"Ah, Black. What a busy day it's been, hasn't it?
You turned into a big black dog and came all the way from Privet Drive to London. You watched your godson go into the Leaky Cauldron. You watched him, all alone and helpless, lugging a huge trunk with no one to help him. Lonely and pathetic.
You saw his face, so much like his father's, and his eyes, so much like his mother's. I bet you were itching to rush up to him and tell him you were innocent, that you wanted to adopt him. Am I right?"
Dewey sat in the café, adding sugar to his coffee over and over as he hurled insults.
He was being sarcastic.
It looked less like he was drinking coffee and more like he was drinking sugar.
Sirius Black sat opposite him. He heard Dewey's insults and said nothing, but his clenched fists made it clear that Dewey was only a hair's breadth away from getting punched.
Compared to Dewey's eclectic outfit, his clothes looked more serious and old-fashioned.
Dewey had found Sirius a head wrap, a scarf, and a white robe.
He looked like a devout believer.
Two men bundled up from head to toe sat openly in a London café, drinking coffee beside the glass window.
No one suspected a thing.
Outside, police officers, Hit Wizards, and Aurors passed by one after another, yet not one of them imagined that the fugitives they were working so hard to catch were relaxing in a nearby café, watching them patrol.
Sirius felt the strangeness of the world.
He had also gained a new appreciation for just how reckless the man in front of him could be.
"What did you come looking for me for?"
Sirius asked in a low voice.
He was clearly not doing well. Even after escaping Azkaban, Sirius was plagued by nightmares. It was a lingering consequence of living alongside Dementors for so long, and there was no cure.
Even the famous Harry Potter had been scarred by just one encounter with a Dementor.
The likes of them, who had been locked up with them, had it far worse.
Dewey took a sip of coffee. "I have a big plan."
He spoke calmly and seriously. Sirius gave a little laugh.
"And what does that have to do with me?"
He shot back.
"Everything, Black. Don't forget, we're both wanted fugitives now. I know what you're trying to do.
You want to sneak into Hogwarts, find Scabbers, force him to reveal his true form, and prove your innocence in front of all the teachers and students, don't you?
But how do you plan to get into Hogwarts?
I heard that Minister for Magic Fudge teamed up with the Hogwarts School Governors to pressure Dumbledore into letting Dementors into Hogwarts to protect Harry Potter.
The whole school is full of ghosts, portraits, teachers, and Dumbledore. Even if you're an Animagus, what makes you think you can get into the boys' dormitory and near Harry Potter?
Your good luck?
Or are you confident you can take on McGonagall? Maybe you think you can beat Flitwick?
And what if you run into Snape? Do you think he'll give you a chance to explain?"
Dewey's questions were cutting. Sirius fell silent.
"Tell me your plan."
Sirius looked ready to give in.
Dewey chuckled.
"That's why I need your help. You want to prove yourself innocent, and I want to learn more. We want the same thing."
Dewey quietly told Sirius his plan.
Black looked at Dewey.
He studied him from head to toe, carefully and intently, as if he were seeing him for the first time.
"You're really mad. Do you know what will happen if you do this?"
Sirius asked.
"I do. I know exactly what I'm doing. I'll die, and the Dementors will suck out my soul. But that's not even the worst outcome, is it?
I don't want to spend every day drowning in regret and misery."
Dewey said.
A real man should feast like a king in life, and be boiled in a cauldron in death.
Dewey told himself.
He looked at Sirius. "I went mad a long time ago, when they threw me into Azkaban.
If I weren't mad, I wouldn't be here.
This is my plan. Compared to yours, it's dangerous, but the payoff is greater."
Dewey didn't give Sirius time to think. Staring into his eyes, he growled, "We're running out of time, Black. Give me your answer!"
Dewey demanded, his tone firm and final!
Sirius looked at Dewey, set down his coffee cup, and said, "What do we do?"
Dewey raised his eyebrows, then suddenly slumped back in his chair.
"Can you perform Wandless Magic?"
He asked.
"I can, but it won't be nearly as effective."
Sirius said.
"Good. I need you to use Expelliarmus on me with your bare hands. I've got a wand here—oak, with a Dragon Heartstring core. It should work all right for you."
Dewey said decisively.
Sirius asked, "Then what will you use?"
"That's the first step of our plan, Sirius."
Dewey said, "I have another wand. Apple wood, with a Unicorn hair core."
"Looks like that wand isn't right for you. It doesn't like Dark Magic."
Sirius said.
So he knew about Dewey using Avada Kedavra on the Ministry of Magic officers.
Dewey shrugged. "Then you should know my Unforgivable Curses can't even kill anyone. Avada Kedavra is less useful to me than Stupefy.
I don't like Dark Magic, just as Dark Magic doesn't like me."
At that, Sirius laughed again, baring his yellow teeth.
He looked like he hadn't laughed in a long time. It came out awkwardly.
"Fine. Where are we going to find this wand for you? Ollivander's shop?"
Sirius was in better spirits too. It was clear Dewey's big plan had stirred up his own taste for adventure.
He could feel his blood racing again—a precious sensation as rare in Azkaban as happiness.
"Of course not."
Dewey said with relish, "Isn't the Ministry of Magic calling us both fugitives?
Then I think we should do something fugitives like to do.
I mean, we could go hunting Wizards."
Dewey said, "If I remember right, the Ministry of Magic's Visitor's Entrance is right in central London."
He smiled. "So, right under the noses of a whole lot of Wizards, we're going to do something completely insane."
At nine that evening, the ship docked, and Walker and several of his colleagues disembarked.
They looked awful, visibly exhausted.
Several Hit Wizards had fallen asleep on the ship, but even in their sleep they were restless, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
A prison break from Azkaban was a major incident. After a thorough investigation, these Hit Wizards who guarded Azkaban were cleared of any suspicion of colluding with the escapees. Only then were they spared from being thrown into Azkaban themselves.
Being interrogated at Azkaban had left them mentally and physically drained.
Even so, they couldn't rest.
It was their shift-change day. Normally, they would have had fifteen days off to recover.
But now, even that time off had been canceled.
They'd have one day to rest tomorrow. Then, tomorrow afternoon, they had to report to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, join the patrol teams, and search for the two Azkaban fugitives.
"Let me catch those two. If I do, I won't show them an ounce of mercy!
Those two damn idiots."
Walker said with hatred. Beside him, five colleagues were so tired they could barely stand.
One of them went off to wake the remaining Hit Wizards one by one.
Working in Azkaban was a double torment, physical and mental. Even the guards felt like they were better off dead.
For Hit Wizards, it was a different kind of imprisonment.
At least the Hit Wizards stationed at Azkaban were well paid, with good benefits. And with the Ministry of Magic's usual disregard for its employees, they were worked to the bone. These Hit Wizards had nowhere else to go, even if they wanted to quit.
The Wizarding world was small, and finding a job with such a generous salary wasn't easy.
"Good. I feel the same way."
The Hit Wizard who had gone out to wake the others said to Walker, "Whose turn is it to pay this time? Yours, Walker.
Let's go have some fun at the Leaky Cauldron.
Anyone got chocolate? Give me a piece."
Walker gave an absent-minded "Mm." He was exhausted, but didn't dare fall asleep. Experience had taught him that sleeping at a time like this only made him more tired and left him feeling as if something were pressing on his chest.
They needed to let loose and enjoy themselves. The Ministry of Magic had a permanent private room at the Leaky Cauldron as a work perk for the Hit Wizards stationed at Azkaban.
"Fine. Let's go."
He said lazily. None of them planned on going back to the Ministry of Magic just yet. They intended to drink and carouse all night, to enjoy the pleasures of life.
Just then, two plumes of black smoke appeared out of nowhere!
Someone had Apparated!
The Hit Wizards never would have imagined that anyone would attack them at a time like this!
It was always the cat chasing the mouse. When had a mouse ever turned around and attacked the cat?
Their sluggish minds hadn't even processed what was happening before they saw two faces they knew all too well.
Dewey strode forward. He had no wand, but he was fearless. The moment he appeared in human form, he charged at the Hit Wizards!
"Protego!"
"Protego!"
"Protego!"
Three golden shields sprang up in front of him. Sirius was even more direct. He took on the group head-on, firing spells one after another—Petrificus Totalus, Stupefy, Expelliarmus!
How could a handful of Hit Wizards, exhausted to the limit, possibly stand against those two powerhouses? Walker had only just raised his wand when Sirius struck him with a spell and sent him flying.
Dewey strode forward. Several spells struck the shields and bounced back, hitting their own side!
He punched a Hit Wizard in the stomach, making them throw up everything they'd had for dinner the night before!
Before you continue