Chapter 9: Peter Pettigrew
So Samantha, Chelsea, and Amelia found Jimmy, Harry, and Hermione all lying on the ground.
"Are you guys okay?" Chelsea asked.
"We just got attacked by a tree; what do you think?" Jimmy replied.
"We're fine," Harry declared. "Come on we have to find Ron." With that, the seven friends continued down the mysterious tunnels under the Whomping Willow.
A few minutes later the friends found themselves climbing up an olden wooden staircase. The tunnels seemed to have led them into this familiar looking wood structure.
"We're in the Shrieking Shack aren't we?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah we are," Harry replied.
"The Whomping Willow is connected to the Shrieking Shack," Samantha deadpanned. "What else is new?"
The Gryffindors continued to walk up the rotting staircase until they discovered what looked like a bedroom. They noticed a familiar figure on the floor at the end of the room.
"Ron!" Hermione explained as she spotted their injured friend.
Everyone ran over to where Ron was sitting.
"Ron, the dog, where is it?" Harry asked.
"Harry, it's a trap!" Ron exclaimed pointing to the other side of the room. "He's the dog; he's an animagus!"
The others turned to see, none other than escaped prisoner Sirius Black looking at all of them, an evil smile upon his face.
"If you're going to kill Harry you'll have to kill us too!" Hermione said as everyone minus Ron moved in front of Harry.
"I really don't want to die though," Bethany thought.
"No, only one will die tonight," Black stated.
"Then it will be you!" Harry yelled pushing through the others and pinning Black to the ground, his wand pressed against his neck.
"Are you going to kill me Harry?" Black asked amusingly.
"Expelliarmus!" A new and familiar voice yelled, and just like that Harry's wand was gone.
The others looked to see Professor Lupin standing by the door frame. He began to make some mocking remarks toward Sirius before moving to help the escapee to his feet and hugging him like an old friend would.
"No!" Hermione yelled. "I trusted you, and all this time, you've been his friend! He's a werewolf, that's why he's been missing classes."
"How long have you known?" Lupin asked.
"Since Professor Snape assigned the essay," Hermione replied.
"Well now Hermione, you really are the brightest witch of your age," Lupin said.
"Enough talking Remus," Sirius said. "Come on, let's kill him."
"Wait," Lupin interrupted.
"I did my waiting, twelve years of it, in Azkaban!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Very well," Lupin said handed him the wand he snatched from Harry. "But wait one more minute. Harry has the right to know why."
"I already know why!" Harry exclaimed unhappily. "You betrayed my parents; you're the reason they're dead!"
"No Harry, he didn't betray your parents," Lupin stated. "Someone else did. Someone, who I believed to be dead until now."
"Who was it then?! Harry asked.
"Peter Pettigrew!" Sirius yelled like a mad man. "And he's here, in this room. Come on come out Peter, come out come out and play!"
"Expelliarmus!" Another familiar voice yelled, and soon the wand flew out of Sirius's hand.
"Well, well, well, I told Dumbledore you would be helping an old friend into the castle," Snape said stepping into the room.
"Severus…" Lupin started to say.
"And now I have the proof to give to him," Snape said looking at Sirius.
"That's very nice and all Severus," Sirius mocked. "But as you can see Remus and I have business to attend to. So why don't you run off and play with your chemistry set."
"Why deny the dementors the pleasure of seeing you?" Snape said pointing his wand at Sirius's neck. "I'm sure they miss you."
Harry took Hermione's wand from her pocket and pointed at it at Lupin, but then quickly pointed it at Snape.
"Expeliarmus!" Harry yelled, with that Snape fell backwards onto an old disheveled bed which collapsed around him.
"Harry, what did you do?" Chelsea asked in disbelief.
"You attacked a teacher!" Hermione added.
"Tell me about Peter Pettigrew," Harry said looking at Lupin and Sirius.
"He was at school with us," Lupin said. "We thought he was our friend, but apparently not."
"No, it's a lie," Harry declared. "Pettigrew's dead."
"I thought so too until you mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the map," Lupin replied. (AN: Harry was on his own when that happened because it was late at night. The Elementals were actually sleeping.)
"Oh yeah, Harry told us about that," Chelsea thought.
"The map was lying then," Amelia stated.
"The map never lies," Sirius declared. "He's alive, and he's right there."
Sirius pointed to Ron.
"Me…I'm not…" Ron started to say.
"Not you, the rat," Sirius replied.
"Scabbers has been in my family for…" Ron said before being cut off again.
"Twelve years, a long time for a common rat," Sirius declared. "He's missing a toe isn't he?"
"So?" Ron said.
"All they ever found of Pettigrew was a…" Samantha said before Sirius interrupted her.
"Finger," Sirius finished. "It was believable enough for us to believe that we killed him, and then he transformed into a rat."
"Show me," Harry said.
The Elementals watched as Lupin took the rat away from Ron and he and Sirius attempted to throw spells at the rat, until he transformed into a small, round man, with buck teeth. He looked at Lupin and Sirius called them his old friends. Then he looked at Harry and began to walk over to him telling him how he looked so much like his father. The Elementals crowded around Harry, but before Pettigrew could even try to touch him, Lupin and Sirius grabbed him, pointed their wands at him and started questioning him on why he sold out Harry's parents to Voldemort. He admitted it alright.
"Bastard, I'd die before betraying my friends," Chelsea thought.
The Elementals just stood their completely unsure of how to react to everything that was going on.
Did Harry just say that he'd rather take Pettigrew to the castle and have the dementors deal with him?
"Harry doesn't want him dead now?!" Bethany thought.
"Sorry about the leg," Sirius said apologizing to Ron. "I guess I bit a bit too hard."
"Too hard, you almost tore my bloody leg off!" Ron exclaimed.
"I was aiming for the rat," Sirius replied. "I usually have good precision as a dog."
The Elementals came out; wands pointed at Pettigrew, listening to him beg them to spare his life. Then he went over to Ron and Hermione begging both of them to spare him.
The Elementals kept their distance from the pathetic little man, but they certainly kept an eye on him to make sure he didn't go anywhere.
"Hey guys look," Bethany said gesturing toward Harry and Sirius.
"Should we go keep an eye on them?" Amelia asked.
"No, I think Harry can handle this himself," Samantha asked.
"Hey Samantha, Jimmy, can I talk to you guys for a second?" Bethany asked.
"Sure," Jimmy replied. And the three went behind the Whomping Willow to talk.
"What do you think is so important that she can't tell us?" Chelsea asked Amelia.
"I think it might have something to do with Dumbledore if she won't tell us," Amelia replied. "Either way I really hate being left out."
"Yeah, I do too," Chelsea said.
"What did you want to talk to us about that you couldn't talk about in front of Chelsea and Amelia?" Jimmy asked.
"It's about Dumbledore," Bethany replied.
"What about him?" Samantha deadpanned.
"I finally realize why you guys don't like him, and I really don't him anymore either," Bethany stated.
"Say what?" Jimmy exclaimed.
"You guys are right," Bethany declared. We're always in danger, we've been hurt in ways that we didn't know existed, and we have no way back to our families; I can't stand it anymore!"
"Well Jimmy," Samantha began. "It looks like someone other than us finally sees the truth."
"So what did you guys talk about?" Chelsea asked.
"That is something you'll have to wait to find out about," Bethany replied.
"Of course she wasn't going to tell us," Amelia thought.
"Oh, leave her alone Amelia," Jimmy replied telepathically. "She's obviously not ready to tell you and Chelsea."
"Wait, did you just talk to me telepathically Jimmy?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah, he can do that," Samantha replied telepathically.
"Wait so everyone can hear each other?" Amelia asked.
"Yup, as long as Jimmy's in the conversation, we can hear each other." Samantha replied.
"Anyway, I suggest you don't pester Bethany about this," Jimmy stated. Unless you want me to share your thoughts of Percy with her."
Amelia just stood there wide-eyed.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed pointing to the sky.
Everyone watched in horror as the full moon appeared behind the clouds and Professor Lupin began to transform. Sirius and Hermione tried to get through to him, but it didn't work. He made his way toward the eight Gryffindors.
Then Snape came out, about to punish Harry, but once he turned to see Lupin in werewolf form, he moved in front of the Gryffindors to protect them. Just as Lupin was about to attack them, Sirius began attacking him in dog form. After getting Lupin to disappear from sight, Harry rushed right after them.
"Harry!" Samantha exclaimed as she, Jimmy, and Bethany went after him.
"You guys!" Chelsea said trying to follow them.
"Oh no, you two aren't going anywhere," Snape said stopping the remaining Elementals from leaving.
Samantha, Jimmy, and Bethany caught up to Harry, barely avoiding the now werewolf version of Lupin. They found him by the lake standing beside a now unconscious Sirius. They saw a swarm of dementors coming toward them. Harry used his patronus charm to create a shield.
"We have to help him," Samantha said to the others.
"Expecto Patronum!" The three yelled in unison.
Their patronuses were strong, but unfortunately, they didn't last very long.
The dementors manage to attack all three of them, taking a good amount of their strength.
"No, have to stop them," Jimmy said trying to reach the wand he dropped.
Just then everyone saw a bright light that coming toward, and the dementors dispersed.
The last thing they remember seeing was a glowing white stag.
Hi! Sorry, this took so long, I had a lot of homework this week. The story is almost done though. Please write reviews. Disclaimer: I only the OCs. See you in the next chapter!
