The Next Dark Lord

Veiled Truths

Seeing Sirius walk into the room brought her world to an abrupt halt. Without knowing what to make of what's happening around her, she ran straight to Sirius encompassing him in one of her trademarked Hermi-hugs. Before she was aware herself, tears of relief was flowing out of her eyes down her face wetting the front of Sirius's robes.

"Miss. Granger, please control yourself and take a seat", said Moody.

She wanted answers and wanted them now. "Sirius, I read the news and I was afraid what I'll do without you as well, now that Harry isn't with us", she sobbed. The only indication that Sirius heard her was a minor twitch when she spoke Harry's name. "Harry's in that hellhole Sirius, how can you be so calm?", she shouted at his lack of response. When he didn't respond again, she looked into his eyes. Eyes that did not have life in them; Eyes that wouldn't be out of place on coma patients.

This saw her turn towards Moody with her wand in hand, but the master auror was ready with his own pointing straight in between her eyes.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Dobby standing ready to dispose Moody, while both his eyes were fixed on her. With a slight shake of her head, she signalled her friend to not do anything.

"I suggest you to put your wand away, take a seat and start asking the questions you have. I'm not going to answer every question you throw at me, but I will not lie. If there is something that I cannot say or you shouldn't know, I'll tell to your face", said Moody.

Hermione took a deep breath and sat in the couch where Sirius joined her, still unusually quiet and seemingly unattached to everything around him. His behaviour had the young witch worried beyond any words can describe.

Thinking it is better to tackle the elephant in the room first she asked, "What's wrong with Sirius?".

"After hearing the news that Harry Potter has been sent to Azkaban, Sirius went ballistic", said Moody. This was the reaction she would have expected out of the man who survived on rats to help out his godson, not the calm acceptance she is seeing now. "It would have killed him if he had charged into the ministry, so we have him on a sedative. I have to agree that it is on the heavier side, but in his anguish he was breaking through the normal ones and Potions Master Snape had to brew a special potion for him", he continued.

Hermione's head was spinning. "How can you treat somebody like this, let alone somebody on our side? Aren't you worried that what you are doing is going to affect him on the longer run, if at all he gets a longer run with you guys around? And what made you think Snape wouldn't have mixed anything else in there to keep Sirius permanently like this?". She felt her head would burst with a million questions and conflicting thoughts.

Before she could ask more, "You need not concern yourself with all that lass. Albus is the head of the Order of the Phoenix and he has made the decision on behalf of the group. Albus assures that there will be no lasting harm done and Severus will not mix anything else in the potion".

She was not convinced with his argument. This was similar to the arguments made by people who think Dumbledore shat rainbows. The fact that the headmaster maintained that charade well enough to make her think that way so far did not escape her mind. But she had to focus on Harry first. "Do you think Harry committed those murders?".

Caught by the sudden change in the line of questioning, Moody took his time to holster his wand and scan the room with his magical eye before taking a seat opposite Hermione. Looking directly into her eyes he said, "Officially, Harry Potter is a murderer sentenced to life in Azkaban". When Hermione looked about to interrupt him, he raised his hand to hold her interruptions. "But personally I think that boy doesn't have what it takes to take a life, yet. What he'll be like, if at all he ever comes out, will be something to watch out for".