Picks up at the end of POA, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in the Hospital Wing and Sirius is about to be Kissed, steals some dialogue from the book, stolen dialogue still belongs to JK of course, and is in bold. Obviously, and unfortunately, I don't own the Harry Potter verse, and I'm making no profit off of this venture.

*This chapter has been edited from its original version. Only minor, non-plot related changes were made*

Prologue: The Second Prophecy

"It will happen tonight. The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight...the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his Master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever he was. Tonight...before midnight...the servant will set out...to rejoin...his Master..."

Chapter One: The Great Escape

Harry was floating in darkness, he felt warm and safe, but there was something he was supposed to do? What was he missing? He felt as if he should be panicking about something, but whatever it was, it was far beyond the darkness, and Harry wasn't ready to wake up yet. He drifted, then paused, he thought he heard something? Someone was calling his name, but who? He pushed toward the soft sound, or maybe it was pushing toward him? They, no, she was getting louder, closer.

"Harry? Harry my love, come here, we must talk." He whirled in the darkness, towards a light mist where he could make out a figure. He pushed closer, faster, the voice spurring him on. It sounded hauntingly familiar, like something he'd heard in a dream. As he approached, his heart leapt to his throat, a feeling of giddiness surged through him; that was his mum! And behind her, his dad!

"Mum! Dad! Where are we?" He said, finally close enough to see them properly. He reached out to them, but his hands didn't seem to quite make contact, as if there was water between them, keeping them separate.

"We're in your subconscious, we can't touch here, son. I'm sorry, but we haven't much time. There's much we must tell you, and you have much you need to be doing. Harry, Fate has not been kind to you, but Choice is trying to even the playing field. You're an extraordinary wizard, but there is much keeping you from your Destiny."

"What do you mean…Dad?" He choked out.

"For one, I wish Necromancy wasn't so sodding evil, I'd like to come back and hex Dumbledore and Pomfrey for not removing the magical binding on you. I don't know why they haven't scanned for one, or if they did, why it's not removed." Lily cut off James with a glare, then took over for her husband.

"Don't worry Harry, part of why we're here is to remove the binding so you'll come into your entire power as it currently is. Of course you won't receive your full powers until you come of age, but there's nothing we can do about that. What we can do however, is give you as much advice as we can before you must go. Harry, listen closely, you must use your head! Think about the power you have and how best to wield it. You have to make the right Choices." Harry's brow furrowed, but before he could express his confusion, she shouldered on. "Harry, baby, I know you hate your fame, but your fame is quite useful. The world will listen to the Boy-Who-Lived, and that can help you right now. Sirius is about to be Kissed and without Peter, there's no way to exonerate him in the current political climate. When you go back you must work to rescue Sirius and hide him out until you can capture Peter and have him put on trial. Your friend, Hermione, has a Time Turner—"

"A what?" Harry's bewilderment finally broke through, as he interrupted his mother. He was in utter awe of them, his eyes kept flickering over their features, and he struggled to pay attention to what he was being told.

"A Time Turner," James started to explain "is a very powerful magical object that can take you back into the past, usually just a few hours, the limit on how far you can go is based on magical power, theoretically you can go back many years, but the effort would exhaust you, perhaps even turn you into a Squib—" Lily cut him off again with a glare.

"—anyway, what you need to do as soon as you wake up is go back to earlier tonight and free Sirius, and then catch Peter! Fudge is unreasonable; you don't want to risk Sirius's life on that man doing his job for once. But Harry, messing with time is extremely dangerous; I can't fathom why they gave a teenager a Time Turner to be quite honest. You cannot be seen, no matter what! After you have Peter, stun him, don't worry about how, you'll know how, and put him in an unbreakable container. Then, get Sirius to go to Black Manor. He'll fight you, but he has to. It's incredibly safe, and he can then take up the mantle of Lord Black. He was never fully disinherited, so it'll work. For there, he'll know what to do."

Harry stared at his Mum, not fully comprehending all she had said. "What do you mean 'I'll know how'?" he asked.

"Before you go, we'll impart some knowledge to you, how much we can give you is limited on how much time we have left after we've explained everything, so please try and keep up. I know this is hard, but we have to prepare you for what's to come. After Sirius is safe, contact Amelia Bones, she's the head of the Aurors. She's fair and thorough. Tell her that you have a Death Eater captured, but you want to be sure that proper protocol will be upheld before he's handed over. Get her assurance on a proper trial. Have Sirius use his influence as Lord Black, to get his wrongful imprisonment investigated, and you use yours to get Bones to cooperate. Do you understand?" He nodded, numbly, still soaking in her warm eyes, and his Dad's loving smile.

"Harry, there's more. Dumbledore isn't being honest with you, and you must find out the truth, prepare for the future, and escape from under his control. He's not a bad man, but he's held too much power for too long, and he's terrified of anyone finding out his secrets. He feels that he alone is wise enough to guide the Wizarding world. I could go on, but that's not the point. Harry, as soon as Sirius is exonerated have him quietly put in motion getting you into his custody, then have him adopt you as soon as you can. Do everything you can to keep it quiet. You must get away from the Dursley's; I'd like to have a strong word with Dumbledore over your placement there." Harry's eyes welled at his mother's fierce concern, it was so unlike anything he has encountered before. He took a deep, shuddering breath, and nodded.

"Okay, use my influence, check. Lord Black, check. Don't trust Dumbledore, check. Time turner, check." He tried to keep the wealth of information straight in his mind, concentrating on what he needed to do. The idea that Dumbledore perhaps didn't have his best interests at heart hurt, but he couldn't focus on that yet.

"There are a few more things, but we're almost out of time. Harry, have Sirius check for prophecies about you in the Department of Mysteries. Help Sirius heal from his time in Azkaban. Get the Ministry on your side; get them to acknowledge that Voldemort's not dead. Have your scar looked at by a proper private healer. And most of all, Harry, open yourself up to love, to Sirius and Remus and your friends." His mum's hands clutched at empty air as she finished talking.

"Harry we love you, you're so brave and we're so proud of you. Do your best, son." His dad beamed at him, and Harry beamed back, basking in the love and praise.

His attention was drawn back to Lily, her expression was one of anguish. "Oh no Harry, I'm so sorry, but this is it. We're going to give you what we can now, and it's going to hurt. It wouldn't normally, but what's in your scar is going to fight it, I'm so sorry baby."

"But," Harry's head was spinning. "What about the binding?" he asked, desperate to keep them there a moment longer.

"You shouldn't feel that, son, but you're going to have much more power than you're used to, You're going to have to be careful with your magic for a while. I love you so much, Harry, I can't say that enough. Goodbye, and don't let us see you again 'till you've lived a long good life, you hear?" His father told him.

His chest tightened with anxiety, as his parents both lifted hands, and pushed through the water-like barrier. Their faces seemed pained, as bright silvery lights erupted from their skin in strange wisps. The wisps reached towards him and began to wrap around him. They felt warm, but as they made their way under his skin, racing through his veins towards his skull, they began to feel too hot, almost burning. Then, they reached his scar, and they turned to flame, his head felt like it was being incinerated, his body racked with pain as new information flooded his brain— "Accio, a spell to bring things to you, the wand movement begins with….Portkeys, an enchanted object that can move multiple people and objects through space, incantation, Portus…Plant Singing, the art of utilizing a combination of song and magic to grow a living thing, mainly utilized….Merpeople, highly intelligent beings that have many different races and pursue the knowledge of…" The knowledge was overwhelming, it was several years of learning pushed into a few seconds, he barely understood many of the words the echoed in his mind, must less their implications. Then, with a distance cry, the burning ended and his parents faded, leaving him alone. The loneliness tore through him, and his heart ached as he begged for them to come back. His head pulsed with pain, as he became aware of voices, coming not from the blackness, but beyond it.

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm…high opinion of themselves…" Snape's voice sneered somewhere nearby. He opened his eyes, blinking in confusion. In the bed next to him, Hermione quickly held a finger up to her lips, and gestured to the open Hospital Wing door. Through his blurry vision he made out a shape that might have been Madam Pomfrey down at the other end of the ward. Fudge and Snape continued their conversation.

"What amazes me most is the behaviour of the dementors…you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister, by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"

"Extraordinary. And yet Black and Harry, and the girl—"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

Pomfrey took that moment to notice Harry's opened eyes. "Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed a large brick on chocolate of Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.

"How's Ron?" said Harry and Hermione together.

"He's fine, I mended his leg right up, but he got a dose of Skele-gro to be sure. As for you two— Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry had his glasses on and was swinging his legs around to get out of the bed.

"I need to speak to the Minister and the Headmaster" he said firmly.

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the Kiss any moment now."

"Then it certainly is not all right!" He replied firmly. "I am not confunded! They've got the wrong man and they're not even going to give Sirius a trial!" He shoved past her, hurrying towards the door, Hermione on his heels.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated as he walked into the ward. "You should be in bed — has he had any chocolate? He asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "As crazy as it sounds, Sirius Black is innocent, and how would you know otherwise, since you didn't give him a trial? How would the public react to the Ministry giving people the Kiss without a trial? Hmm?" Harry implored. The Minister and Snape were both gaping at him, but he continued. "I bet the Prophet wouldn't be too pleased about that? You have to give him a fair trial!"

"He's telling the truth Minister! Just listen to us for a moment! You must!" Hermione chimed in.

Fudge puffed up, "Now see here you two, I mustn't do anything. This entire ordeal has been incredibly embarrassing let me tell you, no, no, it's much better that we deal with it now, I mean everyone knows that Black is guilty and—"

"See Minister, I told you, Potter's ego is too inflated for his own good, he think he knows everything—"

"Yes, yes Professor, they're obviously confunded—"

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED" Harry roared, impatiently.

"Minister, Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey, angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient and he should not be distressed!" Before Harry could protest, she stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into his mouth, and as he choked she forced him back into bed.

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave—"

The door opened again, this time Dumbledore stepped through, his beard and glasses glinting impressively in the candlelight. Harry's heart tightened at the sight of the wizened Headmaster. He didn't know what to feel.

Hermione chimed in at once, "Professor Dumbledore! Sirius Black—"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster I must insist—"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger," Dumbledore said calmly. "I have just been talking with Sirius Black—"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive—"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, or did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

Hermione started to explain, but Harry silenced her with look; there was no point to even try to argue with Snape.

"I would like to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest—"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore, solemnly. "I must insist."

Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted a rather gaudy gold watch and exited the wing, mumbling something about a press release. Snape began to speak, only to be silenced by Dumbledore raising a hand. He shot Harry a look of pure loathing and swept out of the wing. Dumbledore closed the doors with a swish of the same hand, and turned to Harry and Hermione.

Harry looked up, directly into Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes, and asked "Do you believe us, sir?"

"Yes, Harry, I do. But there is little I can do about it at this hour and with Fudge so determined."

Harry deflated a little, but persevered, "Surely you can do something?"

"I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry's last dregs of trust faded. The titbits swirling in his brain informed him that as the Supreme Mugwump (What the bloody hell was a Mugwump anyway?) and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot among many other things, he did have the power to do something, but for whatever reason he wasn't. Harry bitterly noted that Dumbledore hadn't denied that he could do something; he avoided giving a straight answer. The information about the time turner came back to him as he racked his brains for what to do next.

"Sir, what I think we need, is more time." Harry said tentatively.

Dumbledore's eyes light up and twinkled happily at him. "I fully agree, I must say I'm impressed that you know about Miss Granger's new accessory." Hermione's eyes bugged out as she realized what they were getting at. Dumbledore forestalled her interruption with a hand, "Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen! Miss Granger, you know that law, you know what is at stake."

Hermione was half glaring at Harry while she mumbled 'Seventh floor, thirteenth window from the right, West Tower' under her breath, as Dumbledore turned on his heel and walked to the door, looking back at them he continued "I am going to lock you in. It is—" He consulted his watch, "—five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck." His cloak swished around him as he exited the wing, closing the doors behind him.

"Good luck?" Hermione repeated incredulously. "How did you know about my time turner? What does he mean two lives? Who else is in danger? Oh I hope it's not Professor Lupin—"

"There's no time for that now, come on Hermione!"

She seemed to shake herself before pulling a thin gold chain out of her robes and tossing it over him. She studied the little hourglass carefully before turning it over precisely three times. Immediately, the ward dissolved into blurry movement as it lightened and people bustled about faster than Harry could see, then suddenly everything stilled. They were standing in the middle of the empty Hospital Wing, and sunlight was streaming in. Immediately, Hermione dragged him into a broom cupboard that was just outside the wing. The door wasn't even properly shut and Hermione had her wand lit with a whispered 'Lumos!' before hounding him with questions.

"How did you know about the Time Turner, Harry? I've been very careful all year and if Professor McGonagall knew that you knew I would be in loads of trouble since I really wasn't supposed to tell anyone you see; but now obviously Dumbledore knows so I'm probably in trouble anyway, but he was the one who sent us back to save Sirius so — and what did he mean save two lives? Who—" She paused to gasp another breath before continuing. "—who else could we save?"

"How far are we back? Three hours? What happened three hours ago that needs to change?"

"Harry, this is three hours ago, so whatever it is we've got to change it now."

"Three hours ago…we were walking down to Hagrid's hut…Hagrid…Buckbeak! We've got to save Buckbeak!"

"That's it Harry! Come on—"

The door swung open revealing Ginny. She flushed bright red, before regaining her composure. "My, my, you two. Who would've though Hermione would be snuggled in a broom closet like this?"

Harry flushed deeper than Ginny and looked away, but Hermione answered. "Ginny! What are you doing! Who else is there? Don't be ridiculous!"

"No one, I'm—"

"Then what are you doing here!" Hermione interrupted impatiently.

Ginny didn't look pleased with being cut off. "Well you see," she started off slowly "Filch has taken to searching my bag for Dungbombs and InstaPixie Paste so I've been hiding my supplies in here. The real question is, what are you doing here?"

InstaPixie Paste? What on earth is that? Harry wondered. He was just glad Ginny was preoccupied with Hermione enough to not stare at him. Her hero worship really bugged him— no that wasn't quite right. He didn't know how to deal with her hero worship of him. He didn't do anything special, just what anyone else would've done under the same circumstances. And he certainly didn't want any recognition for what happened to his parents. As far as he was concerned he didn't do anything, it was all his parents. It really upset him that the Wizarding world made him out to be some big hero and completely passed over his Lily and James' sacrifice.

"Ginny," Hermione chided "You've got to stop focusing on pranks and keep on your studies! You start your third year in just a few months!"

Ginny sighed, just as exasperated as everyone else with Hermione's overbearing attitude, "Exams are over, just let it be Hermione. Besides, you certainly break enough rules; you're doing it right now! Now, tell me what you're up to! And where's Ron?" The redhead had her hands on her hips, standing in a stance that was remarkably similar to Mrs. Weasley.

Harry groaned. They really didn't have time for this. Before they could draw any attention, he grabbed Ginny by her robes and pulled her into the closet, shutting the door quietly behind them. "Listen, Ginny, what's going on right now is really complicated and you can't tell anyone you've seen us all right? It's extremely important that no one, no one knows we're here."

Ginny's eye lit up fiercely, "You're on one of your adventures again aren't you? Well I'm coming! Ever since he started school Ron's been a complete prat to me, and we used to do everything together. Well no longer! I'm not a baby and you're not going to leave me out!

"Ginny…" Harry pleaded. "Please, we don't have time for this, this is serious!" His mouth threatened to smile over the pun, despite the, ahem, seriousness of the situation.

"You don't have to explain, I trust you. Besides, I owe you a Life Debt for saving me last year. Let me help."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. "We could probably use her help…" Hermione sighed, giving in and nudging Harry.

"All right! Ginny, listen, we've gone back in time a few hours to rescue Buckbeak and, well, Sirius Black. He's innocent but in a few hours he'll be captured and they're about to execute him. I know it's insane but you have to believe us!"

Ginny's eyes widened at the mention of Sirius Black and she sucked in a breath, but she seemed determined. She looked deep into his eyes before she nodded, and they carefully make their way out of the closet and down the halls towards the entrance way. Fortune was upon them, for they didn't encounter anyone on their way, and they managed to make it outside to the fringes of the Forbidden Forest near Hagrid's hut. Buckbeak was chained outside, and they could see themselves in the window, talking to Hagrid.

"Merlin!" Ginny exclaimed, after clearly seeing Harry and Hermione through Hagrid's window. "Come on, let's go ahead and free Buckbeak and get on to finding Black."

"No!" said Hermione. "If we steal him now those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"

"That's got to give us about sixty seconds." said Harry. This was starting to seem impossible.

"How are we going to lure Buckbeak away from Hagrid's? Harry, be sure to grab those dead chickens strung up! Surely he'll follow us for some food?" mumbled Ginny.

Just then, there was a crash and the sound of glass breaking from inside Hagrid's cabin.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment…"

Harry wanted nothing more than to burst through the door and grab Pettigrew, but he knew he couldn't. He didn't want to find out what happened if he saw himself, and he already had a plan to catch the rat.

They waited for a little longer; finally Dumbledore, Fudge, the executioner, and someone else were making their way down towards the hut.

"We're about to come out! Hermione breathed.

Just a moment later, the back door to Hagrid's hut opened, and Harry saw himself, Hermione, and Ron exiting. This is the weirdest thing we've ever done, this is insane, he thought. He watched at the Committee group made their way inside as the other him and his friends trouped out of sight.

"This is it, come on!" breathed Harry as he started toward Buckbeak. He paused just before he came into view of the cabin as someone peered out at the hippogriff before turning back around. Breathing a sigh of relief, he pressed on. He, Hermione, and Ginny bowed at one, keeping eye contact until Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees. Harry immediately grabbed the strung up chickens while Hermione and Ginny fumbled with the rope that secured the hippogriff.

They had just begun moving back to the forest, Buckbeak was indeed much more inclined to follow the food, when Hagrid's door cracked open and a voice trickled out, "Well, let's get this over with," said the unknown Committee member. "Hagrid, perhaps it would be better for you to stay inside—"

They froze, eyes wide. "No, I-I wan' ter be with him…I don' wan' him ter be alone—" Hagrid choked out. Harry tugged harder on the rope, desperate to free Buckbeak for Hagrid.

"One moment, please, Macnair," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore. "You need to sign too." The children breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed back and continued tugging Buckbeak into the trees until they were well hidden.

Just as they had caught their breath, Hagrid's door opened with a bang loud enough for them to hear. All four of them held completely still, even Buckbeak seemed to be listening intently.

It was silent for a moment, then… "Where is it? Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I just saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a faint note of amusement in his voice.

"Beaky!" Hagrid called. "Gone! Gone! Bless his beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

Hearing Hagrid's voice, Buckbeak was no long pacified by the chickens, and they had to tie him to a tree quite securely to keep him hidden. Harry patted the anxious hippogriff and spoke to him in a low soothing voice, and Buckbeak seemed to listen, as he stopped pulling against the rope.

Despite the executioners upset, no one began a search of the ground so the girls boneless-ly slumped to the ground, obviously relieved that the matter was behind them. After a moment, Harry joined them, leaning against Buckbeak's flank.

"So what now?" Ginny asked, hesitantly.

Hermione looked like she wanted to say something, but Harry started speaking first. "There's a lot we've got to talk about, but a big part of it's going to have to wait," He said firmly. He knew that would upset Hermione, but he hoped that the gravity of the situation would cause her to be more reasonable. "I have a plan to save Sirius and capture Scabbers…err…I mean Pettigrew. We've got to move to the Shrieking Shack soon, or else we won't know when it's time to rescue Sirius. Once where over there and he makes it escape I'm going to summon him, stun him, and put him in an Unbreakable container—"

Hermione cut him off, "Harry, what happened to you? You seem so different! What aren't you telling me? I know it's important and you really must tell me what going on, it's not fair otherwise!"

Before Harry could respond, Ginny leapt to his defence. "He said he wanted to wait to talk about it, don't you think he might have a reason for that? Maybe it's hard to talk about! Maybe he doesn't want to have to repeat it for Ron! Just because you can't stand not knowing something doesn't give you the right to jump down everyone's throat! You're always on Ron about not having any tact, but where's yours?"

Harry felt extremely uncomfortable with Ginny's defence. He appreciated it, but he felt it was only going to make things worse. Before it could descend into a full on row, he put his hands up and said, "Listen! We've got much more important things to think about right now, such as capturing a traitor and saving Sirius's soul! Can we please forestall any arguments until lives aren't hanging in the balance?"

Both girls looked suitably abashed, but Ginny also looked vindicated. "Now, as I was saying, I've got to conjure the container, and I've never done it before, but I'm going to give you the specific incantation and wand movements and I want you both to try as well. My magic might be a bit, err, different, and yes Hermione I'll tell you all about it later!"

Five minutes later they had a perfect large jar with a secure lid that even had small air holes, a much smaller jar whose lid was slightly wonky, and a malformed chunk of glass. The results weren't unusual, but who created which result was. Harry blinked at his perfect jar. Wow, that must have been some binding on my magic; it's never been that easy before! He thought. Hermione was thoroughly disgruntled as she stared at her unsuccessful attempt. Even Ginny had done better than her, though Harry had succeeded perfectly.

Shaking himself, he moved on to making it unbreakable. He conjured several wineglasses (Facere et Vinum Vitro!) and taught the girls the unbreakable charm (Omnino Indissolubiles!) and they each cast it on a wine glass. They hurled each one as hard as they could against a rocky area. None of them shattered, but Ginny's cracked, and Harry pretended that his had as well so that Hermione was the one to cast it on the jar. If either girl noticed what he did, they didn't say anything.

Slowly, keeping to the fringes of the Forbidden Forest when they could, they moved toward the Shrieking Shack. They had just settled down to wait when they saw Hagrid on the path, walking up to the castle. He had a large bottle swinging from his hands, and judging from the tune he was singing merrily, it was strong stuff. Buckbeak tried once more to get to Hagrid, but Hermione was surprisingly good at knots, and the rope held. The castle doors had barely shut when they swung open again, and Snape came storming out of them, hurrying towards the Whomping Willow.

"Get your greasy hands off it!" Harry hissed quietly in distaste, as Snape found the invisibility cloak. He immobilized the tree with a silent spell and was gone.

"So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again…"

"While we wait, I want you both to try and conjure a Patronus. I know it's difficult, but even the mist will help you once the Dementors are on the grounds. I don't know what made them retreat, maybe it was Snape, but I don't want any accidents—"

"Professor Snape, Harry!"

Harry and Ginny exchanged an incredulous look, before Harry continued. "Anyway, the incantation is Expecto Patronum, and you have to think of a time when you were the happiest you've ever been, when you felt the most loved, that's the memory to use. It's much harder around Dementors though, so you might want to use several memories. Let the happiness consume you and don't let anything distract you."

As Harry watched their efforts, he wondered why he didn't have Ron and Hermione join his Patronus lessons to begin with, since the Dementors seem to go after him, it stood to reason that his friends might be in danger as well. Actually, once there were Dementors on the grounds, the whole school should've been taught the charm. Not everyone could master it of course, but some students could, and those students could help protect those that couldn't.

Hermione was looking frustrated, and the more frustrated she got, the less mist she had. Ginny, on the other hand, had a mass of silvery mist, but it wasn't quite a corporeal Patronus yet. Still, it was astounding progress for a Second and Third year. Why did everyone insist that this Charm was so difficult when he and two of his friends showed an aptitude for it?

"Hermione, you're not going to be able to make it work if you're frustrated. It's powered by positive feelings, happiness, and love. Not anger."

Hermione glared at him, but took a moment to brush the hair from her face and breathe in a sort of meditative way. Her next attempt was much better, and she seemed pleased.

I should've asked my Dad about the Dementors, I wasn't thinking straight, there's no telling who or what I actually saw, but, that looked a lot like him. With the distance it was hard to tell…but there was definitely a resemblance. Could the Marauders have ridden again tonight? Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs; were they all out on the grounds this evening, one last full moon together? Wormtail had reappeared tonight when everyone had thought he was dead….Was it so impossible that Dad did the same? No, I'm nuts, I've officially lost it, I know…I know that he's dead. I just had proof in that dream, err, vision, a few hours ago…Must've been someone else… he thought while the girls worked.

Eventually Hermione and Ginny gave it up as a bad job, and settled in to wait. Hermione was repeating 'Seventh floor, thirteenth window from the right, West Tower' under her breath again, and Ginny had joined him by Buckbeak, who was nuzzling her. He briefly felt offended, but Ginny was probably better company than he anyway, so he couldn't blame the hippogriff.

Finally, after over an hour of waiting…

"Here we come!" Hermione whispered.

They all got to their feet, Buckbeak seemed annoyed that Ginny's ministrations were over. They saw Lupin, Ron, and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Then came Hermione…and then the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Harry and Sirius. They all began to walk up to the castle.

Something was wrong, he was forgetting something! He glanced upward, the moonlight was glinting through the clouds…Moonlight! They had to get out of here!

"Hermione! We've got to move!"

"Harry, we can't be seen, we have to stay put!"

"Well Lupin's about to transform and run into the woods right at us! Do you want to be a werewolf?"

Hermione gasped, and then ran to untie Buckbeak. "Oh where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The dementors are going to be coming any moment—"

"Back to Hagrid's, it empty now! Come on Buckbeak!" Ginny had grabbed the rope from Hermione, and started running towards the little hut. Harry and Hermione took off after her, running as fast as they could. They could hear a werewolf howling behind them…

Harry had outstretched the others, he reached the door and wrenched it open, ushering everyone in. He threw himself in after them, slammed the door, bolted it, and threw a chair in front of it for good measure. What if we didn't realize where to go in time? What if Ginny got bitten? Or Hermione? It's my fault they're out here… Harry thought, peering out the window.

"That was close." Hermione said, scratching Fang's ears to calm him.

"Tell me about it!" replied Ginny, who was still a little out of breath from running.

Buckbeak lay down in front of the fire, he seemed very pleased to be back in Hagrid's house, with Ginny scratching his wing joints for him.

"I wish I had the invisibility cloak, I can't see what's going on from here, and I've still got to catch Pettigrew!" He wanted desperately to see if it was his Dad out there, but he really didn't want to get bitten by a werewolf, even if the werewolf was Professor Lupin. And he especially didn't want Pettigrew escaping again.

A thought came to him, but it was strange. It wasn't his thought…it must be some more of that information given to me by my parents! He thought excitedly, A disillusionment charm and a quick 'abscondere' should hide me from view and detection by Lupin and Pettigrew…though the Dementors will still be able to sense me…hmmm…I wonder if there are any spells that can hide you from a Dementor?

"I'm going out there to keep an eye on things, but don't worry, I'll stay hidden! But we've got to know when it's safe to rescue Sirius, and I have to catch Pettigrew. It's not right that Sirius has to be on the run, I want to clear his name."

"Oh all right!" Hermione huffed. "But Harry, be careful— there's a werewolf out there— and the dementors—"

Harry nodded at them both, picked up the unbreakable jar, and unbolted the door. Stepping outside quickly, he walked to a clump of trees by the lake, and once he was sure Hermione couldn't see him anymore, he pointed his wand at himself, "Absondere!"

He then steeled himself for the next spell, calling on his magic in a way he hadn't before. "Accio Peter Pettigrew!" He waited for a moment, and just when he thought he had failed, a small shaped zoomed toward him in the darkness. He snatched the furry object out of the air with his seeker reflexes and pointed his wand at the rat. "Stupify!" It stopped struggling.

"What are you doing?"

He jumped, nearly dropping the stunned animagus. "Ginny, what are you doing here! It's not safe to be out here!"

"That's why I couldn't let you go alone! Why are you so close to the dementors? You don't want them to sense you! Is that Pettigrew, then?"

"I think so. See, it's missing a toe. I've stunned him." He dropped the rat by the tail into the jar, and twisted on the lid. For good measure, he put a sticking charm on the lid, so it couldn't be opened without a wand.

Ginny high fived him, and he stuffed the jar into his cloak pocket, fastening it securely. "Good thinking! But you didn't answer my other question. He shifted, uncomfortably, but she continued to gaze at him, unblinking.

"Well…when the dementors were all around me and Sirius, someone rescued us. They shot a Patronus out from this side of the lake, and well, they sort of looked like my Dad. I know it's crazy, I was blacking out and they were across the lake…but I want to see for myself…I have to know."

Ginny nodded, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He was relieved that she didn't think he was stupid or insane; he hadn't wanted to tell Hermione because he knew she would tell him he was being ridiculous. But Ginny just understood that this was something he had to know for himself.

"Anyway, what was that first spell you cast? The one at yourself?"

"Oh, it conceals your scent and tracks, I figured it would be useful to hide from Lupin. Here let me do you, and a Disillusionment charm. It won't make you invisible; you just change to match your surroundings, so if you're moving too fast someone still could see you." She held still for him to cast the charms, and then he disillusioned himself. It was disconcerting to look down at his body and see bark and leaves, but now, no one should be able to find them. They began to move stealthily, closer to where he thought his Dad had come from. They hid near a bush, peeking out at what was happening across the lake. He could see his own attempts at a Patronus; he was weakening, sinking to his knees-

"Come on!" he muttered, staring about. "Where are you? Dad, come on—"

But no one was coming. There was no one even close to coming; they'd have to be right on top of him to cast the charm right now. One of the dementors across the lake was lowering its hood, he was about to die over there—

And then it hit him— he understood. He hadn't seen his father, he had seen himself!

He pulled out his wand and flung himself out from behind the bush. He pulled together all of his magic, thinking of his capture of Pettigrew and summers with Sirius, with someone who actually cares for him, and… "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he cried.

And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding dazzling, silver animal. His focused his eyes, trying to see what it was, as it charged the dementors, throwing them away from Sirius with its horns…antlers….it was a stag! He watched as the magnificent silver animal routed the rest of the dementors, and started cantering back to him. He reached out his fingertips towards it. "Prongs." he whispered, as the Patronus vanished.

He was so engrossed in everything that had just happened, he didn't even notice that the dementors were coming straight for him until he started to hear his mother screaming for her life in his ears as he fell to the ground. Belatedly, he realized his disillusionment charm had worn off, not that it was much help in keeping dementors at bay.

"Oh no you don't! You're not going to intimidate me, Tom, and you're not going to hurt him! Not anymore! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Ginny roared. A beautiful lioness leapt from the tip of her wand, and clawed at the dementors, causing them to retreat. Ginny watched to be sure they were gone for good, then she kneeled next to him, cradling his head in her hands. "It's okay Harry, they've gone."

"That…that was brilliant Ginny. You saved my life this time. Are we even now?" he chuckled.

She grinned at him. "Come on, up you get, we've got to get back to Hermione before she has a stroke."

They hurried back to the cabin, rushing inside. Hermione was on them immediately.

"What did you do?" she said fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout! And you!" she turned to Ginny.

"He just saved your lives, and then I saved his! Not to mention we caught the rat! I told you that you needed my help!"

"Did anyone see you?"

"No, not exactly. I saw me, but it's okay, because, well, I already saw me, I just thought I was my dad!"

Hermione looked at him, her eyes bulging. Before she could scold him, he continued. "It's okay Hermione, I promise. Come on, we've got to rescue Sirius."

She consulted her watch. "You're right, it's nearly time. We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anyone realizes we're missing…and Ginny you've got to get back to Gryffindor Tower before anyone realizes you're missing."

"Don't worry about me, my friends know that I'm often out past curfew playing pranks, getting in mischief." Ginny said, in a blasé tone of voice.

Hermione look scandalized, but fortunately, said nothing. They continued to wait, until—

"Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"

Harry stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.

"Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the dementors! This is it Hermione, Ginny-"

They ushered Buckbeak out of the cabin. Harry helped Hermione and Ginny climb onto Buckbeak, and then climbed up in front of them. "Ready?" he whispered to them, "You'd better hold on!"

He nudged Buckbeak's sides with his heels.

Buckbeak leapt into the air, soaring into the night. Harry guided him towards one of the entrances away from Macnair. "That's it Beaky, come on, you're such a good hippogriff!" he murmured to him, hoping it would help. He could hear Hermione panicking behind him, and Ginny telling her to calm down. He tilted forward, and Buckbeak touched to the ground.

"Harry, what are you doing!"

"Buckbeak can't handle four! Ginny, take Pettigrew and get up to Gryffindor Tower! Here!" He fumbled with the jar, handing it to her. She stuffed it in her pocket and dismounted. "Hurry! And please don't get caught!" She waved, and he spurred Buckbeak back into the air. He silently prayed that she would be okay— and the Pettigrew wouldn't escape again. That would be just his luck.

Harry urged Buckbeak higher, and they made their way to the West Tower. He was trying to count the windows flashing past—

"Whoa!" he said, pulling backward as hard as he could.

Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne.

"He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and rapped sharply on the glass.

Sirius looked up. Harry saw his jaw drop. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window, and tried to open it, but it was locked.

"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand and cried, "Alohomora!"

The window sprang open.

"How— how—?" said Sirius, weakly, staring at the hippogriff.

"Get on— there's not much time!" said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly in an attempt to keep him steady.

"You've got to get out of here— the dementors are coming— Macnair's gone to get them."

Sirius placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling on leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the hippogriff behind Hermione.

"Okay Buckbeak! Good job, boy! Now, up! Up to the tower, come on, you can do it!"

The hippogriff gave one mighty sweep of his wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Harry and Hermione slid off him at once.

"Sirius, you've got to listen, quick," Harry panted. "I have Pettigrew, I caught him in his rat form and stunned him, but we can't count on Fudge listening to us. Listen to me, go to Black Manor! Take up the mantle of Lord Black! It's the only way to get you free and to get me away from the Dursley's! Promise you'll do as I say!"

Sirius stared at him, and sputtered.

"Promise me, please!"

"Sirius reached out one hand, putting it on Harry's shoulder. "I promise, but what about-"

"No time for that now! You've got to go! I'll owl you immediately explaining everything!"

"How can I ever thank—"

"GO!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.

Sirius nudged Buckbeak, turning him around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are— truly your father's son, Harry…"

He pulled upward on Buckbeak's rope. Harry and Hermione jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more…The hippogriff took off into the air…He and his rider became smaller and smaller as Harry gazed after them…they were gone.