Redemption For A Monster (Marauder fanfic) Book Three

7- Conversations With A Cat

A few days after the Quidditch incident, Sara awoke from her sleep, to find the bed empty, which made her panic.
Every time Sirius was apart from her, she was worried that he was going to be spotted, and dragged back to Azkaban. Her fear of losing him, had increased, since she had seen what prison had done to his body.
"Padfoot" Sara called out, as she sat up in bed.
When she got no reply, Sara called out again.
"Padfoot!".
"It's alright, I'm here" announced Sirius as he stepped inside the bedroom, and leaned against the doorframe.
"You scared the life out of me" scolded Sara.
"Sorry" he apologised.

"Where were you?" Questioned Sara.
"I was just in the forest, talking to a cat" answered Sirius.
Sara frowned, and blinked several times in confusion.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I was just talking to a cat, in the Forbidden Forest, which is why I was late" explained Sirius.
"Yes, but people don't talk to cats, not in my world anyway" replied Sara.
"Well, it was part Kneazle, and it wasn't talking as such, like me and you are doing now, but we were communicating"
"I think you need to start from the beginning, because I'm still not understanding"
"Alright, well I was eating some breakfast, when I heard a branch crack behind me. I prepared to attack whatever it was, but it was only a cat, so I didn't bother.
Since I was a dog, I assumed that it would run away, but it didn't. It was like it could tell straight away that I was not actually a real dog, which intriged me, and led to us communicating".

"And what did this part cat, part Kneazle, have to say then?" Sighed Sara, not taking anything Sirius was saying, very seriously.
"It actually had some very important information about Wormtail" revealed Sirius.
"What could a cat possibly know about Peter?"
"Well, its owner is in the same year as Ronald Weasley, who currently owns Wormtail. The cat recognised what he was straight away, like it did with me, and it has been trying to attack Wormtail ever since they met. So I was thinking-"
"Wait! Are you suggesting what I think you are?"
"My aim is to convince the cat to bring Wormtail to me. So if that is what you were thinking, then yes".

"Do you think it is possible?" Asked Sara.
"Not yet. It is going to take a while to gain the animals trust, but I think I will be able to convince it to bring the traitor to us" admitted Sirius.
"So, our whole plan hinges on your relationship with a stange cat?"
"Well I don't want to put all our faith in the animal, and stop coming up with our own ideas about how to get Wormtail. But yes, it's a smart creature, so I'm sure the two of us can come to an understanding. I'm hoping that if I meet it every day for the next week or so, I can get it on our side".

"I hope you're right, just warn me next time, before you leave the shack. I didn't like waking up, and not knowing where you were" admitted Sara.
Sirius walked towards the bed, and sat down beside Sara.
"I'm sorry I made you worry" he apologised.
"That's O.K, just don't do it again. Please" Sara begged.
"Cross my heart"
"Good. Did you manage to catch anything for breakfast?"
"I found a rat, but that was it. Lots of creatures are in hibernation right now, and there aren't many edible berries still hanging around. It's just too cold"
"Tell me about it" shivered Sara.

Sara looked at the empty fireplace, and sighed sadly.
The two of them had decided not to light any fires in the shack, or the forest, as it was too risky. The smoke emitted from the fire could be seen for miles, so they couldn't risk it.
But as the weather got worse, the pair were growing increasingly colder, since neither of them had clothing appropriate for the winter.
"I'm a dragon. I'm great in the heat, and I'm practically fireproof, but I hate the cold, I can't stand it" complained Sara.
Sirius put his arm around Sara's shoulders, and held her close to his body, so that they could share each others body heat.
"I know. It's going to be a long winter" he agreed.

"So, this cat, it knows how to get to Peter?" Quizzed Sara, as she rubbed her arms to keep them warm.
"Yeah. It's owner is friends with Ronald Weasley apparently, so the cat sees a lot of Wormtail" revealed Sirius.
"Good. That will make it easier for the cat to catch him. And the sooner it does, the sooner we can get leave"
"Where will we go Sara?"
"I don't care, so long as it's warm"
"Your father's house?"
"I don't even know if he's still alive. I know he'd take us in, if he was. But it would be too risky, as the Ministry knows about our connection. Maybe it would be safest if we went abroad. Staying in Britain is too dangerous, since everyone is out looking for you, and maybe me too, once the Ministry learns that I'm no longer at the dragon sanctuary".

"I didn't think that you were allowed to leave the country?" Sirius questioned.
"I'm not. But the Ministry doesn't have a way of actually tracking me, so they'll never know. We could go to a nice beach somewhere" suggested Sara.
"A warm beach does sound nice" agreed Sirius.
"Yes. The Dementors hate the sun, so the sooner we get somewhere warm and sunny, the safer we'll be"
"That's true. But we can't leave just yet. We have a job to do first".
Sara sighed, and nodded her head as she stood up, reached for her wand, and summoned her only coat from the next room.

"I'm going to get some proper food from the Three Broomsticks, because I'm starving. I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone" instructed Sara.
"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere" replied Sirius.
Sara put on her coat, and adjusted the hood, so that it covered most of her face, in case anyone recognised her.
She then kissed Sirius's head, before Apparating to Hogsmeade, and making her way towards the warm and friendly pub, for some food.