Mind Over Matter » Sirius Black

VI. ACCUSATIONS

Hogsmeade was bustling with business as the students scurried from place to place, the most excited of the bunch being the third years as this was their first visit. Savannah strolled through the place with the ghost of a smile on her lips, remembering a time when it was she and her friends enjoying the sweets from Honeydukes together. Then Lily would drag her over to the bookstore while the boys found something new at Zonko's, and afterward the group would meet up again at the Three Broomsticks. 

It was a time filled with laughter and ignorance of all things bad in the world. And it seemed like it was a lifetime ago, but Savannah wished it had never ended. 

Though she would admit that it was nice, however, having the opportunity to see her god-son walk around with his friends as a wide grin adorned his face. Seeing Harry happy was one of the best things to her. She wished he could be happy all of the time and not have to worry about being The Chosen One or any of that rubbish. He's a thirteen year old boy. He didn't deserve any of the things he's had to deal with. 

Harry had came to her earlier, about an hour before all the students had gathered in the Great Hall for their permission slips to be checked. He wanted to talk to her about the DADA class with Remus, and how the boggart had turned into a Dementor. Savannah had explained to him that it was perhaps because the thing he was afraid of most was fear itself; and then Harry had went on to talk about what had happened on the train. 

When the Dementor had attacked him then, he heard a woman screaming. Hermione and Ron told him that they hadn't heard anything, but Harry was certain of it. Remus had explained to Harry earlier that day that Dementors feed off of pain and force their victims to relive their worst memories. The young teenager told Savannah that he thinks he'd heard his mother from the night when they were attacked in Godric's Hollow. This broke her heart, knowing that Harry was right, but that there was no way she could help him. If she could take away his pain, Savannah would have done it in a heartbeat. But unfortunately, that wasn't the way of the world. 

"Savannah!" At the kind greeting, she turned to smile politely as Minerva approached her. There was a frown of concern on the woman's face as she scanned Savannah's. "Oh, dear, you look positively exhausted."

"Yeah... Haven't gotten much sleep as of late," Savannah admitted with a small shrug. "How were your first week of classes?"

"The same as they are any other year." Minerva wasn't buying her lousy subject change. "How have you been feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't look it."

"I'm just worried for Harry's well-being, that's all."

The older witch nodded. "Yes, well, I'd imagine your concern is well-warranted, given Black's escape."

Savannah tried not to scowl. While everyone knew her views on Sirius's innocence, they liked to pretend she was in agreement with them on the matter. It always annoyed her, but still, she respected Minerva too much to argue with her about it. With Remus, it was different; they were like siblings, and Remus had used to be one of Sirius's friends once upon a time as well. "It's not that," she said. "It's -- well, Harry's had a hard time of it since the Dementor situation on the train." Minerva's eyebrow rose, a silent question in her eyes for the younger woman to continue. "He... he heard Lily's screams... from the night they were..." She couldn't say it. Even after all these years, those words were hard to swallow. 

"Oh, my." Minerva's eyes widened in sympathy and surprise. "That poor child." Savannah merely nodded, her gaze shifting to the door of The Three Broomsticks, where Harry and his friends were just entering. "Savannah, why don't you head on back and get some rest?" Minerva asked her softly. "Harry will be more than safe here, I'll make sure of it. Hagrid is here as well, as is Filius."