Planning the Escape

Hermione attempted to change the subject, bringing up her own specifications for this bolt hole too. "This place will really have to be a fair size. We could all end up living and being home tutored there too. It's not that we don't want to leave Hogwarts for good, it's just that we could see ourselves fighting against the Death Eaters, Dumbledore and the Ministry all at the same time. As bad as the last two are, finishing off Voldemort and his Death Eaters has to be the top priority."

Remus then dropped his quill at hearing what Harry said next.

"We know how to kill him, Remus, kill him for good. One of his soul anchors - and the means to destroy it - are actually inside Hogwarts. We'll deal with it before we leave for the summer, preferably before McGonagall asks for Hermione's time turner back. With the map, my dad's cloak and a time turner - we should easily manage to pull this off and have an alibi if questions are ever asked."

Trying to get his thoughts organised, Remus needed a few answers. "Today is Saturday, the express leaves next Saturday, giving us seven days to get what you need done. Sneaking you out of school could cause problems, Dumbledore might be monitoring both of you - almost certainly Harry. We could have you both portkey to London on the last day, instead of taking the express. That shouldn't raise any alarms, and give us time to meet with the goblins - and Hermione's parents. I should be able to manage most of what you're looking for before then."

Harry called for Dobby, introducing the elf to Remus. "Call for Dobby to pass any messages between us. Dobby is also in contact with Sirius, you might want to let him know what's happening too. As soon as we have a bolt hole organised, get Sirius there. We'll all feel better knowing he's safe."

Remus then tried to thank Harry for giving him a job, but found himself being thanked instead.

"When we came in here, both of us were hanging on to our sanity by a thread. Just knowing we now have help is a massive relief. Getting Sirius involved too means the four of us can hopefully sit down next weekend and try to figure out what we do next. We could easily end up with enraged Death Eaters, Dumbledore and possibly the Ministry too all trying to track us down."

"Wherever we end up has to be secure, and preferably a country not too friendly with the people who will be looking for us. It also gives us a week to figure out how we'd get our friends there, without them knowing where 'there' actually is."

Remus promised to put all this onto parchment, and send it via Dobby to Sirius tonight. The new Steward of House Potter wondering out loud whether Sirius would believe him - or think his fellow Marauder was pulling a prank - had the young couple laughing out loud. Explaining to Remus the 'prank' they had just pulled on Snape saw Moony struggling to control his own laughter.

He would certainly include that little episode in his letter to Sirius. The old dog could probably use a good laugh, and nothing made Sirius laugh harder than a successful prank on Snivilus.

.....

Sirius' stomach may have been loudly growling at him with hunger pangs but it was news about his godson he was really starved of. That was why the letter on top of the basket Dobby brought him got opened first, rather than the delicious smelling wrapped food it sat upon. As Sirius read the letter from Moony, he began to wonder if his hunger was worse than he'd thought - and starvation was actually affecting his mind. Surely this couldn't be true?

Reading how his godson, and his betrothed, had pranked Snivilus though immediately had a warm feeling welling up inside of Sirius. He didn't think he could have been prouder of those two. Turning back time to rescue him was pretty bloody special, but publicly taking down Snape - in front of the entire school and staff - wasn't too shabby either. While laughing his arse off at the prank, Sirius was also a little angry at himself for not considering casting something in Snape's direction when he had the chance.

Sitting down and eventually eating some of the wonderful food Dobby brought him, Sirius was still chewing over the letter's contents. Moony had mentioned that the only memory Harry had of his mother before that night was dementor induced, and had Lily begging Voldemort to kill her instead.

That just seemed to emphasise how badly Sirius had failed his godson, and he couldn't even manage to kill the dirty rat that caused all of this.

Reading of the unbelievable task thrust upon his godson's young shoulders left Sirius ready to weep for the amount of shit fate seemed determined to bury Harry under. Lost both parents as a toddler, both godparents 'indisposed' so forced to live with magic-hating relatives and now prophesied to take on a Dark Lord the entire country thinks is already dead - yet are still terrified to even mention him by name.

Remus though wrote at great length about how Harry and Hermione were desperate for them to help with the task that seemed to have been predetermined by prophecy to be Harry's, which is exactly what Sirius intended to do.

It would also seem his godson had a monster of a prank planned on Voldemort's richest supporters, something Sirius wholeheartedly agreed with. Hitting them where it really hurt, grasping them tightly by their vaults and tugging, would certainly start their payback. Hearing what happened in the infirmary also reinforced Lily's dire warning to Harry that Dumbledore was not their friend, though it seems things might be even worse than she thought they were.

Sirius had asked Dobby for some parchment, ink and quills - only to be told there was a supply at the bottom of the basket, along with some clean clothes. He would be making a list of what he thought they needed to do, getting his thoughts jotted down before writing back to Remus. He loved Harry's idea of making Remus Steward to his family, and intended to do the same for his own. His mother would be turning in her grave at the thought of a werewolf as Steward to the House of Black.

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