Promises Unbroken

Promises Unbroken

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Spiral of Change

A small silver disc shot out of the tip of Sirius' wand as the Leaky Lady sped between the clouds. The disc sped away and faded quickly into the distance, headed for Hogwarts, their final destination. In the planning stages of the Azkaban raid, a great deal of thought had been put into where exactly the Leaky Lady could arrive without attracting Muggle attention, and but the final choice had been made in the interests of security. Although the school was a considerable distance from both St. Mungo's and the Ministry, it could serve as a meeting point for all the prisoners and their families. Some members of the Ministry had tried to insist upon lengthy check ups for each prisoner to determine if any of them were underneath the Imperius Curse or not, but Dumbledore himself had overruled them, citing that such things could wait. Freedom was more important.

Happy voices drifted up to the empty bridge where Sirius and Arthur stood alone. Down below, his Aurors were working healing spells on the former prisoners--all Aurors were schooled in emergency healing medicine during basic training. The more major injuries, like Frank Longbottom's, would have to wait for St. Mungo's or Hogwarts' Hospital Wing, but they would fix what they could. The ride to London, after all, would still take an hour, despite the speed that the Leaky Lady was flying through the air.

Footsteps made him look over his shoulder, and Sirius smiled. Arthur either hadn't heard, or simply didn't turn; Sirius walked over to him, saying quietly. "I'll take her for a few minutes."

"What?" Arthur's attention had been focused on the Leaky Lady's controls, and was obviously not paying attention.

"Turn around," he smiled, gently pushing Arthur aside.

Bill was waiting.

Sirius turned away to allow the older man and his son to have their reunion in private, and very politely pretended that he didn't notice the tears on both faces. Hearing their quiet and jubilant voices behind him, Sirius absent-mindedly reached up and pulled his hair free of the ponytail. Usually, he didn't bother to tie it back, but there were moments when he knew that he couldn't afford the distraction of having hair fly into his face, and something had told him that today would be one of those days.

He shook his head. Sooner or later, he'd have to consider what he'd done, but now wasn't that time. He wasn't ready yet.

For a long moment, he stood still, allowing the wind to whip at his robes and hair while he stared into the darkness of early morning. Dawn would break just as they arrived at Hogwarts, which he found very fitting, but at the moment, Sirius existed in a short moment of peace and freedom. He knew it would never last, but for the moment, he could just relax. He could be free--perhaps for the last time.

Arthur spoke just in time to free Sirius from his darkening thoughts. "Thank you," he said very quietly.

The Auror smiled. "I'll leave you two to talk."

"You don't have to--" Bill started, but Sirius shook his head.

"It's all right," he replied, and made his way off the bridge. Passing the stairwell that led below, bits of joyful conversation drifted up to him, but Sirius resisted the urge to go below and share in the victory. Although he knew that the others would welcome him, he did not want to deal with their inevitable reactions. He didn't want to have to face the unavoidable questions. Not until he knew the answers himself.

Sirius sighed and made his way astern. His footsteps rang quietly on the hard wood deck, and as he reached the tail end of the Lucky Lady, he grasped the railing between his hands and leaned over slightly, savoring the feel of the wind that was blowing in their wake. The wind didn't ask questions. It didn't demand answers. Silent and strong, it allowed him another stolen moment of peace. But the stillness could not last.

He'd faced Voldemort.

The thought was still enough to send a shiver down his spine, yet Sirius was oddly at peace with what he had done. Back in Azkaban, he had made a conscious choice--oh, he hadn't examined the possibilities or the consequences, then, but he had known them all the same when he'd chosen. He had chosen to walk around that corner and face down the most dangerous Dark wizard in history. Had he expected to die? Even now, he didn't know. At the time, he had only known that someone had to. Someone had to make the choice. So he had.

And the fact that he'd lived still mystified him. Sirius closed his eyes, remembering. He had almost felt Voldemort's movements, had almost been able to predict him--no, he had been able to predict him. It was almost as if he'd seen through Voldemort's eyes just long enough to know what spell he would cast next. A deep and instinctive part of him had known.

Then he'd clashed directly with the Dark Lord's will and lived through that, too. What would have happened if Kingsley and the others hadn't stunned them both, Sirius didn't know, but he did know that he had come face to face with the horror that lived in his nightmares and he had not quailed. He hadn't broken, or hesitated. Somehow, he had discovered depths of strength and power that he had never even consciously used before, and they had saved him. In retrospect, Sirius supposed that the strength he'd used had been the same that had allowed him to survive Azkaban, but he still felt different.

Something had changed. He wasn't sure what, but something in him had changed.

It was frightening to think about, almost unreal to consider. But he had faced Voldemort, and lived, and something inside him told Sirius that he'd have to do so again.

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There was a crowd waiting when the Leaky Lady touched down smoothly in the Hogwarts lake. As she slowly came to a halt against the waiting pier, the gathered witches and wizards let out a giant cheer. Sparks of welcome shot out numerous wands and a collective gasp rose from the multitude as the ship's gangplank lowered to the ground. On the bridge, Arthur and Bill Weasley were grinning like madmen; at the sight of them, the red haired bunch at the foremost of the audience burst into even louder shrieks of joy. The crowd immediately responded and grew even louder, completely overlooking the sole spectator who remained hidden of the Leaky Lady's stern.

Sirius watched silently as the crowd continued to wave and cheer. He recognized many faces amongst them; foremost among those were Albus Dumbledore and his new Deputy Minister of Magic, Arabella Figg. To her right stood all three Potters, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Also present were the families of the rescued prisoners and various members of the Hogwarts staff and student body. Dumbledore had done some quick work to assemble them all in the wee hours of the morning, but there were few who would pass up the chance to see their family members return home after so long. At least half the Aurors present had probably volunteered for the duty, Sirius knew, for this was a historical occasion--and one of the few definite victories that their side had ever achieved.

The Daily Prophet was there, too, of course; there was no way that Dumbledore could exclude the press from such a wondrous occasion, and Sirius counted at least seven different reporters in the crowd, taking pictures from a distance, yet mercifully keeping away from the waiting families. That undoubtedly explained the Aurors' presence; this was a moment for family, not for front-page stories. The reporters would have enough time for that later.

An even louder cheer went up as Frank and Alice Longbottom led the prisoners down the ramp. A brown haired boy rushed up immediately to meet the father he'd not seen in six months with joy apparent on his face, and Sirius smiled Frank wrapped his good arm around Neville, still supported by Alice on the other side. Similar reunions occurred as each escaped prisoner reached his or her kin; when Bill Weasley finally emerged at his father's side, his immense family mobbed him right away. The sight of the tears running down Molly Weasley's face--although she was a distant cousin whom he didn't even know--suddenly helped lift the weight from Sirius' heart. They'd set out to do the impossible--and they'd won.

"You coming down, Sirius?" Oscar Whitenack asked, approaching from below.

"In a moment," he answered quietly. "Go ahead without me."

"You sure?"

He wasn't facing Oscar, but Sirius could feel the other's eyes burning into his back with something approaching awe. The young Auror was trying valiantly to keep his voice casual, but Sirius heard the difference in his tone.

"Yeah. I need a moment to think."

"All right." Oscar hesitated for a moment, then Sirius heard his footsteps retreat slowly. Less than two minutes later, the victorious Aurors marched won the ramp and the crowd let out another deafening cheer. They immediately became the center of attention as the gathered witches and wizards closed in on the Aurors, clapping backs enthusiastically and expressing undying gratitude. They were the heroes of the hour, the few and the proud, and the Aurors accepted the thanks with exhausted but happy smiles. Slowly, though, they drifted apart, dispersing amongst the crowd, undoubtedly telling stories of their exploits and greeting their own families.

Yet Sirius still stood silently under the shelter of the Leaky Lady's superstructure. The sun was rising rapidly at his back, bathing Sirius in shadow, but he remained still, watching as Hestia Jones approached the Potters and spoke quietly to James. He smiled slightly with newfound respect for his erstwhile 'instructor'; as little as he and Jones' personalities agreed, she had proven herself to be both powerful and professional in Azkaban, and Sirius could definitely appreciate that.

As Jones spoke, Sirius watched James' eyes travel along the Leaky Lady's lines, seeking him out, but Sirius stayed in the shadows. He felt oddly detached from the celebration taking place on the lawn. Although he was buoyed by their victory--how could he not be, when it was his plan that had succeeded?--he still did not want to deal with the inevitable questions or the answers they would force him to create. Sirius half-wished that he could simply Apparate away, but even if he could have done so on Hogwarts grounds, it wouldn't have solved his problems. He'd still have to deal with it sooner or later.

Sirius sighed. He supposed that it was time to stop hiding--something he had never done well--and face the world, even if he did not want to. Squaring his shoulders, the Auror headed forward and towards the only way ashore.

As Sirius appeared at the top edge of the gangplank, a hush fell over the crowd. His arrival heralded no cheering, but he heard the whispers start as soon as he placed a foot on the ramp. With each step he took, the whispers grew louder and more insistent; every eye was focused upon him. Voices floated up to his ears.

"Sirius Black..."

"...You-Know-Who..."

"Stood alone..."

Electricity shot through the crowd, but Sirius did not break stride. People were staring at him and pointing, but he could not. If he stopped, Sirius wasn't sure that he wouldn't simply turn around and flee. Right now, doing so would have been so much easier than dealing with the sudden onslaught of pressure he hadn't ever asked for. One foot in front of the other, he told himself. Never hesitate. But behind an expressionless face, he still felt cold inside. All he wanted right now was to be left alone.

"...dueled with him..."

"First since Dumbledore to..."

"...still alive..."

His feet touched solid ground and flashbulbs went off in his face. Sirius immediately headed right, blinking in the sudden brightness and heading for his friends. Out of all of them, though, only Remus and Dumbledore looked unsurprised. James was hiding the shock well, but his hazel eyes were wider than usual, and his features were almost stark white. As Sirius reached his friends, the conversation around him exploded once more.

"Welcome back, Sirius," Dumbledore said quietly. "Much has happened while you have been gone."

Sirius looked at him curiously, but James didn't give him a chance to speak, offering a hand that quickly turned into a backslapping hug. "I'm just glad you're alive, mate."

"Thanks."

Peter's eyes followed him as the two broke apart. "I've always known you were crazy, Padfoot, but geez..." His voice shook slightly. "I'd never have the courage to do that."

"You really faced Voldemort?" Harry suddenly asked from his mother's side.

"Harry--" Lily began warningly, but Sirius cut her off.

"It's all right," he said softly, looking at his godson. "Yes, I did."

"Why?" Harry asked, unknowingly asking the question that had stirred silently in all his elders' eyes. Sirius hesitated for a moment, and felt his eyes focus on the distant horizon. The sun was dawning brightly, and it would be a beautiful day.

"Because someone had to."

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Hours later, past all the debriefs and after action reviews, five men gathered in the sealed off conference room beyond the Minster of Magic's office. The younger four sat quietly, resisting the urge to exchange curious glances and waiting for Dumbledore to speak. Finally, after surveying the quartet carefully over the top of his half-moon glasses, the old wizard began to speak.

"I'm sure that you're all wondering why I have asked the four of you to be here this afternoon," he began. "In fact, I doubt that any of you recognize what your presence here has to do with the extraordinary events of the past twelve hours. But in truth, your presence here has everything to do with what has happened. And even more so the future."

Sirius sat quietly beside his three best friends, knowing that at least some of those words were directed at him. How they could apply to Peter or Remus, though, he could not yet understand. Dumbledore continued:

"Last night, three very unexpected things occurred. First, as you all now know, Sirius faced Lord Voldemort and survived. I need not stress how important this is.

"Second, and at almost the exact same moment, Sibyll Trelaweny made her second true prophecy, foretelling the eventual defeat of the Dark Lord." Blue eyes zeroed in on him without warning. "I believe, Sirius, that this prophecy directly concerns you. Remus witnessed it in the late hours of the night, and has been kind enough to record the memory in the pensive. Before I move on to my next point, I would like all of you to hear it."

Wordlessly, Remus reached out and stirred the silver liquid of the pensive with his wand. After a moment, a familiar wispy and large-eyed figure emerged from its depths, rotating slowly and speaking in an eerily hoarse voice.

"The choice has been made. The Dark Lord's bane will face him, wielding a power that darkness cannot comprehend... But he has chosen, and understood, and thus will bring an end... Thus shaped by pain, by blood, and by fate, he alone will choose to stay... Yet abandoned he will perish and the dark will remain... The world has changed and tonight marks the choice of the Dark Lord's bane... The choice has been made..."

Sirius felt his breath grow short as Remus removed his wand and Trelaweny disappeared back into the pensive. Blinking, he tried to clear his mind, but the words kept running through his head, even when everyone at the table had grown silent and were desperately making a point of not staring at him. In Azkaban, Sirius had acted with the knowledge that someone had to do something--he had made a choice, but hadn't meant it this way...Or had he? Dumbledore's words of over two months before came immediately to mind. Only one of them had directly and openly confronted Lord Voldemort and survived.

And now he'd done it twice.

The silence was growing unbearable, but he knew that at least James and Remus were thinking the same thing. Finally, Remus reached out and squeezed his shoulder in a heartfelt gesture of support, and Sirius managed to smile for his friends. What have I gotten myself into? he wondered helplessly at the same time. This can't be happening. All the same, the little voice of his conscience spoke in his head, sounding remarkably gentle, considering the circumstances. You chose, he reminded himself. And lie all you want to yourself about it, but you did understand. Finally, Dumbledore rescued Sirius from his inner monologue.

"Last, and the reason why the four of you are here, is a vision that I had last night. As Remus knows, an accident of my youth has imbued me with certain...unusual powers. My visions are rarely so clear as this one was, however, and that is why I have chosen to share this with you.

"My vision showed the four of you, standing side by side against a backdrop of a stormy sky. You were alone, but the most important thing was that you stood together. I do not know what or whom you faced, but I do know, in that moment, everything depended upon the four of you--upon your strengths and your weaknesses, but most importantly, upon your friendship. In that moment, you were our last line of defense."