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?

6. Chapter 6

The Potter Twins and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 6: The Grim

Dark. Ominous. Dementors drift in the distance. Restless….

….

Silent. A room of shadows. While those around them slumber, Harry and Michael lie awake, unable to sleep. Finally, they turn to their cupboard and take out the Marauder's Map.

They whisper, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The crooked corridors and serpentine passageways of Hogwarts radiate across the parchment, then…. A tiny dot catches their eyes. They frown. It reads: "Peter Pettigrew?"

….

The twins move down a dark corridor, map in Harry's hand, Michael's wand aglow. In the paintings they pass, the subjects snore softly.

"Harry Potter", "Michael Potter", and "Peter Pettigrew" draw closer and closer towards one another.

Harry squints toward the end of the corridor. Down at the map. Pettigrew moves quickly down the adjoining corridor.

Twenty yards away. Ten. Only seconds away….

Wand trembling in his hand, Michael glances from the map to the dark corridor ahead, as does Harry, again and again. Then…. As the three DOTS are about to collide…. They look slowly up…. Turn the corner…. Heart in their chests…. And meet…. Reflected in a mirror. They blink, startled, then glance back down at the map. Pettigrew has moved past them. Confused, they turn, Michael casts his wand along the walls.

"Watch it there, boy!"

Harry and Michael jump. But it's only an old man in a painting, scowling in the glare of Michael's wand light. On the map, "Pettigrew" continues to move away. The twins make to follow, then stop. They hear footsteps. The wand's spot dances across the parchment, and finds another dot.

Approaching fast: "Severus Snape."

Harry and Michael, "mischief managed!"

Harry stashes the map, Michael extinguishes his wand, and they turn…. Into the harsh glare of Snape's wand.

Snape, "Potter…. And Potter. What're you doing wandering the corridors at night?"

Harry, "I was…. I was…. Sleepwalking…."

Michael, "and I was trying to keep him out of trouble."

A sneer curdles the corners of Snape's lips.

Snapw, "how extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter's. He, too, was exceedingly arrogant. Strutting about the castle-"

Harry, "our dad didn't strut. Nor do we."

Michael, "yeah. Now, if you don't mind, we'd appreciate you lowering your wand."

Snape eyes Harry coldly, and Michael with a kinder look. Containing himself, he lowers his wand.

Snape, "turn out your pockets."

The boys don't move, eyes still boring into Snape.

Snape, "turn out your pockets!"

Finally, they oblige. Seeing the map, Snape's eyes glitter.

Snape, "and this. What might it be?"

Harry, "spare bit of parchment…."

Michael, "nothing really."

Snape, "really….", he poises his wand, "reveal your secret!"

To Michael and Harry's horror, words begin to appear. Snape studies them, a sadistic half-smile on his lips. He turns the map their way.

Snape, "read it."

Harry, "'Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape and….'"

Snape, "go on."

Michael, "'... and request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.'"

Snape, "why you insolent little-"

"Professor…?"

Snape turns to see Lupin standing in the shadows.

Snape, "well, well. Lupin. Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we?"

Lupin, "Michael? Harry? You all right?"

Snape, "that remains to be seen. I've just now confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mr. and Mr. Potter. Take a look, Lupin. This is supposed to be your area of expertise."

Lupin takes the parchment, which now displays a rather unflattering caricature of Snape and a pair of potions.

Snape, "clearly, it's full of Dark Magic."

Lupin, "I seriously doubt that, Severus. It looks to me as if it merely insults anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a Zonko product. Nevertheless, I shall pursue any hidden qualities it may possess. As you say, it's my area of expertise. Come, Michael, Harry."

….

The twins walk aside a fuming Lupin, who grips the map fiercely.

Lupin, "I don't know how this map came to be in your possession, boy's, but I'm astounded that you didn't turn it in. Did you ever stop to think that this, in the hands of Sirius Black, is a map to you two?"

The twins walk silently. Lupin can barely contain his anger.

Lupin, "your father didn't set much store by rules either. But he and your mother did give their lives to save yours. Gambling their sacrifice by walking about the castle unprotected, with a killer on the loose, strikes me as a poor way to repay them. I won't cover up for you again, boy's."

Lupin enters his office, tosses the map on his desk, and begins to sort through some papers. Harry and Michael linger briefly in the doorway, absently eyeing the waxing moon that glimmers beyond the window, then start to turn away. Harry does, at least. Michael seemed to have some sort of hunch about Lupin, but he didn't wanna jump to any conclusions.

Harry, "Professor. Just so you know, I don't think the map always works."

Michael, "yeah, earlier, it showed someone in the castle. Someone we know to be dead."

Lupin, "and who was that?"

Harry and Michael, "Peter Pettigrew."

Lupin hesitates ever-so-slightly, then returns to his papers.

Lupin, "that's impossible…. Very well. I'd like you to return to your dormitory now. Oh, and Harry? Michael? Don't take any detours."

As they look back, Lupin taps the map.

Lupin, "if you do. I'll know."

….

Trelawney, "relax…. Let your mind…. Go…."

The students gaze into crystal balls, faces reflecting the mist within, so that their very skin seems to be made of smoke.

Conspicuously, Michael, Harry, Ron and Hermione sit apart.

Trelawney, "crystal-gazing requires that you clear the Inner Eye. Only then, will you…. See. Oh my, what do we have here…?"

As Trelawney eyes Harry's crystal, Hermione rolls her eyes.

Hermione, "here we go again. It's the Grim! It's the Grim!"

Trelawney, "my dear, from the moment you first arrived in my class, I sensed that you did not possess the proper spirit for the noble art of Divination. You may be young in years, but the heart that beats beneath your bosom is as shriveled as an old maid's, your soul as dry as the pages of the books to which you so desperately cleave."

Stung, Hermione starts to reply, but, remarkably, seems incapable of a single word. Rising gracelessly, she exits, knocking her crystal ball to the floor. Harry watches curiously as the ball rolls slowly out the doorway…."

Lavender, "'in late spring, one of our number will leave us forever!' You knew, Professor! You saw."

Trelawney, "on these occasions, I take no joy in my gift, Miss Brown."

Michael rolled his eyes and said, "then explain her bogus prediction of me having a dog that gets run over by a grandfather I don't have?!"

Lavender grows silent when Michael points that out.

….

As the students exit, Ron, walking separately from Harry and Michael, turns to Neville.

Ron, "she's gone mental, Hermione has. I mean, not that she wasn't always mental, but now it's out in the open for everyone to see…."

Ron stops, glances at Harry and Michael, then moves off. Harry and Michael watch him go, along with the others, then spy Hermione's crystal ball lying on the landing.

….

Harry sets Hermione's crystal back on its stand.

Michael, "I may think her magic is bogus, but it's still the right thing to do, returning this thing."

They start to go, when…. The smoke within the crystal suddenly darkens. Leaning close, Harry and Michael watch the shape that appears. It is unmistakable: Sirius Black. Just then, a shadow crawls the glossy surface of the crystal and…. Two hands snatch Michael and Harry's shoulders. They turn and find….

Harry and Michael, "Professor Trelawney?"

Trelawney, "he will return tonight…."

Michael and Harry stiffen. Trelawney's voice is eerily hollow.

Harry, "s-sorry?"

Michael, "who will return?"

Trelawney, "tonight, when the clock strikes twelve, the servant shall break free. He and his Master shall be reunited. It cannot be prevented."

Trelawney smiles savagely…. Then her head falls forward.

When it rises, she blinks and eyes the hands that lie upon Michael and Harry's shoulders. Her hands.

Trelawney, "so sorry, dear boys. Did you say something?"

Her voice is normal once more. Harry shakes his head.

Michael, "nope, nothing at all…."

Michael and Harry, clearly unsettled by their encounter with Trelawney, hasten down the stairs….

….

SWOOK! SWOOK!

We see a crow as it glides to the flock circling the feet of a pot-bellied man, the executioner, sitting in the courtyard. As he sharpens his axe….

SWOOK! SWOOK!

The Executioner looks up and we see Harry, leading Ron, Michael and Hermione toward Hagrid's hut, hurrying past the man as fast as they could.

Fleet was snuggled in Michael's scarf.

Hermione, "I can't believe they're going to kill Buckbeak! It's too horrible."

Michael, "he's a wild animal! Of course he would attack Draco if he came at him like that! I'm with you, Hermione. It is horrible."

Harry, "it just got worse."

They all look and see Malfoy, along with Crabbe and Goyle, lurking within a grouping of monolithic menhirs, binoculars in hand, spying on Hagrid, who stands in the pumpkin patch, tossing dead ferrets to Buckbeak.

Fleet sees this and hides further in the scarf.

Hagrid wipes his eyes and lopes into the hut.

Draco, "did you see the big, fat blubbering oaf?! Oh, this is going to be rich. Did I tell you, Father said I can keep the head…. Ah. Come to see the show?"

Hermione, "you…. Foul…. Loathsome…. Evil…. Little cockroach…."

Malfoy stumbles back against a tree, cross-eyed with fear as Hermione jabs the tip of her wand under his nose.

Ron, "Hermione! No!"

She turns, surprised Ron's spoken to her. He looks away.

Ron, "he's not worth it."

Hermione nods, then….

SMACK!

Quick as lightning, lands a looping right hook to Malfoy's jaw, putting him flat on his back. Stunned, he leaps to his feet and runs, Crabbe and Goyle huffing and puffing behind.

Hermione, "that felt good."

The quartet makes their way down the slope and past Buckbeak, chewing on a ferret with idle satisfaction. Fleet poked his head out for a moment before hiding in the scarf again.

….

Hagrid stands by the window watching Buckbeak. Harry, Michael and Ron sit. Hermione makes tea.

Hagrid, "look at 'em. Loves the smell o' the trees when the wind blows…."

Harry, "I say we set him free."

Michael, "seconded."

Hagrid, "they'd know I did it. And tha' would only get Dumbledore in trouble. Gonna come down, yeh know. Says he wants ter be with me when it…. When it happens. Great man, Dumbledore."

Michael, "that he is."

Hermione, "we'll stay with you too, Hagrid."

Hagrid, "yeh will not! Think I wan' yeh seein' a thing like this! No. Yeh'll drink yer tea an' be off. But before yeh do, I wan' ter see you an' Ron shake hands, Michael an' Harry."

Michael, Ron and Harry exchange a glance, then look at Hagrid.

Hagrid, "thin' I haven' seen 'ow it's bin betw'n you two? Go on now…."

Reluctantly, Harry, Michael and Ron extend their hands and shake.

Hagrid, "good. Now then. Ron, I wan' ter see you give Hermione a hug."

Hermione and Ron, "what!"

Hagrid, "go on! You two've been at it all year. An' I'm sick o' it."

Acutely uncomfortable, Hermione and Ron step forward and perform perhaps the most awkward hug Hogwarts has ever seen.

Hagrid, "crikey, tha's jus' abou' the most pathetic hug I e'er seen. But yeh did it, an' tha's wha' matters. There's jus' one other thing…."

Ron, "I'm not kissing Fang if that's what you're thinking…."

Hearing his name, Fang, Hagrid's giant boarhound, thumps his tail happily on the floor.

Michael pet the happy dog.

Hagrid turns, takes the lid from a flour tin, and a tiny head, ears flecked with powder, emerges.

Ron, "Scabbers! You're alive!"

Fleet eyes the rat warily as Michael says, "well, what do you know!"

Hagrid, "yeh should keep a closer eye on yer pets, Ron."

Hermione, "I think you owe someone an apology."

Ron, "right. Next time I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know."

Hermione, "I meant me."

Hagrid, "crikey. Here we go agin…."

SMASH!

A glass jar on the shelf shatters. As Hermione scoops up a jagged star-shaped stone, a second stone bounces off the back of Harry's head.

Harry, "ow!"

Harry turns and looks out the window.

Harry, "Hagrid…."

Everyone turns and looks out the window.

Michael, "oh grape nuts."

Dumbledore and Fudge approach.

Behind them, in a fluttering shroud of crows, the Executioner follows, axe at his side. Hagrid begins to panic.

Hagrud, "yeh got to go! It's almost dark. Anyone sees yeh outside the castle it'll be trouble! Big trouble! 'Specially you, Harry and Michael-"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The door shakes. Hagrid stiffens in fear. Harry reaches up, puts his finger to Hagrid's trembling lips and speaks softly to the others.

Harry, "c'mon."

As the quartey exit through the back door, Fudge, Dumbledore and the Executioner enter through the front.

A veil of crows flutters onto the roof. More drop into the patch and begin to slowly circle Buckbeak.

Harry and the others duck behind the pumpkins and watch Hagrid solemnly greet the others. Fudge appears at the window. He picks his nose.

Michael, "ew…."

Just then, a "Shhh" is heard.

Hermione turns. The branches of the trees behind her are dancing oddly.

Harry, "what?"

Hermione, "nothing, I just thought I saw…. Never mind."

The quartet slip silently into a stand of trees. Beyond them, Hagrid's hut glimmers desolately in the dying sun.

High in the clock tower, a bell begins to toll.

DING!

DING!

DING!

The four of them stop, fighting their tears. A quartet of bleak shadows files from the hut. One of the shadows, Dumbledore, raises his hand and points, directing the attention of the others away from Buckbeak. Dumbledore speaks briefly, unintelligible from this distance, then….

CAW! CAW!

The crows shriek excitedly and the Executioner separates from the others, disappears behind a low stand of trees.

DING!

All goes very still. The wind loses its voice….

DING!

Sunlight kicks off the axe as it rises over the trees, into view….

DING!

The ax hangs seemingly forever, etched against the sky, then drops from sight. A sickening choo is heard! It fouls the breeze and Ron, Michael and Harry stare toward the trees in numb disbelief. Hermione, face turned away, trembles….

DING!

The sun sets, dropping behind the mountains in the distance. Hermione turns. She sees a frenzied spray of crows stain the bloody sky, their primal shrieking rising like a curse.

Slowly, Hermione's hand falls onto Ron's shoulder. We go down the length of Ron's arm to his hand, where a drop of blood hangs from his finger and drops like a tear….

DING!

Ron stares at his hand. At the blood running down his finger.

Ron, "he bit me…."

His eyes shift and he sees Scabbers streaking away.

Hermione, "Ron! No!"

As Ron pelts after Scabbers, Michael, (with Fleet clinging to the scarf), Harry and Hermione give chase.

Ron reaches the summit and disappears over the top.

Michael, Hermione and Harry follow.

Harry, Michael and Hermione reach the top of the ridge and stop.

Hermione, "Michael. Harry. You do realize what tree this is…."

Ron nabs Scabbers and cradles him in his bloody palm.

Ron, "now behave yourself."

Harry, "that's not good. Ron! Run!"

Michael, "you're right next to the Whomping Willow, ya git!"

Ron spins and looks toward Harry and Michael.

Ron, "Michael! Harry! Run!"

Michael and Harry's eyes shift. Bounding toward them in the gathering gloom is an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black…. Dog.

Harry and Michael shield themselves when…. The dog leaps clear over them!

Ron, "aaaahhh!"

The dog's teeth flash and….

SNAP!

Close on Ron's foot, dragging him towards the trunk like a rag doll. Instantly, Harry and Michael dash forward, leap out, and grab Ron's hands…. But they and Ron just keep skudding along the ground.

Hermione, "I've got you-"

Hermione pitches herself onto Harry and Michael's feet…. And the four of them go scudding along.

Ron, "Harry! Michael!"

Harry and Michael raise their chins. The dog vanishes into the gap at the base of the tree and begins to pull Ron through.

Harry, "hold on, Ron!"

But it's no use. The dog is too powerful. The twins glance around desperately, then find themselves looking directly in Ron's eyes. They can read his mind.

Michael, "no, Ron…."

One by one, Ron releases his fingers from Michael and Harry's forearms. Sacrificing himself.

Harry and Michael, "nooooo!"

But Ron closes his eyes, releases his hands fully, and…. Disappears. As his voice echoes deep into the earth…. Michael, Harry and Hermione rise and peer into the hole.

WHOMP!

The Whomping Willow sweeps first Hermione, then Harry, and then Michael, into the air and….

FLOOMPH!

Drops them on their backsides.

Swaying beautifully against the dusky sky, swishing softly.

As one, they rise. They run back toward the gap in the tree. A branch swoops down.

Hermione and Michael duck. Harry doesn't.

WHOOSH!

He is flung one way, his glasses the other.

Hermione hops over another branch, looks briefly pleased with herself, only to find herself swept high into the air by a second branch. She looks down, and sees Harry searching the ground for his glasses. As Michael runs to his brother.

Hermione, "MICHAEL! HARRY!"

Harry squints up, and Michael looks up to see a pile-driving fist of a branch screaming straight down for their heads. They roll away just as….

WHOMP!

The branch pulverized the ground.

Hermione whips around, still clinging on for dear life, and Harry and Michael rise.

FLUMPH!

They are promptly knocked to the ground again. Hermione goes crashing through the high branches, Harry spies his glasses and grabs them. Rising, he fits them to his face and his blurry vision turns crystal clear just in time to see Hermione flying madly towards him and Michael!

Hermione, "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Harry, "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Michael, "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Fleet, "squeeeeeeeaaaaaaaak!"

Hermione reaches out, grabs Michael and Harry's shirts and, riding the branch in tandem, the two boomerang back, hurtling toward the trunk of the tree, through the gap, and into the darkness….

….

Reviews:

Canadude2029: Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the changes.

Bailey Radcliff: Thanks so much.

….