✓ | Constellations; Fred Weasley [Book One]

Chapter 14

Sirius Black Strikes Again

Not long after Venus had fallen asleep that night, a flurry of voices had woken her up. She, as well as the other girls sharing her dorm room went down to the common room to see what all the commotion was about. Professor Flitwick as the Head of the Ravenclaw was in a conversation with the two Ravenclaw Prefects. She did not hear much but enough to know that the reason for awaking all of the students was because of none other than Sirius Black.

After having searched the Ravenclaw Tower, Flitwick and the prefects were gone, most probably to report to Professor Dumbledore. No one went back to their dorms that night. Sirius had broken in the castle again and everyone was deeply concerned, even Venus. She sat in the common room with the others, listening to their theories.

"Flitwick said that Black had a list of passwords and that's how he entered the Gryffindor Tower. He even tried to kill Ron! Weasley saw him with a knife, looming over him," Davies said. He had been the first one in the common room after Flitwick had come in. Naturally, he had heard all of the conversations.

Some students tried to lighten the tense atmosphere with jokes, but all in all, everyone was tense and awaited news from Professor Flitwick. They were all hoping for the man to be caught once and for all as Hogwarts was not really a safe place with a notorious criminal wandering out and about. However, Venus found herself praying for the man to be safe and out of the Professors' and Dementors' reach. After all, she had not have the opportunity to question the man yet.

Dawn came and so did Flitwick to the Ravenclaw Tower. Venus was anxious when he stepped foot in the common room. Noticing her hand trembling, Grace held it in hers and softly smiled at Venus, telling her that everything would be okay. Grace, of course, thought that Venus was scared that Black had not been caught yet, even though it was quite the opposite. Fortunately for Venus, Sirius had managed to escape again. She had not expected less of him. The man was a marauder and probably knew all the secret passages in the school by heart. Besides, she was sure that he was an animagus too.

A few days after the incident, there was to be another Hogsmeade visit, which miraculously, the twins, Venus and Lee were allowed to go on. They owed it to the pressure they had been under, since because of it, they did not have enough time for bigger, planned pranks. That did not mean that they did not prank anyone though. They had set off a dozen of Dungbombs in Remus' office. Peeves had caused quite a lot of trouble for the DADA teacher too. Remus had not been angry with them and he neither took away house points, nor gave them any detention. He had told Venus that he deserved it for all those years he had spent during his years as a student, pranking students and teachers alike.

Unlike her last Hogsmeade visit, she spent the day with her best friends. The twins, Lee and Venus spent most of their money at Zonko's to buy joke products, and at Honeydukes. Venus had an immense love for chocolate and her stock was running out. The four friends went together to The Three Broomsticks to have some Butterbeer. It was their favourite. Venus felt strangely comfortable and was not reminded of the pain she had gone through the last time she was at the place. She figured it had to do with her finally accepting that Sirius was indeed her father and that he might be innocent after all.

The four friends had not spent much time in Hogsmeade on that particular day, since they had planned a prank for which they needed to get back earlier. The quartet chatted animatedly on the walk back to the castle. Venus was still engrossed in the conversation as they reached Hogwarts grounds, but that did not stop her from feeling someone staring at her. Turning her head around, she only saw the forest behind her. Scanning the area again, she almost missed it, a pair of familiar grey eyes staring right into hers. It was the dog, the one that Harry had thought was the Grim. Within a few seconds, it had vanished in the forest.

"Hey," she interrupted her friends, "I had almost forgotten but I need to go to Hagrid's. I had told him I would visit him. I'll meet you later?"

Her best friends believed her and without any questions, they carried on with their conversation. She felt guilty for lying to them but she promised herself to tell them all about it later, when Sirius would not be in danger anymore. Venus waited for them to enter the castle, before taking out her wand and venturing into the forest.

A rustle of leaves caught her attention. Turning around, she saw the dog, or rather Sirius as she had concluded, approaching her slowly. She had been ninety-seven percent sure that her father was an innocent man but currently the remaining three percent she had not previously taken into account taunted her. She had been brave to waltz in the forest as if Sirius Black was not a potential danger to her but now, she suddenly alone and slightly scared. Concentrating, she straightened her posture and pointed her wand straight at him, which made him stop in his tracks.

"Stay where you are!" She warned Sirius, who was still in his animagus form.

"You're Sirius Black, aren't you? You're an animagus!" she accused him.

For a moment, nothing could be heard apart from Venus' breaths. It seemed obvious that she was tensed. Then, the black, shaggy looking dog in front of her changed into a man. Sunken face, messy black hair and tattered robes. It was indeed Sirius Black, her father.

"Well, you're indeed very smart Venus," he said, smiling at her. His smile did not seem friendly at all. Instead it seemed almost crazed like. Venus gulped and took a small step back. However the fact that her father had recognised her after not seeing her for twelve years, made her soft.

"How did you know you know it was me?" She asked, her voice now a mere whisper.

"How could I not? You're my daughter!" There was something about the way he had said it that made her eyes watery. Venus had slowly started to let her guard down, but the girl realised the potential danger she was in. Lifting her wand again, she asked him the question she desperately needed an answer to and could only hope he would be honest with her.

"Are you innocent of the crimes you were imprisoned for?"