The next day, the morning was more hectic than usual, not everyone woke up on time, some had breakfast separately, and Mrs. Weasley had to hunt down a few of her children into the ballroom. Harry was sitting when Amelia came in, a cup of coffee in hand.
-"Good morning, hopefully, we end this book today, so please I beg control your impulses."
Dumbledore charmed the book to start.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN-MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADDFOOT, AND PRONGS
Remus squared his shoulders; this was one of the chapters he knew would take a toll on him.
"Breath Remus, no one will blame you"—Sirius told him.
"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got
the better of me... not this time, though!"
"How long did it take you to stop being in a haze?"
"From Azkaban to Hogwarts for a few days, but during the shack incident I just wanted Peter, couldn't care for anything else."
we've got to explain -"
"Should have explained hours ago"—George said.
I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for..."
"What good would have that done?"—Molly asked shaking, she was nervous about the whole situation and disgusted about the man she had harbored in her home.
"Revenge, I wanted it, Still do"—Sirius shrugged, and he turned to Harry who frowned—"I promised myself Peter will die by my hand"—he heard Harry sigh.
Amelia pressed her lips. — "Don't say that on your trial please."
"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled,
"I was in denial."
"It was your pet and you had two adult men yelling at you, it was normal"—Luna smiled at him.
"Harry is trying to talk to the calmest person in the room."
"Lupin I salute you for keeping the calm."
Remus laughed bitterly— "Just give it a moment."
"How many of these witnesses gave their testimony?"—Andromeda asked
Augusta nodded-"Were they muggle or magical?"
Amelia shrugged— "I…don't know. Fudge should know he was on the scene."
the Marauder's map never lies... Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."
Fleur shook her head— "I would be skeptical too; they sound everything but sensible."
Tonks turned to Remus— "Even you have that desperation in your voice."
Remus shrugged defeated—"I wanted them to understand but at the same time I was trying to understand myself."
"Hermione you sound so young"—
the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register.
"Naive is the right word."—Snape said.
No one corrected him, it was true, Animagus is a complex magic but not impossible and nobody knew exactly who could do it.
Amelia wrote down on her parchment— "There is no way to know if someone is an Animagus or not. That's why there are so many restrictions to becoming one, biggest example is right here"—She pointed at Sirius— "Only Merlin knows how many illegal Animagus are out there."
Molly pressed her lips — "All of you are trying to learn without considering you might be breaking dozens of laws."
Hermione thought about Skeeter and shared a discreet look with the boys, she realized how innocent she sounded, back then she still believed people followed the rules, she still did but know she understood the loopholes a little better.
Neville looked at Amelia— "Couldn't the unspeakable create a way?"
Amelia shrugged—"They can track magic, they are the ones in charge of the tracker for underage wizards but…"—she sighed—"Croaker is a paranoid shit so some secrets are never even talked about"
Kingsley turned to Severus—"You were already there?"—Snape didn't even turn to look at him, he didn't even acknowledge him.
"He was under the cloak"—Harry answered him.
Mad-Eye sighed as he settled back in his chair- "At least Granger has learned to analyze the situation."
"I was a very small boy when I received the bite.
Remus tried to fidget away from Tonks, but she moved with him. Tonks tried to control her expressions, she knew very little of his personal history, only what Sirius had wanted to tell her, and the little that Remus had shared with Kingsley. She turned to see Remus, half smiled, he had already shared something with her and though now he was trying to put more space between them, she wasn't going to let him, there was something that drew her towards him and she was going to let her know.
I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf.
Augusta shook her head disapproving— "Which was very dangerous."
Remus agreed— "I didn't want to. I told Dumbledore it was best I went to the shack."
Dumbledore fixed his robes— "We couldn't be sure if Sirius would attack him in his most vulnerable moment."
I was separated from humans, so I bit and scratched myself instead.
"Is that where all of your scars come from?"—Neville blushed when he realized Remus might not want to talk about it. But Remus smiled kindly.
"They do, well most of them happened after the war."
Sirius made a face of disgust to himself; he left Harry to be abused and he let Remus abuse himself. Harry saw this and nudge him. Sirius shook himself he turned to Remus— "He made horrible lies, and killed his aunt two times."
Remus smiled though it didn't reach his eyes.
They became Animagi."
Ginny smiled— "Just like that? You decided to do the most illegal shit ever because your friend needed help?"
Sirius shrugged— "I was the first to notice what was happening to him. So, during the summer before my second year, I looked for books about werewolves in the library and ended up discovering about werewolves not harming animals. Animagus books came from my grandfather's home."
"So, he might have been in Animagus?"—Ron asked.
"Perhaps, Arcturus Black was a true Slytherin, he always had an answer and an escape ready."
Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school.
Hermione looked at Harry and then at McGonagall— "Were they truly?"
"Ah, yes. Truly talented, just liked trouble more than studying."
"I didn't have to study"—Sirius shrugged.
Harry turned to Hermione— "Why did you look at me like that?"—
"No reason"—she said quickly.
"Why are we telling this story?"— Percy said bored.
"To calm Harry down"—Ted said, he turned to Remus and saw Dora leaning into him and smiled, there was so much to talk about with those two. He was waiting patiently for the moment his daughter cornered him regarding his approval for Remus.
They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak.
"Could it fit all of you?"—Luna asked.
"Until the end of the fifth year yes, after that Peter and I would transform, and James would guide us with the Map."
Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check.
A few people gasped. Remus closed his eyes and Minerva started murmuring – "The irresponsibility…."
Snape scoffed bitterly— "Now you understand the dangers…"
Amelia stopped him with a glare.
Augusta tutted— "How many closed calls did you have?"
"Three"—Sirius said nonchalantly. Remus had kept his eyes closed while Tonks played with his fingers to calm his nerves. Sirius went on to explain when McGonagall glared at him. — "First one was Snape obviously, second in 6th year when we ran into two seventh years that were leaving the Castle and the third was in seventh year when one of the prefects decided to take a stroll outside, no one got hurt but us."—Sirius shrugged.
"You don't care, do you?"—Molly told him angrily.
"You want to insult me for my irresponsibility Molly? You do that all day all the time, what difference would it make? Remus needed our help, and it stopped my friend from mutilating himself, James and I always kept him contained and we dragged him back to the shack after it happened. I would do it all over again knowing how much it helped Remus."
"How close were these calls?"—Kingsley asked.
"Only the last one was dangerous but for us."—Sirius said, he felt Remus bristled for a moment— "Stop It!"
Remus ignored him and turned to look at the rest of them. The first thing he saw was Severus' anger and disgust, but he expected that. Minerva looked disappointed but resigned, he already knew what Dumbledore thought, the man had been pleased that no one had been hurt and that Remus had found some peace of mind.
We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless - carried away with our own cleverness."
Andromeda denied— "Cleverness, you were idiots"—
Remus shrank into himself at her words and Sirius glared at her— "Watch it, Andromeda…"
Andromeda narrowed her eyes, but she saw her daughter practically sitting on Remus who was a bundle of nerves. She turned to her husband who gave her a smile.
— "What I'm saying is that you four were irresponsible."
"We know"—Sirius glared at her— "Enough, let's keep reading"
"All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should.
tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus.
"Why didn't you?" _-Percy asked.
"Old loyalties I suppose"—Remus said in a quiet voice.
"That's it?"—Percy scoffed.
Remus spat. — "What else did you expect, not all of us can forget our loyalties so easily"—
Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am.
Now it was Sirius's time to scoff— "Speaking of loyalties, that one has been misplaced."
Remus sighed— "Dumbledore gave me one in a million opportunity, Sirius."
"Yeah, and then threw you away when it wasn't convenient for him to keep you"—he spat.
Dumbledore kept quiet but Remus had a face that looked like he was about to agree but decided to keep quiet.
The statement to Dumbledore was left uncomment, those were Sirius and Dumbledore's problems and most of them had already decided to not get involved.
"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out
what we were up to... hoping he could get us expelled..."
They all prepared for the outburst again.
"That justifies your attempt at murder?"
Percy turned to Dumbledore—"What I don't understand is why you protected a murder?"
Sirius laughed—"Yes Dumbledore tell us why you keep Severus so protected"
Percy turned to Sirius—"I was tal…"
"You don't know anything about me or Snape boy, so ill advice you to keep your mouth shut like everyone else is doing."
Percy glared at him.
CHAPTER NINETEEN—THE SERVANT OF LORD VOLDEMORT
Amelia sighed and rubbed at her face when Snape showed up.
"I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight."
"Did you bring it?"—Luna asked.
Snape turned to the girl with a glare. – "The potion wasn't my concern."
"No, Vengeance was"—Ted said.
"What did you do?"—Charlie asked him— "Stroll around the shack from time to time to see if you could catch Sirius?"—
"Nobody listens anymore, your smarter than this"—Alastor said to Severus who glared.
— "Oh, it's my turn to be judged then?"
"Yes"—he slammed his cane— "for being idiots, behaving like schoolboys."
"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically.
Hermione shook her head. She could remember the fear she felt when she realized that Professor Snape wasn't there to help them.
snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles;
Tonks shook her head, she wanted to yell at Snape and tell him he was an idiot, that he could have done more if he had used the brilliance he was always gloating about.
It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.
Snape and Sirius had the same look at the moment. The Aurors had their wands ready, and Minerva had the shield up.
"Professor Snape - it it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w - would it?"
"You know something is wrong when you have the fourteen-year-old girl being the sensible one."
"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
Fleur was outraged— "No one was understanding shit, Professor. And the treatment you keep giving this girl is disgusting."
Molly was shaking, Ron seemed to always keep many details a secret. —"Are you listening to yourselves, you sound deranged."
"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black.
Dumbledore looked completely disappointed in the situation... he didn't know if apologizing was an option anymore.
"As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" - he jerked his head at Ron - "I'll come quietly..."
"If only that's what you had done"—Minerva sighed.
"Yeah, well tell that to the one who didn't fucking listen."
All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow.
Charlie pulled at his hair exasperated— "Because of decisions like that, we are in this predicament."
But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that Harry had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.
Snape was trying to control his anger. No one in this room knew the hatred he had for Sirius Black, the disdain he felt for James Potter. Even though he had been dead for many years, he still felt that disgust for the man. They were the golden boys of Hogwarts, nobody did anything to them, everyone admired them, the four of them deserved what happened to them, it was a pity that Lily had paid for their idiocy. Snape ignored the voice in his head that reminded him that he had been one of the main culprits as well.
"Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black - now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"
Minerva McGonagall was mad.—"Severus, for heaven's sake, how dare you speak like that."
Severus clucked his tongue—"What right do you have to want to scold me?"
"With the right" -Minerva said angrily- "that I saw you grow up Severus, and you weren't innocent in all this."
Dumbledore reacted to the accusations—"I think it would be better…"
"It would be better if you shut up, Albus."—Minerva said and several startled in surprise. —" It's time to start accepting our mistakes or are we going to continue yelling at each other for the same nonsense? You're not hearing what I... it's 18 years of anger that has sat in these children and you could have prevented it, I could have done something, but we didn't care, we didn't pay attention just like we haven't paid attention now"—
Albus sighed- "I understand, and we will…"
Sirius glared at him—"We won't do anything; your apology time is over with me. You and you"—he pointed his fingers at Minerva and Dumbledore—" is Harry who you owe an apology for ignoring and using him."
Harry tried to contain Sirius; he hated being put in the spot.
Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall He had been knocked out.
Snape winced, it hadn't been pleasant waking up with sore ribs and a headache.
Mad-Eye laughed angrily. -"Three men who fought a war, two different perspectives, realize the number of mistakes they made because they believe they were right."
Snape turned to look at him. "You think I deserved that..."
"Please Severus"-Arthur said-"You are not a foolish man, the mistakes were there, and no one was going to win more than you but your revenge and that of Sirius were stronger."
Snape glared at him but didn't say anything, the little voice trying to find its way back into the front. if he had listened, Peter would be dead and maybe the Dark Lord wouldn't be back just yet.
"We attacked a teacher... We attacked a teacher..." Hermione whimpered,
"That's what you did"-Snape stated to Hermione and then turned to Dumbledore, his anger already reaching the limit-"they've been doing illegal things for more than three years. you have never cared, they have attacked me repeatedly, they have broken laws and you have rewarded them."
Molly spoke in an accusatory tone-most of the situations were orchestrated by him, you can't get mad at them because they want to solve the problems that the adults around them haven't been able to...
Snape sneered-"now you'll defend them."
"I will always defend my children, but you and I tell you Severus are also in charge of these children and have let them do what they wanted because it was convenient."
"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave
me his paper.
Amelia laughed—"Oh I can't wait for his reaction to that"
"He an idiot for getting so close to the doors."
so, he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me... As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table..."
Sirius smiled –"Sorry Neville."
"Harry... I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and
James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him
as Secret-Keeper instead of me... I'm to blame, I know it...
"You're not to blame Sirius"—Andromeda stated—"Peter was your friend, it was he who killed them"
Harry nodded, this was one of the many things he knew he had to discuss with his godfather but was afraid of bringing it up. He couldn't deal with his own emotional reaction and tried to control Sirius.
a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands.
"It was horrifying"—Ron said swallowing hard, he still had nightmares of that.
"Sirius transformation wasn't like that"—Hermione said frowning.
"He hadn't transformed in a very long time."
"I can't believe he spend ten years as a rat, the man had to have needs, impulses"—Kingsley stated.
"Perhaps not, but I bet he hadn't transformed into his normal self in at least a year."
Luna smudges her nose— "He sounds more animal than human."
"He probably is"—Minerva said— "Your alter ego takes over after a while, that's why is advised not to spend a lot of time in your form. It's a part of you, yes but you weren't born an animal." –she shook her head sadly; she couldn't believe this is what that cute boy had become into.
Ginny said to Remus— "You don't even sound angry, just…a little distressed…I'm furious he could have hurt all of us if he had wanted."
Remus smiled tensely— "I don't let Anger take me, Moony is a little bit of an ass"—Tonks turned to him with a sassy remark, but she bit her lip when she realized he probably wouldn't appreciate it.
Charlie was furious with himself, he was a magizoologist, and he should have realized an animagus was living with his family. Bill noticed and smiled sadly at him and leaned to whisper—"I know Char.. we've been gone a long time" –Charlie shook his head, he knew why he had left and it had been good for him but he had slowly faded into the background of his own family.
"My friends... my old friends..."
Sirius felt the anger rise up again, and felt Harry leaning into him—"Calm down Siri."—His godson said and Sirius started taking deep breaths.
Fred said—"Friends! Friends don't do what he did."—His disgust could be heard in his tone, his twin nodding with him disgusted that this man was one of their heroes.
Remus shook his head, and he spoke, Tonks being closer to him heard him—"When he said my name I had all these flashbacks of our school years"—he laughed humorlessly—"It's just sad"
"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"
"Oh no"—Sirius smiled crazy— "Bella wants him alive."
"Tact Sirius"—Minerva said.
Sirius turned to the Longbottom and duck embarrass— "My apologies"
Neville nod.
I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them.
"So they knew?"—Luna tilted her head—"Shouldn't spies remain secret?"
"Voldemort"—Dumbledore said—"Relayed on several devoted Followers to keep his secrets."
Moody agreed—"Evan Rosier chose Death over revealing his secrets. Bastard took a piece of me"—he pointed at his nose.
"And"—Amelia said—"His biggest supporter and most crazy devoted followers chose Azkaban"
"Your cousin"—Hermione said
"Yep, my cousin her sister"—he pointed at Andy who took a deep breath
—"My sister died a long time ago."
I put one of their best men in Azkaban -the spy, Sirius Black!"
"Who was you-know-who best man?"—Ginny asked
"Abraxas Malfoy"—Snape said
"My father"—Andy spat—"He also chose death for his lord"
"And took Pollux with him"—Sirius said
"let's not forget about the Selwyn and the Carrows."
"Right, right but Selwyn also chose death"—Remus reminded them
"We go to school with them"—Neville said frowning
"With the cousins"—Arthur said
Andy said—"Not the main line, The current Rosier heir is a second cousin who took the name, The Selwyn is the only son of the second son of the main line and the Currows are the children of the youngest sister of the twins."
The teenagers looked a little lost at all those names and Tonks pointed out. –"This is why it's necessary to teach your children about other families. Mom made sure I knew all the family trees"
Sirius looked disgusted—"You thought her under Black doctrine"
"Yes Sirius, sorry for teaching my muggle-born/Metamorphugus illegitimate granddaughter of the most blood supremacist family in England which people to stay away from."
"Whatever"
You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us... me and Remus... and James...
Remus sighed—"It's obvious now but not when it mattered, we all needed each other in a way, James Wanted Brothers, Sirius wanted comfort, I wanted friends and Peter wanted to belong."
It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."
Harry felt the bile rise up.—"It probably was, he looked very grateful when Voldemort gave him his Silver hand."
"What Silver hand?"—Amelia asked frowning.
Snape was the one the answered.—"The resurrecting potion needed flesh and Peter gave it."
"So he cut his hand"
"Yes"—Harry said
"Disgusting"—Fleur said
"Well - Scabbers - I mean, this - this man - he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years.
Ron shuddered—"Don't remind me, I pet him."—Ron's eyes widen—"I bath him"
Bill and Arthur turned sharply to Ron—"As in you would bath him…"
"No I wouldn't take him in the shower with me, but he was man, a grown man and I would grab him and talk to him and…cuddle him when he was scared of the lighting"
They all had sympathy for Ron, Percy had remained quiet but he was pale and sweating, Mad-eye turned to him—"You alright Weasley"
"I am fine"
"You don't look fine Percy"—
"Im fine mother, just…"
Harry looked at him—"Realize that it all might be true?"
Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't YOU, Peter?
"That's all we were, he had to choose us for another reason."—Ginny questioned
"Did you want more?"—Ron asked her confused—"He used us, made us look like fools"
"Fools Ron?"—Ginny said—"Are you even listening? Imagine if he decided to transform back into himself in the night and you walked in on him in the kitchen, he kills you and leaves…fools? we lived in fucking danger for 10 years without realizing it, he could have killed Mom, me, Percy in his sleep"
Molly fidgeted, she was questioning know any concerns she had had when the kids were younger, did she ever sense the danger, when he heard strange noises in the night, was it him? All the time she pet him when she found him in the kitchen or in the middle of the stairs had he been a man before and quickly transformed?
"Molly!"—Arthur called out, she blinked and saw everyone staring at her.
Andromeda was next to her— "You were having a panic attack."
"I'm fine now. I just…questioned everything I remember. I am even more concerned about him walking around with me and Ginny, it makes me think of all the things he could have seen or done to us."
"But he didn't Mom"—Charlie said— "You can't think like that, let's be grateful nothing happened."
how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"
Amelia leaned forward.
Sirius's hand twitched for a drink, and Andromeda who was keeping an eye on him, levitated a plate of cookies. He rolled her eyes but started gulfing them down.
"But if you knew you were innocent, why didn't you escape sooner?"—Percy asked.
"And go where, do what, ask who? Like I said everyone thought of me as a killer, a betrayer. I had no friends no support. The reason why I got out was that I wanted vengeance, I…"
"Say it, Sirius, it's not true but you can't be afraid of saying it if you believe it"—Andy told him and Sirius glared at her—
"I killed them, I should have done my job…I didn't and my friends died, I thought that if I killed Peter Harry would be safe and I could back to my punishment."
"You believe you deserve Azkaban because you changed secrets keepers?"—Harry said quietly.
"I deserve to be dead, and they deserve to be alive."
"It…"—Harry paused., he took a deep breath— "It doesn't work like that."
"How much did being a dog help"
Sirius turned to Luna, he didn't want to answer any of these questions, this book was turning into a pain but he knew deep down talking about it would help him even if it burn. –"Dogs don't feel like humans, it numbs everything around me but I was concerned I might not be able to become me again so I wouldn't do it all the time, and inside the fortress times just pass differently, your mind Is in a haze."
"But then I saw Peter in that picture... I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry...
"You're a survivor Sirius"—Minerva said
"Can we not, please"
"It was as if someone had lit a fire In my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it... It wasn't a happy feeling... it was an obsession...
"That's why none of them are crazy?"—Neville asked Sirius—"The rest death eaters."
"Perhaps, we all have different obsessions. I'm not making it up when I say Bella wants Peter, she wants her dark lord, bitch when into the fortress crazy and now she's unhinged but not unfunctional. Many others like Crouch would scream that they were innocents those are the crazy ones, the real crazy ones…they know it's a lie but they're grasping."
"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."
Percy turned to Harry in disbelief—"Just like that? No questioned ask"
"Are we listing to the same thing Percy? I don't lie…I know when someone is lying, it's in the eyes. Sirius was telling the truth, his voice his standing his tone… I knew"
Sirius sniffed and hold on to Harry—"Your such a good boy."
"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black.
"Damn, I'm going to use that one someday"
"What the hell is he begging for he deserves nothing"—George called out.
"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.
"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves.
Tonks eyes them she knew now the horrible fight they had a year later but it seems the rest of the room was believing the apology scene.
"Harry... Harry... you look just like your father... just like him..."
"Don't talk to him you filth!" _-Ginny said
"Stay away, kick him Harry"—Luna gestured with her leg. Earning an approval nod from Ginny.
"How dare he!"—Neville bristled.
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"
They all jump at the intensity of Sirius's screams.
Molly had tears in her eyes, and she turned to the man she had been severely judging, she still believed the man was reckless, but she understood where his need to do something came from, from the same place it came for her, Love.
"I can't believe anyone would think of you as a traitor Mr. Black"—Luna said—"The only thing they needed to do is go talk to you"—she finished with a sad hum.
Dumbledore let out a breath, he had made many mistakes that tell this day keep him up late at night. He was starting to understand Sirius's trust was really gone.
"You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."
"Fuck Lupin"—Kingsley said— "You said it like you were discussing everyday business."
I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers - just for you."
Molly nodded but Mad Eye gave Sirius and Remus a pointed look.
Snape scoffed, they were going to leave him there, bleeding out.
"No!"—Molly screamed—"Remus…it's the full moon"
Remus leaned back with his eyes close.
"We all forgot about it"—Hermione said quietly.
CHAPTER TWENTY THE DEMENTOR'S KISS
Harry and Sirius smiled sadly at their passage conversation. Everything had been fine for ten minutes.
Did Black mean what he thought he meant?
"Always pup, I'm sorry it hasn't happened yet"
"Not your fault"
"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's.
"Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"
Molly gasped— "You just met him, he could be crazy, reckless…"
"What she means is I'm all that"—Sirius said bitterly.
"He is my family."—Harry stated like it was the most obvious reason— "It felt right."
Remus sniffed which made Sirius and Harry turned sharply to him and Tonks shook her head.
Sirius tapped Remus's knee— "You better not be crying."
"You can break down, but I can't?"
The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask.
"You haven't smiled like that again."—Harry whispered shuffling and Sirius felt his heartbreak.
Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs
began to shake. "Oh, my -" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight!
Augusta was startled—"This counts as a close call!"
"Augusta shut up"
"My god…I understand now why Remus is reacting like that"—Ginny pointed out
Tonks was trying her hardest to keep Remus in the room.
Snape was staring at the book with disgust and then Luna spoke—"This could have been avoided if you brought the potion"
Snape hand twitched for his wand and Neville looked terrified for her.
But Harry couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin.
"Leave me!"—
Hermione turned to him in fear and disbelief. —"Never Ron"
There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws.
Tonks has never seen a werewolf transform, she knew because Aurors wore force to learn about them, but this was different, she could hear the noise, screams, and the bones breaking …this was horrifying, she couldn't believe Remus has been suffering this since he was a child.
Remus saw Doras's face of Horror and stood up, everyone thought he was going to leave but he started pacing. Sirius took his wand out, he gave Andromeda the coldest glare he could master making her shut up.
Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand.
"I'm sorry"—Remus whispered from behind Harry and Sirius.
"Not your fault…"
"It is Harry…I shouldn't have forgotten my potion…"
Sirius turned to Remus—"We already had this conversation, do you want me to beat you up again...i will"
There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest –
Remus frowned – "Who howl?"
Hermione looked around but stayed quiet.
Dora raised her hand up to Remus— "Come sit down Remus."
Remus looked at Dora and then at her parents. Ted had a blank expression, but his eyes showed pity, Andy, she looked concerned and suspicious and then Dora, she had a small, sweet smile, and her eyes showed nothing but kindness and understanding and it fucking killed him. He slowly walked back to the couch.
Black was in trouble - Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind him.
"Do you always run to danger"—Sirius smiled shaking his head, Harry shrugged—"Thank you pup"
'Nooo," he moaned. 'Nooo... please..."
Sirius flinch, he still had the belief that if he ever encounters another Dementor he wouldn't be able to survive and he didn't even know if he could produce a Patronus.
And then Harry saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. I'm going to live with my godfather. I'm leaving the Dursleys. He forced himself to think of Black, and only Black.
Sirius had tears in his eyes.
Amelia couldn't believe this type of situation could keep happening to Harry and no one had ever done anything.
"Expecto -" Hermione whispered, "expecto - expecto -"
But she couldn't do it.
Hermione pressed her lips—"I've never been able to do a Patronus. I have the strength, but it doesn't stay"
"It requires practice, if you force it it will never come"—Kingsley said quietly.
Harry felt Hermione collapse next to him. He was alone... completely alone...
Molly whimpered and Augusta shook her head in denial. – "One person against a hundredth of those monsters. How did you survive?"
"I saved myself…like always."
Hermione coughed making Harry smile and rolled his eyes— "With Hermione's help of course."
The nearest dementor seemed to be considering him. Then it raised both its rotting hands - and lowered its hood. Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth... a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.
Everyone gasped and a few even got green with disgust.
"They were going to kiss you"—Fleur said alarmed— "They didn't have that order…they…"
Dumbledore was disgusted and he was cold—"The dementors have never been in control and I'm afraid right now they are more dangerous than ever"
he groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm... they weren't going to take him...
"Oh pup!"—Sirius cried
His mother was screaming in his ears... She was going to be the last thing he ever heard –
Probably the first person to see after he died Harry thought but he didn't say it out loud, the people in the room weren't taking the scene very well. Amelia looked outraged but sad like she didn't know what to do or say. –there wasn't anything to say after all.
Hermione was grabbing his elbow with such a tight grip it was starting to hurt.
by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back... raising his hand to pat it... someone who looked strangely familiar ... but it couldn't be...
"Oh Harry"—Hermione whimpered, this situation hearing his thought only made their conversation while they waited even more emotional. Harry had been so sure about it being James Potter.
and his head hit the ground as he fainted.
"I don't think blacking out so much is good for your health"—George said
"According to my healer, I don't have very good health."
Andy shook her head—"You will ill make sure of it."
Hello guys…so AO3 IS DOWN I just had to say It because I was about to put this story there, it will have to wait now.
So I took my time with this chapter but I promise the next chapter is the end of POA and then a few conversations between characters though that update won't be until August since I have some things to do.
I will also be going back and re-read the story fixing the grammar and modifying some information I realize I got wrong.
Please Review and remember i do this for fun.