章 1717: 6
Chapter 6
There was no warning when the news broke. It seemed to fall into everyone's laps. An escape from Azkaban.
A person that was assumed to be so deeply involved in Voldemort's inner circle that he wasn't even allowed to take the dark mark.
So evil a man that he was thrown in wizarding prison with no trial. With how they painted him it was a wonder that he only chose now to escape.
I do wonder how they thought he did it. Did he have help? Was there a person on the inside? Did the dementors break him out?
Maybe he built up enough of his magical core that he apperated. Only I knew at least for now.
With that knowledge came choices. To meet or not to meet with Sirius. At some point we would. I knew that much.
I was at a crossroads on the choice of when. I knew what my goals were by the end of the year.
Get the rat, make sure no students got kissed by dementors, and make sure Sirius meets the trio.
If I got the rat too early, there might not have been a chance for the last one to happen that I could orchestrate a fast enough bond.
Everything seemed to work out fine with my, let them do their own thing and only step in to lessen the danger method.
Things to keep an eye out for, time turner, Buckbeak, and dementors. Honestly, this year might be the easiest yet.
Remus had applied at the school. It was an interesting reaction from all the teachers. Some looked joyful at the prospect of having him back.
While Snape looked downright murderous. I respected what I knew of the man. However I don't think it would be a good idea.
He was the one who forgot to take his potion in the stories. He was the one who was the big threat aside from the soul suckers.
I didn't want him anywhere near my kids. Not any of them even the ones who might turn out to be terrible people.
One never knew, but for now they were innocent. However it became a non-issue.
It seemed the only thing we really had available to him would be Care of Magical Creatures.
While he did complete his education he had no OWLs or NEWTs in that class. His subjects already had people in the positions.
While I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't mind giving him the spot and have Hagrid take over on the weeks Remus would miss. The board wouldn't allow it.
They were very strict about how they were perceived. That was even without knowing Remus was a werewolf.
No Remus had no way into Hogwarts this year. At least he wouldn't fuck any of my plans up.
The news reports about Sirius were plastered everywhere. Even the news reports on the TV at Mom and Dad's showed his face.
It was really rare for a magical to make the news in both worlds. All Harry got was owls on the news when he sat there as a baby having been shot with a killing curse.
I didn't exactly know what Harry, Ron, or Hermione were specifically doing at this time.
I knew that Hermione was supposed to be in France. Ron was supposed to be in Egypt which set this whole year in motion. I also knew about Aunt Marge.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer person. I had my classes planned out well in advance this year.
By now my first year class was gangbusters. I knew what I needed done to get them to the proper level for the second year.
My second years who got to skip their first year exam. Would need heavy theory and written work. Practicals would be saved for more special occasions.
With how the year was going I had to make my third and fourth year classes heavy on the defensive side of spells.
I know they too got to skip their exams as well. However I knew that they would be up to the task of catching up properly.
My fifth years I had known them for quite some time. I knew a few of them would be in my NEWT classes next year.
After their OWLs there was no one in my Sixth year class. It seems most teachers were light on that year as well.
Sometimes a working class year formed on it's own. Some people had to do it, it just so happened they were in the same year.
The two Seventh Years would be graduating Percy would be head boy. Clearwater was smart Percy was smart.
I knew that they basically taught themselves. I'd be in class with them, but really I could just make it a self study class.
I had no worries. My main focus would be again on the trouble the golden trio would get into.
I waited in my usual spot. I watched as the students arrived, this time placed on each column was the screaming Sirius Black mugshot.
He was really going for it when he got that picture taken of him. A few of the muggle families seem to point or be distracted by the image of the mad looking man.
That's how I found the Grangers. I approached from behind them, "Scary looking man, eh?"
Mrs. Granger startled before turning around. Mr. Granger turned to greet me as well. They seemed to remember me from last time.
Not many magical people let alone just people that had pink hair. I did wear my green leather jacket this year. I wore a black button up shirt.
Some grey slacks and black dress shoes completed my whole outfit. The family looked me up and down.
"They don't say what his crimes were, just that he's dangerous."
I looked at the teen in our midst, "Why don't you go wait for Ron and Harry on the train Hermione."
"Are you sure?" She did not seem to want me to be talking with her parents. I tested out an idea.
"Don't worry I won't tell them about…"I paused looking for the reaction and she gave it,it was red alert signs all over her face, "all those detentions you've gotten she's clearly the bad girl of the school."
I noticed the relief on Hermione's face. She then went off to find a spot for the three of them.
Clearly she wasn't too keen on sharing her experiences from Hogwarts with her parents.
"She really is a good kid, I hope you don't mind my teasing."
"Not at all, it's nice to see some of the people looking after her have a good sense of humor." Mr. Granger smiled.
"Glad I have your approval, now as to what I wanted to talk with you both about."
"Is it really that bad?" Mrs. Granger asked.
"Well, I've done my research about the incident that landed him in the jail he escaped from and well, I've found no case files."
"That's strange, were they not filed?"
"I don't believe there was a trial to make case files."
"But that's a miscarriage of justice." Mr. Granger looked shocked.
"Apparently it was an open and shut case due to a confession where he was arrested."
"There have been false confessions before...at least in our world."
"Very possible because at the time they found him half mad, speaking to no one."
"My goodness, and they took a confession from a person in that mental state?" Mrs. Granger questioned covering her mouth.
"It was a strange time for the wizarding world, Hermione told you about that time period?"
"She told us about a civil war of sorts."
"Well think of the espionage of the cold war information was being stolen a lot so there was very little trust in one another."
"So they were quick to get everything back to a stable place." Mrs. Granger finished.
"That's my belief."
"We've definitely learned a few things, sometimes I wonder if Hermione isn't holding things back from us." Mr. Granger asked without asking.
Sadly for him I wouldn't divulge things like that, "I've also learned some things, about where she gets both her brains and beauty."
I let them go to do their own thing. It seems the rest of the Weasleys and Potter had snuck past me while I was chatting.
The conductor gave his "ALL ABOARD!" yell. With both hands in my pockets I jumped with one foot onto the train steps and walked onto the train.
I made my way down the train looking for the trio. I stopped in a compartment that held Ginny and made sure to check in on her.
I asked her how her summer had been. She told me that they'd gone on a trip to Egypt. She seemed much happier than the last time I'd seen her.
Which made sense, getting rid of a soul leech would do that to you. I then went back to looking for the three Gryffs.
I found them all talking with one another. When I opened the door they stopped their conversation immediately.
"Don't stop talking on account of me being here." I sat down in between Hermione and Ron as Harry seemed to be leading the conversation before.
"Well we were just talking about...Ron's trip to Egypt, go on show her the paper Ron" Harry instructed.
"Yeah okay." Ron pulled out the paper with his family on it.
"Ah, I've already seen it, hung it right up in my office."
"Really?" Ron asked.
"No, why would I have other people's families in my office, that's creepy if you ask me."
Ron nodded sullenly, "Well it was a fun trip."
"I'm sure." I then gestured to Hermione, "Just as sure she enjoyed her trip to France."
"You talked about France with them?" Hermione asked me.
"They couldn't stop talking about how much fun you had."
"You didn't tell them about anything did you?"
"Do you mean about…" I swirled my finger upward indicating magic, "No, I picked up what you were putting down."
"Did you talk about anything else?"
"Just about Sirius Black."
"You talked with my parents about Sirius Black?"
"Yup, I think that's one of the reasons I sent you away."
"You went from talking about a murderer, to talking about my trip to France?"
"Well I didn't tell them about the murders."
"Murders as in plural?" Harry asked.
"Oh right, you don't know." I scratched my forehead.
"Know what?"
"About what happened with Sirius Black." I then made a thinking face, "Let's try and make this as easy to digest as possible."
"Go on."
"Right, do you remember my Mom's maiden name?"
"I had forgotten, it's Black right?"
"You're related to Sirius Black?" Both Hermione and Ron asked.
"Yeah, forgot I only told one of you." I looked at Harry, "Why didn't you tell them Harry?"
"It didn't feel important until now."
"Typical, well yes on my Mothers side I'm related to Sirius Black."
"Did you know him?" Ron asked.
"I doubt it, wasn't your mom kicked out from the Black family?" Harry told Ron then asked for confirmation.
"You are correct she was kicked out, however I do remember seeing the man but once."
"What did you think about him?" Hermione jumped in.
"He looked like a well put together man, he asked why my parents weren't helping with the order."
"Isn't your dad a muggleborn though?" Harry asked.
"Yes, but I think he was talking about the Order of the Phoenix."
"The what?" Hermione asked.
"My Mom talked about the order they opposed you-know-who."
"Why would Sirius be asking to help the enemy?" Harry went back to asking.
"Well he was one of the members." I informed the three.
"Wasn't he one of Voldemort's staunchest supporters?"
"That's where it gets murky, people say he was a spy for Voldemort."
"A spy?" Hermione looked intrigued.
"Yeah, that he was waiting to betray the order, then after Voldemort died he was in public where he exploded a street filled with muggles."
Hermione gasped. Harry looked a little green. Ron chose to ask more questions, "So he just blew up a street and waited to be caught?"
"Well he didn't just blow up a street, he blew up one of the people he went to school with another member of the order."
"Who?" Harry asked.
"Peter Pettigrew, the only thing they found of him was a finger." Lighting flashed outside my window. This weather really was making this story impactful.
Ron definitely looked sick now. I eyed up the rat in his lap. Crookshanks did too.
"Okay so he blows everyone up and just waits there to be arrested?" Harry asked.
"They say he was laughing saying it was my fault, or something like that."
"Blimey!" Ron exclaimed.
"It feels like something is missing." Hermione sounded puzzled.
"There might be." The cabin looked at me with confused faces, "I've only told you stuff I know from what my Mom and Dad told me when I was a kid."
"That's a lot of information to give to a child."
"We have a bit of a family history when it comes to that kind of thing, Mom didn't pull punches when telling me about the things that her family did."
"There's more?"
"The Black family is a dark one, my mother had two sisters." I put up two fingers, "The Eldest was Bellatrix Black."
"Bellatrix Black!" Ron cried.
"You know her?" Hermione asked Ron.
"She tortured Neville's mom and dad to insanity, they're still in Saint Mungo's."
"She's done that and a lot worse." I pulled down the other finger, "Then there's Narcissa Black, now Malfoy."
"You mean Draco's mom?" Harry asked to confirm.
"It's why I call him cousin." I then thought for a second, "Sirius would be my mother's cousin he had a brother but he went missing."
"If Sirius was from a Dark family how did he get into the order."
"I think he was a Gryffindor like you lot." I waved at them.
"You've proven you're not defined by your house to us before I guess this is just another example." Hermione reasoned.
It was for the wrong person but correct. Then Ron asked an important question, "Harry may have defeated v-Voldemort, but why is everyone so sure he's after Harry."
"He's after Harry?" I reeled back my head in fake shock, "Is that why the Ministry has been all over Hogwarts, meddling with their dementors."
"They've brought dementors to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Well it's the first time someone's broken out of Azkaban before, so the Ministry want to look like their doing something."
"Why do you say it like that?" Hermione asked. Still so trusting of our government, that would need fixed.
Then the train screeched as it started to come to a halt. The lights in the compartment went out. Ron looked out the window he told us he saw some people get on the train.
Then the room started to drop is degrees rapidly. The window started to freeze over. Everyone's breath left vapors in the air.
Then a dementor came by our compartment. It lifted it's skeletal hand and the door opened on its own.
The dementor made its way inside and just as Harry started reacting to the dark creature I made my move.
A white blue glowing butterfly came out of my wand as I cast expecto patronum. The small winged insect drove the fowl beast back as it fluttered after the fleeing dementor.
The flying patronus then forced the dementor off the train where the power to the train kicked back on and warmth returned to the room.
In front of the three of us, along with Crookshanks and Peter Harry passed out on the train seat.
I got up from my seat and checked the train for any more unwanted passengers. I reassured each cabin I passed as I made my way to the trolley to buy a lot of chocolate bars.
I got about 5 bars and walked back to the compartment keeping an eye out for others deeply affected by the soul sucker.
One compartment was filled with first years I gave them a bar to spread amongst them.
No one else seemed to be as affected as Harry was so I made my way back to the trio where Hermione was trying to wake Harry.
As soon as he came to I instructed him to eat a piece of chocolate. After eating it color came back into his skin.
I then took off to check on the rest of the workers on the train to make sure they were okay.
When I went to the back to get the chocolate everyone seemed fine there so I made the front of the train my priority.
There was one other affected person it seemed. He was more affected because when the train suddenly stopped he had hit is head.
It allowed the draining to be more severe because of his weakened mental state. I made sure to get him to the other workers for healing and first aid. I also gave him a full bar.
When we came into the station I made my way out and made sure each student got into a carriage.
That's when I noticed. I could see the thestrals pulling the carriages. I had seen a death and I didn't even realize it at the time.
Did I need therapy for something like that, had I not taken my time this year would I even think about this?
What about Lockhart? Did I really go after him hard because he was a bad person, or was it the fact that I was going through something even I didn't know was affecting me.
What was wrong with me that I didn't feel anything? He turned to ash right there in front of me and Harry.
How did Harry deal with it? He didn't have anyone to talk with and he turned out fine. A little rough around the edges at point but fine.
I heard Draco tease Harry about his interaction with the dementor. "20 points from Slytherin." I said with nothing behind my voice.
"What, but that-" Draco tried but I held up my hand.
"Don't speak." something must have really put him off, "Had it not been, Mr. Potter who else might have had to suffer a dementor sucking on their soul?"
"Professor-"
"No, I don't think you understand how close one of your fellow students came to becoming what would amount to a husk with no will to live."
Draco's face changed into something that looked like regret, "Sorry Professor, it won't happen again."
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." His eyes seemed to widen when I just walked away from him.
I hopped into one of the carriages and made my way into the castle. I sat down next to Sprout and Pomfrey.
"Are you and Severus fighting dear?" the mediwitch asked me.
"What?" I shook my head, "No."
"Well it's that this is the first time you've sat so far away from him."
"That is true."
"You look dreadful, and pale."
"M'fine" I tried to shift into a better looking color.
"No something is clearly wrong, I heard about the dementor and the train you were involved weren't you."
"Have you had any mood swings?" I shrugged, "Have you got any chocolate on you?"
I nodded, and pointed at my coat pocket. "Go on and have a couple bites, you may be our defense teacher but you have no real experience with these things."
After getting a few bites down the world seemed to clear up just a bit. What the hell was that.
I had never felt like...that kind of nothing before. I didn't care about most things really. I was on autopilot for the most part.
I had lost my sense of self. I knew one thing for certain I never wanted to feel anything like that again.
Time seemed to catch up with me. I looked over at the Slytherin table. Draco was looking down at his food.
I looked at the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione seemed to be fine. While I didn't pass out like Harry clearly dementors had some sway over me.
A theory formed in my head. Maybe I had two souls in not the same way as Harry did.
The one I brought with me from my other life, and the one that already existed inside this body.
At some point the sorting had happened. Astoria had joined her sister in Slytherin. I didn't know anyone else.
Dumbledore introduced Hagrid as a Professor for Care of Magical Creatures. He also told the students about the ministry stationing dementors around the school to find Sirius.
I zoned out for most of the meal eating my chocolate. I looked over at Snape, who seemed to be brooding by himself.
This year might actually be worse than I thought it would be. I started to rethink my plans.
At lunch the next day Draco had his arm in a bandage. I thought now would be a good time to speak with him.
"Little Cousin." I spoke from behind, he was sitting with Pansey, Crabe, and Goyle, "I think we need to have some words."
"We may be related by blood, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't be so familiar with me Professor."
"Very well, we still need to speak."
"Ugh, fine." Draco walked with me as I took him to another more quiet place in the Great Hall.
"Firstly I would like to apologize how I may have treated you on the first day, I still meant what I said however I could have handled it better as a teacher."
"Yeah, I understand why." He rolled shoulder with his bandaged arm. I rolled my eyes at his mistake, "You really drove that point home, other students informed me of what happens with them."
"As long as you realize and have learned then I must reward you with 5 points."
"Thank you, Professor."
"Also I'll ignore the fact that you moved your arm earlier without a tinge of pain."
"Damn."
"Such language, as long as you don't take this too far, I won't say anything."
"He really is a menace of a bird."
"You don't think I know what happened?"
"Fine, I'll ask father to show leniency for the big chicken."
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." I turned around and started to walk away.
"Goodbye, big cousin."
I turned back and smiled, "You really shouldn't say that as a student it might show over familiarity and they might think I give you an advantage because you're family, I will only accept being called Professor."
He looked like his brain had disconnected from the rest of his body. I then left him like that, "Goodbye, little cousin."
Friday September 3rd was the first class I had with the third years. I stole everything I could from Remus' class including bits from the movie.
I took the trapped boggart from the staff room and brought it to my classroom. I took out my magic record player I had received and put a personal record in.
Looking around my classroom it looked just slightly different to the one I remember seeing in the movie.
My class clearly had little little interesting knickknacks hung on walls or gifts from Bill placed around the room.
The biggest difference was I had a new Jör. After our little escapade in the chamber I thought about how much of a waste it was to just leave the giant snake there.
So I cut off the head of the basilisk with a bit of neck and skinned it. I drained most of the venom into a jug which I would gift to Severus.
I cleaned and dried out the skull of the snake making sure to take off a few teeth. Which I stored safely away in a secret place. My vault.
The skin I brought to a specialty clothes shop. I had to fulfill my coat 'fetish' that Snape told me I had.
It would be finished at least by Christmas time. I so looked forward to the dark black snakeskin custom fit duster. 'mmmmm'.
So there he was to the left of the stairs going into my office of my classroom I hung the basilisk skull for it to watch over my classes.
It made a nice replacement of the old dragon bones I used to have. My classroom really had been missing them.
The reactions had been of course priceless. Harry and Ron had walked into the class and upon seeing the school looked to me.
Their faces asking if I really did treat the giant basilisk like an ornament. A snicker from me made Harry facepalm and Ron throw up his hands in exasperation.
Class truly started and I asked what a boggart was. Hermione gave a perfect answer, after what felt like coming from nowhere.
Draco was out of a cast. Seems that he had stopped milking the injury. He had also told me that he was doing his best to calm his father down.
I brought Neville forward and asked what he was afraid of, "Professor Snape" was his reply.
"You are right to be afraid his nose is registered as a deadly weapon, it killed one of the first students he taught."
The classroom laughed at my insult to my co-worker. "Now think of your grandmother's clothes."
I then moved behind him as I pulled out my wand. "If you have that image in your mind I want you to say Riddikulus."
Neville nodded and I unleashed the boggart from the wardrobe. Out came Snape and when he got close Neville cast the charm.
Snape was then in a pair of old looking clothes making the class once again see Snape in a worse light.
I stepped toward my record player and put the needle on. Roundabout by Yes played through the horn.
"Next?"
Ron made the boggart transform into a spider then made it funny by making it wear roller skates.
Hermione stepped up and it turned into McGonagall calling her a failure and saying she should have never trusted her. It was turned into McGonagall giving her an award.
I got Draco to stand in front of the boggart. His father stood there berating him all of Harry's accomplishments weighted against his.
I softly reminded him to cast the charm. When Draco cast the Riddikulus charm it turned into me coming out of Lucius' form and laughing.
I looked at the boggart clone of me it was really good on details. Then Harry stepped up after a pause it turned into a dementor.
I jumped in front of Harry, I needed him to come to me for private lessons. Simple as that.
What I didn't expect was my boggart to change over the years. It used to be my Mom yelling at me telling me I wasn't really her little girl, that she didn't know me.
However, that had changed slightly instead of my pleasant looking mother with nice green robes it had worn a black spidery dress.
She was gaunt with concave cheeks. She had long unkempt nails and had terrible diseased teeth.
What I was looking at was an out of Azkaban Bellatrix Lestrange. She cackled her signature laugh. "Hello little Nymphadora, you're all grown up now." She pointed at me.
"You have turned out like a proper Black, you're just like the rest of us, just like me." She gave a smile through all her rotten teeth.
I pointed my wand at the boggart and cast riddikulus. Bellatrix had turned into a more filled out form she wore an apron and held out a brown paper bag and told me to have fun at school.
The brown bag had a note on the front that had a heart and just below that it said 'Auntie Bella'.
I had a deep throaty chuckle bordering on my own Bellatrix like cackle before banishing the thing back into the wardrobe and locking it tight.
"Well, that was fun." I looked at the class who looked confused as to what happened. Harry was still stunned from me stepping in front of him.
Hermione had a thoughtful look on her face. I picked Draco out of the crowd he seemed slightly worried. If only he knew.
"Hermione I'd like a word, the rest of you are dismissed." I spoke to my class, "Also write me an essay on boggarts due the 7th."
After the rest of the students filed out, Hermione approached me. "You wanted to speak Professor?"
"I just wanted to inform you that, I've noticed your new addition to your wardrobe." I then gestured to my neck indicating a necklace, "As much time as you have I do recommend you drop a few of your extra classes."
"I just feel like I should-"
"Trust me, at least drop the two I recommend that you drop."
"What are they?"
"Muggle Studies" She started to hiss at me, before I raised an eyebrow, "I also want you to drop Divination."
I then made a motion for her to speak, "I wanted to see what the wizarding world teaches about Muggles, and what they might think of them."
"Well the information is terribly out of date and condescending you do not want to waste your time or burn out because of that class."
"Well Divination-"
"Divination is an easy E, with a bit of effort and O." I made a face, "You aren't the type to go for that, you also don't accept bullshit when you see it."
She looked shocked at my swearing I continued, "You are either born with the ability to perceive the future or you are not, it is a nonsense class that underachievers take that is not you."
She looked both cross and pleased with the praise and reprimanding tone I had. I then dismissed her to make her choice.
It felt like these years got longer and longer. Maybe they just got more complicated. The next day at dinner Snape asked me why students seemed to be laughing at him behind his back.
I told him that I was teaching my third year class about boggarts and he happened to be a star.
Snape left the table that night with a pep in his step. Sometimes I think he really hated children. To be proud of being ones biggest fear.
Halloween had come, before it everything was going smoothly. I got to hang out with Harry while everyone else got to go to Hogsmeade.
Classes were going very well. Only one injury from spell crossfire. Ginny seemed to get over her fear of the giant snake head hanging from the ceiling.
As it turned out, the basilisk kinda scared some children mentally. Especially those that had encountered and been petrified by it. Hermione seemed fine with it.
I guess it would be a good way to help some students get over a bit of fear when it came to dark creatures like it.
Getting back on track it was Halloween. The pattern of things going wrong at this time of year didn't seem to be holding up.
It turned out I had just forgotten a very major and kind of terrifying event. Sirius had snuck into the castle to try and get into the Gryffindor dorm.
He had slashed the hell out of the Fat Lady's painting and scared the piece of art half to death.
All the students were made to sleep in the Great Hall while we all looked for Black. No one had been able to find him.
I didn't really give an attempt knowing that he'd be out of the castle and probably know of more ways in and out than any of us did.
I told the teachers as much, he really knew the castle a lot better than most of us teachers. Snape seemed to reluctantly agree with that idea.
Poor Harry was treated like fine china. He was watched and protected from all angles. Not a hair on his head would be harmed while some of the teachers and prefects were there.
I think Harry started to enjoy Snape's attitude toward him. I made sure to keep my distance and let him come to me if he really needed me help.
I did not teach about werewolves, they would come later in the year like usual. There was no reason to change my syllabus.
I did not go to the quidditch match. This year, first off it was Hufflepuff against Gryffindor and as much as I'd like to support some of my students I still didn't care.
I also knew that Harry would be safe with Dumbledore there to keep an eye on him. Especially with the dementors about.
I later heard about the fall and the win by Hufflepuff. Cedric won the game beating Harry Potter.
I also heard about the smashed broom and remembered a schism that would happen because of a delivery. I made a note to try and pay attention for that moment.
After Harry was let out of the Hospital Wing to rejoin classes he asked me about why dementors seemed to cause him to pass out.
I told him it was all in memories. The more bad memories you had the more terrible the pull the dementors had on them and the person's soul.
He told me he heard a woman screaming. That he thought it was his mother.
I said it was possible that the dementors were pulling and unraveling a subconscious memory from when he was only a baby.
He asked me about training him to cast a patronus. I said I would right away, this year would definitely be a cause to learn ahead in class.
He picked up on the basic concept fast. There wasn't much to teach. He seemed shocked at the fact that a NEWT level spell was as simple as it was.
I explained that I was teaching him one that would drive a dementor away and wouldn't be as taxing or require as pleasing a memory.
I told him that because it requires a fond memory that most people don't have that ability to pick specific moments and stay on them.
I told him there really was nothing else for me to teach him about. That the memory searching would be on him and him alone.
He made a joke about how it might be easier to make new good memories if he could get into Hogsmeade.
I told him that I wish teachers could sign their permission slips however we were blocked off from doing so.
I did however give him a few hints. I reminded him about the fact that Sirius Black got in somehow and that there might be a few ways out.
He asked if I was telling him to sneak out. I told him I remember him sneaking out without my permission before.
I then reminded him about the fact that he was being watched and protected like new hatched baby bird.
He seemed to deflate all at once. Teenagers and their volatile mood swings and all that.
For my birthday this year I received from Bill an overly charmed box. It was full of softening charms and written all over the box were warnings of its fragility.
I opened the protected box to find a ship in a bottle. After pulling it out and examining it I saw why he sent it to me.
Inside was a ship I didn't know the history of but the note that came inside the box said it was a lost ship from an ancient time.
Inside the bottle were magical weather charms that made it constantly rain inside the bottle with tiny thunderstorms. The ship was floating on top of a mini body of water.
The waves looked rough but the ship aside from age looked to be in well kept shape. I thankfully didn't find anything living inside the bottle. I had to cast the proper spells to check.
It made another very cool addition to my classroom. I didn't get anything from anyone else so I waited for the christmas presents later.
During the weekend before Christmas break I was visited by a distraught Harry.
"Did you know?" Harry looked a bit manic.
"I know a few-" I tried to break the tension of the question.
"Did you know about the fact that Sirius Black betrayed my parents."
"I'll be honest and say that I think most people actually know, it was reported about in depth at the time."
"Why did you lie to me, why did you lie to all three of us pretending like you didn't know." He started pacing, "Pretending like you didn't skip over the most important part to me."
"I won't say I was doing it to protect you." He looked stunned at the admission, "I didn't tell you three because the timing wasn't right."
There was truth behind my words, Harry clearly picked up on it, "What do you mean the timing wasn't right?"
"I mean, that this year would be a very complicated one for you." I paused, "Some of this information shouldn't come all at once, it needs to be processed and digested."
"So you would have told me later, when the timing was right?"
"Yes, had you not dug into it or found out more I would have told you every detail that I could."
"You wanted me to find out on my own."
"Well yes, I left part of the story out so that you would spend time looking into things." I shrugged, "I admit I'm selfish, I wanted you to find out on your own so that I wouldn't have to tell you at all."
"Did you plan for this, for me to find out and then tell me that you knew the whole time?"
"No, I was planning on acting surprised and we could put things together much like second year."
"Is there anything else you are keeping from me about Sirius Black?"
"Yes."
"Then tell me no more waiting for me to figure it out on my own, I just want to know!"
"I have a theory, that he didn't betray anyone or blow up anyone."
"...what?"
"It was only from the digging I did this year alone, but a few things didn't add up."
"Everyone thinks he did it for years, how come you look into it and suddenly you see room for doubt."
"There are no newspaper, no records, and no trials recorded, of Sirius Black ever receiving a proper hearing."
"He didn't have a trial?" Harry looked knocked off center, before going back to his mindset, "He admitted that he did it."
"Yes, however the fact that there was no trial alone makes me question a lot of things."
"I don't understand."
"If he was the right hand of Voldemort how come he didn't get a trial where he had the possibility of getting off."
"You mean like Malfoy."
"Yes, I could be wrong." I shrugged, "Bellatrix got a trial and admitted to the things she did."
"But you think that there is room for doubt with Sirius Black."
"Bellatrix fought back against her captors she tried to flee from her crimes."
"I don't know if I believe it, but…" Harry left the room, "Damn it."
They were the last words I heard from Harry until Christmas.
That Christmas morning letters and gifts were coming to some of the stay at school students.
Some also came for the teachers. It was the first Christmas morning I spent outside of my room.
I needed the get the timing right. So while I waited for the firebolt to arrive I opened my gifts.
From Dumbledore I got a bag of Starburst. That was a nice treat. From Flitwick I received some artwork of some werewolves traveling in a pack.
That would go in my classroom. From Charlie I got a set of dragon claws. They were quite big and sharp.
From Mom and Dad I got my Dad's old records that my Mom didn't want in the house anymore.
From Hermione which was a shock, I received an English to French dictionary. That was a nice thought but I was never going to read it.
Ron also got me a present. It was a Chudley Cannons flag. For a person that doesn't like the sport I enjoyed the idea of supporting the worst team in the league.
I looked for Ron when he met my eyes I waved the orange flag. He gave me a grin and a thumbs up.
That's when I saw the owl carrying the broomstick shaped package. It had no note and was wrapped as simply as possible.
I walked down from the table to the students talking about said broomstick.
"You don't even know who it's from there's no note!" Hermione informed the boys, "It could even be a jinxed broom from Sirius Black."
"Wrong Black Ms. Granger." I spoke to the table, "Well that only works if I have the last name Black." I put a finger to my chin in fake thought.
"You sent Harry the firebolt Professor?" Ron asked.
"Well I heard about the tree smashing your broom Harry so I thought it best if I got you a replacement."
"That was nice of the Professor Harry." Hermione tried to get Harry to thank me.
"If I knew you two would get me something I'd think of something to give you two."
"There's no need Professor Tonks." Hermione said at the exact same time Ron said, "I'd love to get and O on an assignment."
Hermione glared at Ron who looked a little sheepish but hopeful. I laughed.
"How about an E on an essay on werewolves that's coming in the next semester."
Hermione switched her glare to me, "You can't just let him have an E on an essay."
"I'm sure he'd do well enough anyway, Harry is smart enough to help him when needed." I pointed from Harry to Her, "And I know that if he didn't do proper research you'd get him up to an E anyway."
Hermione's mouth tightened then crossed her arms, "I also took your advice after a month of both I knew you were giving me sound advice."
"Good, you shouldn't let that brain go to waste on things it could be better spent on."
I then left the three. I thought of a present to get Hermione. I also thought of the reaction Snape had after receiving a large jug of basilisk venom.
After the celebrations Harry came to see me in my office. "I know you didn't get me the firebolt."
"Figured that out didn't do, has Hermione?"
"No, she doesn't think you lie."
"Ouch."
"I appreciate you covering for me and allowing me to keep it, are you sure it isn't dangerous?"
"Trust me when I say that any mail sent to you specifically is monitored triple times over."
"Why?"
"One you're Harry Potter." He seemed to get that, "Two Sirius Black is out and people think he's trying to kill you."
"Right…" Harry made a face like he'd just forgotten the trouble with this year.
"Yeah, you should be fine."
"Thank you again for covering for me, Professor Tonks."
"You're welcome, Harry." As he turned to exit my office I stopped him, "By the way how'd you figure it out?"
"You hate Quidditch." Harry spoke as if anyone didn't already know, "Plus you wouldn't have gotten the the firebolt if you got me a broom, you'd probably get a Silver Arrow."
"Jokes on you then, I happen to be a Cannons fan starting today." Harry laughed right at me, "Don't laugh, also I don't even know what that is, I'd just ask the shopkeeper for the best broom for a seeker."
"Never set foot in a broom shop, you'd be robbed blind." Harry warned me before taking his leave.
I think we were square with each other now. He might always remember but I hoped he could forgive me when Sirius cleared himself with Harry.
January the students that left came back, school started again. It flowed into February quite well.
Sirius was now kissable on sight. Wait, what was it? He was sentenced to be kissed. Well that's not too bad. Oh by a dementor.
That wasn't great at all, that's how they get your soul. No one likes not having a soul. Even Voldemort had like 7 technically.
Umbitch didn't have a soul so I don't think she would miss it. A fate I think I would be fine wishing on her.
Harry dropped by to ask what a dementors kiss was, he was obviously confused. As his DADA teacher I informed him of the husk that remained after someone was kissed.
It was pretty much a death penalty but with the twist of you still technically being alive. So more of a coma penalty without the sleep.
I heard Harry succeeded in his pursuit of casting an incorporeal patronus during a quidditch match against Ravenclaw.
I then heard there were no dementors to have used it on just some Slytherins playing a prank to throw off Harry's game.
I inquired if Draco had participated with hopes he had not. He had not, but it still lost Slytherin 50 points.
Well I'm sure Harry appreciates it in his own way. He got the spell down and won Gryffindor the game anyway.
In less fun news tensions were high between Ron and Hermione. I knew it was because of a pet stand off or something like that.
Peter wasn't even a rat so, Hermione wins by default. See I solved their problem easy.
Oh wait I couldn't tell them about Peter because Sirius needs to make his move. Then things would be over and done with.
Then on Sunday right before we could say that we made it five weeks another incident occurred.
Sirius had broken into the Gryffindor dorms without anyone being the wiser. Mainly because he didn't force his way win.
Neville as it turned out had lost his list of passwords to the common room. So we now know how he got in.
Going back to the break in though, it seems he snuck into the third year dorms and brandished a knife at Ronald Weasley.
This made both the ministry and school board very uncomfortable for fair reasons. They increased security even more with the addition of security trolls.
Flitwick was using the paintings to report any sightings of Sirius Black.
If I can say one this about my new life teaching here is that it was never this exciting when I went to school.
I said as much to Snape who told me it was because I didn't break any rules. He told me I was a goody two shoes until 7th year where I was pretty much guaranteed this job.
He said it was very Slytherin of me to pull of hiding how much of a pain I was.
A howler dropped at Neville's plate as soon as it started giving out I pointed my wand from the head table and cast Silencio.
When I was given looks from everyone that was at breakfast I gave me reasoning, "She was subjecting us to her yelling as much as Mr. Longbottom."
I found public derision a bit messed up. Especially when it was an honest mistake when it came to the changing rules.
"A bleeding heart through and through." Snape snorted.
Before the last week of February a painting had run into my room, "Someone is skulking around in the hallways, he doesn't look like Sirius but maybe that's how he gets in!"
I did not remember this event at any point. I hoped it was just a student out of bed. Not some kind of other attempt that came about due to my actions.
I followed the painting as it ran down the hall making sudden turns and appearing on the other side of a gap.
Then I saw a black robed figure with a light coming out of the tip of their wand. I cast my own Lumos spell to further light up the hall.
The figure turned around at my sudden appearance, "Oh, it's just Snape." I turned to the painting who was watching the situation, "When you said someone was skulking I was much more worried."
"Not him." the painting corrected me, "Him!" She said pointing her finger at the smaller figure behind Severus.
I knew that unkempt hair and set of glasses anywhere. I suddenly recognized this situation, it was definitely from the movie. Did I have other moments like this?
I didn't notice, it was definitely possible all things blended together at some points.
What kind of reality was I in that had a mix of the two. In any case I had a job to do.
"Severus what are you doing here?" I asked the potions master.
"I was patrolling the area, when I came across Potter here." he said gesturing with his wand.
"Patrolling?" I questioned, "I don't think Dumbleore assigned anyone to patrols."
"He didn't, I'm doing this on my own time."
"Wow, glad to see you're doing your best to find and stop Sirius Black."
"Yes, now back to the boy." Snape turned his back to me, "Turn out your pockets."
"Hey, did he give a reason why he was out here at night?"
"He refused to give me a real reason, he said he was sleepwalking."
"I was-"
"Don't lie to me Potter!"
"Woah, slow it down you two!" I stepped in between the both of them, "Now I'm sure you want to get back to patrolling as soon as you can."
"Don't let him get away with this." Snape seemed incessant.
"I won't, Potter you'll be coming with me to my office." I then nodded to Snape, "Keep safe."
"I'll be fine, I have more experience dealing with these things than you." Snape then turned on the spot seeming to go back to his patrol.
"Thank you Professor" Harry spoke.
"Don't thank me yet, I was serious march!" I waved my hand back to my classroom.
I made him walk in front of me back into my office. I made him sit down in one of the chairs and walked around to stand above him.
"What were you doing out after dark without your invisibility cloak?"
"I forgot it, I was trying to find something." Harry tried to explain.
"Well you found Severus, congratulations."
"He found me!"
"I think I do need to check your pockets this time, Snape is usually right about this stuff." I gestured toward his body, "The man has a 6th sense for students misbehaving."
Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map and held it out for me to grab which I did. "A map?"
I pulled it open inside was a blank page. "It's a Joke map I bought from Zonko's."
"What's the joke that it isn't a map?"
"Yeah."
"What a strange joke, well I'm going to go ahead and confiscate this."
"What?"
"I also need to take away 25 points for being out of bed after dark especially after the scare with your best friend remember that?"
"But…" Harry seemed flummoxed, "You never act like this when there's other trouble."
"That may be, however you were by yourself this time with a possible murderer after you."
"I would have been fine." Harry seemed a bit beat down.
"If you had your cloak maybe or someone watching your back, I'm still a teacher first even if I do let you get away with some things I know that you have two people that care about you to have your back."
"You're right Professor, I shouldn't have gone out without planning ahead."
"I'm glad you've learned to be mindful about this stuff, keep in mind even with the cloak you can still be found by other means."
"Are you sure I can't have my map back, I spent my money on it."
"You can get it back by the end of the year, it's a novelty item anyway, it'll be fine with me."
"Okay Professor." Wow he didn't tell me about the map, good for him.
"Now get back to your dorm and take this note in case you run into anymore lurkers."
I grabbed a piece of paper near me scrawled on it and gave it to Harry and sent him to bed. Well now I had a map that could track everyone.
This is so much easier to keep up with events with. I need to ask Remus and Sirius when I get the chance to make another one of these.
School continued as normal through the rest of February. March also had nothing of note though the case against Buckbeak had slowed down.
I'm glad Draco was able to talk his father down from initially riling him up. April continued the trend of being nice and relaxing.
May is when I went to my yearly Slytherin vs Gryffindor rivalry match. It would be a game to decide who walked away with the cup.
I went. I already made it a trend for myself to show up to at least one game. It also happened to be the same grudge match I showed up for every year so far.
Here is my own commentary on the match. They flew around green student I couldn't recognize from down here slams into red. A whistle gets blown. Red gets a free shot.
They score. Harry I could recognize by the broom that had the pointy bits. Sped up in the air and held his hand up. He got the snitch game over. Gryffindor gets the cup.
After May came June. Let me tell you it was gloomy. Exams were here, my two Seventh years passed their practical with flying colors.
I think this was my best Fifth year class so far where most of the class had passed their owls. A fair number would be going into sixth year with me.
It was nice to know I had that class with more people this time. It was sad to see how much space was wasted on how cool my new room was.
The third year exams went very well. I felt that a few of my students had come out of their shells the most this year.
It was amazing watching them, I hate to use the word but I will anyway, bloom. They really were teenagers now.
Going from tiny children to kind of lanky, unbalanced, uncomfortably hormonal teens. The angst might be a bit much when it comes to this year among all others.
That wasn't even counting the events to come. I just meant as people they had the most personality. With my fifth years coming in a nice 2nd.
After my last defense class which was around afternoon time I looked over the map. I kept an eye out for Sirius as he would be my signal.
My timing wasn't too off. I saw the three of my students and Peter make their way back to the castle from Hagrid's hut after a few minutes of watching.
Then appearing on the map was Sirius' name. He came right out of the tree for some reason. I saw Ron and Peter following the name before all three disappeared.
I started my run. I was winded after I made it down the third flight but pressed on and out of Hogwarts.
I expanded my lungs and increased the muscles in my legs as I ran down and up hills up to the Whomping Willow. I lowered my weight and body mass to increase my speed.
I could only think of the potential drain on my magic as I made my way up the final climb. I cast Immobilus at the tree making sure I wouldn't have to deal with the hassle.
I ran down the tunnel at the base of the tree which led into a tunnel. After going up some stairs I saw an already open hatch door. I climbed my way out of the hole.
I kept my ear open and I heard a struggle overhead I heard a deep cry of "Expelliarmus!" from upstairs.
I ran up the steps and ran into the room where a lot of people were. On the floor was Sirius standing with a wand pointed at the fallen man was someone I knew as Remus.
Against the wall were Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Ron healed Scabbers to his chest. I quickly cast my own expelliarmus at Remus.
"Who the fuck are you?" I asked the man I knew. Hermione seemed shocked I'd sworn. The situation called for it.
"I'm Remus Lupin." He held up his hands in surrender, "I'm here because I think I've made a terrible mistake."
"Go over there with them." I told him moving my wand from him to point at the three teens.
He made his way over, keeping an eye on me. I then looked to the floor, "Hello Nuncle, You get up too."
Sirius made his way to his knees. Then with a crack of those knees he was up. At that point the rat had jumped down from Ron's hands.
I cast stupefy on the rat keeping him in place. "Scabbers!" Ron cried. To make sure he was staying there I cast Incarcerous on him.
Remus and Sirius both looked stunned. Harry, Ron, and Hermione did too but for another reason it looked like.
"Now, something strange has been going on." I looked to Remus, "First off you're not supposed to be here, you were not hired."
"Not by Hogwarts, Scrivenshaft's had an opening and I took it."
"Who is this Professor?" Hermione asked.
"That would be Remus Lupin, he applied at the school sadly for him all positions were taken."
"Professor?" Sirius asked in a voice I'm sure only a few of us could pick out.
"I was surprised to hear that the curse was broken and that the position was already filled." Remus told me.
"Well… you know how it is."
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked Remus.
"I was here to protect you Harry, from Sirius."
"Can anyone tell me what this has to do with Scabbers being hit with so many spells?" Ron asked looking understandably panicked.
Both the other adults in the room looked to me. "I was checking the Marauder's Map when-"
"You got it to work?" Harry asked shocked. At the same time both Remus and Sirius asked, "Marauder's Map?"
"Yes, I had to ask one of the painting nearby you one of the times you activated it."
Harry rubbed over his eyes pushing his glasses down, "Should have thought of that."
"Anyway getting back on track, I was looking it over when I saw both Peter Petegrew and Sirius on the map."
"I saw him too, earlier in the year when Snape caught me."
"I wish you would have come to me, it would have made this so much easier."
It was at that point Snape came running into the room. "Nymphadora!?"
"Severus!" I heard a, "Nymphadora!" from Sirius.
"What are you doing here?" Severus asked me.
"I came in after them." I pointed at the kids, "What are you doing here?"
"I was following Lupin." He adjusted his hand on his wand, "I had my suspicions when he got a job in Hogsmeade."
"Suspicions of what?" Harry asked.
"Helping Sirius Black." Snape answered Harry before looking back to Lupin, "Now I can give the two of you to the dementors, it must be my lucky day."
"Hold on something's wrong!" I tried to tell him.
"What's wrong is that you haven't apprehended these two!"
"Just listen to me!"
"No, you listen." He stepped toward me, "No matter what you may say these two in my eyes are as good as murderers, I can personally attest to that."
"Whatever gripes you may have with us-" Remus tried to reason with Snape.
"Silence, speak one more word and I will curse you like the dog you are."
"Stupefy!" Harry yelled out at the potions teacher. Snape who got hit with the spell slumped to the ground.
"What the hell is going on!?" Ron cried.
"What's going on is that I think Peter Petegrew is alive." I spoke to the students.
"He is!" Sirius jumped into the conversation seemingly having been content to watch most of what happened go down, "And he's right there."
He pointed at the stunned and tied up rat. "He's missing a finger." Hermione put together, "He's an Animagus like Sirius Black."
Ron looked upset at the possible revelation. "I can cast a spell to prove it." Sirius offered.
"I've got it." I pointed my wand at the stunned rat and cast homorphus. Instantly the rat became a slightly pudgy man with very little hair with rat like facial features.
"That is Peter." Remus spoke to the room.
What happened then was a long conversation about many things. The switching of the secret keeper. About the framing of Sirius. His arrest without trial.
The newspaper of the Weasley's where he saw the rat missing a finger. His escape using his dog form. His attempts to get into Hogwarts to get the rat.
Help he had gotten from Crookshanks. Like getting the passwords and general distaste for Peter.
Remus told us all about him scouting out the shack. He had noticed Sirius' comings and goings. Then after confronting Sirius he had given him a chance to prove his innocence.
Sirius had told all of us about the Marauders. He told us that they each had become Animagai. He told Harry his dad was a stag.
I told them my story about seeing the name. I also told them about my theory I had shared with Harry.
The conversation moved to what we would do about Peter. Sirius wanted to kill him right there.
However Harry said that if that happened there would be no evidence and Sirius would stay forever a fugitive.
So after re-transforming Peter back into a rat. Then placing him in a box I transfigured with air holes of course. We planned on making our way outside.
As we started leaving the shack a thought occurred to me. Remus wasn't about to go and fuck everything up.
"All this chaos and wand waving makes me glad that we might get to see a beautiful full moon tonight."
"It really would be relaxing and tranquil after everything that's happened today." Hermione agreed.
I turned around to look back at a shocked Remus and Sirius. They whispered to each other before Sirius ran up to us.
"Remus has to get back to the place he's staying at, so it will just be us five."
"Maybe turn into your doggie form for a bit." I suggested, "Once we get everything settled we can think about revealing you."
"That makes sense with the kiss on sight order." Sirius agreed.
We made our way back to the castle where I told the children to just go to bed after getting Ron to a hospital bed.
I would take care of the speaking. If we needed their testimony I would call for them but for right now they all needed a break.
Me and my pet tag along made our way to the Headmasters office. When Dumbledore spotted me he started talking, "I was wondering where you had gone when you missed dinner."
"Well it's been a complicated night Headmaster." I tried to let my exhaustion out with my words.
"What's happened?" he seemed slightly concerned.
"Let me start in order." I sat down in front of his desk. Sirius sat down next to me as a dog.
I told him about a map I had confiscated from Harry Potter. A map which showed where people were at all times.
I called it the Marauder's Map. Recognition snuck into his eyes. I told him I had activated the map at some point after all my students were finished with their exams and I had finished lunch.
How I had seen Peter Pettigrew's name on the map next to the trio. I told him that when I went to go meet the three I didn't see another person there.
I then thought of possible ways that could be true. I then pulled out the box that held the rat. I made the box clear for Dumbledore to see inside.
Peter was still asleep inside the box. I pointed out the missing finger of the rat. I told him I reversed his animagus form and it was in fact Peter.
I told him that if Peter was still alive it may shed more light on the situation with Black.
Dumbledore rushed to his fireplace where he made contact with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
With his clout he was able to get in touch with Rufus Scrimgeour. When asked what the call was about Dumbledore replied, "It might have something to do with Sirius Black."
It only took a few short minutes but Scrimgeour came through the fireplace demanding to know any information Dumbledore had.
Dumbledore told him about what I had come to discover. Scrimgeour after asking me a fair bit of questions about how long he'd been where he was after he had been missing.
Walked up to me and took the box which held Pettigrew. Then just as suddenly as he arrived he left.
I asked Dumbledore if he knew if Sirius Black got a trial. He told me that if that had happened he hadn't remembered one.
Then I asked if it were possible to try and convince the Minister to take back his kiss on sight command.
He said that it would be smart to get that decision reversed as soon as possible with the new information about Pettigrew. He didn't want someone to be punished when they might not have done anything.
His next floo call was to the Minister of Magic. Dumbledore told him to come over to the Headmasters office as soon as he physically could.
Fudge being the worm he was hemmed and hawed until he felt good and ready enough to come to the school.
After arriving he questioned what he was called over for. Dumbledore answered him with enough detail to get Fudge off balance.
That's where I jumped in. I told him that if this was a mistake made by the previous administration, then it would look very impressive to correct a mistake that no one but he could fix.
I laid it on thick too. I got him to imagine the headlines, 'Fudge wants Justice'. After a bit more schmoozing on my end he seemed to have re-balanced just the way I wanted him.
He took off his hat, gave a bow and was gone in a green flash of fire. Presumably ready to push for what we all really wanted.
I gave a big sigh stood up from my chair bid the Headmaster a good night and left the older wizard to what he needed to do.
I walked with Sirius to meet the three teens in the Medical Wing. Ron's leg was being fussed over by Pomfrey.
Harry and Hermione seemed to be patched up but wore some very dirty clothes. I told them that everything was being taken care of.
I recommended that Harry and Sirius find a place to chat. I told Hermione that maybe it would be best if she took a bath and changed.
Looking down at her own clothes she agreed and we both went our separate ways.
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