INCEPTION.

Chapter Fifteen - The Aftermath.

"Shocking business... shocking... miracle none of them died...it was lucky you were there, Severus..."

"Thank you, Minister... Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm. They seemed to think that he was innocent... I beg you to consider their suspension. Any other student would be suspended for being out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer— and I have reason to believe Potter has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too—"

I opened my eyes and everything was blurry.

I recognized quickly that I was lying in the dark hospital wing because of the smells of Madam Pomfrey's medicinal potions.

When I turned to my right, I noticed that Ron was laying on the bed next to mine.

The moonlight fell upon his serene and sleeping face— his red hair looking vivid in the dark room.

To my left was Harry— who was stirring, and one bed over was Hermione.

Her eyes were wide opened like mine, and she looked petrified.

When she saw that I was awake, she pressed a finger to her lips and we lay still, listening to Snape talk to Minister Fudge.

"...And Black?" Minister Fudge's voice rang loudly in the room.

"Unconscious when I found him. I bound and gagged Black, conjured stretchers, and brought him straight to the castle. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now—"

Hermione and I immediately sat up.

"Harry!" I hissed at him as he was still groggy and passed out.

"Wha—" He grumbled.

"Sirius has been caught. Snape said that he'll be getting the Dementor's kiss soon" I told him worriedly as I got off the bed.

"WHAT?" Harry jumped up and Hermione and I ran behind him as we followed Snape's and Minister Fudge's voices.

"Harry, what's this?" asked Fudge, looking agitated. "You should all be in bed—"

"Minister, listen!" Harry asserted. "Sirius Black is innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's—"

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control..."

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry shouted. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Listen to us, please," I urged, rushing to Harry's side "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and—"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, all of them... Black's done a very good job on them..."

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.

"Minister! Professor!" Madam Pomfrey rushed towards us angrily. "I must insist that you leave. These children are my patients, and they should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen—"

The door to the hospital wing opened and Dumbledore came in.

I was relieved the moment I saw him because I knew that he would hear what we had to say and set things right.

"For heaven's sake!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist—"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss (Y/L/N), and Miss Granger," announced Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black—"