The Potter Twins and The Prisoner of Azkaban

by B.E.A.T.N

During Harry and Michael's third year at Hogwarts, they slowly uncover parts of the story involving the death of their parents when a man named Sirius Black escapes prison, seemingly after the twins. Can Harry, Michael and their friends survive another crazy year at Hogwarts?

5. Chapter 5

The Potter Twins and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 5: Romance, Snow and Trials

Harry and Michael approach a statue of a hump-backed, one-eyed witch.

Harry traces his finger along the tattered surface to two ink figures labeled "Harry Potter", and "Michael Potter."

A tiny speech bubble appears: "Dissendium."

Harry, "Dissendium?"

CLICK!

The witch's eye opens and the statue pivots, revealing a dark opening in the floor. As Harry and Michael crouch, squinting, a cool draft of air ruffles their hair….

….

A tiny light bobs in the distance, fracturing the darkness, then Harry and Michael appear, the tip of their wands glowing, map in Harry's hand.

"Harry Potter" and "Michael Potter" glide across the parchment. They stop and crane their necks to look up some stone steps. Harry taps the map.

Harry, "mischief managed."

….

We see crates, huge rolling bins, and a wooden staircase. A trapdoor lifts, and the eyes of the twins appear. As they pull themselves up, a door bangs open. Dense chatter roars from above. Quickly, the boy's hide and watch a man's boots descend the stairs. Then They hear a woman say, "a box of Jelly Slugs as well, Horace. We're nearly cleared out."

Horace grunts and begins moving boxes. Harry and Michael look up to the cellar door, take out the invisibility cloak….

….

The cellar door eases open, but no one appears. We go through a sweet tooth's dream, swarming with customers. Up ahead, Neville prepares to lick the lollipop in his hand, when it simply floats from his fingers!

But the lollipop seems to struggle in the air for a moment before it pops back into Neville's hand!

Footprints appear in the snow of the fog-shrouded chaos of Main Street.

At this elevation, the mist hangs in thick, undulating veils, the Shrieking Shack an eerie silhouette in the gloom. Ron and Hermione stand stiffly, attempting, as best they can, to conceal the fact that, basically, they're scared stiff.

Hermione, "it's meant to be the most haunted building in Britain. Did I mention that?"

Ron, "twice."

Hermione, "should we move a bit closer?"

Ron, "huh? Oh…. All right…."

They take a step. One step. Stop dead.

Ron, "actually, it's fine from here."

Hermione, "perfect."

Just then, voices echo and three figures appear over the rise, phantoms in the mist. Malfoy. Crabbe. Goyle. Pike.

Draco, "well, well. Look who's here. You two shopping for your dream home? Seems a bit grand for you, Weasel-Bee. Don't your family all sleep in one room?"

Ron, "shut your mouth, Malfoy."

Draco, "now that's not very friendly. Boys, I think we're going to have to teach Weasel-Bee to respect his superiors."

Hermione, "HA! Hope you don't mean yourself."

Malfoy's eyes shift and regard Hermione with disgust.

Draco, "how dare you speak to me, you fithy, little mud-"

SPLAT!

Malfoy takes a snowball to the grill and splutters, "who did that!"

Malfoy glances about in confusion, when….

SPLAT!

SPLAT!

He takes two more. Hermione and Ron glance about uneasily.

Draco, "well, don't just stand there!"

Crabbe and Goyle start for Ron and Hermione, when….

FLUMPH!

Their knees go out and they fall headfirst into the snow. Draco begins to back away fearfully, eying the mist…."

Draco, "wait a minute, there's something out here…. Aaaaaaahhhh!"

Malfoy's ski mask is pulled over his eyes, he's spun about, given a rough kick to the arse and sent stumbling over the rise and out of sight. Instantly, Crabbe, Pike and Goyle join him.

Ron and Hermione stand frozen, exchange a nervous glance, and…. Dash off, when….

FLUMPH!

They both go flying, land on their pants in the snow. As they sit up, they hear….

Laughter?

Hermione's eyes narrow in suspicion.

Hermione, "Harry? Michael?"

The Invisibility Cloak drops. Sure enough. Harry and Michael stand there. Grinning.

Ron, "bloody Hell, guy's! That was not funny!"

But he's smiling. They all are. As he and Hermione pelt Harry and Michael with snowballs!

….

The quartet trudged through the swirling snow. Harry'sdonned Hermione's scarf and Ron's hat to disguise himself, while Michael had his scarf over his mouth, and an extra hat Ron bought.

Ron, "those weasels! Never told me about any Marauder's Map!"

Hermione, "but Harry and Michael aren't going to keep it. They're going to turn it over to Professor McGonagall, aren't you?"

Ron, "oh sure. Along with the invisibility cloak, Michael's scarf, Harry's pack of exploding snap cards, their-"

Hermione, "oh, shut up."

"Rosmerta, m'dear!"

Up ahead, Cornelius Fudge emerges from a ministry sleigh as Hagrid swings the door clear and, with unfortunate ease, rips it clean off the fittings. Fudge joins McGonagall and a curvy barmaid, Rosmerta, outside the Three Broomsticks Pub.

Hermione, "that's Madam Rosmerta. Ron fancies her."

Ron, "it's not true!"

Michael whispers, "I can see why."

Harry, "shhh."

Cornelius Fudge, "I trust business is good?"

Madam Rosmerta, "it'd be a right sight better if the Ministry wasn't sending Dementors into my pub every other night."

Cornelius Fudge, "we have a killer on the loose."

Madam Rosmerta, "Sirius Black? In Hogsmeade! And what would bring him here?"

Cornelius Fudge, "the Potter twins."

Madam Rosmerta, "the Potter twins!?"

Fudge looks around nervously, then jerks his head toward the pub. As he leads Rosmerta and McGonagall inside….

Ron, "Harry? Michael?"

They're gone. Footprints track through the snow, into the pub…. As they thread through the teeming pub, past a sign, "No Underage Wizards", and nearly collide with some very strange-looking patrons. Ron and Hermione ripple briefly past a frosted window, then…. Three shrunken heads swing into view.

Head #1, "so I says to him, 'Careful, Ned. Don't want to go losing your head!'"

As the three heads cackle hysterically, bobbing up and down on their strings, Harry and Michael turn just as an unshaven wizard's arm whips down and a dart goes whirling right toward Harry's eyes. Harry is pulled away by Michael, and….

THWOCK!

They see the dart pierce the cork of the disfigured dartboard behind them.

They hurry on, trailing Fudge and McGonagall up a dark stairwell as Rosmerta leads them into a small back room.

As the door starts to close, the twins rush forward.

SLAM!

Too late.

The knob turns, the door opens…. And snow flutters off the sill of a half-open window.

McGonagall turns, frowning, and re-closes the door, harder this time, then joins Fudge and Rosmerta.

Madam Rosmerta, "come on then. Let's hear it."

McGonagall, "years ago, when Michael and Harry Potter's parents were marked for death, they went into hiding. Few knew where they were. One who did was black. And he told…."

Madam Rosmerta, "You-Know-Who. I've heard this rot. It was all over The Daily Prophet back in the day. And I'll say now what I said then: Of all the boys I ran out of here, Black's the last who would've gone over to the dark side. Hearsay. That's all the Ministry had. Hearsay."

Cornelius Fudge, "ha! Tell that to Peter Pettigrew!"

Madam Rosmerta, "Peter Pettigrew?"

McGonagall, "little lump of a boy? Always tagging after Black and…."

Madam Rosmerta, "I remember him. What's he got to do with it?"

McGonagall, "after the Potters were killed, Pettigrew went looking for Black. And, unfortunately…. Found him."

Cornelius Fudge, "Black was vicious. He didn't kill Pettigrew. He destroyed him. A finger. That's all that was left. A finger…. There's your hearsay."

Rosmerta looks to McGonagall. She nods grimly.

McGonagall, "Sirius Black may not have put his hands to the Potters, but he's the reason they're dead. And now he wants to finish what he started."

Madam Rosmerta, "Harry and Michael."

McGonagall nods, then looks pained.

Cornelius Fudge, "but that's not the worst of it."

Madam Rosmerta, "what could be worse?"

McGonagall, "this: Sirius Black was and remains today…. The Potter twin's godfather!"

….

BLAM!

The pub doors fly open to Main Street, where Ron and Hermione wait, rubbing their hands against the chill. As they look down to see footprints ppear in the snow. We follow Hermione and Ron, then see a poster of Blaxk, fluttering against a lamppost: "Have you seen this wizard?"

At the end of a rocky outcrop, the footprints end and sobs are heard. Ron takes Hermione's arm, discouraging her from going further, but she does, filling the footprints with her own, then kneeling and very gently drawing the cloak from Harry and Michael. They stare into the mist, eyes stinging with tears. Michael seems to be on the verge of breaking anything that comes in contact with him.

Harry, "he was their friend. And he betrayed them…."

Michael, "he was their friend! I hope he finds us. But when he does, we're going to be ready. When he does, we're going to kill him!"

Michael begins crying even harder, and Hermione carefully brings him and Harry into a hug….

….

Butterflies flutter over the great green lawn. The giant squid breaks through the last glaze of ice on the Black Lake. The Whomping Willow shakes the water from its branches…

The dying sun streams through high windows, painting Michael and Harry's faces with a fierce amber-red as they stand opposite Lupin. Ancient charts drape the walls while gleaming spheres of spun glass orbit one another silently. Lupin paces before a large trunk.

Lupin, "you're sure about this, boy's? This is very advanced magic. Well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level."

Harry, "if Black can fight the Dementors, I need to know how too."

Michael, "we both do."

Lupin studies them, as if conflicted, then decides.

Lupin, "very well. The spell I'm going to teach you is called the Patronus Charm. Ever hear of it?"

Harry shakes his head.

Michael said, "I only heard Snape say it, but I didn't see what it was."

Lupin, "a Patronus is a kind of positive force. For the wizard who can conjure one, the Patronus works something like a shield. The Dementor feeds on it instead of him."

Just then, the trunk rattles violently. As Harry and Michael's eyes wander, Lupin snaps his fingers, and brings their attention back.

Lupin, "but in order for it to work, you must think of a memory. And not just any. This memory needs to be a very happy one. And powerful."

Harry and Michael think a bit. Then…. Nod.

Lupin, "both of you got something? Good. Let it fill you up. Lose yourself in it. Then speak the incantation: Expecto Patronum. Without your wand…."

Harry, "Expecto Patronum…."

Michael, "Expecto Patronum…."

Lupin, "right then. Shall we?"

The boys nod and raise their wands. Lupin, watching closely, reaches over, grips the lid of the trunk….

Lupin, "concentrate, boy's. Concentrate…."

As Lupin flings open the case, Harry and Michael open their eyes. In the sun's blood-light, the Dementor looks particularly horrific.

Michael and Harry, "Expecto…. Patronum…."

The torches on the wall flicker as a chill breeze fills the chamber. A scream echoes distantly. Lightning fills Michael's vision. Harry's hand trembles. Their eyes begin to roll up….

Harry, "Expecto…."

Michael, "Expecto…."

Lupin, "here!"

CRACK!

The Dementor mutates into a silvery white orb.

Lupin, "Riddikulus!"

Lupin flicks his wand, sends the orb back into the packing case. The boys stand blinking. Dazed. Lupin fishes some chocolate frog's from his pocket and presses them into the twins' trembling hands.

Lupin, "quickly."

Harry studies the frog and takes a bite. Michael does the same. They begin to recover.

Harry, "that's one nasty Dementor."

Lupin, "Boggart, Harry. The real thing would be much, much worse. Just out of interest, what were you both thinking of? What memories did you choose?

Harry, "the first time I rode a broom."

Michael, "when I first got Fleet."

Lupin, "that's not good enough, boys. Not nearly."

Harry and Michael glance toward the window, at the bloody sun.

Harry, "there's another. It's not happy exactly. I mean, it is. It's the happiest I've ever felt. But it's…. Complicated."

Michael, "and mine…. It's something I can't quite say yet…. But it's a big part of who I am."

Lupin, "are they strong?

Harry and Michael look up into Lupin's eyes. Emotion is written all over their faces. They nod.

Lupin, "then let's try it."

Harry takes a breath. He tossed the frog aside and poised himself.

Michael finishes off his chocolate and poised himself.

Lupin, "think, boy's, think…."

Harry, "just do it!"

Michael, "we're ready."

Lupin blinks at their quiet fierceness. He opens the packing case. Instantly, the Dementor appears again. A chill fills the air. The hair skates off Harry's scar, and Michael feels the air blowing against his scar.

They both yell, "Expecto Patronum!"

Their hands tremble. Their whole bodies tremble. But they hold their ground, when….

WHOOSH!

A huge silver shadow bursts from the end of both wands, hovering between them and the Dementor. The Dementor falters…. The boys legs feel like water….

Lupin, "Riddikulus!"

CRACK!

The Dementor vanishes. The boys' arms drop slack. Lupin eyes them with a kind of awe. His voice barely a whisper.

Lupin, "well done."

Harry, "I think I've had enough. For today."

Michael, "me too."

Lupin nods and watches them move to the door.

Lupin, "so you know, boy's: You'd have given your father a run for his money. And, believe me, that's saying something."

Harry and Michael ponder this then speak, deep inside themselves.

Harry, "I was thinking of him. And Mum. Seeing their faces. They're just talking to me. Just…. Talking. That was the memory I chose. I don't even know if it's real…. But it's the best I have."

Michael, "I thought of a talk I had with Dumbeldore…. Just a talk…. One that I needed to hear…. One that made me…. Who I am…."

….

It's the day before the next Quidditch match.

Gryffindor vs RavenClaw.

But Harry had yet to get a replacement broom!

Harry was pacing in front of Michael and Fleet as he said, "I'm running out of time! I need to get a new broom!"

Michael, "but it's not like a new broom is gonna fall right outta the sky."

Neville suddenly ran in and said, "Harry, you must got a new broom in the mail!"

Harry and Michael looked at Neville in shock.

….

Ron stands amid a circle of excited Gryffindors, and even Luna was there.

Ron, "stand back, I said! I'll take it upstairs if you don't settle!"

As Harry and Michael arrive, they glance at Hermione, who clears her throat loudly. The others turn and all begin speaking at once.

Luna, "Harry! Wherever did you get it!"

Seamus, "can I have a go, Harry? After you, of course-"

Ron, "quiet! Thank you. Let the man through."

Mystified, Harry steps forward with Michael standing back, the boys peeling away, clearing his view of the broomstick in Ron's hands. The label gleams: "FIREBOLT."

Harry, "whose is that?"

Ron, "whose is it? It's yours, mate."

Haeey, "but…. How? Who?"

Hermione, "it's a mystery…."

….

BOOM!

The huge vertical doors burst open and Harry, trailed by the others, exit with the Firebolt. As he strides off, others join the assembly, Hagrid, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle among them, curious to see what the commotion is all about.

As Harry stops, an expectant hush hangs over the moment.

Seamus, "go on, Harry."

Neville, "yeah. Let's see."

Michael, "this should be quite the sight!"

Harry mounts the broom. He licks his finger and jabs it in the air. A few others do the same. Hagrid does the same. Crabbe and Goyle start to do the same, when Malfoy slaps their hands down. Finally, Harry places his hand on the broom. He sets his grip. He takes a breath. And…. Frowns.

Fred and George, "what's wrong?,

Harry, "I don't think it works. I think it's defective."

Michael, "aw, really?"

A collective groan is heard. Dejected, many of the kids begin to drift toward the castle. Harry calls after.

Harey, "oh, come on now. It's just a broom."

Hagrid, "just a broom. Indeed."

Harry's eye shifts to Ron, Michael and Hermione. A wink.

Harry, "the fastest broom in the world."

As everyone turns….

WHOOSH!

Harry jets off and we see Harry shooting straight into the sky on the Firebolt. A scream grows louder as he flies. A

scream of release, of utter abandon. It's Harry screaming. But something else is clear as he jets past and…. It's a scream of joy!

….

The next day...

With his new broom, Harry was off to get ready for the Quidditch match.

Meanwhile, Michael was making his way to the field in order to watch his brother's match.

But as he rounded a corner, he found himself bumping into someone!

Both fell to the ground in front of one another.

Michael, "oh, I'm sorry, I-"

Michael felt his words getting caught in his throat.

Sitting in front of him was an Asian girl with hair as black as the night, dressed in Ravenclaw robes.

Michael found himself blushing, finding her extremely attractive. Michael managed to shake himself out of his stupor and said, "here, let me help you up."

Michael helped the girl up as she said, "thanks. Sorry I bumped into you."

Michael, "n-no! It was my fault! I-I wasn't looking where I was going…. Uh, I'm Michael."

The girl shook Michael's hand as he held it out.

She said, "I know…. Pretty much everyone in school does…. Uh, I'm Cho…. Cho Chang…."

Michael smiled and said, "nice to meet you…. Uh, I was just headed to the Quidditch game. Hope to see you there?"

Cho chuckled and said, "I should hope so…. I am the Seeker for Ravenclaw."

Michael blushed a deeper shade of red and said, "oh…. Well, good luck."

Cho smiled and said, "thanks…."

As Cho walked off, Michael found himself staring at her retreating form, now questioning who to root for….

….

After the match, Hermione had made Harry take the new broom to McGonagall, in order to see if there was some sort of curse or jinx upon it.

Michael agreed with Hermione, while Ron, of course, thought it was a bad idea.

But, the matter was settled after McGonagall took a look at the broom and found no problems with it…. For now….

….

All the boys are asleep that night.

All except Harry and Michael, who lie in their beds, studying the photo of their parents, barely visible in the fluttering light of a guttering candle. As the flame dies with a soft hiss, all goes black….

….

We see a hulking, haunted goliath against the sky. A cautious breeze rises and leaves scud across the gravel.

A church. Empty. Silent.

A windowpane rsttles, up high, the corridor thatched in shadow. Slowly…. A shadow engulfs Sir Cadogan, dozing against

his tree….

A whistle shrieks. The Sneakoscope, whirling madly, skitters across the bedside cabinet and….

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!

Taps against a water glass, sending shafts of red light pinwheeling over the photo of Michael and Harry's parents….

Ron suddenly screams, "aaahhhh!"

Harry bolts up and sees a silhouette etched on the window. A man clutching a knife! All the boys are up now.

Screaming. Amid the chaos, Harry and Michael grab their wands.

Harry, "everybody out!"

The others flee. Harry and Michael face the hulking shadow, wands poised.

Harry, "show yourself."

Michael, "come out where we can see you!"

Crash!

The water glass shatters on the floor and Scabbers darts past Harry's bare feet, chased by Crookshanks. Seizing the moment, the figure grasps the curtains and swings through the open window, plunging into the night. The twins rush to the window and look down.

The figure leaps from ledge to ledge with an animal's grace, then…. Vanishes.

Harry and Michael sweep Ron's curtains aside. His bed is…. Empty.

Harry, "Ron! Ron!"

Michael, "where are you?"

Harry's eyes flash toward the window, when…. Ron pokes his head out from under the bed.

Ron, "is he gone?"

….

The entire Gryffindor House, in pajamas, stand before McGonagall, who wears a tartan robe and an expression of singular irritation.

McGonagall, "that's preposterous, Weasley. How could Sirius Black possibly have got through the portrait hole?"

Ron, "I don't know how he got in! I was a bit busy dodging his knife!"

Just then, a curiously content Crookshanks wends his way through Ron's legs.

Ron, "and this bloody cat ate my rat!"

Michael noticed that Fleet seemed happy about that.

Hermione, "that's a lie!"

Ron, "it is not and you bloody well know it!"

McGonagall, "silence!"

McGonagall turns then and everyone follows her eye to Sir Cadogan who, sensing the attention, perks up instantly.

McGonagall, "Sir Cadogan. Is it possible that you let a mysterious man enter Gryffindor Tower tonight?"

Sir Cadogan, "certainly, good lady! He had the password. Had the whole week's, im fact. On a little piece of paper."

McGonagall, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down the passwords and then proceeded to lose them!"

Every eye shifts once more to Neville.

McGonagall sighs and says, "is it always going to be you, Longbottom?"

Neville, "I'm afraid so, ma'am."

McGonagall, "while we know Sirius Black is gone tonight, I think you can safely assume he will, at some future time, attempt to return. Let me be clear. You are not to move about the castle alone. And you are not to write down the password! Understood!"

A collective nod of the head. McGonagall gives the ties of her robe a sharp tug, collects herself, and exits.

McGonagall, "very well then. Go to bed."

As the students drift off, Ron casts a last angry glance toward Hermione, who now holds Crookshanks in her arms.

Harry, "we could've killed him."

Hermione turns and sees Michael and Harry staring out the window.

Harry, "he was right there. Close enough to touch."

Michael, "we could've killed him."

….

The quartet make their way down the slope.

Ron, "I find it astonishing that someone who prides herself on being so logical can be in such denial."

Hermione, "Michael. Harry. Will you explain to your friend Ronald that he has absolutely no proof whatsoever that my sweet, unassuming cat ate his shabby, decidedly decrepit rat."

Ron, "they were there! They'll tell you how it was. Go on, Michael, tell her."

Michael, "well, Crookshanks has never chased after Trevor or Fleet, so there's a chance they didn't do anything…."

Ron, "are you serious? Ugh! Harry?"

Harry, "no, I won't. Know why? Because I don't care about your stupid rat! I don't care about your stupid cat! I've got few other things on my mind right now!"

Ron, "really? Wasn't you had to roll under the bed last night to avoid getting cut to ribbons! A person could die being your friend, guys!"

Ron stops, wishing he could take it back. They all wish he could. Avoiding each other's eyes, they turn and continue on….

….

Hagrid, wearing a gigantic, hairy brown suit and perhaps the world's ugliest yellow and orange tie, stands knee-deep in the shallows of the Black Lake, skimming rocks as big as flagstones across the water's shiny gloss. As he turns, the quartet catches a brief sight of his eyes, red with tears, then he looks away.

Hermione, "how'd it go, Hagrid?"

Hagrid, "Buckbeak liked London."

Hermione, "I meant the hearing."

Hagrid, "oh. That. Well, I got up an' said my bit…. You know, how Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff an' as long as yeh treated 'im with respect, he'd treat you the same. Then Lucius Malfoy got up an' said his bit, you know, how Buckbeak was a deadly dangerous beast that no teacher in their righ' mind would expose their students to…."

Hermione, "and…?"

Hagrid slings another rock into water.

Hermione, "you mustn't blame yourself, Hagrid."

Michael, "yeah. It's not your fault."

Ron, "Draco. It's him the Committee should punish. It's him they should send off to the forest, not Buckbeak."

Hagrid, "Buckbeak's not going back to the forest…."

Hermione, "... where's he going, Hagrid?"

Hagrid, "he asked fer the worse, yeh see, Lucius Malfoy did. An' the Committee granted it…. Buckbeak's bin sentenced ter death!"

Hagrid began crying again as the others all gave horrified looks.

Even for Lucius Malfoy…. That was too far….

….

Reviews:

Canadude2029: yep. Dementors SUCK. I'm glad you liked the chapter.

Bailey Radcliff: thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and my little changes to it.

….

Also, I've got a new poll up. I'm planning on a Ben 10 and Teen Titans crossover harem story in the near future. One where Ben ends up with Starfire, Raven, Blackfire, Looma and (maybe) Helen Wheels. So, this new poll is to see if there are any additional girls people would wanna see in the harem.

Once that poll gets enough votes, I'll move onto the next poll regarding a future story.