Chapter 17 - SIRIUS BLACK

Sirius POV

I was flabbergasted when I saw the full body patronus.

Blimey! Harry was a powerful wizard!

Prongs, the silver patronus stag, danced around the sky as its bright rays swept across all of Hogsmeade and beyond. I thought back to a couple moments ago when I was just wandering around the outskirts of Hogsmeade in my animagus form, I had found a tiny ridge by one of the streams near Hogsmeade as a place for me to sleep. I was treading carefully, hiding in the shadows of the trees when I saw Harry.

Only he wasn't alone! The dog! He got himself a bird latched on his arm!

I almost let loose a bark of excitement at seeing him with another girl. I was getting teary at seeing him so happy. I saw him once over the summer when he was at the wretched Dursleys. Although they didn't hit him, if they did, nothing would have stopped me from gruesomely murdering all of them. They clearly showed him no love that summer I visited. He was ignored and left to himself.

Luckily it seemed Harry wasn't to affected by this, instead, I saw him practicing wandless magic. However, I was still a bit worried, it wasn't if he could handle it or not, it was the isolation and loneliness. I knew firsthand what it was like, being locked up in Azkaban for twelve years.

I then shook my head out of these thoughts as the patronus died down. I then saw Harry tackled to the ground by his blonde bird. I smiled at this and slowly walked away. If Harry was happy then there is no need for me to be in his life. It would drastically complicate things and might even tear his life apart.

No… I am here to kill that treacherous rat and then I will leave Harry be, he is better off without me…

Daphne POV

"Daphne, I think we should get going", Harry whispered into my ear as we stayed on the grass together.

I hugged him tightly and was unwilling to let him go.

"Five more minutes".

He chuckled as I said those words.

"You've been saying that for the last half an hour Daphne!"

I then reluctantly let go of his torso and sat up. He stood up and helped me up as well. When he pulled me up, he pulled me towards him as well. We ended up standing facing each other closely. I could feel his breath on my forehead. I looked up at him slightly, he was slightly taller than me…

I knew he grew up over the summer and was eating better as he seemed less thin, but he actually was taller than me now…

I smiled as I stared into his beautiful emerald eyes. He then slowly tilted his head slightly and we both leaned in at the same time. Then I couldn't explain what happened next, it was the most wonderous, beautiful and perfect feeling ever as we kissed. It started off slow, but then I couldn't get enough. I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him in to deepen the kiss even more. I felt his arms wrap around my waist to pull me towards him as well. Our kiss then became a frenzy as our tongues violently fought for dominance with each other.

After a while, we both separated from the kiss. I rested my forehead against his as we both gasped for breath. I could feel his hot breath on my skin after our kiss. I smiled at him before leaning my head down and burying it in his shoulder. Then without any words, we separated, but not entirely, I had a firm grasp on his hand. He then stared at me with an uncontrollable wide splitting smile as we walked hand in hand back towards Hogsmeade.

I felt like I was on cloud nine, I was still on an adrenaline high from the kiss that I just shared with Harry. I honestly can't say that I don't want to kiss him again…

Ugh! Tracey is going to make a mockery out of me! Speaking of which... where is she? I hope she is okay... and left before the commotion with the Dementors!

As we walked through the streets of Hogsmeade I could see everyone tidying things up and setting things back in order. We then approached the Three Broomsticks and saw Madam Rosmerta alone tidying things up.

Everyone must have ran away during the dilemma… and evidently not bothered coming back to help…

The butterbeer bottles and firewhiskey jugs that were left cracked and spluttering on the floor, no doubt caused by people knocking them over during the chaos of the dementors.

Must have been really messy…

Harry and I then walked over. He then, to my disappointment, let go of my hand and drew his wand out. I then walked off in the opposite direction of him and started helping Madam Rosmerta with parts of the Three Broomsticks. I then, whilst casting repair spells, saw some of the broken objects and mess cleaning themselves in front of me. I then turned and noticed that Harry had started chanting and waved his wand like he was professor Flitwick conducting the frog choir.

Slowly the firewhiskey and butterbeer all across the tavern floor were cleaned up. The tables started to fix themselves and the shattered bottle and jugs that held firewhisky started to form back together piece by piece. I watched in wonder at the beautiful magic Harry displayed as he restored the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta let out a gasp at how quickly Harry was fixing her tavern.

After everything was fixed, Harry turned and gave me a smile. I then walked over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He then blushed and looked at me.

"What was that for?"

I then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "For being thoughtful, and a great person".

I evidently didn't realize how loud I whispered as I heard someone giggling slightly. Harry and I both turned to see Madam Rosmerta. She then stopped and gave us both warm smiles. She then approached us.

"You must be Mister Potter? Thank you for helping me fix my tavern. Minerva has told me a lot about you. I can see now that she wasn't exaggerating, in fact, she was being way too modest of you".

I watched Harry blush like a tomato at the praise from Madam Rosmerta. Harry then scratched his head, trying to play off the praise.

"Oh no, it was nothing…"

Madam Rosmerta then waved him off, "I don't see anyone else coming here and helping me, much less return this place to its exact complete perfection, you and your girlfriend are the only ones who came here after that shitstorm with the dementors!"

This, in turn, made Harry even redder, I giggled slightly as it seemed like there was steam coming out of his ears. I couldn't tell if it was from the additional praise or the comment about me being his girlfriend.

Mister Potter's girlfriend… Snap out of it Daphne!

I then reached over and grabbed his hand, relishing its warmth, but also squeezing it slightly to try to calm him down a bit. Madam Rosmerta then smirked at us.

Harry, after calming down sheepishly started to talk to Madam Rosmerta.

"Well we should really get going, you see Madam Rosmerta, I wasn't actually supposed to be at Hogsmeade today, my permission form wasn't signed, I-"

"Don't worry Harry, I won't rat you out for coming. In fact, you can have free butterbeers if you ever come to the Three Broomsticks Harry…"

She then smiled at me before looking back at Harry.

"... of course, as long as you bring your plus one".

I then brightened up at Madam Rosmerta's offer. Something was still bothering me though.

"Madam Rosmerta? Daphne Greengrass, I'm… Harry's..."

I took a deep breath.

"Girlfriend".

It felt oddly nice to say that...

Madam Rosmerta perked up and looked at me with a smirk on her face.

"Yes, Miss Greengrass?"

"Why were there dementors present in Hogsmeade, especially during a Hogsmeade weekend? If I remember correctly from Dumbledore's speech, I thought they were meant to be stationed outside the borders of Hogwarts and away from Hogsmeade. How were they allowed so close?"

Madam Rosmerta then scowled.

"That was because of the idiotic Minister of Magic. After Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, he didn't want to appear weak, so he wanted to be seen as 'doing something'. So he then dumped the lot of dementors around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade to show the Ministry's so-called strength".

I knew fudge was an idiot based on what my Dad said after some meetings at the Wizengamot, but I didn't know he was this much of a dunderhead.

"However, the main reason is because Sirius Black was sighted in Dufftown yesterday. It is not far from here. Suspecting that he was on his way to Hogwarts, the dementors patrolled Hogsmeade closely to watch out for Black, evidently, they lost control and came after the people in Hogsmeade instead…"

After getting some answers on the situation, we said goodbye to Madam Rosmerta and promised her that we will drop by in the future. We started to head for the carriages. We were almost at the carriages when someone called out Harry's name. I turned around at the same time as Harry to see a bushy-haired girl sprinting towards us with a worried expression.