Deceiving Magic's Child

It was extremely crowded... bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar.

Ron blushed. He'd always had a crush on Madam Rosmerta.

"That's Madam Rosmerta,"... going slightly red.

George wolf whistled.

Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room... "Merry Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard.

Even the teachers smiled. They couldn't really blame Harry for wanting to enjoy the festive season with his friends.

Harry drank deeply... Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.

Minerva went white. She remembered what they had discussed that day at the pub. She had a sinking feeling that Potter most likely heard their conversation.

In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands... then turn and walk right toward him.

"That's bad luck," Remus said.

"No. It's not!" Mrs Weasley said angrily. "He should be caught. He's not safe."

Somewhere above him... hiding them from view.

"Very well done, Miss Granger," Flitwick said.

Staring through the dense lower branches... "Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.

Flitwick went slightly pink.

"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister. "... "Well, thank you very much, Minister. "

"Smarmy git," Ron muttered.

Harry watched the glittering heels... if he wanted to return to school tonight...

"Should have thought about that before sneaking out," Mrs Weasley said crossly.

Harry ignored her. Sirius wasn't so generous and gave the witch a glare.

Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch... checking for eavesdroppers.

"If he was worried about eavesdroppers he should have used some protective spells," Kingsley said, shaking his head in despair. 

Then he said in a quiet voice... Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.

Hagrid blushed. "I migh' have."

"Do you think Black's still in the area... "I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.

Amelia tutted. He shouldn't be talking about an active investigation like that.

"You know that the Dementors have searched... It's very bad for business, Minister. "

Everyone sat forward, paying attention to the book.

"Rosmerta, dear... he won't let them inside the castle grounds. "

Albus laughed. "Of course not."

"I should think not,"... teach with those horrors floating around?"

The other teachers nodded their agreement. It had been terrible. The poor students were in constant need for chocolate. They'd had to ensure every meal had extra chocolate for desert all year.

"Hear, hear!"... We all know what Black's capable of. . . "

"He thinks I'm worse than the dementors?" Sirius asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it,"... Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought. . .

Sirius felt some relief that someone struggled to believe it. He felt like everyone had just accepted he was evil without even stopping to think about it.

I mean, I remember him... "The worst he did isn't widely known. "

Minerva glanced at Harry. She was horrified that he'd heard this.

Harry caught her eye. "This is what always happens. You all refuse to tell me the truth and I find out in the worse way possible." He shrugged. To him at least, this was old news.

"The worst?"... What could possibly be worse?"

Everyone eyed Sirius, suddenly nervous. Sure, they'd heard he was innocent but what if there was more they didn't know.

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts... Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harry tried to keep his cool. His rage was intensifying. He didn't want to hear this again and what's more he didn't want Sirius to hear how he reacted.

Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked him.

"How didn't they realise that you were listening?" Tonks asked, shaking her head.

"Precisely,... could give 'em a run fer their money. "

George smiled proudly at that.

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"

"We practically were," Sirius said. "Not to mention we were distant cousins."

"Of course they were,"... You can imagine how the idea would torment him. "

"Funny isn't it," Harry growled. "How no one is willing to tell me the truth about my life, but they're perfectly willing to sit and gossip about it in the pub."

Minerva looked distraught. This was awful. She owed Potter an apology and by the looks on Hagrid's and Flitwick's faces they felt the same way.

"Because Black turned out to be in league... best chance was the Fidelius Charm. "

Harry laughed bitterly, glaring at the rat on the mantelpiece.

"How does that work?"... chooses to divulge it.

"The Potters were betrayed," someone muttered.

As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak... Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"No. I wasn't," Sirius said.

"We know, Sirius," Remus said soothingly.

"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. ... would die rather than tell where they were,

"And he was right," Sirius said.

that Black was planning... "He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.

"I knew there was a spy," Albus said with a sigh. "I just didn't know who it was."

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters... information to You-Know-Who. "

Sirius glared at Wormtail in his cage.

"But James Potter insisted... He had no choice but to run for it -"

Sirius growled, words lost to him.

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!"...  I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

Hagrid frowned, giving Sirius an apologetic look.

"Hagrid, please!"... Black argued, but in the end he gave in.

"Of course, I argued. I knew exactly what Petunia was like."

Told me ter take his motorbike... a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him.

"I'd already decided to go after Peter," Sirius said. "As soon as you refused to give me Harry, that's what I knew I needed to do. Revenge was all that was left."

"But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea.

"NEVER!" Sirius growled, clinging to both boys.

His bes' friends' son!... The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"

Sirius scoffed.

"Alas, if only we had,"... he went after Black himself. "

"More like I went after him," Sirius muttered.

"Pettigrew... She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.

Minerva looked a little green.

"There, now, Minerva,"... Blew Pettigrew to smithereens. . . . "

"I wish I had," Sirius said angrily.

Professor McGonagall blew her nose... I'd 've ripped him limb - from - limb," Hagrid growled.

Hagrid looked ashamed now.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid,"... A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below.

"Gotta admit, Peter surprised me with that one," Sirius said bitterly.

Bodies everywhere... - a few fragments -"

"A finger," Remus muttered.

Fudge's voice stopped abruptly...  the Order of Merlin, First Class,

"Not that he deserved it," Sirius muttered. "I went willingly too. But I still didn't get a trial."

which I think was some comfort... "Is it true he's mad, Minister?"

Sirius laughed. He was probably as mad as the rest of the Blacks.

"I wish I could say that he was,"... but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed.

"I stayed in my animagus form as much as possible," Sirius said with a shrug. "It helped."

He spoke quite rationally to me... Dementors outside his door day and night. "

"You asked for a newspaper?" Remus asked, his eyes crinkling.

Sirius shrugged. It hadn't happened yet but he could imagine it easy enough.

"But what do you think he's broken out to do?"... You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing. . .

"It's strange hearing Fudge talk about You-Know-Who as if he's not dead," Percy said.

"Yeah, he changed his tune quick enough," Minerva said bitterly.

but give him back his most devoted servant... back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall.

Minerva sighed. No wonder Potter didn't trust any of them. They'd failed him over and over again.

One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry... They were both staring at him, lost for words.

There was silence in the chamber. Everyone seemed unwilling to break it. Nervous almost that if they did, Harry would lose his cool. And none of them could really blame him if he did.