119 Four figures

Arth finally finished drinking his tea and looked at the dregs that sat at the bottom of the cup looking quite pitiful.

"Er... if I'm reading this correct, that means that a toad will die."

Ron gave a wide smile.

"That means Trevor won't die, cause you never get any predictions right."

Arth frowned.

"What do you mean? I only failed that one time."

"Your stairway of randomness was it? Forget about that?"

"... fine. Be like that. We'll see."

"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning — they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" said Arth, Harry and Ron quickly.

"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."

"Not too far from here . . . ," Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry.

"What? You think I'm going to chase after Black?"

"Nah, just worried he's coming after you mate."

"You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's. . . ." Snape called.

Harry and Ron quickly packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner. Arth just silently watched everything unfold.

Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.

"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."

Arth watched on with a solemn look while the Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat.

There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm.

The Gryffindors burst into applause and Arth felt slightly disappointed that his predictions were yet again wrong.

Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.

"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."

Arth, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall. Arth pulled Hermione away from Ron and Harry before going back through time two hours.

"See you Hermione."

"See you Arth."

Hermione had muggle studies this period which Arth had decided not to take considering the fact that he probably knew more about muggles than the teacher herself.

So he decided that he would just use the extra two hours as free time.

Arth began to realize that time turners did not help with hunger. He had two hours until lunch.

He walked around until he reached the tallest tower. There he stared into the blue sky before snapping his fingers.

Immediately, four black figures warped into existence right behind him.

Arth raised an eyebrow.

"How is it that each time I see you, you seem to become more like wizards?"

The closest figure replied instantly.

"It is because of you my Prince. You mighty power influences us in ways unimagined."

Arth gave a laugh.

"Stop over exaggerating Alfred and give me a report of how the search for Black is going."

This time, the figure to the left spoke.

"It is not going well my Prince. Black has been meticulous with his appearance and his escape routes. By the time we get information on where he was sighted, he is already gone."

Arth sighed.

"How did he even escape in the first place?"

The third figure angrily gestures to the sky.

"It was because of those idiotic inferior beings my Prince. Those mindless Dementors can't even do a simple thing as keeping a prisoner inside a prison cell. We should've been more careful with the selection of guards."

"Ahahaha, calm down William. I'm pretty sure that it's only you four who are special."

"It doesn't matter. We had so many possible ways to prevent this whole black escapade from happening. But we didn't. We have shamed your name my Prince."

Arth sighed.

"You think too much William. Be more like Sebastian."

The second figure spoke with a cold monotone voice.

"...Thank you my lord."

"I refuse to become like this socially awkward idiot. I refuse. It belittles my intelligence."

Arth sighed.

"Well, if that's all then you all can leave."

"Yes my Prince."

Arth watched as the four figures warped out of existence with a complicated look.

"...How exactly did Sirius Black escape?"