19 Dog

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It was bound to happen sooner or later. I had realised a long time ago that all the people who had played an important role in Harry's life were going to get in my way. And if the story with Ron and Hermione was over at the beginning of fourth year, then Sirius was probably the final and most painful blow. Even though I'd learnt to deal with the emotions Harry had left in my body, the mask of calm was now seriously cracked. I was struggling with two feelings: hatred for the man who'd thrown a child who'd treated him like a father to his death, and a desperate resentment that whispered that Sirius just didn't know anything, believed Dumbledore, and could be forgiven. Pushing unnecessary thoughts aside for the moment, I took a small step forward so that Fleur was behind me.

- Hello, doggie. - I tried to put as much contempt in that phrase as I could. - Did you really get to be an Auror? Or is there no such thing as private property in magical Britain? I'm going to ask you to leave this place, because you have no right to be here.

Sirius was a little taken aback by such a greeting, but he quickly pulled himself together. The wand in his hands did not waver.

- You killed my best friends and now you've taken over my godson's body. Leave him alone immediately, Tom Riddle, and surrender. I guarantee you a fair trial where you will answer for all the crimes you have committed.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. How blind they are in their fanatical faith in an old man who can't see beyond his long nose. Black didn't seem to have any doubts, no contradictions. He simply listened to what Dumbledore told him and believed it unreservedly.

- A fair trial, you say? The one that threw you in Azkaban without a trial for aiding and abetting the Dark Lord? Or the one that sent the innocent boy you're trying to defend to execution? Or maybe we're talking about the court that left most of the Eaters free after the first war? So which trial exactly are you talking about, doggie? Have you been so thoroughly brainwashed that you don't even try to make sense of your own words, speaking in memorised phrases? My parents would be ashamed of you, you're pathetic.

- Stumble! - Sirius shouted the spell loud enough to scare away several seagulls sitting on the coastal rocks. Luckily, my non-verbal Protego was at its best and withstood the experienced wizard's wrath. The next thing that came at us was something slashing and a couple of other beams whose purpose I couldn't recognise. While I was taking the attacks on my shield, Fleur from behind me was able to send a few fire spells back. The short silent skirmish, in which only the first spell was cast, did not bring an advantage to either side.

- Attacking me even though you just offered to surrender? - I continued my verbal attack, trying to reach out to the man who was once my father's best friend and open his eyes. - So much for the bright side just waiting for someone to turn their back so they can stick a knife in it. Aren't you scared? You just called me the Dark Lord. What if I bury you in this sand, piece by piece, hmm?

- You can't! I believe there's still Harry inside this body to stop you from hurting your godfather!

At this point I couldn't stand it after all and laughed. Fleur behind me exhaled loudly.

- See, love, what could have happened to you if you had accepted Dumbledore's invitations? Your brain would probably have been left lying on a shelf in the Headmaster's office too. - I said softly behind my back.

- Would it do any harm, really? - I turned my gaze back to Sirius, who was still pointing his wand in my direction, but no longer trying to attack. - You seriously expect me to believe that? Didn't you sit silently in the courtroom when Harry was being sentenced for something he didn't do? Didn't you never once question my guilt, never once come and comfort your godson, never once try to help? When everyone close to me turned their backs on me, it was you who hurt the most. That makes you sound especially pathetic, traitor. Yes, traitor. You're worse than Pettigrew. He betrayed his friends out of fear for his own skin. And you betrayed your godson because you were told to. - I literally spat the last of those words in his face.

- How do you know that? - Black said dazedly, and his shoulders slumped.

- From there. I am Harry, you moron. Use your head for once. Or have the Dementors been sucking out your brain instead of your soul for twelve years? If I was Riddle, why do you think the Lord is attacking himself? Why didn't I show up for six months? What was the purpose of showing me the memories from the tournament finals? How was I finally recognised by the Potter family ring? - The number of questions I could have asked was endless, but even the ones already voiced were enough to make the ground beneath Sirius' feet shake.

- No. No! This can't be happening! You're lying! Harry would never stay away when he saw us fighting the Eaters! - Sirius is getting a little too emotional about the recent skirmish in the Department of Mysteries. I thought it ended more than well for him personally, as he was able to clear his name, but the deaths of the elder Weasley and Moody seem to have had a more serious effect on him.

- Give me one good reason to help you? - I realised he was listening but not hearing what I was saying, but I was getting carried away. - You, a bunch of fanatics, blindly following wherever they're told! And you know who's the worst of them all? You're the worst! You're just a dog, whether you're on four legs or two. What has Dumbledore done for you personally that you can't stop looking at his mouth? I don't speak for the other members of the Order, I don't know what went on in their lives, but your life story is more or less common knowledge. So? Did he save you from prison? Protected you from injustice? Did he at least help you exonerate yourself? No! Probably because he left you to rot in Azkaban, and when you escaped, occupied your house. Well, that's certainly a reason for loyalty. No, Black, I have no desire to help you. I'd rather watch you all get slaughtered one by one and die for the glory of the great Albus.

- You're not Harry," Sirius whispered, silently listening to my monologue. - Harry would never say things like that. - It looked like he'd made up his mind about something. His posture had become much more confident, and his wand was staring exactly at my face. - I don't want to hear baseless insults. If you have something to say to me, try to win first.

He hadn't even had a chance to speak yet, and his wand had already started moving. No matter how much I tried to piss him off, direct confrontation was not in my plans. Despite my active training during the tournament, I didn't think I could seriously confront an experienced wizard. The fact that I had Fleur on my side didn't add to my confidence either: she could fight, but worrying about her would be a serious distraction.

Sirius wasn't concerned with my doubts, and he'd already made up his mind. A bright blue beam flew in my direction, and to my surprise I recognised it as the same spell Dumbledore had used to attack me at Gringotts. I couldn't look away, Fleur was behind me, so I had to rely on Protego's strength again.

- Fleur, to the side! - I shouted as soon as the shield absorbed the spell. Sirius didn't move, and from where he was standing he unleashed more and more beams at me, which I managed to dodge. Luckily, the supposed nobility of the light side had kicked in, so he didn't try to kill me or attack Fleur, focusing solely on me.

As I dodged Black's spells, I managed to occasionally attack back, using only stun and disarm curses. Fleur didn't stand idly by either, pouring fire at Sirius from the other flank. He clearly hadn't expected such an onslaught, but he quickly regained his composure and began to move. Having released a bunch of beams at me, of which I recognised at most every third, he suddenly attacked Fleur with a binding curse. Veela, at that moment preparing her own spell, was unprepared for such a turn and dropped out of the fight.

The Animagus, unleashing this fight, did not take into account one factor that he could not have known about: the last few hours were extremely exhausting for my psyche. Even though Fleur and my father had managed to calm me down, the sight of my fiancée lying helplessly on the ground, bound by ropes, had shaken my mind again. As a result, I stopped thinking about the consequences and began to search my memory for more serious spells. The first thing that came to mind, however, was the wrong one:

- Sectumsempra! - For the first time in the fight, I shouted the spell loudly, and a multitude of invisible blades flew out towards my godfather. Black hesitated for a few moments because of the unknown charms and raised his shield late, leaving a deep cut on his left arm. Gritting his teeth, he quickly cast several healing spells on himself, but naturally none of them helped. Snape knows all too well how to inflict pain.

Sirius's injury hurt me more than him, though, because now he was no longer holding back or thinking about what I was saying at all, forcing me to go on the defensive. More and more beams were coming at me, and it wasn't going to last much longer. As I dodged another slashing curse, I stepped on something soft beneath the ash and slipped. Sirius took advantage of that and immediately fired an Expelliarmus at me, which I rolled away from, but the next Petrificus hit me squarely in the chest. Black leaned over and stared into my face, knocking my wand out of my frozen hands with his foot.

- You're too weak for the Dark Lord, but Harry would never use something so dark, so unhealable. So who are you? I think the Headmaster will figure it out. - He tied me up and was about to apparate when a red beam of a paralysing curse hit him in the side of his wounded arm. Sirius didn't have time to react and fell beside me. Immediately afterwards, my body was able to move again.

Turning my head, I expect to see Fleur, who I had discreetly thrown Finite at in the heat of battle, but there stands an unfamiliar wizard in a blue robe. Ignoring Black and I, he walks over to Veela, who's already rid of the ropes, and helps her up.

- Whew, that was close. Thank you. - She thanks him like an old acquaintance, then walks over to me and scrutinises me for injuries.

- Not bad at all, Mr Potter," the stranger says in a strong accent. - I honestly thought it would be over much sooner.

Fleur strokes my shoulder reassuringly, seeing my uncomprehending gaze and my unresolved tension.

- 'Relax, Harry, it's fine. This is Bernard. He's my father's assistant and my godfather.

- Sebastian asked me to keep an eye on you, and to help if anything happened. As it turned out, he was not unreasonable in his reassurance. - Bernard looked at me appraisingly, and seeing that my wand was still clenched tightly in my hand, he held up his hands in a conciliatory manner. - Calm down, Mr Potter, I'm not going to hurt you.

- Have you been here from the beginning? - I ask him, trying to listen to myself. This man doesn't evoke negative emotions. Besides, if he's Fleur's godfather, he's known the Delacour family for years at least, and Sebastian trusts him. On the other hand, I have proof at my feet that the title of godfather is no guarantee of trustworthiness.

- No, I've been here since about, "I'd rather watch you get slaughtered one by one." Or whatever you said? Anyway, the phrase is obviously taken out of context, so, I'm not going to give it much weight. Although, the fact that my goddaughter is involved with such a bloodthirsty young man is a little alarming. Congratulations on your engagement, by the way. I can see that you can stand up for yourself and protect Fleur in case of danger, but you still need to work on your skills.

I shook his hand and thanked him for his congratulations, noting to myself that he'd said that last phrase quietly so Black wouldn't find out about the engagement.

- Well," Bernard turned to Fleur, "finish up here and come back. I'll be waiting for you at your house. - He gave Sirius another glance and apparated away, leaving the three of us again.

I walked over to Fleur and examined her carefully for injuries.

- Are you alright? I must remember to thank your father for his foresight. - I was soberly assessing my strength, and I had no intention of reproaching Sebastian for not trusting me. If it hadn't been for Bernard, I'd be lying on Grimmo somewhere under the care of Kreacher at the very least, and an old man with a black hand at the very most.

- Yes, I'm fine. - She looked me over as well. - I'm sorry I missed such a stupid punch. In the past six months, I've grown accustomed to fighting. - I only squeezed her hand tighter in response. I hope that applied to me, too, because I hadn't lasted much longer than she had.

Walking over to the Order of the Phoenix member lying on his back, I stare into his eyes for a few seconds, trying to convince Harry inside me that this story was over. Sirius has already stopped thrashing around and is now staring blankly up at the sky, not even trying to fight back. I wondered if he was even listening to what we were talking about.

- Make it quick," he said in a different tone from the one he'd used to accuse me of all my sins.

- Quickly? No. I can't do it fast. You think I'm gonna kill you? You want to run away from this life like a coward? That's Gryffindor courage at its finest. But I won't give you that chance. You will live with the fact that you betrayed the one person who truly believed in you. - Looks like Black really thought I was going to end him now. - By the way, Black, they say you were Hogwarts' leading ladies' man, so here's one last question for you: can a Veela who chooses a mate once in her life realise that there's another person in the body of her lover?

I picked up his wand from the ground and threw it into the sea, then walked over to Fleur, who was still standing there, and looked her in the eye. The Frenchwoman didn't comment on the situation and only squeezed my hand in silent support. I was much luckier with my fiancée than with my friends and godfather.