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𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐌 ── ◦'𖥸'◦ ── 𝒜𝒞𝒯 𝒪𝒩𝐸
↳ ❛ whomping willow ❜︎
𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟮 ╱ ╱ 🏛🧺 ˚◞𑁍ﾟ𝙿𝙻𝚄𝚃𝙾𝚂𝚆𝙸𝙵𝚃

Celeste's eyes were puffy from crying and Harry was embracing the girl while trying to handle his own shock. The four were horrified by the turn of events. The last rays of the sunset were casting a bloody light over the long shadowed grounds. Then behind them, they heard Howlin.

"Hagrid," he muttered.

Without thinking he tried to turn back only for Celeste to clutch his arm. "Harry no we can't."

"He'll be in worse trouble if they knew we've been there to see him..."

"How ─ could ─ they?" she choked. "How could they?"

"Come on." Ron whose teeth seemed to be chattering wanted to hurry out of here. They set off to the castle.

By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.

"Scabbers, keep still." Ron hissed.

"Throw it away." Celeste snapped.

"What's the matter with you, You stupid rat? Stay still ─ OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Fudge'll be out here any minute ─"

"He won't ─ stay ─ put ─" Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writing with all the might, trying to break free.

Out of nowhere Leo and Crookshanks appeared and knowing Celeste they were following after Scabbers no doubt.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!" But the cat was getting nearer.

"Leo now is not a good time!"

"Scabbers ─ NO!" the rat slipped away and hit the ground, scampering away. Crookshanks and Leo followed after it before any of them could stop them.

Ron had thrown away the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.

"Ron!"

The three exchanged looks then followed after.

"When I get my hands on him I'm going to make sure he doesn't see the light of day!" seethed Celeste. No doubt some teachers would notice they'd be gone.

"I can't believe he went back for a rat," Hermione grumbled under her breath.

Harry was more busy running than actually talking.

They could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at the two cats.

'Get away from him ─ get away ─ Scabbers, come here ─" There was a loud thud, "Gotcha."

Harry, Celeste, and Hermione almost fell over Ron. They skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabies was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.

"Ron come on back under the cloak─" Hermione painted. "Dumbledore ─ the Minister ─ they'll be coming back out in a minute ─" Before they could cover themselves. There was a pounding of gigantic paws...something was bounding toward them. A pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

Celeste reached towards her wand. "Run!" but it was too late.

The dog made an enormous leap and the front paws hit Harry on the chest.

"Harry!" Celeste cried.

The force of its leap carried too far; rolling off him. Dazed as though he felt his ribs have been broken.

Celeste scurried back onto her feet when the dog attacked Ron. It was dragging Ron away easily as though he were a rag doll.

Then out of nowhere, something hit Celeste across the face making her yelp.

Harry reached for his wand and blinked, "Lumos!" he whispered.

The wand light showed him the trunk of a thick tree.

Whomping willow. And there was a dog dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots ─ Ron was fighting furiously but his head and torso slipped out of sight.

"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped through the air and he was forced backward again.

Celeste helped Harry up again and they all could see one of Ron's legs which were hooked to a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground, but with a horrible crack, his leg was broken.

"Harry ─ we've got to go for help ─" Hermione gasped, bleeding as well. Celeste was cradling her head.

"If that dog can get in. We can." Harry panted and without a warning, he took Celeste and Hermione's hands and darted forward.

Abruptly the tree stopped moving and turned into maybe. It stopped moving. "Crookshanks, Leo!" Hermione whispered to see the cats latching onto Celeste and Harry.

"He's friends with the dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together." "Come on ─ and keep your wand out ─"

Covering the distance to the trunk in seconds, the three friends reached the gap of the roots. Crookshanks and Leo slid into it with a flick of their bottlebrush tail.

Harry went first, Then Celeste, and followed Hermione.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione whispered in a terrified voice.

"This way," said Harry.

"Shouldn't we be thinking of a plan?"

"Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly. "Right now we need to find Ron"

"I don't know..it's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten onto it. It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade."

They moved as fast as they could. And then the tunnel began to rise after a few moments of bending almost double ahead of the passage. Eventually, they entered a small opening only to end up in a room.

Harry, Celeste, and Hermione paused, only the sound of their quiet breathing could be heard.

It was a disordered room. Dust and paper peels from the walls. There were also stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken, including the windows.

Realization dawned Celeste. "Shrieking Shack. We are in the Shrieking Shack."

Large chunks of the wooden chair nearby were torn entirely which made Celeste shiver.

"Ghosts didn't do that," he said slowly.

"No shit," Celeste said.

At that moment, there was a creak overhead. The three looked up at the ceiling. Immediately Harry pushed Hermione and Celeste behind him.

Quietly as they would, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. They reached the dark landing. "Nox," they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out.

Only one door was open and they slowly went toward it. A low moan and then a deep loud purring could be heard.

Harry kicked the door open.

On a four-poster bed laid Crookshanks purring as Ron seemed to be in pain.

Celeste and Hermione immediately dashed across to him. "Ron ─ Are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog." moaned Ron. "Harry it's a trap ─"

"He's the dog...he's an Animagus."

Ron stared over Harry's shoulder and he couldn't warn him in time. "D─Don't let him hurt her."

Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. A mass of filthy, matt hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets. He looked like a corpse.

"Expelliarmus!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.

Harry's, Celeste, and Hermione's wand shot out of their hands and Black caught them.

Then he took a step closer. His eyes fixated on Harry but mostly on Celeste. His eyes softened and glistened in tears.

"Oh god look at you." Sirius croaked, "I─I missed everything."

From head to toe, she was no longer the small infant. Seeing Celeste up close made him realize how much time has passed. He promised Reyna that he'd become a fatherly parent to his niece now Regulus wasn't here.

But seeing her up close made Sirius' heartbreak even more. Once he was free he was going to take care of Celeste. They'll be a proper family for good.

"Let me explain everything ─" Sirius went straight for Celeste only to stay rooted to his spot.

"Stay the hell away from her," Harry growled, shielding Celeste away even more. Black's eyes flashed something and pulled his gaze from his niece to his godson.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you did not run for a teacher. I'm grateful...It will make everything much easier.

The taunt made Harry lose it. A boiling hatred erupted in Harry's chest. For the first time he wanted to draw back his wand not to defend himself, but to attack...to kill.

He lunged at Black only for Celeste and Harry to pull him back. "No Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black.

"If you want to Kill Harry and Celeste you have to kill us too!" he said fiercely.

Something clicked in Black's eyes.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to sit upright. "You'll have to kill all four of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight." Black's grin widened.

"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron and Hermione.

Celeste now let's go and tilts her head to the side in confusion and sadness. There were tears now clouding her vision.

"Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew...what's the matter, gone soft on Azkaban?"

"Harry! Please shut up." Celeste whimpered.

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD! HE KILLED YOUR MUM!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort, he broke free of Hermione and Ron's restraints and lunged forward. He had forgotten about magic ─ that he had forgotten that he was short and skinny and thirteen, whereas Black was a tall full-grown man ─ all Harry knew was that he wanted to hurt Black that he didn't care how much he got hurt in return.

Celeste stepped back in utter shock and watched Harry and Black fight. Hermione was screaming, Ron was yelling and poor Celeste was crying.

There was a blinding flash as wands in Black's hands sent a jet of sparks into the air, missing Harry by a few inches.

Blacks free hand found Harry's throat. "No, I waited way too long ─" the fingers tightened.

Then he saw Celeste's foot come out of nowhere and stamped Black's foot. "Get off him!"

He grunted in pain as Ron aimed for Black's wand in hand and Harry heard a faint clatter ─ he fought free of the tangle of bodies and saw his own wand rolling on the floor.

"Argh!" Crookshanks joined the fray, both sets of claws deepened into Harry's arm.

"NO YOU DON'T!" roared Harry, and he aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting; Harry snatched up his wand and turned ─ "Get out of the way!"

They didn't think twice, Hermione was gasping for air and scrambled for their wands. Ron crawled to our poster and collapsed onto it, panting, his white face now tinged with green as he clutched his leg.

Celeste's hair was all messy and resembled a crazed woman. Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer his want pointing straight at Black.

"Going to kill me, Harry?"

"You killed my parents...you killed our parents. Your own sister-in-law!" Harry said, voice shaking slightly, but his wand was quite steady.

"I don't deny it.." he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story."

"The whole story?" Harry repeated. "You sold them to Voldemort, that's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his tone. "You'll regret it if you don't...you don't understand. Both of you need to listen "

"What's there to understand?" Celeste stated sharply. "Our mums tried to stop Voldemort from killing us. And you did that...you did it!"

Before either of them could say a word Leo lunged onto Black's he's and settled himself there. "Get off," he murmured.

Harry raised his wand only for a new sound to be present.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed. "WE'RE UP HERE ─ SIRIUS BLACK ─ QUICK!"

Celeste quickly went over to Ron and tore a part of her shirt to wrap his wound. Her eyes avoided the pair of grey hues staring at her.

The door burst open to reveal Professor Lupin, his face bloodless and his wand raised.

"Professor!" Celeste's lower lip wobble, "You have to help us ─ Ron's hurt."

"Expelliarmus!"

The four wands flew in Lupin's grasp, making Celeste stare at him in shock.

Then Remus turned to Lupin, "Where is he Sirius?"

"Where's who?" asked Celeste, now standing up. She didn't understand what was going on at this moment and Harry hugged her protectively.

What was Lupin talking about?"

"But then..." Lupin muttered staring at Black. "Why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless... " Lupin's eyes suddenly widened. "Unless he was the one...unless you switched without telling me?"

Very slowly his sunken eyes never left his old friend. "Ugh finally, at least someone gets it now...it took thirteen years."

"Professor, what's going on?" Celeste interrupted loudly.

The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, and pulled him to his feet and Crookshanks fell over.

They were hugging.

Celeste felt like her heart dropped and rolled out of her body.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.

"I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST YOU!" Celeste screeched.

Hermione pointed a finger at Lupin wide-eyed, "You and him!!"

"Hermione, calm down ─"

"We didn't tell anyone." Hermione shrieked, "Celeste told me not to say anything. We've been covering up for you ─ "

"Girls please listen to me please," Lupin shouted, he hated seeing her own god-daughter crying because of him. "I can explain."

"I trusted you!" he shouted. "And all this time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong." I haven't been Sirius' friend, but I am now ─ let me explain..."

"No!" Hermione screamed, "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get onto the castle, he wants you dead too ─ he's a werewolf!"

Hermione turned to Celeste, "There's something else too...I have been thinking for a while but there's a picture in his office of your mum holding you when you were a baby...and Lupin being there....I think he's your godfather."

There was a ringing of silence. Celeste shook her head in Remus' direction as he tried to step towards her, "P─Please just leave me alone."

Hurt washed his features.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not helped Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead...lastly I would never harm my goddaughter. But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Lupin made way to Ron only for the Weasley to gasp, "Get away from me werewolf."

Forgetting her angry towards Sirius and Remus she glared at Ron," Ronald Weasley if you don't apologize I will break your other leg!"

"Sorry!"

The two men seemed to hit a wave of nostalgia at that comment.

Remus turned to Hermione and Celeste, "How long have you known?"

"The assignment..Professor Git's paper." Celeste answered with a sniffle.

"Both of you are the brightest and cleverest witches of your age..."

"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit clever I would have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know," said Lupin. "At least the Staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf.." Ron gasped. "Is he mad?"

"Some of the staff thought so," said Lupin. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy─"

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled." YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" he was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand.

Crookshanks and Leo leaped up beside him and sat onto his lap purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.

"I have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance to explain, I'll explain. Look ─" he separated Harry's, Ron's, Celeste's, and Hermione's wands were thrown back to their original owners. Harry caught him, stunned.

Celeste felt utterly terrified at the situation.

"Three," said Lupin, sticking his own wand back onto his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now, will you listen?" Celeste didn't know what to think. Was this some sort of trick?"

"If you haven't been helping him," he said, with a furious glance. "How did you know he was here?"

"The map said Lupin. "The Marauders Map. I was in my office examining it ─"

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously

"Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it.

"You wrote ─?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening because I had an idea that you, Ron, Celeste, and Hermione, might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"

He had started to pace up and down looking at them. "You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry ─

"And you wearing the bracelet Celeste ─"

"You know about the Cloak and the bracelet?"

"The number of times I saw James and Reyna using it..." said Lupin impatiently. "The point is even if you're wearing an invisibility cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's map. I watched you cross the ground and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by someone else."

"What?"

"No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, still pacing, ignoring Harry completely. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning...."

Celeste shook her head, "The map never lies...George and Fred never had a problem with it."

"Right you are little one," smirked Remus. "And then I saw another dot moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black. I saw him collide with you; he dragged you into the Whomping Willow.

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"Two of you." he stopped pacing and stared straight at Ron. "Do you think I could have a look at your rat?" he said evenly.

"No offense but that rat is ugly." Celeste quipped, earning a strange laugh from Black.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Lupin.

"Could I see him please?" Ron hesitated and pulled out the rat. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately. Ron had to seize its long bald tail to stop him from escaping.

Crookshanks and Leo stood up hissing.

Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he stared intently at the rat.

"What?" Ron said again, holding scabbers close to him. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

Then it hit Celeste like colliding with a brick. "Holy shit...that─that isn't a rodent isn't it? It's a ─"

"Person." Sirius croaked suddenly. "Yes, you understand!' he mumbled in relief. "That isn't a rat!"

Celeste looked at Ron, "Give him the rat Ron."

"What no! Of course, he's a rat."

"No, he's not, he's a wizard," Remus explained quietly.

"An Animagus by the name Peter Pettigrew."

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╭ ╮
✎↷... 𝒂 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒂 ✉️
➩ 𝑣𝑜𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢!
╰ ╯

Hey guys, thank you for all the nice comments these past few fews since I started this second book.

So there is a lot going on in this book. Obviously, Sirius feels like he's failed not only his friends but his godson and niece.

What are your thoughts?

I'M SURE MOST OF YALL HAVE INSTAGRAM !!! DID YOU SEE ADAM DRIVER AND LADY GAGA IN A PICTURE TOGETHER OH MY GOSH.

let me tell you that my SOUL left my body when I saw this. Anyway, how are you all?

FRIENDLY REMINDER: Remember to vote & comment because it makes my day to know what you think! Even if it's just a 'hello' I'm totally cool about it cause I love to hear from you guys.