condition. Once again, I hope you'll forgive me for the things I said in the Shrieking Shack
that night. It was rude of me to imply you were anything but honourable, and please know
that I will never again reveal your condition to others."
"She'll take that promise seriously," Sirius muttered, fiddling with the tip of a quill
that had lost its edge. "Bloody near attacked us when we found out second year."
"Thank you again very much for the books you've loaned me," Remus continued
reading aloud. "I've returned to you your copy of Dreadful Denizens of the Deep, and I can't
wait to see what you're willing to send me next; that is if you are still all right with me using
you as a post order library.
"The end of term was without incident, at least in the life-threatening sense.
Gryffindor won the House Cup again and, shortly after the announcement, Fred and
George Weasley somehow transfigured one of Professor McGonagall's cats into a
miniature hippogriff and let it chase Malfoy around the Great Hall, pecking at his ankles.
They've been given detention for two weeks starting next September."
"Brilliant," Sirius said with a grin. "That was my favourite part. Miniature
hippogriffs. I'm heartbroken that we never thought of that."
"Ron and Harry are well. Ron's leg is healing from the break, and he's quite content
to tell anyone who will listen about his heroic face-off against the now infamous Sirius
Black, though no one appears to believe him, which I think is well and good. Harry worries
about Sirius. It might be strange to say, but I do as well. Hermione J. Granger."
"What does the 'J' stand for?" Sirius asked.
"Jane or Jean," Remus answered. "I can't remember which." He pulled down the
letter, folding it back up and setting it aside. "She's worried about you."
"I know, I read the letter and heard your oration, thanks very much." Sirius scowled
as he took up his own quill and put it to parchment.
Dear Harry,
I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't
know whether they're used to owl post. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I
won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands; I have some
doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he does seem
eager for the job.
I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a
hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me