"Welcome everyone." Albus greeted his students, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. We will start with the sorting in just a moment."
Albus' speech continued on for a few moments but six year old Harry's attention wandered. He was sitting on Aunt Minnie's chair with Sirius in dog form at Remus' feet not far away. During his week spent at Hogwarts Harry had somehow managed to work his way into attending the welcoming feast, in disguise of course. Everyone was being told he was Aunt Minnie's great nephew. Sirius had told him that it was kind of true since he was a great kid and he called her Aunt Minnie. Harry was very excited and couldn't wait to hear the sorting hat sing its song and he clapped louder than anyone when it was finished. As names were being called Harry noticed a red headed boy in line whose pocket kept wiggling and it made him giggle. Once he got a quick look at what made it move he reached over and pulled on Granddad Albus' robe sleeve.
"What?" Albus gave him about half his attention.
"He has Wormtail." Harry pointed to the boy.
"I don't think it is. Many children have pet rats." Albus patted his head.
Harry frowned and watched the pocket before pulling on his sleeve again, "No he has Wormtail."
"Stop please I need to pay attention." Albus chided lightly.
Harry started to leave and when Albus tried to stop him he stated, "I need to tell Remus something."
"Be quick and don't disturb anyone and then come right back." he instructed and continued to watch the sorting.
Harry slipped down a few seats and leaned up to talk to Remus, "That boy has Wormtail in his pocket."
Both Remus and Sirius' heads snapped to Harry before Remus grabbed Sirius' collar and asked, "Which boy?"
"The one with red hair." He replied pointing as the boy's name was called by Aunt Minnie.
"Weasley, Percy." She called.
"Many children have rats for pets." Remus stated, "But we will check later ok? Sit down the feast is about to start."
"Ok." Harry stated and returned in time to climb up onto Minerva's lap.
As dinner neared completion Remus approached Albus, "Harry thinks Percy Weasley's pet rat is Wormtail. Can we check just so he won't be concerned?"
"How can I explain this?" Albus questioned, "I've never thought to check all the rats before."
"Anonymous tip?" Remus suggested.
"A new school policy checking all pets for good health might be a good idea." Minerva suggested
"Kettleburn won't like it." Albus sighed.
"I'll help." Minerva suggested, "I'm sure I can talk Filius and Pamona into helping too maybe even Severus. Madam Pomfrey won't be hard to convince."
"Check by house?" Remus suggested.
"There was that cat that died last year." Filius had heard and added his two knuts worth, "Could prevent an epidemic if another sick animal is brought in unknowingly."
"Maybe Mr. Hobson in Hogsmeade would help." Remus added, "He's a veterinarian."
Albus nodded liking the suggestion, "We could provide the service this year and require bills of health for all future animals."
"I could just ask if I could borrow him to show Aunt Minnie." Harry jumped off her lap and was gone before anyone could tell him no. He reached the table and tapped Percy on the shoulder, "Can I borrow your pet to show Aunt Minnie?"
"He's been kind of jumpy tonight." Percy balked not wanting to let his pet go.
"I'll keep a tight hold on him." Harry promised.
"Percy, just go with him. The teachers won't bite." Another red head chuckled from further down the table.
"Fine." Percy grumbled and stood following the small boy up the aisle.
"What have you got there Mr. Weasley?" Albus asked.
"Professor McGonagall's nephew wanted to show her my rat." He stood very straight as he spoke to the headmaster.
"Well let's see then." He held out his hand and saw Remus nod from the spot he had returned to, Sirius still firmly in his hand though the dog was growling quietly.
Percy handed over the squirming rat, "He's a bit jumpy tonight for some reason. Usually he's so calm I have to make sure he's still alive by looking to see if he is breathing."
"I think I know why." Albus pulled his wand and shot a spell at the rat, "Sorry but I don't think your pet rat is a rat."
"What else could he be?" Percy asked.
"An animagus?" a voice approaching from behind Percy asked.
"Yes I believe so William." Albus looked closely at the rat, "Gather your other brother and bring him and Percy to my office. We'll be contacting the aurors and your parents."
"Am I in trouble?" Percy gasped.
"No absolutely not." Albus smiled benignly, "You may actually get a reward for finding a wanted man and turning him in."
"But it was the Professor's nephew." He pointed to the small boy.
"He'll get a reward too." Albus patted Harry on the head, "Well done both of you."
"Professor how do you know he's an animagus?" Charlie asked as he arrived, "Can you sense the magic or something?"
"We'll I'm not that good." Albus smiled, "But there is a certain man wanted for questioning that happens to be a rat animagus with a missing toe. It's not a well-known case."
"Wow." Percy looked wide eyed at his Headmaster.
"Remus, I'm afraid I'm going to need Minerva for the rest of the evening. Would you mind seeing her nephew and his dog home?" Albus suggested over the rims of his half-moon spectacles.
"I think that's a good idea." Remus pulled the dog's leash tight trying to keep him close as Harry walked over to them, "Have a pleasant evening."
Harry hugged the dog around the neck, "Let's go home Paddy, I don't want to be around that bad man."
The dog stiffened for a moment and then trotted after the boy obediently his head hung slightly. Bill thought that if a dog could look contrite it would be that dog. The three of them left the Great Hall and then three Weasley's along with their head of house followed the headmaster.
"Everyone is dismissed. Prefects please make sure the first year's find their way." Albus said as stepped through the door leaving the Great Hall.
"I can't believe I almost did it again." Sirius threw himself into a chair after putting Harry to bed, "I was ready to leave Harry to you and go after that rat."
"I wanted to do the same thing." Remus looked up at him, "But just like last time we didn't. We stayed mostly calm and left it up to Albus. He'll get Moody there and Bagnold won't know what to do to stop him. Justice will be found and you'll be a free man soon."
"I can't even think about that right now." Sirius huffed, "All I can see are my hands around Peter's neck."
"That would leave Harry alone." Remus pointed his quill at Sirius, "You can't do that."
"I can dream can't I?" he asked.
"No, it's best to put your mind on something else." Remus smiled, "Like the financial reports you were supposed to do yesterday."
"Sirius you aren't going anywhere are you?" Harry asked from the doorway.
"No sport. I'm staying right here." Sirius held out his hands and the small boy ran across the room and then climbed into his lap, "I thought I put you to bed."
"You did." He agreed, "But I was worried you would leave to make him pay. I don't want you to leave. Let Granddad Albus do it, he loves to put bad guys away."
"He does." Sirius agreed and then sighed with extra exaggeration for Harry's benefit, "I guess I'll let him do it this time."
Harry giggled from his spot for a moment before settling down, "I'm glad Wormtail is caught, he's bad."
"How did you know he was there?" Sirius hugged him tight.
"I could see him wiggling in the boy's pocket." Harry stated.
"But how did you know it was Wormtail and not some other rat?" Remus asked.
"He's bad." Harry shrugged.
"Did you feel that he was bad or did something tell you he was?" Sirius knew he was pushing abilities at Harry but the kid could do so much. Maybe he could feel the dark mark or something.
Harry shrugged and said, "I just knew. I saw him peek out of the pocket and I knew."
That sat both men back. He saw the rat peek out and then knew. Could he be some kind of natural Legimins? They both vowed to talk to Albus about it at his earliest convenience. Which was two hours later after Harry was asleep in bed again.
"How did he know?" Albus asked.
"Where is the rat now?" Sirius asked.
"Moody has him still transformed and I'm calling for an emergency meeting tomorrow at eight. Bagnold isn't usually in until eight thirty. He should make it late enough for us to already have the veritaserum in Peter. How did he know?"
"He said he notice the boy's pocket wiggling then the rat peeked out and he knew." Remus explained, "Legilmens?"
"Normally I'd say no but Harry is full of surprises." Albus sighed.
They talked for a while longer before Albus left and they decided to go to bed. Sirius was unable to sleep and soon found himself sitting on the floor of Harry's room watching him sleep. If everything worked out he would be a free man tomorrow. The thought should have been a joyous one so he was surprised to find himself still melancholy. It was early morning before he realized why. The thought made him flee the bedroom and find a stiff drink.
"That doesn't look like a drink in celebration." Remus said as Sirius poured his third in less than two minutes, "What are you thinking that's got you so upset?"
"Harry." Sirius choked out.
"He's happy that Wormtail is caught and that you're free." Remus was confused.
"No it's not that. I just… I realized something." He downed the third drink finally, "Once I'm free Harry will be the only one in hiding. He won't be free until Voldemort and all the death eaters have been stopped. His sentence is far longer than mine could ever be."
"Pour me one too." Remus dropped his head onto the desk.
"We both can't get drunk." Sirius reminded him as he handed him his drink.
"Since that's your last one neither of us will be getting drunk." Remus explained, "We will get through this as well as we can. We'll keep Harry a healthy, happy boy and make sure he has the tools he needs to survive. We won't let this feel like he is trapped."
"What are we going to do in five years when it's his time to go to Hogwarts?" Sirius asked, "Did you see how big those Slytherins were? They could just pick him up and carry him to Voldemort and we'd never see him again."
"He'll grow some but I agree that I don't like the idea of him being there with them." Remus sighed, "But where do we send him Beauxbatons, certainly not Durmstrang."
"Can't we just keep him?" Sirius whined, "We have him on third year spells now why not just continue until he can take his OWLs and NEWTs? He'd be a lot safer."
"No social interaction." Remus sighed, "He needs other people."
"He has Neville." Sirius pointed out.
"Not enough social interaction." Remus smiled as his persistence, "Besides we both stink at potions and we both agree that Snape cannot come here."
"We should just get Slughorn to do it." Sirius sighed, "I'm sure he's a much better teacher than Snape would be anyway."
"Albus says he's gone into hiding." Remus said, "Says he's afraid that someone's going to ask him to help find Voldemort."
"Well that's great then." Sirius sat up straighter.
"Why is it great that they think he can find Voldemort?" Remus looked quite confused.
"No, that he's in hiding." Sirius stood up to pace, "We can help him hide and get Harry a potions class at the same time. Then he won't have to go to Hogwarts."
"But Albus wants him there." Remus said.
"But he said it we're the Father types and he's just the Grandfather type." Sirius was grinning manically, "We get to make the decisions not him."
"We can't give him practical lessons in Magical Creatures either." Remus pointed out.
"Field trips!" Sirius brightened up after a few minutes of deep thought, "Hogwarts isn't the only place with Redcaps and Hinkypunks. There's that dragon preserve in Romania, Hogwarts doesn't have dragons."
"I don't want Harry near dragons." Remus rolled his eyes, "Albus won't go for it. He'll want to test him for ability and reasoning and all that other stuff you can't do."
"We have the best tutors in the business." Sirius sat back, "Which professor, other than Snape, wouldn't come here to work with Harry? He has them all wrapped around his little finger. He has Minnie talked into teaching him the animagus transformation when he's thirteen."
"If he can complete his other transfiguration in time." Remus reminded him.
"Which he will do." Sirius stated emphatically, "He's ahead of schedule now. Any other problems you can foresee?"
"Social interaction still isn't covered." Remus stated, "Most glaringly muggleborns aren't represented anywhere."
"Andy." Sirius started nodding, "Getting to know Andy can cover that and Ted is good with a few subjects on his own. Nym is in school but she can visit during the holidays. Plus we'll have the field trips."
"That still leaves only one child his own age." Remus pointed out, "Once Neville is school age I don't think Augusta will keep him out."
"True but she doesn't have a good reason and we do." Sirius relaxed back in his chair again, "I think we can get our way on this."
"I hope so." Remus agreed polishing off his drink, "Wonder how the trial is going. It started ten minutes ago."
"Sirius, Remus, Selly says it's time for breakfast." Harry yelled from the kitchen.
"What is going on here and who is that man?" Bagnold demanded as he entered the Wizengamot chambers.
"We're just about to find that out." Moody answered as he got ready to begin, "This man was found in the form of a rat in the home of Arthur Weasley. Arthur did you know the rat was a man?"
"No I did not know that." Arthur stated, "I would like to know why he was hiding in my house pretending to be a pet to my son. I need to know if he intended to hurt any member of my family."
Once that was stated no one could contest the application of veritiserum. Once a head of a family called for knowledge in a case like this they had to follow through. Moody turned to the man who was still unconscious and woke him up before giving him the potion.
"Name?" he asked.
"Peter Pettigrew." The man in the chair answered.
"That's impossible, he's dead. All we found was a finger." Bagnold yelled out.
"Are you disputing the effectiveness of the potion?" Albus asked.
"No, proceed." Bagnold quieted knowing that if you disputed the effectiveness of the truth potion they used it on you to check.
"Peter Pettigrew why were you living in the home of the Weasleys?" Moody continued his interrogation.
"I was hiding from Sirius, he needs to believe I'm dead." Peter's monotone voice filled the courtroom.
"Why were you hiding from Sirius?" Moody asked.
"He'd kill me if he found me." He answered.
"Why would he want to kill you?" was the next question.
"Because he's mad that I gave the Dark Lord the secret." Peter shivered.
"What secret did you give him?" the question was almost a whisper.
"James and Lily Potter's location." He replied
"Who was the Potter's secret keeper?" Moody asked.
"I was." The statement caused a huge eruption in the attendees of the trial.
"Why did you give him their location?" Moody asked.
"Because he was going to reward me for my faithful service. I was supposed to get lots of money and power and that brat ruined it." Peter growled, "It's all… his… fault."
"Are you a death eater?" was nearly the last question Moody wanted to know the answer to.
"Yes, I have his mark on my arm." Was his answer.
Moody then asked his last, "Did Sirius Black help you in any way and is he a death eater too?"
"Sirius is far too egotistical to last even a minute in the Dark Lord's presence." Peter sneered, "He helped by suggesting that I should be the secret keeper. He thought we were going to prank the Dark Lord but he was the one pranked, he will go to Azkaban for killing them."
His laugh at that thought sent chills up the spines of every one of the people in the room. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the man was unbalanced. His answer also made Moody need to ask more questions.
"Is Sirius Black a death eater?"
"No he hates anything his family supports." Peter scoffed, "If they say the sky is blue he'd say no it's black. They support the Dark Lord and all his ideas for pureblood supremacy so that means Sirus is all light."
"But aren't you a half blood?" Moody asked.
"The Dark Lord has many half bloods." Peter sat straighter, "Our lines will be purified."
"Did Sirius know he was helping you when he suggested you be secret keeper?" Moody continued.
"No."
"Why did he suggest it?" was the next question.
"Everyone would think he was the secret keeper and try to get him. But their secret would be safe with me." Peter snickered, "I fooled everyone. No one suspected that I was the spy. Nearly everyone was suspected but me."
The questions continued and many names of death eaters were supplied. Not even Malfoy made it out this time. Breakfast the next morning was a grand affair of celebration. Selly went all out fixing all Sirius' favorites. Even with help from Albus and Moody there was a lot left over.
