Second Lives Are Not Chosen

All the following week I dreamed of Pettigrew. I dreamed of dead Peter approaching me, looking sadly with his glassy eyes, and extending his palms to me with a living Scabbers. And other such symbolism. After that time when I scared the girls, I no longer screamed, but the dreams still left an oppressive aftertaste.

And today we're sleeping in the Great Hall because Sirius Black has infiltrated the castle.

I decided to somehow compensate for my terrible deed with a good deed. Since I killed Peter, I need to do everything possible to save Sirius. Hmm... it seems like an attempt to bargain with my conscience. And I also need to get to Grimmauld.

I took note of Pettigrew's method and now I monitor the Shrieking Shack on the map for Black's presence.

The first private lesson with Lupin was a disaster. Probably, Pettigrew's death made it even harder for me to master the Patronus. Harry was already producing a dense silvery cloud, while from my wand came something no thicker than cigarette smoke. I have good memories, but now I absolutely cannot concentrate on them.

***

Today is the opening of the Quidditch season, and I think that's exactly why today's weather turned out particularly nasty. Murphy's law works even if you don't believe in it. Rain, wind, cold, and you can't see anything. And why not postpone the match for a couple of days? I charmed Harry's glasses with water-repelling—now the main thing is that our team doesn't find out about this—and went to the Hufflepuff stands.

In first year I said I'd never set foot at Quidditch again? Forget it! It's not so easy to go against a fanatically minded collective. I took the most advantageous spot—between Neville and Susan. Now I slightly regret that Susan started losing weight, but Neville pleases me—big and warm.

Brr, even Neville and water-repelling don't help. The wind gets under your clothes and chills to the bone. A lightning flash illuminates the dark silhouettes flying over the Quidditch field. Harry falls, I manage to catch him with telekinesis just above the ground, panic in the stands. Students rushed to the exit in a crowd, screams, stampede, Dementors hovering above. Suddenly one emerges from somewhere right in front of us. I don't even think about trying to conjure my feeble Patronus, reflexively set it on fire, putting all my fear into this flame. A worthy torch came out, I managed to approve before passing out.

What the hell!

And again I'm in the hospital wing after fainting, and also with magical exhaustion. Breaking all records. On the neighboring bed Hannah is resting. Her leg was broken in the stampede. I sympathize, Skele-Gro isn't the most pleasant thing, but by morning she'll be good as new. Harry didn't break anything, but the Dementors affected him strongly, there were most of them near him. The mediwitch already released several other students with minor injuries. She makes me drink restorative potion and leaves me for the night, since I'm so unconscientious, at least here she can make sure I don't do magic.

Hannah tells me that Dumbledore summoned a super-Patronus, and it saved everyone, driving away a hundred of those creatures at once. It's a pity I didn't see it, a phoenix Patronus—probably very beautiful. I wonder why Dementors aren't set on fire, but only frightened away? Because too much reserve is spent on one, and they're company guys and rarely go alone, or because they're government property, and what belongs to the government cannot be touched? Hannah didn't understand that I specifically set the Dementor on fire, although she was nearby. But she regretted that the other Dementors didn't take example from this and self-immolate. And Cedric caught the Snitch, we won, hooray!

Eh, it's a pity that Dumbledore didn't think to save everyone once more and use his influence to get them the hell out of here.

***

Harry, after what happened on the field, took up the Patronus with tripled zeal. It seems the dead broom impressed him more than the threat to himself. And now after a couple of weeks, a silver stag proudly gallops around the empty classroom. Beautiful. And I'm only just starting to get a cloud. Still very small, will drive away a couple of Dementors at most and not for long. But Lupin praises me too, says that at my age this is an achievement. My age is generally a debatable question, so weak consolation, professor.

I wonder what my Patronus will be. If I do master it. Hermione had an otter. I wouldn't refuse someone from the cat family. Probably no witch would refuse, everyone loves cats. Or a dragon—totally cool! The book says that magical creatures usually don't become Patronuses, but Dumbledore has a phoenix. Compared myself, yes. Modesty is a good thing...

***

Hagrid is drunk again. Everything seemed fine, pre-prepared lesson plans worked, and our unusual professor was gradually gaining experience and confidence in his abilities.

Still, the elder Malfoy decided to achieve Buckbeak's execution. He has nothing better to do. I told Hagrid not to bury the hippogriff in advance, nothing has been decided yet. But he had already given up and was mourning his favorite in advance.

Harry and Ron decided to save Buckbeak and settled in the library studying laws. Well, that's good, maybe something will stick in their heads. I wasn't going to help them save the animal and wasn't worried about the hippogriff's future death at all. I feel sorry for Hagrid to some extent, but not for the little beast. They're killed on the farm anyway. Some of them become riding hippogriffs, and some are used for meat, claws, feathers and other useful ingredients. For me, Buckbeak is no better than all the other hippogriffs in the world, I saw him once, and that time he behaved extremely aggressively, so I don't see a reason to save him specifically. Like with horses. I love these beautiful animals and riding, and someone loves horse meat. And it never occurred to me to try to forbid people to love it. Besides, horses, unlike hippogriffs, aren't such dangerous animals. And rabid dogs are shot. If Ripper had gone mad and mauled Dudley the same way Buckbeak did Malfoy, he would have been put down, and Harry would hardly have been outraged about it.

But let them try, and I made excuses that I have electives, assignments from regular school and absolutely no time.

***

One fine Saturday morning I woke up, habitually looked at the Marauder's Map and saw Sirius in the Shrieking Shack. Well, finally he got there. Where was he hiding before?

Instead of breakfast I ran to the Gryffindor common room and, catching Katie Bell on her way out, asked her to call Harry.

"Harry, would you lend me your invisibility cloak for a while?" Now I need maximum disguise, not ordinary charms.

"Of course, but what do you need it for?"

"I promise I'll definitely tell you, but later. If everything works out, you'll be the first to know!"

"Okay, I'll bring it now," Harry rushed back to the common room.

"Thank you so much! Okay, I'm running off," I waved goodbye to him.

After thinking, I stopped by the elves, then secluded myself in the nearest niche, put on the cloak and ran to the exit. At the castle threshold I slapped my forehead. Appearing footprints of the invisible person on white snow—excellent disguise that would be. I ran back to my common room for a broom, also grabbed a blanket—Sirius is probably freezing there. In the end, I took a long time. I look at the map—Sirius's dot is in place, not moving. Probably sleeping after nightly exploits.

The broom barely fits under the cloak. I have to literally lie on it so nothing sticks out. I flew to the Whomping Willow, landed right at the entrance. The willow doesn't see through the cloak either, by the way. I was afraid to light Lumos, so I stood for a bit, waited for my eyes to get used to the darkness, and slowly moved forward. There was some lighting in the tunnel, unclear from where.

Sirius was lying on the bed, having gathered the shabby rags under himself, and twitching in his sleep.

Incarcerous-Incarcerous! Just in case, better a double set of ropes. He woke up, jerked in the bonds... hope he doesn't turn into a dog. Though he's not a small dog, won't get out quickly anyway.

"Well, I never thought that in the end a schoolgirl would turn me over to the Dementors," he laughed hopelessly.

"Hi, Sirius, I'm Hermione. Let's talk," well yes, stupid, but I don't know what else to start with.

"And what do you want to talk about, Hermione," he emphasized my name with intonation, "about why I betrayed my best friends?"

"I know you didn't betray them. And Harry knows too. And he knows you're his godfather."

"You know Harry? You study with him? Tell me about him!" all the hopelessness was gone in an instant.

Yes, this is exactly the topic worth discussing while lying tied up by an unknown girl.

"Later. I'll both tell and show. Harry also wants to meet you. And in general, he needs his godfather. But for that to happen, you need to stop being listed as an escaped criminal."

"It's all the rat, I need Pettigrew, he's the one who betrayed James and killed those Muggles."

"So you came here for the rat, not for Harry?"

"For Harry... But you yourself said I need to be cleared... And untie me already!"

"Right now. But I'd better be safe. I apologize, I'm practically sure you're innocent, but I need an oath."

"What oath?"

"That you didn't betray the Potters, didn't kill those Muggles. Well, and that you won't harm me when I free you."

"How clever schoolgirls have become these days!" he laughed again. But this time the laughter was cheerful.

"Come on, don't drag out the pleasure."

"I, Sirius Orion Black, swear by magic and life that I was not the Secret Keeper of the Fidelius, never betrayed the Potter family to Voldemort, am not a Death Eater and did not kill those Muggles in 1981. I swear by magic and life that I will not consciously cause harm, directly or indirectly, to Hermione..."

"Jean Granger."

"...Jean Granger," Sirius finished, "there, satisfied?!"

"Very much so," I confirmed, "Finite!"

Freed Sirius stretched, and I once again was horrified at how thin he was.

"Well come on, Hermione, tell me now why you needed me, since you started all this?"

"Right now," I rummage in my bag, get him a blanket, sandwiches that the elves gave me, and a thermos with hot chocolate, "eat!"

Hunger is stronger than curiosity, Sirius, wrapped in the blanket, swallowed sandwiches in large pieces, hurriedly drank chocolate, almost choking.

"Don't forget to chew, your stomach will hurt," I tried to slow him down. Wizards are hardy, of course, but eating like this after starvation should be harmful even for them. Should have asked the elves for porridge...

"I've been eating such crap for the last few weeks, nothing scares me anymore," Sirius mumbled through a sandwich.

Well, okay, let him satiate himself as he wants. He's been free for several months already.

"Hermione, I love you!" he said contentedly.

"You'll still have a chance to change your mind," I chuckled.

"Tell me, do you know the Weasleys, the red-haired ones?"

"I know them, Ron Weasley happens to be Harry's best friend."

"Ron's rat is Peter Pettigrew, an animagus," Black growled, "he was the Secret Keeper, he betrayed the Potters and killed those Muggles!"

"Ron recently said his rat ran away," I won't tell you the truth, sorry. I'd like to forget myself.

"Dammit, he's gone, now we'll never catch him! What do we do now?" he started pacing around the shack excitedly.

"What do you mean what do we do? Clear your name. This can be done without Peter. The main thing is to be careful so you don't accidentally get kissed while the trial is going on. Amelia Bones also knows about your innocence. We'll find you a lawyer and organize everything. But you must promise to be careful and not look for trouble."

"Amelia, I remember her, such a serious lady! How is she now?"

"Now she's head of the DMLE."

"It's good that Amelia is on our side. But we still need to find Wormtail."

"Wait with your Wormtail. When the court clears you, then search. There's no hurry now anyway, he's already escaped."

"And what, in your opinion, should I be doing now?"

"Now you need to hide in a safe place, come to your senses, eat properly and sleep well. I'm not talking about restoring health, that's not a quick matter, but you can at least start. And wait two weeks until Christmas holidays, not getting into anything. Can you do that?"

"And what will change during the holidays?"

"During the holidays I'll hire you a lawyer, after all the mandatory oaths you'll meet with him and discuss the process of your rehabilitation. We can also call Aunt Amelia. Do you have money?"

"I have money. Why is Amelia 'aunt'?"

"Because she's Susan's aunt, my friend. Said it out of habit."

"Do you think if I invite Harry to my place for Christmas, he'll come?"

"No. He'd be glad to, but they just won't let him go. They won't even let him come to me. They're guarding him from Sirius Black. Why are you looking like that? He stayed with me over the summer, but when you escaped, Dumbledore apparated to me and took Harry back to Petunia."

"Petunia? Harry lives with her?!"

"Uh-huh."

"That can't be, what idiot gave Harry to that...that..."

"Oh, you know her well. He has a magnificent white beard and robes with stars."

"Dumbledore couldn't..."

"Dumbledore allowed you to be locked in Azkaban without trial. And you, by the way, fought on his side."

"What are you trying to say with that?" Sirius looked at me suspiciously.

"Nothing. Only that even Dumbledore can make mistakes. After all, he's already old, might not be able to keep track of everything."

"Tell me, Hermione, why did you get involved in this? Here, you even fed me..."

"I love it when justice wins," though the love is mostly platonic, that is, when justice somehow wins without my direct participation, "I just want Harry to have a family member nearby. He needs it. Yes, I'm like an older sister to him, but I'm not an adult myself yet. My parents can't adopt him even if they wanted to. After all, Harry has living relatives. It's different with you."

"Tell me about him."

"Everyone says he's very much like his father. I've seen photos—it's true. Shaggy, thin, also wears glasses. He's kind, sometimes shy, and sometimes very stubborn. He has a talent for flying—the youngest Seeker in a hundred years. And a talent for combat magic. All spells work almost on the first try. Constantly gets into all sorts of trouble."

"Just like me and Jamie," Sirius noted contentedly.

"Not just like you," I cut him off sternly, "I've heard about your exploits. You were cruel spoiled brats and bullied other students. And Harry is a good boy, trouble just finds him."

"Come on, we weren't such brats, who even told you?" Sirius was indignant.

"What do you think? I study at Hogwarts, everyone there knows about everyone else."

"What house are you in, by the way? Also Gryffindor?"

"Hufflepuff."

"You're joking, badgers?!" Padfoot collapsed with laughter.

"Okay, I need to go. And you need to go too. You probably have a place where you can hide and come to your senses."

"There's my parents' house. But I won't go there."

"Why not?"

"I quarreled with my ancestors when I ran away from home at sixteen. They burned me off. I don't want to go back there."

"You'll have to. If you don't want to mess everything up. Think of Harry! If they catch you and kiss you, he'll have no one left!"

"Okay-okay, you convinced me! You're small, but you nag like some kind of blast-ended skrewt!" Black gave in.

"Do you promise?"

"I promise-promise, just leave me alone."

I thought and took out my supply of restorative potions from my bag. Eh, tearing it right from my heart.

"Take it once a day at the same time. You can't get to St. Mungo's now, but at least something. Do you have a house-elf?"

"I'd rather never see him."

"I advise you to call him here, let him move you home. And don't forget to order him not to tell anyone anything about you if someone asks. And let him feed you better. Okay?"

"I'd like to meet Harry."

"You have your whole life ahead of you... If everything works out now. Be patient a little. I'll bring you his photos."

"When will you bring them?"

"I suggest we meet right after Christmas. December twenty-sixth I'm at your disposal. Where shall we meet?"

"Let's say Grimmauld Square in London. At noon. If anything, I'll send an owl."

"Good, agreed. Be careful!"

I check if I forgot anything and head back to the castle.

Already in the tunnel I hear Sirius swearing, but still making the right decision.

"Kreacher!"