The Corpse That Lived.

Chapter 16

Dahlia was curled up on the sofa trying in vain to focus on a book, her mind drifting to the events since yesterday. Lily and Sirius went to reporters together and broke the news that she was alive, Dahlia didn't have to say a word as everytime the reporters try to say something to her, Sirius would divert the conversation.

He was now in his office answering owls from reporters, and Dahlia was trying very hard not to think about what people's reactions would be or James's reaction... or lack thereof. She started a letter to Hyacinth this morning, hoping to mend their relationship and one day maybe even be friends but then she could never bring himself to finish it. The words never felt quite right. Nothing she said seemed good enough or express her emotions.

Heaving a giant sigh, he set the book aside and contemplated a snack to take her mind off things. She wandered into the kitchen in search of Kreacher, and as usual, the elf was happy to serve. Sirius had been at it a while, so perhaps he would appreciate tea and his favourite biscuits. Dahlia made sure to make the request sound entirely selfish; Kreacher hated doing things for Sirius, and then the little elf scampered away to do her bidding.

Just as she sat down at the table, he heard the fireplace in the sitting room. She started, intending to yell for Sirius, but then the fire made a terrible shrieking noise, and she instinctively went to cover her ears. The house soon echoed with Sirius's rushed footsteps down the stairs, and the sound abruptly ended as Sirius answered the call.

Curious, Dahlia crept out towards the sitting room.

"What do you mean?" Sirius was asking and sounding oddly hysterical. "Pettigrew couldn't escape. He was in Azkaban. In highest security. You don't just escape from-"

"Well, he did," a gruff voice growled from the fire. "During morning checks, he was reported missing from his cell. The guards have searched everywhere. He isn't there. We don't have the first bloody clue what happened, but you can bet I've a scandal on my hands! Bastard had inside help, no doubt about it!"

Sirius uttered a stream of curses Dahlia had never even heard before. Everything went white for a moment as terrible understanding washed over him; Pettigrew... that was the man who betrayed her parents, the man who handed them to Voldemort. He was in prison, Sirius said, locked away in maximum security never to be seen or heard from again. Only now he was missing. Now he was free. And if Sirius sounded panicked, Dahlia knew there was good reason for it.

"What's being done?" He demanded. "Do I need to report? We have to find him, Rufus, we can't just-"

"I've no intention of allowing a madman free range, Black! Of course we'll find him, but I need you to find Potter! Now!" Dahlia felt her heart quiver in her chest. Potter? Did that mean her, or...

"Find Potter? James?" Sirius questioned. "Hasn't he been alerted? He has to know this. He'll be frantic! God, Lily! And Hyacinth! Do we need to-"

"Black!" the man in the fire roared. "I will deal with this whole bloody mess. You find Potter and get him here in the next ten minutes, or I swear you will both be permanently removed from this department!"

"You're not making sense!" Sirius argued. "Why hasn't he been called in? He's on duty, his emergency-"

"We activated his emergency alert, Black. I do know my own protocol!"

Sirius was silent for a long, horrible moment. "Have you been there? To the manor?" he asked, his voice oddly quiet. Dahlia could hear the blood pumping in her ears, and she groped weakly for the wall to hold herself up.

James was missing. Peter Pettigrew, the traitor, escaped from prison today, and now James was missing. He hadn't responded to some sort of emergency call from work, and no one knew where he was, if he was all right. Sirius kept talking in hushed but terrified tones.