Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter Twenty One

Pursuit

East of West City

Sirius had thought he had lost the men, a few times, over the course of the day but every time he tried to find a place to hide out for the evening they reappeared in the distance. He didn't understand how they were managing to track him, had they cast a trace on him, surely, he would have noticed.

He was growing more agitated as the day grew late, when he noticed that the two following him had now been joined by other men. He knew one of them was Snape, could see him clearly enough for that. How and why, they continued to find him was still a mystery. He knew though that if they had Snape with them there was no chance, they could be mistaken allies.

Edward sensed the dog before anyone tried to point it out and gestured to the others to ignore it. If they wanted this hunt done before dawn, they were going to have to outsmart him. He called Severus to join him as they looked in the opposite direction of the creature. "You sense the magic I take it?" Severus asked as he approached.

"No, I sense it to be human, in animal form. It is just like the rat." Edward frowned. "Whoever they are, whether it's Black or someone unrelated, they need to be detained. The whirl of emotion actually leaving it is troubling. Most have some ability to hide their emotions, even children."

"Well, if it is who we suspect, then several years in the company of Dementors would ruin any barriers one would naturally build in their mind." Severus frowned. "Not that he ever seemed that rational or stable to me."

"Of course, I remember you said they were your enemies in school." Edward nodded. "Though have since made peace with Remus?"

"Remus was a follower, attempting to keep his head down. Sirius and James, they lead the group." Severus snorted. "I have my own opinions on these matters that I know differ greatly from Remus."

"Different perspectives." Edward shrugged. "What we need to concern ourselves with now it his current mental state. We cannot risk him coming into contact with my son. He is as much a risk as Dumbledore."

"I agree of course. We will ensure that he comes no where near the children." Severus agreed.

Edward nodded for them to continue a few minutes later, sensing that the creature had moved away again. This time he gestured for them all to stay back as far as they could and still keep track of him. They needed to catch him off guard, if possible, to avoid a fight.

Hogshead

Hogsmeade

Minerva met with Flitwick and Pomphrey with no concern of running into Dumbledore. He no longer came to this bar since they refused to serve him. She wanted to warn the others that he had fired her and was behaving strangely (even for him).

"Well, Fudge decided that two of us were going to be sent to Xerxes by the end of the month. A notice came out this afternoon, along with a note that claimed you had volunteered to be one of those going." Flitwick frowned.

"Well, then. Perhaps that is what set him off. Though they have been talking about sending some of us since the beginning of the year." Minerva frowned thoughtfully. "I was under the impression Xerxes had refused aide. I do not think they changed their minds so how are we meant to send anyone?"

"I don't know, it's all very strange. It has been from the beginning of it all." Pomphrey added. "Will you go to Xerxes then?"

"Hmm. If they will allow me entry. I get the impression we are not exceptionally trusted out there; I might be the worst to send as Dumbledore did have me spy on them before and they realized it." Minerva frowned. "Though, I did make some progress in forgiveness last year I believe."

"Where will you go should they refuse you entry though?" Flitwick asked fretfully.

"There are other schools, and there is always retirement." She shrugged briefly. "We shall see, I suppose."

Undisclosed Location

Peter sighed in frustration as he finally slipped away long enough to bathe. He would like to nap as well, but the master would need his attention again soon. Really, when he had gone in search of Him, he had not expected this, to be turned into nothing more than a nursemaid. Though really, considering how things had turned out for Quirrell it was possibly the best he could hope for all things considered.

He had barely sunk into the tub when he heard the sound chiming from one of the traps. Someone was approaching the front door. No one was meant to be here, not for another week. Peter quickly dressed as he rushed down to the front of the house just as the owner put his key in the lock as he spoke quietly to his wife.

Peter rushed to where he had left Voldemort, bundled warmly near the fireplace. He lifted the bundle gently, already mentally plotting where to go as he prepared to apparate. The bundle in his arms squirmed as Voldemort demanded "What is the meaning of this? It is not yet time for the next dose."

"We have to go! The owner returned early."

An older man with grey, thinning hair and a slight, hunched build shuffled into the room before Peter could leave. They stared at each other wide eyed for a moment before with a sigh of frustration Peter pulled his wand and killed the man instantly. He then disappeared just before the man's wife could enter the room.

Xerxes

Headmaster's Cottage

Alphonse was frustrated as he entered the cottage, greeting his wife and son absently, before he announced, "The Ministry has insisted the two teachers are being sent, and I find I am having difficulty with a counterargument to 'Our children are unsafe with Black out there we know how to handle his kind.' Without revealing too much of what we know."

"We will be hosting these teachers then I assume?" Mei frowned but had been expecting this for a while. Perhaps it was for the best, let them learn how things differed here and perhaps it would help them see that Xerxes was not neglecting the students' studies.

"Unfortunately, Dad also called to let me know someone breached the border. Ed is actively following them right now. I wish I could join him; I don't like my brother out in the field by himself like this."

"I doubt Roy let Edward follow alone Alphonse." Mei huffed as Al winced. Things had gotten better, but reminding Mei of Al's lack of ability was never the best idea. It reminded her of what else he lost, and how he had done this to himself.

"Apologies. Here, I'll see to his bath." Al said as he reached for Sovann as he added, "Though I cannot join him, perhaps he would allow you to help."

"Who is with him now? Surely, he is well guarded."

"Severus Snape, and the chimera guard. No other alchemists or wizards." Al shook his head. He felt his brother should have taken a larger group and was putting himself in unnecessary danger going nearly alone.

"It's still a larger group than he ever bothered with when you were children, and he was always alright." Mei assured as she followed Al to the bathroom where he started the tub. "Your brother knows what he is doing."

"I don't have to like it. He is always so reckless." Al frowned.

"Are you worried about Edward, or are you worried about the wizards sending more people?"

"Can't I be worried about both? I am also concerned that the children are currently in Amestris with some unknown person or people inside what was meant to be an unbreachable border!"

"Never assume any defense is completely unbreachable. Your brother and father knew that, after all they set up border patrols as added protection for that reason."

"It did them a lot of good too, considering my brother is currently the one handling the situation!" Al stopped then, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Apologies again, I know what you are saying, and I agree they have all been trying very hard to keep outsiders out with great success. I am stressed and concern but shouldn't take it out on you."

East of West City

Sirius growled in frustration as once again the men appeared in the distance before he ducked between two buildings on the edge of town. He had no choice; he was going to have to return to his own form and try to blend in. These men weren't leaving him behind so his only hope was that wanted posters had not arrived in this area and he could blend into a crowd.

Hopefully, if he was very lucky which was unlikely, someone may even notice he was being chased and help him. It would create the distraction he needed to finally slip away. He was hoping more though for them losing sight of him once he was no longer an animal.

He made his way into the bar after snatching a change of clothes off a line not wanting his robes to make him stand out. He had managed to snatch a few notes of local money when he had passed through West City which he now planned to use to order something to eat and blend into the locals.

Snape, he thought, was going to be the problem. Snape would recognize him, so he needed to keep his head down and try to stay in the shadows. He picked a table in the far corner and waited for the server to come over to him instead of going to the bar.

"Dinner and a drink or are you wanting a room for the night as well?" the young woman asked when she stopped at his table.

"Just the food thank you." Sirius said quietly.

"Came off the train then? East or West?" she asked as she placed a basket of rolls on his table along with a bowl of what appeared to be a beef stew.

"West heading East."

"Ah, looking for work or just traveling? Things are a lot better out here nowadays, but I hear the best jobs are around Central." She offered with a smile.

"Just passing through." Sirius responded as the door opened again, the men who had been following him walked in.

"Oh. My. God. It's Fuhrer Elric." She said before rushing to the group Sirius watching her with a sinking feeling of dread. The ones who were following him were important then. He was going to have to escape again while the woman was busy gushing over the new arrivals.

Edward sighed in irritation as he attempted to smile at the barmaid. It wasn't her fault that he was tired and angry so there was no need to take it out on her. As she prattled on about the special stew, they offered though he wished that he was still the man he had been a year ago.

Back when he was 'just' Fullmetal he wouldn't have worried about offending a local tavern worker when she was spewing useless information but these days everything he said or did reflected on the government and he was painfully aware of it. His Dad would have helpfully reminded him that back then it reflected on the government as well, not that he would have cared then. "Did a scraggly man come in here?" Severus finally asked tired of listening as well.

"Well yeah, there's a stranger in here. Why is he a criminal? Did I serve a thief? Oh my! Is he a killer?" she asked excitedly, her voice raising as she spoke. "Fuhrer Elric still hunts criminals?!"

"Where did you say the man was?" Edward asked tiredly, expecting by now that he had slipped away. She pointed to the empty table with a frown, and he rolled his eyes, of course the man was gone.

Central City

Fuhrer's Mansion

Fuhrer's Apartment

Roy and Riza decided after dinner that the best option was to send the children back to Xerxes and had called Alphonse to arrange the return. Alphonse had arrived with Remus to pick up the children and speak to his father about the teachers being sent to Xerxes. "I only know one name so far, Minerva McGonagall. Was she not the one who was a cat in our house when Yuery was a baby?" Alphonse asked with a frown as he tried to remember what he had written on the subject.

"We have since made an ally of her, but yes at one point she was sent to spy. Though so was Severus Snape and Remus Lupin." Roy agreed with a nod. "What other name were you given?"

"None yet. Hopefully by morning. Has Ed checked in?" Al asked nervous about his brother still.

"Not long ago, they found him in Hartbridge Village, but he slipped away again. Edward will return tomorrow morning whether they caught him or not. The others will continue to follow."

"Do we know who it is yet?" Al asked.

"It's Sirius Black." Remus said. "He's coming to see Harry, kill Peter, or confront me. I'm not sure which, possibly all three."

"He will not get anywhere near Yuery." Roy frowned. "The mansion is locked down; I suggest you do the same with the school as a precaution."