There was a howl and a rumbling growl; I turned to see thewerewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest — 

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" I yelled.Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle andback, but at my words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded awayacross the grounds.

Me, Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron."What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes wereonly half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, we could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize us.

 "I don't know. . . ."I looked desperately around. Black and Lupin bothgone . . . they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging,unconscious, in midair."We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," saidHarry, pushing his hair out of his eyes,looking like he was trying to think straight.Come —" 

But then, from beyond the range of their vision, we heard ayelping, a whining: a dog in pain. . . ."Sirius," Harry muttered, staring into the darkness.

I had a moment's indecision, but there was nothing we coulddo for Ron at the moment, and by the sound of it, Black was introuble —Harry and I set off at a run, Hermione right behind us. The yelpingseemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake.

 We pelted toward it, and Harry, running flat out, felt the coldwithout realizing what it must mean —The yelping stopped abruptly. As we reached the lakeshore,they saw why — Sirius had turned back into a man. 

He wascrouched on all fours, his hands over his head."Nooo," he moaned. "Noooo . . . please. . . ."And then I saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward us. 

I spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating my insides, fogstarting to obscure my vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling us. . . ."Hermione, think of something happy!" Harry yelled, raising hiswand, I was blinking furiously to try and clear my vision, shaking my head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it — 

we're going to live with our godfather. we're leaving the Dursleys. 

I forced myself to think of Black, and only Black, and beganto chant: "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"Black gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on theground, pale as death.

 He'll be all right. we're going to go and live with him. 

"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help us! Expecto patronum!" 

"Expecto —" Hermione whispered, "expecto — expecto —"But she couldn't do it. 

The dementors were closing in, barely tenfeet from us. They formed a solid wall around Harry andHermione, and were getting closer. . . . 

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled, trying to blot thescreaming from his ears. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him. At the same moment, I felt Hermione collapse nextto him. 

"EXPECTO PATRONUM" something came, and vanished.

We were alone . . . completely alone. . . .

 "Expecto — expecto patronum —" 

I felt my knees hit the cold grass beside my brother. Fog was clouding my eyes.With a huge effort, I fought to remember — Sirius was innocent — innocent — We'll be okay — we're going to live with him —"Expecto patronum!" I gasped.

By the feeble light of my formless Patronus, I saw a dementorhalt, very close to me. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silvermist I had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from underthe cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside. 

"No — no —" Harry gasped. "He's innocent . . . expecto —expecto patronum —"I could feel them watching us, hear their rattling breath likean evil wind around us. The nearest dementor seemed to be considering me. Then it raised both its rotting hands — and loweredits hood.Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, grayscabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. 

But there wasa mouth . . . a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with thesound of a death rattle.A paralyzing terror filled I so that I couldn't move orspeak. My Patronus flickered and died.White fog was blinding me.

 We had to fight . . . expecto patronum . . . we couldn't see . . . and in the distance, we heard the familiar screaming . . . expecto patronum . . . I groped in the mistfor Sirius, and found his arm . . . they weren't going to takehim. . . .But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around my neck. Harry gasped, through my blurry vision I saw another do the same to Harry

 They were forcing my face upward. . . . i could feel its breath. . . . It was going to get rid of us first. . . . I could feel its putrid breath. . . . my mother was screaming in my ears. . . . She was going to be the last thing we ever heard —And then, through the fog that was drowning me, I thought I saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter. . . . 

I felt mYself fall forward onto the grass. . . . Facedown, too weak tomove, sick and shaking, my hand grasped my brother's. Harry opened his eyes. The dementormust have released him too. The blinding light was illuminating thegrass around us. . . . The screaming had stopped, the cold wasebbing away. . . .Something was driving the dementors back. . . . It was circlingaround me,him and Black and Hermione. . . . They were leaving. . . .The air was warm again. . . .With every ounce of strength we could muster, Harry and I raised our heads a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping awayacross the lake. . . .

 Eyes blurred with sweat, I tried to make outwhat it was. . . . It was as bright as a unicorn. . . . Fighting tostay conscious, Harry and I watched it canter to a halt as it reached theopposite shore. 

Another one..big..oddly familiar

 For a moment, I saw, by its brightness, somebodies welcoming them back . . . raising his hand to pat it . . . someones who looked strangely familiar . . . but it couldn't be . . . I didn't understand. I couldn't think anymore. I felt thelast of my strength leave me, and our heads hit the ground as wefainted.

---

"Shocking business . . . shocking . . . miracle none of themdied . . . never heard the like . . . by thunder, it was lucky youwere there, Snape. . . ." 

"Thank you, Minister." 

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I canwangle it!" 

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

 "Nasty cut you've got there. . . . Black's work, I suppose?""As a matter of fact, it was the Potters, Weasley, and Granger, Minister. . . ."

 "No!""Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A ConfundusCharm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there wasa possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape. . . . They obviously thought they were going tocatch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now. . . . I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion ofthemselves . . . and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —" 

"Ah, well, Snape . . . Harry and Emma Potter, you know . . . we've all got abit of a blind spot where their concerned." 

"Ms Potter on the other hand, I never thought she'd do such a thing--"

"Yes, well--"

"And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. Andany other student would be suspended — at the very least — forleading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — againstall school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolfand a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visitingHogsmeade illegally too —" 

"Well, well . . . we shall see, Snape, we shall see. . . . The boy hasundoubtedly been foolish. . . .As has the girl" 

I lay listening with my eyes tight shut. I felt very groggy.The words I was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from my ears to my brain, so that it was difficult to understand. . . . My limbs felt like lead; my eyelids too heavy to lift. . . . I wanted tolie here, on this comfortable bed, forever. . . .

 "What amazes me most is the behavior of the dementors . . .you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?" 

"No, Minister . . . by the time I had come 'round they wereheading back to their positions at the entrances. . . ." 

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, Emma and the girl —"

 "All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them allstraight back to the castle."

 There was a pause. my brain seemed to be moving a littlefaster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of my stomach. . . . 

I opened his eyes.Everything was slightly blurred. I was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end ofthe ward, I could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to Harry and me, who i made out was on a bed beside me-- bending over a bed. 

I squinted. 

Ron's red hair was visiblebeneath Madam Pomfrey's arm. 

I saw Hermione press a finger to her lips and point to the door, It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snapewere coming through it from the corridor outside.Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward toHarry's bed.

 He turned to look at her.

 She was carrying the largestblock of chocolate he had ever seen in his life. It looked like a smallboulder. 

"Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed the chocolate onHarry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer. 

"How's Ron?" said Harry and Hermione together.

 "He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you three . . .you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what doyou think you're doing?"

Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking uphis wand.

 "I need to see the headmaster," he said. 

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They'vegot Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —" 

"WHAT?"

 Harry jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same So had I.

 Buthis shout had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward."Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "Youshould be in bed — has he had any chocolate?" he asked MadamPomfrey anxiously.

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

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face."Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through adreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything undercontrol. . . ."

 "YOU HAVEN'T!" I yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THEWRONG MAN!""Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried toHarry and my side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "I sawhim too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean,and —" 

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

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" I snarled. 

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Ms Potter is my patient, and she should not be distressed!" 

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" I said furiously. "If they'd just listen —"But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into my mouth; I choked, and she seized the opportunityto force me back onto the bed. 

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave —"

 The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. I swallowed my mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again.

 "Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"

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

 "My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Ms Potter, Mr. Potter andMiss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talkingto Sirius Black —" 

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in the Potters mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrewbeing alive —" 

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveyingSnape closely through his half-moon spectacles."And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape."Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see anysign of him on the grounds." 

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" saidHermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear —" 

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"

"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbedin her mind, we must make allowances —" 

"I would like to speak to Emma, Harry and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."

 "Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey "They need treatment, they need rest —" 

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

 Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her officeat the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat. 

"The dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll goand meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snapehadn't moved. 

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snapewhispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face."I wish to speak to Emma,Harry and Hermione alone," Dumbledorerepeated.Snape took a step toward Dumbledore. 

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? Youhaven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

 "My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

 Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudgewas still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turnedto Me,Harry and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the sametime. 

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

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

"— he's a rat —"

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

 "— Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —" 

But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations."It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shredof proof to support Black's story, except your word — and theword of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody.A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew.I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been thePotters' Secret-Keeper." 

"Professor Lupin can tell you —" I said, unable to stop myself. 

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tellanyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late,Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are somistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for verylittle — and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends —" 

"But —"

 "Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You mustsee that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincingthan yours." 

"He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because ofsome stupid trick Sirius played on him —"

 "Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on theFat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius'ssentence." 

"But you believe us.""Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power tomake other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister ofMagic. . . . 

I stared up into the grave face and felt as though the groundbeneath me were falling sharply away. I had grown used to theidea that Dumbledore could solve anything. I had expectedDumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of the air. Butno . . . our last hope was gone. 

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blueeyes moved from Harry and me to Hermione, "is more time." 

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

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, andvery clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on theseventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the WestTower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must notbe seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is atstake. . . . You — must — not — be — seen." 

Harry and I didn't have a clue what was going on. Dumbledore hadturned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door."I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "fiveminutes  to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Goodluck."