𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 | ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚 𝕠𝕗 ' 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕙𝕖 ' HIATUS

xiv

She awoke bleary eyed and to the sounds of voices, one of them the familiar low and slimy voice of professor Snape and the other she had only heard when she had been with her grandmother and grandfather at an event at the Ministry, it was Fudge.

She curled up into her blanket, her head pounding, what the hell had happened?

" A Confundus Charm I believe was placed over the children, and I Ms. Black was roped in to make Black's scheme more believable..." came his cold monotone voice.

He continued on with Fudge and she felt her stomach twist into a knot, Oh God, she just got him back. This wasn't supposed to happen, she was supposed to clear his name, bring him home to her nana, and maybe- possibly, figure out how to save her mother's mind... well what was left of it.

" Ah so I see you're awake!" said Pomfrey to whom she believed was Harry. She peered over to see him sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand. "I need to see the headmaster," he said.

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"

" WHAT!" he screamed.

Eurielle shot up, grabbed her wand from the bedside table and was heading for the door, " Ms. Black ! Mr. Potter! Where do you think you're going!?"

They ran up to the minister, their eyes, pleading, " You've got the wrong man!" said Harry. To the short man was smiling slightly as if a toddler was trying to babble to him.

" Yes, It was Pettigrew! Weasley's rat had been an animagus-!"

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"

" Ah, as I said Minister, they're confunded," drawled Snape gesturing to them with a dark glint in his eyes.

Eurielle bristled, " WE ARE NOT CONFUNDED!" she roared, " MY FATHER IS INNOCENT!"

Harry shook his head frantically, " Sirius didn't kill Pettigrew, he-!" Madam Pomfrey shoved a piece of chocolate in his throat and grabbed Eurielle and Hermione's shoulder, leading them back over to the beds.

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened-,"

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave." The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry got up again.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Ms. Black, and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive —"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his halfmoon spectacles. "And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape.

"Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear."