Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter Negative Five: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

The initial response of the young audience was one of acceptance, even awe, but then, as it must eventually do for us all, common sense kicked in. They looked from Sirius-who lounged on the stairwell petting Crookshanks and keeping a constant visual on the rat-to Lupin-who was returning to his usual behavior, if not a little pailed. They even looked to the body bound Snape laying on the side. When it became clear that none of the adults present would answer their questions, they turned inward upon themselves. It was Ron who first ventured to state the obvious, "They're both mental!"

"It's rediculus," stated Hermione faintly, wishing with all her might for someone to tell her it was one big joke.

"It's impossible is what it is. Peter Pettigrew is dead!" Harry pointed out. "He killed him twelve years ago!" he pointed to Black, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, baring his yellow teeth, "but little Pettigrew got the better of me...not this time though!" Black lunged at Scabbers, knocking Crookshanks to the floor and causing the three children to topple to the ground under his weight.

"Sirius NO!" Lupin cried, dashing forward to pull the snarling dog off the scared teenagers. "You can't just do it like that! They need to understand-we have to explain--"

"we can explain later!" snarled the once again human Black, trying to throw Lupin off, one hand still clawing at the frantically squeeling Scabbers.

"They've got a right to know!" Lupin panted, using all his might to lift his friend from the ground. "He's Ron's pet, been like a friend to them! They're scared! And you owe it to Harry to know what happened to James and Lily!"

This caused Black to stop his struggling. "Fine! But make it quick, I wont wait long."

Lupin looked at the cowering children who were convinced they were looking at two murderers. He smiled softly at them, "You are quite right to have your doubts, you must have heard that Sirius killed Peter that day, all those years ago. But what you didnt hear was what only four people have ever known. I'm afraid that, to a great extent, this is all my fault. If it were not for me being a werewolfm Peter would not have been able to turn into a rat-that rat."

"But Professer...Scabbers can't be Pettigrew..." Hermione ventured.

"And why is that?" Lupin prompted as if they were in class.

"Because, the ministy keeps tabs on people trying to become Animagi. There's lists of who can change and what animal they can become, and markings those animals have. I looked Professor MacGonigall up and there have only been seven Animagi this century, and Peter Pettigrew wasn't one of them!"

"Was I one?" Black broke in.

"Well, no.." Hermione hesitated.

"Point made." Black finished simply

"Yes there were a total of three who became illegal Animagi so that I wouldnt be alone on the night of the full moon. When I was little I was unfortunate enough to stumble across a werewolf and I recieved 'the bite'. It seemed as if then and there I was never to be accepted in the world again, but Professor Dumbledore figured as long as certain procautions were taken then I would be able to live an ordinary life. So the Shrieking Shack was built, and a tunnel was made to connect it to Hogwarts. To stop anyone from stubling across me, they planted the Whomping Willow over the entrance of the hole.

"In our year there were four boys in Gryffindor, James Potter and Sirius Black who have been long-life friends, myself who was a stranger to everyone, and little Peter Pettigrew. Your father and Sirius were more than happy to have more friends, and I was terrified they would find me out. But they did, and to my shock, they accepted me for what I was. I though life could get no better then when I was with them, but there was still the full moon. But James and Sirius even found a way to make them wonderful as they announced that they were going to become Animagi and keep me company."

The transfixed teens hung on his every word, but at this Hermione put up her hand. Lupin smiled in amusement as they were treating the situations as if they were in class. "Yes Hermione?"

"How is it that being and Animagus would help a werewolf?" She asked.

"Well, werewolves are only dangerous to humans, so in becoming something else they were able to keep me company. Mind you, it took the better part of three years for them to learn, but even just the knowledge that they were trying helped me so much. By the fifth year, though they were able to each transform into a different animal. James and Sirius were so large that they could keep me in line, and under their influence I became less dangerous."

"Hurry up, Remus!" snarled Black as he grew restless for blood.

"Sirius...stay. Good dog. ("Not...funny" he growled.) Soon we began leaving the shack to roam the school and village by night. I doubt any Hogwarts students however learned so much about the grounds and Hogsmead as we did. Thats how we came to write the Marauders Map and sign it with our code names. I am Moony, Sirius is Pasfoot, Peter is Wormtail, and James was Prongs."

Dumbledore, MacGonagall, and Flitwick all stood, listening intently with Percy behind them. It didn't seem as if the students were in any danger, they were just sitting and listening, though this news was quite alarming. Yet for Sirius Black to be sitting there, talking only of wanting the blood of Ron's rat Scabbers...

Dubledore signaled to the others to wait as he decended the stairs, hearing all the while confessions from Lupin's own mouth of all that they had done and what it made him feel like. And that the kids were participating calmly showed that they were not prisoners, but spectaters like himself.

It wasn't until he saw Black cast a spell half-heartedly to beyond the others that Dumbledore saw Sanpe.

Then the conversation took a turn as Sirius rounded to Lupin, "Alright Moony, you've talked enough, now give me Peter."

Ron just pulled Scabbers closer, and Lupin intercepted before Sirius decided to pounce again. "Just relax, Sirius, you're scaring them. Leave it to me. Ron, the only way we can prove any of this is with the rat."

"Come off it," Ron said weakly. "Are you trying to tell me you broke out of Azkaban and came all this way to get your hands on Scabbers! I mean, I kinda follow the whole Animagi thing, it makes an awesome story even if it is crazy, but this is Scabbers we're talking about. He's useless, just a pet. So even if the story was true, why should we believe that you arn't after Harry, or even if you arn't, that Scabbers really is Pettigrew?"

"Well, it's Scabbers because the Maurauders Map doesn't lie, but that does bring up a good point...Sirius how did you know where to find him?" Lupin asked.

Sirius looked from one waiting face to the next, before rolling his eyes and gathering his thoughts to tell his tale.