The students of the four Houses were gathered in the Great Hall by the Prefects, where they would be spending the rest of their night.
Sirius Black, as a black dog, followed his master amid the hubbub, trying to make sense of what was happening with his limited intelligence. It wasn't like taking the form of a dog hampered his ability for logical deduction. However, he was out of practice after spending twelve years at Azkaban, never revealing his Animagus form.
As Dumbledore shifted the tables and conjured sleeping bags for all, Sirius casually sat down on his haunches, brooding over the baffling mystery.
Many things instantly felt outright wrong to him.
I'd thought the Cabinet had appeared at the Quidditch Pitch because of me, Sirius thought, his tail wagging in relief. But… It's also possible that those Cabinets left their positions, sensing the fear of this person posing as me. Which means whoever this person was had remained an Azkaban prisoner before.
Sirius had no plans of going to the Quidditch Pitch and risking being found out.
However, when he had learned that Harry who would be playing Gryffindor's Seeker, instead of Arlen Black, he had failed to resist the urge.
Old memories of seeing James Potter flying at the Quidditch Pitch and snatching the Golden Snitch out of thin air had rushed to Sirius' mind, forcing him to imagine how Harry would fare in his father's shoes.
It was a miracle that he hadn't succumbed to his revengeful feelings.
Largely, that miracle was because of his closeness to the boys, especially Harry. If he had remained outside, truly living like a dog, then perhaps he would have already lost his mind in trying to find Pettigrew.
This miraculous sanity didn't come without its price, though, it seemed.
Today's event clearly told Sirius that if he kept getting carried away, then, sooner or later, he would be found out.
But, no.
He needed to think about this intruder, not how he missed his friends, Sirius confirmed with a bark.
It was easy for Dark Wizards to pass as him, given his recent images plastered across the entire country as Wanted Posters.
But why even pose as him?
To let the Fat Lady in the Poster recognize him?
What would that do? Sirius asked himself. Or… Was he really trying to get in?
Sirius' ears suddenly snapped, the pointy tip shooting up.
He recalled Harry's dream about Voldemort asking his goons to get the boy.
Yes… Yes… Yes… Sirius thought. It's possible that it was one of the Death Eaters, trying to get to Harry.
Yet, here, too, the big, black dog found himself wagging his tail, facing two troubling mysteries.
First, how did this Death Eater even manage to come past the enchanted Cabinets of Boggarts?
Moreover, the Caretaker guarded all the secret passages, if Sirius remembered correctly.
The only secret passage that was unknown to Filch was the one under the Whomping Willow leading to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. Sirius had decided not to share that with the boys yet, in case he would need it to survive against the Dementors. Also, without knowing the trick to go past the Whomping Willow, it was impossible to use that passage, anyway.
Second, the entire School knew about Harry playing as Seeker for Quidditch.
Then, why did this person go to the Gryffindor dormitory? Did he think Harry would be in the dormitory? That's absurd. No student would remain in the School if there's a Quidditch match outside, no matter the weather…
And, suddenly, once again, Sirius' ears straightened.
This person… knew, he realized. Whoever this person was, he knew that Harry wasn't inside. Yet, he still proceeded to pose as me and rip the Fat Lady's canvas to pieces, knowing what that would do…
Panic.
The Death Eater was aiming to create panic and… succeeded. But why?
Wait… Sirius looked around, seeing all the students of Hogwarts gathered in the Great Hall. Where is Harry?!
He had just decided to bolt toward the Great Hall's doors when the doors opened, and McGonagall entered with Harry Potter.
Sirius relaxed, but an uneasy feeling still kept pricking him for hours to come.
If the Death Eater's goal was to create panic, and not go after Harry himself, then just what was he trying to accomplish?!
The lights went out suddenly, with that dark thought.
Unlike the children, though, Sirius dared not fall asleep. Not tonight.
Once every hour, a teacher would come in to see if everyone was safe and quiet.
At three in the morning, Professor Dumbledore came in with Snape, and the Head Boy, Percy Weasley, walked toward them.
Curious to hear what they had found, Sirius jogged to them silently.
"Any sign of him, Professor?" Percy was asking.
Professor Dumbledore held his long, black beard as he looked around at the sleeping students and shook his head.
"All the floors have been searched," Snape drawled. "He's not there. Filch must be coming back after searching the dungeons, too."
Dumbledore began prowling the gaps between the rows of the sleeping bags with Snape and Percy, Sirius silently walking behind them to listen.
"Headmaster?" Snape suddenly said, when Percy went to quieten a few children. "Do you remember the conversation we had before the start of the term? About… a certain someone's appointment? It seems impossible that Black entered Hogwarts without inside help…"
This slick-haired bastard! Sirius felt anger surging inside him. He is trying to blame Lupin! Even now… Even now, you haven't changed at all, you crooked…
Dumbledore and Snape looked at him.
With a skip of a heartbeat, Sirius realized that he had been growling menacingly at Snape.
As Lord Black Phoenix peered at him through his round glasses, with Snape eying him confusedly, Sirius sat down on his haunches and began wagging his tail… hoping that…
Suddenly, someone came barging toward Dumbledore and Snape, saving the day for Sirius.
It was Filch.
"Nothing in the dungeons, Headmaster…" Filch said, breathing hard. "And boy…"
The old caretaker pointed the lantern in his hand toward Percy, who had returned.
"… I reckon it's yours?" Filch said, lifting a creature he carried in his other hand. "Mrs. Norris found him… You should be glad that I fed her good tonight, or… he-he…"
And Percy's eyes bulged, seeing the creature Filch carried.
It wasn't just him; it took Sirius everything not to lunge forward and bite that creature to pieces right under Dumbledore's eyes.
Because that creature was the family pet of the Weasleys — Scabbers!