Making Plans
I’m trying to come up with a character from the books who will kill Umbridge, but I can’t think of anyone. Any suggestions? Give a reason for your idea.
Harry should show up in the next chapter if my muse cooperates. She’s a finicky bitch though.
Hphphp
“I think I hate myself right now,” Remus said as he finished the seventh book. Like Sirius he had gone through an excess of emotions. He must have gone through each and every emotion under the sun, and hate was high on that spectrum. How could he have done the things his future-self have done? What kind of Gryffindor was he? That he would leave his wife not once but twice? He left his newborn child. That and he was never there for Harry.
So, yeah, he was hating himself right about now. But that was what had happened in the books too. Maybe he should stop hating himself less and buck up and take control of his life. He needed to step up and be a man.
“It puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?” Sirius said, bringing Remus out of his thoughts, while putting down the fifth book, it being the tenth time he read it. “Looking at yourself from someone else’s eyes.”
He was still coming to grips with some of the things he had read about himself as well. Why did he run off to a tropical island when he needed to get his name cleared? Why did he live in a cave when this house was here? Why did he keep Buckbeak in this house, when no one was going to recognize one hippogriff? There were so many things that he did that just didn’t make sense.
“It really does. I never knew I was such a coward,” the werewolf stated, feeling glum. “I had better change my ways if I want a brighter future,” he added, putting the book back on the pile. He still wasn’t sure what he thought about this Tonks person. Then again, he hadn’t met her yet. She was very much younger than him.
“I know, I am,” Sirius agreed, also putting his book on the pile, and arranging them in order. “I’ve already decided not to follow Dumbledore, for one. And I’m going to do whatever it takes to clear my name. Harry isn’t going to fight this war alone if I have anything to say about it.”
“I agree,” Remus said, thinking of the last battle fought with mostly teenagers and a few adults.
“We need to fight fire with fire,” Sirius said, rubbing his chin in thought. “None of that stunner shite,” he added, remembering Albus’s rules of no killing.
“I agree with that as well. So, what next? I mean, what do we do with this information?” the werewolf wanted to know.
“First I think we should take an oath that we won’t share this with anyone we both don’t agree on,” Sirius said, getting his wand out to do just that.
“What? Why?” the confused man asked, not sure what the other man was being paranoid about.
“There are things in those books that no one should know about,” the dogman said, pointing to the pile. “The Deathly Hallows, the horcruxes, and what happened in Harry’s homelife,” he said, tapping his finger on the table as he named each one.
“With no one?” Remus asked questioningly. “We’ll need help. I have to teach, and you can’t do this alone,” he added, looking at his friend with concern.
“No one we both don’t agree to,” Sirius reiterated, knowing at least three people off the top of his head that he would never tell.
“I can agree to that,” the werewolf said, knowing some people he didn’t think needed to know either.
So, the two men took their vows to not tell anyone unless they both agreed.
“First off, no Dumbledore,” Sirius said, knowing that it would be a bone of contention between them. Remus always did have a blind spot for the headmaster. He never turned down missions, no matter how dangerous they were.
“I agree,” Remus said, shocking his friend. “He could have gotten you a trial. Either when you first were arrested or at the end of Harry’s third year.” He was still upset about that. All those years the man had spent in prison when Albus could have spoken for him.
“My feelings exactly. That, and he didn’t take care of Harry,” Sirius said, getting up to get the kettle. They had been reading for a long time with few breaks for refreshments.
“I think we should share these books with someone only mentioned in the books once or twice,” Remus said, also getting up but to get some sandwiches that Kreacher had made.
“Oh, who?” Sirius asked, putting the kettle on its privet in the middle of the table. He then went to get the teacups and sugar and cream.
“Amelia Bones. Tom Riddle killed her off for a reason,” his friend said, bringing the plate to the table.
“She’s the head of the DMLE?” Sirius asked, trying to remember what he had read about her. Like Remus had said, she was only mentioned a few times.
“Yes,” the werewolf said, retaking his seat.
“I agree,” Sirius said, and noted the name down on a piece of parchment.
“We should limit who reads them to as few of people as possible,” Remus said, picking up a ham and cheese sandwich and biting into it.
“No more than three,” Sirius agreed, trying to think who else would be helpful.
“Bill Weasley,” suggested Remus when he had swallowed.
“We could use a good curse-breaker, but how would we approach him? He’s in Egypt,” Sirius said as he noted the name down.
“Through the goblins,” Remus said, taking another bite. He hadn’t eaten much this last week.
“We need a heavy hitter,” Sirius said, looking a bit sheepish.
“Why?”
“There are some people that need to… disappear,” he said, still looking sheepish.
“You mean Umbridge,” Remus said, knowing who the man was talking about right away.
“Oh yeah,” Sirius agreed, “I can’t do it. Well, I could if pressed. To protect Harry I will, but I might mess it up. I’m not a professional killer,” he stated in defeat. He really wanted to take care of that evil woman, but he didn’t know if he could pull it off.
“Alastor?” was the tentative response.
“Maybe, but he’s too close to Albus,” Sirius said, tapping a finger on the table as he thought.
“I can ask Mundungus for some contacts,” Remus said, knowing the thief from before.
“Sure, do that. That would be our three,” Sirius said, not noting any other names down.
“So, now that we’ve got that down, what do we do about Peter?” Remus asked, ready to take care of that traitor. He would do it as soon as possible. He wanted Sirius cleared and free.
“You can get him on the train, unless you have a better plan,” Sirius said, taking a roast beef sandwich.
“I was thinking of going to the Leaky Cauldron and snatching him there,” the werewolf said, finishing off his sandwich. “I can do it in front of the Weasleys and Harry. That way it can’t be hidden like it was last time, in the future… I mean in the books.”
“Too many things were swept under the rugs in those books,” Sirius agreed, remembering all the things that Harry did with little to no recognition. He should have gotten an Order of Merlin first class for slaying the basilisk. Not some lousy school points and a special service award that he doesn’t even get to keep.
“I agree,” Remus said, pouring some tea in his cup. “One of them was your innocence,” he pointed out.
“Yeah,” Sirius said, morosely. Wasn’t that a kick in the teeth. Albus had two kids rescue him rather than stand up to the minister for him. The headmaster had stood for Snape, but not for him. And by sending Harry and Hermione, he showed that he knew that Sirius was innocent. Sirius hated that man for that.
“Once we get you free, can you get into your cousin’s vault?” Remus asked, knowing that would be the hardest horcrux to get to.
“I should be able too,” Sirius said, thinking hard on that. When he was free, he would be the last male Black of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. He should have some pull over Bella’s vault.
“We’ll need a curse-breaker for the shack, which is why I suggested Bill,” Remus said, sipping his tea.
“Yeah, I have the locket here,” Sirius pointed out, knowing he was going to have to talk to Kreacher sooner or later.
“The diary is done,” Remus said, ticking off the ones they had already said.
“You can get the diadem,” Sirius stated, lifting one of his fingers.
“The snake isn’t one yet, so that leaves Harry,” Remus said, his voice saddening.
“Yeah,” Sirius said, depression in his tone as well. They had no clue how to solve that one and neither of them wanted to kill Harry.
“We’ll worry about that later,” the werewolf stated, lowering his hand. “Do you want me to approach Bones or write her a letter?” he asked instead.
“Both?” was the suggestion.
“After Peter?”
“Yeah,” Sirius said, picking up the first book and opening it to the second chapter. He in no way wanted to read the first chapter again.
Hphphp
A few days later, Sirius came to another decision. “I want to hire that house elf, Dobby,” he said, out of the blue. It would be something nice that he could do for one of Harry’s friends.
“Why? That elf is crazy,” Remus said as he got ready to go and confront Peter. It had been over two weeks since he had been here, and the Weasleys were due to return today.
“Because he is Harry’s friend,” Sirius said, making up his mind. “Kreacher, come here,” he called out.
“Disgusting master is calling Kreacher?” the elf said, bowing low as he popped in.
“Find me the house elf Dobby,” Sirius ordered, wondering when he was going to get around to talking to this elf. He had been putting it off, and he didn’t understand why.
“As master says,” the elf said, snapping his fingers and popping away.
“Why haven’t you made peace with Kreacher now that you know his story?” Remus asked, straightening his jacket.
“You don’t know all the bullshit I had to put up with because of that elf,” Sirius said, thinking of his childhood. “However, I will today. When he gets back with Dobby. I’ll sit him down and talk with him,” he promised.
“I’m off to confront Peter,” Remus said, putting a hand on Sirius’s shoulder. “Hopefully, by the end of the day you’ll be a free man.” he then left the house.
It took Kreacher ten minutes to find Dobby and bring him to Sirius.
“What is bad Sirius Black wanting with Dobby?” the funny looking elf asked when he popped in. He was wearing colorful little boy’s clothes, with mismatched socks and sandals. There were socks on his ears.
“I’m innocent,” protested Black, holding his hands in the air in a nonaggressive manner. “I plan on proving it today,” he added, then squatted down to be elf height. “You’re Harry’s friend, right?” he asked, wanting to make sure he had the correct elf. It would also prove the books were true.
“Yes, Dobby is being Harry Potter’s friend,” the elf said, looking warily at the escaped convict.
“Great, I want to hire you,” Sirius said, clapping his hands together in a cheerful style. “I’m Harry Potter’s godfather,” he added as an incentive.
“What would Dobby bes doing?” Dobby asked, still wary of the man.
“Look around you,” Sirius said, waving his arms around in a grandiose way. “This place is a mess,” he added as if it weren’t obvious.
“Kreacher is a bad house elf,” Dobby said, looking at the decrepit old elf. “Yous is not bes doing yours job,” he pointed and shook his finger at the other elf.
“Bugger off,” Kreacher said as he shuffled off.
“Kreacher, wait, stay where you are,” Sirius ordered, then he turned back to Dobby. “I will pay you a galleon a week, with a day off a week,” he said, holding out his hand. He really hoped the elf took the job.
“Dobby accepts,” the elf said, shaking the hand. He was happy someone hired him on.
“Great, you can start any time. However, I need to speak to Kreacher, so start somewhere else,” Sirius said, and the elf popped away.
“What is nasty master needing to speak to Kreacher about?” Kreacher said, not having moved from his spot near the door.
“Come here,” Sirius said, pointing to a place in front of him.
Kreacher shuffled over and stood with his head hanging down. His eyes were glued to the floor.
“I know about Regulus. I know what you did, I know what he did. I know about his last order, and I know you have not completed it,” Sirius said in a bland tone. He wasn’t angry, but he really did not like this elf.
Kreacher stood there for a long time. Tears were falling down his face, dropping off his chin and on to the floor. “Kreacher tried,” he finally said, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Kreacher tried everything, but nothing worked. Kreacher is tired,” he said, his head still hanging low.
“Bring me the necklace. I will fulfill Reggie’s last request,” Sirius said in a kind voice.
“As master says,” the elf said, snapping his fingers and popping away. He returned seconds later with the necklace in hand.
“I’m going to lock this up. We’ll take care of them all at once. Don’t try and steal it back. I want you to put a little more effort into cleaning yourself and this house. And don’t give Dobby any grief,” Sirius said, going to the wall where there was a safe. He moved the picture of a snake and lamia and waved his wand in an intricate manner. The safe popped open and he put the necklace in among the rest of the family jewels. “That’s one down,” he said with a smile.
“Kreacher will do as master says,” the happier elf said as he shuffled away.
Sirius still disliked that elf, but he would try to treat him better.