Escape

Escape

Sirius Black was on his way to visit his old friends James and Lily to make sure they were still alright, because when he had checked on their Secret-Keeper, he was no longer there. He pulled up to their house on his flying motorcycle, and saw the house already in ruins. He stood there in shock, trembling at the thought that his friends and their son may be gone.

He began to walk up to the house until a half-giant by the name of Hagrid stepped out of the ruins with a wad of cloth cradled in one of his great arms. "Are... Are they gone, Hagrid?" asked the young man, looking like a house elf next to the half-giant.

Hagrid sniffed loudly before nodding gravely. "Give Harry to me Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him." Sirius stuttered out, holding out his hands which were still shaking from the dreadful news.

"No, I've got me orders from Dumbledore. Got ter take him to his aunt an' uncle's."

"But Hagrid, I'm his legal guardian!" said Sirius, protesting. "This is my entire fault..." he muttered under his breath. Hagrid heard but didn't understand.

"I've got me orders, Sirius!" Hagrid yelled, not backing down.

Sirius' hands dropped back down to his sides. "Alright... but take my motorbike, you'll need it," He didn't want to part with it but he did. "I won't need it anymore." He pulled the bike up to Hagrid.

The half-giant tied some cloth loosely around his neck to make a sling that baby Harry could sleep in. Seconds later the motorbike roared to life and was off the ground. Harry's godfather watched sadly as his beloved motorbike drifted away. But it wasn't just his motorcycle that was gone, his best friend's son; Sirius' responsibility was also gone.

"Now how am I going to get home?" Sirius huffed, lonely in the cold night air, not noticing the simplest way to get home was apparating.

He began walking, not towards home, just walking. Then he remembered why he had checked on James and Lily in the first place. Peter! That rat had told Voldemort where his best friends were! He was the only one that could have, Sirius then knew what he had to do. And if possible, he would do it immediately.

He grabbed his wand, and held it out away from him. Moments later a big purple, three-decker bus appeared. "Where to?" asked a man in his mid forties.

"The Hogs Head," said Sirius, as he took a seat and prepared himself for the wild ride.

As he arrived he walked into the pub and sat at the bar. "Pint of Firewhisky," The bartender brought it for him and within a few hours Sirius had drained quite a few.

At least five hours later Sirius found he had fallen asleep at the bar and awoke with a massive headache. He got up slowly, the world spinning around him, and rushed the bathroom before nausea overcame him.

Stepping out fifteen minutes later, the world still spinning, he decided to head for home to get some coffee or something to get rid of his hangover. Hands shaking as he reached for his wand he tried to hold them still.

But when he apparated he didn't end up at his house, he ended up right outside the Leaky Cauldron! "I think I had I bit, too much to drink..." said Sirius, as he was about to try apparating again. But then he saw him, Pettigrew right in front of him!

But the rat saw him, too and began to run away. Sirius staggered after him, trying not to fall over. Finally he lost sight of Pettigrew and wandered into an alleyway to sit, he couldn't walk anymore. Head in his hands he shook horribly, but not just from the alcohol, but because he was crying. His friends were dead... and he'd gotten himself drunk and he'd lost their betrayer. The one that had turned them into the most feared wizard in England.

After a few more minutes he got up and began walking slowly back to the Leaky Cauldron, hoping he could Floo home. But as he got closer to the pub he noticed he was going entirely the wrong way.

He had reached a dead end so began to turn around, but there was Peter behind him. Pettigrew looked around quickly, hands behind his back. "James and Lily, Sirius! How could you?" the rat screamed, and people turned towards them.

Pettigrew reached into his pocket and Sirius knew he was going to get his wand. Sirius got his wand out first, even in his drunken state, but before he could do anything there was a huge explosion where Pettigrew was. When the dust cleared Pettigrew was gone. Sirius stared at that one spot for what felt like hours, swaying back and forth, until he heard a woman scream; "Murderer!" and the chaos began.

Sirius looked around and saw what had happened around him, twelve muggles lying dead on the ground. Pettigrew's bloodstained robes in front of him. The situation was starting to sink in, Pettigrew dead, muggles dead, and Sirius had a wand in his hand to make it seem that he did it. He didn't know why but he started to laugh, all of this was planned by Peter. Little chubby Peter that always followed him, James, and Remus around.

He heard a few pops and saw that some of the ministry had appeared. He was doomed. No wait, he wasn't doomed. He would have a trial, he would tell the truth. Dumbledore would help him. But truthfully, he had no idea what was going to happen.

He tried to stop laughing, but he couldn't, this is really going to help my image. Sirius looked around, trying to see if there was a way out. No, if I run, they will think I did it.

"I didn't do anything! I swear!" Sirius yelled drunkenly as Fudge walked forward.

"Accio Wand!" Fudge said commandingly, and Sirius' wand flew out of his hand. There was another pop and Barty Crouch appeared right behind Fudge.

"You are under arrest, Mr. Black, by the Ministry of Magic. For murder of twelve unnamed muggles, Peter Pettigrew, and for working under You-Know-Who. You will not have a trial." Said Crouch.

"What? I've got to have a trial, it's the law!" roared Sirius, objecting, but bindings shot out of Barty's wand.

"Silencio!" Fudge said and Sirius could speak no more.

He was taken to Azkaban prison and was sentenced for a life time stay. But, for some odd reason the dementors didn't seem to affect him as they did to the other prisoners. But while he still couldn't find any happy thoughts, he thrived on one thing. He was innocent, and he knew it. The dementors couldn't make him think that he betrayed his best friend. Never.

He slowly started wasting away, his once handsome face became waxy and hollow until he became unrecognizable. His once bright blue eyes sunk into his face so they looked more like black than blue. His robes became rags and his hair grew longer, and became matted like it would have been in his dog form if he had rolled in the mud.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years until twelve years had passed. Cornelius Fudge was now Minister of Magic and did routine check ups on Azkaban Prison.

One day the Minister came by and had a newspaper with him, and on the front of that newspaper was a picture of the Weasley family. Sirius stared at it intently but he wasn't interested in the people, it was the rat on the youngest boy's shoulder. It was missing a toe. Peter Pettigrew was still alive, and would be with that boy, meaning he would be at Hogwarts!

He called after the Minister, "May I have that, sir? I... I miss doing the crossword." Fudge looked at him bewildered, why was this maniac asking him for the paper? Why was he talking to him at all?

"Oh, alright," said Fudge and threw it at Sirius before walking on.

Sirius knew he had to try to get out. He had to kill Pettigrew, he had to save Harry. But how? He could maybe slide through the bars because he was so skinny but the dementors could sense him walk out. Then he remembered he was an Animagus, an illegal one, but he could still transform. He decided to transform in a few nights and try to escape. But until that time came, he would practice and sleep.

Sirius woke up around what he thought to be midnight three days from then and transformed. He slid through the iron bars silently, and padded his way past the guards in front of his cell. Then as he got to the edge of the prison, he faced another challenge. Azkaban was an island, how would he know which way was to civilization?

He sniffed the air as a slight breeze blew past him, it was blowing from the west and it smelled of fresh grass and flowers. It had been such a long time since he had smelled such sweet things. He remembered Lily used to always have a vase filled with wild flowers on the kitchen table. How James used to always tease her about it being so girly and that he wanted something else there. How Sirius himself would want a huge cooked chicken or turkey in its place every time he went for dinner.

He walked on his four legs to the edge of the island, thinking of his future, and stepped into the freezing water. He began swimming west with only two things repeating in his mind. Save Harry, kill Pettigrew.

The End