Finding Father

Chapter 11- Sirius Black?

I walk back to the common room alone, thinking. My meeting with Dumbledore didn't help much. I didn't learn anything new, and I know that he is notorious about not telling you everything. I decide to just let things simmer down for a bit. If Snape wants to talk to me, he will, but I'm just going to do my own thing for now.

On another note, Halloween is approaching quickly. An older student has told me how amazing the castle is when it's decorated for the holiday and I can't wait to see it.

The days pass quickly. I go about my own business, and everyone else does the same. I receive letters from my mother several times a week, until I tell her that I'm fine, everything's fine, nothing really is happening. She hints in a letter that something's happening that we wouldn't know about perhaps, here. I wonder if it has anything to do with the biggest gossip topic in the school, Sirius Black. Then, I get her to finally back off of me, and the letters stop.

Now, I don't know much about Black, other than he's a murderer who escaped from Azkaban. But every couple days, there's rumors of someone else who's dead, and all blame is put on Sirius Black. He's the most dangerous man alive, so they say. Out of jail and already on killing sprees, continuing You-Know-Who's work.

When Halloween finally arrives, the Great Hall is no less spectacular than I had been told. Decorations everywhere, all enhanced by magic, only added to the already creepy aura the castle gave off. And let's not even get started on the food.

After dinner I file back down to the Ravenclaw common room with the rest of my house. We all sit, talking and laughing, everyone so full that we could barely move. Then Professor Flitwick bursts into the room.

"If everyone would calmly make their way back to the Great Hall please, no side trips! Now!" Flitwick squeaks loudly. We all get to our feet, confused.

"Why, Professor?" calls a prefect.

"Now, everyone stay calm! We believe Sirius Black is in the castle." The reaction is instantaneous. A couple of older girls shriek at the name, and a quiet murmur runs through everyone.

"Sirius? Sirius Black? Here?"

"Quiet, everyone, to the Great Hall. You'll be sleeping there tonight with the rest of the houses!" We all make our way out of the common room, and weave in a huge mass through the halls. In the Great Hall, the tables have been pushed to the sides and blankets cover the floor. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs have already arrived, and the Slytherins come in just after us.

Everyone takes a seat on the floor, and the teachers make us lay down and try to sleep. I'm on the edge of the group of Ravenclaws, just next to all of the Gryffindors. I nudge the Gryffindor girl next to me.

"Do you know what's happened?" I whisper. She nods.

"Someone tried to break into Gryffindor tower," she replies quietly. "Our painting was ripped and the lady in it said it was Sirius Black."

"Hermione, shush, a teacher's coming," says a boy in a hushed whisper.

"Knock it off, Ron," says the girl. "But that's what happened. Goodnight," she finishes talking to me.

"Wow. Goodnight," I reply. I roll over, thinking. Sirius Black, in the castle. Not even Hogwarts is safe... And with that, I fall asleep.

***************

Not even Hogwarts is safe

Those words echo through the school for days. There are rumors of closing the school, but they're only rumors. None of the teachers say anything about it.

I write to my mum about it, telling her how he might have been in the castle, but we're all just fine. No one got hurt. No one could find him. Maybe he wasn't even here.

I don't get a reply right away, which surprises me. Usually she'd be on top of it, writing back, telling me to be careful or practice defensive spells or something of the like. I decide that she's busy, maybe forgot to reply. I don't think much of it.

About five days after Halloween, I get a note from Professor Flitwick, asking me to come meet him in his office immediately. I walk over, and stop at the door. I've never been summoned by a teacher before, and I'm nervous. Am I in trouble? Has something happened?

I pause before the door, scared to knock and find out. I hear voices in the office. McGonagall is in there too, I don't know about anyone else.

"....found dead? How long ago?" I hear McGonagall's shrill voice.

"Only today, but we don't know how long it's been," Flitwick replies. I'm filled with fear, wondering if what they're talking about has anything to do with me. Summoning all of my courage, I raise my hand and knock on the door. It's pulled open by McGonagall right away, and her face falls when she sees me.

"Alright, yes Miss Carter, come in." I walk in, and Flitwick motions for me to take a seat before his desk.

"Miss Carter," he starts in his funny, high voice. "We have some hard news for you." Adrenaline shoots through me.

"What?" I ask desperately, praying that everything will be okay. Professor McGonagall has walked around to stand by Flitwick's chair.

"We received word that this morning, your mother was found in your home, dead."

I gasp, gripping the arms of the chair so hard my knuckles are pure white. I feel like I can't breathe, I can't see, this can't be happening.

"What?" It comes out a tiny, horrible sound. The professors stare at me sympathetically.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Carter," says McGonagall sadly.

I can't take this. My mother, of all people, dead and gone. That's why she never wrote. It all makes sense. I jump out of my chair and start for the door.

"Avery, wait!" Flitwick calls, but I ignore him and instead tear out of the room, running down the halls. I hear a faint shout behind me, but they'll never catch me. I run, diving around corners, unsure of where I'm going.

I'm running for my life and not watching where I'm going, and suddenly I come around a corner only to collide with someone. I don't know who it is, but I wrap my arms around them, burying my face in their robes and sobbing.

I feel a pair of arms go around me. We stand there, me crying my eyes out onto this stranger, not caring a bit, because what is there to care about anymore?