Make Me.

Book 3 - Chapter 31

There had never been a stranger group of people as there was leaving the Shreiking Shack that night. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs. Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like contestants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by Ellie's wand. Next to her walked Hermione, who had a very tight grip on Ellie's left arm. Harry and Sirius Black brought up the rear.

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it. They were edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Ellie ushered Hermione in front of her and then Professor Snape, who she was still managing to make drift along ahead of herself. Sirius had gone right behind her, and Harry right behind him.

"If I may," Sirius said, catching Ellie's focused attention as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. Ellie wasn't sure who he was talking to and she kept moving. It wasn't until she felt a finger on her shoulder that she realized Sirius was talking to her.

Ellie looked over her shoulder at the man. Snape dipped in the air a little.

Sirius nodded at her gently before placing a hand over hers holding her wand. He moved her hand a little upwards. Snape's lolling head bumped onto the low ceiling, scraping his forehead against the earth.

"Much better," he said with a smile. Ellie laughed a little and turned back around and made no effort to correct the grip Sirius had placed on her wand.

"You know what this means?" Sirius spoke abruptly again a short ways forwards. Again, Ellie had no idea who he was talking to and just listened. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

Harry answered for the lot of them.

"You're free," he said.

"Yes. . . " said Sirius. "But I'm also - I don't know if anyone ever told you - I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.

"Well. . . your parents appointed me your guardian," said Sirius stiffly. "If anything happened to them. . ."

Ellie tried walking a little faster, feeling like she was intruding in on a rather intimate conversation. But, there wasn't much room to speed up. Professor Snape bumped into Hermione's back and she shrieked.

"Sorry. . ." Ellie whispered into the silence. Harry hadn't answered and she could feel a nervous energy radiating off the man behind her.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Sirius. "But. . . well. . . think about it. Once my name's cleared. . . if you wanted a. . . a different home. . ."

"What - live with you? Harry said. There was a noise like he had cracked his head off a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursley's?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand. I just thought I'd -"

"Are you mad?" Harry said, voice croaky like Sirius's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursley's! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Ellie heard Sirius stop walking behind her.

"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

No one spoke the entire rest of the way through the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first and must've been kind enough to press the knot on the trunk of the Whomping Willow because Remus, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upwards without being savaged by branches.

Ellie saw Snape up and out of the hole, and then crawled out herself. Hermione gave her a hand up as she tried keeping her wand pointed at the unconscious professor. Sirius popped out happily after her then Harry, who looked just as pleased.