Harry found it odd how quickly the student populace and Hogwarts as a whole could return to normal so easily. Or what was considered normal in this school. As the weeks rolled by, Sirius Black kept to the shadows, not making anymore appearances. After the widespread panic they'd endured, a sense of strange calmness had descended. Perhaps he had given up, he heard some people say. Maybe he had decided to live out his days in peace after the torment of Azkaban. It was possible that he'd grown frightened of the new defences around the school. Harry wasn't so sure. It couldn't be that simple. But, days rolled by, and people stopped talking about Black. Exams were on the horizon and that was suddenly more important.
Harry wasn't that focused on the upcoming examinations. He felt he had done enough studying over the year to understand what he was doing; any last minute revision would serve to reinforce his accrued knowledge but that could wait until the night of the test. He had more important things to worry about. With nothing else to distract himself with, he was throwing himself into the training sessions with Professor Lupin. It became a burning need to accomplish the patronus. Even though they would only meet once a week, Harry spent most days concentrating on what he had to do better. That was rather difficult when he didn't have a dementor on hand, but he focused on cementing the positive memories he would need as a shield when the time came. Because, as much as the school was trying to forget about Black, Harry knew it wasn't over.
Lupin had appeared more worn than usual in their scheduled hour that evening, looking haggard and pale. Harry had asked him what was wrong but had been placated by the same excuses he'd heard before. Even so, their hour had been cut short, the professor deciding that no more substantial progress would be made and it would do them both some good to get an early night. Harry had wanted to argue but had seen a look in the older man's eyes that told him it wasn't worth it. So, keeping his complaints to himself, he marched back up to Gryffindor Tower, bitterly disappointed that he had failed once again to produce a full patronus. Sure, the wisps he could create were definitely thicker and were able to last longer, but it wasn't the same. And it wouldn't do the job when the real thing happened. He had begun to debate whether it was even worth it now. If the opportunity arose and he had to leave Black to the dementors instead of warding them away to protect himself, would he do it? It was a dilemma that had been playing in his mind, something he wanted to discuss carefully with his closest confidantes.
Which was why he was disappointed to find that they weren't in the common room when he walked in. He expected them to be at their usual table, possibly awaiting his return. Hermione would surely be revising, knowing what she was like. Then again, the more he thought about it, the more he realised that he had barely seen her studying in recent weeks. Obviously, she always had her nose in a book but, around exam season, she was normally dialled up to eleven. There had been none of that this year, which was immensely strange based on past experiences. Both of their behaviour had been slightly off recently and he couldn't understand why that would be. Maybe he was being paranoid but he felt like they were spending more time together. The three of them were still practically inseparable for most of the week, yet he could sense some sort of divide growing. Harry blamed himself, pinpointing the feeling originating some time after his patronus lessons had begun. Had he forced them closer by leaving them alone? Should he have included them in the tutoring sessions? As he considered it, he feared that he'd been too selfish in wanting to learn it by himself. Wasn't it more fun to do things with friends?
He checked the dorm room, not finding them there either. It probably would have been stranger to discover them there though. The common room was busy, mainly because people still didn't want to be wandering around the castle when it grew dark, so he guessed he must have missed them. He scanned the room again, failing to spot them. Almost sulkily, he sunk into a spare seat, his arms crossed. He stared out of the window, not having anything better to do. He could see some people playing chess and there was a particularly violent game of gobstones going on, but he chose to remain where he was. It just didn't make sense. Where could they have gone? It had to be the library, that had to be the explanation. His breathing calmed as he came to the logical conclusion. It was obvious. Ever studious Hermione would have wanted to use the spare hour efficiently and, with such a large crowd around them, only the library would provide sufficient silence. He'd just been panicking, which he tended to do when it came to the two of them.
As he looked out into the darkness, Harry was sure that he could see some flashes of colour darting about in the grounds below. A dart of orange, prowling amongst the grass. Curious, he pressed himself up against the glass, intent on finding out what it was. Again, maybe his overactive imagination was messing with him again because it became obvious that it was nothing too exciting. It was Crookshanks, exploring the area whilst it was quiet. It was strange though. The kneazle usually preferred to be curled up by the fire at this hour yet its schedule had evidently been shifted. Harry was about to take his attention away from the rather boring scene when he caught a sign of more movement. Another animal, larger, darker. Definitely canine. Harry was surprised that Crookshanks wasn't backing down but it was completely the opposite, the two of them seeming to size one another up, almost in a friendly manner. He wondered if they could talk in some manner. Hermione had said that kneazles were very intelligent when she had first bought him but surely interspecies communication was a step too far.
The door to the common room slowly swung open, the Fat Lady passing on some unheard remarks at the new arrivals. Harry probably wouldn't have noticed amidst the crowd if he hadn't been so focused on waiting for his friends. And it was exactly the people he wanted to see that had returned to Gryffindor Tower, laughing at something they must have thought was hilarious. They were standing quite close together and something started niggling away at the back of Harry's mind. He didn't even think they'd noticed him. That was probably more down to the volume of people inside but his emotions were confusing him, making him believe the worst scenario.
"Why am I always this tired afterwards?" Hermione was asking with a frown. "You'd think that, after a few goes now, I would have adjusted to the strain. And yet it still feels exactly the same."
"Give it time," Matthew replied in a comforting tone. "Your body still wants to resist it because you're not used to it. You haven't done it for the majority of your life. But today was definitely the best you've managed. You didn't even wait for me to get started this time! I'll stop bothering turning up!" He was smiling as Hermione nudged him playfully. They were definitely being more touchy feely , at least in Harry's distorted view.
He was beyond confused and didn't know what to make of what they were saying to each other. He didn't want to even contemplate the potential possibilities. But he remained seated, putting a smile on his face. When they did eventually see him, they hurried over without hesitation, which did lift his spirits. If they were bored of him, then surely they wouldn't have been so eager. Matthew took the spot next to him, Hermione going opposite her boys. So they weren't attached to the hip either, giving him a strange bit of relief that bemused him just as much as their conversation.
"You're back early," Matthew commented. "Did everything go alright with Lupin?"
Harry was surprised with how quickly his friend could start worrying about him. All the signs were pointing to the fact that nothing had changed, and yet his brain wasn't allowing him to have that comfort. He wanted to know why that was. Something in his mentality had definitely shifted since he'd discovered the truth about Sirius Black. Maybe it was because he had learnt how his parents had been betrayed by someone they had considered their best friend. Had it damaged the amount of trust he was willing to put into others? It was difficult. He wanted to make the active decision of shutting that line of thought down, and yet it just wouldn't go away. Maybe it wouldn't leave him until Black was rid from his life.
"Yeah, yeah," Harry answered, perhaps a tad unconvincingly. "He just felt that we weren't going to be able to do much more with the time we had left. And you don't want to be fighting a dementor for that long." The more he considered that point, Harry questioned whether that was having an affect on him too. Hanging around dementors every week was surely going to implant these negative thoughts inside his head. It was almost comforting to put his finger on it, though it didn't help him with the problem of how to deal with it. "I think he was just as tired as me anyway. That illness must be affecting him again."
"Regardless, I'm really impressed with how you've dedicated yourself to this," Hermione said. "Not that you don't always throw yourself into your work, but this has taken a certain level of stubborn resilience. Most people would have given up after the first lesson." She began to smile. "And the great thing is that you'll be able to teach us the spell once you're done! I'm desperate to learn it."
"You're desperate to learn anything and everything," Matthew reminded her with a grin and she stuck her tongue out at him.
"I'm not sure I'd be that good a teacher," Harry said bashfully. "The only reason I haven't given up is because of Lupin. Imagine if it was Snape! The thought doesn't bear thinking about…"
"I think you've got the same sort of charisma," Hermione assured him. "As Lupin that is, not Snape. I wouldn't want to insult you like that."
Matthew's eyes widened. "Did Hermione Granger just insult a professor?" He lunged himself towards the window, scrambling over Harry. "Look! I think I just saw a pig fly!" He was evidently enjoying teasing her. It was the sort of content, easy atmosphere Harry had needed after his private concerns. "Although, saying that, I did see a pig fly once. People would come from miles away to see it. It got caught by the wind one day and never seen again. I reckon it just wanted to escape the fair."
"Nothing you say ever makes sense," Harry told him as he recovered from having the other boy sprawled over him. "Surely you have to be lying."
"I like to keep you on your toes." It was clear that he wasn't going to let the game drop.
"Crookshanks was outside by the way," Harry mentioned to Hermione casually. "I just thought you'd like to know."
Hermione frowned. "I tell you something, he's become a bit distant really, spending more time outside than he normally would. I hope I haven't done anything wrong. Maybe I insulted him somehow."
"You could never do anything wrong," Matthew quickly inputted. There was that pang of suspicion again in Harry's head. Was Matthew being overly nice? "Animals' behaviour does just change sometimes. If I was him, I wouldn't want to be cooped up inside a dusty old castle all day when there's so much to explore outside."
"I hope Ronald hasn't done anything to upset him. He was very cross after his rat went missing, but he wasn't able to prove that Crookshanks was involved."
"I'll be having words with him if he did do something. I like that cat. He'll sit on my lap sometimes and keep me warm like a hot water bottle."
"There was a dog too," Harry brought up as he thought about the scene again. "They were fine together, but it was weird to see."
"A dog? That wasn't Fang? That is odd…you would have thought we'd have seen it before. It isn't as if there's anyone living nearby that it could have escaped from. Perhaps one of the professors has got a new pet."
Hermione was now peering out of the window. "If you see them again, would you tell me?"
"Are you concerned?" Matthew asked, leaning forward. His hand seemed to reach towards hers like a reflex but he caught himself just in time, balling it into a fist instead. Harry watched him curiously.
"It's nothing really…it's silly actually…"
"Spill the every flavour beans, Hermione."
"It's just…do you remember me telling you about the first divination class I went to? Professor Trelawney did predict the Grim in my readings, which resembles a dog. I firmly don't believe in that hogwash but…what if she's somehow right? What if this dog is bad news? I really don't want Crookshanks to get hurt."
"We won't let anything happen to him. Isn't that right, Harry? We're basically his bodyguards now. Not that he really needs us, with how clever he is." He tapped her hand with one of his fingers, making her look at him. "I wouldn't go putting too much concern into what Trelawney comes up with. That's how this sort of thing works…they implant an idea in your head and then it's up to you to make connections that aren't really there."
"I hope you're right. Because, if not, I dropped a class that actually has more merit than I gave it credit for and I don't want to think about that." She had her head in her hands but her morose attitude just made the two boys laugh. After a few seconds where she looked at them in indignation, she joined in, allowing herself to chuckle at least a little bit.
As their laughter died down and the people around them stopped looking at them as if they were weird, a brief moment of quiet descended around the trio. It wasn't awkward or anything. It was the sort of silence that good friends could share because they were so comfortable with one another. They didn't have to talk in order to enjoy each other's company. After all, they had spent so much time together over the years that it was practically impossible to come up with new things to talk about. Then again, Harry still had something playing on his mind, even if it was just mild curiosity rather than serious reservations.
"Guys…I was just wondering what you get up to when I'm not here…" He threw the question into the air casually as if it wasn't loaded with his worries and doubts. Matthew and Hermione shared a look but it was so brief that Harry wasn't sure he'd actually seen it.
"Nothing much." Was Matthew's voice slightly strained? Perhaps too easy going? "Mainly wait for you to return. I bet it's nothing as exciting as your lessons."
"Yeah…we'd much rather be with you," Hermione added but she was wearing an expression of concern. "Not that I don't enjoy Matthew's company!"
"She really wants to say that I'm a boring old fart." Matthew smirked, always willing to set himself up as the butt of a joke. "I can't compare to the fabled Boy Who Lived."
"You know I'm not interested in any of that." She turned her attention back to Harry. "We mainly do what we usually do to pass the time when you're with us. Work." She could see the funny side to that. "Yes, I know it's shocking. But you've seen how many classes I take and exams are here. I'm always learning new things."
Again, Harry could have sworn that there was something in the way she looked at Matthew, like she was giving only part of the truth. "I was just surprised that you weren't in here when I got back. Then I realised you must have been in the library."
"That we were," Matthew answered for her. It wasn't technically a lie, since they had been inside a library. Just not the one that Harry was referring to. "Trust me, you're lucky that I managed to drag her out of there as early as I did." There was a distinct sound of Hermione kicking his leg from under the table and then they were settling back into their usual rhythm of teasing one another, laughing about pointless things and, most importantly, distracting Harry from asking any more questions.
Hermione felt awful about it but knew that it had to be this way until Matthew felt it was the right time to tell Harry the truth. She had to admit that it was probably the right thing to do, with him preoccupied already with Sirius Black. What he needed was his friends by his side during this difficult time, not learning that they had been sneaking around behind his back. And maybe there was a selfish part of her that secretly wanted their private time to continue. She just knew that things would feel a lot better once there were no more secrets to be dancing around, even if she was keeping her own from Matthew. Being a teenager was proving to be difficult.
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A week later, Harry found himself outside of Lupin's classroom once more, arriving bang on time for their usual session. The doubts he'd been having had subsided over the seven days, mainly because he and his friends were constantly together. That also had something to do with exams plaguing their lives again, meaning their free time was being eaten up by revision. Despite that, he wanted these lessons to continue, knowing that it was more important than any of the tests he took. He would, of course, never be saying that in front of Hermione for fear of his own personal safety. Not even a fully formed patronus would protect him from her wrath in that scenario.
He walked into the classroom, a bit surprised that it was empty. Lupin did tend to run late sometimes and he might have been busy with marking. So Harry wandered around, hoping it didn't take the professor too long to turn up. He didn't want their hour running out without making more significant progress. The ironic thing was that he knew how happy he would be when he finally got his patronus to work, so much so that it probably would have been a happy enough memory to create the patronus in the first place. For now, he was stuck with reinforcing the positive memories he already had. He'd recited them so many times that they were practically seared onto his heart.
Harry frowned as he walked by Lupin's desk at the front of the classroom, seeing that there was a scrap of paper there. It was empty besides that and, not knowing what else to do, he picked it up. If it was private, then surely he wouldn't have left it there. And the gamble seemed to pay off when he discovered that it was a note addressed to him, from the very professor he was currently waiting for.
Dear Harry,
I'm afraid to say that I won't be able to make our session this week. Something rather urgent
has come up and I must attend to it straight away. I can only send my apologies and the
promise that I'll bring an extra large bar of Honeydukes' finest next week to make up for it.
Keep practising and use this spare time to also take a much needed break. I can remember
just how stressful exam season can be.
See you soon,
Remus
Harry wasn't too impressed that he'd walked all the way to the classroom just to discover there had been no point. Lupin was right, he did need a break amongst the constant studying and the incessant worry over Sirius Black. Which meant he would have preferred to have been relaxing in the common room rather than skulking around the castle. He couldn't find it within himself to be annoyed at the professor however. He was just curious as to what these last minute arrangements were, not that it was any of his business. At least he had now been given the opportunity to get back early. A voice in the back of his head was telling him to hurry back, to potentially find out for himself what Matthew and Hermione really did when they were without him.
He was therefore walking a bit hastily as he made his way back and he was sure that, if anyone had seen him, they would have thought he was even stranger than they already did. If he had been going any faster, he might have missed it as he went by the courtyard, the moon hanging above loftily in the sky. It was thanks to that illumination that Harry was able to spot the ginger cat, hissing at something unseen. Harry paused, cautiously watching Crookshanks as it bent backwards, looking like he was trying to protect himself from something. And when the same large dog Harry had spotted before emerged from a throng of bushes, all he could think about was the promise he'd made Hermione to protect her pet if he saw anything suspicious.
For a moment, he watched in fascination. Maybe they were just going to be friendly again, like their previous interaction he'd been privy to. But Crookshanks was basically spitting by this point, an awful sound that would have even disturbed the many ghosts that lived at Hogwarts. Harry didn't know what to do. He took a tentative stop forward into the moonlight, hoping not to disturb either animal. If he could find out where this dog had come from, then that would be one less mystery to solve on his list. He didn't get his wish though. The kneazle bolted almost immediately, hurrying down a dark, grassy path. The dog seemed to stare at Harry for a couple of seconds before it bared its teeth and charged after the retreating Crookshanks.
Harry thought this was completely absurd as he began running in the same direction. He was now chasing after a cat under the cover of darkness. It was going against every rule that had been implemented, most of them designed to protect him more than any other student. But he couldn't allow Crookshanks to be harmed, not now he knew he could have stopped it. He could already picture the expression on Hermione's face if she was told. It would turn from anguish to hatred in a matter of seconds. She would rightfully turn Matthew against him, and then he would be on his own, just as he always feared could happen.
Panting heavily (he really needed to take up a sport or do more exercise), he almost lost sight of the two animals on several occasions. They were going at breakneck speeds and yet it always felt like they were purposefully appearing in his line of vision just when he'd start to think he'd lost them. He couldn't run and think properly at the same time, or he might have stopped to consider how strange their behaviour was. Surely this giant dog was faster than Crookshanks. Surely the cat must have been caught by now. Harry wasn't going to complain. As long as it stayed as it was, then he wasn't going to let Hermione down.
He was suddenly knocked to the ground with an extremely violent force. His head was spinning as he felt the grass tickling his face. Harry brought his wand up with a shaky hand, casting the surrounding area in a burst of bright light. A thick tree stood before him, its hefty branches swinging viciously. He was forced to duck again as one came mightily close again. He'd heard people mention this before, the Whomping Willow. He'd just never been stupid enough to come near it up to this point and he was rather glad about that. Why would the school have such a brutal tree on the premises? Then again, it probably wasn't the most dangerous thing that had been here.
Slowly turning over to squat on his hands and knees, Harry was worried that the unexpected impact would have allowed the animals to disappear into the night. But, once more, it felt like they were slowing down, waiting for him to follow. He watched as Crookshanks deftly ran through the blur of branches to reach some sort of hole at the base of the trunk. The dog didn't go after him straight away, instead placing its paw on a knot in the roots. The branches slowed and calmed, the tree practically freezing in place. Only then did the dog pursue its prey, wasting no time in scampering through the same opening. Harry wasn't going to miss the opportunity of not having to take a beating from an ancient tree and he hurried after them, wondering if this was actually worth it. He had scratches on his face, his glasses were likely broken, and his back was probably bleeding. Hermione could have got another cat if necessary.
He found himself in a tunnel, earthy and sloping downwards. He wondered how this could possibly sit underneath the tree. The dark walls were lined with roots that occasionally twitched, but Harry did his best to put that to the back of his mind. With his wand still lit, he could just about manage to see the shadows of the animals up ahead. He ploughed on, regardless of his confusion over the tunnel's existence. He was practically bent double as he hurried along, making sure his head didn't bang against the bobbly ceiling. Harry was relieved when he felt the tunnel beginning to angle upwards and, soon, there was no need for his wand, with a new source of light coming from up ahead. He kept his wand aimed true though, just in case something was amiss.
He poked his head through a hole, finding himself unexpectedly in a dusty room. The floorboards creaked without anyone there, and were stained by some unknown substances. The windows were boarded up, probably using planks of wood stolen from the floor he was now protruding from. Wallpaper was clinging on in patches, some of it had completely fallen down over time. The furniture was old too, beaten and broken. Harry wondered how it had gotten like this, how long it had been since someone had been here. The obvious question ahead of him was what this place even was. There was no telling where he was. He could still have been on Hogwarts grounds, or potentially much further afield. That was a sobering thought. It was quickly dawning on him that this could have been a colossal mistake.
Regardless, he forced himself out of the hole, dragging his body onto the dirty floor. He looked around. The place was deserted. A door close by was open, revealing a shadowy corner beyond. He was able to get a closer look at a chair that was lying on its side. Part of its back had been seemingly bitten off, and one of its legs had been completely ripped free. What sort of person could do that? He thought about the size of the dog, considering whether it was even more vicious than he'd first thought. There was a creak from upstairs and, with no visible sign of life around him, he decided to risk taking a look. If he had come this far, he wasn't going to fall at the final hurdle.
The staircase was just as battered and bruised as the rest of the place and Harry wanted to spend as little time there as possible. He found another door, illuminated more than anything else. His palms felt sweaty as he gripped his wand, it wanting to slip from his hold. Once more, the room was empty but not completely. He glanced towards a bed at the back of the room, relieved to see Crookshanks lying there as if nothing had happened. He was toying with something but the lighting was so dingy that he couldn't make out what it was.
He took a few steps forward, wanting to comfort the animal. He hoped it would allow him to pick it up because it would make the journey a lot easier. Crookshanks looked up as he approached but his gaze went past Harry. Harry followed the line of sight, stumbling backwards as the door he'd casually walked past swung closed. A man had been hiding behind it. A man he recognised from countless posters, even the few photos he had of his parents. His filthy hair was matted and clung to his shallow cheeks. His teeth, bared in a grin, were horrid and yellow. His eyes were the only thing that looked alive as they gleamed at the sight of him.
Sirius Black.