you all and thank you for reading!