So this one is long. I remembered when I wrote this chapter nearly 2 years ago that I was VERY hyper. And you will definetly see that reflected at some point. I am nearing the end of the third year. I think there will be one or two chapters before the fourth year will begin. To all my readers, thank you for checking this out. And to my commenters thank you. I may not acknowledge you all enough but I am thankful for the comments and love. Okay enough of my jib-jab. Enjoy!
---------------------------------------------
Chapter 13
In the back of her mind, Raven always held a bit of animosity towards Sirius, though she would never speak of it. She never understood or knew the reason as to why he stopped talking to her mother. She thought that he turned his back on her mother after the truth came out about who she was. Raven thought that Sirius was no better than his mother for abandoning Persephone as she did. After her long conversation with Sirius, Raven felt much better about him. After hearing the truth, Raven came to realize that, with everything going on at the time with Voldemort, it wasn't surprising that Sirius was upset with Persephone for marrying one of Voldemort's supporters and stopped communication with her out of anger.
Once she landed back at the castle, she quickly put her broom away and went straight to the common room. Raven knew that there was an attempt to rescue him, and wanted to get up there before anyone realized it could have been her. She got to the common room and rushed to her dormitory and grabbed a book to read, then ran to her usual table to start reading. Raven wanted it to look like she had been there the whole time. She honestly had no clue what she was even reading, it was just to pass the time before someone walks in wanting to talk to her.
After a few moments, Harry and Hermione came in to the common room, looking like they had both gone into battle. Once they noticed Raven, they walked over to her and sat down. They all exchanged hellos and Raven couldn't contain the pressure anymore.
"Sirius told me to tell you that everything would be okay, Harry," she said quietly. "But you already know that, don't you?"
Harry and Hermione shared awkward glances at each other. “How did you…it was you that left the tower before we got there, wasn't it?" asked Harry.
"Did Sirius and Buckbeak make it out okay?" Raven asked. Harry and Hermione nodded. "So what made you change your mind about him, Harry?" Raven asked putting away her book.
Harry began explaining the whole story of what happened to them earlier that evening. He told her about Sirius being an animagus. Then, the incident inside the Shrieking Shack, where it was revealed that Peter Pettigrew was the one that betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort and that Sirius escaped to find Pettigrew, who was in fact Scabbers.
Harry then went on to tell of Lupin, unaware that is was a full moon apparently, turned into a werewolf. Then Lupin, in his new form, and Sirius, in his dog animagus form, fought. Harry's tone changed when he began talking about the Dementor attack and how he conjured a Patronus charm to combat them away.
“What happened to Ron?” asked Raven.
“He was injured. Madam Pomfrey is positive he’ll be fine,” Hermione said.
"That‘s good. So, anyway, somehow Sirius gets captured. Is that where your Time-Turner came in?" Raven asked Hermione, who looked shocked that she even knew about that.
"How did you..." Hermione started to say.
"I've known all year. Especially when you come into class unexpectedly, and not in the traditional way," she said giving a wink to Hermione. "I can sense presences. One moment yours wouldn't be there and in the next it would. I just never said anything because I knew it was a secret that you didn't want anyone to know about."
Hermione looked at Raven with a stunned expression. "Why do you assume I used a Time-Turner?"
"How could you have rescued Sirius without one?" she asked. "With the way the story unfolded, there would be no way you could have rescued him without altering time in any way. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Hermione then explained to Raven how they rescued Sirius using the Time-Turner. Everything made complete sense to Raven now.
"Did you speak to Sirius much?" asked Harry. "Does he at least know who you are?"
"Yeah, but we didn't get to talk as long as I would have liked," she said looking down at the table, then looking back up at her two friends. "But it seems we may have more time, one day."
Harry looked at Raven and gave her a look that said, "I'm sorry for doubting you." Raven smiled at Harry as if to say, "I know." Soon George, Fred and Ginny came into the common room and made their way over to where the small group was seated.
"Will Ron be okay?" asked Hermione.
"Sure! If you don't mind his whining," said Fred.
George sat next to Raven and said that Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape needed to see her in the Headmaster's office immediately.
"Wonder what for?" she asked giving a sarcastic look to Harry, who had a small smirk on his face.
"Didn't say, but they're waiting for you," George said.
Raven left, knowing what this was going to be about. Of course she didn't rescue Sirius, but how was she going to handle it. She knew from Harry's story that Dumbledore knew who rescued Sirius, so why did he want to talk to her? The only reason he has to talk to her is about Sirius' second escape.
As she approached the headmaster's office, her stomach was flipping about. When she entered his office, she saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk; his head down, looking at Raven over his glasses as she walked in. In a chair, across from Professor Dumbledore was Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, looking cross and annoyed at something. On one side of Dumbledore, standing nervously was Professor McGonagall and other side of the room, in a dimly lit corner was Snape. Raven knew that whatever was going to happen was not going to be good. But she had to find a way to make it fun.
"Thank you, Miss Snape, for coming at such a late hour," said Dumbledore.
"Your welcome, sir," she said with a small smile. "Is everything okay?"
"No, I'm afraid it's not," he said finally raising his head to her.
"The Headmaster and your uncle have informed me that you saw Sirius Black unsupervised this evening," interjected the Minister scooting his chair close to Raven who was now seated in the other chair in front of Dumbledore's desk. "I will get right to the point, Miss Snape," he said putting his hand on her shoulder.
"Please, Minister," Raven interrupted putting her hand on the Fudge's shoulder, "call me Raven. Formality has always been so...annoying to me."
Raven smiled at the Minister, and then looked over at Snape who put his hand over his eyes and shook his head. Dumbledore looked as though he was trying not to smile.
"Yes, well," said Fudge a little perplexed at Raven's comment, "did you help Sirius Black escape?"
Raven looked at all of the adults in the room, one right after the other, until she got to Snape. She gave him a grimacing smile then looked back at Fudge with a serious but confused stare.
"Sir, I haven't the foggiest idea where Azkaban is. Besides, Dementors freak me out. That soul sucking thing is really creepy," she said acting quite innocent but only playing a part. Raven wanted to see how long it would be for Fudge to lose it.
Snape turned toward the wall out of embarrassment. Dumbledore covered his mouth in an effort to not laugh and McGonagall was looking confused and concerned, rubbing her hands together nervously.
"Not from Azkaban, young lady!" exclaimed Fudge. "Please pay attention!"
"Well, I'm sorry, Minister, if I don't understand. Maybe if you used student words instead of Ministry words, I would get what you are trying to say," Raven said sarcastically enough for her to notice, but Fudge on the other hand, thought she was completely that dense. This proved the point to her that Fudge should never have become Minister at all.
"SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPED FROM THE TOWER! THE TOWER THAT YOU WERE AT EARLIER THIS EVENING! DID YOU HELP HIM?" Fudge bellowed. Dumbledore's knick knacks all over his office rattled. The same vein that pulses in Snape's head when he's angry was pulsing through Fudges head.
"Me? No, not me. He was there when I left," she said now looking extremely concerned. "Is he gone? Did he escape again?"
"Do not pretend with me young lady," Fudge said getting extremely close to her face. She could tell that he had more than a few brandies tonight by the smell of his breath. "You were up there with him and now he's gone. Where did he go?"
"You're asking the wrong person. I, personally, don't know and don't care where he is," she said getting up and walking over to Dumbledore's pet Phoenix. "What's his name, Professor?" she said to Dumbledore.
"Fawkes," said Dumbledore.
"He's beautiful," she said petting the bird.
"Thank you." Dumbledore seemed to catch on to what she was doing and decided to play along.
"Have you had him long?"
"He's one of my oldest friends, he..."
"How did you help him?" yelled Fudge.
"Help who?" Raven asked, still petting Fawkes.
"SIRIUS BLACK!"
"Help him do what?"
"ESCAPE!"
"I didn't help him. He was there when I left," she said still never looking at the Minister. Raven did though catch a glimpse at Dumbledore who was staring admiringly at Fawkes.
"Severus, please! Feel free to help out at any time," said Fudge whose patience was beyond repair at this point.
"Raven, just tell us what happened at the tower," Snape said walking up behind her.
"We talked and I left," she said turning to face her uncle. "That is all."
Snape gave her a piercing look. Raven knew he was using his ability of Legilimens to see if she was telling the truth. She didn't try to manipulate him or give him any reason to think that she had something to do with Black's escape. In fact she didn't need to try, because it was the truth anyway.
"She's telling the truth, sir. Raven had nothing to do with Black's escape," said Snape to Fudge who was now back in his chair with another glass of brandy.
"That's what I've been saying," Raven said throwing her hands up in the air.
"Did you see anything unusual while you were up there?" asked McGonagall.
"I saw a black figure heading towards the tower. I thought it was a Dementor so I left. They freak me out with that whole soul sucking thing," she said looking at Dumbledore, giving him a wink.
"So we've heard," said Fudge too busy with his glass of brandy to notice Raven wink.
"Are we done now because I really need to use the little witch's room," she said smiling, and then looking at her uncle who was clearly as frustrated as Fudge.
"Yes, thank you Miss Snape," Fudge said. "This was truly…enlightening," he said rolling his eyes.
"Your welcome, Minister. I am so glad I helped you in this matter. Please catch Black. He's dangerous," she said putting her hand on the shoulder of the distressed Minister.
Raven left Dumbledore's office feeling quite proud of herself. She couldn't help but wonder how Cornelius Fudge ever became Minister of Magic. He was such an idiot. The thought of his head exploding in anger made her laugh.
"Raven Snape!" shouted Snape behind her.
"Once again Satan, I don't want to go with you. I'm already there," Raven then turned around to see that it was her fuming uncle. "Oh, uncle, it's you. You know? You always sound like someone else."
"What was the meaning of that display in there?" asked Snape. Raven once again pictured a head exploding.
"Did you like that? That performance was some of my best work," she said looking away to reflect on her conversation with Fudge.
"Did you use Occlumency to lie to me or were you telling the truth?" he asked.
"I'm not stupid."
"Well, you were playing it pretty well in there."
"Thanks! But, really, I would never get myself involved into something that the Ministry should have taken care of in the first place."
"What might that be?" he asked folding his arms.
"Find Sirius not guilty of the charges and find the real culprit," she said. "You know it was Pettigrew, but you won't tell that to the Minister and get the charges dropped. If the Ministry had done the right thing, Fudge wouldn't be calming his nerves with brandy right now. All of this is the Ministry's fault."
"Strong accusations from a fifteen year old," he said unfolding his arms.
"And you know I'm right," she proclaimed. "You're just mad at me because I embarrassed you. Welcome to fatherhood, Daddy Severus! That's what kids do. It's our job to embarrass you!"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. And don't worry; I will never call you that again," she said appearing to be ill at the thought of calling Snape "daddy."
"You may have ruined your shot at abolishing the contract with the stunt you pulled in there," he said calming down enough as to not sound incredibly angry.
"Then I deal with it another day," she said walking away.
"It won't be long before Lucius finds out what happened in there. He is close to the Minister," he said. Raven came to a complete stop.
"And what's he going to do? I'm only fifteen. He doesn't need me yet," she said turning back to him.
"Can I not be the slightest bit afraid of what would happen if you were to marry Draco?"
"What are you really afraid of? Completely letting my father down? Or is it you are actually concerned for my well being?" she said walking swiftly towards him.
"Both, actually. I made a promise and I intend to keep it this time."
"Then help me."
"I am," he said looking down.
"I know," she said trying to look at his eyes. Raven was becoming more shocked at how hard Snape was trying to be good to her. She was beginning to sense how much of a heart, although still quite small, he seemed to be developing.
"Do you know how much you remind me of your father? He was sarcastic and confident. No matter how wrong he was he would argue you down until you were forced to surrender. He, no doubt, got some of that from our father," he said with an air of reflection in his voice and face.
"I am his daughter. Only I was the only one that could knock him down off his pedestal. Our relationship," she said pointing to Snape and herself a couple of times, "reminds me a lot of the relationship between father and me."
"Only you hate me and you loved him."
"I don't think I ever hated you and don‘t sound like such a baby!" she said stopping to think about what she just said. "And honestly, I think I hated the situation."
Raven and Snape began to walk and no words were spoken for many slow steps.
"Do you really like that Weasley boy?" he asked back to his hateful and demeaning tone.
"Do you really have to be a jerk?" she said back to her usual witty tone. Raven smiled, while Snape surprisingly managed a very tiny grin.
"Uncle! Is that some resemblance of a smile?" she asked wide-eyed and amazed.
"No!" he snapped, adjusting his robes and regaining his composure. He stopped suddenly. "Here is the girl's lavatory. Don't you need to...go?"
What?" she said. She then, remembered what she told the Minister to get out of that meeting. "Oh no! Part of my act. Believable, huh?"
Snape rolled his eyes and Raven laughed.
"Your sense of humor, as irritating as it is, came from your mother," Snape said, sounding frustrated.
"Father was funny too. But hateful and funny," she said smiling, "brilliant combination, don't you think?"
"Brilliant," he said sarcastically.
"See, uncle, you're getting there," she said patting his arm. "Next time, don't make it so obvious that you're trying to be sarcastic. The end effect will have a much better result."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," he said looking exasperated.
"Right, then. Good night, Uncle."
"Good night, Raven."
Chapter 14