A Young Wizard's Journey - Prisoner of Azkaban

Reconciliation

Y/N was pacing. The fire was burning low now, and he was awaiting the arrival of his mother. It had been around twenty minutes since his encounter with Black. Once he had recovered enough from his adrenaline surge, he'd pulled out the slightly older diary addressed to his mother and wrote.

'I need to speak to you and Professor Dumbledore, now. Urgent.'

He hoped this had gotten the message across. He didn't want to send the school into full lockdown, but he had to tell someone. And he'd much rather it was Dumbledore.

He was snapped out of his musings as there came the muffled voice of Sir Cadogan once more and the portrait hole swung open. Y/N could see Minerva's face on the other side as she gestured for him to join her.

'Why is it always you who seems to have the urgent things happen to them?' she asked as they began to move off up the corridors.

'Because I'm the one who can get in touch with you,' said Y/N with a half-smile. 'And also, I'm friends with Harry Potter. Danger seems to be in his blood.'

'Unless I'm very much mistaken, you seem to have been with him every time he's charged headfirst into it. In fact, it's normally him charging in after you,' said Minerva flatly.

'Well, this time trouble found me.'

Minerva looked at him questioningly as though hoping he'd go on, but he simply shook his head. He didn't want to recount this story more than once. Her reaction to it the one time would be enough.

They arrived outside the gargoyle protecting Dumbledore's office. Minerva gave the password, and the gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside. The two of them ascended the stairs and Minerva knocked once on the door.

'Enter.'

They stepped inside and Professor Dumbledore smiled at them from behind his desk as Fawkes took flight from the stand alongside it and came to land on Y/N's shoulder. He stroked the bird affectionately whilst Minerva stepped forward.

'Forgive me, Headmaster, but Y/N says it's urgent he speaks to both of us.'

'That's quite alright, Minerva. We have learnt by now that Y/N's emergencies tend to be very real emergencies.'

The two of them turned and looked at Y/N expectantly, who took a deep breath.

'Sirius Black broke into the Gryffindor Common Room.'

Dumbledore was on his feet so fast that Y/N staggered and McGonagall's face drained.

'He's not still there! He left but-'

'I will see it for myself Y/N if you don't mind,' said Dumbledore. He waved his wand, and a silvery bowl came floating out from one of the nearby cupboards. It settled itself down on Dumbledore's desk. 'I want you to think extremely hard about what happened, Y/N. About that memory. Then place your wand here-' he held an index finger to his own temple, '-and draw it away. Don't lose sight of that memory.'

Y/N closed his eyes and thought hard. He rested his wand against his temple and drew it away, and as he did the memory went hazy, unfocused, bits began to blur and then it was gone. He opened his eyes, and hanging from the end of his wand was a silvery thread. It looked a little bit like the Patronus charms wisp.

'Now, place it in the basin, Y/N,' said Dumbledore, gesturing him forward. Y/N walked forward and dropped the silvery strand into the basin. His head pulsed as he approached, but he gritted his teeth and tried to ignore it. It rested in the water - at least it seemed to be water - before expanding, enveloping the entire base of the bowl, and then an image began to appear, an image of the party in the Common Room. Dumbledore looked up at Y/N. 'Is this correct?'