Chapter Thirty-Three
"The Journey"

Page One

Black sat up violently, nearly hitting his head on a low-hanging branch. A chill had gone of his spine, jolting him upright. Something inside him ached to speak.

"What is it?" asked Snape hurriedly.

Black stared out in front of him, his breathing harsh and sporadic. "Harry… where's Harry?"

"I'm right here," said Harry, coming around from behind Black. "I was just lying down, what's wrong?"

Black looked at Harry, then back at Snape, as if he'd just awoken from a deep coma, unaware of what had happened. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he jumped to his feet.

"Lupin," he stuttered. "Lupin… I've got to find Lupin."

Harry got to his feet and quickly ran to Black, who was pacing back and forth, pointing in various directions.

"Lupin…"

"Sit back down, Sirius," pleaded Harry. "You'll only hurt yourself."

"Something isn't right!" shouted Black, losing his nerve. He stood his ground, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "Something isn't right," he repeated, his voice trembling. He looked dazed, about to crumble, utterly lost in his own panic.

"Please," Harry said, grabbing Black's forearm. "Sit down."

Sirius fell haphazardly into the mud, landing sitting down. His face had gone perfectly white and his features leaned slightly to one side. He looked as if he had been in a prizefight and lost.

"He's dead."

Harry's eyes grew wide and he slowly sunk to his knees beside Sirius. "He… He can't be."

"He's dead," Sirius repeated as if he were dead himself. "I sent my own friend to die." His breath caught in his chest as a tear rolled down his cheek. The crying came suddenly as he slumped to his left, landing across Harry's lap. Harry extended his arm, supporting Sirius' head.

"I've killed him," Sirius muttered beneath his tears. "…I've killed him."

Harry stroked Sirius' mud-stained hair, wishing he had something to say. His mind had frozen over. If it were true… Harry's mind went blank, refusing to consider death. It was never an option.

* * *

Madam Pomfrey slowly rose to her feet, wiping a tear from her eye. She gathered her wand from the floor and straightened her robes.

"Professor Flitwick," she said purposefully. "I'm leaving and I don't know if I'll return. If I don't; pray."

"But, Madam Pomfrey," interjected Fred. "Take us with you. You can't do it alone."

"No, Fred."

"But, Snape, he gave us orders-"

"Not now, Fred," she interrupted, raising her hand warningly. "The time isn't right for that, not yet."

Before further protests could be made, she walked out the doors into the entry hall and disappeared into the storm. She ran across the grounds toward the forbidden forest, leaving all concerns behind her. Each step brought her closer to autonomy, her brain left in denial. Her destination was not a place for inhibitions.

She reached the edge of the forest and without pause, she continued her stride. Immediately, the calm sounds of the field left her, replaced with the strange echo of the trees. Leaves rustled, raindrops fell and creatures accompanied with unearthly instruments. Her pace was determined as she leapt over rocks, roots and other lumpy things she didn't care to identify. But then she heard it…

A violent rushing sound, a pounding in the earth… something was coming at her from a million different directions. She stopped dead in her tracks, trying to determine her pursuer's angle of attack. Before she had too long to think, a shadowed figure stood in front of her, not 20 paces ahead. A silhouette; a head, massive shoulders, broad chest… and thin legs. The monstrosity stepped forward in the light to reveal a commanding Centaur, his eyes fixed directly on Madam Pomfrey. His skin was as deep as ebony and his eyes reflected the little light that took possession of the air in the forest. Dark ink-black hair atop his head and a rich coat of horsehair so richly brown it was nearly black, he stood easily four feet taller than Madam Pomfrey.

"Explain yourself, Pomfrey," he commanded.

"I've come to help," she stammered. She had heard Albus speak several times of the Centaurs in the forest, but they had never sounded as imposing as the one who stood before her, calling her by name. "I've come looking for three people stranded in the forest."

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