Chapter 1: Night encounters

Harry leant against the cool glass of the window of the Hogwarts Express and thought back to the last couple of days. After what had been a crazy night during the full moon, much had been revealed to Harry and his friends. That night he found out that his godfather, Sirius Black, was not the convict that the wizarding world had been led to believe, but in fact an innocent man that had regrettably been put through a bureaucratic system that caused him to spend the last eleven years in Azkaban. Rather, it was Harry's parent's other supposedly best friend, Peter Pettigrew that betrayed them to Lord Voldemort and caused their deaths.

Understandably, Sirius wanted revenge on Peter however, Harry was able to convince him otherwise and allow Peter to be put under veritaserum in order to clear Sirius' name. Fatefully, Peter was able to take advantage of the full moon and escape in his animagus form. Still, with the help of professor Dumbledore, Harry was able to convince Sirius to turn himself in so that he could clear his name. At first, the minister of magic, Cornilius Fudge, wanted to apprehend Sirius and subject him to the Dementor's kiss but when Sirius readily agreed to speak under the influence of veritaserum and provide memories for a pensieve, Fudge admitted that he would allow Sirius a trial in front of the Wizengamot. The date has been set for August 4th, which would mean that Harry would still need to return to the Dursleys for the summer break as they were still his guardians.

"Everything alright, Harry?" came a voice bringing Harry back to the present. He turned to Ron, the source of the voice, who was giving him a puzzled look.

"Yea, mate, everything's fine. Just thinking about Sirius and the upcoming trial" said Harry.

Ron gave a nod of understanding. He knew how hard it was going to be for Harry in the next couple of months. He had finally found someone that was connected to his parents and was now facing the possible reality that the one bond could be taken away from him.

"Don't worry, there isn't much point thinking about it and getting worked up when you can't do anything about it," said Ron. "Dumbledore will make sure that Sirius gets a fair trial and you'll be reunited with him in no time" Ron assured.

"Yea, I guess you're right" acknowledged Harry.

"Anyway, on to happier thoughts, I didn't want to tell you because of the last couple of days but dad owled me a few days ago and told me that he's gotten first class seats to the Quidditch World Cup final for all of us"

At this Harry perked up immediately. The Quidditch World Cup! That would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to.

The rest of the ride home settled into an easy routine of playing exploding snap, discussing the upcoming World Cup and basically anything that didn't relate to school. The train pulled in to and the students disembarked from the train Harry walked up to the Dursleys with his trunk in tow.

"Get in the car" barked Vernon, Harry's uncle. Harry, being used to this standard treatment obliged and soon they were off to Privet Drive.

The summer weeks went by slowly as they always did whenever Harry returned home. However, the thought of Sirius' trial meant that Harry's summer was going even slower. He hadn't told the Dursleys of the upcoming trial as he didn't want to get his hopes up of leaving the god-forsaken home of eleven years. On the 1st of August a letter came imbued with the Hogwarts crest. Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, had written to Harry and his family indicating that he would be picking Harry up the next day at precisely 4:00pm to take him to the Weasley's home, the Burrow, for the remainder of the summer. This suited Harry just fine as the less he saw of the Dursleys the better in his opinion, and he would get a chance to see his best friends. As far as his uncle, aunt and cousin were concerned this suited them just fine too.

That night Harry had his trunk packed and ready to go, the Dursleys were out at a fancy restaurant in London that Uncle Vernon had organised in celebration of landing a new contract with his firm Grunnings. Harry, taking advantage of being home along made himself a delicious dinner of soup and warm bread with butter smeared on it and sat in front of the television. Not two moments passed when the lights in the house suddenly went out, as well as the television screen turning off. Harry, trusting his instincts grabbed his wand from the table next to himself and crept to the front door just as a shadow loomed behind him

"Expelliarmus!"

Before Harry had time to react his wand had flown out of his hand and into the assailant's.

"You!" Harry bellowed, leaving all thoughts of self-preservation aside, Harry leapt at Peter Pettigrew, but only managed to get pushed down with a wordless spell.

"Be quiet, boy." Peter hissed. "You'll wake up the neighbourhood, and that's the last thing we want. I'm here to help you, in a roundabout manner" he added. The cowering rat and man that had stood before Harry and his friends under the Shrieking Shack had disappeared and in front of Harry was a man confident and in control of his surroundings.

"Why should I believe you?" Harry spat out, clearly not believing Pettigrew. The next moment he felt the spell lift and he was able to sit up.

"There, a show of good faith, if you will" countered Pettigrew. "Now listen as I don't have much time and this will be the last time I help you. As you can see the blood wards have fallen and I was able to get in. For the last thirteen years you've been able to avoid detection from wizards that have wanted to cause you harm, but not anymore. I don't know the reason, I have a theory but what's worse is that if I can get to you then people worse than me can too."

Harry paled when hearing this, he knew that Dumbledore would arrive tomorrow to collect him but if what Pettigrew said was true then could he survive until then?

"Why are you helping me and what are wards?" asked Harry.

"He hasn't told you? Figures. It's more complex than any fourteen year old could understand. As for why I'm helping you, you stood up for me when Sirius and Remus would have killed me. You showed your mother's compassion and let me live. Not many would have done that, least of all someone who has been through what you have. For this I am grateful, but consider the debt repaid. I have warned you and will stay as long as until Dumbledore arrives – yes I know he is coming to pick you up," he stated seeing Harry's bewildered expression.

"What about the Dursleys?" Harry asked.

"Do you honestly think that I hadn't considered that?" drawled Pettigrew. "Your uncle, fool that he is, was easily manipulated into thinking that he had achieved a level of mediocrity that was cause for celebration. They won't notice that I am here regardless, I'll be in my rat form and staking out in your room".

"Well can I have my wand back at least?

"No. I don't trust you, and I don't need to give you an excuse to turn on me and attack. You can have it back when I leave"

Harry just nodded, turned his back and made his way up to his room. He knew he wouldn't sleep tonight despite Peter's reassurances. He flicked his desk lamp on and resigned himself to flicking through his textbooks, looking at what he had missed for his summer homework.

Give the spell incantation and an example of when the shield charm can be of use.

Harry pondered for a moment before writing the appropriate answer. He heard a small scoff behind him.

"Protego? Is this what they're teaching you? This is first year level, not what you would expect from the so-called leading institution of magical knowledge in Britain and Europe."

"Look, as appreciative as I am about you helping me out and putting your neck on the line, I don't need you commenting on my summer studies. Also, by accounts you were never the brains within the marauders"

"I may have not been on the same level as your father and Sirius, but to become an animagus by fifth year is so small feat" Peter retorted.

"Well if you're so smart, why don't you give me the answer for a better defensive shield?"

"Ha, I just told you I'm not stupid, I'm not doing your homework for you"

Harry glared and returned to his homework attempting to ignore the man in his bedroom. He methodically worked through all his studies, the only sound in the room coming from the scratching of his quill on parchment.

"Protego Maxima"

Harry nearly jumped, he had forgotten about the other man in the room.

'What?"

"Protego Maxima. It's the shield charm to protect oneself from another's attack. However, it won't work with just saying it out. It needs to be in conjunction with Fianto Duri and Repello Inimicum. Those three spells combined will create a shield so strong that anyone entering will disintegrate and spells bouncing off it will turn into explosions. Only truly gifted wizards and witches would be able to break through it. However, I wouldn't recommend writing it down. Your professors might want to know where you got your information from."

"Okay. How come you know so much? Did that sadist teach you some useful spells?"

For the first time that night Harry saw a flicker of unease cross the man's face however, as quickly as it had come it disappeared.

"Though the Dark Lord is known for his cruelty he is also generous with his knowledge. He is condemned throughout most of Britain nevertheless; he is one of the greatest mages of all time. Haven't you realised that there hasn't been an owl for the ministry expelling you for using underage magic? I know spells that you couldn't comprehend"

With a shock Harry realised that the betrayer of his parents was correct. By all accounts he should've received a letter notifying him of his expulsion but nothing had arrived.

Pettigrew turned his head to the window and Harry followed his gaze, by this stage dawn was creeping up on them and Harry could see a tinge of azure and scarlet on the horizon.

"This is where I leave you, Harry. I don't believe anyone will make a move for you from here until when Dumbledore arrives".

He made to transform into his animagus form but Harry shouted, "Wait! My wand"

Pettigrew chucked "Ah, thought I could get away with that one"

"Here's a tip, I'm not stupid either" Harry countered.

Pettigrew handed over the wand and with a nod of his head turned to the door. He turned around a with a soft glance at the photo of Harry's parents on his bed stand whispered "Consider the debt repaid" and with that turned into his animagus form and disappeared.