Raylynx's POV
I woke up to the sound of twinkling music. It was a familiar lullaby with soft, but haunting notes.
My eyes opened slowly, and I stared up at a vast grey ceiling.
I sat up and a rush of vertigo hit me. I stayed as still as I could and shut my eyes.
Then, I realized that there was a rather loud sound of snoring.
I turned and saw a three-headed dog sleeping soundly, its gigantic heads resting on its huge front paws.
I barely stifled a gasp.
This has to be Fluffy, Hagrid's three-headed dog- the one that bit Snape.
So I must be in the corridor of the third floor.
How did I get here?
I hesitated, and an unease set in as I realized I couldn't remember how I had gotten in.
Well, what do I remember?
I recalled speaking with Professor McGonagall at dinner. Yes, Gryffindor had lost one hundred and fifty points and I was asking her why. And then?
I got to my feet unsteadily. Whatever had happened, it was in my best interest to get out of here before the beast woke.
Speaking of, where was that music coming from? I assumed it was the music that had soothed the dog to sleep.
I spotted the music box sitting on the floor. That's Regulus' music box! It was on its side, with its cover half-open. It had clearly been flung open somehow. Did I drop it?
I picked it up and examined to make sure it wasn't broken. It seemed all right- a scratch, maybe, but all of the jewels were still intact.
Then, I felt an extra wedge of fabric in my inside cloak pocket.
It was the Invisibility Cloak. I put it on and sneaked outside. Only when I had shut the door behind me did I close the music box, shutting off the music. I put it inside my pocket.
Then, I felt for my wand inside of my cloak to lock the door behind me.
Panic rose inside of me as I couldn't find my wand. Had I dropped it?
I looked around frantically but didn't see it. Fortunately, in my peripheral vision, I saw that my wand was on the ground, at the foot of a statute more than a few feet away.
It must have rolled away, I thought, but was confused at how I could have managed to miss the sound of it clattering and rolling away.
I picked up my wand and locked the door and then, still under the Invisibility Cloak, I made my way back to my room.
I pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and fell onto my bed. I pointed my wand at the mug on my bedside table and it filled with water, which I gulped down. My throat was hoarse, for some reason. I looked outside my window and saw that it was already night.
What happened to me in these past few hours? What was I up to?
I truly couldn't remember, and the more I tried to recall what had happened, the most uneasy I became, as though something dark and heavy was trying to slither through my mind.
I walked over to my desk to put the music box back in my drawer. I saw a note lying on my desk that said: Just in case.
Oh, that's right. I was going to give Harry back his Invisibility Cloak. I had just retrieved it from the Astronomy Tower.
I pinned the note to the Cloak and made my way up to Gryffindor Tower. I transformed into my Kneazle form and waited until a Gryffindor student came along. It was Fred and George Weasley, coming back with loads of cakes they had taken from the kitchens. Perfect, I thought. I managed to slip in without attracting attention, as the students in the common room were focused only on Fred and George and the pile of food they'd brought. I had to be extra careful with my bottlebrush tail, as it was very noticeable, and my habit was to sway it in the air or keep it straight up when I was focused. I made my way up to the dormitories. My keen sense of smell told me which room was Harry's, which was strange, as in my human form, I'd never thought of Harry as having any scent. But that's how my cat senses worked. All of the boys who lived in Harry's dormitory were still down in the common room, so I leaped lithely onto Harry's bed, pawed back the covers, and deposited the Invisibility Cloak there. I pulled the sheets back over it with my teeth, and then I slunk back down. I didn't have long to wait until the boys were asleep (including Ron Weasley, who remained in the common room as he seemed to be waiting for someone) or upstairs, and I pushed open the door with my paws and stealthily leapt out.
"Who's there?" the Fat Lady called, but I said nothing and stayed along the hallway edges. Harry and Hermione rushed by me, whispering to themselves without noticing me. I wondered why they were out so late at night, but then I remembered that McGonagall had given them detentions. I watched them enter the Gryffindor common room, talking feverishly between themselves, and wondered what they were conversing so eagerly about.
I knew that I couldn't stay long. I wasn't that small a cat, and my color made me easily noticeable to any passerby on the look-out. Besides, I didn't fancy a brawl with Mrs. Norris. Even in my cat form, Mrs. Norris was a fearsome opponent. I hurried as fast as my cat legs would take me down to the fifth floor, which then connected me to my own room beside the Ancient Runes classroom.
Even as the days passed, I couldn't reclaim that blank space in my memory for the life of me. Try as I might, the closest I could get to recalling how I had come to be in the third-floor corridor room with Fluffy was an unpleasant darkness that made me feel claustrophobic.
One evening, I found Harry, Ron, and Hermione pressing their ears up against the door at the three-floor corridor. I shooed them away, but then stood there myself, once again wondering why I had woken up inside.
I ran into Quirrell once in the hallways, and I hesitated. I felt as though Quirrell had been there, as though I had spoken to him. But before I could remember anything more specific, he had slipped away into another hallway.
Though it bothered me to no end that I could not remember a few hours of my existence, I hardly had time to dwell on it as final exams were upon us.
The weeks of final exams were intense, particularly for my fifth and seventh years.
But finally, it was over. On the very afternoon that exams ended, Percy Weasley delivered a message to me from Professor Dumbledore. I had been looking over exam answers in my office. I opened the note and saw that Dumbledore had written:
Professor Kingsley,
A most urgent matter has come to my attention and should be, I think, brought to yours. Please come straight away to my office.
Most truly yours,
Albus Dumbledore
Wondering what would be so urgent that Dumbledore would call me for, I hurried to Dumbledore's office.
Upon seeing me arrive, Dumbledore, who was standing by the window, turned and greeted me. "Ms. Kingsley." His expression was complicated, not at all the normal light-hearted smile and twinkling eyes he usually expressed.
"Yes, Professor?" I said. "Your note said that something urgent had happened."
"A letter has just arrived from the Ministry of Magic." He gestured towards the desk and said, "Please read it."
I stepped up to his desk and unfolded the parchment.
Dear Headmaster Albus Dumbledore,
In light of Professor Kingsley's writings, we have decided to hold a consultation. Effectively, we will re-open a very brief period of time where new evidence regarding Sirius Black's imprisonment ten years ago will be allowed into the record. We therefore ask that if you have any new evidence, that you come to the Ministry of Magic and produce said evidence. Depending on the development of the record, we may perhaps re-consider the sentencing of Sirius Black without a trial.
Respectfully yours,
Madam Amelia Bones
Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement
Member of the Wizengamot
My hands began to tremble as my eyes traced over the words frantically.
"We will re-open a very brief period of time where new evidence regarding Sirius Black's imprisonment ten years ago will be allowed into the record…"
"We may perhaps re-consider the sentencing of Sirius Black without a trial."
I breathed out. This was it. That was what I'd been waiting for.
There's hope. There's finally some hope! Sirius, just hold on a bit longer!
"We have to go," I said, my voice a strange mixture of bursting energy and utmost focus. "Now."
I began to move towards the door, tucking the letter in my robes when Dumbledore stepped forth. He raised his hand, and I realized he wished for me to calm myself.
But I felt as though stars were exploding inside my mind. This was an opportunity I had could not let go to waste.
"I must speak with you before we depart," Dumbledore said.
"We can speak on the way," I said shortly, reaching for the door.
"Raylynx," Dumbledore said softly, and put his hand on my wrist. "Please, I ask for a mere moment of your time."
I took a deep breath and turned to him.
Dumbledore was looking at me, as serious as I'd ever seen him.
I waited as patiently as I could for his words.
"Raylynx," he repeated, and then he said, "I must be clear with you. The evidence that I am aware of has not changed. I fully believe that Sirius Black was the Potter's Secret-Keeper. And as you know, Sirius Black was capable of murder. His time at Hogwarts made that clear. Though I am sympathetic of Sirius' upbringing, I do not believe he is innocent. My testimony to the Wizengamot will not change. I summoned you to accompany me because I am aware of your efforts to secure Sirius a trial and wish to offer you a chance to make your case, but you will stand alone."
"It doesn't matter," I said quickly, almost dismissively. "I can convince them."
"How?" Dumbledore asked me.
My answer was ready. I replied, "I have a memory I wish to show them."
"And if they question the credibility of that memory?" Dumbledore pressed. "One memory, out of context, is difficult to trust, indeed."
"Then I'm going to let them look into my memories," I answered, unrelenting.
Dumbledore frowned, and his bright blue eyes examined me. "That is extremely risky. I would not advise you to do so. Remember all the information you have gathered about Lord Voldemort over the course of the war. Do you wish to allow the Ministry access to that information?"
"I'll have to rely on the Occulumency I learned to resist showing that information," I agreed. I bent my head slightly to Dumbledore and remarked, "After all, I learned from the best."
But Dumbledore did not respond to the compliment, and his frown deepened.
"There is also a risk that if the evidence you present is not enough to grant Sirius a trial, then it may be used against you," Dumbledore warned me. "They may prosecute you for conspiracy. In truth, I am concerned that the Ministry is employing a tactic to cage you, and silence you once and for all."
Dumbledore sensed that there was something off about the letter, for why would the Ministry decide to break their long streak of ignoring Raylynx Kingsley now? Surely a few posters were not enough for them to risk their reputation by opening old wounds? And yet, Dumbledore felt that it would be a crime not to allow Raylynx to exploit it, for whatever reason. He felt that he should follow her and protect her. She would be overly focused, as was her way, and not see that the Ministry had other end goals they wished to implement through her eagerness. To show too much of your intentions was a liability, as opponents relied on predictable responses to manipulate, and Raylynx was as honest and straightforward in her true intentions as a person could be.
Not realizing Dumbledore's thoughts, I continued boldly and impatiently.
"It's a risk I'll have to take," I replied, and my tone indicated that I was finished with this conversation.
"It will mean a life in Azkaban," Dumbledore countered.
"I'd be lying if I said that doesn't frighten me," I responded. "But the guilt I've carried all of these years is another version of hell."
Dumbledore sighed. "Very well," he said, disappointed.
"We'll have to stop by my home, Professor," I told Dumbledore. "And then it'll be straight to the Ministry from there."
Dumbledore was silent, but he followed me out of his office.
We passed through the castle, through the Entrance Hall, and out onto the grounds.
Dumbledore took the lead and led the way to Hagrid's Hut. He knocked on the door.
Hagrid appeared and said, "Headmaster! I didn't know ye were comin' down to see me."
"Good afternoon, Hagrid. I have business in London," Dumbledore replied.
"So, yeh'll be needin' thestrals, then?" Hagrid asked.
"Yes, thank you. And please have an owl send this letter to Professor McGonagall, notifying her that I will return tomorrow."
"'Course, Professor. One mo'ent, then."
We waited for Hagrid to send the letter and bring us thestrals. I felt like I was going to burst with impatience, but I steadied myself. I started to look towards the sky, when my gaze fell to the Whomping Willow, swaying its branches warningly in the air.
Suddenly, I wondered what Dumbledore had meant when he said that Sirius' time at Hogwarts had made clear that Sirius was capable of murder. I knew what Dumbledore was referring to, of course, that time that Sirius had pulled that deadly prank on Snape by leading him to Remus on the night of full moon. But how did Dumbledore know that I knew?
"Professor," I said.
Dumbledore turned his head slightly to acknowledge that he was listening.
"The incident you spoke of with Sirius… How did you know that I knew about it?"
"If I recall correctly, you were there," Dumbledore replied easily.
My brow furrowed. "I was there?" I repeated.
"Yes. When Madam Pomfrey and I went down to the Shrieking Shack to find Mr. Lupin, you were also there in the Shrieking Shack, were you not?"
Awed, I inquired, "How did you know?"
I remembered that strange feeling I'd had as I crouched behind the couch, that feeling of a bird sweeping above my head.
I answered my own question as I realized: "Homenum Revelio. You cast the Revealing Charm and felt my presence."
"Precisely," Dumbledore affirmed. Then, he remarked, "But to be truthful, Ms. Kingsley, there is a little more to the story."
He turned to me and explained, "You see, after the attack at the Luxembourg Quidditch game, a woman wrote to me, asking that I protect her youngest child. She told me that she could not sleep because of her guilt over her inability to protect her children- you see, she was not magical herself. At the very most, she was what we might ordinarily call a "Squib". She encased in her letter a charm. When I received the charm, I detected a very magnificent, but not fully formed spell upon it. It was as though the pure form of protection, borne out of a deep desire to protect, surrounded the charm, but could not enter the charm itself without magical guidance. Therefore, I simply spoke a few magical incantations, to open the door and light the way for the protection to make a home inside the charm. I sent the charm back, sure that the sender would put it to good use in protecting her child. Imagine my surprise when I find that very charm lying on the chest of a hurt werewolf boy…"
A lump had risen in my throat.
"Headmaster, Professor- here ye are."
Hagrid came out of the forest guiding two threstrals with reins in his hands.
Hagrid caught the expression on my face and mistaking the sudden flood of emotions as apprehension, he plucked me off the ground and placed me atop the thestral.
"Yeh'll be all right so long as you hold onto the reins," Hagrid said comfortingly. "I got ye the most reliable un', I did."
"Thank you," I managed to say.
My thestral took off after Dumbledore's, and glided smoothly in the air, high above the clouds so that we would not be spotted from the ground.
Back at the castle, Professor McGonagall had just spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione inside.
She called to them and asked, "What are you three doing inside?"
Hermione replied, "We want to see Professor Dumbledore."
"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated skeptically. "Why?"
Harry swallowed and said, "It's sort of secret."
Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared. "Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."
"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"
"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time —"
"But this is important."
"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"
"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor — it's about the Sorcerer's Stone —"
McGonagall dropped all of her books in shock. "How do you know — ?" she spluttered.
"Professor, I think — I know — that Sn — that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."
She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion. "Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."
"But Professor —"
"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."
By the time we reached my home, I had been able to gain some of my focus back.
I entered my house and went to my bedroom, which was filled with stacks and stacks of pamphlets demanding for Sirius' release. My desk was littered with rejection letters and hate mail.
Ignoring the mess, I magically unlocked the bottom drawer of my desk and took out a long silver box. I opened it to find Sirius' wand tucked inside.
I also took out a potion vial.
I put the tip of my wand to my temple and concentrated hard on the memory I wanted to show them.
"Like I said, if you're the Potters' Secret-Keeper, your flat should be harder to get into. But instead, it's almost like you're-"
"Like I'm what?"
"Nothing."
A glowing, silver strand of memory extended from my temple. I directed it into the bottle and corked it. Then, I got to my feet and hurried back outside. Dumbledore was waiting behind the house, holding the reins of the thestrals.
I climbed atop my thestral, and we took off for the Ministry of Magic.
In the Gryffindor common room, Harry Potter made up his mind to go down the trapdoor and beat the intruder to the Sorcerer's Stone.
