Nico Goes to Hogwarts *HIATUS*

Sirius Black Needs Some Godsdamned Chicken

head's up: this one is a fucking lorge boi of a chapter

After answering Hermione's questions about gods, demigods, monsters and everything in between-- a process only hindered once when Nico realized he should return Harry's letter before he noticed it was gone, and thus shadow traveled it back into Harry's pocket-- Nico decided it was time to ask some questions of his own.

"So, Hermione," he started, "what's up with that letter?"

Hesitation passed over Hermione's face. "I..." She paused. "Promise you'll keep this secret?"

"We promise," Will answered.

"Did you ever hear of Sirius Black?" Hermione asked.

"He was wanted all throughout last year-- still is, I guess. Said he was a dangerous, murderous criminal."

Hermione winced. "Yes. Well. That's not... entirely true."

"Didn't he break into Gryffindor Tower last year?" Draco asked. "Slashed up Ron's bed?"

"That... Look, it's easier to explain it all at once." Hermione took a deep breath. "Sirius was supposed to be the Secret-Keeper for Harry's parents back when Voldemort was at the height of his power. So, when the Potters were killed by He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, everyone of course thought him guilty. Matters weren't helped by the fact that he fought Peter Pettigrew, a friend of his and James Potter's, and allegedly killed him and twelve Muggles."

"I sense a 'but'." Will stated.

"But," Hermione said, "he was innocent. He knew Death Eaters would target him-- it was well known that he and James were best friends. So he convinced James and Lily to chose someone else, someone they thought trustworthy but less suspicious, and so they made Peter Pettigrew Secret Keeper instead. But..." Here tears began to well in Hermione's eyes. "But Pettigrew betrayed the Potters, and then faked his own death when Sirius confronted him. Sirius was sent to Azkaban-- a horrible wizarding prison-- without trial. Everyone assumed he was guilty-- only Dumbledore knew that Pettigrew was made Secret Keeper. But last year, he broke out."

"Why?" Nico asked. "Why then, of all times?"

"When Sirius was a student here, he and James and Sirius became Animagi, to help their friend Remus Lupin, a werewolf, without risking harm. That's how Peter survived-- he cut his own finger off to lead everyone to believe him dead, and he ran away. Somehow, he wound up as Percy Weasley's pet rat Scabbers, who was passed down to Ron--and when the Weasleys won a trip to Egypt, Pettigrew went with them. When Sirius saw Pettigrew in an issue of the Daily Prophet he got from Fudge, he broke free, wanting desperately to avenge the Potters."

"That explains why he broke into the Gryffindor Tower," Nico observed. "He was looking for Pettigrew."

"So that note," said Will, "That was from Sirius?"

"...Yes." Hermione answered reluctantly. "It's stupid, Sirius shouldn't be anywhere near here, but--"

"Harry's his godson, right?" Draco asked. Upon seeing Hermione's incredulous look, he blushed and looked down. "Lucius said something about it when Sirius first broke out of prison."

"Oh." Hermione said.

There was silence between the four of them.

"Hermione," Will started, "about Harry..."

"Yes," Hermione said, bolting up. "Something's not right with Harry. He's been... distant. He mentioned having these dreams, but--"

"Dreams?" Nico shared a worried, surreptitious glance with Draco and Will. "What dreams?"