"Aisling, your bow!" Sirius bellowed, and I nocked an arrow, sending it at a nearby Dementor and vaporizing it.
"Hermione, think of something happy!" Harry yelled, raising his wand. "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"
Sirus gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.
He'll be all right. I'm going to go and live with him, I thought.
"Expecto patronum! Hermione, Ash, help me! Expecto patronum!"
I dropped my bow and picked up the chant. "Expecto Patronum!
"Expecto —" Hermione whispered, "expecto — expecto —"
But she couldn't do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from us. They formed a solid wall around Harry, Hermione, and I, and they were getting closer...
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
It's going to be okay, I'll get to live with Sirius, I thought again. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
A thin wisp of silver escaped my wand and hovered like mist before me. Harry managed to produce his own patronus a few moments later. Hermione collapsed on Harry's other side.
"No!" I shouted, moving toward her, but Harry stopped me.
"Have to keep going," He said. "Expecto — expecto patronum —"
Harry fell to his knees on the grass. I was the only one standing. Fog was starting to cloud my eyes. With a huge effort, I fought to remember — Sirius was innocent — innocent — We'll be okay — I'm going to live with him —
"Expecto patronum!" Harry gasped.
"Expecto--" I tried. It felt like I was being dragged to the ground. "Expecto patronum--"
By the feeble light of our formless Patronuses, I saw a Dementor halt, very close to Harry. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry and I had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.
"No — no —" I gasped. "He's innocent... expecto... expecto patronum —"
I could feel them watching us, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around us. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering Harry. Then it raised both its rotting hands — and lowered its hood.
"NO!" I sobbed. I grabbed my bow and shot it, but the rest of the Dementors closed in, and I saw nothing but mist. I felt the ground hit my side.
White fog was blinding me. I had to fight... I couldn't see... expecto patronum... I groped in the mist for Sirius, for Harry or Hermione, for anyone, and found Sirius' arm... they weren't going to take him...
But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around my neck. They were forcing my face upward... I could feel its breath... It was going to get rid of me first... I could feel its putrid breath...
I saw the Dementor's face. Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth... a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle. It came closer, closer...
And then, through the fog that was drowning me, I thought I saw a silver and golden light growing brighter and brighter... I felt myself fall forward onto the grass... Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, I opened my eyes. The Dementor must have released me. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around me... The cold was ebbing away... Something was driving the Dementors back... It was circling around me and Harry and Black and Hermione... They were leaving... The air was warm again...
With every ounce of strength I could muster, I raised my head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake... Eyes blurred with tears, I tried to make out what it was... It was as bright as a unicorn... Fighting to stay conscious, I watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, I saw, by its brightness, somebody -- no, not just someone -- there were two people there, welcoming it back... raising their hands to pat it... two people who looked strangely familiar... but it couldn't be...
There was a young man with messy black hair and round-framed glasses and a young woman with long blonde hair on the opposite shore. I staggered to stand next to Harry, and he slung an arm around me to keep me steady.
"Are you seeing this?" He asked. Stunned, I nodded.
"My mom and your dad," I replied.
Then a golden light descended from the sky. A young man, about twenty, floated in front of us. He had azure blue eyes and sandy hair. His smile was as bright as the sun, which wasn't really saying something. After all, he was the sun.
"Dad," I breathed, kneeling before him.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait -- he's your dad? I thought Sirius--"
Apollo placed a hand on my shoulder. "Aisling. Tonight your actions can change everything. Make your decisions sagely. And as for you, Harry Potter..."
Harry was staring at him. "Who-- who are you? I thought--"
"The time is not right for you to know me," Apollo said. "Make sure my daughter stays alive. She's got an older brother to give some Chocolate Frogs to."
"Brother?" Harry asks, absolutely shocked. "You never told me you had a--"
"How did you know?" I asked.
Apollo pointed at himself. "God of the prophecy. I know all."
I was skeptical, but I didn't say anything.
Thunder suddenly rumbled in the sky. Apollo rolled his eyes and glared. "Yes, father, I'm coming!" He turned back to us. I thought he was going to say something deep and meaningful, but instead, he recited,
"Bye, whippersnappers,
Hope everyone believes you.
Apollo out. Sleep."
Because of course no appearance involving my father would be complete without one of his trademark terrible haikus. The last thing I saw before blacking out was Harry's bewildered face and my poet of a father disappearing and returning to Olympus with a bright flash.
"Shocking business. . . shocking. . . miracle none of them died. . . never heard the like. . . by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape. . . "
"Thank you, Minister. "
"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"
"Thank you very much indeed, Minister. "
"Nasty cut you've got there. . . Black's work, I suppose?"
"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, Granger, and McKeon, Minister. . . "
"No!"
"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape. . . They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now. . . I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves. . . and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster --"
"Ah, well, Snape. . . Harry Potter, you know. . . we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned. "
"And yet -- is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended -- at the very least -- for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister -- against all school rules -- after all the precautions put in place for his protection -- out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer -- and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too --"
"Well, well. . . we shall see, Snape, we shall see. . . The boy has undoubtedly been foolish. . . . "
I groaned, all of the night's events coming back to me: Buckbeak's execution, Ron's rat not really being a rat, Sirius being innocent, the dementors... I hoped Sirius was okay...
"What amazes me most is the behavior of the Dementors. . . you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"
"No, Minister. . . by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances. . . . "
"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl --"
"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle. "
There was a pause. I sighed. If Sirius somehow got out of this, Dike, Tyche, and probably another goddess whose name doesn't end in the sound "ikey" would definitely be getting some good sacrifices soon.
I opened my eyes. I was lying in the dark hospital wing. Suddenly Madame Pomfrey appeared over me and helped me sit up.
"Eat," she whispered, before shoving some ambrosia into my mouth.
"How'd you get this?" I asked, trying not to choke to my death on the flavor of Pumpkin Pasty.
"Chiron sent some ahead," Madam Pomfrey explained. "Now hush. I'm trying to listen."
I looked around to see where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were. Hermione was in the bed to my left, and Harry was on Hermione's left. Ron was on the other side of the ward, his leg in a cast.
Madam Pomfrey was now hovering over Harry with a huge block of chocolate.
"Ah, you're awake!" she said. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and started breaking it apart with a small hammer. I envisioned one of my siblings making a sculpture out of chocolate and snickered quietly to myself.
"How's Ron?" Harry and Hermione chorused.
"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey. "And Aisling will be good to go in a few minutes. As for you two, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're -- Potter, what do you think you're doing?"
Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.
"I need to see the headmaster," he said.
"I mean, I can go in a second..." I said.
"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now --"
"WHAT?"
I swear to the gods, it was one of those moments. Harry, Hermione, and I legit leaped out of our beds with shocked expressions and our mouths open from our simultaneous shout. Next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward. Apparently they'd heard Harry from the hall outside.
"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed -- has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.
"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's --"
But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face. "Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control. . . "
"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"
"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said. We were both standing at Harry's side. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and --"
"You see, Minister?" said Snape sympathetically. "Confunded, all three of them. . . Black's done a very good job on them..."
"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.
"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter, Granger, and McKeon are my patients, and they should not be distressed!"
"We're not distressed, We're trying to tell them what happened!" I said furiously. "If they'd just listen --"
Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed another chunk of ambrosia into my mouth and chocolate into Harry and Hermione's mouths. Harry choked, and Pomfrey seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed.
"Are you trying to make me combust spontaneously?" I muttered. Suddenly I felt the rush of the excess ambrosia. "Oh, gods..."
"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."
The door opened again. It's Dumbledore, and behind him was a centaur. But it wasn't just any centaur... It was Chiron.
I gasped and kneeled before him, while Harry and Hermione just stared. Then Harry recovered, gulps down his chocolate, and got out of bed again.
"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black --"
"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist --"
"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss McKeon, and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black --"
"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive --"
"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore.
"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds. "
"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear. "
"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"
"Now, Snape," sais Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances --"
"Chiron and I would like to speak to Harry, Aisling, and Hermione alone," says Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy -- please leave us."
"Headmaster!" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest --"
"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist. "
Madam Pomfrey huffed and stormed over to her office, slamming the door.
"The Dementors should have arrived by now," Fudge said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs. "
He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.
"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered.
"I wish to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.
Snape took a step toward Dumbledore. "Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen. You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"
"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.
Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door, his robes billowing dramatically behind him. Dumbledore turned to Harry, Hermione, and I. All three of us burst into speech at the same time.
"Professor, Black's telling the truth -- we saw Pettigrew -- he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf --"
"-- he's a rat --"
"-- Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off --"
"-- Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius --"
"-- Chiron, you've got to believe us --"
But Dumbledore held up his hand to quieten us. "It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time. There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word -- and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."
"Professor Lupin can tell you --" Harry said, unable to stop himself. I elbowed him.
"He's still transformed," I reminded him.
"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything," Chiron says. "By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of your kind that his support will count for very little and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends --"
"But --"
"Listen to me, Harry," Dumbledore interrupted again. "It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."
"He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him --"
"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady -- entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife -- without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence. "
"But you believe us," I said.
"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic. What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is more time. "
"But --" Hermione began. And then her eyes widen. "OH!"
"Now, pay attention," said Chiron, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight."
"But remember this," Dumbledore added, "all three of you: you must not be seen."
"And, Aisling," Chiron says. "You must know why I'm here."
I pretty much exploded. "Chiron, I am so, so, sorry! The word 'Mortal' just slipped out! And Sirius asked about Camp Half-Blood and you know how bad I am at lying, so I thought I should just tell them now--"
I shut up when Chiron held up his hand. "Aisling, I understand the situation. I know it was an accident. And that is why I am not angry at you. But no one can know. If Voldemort were to find out, he could enlist monsters and rogue demigods for his followers."
"We won't tell anyone," Harry promised. "Whatever this-- this demigod business is, we won't tell--"
"I believe you, Harry," Chiron assured him. "But we cannot risk any slip-ups. Our worlds must remain as separate as possible. It was a long shot sending Aisling here, I'll admit it--"
"Gods, I'm not going back to Ilvermorny, am I?" I blurted. Then I flushed. "I mean, Ilvermorny was great, but I like it better here."
"You're not going back to Ilvermorny," Chiron said. "But I'm afraid we will have to take measures further than the ones we used that have already failed."
I wondered what that meant, but suddenly it hit me like a brick. Chiron wanted to Obliviate Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
I shot Dumbledore an indignant look. "You can't possibly mean... You agreed to this?"
"I am afraid it is necessary," Dumbledore said. "They will only forget demigod-relevant memories. They won't remember until it is necessary."
"You're going to keep the memories?" I asked.
"Just until it is safe for them to know," Chiron agreed. He looked at Dumbledore, who pulled out his wand. Harry and Hermione protested, but Dumbledore is already casting the spell. Chiron said goodbye and left before Harry and Hermione came out of their trance.
"What...?" Harry muttered.
"Um... I forgot what I was going to say," Hermione said lamely.
"Miss Granger, you know the law -- you know what is at stake," Dumbledore said, as though nothing had happened. "You -- must -- not -- be --seen." Dumbledore turned on his heel and looks back as he reached the door.
"I am going to lock you in. It is --" he looked at his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck. "
"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"
"I'd like to know that too," I muttered. They were like, Hi, we're going to say a bunch of mysterious stuff that makes no sense but sounds pretty cool. Then we're going to obliviate your friends. All good? Okay! Three turns and good luck byeeee!
Seriously, what in Hades was that?
Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain. The Time-Turner.
"Harry, Ash, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"
Harry and I moved toward her, Harry looking completely bewildered. I didn't know whether Hermione remembered telling me about it, so I pretended to look surprised.
"Oh my gods, Hermione," I said. "Is that what I think it is? How in the name of Merlin's boxer shorts did you manage to keep that from us all year?"
Hermione smiled. "Here." She throws the chain around our necks. It kind of felt like being in a hula hoop with two other people (and yes, I know how that feels. I was a strange little child that was too cute for my older siblings to resist).
"Ready?" she said breathlessly.
"What are we doing?" Harry asked, completely lost. He looked exactly like he had when Sirius had been apologizing for telling Harry I was a demigod. Then my smile fades. Harry didn't remember that anymore, and knowing that didn't make it very funny anymore.
"You'll see," I managed. Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.
The dark hospital wing dissolved. It felt like I was flying backwards on a very fast pegasus. I thought I saw some people coming in and out of the wing, but it was hard to tell because everything was so blurry. This was making me motion sick.
Then suddenly I felt my feet on solid ground. I was so dizzy I would've collapsed if I hadn't been standing between Harry and Hermione. Instead of the hospital wing, we were in the deserted entrance hall. It was light outside, which meant the time-travel had been successful. Harry was utterly confused and looking wildly around.
"Hermione, what --?"
"We need to hide," I said. "You heard Dumbledore, we can't be seen."
Hermione nodded and pointed at a broom closet. "In here!"
We dragged a very puzzled Harry across the hall to the door of said broom closet. Hermione opened it; I pushed Harry inside among the buckets and mops and slammed the door behind us.
"What -- how -- Hermione, what happened?" Harry spluttered, still looking bemused.
"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off our necks. "Three hours back."