Given the fact of Sirius Black not only at large, but at Hogwarts in particular, Alduin didn't hesitate for a moment in going to see Harry's first match of the season, even though the weather was dreadful and he preferred not to step outside at all on normal days.

He met Lucius in the stands, arousing curiosity about Harry's recent report once again.

"I suppose," he said after they exchanged greetings, "that you aren't willing to share any more details about your enigmatic statements?"

"I might be, actually," Lucius surprised him, "as long as you do not share them with your ward. It was his little friends hearing about this that I chiefly objected to, and he would tell them."

"Well then, you have my word."

Lucius' mouth twitched at that, but he knew he could hardly demand an Unbreakable Vow for such a little titbit, so he didn't say anything. Instead, he looked around and then used the noise of the rain and thunder to mask his next words: "Black is innocent."

"What?" Alduin stared at him, aghast.

"Well, perhaps not innocent exactly," Lucius amended. "He might well have killed all those Muggles for all I know. But he never betrayed the Potters."

"How do you…?"

"How do you think?" Lucius asked ironically. "He did not speak of it publicly, but privately, in my and Bella's company, he found great amusement in the notion that all would suspect Black, the most faithful friend of the Potters."

"Who was the real traitor, then?" Alduin asked once he gathered himself a little from the shock.

"I don't know. He didn't tell even us. This is all I have."

Lupin. The name immediately jumped into Alduin's head. If Lucius was not lying – which was not certain, the Vow would allow him to do so if the intent was not to harm Alduin's family – then the current Defence teacher was one of the most likely candidates.

Or Pettigrew, of course, and that was why Black killed him. It sounded rather likely that he'd be so bent on revenge he wouldn't care about any number of Muggles he took with him, actually.

Or the traitor was Lupin, and Black only thought it was Pettigrew.

Alduin's head was beginning to hurt.

Before they could continue the conversation, though, Nathan, Kingsley and Susan all reached them. Alduin gave them a surprised look.

"I didn't expect you here," he said. "It's not like Maurice or Kiara are on the team."

"No," Susan replied, "but Marcus is, and I'd rather not see my nephew dead if you don't mind. We took your warning seriously." The idea that as Quidditch was a prime opportunity for accidents and also necessarily included some confusion in the mass of students, it was the most likely time for Black to attack, came to him recently, and he had shared it with Kingsley in the hope of Auror reinforcements. Apparently, the Ministry thought the Dementors were enough, and so Kingsley came with a private force.

Alduin frowned. "I didn't mean to imply anything of the sort, I just thought his parents would be enough to handle it."

Susan shrugged. "My brother is fine in Defence, but well. There is safety in numbers, and nothing like having a trained Auror with you, is there?"

There was no time for more talk, because the match was beginning and they all had to use all of their energy to concentrate and try to even see the players in all the rain. Gods, Alduin hoped his children never played Quidditch, even though with the way Harry was grooming Wynn on his toy broom, it was looking less and less likely.

It was endless minutes of rain and thunder that seemed infinite and it was really difficult to keep his attention from wandering to the mystery of Black and his friends and keep it focused on the task at hand. He cast warming and water-repelling charms over his face repeatedly, the only part of his body that was not enveloped in clothes that already contained them, and kept praying that this torture for his nerves would end soon.

It seemed to be thrilling for the students, though, so there were alternating cheers and boos from the crowd around him. He gathered the match was very even. Not that it mattered. The only thing that mattered, in how soon this would be over, was the skill of the Seekers.

And finally Harry seemed to spot the Snitch, because he threw himself after something with full speed.

And then Alduin felt it – the cold, the creeping silence...a Dementor was coming. In fact, given the strength of the silence, more than one.

Much more than one.

Alduin whipped out his wand to cast his Patronus, but with that many Dementors already so close, all he produced was white mist. "Shit," he swore, knowing that it would only get harder with time, but before he could go for another attempt, Kingsley and Nathan next to him were producing their own, full-fledges Patroni, and just a moment later, so was Susan.

With this protection from the effect of the Dementors, Alduin managed to produce his hawk as well. It was not a particularly strong one, but it was one, and hopefully it would help alert others in the stands and motivate them to do the same.

Lucius, next to him, was frustrated, and Alduin could glimpse his fear behind the mask of irritation. Whatever the man's faults, he loved his son dearly. "Damn those things," he said. "I can't cast it..."

Alduin was not surprised. Too much dark magic took its toll.

But a few other Patroni were leaping out of wands in the stands, and Harry, even as he flew, whipped out his wand and cast it, too, and protected by his faithful stag, he flew and caught the Snitch.

The Patroni were slowly pushing the Dementors back before they even got to the pitch, and the teams were both carefully landing, their wands at the ready.

Lucius was even paler than usual, fairly shaking with anger.

"I will have the Dementors away from the school gates by tomorrow," he said. "They could have got to Draco so easily – this cannot continue."

Alduin nodded. "You have my full support, in case you ever need it," he said. "Meanwhile, I'm going to have a little chat with some of Dumbledore's friends."

Lucius' anger over what just happened was helpful in that it allowed Alduin to remain comparatively calm. He knew someone else was already dealing with the matter, someone who would give it all the attention needed. That made it possible to think carefully about his tactics as he walked to Lupin's office.

Lupin was already awaiting him, clearly having used some secret passage for a shortcut. He looked pale and haggard.

"It's a good thing Harry had his wand with him," he said. "I had warned him the emotions from the match would attract the Dementors, but it has never occurred to me so many would come. It might well have saved him."

Nice move, Alduin though, but it won't save you from my questions. "I'm not here to talk about Harry," he said. "I'm here to talk about your old friend, Sirius Black."

Lupin flinched.

"So," Alduin continued, "Black got into school last week, and very little separated him from getting to Harry – if he had just realized he was not in his House yet and waited for him in the corridors...Harry might have been dead already. With that in mind, I think it's reasonable to demand you tell me any ideas or guesses of how he might be getting into school."

"What makes you think I have any?" Lupin asked quietly.

Alduin raised his eyebrows at him. "Dumbledore hired you this year of all years. That's not an accident. He thinks you know something. And you were very close. So, talk."

"You have no right to demand this of me."

"No right?" Alduin straightened. "I'm Harry's guardian. I'm responsible for his safety. If you don't think it's your duty to do what you can as James' friend and Harry's teacher, that's your business-"

Lupin flinched again. "Don't bring James into this! You have no right to even say his name-"

Alduin snorted. "Don't be melodramatic. No, we were never best of friends, but Harry is still my ward and so it's my responsibility to protect him. It's your friendship to James that should bind you, not mine. But then, perhaps it wasn't quite as strong as people believe?"

"That's absurd. You know perfectly well we were-"

"I thought the same of Black," Alduin said idly. "I was wrong once, I could be wrong again. And, in truth, some rumours reached me that Black's guilt might not be so assured – there was never a trial after all – so...what if it was, in fact, you?"

Lupin stared at him, wide-eyed. "You cannot be serious. I've been helping Harry since the moment I came to Hogwarts..."

"By having him publicly confront his worst fears? An interesting way to sniffle out weaknesses, don't you think? I wondered why you, a reasonably competent person, made such a blunder..."

Lupin opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. "It was a mistake," he said. "I know it was, I-"

"It is just that for someone who supposedly cares for Harry, you don't really show it very well. I would think that ensuring his safety from Black would be your priority. You're not acting like it is, and it makes me wonder about where your true loyalties lie."

Lupin took a deep breath. "All right. I...you're right. Yes. I...give me a moment."

There was silence as Lupin thought, and then he said: "Black is an Animagus."

"What?" Alduin asked sharply, incredulously, staring at the man.

"Yes. An unregistered one," as if that wasn't obvious. "Takes the form of a large black dog."

Alduin's shock was wearing off, and anger was beginning to take its place. Cold, hard anger. "And you mean to tell me," he said in a dangerously low voice, "that in all those years – all those years that he was in prison for betraying your supposed best friend, and all these months he's been free from prison – you never told anyone?"

Lupin looked away.

Alduin rose, shaking his head. "You disgust me," he muttered, and walked away in fury.

This man, this supposed friend of Harry's, held a secret that could have kept him safe from Black this whole time, and he never said a word?

It took Alduin walking the length of three corridors and descending two staircases to calm down a little and begin thinking about the matter rationally.

What was this man playing at?

It made no sense. Had he truly been on Black's side, he would have never told him. Or could he have been bullied into speaking? Surely Alduin wasn't that threatening?

In fact, Lupin being the real traitor looked more and more likely. But he still didn't know, and he didn't want to make Harry panic. He needed more information.

Alduin mirror-called Harry and met him in front of the Gryffindor common room. "What is it?" Harry asked, a little impatient. "We were celebrating..."

"I won't keep you for long, and congratulations on your victory, but I've just received a very important bit of news." He led him away from the new portrait guarding Gryffindor, to prevent being overheard, and said quietly: "Black is an Animagus, and can take the form of a large black dog."

Harry's eyes widened, almost comically so.

"What is it?" When Harry gulped and didn't immediately answer, Alduin began to feel a sense of foreboding. "You have not, by any chance, seen a large black dog anywhere recently?" He asked.

"I have, in fact," Harry replied, his voice shaking just a little. "Just today, at the Quidditch pitch...it was in the stands."

Alduin almost had a heart attack.

"All right, Harry, this is an emergency," he said quickly. "Don't tell anyone, and I mean anyone. Always walk in as large a group as possible in the corridors-"

"That won't be a problem, since Percy started to follow me around recently, I think with the goal of protecting me, and so have some teachers," Harry announced a little sullenly.

"Good. But Harry, don't tell anyone about the Animagus bit," Alduin cautioned. "Not even Neville. Not yet."

"But I want to warn them!" Harry exclaimed.

"This shouldn't take long," Alduin promised. "If you really insist, you can warn them about a dangerous black dog, but don't tell them what it is. Be on your guard, and I'll keep you informed. Some irregularities in this case arose, and it'll take me a bit to untangle, but I will do my best to move as quickly as possible."

-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-

Harry returned to the party deeply disturbed. Alduin had hardly explained anything, but if he understood him right...it seemed like Black might actually not be after him, and maybe might even be innocent in a more general sense.

Harry didn't know what to do with that.

That Black was a monster was one of the first things he had learned after coming to the wizarding world. It occupied the same space in his head as the existence of magic and the characteristic of Hogwarts Houses. It was just a fact.

How could he possibly be innocent?

And...what would that mean about Harry's father? If Black was not a monster, then who put his father up to all those bad thing he did?

No, this must all be just some huge mistake.

But...but Alduin despised Black, Harry knew this with complete certainty. If he didn't have a damn good source, he'd never even consider his innocence. What the hell was going on?

That night, feeling guilty, but determined all the same, Harry indicated to Neville that he needed to speak to him privately again and once everyone was asleep, they crept to the bathroom to talk.

"Listen," Harry said, "this is really super secret an Alduin told me to not even tell you – I think he's worried you'll write to your Gran – but Sirius Black is an Animagus, apparently...it seems that's how he escaped prison."

Neville stared. "Why doesn't your cousin want people to know? They should be warned!"

"I know, but...well, Alduin didn't really say much, but I think there's something about what Draco said, with Black maybe being innocent. Or at least I gathered that from the little my cousin did tell me. I don't know any details, but Alduin promised he was dealing with it."

"Innocent?" Neville whisper-shouted incredulously. "He slashed up the Fat Lady!"

"I grant you that's strange," Harry allowed. "But maybe he was trying to prove his innocence somehow, and thought something in Gryffindor could help him? I really have no clue."

"And what about the mutters that you're at Hogwarts?" Neville asked, still clearly incredulous.

"Well, Draco's right about that," Harry pointed out. "It didn't have to mean me. In fact, if what could prove his innocence is a person, not a thing...then he could have been referring to them, right?"

"I guess..." Neville muttered reluctantly. "It still seems fishy, though."

"I know. Just...give Alduin a bit of time, okay? If nothing happens in a week or two, we'll tell the others."

They returned to their beds, but Harry couldn't sleep for a long time. He lay, his eyes wide opened, and thought about the recent events. It was true that if Black was at the match today...well, he never tried anything. Or did he attract the Dementors somehow? But surely they would be even more dangerous to him? Though perhaps they never attacked animals...was it possible that he turned into a human just for a short while and then guided them to Harry? Was that to be his revenge, to have him be Kissed by them as he was threatened to be Kissed by the Ministry?

Or was he really innocent and was there for some other reason? Perhaps he wanted to find that person in the stands, the one he had looked for in Gryffindor? It was true that he never attacked Harry directly, even though if he was in the school grounds even before Halloween, he must have had his chances. If he killed so many Muggles, Harry was pretty sure he could have taken his bunch of third-year friends.

So why did he not attack? Was it because he was innocent, or because he wanted a more terrible revenge?

Harry only fell asleep just before sunrise, and he dreamed of Sirius Black flying on a Dementor, pursuing him.