PB13
Disclaimer – I'm just writing for fun – it's all JKR's, except for Rusty …
Chapter 13
Sirius sat, a bit dejectedly, playing a game of cards with Dudley, Draco and Harry. The boys would be going back to their respective schools in the morning and he would miss them. He glanced at Draco, feeling a bit apologetic about a few of the things he'd yelled about the boy's parents. They'd accepted his apology, when he'd realized his mistake … but still he flushed to remember the virulent insults he'd shouted.
It stung that there were still so many house-elves scattered around the room, 'cleaning', ready to act if he became violent. Still, after his numerous attempts to kill Lucius and Severus the first two days he'd been here, he supposed they had cause.
It had taken days to convince him they were sincere in their wish to help him, and he'd remained skeptical of their assertions that Harry was not there under duress … or was being tricked. Finally Severus had asked him if there was a way to cheat a Pensieve. Sirius knew quite well that there was not – and any changed or faked memory was immediately obvious to anyone who knew what to look for – and as an Auror, he'd certainly known.
They'd pulled out a pensieve and Severus had dropped a memory into it. To his relief Narcissa had been the one to accompany him to watch a horrifying memory of Albus and Minerva discussing just leaving him in Azkaban. It was painfully obvious that Albus had known he was innocent from the first. The memory went to one of them talking about changing the students sorting – another blow to Sirius, and making him briefly wonder about his own. Several more 'strategy sessions' were watched … and then the worst, where Albus had blithely announced to Severus that 'the boy must die'.
At that moment – even if they had still been aligned with Voldemort, Sirius would have joined them, and he'd said so … rather loudly and using language that Narcissa would have hexed him for if the boys had been present.
Sirius had met Vernon – the cheerful muggle had had lunch with him several days in a row – and had told him about Harry's years with them – how much of a joy he'd been to Petunia, and how the three of them had struggled to make her time happy before she'd been taken from them. Sirius had burned with anger to hear that Harry's money had not been available to help them. Lucius' rescue was only mildly surprising, at this point, although Sirius wondered how Lucius had kept himself from simply seizing the boy.
Sirius had asked to see the memory of the show they'd put on for the Wizengamot after Hagrid's breaking and entering debacle and had for the first time felt appreciative of Severus' cunning and Lucius' ability to play to an audience. Harry's rant had saddened him – Petunia and her boys should have enjoyed her final months with no worries.
Now he was simply trying to regain his health and catch up on what had been happening in the world. He was slowly easing into trusting the residents of the Malfoy Manor and Harry's Dower House. To his relief Severus did little other than drop the memories into the pensieve for him to watch.
Having to accept that Snape, of all people, was one of Harry's best lines of defense against Albus had been hard to swallow, but after accepting that Albus was as power-hungry as Voldemort it had not been as difficult as it could have been. Still, he was glad they hadn't needed to have a 'heart to heart', as yet.
The boys looked out the large window – spelled to not allow anyone to see in. There were several Aurors, decked out in their very best bright red uniforms.
"Bet they finally noticed you were gone, Siri." Draco snickered.
Dudley shook his head a bit mournfully, "He's been gone for eight days … I really expected to see them earlier than this."
"I'm going down to listen … I'll report back …" Harry scampered to the door.
The other two looked a little outraged and Sirius chuckled and waved them to the door. "Come straight back and let me know what was said." Draco and Dudley grinned and hared off after Harry.
Sirius sat in the window seat and viewed the group of red-robes. He wasn't sure he recognized any of them, except for Mad-eye Moody, who stood out in any crowd.
Madame Bones led her group into the Malfoy Manor. She'd donned the full regalia of her office in hopes of impressing on Lucius and Narcissa that the dignity of the Ministry was at stake and that this … situation … needed to be handled with delicacy. Fudge was having kittens over the escape of Sirius Black, and they'd been digging non-stop to find any explanation. They'd noticed that Narcissa – maiden name Black – had been there over a week ago. Her reason for being there was not a bad one. This was likely a waste of time, but at the moment they had no other leads at all.
Lucius led them to the well – lit sitting room where Narcissa and Vernon were having tea. They had known this would be coming and Vernon had felt his presence would remind the Aurors that the Malfoys were not as they had been – that they were now apparently embracing 'all things muggle'.
Lucius stood behind Narcissa's chair and tried to look reasonably relaxed. It was imperative that this interview go well. Their image was on the upswing, that was true, but it was fragile and an accusation from the Ministry would have everyone believing the worst of them again.
Madame Bones took the offered seat with her three Aurors standing at attention by the doorway. She would not usually sit down, but the Minister had made it clear they were to have 'a friendly chat' with Mr Dursley and the Malfoys and only if there was clear involvement in the escape was she to become more hostile in her demeanor.
"To what do we own this pleasure, Madame Bones?" Narcissa allowed a hint of anxious confusion to enter her voice. No reaction to the sudden arrival of Aurors would seem suspicious … would tell them they had expected to be visited. Lucius' impassivity they would expect – he was well known to pride himself on never being taken off-guard – or at least never letting people know it.
"I'm afraid I come bearing ill news, Mrs Malfoy." Madame Bones began, and turned to Vernon – deciding that an oblique attack might bring out more information than a frontal assault … assuming there was anything to find out.
Harry, joined by Dudley and Draco crouched by a partly open door that lead to a side – room that housed dozens of different tea sets and cabinets full of things that might be needed to impress people that were over for a high tea. They had an excellent view of all the inhabitants of the room.
"… Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban …" Amelia and the other Aurors watched their reactions closely. They had discussed the reactions they should show – too much would be worse than none at all. Vernon had practiced a look of confused anxiety. Narcissa allowed her eyes to widen and she gasped in surprise and alarm. Lucius straightened, looking a bit grave.
"Sirius Black …?" Vernon repeated. "Petunia mentioned that name a few times … but I don't recall …" Vernon stopped and appeared to think. "… wasn't he one of James' friends?"
Madame Bones sat back. They seemed to be sincere, but she knew that the Slytherins were masters of deception … Mr Dursley, though – a muggle – he would surely not be nearly as adept at trickery? "Yes, he was a close friend … and your nephew Harry Potter's godfather. However he was the one who betrayed the Potters to 'He Who Must Not Be Named' … betrayed them to their deaths."
Vernon had no difficulty looking a bit sick at the news. If Sirius had not been innocent, this would have been very grave news, indeed.
"How did my …?" Narcissa began and then bit her lip and looked down as if a bit embarrassed. "How did my illustrious cousin manage this?" Rather than have Moody throw her relationship to Black in her face later in the 'interview', she mentioned it herself, and rendered the information less damaging.
Madame Bones spoke carefully and looked at Narcissa with a neutral expression. "We have been searching quite diligently for a way he might have managed it. We did notice you were seeing your sister the week before he managed his escape."
Narcissa sat back and donned a surprised expression, Lucius let his hand fall onto her shoulder and fixed the Aurors with a less friendly look. "I see …" Narcissa said, as if the implications of their visit had only just dawned on her. "I did need to get her extracted from the warding … there are ways having her able to breach the wards could be used even with her imprisoned … but I don't need to explain that to you …" Narcissa rambled, looking flustered by their implied accusation. "I went nowhere near Sirius Black's cell …"
"The wards that were called up did show you never entered the hallway he was in … you understand that we needed to follow every lead …?" Madame Bones continued to watch Narcissa, who merely allowed a relieved look to creep over her face.
Lucius decided that before Moody could start on the questions he had, that the second part of the play should start. They'd expected to have Harry 'happen to be at the entrance' when Auror left, but Lucius saw them gawking through the small door – might as well let Harry say the lines they'd scripted now instead of later.
Lucius decided to show off one of the handful of wandless spells he was capable of and waved the door open wide. This caused the three to fall to the floor in a pile.
"Well, what do you three have to say for yourselves – eavesdropping like that?" Vernon was closest to them and strode the two steps to stand over them with a disapproving look. Lucius gave them a subtle nod that told them they were to proceed.
Dudley and Draco bounced to their feet and gave Harry a hand up – as he'd been on the bottom of the dog pile.
"Sorry dad … but, well – they're Aurors!" Dudley answered Vernon breathlessly while he and Draco gazed at the stunning red uniforms greedily.
Harry gave them a delighted smile as well, causing Dawlish and Shacklebolt to preen a little. "I'm sorry we were listening in – I'm afraid our curiosity got the best of us." Harry said earnestly to Bones. "Aunt 'Tuney always lectured us about that …"
Amelia softened at Harry's apology. "Well, curiosity is a failing of felines – even ones that are lions." She smiled at the three. "No harm done – and I think we are about done, anyway …"
"I can't believe Black escaped … no one's ever done that." Draco began their little part of the charade.
Before Bones could answer, Dudley broke in, "Well, maybe the dogcatchers in the muggle world will capture him for you." The other two boys laughed in agreement.
"I beg your pardon?" Amelia broke into the hilarity, there was a clue here – her gut told her as much.
"Well, he's the one that can turn into a dog … isn't he?" Harry turned to Dudley as if for conformation.
"He's an animagus you say?" Moody barked, moving forward a bit aggressively. "How is it you know this?"
Dudley yelped and dove behind Narcissa's chair between Lucius and Vernon. Draco and Harry took refuge on either side of Narcissa, who gathered them to her side and frowned at Moody. Amelia pushed Moody back behind her with an order to stop frightening children.
"Now then, if this is true – it's very important information. I just need to know where you heard this …" Amelia smiled at the wary Harry Potter and eyed Lucius, wondering if he'd been reminiscing about Death Eater activity and had mentioned his fellow Dark Lord follower's ability.
"Aunt 'Tuney used to tell us stories before bed when we were little. I liked stories about my parents. She didn't really know my dad – James – but my mum had written letters to her all the time and so she'd tell me stories about him using what information that she did have – she always made sure I knew that the stories she told were made up." Harry smiled in remembrance. "She told me about James being able to become a stag and made up adventures and mischief he got up to with his friends … one of them turned into a wolf, one a dog and one a rat …"
Kingsley smiled mistily at Harry, charmed by the tale, Dawlish was grinning – he'd get free drinks for weeks tell other bar-flies about this. Moody and Amelia were both deep in thought and Moody finally nodded, "Must be how he did it – Azkaban's wards don't stop animagi – they're rare enough that they aren't included. The doors and such should have stopped him, though."
Kingsley cocked an eyebrow, "They're pretty careless about doors at times – sometimes they'll leave one unlocked or partly open to have a good laugh when the prisoners try to step outside the cell and get zapped real good by the lightning hex the doorways are warded with."
Amelia nodded in agreement, and then looked at Harry. "Are you sure that it is Sirius Black that was the dog?"
Harry nodded emphatically, "Yes, the wolf was named Remy or Reggie or something and the rat was Peter. I remember the dog was black, so I thought it was a little funny that his last name was Black as well."
Amelia stood and smiled with satisfaction, "You have all been a great help … we certainly appreciate the cooperation." Lucius bowed slightly and saw them to the door, relieved that everything had gone as planned. All he'd had to do was to let Harry impart the information in an 'innocent' fashion and the Aurors were off, chasing a different trail.
Lucius got back to the sitting room in time to hear Draco ask his mother, "Do you think that shade of red would look well on me?"
Dammit – his eye was twitching again.
Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z
Severus watched the students file into the Great Hall for dinner after the first day back at Hogwarts with a mix of satisfaction and dread. He'd not been able to put Quirrell / Voldemort off any longer, so he'd finally told him the key to the mirror, knowing it would be of little use to him.
"The stone can only be removed by someone who does not wish to use it …" Severus had said to the Dark Lord apologetically. Of course Dumbledore had a fail-safe to get it out for himself – after all, Albus couldn't claim to not want it as much as the Dark Lord. Severus had seen the gleam in Albus' eye when he spoke of the Stone.
It would take a while for the Dark Lord to think of using another person to get at the stone – he would never think there might actually be someone out there that didn't want the stone.
Sirius was now turned loose to start creating havoc. It would hopefully cause Albus to be too distracted to keep an eye on Severus and Harry. Sirius would soon start popping up at Wizard places – loudly proclaiming his innocence and wailing that he'd not even had a trial. He'd be discounted as a lying manipulator … at first. Soon people would look into things. After all, the ministry was already sniffing around because of Minerva.
Severus glanced at the pale and unhappy looking Minerva sitting by the oblivious Albus. Her idol had not only feet of clay … but was entirely made up of it.
Severus excused himself, saying he had a large number of essays to wade through. He was soon down at Hogsmeade meeting with an eager Rita Skeeter. She'd taken a room above the Hogshead for the meeting and Severus kept a notice-me-not charm up as he made his way to her door. She was stirring some tea and had her quill and paper ready.
"Severus, how very good to see you …" Rita purred, sensing he had something delicious for her.
Severus sat next to her on the divan and smirked happily. Rita usually was out for the next scoop and used whoever to get it. The evening he would have the pleasure of using her and her quick-quotes quill to get what he wanted.
"So, you said there was something that you could give me that would make me very happy …?" Rita let her eyes droop a little and leaned toward him a bit. Severus Snape really was quite alluring in a rather dark way. Rita found him quite fascinating.
Severus managed a look that was almost coy, "Well, you must be aware that the Auror Corp is out in force, the Minister is apoplectic and there seems to be something happening in Azkaban?"
"Yes, indeed …" Rita was almost salivating. "Do you know what it is all about?"
Severus grinned a little more. "Yes … there was an escape from our much lauded Azkaban prison." Rita leaned forward a little farther, breathing a little faster. "The escapee was …" Severus dangled the sentence a bit, watching her hands creep forward towards him. " … was Sirius Black." Rita's breath caught in a strangled gasp and her eyes were glassy with arousal at the thought of the headlines she was about to get. "It turns out that he might not have had an actual trial …"
Severus was cut off as Rita leaped on him with a growl of glee, tearing at his jacket – not bothering with the buttons. Severus awakened in the Inn's bed hours later reflecting that there was certainly more than one way to seduce a witch.
Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z~Z
A/N – Wanted to get this out before Thanksgiving hit – It's my holiday to work and I only get one day off this week – Happy Thanksgiving to all!