Window into the Past

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"How could they?" Hermione gasped. "How could they?!"

"OW!" Ron yelped. "He bit me! Scabbers!"

Ron ran after the rat, as did I.

Crookshanks leapt out of the bush and made a beeline for Scabbers. "No! Get away Crookshanks!" Hermione yelled at her cat.

Ron kicked the cat away and dived across the ground. "Gotcha! I got him!"

"Can we go now?" Harry pleaded with Ron.

They were about to leave until a low growl reached their ears. I could hear the pounding of paws. Big paws.

"Sirius," I murmured. "Please don't hurt them."

It was obvious that he either didn't hear me, or he just ignored me. He leapt forward, knocking Harry to the ground and made a beeline for Ron.

"Ron!" I shouted, running after him as Sirius dragged both him and Scabbers away, into the tunnel.

"How do we get to Ron?!" Harry was freaking out. Before the tree started moving again, I jumped into the hole, hearing Ron yelling.

"Ron!"

The Whomping Willow had started moving again before Harry or Hermione could get to me.

I went ahead without them, through the tunnel and into the Shrieking Shack.

I ran up the stairs and I saw Ron on the bed, in pain. "Ron, your leg," I gaped. "It's broken!"

"Joy, we have to get out of here," he warned me. "The dog isn't a dog! It's him! It's Sirius Black!" he pointed to the other side of the room.

I looked over at him and saw him holding a vial. He tossed it to me. "Drink, you'll vomit out of your eyeballs shortly." 

"Don't drink it!" Ron shouted as I emptied the contents of the vial into my mouth. "Merlin!" I grimaced at the taste. 

Harry and Hermione burst into the room. "Expelliarmus!" Sirius bellowed, making their wands fly out of their hands. "That him?" Sirius asked me, pointing in their direction. Well, at Scabbers, not Harry.

"Yeah, it's him," I nodded. "What's going on?" Harry looked confused beyond belief.

"It's a little difficult to explain," I muttered. Harry took one look at Sirius and lunged at him. I pushed him back, defending Sirius.

"Joy, what are you doing?" Harry was shocked. "She's helping him!" Ron accused me. "She's been helping him this whole time!"

"Please tell me that's not true," Harry begged me, looking heartbroken. I took a deep breath. "It's true, I've been helping him."

"YOU SOLD ME OUT TO HIM?!" Harry shouted at me. "You don't understand..." I tried to shush him. "YOU'RE HELPING THE MAN WHO KILLED MY PARENTS! I THINK I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY!"

"NO, YOU DON'T!" I shouted back. "HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HELPING HIM?! HOW LONG?!" he bellowed.

"Since Halloween, I didn't want to drag her into this," Sirius spoke for me. "You really think that your best friend would put you in danger?!"

"You sold my parents out to Voldemort!" Harry snapped. "And she's been helping you break into the castle!"

"You don't know the whole story, Harry, let him explain!" I begged him. "Give me one good reason why I should trust you?!" Harry hissed at me.

Before I could answer, footsteps could be heard. "We're up here! With Sirius Black!" Hermione shouted. "Hermione, shut up!" I scolded her.

Lupin made his way upstairs. "Where is he Sirius?" he asked him. "He's here, Joy found him," he explained to him. I pointed over at the others.