Welcome all once again to another instalment of 'Like a Lightning Bolt'.
I once again apologise for not actually posting a chapter last fortnight, but I needed to be spending the time on studying. I also apologise for this chapter coming in late, my personal life got away from me and I ran out of time to write this, considering I had most of it done already it just required some quick finishing up I decided I would rather submit late than another nothing chapter.
I have to say I like the reactions my change in Harry's Boggart caused. It was a decision I made to show the change in Harry caused by his different experience with the Dementor. The Malfoy thing is Draco showing Harry that he is working on moving them from neutral to friends. His Boggart is something else I have come up with for later.
Now, onto the chapter.
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Spells"
Book Names
Disclaimer: Do the Muggleborn first years not question where their food is coming from? If so, I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 8:
After having spent most of his free period working on the list of spells for Hermione, Luna, Neville, and he to go through later that night Harry began flipping through the Marauder's book again playing around with the Animagus reversal spell, finally managing to get it to work with the intention of using it on Sirius the next time he saw him, or McGonagall if he bumped into her as a cat.. Looking at the time and realizing that the others would not have finished their class yet, Harry decided to go see Hedwig. Packing his school books into his trunk and putting the list and the Marauder's book in his bag to take with him to dinner, Harry left the Common Room on his way to the Owlery.
Walking into the Owlery, Harry saw Hedwig sitting on one of the windowsills next to a bird that Harry felt as if he recognised.
"Fawkes?" Harry's curious tone caught the attention of Hediwg and her phoenix friend, "No wait, Fawkes was red and gold, I didn't know there was another phoenix in the school." The phoenix in question differed from Fawkes only in colour, where Fawkes was red and gold the phoenix before him was black and dark blue, a combination that made the bird before him seem beautiful in a way that Harry didn't know how to describe.
Hedwig's bark of annoyance at being annoyed caused Harry to smile, hopping up on the windowsill next to the two birds, Harry began lightly stroking Hedwig behind the ear in order to calm Hedwig down.
"I don't suppose the two of you would be willing to listen to me ramble for a bit? I mean, it's been hectic for me the last couple of days. I made, I guess I can call it a truce, with Malfoy. I'm now friends with Neville and a girl named Luna, I guess I'm, well, not really friends with Ron right now, he snapped at Neville and Luna and has been being a bit of an ass about the whole thing. I got exposed to a Dementor, and a Boggart. I really don't ever want to go up against a Boggart again, what I saw, I-I really don't want a repeat of what I saw ever again."
Hedwig had begun gently nibbling on Harry's hand as he spoke, conveying her sympathy to her master, not liking the sad tone with which he spoke. The phoenix began to sing, a soft, melancholy song that somehow mad Harry feel better, not quite in the way that Fawkes' singing would make Harry feel happy, just, better.
"I'm glad I told you two about this stuff, it does actually make me feel better," Noticing out the window that the Care of Magical Creatures class was coming inside, Harry stopped scratching Hedwig and stood up, "I will see you later Hedwig, and my new phoenix friend, I will see you whenever I see you next."
Walking out of the Owlery Harry began walking to the stairs, getting a large amount of luck with not getting caught on the moving staircases till he reached the third floor.
"Hello Harry, how was Defence?" Luna's voice had come from behind Harry, causing him to spin around, not realizing someone had walked up to him from behind.
"Oh hey Luna, it was, interesting? We were shown a Boggart. Also, how quietly do you walk?"
"Very quietly I have noticed. A Boggart sounds like it would have been an interesting lesson indeed, I take it though from your hesitance that something happened?"
"Ah yeah. I, I saw my mother die. My Boggart is my mother being killed by Voldemort."
"Oh, I would apologise, but I didn't do it so I don't think that will make you feel better."
"That's okay Luna."
"Truthfully, I am surprised you would tell me this, not many people would want to share something like that with someone else." The confused look on Luna's face caused Harry to smile.
"You're my friend Luna, I trust you," Luna's bright gleaming smile let Harry know what he said was the right thing to say, her sudden downcast expression following her smile caused Harry to worry, "You ok?"
"I saw my mother die," Harry had barely heard Luna speak, her voice was nearly silent as she continued, "She was experimenting with something, I can't remember what, and then all of a sudden she began panicking and then there was a shield in front of me, right before whatever she was working on exploded."
Before Luna had even gotten a chance to react, Harry had hugged her, while not something Harry himself was used to, hugging his friend after a revelation like that seemed to be the right thing to do. Luna returning the hug was all Harry needed to know he had done the right thing. The two breaking apart as they were finally able to keep moving when the staircase stopped. Meeting up with the others as they came inside the group once more went to go and sit down at the Gryffindor table, Harry pulling out the Marauder's book and laying it open on his last page while handing the list he had worked up to Hermione to look over.
"Hey, Scabbers, stop squirming I'm trying to feed you!" Ron's complaint from just down the table caused Harry to turn and look.
"No way," Harry turned from Ron to the book in front of him, running one of his fingers over the page he looked more and more shocked by the second, "Just no way."
"What is it Harry?" Neville looked over Harry's shoulder to see his book had a diagram of a rat on it that looked like Scabbers, except it had the word 'Wormtail' written underneath it. Seeing Harry stand and pull out his wand caused Neville to stand up not knowing what was about to happen but ready to back his friend up regardless.
The Gryffindor table and several of the nearby students from the other table's watched as Harry pointed his wand at Scabbers while Ron was distracted, not yet having noticed Harry and Neville there, Harry cast the Animagus reversal spell straight at Scabbers, causing him to begin writhing and shifting into a man before Ron could even react, the sound of scattering dishes from the staff table was simply background noise to Harry as he watched a man that only a few weeks ago he was told was supposed to be dead appeared.
The intakes of breath from several of the members of staff as they recognised the man caused several of the younger students who didn't understand what was happening to begin moving away from the Gryffindor table. Before the confused man standing on the table could get a grip on his bearings, Neville reacted, throwing off a Body Binding spell to keep whoever this was from running away, knowing that if he wasn't meant to Harry or one of the teacher's would reverse it.
"Hello Peter." Was all Harry said, finally noticing the form of Professor Bloodrune shoving Ron away from the immobilised man, with Professor McGonagall heading towards the group whilst Professor Sprout was talking to a house elf, requesting it to go and fetch the DMLE. Harry and Neville never once lowered their wands from the man.
"My rat was a dude?" Ron shouted, his confusion apparent.
"Peter. It really is you, missing finger and all, although, it looks more like this one was cut off, not blasted." Remus' glare directed at Peter set Harry on edge, the amber of Remus' eyes as his rage was simmering under the surface worried Harry.
"Calm yourself Remus, Madame Bones should be here soon," Professor Bloodrune's stance seemed even more predatory then usual as he slipped his sleeve up, showing a strange arm band with several different potions in vials strapped to it, removing one and holding it in his hand, "Veritaserum, in case she doesn't bring her own."
"Isn't that illegal to have sir?" Neville's worried voice carried across the table, reminding Ezekial that he was standing there.
"Hm? Oh, quite, if you aren't a Lord of the Wizengamot of course. There is an advantage to my family name after all." Ezekial grinned at Neville and Harry as he spoke.
"Yes, yes there is. I see you are still the same Ezekial." A crisp voice cut in that surprised Harry and Neville, having both been paying attention to Pettigrew and Ezekial, completely missing the stern faced woman who had walked in, the monocle on her eye gleaming in a way that made the two teens feel intimidated as the monocle was focused on them.
"Ah yes Amelia, still the bright and charming lass you were when we first met."
"So what have we here?"
"An immobilised Animagus, curtesy of Potter and Longbottom here. What do you want to do with him?" Ezekiel vaguely gestured at each of the three as he mentioned them.
"Standard procedure Ezekial, he shall be placed into magic-suppressing cuffs and hauled off for interrogation." Amelia produced the cuffs and slapped them onto Pettigrew's wrists as she spoke.
"I volunteer the services of my office."
"I do believe I should be speaking with Minerva about this Ezekial, she does not exactly appear to be very happy with this situation, namely you." Ezekial span around to see a very annoyed Minerva standing behind him.
"Uhh, sorry Minerva, caught up in the moment."
"Considering Professor Bloodrune has already offered his office, feel free to use it Amelia. I am sure we all want this sorted out quickly," Minerva's strong tone echoed around the rather quiet hall, "Remus, escort Mr Potter and company to your office, I am sure Amelia may wish to ask them some questions if the need arises. Prefect Weasley, escort your siblings to the Headmaster's Office, your parents will need to be contacted."
"Mr Lupin, inform Auror Shacklebolt and Trainee Tonks to escort you, Auror Shacklebolt can ask the necessary questions about the situation." Amelia's voice drew the attention of the small group already being gathered by Remus.
"Of course Madame Bones." Remus' reply was curt as he began walking the group out, the shifting colours of his eyes showing to Harry the man's conflicting emotions.
Walking out of the Hall, the small group of people consisting of Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Remus all saw a small contingent of ten people standing in red robes. Remus immediately began walking towards one of them, a large African man standing beside a girl with bright pink hair. After a small conversation the three headed back to the group, with Remus then beginning to lead the way to his office.
"All students, please return to your common rooms where dinner will be served. Your Heads of House will be around to inform you all of the situation shortly." McGonagall's voice echoed across the school, amplifying off of several points in the halls, clearly enchanted to act as a form of school wide alert system.
"So, why exactly are we being dragged along to escort this lot? I thought we were called here because of…. Shit…. Which code was it?" The pink haired girl in red robes enquired of the other.
"A 3-5-7-9 Trainee Tonks, 'Investigating a wizard or witch who is suspected of faking their deaths', I though Moody would have drilled this into you?" The African man replied to Auror Tonks.
Much to the surprise of the others, when the girl blushed in embarrassment, her hair changed to a bright red as well.
"Wait, I remember you, weren't you a 7th year Hufflepuff during our first? I remember you talking to me in the bathroom that Halloween, and when I was in the library a few times."
"Oh yeah, Hermione wasn't it? I'm Tonks, that's all you need to know of my name, my first name does not exist and you will do well to remember that before I castrate the lot of you." The girl's bright red hair slightly took away from the intimidation factor of her words, but the general sense was conveyed to them.
"I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt, you can call me Kingsley if you like. Trainee Tonks here takes a small bit to get used to."
"Wait, Tonks? As in Nymphad-"Harry never finished what he was saying, having been shoved up against the wall with an angry witch glaring at him.
"I said my first name doesn't exist," A confused expression made its way onto Tonks' face as she began to let Harry go, "Wait, how did you know my first name?"
"I believe I sent you an owl. You apparently being my cousin and all." Harry's face had broken into a grin as he finished, expecting the realisation to appear in her eyes momentarily.
"Did you? I haven't checked my mail in months, been with Mad Eye, all my mail got diverted to a PO Box I WAS going to go and check before we got this call out. Wait, cousin? You aren't Draco Malfoy are you?" Tonks' expression once again shifted, showing a suspicious look that Harry decided fit quite well with Tonks' apparent ability to alter herself.
"No, I'm Harry Potter. This is Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, and Luna Lovegood." Harry gestured to each of the mentioned people as required, waiting for Tonks' reaction.
"Uh, Shack… is he really?"
"Yes Tonks, he is Harry Potter, which you would have known, had you been listening to Remus passing on our orders from Amelia properly." The man's exasperated tone showed his displeasure with Tonks.
"Well, sorry for getting caught up on needing to babysit. Uh, no offence."
"Why would you sit on a baby exactly? I never understood why people do so." Luna's question caught Tonks off guard, causing her to spin around, falling over in the process.
"Blimey, when did you get right behind me?"
"As soon as we began walking again."
"Right. I probably should have noticed that shouldn't I Shack?" Tonks once again had a blush upon her face, then getting helped up by Harry and Neville as she righted her face.
"How do you do that by the way?" Hermione's voice rang from beside Luna, her curious tone also dragging curious looks from Harry and Neville.
"I'm a Metamorphagus, handy little ability I got from my mum's side of the family. Let's me change my form however I wish. Bloody well messes with my balance though." The end of Tonks' brief explanation was backed up by the girl brushing dirt off herself from where she fell.
"Wait, your mum's side? So the Black family side?" Tonks' confirming nod was all Harry needed before he continued questioning the girl, "Is there a chance I can do that? I'm a Black on my father's side after all."
"Hmm, maybe, probably not the best time to try and find out though." Tonks was right, as Harry had been questioning her they had arrived at Remus' office, Remus and Kingsley having gone inside already.
Walking in after them they found Shacklebolt seated at a chair with a small table in front of it, a piece of parchment and a quill ready in front of him, gesturing for the four of them to sit down in the chairs that surrounded him. Following the man's gesture the four found themselves facing the man's gaze, waiting for him to speak.
"Let us clear all of this out of the way, that way this won't have to be a tense environment and we can all finish up here as fast as possible. Now, my first question of course is for you Mr Potter, where did you learn the Animagus reversal spell?"
"From a collection of notes written by my father and his friends throughout their school years."
"Why did you choose to learn this spell as opposed to others that may have been within such a collection?"
"They were detailing a prank, the idea being to use it on McGonagall during one of her trips around the castle as a cat. Having believed I bumped into an Animagus earlier in the summer, I believed it may be a helpful spell just in case."
"Ok then, what caused you to decide to cast this spell on Ronald Weasley's pet rat?"
"The rat perfectly matched the description in the book of Peter Pettigrew's Animagus form, the pictures having been drawn by one of the people who helped make the book. My father and two of his friends having become Animagi due to worries about the war, thinking it may be a helpful ability to have just in case. The only difference from the picture was Scabbers was older and was missing a finger. I was told over the summer that all they ever found of Pettigrew was a finger, so I felt it was a good chance that he may be Wormtail, had he not been, nothing would have happened and I would have apologised to Ron." Shacklebolt continued to write down everything Harry said as he spoke, making sure not to miss any details that Harry gave as he answered his questions.
"Mr Longbottom, why did you use the Body Binding spell on the man without knowing who he was?"
"I figured if the man was going to be a potential danger it would be better if he couldn't move, if I wasn't meant to do so someone would have released him from the spell."
"Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood, you two were apparently sitting with the two boys before they unveiled the man, anything the two of you wanted to add?"
"No sir." "Not at all"
"Well then, that's actually really all the information we needed I guess."
Remus moved over to the group, giving them each a bar of chocolate. A bright white stallion burst into the room through the wall, trotting over to Kingsley, who quickly whipped his wand around in a circle around him and the horse, it dissipating a few moments later.
"Trainee Tonks, Mr Lupin, please leave the room, I need to ask Mr Potter a question that you two may alter his decision to answer."
Putting up a bit of a fuss, Remus and Tonks eventually walked out, telling the students they would be just outside just in case. Once the door closed Kingsley cast a spell at the door, causing it to glow for a second, also serving to cut off the muttering of Tonks they could hear through the door.
"Mr Potter, was the Animagus you encountered in the summer Sirius Black?"
"Y-yes sir" Harry stammered out, realizing that he may as well be truthful due to the look on Kingsley's face.
"Mr Potter. You said you were told about what was believed to have happened to Pettigrew, meaning you were told what Sirius Black was believed to have done?" Harry's nod caused Shacklebolt to sigh before he continued, "Under the effects of Veritaserum Mr Pettigrew admitted to being a Death Eater and the real person who sold your parents out. He also admitted to framing Lord Black and causing his arrest. The Dementors have been recalled to Azkaban and we would like your help in finding Lord Black to inform him of his pardon. Would you be able to help?"
"How could I do that sir?" A fluttering of wings had caught Harry's attention as he finished speaking, Hedwig having dived through the open window behind the kids, hooting at Harry while puffing herself up, "Would I be able to get some parchment and an envelope sir?"
Receiving what he requested from Shacklebolt Harry began writing a short message to Sirius, putting it into an envelope and addressing it to Sirius. Before handing it to Hedwig, an idea occurred to Harry, causing him to put the envelope down and writing 'From the son of Prongs' underneath Sirius' name. Giving the letter to Hedwig, he patted her, telling her to find the dog they encountered before they got on the bus, her nod being all Harry needed to know she understood what he meant. After watching Hedwig fly off, Harry slid back into the chair, now noticing that Remus and Tonks were both back in the room, clearly under another silencing spell, being told what the four students were just told.
Harry felt Hermione lean onto his chair and give him a hug as he sat there, slowly going numb, realizing he had the traitor to his parents and a Death Eater so close to him all this time, realizing that he had him there at his mercy earlier.
"Harry," Neville's voice caused Harry to lift his hand and move some of the bushy hair in the way of his face so he could see his friend, "I'll write to Gran, we can write to the Prophet, we can make sure that Peter gets everything he deserves for what he did to your parents and even more for what he did to Sirius."
The fierce look in Neville's eyes showed the pure courage and righteous conviction that caused Neville to be placed into Gryffindor. Reaching his arm out to his friend Harry and Neville shook hands, the same fierce look coming over Harry's eyes as he began forming a plan to make sure Peter goes down. Hearing the three adults talking again, Harry looked directly at Kingsley.
"Kingsley, am I able to say, provide an interview to a reporter about what happened here today, or would I need to wait till after Pettigrew gets a trial?" Kingsley's scoff as Harry finished made Harry grin.
"Of course you can, Fudge keeps shooting bills like that down, hoping to make sure that if anything happens for anyone he knows he can provide an interview to influence people before the trial, why?"
"I have a plan. Luna, would your father be able to run an article in his magazine about today? Say maybe a collaboration with that writer Rita Skeeter?"
"Hmmm, I think he might be willing to, the sheer number of issues that would sell would cover the bills for Daddy's office for a while." Everyone in the room grinned as they realized what kind of publicity that would cause. The combination of the first interview by Harry Potter, the subject of Sirius Black being free and Pettigrew being an even greater traitor then they believed Sirius to have ever been, will persuade the public to such a degree that nobody would want to vote for Pettigrew's freedom lest the public find out and turn against them.
"Professor Lupin, do you mind if we do some spell practice in here? It's what we were going to do after dinner anyway." Hermione's voice enquired from where she had just stopped hugging Harry.
"Of course, I don't mind at all, just ah, try not to damage my books please."
"I would never let them do so sir!" Hermione looked scandalised that Remus would even suggest the idea.
"If it's alright with Shack here, I'll help to." Tonks' eyes were focused on Shacklebolt as she spoke, his nod being all she needed to walk over to the students, immediately reading over the list Harry had come up with and starting to help them with the spells.
After about 15 minutes of spell practice Hedwig flew back into the room, not holding a letter, letting Harry know that she delivered her letter to Sirius but didn't get one in response. The group went back to spell casting, expecting the next message they would receive being from the strange white horse that delivered the information to Shack before.
What none of the group were expecting was a big black dog to come bounding into the room another 20 minutes later immediately running to Remus, shifting back in the process, revealing a scraggly malnourished man in the process, who slammed into Remus, enveloping him completely in a hug, the man's laughter and happiness echoing around the room. When the man pulled away from Remus, the man's gaunt face and grey eyes were revealed to the room. Seeing Harry, the man took a few steps towards Harry before stopping.
"You caught him Harry, you caught Peter. How did you know, how did you know?" The man's, Sirius Black's, eyes became slightly unfocused at the end.
"Lord Black, I'm afraid that you will need to come with me to see Madame Bones, after she has asked you some questions she will send you to St Mungo's to get a full health check-up." Kingsley walked over to Sirius, slowly guiding him away.
"I will write to you both, Harry, Remus, I have so much to catch up on HAHA!" Sirius began laughing once more, his freedom being all but guaranteed as he began the walk with Kingsley and Tonks to Professor Bloodrune's office.
"I'll write to you guys as well. Well, I'll reply to Harry's when I read it I guess. See yas!." Shouted Tonks as she walked out of the office with the other two men.
"Professor, what do we do now? Will Sirius be ok?" Enquired Harry, worry clear in his tone.
"I suggest you begin orchestrating your plan Harry. And Sirius will be fine, Amelia Bones is a strong trustworthy woman, I'm sure she will do right be Sirius. Come, I'll walk the lot of you to your common rooms, I think an early night might be appreciated by the lot of you, wouldn't surprise me if classes get cancelled tomorrow."
And that's a wrap. Sorry all again about the delay.
Expect time skips to begin occurring, maybe not in the next chapter, but soon. I do actually wish to make it through a full week of the school term here before I break 100,000 words.
The next chapter should be on time, I have a lot less planned next week then I have in previous weeks so I will have more time to write.
Also, another facet of a few characters has been revealed, as well as this new phoenix, I honestly want to hear what you all think the phoenix is and what it has to do with the story.
Until next time,
Lucison.