Chapter 13: Hogsmeade (Part 2)
James quickly raised his head to saw the Dark Mark glowing in the sky, slipping like a shadow on the clouds, throwing a wind of panic on the street. Screams and yells were beginning to resound everywhere, people panic-stricken on one side and the other, not understanding what had just happened.
James and Sirius exchanged the same look as James grabbed Peter by the shoulders in an attempt to reassure him, as he had let out an exclamation of horror he had tried to muffled. The professors that were in Hogsmeade, immediately summon all the pupils to return to the castle at once.
-Mulciber and Avery, over there. Said Sirius, who was staring at a point a little farther away, standing still without moving, like a dog spotting a prey. He then pulled out of his robes a piece of broken mirror, giving it to Remus as James pulled his invisibility cloak out of his own pockets.
-You're not going there?! Remus shoot, grabbing Sirius by the sleeve of his robes. -It's dangerous and stupid.
-Students had done this, that's for sure and someone was assaulted, maybe kill, otherwise the dark mark would not be there. Quickly replied James. -We take the risk. He said, throwing the cloak over Sirius' head and his to disappear completely, becoming invisible.
-You always take the risk, that's what you find the most fun. Remus remarked coldly, squeezing the mirror in his hands. -Let us know what's going on. He sighed, looking at the void, grabbing Peter by the shoulders to drag him along, disappearing from their sight.
Concealed under James's invisibility cloak, Sirius and him sneaked through a small alley, trying to find the Dark Mark' spot. Sirius nudged James with his elbow when Hagrid, the gamekeeper, passed in haste and the two boys followed him closely, those curious folks that had stayed in the streets hurriedly pushes themselves aside to let the giant through.
They were faster than Hagrid and passed in front of him to bypass Professor McGonagall, who was leaning over a small body lying on the ground. Sirius let out a little-choked sound and James quickly put his hand in front of his mouth to silence him, Professor Flitwick frowning in their directions before shaking his head. It must have been the wind perhaps.
-Bring her back to the castle and tell Albus what happened, this is no good. Said Professor McGonagall. -Rubeus, please, can you try to contain all those curious people, I do not want the Daily Prophet to make a scandal out of this. She added, making a gesture toward the street before she conjured a stretcher on which she made Mary levitated.
-Of course Professor. Murmured the giant before moving, passing so close to James and Sirius that he almost crushed them against the wall, as they tried to make themselves as small as possible under the cloak. The years had passed and it was more and more difficult to hide all of them under the cloaks and the four of them didn't fit under the cloak at the same time anymore. Sirius, being the tallest of the four, now had to curl up to prevent his feet from sticking out.
-Minerva... Sighs Professor Flitwick. -That poor child has been tortured with Dark Arts.
-I know, she's lucky to be alive. She said dryly, straightening up, looking around as Madam Pomfrey burst into the alley, rushing towards Mary.
-By Merlin's beard Minerva, what happened to this poor girl? She said with a strange voice, covering her with a sheet to keep her warm. -I'm going back to the castle, she needs immediate care.
Sirius slowly dipped his hand into James's pocket to take out his piece of mirror and activated it, Remus and Peter's faces, who had hidden in a corner somewhere on the main street, appearing. Sirius beckoned them to not make any sound, keeping the mirror in sight so they could hear the professors' chat. The atmosphere was heavy, the adults being tense, the scene seemed surreal as they were all in this alley, patiently waiting around Mary's little body, the nurse leaning over her, moving her wand and mumbling incomprehensible words.
-Hagrid will escort you out, Poppy. Professor McGonagall said and the giant nodded, gently patting the nurse's shoulder, her knees bending under the force of the impact. With a simple gesture of the hand from Hagrid, the curious people who were trying to see what was going on were pushing forward quickly and he and Madam Pomfrey were soon out of sight.
Sirius glanced at the mirror to see Remus's grave face and Peter biting his fingernails, his head huddled on Remus's shoulder to see into the mirror, trying not to miss a single word of the conversation.
-It doesn't make any sense Minerva, why would the Death Eaters attack here, in the middle of the day, so close to Dumbledore? Professor Sprout asked, shaking her head.
-Pomona, it's obvious. Professor McGonagall replied coldly, without looking at her, scrutinizing the ground around her. -It's no real Death Eater work. Students must have attacked her. This is amateurs doing, otherwise, they would just have killed her off. Only Bellatrix Black plays with her food before eating it.
James grabbed Sirius's arm as he heard Bellatrix's name and he squished it tightly without looking at him, knowing that his friend's heart probably had stopped beating for a second as he had heard his cousin's name.
-Did she really become a Death Eater? Asked Professor Flitwick. -She was quite someone when she was a pupil here, and I don't want to imagine the damage she might cause, being with You-Know-Who.
-The Blacks are You-Know-Who followers, and they do not hide from it, after all, the matron of the main branch was raised here in almost the same year as him. Professor Sprout replied. - How could it be otherwise when you look at them, the Blacks are all the same. She repressed a shiver. -Druella must be very proud of her eldest daughter, that's all I have to say.
-They are not all the same Pomona. Professor McGonagall immediately told her. -Sometimes, just one person is needed to break the mole. She sighed. -I was in first year when Orion Black was in his last. She added, shaking her head. -I never thought he would bend to the will of this woman one day.
-They are cold and calculating people, and we must rely on appearances, Regulus resembles his father very much on this particular point. Horace Slughorn told her before putting his hand on her shoulder. -Let's go, we need to talk to Albus, this cannot wait.
McGonagall looked around for the last time, frowning, before following the other professors. James and Sirius waited a moment before removing the cloak. -Did you hear? He asked Remus, grabbing Sirius' hand to look at the mirror.
-I heard, but we still have no proof that this is students' doing, they were only supposing things, if the teachers find something, we will know soon enough. Remus replied.
-Snape and your brother were heading towards the Three-Broomsticks earlier. Peter told them. -Perhaps we can trap them and forced them to speak!
-No Pet', Sirius sighed. -The place will be crowded, my brother is immune to binding spells and curses and Snape will be on his guard. He's fast on his wand. He said, passing a hand through his hair.
-Even to the Imperiatus curse? Peter asked as Remus shouted 'Pet'! ' and the latter simply shrugged his shoulders. -What this is an idea like any other!
-A forbidden one! What are you thinking! Remus replied as Sirius were no longer listened to what was happening. He was looking at the ground, while there was something shining in a corner and he slowly approached to pick it up. How could McGonagall have missed that? It was a silver ring, rather large and heavy, showing some house crest on the top. Sirius closed his eyes for a moment, unable to believe it, not wanting to believe it.
-What is it? James asked him as he approached, taking his hand to have a closer look at what he was holding. -I thought you got rid of that ring years ago? He said, looking at Sirius with a concerned look, frowning heavily at him.
-I did, it belongs to Regulus now. He said gravely. -I just found it on the ground, right there. Reg 'was here... he added giving the ring to James, clenched his fists. -The son of a -
-Sirius. Remus's voice said quickly through the mirror. -There must be an explanation.
-There's one, he was here, with his Death Eaters' friends, and they nearly killed Mary. He said coldly. -There you go with your explanation.
James looked at him without saying anything else before telling the other two that they were coming back, disabling the mirror to put it back in his pocket, throwing the invisibility cloak on their heads again. They had to avoid a multitude of students hurrying back to the castle, trying not to jostle anyone and James withdrew the cloak once they caught up with Remus and Peter, putting it back in his pockets as if nothing had happened.
Sirius gave the ring to Remus, who slowly turned it between his fingers as they all walked silently, not knowing what to say to try to comfort Sirius. Despite everything that had happened and his well-displayed disdain for his family, they knew that he would always be worried about Regulus.
He was his younger brother after all, and Sirius had never accepted the fact that he was different from him and that he had adhered so easily to his family's beliefs. He would have liked for his brother to follow him, he would have liked him to reject the Blacks values as he had himself done. But Regulus had rather accepted and embraced this part of his family, and whatever he might say, Sirius had suffered a great deal from this, even if he said he did not care.
To find this ring certainly had been like a slap in the face for him. If he was not the perpetrator of the attack, it still would prove that he was present and that he approved the acts and doing of his friends. It was only one more step in his low descent into the Dark Arts and it was now evident that he would become a Death Eater if he was not already one of them.
Remus wrapped Sirius's shoulders with his hand, slowly handing the ring back to him. He put his head on his neck as he continued to walk close to him, Peter coming to catch his arm on the other side without saying anything. James stood behind, his hands in his pockets, looking at them all, returning to the castle without a word. If he could, he would have taken on his shoulders all of Sirius's feelings right now.
He was not someone who was able to handle his emotions very well and sooner or later, James knew it, Sirius would explode. He seemed to be in control, but it would not take much more to get him into an uncontrollable rage and when he was in this state, he was worthy of his family without a shadow of a doubt and could become all that he had always hated.
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