𝒫𝓇𝑜𝓅𝒽𝑒𝒸𝓎 ~𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛

~𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓~ (edited)

𝚄𝚗𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍

"ᴀ sᴋʏ ғᴜʟʟ ᴏғ sᴛᴀʀs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs sᴛᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ." ― ᴀᴛᴛɪᴄᴜs

*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew controlled with his wand.

I could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was in the lead. Harry went right after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. I had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this.

"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Harry and I as we made our slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes, and Harry i'm not sure if you know this but.." Sirius faltered, as we both looked up to him. "I'm your godfather."

"Yeah. I know," Harry responded.

"Well, your parents..." Sirius looked around nervously, "your parents told me to take you in if anything was to ever happen to them."

My eyes shot up to him, then to Harry.

"I understand if, Ara, you want to stay with your...parents. And Harry, I don't expect you to want to leave the Dursleys. But it's just a thought..."

"You- you want us to live with you?" I spoke up, shocked at what Sirius was saying.

"Yes. Well and Moony. But... well... think about it. Once my name's cleared... if you wanted a... a different home..." He waited for me or Harry to say something but I simply couldn't. I was overjoyed about this, the thought of being out of that house, getting to live with people who are like me. A smile began forming onto my face. Sirius looked greatly relieved at the sight of this.

"What - live with you?" Harry said, accidentally bumping his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you guys wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd -"

"Are you mental?!" I scoffed loudly, "Of course we want to live with you and Lupin. Right Harry?"

"Of course!" exclaimed Harry eagerly.

"You mean it?" For the first time tonight Sirius broke out a smile, a real one. We both nodded happily to his question.

No one spoke for the rest of their way out of the tunnel. Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry, Hermione, and I to pass. At last, all of us were out.

The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, we set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering.

Harry left Sirius and I while he went over to Ron, who was now sitting against the tree, holding his leg. Sirius walked over to the top of the hill and stared up to the sky. After a moment of thought I slowly crept up behind him.

"Beautiful isn't it? I remember the first time I stepped through those doors. This is where I met your mother Ara." Sirius looked down at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Tell me something about her?" I asked hesitantly.

"Merlin, your mother. She was brilliant. A very kind woman. I'm not sure why she was placed in Slytherin but nevertheless I was intrigued. She was a quidditch player, much like yourself. You are very much like her Ara, remember that." His grey eyes filled with unshed tears, "It's my fault you know. All of it. If I hadn't left that night. If I...if I didn't leave you two alone, Adria would still be here."