The Vixen | Sirius Black

3.5. (h)

"Azkaban is dreary and borderline sadistic, I'll admit to that," Podraig continued. "But it keeps the dementor's in check and wizards and witches second guessing any crimes they wish to commit."

"Well it didn't stop this Sirius Black guy from blowing up 13 no-majs did it?" Charity countered with a smug grin. When Podraig didn't respond, she looked up to demand he admit defeat in their argument, however the look on his face cut her words short.

Podraig had turned sheet white, his aquamarine eyes wide and staring at her in horror. Charity frowned in concern for her partner. "Pod? Are you-"

"Give me that paper," Podraig spoke deathly quiet, and normally Charity would have teased him about his manners, but with one glance at his thunderous face, she tossed the paper over to his desk.

He ripped it open to the right section, the full article just after the first page where Sirius Black's mugshot was splashed across. He stared for a moment at Sirius's picture, watching as he silently screamed at him, then flipped over to read the actual article detailing the circumstances of his escape.

Found his cell empty upon inspection... Never before done... supporter of You-Know-Who... murdered 13 muggles...

"Podraig," Charity called gently. He looked up from the article, feeling sick to his stomach. He needed to contact Lynn. "Did you know him or something?"

He shook his head. "No, not really. But my sister did. Was pretty much set to marry him before he revealed his true colours. Everyone thought he was a good man, but it turned out he fooled us all."

Charity let her combat boots drop to the floor as a brown file flew through the air and landed neatly in her in-tray. Another case for her to crack. "Well, it's Britain's problem now. We've got our own murderers to bring down."

Podraig nodded in agreement, tossing back the paper. "Yeah, just let me send a letter first."

. . .

|Lynn|

September 2nd 1993, Hogwarts

She didn't know whether or not she woke from the pain in her head, or the pain began as soon as she had opened her eyes, but quickly, it grew from a small ache to a splitting pain.

First, she blamed all the Fire Whiskey she had drunk with Remus last night. What had been one drink had turned into a full bottle, leaving her to stumble into her room and Remus all the way to his new office.

Though she had little memory of last night, it was likely it would all slowly come back to her, she knew she had the sense to take a hangover cure, even when piss drunk.

As she lay there staring at the ceiling, the pain began to fade, until it was nothing but a dull ache in the back of her skull.

A gentle tap sounded from her window, making her tug her covers over her head with a groan. The tapping gradually grew louder, until she was forced to open the window lest the owl broke through the glass.

Podraig's barn owl fluttered down to perch on her bed frame and stared at her with doleful eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry," Lynn sighed, carefully tying the letter off its leg. "Go on, I'll send my reply later."

The owl flew to her own owl's empty cage, drinking a few gulps of water and snatching a few treats before going out the window in a flurry of white and brown.

Podraig's cursive handwriting spelled out her name on the front of the envelope, and a wax seal with the MACUSA (the American magical government) logo stamped proudly onto it. She threw it onto her bare desk, deciding that opening it could wait. She wasn't in the mood for Podraig's mother hen attitude. No doubt he would try and convince her to portkey over to America and stay with him in case Sirius decided to pay her a visit.