Kassandra Bauer and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)

Chapter 22: The part where everything goes wrong.

Author's Note: In honor of the Christmas Holiday. I decided to give you all a little early Christmas Present and release the Chapter a day early ahead of the schedule. Thank you all and have a Happy Holiday. 

You know. I would be lying if I'd ever been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs and out of the Shack; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next. Beatrice and I brought up the center. Harry, Hermione and Ryan covered us.

Traveling through the tunnel was easier said than done. Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew at wand point.

"So... what happens now?" I asked Beatrice. 

"Now, we explain everything to Dumbledore." Beatrice answered. 

I didn't hear what else was going on. But it looked like Harry and Sirius were having a conversation about something. And Harry seemed happy. 

No one really spoke after that until we reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted out first, and pressed his paw against the knot on the trunk. Unless we wanted to be knocked out by the branches.

The grounds were very dark now, the only light coming from the distance of the castle. Pettigrew was still wheezing and whimpering.

"Can this guy shut up, already?" Ryan asked. 

"So... Sirius? What are you going to do when you're free?" I asked.

"Well... I'll tell you later." Sirius answered.

We saw Cedric waiting outside. "Ah! Sirius Black!" He pointed his wand at Sirius.

"Cedric. Relax. He's on our side." Beatrice went up to him.

"Huh?" Cedric asked. "Beatrice? Is this some sort of sick joke?" 

"It's no joke. A lot's happened, Cedric" Beatrice answered looking very serious. "Sirius Black switched his position to being the Secret Keeper at the last second. And Pettigrew sold out the Potters." 

"Pettigrew?" Cedric asked confused. But then he saw Pettigrew. "Isn't he supposed to be dead? Aren't you supposed to be dead? Will be somebody please explain to me what is going on?"

"He's about to be if he says another word." Harry answered. "He faked his death and framed Sirius for it."

Cedric blinked his eyes.  

"I'll explain later, Ced. I just need you to run up to the School ahead of us, go get Dumbledore and bring him here. Can you do that?" Beatrice requested.

"On it." Cedric replied taking off. 

"One wrong move, Peter." Lupin threatened. His wand pointed sideways on Pettigrew's chest.

We trekked through the grounds in silence. "So that Black Dog that saved Kassie from the Shadow of Nyx. That was you?" Harry asked Sirius.

"Of course. I didn't know what the Shadow of Nyx was doing at Hogwarts or why they were after Kassie, but I wasn't going to let them get away with it. Or if they were in league with Peter Pettigrew." 

"No. I have a hunch that it was Larisa." I said. "But thanks for the save, Sirius." 

"You didn't really think I was going to let the daughter of Daniel and Caroline Bauer die, did you?" Sirius asked playful. "Of course, I didn't know you were their daughter at the time... but... you get the idea." 

"Did you know my Pater well?" I asked.

"Of course I knew Daniel. He was such a great man." Sirius answered. "It broke my heart when Fletcher and Isabella Snyde arrived one day in Azkaban not long after I did. And the news had come that one Daniel Bauer was dead. I couldn't help but think about poor Caroline, and Jacob, and Ethan."