Chapter 15 | Letters and Connections

After unlocking the cell door, Harry levitated her godfather and quickly turned towards the exit as though she didn't have a horde of Dementors on her heels, asking her for better 'food' - which in this case, was goats' souls.

"Alright then," Harry calmly said as she speedwalked through the moldy stone corridors, "Any other preferences other than goats? Or do all of you want goats?"

The Dementors gathered around - whilst still hovering next to her - and seemed to have a silent agreement. The leader of the group hovered next to her and nodded, "Indeed Mistress," His hoarse voice barely legible through its breath, while somehow able to project his excitement in his ghastly tone.

Harriet nodded to show that she heard him and just as she was about to apparate back to her mansion, she turned to face the group. "Alright, I'll have them ready in less than a week." She smirked, "Just stop feasting on the humans, okay?"

She didn't wait for their answer and quickly grabbed Sirius' limp, cold hand before apparating to the mansion. She led the hovering body to the open briefcase, out of her bedroom, and into a bedroom beside Crouch's before laying him gently onto the new bed.

"Scourgify," Harry muttered as the spell cleaned the dog-animagus off of his dirt, sweat and tears. She did the same routine as she did with Crouch Jr's before walking out of the suitcase.

Harry felt Death materializing as she plopped back down the couch. "I see you've made a deal with my minions." He remarked nonchalantly.

"They are your children, Death. Don't call them your 'minions'." Harry sent some magic spikes at him in irritation, "You should really visit them from time to time." She told him, "But yeah, they like goats better than humans and letting them feast freely on the prisoners just doesn't feel great in my gut."

"You're such a do-gooder."

"Thanks."

"That was not a compliment."

"Well, I'm taking it as a compliment anyway." She retorted, while channeling her magic through her soul-wand to levitate a pen and a couple of papers. The pen moved by itself as it wrote her intended words upon the paper.

"What are you writing?"

Harry smiled secretively.

"A tip and an invitation."

XxXxX

Rita Skeeter was about to go and scout an area in the ministry to get some juicy inside information when a small folded piece of paper, in the form of an aeroplane, landed upon her desk and began to unfold itself.

The life as a reporter, especially the ones who target people of high statuses like the one her own, would always be in danger. She learned that bit pretty quickly after her first big scoop. An anonymous had sent a package that almost got her blown up in her own apartment.

So when an unknown and unscheduled letter came upon her desk, the first thing that she did was to cast multiple diagnostic charms on it. But when nothing turned up, she quickly got curious. Cautiously, she picked it up and began to read - a glance to the first few lines had her hackles raised.

'Rita Skeeter.

Female, age 40, known as the 'Queen of The Quills' and also a beetle animagus.

I know of you, but it is still not the right time for you to know me. You could try to track me down but I assure you that it would just lead you into a wild goose chase.

I sent this letter with a proposition - I will not report you to the authorities if you let me use your abilities to my advantage. And I assure you, the stuffs that you'll be publishing would all be major scoops, as one say.

As a sample, this is my first task for you; Sirius Black.
He just escaped from Azkaban but no guards would find this out for a week at most.
Key words: Innocent and no trial.

No need to send me a reply back. Just confirm your cooperation by publishing this story in the next three days.

-Mort'

Rereading the letter a couple more times, the animagus gave a sigh of relief. The person seemed to be more interested in their own gain, which is good news for her - she doesn't want to spend even a day in Azkaban.

On the bright side, as long as she does as they say, she wouldn't be discovered, in addition to getting tips that would lead to a much more relevant stories than ministry workers' affairs.

Like, seriously, if this hint was anything to go by, then that means that Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban and was actually innocent all along?! There were rumors about the lack of mark on the arm of the mass murderer, but she thought nothing of it.

Sporting on a shark-like grin, Skeeter quickly went to work, she sent out a couple of her trusted allies to check out the trial papers while sending a letter to an Auror, who was indebted to her, telling him to check up on Sirius Black discreetly without gaining unnecessary attention.

If this fact is real, when she publish that a member of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black was wrongfully imprisoned without a trial, the public would riot. This is perhaps the best 'partnership' she had started with someone yet - if you ignore the fact that she had just been threatened into compliance.

XxXxX

Deep in an unknown forest, surrounded by deformed trees and fallen barks, laid a haggard man, his clothes tattered and his skin scarred with claw marks. He was panting heavily, uncaring that a dangerous beast could potentially find him in his unguarded state as he had a more dangerous one inside of him.

It was his usual monthly cycle, he wasn't worried about bleeding out as he had been through it for years now.

But then something out of the ordinary happened. In the corner of his eye, he saw something white fluttering towards him before landing upon his chestnut-brown hair. Thinking it was just a butterfly, he reached up to wave it away, only to feel a scratchy surface of a parchment.

Confused, he forced himself into a sitting position - ignoring the sudden pain in his everywhere - and brought the parchment to his face.

'Mr. Remus Lupin,

This is Harry Potter.

I know who you are. I know of your situation. I also know why you weren't able to meet me or take me in, so I don't blame you.

Being a werewolf could be a hard thing for a wizard, especially if you refuse to wholly accept that other part of yourself.

I sent this letter to inform you that your friend, Sirius Black, did not in fact betray my parents. He was just playing the decoy. The real Secret Keeper was Peter Pettigrew, who is still very much alive in his rat animagus form.

I felt that it wouldn't be right if you find out about it through the papers so I thought I'd let you know first.

I'm sure you have questions as to how this came to be. I want you to come here to us, in 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. There's about a week left before I have to leave for Hogwarts.

I hope to see you by then.

-Harry Potter'

Remus Lupin was at a lost for words. Millions of thoughts went through his mind. Sirius was innocent? If Peter was the real Secret Keeper, then where is he now? Has Sirius been cleared of his charges? Oh God, he didn't even doubt his innocence when they announced his betrayal-

Though one thing he knew for sure was that he had to meet Sirius and ask for forgiveness. He would beg and even grovel if he had to.

The shock from the revelation was so overwhelming that he didn't register the pain coursing throughout his limbs when he started to get up from his spot. Staggering on his feet, Remus limped his way to the nearest muggle city. He had a bit of cash on him so he should be able to catch a bus for most of his journey.

XxXxX

Harry Potter felt quite accomplished with herself.

As soon as she had sent those letters, she immediately bought a subscription on The Daily Prophet. And sure enough, two days after she sent her the letter, came the news she'd been waiting for.

'The Truth of The Potter Deaths: Sirius Black!'
'Ministry Blunders?!'
'Azkaban Not-So-Imprenetable Afterall'

Harry was quite impressed by how much progress miss Skeeter was able to make in just a few days. She could just picture the woman scrambling to make it inside the time limit frame that was given.

She had left the papers on the dining table, where both of her inhibitants could easily spot and get access to - in the case if they wanted to know what had been happening in the outside world whilst they were out.

"Harry!"

Her arm froze at the sudden sound, instantly relieved that she didn't drop the vial into the burning cauldron. Harry had been experimenting with potions to pass her time and currently, was in a very delicate process.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she put the potion into stasis and picked Neptune up from the counter, where he was far enough so he was safe from possible explosions but still close enough to help her see what she was doing.

Harry walked up the stairs of her flat, wondering if she should've just put a sock on the door handle so they knew not to interrupt her during that time. She opened the small door and poked her head out into the hallway.

"Yes, Dud?" She called exasperatedly.

"There's a guy asking for you."

Harry blinked, her confused expression immediately morphing into realization when she remembered the other letter that she'd sent.

"Ah, yes, yes." She made her way to the door, "I had been expecting somebody. Didn't think that he'd come so soon." She mused, ushering a pestering Dudley to go back to whatever he was doing, before opening the front door.

"Hello there." She gave the shadow in front of her an assuring smile and stuck her hand out.

"Remus Lupin, I presume?"

She saw his figure nod in affirmative, "Uh- yes, I am." He took her hand and shook it firmly. She could feel that he was shivering from the touch. Due to the weather, judging from his cold hand.

"Let's move to someplace warmer, shall we?"

She led him into the cupboard and down the stairs of her flat, walking in a fairly quick pace resulting in Remus being unable to process the weirdly structured setting. She ignored his confused splutterings and instead, hissed for the reptiles to go get Hedwig to the mansion for the mean time.

Plopping down onto a chair, she waved her hand at the direction of the fireplace, where fire immediately appeared out of thin air.

"Please, take a seat, Mister Lupin," She gestured to a chair across from her, "This is going to be a long story."

XxXxX

To say that he's shocked would definitely be a huge understatement.

It has been an hour since he gathered the courage to knock on the door and boy, was that an emotional roller-coaster. He had been stunned when the door opened to reveal a plump boy, who didn't look the slightest bit like both of his friends, only for said boy to shut the door at his face.

And just when he thought that he had the wrong address, the wooden door opened for the second time. He nearly teared up when he was faced with a child who is the perfect mix of both James and Lily.

Then he was lead to a luggage-flat in a cupboard, only to be bombarded with an almost otherworldly story that he probably wouldn't have believed had the boy- no, the girl not called the Death entity himself to prove his existence!

Remus slumped back onto his seat, letting out a long breath. The cold sweat that had appeared on his back from the previous Death visit caused his shirt to stick onto his back.

He rubbed his eyes to fight off his sudden fatigue. "So Dumbledore-" He shook his head. No, he doesn't want to open that can of worms today. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked.

The girl in front of him smiled patiently and tilted her head, "I'll need someone to keep an eye on my two patients while I'm in class." She said nonchalantly.

Even though Harry had told him that she's blind, Remus could swear that she was staring right into his soul, knowing exactly that he would love to stay by his friend's side until his full recovery.

Remus sighed as Harry practically shined. It was obvious to the both of them that he was already won over.

"Alright, great! Just pick an empty room and it's yours!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight before promptly ushering him into a room next to Sirius'.

"I'll be in the potions laboratory if you need me!" Remus heard her chirp just as she closed the door behind him.

XxXxX

Remus: "I haven't even said 'yes', you know."
Harry: *Waving her hand* "It's okay. I already planned to kidnap you anyways had you refus- oops."

Remus: *Blinking rapidly* "K-Kidnap me?!"
Harry: *Feigning ignorance* "What?"
Remus: "You said that you planned to kidnap me?"
Harry: *Gasping* "I did?"
Remus: *Narrowing his eyes in suspicion* "Are you doing the I-have-no-idea-what-you-are-talking-about act?"
Harry: *Smiling innocently* "I have no idea what you are talking about though?"
Remus: *Looking up to the ceiling for some patience*

Harry: "Help yourself to the library."
Remus: *Looking around in amazement* "How many books are in this place?"
Harry: *Shrugging* "I lost count. But this is practically the Black Library."
Remus: "Black?"
Harry: "Oh, did I not tell you?"
Harry: *Lifting her hands up, palms facing down before taking off the concealment charm*
Harry: "I'm the heir of House Black. Well, amongst other things."
Remus: *Gasping loudly* "What- This- How-?!"
Harry: *Hearing a Thump on the floor and looking worried* "Oh my."

XxXxX

P.s. I'm just warning you ahead of time that I will most likely- no, I am 100% sure that my updates will just be sporadic now.

I don't have any plans on abandoning my fics, but I also do not have a fixed schedule to update my fics.

J Out!