Pheonix

The Shrieking Shack

"It's that hippogriff's death sentence today, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Harry's all torn up about it. It's upsetting to watch but something tells me that it's going to be okay, " said Asura, still looking at her book.

That was when Asura felt slight fear in her stomach. She didn't know why.

"Do you feel that?" The two girls said in unison.

They both just stared at each other, "Harry."

They both took off to the grounds to try and find the boy. They searched high and low until Asura came to the conclusion.

"The shrieking shack."

"Are you serious? I'm going to kill that boy."

They hurried down the passageway under the tree, Brook in amazement at her best friends skill.

Once they got there they hear a faint 'Expelliarmus' and Asura could tell it was Sirius.

Asura pushed open the door.

"Harry James Potter!" She screeched.

She saw the boy wince at her tone and he backed down a little.

"If you dare interrupt mine and your mothers shagging session again i swear to God i will actually kill you!" Shouted Brook.

The two girls made eye contact and started laughing, the trio remain silent but Sirius however didn't and started laughing with them.

Upon hearing his laughter, Asura spun around.

A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.

"Padfoot!" The two girls shouted in delight, Sirius having met Brook over time, the two bonding over being family disappointments.

The two girls hugged him with smiles.

Sirius then turned back to the trio. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said, his voice still slightly croaky.

"Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful. . . it will make everything much easier. . . . "

"Sirius, " Asura said sternly, " James was a wonderful boy, it was a pleasure. You have to stay in topic, you're not convincing your godson over there."

Sirius just nodded.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

"He's not going to kill any of you, there shall not be any murder tonight, " Brook said, trying to keep the peace.

"There will be one."

"Sirius, we talked about this. I'm not letting you do that to yourself."

"Why will there only be one?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron, and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew. . . What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward --

He got tackled to the floor my Asura.

"What did i tell you, Harry? I thought you said you trusted me, " Asura sounded truly broken.

Harry's face softened, " I'm so sorry Asura, i don't know what got into me. It felt like i was being controlled."

Brook and Asura froze. He had power over Harry.

"Harry, listen to me, you cannot let that happen again. It will be over soon, i promise."

"You've got to listen to me," Sirius said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't. . . You don't understand. . . ."

Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor -- someone was moving downstairs.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE -- SIRIUS BLACK -- QUICK!"

"Hermione, be quiet for once, " Brook hissed.

The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Asura wheeled around as Remus came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, still on the floor after being tackled by Asura, the girl still sat next to him, to Brook sat casually the sofa and finally to Black himself, leaning against the wall.

"Yo, it's loopy lupin!" Shouted Brook.

"Hello Brook, " the professor said fondly, then he turned to Sirius, "Where is he, Sirius?"

Sirius' face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron, who looked bewildered

"But then. . . " Remus muttered, staring at Sirius so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, ". . . why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" -- Remus' eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Sirius, something none of the rest could see, "-- unless he was the one. . . unless you switched. . . without telling me?"

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving his friends face, Black nodded.

"Wouldn't that make sense Remus? Padfoot would have been so obvious, they had to change it. Unfortunately, there was a rat in the mix, " Asura said in disgust.

Remus just nodded.

"What's going on?" Harry said confused.

The question was ignored as the two old friends embraced one another.

It dawned on Asura.

"Remus, " she said shakily, " it's the full moon tonight."

Her professor froze, "I completely forgot, you have to get out, all of you."

With that, Brook picked up Ron and Asura grabbed both Hermione's and Harry's wrist and they exited.

"Care to explain anyone?"

"He's a werewolf, Harry," stated Hermione.

"Well done, don't worry he's going to change in the shack, he'll be safe. I promise."

As soon as she finished talking, Sirius came out the tree.

"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Sirius. "Could I see him, please?"

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping.

Sirius moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius
"What d'you mean -- of course he's a rat --"

"No, he's not," said Asura quietly. "He's a wizard. "

"An Animagus," said Sirius, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew.