Vesper Potter's Family Reunion

Dogs, Wolves and Secrets

"Where have you lot been? It's getting late you know." Vesper smirked as she walked slowly down the path to meet the trio as they came back from Hagrid's hut, she looked like all the rest of the fifth years, exhausted. However there was a smug grin twitching at her lips, she had just managed to get in and out of the Hufflepuff common room with out a vat of vinegar being dumped on her head.

Ron opened his mouth to tell her, when his rat which he was holding his hands tightly bit him and managed to escape. Ron shouted and chased after it as and orange cat joined in the chase after the rat, Harry and Hermione followed.

Vesper rolled her eyes mutters in frustration "bloody rat! Bloody third years!" and took off after them, knowing that the three won't come back with out it. She cut across the path so she was right behind Ron and in front of Harry and Hermione.

"Ron!" shouted Harry and Hermione as he fell and caught Scabbards, Vesper landed as ungracefully next to him, catching hold of the rats tail in one hand and Ron's wrist with the other.

"Ron, Vesper, Run!" shouted Harry looking behind them at the Weeping willow. As the pair looked up their eyes grow larger with fright.

"Harry, Hermione run, it's the grim!" shouted Ron staring at the large black dog behind them. It leapt over them and charged toward Ron and Vesper; they screamed in terror and held each other tightly. The dog dragged Ron into a hole under the roots of the Whomping Willow, breaking Ron's leg in the process, Vesper held on to Ron's arms as Harry leapt after them, he caught Vesper's foot and was dragged a little way before her shoe slipped off and the pair were gone. Harry, tried to follow, but was struck by one of the Willow's flailing branches.

Crookshanks (who had been patrolling around the area, -as cats do)dived under the branches and pressed a knot in the tree trunk. The branches fall still, the friends follow Ron, Vesper and the black dog down the dark passageway. Harry remembers from the marauders map the this tunnel leads to the Shrieking Shack.

--LB—

Upstairs, Ron, lays beside a decrepit four-poster bed, as Harry and Hermione race up the dusty old stairs towards him. The building creaked loudly in protest.

"Ron where's Vesper?" asked Harry as him and Hermione ran into the room towards him.

Ron pointed behind Harry and said in a scared tone, trying to warn them about the man behind them.

"It's him. He's an animagus!"

The pair turned and saw a dark haired wizard that looked close to death, his skin looked like wax and he had tattoos covering his chest. Black disarmed Harry and Hermione with Ron's wand then held it to Vesper's neck, the other hand held one of her arms uncomfortably behind her back. She was covered in dust and dirt from being dragged, there was a tear in her jeans and she stood awkwardly with one beaten old trainer on one foot and an worn greying white sock on the other. Her free hand gripped Black's wrist, hoping to move the wand away from her face.

"Let her go!" demanded Harry panicking because his sister was in really danger, this man had organised the murder of his best friends, their parents.

"No. not until I get want I came for." Sirius's voice was harsh and raspy like it hadn't been used for a while. Scabbers squeaked and wiggled in Ron's grip.

"If you want to kill Harry, you're going to have to kill us too." Ron says boldly, trying to stand up beside Harry and Hermione.

"No, only one will die tonight." He hissed, seemingly looking passed the teenagers at Ron's chest. Seeing his distraction Harry lunged at Black, grabbing his wand wrist away from his sister, but in so doing all three are pushed to the ground. Black struggled with the pair, as Vesper wrestled for their wands, Hermione kicked Black while Ron tried to get in a few punches.
Crookshanks joins in, with a blur of ginger matted fur and claws.
Vesper rolls free, stumbled to her feet before taking in the sight in front of her, before pulling the back of Harry's jumper to pull him off Black and giving the other back their wands while watching Crookshanks deliberately sits on Black's chest, resisting Black's efforts to remove him.
Stubborn piece of fur.