He had to tell them. They knew whenever it opened, and they would know it was him. It would be too hard for him to do it the same way he had in the past, but he didn’t know any other way to use it.


Hilda Flume entered their cellar again. Their shop was closed, they were home alone, and Sirius needed to let them know he was there. He breathed silently and finally stirred in the shadows.


Without looking up, she said, “Ambrosius, where did you put the sugar quills?"


He stepped into the light and waited for her to turn.


“Ambrosius—� she began, but never finished. She turned and saw his too familiar eyes staring back at her from the bottom of the stairs.


He watched her take a slow breath; then she looked away.


“Hilda,� he said, not knowing what else to say. Her name hung in the air, filling the room with more uncertainty.


She sighed, and he knew what was coming before she took the breath to speak.


“We can’t let you, Sirius. You know what it would mean.� She took a step forward; her wise eyes gazed deep into his. “You knew before you came, didn’t you?�


Sirius looked away; he didn’t want to admit anything.


“I’m sorry, dear,� Hilda continued. “You will always have a place in our hearts, but today, you need to do it without us. You can’t use it. Not now. Someone else has found it, and you absolutely cannot meet in the middle.�


Sirius recognized logic when he heard it, but it had been so long since he had a logical conversation with anyone other than the occasional stray cat that he couldn’t admit defeat.


Eventually he met her eyes and realized she had to know. He had to make her understand why he needed her today.


“It wasn’t me,� Sirius began. “I need to make things right; I need this for James.�


He stared at her and finally understood that the days of late night talks, sound advice, and weekend extravaganzas were over. He was a grown man, and she was older than she used to be. She couldn’t see him as the same person. He couldn’t see him as the same person. Which gave him all the more motivation to do what he needed to do.


When she didn’t say anything, Sirius nodded resolutely and headed back up the stairs.


“Sirius!� she called as she ran past him. She flew into the other room and back with a basket of food — prepared in advance as if she had been expecting someone. “I know it’s not much,� she said as she pushed it toward him. “Old habits die hard, I guess.�


Sirius looked at the food, he was starving, but what she said downstairs rang painfully true. An emotion he hadn’t felt in thirteen years.


He smiled at her; one she could recognize from his years at school and walked out the door. She stood holding the basket, sadly watched him leave, and hoped it wouldn’t be the last time she found him lurking in their cellar.

---

“There’s no other way,� Sirius said to himself once he arrived back at the shack. “It has to be tomorrow.�


Sirius looked over at him, and without a word, he showed his disapproval.


“Don’t give me that look,� Sirius began. “It was your idea in the first place to get in there.�


Crookshanks continued staring unblinkingly as he laid his head on his arms.


“You don’t understand,� Sirius said. “Thirteen years ago, tomorrow, was the day he betrayed us all. And I’ve been taking his punishment. But he’s still alive. And I’m the only one who knows.�


Sirius paused, a flood of memories consuming him.


“I am the only one who knows. Only I can make things right. Halloween. Yes. The students will be at a feast.�


Crookshanks nodded, then curled up to sleep with a smile on his face.


“Oh, don’t give me that. Like you’re the master planner of this organization.�


After shaking his head in disgust, Sirius transformed and found his favorite corner. Sleeping in the shack was much more comfortable when you had to turn around three times before you lay down.

---

He waited at the base of the tree for the signal. The plan had been adjusted slightly, but Sirius wasn’t worried. After the Flumes refused passage through Honeydukes, Sirius had to resort to using the Whomping Willow as his entrance. That left the problem of getting through the front doors and up the stairs without anyone recognizing him.


The Fat Lady shouldn’t be a problem. He had many run-ins with her while at school, and she adored him. After all, how could you forget your all-time favorite student? Violet had told him that the fat lady had admired him for seven years. That couldn’t be forgotten no matter what else happened.


He heard Crookshanks outside; it was time to go.


Sirius slipped out of the tree, fresh into the moonlight, enjoying the crisp night air. Yet he was empty inside.


This tree was the start of many adventures his last few years of school. Stepping out into the fresh night air, ready to roam the grounds always came with a sense of thrill and excitement—so unlike his empty feeling of vengeance. He remembered each of their hundreds of adventures some were close calls, and many involved bruises that lasted several days. Now one of them was gone forever, and the other had betrayed them all.


Sirius shook his head, coming back to the moment and realized, more than ever, that he had to finish what he came for.


Bounding forward in haste, he ran up the steps, feigning playfulness as he ‘chased’ Crookshanks into the castle. The front doors didn’t object to a dog, but they still weren’t eager about letting him run through the entrance hall.


Sirius leapt up the stairs, hungrily headed towards Gryffindor tower. He stopped when he got to a particular staircase. It wasn’t the fact that so many memories began there, but that those memories would last forever.


He sighed, unable to shake off the monotony of the day. They could study for exams, but with them more than a month away, no one but Remus and the Ravenclaws were studying.


“I’m bored,� he said as he looked out the window.


James turned toward Sirius, took a deep breath and asked, rather pensively, “You know how sometimes the walls pretend to be doors?�


Sirius looked over, thoroughly confused by the question.


“Well, do you reckon the stairs could pretend to be stairs?�


Sirius sat up a little straighter, intrigued by James’ train of thought.


“And if they don’t feel like pretending, maybe it’s because they need some help,� James continued.


Sirius stood up, looked at James, laughing inside at the simple brilliance of it, and headed out.


Peter walked by as Sirius approached the staircase, asking it a list of recently compiled questions.


“Um, Sirius?�


“Kind of busy,� he replied.


“You’re talking to a staircase,� Peter said.


“Yes,� Sirius said. “And it doesn’t respond very well.�


As soon as Sirius finished those words, the staircase moved.


“Now that’ s more like it!� he exclaimed. “Peter, we’ve got to find James, this is going to be perfect!�


Sirius continued looking up at the trick stair. It was brilliantly fun, teaching the staircases to pretend to be stairs. No one could move up or down any floor for hours.


The charms professor remedied it the next day, but Dumbledore allowed a few stairs to remain, just as a tribute to the brilliance of their quartet.


Sirius looked away bitterly, those days were gone. Never would he think of that lying, traitorous rat so fondly. Ever.


He leaped over the stair that had stalled him, and continued up the stairs. He was so close to actually committing the murder for which he was sent to Azkaban, and he was ready.


As he rounded the corner, he saw her. She was the last obstacle before he could achieve his vengeance.


He immediately transformed, expecting to be welcomed in open arms, and joyously helped by an old friend.


“Hello, Lady,� he began, but almost instantly realized it wouldn’t be as easy as he expected.


“Password?�


Sirius looked up at her and willed her to understand why he needed to get inside.


“I have to get in there,� he began. “There’s a murderer—�


“You!� she cried. “What are you doing inside the castle?�


“I have to get in there. He’s in there and needs to be destroyed.�


“No,� she replied.


“You don’t understand,� Sirius began, sorely troubled at her obstinate streak. “No one will ever understand. He’s in there, and it’s his fault they’re dead. He needs to be gone forever."


“You do not have the password,� Lady said without emotion. “You will not enter.�


“You don’t understand!� shouted Sirius. “He’s in there! If I don’t kill him, he’ll continue to live when the rest of us would have died to save him!�


The Fat Lady didn’t respond.


“I have to get in there!� Sirius cried as he began clawing at the portrait, willing it to open into the common room.


“No!� she exclaimed.


A helpless growl erupted from Sirius’ throat, as he attempted to crawl through her. He repeatedly slashed her portrait, hoping to crawl through the wall to destroy his betraying friend.


She screamed and ran off through other portraits, hiding from him.


“Wait!� Sirius called. “Come back!�


Sirius instantly realized the commotion he caused and knew someone would arrive shortly. He needed to get out soon if he expected to return and finish what he started. It wouldn’t be easy, but if he waited, the opportune moment would present itself.


Right now, he needed a quick way out that wouldn’t risk people finding him.


He growled, knowing there was only one route close enough he could use to run free. As he transformed back into a dog and threw himself down the tunnel, he wondered what the Flumes would do when they realized he had used their sweet shop anyway.