Catherine Potter~Book 3~Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 11

"Harry? HARRY!"

Harry rose from the floor, feeling no pain, only the coldness and depression of the Dementor. He looked up and saw Catherine and Lupin, looking at him worryingly while handing him pieces of chocolate.

"Catherine, you take a turn. Harry could use a bit of rest." Lupin said motioning her in front of the chest where the Boggart was encased.

Catherine took a deep breath and took out her wand. Lupin stood by the chest, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be,"

Lupin nodded and waved his hand, the locks of the chest unlatching; a great big snake slithered in front of her. A Basilisk, Catherine smirked, "Expecto Patronum!" Oddly enough, nothing happen. Not even a spark from her wand. 6

Catherine went pale and her eye sight went foggy, "Expecto....Ex-"Her green eyes rolled back and her body crumpled to the floor.

Out of instinct, Harry cradled her body and lifted her to a cot nearby and placed a bar of chocolate on a bedside table.

"Her second year must have been a bit rough, eh Harry?"

"You have no idea."

Lupin nodded absentmindedly, "Well, I think that's enough for today. I'll send her to the Hospital wing; it might take a while for her to wake. Tomorrow, same time same place. "

"Thank you, professor." 7

~

"Are you sure about this?"

Catherine smirked, "If Harry can do it, then I can to. I reckon even better." She joked winking at her twin brother who was leaning against the wall behind her.

Lupin smiled at her confidence and waved the chest to open. The Basilisk slithered out and stood tall in front of her, its yellow eyes looking murderously at her.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Nothing happened but then a puff of slivery blue smoked out. Catherine pushed away a lock of her hair and breathed deeply, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!" 20

A shield of blue light emerged from her wand and pushed the Boggart back to its chest. Lupin clapped his hands victoriously and smiled, "Well done, Catherine!"

"Third times the charm, sis," Harry said supporting her, trying to prevent her from falling. Catherine smiled weakly and nodded, "I guess so." 3

Lupin handed her a bar of chocolate and gave her a seat, "I think that's settled. That's enough for one night, go get some rest and we'll see when our next meeting is." 2

The twins thanked the professor and bided him good night.

"Are you sure you can walk?" Harry asked looking at her with worry. Catherine rolled her eyes, "I have legs for a reason, Harry. I can manage." She replied kissing his cheek. Harry nodded reluctantly, "If you say so."

"Who's there?" a voice demanded.

A shadow emerged from a corridor, it was Draco. "Oh. It's you two, what are you doing here? It's almost after hours."

Harry looked at him with no emotion, "Can't I walk my sister back to her dormitory?"

"Depends on where you came from."

"The Library,"

"I just came from the Library,"

Catherine stood between them and faced Draco, "Draco, it's a family matter. Please. We're just having a rough time; can you at least make this pass?"



Draco looked at her girl and then at Harry, "Just this one time, Potter." He said looking at him. Catherine dragged Harry to the opposite corner, "Harry, I'm so sorry about this. We'll talk in the morning, 'kay?"
Harry nodded, "Sure."
Catherine pecked his cheek and walked with Draco back to Slytherin tower,. 1
~ 1
Draco closed the port hole and looked suspiciously at Catherine, "So, are you going to tell me or not?"
Catherine grabbed a green apple from the bowl and lay on the couch, "Tell you what?" 6
Draco advanced to her and grabbed the apple, "The truth. I know you're hiding something from me, Catherine." He said in whisper. Catherine sat up and fixed her eyes on him, "Give me one reason why I should tell you."
Draco leaned in further, his words like a whisper sending chills down Catherine's spine, "I have ways of making you talk, Catherine." 4
Catherine only smirked and leaned forward to kiss him and then pulled away, "The less you know, the better."
Draco grabbed her wrist, "Catherine,"
She looked at him and gave in, she told him almost everything. ALMOST,
"Dementors? It took you 3 tries to do it?" He said in disbelief. "Draco, every person has a weakness and this is mine."
He pulled me next to him, resting my head on his shoulder as we watched the flames dance in the Fire place. "I'm sorry."
"What was that?"
He smirked and squeezed my hand, "I'm not going to repeat that. Just promise me something,"
"What?"
"Stay out of trouble, just try to."
Catherine looked into his grey eyes and kissed him, "I guess it won't hurt to try."
~ 2
"I hate that tree." Harry said searching the damp earthen floor for his glasses.
"Here." Hermione helped him up and fixed his glasses which she accidentally stepped on.
"Do you know where we are?"
"I have a hunch."
The elongated passage grew broader by the minute until a staircase appeared right in front of them, "We're at the Shrieking shack, aren't we?" Hermione whispered.
Harry nodded and heard a faint sound of music, a piano being played gloriously in the upcoming room giving it an even more eerie exposure.
The door swayed open and the sight of Ron gave them a huge relief, "Ron!!!"
He only gave them a frightening look and continuously pointed behind the wrecked door, "It's a trap!!! He's an Animagus!"
The door creaked and swayed, showing a rather thin and pale man, clearly hasn't shaved nor bathe; wearing a set of ragged striped clothes, clearly the attire from Azkaban.
What Harry almost didn't notice that the piano music stopped, he glanced at the wrecked instrument and saw what he couldn't believe with his own two eyes, "Hi Harry,"
"Catherine? What are you doing here?!" Harry asked looking at his sister and the man, "I'm setting things right."
Harry didn't know how to respond, his own sister was helping an escapee of Azkaban, the man who's responsible for the death of their own parents. "But- Why? YOU'RE HELPING HIM?!"
Catherine stood from her chair and held her brother by his shoulders, "Harry, please, let me explain!" She pleaded.

"No!" Harry pushed her away, sending her crashing the back of her head on the wreckage, blood spurring out gradually. 16

Harry finally realized what he just done, "Oh Merlin..."

Sirius Black gently picked up her wand and looked at Harry, who in return raised his wand. Sirius cradled her head and muttered a spell, stopping the blood flow and healing the wound.

Catherine's green eyes opened and looked menacingly at Harry, she grabbed her wand from Sirius and pinned Harry to the wall with her arm against his throat.

The door bursts open and Catherine's wand flew across the room, Remus Lupin separated them with impeccable force. "About time you came." Sirius said giving him a brotherly hug.

Lupin returned the hug and faced the twins, "We expected better from you two, I believe we all have enough problems without killing each other! I expected this from Catherine but you? Harry?"

"Hey!"

Harry looked at her, "Oh, please. You know he's right."

"Yeah, but still,"

Hermione glared at Lupin, "I trusted you! And all along, you've been his friend." She said giving the same look at Black. "He's a Werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes." She added.

Lupin looked at her with a grim smile, "Well done, Hermione. You really are the brightest witch I've ever met. Well, aside from Catherine."

"Yes, yes!!! Bright as the sun, you two are. Enough talk, Remus!" Sirius said with loathing. "Wait for a moment, Sirius! Harry needs to know why!" 2

"I've done my waiting! 12 years of it! In Azkaban," Sirius said. 9

Catherine stepped him aside and spoke with him kindly. Harry looked at her as if she's mad, which is partially true. "Sirius, please, Harry needs to know. We have time. He's here, he can't escape." She said in a bare whisper.

Black nodded and looked at Lupin, "Hurry up, Remus."

"I'm getting there, Sirius." He said,

"Me being a werewolf had a big part in this. I do dread the amount of time this'll take but nevertheless. The four of us, your father, Sirius and Pettigrew; were close friends. My transformations those days were unbearable, Very painful to turn into a werewolf. During my months of transformation, I stayed here to be separated from the humans. That's how the rumor of the Shrieking Shack of being haunted started, since then villagers don't dare approach it. In my time in Hogwarts, when Dumbledore became Headmaster, he was sympathetic and let me stay for there was no reason not to but we had to take precautions; that's how the Whomping Willow arrived. The tunnel that leads to this was intended for my use for once a month, planted at the mouth to dissuade anyone from crossing,"

He stopped for a while and looked out the window and turned back to them, "Apart from the pain from my transformations, I was happier than I had been in my entire life. For the first time, I had friends, three great ones at that. They ever hardly noticed that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I was terrified that they would desert me if they found out what I truly am but like Hermione, they worked out the truth,"

"Instead of deserting me, they only made my transformations the best times. They became Animagi."

Harry looked at Lupin astoundingly, "My Dad too?"

"Especially your dad," Lupin said with a small smile. "Took them a great deal of time to work it out, your father and Sirius here were the cleverest at Hogwarts; lucky for them because an Animagus transformation can go terribly wrong. In our 5th year, we managed it; they can turn into any animal they wish and will." 2

"But how did that help you?" Hermione asked puzzled.

Catherine darted her eyes on Hermione, "Humans can accompany werewolves if they do, they'd be dinner. Sorry for that Professor. Humans are a great danger to werewolves, only animals can manage it." She said knowingly.

Hermione nodded and turned to Lupin.

"Yes. They'd sneak out under the Invisibility cloak and tell Peter to touch the knot that freezes the tree since he was the smallest animal to transform,"

"Hurry now, Remus," Sirius said looking at Scabbers with a look of immense anger.

"Sirius and James transformed as large animals. We would wander everywhere. I doubt that any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the grounds and Hogsmead, that's how we came up with the Marauder's map. Signed in with our nicknames, Sirius is Padfoot, Peter is wormtail and James was Prongs."

Catherine shot up from her seat and peeked down the stairs, "Professor, did you hear that?"

Lupin went behind her and shook her head, "Probably just a rabbit or something,"

"How could you possibly hear anything down there?" Harry asked. Catherine turned to Lupin who meekly smiled with encouragement, "I'm an Animagus." 8

Harry remained silent. "What animal?" Ron asked trying to break the tension. "A wolf,"

Harry nodded, "That's great."

"Yes, aside from Snape, Catherine helps brewing the Wolfsbane potion and keeps me and Sirius Company."

Harry let out a snort, "Explains why you smell like dog almost every day," He joked. "Shut up."

Lupin nodded along, "Yes, a new Animagi can get you attached to what animal you transform into." He said. Catherine shot up from her seat again and looked out the door, "Guys, I'm serious! There's something out there." 6

She didn't even wait for their response; she immediately turned into a grey wolf and went to the grounds of Hogwarts. "Will she be alright?" Hermione asked. "Yes. Positive of it,"

A cold chill waved upon them, "Look what I found at the Base of the Whomping willow," said Snape. "I've told Dumbledore again and again that somebody was helping an old friend back in the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof."

"Severus, you're making a mistake. I can explain everything; Sirius is not here to kill Harry." Lupin said. Snape's eyes gleamed and his wand produced snake like cords that held back Lupin which caused Sirius to throw a roar or rage.

Black stopped dead mostly because Snape's wand was at his head, it would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred. Snape unexpectedly dropped his wand and his skin turned into a pasty shade, his neck a bit upturned like he was being choked. A tiny silhouette stood behind him, a wand raised in eye level; it was Catherine.

She looked at Harry and mouthed only one word: NOW.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Snape flew backwards into a heap of wrecked furniture in a corner of the room, "Wicked." Ron stated.

"Told you I heard something," Catherine said with a wink.

"Well, back to the explanatory for today. Long story short, Pettigrew is still alive." Lupin said walking towards the wounded Ron, "Ron, may we see your rat?"

Ron looked at them reluctantly and then at Catherine. "Ron, give it. We won't hurt him even if it's not Peter the spell won't harm him."

So he did.

Scabbers squeaked nonstop, he kept fidgeting in Lupin's grasp, his beady black eyes bulging in his head.

After several missed shots, they finally saw the truth. Peter Pettigrew was on his knees before them, a short man he was, his thin colourless hair was unkempt, and his skin looked grungy like Scabbers fur. "S- Sirius... R- Remus..."

"My friends...My old friends!" He said darting to the door. Lupin and Sirius pushed him to the wrecked piano and began the interrogation.

Peter's beady eyes darted the room and kneeled at Catherine and Harry's feet, "Harry...Catherine, just like your parents you too are. Like James and Lily..."

At this point, Sirius was mad like hell. "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO THEM? HOW DARE YOU FACE THEM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT LILY AND JAMES IN FRONT OF THEM?!" Sirius roared at him.

Lupin blocked the door, pushing back Pettigrew, "You sold Lily and James to Voldemort, didn't you?!" He shouted. "I didn't mean to! The Dark Lord has weapons..." He whimpered pathetically.

"You saw so yourself, Sirius, what would have you done?" Pettigrew added. "I WOULD HAVE DIED! I WOULD HAVE DIED RATHER TO BETRAY MY FRIENDS!" Sirius said looking at him murderously.

Lupin stepped forward and handed a wand to Sirius, "You should have realized that if Voldemort didn't kill you; we will. Good bye, Peter."

"NO!" The twins said in unison.

Sirius looked at them, "Harry, Catherine, this piece of filth is the reason why you have no parents."

"We know," said Harry. "We just reckon that our parents wouldn't want their friends to become murderers." Catherine said.

Pettigrew kneeled in front of them, "Thank you!!! It's more than I deserve, thank you-"

"Get off!" Harry said pushing him away from his feet. Lupin tied Peter's hands and looked at the twins, "If he transforms, we will kill him, right?"

They looked at the small pathetically pitiful man and nodded. Lupin bandaged Ron's leg in a tight split and checked Snape's pulse, "Still out cold."

"Well, don't revive him. Just leave him there." Catherine said. "You are in a world of Merlin knows what when he wakes." Harry joked. Catherine snorted, "He won't remember, Harry. The spell I casted on him was a torturing curse, not illegal though. The pain alone was enough to twist his mind." 2

"What a lovely picture." Hermione said sarcastically.

~

Going inside was one thing but going out was another. Harry and Catherine combined had never had such a strange group. Ron, Lupin and Pettigrew looked like entrants of a six-legged race. The fluffy ginger cat Crookshanks led the way out, his bottlebrush tail swaying around like a snake.

"You do know what this means right? Turning him in," Harry said.

"I'm free."

Sirius turned to Harry, "Yes, I don't know if anyone ever told you – I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," Harry said.

Something in Harry's stomach exploded in a good way though. In a corner of his mind, he knew what he was saying. "I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle... Think about it, once my name's cleared and if you want a different home..."

Harry heard a quiet sob and turned to Catherine, "Are you crying?"

Catherine turned away, "No. I just got something in my eye. You know, maybe some dust or a branch or whatever."

Harry smiled and put his arm around her, "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can we move in?"

"Do you mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!"

Sirius's gaunt face broke into a smile; they now saw the handsome man that once laughed at Lily and James's wedding. They reached the end of the tunnel.

Lupin pointed his wand at Pettigrew's chest, "One wrong move, Peter." He said threateningly.

Hermione had a look of terror etched on her face, "Oh no..." She said her voice thinning. Catherine looked in her direction and saw the moon and then looked at Lupin who was now going rigid, she took out a crescent shaped vial and uncorked it, "Maybe it's not too late."

Lupin's back hunched, his head lengthening, hair was visibly appearing on his skin and his hands turning to paws, the vial in Catherine's hand was slapped away by the transforming Lupin, "Leave it to me! RUN!!!" Sirius said.

Pettigrew grabbed his wand, Harry pointed his wand at him but was too late, and Peter already transformed and dropped to the grass.

"Avada-" 6

"Catherine, NO!" Harry dived for Catherine and stopped her from completing the spell. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Catherine wiped the blood from her brother's forehead, "Go with the others, I'll help Sirius and Professor."

"But-"

"Just go!"

Catherine had turned into a horse sized grey wolf and went down the hill. A few minutes later, a cry of pain emerged from the shadows and Harry immediately ran down ignoring Hermione's calls of distress. There stood Catherine, looking half alive, her face had cuts, and her leg had been fashioned with a long scar. Sirius turned back to a man, crouched on all fours.

"Harry! A bit of help here," Catherine shouted.

Harry looked up and saw Dementors, at least a hundred of them, surrounding them around the lake. The icy cold penetrating his insides, the fog making it hard to see, Think of something happy, THINK.

"Expecto Patronum!"

I'm going to live with my godfather, with Catherine, I'm leaving the Dursleys." Expecto Patronum!"

A thin wisp of silver hovered above them but just for a short while, "Catherine! Think of something happy!"

"I'm trying!"

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Her sister dropped on her knees and passed out. Harry was alone, completely.

Suddenly, the air felt warm again. Dementors were driven back and leaving the grounds. Harry looked back at Catherine who was now conscious, looked back at Harry.

They both saw something as bright as a unicorn, the twins didn't understand what the two blurry sources of light were, it began to fade and they both get pulled back in unconsciousness.

~

"This is by far, the year we are most likely to get killed." Said Catherine who swung her bandaged leg on her brother's lap,

"You don't know that." Harry replied.

"I said 'by far', who knows; our 4th year might be more murderous." She said, a blood flavoured lollipop in her mouth. 35

In Harry's hands was a letter, a letter from Sirius. He had been hoping of moving to him but sadly that would take a massively great deal of time.

Catherine noticed his expression and nudged him, "Hey, at least we know the truth. Pettigrew's alive and out there, someday Sirius will be free and-"

"And we'd be living with our godfather."

"I know you don't want to go back to the Dursleys but I promise things will get better. Pettigrew will be in Azkaban, Voldemort gone and Sirius free."

This made him smile; he wasn't used to her sister being nice and comforting. "I heard that!" Catherine said with a smile, punching his shoulder.

"Ouch! You weren't supposed to." Harry said defensively, ruffling her sister's hair.

"I'll visit you, 'kay?"

"Okay."

"You know, we can test that Firebolt of yours. I reckon I'd still win even with my Nimbus." She said cockily.

"We'll see." 1