Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 18

Jenna stopped in her tracks as a murmur full of fear raged between the students, ghosts, and the teachers who were all standing before the empty and ripped portrait of the Fat Lady.

Oh, Sirius, Jenna thought to herself, what have you done...

So careful not to be stomped on by the others in her cat form, Jenna made her way out of the crowded corridor and ran down the marble staircase.

But she had barely left for a few minutes that she came to a halt when she heard a familiar voice call after her, "Jenna, wait!"

The cat stopped in her tracks and turned around, only to look over and see Remus walking urgently toward her. He then opened the first classroom door on his way and gestured Jenna inside with his head.

Jenna growled under her breath angrily before following Remus inside the classroom. The moment he closed its door and performed enough enchantments to keep them protected from being overheard, Jenna transformed back to her human form.

"What?" She folded her arms and rolled her eyes when she caught Remus giving her a look.

"What are you playing at, Jenna?" Remus questioned, glaring at her direction.

"Excuse me?" She raised a brow at him.

"Did you help Sirius into the castle?" he asked firmly.

"No, I had nothing to do with it," she answered earnestly, shrugging.

"Look," Remus sighed, taking a few steps closer to her, "this man is a danger to Harry. Sirius is not the same person he was back at school. He's changed Jenna."

"Yes, he has changed. But so have we!" she tried to reason. "You're not the same trusting boy you were back then and I'm no longer that reckless girl who tried to have fun all the time. But Pettigrew didn't turn out to be that gullible and innocent boy that we thought he was, either."

"Peter?" Remus frowned in confusion. "What does this have to with him?"

"This has everything to do with him, Remus," Jenna said grimly. "Sirius had changed the Secret Keeper to Pettigrew last minute, and Peter sold Lily and James out to Voldemort. He's not dead. He faked his own death and framed Sirius for it and the death of twelve others."

"Are you listening to yourself right now!?" Remus retorted. "That is impossible! It's a made up story! And let me guess... Sirius told you that."

"In fact, yes, he has." Jenna nodded firmly.

"So you have seen him."

"A few months ago, yes, but we departed to find Pettigrew. Sirius is not here for Harry. He's here for that rat —"

"And you honestly believe that!?"

"Yes, Remus, I do!" she said sternly.

"And do you have any proof?"

There was a long pause before Jenna let the edge of her lips twitch up into a little smirk.

"You'll have your proof once I've dumped Pettigrew's dead body on your doorstep," she said darkly. "But until then, you stay out of my way, Remus. I don't care what you want to believe. But I'm not resting until the person responsible for my brother's death is dead."

And so with one last glare at his direction, Jenna opened the classroom door and stepped outside, quickly transforming back to Crookshanks and running down the corridor and out of the entrance hall.

Jenna didn't know where Sirius had gone, but there was a sickening feeling in her stomach that feared the dementors finding him before she could.

So she ran through the Hogwarts grounds against the howling wind of the night, turning every once in a while to look around for a sign of him. But Jenna soon stopped in her tracks when she heard a loud bark behind her.

Turning around, she saw a large black dog in the distance, standing at the edge of the dark forest. Her stomach lurched happily and then she relaxed more when she found out that Sirius was still safe.

So with that, Jenna started running toward the dog in her cat form and as soon as she reached him, she nudged him with her snout.

"Thank goodness, you're all right," Crookshanks thought, and as always he understood her.

"Quick, we need to get out of here." Padfoot gestured with his head and so the two went further into the Dark Forest.

"Sirius, what were you thinking!?" Crookshanks hissed angrily as they started on. "You tore up the portrait of the Fat Lady!"

"What? She wouldn't allow me in!" Padfoot growled. "Look, I've been running miles and miles for the past weeks. I haven't had much to eat or anywhere good to sleep. You would've been just as frustrated, if it were you."

"Where are we going now, anyway?"

"I don't know... but we need to find somewhere safe."

"How about the Shrieking Shack?" Crookshanks suggested. "Remus said he'll be staying in his office at the full moons from now on."

Sirius came to a halt at those words, turning to look at the cat in confusion. "Remus!? He's here!?"

"Yeah... we've got a lot of catching up to do," she said.