Hello and thank you for returning! I want to say again how pleased and grateful I am for all the comments and follows. It's not as easy to reply on as it is on A03, but I want you to know I see and appreciate all the feedback! You guys are the best and you're keeping me motivated.
This chapter was a struggle - I didn't want to retread too much of the same old conversation in the Shrieking Shack as the book, but I did want to cover everything so that, at least from Harry's point of view, all the relevant questions were answered. Hopefully, what I came up with is still fun and interesting to read!
"I know," Lupin said softly. "I know you visited him right before he escaped."
Regulus pivoted on his heel without fully considering it, stalking from the office and calling out for Kreacher to follow him. He glanced over his shoulder, only to see Kreacher standing frozen. The elf's eyes widened and he shook himself visibly, before darting after his Master. Regulus was ashamed to see Kreacher's reaction and became hesitant in turn. The professor sighed and turned back around fully, reentering the office.
"Fine," Regulus said. He cast two charms in quick succession, locking the door and containing their voices. "It's true. I visited Sirius."
"Master Regulus! Kreacher was not to be knowing about this." Kreacher said, his bloodshot eyes wide and his tone a little hurt.
"I'm sorry, Kreacher," Regulus said. "I was ashamed. And I have been, ever since."
Regulus looked at Lupin. The man was still sitting, and he was gazing at Regulus with a knowing look in his eyes and the glimmer of an acceptant smile on his lips.
"Sit down, please, Regulus," Lupin invited, as though they were meeting for afternoon tea.
Regulus sat reluctantly and tried to look more confident than he felt. He took a deep breath and dropped his shoulders, smoothing his expression and tilting his chin up just slightly. He planted both feet firmly on the ground and looked at Lupin.
"I visited Sirius one time in thirteen years," Regulus said. "I hardly think that merits keeping this sort of information from me."
"And when should I have told you, Regulus?" Lupin said, his voice finally exposing a little impatience. "When you had Kreacher following me? When you repeatedly blamed me for Sirius entering the school? When you assigned my students an essay you hoped would expose me?"
Regulus frowned and said nothing. A litany rebuttals were on his tongue- when I improved your potion; when we agreed to work together before Halloween; when we both saw Sirius as a boggart - but his upbringing discouraged him from becoming defending himself too vehemently. Don't validate it with an answer, his father's voice reminded him. You don't owe that half-breed anything, his mother's voice added.
It didn't help that he saw Lupin's point.
"Lupin," he said. "How did you know?"
The man gazed at him for a minute, head tilted back. "I can see you're shaken. Since I'm unlikely to get a real answer from you until you're at ease, I will show you how I know."
Lupin attempted to stand shakily. Kreacher came to his side, glancing hesitantly at Regulus. Regulus nodded, and Kreacher offered a skinny arm for Lupin to grasp. Lupin moved into his quarters at a pace that felt impossibly slow to Regulus, though he continued to sit straight and maintain his composure. When Lupin returned, he had a piece of parchment grasped in his hand. Regulus felt a swooping sensation in his stomach.
"Ah," he said.
"Ah," Lupin confirmed. He opened the parchment and began to read.
"Dear Remus,
I'm so sorry. I want you to know that I can explain everything, but I don't expect you to forgive me. Please visit. I still love you. I always have. Reg is helping me- can you believe it? I can explain everything. I still love you. Reg is here. Regulus! Can you believe it?
Yours,
Padfoot."
Regulus stared at Lupin impassively.
"That does sound bad," he finally said. Lupin snorted.
"Your behavior this year has been nothing but suspicious towards me and antagonistic towards your brother," the other professor admitted. "But I couldn't help but think...you were once on Voldemort's side, Regulus. Dumbledore trusts that you've changed your ways, for some reason he's unwilling to disclose, but...Sirius is your brother. And you did grow up believing Voldemort was in the right. So, I put two and two together, and assumed you must have helped him escape, seeing as how he finally did something to make your family proud by betraying James and killing those muggles."
Kreacher pushed a cup of steaming tea into Regulus's hands, then returned to Lupin's side hesitantly and held out another. The elf hovered between the two of them, Lupin leaning heavily against the chair, Regulus frozen in his.
"It's true that I visited him," Regulus said finally. "After the incident with the Chamber of Secrets last year, I couldn't stop thinking about him. The terror that we all felt, all over the castle...it reminded me of my last few years here.
"We were powerful...we felt justified...I truly believed muggleborns were erasing pureblood culture, eradicating our traditions. I never had a heart for the nastier stuff, but we were all drunk off the power we felt. That kind of chaotic joy is catching. I saw it starting in my students last year. And I remembered you three- James, you, and Sirius- and you had the same energy, but you put it towards stopping us.
"I started to understand, for the first time, how Sirius could have switched...how that chaotic feeling could be directed elsewhere, how it could be twisted. I thought he must have finally had a falling out with you and the Potters. Something had to happen to make him want to get back in with the family.
"Then I thought, what if it was planned? That the Dark Lord would fall that night...what if Sirius had taken a bet and it had worked?
"I remembered how he sent Severus into the wolf's den- your den- without asking you how you felt about being a weapon. And I wondered if he had made the same choice for James."
There was a long silence. Regulus gazed out the window of Lupin's office, taking in the inky black sky and the scattering of stars. He could see the dogstar from here, and the irony felt oppressive. Would he ever be free of his brother's dramatics?
"So you went to Azkaban to find out the truth," Lupin prompted. He sat down slowly, nursing his wounds. "But Sirius's letter makes it sound like you helped him to escape."
"His letter sounds like he's going mad," Regulus pointed out.
"He hadn't written anything in twelve years," Lupin protested. "Nevertheless, he said you were there, and you have confirmed this. So how did you help him, if not by helping him find a way out?"
"By giving him the parchment," Regulus said. "I thought it was harmless enough. I questioned him, he laughed. He told me I was seeing the wrong side of things, as usual." Regulus shook his head. "More than a dozen years and a cell between us, and he was still ribbing me like we were children."
"It scared me how normal he seemed. He said he was innocent, but that he deserved what he got anyway. He said he only knew one person who would understand. I knew he meant you. He asked me to transfigure the bones from his last meal into writing supplies. I told him 'you'll never get an owl here' and he just laughed.
"It was two weeks later that he escaped," Regulus sighed. "I thought, 'he's done it. He's convinced Lupin and now he's out.' When Dumbledore told me you were going to work here, I knew I had to do everything in my power to protect Harry. I felt...responsible for Sirius getting in contact with you and escaping."
"Why didn't you tell Dumbledore?" Lupin asked.
Regulus gazed at a crease in his robe that needed to be ironed a little more carefully.
"I am ashamed," he said finally. "I wanted to fix the problem rather than admitting it."
Regulus looked up from his knees, tilting his chin up in automatic defiance, loathe to admit this failure. Lupin looked tired and understanding. He stood slowly and approached Regulus.
"Allies?" he asked, extending a hand. "Again?"
Regulus shook his head ruefully.
"Yes," he agreed. "You have proved yourself time and time again. I have been too stubborn."
"I'm used to stubborn," Lupin said with a smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" He gestured with his head towards the door to his living quarters, and Regulus realized with a start how late it must be.
"Absolutely," Regulus agreed. "And Lupin? Feel better."
The next month passed in a whirlwind of revisions, study sessions, and stress. Lupin and Regulus worked out a system, transferring the map to one another as they passed in the corridors, ensuring it was always being watched. When both of them were in class, which happened more often than not, Kreacher poured over the map. Now that they knew Sirius was seeking shelter in the forest, beyond the map's boundaries, they dedicated hours each day to watching the perimeter, expecting him to reappear. He seemed to be avoiding them, however; they only saw his name a few times over the next month, and never long enough for them to catch him.
Meanwhile, their students were demanding more and more of their time as exams approached. The fifth and seventh years were particularly voracious. Some of the more emotive students had become prone to fits of hysteria as they struggled to retain years of information. Several of Regulus's Slytherin students had come to him with the trembles, whispering their fears of performing poorly and reflecting badly on their families. Regulus had assured them that it was more important to perform very well in some areas than mediocre in others. He had dropped a few well placed (and mostly true) anecdotes about the abysmal O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. scores of some prominent leaders of the day, drawing reluctant smiles from most of them. When that didn't work, Regulus had made a few pointed promises to personally visit the student's families when the scores were owled out.
"I know the particular kind of...pressure...pureblood families can put on their children," he told Olene Selwyn, a willowy seventh year who had always struck him as exceptionally secretive. "When I visit, I'll bring a letter of interest from the Department of Magical Creatures. You have my word, your parents won't think of questioning your herbology score when I arrive with that in hand."
Olene smile was reserved and her eyes betrayed her disbelief, but her shaking had slowed at least.
"Thank you, sir," Olene said. "Do you really think…?"
"You've practically been running Hagrid's 5th and 7th year classes since the hippogriff incident," Regulus said firmly. "There's no one else I would consider recommending."
"Thank you," she said again, a small smile sneaking out. She bit her bottom lip and pulled the corners of her mouth down, smoothing her expression.
Regulus saw her to the door, closed it behind her, and leaned against it with a sigh. He vividly remembered the pressure he had felt during his own N.E.W.T.s- worsened by the fact that his parents had only cared about the scores to the extent that his skills and job placement could support Voldemort. The Blacks had already been openly supporting the genocide, despite the more reserved, behind-the-scenes assistance that most other pureblood families were providing. Regulus had joined Voldemort the minute his scores had been released.
Kreacher brought Regulus a mug of tea, which smelled strongly of gin. Regulus smiled and followed him back into their private quarters.
"Any sightings?" he asked Kreacher, leaning over his desk where the map lay spread.
"None," Kreacher sighed. "Kreacher thought the disowned Master Sirius would take advantage of the chaos, sneaky brat that he always was, but Kreacher has not seen him."
Regulus did a quick scan around the edges before moving his gaze to the center. He unfolded and folded the layers, checking each story of the castle, but he saw nothing amiss. Lupin had carefully altered the magic making up the map so that Sirius's dot would appear in red. He was jealously guarding how he had done so, saying that, regardless of what Sirius had become, the map was a labor of love and shouldn't be messed with by any but an original creator.
"Well, exams start tomorrow," Regulus reminded Kreacher unnecessarily. "He still has time."
Regulus passed the map to a harried looking Lupin the following morning over breakfast. He also slid a steaming goblet across the high table, taking in the circles under the man's eyes critically.
"I've made some more adjustments to that," Regulus muttered to Lupin, keeping his eyes facing outwards, scanning the students. "You'll need to make sure you take two doses every day this week- it's not a matter of just finishing the cauldron before Thursday night. Two doses every day."
"And if I miss?" Lupin said back, his eyes likewise turned to the students and his voice low. "It's not exactly the best week for experimenting."
"You may have some control, but much less than usual," Regulus said back. "Weasley! Put that firecracker back in your bag or so help me, I will visit your mother personally!"
One of the Weasley twins jumped and quickly withdrew their hand from Marcus Flint's bag.
"I'll just take that, shall I Fred?" Lupin called, summoning the firecracker to him. Out of the corner of his mouth, he muttered, "And if I take it exactly as prescribed?"
"You'll keep your head and hopefully your health," Regulus promised. "You should be fine to do the Friday exams, as promised."
"Thank you, truly," Lupin said. "I've got the map this period, but I'll need the next to prepare my hinkypunk. Can Kreacher take it?"
"Certainly," Regulus said. He raised a glass in solute. "Bottoms up."
They clinked mugs and Lupin drank deeply. Regulus felt an unwelcome probing in his mind and met Dumbledore's twinkling eyes. The potions professor made a show of glowering at the Headmaster, bringing an image of his reluctant relationship with Lupin to the forefront of his mind. A few tweaks and omissions and Albus would conclude they had bonded over the improvement of the potion and the bratty students, hopefully obscuring the true reason.
The next several days passed without incident. Kreacher was left in charge of the map more often than not, as Regulus and Lupin administered and graded tests. Regulus had Harry Tuesday afternoon and was pleased to see that the boy wasn't allowing the stress about Black to impact his test results. Harry was more than passable at potions, though he didn't have the passion for it his mother had shown in her days. Harry rarely experimented but managed each step carefully, for a solid, correct result each time.
"Accurate work, Potter," Regulus said to him quietly as Harry brought the stoppered potion to the front of the room. Regulus was just wrapping up grading the written portion and knew that Harry had performed admirably there as well. "Did you do a lot of cooking before you came to Hogwarts?"
Harry gazed at him, his flat expression flickering for a moment. Since their conversation about the map, Harry had been more skittish than ever around Regulus, as though unsure how to navigate their new dynamic.
"Yeah, I did," the boy said finally. "Aunt Petunia made me cook most of the time."
Regulus glanced at the boy's skinny frame and took note of his reluctance to speak of it.
"Your care in following directions and measuring ingredients is noticeable in your work," Regulus said finally. "You may be dismissed."
"Thank you, sir," Harry said.
It was a relief when Thursday night finally fell. Lupin and Regulus were both looking a little too worn for comfort, and Regulus couldn't quite keep up his normal, unflappable facade as Lupin came for the last dose of his potion. Kreacher closed the door the behind the professor and Regulus didn't even look up from where he was slumped over the map as he gestured widely to the cauldron. Lupin scooped the last bit into his goblet and came to sit by Regulus.
"Almost over," the man said conversationally.
"Nearly," Regulus agreed. He allowed himself to fall back into his chair, legs and arms slack. "You realize we'll have to put a watch on Harry all summer, and spend every day tracking Sirius through that blasted forest until he's caught, right? It won't be truly over until then."
"Hmm," Lupin replied, leaning over the map. "I have a sneaking suspicion Harry will be out tonight. Hagrid's hippogriff was sentenced to death, did you hear?"
"Did I?" Regulus scoffed. "Malfoy's been preening about it all day. If he had feathers, he'd be molting in happiness. And after my conversation with him about being subtle, as well." Regulus rubbed his temples and raked a hand through his hair, tucking it behind his ears.
"Hmm," Lupin said again. "Looks like you're ready for a haircut. In any case, I think Lucius is driving this one, and you can't hardly expect to have more influence on Draco than his father."
"Humph," Regulus said, choosing to ignore the haircut comment. "There's our boy," he said instead, pointing out Harry's dot moving through the entrance hall, clustered closely with Ron and Hermione.
They watched in silence, Lupin sipping his drink, as the trio approached Hagrid's hut. They disappeared at the door. A dot labelled "Buckbeak" paced at the back of the house in agitation.
"Why doesn't it show who's in Hagrid's house?" Regulus said, a small note of complaint in his voice.
"We measured and mapped every room in here by hand," Lupin said proudly. "That's why it doesn't show the Room of Requirement either. Plus, we didn't know him well. He thought our jokes were funny, but we were never close enough to have an excuse to go in. Peter could have slipped in, but he had a huge kneazle in those days. Plus, Pete couldn't do the plotting spells on his own. We considered having Padfoot befriend him, but we didn't get around to it before the map was confiscated."
They gazed at the map for a few more minutes, watching as Dumbledore, Fudge, and McNair approached and entered Hagrid's cabin. Suddenly, Lupin twitched violently, nearly spilling his drink and sputtering as he choked on it.
"Watch it!" Regulus snapped, grabbing the goblet and righting it.
Lupin gestured forcefully with his finger, jabbing the map as he coughed.
"Peter!" he said.
"What?" Regulus and Kreacher said as one. Regulus looked where Lupin was pointing with a dawning horror.
Where there had once three dots, there were now four. One of them was labelled "Peter Pettigrew."
Regulus and Lupin shared one searing glance before they both leapt to their feet.
"Ron has a pet rat," Lupin gasped.
"Finish your potion!" Regulus snapped, snatching the goblet and pressing it into the man's hands. Lupin gulped quickly.
"Master!" Kreacher said. "Sirius is here! He has collided with the Weasley boy, he is pulling him towards the Whomping Willow."
"Fuck!' Regulus said. "Lupin, there's less than two hours until night fall-"
"I'm coming!" Lupin said, and his voice was the closest to a growl Regulus had ever heard. "Kreacher, watch for us to come out of tree. When we do, get Dumbledore, but not the minister."
Kreacher glanced at Regulus for confirmation, but he was feeling extremely wrongfooted and foggy headed.
"I've finished it, come on Regulus!" Lupin snapped, grabbing Regulus's arm as he rushed out of the room. Regulus stumbled after him and they quickly sped up to a jog, then a sprint, pounding up the stairs and out the front double doors. They raced across the lawn. Regulus could hear Hagrid howling and McNair shouting, but there was no part of him that thought it was the right time to get the ministry involved.
Lupin threw himself onto his belly as they approached the wildly thrashing tree, shimmying towards its trunk and slamming a hand down on a knot near the base. Regulus hardly had time to register his shock at seeing the normally careful man move with such agility, because Lupin was disappearing into a gap in the roots. Regulus dove after him and the two stumbled down a crumbling passageway.
Regulus found that he was gasping, a sharp stitch in his side making it difficult to breath in. The passage smelled of rich, wet soil and narrowed and widened unpredictably. In some areas, the two men had to nearly double over, while in others they were able to run side by side. Regulus thought suddenly of Severus, creeping through the passageway twenty years before, and his heart sped even faster.
The earthen floor finally began to rise and the two men emerged into the Shrieking Shack. Regulus couldn't stop his gasp as his eyes adjusted. Huge chunks were torn out of the furniture, blood splattered the wall, and small bones littered the floor. Even Lupin pulled up short, grimacing. Regulus watched as his face twisted in anguish as he faltered. Then, in that impeccable way of his, he shook his head, breathed in deep, and smoothed his face.
"WE'RE UP HERE!" A scream suddenly echoed through the building. "WE'RE UP HERE- SIRIUS BLACK- QUICK!"
The two men glanced at one another before thundering up the stairs. Lupin turned immediately into first room at the top of the stairs, and Regulus blasted it open so the man could move in unimpeded. Regulus spotted Harry, a wand to Sirius's sunken chest, Hermione, fingers brought to her mouth as she chewed her nails in a panic, and Ron, lying on the bed with his leg bent at an unnatural angle. There was an ugly orange cat perched on Sirius's chest.
"Expelliarmus!" Lupin roared, summoning three wands to him.
"Accio!" Regulus cried at the same time, casting the spell at Ron and holding an image of the boy's rat in his mind.
"Incarcerous!" The two professors cried together. The rat and Sirius were immediately bound, Sirius, still lying on the floor beneath Harry, was tied about his ankles and wrists. The cat streaked off to hide under the bed. The rat had tiny cords wrapped around his front and rear feet. Regulus conjured a cage and tossed the creature in, just for good measure.
Hermione let out a delayed scream, and Ron gasped "Scabbers!" Only Harry seemed unmoved. He was still standing over Sirius, a look of complete dejection on his face.
"Step back, Harry," Lupin said kindly. "It's over, we have him now." He put a hand of Harry's shoulder and gently directed him to the bed. He sank onto it next to Hermione.
"Scabbers!" Ron said again. "What in the name of Merlin's balls are you doing?"
"Professor Lupin?" Hermione said tentatively.
"All will be explained," Lupin said, and his tone was so grave and serious that the children stopped speaking. The only sounds were Scabber's increasingly terrified squeaks.
Regulus watched Lupin watching Sirius. He thought he knew a small fraction of how the man felt. He himself had been shocked when he had visited ten months before. Sirius was skeletal, his fine golden skin waxy and covered in sores. His hair, always so sleek and dark, was ragged and tangled, longer than it had ever been before. His eyes, which had always twinkled with mischief and merriment, were sunken and flat. Regulus had always looked up to Sirius and to see him so wasted had felt like a punch in the stomach. Lupin looked like it was knife straight to the heart.
Slowly, Regulus moved towards his brother. He put a gentle hand on Lupin's shoulder and whispered, "it'll be alright." Then, he knelt down slowly, grasping his brother under one arm. Lupin did the same and they hauled Sirius to his feet, leaning him against the Shack wall. He was incredibly light. His arms were bony. Regulus felt sick.
Sirius had not yet taken his eyes off of Lupin. Regulus remembered that the last time they had seen each other, they had been 21, fit, and in love.
"Why hasn't Peter shown himself before now?" Regulus said finally. Sirius's eyes darted to him, seeming to take him in for the first time. A surprised, hopeful smile flashed across his wasted face.
"We switched," Sirius said hoarsely. "As it seems you and I have, Reg. Look at you here, playing Dumbledore's hero, with my- best friend. You didn't mention that when you visited."
There was a chorus of gasps behind the group of men and Hermione let out a shrilly "NO!" They turned to see her standing, pointing a shaking finger at the group.
"I don't believe it!" She spat. "I've been covering for you both! I believed in you!"
"Hermione," Lupin said warningly, at the same time that Regulus said, "wait, Granger."
"NO!" She shrieked again. "Harry, everyone in Professor Black's family is in Azkaban or dead in the service of Voldemort. He was on trial himself for it, but Dumbledore acted as witnessed that he had turned spy. I read about it in the library. HE'S A DEATH EATER!
"AND YOU!" She gestured at Lupin. "HE'S A WEREWOLF, Harry, and was good friends with your dad AND Sirius and he must have been helping this whole time! They both want you dead!"
This proclamation rang into the silence, punctuated by the rat's squeaks and the creaking of the old building. The orange cat crept from beneath the bed and hissed at the cage containing the rat.
"Not quite your usual standard, Hermione," Lupin said finally. "Regulus really did turn spy, and we have been working all year to protect Harry. Neither Regulus nor I have been helping Sirius, but we're willing to listen to what he has to say now, in light of this-" he gestured to the rat.
"But I will not deny that I am a werewolf."
Ron made an effort to stand from the bed and move towards his rat, but his face turned a pale green and fell back with a thump. Lupin frowned gently and moved towards him
"Get away from me, werewolf!"
Lupin stopped, a look of pain passing over his face. Against the wall, Sirius growled.
"Sirius, enough," Regulus snapped. "For Salazar's sake, you can be so dramatic."
"Oh?" Sirius asked, his hoarse voice sounding slightly more lively. "Can I? More dramatic than bursting into a room and tying everyone up in a rehearsed routine? Been practicing your stage blocking with Moony this year?"
"Stop it, Sirius," Lupin said, speaking to Sirius directly for the first time. Regulus watched as his brother snapped his mouth shut, his eyes shifting to Lupin's back and staying there. "How long have you know, Hermione?"
"Ages," the girl said. "Since I did Professor Black's essay…"
Regulus started as Lupin and Sirius cast him identical exasperated looks.
"I thought it prudent at the time," Regulus said stiffly, and Hermione looked at him with wide, confused eyes.
"Are you working together or not?" Ron snapped. "And give me back my rat!"
"That's not a rat," Sirius said hoarsely.
"Wha- of course it's a rat!" Ron said.
"Maybe we should start at the beginning," Lupin said. Regulus watched his hand stray towards his belt. "Perhaps we can just untie Sirius and explain prop-"
Regulus cast a non-verbal expelliarmus, snatching Lupin's wand from its holster.
"Regulus!" Lupin gasped.
"Remus," Regulus countered. The man faltered, staring at Regulus with wide, unreadable eyes. "The children need to understand and so do I. All I know is that a man who is supposed to be dead isn't. That doesn't mean Sirius is innocent. I've told you my theory."
Remus turned pale and glanced back at Sirius. Regulus could see that his hands were twitching, as though he could barely hold himself back from touching his old lover. Regulus eyed the students' wands still stashed in the man's cloak and gauged if Remus would reach for them.
"Of course," Remus finally said. "I forgot myself."
"If you're going to explain, get on with it," Sirius growled, his eyes hungry. Regulus wondered what he was more anxious for, a reunion with Remus or the chance to attack Peter. "You always were such a goody two-shoes."
"Well, I- I only know some of it," Regulus faltered, their old roles rising again. He forced down his shoulders angrily and clenched his hands into fists so he wouldn't touch his hair. "It starts with Lu- Remus, I suppose."
"Yes," Lupin said. He turned to the children and tossed their wands back to them. "Will you listen?"
Harry glanced at his friends in confusion. "If you haven't been helping him, how did you know he was here?"
"The map," Lupin said. "The Marauder's Map. Regulus and I have been monitoring it, looking for Sirius."
"How do you know how to work it?" Harry asked. "Do you know...Prongs, or one of those people?"
"We are those people," Lupin corrected. "Moony," he gestured to himself, "Wormtail," he pointed towards the caget, "Padfoot," to Sirius, and "and your dad, Prongs," he nodded at Harry.
"That's not Wormtail, that's Scabbers!" Ron snapped, but Hermione placed a hand on his arm.
"Professor?" She said slowly. "No one knew Sirius Black was an animagus. I did all the research for Professor McGonagall's essay and there were only seven registered this century, and Sirius Black wasn't one of them...are you saying...you all were?"
"You truly are the brightest witch of your age, Hermione," Lupin said.
"So you're saying Scabbers is...Peter Pettigrew?"
"What?" Harry gasped, whipping his head around to look at Lupin for confirmation.
"Hermione! He's SCABBERS," Ron said stubbornly. "This is nutters! Peter Pettigrew died, HE blasted him apart in front of a street full of muggles!" He pointed at Sirius.
"The map never lies," Remus said. "We spent months perfecting the spells."
"Professor Lupin and I have been monitoring it since we confiscated it from you, Harry," Reguls said. "We've seen my reckless brother a few times and we've been trying to capture him. But tonight...we saw the three of you enter Hagrid's hut. When you exited, Pettigrew was with you."
"This is madness," Ron muttered. "Madness!"
"What about the twelve muggles he killed and all the witnesses?" Harry said, glaring at Sirius. His look was blazing and serious, more intense than any Regulus had ever seen on James Potter's face. Sirius must have been thinking the same; he shrunk back and then puffed up defensively.
"They didn't see what they thought! Peter yelled that I'd betrayed James and then blasted apart the whole street, running away down the sewer!" Sirius attempted to push himself off the wall, swayed dangerously, and had to be grabbed and set upright by Remus. Regulus noticed that Remus avoided Sirius's eyes, touching him as clinically as possible. "Get on with it, then, Remus! Tell them!"
There was a loud pop and they all jumped. Remus looked around inquisitively, but there was nothing to be seen.
"This place is haunted!" Ron gasped. His face was paler than ever.
"No it's not," Remus said. "I suppose that's the best place to start, eh, Sirius?"
Ron opened his mouth again, but Hermione and Harry both shushed him. Hermione's eyes were drilled on Remus, but Regulus noticed that Harry kept glancing back at Sirius, a hungry, conflicted expression on his face as he took in the face of his dad's best friend.
Lupin told his story, hauntingly, haltingly; how he had been bitten as a child, how he had thought he would never be able to come to Hogwarts or make friends; how Dumbledore had placed wards on the shack and spread the rumor that it was haunted; how he had come here each month to transform and attack himself.
Then the story turned to his friendship with James, Sirius, and Peter; how they had figured out his secret and hadn't abandoned him; how they had been mischief makers and over-zealous defenders of the light; how they had learned to be animagi to keep him company as animals.
"That's still really dangerous!" Hermione chastised. "Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you had given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"
Remus sighed, regret lacing his every word. He admitted that the thought still haunted him; that he had been struggling all year with his guilt; that he had almost went to Dumbledore a hundred times to admit it, only to convince himself Sirius must be using dark magic.
"I wanted to believe it was that or that Professor Black was helping him," Remus said, nodding to Regulus. Regulus looked at him evenly.
"And I wanted to believe it was your doing, rather than my visit to Sirius," Regulus said. Sirius laughed a little madly.
"It was Cornelius Fudge!" he said. "Egomaniacs. Making up for always blaming me for everything in childhood, Reg? Always playing the good prefect and escaping detention, Remus? Fudge gave me a newspaper with Peter's picture in it, that's how I got the motivation to escape! If you'd fucking unbind me, I could show you!"
"Sirius, please," Remus said in a pained voice. "Language around the children, please."
Sirius let out a barking laugh. Regulus was inclined to agree- the situation was so absurd; they were way past censoring their speech.
Regulus raised his wand. "I'm going to release your arms," he told his brother. "Any mischief and I'll bind you right back again. Don't cross me."
"Understood, father," Sirius spat. Regulus felt a sense of shame at being linked to the man, and tried to remind himself how this must seem to Sirius. If he really was innocent.
"Sirius, stop," Remus said again. "Regulus has been an ally this year. He's been helping me with my transformations-"
"Oh, of course! The little snake must take everything from me!" Sirius snarled.
"Do you want to be released or not?" Regulus snapped. "Stop squirming or I might slip and give you rope burn."
"Hey!" Harry snapped. "Look at where you are! Deal with your family drama later!"
The three men turned to look at the bewildered teenagers. Harry's expression was stormy. Remus and Sirius glanced at each other, grins spreading across their faces. They began to chuckle and couldn't seem to stop. Tears began to stream down Sirius's face, his entire body shaking, and then he was sobbing, the laughter quickly dying off.
Regulus raised his wand and loosened the ties around Sirius's body. They puddled on the floor. He reached for Sirius and embraced him tightly.
"Brother," he whispered.
"Brother," Sirius whispered back through his tears.
They let go and Sirius turned, right into Remus's waiting arms. He let out a last shuddering gasp and gripped the man, clinging to him and trembling.
"Sit, Padfoot," Remus whispered, lowering them to the ground. His scar-streaked hand raised, seemingly of its own accord, and brushed the dirt and tears from Sirius's face. It was undeniably intimate, and Regulus couldn't help but look away.
The three teenagers on the bed were looking equally as uncomfortable. Harry was staring at his knees and Ron was glaring at the captured rat. Only Hermione was still watching, her gaze piercing.
"You said Fudge gave you an article with Peter in it?" Hermione prompted unsubtly. Remus jerked his hand back and Sirius dropped his head heavily against the shack wall. He gazed at Hermione from under heavy lids.
"Yes, that's right," he said thickly. He reached into his tattered grey robes, so threadbare and dirty, a sharp contrast to the thick, quality robes he used to wear. He pulled a tattered piece of paper and held out his shaking hand. Remus took it and gasped softly.
"Yes," he murmured. He passed it to the group of teenagers, who examined it with frowning faces. Regulus craned his head to catch a look. It was a vaguely familiar picture of the entire Weasley family. He moved closer- yes, there was the rat, perched on Ron's shoulder.
"He's missing a toe," Remus murmured. "So simple...he must of cut it off just before he blew up the street."
"Lots of rats have missing toes!" Ron said, but he didn't sound so sure now. The sight of a famous mass murderer crying seemed to have knocked the confidence out of the brash boy. "He's...he's been in the family forever…"
"An unusually long time," Regulus pointed out gently. "So either he is coming to the end of his natural rat lifespan or something else has caused his illness."
Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times, before sputtering, "He's just looking ill because he's been scared of that cat!"
But that wasn't quite true, the teenagers discussed. The rat had been ill since their return from Egypt. Sirius told them that the squashed-face cat, now preening in front of the cage and licking its lips, had been helping him, attempting to bring him the rat and give him access to the tower.
"But why would he be scared of you, if he's the one who killed all those muggles?" Harry asked, suddenly furious. "Why would be be in hiding? This is ridiculous! I should have killed you when I had a chance!"
Regulus glanced sharply at the boy and then at Remus.
"Killing is a very serious thing, Harry," Remus said.
"We'll have a discussion about that when we get out of here," Regulus added.
"Killing is a very serious thing," Sirius mocked. "I understand Harry's actions. Can we get on with it so I can commit the killing I was imprisoned for?"
"See! He is a killer!" Harry cried, raising his hand and gripping his wand tightly.
"Harry," Remus said quickly. "Think about it- Regulus and I have been hunting Sirius all year, but we're willing to give him a chance to explain. We wouldn't do that if there wasn't solid proof- Peter betrayed your parents and Sirius tracked him down, see, not the other way around-"
"NO!" Harry yelled. "I heard McGonagall say he was their secret keeper, he admitted he betrayed them before you turned up!"
"Harry," Sirius said, and Regulus was shocked to hear that his voice was begging. "I might as well have killed them, I made a mistake, I convinced them to change to Peter-"
"For Salazar's sake, Sirius, you can be so misleading when you're being dramatic!" Regulus interrupted. "Why didn't you tell him that right up front?"
"Fuck you, Reg! I've waiting twelve years for this-"
Remus shot Regulus a glare.
"Padfoot," He said, gripping the man's arm and stopping his words with a look. "Go ahead. Tell us about the secret keeper."
Sirius swallowed, running a shaking hand over his matted hair. The blue veins stood out sharply against his thin arms and yellowed skin.
"I thought it was the perfect trick. Voldemort would suspect me. No one would dream that it was Peter.
"It was Halloween and he hadn't checked in. I told myself I would check in the morning...enjoy the holiday...stop fretting so much. I left from our place and headed to the safe house the next morning," his eyes were on Harry now, begging, pleading.
"I'm so sorry, Harry, I failed you, I failed James. Peter wasn't there, but there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I went to your house...it was destroyed...half collapsed in, walls burnt, ash everywhere...I saw your parents' bodies...they looked...perfect…as though they were asleep...I knew it was the killing curse. It leaves no marks."
Here he teared up and fell silent for a minute, sniffing heartily.
"I didn't see you, Harry. I thought...I had nothing left to lose." His voice was utterly haunted, far away, ethereal and tortured. "Almost nothing." He glanced at Remus. "So I tracked him down. He shouted for the whole street to hear that I had betrayed your parents and then blew it all up."
There was a long silence at the end of his story. Harry half stood, as though intending to reach for Sirius, and then hesitated. He turned his green eyes towards Remus.
"Do you believe him?"
"I do," Remus said. "But we don't have to believe him. We can prove it. My wand, please, Regulus?"
"What'll it do if Scabbers is just...Scabbers?" Ron asked, sounding more uncertain than ever.
"It won't hurt him," Remus assured him. "We're just going to force him to show himself."
Regulus handed Remus his wand, flipping it around so that the other man could grab the handle. He took his own wand and expanded the cage, severing the ropes around the rat's ankles not-so-gently. He cast a few spells on the bars, then nodded curtly at Remus.
"Remus," Sirius said hoarsely. "Moony. May I-?"
"Here," Regulus thrust his own wand at his brother. He caught Remus's eye and said seriously, "don't make me regret that."
"If that rat isn't Peter, I'll disarm Sirius myself," Remus promised. He placed an arm around Sirius and the two moved slowly towards the cage. Sirius's haunted eyes burned in his face. Remus's faded eyes seemed to have sharpened to a neon blue. They were men possessed.
"One," Remus said, in a voice like a prayer. "Two...three!"
Twin jets of blue-white light sprang from their wands, striking the rat in the cage. And then Peter Pettigrew was growing from nothingness, filling the cage rapidly as he crouched and blinked and wheezed into being. His brown, watery eyes darted frantically and he grasped the bars of the cage, his dirty nails overgrown and pointed. His index finger was missing and the stump looked like it had healed badly.
Ron yelled.
"Well, hello, Peter," Lupin said lightly. "Long time, no see."
What ensued was a charged conversation of accusations and lies, as Peter tried to deflect on anyone but himself. He wildly accused Sirius of trying to kill him, gesturing with his mutilated hand and muttering defensively when Sirius turned it back around, suggesting it was Voldemort's living supporters Peter had been hiding from. When Peter realized that tactic wasn't working, he rounded on Remus, spitting hurtful words- he didn't trust you, he only saw you as a werewolf, he's always been manipulating you- and when Remus looked unphased, Peter pivoted in the cage to glare at Regulus.
"And this one's doing the same, Remus, Moony, my old friend! You think this Death Eater is on your side- they've been tricking us for years!"
"Come off of it!" Sirius yelled, bringing Regulus's wand hand up. "Leave Remus and Reg out of this, this is between you and me, you little rat. Get ready to die!"
"Wait!" Remus snapped, holding a hand up.
"How did he escape then, Moony, if not for Dark Magic?" Peter spat out. He had drifted to the edges of the bars. When they all focused their gazes on Sirius, Peter darted one arm out of the cage towards Remus's arm.
Remus stepped back swiftly and glared.
"That little act of desperation undermines your transparent attempt at misdirection," Regulus said dryly.
Sirius, barely controlling his angry shaking, begin to justify his escape. Regulus could see the picture becoming clearer for the teenagers, as Sirius explained luring an owl to his cell to send his letter and transforming into an animagus to escape. Regulus watched Sirius's expression grow more intense and hopeful as he gazed at Harry, gesturing wildly as he enumerated on his motives for escaping. Regulus was reminded painfully of being a young child and watching Sirius try to gain their father's approval. But the difference was palpable in the air- Harry was rash, young, and stubborn, but he was undeniably, irrevocably moral.
"Do you believe me?" Sirius asked, his dark eyes never leaving Harry.
Finally, pale faced, green eyes blazing, the boy nodded.
"NO!" Pettigrew gasped. He was sweaty and red, and his watery eyes were more darting and desperate than ever. He lurched towards the side of the cage and reached out to the children.
"Ron! I was a good pet, wasn't I, don't let them kill me!"
Ron was now a distinct shade of green. He jerked himself back from the man, staring at him in disgust.
"I let you sleep in my bed!"
"Clever girl, the brightest girl, you won't let them kill me-" Peter tried, reaching out towards Hermione. She backed away further on the bed, grabbing Ron's hand tightly, the fear on her face palpable.
"I'm just a student," she gasped. "Professor Black, Professor Lupin, couldn't we...the dementors-?"
But Sirius wasn't listening and Regulus saw that Remus wasn't either. Their faces were twin masks of rage and chaos. They were raising their wands, stepping back to get better aim. The hands that didn't hold their wands were grasped. Peter began to throw himself against the bars of the cage, wailing and jerking.
"NO! Harry, no, please, James would have understood, don't let them do it, Harry!"
Sirius roared a curse, letting loose a stream of vitriol. But it was Remus who shocked them all, bringing down his wand in a slashing gesture that left Peter with a bleeding gash from ear to chin. The wound crossed his upper and lower lips. The man sputtered and gagged on the blood.
"You're a beast!" Peter yelled. "It's no wonder Sirius suspected you and not me!"
Sirius roared. Regulus, wandless, realized it was too late to intervene. Despite Harry's yelling, despite Remus's attempt to grab Sirius's arm, despite Regulus's leap towards his brother, Sirius was raising the wand and screaming "Avada-!"
There was a huge blast and the floor caved in. They all tumbled through the rotting floorboards, a cacophony of noise echoing as bed, cage, and seven people crashed to the floor below. Peter screamed and cried out as the cage landed upside down, a metallic gong ringing around the room. Ron groaned and began to sob as his broken leg was pinned underneath him. Harry scrambled from the mess, yelling for his friends.
Remus and Regulus rushed to the teenagers, freeing them from the rubble with a mixture of magic and strength. Remus levitated Ron gently back onto the bed, the dark anger gone and replaced with his normal expression as he bound the leg in a splint. Regulus checked over Harry and Hermione, running his hands over their limbs in search of broken bones. Satisfied that they were well, as least physically, he darted to Sirius's side and snatched his wand from his brother's hand. Sirius looked shell shocked and hadn't taken his eyes from the cage.
Regulus turned slowly and took in the sight before him. A slow feeling of triumph spread through him and he grinned darkly. There, on top of the upturned cage, standing victoriously, was Kreacher. His dark tunic, embossed with the Black family crest, was dusty and torn, but the elf had his head held high and a slightly deranged smile on his face.
"Master Sirius is being a bad boy, oh yes!" The elf said happily. "Good thing Kreacher was here to stop Master Sirius from doing something that would land Master back in jail."
"Kreacher?" Sirius said. "That mad elf is still alive?"
"This mad elf just saved your life, ungrateful Master!" Kreacher said, but he was too pleased with himself to sound sharp. "There are dementors waiting right outside for Master Sirius, oh yes, and the Minister for Magic, and Dumbledore too! If Master Sirius kills this scum-" here he stomped one horned foot on the cage- "then Master Sirius will not be able to prove he did not kill those muggles! Worthless bugs that they are."
Hermione made a small, indignant sound, but seemed too shell shocked to say anything else.
"Thank you, Kreacher," Remus said finally. "We were carried away."
"You is welcome, Professor Lupin," Kreacher answered cordially.
"What?!" Sirius said. "WHAT?!"
"I know," Regulus said. "A few short months ago, Kreacher was tailing Remus and reporting on the disgusting state of his robes. Now they're good friends. I don't claim to understand it either."
Peter groaned from beneath Kreacher's feet.
"My leg," he said. "You tried to kill me and then you broke my leg."
"You'll have to wait in line," Remus said, his dry, pleasant voice returned. "I think students take precedence over friend-betraying mass murderers. I'm sure once the dementor's get ahold of you, you won't be worried about it at all."
"Or anything else," Sirius added viciously.
Peter began to cry, great wracking sobs that echoed around the room. The other men looked at each other.
"Let's go," Sirius said. "I'm ready to be free."
"Sirius, let's think this through," Regulus cautioned. The Minister for Magic and a hoard of dementors are up there. If we just walk out, they'll kiss first and ask questions later."
Sirius went pale.
"Always have to be right," he muttered, but his heart didn't seem to be in it.
"We'll go first," Harry announced. "With Professor Lupin. They won't attack students."
"I can follow with this one," Regulus said, nudging the cage with his foot. "Kreacher, stay by me. Sirius, you take the rear. We want to put as many people between you and the Minister as possible."
"Excuse me," Hermione gasped suddenly, raising her hand as though they were in class and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I don't mean to be insensitive, but isn't it a full moon?"
They all turned to look at her. Remus gasped and grabbed at his pocket watch.
"Merlin's Beard, you're right, Hermione."
"What?" Ron gasped, grabbing Hermione's arm and laboring to pull her closer.
"Regulus, quick, make another cage. Silver bars, iron floor," Sirius instructed. Regulus wasted no time in following his brother's instructions and Lupin threw himself inside. The destroyed room creaked around them and Peter continued to dry heave while Ron moaned piteously.
"My potion will hold!" Regulus said with more confidence than he felt. "It hasn't failed once this year, and this one is more powerful than the last."
"Potion?" Sirius said at the same time as Ron. The two made eye contact and looked away, seemingly realizing the ridiculousness of the dynamic they found themselves in.
"Explain...later…" Remus said. "Back...away…"
He was trembling, his muscles rippling under his skin. Sirius and Regulus walked backwards, arms outstretched in front of the children. Kreacher stood in front of them, his small hands raised, palms outward, and defensive. Peter moaned and cried. There was a zipping sound as he tried to transform, only to be stopped by a charm on the cage.
"Ohh, I'm splinched," he moaned. The others ignored him.
Remus cried out and groaned. His bones creaked and popped, changing shape rapidly. His screams turned to howls as hair sprouted on his body. His face elongated, teeth painfully protruding through his gums, claws painfully ripping through his knuckles. He let out one long, last howl and then threw himself onto the floor of the cage, panting.
The group waited, none of them daring to even breathe.
"Why isn't he attacking himself?" Sirius asked breathlessly. "Or trying to get to us?"
"My potion," Regulus said. "Improved-upon Wolfsbane Potion. He should be in control of himself."
Sirius transformed and approached the cage as a great black dog, his huge paws leaving plate-sized prints on the dusty floor.
The werewolf reached a nose forward tentatively, avoiding bumping his muzzle against the silver bars. Sirius pushed his own muzzle through, touching their noses together. Moony sighed and sat back. He bobbed his huge, grey head, seemingly nodding.
Sirius backed away and transformed.
"He's there," he said decisively. "That's Remus."
"I told you my potion worked," Regulus said, but the triumph was meek. "And I have a plan."
They moved slowly through the tunnel, like a morbid parade procession. Harry walked in front, as the person least likely to be attacked by the Ministry. He was followed by Moony, who was sandwiched on either side by Kreacher and Padfoot. Though he seemed cognisant, Kreacher kept one warning hand on the great beast's side, his palm bristling with elf magic. Hermione followed behind, Ron's arm around her shoulder as he dragged his bound leg. Regulus brought up the rear, levitating the crushed cage behind him, ignoring its occupant's moans.
The walk seemed to take three times as long as their journey to the Shrieking Shack, but Regulus used the time to compose himself. He tidied and mended his robes, smoothed his hair and his expression. He practiced what he wanted to say, automatically doing some of the vocal warm ups he had practiced as a child.
"Merlin's meager mumblings managed minor mutilation. Salazar's savage spellcasting slayed slothish squibs. Merlin's meager-"
Sirius-as-Padfoot slowed to be beside his brother. His pale eyes were piercing in the dark tunnel as he gave Regulus a pointed, very un-doglike stare. Regulus flushed and clamped his mouth shut.
"Get back up there, mutt," he muttered. Padfoot huffed and sped back up beside the werewolf, leaning comfortably into the canine's sleek grey fur.
They were rising now, and Regulus could see the faintest bit of moonlight. He watched approvingly as Harry raised his hands, wand away, and called, "we're safe! Don't cast! We're safe!"
The group moved slowly into the grounds. The summer air was cooler than expected and pleasantly damp, as though a small drizzle was incoming. The moon was huge and heavy, casting silvery light across the grass. Regulus breathed deeply, taking in the scents of grass, earth, and magic. The inhale grounded him, wiping out the dust and cobwebs that seemed to have settled in his brain as well as on his clothes. He looked around, taking in the scene in front of him.
At least twenty witches and wizards were waiting for them, arranged in a circle around the Whomping Willow. A hundred feet behind, just far enough to spare the magicians from their effects, was a ring of dementors. Each person had their wand raised. Regulus spotted several Aurors he knew, plus all the Hogwarts professors, Fudge, McNair, and Dumbledore. Regulus took a deep breath and, against all his instincts, lowered the walls of his mind.
"Great Scott!" Fudge gasped. "A werewolf! Kill it!"
McNair moved to grab his wand, but Dumbledore placed a hand lightly on the old man's wiry arm.
"I think you'll see from his behavior that he is not dangerous," Albus said. "That is our own Professor Lupin."
Fudge gasped again and turned to Dumbledore so quickly that his bowler hat was dislodged.
"That is even worse! You have been exposing the children to that- that- beast?"
"Minister!" Regulus called. He struggled to manage his words while forcefully projecting his memories towards Dumbledore. "Look for yourself. This is clearly a wolf animagus. See how controlled he is? Couldn't hardly take any other form with a name like Lupin, eh?"
The other Hogwarts professors glanced at one another, then at Dumbledore. Albus was radiating power and authority, his beard gleaming in the moonlight. He gave one, curt nod, and the others rushed to murmur their agreement.
"An animagus, you say?" Fudge said, still leaning back as though Remus might attack at any moment. "Well, you can understand my confusion...and we don't have that on record, Lupin! There's a fine for that! Why is he transformed? And what is that other beast? Looks like a grim!"
"Students, get behind your professors," Regulus said instead of answering. Hermione set off immediately, supporting Ron, but Harry hesitated. "Harry," Regulus warned, and the boy reluctantly moved towards Dumbledore.
"Send the Dementors back to the entrance!" Regulus cried. "As you can see, I have the suspect caged and guarded. These students cannot withstand the effects of some many dementors."
"Well- I-" Fudge dithered, but Dumbledore had already cast three gleaming phoenix patronuses, which swooped the parameter and herded the dementors away. "Well, yes, alright then. If you must!"
Regulus now stood in front of the cage, Padfoot, Moony, and Kreacher at his sides. He could feel Dumbledore's presence, frantically sorting and ordering as though Regulus's mind was a filing cabinet.
"Your elf said you had Sirius Black with you!" Fudge cried. "Hand him over now, or I will be forced to conclude you are helping him!"
"Would I have sent my elf for assistance if my intentions were not true?" Regulus cried.
"I- well- that is neither here nor there!" Fudge spat. "Hand him over, or I will send my aurors in."
"I have a law breaker in custody, that is true! But you will find that he is not Sirius Black. I'm sure my elf didn't misspeak!"
Frankly, Regulus didn't know and didn't care what Kreacher had said. For all they had fallen from glory, Black was still a sacred name, and Regulus knew that with the right affect to his voice, Fudge wouldn't dare to contradict him.
"Who is it then?" Fudge was starting to sound exasperated and desperate, his shoulders drooping as he glanced at the group of wizards and witches he had called there. Regulus probed gently at Fudge's thoughts and saw that he was frantic to avoid looking incompetent.
"Minister, I'm glad to hand off this criminal to you! I hardly know what to do with this kind of charlatan," Regulus called, tasting the emotions as they rolled off of Fudge and adjusted his words as needed. "This man faked his death and has been living as an unregistered animagus for twelve years. He has admitted to being involved in the death of Lily and James Potter and is a person of interest in the Sirius Black case!"
"Who is he?" Fudge cried eagerly, stepping forward.
"Peter Pettigrew!"
There was a collective gasp from the crowd, especially among the older aurors and Hogwarts professors.
"What? Pettigrew? He's has an Order of Merlin! Surely it's an imposter?" Fudge cried.
"See for yourself, Minister! I am as shocked as you- that is why I asked Lupin to accompany me in his most dangerous form, and brought my guard dog and elf along as well."
Fudge turned and murmured to Dumbledore, frantically seeking advice. Dumbledore called over Minerva, who conferred with them in quick whispers. Regulus watched as Madame Pomfrey moved slowly across the grounds, supporting Ron on a stretcher while Harry and Hermione reluctantly followed, walking as slowly as they could get away with.
"I know Pettigrew's magical signature!" Minerva called out. "I was his head of house for seven years, after all."
She marched across the grass, head held high. Moony shifted restlessly and Padfoot growled lowly at him. Kreacher placed a warning hand on the beast's shoulder.
Regulus could see that Minerva's face was pale, her hair escaping from it's tight bun. She glanced at Remus uncomfortably before peering into the cage. She let out a gasp.
"Merlin's Beard!" she muttered, her Scottish accent stronger than normal. She performed a series of complicated spells, twisting her wand in complex patterns and whispering a song-like chant under her breath. Peter moaned, gasping and crying, as sickly green waves of magic rose off him.
"Professor," he gasped, "please help."
His voice seemed to spook her worse than all the other events, and she stumbled back.
"You, an animagus?" Her voice was not kind. "I would never have believed it."
"It's true, Minister!" She called, her voice shaking. "This is Pettigrew. He shows signs of deterioration consistent with someone who has spent long amounts of time in an animagus state, and I can see that he has sustained damage attempting to transform back while under an anti-animagus spell."
"Aurors, move in!" Fudge called. "Look that man up in Azkaban, I want night and day supervision on him, auror supervision! We don't want another incident like Black! They're probably working together!"
Regulus cast a small smile down at shaggy beast to his left. Minerva caught the gesture and raised one thin eyebrow. As the aurors moved in, shouting and carrying off the cage, she leaned forward and whispered to Regulus.
"That's not the only magical signature I recognize," she told him. "I'd know the smell of Sirius Black's magic anywhere. One of the most talented transfiguration students I've ever had. You better have a damn good explanation for this, Professor Black."
Kreacher cackled. Regulus gave her a prim smile.
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
Yay! The gang's back together again! I'm planning an epilogue and then probably a series of one-shots about the aftermath. I don't want to write about all the changes this causes through all the books, but I'd definitely like to explore some other points of view and peek in on the romance between Sirius and Remus that is brewing! Hope you enjoyed!
