Beginners: book 1, Goblet of Fire

Into the Mountains

The weeks following the Second task were relief beyond measure. Not only could we stop looking for ways to survive underwater, but Ron and Harry would not stop sharing what had happened at the bottom of the lake with anyone who asked. School morale was high, with both the leading champions representing Hogwarts. Even better was the letter Harry received from Sirius, asking us to meet him on our next Hogsmeade trip. We filled our bags with food, as requested, and headed down winding paths to the edge of the town. Waiting for us at the end of a road, next to a dumpster is a large, black dog.

If it hadn't been for me spending so much time with fang, I might've been scared of its sheer size. Harry greets the dog, patting it on the head, it nuzzled at his bag, eagerly wagging at the food. Then it, I guess Sirius, notices me. I can tell he trusts Harry because he doesn't growl at me, just cast Harry a curious look. "She's a friend," he says, which sends an unexpected jolt of happiness through me. Sirius wagged his tail at me, then turned and began trotting away from town. We followed him through fields, then, much to our dismay, up a mountain. Never having met an Animagus before, I feel stupid around him. Do I treat him like a dog? Do I treat him like a human? But thankfully we're all too winded to do much talking during the trek. Finally, we came to a small cave where Sirius had made him home. In it was Buckbeak the hippogriff, and although I'd been told about him, he's still shocking. Half eagle, half horse, and easily the size of a Clydesdale.

"Bow," Harry whispers to me, and we all bow to the creature, a gesture he quickly returns. "You can go touch him," Harry says as Hermione runs forward to scratch his neck.

"Yeah?" I say, tentatively stepping forward.

"Come here," Hermione grabs my hand and brings it to his head, I give it a hesitant scratch, which he seems to enjoy.

I was still taking in Buckbeak when Sirius, now a man, spoke. "Chicken!" He said, almost like a bark. His hair was long, dirty and black. His grey robes hung off his frame, which seemed to just be skin and bones. Harry handed him the food, which he wolfed down. "Thanks," he says after eating a whole drumstick in a second. "I've been living off rats mostly. Can't steal too much food from Hogsmeade; I'd draw attention to myself." He tears at a loaf of bread before continuing, "not to be rude, but who's she?" He nods in my direction.

"Oh, erm, this is Beth," Harry says, I give a little wave, which I immediately regret. "She's new, transferred just this year. We can trust her." Again, my stomach flutters when he mentions trusting me, I wasn't really sure where we stood outside of classes.

"Transfer? I thought they stopped doing those, we had one when I was at school, from Mahoutokoro." Sirius says, switching back to the chicken.

"I'm from Ilvermorney," I say sheepishly.

"Really? How'd you get here?" He says around a mouthful.

"Got expelled," I try to sound nonchalant. From what I've heard about Sirius this isn't something to hide, but I'm not proud of it.

Thankfully, he breaks into a grin. "I like her," he says to Harry, which makes me feel much better.

"What're you doing here, Sirius?" he says, a little impatiently.

"Fulfilling my duty as godfather," Sirius says, gnawing on a chicken bone. "Don't worry about it, I'm pretending to be a lovable stray." He's still grinning, but it fades when he sees the worried look on Harry's face. "I want to be on the spot. Your last letter... well, let's just say things are getting fishier. I've been stealing the paper every time someone throws one out, and by the looks of things, I'm not the only one who's getting worried." He nods again, this time at the stack of Daily Prophets lying in the corner of the cave.