Veggie Potter: Hey Stef, thanks so much. It's a lot of fun writing what I think might have happened. I know I did this plenty when I was young.

Miss Weasley: Hey Katie! Thanks for reading and saying wonderful things about my writing. Katie, how, what, why would you think that?!?!?!?!? Hehehe I'm sure you along with everyone else is correct in your assumption. Let's find out.

Emily Black: Hey Emily, (wonder how many times today I've written that) Thanks for coming back! And thanks for all the nice things you always say. Ah, yes. I'm sure without a doubt she wanted to get him first, but you know how he always umm, (thinking of a way to say this without offending the Draco lovers) is so thoughtful as to let Crabbe and Goyle stand in front of him when he's rude and obnoxious to others.

AmbiguouslyMe: Thank you! I'm so glad you are reading and enjoying my story.

Harita: Thanks Harita for taking the time to read and post. Please take care to stay on top of your studies, and the best of luck with them. I know exams are rough, but I trust your gray matter will not fail you, and you'll do great!

Derfel: Thanks Owen for reading and commenting. I'm sure it couldn't have been all that exciting for a macho man to read this girly chapter, but being the friend you are you found something to enloy, and I am grateful to you.
Thank you. Very wonderfully put.

Thanks to everybody else who read and didn't comment. Thanks you so much to each and every reader. I do love each of you. I'd like to thank Emily for offering to be my Beta and doing a spectacular job. She keeps me learning and I am grateful for her help in making this story a better read. Thank you Emily. You'll notice all my was and were's sees and saws are all in order starting tonight.

Next Thursday's chapter 27, "Twelve Years Dieing, One Night to Start Living"







CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Crookshanks on the Prowl


He was on his way to Hogsmeade when he decided to change into Jim. It had been awhile since he was last in this form. “It’s nice walking upright for a change,” he thought. He took in the cold air and decided he wouldn’t stay in this form too long though because it was downright cold to him. He missed his thick fur that protected him from the elements of nature. It is part of a werecat’s magic that they are wearing clothes when in human form. It is just an illusion of clothes, for they actually don’t have anything on. Just the same, he was enjoying his surroundings.

The serene ambiance of his surroundings was breathtaking. A hue of different colors beheld his eyes. No artist could create the splendor the light of the brilliant full moon projected onto the enraptured earth and all it encompassed. As he looked at the moon, his mind went briefly to a night in the menagerie, and he smiled a longing smile.

Back to the here and now, the dark, silvery blue light highlighted the purple and white heather that lived in patches all over the hillside. It touched lightly on the red bushes that cropped up around big, grey boulders and brought attention to the gold and red leaves that fell gently in the slight breeze that stirred now and then.

The dew settled on webs that spiders had spun arduously as a trap and turned them into shimmering works of art. Moss Roses, although closed up for the night, looked like different shades of purple, yellow, red, and white glittered pearls magnified by the light of the moon.

The night animals and insects each gave their own renditions of tranquility. He heard a nightingale boasting his splendid song to his heartthrob, and a wolf baying to the moon a short distance off. The wolf brought Jim out of his state of wonder in the beauty he was partaking. He thought of how lucky Lupin was that Dumbledore had Snape brew a potion of wolfsbane, so he could cuddle up on the floor of his office tonight. It was the last night of the full moon. Suddenly, Jim stopped and came to an abrupt realization. He knew where Sirius Black was.

He took in the magnificent beauty for just a moment, and then he Apparated back within the walls of the castle. Back to being Crookshanks, and thankful for his fur coat, he selected a particularly thick clump of grass in front of The Whomping Willow and curled up for a nap.

It wasn’t long before his suspicions proved correct. A slight noise came from the trunk of the Whomping Willow tree. The limbs started flailing about, and then they stopped. From the shadows emerged a great black dog. Seeing a cat looking at him and not running from him puzzled him. Crookshanks reached out and touched his heart with his magic. “Yes, this is Sirius, and his mind is intact; he hasn’t gone crazy. His loyalty to James and Lily hadn’t changed. He is still going to track down their murderer and the miserable accomplice and rid the world of them. He wants to first find Harry Potter, make sure he is okay, and let him know who he is and what his intentions are.”

Crookshanks’ heart sank at Sirius’s physical condition. He could tell that mentally Sirius was astonishingly sound and ready to start his quest. Crookshanks knew however, that Sirius had to build up his body before he could do anything. He was just about to touch his mind and tell him who he was and that he was here to help him, when Sirius cocked his head to one side then the other and gave a soft little “ruff.” Then he dropped his front legs and chest to the ground with his bottom end still standing and his tail wagging a mile a minute. Soft little barks and yaps, only for the cat to hear, made Crookshanks laugh within his thoughts. Sirius wanted to know if they were going to have a game of chase, or would he scratch his nose if he just passed by to tend to his business.

Crookshanks was sorely tempted and considered having some fun with Sirius before he got down to business. He decided not to, but just then, Sirius, still in the same position, yapped some more, raised his paw and pawed the air in front of him. He said, “Come on now, I don’t have a lot of time. Is it going to be a game of chase? I’m game if you are. I must warn you though, I’m awfully hungry, and if I catch you, I might eat you.”

He could hardly resist; Sirius was absolutely adorable, but the sooner he let him know whom he was and what he was doing, the sooner he would be able to get Sirius something to eat. He searched his memory and decided on one. “Shoot any hoops lately?” He mimicked dribbling a ball and shooting for a basket.

Sirius’s back legs went out from under him and he rolled over so fast that, as he transformed into a man, he nearly fell backwards. Catching his balance and staring at him, he spoke. “Basketball? Are you - but, no you’re not black and gray, or… dead? You’re a werecat then, aren’t you? Do you, I mean to say,” he scratched his head. “Do you know a cat named Tom?”

“I am indeed Tom, only now I am known as Crookshanks.”

“Well, thanks for not taking me up on the game of chase. I realize I would have been the meal,” Sirius said laughing, sounding more like the dog yapping again.

“You need to work on your human characteristics,” Crookshanks said good-naturedly.

“Yes, well, you have to realize that most of the last twelve years, I’ve been a dog,” he said defensively, yet with a small smile.

“And most of all of my life, I’ve been a cat, and I don’t go around meowing when I’m human,” he said in an understanding voice.

“Point taken,” Sirius said.

“All I’m saying is, if subterfuge is to be continued, you need to work on being human. I understand your plight of the last twelve years, but there’s more at stake than you know.”

“Steak! Man what I wouldn’t do for-” Crookshanks cut in on him and told him they needed to talk. “Alright, what’s on your mind?” he asked wearily.

“Go back to the shack, and I’ll be there in a moment,” he said, and then he turned and ran off. Sirius wasn’t too keen on this order, but he obeyed. He was only back for a couple minutes, when Jim popped in carrying a whole ham, a loaf of bread, a bladder skin of drink, and a blanket. He put the things before Sirius and told him to eat, drink, and be merry, but slowly, so he wouldn’t get sick.

“I swiped the ham from Hagrid’s smoke house, and the bread is from his cupboard. I was going to bring you some sort of brownie looking things, but thought better of it. The blanket I took off his clothesline. It‘s a little damp from the dew though.”

“Oh, thank you so much!” he said. Sirius went to the fireplace eyeing the food, but knew he needed to build a fire and cook the ham. “This is a unique place here. Dumbledore made it to accommodate—”

“Remus when he was here at school. Lily told me. She told me everything that went on here. I felt like I knew all of you before we ever met.”

Sirius chuckled sadly. “It was a long time ago, and we were so foolish, me more than anyone else,” he admitted. He went to the fireplace and touched the grate. A log put itself in the grate. As soon as it settled, it erupted into flames, and three more small logs put themselves in the fire. Sirius impaled the ham onto the spit and before long; the ham was sizzling as it rotated of its own accord at an even pace. Sirius checked the blanket after a bit longer, and wrapped up cozy in it.

He took a huge gulp of his drink, and spewed it from his mouth. “MILK?” he shouted incredulously.

Jim laughed and giggled until he fell over. “You know the old muggle saying, ‘Milk, it does a body good!’ Well, I figured you, ‘need a new you, strengthen your bones and, make new brain cells,’ all that kind of stuff.” Jim moved closer to the fire. Sirius started eating great bites of bread, while washing it down with his milk, as he waited for the ham.

“Hagrid isn’t the best cook in the land, but this is wonderful!” he said. Every now and then he sliced off a piece of ham and tried eating it before it cooled. “This was so good and thoughtful of you to do for me, even the milk. I’m very grateful for this. Thanks, Crookshanks.”

“I’m known as Jim when I’m in human form,” he said holding out his small hand for Sirius to shake. Sirius watched Jim, asking him if James and Lily knew he was a werecat while he clasped his hand in a warm handshake.

“James knew the moment he saw me, but, no, Lily didn’t know. It was the most blessed day of my life when she found me. I was near death and she took me in and nursed me back to health. It was like a breath of fresh air each second I was with her. She had a wonderful life until she reached the age to attend Hogwarts.”

“I know the rest of the story from then on,” Sirius said with a huge slab of ham about to be crammed into his mouth. Although seeing him in his present condition proved Sirius had endured much hardship and suffering, his face beamed with the memory of Lily, and James, his lifelong friend.

“Didn‘t they have the most spectacular wedding? I made quite the dashing best man, if I do say so myself! And on my arm, well, you’ve seen her, she was the most beautiful—” The smile on his face and the brightness in his eyes vanished. The ham, which was about to go into his mouth, dropped to the floor. He sat there silently, then buried his face in his hands and wept soulfully.

Compassion for his friend filled Jim. He squatted down in front of him, put his hand on Sirius’s knee, and said, “Sirius? She’s here. Your Lissydove is here. She heard you escaped, came here, and took a position under Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing.”