Authors Notes

I AM ALIVE! I apologise profusely to everyone who has been waiting for an update on this. I had some health problems that knocked me out for a few weeks and then I had to spend some time catching up on work, sadly this story had to take the backseat.

Due to this, I have decided I will have to adjust my release schedule, I don't want to agree to a monthly release if I can't stick to it so I will now be releasing a chapter every two months with potential additional releases if and when I can manage them.

As always please Favourite, Follow, leave a Kudos and Review/Comment if you like the story and chapter. They really mean a lot and I love reading them, they helped a lot when I struggled to get the impetus to finish this chapter.

Chapter 27

Harry managed to avoid her for almost a month, an impressive feat considering she dragged the Weasley Twins into it after the second week. They had an uncanny ability to find him no matter where he hid himself. This led to a very tired Harry spending much of his time in the Ravenclaw Common Room when he wasn't weaving through the hidden passageways he had found to get to and from his classes.

His luck ran out on Halloween though, it seemed the day was fated to always be an unfortunate one for the last Potter. He had just finished an interesting Charms lesson on mind-effecting charms, from the innocent Cheering Charm to the far more sinister Melancholia Charm which could induce near suicidal depression if used incorrectly, and was plotting his route back to the Common Room when he noticed a now familiar presence at the edge of his awareness.

Fred Weasley's energetic blue was hiding around the corner that led to the portrait of Egbert the Egregious and the hidden passageway he guarded. The portrait was a particularly grim one, the wizard it housed would mutter threats of extreme violence to most who walked by, but Harry had noticed a strange vibration to the stone blocks it covered and after a few attempts had found the passageway that led to the fifth floor on the other side of the castle.

However, Harry had grown cunning during his game of cat and mouse with the three Gryffindors, and he had a backup plan ready. He didn't let his pace falter as he tapped Terry on the arm and tilted his head to the right.

"Wha- oh come on, why don't you just talk to the girl? Poor Nev hasn't been able to sleep he's terrified the Twins are planning to hold him hostage or something." Terry complained as he let himself be guided through the throng of students until they reached one of the many suits of armour that littered the school, this one held a shield and sword in its limp metal hands.

"At this point it's more a point of principle really." Harry answered absently as he nudged the shield a fraction with his cane while pushing the sword to the right with his other hand. A satisfying creak sounded from the alcove behind the armour and while the wall didn't visibly change, Harry stepped through it confidently all the same. "The Twins have some way to locate me, doesn't matter where I hide, so now it comes down to who knows the castle better."

Harry ran his hand along the worn stone of the wall and felt a comforting warmth from the carved blocks, the Weasley Twins might have been at the school longer but Harry was confident he knew some of her secrets that even they hadn't discovered. Hogwarts was a living thing, the twisting corridors and constantly shifting staircases were a part of her rhythms and with enough patience Harry was certain he could learn to predict the seemingly random changes.

"A contest with the Twins? Rather you than me, but I still don't get why you won't talk to Bell? She just wants to say thank you, you did save her life mate." Terry asked exasperatedly from behind him.

The corridor ended with a tapestry depicting some kind of duel from the middle ages, Harry couldn't make out much of the detail but Terry had described it to him the first time they used the passage. Harry brushed it aside and stepped through into the disused corridor on the second floor, it was eerily quiet in this part of the castle. Alchemy classes had been held here up until almost twenty years ago but the elective had a reputation for being exceedingly difficult and eventually the class was dropped from the curriculum as no student had passed the exam with more than an Acceptable in years by that time.

The first sign something was wrong that Harry noticed was that Terry didn't follow him out of the passageway. Then he spotted a gossamer thin thread of magic down the corridor on his left. It could have been a coincidence. The school was full of strands of magic that drifted on invisible currents, most spells left some sort of trace as he had seen in his classes. But this corridor was abandoned, it hadn't held a class in years and while some students might have practiced magic here, the bright yellow magic was familiar to him. George Weasley had been down here, which meant he needed to go the other way.

In hindsight, he should have recognised the trap at that point. He had been guided expertly, steered to an out of the way corner of the castle with only two ways out.

The footsteps behind him prompted him to pick up his pace a touch, forgoing the use of his cane and risking the fall that usually accompanied such action, he hurried down the corridor and for a brief moment he had hope as he heard the bustle of the Grand Staircase up ahead.

The hope was extinguished when a lithe figure stepped into the corridor, blocking his route to the staircase and escape. He knew it would be fruitless, but he still spun on the spot and began walking back the way he came. He made it less than a dozen steps before both Twins appeared at the very edge of his awareness blocking his path. He was half-tempted to draw his wand and try forcing them out of his way but quickly abandoned the thought. The Twins had beaten him. He would take his loss with grace.

"You know, most people don't take the whole hard to get thing quite so seriously." Katie called out from behind him. Her voice was soft, there was a confidence to it but he thought he could hear a touch of nervousness underneath that.

"Ah yes… hello Katie, I think you've been looking for me?" He turned slowly to face her with what he hoped was a confident smile on his face. Her warm red and orange magic was almost vibrating across her form as she stepped up to him.

"Oh you think so do you? And I wonder why I could possibly have been trying to talk to you…" The dark haired Gryffindor smiled sweetly as Harry struggled to come up with a better response than 'I'm sorry for tearing your robes and making you flash most of the stadium'.

He was deeply surprised when she grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Erm … I'm sorry for tearing your robes when you … I didn't mean to …" He stammered as he stood awkwardly.

"You saved my life Harry, and I doubt anyone was paying all that much attention to what I was wearing under my Quidditch robes what with the Dementors and everything." She leaned back and pushed him with a small laugh.

"Well no I .. I suppose not." Harry nodded, still surprised at the girl. He had expected a small thank you and then maybe a slap for tearing her clothing. He knew a few Slytherin's had made rude comments about the Seeker after the match and, while none did so in his earshot, he also knew some students had spread the rumour that he had purposefully torn the girl's robes.

"By the way, how have you been avoiding the Twins? I'm not sure if they're more impressed or annoyed about it, but it's been great watching them get so flustered trying to catch you."

"Oh I just kept changing my routes to classes really." Harry shrugged as Katie scoffed.

"And the pink hair?"

"Well…yes sometimes they got a bit close, and I had to scare them off somehow." Harry admitted as he recalled the charm he had left on the corridor outside the Ravenclaw Tower. The Twins had tried camping out there for him a few days into their contest and he had needed to dissuade them. A few itching hexes and colour-changing charms had convinced them to retreat fairly quickly, though he did have to apologise to a few older Ravenclaw's who were caught up in the exchange.

"I was surprised they never got you back for that, took them hours to stop scratching themselves." Both of them shuddered and Harry couldn't help the grimace that flashed across his face at the thought. "So saving damsels in distress and pranking older students, eh? You sure you weren't meant to be in Gryffindor, hero?"

Harry couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips at the suggestion. He was many things, but brave wasn't one of them. He found himself in dangerous situations, but he certainly didn't go looking for them…most of the time.

"Oh young Harry here is definitely the most Gryffindor-ish Ravenclaw in history," Fred slung an arm around Harry's shoulder as George tucked what seemed to be an enchanted piece of parchment into his pocket.

"Indeed, in fact I think little Harry is really a Gryffindor spying on the Ravenclaw's." George nodded wisely and peered in mock suspicion at Harry.

"By Merlin's saggy ones, I think you've cracked it George!" Fred cried as Harry shrugged his arm off and shook his head at their antics.

"Well now you know my secret I'll have to … deal with you." Harry said in his best attempt at an evil villain's voice. Judging by Katie's giggles it wasn't a very good attempt, but Fred and George recoiled in faux terror nonetheless.

"Don't worry fair maiden, we will defend you from this rogue!" Fred shouted as he puffed out his chest.

"It may cost us a limb or three, but we will defeat this titchy villain-" The rest of George's cry was swallowed by the shouts and screams that suddenly echoed down the hallway from the Grand Staircase.

The scream was harrowing, born of sheer dread and Harry barely registered that his feet were moving, stumbling and almost falling twice as his feet caught on unseen obstacles, before he burst from the corridor and almost fell as the staircase he found himself on lurched and began to move. As he heard the shouts from the Twins and Katie, he couldn't help but recall the Gryffindor Seeker's words. It was beyond foolish for him to be rushing towards danger, but even though he knew that logically, he couldn't help himself. If someone were to be hurt and he could have helped them …

The staircase ground to a halt and Harry could hear a commotion from the corridor ahead of him as he moved forward at a more careful pace, his wand in one hand and his cane in the other as he rounded the corner. The magic he had gathered and the spell he had been forming in his mind slipped as he found himself at the back of a crowd of Gryffindors, and inspecting a portrait at the front of the crowd was the Headmaster. The portrait had been savaged, the canvas was torn and a chunk of the frame splintered leaving it hanging loosely on the wall.

"What's happened to the Fat Lady?"

"Who attacked her?"

"How are we going to get into the Tower?"

Questions filled the hallway as Professor McGonagall approached, she sent a questioning glance Harry's way but didn't slow as the crowd parted for her and she stepped up to the ruined portrait and the Headmaster. The two had a quick hushed conversation and while there were no visible signs to indicate something of concern, the way both mages' magic roiled and swelled made it obvious to Harry at least that they were agitated.

Dumbledore turned and clapped loudly, ushering in silence as the crowd of Gryffindors listened intently to the Headmaster's words.

"There has been an attack on the Lady's portrait. Please follow Professor McGonagall, she will lead you all to the Great Hall while we look for the perpetrator." The aged wizards words were met with furious whispering as the students theorised who could have attacked the portrait, but one name cropped up repeatedly as McGonagall ushered the crowd along.

Black.

It didn't take long for the story to circulate throughout the student body. Sirius Black had breached the unbreachable. He had snuck into the castle, avoiding every Dementor and Professor. He had only been spotted when he tried to force his way past the guardian of Gryffindor Tower, a portrait referred to as the Fat Lady. The paint and canvas protector had done her duty though, even faced with Black she had refused to let him in. According to the nearby portraits he had been furious and destroyed her portrait before fleeing, even more concerningly none of the ghosts or portraits outside of that corridor had seen any sign of the escaped prisoner. Aurors had been called in and the red-robed investigators had searched the castle and grounds thoroughly, but no trail could be found and none could figure out how the elusive Dark Wizard had entered or exited the castle.

The number of Dementors patrolling the school borders had been doubled and more Auror patrols had been posted in Hogsmeade, but the atmosphere in the castle had been grim in the following weeks after the attack.

The Hogsmeade trip had been postponed, originally scheduled to occur the day after Halloween, it had been pushed back to the second week of November instead. The excitement among the students come the morning of the visit was enough to drive off the gloom that had lingered for the previous fortnight and Harry found himself eager to be away as he sat waiting for Terry to finish his breakfast.

"You should visit the Shrieking Shack, Harry." Luna announced suddenly as she finished cutting her toast into pentagons and began to spread jam and a pinch of salt over each piece, Harry had doubted the girl's tastebuds until she made him try one and had been shocked by the odd but delicious flavour.

"Oh ye'h we shoul' def' try tha'" Terry mumbled around his mouthful of sausage and egg, thankfully not spilling any across the rest of the table.

"You shouldn't speak with your mouth full, it attracts Nargles." Harry smirked as Luna arranged her toast pieces into an interesting mosaic that almost resembled a unicorn. Said unicorn's head was the first loss as the second-year girl took an almost vicious bite from it.

"I'll be sure to keep an eye out for those, thanks Luna." Terry patted Luna on the arm and shook his head amusedly as the girl hummed happily around the torso of the baked unicorn, fruity blood dripping onto the plate. "Okay I'm done mate, you wanna grab Nev and head down to the courtyard?"

Harry nodded and gave Luna a one-armed hug as he stood and grabbed his jacket and cane. The two boys made their way to the doors of the Hall and Neville must have spotted them as he met them there, eagerly shrugging on a heavy coat.

They joined the queue of students waiting to board the carriages, Professor McGonagall and Filch were checking the passes before letting them move on to the rows of Thestral-drawn vehicles. Terry handed his over to the Transfiguration Mistress and Neville nervously handed his over to Filch who sneered but waved the Gryffindor on. Then it was Harry's turn.

"Ah … Mr Potter, I should say that I advised the Headmaster against allowing you down to Hogsmeade given the latest developments." Professor McGonagall said carefully as she took his pass without looking at it. "Your Head of House convinced the Headmaster that you would act responsibly and would contact a teacher if there were any problems. Was he correct?"

"Yes Professor." Harry nervously held his hand out for the slip of parchment as the Deputy Headmistress eyed him sternly. Only when she nodded and handed the pass back did he let out a little breath of relief as he stepped past and joined his friends. He barely heard her whispered prayer for him to 'be safe'.

"What was that about?" Terry asked as they climbed aboard the closest empty carriage.

"I don't know, I'm just glad she let me through." Harry frowned as the carriage shifted with a lurch and they began their journey down to the village.

"What time are we meeting the girls at the Three Broomsticks?" Neville asked as he checked his watch. "I want to check out Honeyduke's and I heard from the twins that the barman at the Hog's Head will serve you Firewhiskey if you pay him a sickle."

Harry shook his head and smiled, he had heard the same rumour but with everything else he had heard about Hogsmeade's lesser-visited pub it was probably true. However his sip of the drink at Alastor's Christmas dinner was enough to put him off trying the liquor again for several years.

"Don't worry Nev, we've got plenty of time. We're meeting the girls at one, so we can hit the sweetshop for you, Dervish and Banges for Harry and Zonko's for me." Terry grinned mischievously at the mention of the joke shop and Harry felt an impromptu shiver run down his spine at the thought of the mayhem his friend could wreak with such supplies.

It wasn't Harry's first time in Hogsmeade, but his previous visit had been fleeting as Castamir had hurried them through the village and up the path to the castle. This time was very different as the trio stepped out of the carriage to a bustling cobble road, it was mostly students exploring the village but there were some adults milling about as well. Harry noticed at least four Aurors patrolling the high street as they walked towards Honeydukes, the smell of sugar and warm chocolate spilled from the door every time someone stepped inside.

The shop itself was filled confectionary of all kinds, one wall was devoted to boxes of loose sweets that could be scooped up into paper bags, while another was covered in boxes of chocolates with a dizzying variety of flavours. The common sweet treats were all there; Ice Mice, Sugar Quills, Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, but there were some that Harry had never heard of and was loathe to try. Acid Pops, Blood Pops, Cockroach Clusters, Fudge Flies, Jelly Slugs, Shaved Caterpillars, Shrieking Sherbets, Sugared Butterfly Wings, Unchewable Chew Chews and Zebra Hoofs were all available.

Neville as undeterred by the plethora of choice and seemed very keen to try some of the more exotic sweets, thankfully even he drew the line at Blood Pops. Terry picked up a bundle of Sugar Quills (now with self-cleaning nibs for when you use them by accident!) and a box of Fudge Flies (not made with real Flies … anymore). Harry elected to stick with the classics and picked a box of Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavour Beans. Despite the risk with every bite, he had developed a fondness for the little jelly beans that his friends thought was odd.

Then it was onto Zonko's, another packed shop, where Terry spent a worrying amount of time examining the options and filling his arms with tricks before heading to the counter. Neville picked up a bag of Dungbombs, but he assured Harry that they were for testing in the Greenhouses, apparently they contained trace amounts of Dragon manure and Nev thought they could be used as a fertiliser. Harry declined to buy anything at the store much to Terry's disappointment.

Finally, they left the joke shop and headed to their last stop before lunch, Dervish & Banges. It was a more understated building than the sweet shop and joke store, a squat building of dark brick and darker wood with an undecorated sign swinging above the door. It was also much quieter than the previous shops they had visited, no other students were inside when Harry and his friends stepped inside and only one wizard, the owner Harry thought, was sat behind the counter.

The shop reminded Harry a little of the Copper Artifice, it was filled with shelves and tables all piled high with an eclectic collection of items. One table held a book, a gramophone, a pocket watch and a set of spectacles with a third lens above and between the two usual lenses.

And every item was enchanted.

When Harry had written to Castamir and mentioned the upcoming Hogsmeade visit, the man had instructed Harry to visit Dervish & Bange's. He claimed it was owned by one of the best enchanters in Britain, Archibald Bange, and that Harry should meet the man and look around his shop. As always, Harry was glad he had followed his friend's advice. The items on display were completely different to those in the Copper Artifice, none of these items were cursed or bound by enchantments to restrict their magic. Instead, these items were charmed delicately, the magic softly and gently wrapped around them in dull bronze strands of colour.

"Oh look a Sneakoscope." Terry wandered between the tables and poked the miniature glass spinning top with his finger, but it remained still and unmoving, the coloured gem within the glass top glimmered with magic but was unresponsive to the boy's intrigue.

"I would have thought it would go off the moment you stepped through the door with all those tricks stuffed in your pockets." Harry remarked as he stepped around a delicately perched crystal globe and approached a table close to the counter.

"Oi I'm as trustworthy as they get. I plan to use these for only good and righteous causes." Terry claimed as he stuck his nose in the air and put on an air of affronted dignity. It was spoiled only slightly by the Sneakoscope slowly rotating with each word until a low whistle escaped the top of it.

"Ha it looks like it definitely works then." Neville chuckled as Terry took a step away from the noisy table and the Sneakoscope quietened.

They explored the store for almost an hour, examining the plethora of enchanted trinkets that filled it, before they finally left and set off in the direction of the Three Broomsticks. The pub was at the heart of the village and while it wasn't the only drinking establishment in the village, it was the most well known and certainly the most welcoming to students.

As they made their way down the street a familiar hulking figure stepped from around a corner, walking with great loping strides in the direction of the same tavern. If his immense size didn't immediately identify him, then the rich brown and deep veins of blue magic that suffused his being would.

"Hagrid!" Harry called as the trio approached the kindly half-giant who spun at the sound of his name.

"Oh hullo lads, enjoyin' your firs' visit to Hogsmeade are ya?" Hagrid smiled broadly and gestured at the bustling village with his arm, nearly knocking a nearby witch over who scowled in their direction and hurried away.

"Yeah it's great, we're just heading to the Three Broomsticks now to get lunch." Terry neatly pulled Neville to one side to avoid a lamppost he hadn't spotted as they made their way down the main thoroughfare.

"Ah well tradition tha' is, gotta stop in and try Rosie's Butterbeer on your first Hogsmeade trip." Hagrid glanced up at the sky and cocked his head to the side for a moment before he nodded. "Well I go' time for one drink, come on boys. I'll introduce you t' Rosmerta, always a good idea to make friendly with the owner of a pub." Neville nodded wisely at the groundskeeper's words and Harry noted the advice, Hagrid hadn't led him astray yet.

The Three Broomsticks was a wide and slightly lopsided building, wooden beams and old bricks held it up with the help of a great many enchantments that Harry could see woven deeply into the mortar and nails. It was busy inside with tables full of students and other patrons, and a long bar ran down the length of the western wall with stools set up in front of it. Behind the bar were shelves stacked high with glass bottles in a plethora of shapes and sizes, and below those were a series of barrels and kegs ready to be tapped. A roaring fireplace opposite the bar kept the cold at bay, in fact just stepping inside Harry could feel a bead of sweat start to grow on his neck at the sudden change in temperature.

Several of the older patrons at the bar and tables greeted Hagrid with a wave or nod, though a few scowled and grumbled as he manoeuvred his bulk between the bar and tables until he reached an empty spot. Harry hurried to follow the man's wake, dragging Neville and Terry with him until they reached the bar where Hagrid was already greeting the witch behind the bar.

"Ah Rosie, this 'ere is Harry, Neville and Terry, good lads all o' them." Hagrid patted Harry gently on the back, though the force of it still pressed his chest into the bar painfully. "Three Butterbeers an' my usual please."

"Three Butterbeers and a quart of ale coming up." Madam Rosmerta smiled as she tapped the countertop and three glass bottles along with one enormous tankard drifted up from beneath the wooden bar to settle in front of her. "I'll put it on your tab Hagrid, and it looks like your little friends already have a table for you." The smiling witch pointed behind them and Harry quickly focussed his awareness on the area as Terry and Neville span to look in the direction she meant. Hidden amongst the bustling tables in the far corner, Susan, Hannah and Hermione were all sat waiting for them with their own drinks and a platter of sandwiches.

Hagrid joined them at the table for a short while, though he had to stand as there was no room for his bulk, before he finished his drink and had to leave citing 'Gamekeeper bus'ness' as the reason. The Butterbeer was creamy and refreshing and the sandwiches warm and filling. It was a moment of relaxed peace and Harry was grateful for it as he laughed at Susan threatening Terry if he used any of his newly-bought pranks near her.

The Hog's Head Inn was a stark contrast from the warm and inviting Three Broomsticks. Though both were centuries old and built with the same stone and lumber, the resulting buildings were like night and day. While the Three Broomsticks welcomed witches and wizards of all classes, there were times during its past when Goblins, Werewolves, Fae-bloods and other minorities were less than welcome. During these times the outcasts and fearful found sanctuary in the Hog's Head Inn where they could find shelter, warm food and cheap drink without worry of Auror's or Hit Wizard's harassing them.

This policy of offering shelter to all who sought it continued and it became a haven for those who preferred the quiet atmosphere or wished to avoid the masses who frequented the Three Broomsticks. While some hoping to avoid the law made use of the tavern, it was still mostly used by those who might face scorn or derision in the more popular establishments.

The barkeep and owner was an older man, though he stood slightly hunched he was still taller than most and his thick grey beard covered much of his weathered face. A pair of steely blue-grey eyes were the most notable feature on the man and the cold confidence in them was enough to keep the peace in the bar on most occasions. Decades of work lifting and carrying heavy barrels had given the man broad shoulders and strong arms, age had claimed some of their strength but enough remained to give him an intimidating bulk.

Intimidating until compared with a half-giant at least. As when Hagrid stepped through the door, the barkeep seemed almost small next to the groundskeeper who stopped at the bar and ducked his head to avoid the dusty grey chandelier that hung from the ceiling casting dull orange light across the bar.

"Af'ernoon Abe, how's bus'ness?" Hagrid asked as he cast a look down the bar at the only other patron, a hooded figure slumped and snoring softly with an empty glass in front of him.

"Slow." The one-word reply rumbled from the barkeep's barrel chest like stone grinding on stone. Harsh and deep.

"Aye I s'pose Dementors'll do that." Hagrid noddedsolemnly, not bothering to hide the grimace that the mention of the creatures caused to flash across his face. His short tenure at Azkaban had been truly hellish, cut off from any warmth, the barren island housed no life beyond the miserable prisoners and the even more miserable wardens. Hagrid patted his left pocket and raised his voice a fraction. "You got a quie' room I can sit in, Abe? Got a new pouch of Old Toby an' I don' wanna stink up yer bar."

"Aye. Upstairs, first door on the left. Open a window or you'll be banned for a month." The barkeep grunted but there was no real bite to his words as he gestured for Hagrid to head through the door to the right of the bar.

"Much obliged Abe, an' I'll take a little tipple with me I think." Hagrid dropped a Galleon on the bar and collected a tall bottle of amber liquid with a nod as he made his way over to and through the door, he had to crouch to avoid taking the top of the doorframe off but otherwise made his way up the creaky stairs without issue.

The landing opened up to three doors, all closed, a cracked mirror sat opposite the stairs and beneath it a slightly wonky dresser. Hagrid ignored the cloudy mirror and opened the first door on the left, shifting his bulk to block the view inside the room to anyone who might have followed him and closing it quickly behind him.

"Ah hello Hagrid, thank you for joining us on such short notice. I apologise for interrupting your day off." Albus Dumbledore greeted the Gamekeeper from the corner of the room, the venerable Headmaster was sat in a chintzy purple armchair that looked jarringly out of place compared to the dusty straight-backed wooden chairs that the other inhabitants of the room were seated in.

"S'no problem Pr'fessor, Keeper o' Keys is never off duty anyway."

Albus smiled at the half-giants words and turned to the others in the room, an eclectic collection of wizards and witches but each was well familiar with one another in one way or another. Sat in the other corner of the room, facing the door was Alastor Moody, one hand holding his gnarled stave, ready for trouble, and the other a glass of softly sparking crimson liquor.

To his left was the new Defence Professor, Remus Lupin, who had both hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee and looked exhausted with heavy bags under his eyes, but those same eyes were clear and observed the room with keen intelligence.

Next to him, not seated but leaning against the wall, was a younger witch wearing the signature white robes of a Healer. Hestia Jones was known as something of a prodigy within St Mungo's, having moved through her apprenticeship there in record time and graduating to a full Healer in only a year. She smiled at Hagrid as he leaned carefully against the wall opposite her which creaked ominously but held.

"Well now that you are here Hagrid, I will begin. Unsettling news has reached me, by way of Alastor here, that Fenrir Greyback has returned to our shores after being chased into Europe not so long ago." A low rumbling, akin to thunder or a landslide filled the room as Hagrid straightened and clenched his fists, the bottle of whiskey creaked and then shattered under the strain spilling amber liquid across the floorboards.

"I share your sentiments, Hagrid, as do the others here I am sure." Albus flicked his fingers absently at the spilled drink, vanishing it and the glass shards that accompanied it, before continuing. "I have warned Cornelius and he has, reluctantly, agreed to raise Hadrian's Wards for the time being. We know that Greyback crossed the North Sea from Ringkobing in Denmark, we believe he swam across until he reached the town of Eyemouth."

"'Ow do we know he's 'ere Pr'fessor? Was he spotted by someone?" Hagrid asked as he settled back against the wall with a frown.

"You could say that." Alastor chuckled grimly.

"Laugh at that poor woman again and I'll leave you to rot next time you walk into a Cutting Curse." Hestia glared at the Auror who dipped his head in a non-verbal apology. "To answer your question Hagrid, it seems Greyback had some ... frustration to work out after his trip across the North Sea. He tore through two houses and killed both families. A muggle woman walking her dog saw him leaving the second house and he savaged her before he left the town. She ... didn't survive the wounds but she was brought to St Mungo's and she gave a statement and her memory before she passed."

"Bu' the full moon was a fortnight ago, why we only hearin' about this now?"

"He only made landfall yesterday in the early hours of the morning, Hagrid. He wasn't transformed." Remus explained gently, though his eyes were cold as he turned his gaze down to the mug he held. "He's been experimenting with potions, he still believes he can transform without a full moon. He wasn't under the influence of the moon when he killed them, he just did it because he wanted to."

"Indeed." Albus sighed heavily and removed his half-moon spectacles to polish them on a handkerchief. "With Hadrian's Wards raised, he can't go south but I doubt he would have anyway. I believe he will travel north, to find Sirius Black and ally with him. Greyback was always low in Tom's ranks, a brute hammer rather than a scalpel. He needs direction. Sirius, for all his faults, could never be accused of being unintelligent. We have cut off any reinforcements he might have sought from the south, but even alone Greyback is a foe beyond most."

They sat in silence for a long moment. The thought of Fenrir Greyback, the Beast of Britain, working alongside Sirius Black, the Devil's Right Hand, was sobering and chilling in equal measure. One had spent the better part of three decades carving a bloody path across Britain and Europe, killing and infecting with abandon. The other had killed several of the more senior Death Eater's and duelled Voldemort himself, all to sell his cover while secretly working as the Dark Lord's spy. Dozens of witnesses had stepped forward at the end of the war to state that they had seen the Heir of House Black working closely with Lord Voldemort. That they had been tortured by him.

"I have already checked the Hogwarts Grounds for any sign of intrusion, and I will be tightening the security around the Castle until the two are captured. Hestia has some experience with treating curse wounds and has contacts among the Muggle hospitals, she will alert us if any attacks are reported that match either of their descriptions." The Headmaster replaced his now gleaming spectacles and peered at them all over them. "I would implore all of you, reach out to those you trust, we must be ready. If things continue after the Winter Break, I will have no choice but to reform the Order, and we are still greatly weakened after our losses. If you have any suggestions for candidates to invite to our group, pass them onto myself or Alastor. In the meantime -"

His words were drowned out by the shouts and screams that echoed from outside the pub, drifting through the windows. Only a few words were understandable, but those few were enough to shock the room into movement.

"RUN ... DEMENTORS! ... BLACK!"

END