Marauders in Time

The Breakout

It was a couple of weeks since the Hogsmeade visit. But a lot had happened between then and now. Remus figured out he was a future DADA teacher, Lily figured out he was a werewolf, Harry returned and retold his story to Hermione, Lily and the Marauders. And Ron confirmed that it was true and that everything was fine now. So on a certain morning, it felt like everything had gone back to normal.

"Where's Tom?" Ron asked, noticing Remus wasn't at the table.

"He's off sick," James said. "Had to leave the school for a bit. Something about his mother."

"Oh I hope she is alright," Hermione said. "What with Voldemort slowly getting back into power, he is starting his killing spree all over again. I just hope its no one we know."

"You'll find out soon enough," Harry nodded at the owl post, where one was delivering Hermione one the latest edition of the Daily Prophet.

Hermione apparently liked to see what was happening and how the Ministry dealt with sudden deaths and the current chaos. She often took to criticizing the Ministry every way she could, and never failed to bring Umbridge's name into it.

"So anyone we know die?" Ron asked.

"No but..." Hermione gasped as she read the front page. "There has been a mass breakout in Azkaban!"

"What!?"

"There hasn't ever been a-"

"Shhh!" Lily kicked Sirius's shin to let Hermione continue reading.

"The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban. Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening," Hermione read carefully before giving a small cry. "Oh they are blaming Sirius for this!"

Sirius heard this and gave a confused look at Hermione. She didn't notice and decided to keep reading, but Ron did and said to him, "I'll tell you later."

Hermione continued, ""We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped." said Fudge last night."

Sirius jerked in his seat when he heard this. James nudged him and he regained control of himself. 

"Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals and beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached."

Sirius snatched the article from Hermione and skimmed through, making sure it wasn't all a lie. On the very front page of the paper there were 10 photos, all in black and white and all showing faces of what seemed like criminals. Sirius recognized one of them to be his deranged cousin, Bellatrix. He knew what a crazy woman she was from his time at home but he was surprised to see her smiling sadistically back at him. Like she knew he was there in the future looking back at her.

"Is there anything else in that paper?" Ron asked.

"Something about a Broderick Bode dying in St Mungo's a few weeks ago because of Devil's Snare but that's about it," James said, reading over Sirius's shoulder. "Who's Black and what happened to him? What's this about him being the first to escape Azkaban?"

Hermione gave Harry a look but when he didn't return it, he merely shrugged, she decided it best to keep quiet. James noticed this and began to frown again.

"Come on you can trust us," he said. "We are new and we have no idea what's going on. The least you could do is put us on the right track before we start making assumptions."

That seemed to persuade Harry and Hermione. Harry gave Ron an approving nod and he started to speak, "Basically, Sirius Black, he was a friend of Harry's father, he was accused of betraying his parents and revealing their whereabouts to You-Know-Who. But he was framed. Someone else betrayed his parents and he framed Sirius for it."

"Is that why he was sent to Azkaban?" Sirius asked.

"No. He was sent because he was accused of blowing up a street and killing 13 people. But he didn't. He was innocent and we (he indicated to himself, Harry and Hermione) are the only ones who know that."

"If you know the truth, why not just tell the Ministry?" Sirius asked, with a note of annoyance in his tone.

"Have you not been keeping up with what we have been telling you?" Hermione asked rhetorically. "The Ministry are anti-Harry and anti-Dumbledore right now. They will do anything to put them in the dirt. They are certainly not gonna believe us. Not when we are so close to them. We are trying to protect Sirius from getting captured again but first, we need to prove that Harry is being truthful all along and that You-Know-Who is actually back."

"How are you gonna do that?" 

"I have no idea but we are gonna try. We can't give up. We just can't."

Lily nodded, "Well said Hermione. I agree. We can't give up hope yet. When the time comes, we will have our say. But for now, we. Need. To. Stay. Patient."

She drawled that out as she eyed James and Sirius, who were desperate for more answers. They noticed and closed their mouths, preventing themselves with difficulty to pester with more questions. Hermione was the only one to notice and gave another questioning look towards James. Lily glanced at Hermione and she looked away. If she started getting suspicious again, it would be a whole lot of trouble that they were in.

"So where is Tom?" Ron asked again.

"I already told you," Sirius said. "He is off sick. He will be back in a few days don't worry. This happens all the time."

"Have you not noticed him gone before?" Hermione asked him.

"No. Has he?"

"But you share a dorm with him."

"I only started paying attention recently. What? Don't look at me like that Hermione. Why does it matter? You saying he was gone before?"

"Oh nothing," Hermione said. James gave her a curious look. Remus hadn't told them that Hermione knew. Although the way she put it, it seemed like she figured it out already. She was a lot smarter than she likes to think she is, James thought to himself.