A/N well its been a while, I dont really feel like waiting for a review, still would like some though. i know you people are reading this story, so that makes me happy at any rate. so here is the new chapter, hope you all like this one. just a reminder I own nothing of Harry Potter, except maybe my favorite tee-shirt that has the Hogwarts motto on it, but thats all I swear, Emma is mine though. ENJOY!
Chapter 7 Accusations and Wolves
"Not quite right there Hermione," Lupin said bringing Emma and Snape back to the other conversation. "I have not been helping Sirius, and would never want Harry dead… but I will not deny that I am a werewolf, quite clever of you for figuring that out."
"No if I had been smarter than I would have told someone."
"Who the students? The staff already know."
"Dumbledore hired you when he knew?" Ron gaped. "Is he completely mad?"
"Some would say so yes, but Dumbledore's mad habits aside that is not the reason nor what we are here to discuss."
"What like how you've been helping Black?!" Harry shouted pointing at Sirius who had a tight grip on Lupin's arm.
"Harry no, calm down, I have not been helping him. If you would just let us explain a few things to you."
"Explain, I don't want to listen to anything he has to say. HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD! HE SOLD THEM TO VOLDEMORT, HE'S THE REASON THEY'RE DEAD!" Harry shouted the last part. "He's probably come here to finish the job!"
Sirius flinched at each accusation that left Harry's mouth.
"I don't deny it, most of that's true—"Sirius said stepping forward slightly.
"Sirius—"
"No Remus Harry's right I as good as killed Lily and James that night." Sirius said shoulders sagging from the weight of guilt that he carried. "But there are parts to the story that you both have no idea of, things that need to be understood first about that night."
"I understand just fine, you sold them out and then killed one of your friends!" Harry spit out angrily.
"No both of those statements are wrong Harry, I would have died before betraying Lily and James, and I never killed Peter back then."
"Then you should have died! And of course Peter is dead! You blew him up all that was left of him was—"
"A finger." Sirius finished looking at Harry. "But no body, he faked it all and blamed me before running away like the coward he is."
"And why would he do that?" Harry questioned glaring at Sirius, not believing what Sirius was saying yet. A part of him however was beginning to wonder slightly about everything that he was saying.
"Because Harry, it was Peter that betrayed your parents that night and I did try to kill him for it." Sirius confessed.
Silence settled as everyone took in Sirius' last words. Snape had gone still beside Emma and she could tell that he was struggling to stay calm with all this new information.
Harry started to shake his head, "no that can't be true, you were their secret-keeper! How could Peter have betrayed them, you were the only one who knew where they were!" Harry argued.
"Sirius that is a valid point that I am curious about also," Lupin said looking at Sirius. "How did Peter find out?"
"It was my fault, I persuaded Lily and James to change the secret-keeper from me to Peter. No one else knew, not even Dumbledore. We all knew I was sure to be targeted given my close friendship with James, but I rationalized that no one would think to suspect Peter. We thought it was safe." Sirius said tightly.
"Sirius—" Remus said putting a hand on him trying to offer comfort, but Sirius shock it off. Remus tried to hide how hurt he was by the gesture.
"I went to check on him that night, but when I couldn't find him at his place I knew something was wrong. I set out to your parents' house Harry right away but I was too late. I could remember the location which meant that something had happened to them, by the time I got there I found the house partially destroyed, their bodies… James was in the living room by the door, he must have been trying to buy you and your mother some time. Upstairs I found Lily next to you by your crib, you were crying and had the fresh scar across your forehead."
By the time Sirius had finished his little explanation both he and Harry had tears streaming down their faces. It was so hard for Sirius to recount this event but he knew that Harry needed to know this, he needed the truth.
"Something in me broke that night, I … I was going to take care of you, did you know that your parents made me your godfather?" Harry nodded weakly, "you were all I had left. My best friend was gone and I had no idea if Remus was even alive at that point, he was on some mission."
"Why didn't you?" Harry asked weakly, "why did…"
"I wanted to believe me, but Hagrid showed up shortly. He demanded that I give you to him. Said it was Dumbledore's orders. That you would be going someplace safe. I – no matter how much I pleaded with him he insisted. I gave him my bike—"
"I remember that bike I used to have dreams about it." Harry said quietly.
"They took you from me, I had nothing left. I just lost my best friend and godson in one night and had no clue about Remus. Honestly there wasn't much in my head that night except trying to see if you were safe, after you were gone the only thing I could think of was finding Peter."
"There was no struggle at Peter's house, when I realized that meant he must have betrayed us I was so scared and angry. I tracked him down soon after that ready to accuse him. But before I could get a word in, he shouted for all the street to hear and blamed me instead. He blasted the street killing those muggles there and cut off a finger all before I could utter a spell. He transformed and escaped, than the ministry showed up and carted me away."
"Sorry but you said he transformed and that he escaped. That means he is still alive as far as you know but I don't—" Hermione questioned.
"He's an animagus like you isn't he?" Harry questioned cutting Hermione off.
"Your right Harry, Peter was also an animagus." Remus confirmed.
"But that can't be right, we went over animagi in transfiguration this year, I looked it up. There have only been 7 animagi in the last century, the ministry keeps track of them because it's such a dangerous process. There is a registry on each one, if Peter was an animagus he would have been on there." Hermione protested.
"Did you have to do all that for the class?" Sirius said sounding horrified at all the work it must have been to gather all that information.
"No she does that kind of thing for fun," Harry answer amused by the extremely normal response that Sirius had expressed on hearing Hermione's statement.
"Sirius hush," Remus admonished. "You are quite right though Hermione about the registry, but the ministry never knew about three unregistered animagi running around Hogwarts."
"Three?" Ron questioned. "Black and Pettigrew I guess I understand but who was the third person? You're a werewolf right you can't become and animagus."
"I'm not on the registry either," Sirius said with a proud smile before turning into Padfoot for a moment and back real quick.
"Smart observation Ron." Remus praised the teen who preened under the praise, seemed he had gotten over the little fact that his professor was a werewolf by now.
"Who was the other person?" Harry asked.
"Your dad, Prongs could turn into a huge stag, antlers and everything." Sirius said proudly happy to be talking in a good light of his best friend.
"Hang on the map!" Harry said suddenly, the nickname that Sirius had mentioned for his dad, the two that he had heard the girl Emma use earlier, it was all coming together. (Where did she go by the way Harry thought suddenly looking quickly around him, he could have sworn Professor Snape had been in the room also.) Harry caught sight of Emma lounging against the far wall next to Snape, seeing Harry's attention on her she smiled and reached for something behind her before tossing it towards him. Reaching out on reflex he caught what she threw.
Looking down he saw it was the map, since it was still active from earlier, she must have been using it, he realized. He saw the names on the front. Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs staring out at him from the parchment when he opened it.
"You've got the map! That's Brilliant Harry!" Sirius exclaimed giddily. Suddenly Harry could see the man he used to be, gone was the image of the gaunt man escaped from prison that he had first seen. Before him now stood a man in childish glee, he looked about ten years younger. His smile hadn't been nearly as bright when he had been talking earlier.
"You know about the map?" Ron asked.
"Ah yes, well we made the map during our years at school, signed it with all our nicknames. If you haven't guessed by now I am Moony, Sirius here is Padfoot, and James was Prongs." Remus said explaining.
"Oh, your nicknames all had something to do with you animagus forms don't they?!" Ron spoke up suddenly looking proud that he had figured it out.
"That's where those blasted names came from." Snape mumbled from across the room, "It annoyed Regulus to no end when you all came up with those ridiculous names, he had no idea where they came from."
Sirius looked pained at the mention of this Regulus person. Remus patted Sirius on the back comfortingly, and Emma gave a quite gasp. She was not expecting anyone to mention Reg so soon if at all, Harry looked on in confusion.
"Um who is Regulus?" Hermione asked hesitantly, looking around at the adults in the room.
"He's no one," Sirius said quietly with a shake of his head.
"Sirius don't, don't you dare talk about him like he was no one." Emma said vehemently, eyes moist. "You have no idea about Regulus, don't you dare dismiss him like he was nothing."
"What do you know huh?" Sirius shouted turning on her. "your what twenty, you probably never even knew him, as for that matter how do you know so much about all of us anyways?!"
"Sirius calm down!" Remus said turning Sirius towards him and blocking his view of Emma. "Now is not the time to be questioning her. She will tell you another time, won't you Emma."
"Yeah of course, it's not like I was planning on hiding that from Sirius."
"Hey Harry, what was the other name on the map? It must have been Pettigrew's nickname," Ron asked aside to Harry not really getting what the others were on about mind still on the previous conversation about the animagi.
"Oh um, it's Wormtail," Harry answered Ron absentmindedly, he was concerned by the way the others were reacting.
""Wormtail? I don't get it, was he a worm or something?" Ron said confused.
"Ron how could he have been a worm? I doubt that would have been very useful and he probably wouldn't have been able to get away quick or anything that way." Hermione tried to protest. Really he was doing so well before and now he goes and says something like that.
"A rat, Peter wasn't a worm, he was a rat." The three teens looked up Sirius and the others had turned back towards them and addressed their question. "After Peter blew up the street killing those muggles and cut off his finger, he transformed and escaped into the sewers and hid. Only… I know where he is."
"You do?" Harry asked a multitude of emotions running across his face.
"I found out where he was one day, it motivated me enough that I was able to escape Azkaban."
"That's right Sirius, how did you find out where Peter was?" Remus asked looking at Sirius.
"Fudge—"
"The minister knew?"
"Nah, he was doing rounds over the summer at the prison, brought a newspaper with him. I didn't get much news of the outside so when I saw him with the paper I asked if I could have it. He was surprised by how lucid I was but handed it over. Imagine my surprise though when right there on the front page, there he was Peter, disguised as a rat." Sirius told Remus before taking out an old paper from his robes and handing it over.
"His toe—"
"Right where a cut off finger would be. Course I would know him in that form even without that mark." Remus nodded his head in agreement.
"Severus," Remus said tossing the paper for the other man to see. When Snape caught it he looked at the paper, his eyes narrowed slightly before nodding in understanding.
"When I got out my sole focus was to find him and kill him if I could." Sirius spat.
"NO!" Harry exclaimed.
"Harry?" Remus and Sirius asked confused. "After all we just told you, you would still defend him?" Sirius asked hurt.
"No it's not like that, after all you've told me I believe you. But killing him, it's nothing more than revenge, it won't solve anything. You would still be a wanted man, can't we turn him in and get you free?"
"Harry," Sirius commented touched. "Of course if that is how you want to do it, then so be it."
"Don't worry, that was the plan all along Harry." Emma said coming up to the group. "Ah isn't this wonderful, the talk went so much better that last time."
"Did it?" Remus asked bemused, Sirius, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were confused by this comment.
"Yes not as much yelling, no one was trying to kill the wrong person, no unconscious teachers."
"They knocked out a teacher?!" Remus exclaimed wide-eyed.
"Yes, I am afraid 3 concentrated and overpowered expelliarmus spells can do that to a person, especially an unprepared Potions master." Emma commented offhand, Snape glared at Harry, Ron, and Hermione who despite not knowing what Emma was talking about proceeded to protest against such actions. Snape just continued to glare at them.
"Now than before we lose too much time, I have a rat to bring forward." Emma said with a flourish, "thank you all for waiting so patiently." Walking over to her bag she began to rummage around for something.
"You have Peter?" Harry asked surprised.
"Finally!" Sirius exclaimed the mad glint returning to his eyes.
"I don't understand how did you know where to find him?" Harry asked before glancing at the paper, it had not been passed to him and his friends yet.
"Me specifically? Or for how Sirius knew where to find him?" Emma asked glancing over her shoulder.
"Sirius"
"Oh well on that matter, Sev, hand them the paper so they can see for themselves, they need to see it anyways."
"Are you sure that's wise," he asks before handing the paper to Harry.
"But that's us in Egypt!" Ron exclaimed looking over Harry's shoulder at the paper.
"Ron, oh my gosh, look Scabbers!" Hermione said pointing to the picture.
"What my rat? What about him," Ron protested. "Scabbers isn't Peter, he's just Scabbers. He's been in the family for—"
"Twelve years, abnormally long lifespan for a common rat," Emma said straightening, they noticed she held something behind her as she got up. "He's missing a toe isn't he?"
"So he got that fighting other rats, I would know if—"
"Would you really, you would be able to tell if your rat was a hidden animagus. Well why we don't test it." Emma said bringing out what she had hidden behind her back, a sleeping rat locked in a jar.
"Scabbers!"
"Oh Ron,"
"Peter"
"Pettigrew"
"Where did you find him?" Sirius asked inching closer to the jar. "I've been trying to get to him all year."
"That's not Peter, it's just Scabbers!"
"I knew beforehand where to look, he was hiding at Hagrid's. Found him passed out in a milk jug. So before those three got to Hagrid's I went ahead and got the rat first."
"Why would you do that?" Harry asked.
"Because if I hadn't, you three would have found him and then someone would have gotten hurt because this idiot is to rash and can't think straight sometimes." Emma explained pointing to Sirius.
"Hey!"
"Hush Sirius you know it's true." Remus chastised.
"But how could you have possibly know where Scabbers would be, we haven't been able to find him for a while now," Hermione asked.
"I am afraid that will have to stay my secret for now, can't be giving away all my mysteries right away can I?" Hermione looked put off by the answer and would have continued to argue if Ron hadn't of spoken up the next moment.
"But—but that's Scabbers, it can't be Peter."
"We can prove it to you."
"It won't hurt him will it?" Ron questioned.
"If it's just a rat than no, he will be perfectly fine. But if this is Peter then it will cause him to revel himself."
Ron hesitated, but nodded after thinking about it. By now all the screaming and jostling of the jar had woken Scabbers up. He began to tremble and scurry around the jar in panic. When Emma unscrewed the lid and reached in to grab him the squeaking started up and he tried to bit her hand.
"Demented rodent, you're lucky we need you alive for the moment." Emma sneered glaring at the rat before roughly picking him up and keeping a tight grip on him.
"You alright Em?"
"Peachy Remy, let's just get this over with."
Scabbers squeaked and tried to twist away, the more he struggled however the tighter Emma gripped. His beady little eyes frantically looked around trying to find a way of escape.
"Are you ready?"
"Sirius, would you like to?" Remus asked holding out his wand. Sirius mutely nodded before taking the wand. They both turned to look at Emma and the rat. Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched quietly from the side, Severus was quiet in his spot by the desk, no one paying him much attention throughout the whole time, as he watched.
"On three than Sirius, one—two—THREE!"
Suddenly a bright flash of light erupted from the wand in Sirius's hand and Emma tossed the rat in the air towards the spell. For a moment it seemed as if Scabbers was frozen, then the rat began it twist as it fell to the floor. Another blinding flash and they watched as the spot where Scabbers had fallen a man grew from the still form of the rat. In a burred fast motion Scabbers had transformed back into a man, short and looking like he had lost a lot of weight recently was the prone form of Peter Pettigrew. He was dirty and unkempt, even more so than Sirius.
Peter lay there, quick short gasps coming from him as his eyes darted around him taking in his surroundings. He glanced towards the doorframe where Emma had moved casually boking his escape. Her arms were crossed and she was tapping a wand against her arms looking at him coldly.
Ron fell back into his chair looking sick, Harry and Hermione glanced at him concerned.
"Hello Peter, it's been a while hasn't it?" Sirius said edging toward Pettigrew. Shooting ropes from his wand Sirius quickly tied the man to a chair keeping him immobile.
"S-Sirius, R-Remus," Peter squeaked as the ropes tightened around him.
"Well Peter I can't say that I am pleased to see you given the circumstances." Remus said coldly looking at what used to be his friend.
"Remus, S-Sirius he… he tried to kill me, you can't possibly believe what he says do you?" Peter pleaded.
"Really Peter, you think after everything we went through, you don't think that given the evidence I wouldn't believe him?"
"Evidence! He tried to kill me whatever he says is a lie! He probably still wants to kill me!" Pettigrew said panicking and trying to squirm out of the chair again.
"I've heard everything about that night Peter."
"No! Lies, he was working for the Dark Lord, whatever he told you it's not true!"
"So it wasn't you who betrayed Lily and James?"
"No of course not, they were my friends why would I ever betray them?!"
"Interesting fact," Snape said coming into the light, "Usually only certain families like those who aligned with the dark or with him referred to him as the Dark Lord."
Peter paled before turning a glare towards Snape. "You would know wouldn't you Snivellus, you were one of his followers."
The three teens turned their shocked faces towards their professor.
"At one point yes, I believe that is common knowledge to some. However I would recall that as you all know that I switched sides and was a spy for Dumbledore during the last dredges of the war. If I remember correctly you three were all at that meeting when that was revealed."
"Turned spy ha, you were still passing information to the Dark Lord up until the very end." Pettigrew said before pausing realizing what he had just said, how rather incriminating the comment was.
"And how would you know that?" Snape sneered.
"Bad move Peter," Sirius said.
"How can we be sure?" Hermione asked. "Don't you need more proof than just your word?"
"I think a memory of that night should suffice for quite a bit of evidence. If they need more they can always question under veritaserum, helps that there are a few witnesses right now to what's going on." Emma said from the doorway.
"They can do that? View memories I mean?" Harry asked.
"Sure they can, though they aren't always reliable."
"Why didn't they do that with Sirius though?"
"Everything was in chaos those days, Voldemort had just disappeared killed off by you. His followers were be rounded up as fast as the ministry could. Sirius didn't even get a trial, when officials got to the scene they took statements and commended him almost immediately. His protests went down as the rambling of a mad man."
"It was mayhem and they needed to blame someone, it wasn't questioned," Remus explained. "I wasn't even in town at the time, even if I was because of my status my word wouldn't have accounted for much."
"Why? What do mean by status?" Harry questioned.
"Harry it's because professor Lupin is a werewolf, there is major discrimination against people with lycanthropy. His word would have had no weight." Hermione explained.
"We're getting off track here. I might have a way though of offering solid proof. I am curious if Pettigrew had received the mark all those years ago?" Snape said moving forward.
Peter paled and tried to squirm away in his chair, but his bindings were too tight. The three men advanced upon him. Pulling out his wand Snape sent a cutting hex to Peter's tattered robes reveling his forearm.
There glaring from his pale skin was the faint faded outline of his dark mark. The outline of the skull and snake were still clear enough to see against his skin.
Sirius stepped forward and sharply drew the sleeve up on his left arm. The clear unmarked skin a sharp contrast to the marked arm of Peter's.
"Proof enough for you there I think on where your true alliances lie." Sirius said with a sneer backing up from the other man.
"I agree, that is quite discriminating Peter." Remus commented edging closer.
"You have no idea, the dark lord… he … I was never as strong or brave like you or James, Sirius. What was I supposed to do?!" Peter wailed.
"You should have died! You should have died before betraying us to Voldemort!" Sirius shouted lunging at Peter. Remus tried to grab for Sirius but before he could grab a good hold the man slipped from his fingers and knocked into Peter crashing them both to the floor.
Both men tumbled to the ground. Peter's bindings which had been cut slightly and loosened when hit with Snape's cutting hex snapped and he tumbled out of the chair. Seeing him lose Sirius went after him trying to choke him while Peter tried to scramble away.
"Sirius no!" Harry and Remus both shouted, the later grabbing his friends arm pulling him up and holding him back.
"Harry why?" Sirius asked looking over at his godson shaking.
"We need him if we want to get you free Sirius."
"Harry are you sure?" Sirius questioned touched by what Harry said.
"I would like to get to know my godfather."
"Bless you Harry bless you," Peter said crawling over to Harry.
"Ugh get away from me, I'm not doing this for you!" Harry spat slipping back from Peter.
"AGGH!" Everyone turned in surprise at the sound of the painful scream. They caught sight of Remus standing bent over clutching his head painfully and trembling. When he had stepped after Sirius he had crossed the light that had appeared shining through the window. The light from the full moon shone full force into the office, the full moon that had been previously hidden behind the clouds.
"Remus!" Sirius said rushing over to his friend.
"AHH!" throwing his arms out Remus knocked Sirius over. Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched with wide-eyed and scared as their professor started to change before their very eyes.
"Sirius get them out of here!" Remus shouted at his friend trying to push him towards the three shocked teens.
"Moony," Sirius whined, "are you alright?"
"You three over here now!" Snape demanded grabbing the three teens and pulling them back towards the wall leaving Sirius and Remus in the center of the room. Peter had fallen over on the floor was trying to get away from the transforming werewolf.
"He may have taken his potion but the wolf is still dangerous. I don't know how he will react with humans in the room, especially this many people." Snape cautioned.
"Potion! What did you give him Snivellus?!" Sirius questioned rounding on Snape.
"Wolfsbane potion you dunderhead. It helps keep control of the wolf during a transformation, the transformed doesn't lose his mind to the beast within." Sirius blinked owlishly at Snape, the potion had not been in existence before he had gone to prison. "But there are too many people in the room, I don't know what will happen! It's never been tested like this before." Snape retorted angrily.
There was a terrible ripping noise followed by a piercing scream as Lupin started to transform, the shift in his body causing his clothes to shred. His head began to elongate and fur sprouted along his face and body. His hands and feet shifted into paws and claws sprung out as he landed on all fours. A fresh howl was ripped from his throat.
Suddenly Sirius transformed back into Padfoot and placed himself in front of Remus. Barking he grabbed the wolf's attention, the wolf had started to sniff around all the smells confusing him for a moment when Padfoot's bark caught his attention.
Freezing the wolf turned rigid, turning his head he gazed at Padfoot before slowly coming closer and sniffing at his neck. Padfoot turned his head submissively allowing the wolf better access. Recognizing the scent of his old friend the wolf bayed happily and licked the enormous dog's face in greeting and the two settled down on the floor.
"Professor? Professor Lupin?" Hermione spoke inching closer.
"Idiot girl get back here. Didn't you already here me say I don't know what will happen with so many of us here!" Snape admonished reaching to grab Hermione and pull her back.
Hearing the voices the wolf raised his head the head of Padfoot following after. Upon seeing Hermione the wolf seemed to freeze it took in all of the other people in the room and a struggle seemed to be going on within. Suddenly a low threatening growl came from the wolf. Padfoot tried to jump up and get in front of the wolf but Moony gently snapped his jaws close to Padfoot's neck and pushed the dog down grabbing the fur in his mouth.
The wolf glared at the group of people but made no move to attack yet his jaws still clamped firmly around the neck of Padfoot. Though he made no move they could see how his muscles bunched as if ready to pounce. The wolf shifted protectively over Padfoot.
"We need to leave the room, the wolf is feeling territorial and his feelings are bleeding threw with so many of us here." Snape said cautiously making for the door, he made sure to keep the students between himself and the wall acting as a shield from the wolf.
Suddenly Peter launched himself from the floor and at the door, barreling past Snape and the trio. Emma who was still by the door stood in his way and tried to stop him by leveling her wand at Peter. Paying no heed to her, he wrestled past her grabbing the wand from her hand and knocked her over. He rushed out the door making a run for it.
"Shit! He's getting away!" Harry yelled sprinting after Peter.
"Harry!" Ron and Hermione yelled running after him.
"Damn it Potter," Snape cursed before rushing after them.
Emma pulled herself together and stood up, Padfoot and Moony looked at her concerned. With most of the people leaving Remus had gained more control over his reactions. "Sirius stay here with Moony, we'll be back!" Emma shouted as she ran out the room and after the fleeing group.
Sirius growled at being left behind but did as he was told and settled back down next to Remus. The wolf licked his face appreciatively and rested his head atop the dog, the both of them letting out a soft growl in content. The wolf content to have part of his pack back.