The Cupboard Series 2: Hermione's Book Nook

Chapter 26

The trip back to London on the Hogwarts Express was pure torture for Harry. Sure, he had Neville and Hermione sitting with him, but that was poor comfort when he considered the looks that he was given as people walked past their compartment.

The news about the triple attack was all over the school even before breakfast that morning. The fact that the castle was crawling with aurors, most assigned to escorting people from the common rooms to the Great Hall and back, was a dead giveaway that something terrible had happened. And then there were the indisputable facts.

1. Harry was found at the scene of the crime.

2. Two of the victims, Crabbe and Goyle, had obviously been in the act of bullying the third, Lil, a known friend of Harry's. And everyone knew Harry's dislike of bullies.

3. Two of the victims were Slytherin. Enough said on that one when it came to Harry vs. the House of the Snakes.

4. Everyone knew that Harry could speak parseltounge. This also meant that everyone also knew that Harry was on the verge of becoming the next Dark Lord. And Dark Lord's always knew lots of dark spells, spells that were sure to be able to do terrible things to people. Like petrify them.

The only fact that might have caused people to pause was the fact that Lil had been one of the ones petrified. But then, a simple shrug and a careless, "he's still young and he's still learning his dark spells. She was probably just caught in the backlash," took care of that minor detail.

Hermione and Neville had tried getting Harry to talk about it. They'd tried to bolster his feelings. They'd tried to joke with him and muck around. It all failed. In the end, they simply gave up and allowed him to sit looking out of the window.

When the great red steam train finally pulled up at King's Cross Station, Harry was the first off the train. With quick, purposeful strides, he weaved his way through the crowd to the barrier between Platform Nine and Three Quarters and the muggle world. At the nod from the wizard in charge, Harry stepped through.

"Harry!" a strong, clear voice called.

Looking around, Harry looked to see who was calling his name. If it hadn't been for the fact that Remus was standing right beside him, there was no way that Harry would have recognised his godfather. Obviously the months that he'd spent in Saint Mungo's had done Sirius a world of good.

Gone was the stooped shoulders and the thin, emancipated look. In its place stood a man who looked strong and proud. The long, straggly beard and hair had also been tamed until it was clean and shiny, although the small goatee that he'd left gave him a roguish sort of air. And lastly, the rags that he'd been wearing to his trial had been replaced by a black, muggle three-piece suit. His undershirt was a rich purple and gold buttons and there was a chain that looked like it belonged to a fob watch crossed on his stomach.

As Harry's face broke into its first smile that day, he quick-stepped across to the two men. Without thinking, Harry flung his arms around Sirius. Sirius hugged him back, before ruffling his hair and holding him out at arm's length.

"Let me look at you, Pup," Sirius said, the tears in his eyes threatening to overflow.

"It's good to see you, Sirius," Harry stated, "you look good."

"Thanks, Pup, so do you," Sirius replied. "I feel good, too. Mind you, I'd want to after all the poking and prodding and potions that I've had to endure."

"Yes, he actually looks like a Lord these days," Remus stated blandly.

"Don't you start, Moony," Sirius mock growled.