Dark Red Roots

Chapter 34

Hades woke up to a yell the next morning. Sitting up ramrod straight, he went through all that he did the previous day. There was no reason for anyone to be shouting right now, unless his new Grim got out of his room. Looking around, Hades found the new Grim curled up in one of his fleece blankets on the floor. Not him then.

"HARRY!" The person shouted again.

Hades turned and glared at the offender, "Not my name."

"Hades." James persisted, "That's not a normal dog! That's Sirius!"

Hades looked to where James pointed and groaned. Of course his new dog was really an animagus. it would explain how it was so thin and friendly to people, "Well, unless you know a way to get him a fair trial, we'll have to just leave him."

James pouted but turned and smiled at his old friend, "I bet he's looking for Pettigrew. He didn't die that day. I saw that much. Couldn't keep track of him though. His form was a rat."

"Like the rat, Ronald Weasley has." Hades glared at his father, "I'll get him and give him to the Aurors."

"Give him to the ICW. They'll call for a retrial of Sirius and put Pettigrew under truth serum." James nodded, "And if the British Ministry of Magic denies the claims, Sirius can live in the new Magical country."

"Fine." Hades pushed the covers down his legs and got up, "No time like the present." It was currently two in the morning and every sane person would be asleep. Sirius got up at the sounds of movement, giving Hades a huff, "Stay boy." And he slipped out of his room with James just walking through the closed door behind him. With a flick of his hands, the door locked. Sirius wouldn't be following him.

"Why now?" James hissed, "You need to plan this out. Peter is dangerous."

"So am I." Hades told him calmly, exiting the wall to the Hall. Pulling out the ratty piece of parchment, Hades whispered, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." And the parchment came alive. Looking at all the names clustered around the Gryffindor Tower, Hades spotted the one he wanted, "Found you." Closing the map, he was off.

Up the stairs down the corridors and then he was before the fat Lady. She gave him a glare only for Hades to whisper, "As Heir of Gryffindor, I command you to open." Magic rippled through the stones, giving the portrit a shock as it opened. Slowly creeping through the common room, Hades used his rusty skills to get up the stairs and into the boys dormitories.

It was the easiest thing to find Peter on the pillow of Ronald Weasley. Hades sneered at the rat. Stunning it before grabbing it. Rushing out of the Gold and Red clad rooms, Hades made his way back down to his own room. The fireplace was doubled as a floo. Stepping in, he was shocked to see that it was no longer dark and Matt was not sleeping.

"Your new hound woke me up thanks to his whining." Matt said around a cup of cocoa, "What do you have there? A rat? Did you get a snake again?"

Snuffles pricked up his ears, looking right to the rat before growling.

"Watch out Hades!" James called as Sirius came bounding at the rat held in Hades's hand.

Hades used his free hand to catch Sirius around the muzzle and held him as if he was reprimanding a child, "I'll be gone for today I think." He said to Matt, "I'll tell you in the morning but could you watch Emyr and Morgan for the day?"

"Sure," Matt looked at the rat then the dog, "You'll tell me later?"

"Yeah." Hades gave Matt the softest grin, "Anything for you." Dragging the dog into the floo and holding the rat, Hades shouted out, "ICW Headquarters," as Matt threw down the floo powder. He held fast to both dog and rat as they spun through chimney after chimney until landing in a well polished grate.