Apologies for missing a week! Work has once again caught up along with a small illness that has left me struggling to write anything meaningful. We're back again however with the second part of the O.W.L.s fortnight, and we're certainly getting to the climax of Year 5…
The morning after the Astronomy exam thankfully was free, with just the History of Magic written exam to follow before the end of the exam period. Once the rest of the dormitory had filtered out for breakfast, something that Leo was in no mood for, he whipped out the mirror and called Sirius' name, happy to see the adult quickly appear.
"Leo, is everything alright?" Sirius asked, concerned.
"Professor McGonagall." Leo said quickly. "We saw it all from the Astronomy Tower… is she alright?"
The concern didn't disappear, and Sirius leant back in his arm chair breathing out a sigh. "Not really. She took four stunners to the chest. That's a danger to even a young wizard, the pinnacle of health. Minerva is strong, but not young."
Suddenly, the reality of it all was really hitting Leo. "It was Umbridge." He scowled. "That… that foul woman."
"Be careful." Sirius warned, though Leo noted the hint of mirth in the man's eye. "Today is your final exam, right?"
"Right." Leo nodded.
"Then focus on that. I can't believe I'm saying this but get that out of the way first before you even think about what we are going to do as revenge."
Leo raised his eyebrow at that. "We?" He asked.
Snorting, Sirius nodded ferociously. "From what both you and Harry are telling me about this woman… she is in dire need of some… special Marauders treatment. Moony and I will be delighted to push the next generation into the right direction of hellraising."
It was a weak laugh as his worry about Professor McGonagall was still pretty overpowering, but the thought of taking the fight back to Professor Umbridge again stirred something inside of Leo, making him almost yearn for it. "Thanks for this." He said after a small pause.
Sirius' features softened. "I've missed out on so much of your life." He began. "I should have been there to help you grow up, to teach you how to ride a broom, teach you a few, harmless spells to throw at the Slytherins before you went to Hogwarts… I can never make up for all of that, I know, but I have never stopped loving you, never stopped thinking about you or your mum. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make up for those years. If a brief chat to take your mind off of how awful the world truly is can help, then I will always be here to do that."
It was a weird feeling after all these years with only his Grandfather as a paternal figure in his life, but Leo instantly believed Sirius. "We'll have many more, I'm sure." Leo grinned. "I best go, I've almost missed breakfast."
"Don't rush, go down the staircase just off from the Great Hall and find a painting of some fruit." Sirius explained with a mischievous grin. "Tickle the pear, and ask for Dobby."
Remembering all of that, Leo nodded. Saying goodbye to his Father before taking his time to get ready. Down in the Common Room he noticed a number of 5th Years getting their final attempts at revision in, with a dozing Harry over in the corner surrounded by a stack of notes. His stomach making noises, he decided against saying anything and simply left the Common Room, following the directions Sirius had given him.
After a hearty meal better than anything Leo could remember having at Hogwarts down in the Kitchens, it was finally time to head back towards the Great Hall. History of Magic was Leo's best subject and that was clearly showing as he found himself racing through all the questions about wand legislation, the Goblin riots of the 1700's and the statute of secrecy breach before the final exam of Leo's O.W.L.s. was even halfway done. Even with over expanding on most of his answers and going over the entire paper again to make sure he hadn't made any glaring mistakes; he had managed for a second time to get to the final question on why the Lichtenstein wizards had refused to join the International Confederation of Wizards with fifteen minutes left and was racing through the proof read of his answer when a loud yell from behind him made him flinch and smudge his ink. Turning around angrily, that anger quickly turned to concern as Leo saw that Harry was on the stone floor, his right hand slammed firmly on his forehead.
He noticed Professor Tofty was quick to grab Harry and lead him outside, presuming that the elderly wizard didn't want a second exam in a row derailed by issues, and once the doors shut behind him Professor Marchbanks cleared her throat. "Fifteen minutes remaining, please try and focus."
Leo did just that, scratching out the last three lines that had been ruined by him jumping at Harry's outcry and rewriting them, finishing the question with plenty of time spare. When only five minutes were left Professor Tofty re-entered the room and picked up Harry's papers, proving that he wasn't coming back.
Finally the hourglass at the front of the room ran out of sand, and it was a rather hurried collection of exam papers that followed. Leo grabbed his things and moved over to Fay and Anna. "What happened? We were at the front and couldn't see anything." Anna whispered to him as the entire year tried to get out of the Great Hall."
Leo shrugged. "I dunno, he just keeled over." He explained to them.
"What if it's the scar again?" Fay asked. "Remember, like you told us about Christmas?"
Leo's blood drained as he remembered what that had meant as they exited the Great Hall, and with one look up the marble staircase he saw Harry drag Ron and Hermione away hurriedly. "Something's up, whatever it is." Leo commented before the group slowly made their way up to the common room.
When they got there they realised that Dean and Seamus had already roped Lavender and Parvati into starting the celebrations, and the Irishman roared his happiness as he spotted Leo. "Come on! Join us!" He called over, thrusting a butterbeer into Leo's hand before grabbing one for Anna and Fay. "We're free!"
Grinning, Leo dumped his bag down by the armchair and sprawled out over the sofa, soon joined by Fay. "Finally, this fortnight has been hell." Fay let out in relief. "Why couldn't they have started with History, get that one out the way."
Leo mocked outrage. "That exam was fascinating." He pouted. "I must have had a full 12 inches of information left in my head that I couldn't get out about the Giant Wars…"
Dean laughed loudly. "Come off it Leo, even you won't ever need to know about why Lichtenstein didn't do… whatever it was that they did. See? I've already forgotten."
Leo laughed with the rest of them, only for the group to fall silent as they noticed Harry running into the room alone and racing up the stairs, ignoring Seamus' call to celebrate. "Fine then, be like that." Seamus shrugged. "More for us."
Harry wasn't more than a minute before he came barrelling down the stairs again, though this time he paused. "Leo?" He called over.
"Yes mate?"
Harry bit his lip before shaking his head. "Doesn't matter. Sorry." He muttered, speeding away and back out of the common room.
Leo frowned at Harry's back but shrugged again as he turned back to the group. Not caring only worked for a few minutes however, and Leo eventually got up. "I'll be back in a bit."
"Oh don't worry about Potter." Anna frowned. "He probably just needed something for the Hospital Wing."
Leo shook his head. "Where is everyone else then?" He asked, worrying about Hermione, Ron and Neville. "I'll be back in a bit." He repeated, before grabbing his bag and leaving the Common Room to wander the castle.
He had gotten to the Entrance Hall fifteen minutes later when he was almost clattered into by Ron, Ginny, Luna and Neville. "Woah! Sorry mate." Ron said, out of breath.
"What's going on?" Leo asked as he took them in and realised how terrible they all looked. Ron's lip was bleeding, Neville's eye was growing a purple lump while Ginny's own cheek showed several scratches. "Harry's just acted weird in the common room and the last time he reacted like he just did in that exam, your dad got hurt."
Ron gulped nervously. "Listen mate…"
"It's his dad, Ron." Ginny scolded, before turning to Leo and explaining it all. "Harry saw Sirius captured by You-Know-Who in the Department of Mysteries. Hermione's dragged Umbridge off with him into the Forbidden Forest to try and throw her off, we've just fought off the Inquisitorial Morons before heading down to meet them both."
"Hermione reckons he's crackers." Ron shrugged. "But we've just tried flooing Sirius and only got the elf, who's said Sirius is away. It doesn't look good…"
Leo's eyes widened in horror as the reality of the situation set in. "Dad is… how is that possible? He can't leave the house." He let the title out unknowingly while also momentarily forgetting that there were two people with no clue of what was happening.
"Who knows mate." Ron shrugged. "But Harry and Hermione are wandless in the Forest, we've got to get to them." He said, waving the pair of wands in the air.
A plan formed in Leo's mind as he thought back to Christmas. "Go, but wait for me." He stated urgently. "I just want to check something. If the floo didn't work then maybe…" He trailed off, before bolting back up the stairs to the Common Room and his dormitory. Flinging his trunk open he rifled through until he found his mirror. "Sirius Black!" He called out hurriedly, and the mirror's reflection changed to a pocket.
"Leo?" Sirius asked worriedly as the picture in the mirror moved to show Sirius Black's unblemished face. "Twice in one day is a surprise… I thought you had an exam now… or is it over?"
"Are you alright?" Leo asked in a panic. "You're not hurt… or…"
"I'm fine mate, it's Buckbeak who's hurt, poor guy's gut a busted wing." Sirius told him. "What's brought this on?" And so Leo started to explain everything. He told Sirius all about the exam and Harry's reaction, before moving on to about Harry's actions of trying to contact Sirius by floo after the exam, before moving on to the reason why everyone at Hogwarts was so worried. By the end of the tale Sirius was apoplectic with rage. "I'm going to kill that damned elf." He snarled. "KREACHER!"
"I better go." Leo said quickly. "If I can stop Harry before he does anything stupid…"
Sirius nodded. "Go. I'll warn the order that Voldemort is trying to lure him to the Ministry. He's clearly making a play for it…" He stopped himself quickly. "Good job, son." He added finally.
And the mirror faded back to his own reflection. Leo shoved it in his pocket and once again began sprinting across the castle, reaching the entrance hall and bursting through the doors to head towards the Forest, getting partway there just in time to see six Thestrals shoot up into the air flying Southwards. "Fuck!" Leo swore aloud, reaching back into his pocket to pull out the mirror out again. "Sirius Black."
"Leo." Sirius was far more agitated this time. "What's happening?"
"They've gone." Leo cursed. "I couldn't get them in time… they've gone on Thestrals."
"Fuck!" Sirius sounded exactly like Leo had a second ago. "I've already alerted the Order, they're flying 500 miles, so we should be there to meet them before they arrive."
Initially nodding, it was only after repeating the words in his head that Leo realised what Sirius was implying. He quickly shook his head and argued. "No, you can't be spotted…"
"I've been cooped up here for too long as it is." Sirius bit back, more harshly than he would have meant to be. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Head back to the Common Room and keep your mirror on you, I'll contact you once I've got Harry and we're safe, ok?" Leo hated that idea, and he looked over to the forest as another plan was forming in his head. "Don't be an idiot." Sirius snapped from the mirror. "I know exactly what you're thinking as it's what I would have done when I was your age, but it's a mistake. Let us adults handle this Leo, please. Promise me you won't follow them."
Torn, Leo kept looking between the castle and the forest, before audibly groaning in frustration. "Urgh! Fine, but you call me as soon as you can. I can't sit here not knowing anything, I'll climb the walls."
Sirius nodded. "I will, I promise." A noise came from the mirror, followed by the familiar wailing of his Grandmother's painting. "Tonks is here, I have to go."
"Stay safe, Dad." Leo said, the title slipping out before he could help it.
Sirius smiled fondly. "I'll speak to you later son." And the mirror turned back to a reflection, leaving Leo stood alone in the summer evening feeling more helpless than ever before.