Dealing with Danger
Chapter 23: The Faithful Three (Year 3)
By Anne B. Walsh
Chapter 23: The Faithful Three
"Letha?"
"Yeah?" They were outside now, running across the lawns towards the Whomping Willow.
"I’m sorry. About earlier."
"We’ll let it go for now. Call it... temporary insanity due to stress." Aletha drew her wand without breaking stride and aimed a spell at the knot on the Willow’s trunk. It went wide, and she swore. I used to be able to hit what I aimed at...
But I don’t usually shoot running. Or scared.
Sirius nailed the knot with his first spell. The Willow froze.
"I see you’re back on track," said Aletha, ducking under the motionless branches.
"In the flesh and ready to kick some arse." Sirius followed her down the hole and into the passage. Once inside, he whisked a hand across his throat, indicating silence was the order of the day. Aletha nodded and pulled out her chain, which Sirius quickly threw over his head. We don’t know what we’re going to find, he said through it. Better be ready for anything.
They’re not dead. We would have felt that. Aletha rubbed her pendants, wishing she could will warmth into them, force them to say that her cubs were all right, no longer close to death —
And then she noticed something. Sirius, look!
What? Sirius took the pendants from her without stopping, continuing down the low, earthen passage. Letha, I don’t see a change — no, hang on — it’s Harry’s, isn’t it? Relief rolled off him, tempered still with worry but lighter than his emotions had been for the last hour. It’s not nearly so bright any more. It’s still lit, but it’s gone down to almost as dim as Draco’s.
And Hermione’s isn’t nearly as bright anymore either. It’s as if the danger’s passing somehow.
They must be doing something, said Sirius, grinning. They’re not just sitting around and waiting for us to come find them — they’re fighting back.
As long as they’re not doing anything stupid that would put them in more danger, said Aletha darkly. Sometimes sitting and waiting is the smartest thing to do...
Well, they won’t have to do anything much longer. Because we’re going to find them, and get them home, and catch the maniacs responsible for this.
Amen. And then maybe we can have normal lives.
Sirius snorted. Define "normal."
Good point. Aletha looked around at the walls of the passage and felt a twinge of fear — she wasn’t quite claustrophobic, but she didn’t care for small spaces much. We aren’t quite what most people would call normal. But I mean without having anyone after us.
I don’t think I remember a life without having anyone after us. First we were in hiding, then we were famous, then Harry’s had Voldemort chasing him in two separate incarnations, and now Draco and his father... Sirius sounded thoughtful. I think I’d be bored by a normal life at this point.
Well, you’ll have to learn to deal with a normal life, if you want to keep a normal wife.
What did I do to deserve this? Sirius moaned mentally. Trapped in an underground passage with a woman who makes terrible puns...
Aletha kicked him gently in the back of the leg. Trapped indeed. Shut up and keep moving.
Yes, ma’am.
xXxXx
"It looks familiar," said Hermione, staring out the broken window, brushing her hair out of her face as the draught blew it forward. "I’ve seen it before, but not like this — not from this angle, I don’t think..."
Draco, rubbing a cramp out of his leg, noticed something on the floor amid the shards of window glass. It was a small rock, a pebble really. "Look at this," he said, picking it up. "I guess someone threw it to break the window."
Hermione took the rock from him and tossed it in her hand. "Window, first floor," she murmured. Then a delighted expression broke over her face, and she snatched Draco’s hand. I know where we are! she shouted into his mind. I threw this, last Hogsmeade visit but one! We’re in the Shrieking Shack!
Ow. Draco rubbed his forehead, but he had a smile on his face to match Hermione’s. You’re right. That’s Hogsmeade out there — we’re not ten minutes from Hogwarts, if we can get out of here...
But that’s the problem, isn’t it? Getting out. This window’s too small for us, and I don’t trust the door.
Nor do I. But the window’s only too small for me. Not for you. And cats always land on their feet, don’t they?
Hermione gaped at him. You want me to — to jump out the window and leave you here?
Neenie, it’s the best plan we have. You can run back to Hogwarts, tell them where we are, bring them back here —
And by that time, you’ll be gone! He’ll have taken you somewhere else, and I’ll never see you again! Her fear for him colored every word, and suddenly she hugged him hard. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t ever want to lose you.
I know. And I don’t want to lose you either. Draco disengaged gently from the hug. But a few minutes ago, you were the one telling me that "I’m not leaving without you" sounds great in films, but it doesn’t always work in real life. You have to go, Neenie. It’s the only chance for either of us. And you have to go now, before he comes back.
Oh, Draco — Hermione pressed his hand hard. Be careful!
I’ll do my best. You’d better change.
Hermione shut her eyes and began to recite. It didn’t take as long this time — within about thirty seconds, Draco could lean down and pick up ten pounds of cat, cradling her in his arms. At least you cleared the window pretty well with that rock, he said. There aren’t any really big pieces left in the frame.
Are you going to throw me? Neenie peered at the windowsill, littered with shards. I don’t want to walk on that.
I can do that. Ready?
No. Do it anyway.
Draco rolled his eyes and rearranged his grip, preparing to toss her gently out through the opening. You have to let go of me, he said, realizing what the little prickles on his arm were. No claws.
Spoilsport, grumbled Neenie as the prickles disappeared.
One, two — Draco broke off, staring out the window. What in the name of —
Something very large was flying directly towards the house. The setting sun was directly behind it, so Draco could only see it in silhouette, and it was front-on to him, meaning there wasn’t much to go on. Neenie? Can you smell anything?
No, the wind is the other way — but it’s not Letha, it’s built wrong, it’s stockier and its neck isn’t as long —
Draco backed away warily as the thing got closer. For a moment, the twins watched gray wings beating outside the window. Then a large beak poked in.
"Rawwk?"
xXxXx
Lucius looked up from his reading. What was that?
Quickly, he slipped two sealed flasks of a knock-out-vapor potion into his pocket and gulped down a measure of the antidote. If they are trying to escape, I can stop them without being incapacitated myself.
He started down the hall towards the room where the children were imprisoned. It has been more than long enough in any case...
xXxXx
No, said Neenie in disbelief. It can’t be...
"Buckbeak?" breathed Draco, moving closer. "Buckbeak — it is you!" He reached out the window and scratched around the hippogriff’s beak as Buckbeak beat his wings to stay more or less level.
"Awwrrr," said Buckbeak happily, leaning into the scratch.
"Looks like your ride’s here," Draco said to Neenie, curled in his other arm. "He’s even got something tied around his neck you can hold onto. Here you go..."
It’s yours, said Neenie as Draco held her out the window so that she could attach herself to the woolen thing tied around the hippogriff’s neck. It’s one of your jumpers, one Danger made for you. It smells like you all over. Someone must have given it to Buckbeak and told him to come find you.
She arranged herself on the hippogriff’s back and concentrated, and Buckbeak squawked again as the weight on his back suddenly increased twelve-fold. "I’ll come back as soon as I can," she said aloud, fastening one hand in the jumper and squeezing Draco’s with the other. "I love you."
"You too." Draco pressed her hand once more, then let it go.
"How touching."
Draco whirled. His father stood in the doorway, looking at him in genteel surprise. "More resourceful than I thought, it seems," he said, stepping into the room. "But no matter. Move aside, Draco."
"No." Draco planted his back against the window frame. "I won’t." Go, he willed Hermione. Go, get out of here — I’m buying you all the time I can —
"As I suspected. Your seeming conversion was an act." Lucius smiled. "When you had so often told me that your first loyalty was now to the band of animals who raised you, was I to believe that you had so readily seen the light and returned to humanity?" He drew his wand. "So I must treat you as an animal for a time, I fear. Teach you who is your master. You will thank me for it one day, believe me..."
I won’t go down without a fight. Draco pulled the Combat Club wand from within his robes, painfully aware it would do nothing but spray dye where he pointed it —
Unless I can surprise him by exploding it in his face...
Lucius laughed. "You think I would have left you with a weapon, even had you possessed one? Do you plan to fight me with a false wand? Or perhaps strangle me with your illusionary necklace?"
"Illusionary necklace? What are you talking about?"
"The chain you seem to wear around your neck," said Lucius, gesturing with his left hand.
"I don’t seem to wear it, I do wear it. It’s real."
"Spare me," said Lucius impatiently. "The chain can be seen, but not touched, therefore it is an illusion. Now will you move away from that window or must I force you?"
Seen but not touched... the Slytherin gift...
In that instant, a plan unfolded in Draco’s mind. He risked a quick glance over his shoulder. Hermione and Buckbeak were still there, hovering, anguished indecision on Hermione’s face. Draco slipped his left hand behind his back as he turned his head back into the room.
"I’ll move," he said, feeling Hermione’s hand against his. Go down and out a little from the window and stay there, he sent in one frantic burst before he stepped forward. "See how nicely I’m moving?"
"I do." Lucius looked pleased, then surprised, then a little worried as Draco kept advancing on him. "Stop," he said, brandishing the wand. "Stop!"
"What are you afraid of? You’re the one with the wand." Draco took one more step, feeling the tip of his father’s wand against his chest. "There. I’ve stopped."
This had better work, or I am so dead...
Draco lifted his Combat Club wand to his mouth. "Dye output max, go in five," he muttered to it, then kissed it ceremoniously, swapped it end for end, and offered it to Lucius. "My wand, sir."
Lucius accepted it from him suspiciously and quickly flung it aside. But his attention was still distracted for a split-second, and that was all Draco needed. He closed his hand around his father’s wand where it met his chest and thought hard at his pendants. Slytherin jewel, activate!
Lucius whipped his head back to face Draco, saw what he was doing, and tried to pull his wand away —
His fingers passed through it as if it was made of air, and it remained in Draco’s hand —
Heart pounding, Draco whirled on his heel and dashed towards the window, catching glimpses through it of waving wings —
I’m out of my mind —
He jumped his hardest, passing through the wall like a ghost, and saw Hermione and Buckbeak three feet too high and much too far out, and the ground below him, coming up fast — Hermione’s scream echoed in his ears, along with the sound of a wand exploding behind him —
He slammed into gray feathers, the impact knocking all the breath out of him, and felt Hermione’s hands close around his arms with desperate strength. "Got you!" she gasped out, clutching at him. "Buckbeak side-slipped to catch you — are you all right?"
"Fine," Draco panted, clinging to the jumper knotted around Buckbeak’s neck with all his might. "Just fine. I even got his wand."
"Don’t drop it," said Hermione. "Here, I’ll move back..." She scooted backwards a little more and helped Draco pull himself up into a proper riding position on Buckbeak’s back in front of her. They looked back at the window but could only see vague shadows within. Then a voice shouted something unintelligible and an object came flying out towards them, smashing on the ground, which was now only a few feet below them.
"Gee up, Buckbeak," said Draco quickly, slapping the hippogriff’s shoulder. Buckbeak took a deep breath, his wings swept down and up again, and they were soaring upwards, towards the stars which were beginning to become visible.
We did it, whispered Hermione’s voice inside his mind as she laid her head on the back of his neck, her hair flying this way and that in the confusion of the draft Buckbeak’s wings made and the prevailing winds, which were from behind them. We did it — we really did it — we got away! Both of us! And — wait — Draco felt her fumbling with something behind him. Draco, do you feel it? Do you feel it?
Do I feel what?
Our pendants! They’re not cold anymore, and nothing’s glowing at all — nobody’s in danger! Harry must have got away too! We’re all going to be all right!
Draco felt Hermione’s joy surging through him, and returned it with interest. Better than all right, he said. Do you realize what my dear father has just done?
No. What?
He’s made himself father to a Muggleborn! He’s my father, and you’re my twin sister — so he must be your father too!
Dear old Dad, said Hermione, giggling. And that would make him Danger’s father too, and Moony’s father-in-law! Do you think he’ll give the bride away if they ever get magically married?
Draco burst out laughing at the image she sent — Lucius Malfoy, in sleek black dress robes, soberly shaking hands with Moony, putting Danger’s hand in his, and saying, "Do right by her, son." Somehow I don’t think so, he said. It would be more like this.
He sent her an image out of an old Western movie — Lucius dressed like a farmer, running cowboy-Moony off his farm with a shotgun, while Danger, in a gingham dress, wrung her hands on the front porch, looking sweet and helpless.
Don’t DO that! I’m going to fall off! Hermione was laughing so hard she had to hold onto him with both arms. You’re awful!
I try. Draco patted Buckbeak on the side of the neck as the hippogriff yawned. I do try.
xXxXx
The first thing Sirius heard as he climbed out of the passage into the Shrieking Shack was Harry’s voice, shouting, but not in pain or fear.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Harry?" Sirius bellowed as Aletha scrambled out behind him.
"Upstairs!" came the answer. "Turn right!"
Sirius ran for the stairs — he knew perfectly well where they were, even after all this time — and took them three at a time, emerging onto the top floor to see something that banished the previous hour of fear from his mind.
Harry was standing in the hallway, holding his wand perfectly steady and trained on Lucius Malfoy, who had his hands in the air and was covered in what looked like Gryffindor Combat Club dye.
"Draco or Hermione must have blown up their wand on him," said Harry without turning around. "I don’t know where they are — Wormtail said they were up here, but I haven’t seen them..."
"They’re safe," said Aletha, coming to the top of the stairs. "Their carvings have stopped glowing."
"Then they must have got away. Were you trying to hit them with something?" Harry asked Malfoy, who only glowered at him. "He was about to throw something out the window," Harry continued as Sirius came up beside him, pointing his own wand at Malfoy. "It went out the window anyway when I disarmed him, but I probably ruined his aim."
"Good work," said Sirius warmly, putting an arm around Harry’s shoulders. "Very good work."
"Where’s Wormtail?" asked Aletha.
"Downstairs, under the Body-Bind. I did that too."
"I’ll get him," said Aletha, and Sirius heard her feet going back down the stairs. He couldn’t take his eyes off Harry, nor could he keep from grinning. His godson, not yet fourteen, had captured two Death Eaters, all by himself...
Merlin’s beard, he’s amazing. What an Auror he’ll make.
"Here, let’s get him taken care of," he said. "You can put your hands down now, but do it slow," he said to Malfoy. "And hold them out in front of you."
Glaring at him, Malfoy complied, and Sirius quickly conjured ropes around his wrists. No need to do his feet. He can walk back. And no need to gag him — who’s he going to shout for?
"So what were you throwing out the window?" he asked Malfoy conversationally.
Malfoy looked away, disdaining to reply.
"All right, it’s no polish off my wand. You do realize what’s going to happen to you now. Escaping from Azkaban is pretty much automatic Dementor’s Kiss."
"And I can’t think of a nicer bloke to get it," remarked Harry. "Except maybe Wormtail. Do you know what he was doing to me?"
"Is it something that’s going to make me want to hurt him?"
"Depends on how good a sense of humor you have."
"Where you’re concerned, I have no sense of humor at all."
"You will with this. He was poking me."
Sirius frowned. He didn’t like the sound of this. "With what?"
"His wand."
Sirius stared at Harry. "Poking you with his wand?"
"Yeah — I was expecting him to curse me, but no, he wanted to poke me. And he did. And he kept on going ‘Poke, poke, poke!’ Bit annoying, really."
Sirius shook his head. Sounds like Wormtail’s really lost it...
"Sirius, you ready up there?" called Aletha from the bottom of the stairs. "I’ve got Wormtail, and he’s ready to go walkies."
Sirius snickered. "Are you ready to go walkies, Lucy darling?" he asked in an old-lady falsetto, making Harry laugh. "Come on now, walkies right out here... you go on ahead," he added to Harry. "Stay out of reach."
xXxXx
They were still laughing when Draco began to feel it. A quaver in Buckbeak’s wingbeat, a hesitation, as if the great animal had forgotten how to fly. "Come on, Buckbeak," he said, patting the hippogriff’s back. "You can do it."
Buckbeak yawned again, hugely. "I don’t like this," said Hermione from behind Draco. "I think something’s wrong with him. Maybe we should land. It can’t be far to Hogwarts now."
Draco squinted at the ground. "It’s so dark I can’t see anything. But all right. Down, Buckbeak."
The hippogriff yawned once more, then set his wings and began to glide downwards in spirals. Hermione stroked his flank. "Clever Buckbeak," she said. "You were so good to come and find us."
With a set of thuds as his feet hit packed dirt, Buckbeak landed, wobbling slightly as he stood. Draco and Hermione scrambled off his back, and the hippogriff immediately tottered a few steps and fell over.
"Oh no!" Hermione ran to him. "Oh no, oh no, what will Hagrid say?" She laid her hand on him, then exhaled in relief. "He’s alive," she said. "Just... sleeping, I think."
"Maybe whatever fell out the window was a sleeping potion," said Draco. "And Buckbeak got a breath of it."
"Maybe." Hermione stood up. "I think I know where we are," she said. "It’s not far from the gates. We can walk the rest of the way."
Draco drew his wand. "Lumos," he said.
The wind picked up again as they set out, tugging at their robes, seeming to urge them forward.
xXxXx
If looks could kill, Aletha knew, she and Sirius and Harry would all have been dead long ago. Lucius Malfoy was absolutely and completely consumed with rage at each of them, and would gladly have killed them with his bare hands. As said hands were currently tied, and Sirius had made it clear after the first few insults that he would gag Malfoy if it kept up, Malfoy was reduced to looking at them.
Wormtail, on the other hand, was shuffling along the passage with his head down, looking thoroughly cowed. Aletha kept her wand on him, though. She didn’t intend to be fooled by him again.
"Hold it," said Sirius, stopping.
"What is it?" asked Aletha, holding out her hand to halt Harry, behind her.
"Moony’s wards. They’re not letting us in. We might have to go back."
"Don’t give up before you even start," said Aletha. "Have a try at taking them down. I’ll watch Malfoy." She brought her wand over to guard both men.
A few flashes of light heralded unsuccessful attempts. "I’m not sure I can," said Sirius. "When Moony protects a thing, it stays protected... wait, I have one more idea." There was a faint jingling sound, then a triumphant shout. "Got it!"
"What?" asked Aletha.
"How’d you do it?" said Harry, peering forward.
"Hold on, let me come back." Sirius lit his wand and stepped towards them. "Watch." He turned and pressed against the air in front of him, which seemed to harden under his hand, not letting him through. "Now..."
He grabbed Malfoy’s arm and pulled him forward, pushing him up against the hardened air, then fished inside his robes, brought out his pendants, and pressed them to the air. Malfoy fell forward through the former barrier, just managing to stay on his feet.
"Nice," said Harry. "Let me." He pulled out his wand, aimed it at Malfoy, and let himself through the wards. Sirius followed, and Aletha escorted Wormtail through. Within a few minutes, they were climbing out of the hole between the roots of the Whomping Willow, Harry having reached up first to hit the knot.
Aletha looked up, keeping half an eye and her wand on Wormtail. The stars were coming out more thickly every second, and she knew soon the full moon would be above the trees where she could see it. Remus and Danger are going to be pissed... there’s nothing left for them to do.
Malfoy tripped and fell heavily to the ground. Sirius bent to pull him up, and a mist curled up from under his body. Aletha frowned. What is that?
Sirius sniffed curiously, and his eyes went wide. "Letha, run!" He seized Harry’s arm and flung the boy away from Malfoy as hard as he could. Harry went flying, losing his balance and rolling down the slight slope that housed the Whomping Willow, as Sirius staggered back and fell.
Aletha was about to curse Malfoy when she remembered who she was supposed to be watching. She spun around and swore. Wormtail was gone.
She pointed her wand at herself. "Video caloris!" It was the equivalent of Muggle infrared goggles — she would be able to see heat sources —
Wormtail’s trail glowed faintly red to her eyes. She took off, head down, looking up only long enough to see that she wasn’t going to run into anything — she could Summon him if she could just get to where she could see him...
xXxXx
Lucius could not have been more delighted. The potion had worked — if not perfectly, then well enough. All his captors were out of the way. Now he had only to free himself.
He picked up Black’s wand, which the Auror had let fall, and put its back end in his mouth. Aiming it at his wrists, he thought hard of the incantation for a cutting spell, and sighed with relief as the ropes fell away. He took the wand from his mouth and looked around carefully, but nothing moved nearby.
I could go after Potter, but why push my luck? Better just to return to the Shack, pack up a few necessities, and make good my escape while I still can.
But two pieces of business first.
He kicked Black hard in the face, and chuckled as the Auror’s nose crumpled and began to bleed like a tap. Then he aimed his "borrowed" wand towards the gates of Hogwarts and shot off a Summoning Spell.
To give Black what he should have had the day after he stole my son...
He slipped back into the hole out of which they had so recently come and started down the passage.
It is not quite the perfect evening I had hoped for, but neither is it as bad as it looked to be a few moments ago. I will still have my freedom, in any case. And I am rid of that disgusting little worm Pettigrew, and Black will get what he deserves.
Yes, all in all, not a bad evening’s work.
xXxXx
Harry picked himself up painfully and pulled out the wand he’d taken from Pettigrew. "Lumos!"
The wandlight showed him Padfoot lying on the ground by the Whomping Willow, which had reactivated now and was waving its branches around threateningly. Padfoot’s chest rose and fell, so he was alive, but his face was a bloody mess. Harry wanted to get to him, wanted to make sure he was all right, but something made him hesitate.
He threw me away from there, and yelled at Letha to run. Something must be wrong. Maybe that mist was a knock-out potion — and maybe it’s still there...
A howl from behind him made him whip around. His wandlight picked out the forms of two enormous wolves, coming toward him at speed —
"Moony! Danger!" Harry waved wildly. "Over here!"
The wolves skidded to a halt in front of him, Danger turning human as she did and pulling him into a tight embrace. "Harry, thank God you’re alive, are you all right?"
"Fine — but Padfoot’s hurt, and Malfoy got away, and Letha went after Wormtail — I haven’t seen Draco and Hermione, but they have to be all right, the pendants are normal again."
"What happened?" said Danger quickly, as Moony rubbed against Harry’s legs in greeting and Harry squeezed his Pack-father’s shoulder. "Just to Sirius, Letha can take care of herself, and we’ll hear the rest later."
Harry explained about the knock-out mist, and how Malfoy had disappeared in the time it took him, Harry, to pick himself up and light his wand.
"Only one place he can have gone," said Danger. "Back into the passage, back to the Shrieking Shack. That was his base, wasn’t it?"
Harry nodded. "What are you going to do?"
"Track him down. What else?" Danger pulled out her wand and froze the Whomping Willow, allowing Moony to get in close to Padfoot. "You were right not to go to Sirius," she said as Moony sniffed around. "Some of those knock-out vapors can linger for hours."
"Then why..."
"Werewolves are immune to most spells and potions in transformed state," said Danger. "It’s part of what makes them so dangerous." Her eyes blurred blue. "He definitely went back into the passage," she said absently. "And Sirius isn’t badly hurt — it looks like Malfoy just kicked him in the face. There’s a bit of vapor hanging around, but with this wind blowing, it should be gone within a minute or two. If you can wake him, get him into the castle. If not, just wait there — there should be someone along soon."
"All right." Harry hugged her quickly once more, then stood back as Danger changed forms and joined Moony near the entrance to the tunnel. "One more thing!" he called after them. "He tastes awful!"
xXxXx
The wolves looked at each other in disbelief.
I don’t even want to know.
Nor do I. Let’s go. Remus started along the passage, moving silently and swiftly as the wind.
xXxXx
"Ah-ha!" Aletha thrust her wand out. "Accio Wormtail!"
Squeaking in dismay, the rat flew out of the hole he’d buried into and towards Aletha’s hand. Halfway there, he became human again, knocking her to the ground on impact. Her wand flew out of her hand. He scrabbled after it, but Aletha rolled over and got a hold of his arm, yanking him back towards her. He swung his other arm up and hit her on the ear. "NO!" he shouted. "I won’t go back there! I won’t!"
Aletha ignored the pain, throwing herself on top of the small man, only to feel him shrink away to almost nothing beneath her. A lucky grab netted her his tail, and she hoisted him up, then yelped and dropped him as he bit her.
"Oh, yes, you will," she growled, feeling around on the ground for her wand and tracking his progress with her eyes as he scurried away. "You’ll go back as soon as I get you..." Her hand felt smooth wood, and she snatched up her wand and shot a spell after the running rat. She missed, but hit the ground near him, and the shock wave knocked him to his side, where he lay motionless.
Good enough.
She started to run toward him, then slowed down, blinking. The heat-sight spell must be failing — it was supposed to make things look brighter, not darker... but Pettigrew’s red shape was fading before her eyes, all the shapes were...
And why were her pendants suddenly so very cold again? She was shivering with their effect.
"Lumos," she said, holding her wand above her head, and everything came horribly clear.
It wasn’t just her pendants that were cold, and it wasn’t the heat-sight spell that was failing...
xXxXx
Harry counted as slow a sixty as he dared before sprinting up the rise to Padfoot’s side. He tore a piece off his own robes and wiped some of the blood off his godfather’s face, then pointed the wand at him. "Ennervate!"
Padfoot opened his eyes. "Harry?" he rasped out. "What... what’s going on?"
"Malfoy got away," said Harry, "but Moony and Danger went after him, and Letha’s gone after Wormtail. Do you think you can walk? We have to get up to the castle and tell them."
"I can... try."
Harry helped his godfather sit up, but it was obvious he wasn’t going to be able to stand any time soon. "All right," he said. "So we wait."
"Wait for what?"
"Help to come." Harry shivered a little. "Are you cold?"
"A bit. Harry... I’m sorry."
"Sorry? For what?"
"Letting Malfoy get away." Padfoot felt his nose gingerly. "You caught him... and I let him get away again."
"Oh, bollocks," said Harry impatiently. "It could have happened to anybody. And I only got him because he had his back turned." He shivered again, and blinked a few times as his vision clouded slightly.
"Is getting cold around here," mumbled Padfoot, wrapping his arms around himself. His eyes were drifting shut. "C’mere... keep each other warm."
"Shouldn’t you be saying that to Letha?" asked Harry. He tried to smile, but the cold seemed to be sapping his strength, making him want to lie down and never get up again...
Understanding shocked through him. He snatched up the wand and pointed it outward. "Lumos!"
Beside him, Padfoot collapsed bonelessly to the ground.
xXxXx
Draco stopped as a chill went through him. That’s odd. Are we in danger again?
"Did you feel that?" said Hermione beside him.
"Yeah." Draco pulled out his pendants. Hermione’s carving was flickering, as was Harry’s, and —
"Padfoot and Letha," said Hermione anxiously, looking at her own pendants. "And Harry again, and us..."
The night had gone completely silent. Draco felt for Hermione’s hand, and found it searching for his. I don’t like this, he said. What do you think...
I don’t know. But whoever it is, they’re not going to come where we can see them. Shine the light around.
Draco aimed the wand off to one side of the road and felt his whole body plunge into ice water again.
But I suppose I could always be wrong, said Hermione in a shaky voice.
Three dementors floated several feet from the road, their hoods turned to regard the twins.
Back away slowly, said Draco, following his own advice. They’re not looking for us.
He turned to run, and a second wave of ice water drenched him. Four more dementors waited on the other side of the road.
Are you sure? asked Hermione, trembling all over. Because they’re all looking at us...
Draco looked around wildly, shining the light to every side. Black robes and black hoods surrounded them, blocking every escape. They were trapped.
What can we do, what can we do? moaned Hermione. I don’t even have a wand...
Just stop, Draco snapped. Stop, you’re not helping.
The dementors were closing in, his vision was starting to cloud over — any minute he would start to hear that voice again, the voice he’d only just escaped — so smooth and elegant sounding, so careful and precise, talking about such horrible things — and he wouldn’t be able to fight it, and the dementors would close in on them and take their hoods down and bend over them and Kiss them, suck their souls from their bodies, first him, and then Hermione...
No.
He squeezed her hand, and felt a feeble response. No. They can’t have her. I can’t let them have her.
I’m going to try a Patronus, he told her. It’s the only thing that drives dementors away. But I should warn you, I wasn’t very good when I tried it before, and that was only with one of them, and it was a boggart anyway...
Anything’s better than waiting here for them to eat our souls! Please, try!
Draco raised his wand and tried to think of a good memory, but nothing came.
Guess I have to try it anyway...
"Expecto patronum!"
Not even a wisp of silver mist came from the wand’s tip, and the dementors were getting closer by the second — the wand’s light had died out, the scene was almost completely dark...
"Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"
Don’t you have to think of something happy?
I’m trying! Do you have any ideas?
Not really. Maybe... maybe you just don’t have enough magic to do this spell.
Maybe not. But I have to keep trying.
"Expecto patronum!"
A tiny streamer of mist drifted out of the wand and evaporated instantly in the chill darkness. Draco felt Hermione’s consciousness begin to waver. NO! he screamed through their link. Damn it, Neenie, stay with me! I can’t do this alone!
Painfully, Hermione dragged herself back to full awareness. You’re right, she said faintly. You can’t do it alone —
Draco heard her gasp. But you’re not alone. Draco, why did he bond us? Why did he want to put us together? What is this bond meant for?
He meant for me to steal your magic. Because he thought you had stolen it from me.
Yes, but that doesn’t matter now — the point is that our magic is connected! If you don’t have enough of your own, use mine!
But — that would be —
No. It wouldn’t. The realization came easily, as if thought out by someone else far away and communicated to him by means unknown. He meant the bond for evil. Take it and use it to do good. There’s all the difference in the world between stealing and accepting a gift.
Great, he finished. That would be great — but how?
Like this. Hermione threw her mind open to him, and Draco felt her magic flood over him like sunlight and warm wind. A memory came easily to him now, one that brought both of them joy...
Immersed together in the moment when their minds had touched in the hospital wing, when her voice had given him hope again and stopped the curse from taking hold, the twins spoke out as one, Draco’s hand holding the wand high.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
xXxXx
Harry looked around, his breath coming short. What looked like every dementor at Hogwarts was gathered around the Whomping Willow, and every black hood was pointed at him... any minute, he knew, he would start to hear the screaming...
I have to fight. I have to send them away.
"Expecto patronum!" he shouted, and silver mist bled from the end of his wand, wavering into a four-legged shape — but it was so weak, so feeble, and it was taking his strength with it — and now there was a voice shouting in his mind, one he almost never heard — it belonged to a man —
"Lily, take Harry and go! It’s him! Go! Run! I’ll hold him off—"
Harry fell to his knees, his head throbbing with the voice. He knew who it belonged to.
Dad.
Padfoot moaned a little beside him.
My dad couldn’t save my mum. And I can’t save Padfoot. We both failed... and now I’m going to die, like him...
But they saved me.
Harry lifted his head painfully. His Patronus was gone. The first dementor was almost on top of him, its slimy hands going to its hood.
They saved me. I lived. They didn’t fail. You’re telling me the beginning of the story, but I know the end of it...
The dementor’s hood came down. Harry stared, aghast. It didn’t have any eyes — the sockets where they should have been were scabbed over with thin, gray skin — but it had a mouth, a black hole of a mouth, sucking air in with a noise like a death rattle...
Padfoot moaned again as the dementor leaned over him.
They saved me. And I can save Padfoot. My dad can save both of us. His son, and his best friend —
Harry scrambled to his feet, wand held out in front of him. He was through lying down in front of evil.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
xXxXx
Aletha swore under her breath, looking around. There’s so many of them...
Doesn’t matter. I’ve done it before, I can do it again.
"Expecto patronum," she said quietly, recalling a lamplit evening in a London music room, and the joy that had restored Sirius to his old self as they held each other in their arms, together once again after the painful months of separation...
But whose fault was the separation? Who made it happen? You know who did that, and he’s right there, within your reach at last...
Her Patronus flickered and died, and the dementors advanced again.
Come on, Letha, keep it together! Think!
She tried again, this time with the memory of their wedding day. This Patronus didn’t even have a shape, as she recalled instead how they’d been cheated.
We had to be married under false names, in hiding, and live that way for so long, all because of him...
She could just see the red outline of the rat through all the dementors’ chill, though it was getting harder as her eyes kept drifting shut...
NO! Grimly, she fought back to consciousness. I can’t — I can’t let this happen —
Seeking a happy memory, her mind touched the night after Sirius’ trial, the night she’d awakened to find her love burning folders filled with paper in the fireplace of the music room.
He was letting Wormtail go. Letting go of all his anger and hate, because he didn’t want it to run his life.
Now I have to do that. I have to let everything go, if I want to have a life past this moment.
Quickly, she immersed herself in the memory of that night, until she could almost smell the smoke of the fire that had destroyed the ancient hatred, hear the carol they’d sung together speaking of comfort and joy. Then she gathered her strength and shouted.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
xXxXx
It’s a wolf, said Draco uncertainly. I think...
No, it’s a werewolf. Hermione sounded positive. Look at the tail, and the snout. It has to be.
A werewolf Patronus. I wonder how many people have one of those?
Hermione laughed aloud. I think it’s probably just us.
The silver werewolf circled them, snapping at any dementor that dared come too close, then turned and looked at them.
I think it wants us to follow.
Let’s go, then.
Hand in hand, they followed their Patronus down the road towards Hogwarts.
xXxXx
Sirius opened his eyes uncertainly. The muscles in his chest were tight in a way they only were when he’d been very cold and shivering hard. His entire face hurt as if he’d been kicked, and the only light on the scene was shimmering and silver —
Moon must be up.
He lifted his head and stared. It might have been the moon, but only if the moon had four slender legs and branching antlers, and only if the moon lowered its head to allow Harry Potter to caress it.
Harry lifted his hand away. The stag, released, galloped off towards the gates of Hogwarts. Harry turned to Sirius, took three steps towards him, and passed out cold, hitting the ground like a Stunned giant.
xXxXx
The silver dog was brighter than it had ever been before, and it could have been Aletha’s imagination, but she thought it seemed to be smiling at her.
I have to learn to let go of the past when the present is more important. I’m starting, with taking up my Healer training again, but I still need to work on it. I think I’ve taken a big step tonight.
She rubbed her bleeding hand, very carefully not looking at the place where Wormtail had been. We can always find him again, and losing my soul wouldn’t have done anyone one bit of good...
She hoped if she told herself that enough times, she’d believe it.
The dementors were gone. Aletha’s Patronus loped away towards the gates. With a poisonous glance at the place where Wormtail no longer was, she followed it.
xXxXx
We got by them on the road, but we still have to pass them at the gates, said Hermione worriedly.
Don’t remind me. Draco peered ahead. Do you see something?
Something like what? Hermione looked, and then stared, wide-eyed. Oh my.
The wrought-iron gates of Hogwarts stood wide open. The werewolf Patronus sat in the center of the road, tail wagging. One side of the gate was guarded by a great silver dog, and the other by a proud silver stag. Dementors moved uneasily in the darkness behind each of them.
Looks like a welcome mat to me, said Draco, grinning. Come on.
They dashed through the gates, which closed directly behind them. The Patronuses faded from view.
"Draco! Hermione!" Their names were almost sung, so much thankfulness and joy was tied up in them.
"Letha!" The twins charged her, hugging her tightly.
"Oh, I’ve been so worried..." Letha held them both, then let them go to look at them. "What’s happened to your faces? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Both of them shook their heads. "We’re twins now," said Draco.
"Lucius Malfoy did it," Hermione picked up her cue beautifully.
"He blood-bonded us—"
"He thought I’d stolen Draco’s magic—"
"Or that you’d stolen it for her—"
"We had to work so hard on not laughing—"
"But we can talk mind-to-mind when we touch—"
"And we can share magic—"
"We shared it to do that Patronus—"
"And we’re going to be twins from now on!" they finished together.
Letha had spent this speech looking from one to the other of them. Now, she burst out laughing. "We are in so much trouble with you two in the house, aren’t we?" she said when she’d caught her breath a little.
Draco and Hermione nodded in unison, with identical smug smiles. Then Hermione blinked several times and looked around. "I think I’m going to sleep now," she said, and crumpled to the ground.
That looked like a good idea, Draco decided. "Me too," he said, and let his knees buckle. "Oh, Letha?"
"Yes?" Her face looked very patient from down on the ground.
"Would you tell Hagrid thanks for letting us use Buckbeak?"
Letha’s eyebrows climbed towards her hair. "I’ll do that."
"Thanks." Draco found Hermione’s outstretched hand, curled his fingers around it, and shut his eyes.
It was all over now. He was safe.
xXxXx
They would have to do this right now. I don’t think I could transfigure a teacup at this point. How am I going to get them up to the castle?
Aletha sat down beside her cubs, shaking her head. I suppose it’s my turn to sit and wait for help to come...
Then she heard crashing in the Forest. In an instant, she was on her feet, wand ready.
I don’t think there are any really big predators in there, other than the acromantulas, and they never come out this far, but something could always have moved in... but Hagrid would have known about it, he knows everything that happens in that Forest...
Then she lowered her wand, laughing at herself. I don’t think predators carry lamps. Or sing.
A moment’s thought produced another Patronus and sent it streaking off to Hagrid, and it wasn’t long before the groundskeeper himself hurried out of the Forest. "Letha? Thought that dog was yers — what’s goin’ on?"
"Hello, Hagrid. Have you been in the Forest long?"
"Most o’ the evenin’ — why, what’d I miss?"
"Oh, nothing important," said Aletha, stifling a giggle. "Help me get Draco and Hermione back to the castle? They wore themselves out."
"Ar, they work too hard," said Hagrid, handing Aletha his lantern and lifting Draco and Hermione like a pair of oversized babies. "Y’oughter tell them ter relax once in a while. Take life easy. Maybe come on down and visit Buckbeak — they haven’ been fer a month..."
Aletha carefully did not laugh. She was afraid that if she started again, she wouldn’t be able to stop.
xXxXx
Sirius rubbed his nose, which had returned to its usual shape and was no longer bleeding. "I thought you said you didn’t prance around in the middle of the night rescuing people," he said to Minerva McGonagall as she finished conjuring a stretcher under Harry.
She looked at him severely. "If you’d rather I leave..."
"No, no, you’re fine," said Sirius quickly. "Really, you’re just fine. Thank you."
"You’re welcome."
They started off for the castle together.
xXxXx
Albus Dumbledore Apparated silently into the living room of the Shrieking Shack.
"Oh, hello, Albus," said Danger’s voice from the corner. "Nice of you to drop in."
Several small fires flickered to life around the room, revealing Danger sitting in a nest of dusty cushions with as much of a werewolf in her lap as would fit. She was stroking him behind the ears.
"I’m beginning to understand what Phineas was talking about," said Dumbledore, allowing his amusement to show. "You truly are shameless." He looked closer. "Danger, are you hurt?"
"Hurt? No, not at all — why?"
"You have blood on your collar."
Danger looked confused for a moment. Then her face cleared. "Oh, that. Don’t worry. It’s not mine."
"I see." Dumbledore exchanged a long look with the werewolf. "Where may I find our mutual foe?"
"Next room," said Danger, nodding toward it. "Unconscious, tied up, and unlikely to do any running in the near future in any case." She grinned wolfishly. "At least on one leg."
"I shall want to hear all about this," said Dumbledore lightly. "After everything is seen to, of course. My office, tomorrow morning, perhaps?"
"Perhaps. And if anybody asks, I caught him running."
Dumbledore nodded, resisting the urge to shake his head instead, and went to see to Lucius Malfoy’s proper disposal.
xXxXx
Are you sure? This is your last chance, you know...
Positive. Remus squirmed a little, settling his back half more comfortably. I don’t want to take the risk. Yours will serve for both of us.
But Andy told you you’re not contagious...
But that was two years ago. Something could have changed. Or maybe her samples were bollixed up — I don’t know. And I won’t risk our Pack’s safety and happiness on something I don’t know.
Remus closed his eyes and felt Danger’s mind drifting with his, back to the moment he’d decided not to do what he’d been looking forward to all evening...
xXxXx
This was what the wolf lived for, Remus knew. The moment when the prey was helpless, nowhere else to run, nothing to fight with. Malfoy’s eyes were wide with fear, he was scrabbling against the wall behind him, whimpering. Remus could smell that he’d soiled himself, and snickered nastily. You can dish it out just fine, but you can’t take it, it seems...
Danger growled behind him, her mind a match for his own. What are you waiting for? Kill him!
I want to, Remus said longingly, taking a step forward, his mental hand on the latch of the wolf’s cage. I want to. He could taste the blood in his mouth, feel the bones crunching beneath his teeth, hear the screaming as he destroyed this man who had tormented his cubs...
But I can’t. He backed up and laid his flank against Danger’s, trembling. I can’t kill him.
Why not? she demanded, her eyes narrowed in anger. All you have to do is claim he was trying to kill you first. I’ll back you up, trust me. Just do it!
No. Remus shook his head. I won’t do anything that dishonors you.
Danger stared at him blankly. I’m sorry?
You give me the power to choose, Remus elaborated. The power to choose what I do with myself, no matter what form I’m in. A power so many people take for granted. And if I choose to do what I would otherwise have no choice but to do — to shed human blood, to take a human life — that’s the same as saying that I care nothing for your gift, that I would spit on it and throw it away. I’ve done that once, and I nearly killed a man I call my brother because of it. I won’t do it again, no matter who I’m facing. Not even him.
The wolf-rage was gone from Danger’s mind. In its place was an emotion Remus was far more used to in his love — exasperation. Has anyone ever told you that you’re far too highly principled?
Yes. You do. Often. Remus pranced in place, grinning.
Well, you are. But I’ll respect your decision. So I won’t kill him. But I am going to bite him. Once. Hard.
And I will gladly watch.
Watch, hell, you can do it with me if you like.
I like. I very much like. Remus felt his breath coming faster. He would get to taste blood after all tonight...
Danger stalked forward, and Malfoy’s eyes fixed on her, his breathing coming faster. She snapped her jaws, and he whimpered. Well, well, it seems no one’s ever taught dear Lucius how to tell a werewolf from a true wolf. Or how to tell a boy wolf from a girl wolf, come to that.
Or maybe, at the moment, he just doesn’t care. Remus sat down and closed his eyes, letting his consciousness cohabit with Danger’s as she eyed Malfoy carefully, looking him up and down, then without warning sank her teeth into the fleshy part of his right calf.
His scream was very satisfying. His taste was not.
Ugh. Danger let go and backed away, tongue lolling out in disgust. Harry was right. That’s horrible. I don’t think he’s bathed in a week.
Of course, that brings up the question of how Harry knew...
Let’s not get into that, please. One more formality to observe. Danger raised her nose to the ceiling and howled triumphantly. Remus joined her.
Malfoy slumped to the floor, unconscious.
xXxXx
They floated back to the present on a tide of laughter. Honestly, I didn’t think our singing voices were that bad, said Remus. We’re not quite as good as Sirius and Letha, but people passing out when they hear us... that hurts a little.
Come on, let’s get back to the castle. Danger got to her feet. We have cubs to hug, a wand to return, and a den-night to have. And a whole lot of recovering to do.
Amen. And a thanksgiving for another crisis successfully weathered.
Side by side, the two wolves set off down the tunnel.