CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Getting closer to the ending! I don't own. Normally I want the characters to do it…but they're a little busy at the moment, so I'll be doing the disclaimer these few chapters. Thanks to those who assured me that Celia was NOT a Mary Sue! I love u guys!

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Review!

So, where did we leave off?

Oh yeah. Sirius Black. Urgh. That name.

He had terribly messy, dirty hair down to his elbows. I'm guessing Azkaban doesn't have a hair salon…?

Black looked super creepy, like, half-dead. He had deep black sockets, with black eyes, thin waxy skin, and yellow teeth. He grinned and raised Ron's wand at us. "Expelliarmus!"

Our wands flew out of our hands easily, shot through the air, and landed in Black's hand. He took a step forward, staring right at Harry. I took a step back nervously, puzzled. There was something I wasn't remembering…stupid headache…

Black licked his dry lips and said hoarsely, "I thought you'd come and help your friend. Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful…it will make everything much easier."

A sudden fury exploded out of me. "What the heck is wrong with you?" I demanded. Black blinked and turned to me, with an odd expression.

"You killed Harry's mum and dad, and you come down here and talk about how brave he is, just like his dad? What's wrong with you?!" I clenched my fists.

Black stared at me, eyes darting from the tip of my head to my toes. "You look…familiar."

"I'm very happy for you," I couldn't help snap. "Would you like an applause?"

Harry lunged, but Hermione and Ron grabbed him and yanked him back. "No, Harry!" Hermione begged. I turned my head. Harry's eyes were blind with hatred and anger.

"If you kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron shouted, and painfully clung to Harry. I lifted his other arm so he could lean on me too. Black's eyes flickered dangerously to Ron.

"Lie down," he said quietly. "You will damage that leg even more."

I snorted. "Nice try, but we don't take advice from convicted murderers anymore, you know?"

Ron's fingers gripped my arm tightly. "Did you hear me? You'll have to kill all three of us!"

"Hello?" I interrupted, slightly irritated. "I'm still here. The fourth person!"

"There'll be only one murder tonight," Black smiled, deadly calm, his grin stretching.

Harry struggled against Ron and Hermione, who yanked him back. "Why's that?" He spat, twisting to free himself. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew? What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

That was it. Pettigrew.

"Harry, wait-" I began, but Harry had freed himself from Hermione and Ron. With a roar, he lunged at Black: "HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!"

It happened too fast for me to see. One minute, Black's face was morphed in surprise as Harry jumped. The second minute, Harry had grabbed Black's wrist and both of them smashed into the wall.

"STOP IT, HARRY!" I screamed, and gasped as Black's hand snaked towards his throat-

Hermione screamed and kicked Black. If we hadn't been in danger, I would've whistled (actually, I can't whistle, but whatever). Harry fell to the ground gasping for air, and Ron threw himself at Black. Harry lunged for a wand, but Crookshanks jumped. I grabbed Crookshanks' tail and yanked Crookshanks back. With a yowl, the cat ran off spitting.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Harry shouted at Ron and Hermione. They jumped off Black and scrambled to the side. Ron looked sick, and he clutched his leg painfully. Hermione's lip was split, and it was bleeding. Black's chest was heaving painfully, and he was taking quick, ragged breaths. Harry raised his wand and walked straight at him, furiously. The tip was aimed straight at Black's heart, and suddenly I remembered the thing about Pettigrew.

"Don't, Harry. I have to ask him something-don't hurt him."

The plea fell to deaf ears, and Harry stopped right above Black.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" He whispered.

Harry didn't yell a curse. Instead, in a very shaky voice, he replied, "You killed my mum and dad."

It struck me with confusion and terror that Black was so calm. In a quiet voice, he said, "I don't deny it. But if you knew the whole story…Harry, you've got to listen to me. You don't understand…"

"I understand, alright. You never heard my mum trying to stop Voldemort, did you? I-" Harry's voice choked, and desperately, he turned to me.

"Tell him," there were tears brimming his eyes, spurring anger and hate.

"Harry," I began gently, but then I stopped, because I didn't know what to say. I wanted to, so bad, just walk up to Black and punch him in the nose, Hermione-to-Draco style.

Harry's wand was still trained at Black, but I could see the slight tremble. He raised the wand halfway again, but didn't say the curse.

Calm down. I told myself, and like a miracle, I heard small, quiet footsteps. I tensed.

Hermione heard it, too, but she didn't bother hiding it. "HELP! SOMEONE! SIRIUS BLACK IS DOWN HERE-"

I clamped a hand over her mouth and she muffled a scream before she realized it was me. "Are you crazy? What if it's Black's friend coming to help or something?"

Loud, thumping footsteps were heard downstairs, and with red sparks, the door was flung open.

Professor Lupin. The ripped furniture. Oh. Oh.

Lupin's eyes flickered over to Ron, to Hermione, to me-he raised his eyebrows in brief surprise-, and then settled on Harry, drifting to Black. In a quiet, tense voice, he asked," Where is he, Sirius?" I blinked.

Confusion colored all over the trio's face. Slowly, Black raised a gritty, dirty hand at pointed at Ron. Or rather…at Scabbers.

"But then…why hasn't he…unless you switched…without telling me?" Lupin muttered, and Black nodded, his sallow, sunken face staring back at Lupin.

It was true. It had to be. I sucked in a breath, and urgently, to Lupin, I said, "Professor Lupin?"

Lupin turned his gaze back to me, but this time, everyone followed his gaze.

I took another deep breath. "Last time, when Harry was in Hogsmeade, I took the map and checked it. Where Scabber's name was…you know. So…Black-I mean, um…Sirius, is…" I still couldn't believe it. "Innocent?"

Black's eyes swooped over me, and he had this look, like, finally somebody catches on.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron's jaws dropped. "What? You-Celia-you were on his side? What?" Harry looked half-confused and half-hurt.

I shook my head. "No-you guys don't understand-"

Without another word, Lupin strode up to Black, took his hand, and hugged him. Undeniably, fully, brother-to-brother-like hugged him.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione pointed at Lupin. "-you and him!"

I snorted. You and him?

Sorry, sorry, back to the story. It's not MY fault a part of my brain is so attentive to unimportant things!

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "Don't trust him, Harry!"

"You guys have to listen; you guys don't know the whole story!" I said, and Hermione turned to me, bleary-eyed.

"You too! You-all this time, you've-I can't believe you!" Hermione yelled, and there were tears streaming down her face. I took a step back and raised my hands in surrender.

"Woah. Don't jump to conclusions, Hermione. First of all, I've never even seen this dude in real life before until now-" I gestured to Black, who looked a little uneasy at being called "dude". Yeah, I call so-called mass murderers "dudes". There's nothing wrong with that! "Second of all, I'm really not sure what the 'all this time' is about. So don't jump to conclusions; it's not like I'm going to suddenly whip out my wand and kill Harry."

I met Harry's eyes evenly, even though I was shaking on the inside, and forced myself into a calm expression. Harry turned to Lupin.

"I trusted you!" he shouted. "You've been helping Black this whole time!"

I shook my head, and Lupin did too, with a note of urgency in his voice. "You're wrong, I haven't been helping Sirius, but I am now-you need to let me-"

"NO!" Hermione shrieked. "DON'T, HARRY! HE'S-HE'S A WEREWOLF!"

Dead silence. I looked around me at everyone's gapes. "Cricket, cricket…" I trailed off feebly as Ron tried to get up, but only gasped in pain. Lupin made towards him, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!"

He had to say that, didn't he?

Obviously.

So…Hermione knew.

You're bleeding. Again.

Gee, I hadn't noticed. Thanks for telling me. I touched the back of my hand and instantly felt that disgusting, thick, red liquid slip through my fingers. There was a stab of dizziness, and I swayed on the spot.

Celia!

I'm…I steadied myself. Fine.

First of all, I don't want you to die, no matter how annoying and irritating you are, so stay awake. Second of all, I don't want to die with you, even if it means-

Putting up with me and ur future Baldy McPale?

He sounded a little miffed. …Yes. Now pay attention.

I did, and just in time to catch Lupin point at Scabbers and say, "-an Animagus, by the name of Petter Pettigrew."

I'm really loving how I get credit here.

Mm.

(AN: bit short, but review plz!)