Mowgli's Road~ MARINA
I ran out of my dorm and down the stairs as fast as I could, I didn't know what I'd do, but I didn't care, there was no time to explain anything to Macgonegall or anyone else, I wouldn't let Black get to Harry, I won't, not over my dead body.
I was running so fast that I was out of breath, but I still wasn't fast enough. I came to a halt at the front gates, Filch was standing there, he definitely wouldn't let me out without an excuse, a good one.
It isn't exactly curfew yet but security has been tighter than ever those days. I racked my brain for a way to get out. If there was just any distraction, anything to draw Filch's attention. I could go back to the great hall and ask for Ginny, Sarah or Conan's help, but there's no time, if Harry wasn't under the cloak, Black would've gotten to
him by now, there's no time to get anyone let alone explain anything to them, I looked around in desperation. And spotted the last person I wanted to see right now. I didn't know I could be that desperate or scoop that low, but Harry was in danger. I ran towards him.
"Diaz, Diaz, wait," I said as I approached him, once more out of breath.
"What useless game are you playing now, Potter"
"I need a favour" I would've liked to stop then and take a moment of silence for the soul of my dead pride, but there was no time.
He laughed, "A favour?" He asked with his normal condescending smirk.
"Listen, Mateo, there's no time for this, look I need you to distract Filch so I can get out, it's really important" he stared at me, he clearly still thought it was some kind of joke. "...Please" I forced the word out of me by a miracle, now my pride was buried too deep under the ground, no way to revive it.
"What exactly are you doing? And more importantly, why in the world would I ever help you?"
"Please, you have to, there's no time to explain anything right now, and there's no one else to help me, just do it and I'll do anything to repay you later, I promise"
He raised his eyebrows and smiled, which made me instantly regret what I said, but I had no choice, "like what exactly"
"There's no time for all of that right now" I groaned, "... I'll... I'll forfeit the bet, I'll say whatever you want in the great hall, just come on, now"
"But exam results aren't out yet"
"I'll do it even if I win, I promise, just do it now and don't ask questions"
He seemed to finally realize how desperate I was or how important this was for me. I could see he was struggling not to ask about what was happening.
"Okay, stay here" He finally said firmly and started strolling towards the door with a winning sneer.
"Quickly, Mateo, it's urgent" I called after him in exasperation.
I stood just around the corner as Diaz went to Filch.
"I have something to tell you," he said leaning against the wall next to Filch, obscuring his vision from where I was standing.
"I won't let you out of the castle, so you better go back inside before I put you in detention" growled Filch.
"All I'm saying is that I saw a group of Gryffindors planning a prank to pack a whole isle with Dungbombs, but sure, I'll just go back in" he said and started walking away, his back to Filch.
"Wait," yelled Filch after him, "come show me where you saw them, but if You're lying, you're going to regret it you little..."
I gave a sigh of relief as I watched Filch go after Mateo, hailing threats at him. I sneaked outside slowly, making sure to avoid the greenhouse and head towards the spot where I saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione disappear. I tried to find Crookshanks, but he was nowhere to be seen and neither was the Black dog. I started going in the way I saw them go. But that was a little too close to Hagrid's hut. I thought if it's just Hagrid it'll be okay if I get caught, but it wasn't just Hagrid. I cursed and hid behind a tree as I caught a glimpse of Professor Dumbledore, what is he doing here? I risked another glimpse, there were two other figures that I couldn't decipher. Hagrid seemed to be sobbing, Professor Dumbledore was trying to calm him down. I was going through all the ways I could get out of this, I could just go tell Dumbledore what I found, but wasn't sure that was the right thing to do. All I wanted right now was to see Harry so I could make sure he was okay and Black hadn't gotten to him. Dumbledore pulled Hagrid aside trying to calm him down, their backs to me. That was my chance, the two other figures had their back to me, I sprinted around the hut, making the least amount of noise I could manage, I hid by the base of the hut, on the side, away from view. I was able to hear Hagrid sobbing, I held my breath, staying as quiet as possible.
"Get this over with and stop crying you big oaf" I heard a cold annoyed voice say. I stopped myself from getting out and cursing whoever was talking to Hagrid that way.
"Mr Malfoy, I hope you keep your comments either polite or to yourself, or I'll have to dismiss you from my grounds" said Professor Dumbledore calmly.
"Why 're you even here?! No one invited you...You..." Said Hagrid between sobs, I hate that Hagrid was so upset, I didn't even know what was happening.
"Did you forget that your little pet monster had injured my son, I'm here to see justice" said Mr. Malfoy, I could even hear the amusement in his voice. My eyes widened as I realized what was happening, they're getting Buckbeak executed, I didn't even know they lost the case, poor Hagrid.
"Just get inside, Hagrid, calm down," said Professor Dumbledore soothingly, ignoring Malfoy, he pulled Hagrid into the hut.
I risked a glance at the two men, standing in front of the hut. I felt a tug in my heart as I saw one of them had a huge axe in his hand, I could even see Buckbeak in the distance, digging through a little ferret.
"I hope the next execution I attend will be Black's" said Malfoy as he turned around, I went back down to avoid either of them spotting me.
"Don't be gruff, Malfoy, Just because we were able to get away and he wasn't?" said the other man.
"Get away?! You think Black was a death eater?" Asked Malfoy with a smirk and an amused tone "My dear Macnair, Black has never served the dark lord"
"Are you mad?! Then who do you recon turned in the Potters?!"
Malfoy smiled, "I forgot that some of you weren't as close to the dark lord as I was" his voice reeked with obsessive pride, "It was their other friend, Pettigrew, the one Black killed, he was the secret keeper, not Black, I helped in his torture. But it was discreet, the dark lord didn't trust just anyone with it, not even Snape knew about it, which turned out for the better as the coward git showed his true colours as Dumbledore's puppet"
"How can you keep something like that?! If someone finds out they'll chuck you in Azkaban instead of Black" said Macnair in an urgent whisper.
"They won't dare, Fudge won't risk losing my donations, besides, why would I let Black off, he was always an overbearing, swaggering self-centred, idiot. I loved letting him rot in Azkaban after he lost his pretentious friend for something he didn't do"
"For heaven's sake, lower your voice Malfoy, and quit talking about it, those days are behind us now, let's just get this over with"
I was curled up in a ball, hidden on the side of Hagrid's hut. If I stay like that I'll get caught, but I couldn't move, I was frozen in place. Maybe the world was moving at light speed because everything in me seemed to have stopped.
Sirius Black ... Innocent?! No way, no way, no way. That doesn't make any sense, everyone knows he's guilty, everyone. Unless you count Luna Lovegood as a sensible person.
Lupin knows, he knows, he knew my parents and he knew they made Black their secret keeper. How can Mr. Malfoy know something about them that Lupin doesn't? It doesn't make sense. As I was trying to force myself out of my freezing mode, I heard the unmistakable cut of an axe, I flinched violently, my heart falling as I realized what just happened. Buckbeak has been executed, I closed my eyes trying to stop the sudden urge to cry, I was shaking, couldn't even believe that I hadn't been caught until now, but I was about to be because suddenly there were raised voices, Mr. Malfoy and Hagrid seemed to be arguing again only more furious this time, I couldn't even decipher what they were saying as my mind was still frozen.
I knew one thing, I had to move, I couldn't stay like that.
I started getting up quietly, making fists to try and stop my shaking, I have to do something... Tell someone, anyone, I have to, I can't hold that. I started moving ahead, taking the hut as a shield until I found my way to the outskirts of the forbidden forest. I made sure not to get too deep in it, I was just using the first few trees as a hideout.
The sun was setting, it was getting darker, I was getting closer to the front gates when I glimpsed something. A figure in the distance seemed to be floating, I squinted my eyes as I realized it was Harry, Ron and Hermione, they were half covered by the cloak and seemed to be arguing. I took a calming breath as I finally saw Harry, unlike Buckbeak, he was still alive.
That's my chance, I have to tell them, Harry has to know this time. I started making my way towards them when something pulled me from behind, from inside the forest. I almost screamed but then I saw who had pulled me and it took the breath out of me. It was... Harry?!
"What are you doing here?" He asked urgently, I just stared at him blankly. Might I have mistaken whoever was out there? No... No, I'm sure. But Harry, alongside Hermione were just infront of me, I was frozen, my eyes wide.
"H-how can... How can... You were just outside...I don't understand... You were..." I kept stuttering, staring at them like they were ghosts. Am I losing my mind? Did everything finally get to me? Have I lost all sense and started seeing things?
The Hermione in front of me pushed Harry aside and put one hand on my shoulder.
"Emma, focus," she said and waved a necklace in front of my face...no it's not a necklace, it's her time turner. I kept staring at her blankly until it finally hit me.
"Oh, my god," I said breathlessly, "you're from the future! Or are they from the future?" I asked pointing in the direction of their other selves.
"No we are, it's only three hours though" As she said that, I saw something that knocked the breath out of me once more. Buckbeak.
He was just behind Hermione. Rubbing his head on a huge tree.
"I...I thought he died" I said quietly, maybe I was losing my mind after all.
"We saved him, it's part of the reason we went back in time" Hermione frowned, she seemed worried about me, "Emma, just calm down, I know it doesn't seem logical right now, but you have to trust me, okay? Just focus on one thing, what are you doing out here?"
"I was... I found out that... Sirius Black is an animus, he was trying to... But wait, that doesn't matter, he's innocent, or at least I think so, it was—"
"We know all that, ", said Harry interrupting me.
"You do?!"
"Yes, but you need to get out of here now, we don't have much time"
"No, wait she can help us," said Hermione urgently.
"How can you be sure Black is innocent? What about the thirteen people he killed?" I asked, ignoring them.
"He did," said Harry and then turned back to Hermione, "What do you mean she can help? It's too dangerous"
"But we need her, we don't have that much time" argued Hermione.
"He didn't? Then who killed them?" I asked again.
"We don't need her, we can manage" said Harry ignoring me.
"We need all the help that we can get, we don't have Ron and we can trust her"
"No we can't, she won't manage it, she'll only get hurt"
"No she won't"
"SHUT UP AND ANSWER ME" I bellowed exasperated. They froze and looked at me.
"Please, Lower your voice" whispered Hermione.
"Look, Emma, just go back to school and we'll explain it to you later, I promise," said Harry firmly.
"You don't tell me what to do," I said, folding my arms over my chest.
"Who does then?" Asked Harry exasperated.
"She does, what do you need me to do, Hermione?"
"Okay, listen," said Hermione, "Sirius is going to be locked in the astronomy tower in about an hour, we need you to help him out of there, you have to get there first and hide, then find him a way out of there. Point is, you need to jump off the astronomy tower, alongside Sirius at exactly 11:42 and we'll be there with Buckbeak, got it?"
"They'll catch Black? And you're sure he's innocent?" I asked anxiously.
"Yes," said Hermione confidently, I trust her.
"Fine then, but you two will explain later," I said and started making my way back to the gates.
"Take care, don't do anything stupid!" called Harry after me.
With a miracle, I found my way back into the castle. Fortunately, Filch wasn't back yet, I slipped inside, determined. I hadn't completely understood it yet, but I trusted them.
I made my way through the castle, wishing no one would stop me, it was now completely dark outside. I was making my way up to the astronomy tower, wishing I understood exactly what was happening, but it didn't matter, I have to focus.
I came to a halt when I realized I was close to Lupin's office and wondered whether I should tell him something, I stood there for a second, catching my breath and pondering it. Harry and Hermione seemed sure, if I tell him will he stop me or will he help? Or would it take too long to convince him that it would be too late? He seemed sure about Black being guilty. But so was everyone else.
I was still fighting with myself, pondering my decision when it was made for me.
Professor Snape came swooping out of Lupin's office his face contorted with rage, I quickly hid behind the corner as I saw him making his way through the castle, well that can't be good, could it? I shook my head trying to get back on task. Hermione said to do something and I should, she came from the future which means she knows what's going to happen, besides, I trust her judgement, I have to, I started running again towards the astronomy tower. I wonder if Snape and Lupin were arguing, why is everything so hazy? I should stop thinking and get it done.
I finally found my way to the astronomy tower, it was deserted.
I found a place where I could hide, I had to squat down behind the telescope's cabinet, there was a little sliver that I could see through.
I finally caught my breath, I sat there, trying to put my mind in order. Hermione had said to get myself and Black off the astronomy tower at exactly 11:42, I looked at my watch, it was 10:02 right now, There was still time, and there was nothing I could do but wait and let my thoughts take over me, I put my face in my palm, breathing. Pettigrew was the one who betrayed them? No one ever talked about him, all they said was the story about Black blowing him up, that the biggest part they could find of him was his toe.
Was it true? That Black did that? If Pettegrew was the secret keeper then maybe Black was after him because he knew he was the one that caused my parents' death. But again how could no one know about that, not Dumbledore, not Lupin, no one. How can Malfoy know more about it than all of them?
Was Black that mad about their death that he blew up a street full of muggles? Doesn't it still make him guilty? My head was starting to hurt and it shouldn't, there was no time for me to have a mental breakdown.
And yet I couldn't stop thinking, what other lies? What other secrets? My only hope is that maybe Harry understands it by now, maybe he'll explain later, all I had to do now is to focus on getting myself and Black out of here.
I was still deep in a dark place in my mind when I heard noise outside, it sounded like multiple heavy steps and people arguing, I shrunk on myself behind the cabinet, holding my breath as the door swung open, I clenched my fists wishing no one would notice me or cast a spell to detect it.
Filch alongside Hagrid shuffled in, holding a hairy unconscious man in their arms, I could barely see from behind here but I was almost sure it was Black. Professor McGonagall followed them, a grim look on her face, she waved her wand, whispering under her breath, and I closed my eyes fearing the worst. But then I heard a metal clunk, I opened my eyes slowly. A huge, tall metal cage had materialized in the middle of the room, I sucked in a breath then closed my mouth hastily. Fortunately, they were too busy trying to force Black into the cage, I saw Professor McGonagall furrow her eyebrows and look around for a second but then she shook it off, her lips getting thinner with her grim expression back.
I watched as Filch and Hagrid pushed Black inside, professor McGonagall sealed the cage and locked it with her wand in a long non-verbal spell. Then she exchanged a few words with Filch and Hagrid that I couldn't hear.
Finally, Professor McGonagall, alongside Filch left, while Hagrid stood guard by the cage, I glanced at my watch, it was already 11:06. If I had to wait for Hagrid to leave I most likely wouldn't make it. Could I trust Hagrid? I do, but I wasn't sure he'd believe me, I don't quite believe myself, how could he? I sighed, I'd have to wait, I'll have to keep it as the last choice, convincing Hagrid, it would be a stupid attempt, but I'd do it if I had to.
As I tried to arrange however I might convince Hagrid to let me escape the criminal we've been looking for for a year, I heard a rough cough, I focused on the cage as I saw Black stirring, I felt my forehead sweat as much as my hands, I tried my best to keep still as I saw him try and get up in his cage, his hair was long and made some kind of dark cloud around his face, which in turn looked darker and far older than his presumed age. It seemed he was having difficulty simply sitting up in his cage. I heard Hagrid grunt as he saw him get up, which guided Black's attention to him, his eyes widened, he opened his mouth then closed it, opened it again and coughed several times, "Hagrid?" His voice was thick like he doesn't use it often but fairly weak. He was staring up at Hagrid and around his cage in surprise.
"Shut up ya traitor," said Hagrid through gritted teeth as I noticed the expression he had when he was trying not to start sobbing.
At that point, I looked at Black, and I had never seen more pain on a human face before. Then and only then, I was finally sure he was innocent, it didn't matter how, he was.
I counted the minutes, time running from my hands like water through a net. Black had sat up in his cage, a grave expression on his face, a defeated one, he kept whispering from now and then, whispers that he probably thought were only for himself but they were loud enough for the whole room.
"He escaped...He escaped again"
He kept saying it over and over, I doubted I knew who he meant, and I didn't have the time or the sanity to take more on mysteries.
I was running out of time, I glanced at my watch and almost gasped when I realized it was already 11:35. There's no time...I have to risk it, Hagrid doesn't seem that he could be persuaded easily but if I drive him out of here, maybe Harry and Hermione would have a chance to get him instead, even if they don't have the time, it's better than doing nothing at all, I'll have to do it, I'll get out and drive Hagrid away somehow, I'll tell him some Slytherins had cursed me to stay here, I'll tell him they're up to something.
Before I could break out of my hiding spot, someone opened the door, it was Professor Sprout, "Hagrid, the minister is here, they need you to report the Buckbeak situation" I heard her say.
"But, professor, who 'ould stay with Black?"
"Professor McGonagall said she locked the cage, I'll make sure the door is closed too, now come on"
Hagrid seemed to hesitate, I closed my eyes and prayed desperately, holding my hands in fists, he finally grunted and followed Professor Sprout out, I heard her lock the door with her wand.
I held still in my place for a whole minute in case they came back. When I was certain, I sprinted out of my place a little too noisily, Black looked around frantically till he spotted me, untangling my hair from a nail behind the stand, my knees where sore from staying there too long.
I finally yanked my hair off it painfully, I made my way to the cage, glancing at my watch,11:37, I cursed.
I took out my wand and started trying to unlock the cage under Black's confused stare, I tried all the spells I knew that might help, but nothing worked.
"Do you know how I can unlock it?" I asked him urgently, I'm running out of time.
"Who are you?" He said with a bothered, confused look, his voice lighter than before.
"There's no time, how do I unlock it?"
"I don't know, who locked it? Did you hear the spell?"
"Macgonegall, and no, it was non-verbal"
"Who are you?" He asked again, I ignored him and tried a few other spells.
"Just try breaking it, most wizard spells doesn't account for muggle solutions," he said calmly, how could he be so calm? It was starting to infuriate me.
"There's nothing to break it with," I said, looking around, I glanced again At my watch, 11:38, I cursed again. Then I remembered something, he was right, wizards don't account for muggle solutions, I quickly fumbled in my hair. Fred and George had taught me how to pick locks back after they helped us out of Privet Drive.
"Yes!" I whispered as my hands finally closed on a pin, I made a mental promise never to complain about Ginny fixing my hair again.
I unbent the pin and started jamming it in the lock, my hands were sweating and shaking so much that I couldn't hold the pin properly. I stopped for a second and took a deep breath, I wiped my hands on my skirt and started again, remembering George's voice in my head as he taught me how to do it.
"Who are you? Why are you helping me?" He apparently won't stop asking till I told him.
"Emma Potter" I mumbled as I kept trying to force the pin again.
"What? You're not dead?" He asked, his eyes wide.
"No, I'm a ghost that likes to help escaped convicts," I said quickly, letting the last drop of bitterness I still held against him come out in my voice.
"Wait...you're the girl that was with Harry in Magnolia Crescent"
"You were in Magnolia Crescent?" I asked, stopping for a second, then I shook myself and kept trying to unlock the door again.
With a little click, the lock finally withdrew, I stepped away as black kicked the door.
"Come on," I said as I ran towards the window of the tower, trying to find something to break it.
"What? You're not going to jump are you?" He asked, confused.
"No, we are going to jump" I said as I glanced at my watch, 11:41, we had a few seconds at best.
"Are you crazy?" Sirius Black is asking me if I'm crazy. I have to be humbled every year, don't I?
"Just come on," I said as I took one of the telescopes and hurled it at the window which shattered.
"You are crazy!" He declared, standing still by the cage.
"Look, if you don't go right now, the Dementors will kiss you, do you want that?" I said as I started pulling him to the edge, checking my watch as I did so, he reluctantly got closer but he was nowhere near actually doing it.
"Emma, I'm not the one who—" he started.
"I know, I know, I would've killed you in your cage if you were, I'm not trying to hurt you, okay? There's no time to explain, you just have to trust me, do you?" I said, looking at him desperately, his face draped in the moonlight, making him look scarier, older and weaker at the same time.
He stared at me, searching for truth in my face. The moment his eyes met mine, he nodded firmly, "With my life"
I checked my watch, 11:42, I grabbed his hand and we jumped.