Together (A Harry Potter love story) 3

24

"How does that work?" asked Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.

"An immensely complex spell," he squeaked, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find - unless, of course, the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window!"

"So Black was the Potter's Secret Keeper?" Madam Rosmerta whispered.

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "Jake was their first option, but he had only recently become an auror, so it was too risky. If he'd have been captured, he may have been forced to say it by magic - Jake already feared the safety of Ruby and Millie Donovan. Besides, Dumbledore needed him in action - whoever the Secret Keeper was would have to go into hiding, too...Naturally, both Jake and James agreed that Black would die rather than tell You-Know-Who where the Potters were...and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potter's Secret Keeper himself."

Madam Rosmerta gasped. "He suspected Black?"

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James insisted on using Black?"

"He did," said Fudge heavily. "As did Jake - still feels terrible about it to this day. Barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed-"

"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.

"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seemed to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it-"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.

"Shh!" hissed Professor McGonagall.

"I met him!" Hagrid growled. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people. It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead...an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

"Hagrid please!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "Keep your voice down!"

"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily and James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him-' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go to his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won' need it any more,' he says. I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it any more? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret Keeper, but worse fer him, so did Jake. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was only a matter o' hours before Jake found out and came after him. Jake has a temper, yer see, about as patient as Millie's. If Jake got his hands on Black - well - you could imagine. But what if I'd given Harry to Black, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friend's son! But when a wizard goes over ter the dark side, there's nothin' and no-one that matters to 'em any more..."