Chapter 9: The Trap
After his last attempt to approach Harry Potter failed, Sirius Black returned to what he considered the second worst (the worst being Azkaban) place to live: his childhood home. Not that it felt much like a home or he had much of a childhood in the first place. "Intruder!" An elf shouted. "How dare you enter my Mistress' home?"
Sirius Black could recognize that voice anywhere. "Shut up, Kreacher!" He ordered. "I, Sirius Orion Black the Third, am your current master no matter how much the idea disgusts the both of us." He waited until the elf calmed down. "Kreacher, where are the other Black elves?"
"Kreacher is the only one left, Master." Kreacher answered, expressing disgust while saying 'master'. "All others have already been granted the honor of having their heads mounted on the wall."
'Just my luck.' Sirius thought. 'Of all the elves that could have lived to see me, it's obvious it had to be the one I detest the most'.
"And you think that excuses you for letting this home become a mess?" Sirius asked. It wasn't that much time since his last surviving Grandparent died.
"Kreacher had no master to give Kreacher orders ever since Mistress Walburga died." Kreacher explained.
"What about my grandparents?" Sirius asked.
"They moved into the countryside ever since Master Regulus' death and your stupid refusal to uphold the standards of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black destroyed their hopes of keeping the line intact, blood traitor master." Regulus answered.
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, another Marauder was in trouble. "Mr. Lupin, I find it hard to believe you had no prior knowledge of Sirius Black's status as a Dog Animagus." Professor McGonagall scolded her former student.
"Professor McGonagall, I don't know what you're talking about." Remus lied.
"Mr. Lupin, how many times have Potter, Black and Pettigrew ever tried that with me?" McGonagall sternly asked.
"Enough times to make me lose count, Professor." Lupin humbly answered.
"How many times has it worked?"
"Zero." His answer could barely be heard.
"In that case, Mr. Lupin, you'd better tell the truth before I become the first Professor in Hogwarts' history to dock points from an already graduated student." She threatened him.
Remus Lupin then confessed everything, much to the teaching staff's astonishment. "Remus, I can believe James and Black would be talented enough to become Animagi during their fifth year but I can't imagine Pettigrew being able to do the same." Headmaster Dumbledore commented and the other Professors agreed.
"They helped Peter." Remus explained.
"Mr. Lupin, had I found it out back then, I don't know if I'd dock points for trying something like that without adult supervision or grant points for triumphing." Professor McGonagall commented.
"It's no point dwelling in the past." Headmaster Dumbledore said. "What we can do is to use our knowledge of Sirius Black's Animagus power to stop him."
"I can set some Animagus wards to force Black to reveal himself should he ever appear at King's Cross or Platform 9 ¾, Albus." Professor Filius Flitwick suggested.
"Actually, you'd better set something that alerts us to his presence without letting him know." Dumbledore replied.
Time skip – September 1st
When Severus, Harry and the Longbottoms arrived at King's Cross Station, there were several Aurors in disguise just in case Sirius Black dared to show up. They saw no sign of Sirius Black but Frank Longbottom saw another disgusting sight. "Malfoy."
"Auror Longbottom." Lucius replied with fake cordiality and then noticed the two kids with him. "And these must be Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter."
Frank and Alice soon placed themselves between Lucius and the kids. "There's no need to worry about Lucius Malfoy." Severus stoically reassured them. "He'd never harm Harry Potter without Dark Wizards like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named coercing him into doing so."
"Severus, you cannot honestly believe Lucius Malfoy only did Voldemort's bidding while under the Imperius Curse." Alice Longbottom replied.
"It's no time to wonder about Mr. Malfoy's sincerity, Alice." Severus argued. "The kids must get into the Hogwarts express."
"I agree with my friend Severus." Lucius stated. "Perhaps our sons can become friends."
"Only time will tell." Augusta Longbottom diplomatically replied. Wanting to escape that arguing, Harry and Neville quickly boarded the train. Draco, on the other hand, waited for his best "friends" Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Aboard the train, Harry and Neville entered a compartment and their friend Dean Thomas turned out to be there. "Hi, Dean." Harry said.
"Hi, Harry." Dean replied.
"How do you feel about finally being at the Hogwarts Express, Dean?" Neville asked out of curiosity about how Muggleborns felt.
"I'm nervous." Dean admitted. "I had no clue that magic is real before Professor McGonagall went to my home and explained it. I bet I'll have trouble catching up."
"Don't be so certain of it, Dean." Harry reassured his friend. "My mother was a Muggleborn as well and most people consider her the smartest witch of her generation." Technically, Harry couldn't give first-hand testimony on that matter because, among the people who knew her, only Severus, Frank and Alice told him directly and it's only on their words that he believed others shared that opinion about her.
"Just don't go to Slytherin." Neville added.
"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Dean asked, shocking his two magically-raised friends. "Professor McGonagall gave me a basic description of the other Hogwarts Houses but felt uneasy about Slytherin."
"Slytherin is promoted as the House for the ambitious and cunning." Harry explained. "These qualities aren't bad by themselves but most Pureblood bigots end up there."
"I thought I'd be free from this in the Wizarding World." Dean sadly commented.
"Perhaps from whatever bigotry you might face in the Muggle World but discrimination exists everywhere." Neville replied. "Only the excuses to discriminate change. But don't think all Slytherins are like that. Harry's Godfather Severus Snape is a Slytherin and an okay bloke."
Meanwhile, back at Platform 9 ¾, the Weasleys' arrival somehow triggered the Animagus detecting wards. "Mum, what's happening?" Ron asked in desperation.
Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt was the one to respond. "We have reason to believe Sirius Black has just entered the platform." The Aurors then started searching for anywhere a dog could fit in. The Weasleys and everybody who arrived afterwards had their trunks searched for the fugitive. Knowing Sirius's animal form was too big to fit in a pocket, the Aurors wouldn't search anyone's pockets, much to the relief of Ron's pet rat Scabbers.
End chapter.