Chapter 30

Life at Hogwarts had changed, though not in a way people had expected. While the alien creatures were still very much a part of Hogwarts, they never seemed to bother anyone of the students. In fact the few times they had been seen, they had been helping the students. And after three months of this, people were starting to worry less about the horde of alien creatures in the forest and more about their tests and homework again.

Even the students who were part of the hive were proving to be a great help to those around the school. For one, as they could know anything the other had seen or done, they proved to be endlessly useful for study and teaching other students. This moved them rapidly away from the student roll Headmistress McGonagall had envisioned, but she was not about to complain.

There was also the fact, that unlike the last two years. Nothing big seemed to be on the horizon. There was not one person who wished to attack one of the kids, for fear of bringing the hives wrath down on their own head. Even Cornelius Fudge, was thinking it might be for the better to see if they could get the hive to help the Ministry. McGonagall was not so convince that was a good idea though. She still had misgivings towards Harry and the hive, even if they had diminished.

Then it happened, there was an escape form Azkaban prison. The news of this escape rocked the wizarding world, much like the killing of Dumbledore had. It was said to be impossible to escape from Azkaban the Wizarding prison. For one, the prison itself was isolated with powerful wards to block magical transportation form entering or exiting. So the only way onto the island was powerful boat that would make the trip four times a month.

The man's target, Harry. Or many believed. But in a surprising move the Ministry of Magic announced that no aid would be given to Hogwarts to up its defenses. As the creatures that now guards the school were likely better suited to catching Black then the Dementors that had been unable to stop Black's escape. No one doubted this, after all, Dumbledore had died to their hands at the end of the last year.

And it was not till Christmas when Black finally did show up at the school. A Xenomorph scout had spotted a large shaggy but very thin dog sneaking through the forest one night. Even the scout xenomorphs knew what creatures lived in the forest by this point. But this scout could also sense something was off about this dog for one it was not acting like a normal dog in anyway.

The scout let out a soft hiss, which got the dogs attention at once. However even though the scout then remained quiet, the dog kept searching and sniffing the air around it for whatever had made the sound. Finally, after nearly three minutes of looking about and sniffing the dog finally began moving off towards the school again. The scout sent along this report to Jade, this was something she would want to know about.

Jade who had been resting quickly in the cave when hearing this new shifting a little bit in surprise. She could not move as much as she used to due to the massive egg sack she now had. Still even with that she had a fairly large amount of movement.

'Harry, Hermione, Aeria,' Jade sent out, focusing on just the three.

'Yes?" Came the reply from the three.

'We have an Animagus in the woods," Jade said back.

'Who?' Hermione asked.

'Well logic says Sirius Black,' Jade replied, 'He is after all one of the very few who would have to sneak into Hogwarts if he wanted to visit.'

'That and no one knows how he escaped from Azkaban,' Aeria responded, the others sensing her other thoughts on how it might be done.

'He is not a registered Animagus,' Hermione commented.

'Yes, and there weren't any extreme dangerous creatures hidden at Hogwarts," Harry commented getting a laugh chuckle from Jade and Aeria, and a groan of annoyance form Hermione.

'Fine, but if it is him, what shall we do?' Hermione asked.

The group was quiet for a few moments while they thought. There was any number of things they could do. They could straight out kill him, and no one would care. They could catch him and use him for an egg. Or they could talk to him, and see just what they could learn from him.

'I think we need to take him in,' Jade sent finally, 'He could have useful information if nothing else.'

'Shall I alert Headmistress McGonagall," Harry asked.

'Not unless he enters the castle,' Aeria answered, 'that will mean less problems and questions for us till we know if it is really him or not.'

Everyone nodded, at this as Harry said, 'Very well, let's catch him. See if he is really who we think he is, then if need be, alert Professor McGonagall.'

'Very well,' Jade answered.

With that the group fell silent again as the refocused on their own tasks. It was an hour later when the dog was caught and dragged to the cave, which had become the main hive. Once thrown into a large pit it could not climb out of, the dog shifting into a human revealing itself to indeed be Sirius Black. Hermione, who had slip out of school, walked to the pits edge and peered down into it.

"So, you are the famous Sirius Black," Hermione said, looking more curious than anything else as she peered down at the man.

Sirius did not respond as he looked up at Hermione. He was shocked to say the least that a kid of all things was talking to him after he had just been captured and dragged into the cave by those creatures. Looking around himself, Sirius began looking for a way to escape but the material beneath his feet was much too hard for him to escape through.

"Who are you," Sirius spat back.

"Hermione," Hermione said sitting down at the edge of the pit, "So, care to tell me what you are doing here?"

"What do you mean doing here?" Sirius asked a little taken aback.

"I mean, if you are really working for Voldemort as everyone seems to think. You are making a rather weird move," Hermione commented, "The smart thing would be to find and revive him. Then work at removing Harry."

"You are right that is the smart thing, but I am not working for Voldemort," Sirius growled, looking around for a way to climb out, he did not see any.

"Then why are you here, what is your goal?" Hermione asked, shifting so she was laying on her belly looking down into the pit.

"Well I was caught and dragged here," Sirius answered, "for the matter, where are we?"

"I know that, and we are about a mile from Hogwarts in a large cave," Hermione answered, before adding, "So what is your goal?"

"My goal," Sirius said, looking up at Hermione.

"Yes, why did you come to Hogwarts," Hermione answered, then added, "Till you tell me that. You will not be let out."

"And you can stop me if I chose to not answer," Sirius said, his tone filled with disbelief.

"Oh, I will not be the one stopping you," Hermione said a small giggle escaping her, "my lovely friends will."

Hermione pointed across the pit and across from her, watching Sirius was a Xenomorph. It had been watching in the shadows, and only now chosen to reveal itself. Sirius stiffened as he saw its tail wave slowly from side to side as it watched him. It was so weird and alien, and worse still even without eyes it was easily to tell it was watching him closely.

"Point taken," Sirius said, glancing for a half a second back towards Hermione.

"So, your goal?" Hermione asked again.

"I am here to find a man called Peter Pettigrew, he is a rat Animagus, and is hidden in the school," Sirius answered.

"Isn't killing him the reason that got you jailed to begin with?" Hermione asked.

"No, I was framed," Sirius said rather lamely, "Most believe that when we met up, not long after the Potters were attacked. He tracked me down and I blasted him with a powerful curse. However, the truth is that I tracked him down, and he blasted the street below him, before cutting off his finger and escaping into the sewer bellow. I got caught not long later, laughing from just the shock of it all."

"Do you have any proof as to this? Besides you word?" Hermione asked.

"No, but I do have this," Sirius said carefully reaching into his shirt and holding up a piece of paper.

Hermione carefully reached down and took the paper. Flatten it out she saw a picture from the Daily Prophet. It showed the Weasley family, on their trip down to Egypt. And there on Ron's shoulder was a fat rat missing a finger on its front paw.

"How did you get the paper?" Hermione asked.

"Fudge was his annual inspection, and I asked for the paper," Sirius said shrugging.

"Well then, I shall have to check this out," Hermione said, before adding, "We will keep you in this place and well fed till I have more news. Do not try to escape and you will not be harmed. I should be back in about a day at the most."

"You are only look to be thirteen or fourteen. What can you do?" Sirius asked in surprise.

"Plenty of things," Hermione said and was gone a moment later.

Sirius grumbled then notice the creature had crawled down into the pit. He watched it closely before he realized it was there to help him climb out.

"I am not sure which is worse, you… things, or those dementors," Sirius said and was soon out, his bodyguard not too far behind him. One thing was for sure, this was going to be an interesting next few days no matter what happened.