Harry Potter and the Ultimate Battle

Just after sunset the following day, Katie and Charlie stopped in a gloomy and forbidding clearing, "Come on Katie, let's go, I don't like this place," Charlie said looking around the small dark clearing, "it just doesn't feel right."

Katie looked around, "What's wrong with it?" after a moment's reflection she said, "I know this place is shady looking but I'm exhausted."

"We are not stopping here," Charlie said flatly, Katie grumbled something under her breath that sounded like 'slave driver' but remounted her horse without any further complaint.

As they were leaving the clearing four cape and mask, clad figures entered in front of them. Since Charlie's horse practically ran over the figures, the mare reared throwing Charlie to the ground. It was a good thing the new comers were as surprised as Charlie's horse, because when they regained their composure they pulled out wands and pointed them at Katie and Charlie. Katie tensed and her hands tightened on her horse's reins, but there was nothing that she could do. Charlie made a valiant try under the circumstances; he lunged from the ground at the lead figure; a loud cartilaginous crack split the still night air. A second later the blood from Charlie's nose joined the blood from a split lip running slowly down his face, this time, though he was still coherent, Charlie stayed down, his blood mingling with the dirt to stain the ground dark black in the silvery moonlight.

Charlie looked at Katie, who was staring in horror from the blood on Charlie's face to the caped figures and back again. Charlie looked to the faint forest path just behind Katie's left shoulder. Katie shook her head slightly; her meaning was as clear as clear as if she had shouted, "No I will not leave you here!"

Before Charlie could do anything one of the figures strode forward and kick him in the side, "Tell us why you were here, or you will regret it, boy," when Charlie didn't answer, the man kicked him in the side again.

The darkness suddenly filled with light and noise, it was as if the small clearing had exploded. Katie's horse reared but she managed to stay mounted, Charlie's horse on the other hand being rider-less and unrestrained galloped from the clearing in fear. Before either Katie or Charlie knew what was happening, all four of the caped figures were tied up and unmasked. Katie gasped, one of the cloaked figures was none other then Peter Pettigrew. Katie and Charlie looked to the men and women entering the clearing. The lead figure, a tall woman, stepped forward and said, "I am Sloane Aurelius, Romanian Department of Magical Law Enforcement, commanding," the woman stated, in and accent that was light but never the less present, "identify yourselves, please." one of the men offered Charlie a hand up while another brought back Charlie's horse.

"I am Katie Bell, and this is my partner, Charlie Weasley."

"There is a Death Eater stronghold near here. Even though you fight our enemy you are still unknown to us. Tell me why you are here and who you fight for, speak quickly or suffer the same fate as those who attacked you," Aurelius stated all this bluntly but in a calm, almost quite voice that never the less carried through the damp, still night air.

"We are here to quickly and quietly get a potion ingredient. And, we fight for Albus Dumbledore," Charlie answered unhurried. As an after thought he added, "We request that you let us go. We also ask that you allow us to take these men back with us. One of them is the man who framed a friend of ours for murder seventeen years ago."

"Very well, you may take these men with you when you go," Aurelius decided, "but first, I insist both of you rest some, and you Mr. Charlie Weasley must be healed or the blood loss could kill you."

Charlie ran a gentle hand across his split lip then tenderly he probed his broken nose. "I would very much appreciate a healing spell for my nose. But we can't stay long we must get back to London and turn these men over to the Ministry of Magic."

"I have no doubt our medic-squad nurse will not let you go until tomorrow, and that only with relish," Aurelius smiled slightly.

Charlie suddenly had the unsettling sensation that the world was spinning. Loss of blood, internal injuries as well most, likely knowing my luck, he thought, perhaps we should stay. Out loud he said, his voice slightly faint in his own ears, "If we agree to stay-"

He was cut off by Aurelius, "You're about to pass out boy, you're staying. Ms. Katie Bell can send an owl to Albus Dumbledore before she rests."

"Okay," Charlie splayed his arms for balance, "sounds great..." he slumped forward slightly and grabbed his horse's stirrup for lack of anything better.

Katie shook he head and inquired, "How far to this base of yours?"

"About twenty kilometres. I think we should lash him to his saddle, that's probably the easiest way," Aurelius observed. Katie nodded and stepped forward to help tying Charlie down, but Aurelius waved a hand to stop her, "That's why I have minions. Come you must tell me about how the war is going on you end."

* * * * * * *

Dumbledore was up late in his office, just finishing up some work, when there was a taping on his window. He stood up and walked to the window and let the owl in. He frowned slightly taking the letter; he did not recognize this particular owl. He opened the letter and recognized Katie Bell's elegant, stylistic handwriting; slightly confused he opened the letter;

Bumble Bee,

We have acquired those wonderful pears that you were raving about when we last spoke. However, due to some unforeseeable events we are currently with some of your old friends from the Emperor's Club they're giving us a place to stay tonight because the Prince thought it would be fun to play hero. Before we met them we spoke into an old friend of Star's, and he will be coming back with us to see the towers and the bridge.

Sincerely,

Belle

Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling, "Bumble Bee?" That was a new one, though Katie had been fully justified in not writing this correspondence to him in his name. So they had gotten the Red Dragon Pears. Dumbledore thought for a moment, "Emperor's Club," he said out loud to himself. What was Katie talking about? Emperor; Aurelius, Sloane Aurelius, of course, Aurelius had been the family name of the Roman Emperors.

But what was this about Star? Unless he was reading Katie wrong, she was talking about Sirius Black named for the Dog Star. She must therefore be talking about Peter Pettigrew because Remus was at Hogwarts teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts once agian. So Katie and Charlie had caught Peter Pettigrew alive, most likely since Katie had written "spoke", and bringing them back to London, for the towers and the bridge obviously referred to the London Tower Bridge. The owl that had delivered the letter still sat on his desk. He quickly pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill to write a quick note to Sirius and tell him the news of Pettigrew's capture.

* * * * * * *

Later that night Harry, Hermione, Ron and Hannah went to dinner at Remus's house with Sirius.

"I can't believe it! The two of you are going to be playing professional Quidditch. My best friend is going to play for the Wimbourne Wasps!" Ron said. Ron, Harry and Hermione were sitting at the kitchen table while Remus cooked dinner, and Hannah and Sirius played with Remus's dog Dandy.

"Your father would have been very proud of you, Harry," Remus added, smiling.

"Don't sound so surprised, Ron," Harry sounded slightly hurt.

"We're just as surprised as you are, Ron, I promise you," Hannah remarked her eyes bright emerald and alight with unadulterated joy.

Ron looked at Hannah, "Oh I'm not surprised that you made the team, Hannah. You're just as good as Oliver Wood ever was," Ron paused. He continued in a rather misty voice, "I just did not foresee a black-haired, green-eyed midget with glasses getting picked for the Wimbourne Wasps new seeker," he and Harry both snickered.

Hannah raised an eyebrow at them, slightly amused. But before either Ron or Harry could answer Hannah's unspoken inquiry, Hermione said, "Stop it, both of you."

For about the fifth time Sirius asked, "When's dinner? Remus I'm hungry!"

Remus smiled slightly. He dug in one of the drawers in the kitchen and pulled out a can opener, then went to the pantry, and grabbed a can of Dandy's dog food. Remus said, "Here Snuffles, here boy, dinner time."

"No, look, that's wrong. When I say 'I'm hungry' I don't mean that I want a can of bloody dog food. Damn it, I mean I want something to eat!" Sirius growled.

"Are you saying the sound of the can opener doesn't make you drool?" Remus, smiling waving the can opener.

"It's an acquired instinct! It means nothing," Sirius said, his eyes following the can opener. Sirius's face reddened as everyone laughed. Remus opened the can of dog food and emptied it into Dandy's bowl. And Dandy practically apparated over to his food bowl.

The group sat in silence for a few minutes, suddenly there was taping on the kitchen window. It was an owl; Remus walked to the window and let it in, the owl flew to Sirius, and Sirius untied the letter from its leg. He began to read letter, but before he could have gotten more then two sentences into it he smiled wolfishly and without humour; it reminded Harry disquietingly of the gleam off a knife blade.

"What is it Sirius?" Harry inquired.

"It's Albus Dumbledore, apparently Katie and Charlie caught Peter Pettigrew a few hours ago."

* * * * * * *

"...and furthermore for the betrayal of Lily and James Potter to the aforementioned He-that-shall-not-be-named, Mr. Pettigrew, you are herby sentenced to life in Azkaban," the trail of Peter Pettigrew was coming to a close and the speaker for the Wizard's council, was just finishing announcing the council's findings. "The Wizard's Council furthermore finds Mr. Sirius Black innocent of all crimes he was previously charged for," the councilman read this last in a loud voice that was like the clear ringing of a bells on a foggy morning just after the sun rises to banish the fog and darkness of night from the world.

Before the bailiff led Peter away Sirius asked, "Speaker; may I say one last thing to Pettigrew?" the Speaker of the Wizard's Council nodded his approval. Sirius stepped closer to Peter. "Peter," he said, Peter did not look at him, Sirius paused before continuing, a disturbing mixture of excruciating pain and sudden unholy joy crossing his face, "Lily and James, Peter, how could you?" Peter's face crumpled and he glanced at Harry but quickly looked away as if the sight of James' son burned.

* * * * * * *

Later that evening Remus and Harry found Sirius out behind Remus's house. Sirius was sitting quietly nestled in the enormous roots of an ancient oak tree leaning on its base his back to the house, watching the sunset.

Harry and Remus walked towards them, before they where half-way to the large tree however, Sirius sighed and remarked in a would be casual voice that was pitched for Harry and Remus to hear, "Ever since I got out of Azkaban I loved to watch the sunset outside."

Remus and Harry reached Sirius and sat down on the grass next him. For the next several minutes none of them said anything, they just sat in a companionable silence watching the amazing pastel colours play across the sky following the westerning sun like eddies follow a boat through the water. After a long while Harry asked, "You enjoyed that, didn't you Sirius?" this wasn't really a question, for Harry thought he already knew the answer, but, he felt his godfather need to talk about what had happened in the courtroom that afternoon.

Sirius shrugged, "It almost didn't matter that I was freed by his conviction, just so long as I got to see him regret in some way James' death and his involvement in it." His voice hadn't started out loud merely strong, but ended in a harsh whisper. There was a long pause before Sirius began talking in a rushed almost whisper, "My twin brother, Alnilam died when I was five. The two of us had always been inseparable, we did everything together; maybe it was the twin psyche, I don't know. Alnilam fell out of a tree in the back yard of our old house. Every time I saw something he and I used to play with I would remember that he wasn't with me anymore, I call out his name and he wouldn't come and I would remember his foot slipping on the branch next to me; me reaching out to grab his hand and missing it barely; the fact that I missed his hand turned the distance to kilometres. It got to the point where I couldn't do anything with out crying out for my brother and seeing his death, feeling responsible for. My parents thought it best that we move to a new house that was ghost free, so we moved."