A/N: Last chap was very film oriented, and so is this one. Sorry to say but I had fun writing the Snape knockout scene, I seriously dislike that man. R&R please!
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Harry lifted his friend up into the dusty room. Carefully the duo walked quietly through the structure. Hermione glanced around, immediately coming to a conclusion, "We're in the shrieking shack, aren't we?"
"Yeah," Harry whispered. "C'mon." Taking her hand the seeker led them up the stairs within the old house. Hearing the moans of pain throughout the building the duo upped their pace. Upon seeing their red headed friend both Gryffindors called his name and rushed to the boy. "The dog, where is it?" Harry urged.
Franticly, Ron pointed behind the two, "It's a trap, he's the dog! He's an animagus."
Slowly turning Harry let his gaze follow the dog's prints in the dust, until he reached the wall. There standing behind the door, which shut, was a ragged man. The man had dark matted hair, and was extremely thin, Sirius Black.
Hermione instantly jumped between the madman and Harry, "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"
"No," Black snarled stepping forward. "Only one will die tonight!"
"Then it'll be you!" Harry screamed as he pushed his friend aside and leapt at the man. Grabbing his neck, Harry forced the man to the ground. The seeker ripped his wand from his pocket and held it to Black's face.
Sirius merely chuckled, "Are you going to kill me, Harry?"
Before the boy could decide the door burst open and Remus Lupin shouted, 'Expelliarmus!' Harry's wand was knocked from his hand, and he scrambled away from Black. "Well, well Sirius." Lupin taunted. "Looking rather ragged aren't we? Finally the flesh reflects the madness within."
Black looked upon the man from the ground and smiled, "Well you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you Remus."
The Dark Arts professor returned the smile as he helped the man from the ground, embracing him warmly. "I found him!" Sirius cried. "It's him, lets kill him!"
"NO!" Hermione screamed stepping towards the two. "I trusted you!" she cried glaring at Lupin. "And all this time you've been his friend." Spinning towards her best friends she burst, "he's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes!"
Remus raised an eyebrow as he stepped towards the witch, "How long have you known?"
Hermione breathed deeply, "Since Professor Snape set the essay."
Lupin chuckled, "Well, well Hermione you really are the brightest witch of your age I've ever met-"
"Enough talk Remus!" Sirius screamed. "C'mon let's kill him!"
"Wait-"
"I DID MY WAITING!" Black roared. "TWELVE YEARS OF IT! IN AZKABAN!"
Lupin glanced at Harry before he handed Sirius his wand, "Very well, kill him. But wait one more minute, Harry has the right to know why."
"I know why" Harry cried. "You betrayed my parents, you're the reason they're dead."
"No Harry, it wasn't him." Lupin retorted. "Someone did betray your parents, but it was somebody who and until quite recently I believed to be dead."
Harry was furious, "Who was it then?!"
Sirius laughed madly before calling out, "Peter Pettigrew. And he's in this room, right now. Come out, come out Peter! Come out and play!"
"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted from the door, and Lupin's wand flew from Black hand. "Ah," Severus chuckled. "Vengeance is sweet, how I'd hoped to be the one to catch you."
"Severus," Lupin pleaded, but Snape wouldn't have it.
"I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle and now, here's the proof."
"Brilliant Snape," Sirius sneered. "Once again you've put your keen and penetrating mind to the task, and as usual come to the wrong conclusion. Now if you'll excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to!"
Sirius had gotten closer to the potions master during his rant and Snape pressed his wand into the man's neck, "Give me a reason, I beg you."
Lupin stepped closer then, "Severus please, you're making a mistake. Don't be a fool-"
"You can't help him it's already happened."
"Sirius be quiet-"
"Oh quiet yourself Remus," Sirius retorted.
Snape chuckled, "Oh look at you two, quarreling like an old married couple."
Sirius once again sneered at the professor, "Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set."
Hermione gasped slightly as Snape pressed his wand further into the man's neck. But not at the rivals, but the fifth year crouched just beyond the door. Hidden within shadow the younger Black's eyes gleamed. Clad in her boots, jeans, school blouse and tie the fifth year caught the brunette's eyes and held a finger to her lips.
"I could do it you know," Snape snarled. "But who am I to deny the dementors, they're so longing to see you." Severus smiled wickedly, "Do I detect a sliver of fear? The dementor's kiss, one can only imagine what that could be like. It's said to be nearly unbearable to witness, but i'll do my best."
"You fool," Lupin said softly stepping towards the two. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"
Turning on the Dark Arts professor Snape aimed his wand and BANG! Snakelike cords burst from Snape's wand and wrapped themselves around Lupin; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, immobile.
Nobody within the room saw her move, but suddenly Snape was flying across the room, and Jaecyn stood in his place, a snarl marring her beautiful features and hatred in her eyes. Snape slid towards the floor, once he had hit the opposite wall. A trickle of blood oozed from under his hair, he had been knocked out. Nodding once Jaecyn turned and approached Lupin, Black crouched beside him. Kicking the escapee away the fifth year reached down and yanked the ropes away.
"Thank you Jaecyn." Lupin straightened up, rubbing his arms.
"You alright there Moony?" Jaecyn inquired softly.
"You attacked a teacher," Hermione whimpered staring at the lifeless Snape. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble-"
Nodding at his goddaughter Lupin silently assured her that he was alright. Jaecyn smiled softly before she walked to the three and threw herself upon the furniture next to the red head.
"Now," Remus drew the attention. "It's time we offered you some proof. Ron, give me Peter, please. Now."
"Oh come off it," Harry jeered. "Pettigrew's dead, you killed him." The seeker had grabbed Hermione's wand and now pointed the weapon at Sirius.
Stepping in between the two Remus pleaded, "No he didn't, I thought so too, until I saw him on the map."
Harry shrugged, "The map was lying then."
Sirius stepped up beside his friend, "The map never lies! Pettigrew's alive!"
"Show me."
At the plea from the boy Sirius strode towards the red head and seized the rat. Holding the pet high above the ground by the tail he brought him closer to Remus. Scabbers began to squeak incessantly as Lupin pointed at him with his wand, his beady eyes nearly popping out of his ugly head. A flash of blue light erupted around the room and when I cleared there was no longer a rat, but a small rat like man wringing his hands.
"Well, hello Peter," Lupin called calmly. "We've been having a little chat, about what happened the night Lily and James died, you sold them to Voldemort didn't you?"
Pettigrew broke down, "I didn't mean to!" he cried. "The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses. Sirius, what would you have done hmm?"
For the first time that night, Sirius seemed to resemble the large dog he could transform into as he roared, "I would have died! I would have died rather than betray my friends!"
Fully showing his rage Lupin joined in, "You should've known Peter! That if Voldemort didn't kill you than we would, together!"
"No!" Harry shouted as he ran forward between the old friends. "You can't kill him, you can't"
"Harry, this piece of filth killed your parents!" Black snarled. "You heard him, his own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."
"Oh please," Jaecyn called out striding forward to stand facing Sirius. "Has all that time in Azkaban made you daft, man? I mean really, if you kill him it's hopeless for you now isn't it?"
"Jaecyn," Lupin warned but the girl ignored him.
"One," the fifth year called out. "Him, alive is the only thing proving your innocence. And two, you'd both wind up in Azkaban for murder. I mean bloody hell Moony, I can understand him being out of it. But what are you thinking?"
Sirius tilted his head, staring at the girl slightly puzzled. "Who are you girl, you seem familiar."
Jaecyn smirked, "Well if you can't figure it out cousin, Azkaban really has made you mad."
Mouth agape Sirius stared, "You can't be...you can't be Marius' lass can you? Little Lexi Black, my younger cousin?" Sirius was elated, completely forgetting about Pettigrew the older Black strode forward and swung his cousin around.
Lupin seemed to think for a moment, "This reminds me, why are you here Jaecyn?"
The girl's smile dropped and she flung her hands around sheepishly, "You weren't at our meeting spot Moony, so I went to your office. Saw Severus here leave in a huff, so I followed him. Led me here, glad he did too-
"Anyway," Harry muttered, cutting in. "We'll take you to the castle, after that the dementor's can have you."
