Pawns & Players - Sirius Black

-26-

Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides  - André Malraux

"Rough night ?"

"Think James"

The girl was carrying the boy who looked still asleep to the Hospital Wing. Being the tallest one out of all of them, the small girl carrying him seemed to be hardly able to stay up.

"A Ravenclaw almost followed us here, it's impossible how sneaky people are"

"Do you think they discovered our secret passageways ?"

"Filch took the notebook my plan of the castle was on, anyone could get it if they can enter his office"

"You didn't lock it ?"

"I should've, but no. I didn't think he would take it away"

Approaching the bed closest to her, she left the boy to Madam Pomfrey while she also fell in front of it, out of breath.

"See this is exactly what we were talking about" Peter reached his hand to her, helping her to lift herself up.

"We want to become Animagi"

-

"Okay Elle help me out here"

"When did you ever need my help to ask someone out Marls" One Hundred Years Of Solitude between her hands, she was flipping through the pages on her bed with Marlene sitting on the other side, lying down and ranting to her.

"It's not someone, it's Dorcas. You know how she is, I don't want to scare her away but it should also say Marlene McKinnon was here but it should also be something she would actually appreciate-"

"Before another but comes, I know she also likes you, so shoot your shot. And Mary might give you better advice on that because if you're not planning on pulling a Mr. Darcy, I'm useless here"

"Lily would know what to do right ?"

"She always does"

"Help me find her then"

Pulling her out of the bed harshly, she ran down the stairs, jumping the last ones, and threw herself on the couch in front of her, next to Lily and Remus doing their homework together.

"Lily help"

"Marlene go to dinner and I'm coming in a few minutes" Lily was obviously trying to send her off and focus on the Study of Ancient Runes notebook in front of her, but the blonde didn't seem to mind it at all, the adrenaline still making her leap around, she went out of the portrait, presumably to the Great Hall, forgetting about her issue.

"Ehwaz means partnership, not defence by the way" The brunette pointed out, observing the two students' work, before redirecting herself to the exit to follow her friend out, but missing out on the dinner.

The Bell Towers were close to the Greenhouses on the entrance of the castle and reaching them from the Gryffindor Common Room was quite simple if the said person didn't get caught by the whichever professor was rounding that night, and that Monday, Slughorn seemed to be too invested in the conversation he was having with the Slytherin he had caught out past curfew.

"Finally, I thought I was going to freeze to death here"

"How unfortunate  you aren't a wizard who can cast simple heating charms"

"Whatever, look I have to tell you something"

"Go on"

"You know Carrow and Avery right ?" She had seen the two Slytherins many times but the things she heard were horrible.

"Yes ?"

"Well, the other day I saw them outside of our common room, with a second-year Gryffindor."

He looked at her, slight guilt noticeable in his eyes as he went on.

"I just thought they were going to make fun of him and just, let him go but, maybe accidentally, they went too far" Swallowing, he had started to panic and his voice couldn't hide it.

Pulling his arm she let him pass in front, asking to lead the way, and the boy did, nearly trembling and suspiciously checking his sides during the entire way. When he finally stopped, they were on the third floor, passing by the Lost Wands section to enter the corridor, and finally arrive at the Forbidden Forest's entrance. The dark made every sound around them scarier and Regulus pulled on her sleeve to reveal a small boy's body, lying on the grass and parts of him seemed have been transfigured.

She slowly let herself on her knees, lifting his wrist with her wand and paying attention to not contact any part of his.

"Finite Incantatem" Nothing happened.

"Reparifors" The boy didn't react, once again.

Regulus was looking at her, breathing heavily, asking for an answer silently.

"He's dead" Swallowing, she was considering every possible option under seconds.

"Wha- what do we do ? Who do we call ? I know who it was- McGonagall ? Slughorn ?"

"Walk away calmly" She instructed while doing the same.

"What ?" The boy growing more nervous and frightened every passing second.

"This is Transmogrifian Torture, Dark Magic. They can pin it on us, especially knowing our families. The kid is already dead, so keep the secret to your grave or carry it to Azkaban." Everything coming out of her mouth sounded calculated and the sole fact of being given an instruction seemed to have calmed down the horrified boy a little.

While she continued her way back to Hogwarts on a fast rhythm, he stayed back for a moment, his eyes fixed on the boy's lifeless body.

"Herbivicus" He pronounced with a cracking voice, and a dark crimson rose appeared on his side, as he turned back to follow the young girl, showing much less than what she felt.

Planting a curse and walking away from it.