C H A P T E R 69
"So tell me everything," Ron spoke in a rushed voice. He was still a bit groggy but upon waking up the next morning, he instantly asked Samantha, Hermione, and Harry what happened after he left them.
Harry divulged into the story about him and Hermione going back in time to save Buckbeak. Dumbledore wanted to save Buckbeak as soon as he had the chance so they all stayed in his office while Harry and Hermione went back in time.
Sirius pleaded with Dumbledore to go with them but the Headmaster just shook his head with a grin on his face and his eyes shining.
McGonagall took this time to truly survey Sirius. She hadn't seen him in years and her heart quenched when she really noticed just how much Azkaban took a toll on him.
They were the same thoughts Samantha had when she first saw Sirius all those months ago.
She also took this time to let what Samantha said sink in. It still baffled her that Sirius was here and she knew about it. McGonagall wanted to ask Samantha how she had done it so well but she thought it wasn't the best time.
Samantha stayed in the present time in case Dumbledore had any more questions.
Ron listened with his eyes wide. He stared at Hermione and could not believe she hid this from them all year. Ron then smiled when he heard that Buckbeak was currently with Sirius in the Shrieking Shack.
Harry then said that it was him who cast the Stag Patronus that drove away the Dementors and Ron high fived him. Samantha smiled at the memory and nodded in approval when he told her last night. Harry was truly a powerful wizard and Samantha couldn't wait to see how far his potential could travel.
He finished that story and they continued with Samantha telling them what happened with Peter.
"Before he transformed, I remembered something and since Peter was immobile, I could say it without him hearing," Samantha explained. "I told them that Peter was an unregistered Animagus and Sirius told them the story about what they did in school," Samantha then smirked. "McGonagall was livid and Dumbledore seemed quite impressed. He then understood why I wanted to tell them before--"
Harry cut in. "It's so when Sirius is on trial, maybe Peter wouldn't mention that Sirius is an illegal Animagus as well."
Ron nodded in understanding.
"Then Dumbledore thought it was time for Snape to be revived so he could here the truth from Peter. They heard it from me so they had an idea, and I told them that Snape didn't believe any of us," Samantha said and then gave a small smile. "Snape was furious as well and it actually was pretty funny."
Harry chuckled and Samantha continued. "He immediately had to be overpowered by Dumbledore to listen and put his grudges aside. Sirius watched on with an amused grin. Him and I had a laugh about that after. So he stayed silent and sat down next to McGonagall with a very angry expression.
"So once Peter transformed back into himself, Dumbledore asked him some questions and nothing was mentioned about Sirius being an unregistered Animagus so that's a good sign. Dumbledore then turned to Snape and made him swear he wouldn't tell. I saw Snape nod but the look in his eyes said something else. Then under Dumbledore's kind persuasion, Peter admitted to everything. McGonagall wanted to call in Cornelius Fudge right away but Dumbledore said that enough had happened tonight and that he would the next morning.
"So he tied Peter up in unbreakable ropes like Remus had and McGonagall casted a spell to ensure he couldn't transform. Sirius went back to the Shrieking Shack to stay hidden and keep Buckbeak some company. When we woke up, I visited McGonagall and said they would call Fudge soon. So us three then came to you to see if you were up and explain things." Samantha finished and took a breath.
Ron took everything in and couldn't believe what happened was real. It seemed like so long ago. He looked back down at his leg which was almost healed. It wasn't a bad break but still enough for Madam Pomfrey to keep him there for the day.
"Everyone's at the last Hogsmeade visit but of course we didn't want to go," Hermione spoke and then rubbed her eyes. They all didn't get much sleep.
"I wonder what Fudge is going to say," Harry spoke.
"I wonder what the whole school is going to say," Samantha added shaking her head. They were lucky that everyone was at Hogsmeade because this certainly would spread like wildfire. And Samantha was sure that Dumbledore would want to keep it quiet until he got things sorted out with Fudge.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Samantha thought of something.
Remus.
The last they saw of him was when he left Samantha in the Forest. She instantly stood up from the edge of Ron's bed.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"Remus," Samantha said. "I hope he's ok. Maybe he's in his office."
Harry stood up too. "You're right, let's go," he said and then turned to Hermione. "If Dumbledore or McGonagall say anything, come find us."
She nodded as Madam Pomfrey came in with another potion for Ron. He looked at it with disgust and sulked down in the pillows.
Samantha laughed at him and her and Harry left the Hospital Wing to head to Remus' office.
Once they got there, they saw that the door was open. The two peered inside and saw that the office was bare and all of his things were scattered around boxes and a few suitcases.
"What?" Samantha spoke and Harry knocked on the open door.
Moments later, Remus appeared from the back room of his office holding books and his cloak.
His eyes were heavy and the scratches on his face were ripped open. After setting the stuff down on his desk, Remus gave them a grim smile. "Oh hello."
"Remus....are you packing?" Samantha spoke, disregarding the Professor. She frowned and stared around the room in sadness. He couldn't leave. He was their best teacher in who knows how long.
The two Potters walked fully into the room and Harry stared at the nearby Grindylow that was neatly packed up in its tank.
"Yes I am, unfortunately," he said, his voice hoarse.
"Why?" Harry asked.
Remus pressed his lips together. "Well I'm not going to name names but someone told the Slytherins this morning about my...er...condition and there have been numerous complaints. I resigned to Dumbledore this morning before anything could get crazy," Remus explained and put some books into one of the open trunks. "Last night was crazy enough as it is and I can only assume it's going to get worse with the whole Sirius situation."
Samantha huffed in annoyance. "That no-good rotten piece of--"
"Hey!" Remus cut in and gave her a look. "I knew it was going to get out sooner or later."
"But you can't leave!" Harry cried. "You're the best teacher we've ever had!"
"Yeah," Samantha added. "You're the one who got me through my OWLs!"
Remus smiled gratefully at the two Potters. "I appreciate that," He then turned to Samantha. "I don't know if you know this but I'm also the one who told Professor Ogden about your ability to produce a Patronus charm."
Samantha's eyes widened and she stared at her Godfather with admiration. "You--you did that?"
He nodded. "Of course. What kind of Godfather would I be if I didn't show off my Goddaughter?"
Harry stepped forward. "Goddaughter?"
Samantha nodded. "Yes, Harry. Remus is my Godfather."
Harry smiled. He really was gaining back his family.
Remus then closed one of his trunks and picked up something from his desk. It was an old piece of parchment and that brought a smile to Samantha's face. "Here," he said to Harry and handed him the parchment. "I am no longer your teacher so I don't feel guilty giving this back to you. I know you'll take advantage of it."
With a wave of his wand, everything else packed into boxes and Remus picked up his suitcase. Then there was a knock at the door.
It was Professor Dumbledore.
"Your carriage is here, Remus."
Remus nodded. "Thank you, Albus," He walked in front of the two and Samantha quickly hugged him. "Don't worry, I'll be around." He hugged Harry next and then gave Dumbledore a kind handshake.
"I'll be in touch soon, Remus, regarding this situation," Dumbledore spoke.
Remus smiled and then left his office. Dumbledore turned to the two Potters and pressed his hands together. "I have sent for Cornelius Fudge. I would like the two of you present when he arrives. Then I'll call in Sirius and we can go from there," Dumbledore explained.
The two nodded and while they were leaving the office Dumbledore looked at Samantha. "I didn't know you knew how to use Patronuses for communication, Samantha."
She smiled sheepishly. "Aberforth taught me. He never liked using the stairs so he would send his Goat Patronus with a message."
Dumbledore grinned in amusement. "Aberforth was always the most sedentary in the family."
Samantha laughed and they found themselves back at Dumbledore's office along with McGonagall, Snape, and a tied up Peter Pettigrew. It took everything Samantha had not to go at Snape for what he did to Remus but she just gave him an obvious phony smile instead. They sat down and not too long later, the flames in the fireplace erupted into a bright green.
Replacing them, was Cornelius Fudge, sporting a dark navy suit and matching robes. He greeted Dumbledore and then almost fell back at the sight of Peter Pettigrew.
"I--what? What is this, Albus?"
"Peter Pettigrew is alive, Cornelius. And Sirius Black is innocent."
• • • • •
The Daily Prophet was having a field day. Forget the announcement of the Quidditch World Cup from the always excited Ludo Bagman. Word got out from the Ministry about Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew and the date of the trial, which was in about three weeks.
The end of term could not have come more quickly for Samantha and the trio. They were constantly badgered about what happened that night and what it was like being present.
Fred and George would not stop bugging Samantha about her not telling them the truth about knowing this all year. Her only response would be shaking her head and reminding them that she couldn't let anyone know she was hiding a convicted mass murderer.
Angelina and Alicia finally figured out as to why Samantha wasn't afraid of Sirius when they asked her on the train at the start of term. They couldn't believe that their best friend was wrapped up in this mess but knew she could handle it.
Part of the article revealed her story about her constant meetings with Sirius and how he stayed hidden for months. As people passed, they would give her strange looks and Samantha probably thought it was because they thought she was hiding something else. Well she was a Potter...so there was probably something else too.
The new discovery hit Cedric hardest. This was why she was being so secretive. And once revealed, he could have not felt more stupid. Of course she couldn't tell anybody. It was only Sirius Black hiding out under everyone's noses.
He still kept his distance from Samantha but knew he had to talk to her. She would laugh in his face at his apology and told him he should have trusted her but he had to say something. Cedric didn't want to leave on this kind of note so during their final breakfast of the term, Cedric found her outside in the entrance hall.
She was laughing with her group of friends and they all ceased when they noticed Cedric approaching.
"Can...uh....we talk?" Cedric said nervously as she stared up at him.
She nodded and he led her to the nearby window. Samantha eyed Cedric with confusion. She had an inkling about what this was about. Ever since the new broke, every time she caught his eye or was in his presence, he would shy away awkwardly.
He shifted his weight between his two feet before blurting out, "I'm sorry. I should have trusted you. This was obviously a huge secret and you had every right to not tell me. I read how Sirius Black knew your parents so it must have been nice to see someone close to your family. You're probably going to laugh at me or tell me 'I told you so" but I just want you to know I'm sorry and that I don't want things to end badly."
Samantha soaked in what Cedric said and she sighed. Since she was anticipating this, she had thought about what she wanted to respond with. "Cedric, I'm not going to laugh at you or tell you 'I told you so.' You know I'm not like that. I understand how you were feeling. It's my fault to think I could have hidden something this big from you--"
"But I had no right to lash out and think the worst. I should have trusted you more."
"It's ok, Cedric. I'm not mad or anything," she replied.
"So where does this leave us? Because I really miss you," Cedric said and tried to give her his best puppy-dog eyes.
Samantha, being immune to this due to Sirius, rolled her eyes playfully. "I miss you too, Cedric," she said in a soft voice.
Cedric smiled brightly and she cut back in.
"But, I've liked this time to myself and--"
"It's ok, I get it."
"That doesn't mean I don't want to stay friends or see how things go when school starts up again," Samantha finished. Things were a bit complicated and she would see how things went over summer and how she felt at the start of term in September. A lot was going on at the current moment and this had to be placed on the back burner until things settled down a bit.
Cedric smiled slightly and nodded. "Right, I understand. I really do."
She smiled back and the bell rang, signaling that it was time to board the Hogwarts Express. "Great, well I hope you have a great summer."
"Thanks, you too."
"And maybe I'll see you at the Quidditch World Cup," Cedric added as they both started to walk out of the entrance hall and to the carriages.
Samantha saw her friends waiting for her outside of a carriage and nodded to signal she was going to be there soon. "Yeah, maybe."
"Well, bye."
"Bye, Cedric," Samantha stood on her tip-toes and placed a soft kiss on Cedric's cheek. And with that, she turned on her heel and went off to her friends.
They gave her looks but she just shook her head, narrowing her eyes at Fred and George who were giving her identical mischievous grins.
The Hogwarts Express left Hogsmeade Station and it was time to leave Hogwarts. Samantha was tapping her foot anxiously as King's Cross came closer and closer. The trial was the only thing on her mind and she didn't know how it exactly was going to play out.
Even though the information was revealed, Sirius still had to be formally tried and stated as innocent. And who knew if that was going to happen.
Samantha thought it took forever for Snape to come around, but it took even longer for Cornelius Fudge to even look at Dumbledore and Sirius. He was as white as a ghost and almost fainted a few times.
The train finally pulled into King's Cross and it was time to say goodbye to her girls and Oliver. She hugged them tightly and told them she would write about the trail and how things turned out, even though they knew the Daily Prophet would spill every single detail.
Samantha saw Oliver and frowned. Their captain and best friend was leaving and going on to bigger and better things. She hugged him tightly as well and when she pulled away she spoke, "Block everything, Oliver."
He smirked. "Don't worry, lass, I will."
"Stay in touch," she responded as he gave everyone else hugs.
Oliver nodded, gave her one last smile, and set off to find his parents.
Angelina and Alicia left next and it was down to Samantha and the twins. Samantha had specific instructions from Dumbledore about where she was going to go for the summer. She saw Mrs. Weasley with Ginny and the twins turned to her.
"Well, this is it," George started, dramatically.
"Our goodbye," Fred continued in the same tone.
Samantha rolled her eyes.
"We're going to miss you," George finished.
She brought them into a hug. "Guys, I'm going to see you soon."
They started to fake sob and a few people nearby gave them strange looks. She pulled away and walked over to Mrs. Weasley who was with Percy, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione.
Hermione bid everyone goodbye and left with her parents. Harry saw the Dursley's coming and said his goodbyes.
Samantha frowned at him and pulled him into a hug. "I wish you could stay with me."
Harry groaned. "Me too."
"But Dumbledore has his reasons," she added.
Harry shrugged and clutched the letter he was holding. "I guess."
"What's that?"
"Letter from Sirius, explaining a few things like that he was the one who gave me the Firebolt."
Samantha smirked. "Yeah, I was the one who sent in the order form."
Harry laughed. "He said that and he gave me a permission slip for Hogsmeade."
"That's great, no more sneaking around!"
A frown formed on Harry's face. "But it was so much fun."
"I'm sure next year will bring more sneaking around. It follows us everywhere," Samantha said with a laugh.
"True."
The two heard a noise from behind them and saw Mr. Dursley clearing his throat. Samantha turned back and pulled Harry into another hug. "I'll keep you updated, ok?"
"You better," Harry said and then left with the Dursleys.
Samantha said goodbye to the Weasley's and knew they were going to see her soon. Fred and George reminded her again about the Quidditch World Cup and Ron mentioned he reminded Harry. So that was something to look forward to.
Mrs. Weasley mentioned that Arthur wasn't there due to the buzz about Sirius Black. She wanted to talk about it with Samantha but knew they would get the chance after the trial.
She grabbed her trunk and owl cage and left King's Cross. She walked out of the station and down a few blocks to where Dumbledore instructed. He wanted her away from the usual hustle and bustle and then call the Knight Bus to Grimmauld Place. After what was revealed with Sirius, he told Dumbledore about his old house and how it would a good place to stay....regardless of how he felt.
It was hidden and probably forgotten about by his family and the other families as well. Plus it had a lot of rooms and Dumbledore thought it could come into good use.
There was a nearby alley way and that's when she raised her wand. Seconds later, the Knight Bus appeared and Samantha found herself face to face with Stan Shunpike again.
"You should really 'ave your own bed 'ere, Miss," Stan spoke as he picked up her trunk. "Where to then?"
"Grimmauld Place," Samantha spoke and handed Ernie a few Sickles.
Stan gave her a disgusted look. "That old street?"
Samantha nodded and smiled. "Yes, Sir."
The Knight Bus then jolted off down the street and into the heavy traffic that was London. Samantha petted Oaks through the cage and he nestled into her touch.
After about ten minutes, the Knight Bus turned a sharp corner and Samantha saw the familiar street sign read: Grimmauld Place.
A bright smile formed on her face. For the first time in a long while, it truly felt like she was going home. Even if the house was very grimy and used to house prejudice Pureblood maniacs, it was about the people currently living there and she had an inkling that Remus might be joining them.
The Knight Bus stopped in front of number thirteen. Samantha bid them goodbye and the Knight Bus took off down the street and out of sight. She faced the space in between number eleven and thirteen and smiled.
Samantha walked up the stoop and traced the space in between the two houses with her wand. Sirius told her that since she went inside the house with him, it should recognize her wand and let her through.
And sure enough, it did. The apartments were slowly moving away and was revealing number twelve. She walked back up the stoop and tapped the number twelve, like Sirius had done.
She grabbed the doorknob and turned. It clicked open and she pushed forward.
The house was not lit up and there was no longer the dusty smell. The walls and floors were still grimy, but it did feel a bit better.
"Sirius?" Samantha called out, hoping he was there.
She heard footsteps from the nearby staircase and saw a shadow start to appear.
Sirius Black appeared with a bright, welcoming smile. "Welcome home."
• • • • •
Aw yay! WE HAVE SUCH A CUTE FAMILY!
Did someone say the trial was the next chapter? Will we have a free Sirius Black?
OH MA GEEZ SO MUCH TO COME!!
AH can't wait!
Until next time, which might be Thursday, so keep a look out! 😎
<3 Sam