The Story of Ginny

Chapter 14- Sirius's Mission

~Sirius POV~

I was so ready to leave Grimmauld Place to go help Albus with whatever this problem was, even though I had to be Disillusioned and had no idea what he needed... I was still going to be out of that hell hole where I grew up. Around 10:30 p.m., Remus appeared outside of Headquarters and approached the door. I had been sitting in the kitchen waiting for him to show up and apparate to Hogsmeade with me.

"So, what do you think this big mission is going to be?" Remus asked, rubbing his hands on his face. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks and he had a few new scars since I'd seen him last month. I hated that I couldn't even help him through his transformations anymore, that he was dealing with this part of his life alone. It's my fault that he's been dealing with it alone for nearly 14 years. James and Lily were dead because I foolishly told them to trust Peter. If I had only been more careful about suggesting who they should choose... Obviously, it couldn't be me. I know that I would have died protecting them, but once I died, anyone who knew could have told Voldemort.

"Sirius? You're looking at me funny again." Remus pulled me out of my reverie, I needed him for that. "Right, I don't know what he'll have us doing. I hope it's something exciting, you know how sick I am of this bloody house. Either way, I'll be gone from here for a bit, seeing as he told us to pack a bag." I told him, I tried to hide some of my bitterness toward my imprisonment. He didn't deserve to deal with my complaining. "We better get going, Dumbledore is expecting us to be in his office by 11:30." I told him, shifting the focus of the conversation.

I stood up from the table, pulled out my wand, and tapped it on my head. Instantly, I felt the familiar trickle down my spine and knew I was nearly invisible. Remus put on his Muggle coat and walked from the room and out into the square where he whispered, "Sirius, hold my hand so we can go together." I did as asked and Remus turned on the spot and we were sucked into the pressing darkness before reappearing on the outskirts of Hogsmeade village.

.

When Remus knocked on Albus's office door, we could hear him speaking to someone. "They may be difficult to convince. They've been through a great deal these last-" his sentence was cut short as he approached the door to let us in. Instantly, I removed the Disillusionment charm and stepped through the threshold.

"Evening, Albus, who are you-." I looked at the pair sitting at Dumbledore's desk. A young wizard with messy, jet-black hair sitting next to a witch with long, red hair. I stared into the bright green eyes that wore an obviously nervous expression, I could imagine that my own shock was clear on my face. "What is this, Albus?" Remus said, staring in astonishment.

"This is what I needed your help with. Please be assured, that I have done the tests that I could, but I feel this may require more of yours and Remus's expertise." Albus spoke quietly and in a tone that seemed apprehensive of the reaction that I might have at this task.

"I-What-How-Who?" I couldn't find the words to express all of the emotions that were swirling in my mind. My heart was racing and my mind couldn't make sense of anything. I looked to Remus to see if he was having any more luck.

Remus looked uncertain, and maybe even angry? "Albus. What is this?" he repeated, his voice low. I could sense that he was getting rather impatient with the headmaster's slow introduction. "They had come to me a few days ago, I was just as shocked as you and so I gave them a series of questions while under the influence of Veritaserum." Albus answered, I believe he could pick up on the need to quickly answer the questions now.

The young wizard stood and held out his wand to me. I looked at it and my breath caught, it was his wand. "Who are you?" I asked looking directly into his eyes. "Sirius, it's me, James-" I held up my hand to stop him. "Where is your proof? Anyone could have stolen his wand." I had seen too much in this world. I wasn't going to just trust that my best friend had come back from the dead after 14 years. I had seen his body, cried over it. I had tried to avenge him. The wizard claiming to be James looked around the room at the witch, at Dumbledore, then at Remus whose expression was as steely as my own. He sighed and took a step back from me and lowered his wand.