Discovery

19.

Harry, Hermione, and I had all jumped out of bed. Fudge and Snape heard the commotion and came inside.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge. "You should be in bed— has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's—"

But Fudge wouldn't listen.

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and—"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, both of them...Black's done a very good job on them..."

"YOU LIAR!" I spat. "I SAW HIM TOO! SIRIUS BLACK IS INNOCENT!"

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. I cannot have my patients in distress!"

Pomfrey tried to force us back into bed, but failed when Professor Dumbledore arrived.

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

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Miss Hart," 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.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth— we saw Pettigrew—"

"—he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf—"

"—Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off—"

Harry, Hermione, and I tried to explain, but Dumbledore silenced us.

He explained that even though he believed us, there was not enough evidence to overturn the sentence.

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, "is more time."

"But—" Hermione began. And then her eyes widened. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, all of you: you must not be seen."

I didn't have a clue what was going on, and when I glanced at Harry, he appeared to be just as confused.

"I am going to lock you in. It is—" Dumbledore consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

"Guys, come here," Hermione said urgently. "Quick!"