Disclaimed: I do not own Harry Potter or anything else from Rowling's world. Some text is used from the Prisoner of Azkaban page 290 and the movie the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Author's note: As I'm in the process of editing my Marauder Era story this is going to be a slow process. I'll never make you wait longer than three weeks though, promise. Reviews are encouraging.

"…A poor way to repay them – gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

Lupin turned to walk away, eyes lingering on Harry for almost a moment before the soles of his shoes squawked against the floor. Harry remembered something just as Remus reached the marble staircase.

"Professor," Harry called.

Remus paused as Ron glanced curiously between them, and Harry said, "You should know that map doesn't always work."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw someone on it I know for a fact to be dead."

"And who would that be?" Lupin asked with a scrutinizing look.

"Peter Pettigrew."

For a second time froze, then Lupin said very quietly, "that's impossible."

"Maybe the map was lying."

"The map doesn't lie," Remus toned as Ron was glanced avidly between them.

"It's just what I saw," Harry swallowed.

Lupin hesitated again and then glanced to the folded parchment in his hand before looking up at Harry and Ron. He sniffed and turned on his heal, taking the stairs much faster than he had prior. Relieved that Harry and his friend hadn't following him Remus locked himself in his office and unfolded the parchment, laying it along his desk. Taking a deep breath he tapped his wand to the parchment and said something he never thought he would again, not for eighteen long years.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he croaked in just above a whisper.

Lines ebbed out across the map exactly as he'd planned for them too, so many years previous. Four boys sitting in the dim light of a half burnt candle, waiting anxiously to see the fruits of their labor. The Marauder's Map had been of course the child of James' and Sirius' inattentive thought processes gone wild. A dream until Remus had stumbled across a map making book their fourth year. It had taken nearly a year for them to finally make it, and only with the biggest diversion they'd ever crafted. To finish the map they had needed a piece of a sorting hat, just a tiny patch from the relic perched right in Dumbledore's office. The cauldron hissed black steaming ink as they dropped it in, and then Sirius ever eager, dumped it over the six foot long roll of parchment they'd been pouring most of their magic into for months. For a moment the boys were quite, watching the ink sink into the paper.

"Why isn't working," Sirius whined impatiently.

Remus hid his smile while James drew his wand and tapped the map; when nothing happened his face screwed around and he said, "Come on – my brain is blistering from this crock; bollocks!"

Fancy cursive began to scrawl across the page at his indignation, Remus sat and watched as Peter, James, and Sirius craned their necks to read it.

Mr. Moony suggests that Mr. Prongs never had a brain to begin with.

Mr. Padfoot agrees and provides that there isn't any room in that thick skull.

Mr. Wormtail suggests some salve for the blisters or at the very least for Mr. Prongs to shut his mouth.

James mouth snapped shut as Sirius roared with laughter and Peter smirked brightly, when James managed a smile he glanced at Moony, "Brill Moony!"

When Sirius quieted he breathed, "But then how do we work it?"

Lupin drew his wand and with quite the opposite feeling of the withered man he would become, he excitedly prodded the map, and croaked in a tiny whisper, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

"Wicked," James and Sirius chorused as black lines ebbed across the map. Peter watched in awe while Remus' smile grew; it had worked.

It worked years later as well, Remus' eyes focused as he spotted himself, Peeves was two corridors away bouncing back and forth. Instantly Remus' eyes snapped to Harry and his friend, already in their common room. Thereafter he began to scan the map, searching for the impossible. After nearly twenty minutes of searching, unfolding pocket after pocket, he moved around his desk to sit down tiredly. Stretching his aching muscles he leaned over the map once more. As he almost gave up he spotted it, bobbing right and left in Hagrid's tiny house. In the immortalized black ink of Hagrid's hut floated a dot, one he'd seen many times before.

Remus felt ill.

His weak stomach turned around and around before he finally did sick up, right into the bin aside his desk. Sitting on the edge of his chair, waste basket between his legs, he sat up a little panting heavily stomach roiling. His head throbbed as he looked frantically back at the map almost afraid he'd imagined it, even though he wasn't sure what it had yet to mean. Even if Peter was alive he didn't know what he would do or what it could mean. For twelve years Remus Lupin had mulled over the loss of the greatest friends he'd ever had, and then in less than one he'd found two of them were more close then he'd known. Peter was under his nose, pacing by the looks of it.

Standing up Remus immediately hesitated; barging into Hagrid's hut seemed problematic. As if it wasn't bad enough that he was a werewolf, he didn't need anyone thinking him mad on top of it all. Eyes searching his office for answers he didn't have, Remus Lupin began to pace. Feet protesting he continued the nervous habit for nearly an hour, working out the only solution he could think of in his overworked mind. They had switched. It didn't make sense, not unless - he thought achingly - that his friends had believed him the spy. It fit if there was any truth to it; Peter betrayed James and Lily, and Sirius was innocent as he should have believed all along. Something must have tipped his old friend off hundreds of miles away in Azkaban. He had known Pettigrew was near Harry and had somehow escaped; although Remus had a fairly good idea of how he had managed that. It explained everything from the muttering to Sirius' insanity; Remus hadn't been the only person to lose everything that Halloween night. He pinched the bridge of his nose before glancing back at the map. He would have to do things differently. Barging into Hagrid's hut would definitely alert Peter to something, and if Peter was guilty, then Remus suspected it would be no easy fete to catch him.

Dumbledore was not in his office when Remus finally made up the decision to address him; heart hammering in his throat, disappointment settled in his stomach at the headmaster's absence. McGonagall hadn't been able to tell him where he'd gone or for what reason, but Remus found himself losing nerve with the more time that went by. Telling his mentor, the man who had made it possible for him to attend Hogwarts, all of the ways he'd disrespected him was hard enough. Anxiety rippled through him as he fought the urge to find Peter himself. He couldn't be sure what he wouldn't be capable of doing when he did find him. At the same time the longer he glanced at the map the more he expected Peter to disappear completely.

Finally, with nothing more than a transfigured rat cage, the werewolf disillusioned himself and set off onto the dark grounds. Dropping the cage outside of Hagrid's front door he tried to think of a way to draw Hagrid outside. Remus could see Hagrid through the window, fettering with something in the grate as Fang paced, perhaps anxious to go outside as dogs often were. It gave Remus the idea to knock of the door and hide. When Hagrid called through the door and Remus gave no answer the half giant peaked outside, the door creaking loudly.

"Harry?" Hagrid said to the night, Fang slid past Hagrid and bounded outside, "Oy!" Hagrid said throwing the door open, "get back here yeh' great oaf! Don't cher' know Sirius Black is on the loose!"

Hagrid bounded out after his beloved pet and Remus slipped into the open door. Drawing the map from his pocket Remus found the tiny dot just feet away from himself. Looking around he saw nothing, but on closer inspection he spotted a worm like tail, sitting very still under one of the tarnished cabinet doors near the sink. Creeping across the creaky floor with extreme delicacy, Remus only made one small sound as he knelt near the sleeping rat. There on its paw was an absence in limb. Blood pulsing in his ears Remus smacked both hands over the rat, wincing as it screeched.

For a moment Remus thought he might drop him, the rat sunk his teeth in its captors fingers repeatedly. Stumbling out the front door Remus jerked up the cage with one hand and held up a tightly squeezed rat in the other. Its beady eyes bulged as Remus shoved him through the tiny cage door. Dropping him so his hand could shoot out, bleeding and aching, it slammed the cage door shut with a little click. Remus lifted the cage with a deep breath, hardly daring to believe his own eyes.

After a long moment where they stared at each other, Remus said quietly, "Hello old friend."

"Who's there?" Hagrid shouted, suddenly feet from Remus and having heard him.

Remus undid the charm with his wand and smiled brightly at Hagrid. He knew he should muster some shame at being caught outside the half giant's hut very late at night and with seemingly no good reason. Hagrid stared at him bewildered, Fang trotting back into the house with one 'you're welcome' glance at his werewolf friend. Remus patted him as he passed, tucking the cage under arm as the rat began to squeak fervently.

"Ah Hagrid, sorry about that, you can never be too safe these days," Remus said sheepishly.

"It's exactly what I was just tellin' Fang," Hagrid said, closing the distance between them and squinting at Remus in the dark, "what do yer got there Remus?"

"A little rat," Remus said, failing at hiding the contempt in his voice as he glanced at the tiny animal going berserk within the bars.

" Was' wrong with em'?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Remus muttered darkly before looking up at Hagrid, "I came to ask if you'd heard of Dumbledore?"

"Not today sorry ter say, though he was saying something about some ministry work for Fudge just last week and I'm beginning ter' think thas' where he must be. Why Minerva doesn't even know where he's gone," Hagrid said thoughtfully, he looked suddenly solemn, "he might be trying ter' work out somethin' fer Buckbeak for me."

"I am sorry about that Hagrid, very sorry," Remus could feel little rat claws digging at his robes through the bars of the cage, rather ineffectively. "I'll stop by tomorrow and we'll have some brandy, if it's alright with you I'm in a bit of a rush."

"Oh no it's fine, if yer to see Harry and his lot tell em' not ter risk any trips after classes."

"Alright, will do Hagrid," Remus said before bowing away from the grounds keeper and half running back to the castle. He couldn't believe his luck.

Just outside of his office Remus literally almost ran into a tall wizard in dark purple regal looking robes. Half crescent moons smiled at Remus as he straightened and caught the curious twinkle of his old headmaster's eyes. Nervously he considered the man in return.

"Hello Remus my dear boy, Minerva said you were looking for me and that it seemed important," his blue eyes traveled swiftly to the cage swept under Remus' arm, "is that a pet? I've always fancied one myself, but Aberforth wouldn't allow it."

"Oh no Albus I…" Remus caught his breath. His chest puffed out as he held it and stared down at the tiny cage, years of secrets at the tip of his tongue before he glanced back to the headmaster. Blue eyes held his in a reassuring way and Remus said, "- we should sit down for this."

"Very well," the headmaster said, opening the door to Remus' office, "After you Remus."

After nearly an hour of Remus revisiting his school years, he took a deep breathing. Sitting before the headmaster and rushing out an alibi with the guiltiness of someone responsible for the worst crime ever commited, in a shifty eyed tirade he couldn't stop, he found he was rather exhausted. The Headmaster considered him in a guarded way over the top of his half moon spectacles; Remus was afraid to process what he seen in those few passing moments. Disappointment, regret? Swallowing he put his face in his hands, irritation flaring for a moment as Peter began to squeak indignantly again.

"I'm sorry sir," Remus said, dropped his hands to his lap and lowering his head. "We never should have done it."

"I for one think it very brilliant of the four of you and nothing short of what I would have expected," Remus looked up sharply, staring in disbelief at the Headmaster's smile, "Why are you so upset Remus? If this rat is indeed Peter Pettigrew, you will clear your old friend's name."

"You believe me?"

"Why of course I do," Dumbledore said brightly, he clapped his hands together and glanced around the office, "We should send for Severus first, some veritaserum should work," he drew his wand, producing a silvery patronus and directing it before standing up and performing a few silent spells. Remus watching, assuming they would help to trap Peter.

"What will come of Sirius?"

"He must be nearby if his intention has been to capture Pettigrew all along," Dumbledore finished and then bent low to look at the cage, he murmured, "in a moment dear friend, we shall see," he straightened again. Remus watched in an abject way as the rat seemed to shiver.

"Headmaster," Snape said silkily once he'd arrived, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Did you have any?"

"Of course," Snape sneered, eyes locking onto Remus and then to the rat with detest, "a fitting pet," he said snidely.

Dumbledore explained everything before Remus could act on his pent up energy and say something he regretted. After an abbreviated version of Remus' tale, Snape seemed to accept it for truth. Grudgingly he complied with Dumbledore's request to question Peter. All three of them freed the rat, changing him from the second he tried to scamper away hopelessly. There on Remus' desk sat a plump little man with beady eyes and unkempt balding hair.

"P-p-p-please," Peter shrieked so loudly Remus and Snape cringed.

"Unless you have a very good reason Mr. Pettigrew, why you chose to play the part of a dead man for so long, I'm afraid we have no other option," Dumbledore answered sadly.

"I'm innocent," he burst, "you have to believe me Remus old friend! He's come to murder me!"

Remus stepped away, revolted as Peter slid off the desk and onto his knees before the werewolf. Remus swallowed, "what about twelve years ago, when Sirius was imprisoned for life? He wasn't trying to kill you then?"

"You don't understand," he howled.

It went on like that until Snape had the sense to override Dumbledore's and Lupin's compassion. Remus already on edge, with only Snape's urging, helped to drag the quivering man into a chair and force the vile of potion down his throat. An hour of questioning confirmed everything Remus had said and believed to be true.

"What should we do Professor?" Snape asked first, staring down his long hooked nose at Peter in a disgusted way.

"Alert Cornelius for me, tell him it is of utmost importance, and that is has everything to do with Sirius Black," Dumbledore said urgently.

Snape nodded and brushed out of the office in a whirlwind of black billowing robes. Dumbledore forced Peter back into his rat animagus form and carefully set the listless animal back into its pin. Remus watched fearful to look away, only when he realized Dumbledore was watching him did he sit down tiredly in his desk chair.

Face back into his hands he rubbed at his forehead, "will Fudge free Sirius?"

"I will see to it Remus I swear."

Remus took a deep breath, feeling twenty times his age he asked, "He was in Azkaban for twelve years…"

"There is that," Dumbledore had sat down, "he will never be the same, and it will take time."

Remus inhaled sharply and glanced up at the headmaster, "I've just thought," Remus' eyes flicked to the map, still open on his desk from where he'd dropped it upon showing it to Dumbledore. Harry's dot sat motionless in the boy's dorm, Dumbledore sensed his worry.

"Yes, there will be that as well, for now I think it better to keep Harry in the dark."

"When his name is cleared, he'll want Harry."

Dumbledore's looked weary as he answered, "Which is why it is better for the both of them that they are not discussed to each other."

"But why – "

"I had very much hoped to keep this to myself for much longer, but as things have changed I will now require your help in detouring Mr. Black," Dumbledore was giving him a severe look as Remus listened wearily. Dumbledore's chin angled up slightly, he surveyed Remus through his half moon spectacles, "No one must know this Remus, nor can I tell you to the full extent of how or why it is." When Remus nodded Dumbledore continued. "The night Voldemort set out to murder your friends and their son he intended fully upon murdering baby Harry; do you know why Harry is alive even now?"

"No sir."

"Lily Potter sacrificed herself for her son, and in doing so she invoked a very ancient magic. This magic has offered Harry much, but most importantly it has offered him the safest protection we can guarantee him so long as he calls her sister's house home."

"I'm sorry, but I don't exactly follow," it might have been the events of the night or the late hour, but Remus could not process what Dumbledore was telling him.

"Harry has his mother's protection in his blood, and he remains protected in Lily's sister's blood. He must continue to live with her, because while he stays there no harm can come of him. It is safer, even more so then the fidelius charm."

"The curse rebounded because of Lily's sacrifice?" Remus tried to understand.

"Precisely," Dumbledore nodded once.

Remus swallowed, trying to imagine what his friend's reaction would be once he knew he could not take his godson. He knew immediately, even after years of being apart from Sirius, what it would be. If Sirius had broken out of wizard prison to protect Harry, he certainly already had Harry in mind. Dumbledore watched him as he thought, Remus knew the answer he wanted, but did not know if he could give it in good conscious. Things would be difficult for a while, and Remus knew that would detail rebuilding a relationship with his old friend; keeping things from him didn't seem a good way to start out. In the same moment he could see Dumbledore's angle, and the warning Dumbledore had given previously came back. It would take months for Sirius to come around from his long stint in Azkaban, and Harry was indefinitely better off away from that. Sirius would be livid with Remus for helping Dumbledore, but Harry was safe, and that would be what James would want.

"Okay," Remus breathed nervously.

The rest of the night went by in a blur. Once Fudge arrived with Aurors in tow Peter had been rigorously questioned. As Veritaserum eventually wore off and could not be used for trial anyway he was taken into custody. As an unregistered animagus he was already under a minimum sentence of three years in Azkaban; faking your death wasn't exactly legal either. In a glass cage he was taken to the ministry to have a trial. It was a week before Remus heard anything of it, and a fortnight before the trial had been scheduled.

"They will try you," Dumbledore said, pacing back and forth in his office as Remus sat to his desk, "have you seen him on the map at all?"

"He appears sometimes near the forest, but it's brief, almost like he's communicating with something."

"Hmm," Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "Have you tried to catch him?"

"Of course sir," Remus said, nearly affronted.

"Very well, as I was saying, they will expect you to try. I'm not sure it will hold for much with your ah," Dumbledore sighed, "status."

Remus brush past the uncomfortable topic, "Sirius will get in trouble too…"

"He'll received a pardon, I will see to it – twelve years in Azkaban should allot the poor man something should it not?"

Remus grinned tiredly; the trial had taken a lot out of him, "Have you spoken with Peter?"

"He still plans to plead innocent, but they have taken his wand; they will have regurgitated the spells already, and it will be obvious," Dumbledore said carefully, pausing in his pacing to marvel at his phoenix absently. "Sirius will need to plead his side as well; it should be easy as he was not given fair trial previously. They will check Pettigrew's arm as well, I am certain."

"Is there anything else for it?"

"What you have to say and I'm afraid that is all, as the rest of those you said had witnessed the transformation are dead," Dumbledore replied lightly.

Dorcas Meadows, Marlene McKinnon, James and Lily themselves, even Alice was not in her right mind to vouch on her friend's behalf. Remus sincerely hoped that the ministry would have its wits for once. Even more so he hoped to find Sirius before things became more complicated.

With exams approaching Remus found himself swamped in grading. Fifth, sixth, and seventh years he found the most tiring, the amount of review necessary for their rigorous testing, also requiring rigorous grading on his behalf. Preparing for the other exams he would administer where easy. He marveled at his own brilliance, shaking his head with a grin at himself as he sat down to his desk. He tried to imagine that he would have taught had being a werewolf never interfered with the entire process. Dumbledore found him that way, turning over what if's one after the other.

"You must be busy."

Remus glanced around the papers scattered across his desk with a frown, "Just worried."

"I hardly here complaints of your students, in fact I think you must be the new residential favorite. I believe Minerva is rather jealous."

Remus grinned, his cheeks warming, "not about that."

"Ah, I'll just sit down for a spot then," Dumbledore sat down and waved his wand so the tea set itself.

"It's too good to be true."

"It must seem so," Dumbledore said smiling, his blue eyes twinkling, "you are welcome to stay here as long as you'd like Remus. I am almost angry with myself that I did not think to hire you sooner."

"Even if his name is cleared, there will be many who won't believe it."

"I can tell something else is bothering you."

Remus inhaled, frowning to himself as the Headmaster's insightfulness, "I have the feeling Harry will be upset with me, for not having told him my relationship with his father and mother. Of course I've let on that I've known them, but he doesn't know how well," his amber eyes flicked to the old parchment folded up on the corner of his desk, willing away the sting of old memories as they tried to surface.

"The thing about Harry is that he is a very amazing young boy," Dumbledore smiled proudly, "You have already done a great deal for him this year, of which I am sure he is very grateful. You do not have a thing to worry for Remus; Harry will respect your distance."

"I never visited him."

"It isn't to say you didn't think on him," Dumbledore said softly, "when certain things come to light I'm sure he will understand."

"And then there's that…"

"This is James' and Lily's son," Dumbledore smiled humorously, "Are you truly so worried?"

Remus thought about it, he sighed, "I can't believe it," he said quietly.

"You will see in time."

With the quidditch final around the corner the student's seemed to draw into themselves, their studies, or quidditch. Remus found his evenings free of the occasional troublesome student; he was happy to not have to administer one detention the entire week. The day after Peter's trial found Remus in the best mood he could remember ever having been in; so he could have given away a few detentions, but he'd chosen to bypass the student's bad behavior regardless.

In one week Peter's story would be printed into the prophet and Remus knew he must address Harry. The morning after the Gryffindor's won the quidditch cup Remus found him lounging on the grounds with his friends; Hermione was bent entirely into her book, and Ron and Harry looked to be trying for the lives of themselves. They all looked around as he paused near the beech tree; he had to shake himself from the many times he'd sat there himself with his friends, with Harry's father and godfather. With Peter who was to receive the dementors kiss in a fortnight.

"Could I borrow Harry, if you don't mind Harry?" Remus asked.

The warm breeze permeated his robes as he traveled with Harry across the grounds, nervously aware of student's watching them from afar. Harry seemed both relieved and anxious in one; he kept glancing toward the beech tree where Ron and Hermione had their heads bent. Remus sought his courage out, pausing when he found it. Just at the edge of the forbidden forest Harry stopped near him.

"I haven't been entirely truthful with you Harry."

Harry looked surprised, "Sorry Professor?"

Remus swallowed and stared into the forest, unable to meet the green eyes of his dead close friend; he spoke quietly, "when you asked me if I knew your parent's, I should not have only told you I had." His frown dipped further down, "I knew them very well."

"You did?" Remus heard the note of eagerness, hopefulness in Harry's voice; it was something akin to Harry's determination to learn his patronus.

Remus looked at him, his emerald eyes were rounded in anticipation as Remus said "Your father was my close friend, one of three." Something changed in Harry's features that Remus could not place; he didn't have to wonder for long as Harry spoke abruptly.

"With Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew too," Harry toned bitterly.

"I take it you know."

Harry looked away, a brooding much akin to James' in his features, "yeah I know."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Why didn't you?" Harry asked; the teenager caught his eye in a daring way.

"I was scared."

"But why," Harry pressed.

"Would you not wonder why I hadn't come to visit you, all of these years?"

Harry frowned, he didn't answer for a long minute, "Is that all?" he asked.

"It is selfish of me, but I didn't want to have to think on them often," Remus smiled sadly. "You already remind me of them so very much."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Things have changed," Remus said, brushing straw colored hair from his eyes momentarily, "it'll be all over the prophet in a week's time, and I thought you ought to know first." When Harry didn't interrupt him Remus continued, "Sirius Black is innocent, he was framed by Peter Pettigrew."

"How," Harry asked, a flash of anger darkening his emerald eyes, disbelief etching into his features.

"Peter Pettigrew faked his death, and I wouldn't have known until you told me about the map. I found him and caught him; he's in ministry custody."

"You know how to work the map?"

Remus' lips quirked, but he his grin, "I made the map Harry; we all did. Your father, Sirius, Peter Pettigrew and me," Remus felt his cheeks warm at the look of awe in Harry's eyes and gaping mouth.

"You're Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?"

"Yes," Remus said, it had been a long time since he'd been addressed as Moony, a resounding pang settled in his hurting chest, "The ministry has found him guilty for framing Sirius and murdering that street of muggles."

"How can they be sure?"

"They'll have their ways," Remus wasn't keen on explaining to Harry the truth or the fact that he was a werewolf. The details in the prophet would be minimal, only informing the public that Peter had hid in his nondescript animagus form for years.

"Thank you for telling me Professor," Harry seemed truly thankful at being informed.

"I hope that you accept my apology," Remus said guiltily, shifting from one foot to the other.

"I do, but I have a question sir?"

Remus didn't like the eager way Harry was considering him, "Yes?"

"What does it mean – Sirius Black being my godfather and all? Is he free now?"

"I'm not sure yet, but it is my understanding that you will remain with your Aunt and Uncle." Remus didn't like the way Harry looked suddenly solemn, "You should probably return to your review, I'm positive Miss Granger will be at the end of her patients soon."

Harry slinked away from him with an unreadable expression. Remus watched after him, pleased and relieved that Dumbledore's reassurances had been true. Harry didn't seem upset with him at all. As his problems lessoned Remus began to focus more on his missing friend. He hoped more than anything Sirius would surface as the papers came out, announcing the repeal of his sentence. While Sirius was still due for trial he would no longer receive the dementor's kiss. Remus let out a breath he'd been holding, realizing his relief at his luck; Sirius was going to be free, Peter was in custody, and Harry was safe. James could rest easy knowing his son would be sneaking around the castle again sometime soon; if only Remus could find a way to give the map back without going against his duty as a teacher. Then again, he'd never been so great about following rules, no matter how much he'd tried to pin it on his friends. Friends; he'd been without them for years, the idea of having just one back was more then he could have ever hoped for.