Unhappy Endings

57: Uncle Sirius

By the time Severus had woken up the next afternoon, you had already left him, changed, eaten, returned and listened to an entire symphony.

"Wh-What happened?" He leaned up and held his head. It felt like his had been bashed.

"Peter Pettigrew was the Weasley boy's rat the entire time. Remus and Sirius were going to kill him, but Harry suggested the Dementors. But unfortunately for everyone, it was a full moon last night and Remus changed. I don't know what happened after that, but I do know that Sirius, who is innocent of all charges mind you upon Peter's confession, is locked up in the tower awaiting his return to Azkaban. I was going to visit him so long as you woke up."

"Visit him!?" Sirius swung himself out of bed and attempted to get up. You walked over and pushed him back down.

"Yes. He is my uncle. Or you know, something like that blood-wise." You shrugged. "You are unwell. Eat the crackers and tea by your bed and listen to some music. If you leave this room for anything but the lavatory, so help me Merlin I will--"

Severus smiled at the tips of your hair turning red and put a hand on top of yours. "I will not. Thank you."

With that reassurance, you transformed into a large bird and took off. It only really took  moment to get to your uncle, but you took a few extra minutes to glide around and enjoy the breeze. Eventually, you landed just outside the cell of Sirius Black.

"Hello birdie. Nice to see you here. Better than the nothingness I will soon experience..."

"That's a dour way to think of it." You spoke with your human voice.

"Oh!" Sirius immediately turned fully to you. "I only know a few birdies who can speak so well."

"It's the least troublesome one." You tweeted out.

"Esmeralda Tonks! Essie! How nice to see you... or well, you partially. How have you been, darling? Putting up with those troublesome relatives?"

"I suppose. But that certainly includes you.' You eyed him with your bird eyes. "Why didn't you give Peter up?"

"Ah, so you know... I should have figured, we Blacks always were tricky sorts... To be honest with you, I did. Loudly. Repeatedly. But no one believed me."

"Severus could vouch--"

"But he won't." Sirius sighed and pet your feathers through the bars. "And I deserve it from him. What do you see in him? Clearly you were with him that night as a snake."

You looked away as sheepishly as a bird could.

"I'm like my aunts, I suppose."

"Drawn to dark men." He finished your thought and laughed. "Trixie and Cissy always were the fussy sort. Only Andi had any type of true sense, but then she had to go and--"

"Marry her true love. Yes, we all know how vexing that is."

Sirius cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, best of luck to you... hopefully to me as well."

"Don't worry, Uncle. I have a feeling that troublesome trio of children will have their say in this as well."

"One can wish at least, right?" He gave you one last pat and you flew off. No need to draw suspicion after all.