Too Far Gone (Don't Save Me Book 4)

Chapter 18: Kreacher's Betrayal

Everything happened in a blur. Cornelius was horrified by the reality that my father had returned but even more horrified once he saw Sirius Black standing with several Order members. As the Aurors rounded up the remaining trapped Death Eaters, Cornelius and a man I didn't recognize lunged toward Sirius. Before they could get to close I gently handed Harry to Albus and ran toward them as Kingsley and Mooney held Sirius upright, their wands raised.

"You've no idea what you're doing!" Kingsley shouted as Cornelius grew closer, raising his own wand. I stepped between them.

"Out of the way, Miss Y/l/n!"

"No!" I hissed. "You refused to listen to me about Voldemort's return and we were right! Do you really wish to be wrong again?"

He furrowed a brow. "Go on."

"Sirius was at the Potter's that night because he knew someone was out to betray them. He was never the secret keeper!"

"Then who was?"

"Peter Pettigrew?"

Fudge scoffed. "He killed Pettigrew."

"Wrong again. Pettigrew lives. He's working with Voldemort."

Fudge flinched at the name but he didn't say anything about it, instead redirecting his attention to my involvement. "How do you know all this to be true? He could've fed you a line and you believed him because you're lovers."

I scoffed. "How many times can you be wrong in one night before you finally shut up?" I spat.

"Miss Y/l/n-."

"Silence!"

His eyes widened but he quickly shut his mouth.

"I know because I've seen Pettigrew. He was there that night when Voldemort returned. He aided his return."

I turned to Alastor. "Get him out of here."

He nodded and began dragging Sirius away as Fudge tried to move around me but I raised my wand.

"You cannot threaten me! I'm the Minister!"

"I suspect after news of this little stunt gets out... you won't be for long."

I turned to see Alastor and Sirius disappear in a flash of green and I breathed a sigh of relief. They would be safe... now the question was: would I be?

***

The next several moments were a flurry of reporters, Fudge's questions, and Harry's hand holding mine tightly. Albus insisted on Harry being sent back to Hogwarts and I agreed, promising to give him news of Sirius as soon as possible. I was itching to get back to Grimmauld Place to make sure Sirius was okay as we pushed our way through the reporters to get to the Portkey Albus had conjured once I realized Fudge no longer had any reason to keep us here. He'd been made to look a fool and there was nothing left for him to say. I squeezed Harry's hand, promising I would see him later before he and the other students touched the Portkey and were pulled away. After he was gone I entered a fireplace and it pulled me away.

As we stepped into Grimmauld Place I searched the room. Alastor quickly entered the room, his wand raised, before realizing it was just me.

"He's through here," he said, leading me into another room where we found Sirius laying on a couch. He turned toward me, his hand falling off the couch as he reached for me.

"Hey, love." His voice was weak but he smiled nonetheless. I walked over to him and I took his hand in mine.

"How are you feeling?"

"Alive, thanks to you."

I smiled at him and he squeezed my hand.

"Where's Harry?"

"Albus insisted he return to Hogwarts."

He nodded, bringing my hand to his lips. "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad you're okay, Sirius... when I saw you heading toward the veil, I... I thought..."

"I know, love... I know."

I heard a soft whining sound and turned to see Buckbeack entering the room, nursing a wound on his leg.

"Buckbeak?"

The creature moved toward me, nudging my arm with its beak. I pet him before turning to Sirius. "Sirius, what happened?"

"That, love... is a long story."

"I've got time."

He sighed and began explaining. "Kreacher betrayed us. The reason Harry couldn't find me in the fireplace is because Kreacher told him I wasn't there. He was careful in the way that he worded things, making Harry believe I truly had been taken to the Department of Mysteries. He injured Buckbeack and, while I was busy tending to him, the elf told Harry I wasn't here."

"I don't understand... why would he do that?"

"He's been working for Voldemort, Y/n. That day I told him to get out... he interpreted that as me telling him to leave the house and so he found Narcissa... one thing led to another and well... he betrayed us, love."

"Where is he now?"

"Hiding upstairs."

I nodded, kissing his forehead, before squeezing his hand and heading upstairs. How had I not seen it before? Kreacher had addressed me in a way only Death Eaters had. How had I not noticed his betrayal?