second//bill weasley

two

"And I haven't been told anything yet," I assure. "Come on. You're all sleeping in the Great Hall tonight."

I stand with Dumbledore in the Great Hall. All the students are fast asleep in sleeping bags laid out on the floor. I can't stop thinking about Sirius. He didn't look like the man I knew. He looked like a broken sickly man hardly capable of hurting a fly. He wasn't the strong badass boy from our youth.

"I've searched the Astronomy Tower and the Owlery, sir. But there's nothing there," Filch tells Dumbledore.

"Ah, thank you," Dumbledore tells him.

"The third floor's clear too, sir," Flitwick tells him.

"Very good," Dumbledore says.

"I've done the dungeons, headmaster. No sign of Black, nor anyone else in the castle," Snape says as he walks towards us.

"I didn't really expect him to linger," Dumbledore admits.

"Remarkable feat, don't you think? To enter Hogwarts Castle on one's own..." Snape looks at me "Completely undetected?"

"Quite remarkable, yes," Dumbledore agrees.

"Any theories on how he managed it?" Snape asks.

"Many. Each as unlikely as the next," Dumbledore replies.

"You may recall... prior to the start of term I expressed concerns... about your appointment of Professor..." Snape starts.

I know he is talking about Remus. But I also know that Remus still thinks that Sirius is guilty. Hell, I don't even know if I fully believe Sirius is innocent. Something about what happened has always sat wrong with me. Sirius would never hurt James or Lily.

Dumbledore cuts him off, "Not a single professor inside this castle would help Sirius Black enter it. I'm quite convinced the castle is safe... and I'm more than willing to send the students to their houses."

"What about Harry? Should he be warned?" I ask.

"Perhaps. But for now, let him sleep. For in dreams, we enter a world that's entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud," Dumbledore says.

I walk into my room having just finished rounds. I throw myself down on my bed only to hear a knock on the door. I can't imagine a knock this late can be anything good. I pull myself back up to my feet and open the door. A black dog runs right past me into my room. The same black dog from two days ago. I watch as the dog turns into Sirius Black.

"Close the door," Sirius instructs.

I stand almost stuck in place, unable to look away from him. A part of my heart breaks seeing him like this. Sirius walks over and closes the door. He stares at me for a moment before stepping away.

"I could scream, and you wouldn't be able to get away fast enough," I threaten.

Sirius smiles. "Still a bit dramatic, Annie."

"What are you doing here?" I question.

"I'm innocent," Sirius states.

"What are you doing here?" I repeat. "Everyone says you're here to kill Harry Potter." Sirius doesn't say anything. "Are you?"

"No," Sirius states.

"I'm gonna ask you one more time. What are you doing here?"

""I am here to kill someone... but not Harry Potter," Sirius admits.

"Then who?" I question.

"I'm here to kill Ron Weasley's rat," Sirius tells me.

I look at him confused. "You escaped Azkaban to kill a rat?"