Last Mistake

Chapter seven - Unseeing Escape

"Have you read today's paper, Remus?" asked the Headmaster as the two headed towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

"No, I haven't. Has there been another murder?"

"What gave you that idea?"

"Given the circumstances that there's hasn't been anything else remotely disturbing, I'd have to draw my assumption from that."

"I'm afraid we've both been wronged in our assumption. The Dursleys were attacked by unknown wizards last night."

"The Dursleys? Harry's living relatives?"

"Yes."

"Were they hurt?" asked Remus, more out of curiosity than anything. He had heard enough from Sirius about their treatment of Harry to feel a bitter resentment towards them, however mild.

"Not badly. The parents were only scared out of their wits, but their son... the most unusual thing was done to him."

They stopped just near the entrance of the Great Hall, close enough to hear the chatter of the students, but far enough that they won't be heard. Remus waited for Dumbledore to continue. It was at times like these when he felt annoyed with the theatrics of the Headmaster.

"I believe the spell that was used is called Empideous."

It took Remus a moment to search through his memory to recall the consequences of the spell.

"I had never imagined that such a spell would be revived in our time," Remus replied in wonder. "Was it serious?"

"The spell was used on the boy's left arm and as expected, a whole layer of skin was removed there. Other than the heavy bleeding (which the healers have stopped), I don't believe it is fatal. They have covered his whole arm so that it won't be exposed to potential infections. However, the parents are refusing to allow our assistance in repairing the skin."

"I think that may be the one thing they have in common with Harry, their stubbornness."

"I do not doubt that. However-¨

"-that isn't the reason you brought this up," Remus finished.

"No, it is not," Dumbledore agreed. "This could be quite serious or just a coincidental incident."

"Nevertheless, we should never assume anything when it relates to Harry."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Headmaster, is this a request?" asked Remus, who knew that Dumbledore wants more insight on the incident.

"No, no. I would like for you to keep your eyes open. If anything as unordinary as this happens again, we'll hold a tea meeting with the others."

"I will keep my eyes open."

"Oh, and on the escapee front, how did that go?" asked Dumbledore.

"Have you not heard of my stay in the hospital wing from Poppy?" asked Remus.

"Oh yes, I've heard. However, what I'm more interested in is how you got there in your perspective."

"Well, it's a long story-"

"I do believe your afternoon classes won't miss you in the morning, Remus."

"No, I suppose not. Well...¨

----------

He couldn't do it.

Even through the more simplistic mind of a canine, he was unable to evade those thoughts that rose up strongly against his decision.

He couldn't destroy it.

He tried tirelessly to convince himself that they were merely objects, simple items that can be brought and sold at anytime. But conveying that idea across was much harder than he'd imagined. It was impossible to ignore whom it belonged to and what it could've possibly been a part of. Could he really bring himself to throw away the past this easily?

Poof!

Sirius returned to his human form, a feeling of frustration welling up inside of him. When he turned to look at the dreaded object, a new surge of fury rose up in him. Hastily, he grabbed the package and walked towards the small window in his room. He roughly pulled opened the window, almost breaking the hinges and held the package above the streets below.

There wasn't a sound there to distract him. No voices, no rustling of leafs, no wind...just silence. A deathly silence. Stepping closer to the edge, his sight landed on the hushed streets, the darkened buildings, and the empty roads. He didn't need any more signs of his obvious endangerment.

Without thinking, Sirius shrank the package and shoved it into his robe. He then ran towards the drawer to retrieve his wand, but before he could put it in his hands, the door to his room burst open.

----------

Only a minute until sunrise...and he sat undeniably on the best seat to watch the world wake. It was strange to find that watching such a daily unchanging routine always gave him a sense of comfort and encouragement to go through another day--whether it was unbearable or absolutely painful.

But perhaps there was nothing strange about it at all. Sure, it was the opposite of what he had and everything he ever wanted to have--stability and comfort, like the fact that the sun would always bring the new light of day for years to come, and that it would provide plants the ingredient it needs to survive. However, that was what he didn't have. Having a crazed, sinister murderer obsessed with killing you is death to stability and life to madness. What he wouldn't give for a moment of peace, however brief.

"Hey mate, I thought I'd find you here sulking in the sun."

There was no need for words to understand that his intrusion was just that, an intrusion. Undesired and unwanted. Harry had his back towards him, a slump of the shoulder indicated his level of anxiety.

He watched as a tawny ruffled owl flew from one of many windows into the horizon. His gaze was dull and cold. His attention moved back towards the sun, his arms crossed on his chest as he wondered how many times he had sat at that very spot, feeling a similar emotion. Loneliness. Emptiness. Powerlessness.

"Please don't tell me you listened and believed what that git said. His hatred for you, as far as anyone at Hogwarts know, never ended. Leave it to Professor Greasy Snape to say what everyone knows not to say."

"But he's right, Ron."

"Right about what? That you're too dependent? What rubbish!"

No matter how many times he'd been warned, he never stopped going there. It was his place. It was the one place where he felt relaxed and free. The breeze was always nice and the sight was nothing short of amazing.

Ron proceeded closer to his friend who sat at the edge of the building. Even though he had never been known for the fear of height, he was beginning to think that it was possible for him to have it, yet not know it till now.

"You couldn't just find an empty classroom or a nice flat piece of grass on Hogwarts' ground?" asked Ron, as he carefully monitored his steps on the slanted 'roof' just above the Gryffindor dormitories.

"Ron, go back down before you hurt yourself."

Somehow, he would always wear Ron's patience thin and Hermione would end up next to him.

"This isn't healthy, Harry," she said, not for the first time.

When she grabbed his hand and squeezed it firmly, Harry didn't react. He didn't know how to react. He knew his friends cared about him, but he never understood how much.

"Don't tell me I shouldn't sulk up here. I've already heard it from Ron," said Harry.

I wouldn't have to if you'd listen. If you were up here, screaming your lungs out, throwing things off the roof, anything but just sitting here, I'd leave you alone."

"You want me to go off the handle? I don't see how that's healthy."

"Yes, that is exactly what I want you to do. Just because you never show how you feel on the outside, doesn't mean that the frustration, worry, and fear are not there. I know you want to be strong for everyone, but who's going to be strong for you? You're not invincible. You're human, Harry. You have weaknesses and flaws...and it's alright to show them. Everyone knows that."

"Hermione, not everyone is as perceptive as you are. They don't see me like you do. They don't know me like you do. All they know is the celebrity me. The me that is invincible to them. The me that will bring Voldemort down for them. You think they want to see my weaknesses? No, of course not! I'll just lower their morale if I do so!¨

"You can't listen to the Minister of Magic. He has a different agenda than you do and that is to reassure the people. Of course, he'll say that, but you aren't obligated to think that way too. And it's unfair that you assume that everyone is too stupid to know you're human. There'll always be some that think that way, but you don't need to be perceptive to figure out that you are not 'God.'"

Harry sighed at that memory. It was like deja vu all over again, only this time, no one would be there to repeat what Hermione had said to him. But he knew it would be useless, since to this day, he still hadn't taken that piece of advice. Now, everyone definitely knew that he could die. That he wasn't some almighty force or fire that never blew out. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to let everything he felt to go beyond his heart to the surface of his face, his actions, and his demeanor. He had put on a front for so long that he didn't even consider it to be an unnatural thing to do. It's almost like it's normal for him to be that way. Therefore, he no longer knew how to stop something that is 'a part of him.'

"Mind if I join you?"

Harry knew she was bound to show up sooner or later. This time, he didn't bother being annoyed with her presence. This time, he would find out the whole truth, no matter what.

At Harry's slight nod, the graceful looking angel who's anything but graceful, sat beside him. Harry knew instantly that something was different about her demeanor. Nervousness? Anxiousness?

Perhaps, he needn't try very hard to get his answers.

"I'm not going to psychobabble on and on. I'll just get straight to the point."

Harry didn't like her tone of voice. Maybe he read her demeanor wrong.

"We got off at the wrong foot, and I think it's best that we start over for the sake of this compromising situation."

Maybe not.

It was certainly better than anything else he's heard from her mouth thus far.

"I'm willing to do that,¨ he answered.

"Good," she replied.

An awkward silence followed after that. Neither knew how to start over.

So, Harry did the only think he could think of.

"I'm Harry."

She raised her eyebrow, but followed his example anyway.

"Eavan," she offered.

And slowly, the ice wall between them began melting.

----------

The door burst opened and the wand found its way into his hands just as a cloaked figure revealed itself in the doorway. Pointing his wand at the figure, Sirius was neither afraid nor worried. He was only there; ready to face whatever that comes his way.

"It's me," the figure said, removing his hood.

"What are you doing here and how did you find me?" asked Sirius, lowering his wand slightly though not completely.

"I'm here to arrest you.¨ Sirius raised his wand again. "But-I'm not going to."

"Arrest me for what?"

"It doesn't matter now. The Aurors, they're here, downstairs."

"But what are they here to arrest me for?!" Sirius asked loudly, wanting to know.

The man was breathing heavily. He locked his eyes with Sirius, his gaze pleading and somewhat desperate.

"You know I'm not one to break the rules, but I'm making an exception for you. So please, just listen and don't argue with me on this!¨ he said, his tone serious.

Sirius nodded reluctantly.

"Look, they already set up anti-apparation spells around this building and the surrounding two-mile radius. You obvious can't go through the front and they also have the back entrance surrounded. The only way you can try and leave without being detected is-¨

"-on the roof," Sirius finished.

"I'm glad you're thinking. Anyway, once you're up there, stay low. Try to get across to the next building without using your magic. They are tracking your wand and they will find you in seconds if you use it. I've left you a broom there. Don't fly away on it, they also have the skies monitored. Just get across the next five buildings and climb down when you reach the Beatle Dug. They have a fireplace in the basement. You know what to do there."

"Why aren't they here yet?"

"I stalled them. They don't know which room you're in and they only have about six men with them. Don't waste anymore time. Go now. Go!" he pushed Sirius.

Sirius quickly grabbed his only belonging (his duffle bag) and slung it over his shoulder. The window was already opened and he carefully but speedily climbed out. He knew it must be hard for his Auror friend to do this, given his track record to be strict.

"Thanks," Sirius whispered before disappearing out the window.

Once Sirius was gone, the Auror exited the room and kept the door wide opened so that it would seem as though someone fled from the room through the front. A second later, the others started arriving and he remained calm.

"Leward!"

He turned around at his name, to face an Auror he knew from his partner's team. Trying to appear casual and clueless, he addressed him.

"Hey Nate."

"Don't you know what going on here?" the Auror asked, seeing Leward's calm greeting.

"What? I was just here to visit a friend." He looked at Nate's attire and pretended to notice it. "Don't tell me you're here on duty."

"As a matter of fact, I am. We're looking for Sirius Black."

"Sirius Black? I hadn't heard anyone mentioning that name since he was declared innocent. What do need him for?"

Just then, Nate noticed a door ajar behind Leward. He walked around Leward and took out his wand. Quickly, he entered the room to make sure that no one was hiding there. There wasn't. He walked around the room, looking for any clue, and Leward followed him. Suddenly, a voice called out and Nate replied with an, "In here!" Another middle-aged Auror enter the scene.

"Nate, did you find anything?" To Leward, he said, "Kensin." Not bothering to question why he was there.

"Yeah," Nate replied.

Slowly, he levitated a shirt off the floor. A bloodstained shirt.

"Good job. Kensin, since you're here, mind taking that with you to examine the blood?"

"No problem, Lake," Leward replied.

The two Aurors turn their attention back to the room, hoping to find more clues. Leward suddenly noticed the absence of one of the Aurors.

"Hey, where's Don?"

Nate looked up at that question, his face in puzzlement.

Now that you mentioned it I don't know," he answered, uncertainly. "Hey Lake, what about you, man? Know where Don went?"

"No, I don't know where Elenbrn went. Start addressing him by his last name. He's your superior, not your coworker. Anyway, he was right behind me coming up the stairs. Then he just disappeared. I assume he went to look for Black himself, but since we...re obviously a tad bit late to catch him, I don't know why he hasn't come back yet."

"Damn," Leward muttered.

Dondres is his partner. He knew him for at least six years now, including during their training period. Dondres is smart. The fact that he isn't here made him all the more worry for Sirius.

"What's that, Lee?" asked Nate.

"Nothing," he said, trying to contain his worry. "I'll just go back now so I can examine this," he gestured toward the plastic bag he conjured that held the shirt.

"Alright. We'll let Don know once he gets back."

"Thanks," Leward replied, absentmindedly.

His mind was definitely elsewhere...

----------

"There is a very rare potion, almost impossible to make, because according to the laws you have down there, it's illegal to do what you have to do to retrieve the ingredients you need for it. Not to mention that its purpose is highly immoral and wrong."

"So what is it used for?"

"You killed Voldemort. You should know what his death eaters would try to do."

"To bring him back," Harry answered, automatically. In his mind, Harry felt irritated and angry. Why couldn't he stay dead? How many times do I need to kill him to make it permanent?

"You guessed it. Here's the layout. Voldemort can only come back through the body that killed him-"

"Mine," Harry added.

"Yes, yours. As we know, two souls can't occupy one body, therefore this potion also comes with it own rare spell. A spell that can-"¨

"Kick someone's soul out of their own body. Mine again," Harry interrupted a second time.

"Would you stop interrupting me?" Eavan asked with an annoyed expression.

"I'll stop. Continue."

"So yes, they needed your body. To accomplish that, they cast a spell on the very blade that they stabbed you with. Their intend was never to kill you."

Harry scoffed.

"Yet," she added. "Notice the blade punctured through your stomach, not your heart. They had to make your death convincible, but not real. With the spell on the blade, once it touches your blood, it will, as you so eloquently put it, 'kick your soul out of your body'. The spell will also keep your body alive without your soul. The reason it does that is that the potion requires that the body they need to be in ashes. Then Voldemort will be reborn from it, sort of like a Phoenix's own life cycle. However, they have to keep your body alive until they have all the ingredients and the potion ready."

"I should've known his Death Eaters would do something like this," said Harry, for a lack of things to say.

Actually, he wanted to say that he was tired of Voldemort, tired of fighting him, tired of having no life because he was so occupied with him, but he wasn't comfortable enough to tell Eavan all this. In fact, he wasn't sure he could be comfortable in telling anyone this. It was just the way he was, to be selfish for everyone but himself, if that made any sense.

"Yeah, you should've,¨ she said.

"Thanks," said Harry sarcastically.

"You're welcome," she replied, seriously.

"I hadn't forgotten what you yelled at me that day," Harry brought up.

"What-?" Eavan asked, though she remembered perfectly what she'd yelled at him. She nearly shook her head in embarrassment at her own desperation that day.

"That I could go back," Harry answered.

He purposely leaned closer to her, his breath on her ear. Eavan often forgot how old his charge really was, that Harry, in appearance was about her own age, in his twenties. For once, his voice sounded throaty and gruff, and extremely serious in that one word that he said so closely to her ear next. "How?"

Eavan didn't know why he was suddenly so close to her. It actually made her somewhat nervous.

Harry, on the other hand, was enjoying this very much. He wanted to intimidate her and make her nervous. Harry especially didn't like how smug and arrogant she always acted and he also wasn't going to forget the way she seemed to be toying with him when he first knew of his strange existence.

She faltered for a second and answered him. "We have stop them from getting all their ingredients, so that you can take your body back."

"What are the ingredients then?" Harry asked, feeling the fog that began to clear up in his mind.

----------

His breathing sounded loud in his own ears in the darkness. He was relieved that he had made it across the first building without getting hurt or falling. After that, everything went smoothly. He quickly found the broom that Leward had left behind for him and he flew slowly from building to building.

Occasionally, he would hear voices that caused him to quickly dive down, nearly crashing, but then it would only turn out to be a false alarm. When he finally reached the Beatle Dug, a small little 24/7 store, he landed quietly on a small piece of land by the side of the store. He didn't risk landing in the front or the back in case the Aurors followed him without him noticing.

From inside the store, he could hear an old woman and an old man's voice, bickering over something. It didn't seem like there were any customers at this time, which would make it much easier for him to sneak in. Sirius did think about just asking the owners if he could borrow their fire, but he didn't know whether the Aurors had told the people around town to watch out for him.

He decided that he would watch for a few minutes to pick the right moment for him to sneak in. While he was waiting, Sirius... mind also began to wonder. He was hoping his mind wouldn't wonder until later. He didn't know if he could deal with this once more. What had he done to have to run away from the law again? This time, he really didn't know. Leward wouldn't have told him to run instead of let himself be turned in if it hadn't been serious.

Crushing his thoughts, Sirius flattened his body against the wall to move toward the back of the store. Luckily, it was clear. He decided to approach from the back since the couple obviously wasn't going to leave the front of the store anytime soon. Beside, he didn...t think he had much time to waste. As much as he wanted to know what he was accused of, he didn...t fancy being caught by Aurors after fleeing, to find out. His curiosity would have to wait, unfortunately.

He opened the back entrance and managed not to make too much noise, except for the fact that he couldn't avoid the creaking sound (however low) from opening the backdoor. When he first entered, he knew he was in the top storage room, where the items that run out the fastest were located. There were thousands of boxes lying on shelves and on the floor.

Some storeowners have the entrance to their basement hidden and some don't, which depends on how secure they felt. Sirius knew the opening to the entrance was in here somewhere. Since it wasn't noticeable, he'd have to search for it.

Surveying the storage area, his eyes, for some reason, was caught staring at a stack of Flaming Hots, one of the spiciest peppers ever grown. Just touching it would burn your hand. However, the peppers weren't what he was looking at anymore. When he looked down on the floor, surround the peppers, was a very smooth and clean surface. Compared to the rest of the room, that part of the floor looked insanely clean and dust-free.

Immediately, Sirius knew how he could find the entrance to the basement. The floor was covered in a layer of heat-concealers, a security invention that didn't cost too much. Sirius saw a glove near the stack of Flaming Hots and he put it on. Grabbing a pepper, he moved it over the floor to find the entrance. Less than a minute later, he found the entrance at the center of the narrow floor.

Sirius pulled it open and climbed the ladder down into the basement. The first thing he saw was the burning flames in the fireplace. Sure enough, next to it sat a small cup full of floo powder. Sirius looked over his shoulder just to be sure that no one was coming. When he was reassured, Sirius reached for a pinch of the floo powder. Just as he was about to throw the powder into the fire, he heard footsteps. Before he could even register the distance of the footsteps, his body went into shock and he suddenly felt something draining him of all his energy until he fell to the ground unconscious.

----------

"Remus, please come in," the headmaster welcomed.

"Is this urgent?" Remus asked, to the point as he took a seat opposite of Dumbledore in his large office.

"No, not quite. If you have noticed, I have yet to replace Professor M- to find a replacement for the position of deputy headmistress or headmaster."

"Headmaster, if you're asking-"

"No, I'm not asking you to fill this tireless role when you have many other matters to attend to. However, I would like to have your opinion on the candidate I've chosen," Dumbledore said.

He took out his wand and conjured a teapot and a cup. The teapot magically filled a cup for him.

"Tea?"

"I'll take one, thanks," Remus replied. He was just outside in the pouring rain, helping Hagrid round up the snortels (his newest lesson). It was chaos since the creatures were wildly afraid of lightning and thunder. Although he took a warm shower and was now in dry close, he still felt a bit chilled. The weather was brutal.

Remus took a sip of the hot tea and sighed as it went down his throat and to his stomach. Dumbledore watched, amused.

"So Remus, would you be willing to share your insight?"

"Albus, wouldn't my opinion be too subjective? Perhaps, you should find someone that'll be more objective."

"Oh, I will. You're not the only one who's opinion I seek. The matter of deputy headmistress or headmaster concerns the whole school and all of my staff."

Remus saw no harm in sharing his opinion now that he knew that Dumbledore wasn't relying too heavily on his opinion. Remus nodded in affirmative and took another sip of tea while Dumbledore spoke.

"After much consideration, I have decided that Severus would be an excellent candidate to fill the position of deputy headmaster."

Remus almost spit out tea all over the headmaster after hearing the Potion Master's name. Swallowing what almost came out, Remus tried not to choke on the liquid. He coughed once before regaining his composure.

"I'm sorry, Albus. I was startled by your choice," said Remus, clearly more than just startled.

"That's quite alright. Your reaction was expected. Severus isn't the most ideal deputy headmaster, but you know I believe in taking chances."

"Headmaster, I don't think it's wise to have my opinion regarding Severus as deputy headmaster. You understand, well...that we don't exactly."

"Get along?" Dumbledore finished for him. "Yes, I know. All the more reason that I should see your take on this. You may not get along with Severus, however, you're not one to let that cloud your judgment completely."

"If you think so Albus-"

"Headmaster!"

"Ah Severus!" Dumbledore greeted cheerfully.

"Headmaster, there's-something-" Snape didn't finish. He was a little out of air.

Once Dumbledore saw the gravity of Snape's arrival, he put aside all silliness and replaced it with seriousness.

"Severus, why don't you show me?" Dumbledore asked, calmly.

Snape nodded. Then before they left, he reluctantly turned towards Remus.

"You better come too, Lupin," he said, bitterly.

The two of them followed the Potion Master out of the Headmaster's Office, passed the Owlery, and passed the Great Hall to the grand entrance of the Hogwarts' castle. Dumbledore opened the doors a little wider and found on the opposite side, a stranger in a cloaked that covered his whole body and his face. The stranger also had a wooden stick in one hand, his wand on the other hand.

Remus watched the stranger with cautiousness. He also had his wand out, as did Snape.

"May I help you?" Dumbledore asked.

The stranger suddenly lifted his head and looked in the direction of Dumbledore's voice as if it was the only thing he focused on. Remus didn't know exactly why, but he thought the movement of the stranger to be unusual and uncoordinated.

"Dumbledore?" the stranger called back, his voice rough and seemingly lost.

"Yes, I'm Dumbledore."

Remus watched as the stranger suddenly fell to his knees, and only the wooden stick kept him from falling completely down. He was obviously hurt. Suddenly, Remus recognized the familiar voice and he quickly ran past Dumbledore to the cloaked man on the ground.

"What are you doing, Lupin?" Snape called. "He could be dangerous!"

Remus didn't hear him. He only ran faster. Remus bend down when he reached the cloaked man.

"Sirius?"

It was dark and Remus couldn't use his sight as confirmation. However, the familiar voice was all he needed to confirm it.

"R-Remus?"

"I'm here. What happened, Sirius? What are you doing here?" he asked.

Sirius coughed for a response. Remus finally took his wand out, berating himself mentally for not thinking of it sooner.

"Lumos!"

Remus brought his wand and the light closer to Sirius... face and he nearly dropped his wand at what he saw...or what he didn't see.

By then, Dumbledore and Snape were by their side.

"Sirius." Remus said, disbelieving.

"Remus, what is happening?" asked Dumbledore.

Remus couldn't speak; he only moved the light on Sirius' face once again to show them what he saw.

"Remus, take him to Poppy, said Dumbledore, as soon as he saw Sirius.

"No-," Sirius croaked. "She can't fix this."

"You don't know that!" said Remus, standing up and trying to pull Sirius up with him.

Sirius pulled Remus back down with more strength than Remus thought he had. He brought Remus close to his face so that he could see his face clearly. Remus tried to pull back at seeing those foggy and empty orbs. Sirius only held the neck of Remus' robes tighter as if saying that he needed to understand.

"Remus, no one can fix this. I'm blind. Blind!"