The silver trio

Sirius Black Returns

Over the next few months things escalated quickly. Sirius Black had now entered the castle and there was no doubt in my mind that he would do it again. Harry had been attacked several times by multiple dementors. Fred and George had gifted Harry the marauders map which showed where everyone in the castle was at any time and what they were doing. Draco and Blaise insisted we must concoct some sort of plan to steal this map off of Harry but of course i reprimanded them and told them if they needed the map for an actual valid reason, Harry would lend it to me gladly. Besides, the map seemed to be broken as former student Peter Pettigrew, one of Sirius's victims appeared on the map daily, roaming the halls.

It's a rainy Tuesday evening and as i sit in the great hall pushing my food around my plate. A very flustered looking trio comes over to our table.
"(Y/N)", says Harry.
"Everything alright?", I say glancing at their startled faces one by one.
"You need to come with us now. Its extremely important", he lowers his voice, "it's Sirius".
I get up out of my seat obediently and as soon as i do Draco follows.
"Alone", Harry says sternly.
"No. Not again. I promised her after last time i wouldn't let her face these things alone", he says looking Harry right in the eye.
"We're coming and you can't stop us", Blaise stands up.
Harry sighs impatiently, "Fine. We don't have time for this. Come on".

We follow Harry through the castle and out into the courtyard.
"We should go somewhere more quiet", he says and we begin to walk further away from the castle.

"What is it Harry", i pry.
"I went earlier to return Professor Trelawneys crystal ball and when i got there she seemed to enter some sort of trance. She said something to me..".
"Like a prediction almost".
"Do you remember what she said?", i ask.
"I wrote it down when he told me", says Hermione suddenly pulling out a leather bound notebook.
"The dark lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these 12 years. Tonight, before midnight the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The dark lord will return will rise again with his servants aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight before midnight the servant will set out to rejoin his master", she says slamming the book closed with an eerie thump.
"12 years", Ron whispers.
"Sirius", Blaise gasps.
"We have to do something", I say suddenly.
"The issue is we don't know where he is", Harry replies solemnly.
As we discuss potential ways to find Sirius Black, Ron let's out a heinous yell, "SCABBERS!", he screams.
Ron's lost rat has appeared at our feet.
"Brilliant. Just what we need. Weasleys lost his ferret", Draco huffs.
"ITS A RAT!", he shouts and begins to chase after the scurrying creature.
"RON!", Harry shouts angrily.
Ron does not listen and runs carelessly after the rat, us following unwillingly behind him until he falls on the grass, just about grabbing Scabbers tail with his fingers and pulling him towards his chest.
"Bloody hell.", Ron pants, getting up off the grass.
"Wait a minute...", Blaise says.
"RON", i scream as i realise what we are standing under.
"RON BE CAREFUL!", Hermione shouts.
Its too late, the whomping willow has taken a swipe at Ron and he thumps to the ground still clutching his rat with all his might.
"LET GO OF THE BLOODY FERRET!", Draco screams.
"ITS A BLOODY RAT!", Ron screams back.
The tree tangles around Rons feet, pulling him into the hole of the willow and swallowing him like pumpkin juice.
Immediately Harry and Hermione run towards the tree, causing me to run towards the tree which causes Draco and Blaise to run towards the tree and before we know it we are trapped.
With one big thump we find ourselves sliding down one by one. We land on a cold hard surface inside the whomping willow.
"What the...", Blaise begins.
"The entrance to the shrieking shack", Hermione gasps.
"It has to be".
We walk through the narrow tunnel until we see stairs.
At the top of the stairs is a room and i can see red hair through the open door.
"RON", I shout.
"(Y/N)! NO! HES HERE!", Draco shouts after me trying to grab me as i walk through the door but he's not fast enough.
We enter, and the door shuts behind us.
There he is. The man from all the papers. The
man from the azkaban mugshots. The man who should be dead instead of Harry's parents. The man who betrayed me. I try to lurch forward and grab him and pull him to the ground but Draco has casted some sort of protective spell over me so that i cannot move or be harmed.
"TAKE THIS OFF OF ME", i scream.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?", Sirius says menacingly, his long hair dangling into his face as he talks.
"If i knew i was expecting so much company, i would've cleaned myself up", he laughs manically.
"GET BACK", I shout, trying to stand in front of my friends.
"(Y/N), (L/N). I've waited so long to meet you again", he whispers.
"DONT SAY HER NAME YOU FILTHY SCUM", Draco shouts.
"And you are?", Sirius asks.
Draco swallows aggressively, "Draco Malfoy".
Sirius's face turns to dust."A malfoy? Lucius Malfoys son. I SHOULD KILL YOU RIGHT HERE YOU TRAITOR!".
"Traitor? How can you of all people talk about being a traitor? After how you betrayed my parents", Harry says hollowly.
"I didn't betray anyone", Sirius says his face faltering.
"Yes you did. And you're going to pay", Harry points his wand at Sirius.
He laughs like a crazy person laughs. "You going to kill me Potter? Kill your own godfather?", he's in bits now laughing.
A figure approaches behind Sirius and motions to us to be quiet. Professor Lupin emerges out of the shadows.
"We're safe", i think to myself.
"EXPELLIARMUS!", Lupin cries and Harry's wand flys right into his hand.
"Sirius Black", Lupin murmurs and to my dismay a slick smile spreads across his face like butter.
"Lupin my old friend!", Sirius embraces Lupin.
I cant believe my eyes. I think for a moment i could be hallucinating, going crazy.
"I TRUSTED YOU", I shout and tears begin to fall from my eyes, hot and heavy and certainly not pretty.
"He's a werewolf", Hermione croaks.
"What?".
"I should've known. He's a werewolf. He misses class every full moon. I should've known he was bad", Hermione begins to cry.
"You really are the brightest young witch of your age", Lupin chuckles.
"ENOUGH OF THIS LETS KILL HIM!", Sirius screams.
"Wait", Remus demands.
"I DID MY WAITING!", Sirius howls, "12 YEARS OF IT! IN AZKABAN!".
"Alright", Remus hands him the wand.
"But wait one more minute, they deserve to know why", Remus says.
"I know why", Harry says quietly.
"You betrayed my parents. You're the reason they're dead".
"You're my uncle. How could you?", i say between tears.
"You should be asking your precious father that very question", Sirius says licking his cracked lips. They look bloody, as if he has been picking them.
"Sirius did not betray your parents Harry it was somebody else. Somebody i believed to be dead until recently!", Remus interrupts before i have time to speak.
"WHO?", he shouts.
"PETER PETTIGREW! HES IN THIS ROOM!", Sirius shouts.
"Are you mad? He's dead!", Draco says.
"He was at school with us, we thought he was our friend", Remus continues.
"He's dead. YOU KILLED HIM", i shout.
"HES ALIVE", Sirius protests. "and he's right there", he points towards where Ron is standing.
"ME? That's mental!", Ron says.
"NOT YOU! THE RAT!".
"What? Scabbers has been in my family for-".
"12 Years isnt it? Curiously long life for a rat. He's missing a toe isnt he?", Sirius says his eyes twitching.
"SO?", says Ron.
"All they could find of peter pettigrew was his finger...", Hermione whispers in realisation.
Without warning Sirius grabs hold of the rat and throws it on the floor.
"SCABBERS! DONT HURT HIM!", Ron pleads.
"Ron it's okay", i say, beginning to undertand the situation.
They point their wands at him and with a swift flick Scabbers transforms into a pimply, short and plump man with very little hair and a twitchy nose, just like a rat.
I gasp, horrified.
"Peter Pettigrew", Lupin says, disgusted.
"KILL HIM! KILL HIM!", Sirius shouts.
"NO!", Harry shouts.
"We're taking him to the castle."
Pettigrew cowers at his feet, "Oh Harry you sweet boy I knew you would forgive me.".
"GET AWAY FROM ME! The dementors can have you".
He begins to wail like a baby and i collapse, my legs giving way to the floor.
"(Y/N)", i hear Draco shout.
Lupin has a hold of Pettigrew now.
Sirius makes his way over to me and helps me up.
"I'm sorry we had to meet this way, (Y/N)", he smiles for the first time.
I allow him and Draco to assist me as i walk out of the whomping willow.
Ron looks as though he might be sick and Hermione's cheeks are stained with tears.
Blaise and Harry are helping Lupin with Pettigrew.
"I thought i was going to die", i whisper to Draco.
"I know. Me too", he strokes my head.
Sirius watches in astonishment, not used to seeing a Slytherin Malfoy boy conveying such affection i assume.
"You're safe now. I told you i'll keep you safe no matter what. Remember?".