A/N: YOU WILL RECOGNIZE PARTS FROM HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN IN THIS CHAPTER BUT I FELT THEM NECESSARY FOR THE STORY.
By the time Lucian was released from the hospital wing the Christmas holiday was about to begin and everyone was excited for the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend. Lucian still had a limp and tenderness when he moved left to right. Upon arriving at the portrait of Sir Cadogan Lucian realized he didn't know the new password.
"Good morrow brave knight I have returned from hospital and have yet to be told the new password. Could you inform someone inside of my arrival?" Lucian said to please the doltish Knight.
"Alas laddie, a fair maiden has been awaiting your arrival for some time. Only a fool keeps a lady waiting." The knight replied while turning back to get a fellow Gryffindor.
Five minutes later Katie Bell walked out and let Lucian into the tower.
"You survived. You know you have some explaining to do Mr. Vance but that can wait until we can be alone. The password is Scurvy Dog." She told him while they walked into the common room.
Lucian greeted all his friends that were still at Hogwarts for the holidays and proceeded to watch Ron obliterate Seamus at chess. Harry and Hrmione saw Lucian and Katie approaching and smiled.
"Well look who's back is this gonna be a reoccurring thing for you. It's like once a month you are in the hospital for one thing or another mate." Harry said teasingly.
"I'm fine ya git just was feeling under the weather and didn't want to spread my germs around to anyone." Lucian replied quickly.
"Harry, Hermione, I need to borrow Lucian for a few. Just some things have developed that we need to work out. I give him right back." Katie said, tugging Lucian into one of the private study rooms.
"Ok spill, how long have you been a werewolf?" Katie asked.
"All my life I was born what I am. I am different from most werewolves though if you must know." Lucian told her.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"My mom was pregnant with me when she was bitten during a Blood Moon something strange happened. Mom went into early labor with me. I was born in May and turned in June. When I turned 10 something else was discovered, well someone else was discovered." Lucian explained.
"What do you mean someone?" Katie asked, looking puzzled.
Lucian closed his eyes and smirked, holding up one finger telling Katie to give him a moment.
"Hati, would you like to meet Katie?"
"Of course she smells like cotton candy."
"Ok you can take over but dont change we are in the Tower."
With Lucian's blessing Hati took over their body and as he slowly opened his eyes which were glowing yellow instead of the normal blue. Katie gasped.
"Hello Katie my name is Hati Vance and I am part of Lucian as much as he is part of me. We are one but normally I am the in control when we assume my form which you saw last night though we can do that whenever we need to unlike most wolves." Hati said in a raspy growling voice.
"You mean you really can change whenever you want, not just on the night of the full moon?" Katie asked.
"Yes it's been like that since we turned 10 but we made a deal with Dumbledore that we would only run on the nights of the full moon so we don't draw attention. Though Snape keeps trying to out me to everyone." Hati explained.
"He gave third years the werewolf essay to then?" Katie asked.
"Yes we planned to go to Dumbledore about it but figured he wont do anything. He protects Snape too much to get him to cancel an essay that might cause a student bodily harm." He replied.
"Well I'm sure you can take care of yourself if you needed to." said Katie grinning.
"Yes but we promised Professor Dumbledore we wouldn't harm students while we are here. I'm more worried I'll lose my friends when they find out what I am. Knowing Hermione she will realize pretty soon if she hasn't already." Hati replied.
"I doubt you will have to worry about them no longer being your friend and you have me now so don't worry I won't let them do that to you." Katie said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Now I also know how to tell you two apart yellow eyes is Hati blue eyes is Lucian."
"Yes, but I'm mainly in control when we change. Lucian runs the human form." Hati explained. Katie nodded.
"Do you have any other questions?" Hati asked.
"Is it hard for you to switch like this and is the change painful?" She asked.
"No for both the change used to be but we changed back and forth for awhile until it was a painless process." He replied.
"Ok we better get back to your friends so they can fill you in on what has been going on in their lives." Katie said walking to the door.
Hati changed back to Lucian and they walked out into the common room to sit with Harry and Hermione. Hermione, Katie, and Lucian watched Ron and Harry play chess while talking about everything that had happened while Lucian was in the hospital. The next few days passed in relaxing bliss until it was finally christmas morning. Lucian was woken up from the common room sofa he claimed to have "accidentally" fallen asleep on to Ron, Hermione, and Katie shouting "Wake Up it's Hogsmeade Day ." Which made him sit up and stretch the night away. He had been excited to make this trip to go shopping for his friends with what little his mum had given him. Katie was a new addition that he hadn't planned for but was really glad to have her around. With Harry still unable to go to Hogsmeade Ron, Hermione, Lucian, and Katie left the common room and headed to the entrance hall to catch the carriages to Hogsmeade.
"Where should we go first?" Asked Ron excitedly.
"Why don't we go to Honeydukes first? I know Harry is about out of the last batch we got for him." Hermione replied.
"Oh yes and I need to stock up on more chocolate last month kind of killed my reserves. Angie and Alicia were just greedy." Katie said, looking amused.
"We should all chip in and get Harry a gift for Christmas this year." Lucian said.
The others all agreed. Soon they arrived at Hogsmeade and made there way to Honeydukes. Inside there were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbert balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were "Special Effects"—sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell colored bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), Ice Mice ("hear your teeth chatter and squeak!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar spun quills, and exploding bonbons. Lucian was so excited he almost missed the scent.
Harry's here brother
What do you mean? Where could he be?
Don't know close but can't smell him or see him at the moment follow Katie and Ron maybe he will show up.
I'm gonna kill him.
It was maybe five minutes later while Ron and Hermione were eyeing the blood pops that Harry appeared.
"Ron, I don't think Harry would like those. They are made of blood. They are for vampires." Hermione said.
"Definitely not." Harry said, making Ron, Hermione, and Katie jump.
"Harry, what are you doing here?" Hermione gasped.
"Blimey mate learned to Apparate." Said Ron.
"Ron, don't be daft, you can't apparate out of Hogwarts." Lucian said.
Harry told the three of them about his early Christmas present from Fred and George. How it had led him to escape Hogwarts and meet them in Hogsmeade.
"Those weasels! They never told me about any Marauder's Map. Why not give it to me? I'm their brother." Ron pouted.
"Harry isn't going to keep it. He's going to turn it over to Professor McGonagall aren't you Harry." Hermione said sternly.
"Hermione! He might as well give up his invisibility cloak while he's at it and admit he used it to sneak into Hogsmeade. They'd expel him." Katie explained.
"But Sirius Black he could be using one of the passages to get into the school. It's not safe for Harry." Hermione said.
"Well the one I came through we know he hasn't used because it's located in the basement here we'd have heard of a break-in. Fred and George recon Filch know about four of the others. One is caved in as of last year and one has the Whomping Willow over the Hogwarts side entrance." Harry explained.
"Hermione, before you argue, remember it's Christmas, maybe give this to Harry as a present and maybe you could convince him to get you that first edition in Tomes and Scrolls." Lucian said quickly, winking at Harry.
"Oh alright just this once for Christmas." Hermione said blushing.
The four friends set off out of Honeydukes to show Harry around Hogsmeade. About five minutes of walking in the cold winter and Dementor infected air had Harry's teeth chattering. Lucian quickly pulled off his heavy cloak and draped it over Harry's shoulders. Harry looked up at him shocked and thankful at the same time.
"What about you? You'll start to freeze too." Harry said worryingly.
"Nah I'll be fine. I run pretty warm as it is." Lucian replied, shrugging his shoulders.
Hermione heard him and snapped her head back looking curiously at Lucian. Ron asked if everyone wanted to go into the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer to escape the cold. Eager to get out of the cold Harry and Hermione quickly agreed and the four head to the inn. Ron went to get the drinks while the others found a table. The four friends sat happily warming up to delicious butterbeer when they heard a familiar voice.
"Rosmerta, 'ow are ya?" Came the deep rumble of Hagrid.
Hagrid was followed in by Professors McGonagall and Flitwick and to Ron and Harry's surprise Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Before he could be seen Harry ducked under the table and Hermione moved a Christmas tree to block them from view. Madam Rosmerta came over with everyone's drinks and sat down with the teachers.
"So Minister, what brings you to Hogsmeade?" Rosmerta asked.
"What about Sirius Black and this rumor of him getting into Hogwarts." Replied Fudge.
"Hagrid, did you tell the whole pub?" McGonagall gasped.
"So Black is still in the area then?" whispered Rosmerta
"I'm sure of it." said Fudge.
"I can't wait for him to be caught and get these ruddy Dementors away from here." exclaimed Hagrid.
"Right you are Hagrid, they've scared away half of my customers most nights."
"Come Rosmerta, a necessary precaution, I assure you. Though they are a bit furious that Dumbledore won't let them in the castle grounds." said Fudge quietly.
"I should think not." said McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with them swooping about? Not to mention the exposure the children would suffer."
"Still they are here to protect you from something far worse. You remember what Black was capable of." derailed Fudge.
"I still have trouble with that one honestly. I mean Sirius Black in league with You-Know-Who I just can't see it. His whole family for generations is in Slytherin then he turns out to be the one Gryffindor. Look who he associated with in Gryffindor, some of the members of the biggest Light families. Vance, Prewitt, McKinnon, and Potter of course." said Madam Rosmerta.
"Don't get me started on James Potter and Sirius Black." Professor McGonagall scoughed.
"Never saw one without the other ." said Flitwick
"Biggest Pranksters in Hogwarts history." Rosmerta laughed.
"I don't know 'em Weasley twins could give em a run for their money." said Hagrid.
"That's my point, I thought Black and Potter were like brothers. Black was best man when James married Lily, they named him godfather to Harry. Suddenly Black is working for You-Know-Who and gives up the Potters. I don't see it happening." Rosmerta said.
"That's what happened though. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."
"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest.
Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. "An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find—unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"
"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.
"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."
"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.
"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."
"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"
"He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed—"
"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.
"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it—"
"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.
"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.
"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.
"Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"
"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him—' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won't need it anymore,' he says. "I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him. "But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'im anymore…"
"It wasn't a day or two later that the Ministry Aurors caught up to him." Fudge said. "He was found in the middle of a blown apart street thirteen muggles dead, and worst of all a lone finger another thought to be friend."
"Thought to be friend?" asked Rosmerta.
"Peter Pettigrew." Professor McGonagall sobbed.
"Pettigrew? Peter Pettigrew?" asked Rosmerta trying to remember.
"Little lump of a boy always trailing after James and Sirius." replied Flitwick.
"Oh yes I remember. Wait, what do you mean by a lone finger?" asked Rosmerta, shocked.
"Black's curse destroyed all remnants of the body. All that was left was the pointer finger from one of his hands." said Fudge. "When the Aurors found him, he was sitting on the ground laughing, they say he seemed in a shocked state. Kept muttering "my fault all my fault." Aurors took him into custody and he's been in Azkaban ever since."
"So he's truly mad then." said Rosmerta.
"Honestly, we don't know. Over the summer I did my annual inspection and he was pretty sane, asked me for the paper, said he missed doing the crossword. It wasn't long after that the guards reported him muttering in his sleep "he's at Hogwarts. He's at Hogwarts." over and over and then he escaped. Well there you are Rosmerta my dear the whole of Black's tale for now." said Fudge.
"It's getting late and We must get back to the castle. Thank you for the lovely drink Goodnight Rosmerta." McGonagall said followed by the sound of chairs sliding and them all leaving.
Ron, Hermione, Lucian, and Katie all looked worried at Harry. Who waited all of five minutes for the teachers to leave before he bolted out the door. The others quickly followed him out the door seeing he was heading back to Honeydukes and back to the castle they quickly got to the carriages to meet up with him in the Common Room.