"Pettigrew escaped." Black's face immediately fell.
"But it's fine - we all know now, and Dumbledore will listen too, I'm sure of it - we'll get him soon. For now, you have bigger problems. How are you going to escape? Snape's taken the others back for treatment, and Lupin's still out here somewhere. We've no evidence of your innocence apart from our own word. You have to get out of here."
Black grimaced, and struggled to his feet.
"But Peter-"
"-is long gone," Blake said firmly. "He definitely won't be trackable anymore, and Harry's counting on you - if you get yourself caught, he'll feel guilty. You're his godfather, aren't you? Do you want that?"
Black looked down, as if ashamed.
"You're right. But I don't have a wand," he said, holding Ron's wand. "This is that boy - Ron's."
"I'll take it back for him," Blake promised. "But we can get Dumbledore to make arrangements - but in the meantime," Blake said, suddenly coming up with an idea, "I've got a deal for you - I can get you a way to escape, for a price."
Black raised his eyebrows, and Blake saw the ghost of a smile flick across the man's face.
"Oh? Blackmail, then?"
"Not necessarily," Blake responded neutrally. "I won't grass, but considering my help's going to substantially affect me, I figure I deserve some compensation."
The man stared at him for a moment, before throwing his head back in laughter.
"You speak like a Slytherin!"
"I am a Slytherin."
Black laughed louder, but seeing the look on Blake's face, he paused, looking at the boy in surprise.
"You're in Slytherin? But your surname-"
"I'm muggleborn," Blake said shortly.
Black looked even more confused, as if he didn't know what to think of Blake now that he knew he was Slytherin. Typical Gryffindor behaviour.
"A muggleborn in Slytherin? But I've never-"
He paused, the frown on his face widening further.
"The girl - she's a Greengrass, is she not? Spitting image of both her father and mother, somehow. But she's friends with you?"
Blake shrugged.
"What can I say? But anyway, will you hear me out?"
Black seemed to shrug off his confusion, sobering up instantly.
"I've no other choice, have I?"
Blake hid a smile.
"I'll get you a broom to escape right now - a decent one too - but in exchange, I want access to the Black family's library and Potions resources, if any, for myself and Daphne Greengrass."
Black's mouth dropped, and there was silence for a moment.
"Y- you… why?"
"We have our reasons. None 'evil', I promise, but secret. If you can't handle that, that's fine."
The prisoner stared at him some more.
"So?" Blake prompted. "What's your choice?"
"And… if I say no, you'll actually leave?"
"I don't know yet," Blake admitted. "Haven't thought about it. I was hoping that you were honourable enough to repay me, but I haven't decided if letting you get captured is worth the resources - lives hang in the balance."
That seemed to awaken something in Black, who nodded with understanding.
"I am not Peter - I'll repay my debt to you. You have my word, - sorry, your name…"
"Blake Renshaw," Blake said with a massive smile as he extended his hand. Black clasped it firmly, smiling too.
"You have my word, Blake. And please, call me Sirius. You have my word that both you and the Greengrass girl will have access to the Black library resources, as soon as it's safe to do so."
"Perfect," Blake said. "Accio Zabini's broom!"
There was an awkward silence for a couple of seconds, and Blake wondered if he'd just embarrassed himself in front of one of the most rich and (in)famous men alive - but he heard a whooshing sound, and caught the broom in the nick of time.
"Zabini… like Mariet Zabini?"
Blake turned to him in surprise.
"Yeah - her son's my friend."
"That woman is gorgeous," Sirius seemed to say without thinking, before looking horrified and covering his mouth.
"I- I didn't-"
Blake's loud laughter interrupted his excuse, and the boy doubled over, feeling his abs hurt.
"Oh," Sirius said, very much embarrassed. Soon, Blake calmed down.
"Anyway, you'd best be off - write to me over the summer, once you're stable - here's my address."
Blake handed him a small scrap of scroll, and handed him the broom.
"Thank you truly, Blake," Sirius said, smiling. "Perhaps not all of Slytherin are that bad."
The Slytherin in question grinned in response.
"Hopefully, the next time I see you, you'll be a free man."
Sirius nodded, and with that, he shot off into the night sky.
He's good on the broom, Blake thought, before hurrying back to the castle.
/
"You took my broom!" Zabini immediately shouted as Blake entered the dorm.
"Where's Daph?" Tracey demanded.
"I'll pay you back," Blake immediately promised, before collapsing on his bed, sighing. "And she's resting in the infirmary."
"What?"
Zabini, Charlotte and Tracey all surrounded him, studying him intently.
"What happened?"
"I told you we should've followed them!" Tracey said shrilly.
"Wait, Tracey, they're fine - Renshaw wouldn't have left her!"
"But-"
"They both told us to cover for them! They wouldn't have said that if they couldn't handle it!"
"Are you okay?"
"What happened to Daphne?"
"She'll be fine, I promise," Blake said. "And it's a long story - I'll explain after Daphne gets back. I'm fine too - does anyone have any chocolate?"
Zabini immediately thrusted a bar under his nose, and Blake took it gratefully.
"Dementors?"
"Yeah," Blake said through chewing. "Daphne too - she's there resting because of magical exhaustion, but she'll be fine."
There was silence again for a few moments.
"Does it have something to do with Potter's group and Sirius Black?"
"Yeah," Blake replied, sighing. "But it's all fine, and a long story. Right now, we should check on Daphne," he said, standing up and cleaning up his robes.
"Let's go."
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