A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any character thereof.

Chapter 56

Albus was trying to get Fudge to go away and had almost succeeded when an elf popped into the room.

"Headmaster sir, Professor Snape has Sirius Black, Harry Potter, and his friends in the hospital wing and I is being sent to get you."

Fudge sputtered. "What?"

Albus groaned. They floo'd directly into the hospital wing.

When he saw Severus standing over Black, he raised an eyebrow at him. Looking around, he saw Hermione and Harry lying on a bed while Madam Pomphrey was doing something to Ron's leg.

"I'll take Black off to question him," said Albus and he was gone before anyone could protest.

Severus' eyes narrowed as Albus swept off. Then, before he could brace himself for the onslaught of questions, Fudge descended upon him.

McNair (the executioner) eyed him suspiciously but didn't say anything. Severus ignored him (or at least pretended to).

"McNair, go fetch a dementor for me and meet me up at the tower where Albus took Black."

McNair nodded and bolted for the door.

Fudge and Severus walked to the hospital doors to give Madam Pomphrey space to work as he explained what all happened.

"Ennervate" said Albus as he pointed his wand at Black.

When Sirius sat up and realized who was pointing his wand at him, he flinched but said, "Please Albus. I'm innocent. Let me explain."

Albus glanced at his watch. It was 11:35 pm. "You have 10 minutes to explain Sirius. I imagine Fudge has already summoned a dementor."

"When we were in school, James, Peter, and I became anamagi to keep Remus company during his transformations. That's how I was able to survive Azkaban."

Albus eyes widened.

"I ended up convincing James to change the secret keeper to the charm before we done the spell. We decided on Peter because we all assumed that no one would suspect him and that they would all come for me first. The plan was that I would lead them off while Peter stayed hid."

Sirius took a deep breath then continued speaking.

"I checked on him on Halloween to make sure that he was alright. I was going into hiding the next night. When I saw that he was gone with no signs of a struggle, I went to Godrics Hollow to look around. I knew James and Lily were dead because I could see the house. I saw Hagrid arrive and search the place. I couldn't bring myself to go inside so when he brought out Harry, I was shocked. I begged Hagrid to give him to me but he wouldn't."

"I told Hagrid to bring Harry to the castle while I scanned the area," said Albus. "You must have arrived while I had been doing that."

Sirius nodded. "That's what he said. I lost my mind then Albus. James and Lily were dead and I couldn't have Harry so I went hunting for Peter and I found him the next day but he was ready for me. After he yelled that I had killed Lily and James for everyone to hear, he blew up the street and cut off his finger. He then turned himself into a rat and fled down the sewers. It was a great plan and I surprised that he had came up with something like that on his own."

Sirius shifted a little.

"This past summer, during Fudge's inspection, he handed me his copy of the Daily Prophet and there on the front page was Peter. He was on the shoulder of a boy Harry's age that attended Hogwarts. He was in the perfect position to attack if any word ever reached his ears that Voldemort was gathering his followers again. And I was the only one that knew it."

"So all these attempts in the castle?" prompted Albus.

"They were my attempts to get at Peter to commit the murder that I was accused of committing."

"Sirius, I'm not sure how to get you out of this. You've not acted the part of an innocent man. I need to go speak to Fudge."

"Are Harry and his friends all right?"

"They should be fine."

Albus walked up on Severus and Fudge talking but rounded the corner just as he heard, "and you didn't see what sent them back to their stations?"

"No Minister. Only a really powerful wizard could have sent that many away at once. I had thought it was the Headmaster."

"It wasn't me Severus."

Just then there was a commotion in the hospital wing.

Harry and Hermione almost ran them over as they entered the room to see what the fuss was all about.

"Headmaster, you have to listen - " began Hermione.

"Sirius is innocent. We saw Pettigrew tonight," interjected Harry.

"Just as I said, Black confounded them."

"We're not confounded!" yelled Harry. A vase exploded at the other end of the hospital wing.

"I have just been to see Sirius and he told me his side of the story -"

Severus cut the Headmaster off. "And does my evidence count for nothing? I did not see Pettigrew."

"Severus."

Something in the Headmasters eyes made Snape flinch. "You believe him. Even though he showed that he was capable of murder at 16," he hissed, "you believe him."

"We'll discuss this later. I need everyone to leave this room. I need a word alone with Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger," said Dumbledore forcefully.

"Albus, I really must examine -"

"In a couple of minutes Madam Pomphrey. I need everyone to leave. Now."

Harry heard her walk off muttering. Snape and Fudge then headed up to where Black was being held.

After the doors closed, Albus turned quickly to Harry and Hermione, "We don't have much time and I beg you not to interrupt me. Sirius is being held in the top most tower on the southern side of the castle. While I believe Sirius and the fact that you appear largely unhurt you must understand that Professor Snape's version of events is more believable."

"But he hates Sirius," interrupted Harry anyway.

"Sirius has not behaved like an innocent man and without Pettigrew, we cannot hope to prove his innocence."

Harry felt devastated. He thought that Dumbledore had the answer to everything.

"What we need ... is more time."

Harry saw Dumbledore's eyes go from himself to Hermione and heard her gasp.

"You know the laws Miss Granger. Neither of you can be seen." The Headmaster headed back towards the hospital doors. "If you succeed, you can save more than one innocent life. It is five minutes to midnight. Three turns should do it. Remember - you - must - not - be - seen. Good luck."

Harry watched the Headmaster back out of the room. "What in the bloody hell was that about?" demanded Harry of Hermione.

He watched as Hermione pulled something from underneath her robes and lengthened the chain. He was even more confused when she wrapped it around his neck.

Harry went to touch the hourglass looking thing but she smacked his hand away. He watched as she turned it 3 times.

Suddenly he felt as if he was being tugged backwards but he couldn't make himself speak. Then they were in the hallway near the Great Hall.

Hermione grabbed his hand and dragged him to the broom closet. She slammed the door shut then pulled the necklace out from around his neck.

Harry pinched himself. It hurt so that ruled out dreaming.

"Hermione. What's going on?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"We've gone back in time." She pressed her ear to the door to listen. "Three hours back. I can hear shuffling feet. It doesn't sound like more than 3 people so that should be us on our way to Hagrids."

"Hermione, what are you talking about?"

She turned around and pulled her necklace out again. "This is called a Time Turner. It's how I've been going to my classes all year long."

"Where did you get it?" asked Harry curiously.

"McGonagall gave it to me our first day back, but Harry, I don't know what Dumbledore wants us to do."

Harry was still trying to wrap his mind around the time turner.

"Let's go. Maybe if we retrace our steps it will help," said Hermione. "Remember Harry, we cannot be seen."

Before he could process that thought, she grabbed his hand and they were running out the front door. "If we're not supposed to be seen, maybe we should circle around to Hagrid's the long way - past the green houses."

Hermione nodded and they set off towards the greenhouses.

As they neared Hagrid's, Harry heard himself say, "It's us Hagrid. We're under the cloak."

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done." Harry's eyes rested on Buckbeak. He was alive. "Of course. He wants us to save Buckbeak then he and Sirius can escape together."

Hermione looked startled. "If we pull that off without being seen it will be a miracle because we can't free Buckbeak until after Fudge sees him."

Harry frowned. They moved closer to Buckbeak but made sure to stay hidden in the trees.

Inside the cabin, they heard Scabbers being found. "That's Pettigrew Hermione. Let's run in and get him." Harry made to spring out of the trees but she grabbed him.

"Harry, we cannot be seen."

"But it's just us and Hagrid."

"What would you do if suddenly you saw yourself come flying in the room?"

Harry grimaced. "I'd think that there was something dark going on."

"Exactly. Awful things happen to wizards who meddle with time. Normally they end up killing themselves."

"Okay, okay. I just thought that -" but Hermione cut him off.

He followed her gaze and saw Fudge and the committee members coming out the castle door. As Harry went to hide behind another tree, he stepped on a branch which made a loud snapping sound.

Hermione hissed at him but that noise caused those inside the cabin to realize that Fudge was coming.

Harry and Hermione watched as the grass flattened in spaces as the trio headed back to the castle.

With themselves gone, they waited on McNairs head to leave the window. Once it did, Harry cautiously crept to Buckbeak and bowed. After the hippogriff bowed back he grabbed the rope and began tugging on it.

But Buckbeak wouldn't move.

"Let's get this over with," they heard Fudge say inside the cabin.

"Just a minute. McNair, you need to sign too," they heard Dumbledore say.

Hermione ran over, grabbed a dead ferret, and waved it in front of Buckbeak. At that, he finally followed them into the forest.

Once they could no longer see Hagrids garden, they stopped to listen.

Harry and Hermione listened as Fudge and the others argued about what to do. They were amused to realize that Dumbledore found the whole thing rather funny.

After a few minutes, Harry looked around, "Now what?"

"We need to stay hidden in the forest. Once they lock Sirius up in the tower then we can fly up there but that won't be for a couple of hours. Oh, this is not going to be easy."

"Hermione, we need to be able to see the whomping willow to know what's going on."

She nodded. "Remember though, we can't be seen."

From where they sat, they watched as themselves went down into the tree. No sooner had they done that than did the Headmaster, Fudge, and the committee members pass by.

Harry glanced in the sky as Lupin ran towards the tree and saw that the moon was completely obscured by the clouds.

"Hermione?" Harry whispered. "Why does everyone act so violently towards werewolves?"

Hermione looked at him questioningly, waiting for Hagrid to pass before speaking. "What do you mean?"

Harry helped secure Buckbeak more (he had been trying to get to Hagrid). "Earlier you assumed he was helping Sirius because he was a werewolf and Ron acted like he was contagious but werewolves are only dangerous one night a month and if they take the wolfsbane potion then they're not even dangerous that one night since they keep their mind."

Hermione looked at Harry as if she was just seeing him for the first time. They watched Snape prod the knot and vanish down the tunnel with Harry's cloak. "Harry, werewolves are dark creatures. They tend to gravitate towards the wolves natural instincts. Some do fight it and never give in but most do eventually cave. Sirius said that the reason they never told Lupin about the secret keeper change was because they thought he was the spy."

"All because of some curse that he received when he was younger? That doesn't seem fair to be judged that way."

Hermione nodded. "It's not fair and I guess I needed a new perspective to see that."

Harry saw her smile at him.

"In the world, most werewolves have no rights and are classified as little more than animals. The other side tends to offer them freedom whereas our ministry does not."

Harry frowned at that revelation.

They sat in silence for about 10 minutes when she spoke again.

"Harry what happened to us down by the lake? I remember the dementors coming and I must have passed out."

He explained what happened.

"I heard Snape tell Fudge that only a really powerful wizard could have sent them all away. He thought it was Dumbledore, but the Headmaster said that it wasn't him. If the patronus was that bright, surely you saw who it was."

Harry got up to stretch. "I thought it was my dad."

"But Harry, your dad's dead ..."

"I know."

"Was it his ghost?"

Harry shook his head. "He looked solid. I dunno. I guess I've finally gone 'round the bend." He smiled wryly at her.

Harry leaned against a tree while Hermione sat staring at the willow.

"Harry, here we come," she whispered over an hour later.

Harry watched as they emerged from the tree. He thought about running after Pettigrew but Hermione must have read his expression.

"Don't even think about it Harry. You can't find a rat in the dark."

Harry scowled then gasped. "Hermione, we've got to move. Lupin is going to run straight into us."

She untied Buckbeak. "Where?"

"Hagrid's. It's empty now. Let's go."

Once inside, Harry realized they would have no clue what was going on.

"I'll stay out of sight Hermione."

She watched him go with narrowed eyes.

Harry dove behind a bush on the opposite side of the lake. He had to know if it was his dad.

He watched with extreme horror as the dementor went to kiss him. It was then he realized that he didn't see his dad. He had seen himself.

Flinging himself out of the bush, he yelled, "Expecto Patronum!"

To his amazement, an animal burst out of his wand tip and charged down the dementors. When it came back, he saw what it was as it bowed. "Prongs," he whispered.

The stag then leapt back into the tip of his wand and it was dark again.

Then someone was pulling him back into the bushes.

"What did you do?" hissed Hermione.

"I just saved our lives."

"Harry ... that patronus .. .that's extremely advanced magic," she said after he had explained.

Harry nodded then pointed towards Snape who just arrived. "I knew that I could do it this time because ... well ... I'd already done it."

They worked their way around the lake and eventually saw McNair run for a dementor. "This is it Hermione."

They climbed onto Buckbeak and flew up to where Sirius was being kept.

Sirius was pacing the room he had been placed in. He had tried several times to get out unsuccessfully so when a noise came from the window, he about had a heart attack when he saw Harry and Hermione floating in mid air on a giant ... something.

"Alohomora!" said Hermione as she pointed her wand at the window.

Sirius was confused but never the less was able to climb out of the window on to what he now realized was a hippogriff.

They flew up to the top of the tower.

"Where's Ron? Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine. You need to leave."

"Thank you Harry. I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"Just go. I don't want you to get caught."

Sirius hugged Harry, hopped onto Buckbeak, and flew away.

A/N: I've had some questions about when this will start becoming more of an alternate universe. Some of it starts in the next chapter, but more so over the course of this summer and during his 4th year. Especially during his 4th year. I imagine some people aren't going to like what I'm going to do with his 4th year, but I get to have *some* fun while playing around. :p Don't get me wrong ... the major events will still happen ... but well .. I have other plans for dear sweet Harry and Snape as well. (In fact, during his fourth year ... at one point I have written Snape rendered speechless ... bwahaahah.)

Anywho, depending on how my editing goes for the next chapter, it should be up in a day or so. =)