Little Phoenix (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

23. Sirius Black

Over the next several weeks, Nicki and Sirius created a system. Every second morning, she would drop off a bag of food in the forest for him to last him a bit. Every Sunday she would go out and talk to Sirius about her parents, even when it got cold. The first Hogsmeade trip came and Nic made an unusual trip out to the forest. "Siri, are you sure about this?" Nicki had begun to call him Siri, a nickname she'd come up with during one of their hilarious conversations.

"I need to find him," he insisted.

"But this isn't the answer," Nicki countered. "Yeah, he sucks, but we can fix this if we just find him."

"Nic, I won't just hang around," he retorted. "I appreciate all you're doing for me, but they won't let me clear my name." Nicki sighed, knowing he was right.

"Just, be carful, please," Nicki begged. Sirius sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"I promise you, my little Phoenix, I'll be careful," he promised.

"Okay," Nic agreed. "I'm going to head back to the castle. Don't let yourself be seen, okay?"

"I won't," he assured, giving her a small smile. After a moment, he asked, "What if you tried talking to Harry. He's in that common room, he could get Pettigrew."

With a sigh, Nic admitted, "I tried, but he refuses to even possibly believe that you aren't everything they say you are. I'm sorry, Siri." When he said nothing, Nic gave him another hug and headed off towards the castle.
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Nic ran towards the Gryffindor common room as she heard the yelling and screaming about what happened. "Did she say who did it?" Dumbledore asked of Peeves as Nic ran up.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," Peeves replied as Nic's heart began to thunder in her chest. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see. Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black." Nic's heart skipped a beat in it's harsh pounding.

"Everyone to the Great Hall," Dumbledore ordered.

"Professor Dumbledore," Nic called through the rushing students.

"Go to the Great Hall, Nicki," Dumbledore ordered.

"He's innocent!" she shouted, shocking not only Dumbledore but also Professor McGonagall who had just shown up. "He didn't kill Pettigrew!"

"Ms. Potter," Dumbledore interrupted quietly.

"He is not who you think! You can't let the dementor's get him! Please, don't!" Professor, you can't take him!"

"Ms. Potter," Dumbledore yelled over her, interrupting her frantic yelling. "Go to the Great Hall." Her eyes burned as she hesitated, but eventually she turned and obeyed. Outside the Great Hall, Nicki broke down, fear consuming her. Nic covered her mouth with her hand, trying to muffle her sobs, but soon a figure came towards her, kneeling beside her.

"Nic, what's wrong?" Ty asked.

"They're going to take him away," Nic sobbed, it not processing in her head that Tyriq was talking to her again for the first time since that conversation at the Astronomy Tower. "They're going to take-"

"Who?" Ty interrupted.

"Siri," she cried.

"Sirius Black?" Ty replied, confused. "But I thought he-"

"No," Nic snapped. "He doesn't and he didn't hurt anyone."

"Okay, come on," Tyriq replied. "Let's just go in the Great Hall and you can explain everything."

"No, I have to find him," Nic countered.

"Then I'm going with you," he retorted.

"I thought you weren't talking to me," Nic countered, but she didn't sound that unhappy about it. "Now you want to break the rules with me?"

"Look, we had an argument, that doesn't mean I don't care about you," he retorted.

"Then let's go," she replied, getting to her feet and wiping her tears. They ran through the halls as Nic explained everything. "If he wanted me dead, he could have just killed me then," Nicki explained after telling him about when Sirius saved her. Stopping in the middle of the hall, Nic faced him. "Ty, please tell me that you believe me. He's not a killer. Please."

After a pause, he sighed and said, "Okay, I believe you."

"Thank you," Nic exclaimed. "Now let's find him." Changing into their animagus forms, they covered the entire school looking for him. Finally they headed off into the forest. "Siri!" Nic called, changing into her human form as she landed on the ground. Pulling him into a hug, she scolded, "Don't do that again. You could have gotten caught. I almost lost you."

"I'm fine, Nic," he assured, hugging her back. Looking up, he caught sight of the falcon perched on a branch behind them. "Your friend seems unsure of me."

"Tyriq, it's okay," Nic assured. "He won't hurt you." Ty flew down to the ground and changed back. Straightening, he looked at Sirius with an unwavering, piercing, analytical gaze. "Tyriq, this is my Godfather, Sirius. Siri, this is my best friend, Tyriq."

"Look, I believe Nic, but...I can't just forget everything I've been told about you my whole life," Tyriq said. "I don't trust you, but if Nicki believes you, then I can try and believe you too. I defiantly won't turn you in or anything."

"I appreciate that," Sirius replied with a small nod. "Shouldn't the two of you be in the school?"

"I had to make sure you were okay," Nicki defended, hugging him again.

"Well you should head back," he replied. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," she replied sadly. "Bye, Siri." Turning back towards the school, the two birds flew back to Hogwarts.

They were just beginning to try and slip in when a voice behind them said, "Mr. Hufflepuff, Ms. Potter." Turning around, the two saw Professor Lupin. "Follow me." Lupin led the two to his office. "Stay here." As soon as he was gone, Nic sat down in one of the chairs with a sigh.

"We can't tell them about Siri," Nic stated as Tyriq sat down next to her.

"Then what's our story?" Tyriq asked. "You know they'll ask for one." Nic bit down on her lip in thought.

"I don't know, Ty," she sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "We could just say nothing."

"Like that'll fly," he countered. "Look, we're going to get in trouble no matter what." Before Nic could respond, the door opened revealing Dumbledore and Lupin.

"Thank you, Professor Lupin," Dumbledore dismisses. "So," Dumbledore began once he had gone, "the two of you met Sirius Black."

"Prof-" Nic began.

"Ms. Potter," Dumbledore interrupted with a sigh. Nic quieted. "The two of you are not allowed to leave the castle apart from Quidditch practice and for Herbology. If you do not abide by these rules, you will be expelled." Neither said a word. "Both of you will go to the Great Hall. Mr. Diggory is very worried about the two of you." He led the two of them back to the Great Hall and watched, making sure they grabbed their sleeping bags and lay down to sleep.

The two moved near where Cedric was patrolling as he was a prefect. "Where were you two?" he hissed, sitting up anxiously.

"I'll explain later," Nic promised as Percy, the Head Boy, hushed them angrily. Everything became quiet again. Cedric moved away, but Tyriq and Nic lay awake long into the night. Eventually, around one, two a.m. Nic and Tyriq both drifted off.

Nic seemed to see before her the same, shadowy figure from her nightmares before. A loud cackle left her lips before she shouted, "Crucio!"

With a gasp, Nic shot up. It was now light out and most of the students were still asleep. Tyriq was fast asleep next to her and, looking around, she saw that she was the only one awake. Getting to her feet, Nic left and headed towards her dorm. Once inside, she grabbed a vial from her bag. Her nightmares had gotten much worse after the encounter with the dementor at the beginning of the year. To try and get sleep, she had been regularly making a sleeping potion.

As it was Sunday, she downed the potion and crawled in bed. Instantly she drifted to sleep.