The Medium Between Life and Death

The Fugitive and the Runaway

The news caught Harry's eye as he dusted the sitting room where Vernon was watching TV. An emaciated and bedraggled man flashed across the screen with a warning about him recently escaping prison and being dangerous. Vernon made some comment about society going to hell or something, but Harry wasn't paying attention because both of his parents briefly flashed visible on either side of him. "Good for him," Lily smiled at the screen. "I do hope he's being careful to not get caught."

"I knew he had it in him! The first ever to escape Azkaban, and it was was Marauder!" James laughed excitedly from Harry's other side.

"Follow me," Harry mumbled before heading into the kitchen so his relatives couldn't hear him.

He didn't know if the spirits had listened, but he was bursting with questions, so Harry just started talking to the empty kitchen when he got there. "So...I'm guessing that serial killer isn't a muggle and that you both knew him?" Harry asked, smiling happily when both of his parents flashed visible again in the kitchen.

"Harry...you don't remember your Uncle Padfoot?" James looked at him in confusion. "You loved Sirius."

"Dad, I was one when I came to live with the Dursleys," Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "So, who is he?"

"Your godfather and James' best friend," Lily explained from where she had an arm around her husband and a large smile on her face. "We've been ever so worried about him being locked up all these years."

"Er...so, not a murderer then?" Harry asked hopefully. He really would like to have a godfather around. "Why was he in prison?"

James sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "We'd set Sirius up as a decoy. Everyone thought he would be our secret-keeper..."

"It's someone who keeps your location secret as part of a powerful ward to keep everyone away," Lily explained to a confused Harry.

"That's why it wasn't a good idea to use him...because he was the obvious choice, so we chose the least obvious choice amongst our friends," James seethed at the end. "We would have been perfectly safe, but it turns out that our friend was a Death Eater."

"Death Eater?" Harry asked next, looking horrified at what had happened.

"Follower of Voldemort," James shook his head. "When we were killed, Sirius was arrested, and frankly, he wasn't in his right mind at the time, so it didn't help his case any at all."

"Though, because of all the confusion at the time, I don't think he was ever given a trial," Lily added at the end. "It's why we've been so worried about him. Azkaban is a really terrible place."

"Hey...keep your eyes open for a large, black dog," James seemed to perk up with a grin. "Siri is an animagus and can turn into a grim like Professor McGonagall can turn into a cat."

"Cool," Harry smiled. He was definitely going to keep his eyes open. If there was a way to help his godfather, even if he wasn't that stable, he wanted to. "Now, tell me about Azkaban. I don't think I've heard of that prison before..."

~

Harry was so thankful to Fabian Prewett as he quickly picked the lock for the cupboard under the stairs and grabbed his school supplies. He was certain if he stayed a second longer, it would be the second time the Dursleys killed him. "Stay away!" Harry threatened his furious uncle with his wand before throwing the front door open and running off into the night.

"Merlin! I'm so glad I was hanging around to see that!" A new voice Harry hadn't heard before laughed loudly as a tall, redhaired man flashed briefly in his peripheral vision. "Gideon Prewett, at your service! That was wonderful young man!"