Navigating Hogwarts

Chapter 28

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. I could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still 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. Harry had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this.

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

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes..." said Black. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.

"Someone told me that yes" I side eyed to Harry.

"Well... your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them..."

Did Black mean what I thought he meant?

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle or go back to your house," said Black. "But... well... think about it. Once my name's cleared... if you wanted a... a different home..."

"What — live with you?" he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

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

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?" "Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile I had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at my parents' wedding.

"And you Skylar, will you join us too?"

"I have been in so many different foster homes and orphanages," I look Black in his eyes, "would be nice having a real home"

"I would love that!" Blacks smile grew even wider, giving me a side hug.

"I didn't say that home was with you." I looked Black in his eyes, but then started laughing. "I'm kidding! Sorry it's the Slytherin in me." I rolled my eyes. "Can't wait till I can see your house. Do you have a piano? I love to play!"

"We actually have one! My family loved playing on it! Maybe we can once play a quatre-mains?"

"That sounds wonderful" I let out a smile.

Black send Snape up through the hole, then stood back for the others to pass. At last, all of them were out.

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

"One wrong move, Peter," said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then -

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make us stop.