Not going to talk much up here most is at the bottom so here's the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter but I do own Michael.
"So where's Albus?" Harry asked.
"He had to go talk to the minister. Something about a high security prisoner breaking out." Hermione said peering at her mother and uncle laughing on the couch. "How long do you think they'll be talking about us?"
"It's mostly you they're talking about." Harry said grinning at her. "So where did this prisoner break out of?"
"Oh honestly Harry don't you read?" She sighed and shook her head. "Azkaban prison of course. That's where all bad witches and wizards end up, a least in Great Britain any way."
"So why do they have to talk to your dad about it?"
"Who knows, apparently Fudge does that a lot." Hermione cocked her head thoughtfully. "I wonder if that newspaper they were looking at is still kitchen. What do you think Harry?"
"I'm sorry I wasn't listening. Have you ever tried to slide down this rail?"
"Harry!" she whispered fiercely. "Pay attention, you're sounding like Ron."
"Right newspaper… I'm pretty sure they it's still on the kitchen table."
"Okay they left it in the kitchen, but how will we get past them without them noticing?" Hermione pondered this silently.
"If only there was a way to distract them so they couldn't see us coming in and out of the kitchen… did you bring your dad's cloak with you Harry?"
"Course I did it's in my trunk. But even if we use that to sneak in they'd still hear the door opening and closing." Harry said turning to look at her. Hermione frowned and suddenly lit up.
"I just thought of our distraction."
"Do you remember the time when we took Mercury's doll and pulled all its hair out?" Minerva said clutching her side in laughter.
"Oh yeah he was like 'you're pulling her hair out, stop it!' It was really quite sad that he was two years older then you and three older than me."
"What was really sad was he was eleven." they both laughed loudly. "Oh I almost forgot I wanted to show you the pictures from Florida. I did this last night when I couldn't get to sleep."
"Aw look at you with mouse ears." He turned to grin at her. "Would that make you Minnie mous…."
"Finish that sentence and you may kiss your free stay good bye."
"Fine, fine who is Hermione hugging?" He said pointing to the picture.
"Belle. a character in one of the movies. They have all the characters out to take pictures with kids."
"Were most of the kids younger then Hermione and her friend?"
"Oh of course, but there was still a couple older kids there. Plus they're both so thin they look younger than they are." they heard snickers behind them.
"You know you could have taken me with you." Michael pouted. "I could've taken the kids and you and Albus could have gone to do some stuff." He said suggestively, raising his eyebrows and winking. She blushed a deep red and hit him on the arm. A louder snickering came from behind them again.
"Do you think that we should look to see what they're doing?" Minerva asked him with a smile. More snickers came from behind them.
"Yes we shall." he stood and turned around. "What are you two huh… where are they?" They had both looked behind them to find no one there. Then there was a roar of laughter and Harry slid down the stair rail backwards.
"Hi." He said beaming. He quickly slid off and sprinted back up the stairs to slide back down again.
"Harry James Potter, stop that right now." Minerva said pulling him away from the staircase once he slid off the second time.
"But it's so much fun." Harry said complaining.
"I don' t care Harry, I've already had to pull Hermione off that it's dangerous right Michael…. Michael?" She looked around in confusion.
"This is fun!" He said imitating Harry and sliding down the staircase. Harry heard the door creep open behind him. He quickly cried 'Awesome' hoping neither of the two adults noticed and thankfully they didn't.
"Michael behave…I swear you are the worst influence I know."
"Don't lie sister dearest." He said stepping off. "Besides I hardly see how this is dangerous. A simple cushioning charm is all it takes."
"And you know perfectly well that you can't keep a cushioning charm on all the time. It drains your energy. Plus they can't do magic outside of school yet so how could they place the charm on the floor."
"Well I'm sorry Professor I haven't had any kids." Harry backed away from them slowly. They hadn't expected all of this to happen. Hermione tapped him on the shoulder still invisible under the cloak.
"Um… I'm going to leave now." Harry said backing up. "I promise I won't slide down the stair rail again."
"You'd have better not Harry." Minerva said in a slightly threatening tone.
"He'd be fine you worry too much."
"Don't contradict me." She said glaring at her brother. "It is my house you don't talk back to me."
"You sound just like mom." he said back in her face.
"Take that back now." Her lips were in the thinnest of lines. Harry quickly ran back up the stairs to Hermione's room.
"What took you so long?" She asked from her bed.
"Your uncle is awesome." he said laughing. "Did you get the newspaper?"
"Yeah here it is" she folded it out onto the bed. Harry climbed onto the bed and laid down next to her. The black and white wanted poster stared up at them. The maniac's face stared up at them with a crazy expression in his face.
"Sirius Black… I wonder what he did." Harry said. Hermione eagerly pointed to the middle section of the article.
"Look it says 'Many will remember that 12 years ago Black was apprehended for the murder of 12 innocent muggles and Mr. Peter Pettigrew. Witnesses of the event say that Black laughed in the face of the murder the committed, and we warn everyone that he is armed and dangerous. Rumors indicate that Black may have stolen a wand, and the muggle prime minister has been warned and informed that Black is carrying a gun, a type of muggle wand. We are warning anyone who may see Black not to approach him but to contact Ministry officials immediately.' This sounds really serious Harry."
"Yeah so a crazy man running around, but why would they want your dad to come to the ministry?" Harry asked staring at the man's face.
"Maybe Dad taught him. I mean he's been there for ages."
"Yeah they probably want to dig up as much information about him as they can to find him." Harry pulled the paper closer to him to stare at it.
"Maybe… you would think the Prophet would have some more information though." She tutted and crossed her arms. "Well what do you want to do now?" Harry shrugged and glazed out the window.
"We could go swim in the lake?" He suggested and Hermione quickly agreed. Sneaking out of the house, because Minerva and Michael were still fighting, and broke into a run once they were outside. After a couple hours of joyful swimming in the lake, in which the squid decided to toss them repeatedly into the air, Albus apperated right to the outskirts of the lake.
"Hermione!" He yelled in an angry voice. They slowly turned to look at him in disbelieving fear. "What did I tell you about getting into this lake?" Hermione looked horribly confused.
"I don't think you told me anything about it." she said nervously. Then his frown turned into a big grin.
"You don't get in without me!" He said shouting and he plunged into the lake, robes and all. That was how Minerva found them all an hour later floating lazily.
"Albus Dumbledore those are your good robes." she said sighing, and shaking her head at her husband's foolishness. "I mean really you couldn't transfigure yourself some swimming trucks or some other clothes?"
"That is an excellent suggestion my dear." and with out even picking up his wand, he suddenly had on a pair of purple swim trunks.
"That doesn't do you much help now does it?" Minerva said angrily. "Come on kids we're having an early dinner. You missed lunch."
"Alright mum." Hermione said racing Harry back to land. She had an unfair advantage though as she was a much better swimmer than Harry who had just learned. While the duo ran back up to the house to get changed Minerva pulled her husband over to the side.
"Albus what did Cornelius want?" He sighed heavily.
"Exactly what we guessed my dear. He wants my advice on what to about Mr. Black. I tried telling him that maybe Mr. Black would turn himself in if offered a fair public trial, but Cornelius was dead set against it."
"Are you really sure it was Sirius who betrayed the Potters?" Minerva whispered. Although she had made it appear to her brother she believed in Sirius, she couldn't help those nagging thoughts in the back of her head.
"Sirius was their secret-keeper. I know that much because I was there, I know they distrusted Mr. Lupin at the time because of his… well lets use furry problem. They were afraid I think that he'd be Imperious'd."
"What of the jail cell didn't you say Cornelius wanted to take you there?" She was referring to the brief patronus that Albus had been able to send her.
"And we did and I have no possible clue as to how he was able to sneak out past the dementors and out of the cell. There is no damage to the cell nor did any of the other prisoners see him leave. He slipped out in the dead of the night."
"How could he escape without any damage to the cell? I've never even heard of accidental magic doing that?" She grabbed onto his hand and they walked slowly back up to the house.
"Your guess is as good as mine, but that's not the worse thing Fudge told me."
"what was that?" she asked softly not really wanting to know.
"He wants Dementors stationed at all the entrances of the school, until Mr. Black is captured."
"WHAT! Is he crazy does he have any idea on how bad that can be for the students? What if they come onto the grounds or into the castle?" She frowned. "I have half a mind to go give Fudge a piece of my mind."
"Trust me my dear, I've given him a piece of my mind but his mind can not be changed. He did say that if for some reason the Dementors tried something they would be removed."
"But why are they insisting on placing Dementors at all the entrances surely if Mr. Black's on the run."
"Appenrtly they have been saying he's been mumbling in his sleep "He's at Hogwarts, He's at Hogwarts". So the Ministry fears that…"
"He's after Harry." Minerva finished for him looking worried. "I still don't believe that Sirius would…"
"I don't either my dear but we have to be prepared. Sirius may just want to see Harry. But as it is I think both of us should be prepared to pretend to fear Mr. Black."
"but why Albus?"
"Because my dear do you think it would go over well if the headmaster and deputy headmistress of Hogwarts were seen as not fearing Black as a threat." He sighed and rubbed his glasses.
"I see your point, but I don't like it." Minerva said softly. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Neither do I my love, neither do I."
Merry Christmas everybody. Can you believe it's been nearly one year since I started this story. I simply can't believe it. Now that college is over I will try to get another chapter up before school starts again, high school and college. I have so many ideas and so little time it seems. Now a serious question as my readers would you prefer long chapters more spaced out, or shorter chapters quicker together? Please review and let me know.
Happy Holidays!