I'm sooo sorry! This was supposed to be here sooner but I actually forgot to post it D: I have no idea where my mind was, but I was almost certain I had uploaded it and everything... and then, just now, I went to check how I'd ended it (because I'm almost done with chapter 15 - FINALLY) and I realised I hadn't even updated .

So yeah, terribly sorry about that :x Good news is, I'm ALMOST done with the next one! The next one shall be the Marauder's Special (yey \o) and it's taking me much longer than I expected it to!

So thanks to Little Foot for your review! Oh and to my new reviewers, thatonezombiegirl and Person! (I laughed when I read 'person' :x)

Enjoy! ^^

Peter Pettigrew

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you." Harry said, slowly. "Because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right..." Sneered a cold voice from the door. Severus Snape appeared, out of nowhere, and pointed his wand directly at Lupin. Jessica and Hermione both screamed. Black leapt to his feet immediately. Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here? I stopped by your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. But you weren't there, were you?"
"Severus-"
"I've told the Headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof." Snape said. Harry took a step forward, hoping to intervene, but Sirius Black beat him to it.
"Brilliant, Snape. Once again you put your keen and penetrating mind to the task, and as usual come to the wrong conclusion." Sirius taunted. "Now if you'll excuse us, Sirius and I have some unfinished business to attend-"

Sirius, however, froze as he felt Snape's wand come in contact with his throat. And then, just as Snape was about to threaten Black, came the sound of yet another unexpected visitor thundering up the stairs. Snape slightly turned his head around and frowned at the sight.
"Josh?" Jessica said, completely shocked. The blond fifth year was panting, sweating, and looked extremely furious. His wand was perfectly poised, aiming directly at Sirius Black. Sirius recognized that hair and those eyes instantly. However, he couldn't help but be surprised at how much the young toddler had grown.
"I mean it, Black, you hurt any of them and I'll blow your brains out." Joshua said, darkly.
"Joshua, please calm down." Lupin said, approaching the younger boy. "Both of you must let me explain-"
However Snape wasn't having any of it. His wand poked Sirius' throat harder, making the man wince. Jessica cautiously approached her brother and tugged on his arm. Joshua took a few steps back, but he didn't lower his wand.
"Give me a reason..." Snape whispered to Black. "Give me a reason to do it, I beg you..."
"Severus, don't be a fool." Remus warned.
"He can't help it, Remus; it's a habit by now." Sirius teased.
"SIRIUS, BE QUIET!"
"QUIET YOURSELF, REMUS!"
"Well, listen to you two, quarrelling like an old married couple." Snape smirked.
"Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set?" Sirius smirked back.

"It's like watching one of my arguments with Flint. Though, I tend to punch him after the first remark. Just knock him out, Snape!" Josh said, frustrated. Jessica pinched his arm instantly, making him wince and glare at his younger sister. He huffed and took no notice of the look Remus was giving him.
"I could do it, you know? But why deny the Dementor's? They're so longing to see you. Do I detect a flicker of fear?" Snape said, his voice filled with hatred. Sirius did, in fact, seem very much afraid at the mention of the Dementor's.
"You... You must hear me out." Sirius croaked. "The rat... He... I can explain... I..."
"A Dementor's kiss... One can only imagine what that must be like to endure. It is said to be almost unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best." Snape sneered.
Harry stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or whom to believe anymore. He glanced around at his friends. They all seemed to want to continue listening to Professor Lupin's story. The only one that was currently siding with Snape was Josh, but he'd just arrived – he was only trying to keep them all safe. Hermione sighed at Harry, and took an uncertain step toward Snape.
"Professor..." She started, in a very breathless voice.
"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school." Snape spat. "You, Potter, Weasley and Selwyn are out of bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."
"But... I-if there was a mistake-"
"KEEP QUIET, YOU SILLY GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
Hermione paled instantly and Josh pulled her back. Joshua couldn't understand what was happening, but he'd managed to catch up with a few things. Sirius Black was a murderer, but Remus was defending him. Black had mentioned a rat... The only rat he could see was the one in Ron's hand. But what could a rat have to do with any of this? Unless... Unless it wasn't a rat?
"Come on, all of you." Snape said. "I'll take the werewolf along. Perhaps the Dementor's will have a kiss for him too-"
Harry, who still wasn't thinking straight and having trouble understanding the situation, crossed the room and blocked the door. Snape was beyond furious.

"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already." Snape snarled. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin-"
"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year. I've been alone with him loads of times, having defence lessons against the Dementor's. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?" Harry said.
"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works. Now, get out of the way, Potter." Snape hissed.
"You're pathetic!" Harry said, exasperated. "Just because they made a fool out of you at school, you won't even listen-"
"SILENCE! I will not be spoken to like that!" Snape bellowed. He looked as if he was about to explode. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be on your knees, thanking me! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black – now get out of the way or I will make you, Potter!"
Jessica had the sudden urge to scream at Professor Snape. He hadn't listened to everything. He hadn't noticed the desperate looks on Black's face. She was aware that Sirius Black could very well be winding them up, but her Uncle Remus wouldn't do the same. There was more to their story, much more. And Harry had a right to know everything. However, before she could think of something to shout at Snape, Harry raised his wand.
"Expelliarmus!" There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet, thrashed through the already broken wall, and slammed into the other wall, right beside the boarded up window. Then he slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He'd been knocked out.
"Harry!" Hermione breathed.
"You just attacked a teacher..." Josh said, bewildered at the sight.

Harry then turned to Black and Lupin. Sirius was still staring over at Snape. He silently wished he'd been the one to cause such damage.
"I'm still not saying I believe you." Harry said.
"Then it's time we offered you some proof. Ron, could you please hand over Peter now?" Lupin said. Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest.
"Come off it." Ron said, weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean... Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat – there are millions of rats out there! How's he supposed to know which one he's after?"
"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question." Lupin said, turning to Black and frowning slightly. Sirius sighed quietly and put one of his hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others. It was a photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.
"How did you get that?" Josh asked.
"Fudge." Black replied, flatly. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder. I knew him at once... How many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts... To where Harry was..."
"My God..." Lupin said softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper, and then back again. "His front paw..."
"What about it?" Ron said, defiantly.
"He's got a toe missing." Black said.
"Of course! So simple... So brilliant... He cut it off himself?" Lupin breathed.
"Just before he transformed." Black nodded. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself – and sped down into the sewer with the other rats."
"The only thing they found of Peter Pettigrew... Was his finger." Harry said, thoughtfully.
"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something!" Ron insisted. "He's been in my family for-"
"Twelve years!" Sirius said, desperately, as he stared angrily at the rat. "That's quite a long life for a common garden rat!"
"We took good care of him!" Ron said.
"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" Lupin wondered.
"He's been scared of Hermione's mad cat, Crookshanks!" Ron shouted. Hermione glared at him, angrily.
"Crookshanks was only doing what any other cat would do, Ronald." Hermione huffed.
"Now's not the time for that." Jessica said, irritably.

That's when Harry realised something. Something that might just make him start to believe Sirius Black's story. Scabbers had been looking ill ever since Ron's return from Egypt... Since the time when Black escaped Azkaban.
"Her cat isn't mad." Black said hoarsely. "He's the most intelligent of his kind. He recognized Peter for what he was and when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me, though. But finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me..."
"A cat's been helping you?" Joshua said, his voice full of doubt.
"He tried to bring me Peter, but couldn't... So he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me. As I understand it, he took them from a boy's beside table..." Sirius said, thoughtfully.
"Poor Neville." Jessica said, shaking her head.
"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it." Black continued. "The cat – Crookshanks, did you call him? He told me Peter had left blood on the sheets... I suppose he bit himself. Well, faking his own death had worked once..."
"And why did he fake his death?" Harry said, suddenly. The look of anger slowly returning to his face. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"
"Harry-" Jessica tried to get him to calm down, but he cut her off immediately.
"And now you've come to finish him off!"
"Yes, I have..." Black said, with an evil look at Scabbers.
"Harry!" Lupin said, hurriedly. "Don't you see? All this time we've though Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down – but it was the other way around! Peter betrayed your mother and father... Sirius is innocent!"
"HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER!" Harry shouted. Jessica watched, silently, as Sirius Black winced at the sound of Harry's voice. "HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"
"Harry..." Sirius said. His voice was thick and his eyes were glassy. "Harry, I as good as killed them. I persuaded James and Lily to change to Peter at the last moment. I persuaded them to use him as a secret-keeper instead of me... I'm to blame. I know it. The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, to make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right... I was scared... I set out for your parent's house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, a-and... And their bodies... I realised what Peter must've done... What I'd done..."
The man's voice broke and he turned away from Harry. Joshua lowered his wand for the first time since he'd arrived. Ron was staring at Sirius. He wasn't entirely sure what to believe, but he was almost certain the man was being honest. Hermione and Jessica exchanged concerned looks. Harry's expression remained hard, but inside he was questioning everything.
"Enough of this." Lupin said. There was a steely note in his voice, which no one had heard before. "There's only one way to prove what really happened. Ron, please give me that rat."
"If I hand him over... What are you going to do with him?" Ron asked, tensely.
"Force him to show himself. If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him." Lupin assured. Ron hesitated for a moment, but soon gave in. He held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?"
Sirius had retrieved Snape's wand. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.
"Together?" Sirius said, quietly. Remus nodded in response.
"Someone should stand by the door, just in case he tries to run. Don't hesitate to stop him." Lupin said.

With that said, Joshua stood guarding the door; Harry, Jessica, Hermione and Ron were all huddled together in the corner, waiting for what would happen. Lupin placed the rat on the floor – and Scabbers soon started running. Sirius didn't wait for Remus to count him in. As soon as the rat hit the ground, Sirius had the wand pointed at him. He fired once, but narrowly missed, creating small hole in the floorboard. Remus fired next, despite the rat being close to the four teenagers, but he also missed – Jessica shrieked when the rat approached her, and clung onto Harry's arm as if her life depended on it. Scabbers then ran to the nearest exit – Joshua. The sixteen year old still wasn't sure whom to believe, he still found it strange to look at Sirius Black and think of him innocent, but it wouldn't hurt to try. And he knew the spell the two were using... Joshua aimed his wand just as Scabbers approached him, and without thinking twice, he fired. A flash of blue white light erupted from his wand; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen, his small gray form twisting madly – Ron yelled – the rat rose high into the air and then fell to the floor once again. There was another blinding flash of light and then –

It was like watching a speeded up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry. His thin, colourless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabber's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breath fast and shallow. Harry saw his eyes dart to the door – and Joshua – and back again.
"Well, hello, Peter." Lupin said. "Long time, no see."
"S-Sirius... R-Remus..." Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My old friends..."
Peter tried to run past Joshua, underestimating the young boy's strength. Joshua easily pushed him back into the room, a look of disgust on his face as he wiped his school jumper. Black raised the wand in his hand, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, giving him a warning look. Then, he turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.
"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night James and Lily died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there-"
"Remus..." Pettigrew gasped. Harry could see the beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face. "You don't believe him, do you? He tried to kill me, Remus!"
"So we've heard." Lupin said, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so-"
"He's come to try to kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black. Sirius simply glared at him. "He killed James and Lily and now he's going to kill me too! You've got to help me, Remus!"
"No one's going to try to kill you until we've sorted a few things out." Lupin said.
"Sorted things out?" Pettigrew squealed, looking wildly around him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door, successfully guarded by the blond boy. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"
"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" Lupin said, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Seeing as nobody has ever done it before." Joshua spoke up, rolling his eyes. Sirius smirked.
"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose he-who-must-not-be-named taught him a few tricks!"

Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room. Harry, who'd been closely watching Peter Pettigrew, turned his attention to Black almost immediately.
"Voldemort teach me tricks?" He said. Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him. "What, scared to hear your old master's name? I don't blame you... His lot aren't very happy with you, are they, Peter?"
"Don't know what you mean, Sirius..." Pettigrew muttered. He was breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.
"Let's just head back to the castle, someone will sort this out. Even though it's quite obvious Peter Pettigrew isn't as innocent as he claims to be." Jessica said, irritably. Pettigrew shot the youngest Selwyn a slight glare.
"I agree... We should head back." Hermione nodded.
"You... The two of you..." Pettigrew said, turning around to face Joshua. He looked between the two siblings and then turned back to Remus. "Their father... Athos... Get Athos... He knows Black isn't-"
"Athos knows no more than I do!" Remus spat.
"The point is... You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years, Peter." Black growled. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter... They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them... I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double crossed them! Voldemort went to the Potter's on your information... And Voldemort met his downfall. But not all of Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban did they? There are still plenty out there, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways."
"I don't know... What you're talking about..." Pettigrew said again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin. "Surely you don't believe this... This madness, Remus-"
"Why would an innocent man want to spend twelve years as a rat?" Harry suddenly spoke. Though, he soon regretted having Peter Pettigrew's full attention.
"Innocent, but scared!" Pettigrew squealed. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban-"
"Bullshit." Joshua snorted. Remus gave him look – the typical 'watch your language, Joshua!' look that he would normally give him during a DADA lesson. "No offence to you, Black, but let's not forget that there are some pretty badass wizards stuck in Azkaban. If one of the best got themselves locked up, Voldemort would just find someone even better."
"But he was a spy for he-who-must-not-be-named!" Pettigrew cried. Black's face contorted immediately.
"How dare you..." Black said, possibly angrier than ever before. "How dare you! I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? You, on the other hand, Peter – I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start! You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us... Me and Remus... James and Athos..."

Jessica clenched her fists as Pettigrew wiped his face again. Sirius Black was innocent. Peter Pettigrew was the liar... The traitor... It was so completely obvious!
"Me, a spy... Must be out of your mind... Never... Don't know how you can say such a-"
"James and Lily only made you their secret-keeper because I suggested it!" Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "I thought it was the perfect plan... A bluff... Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you... It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."
Ron, for the first time in minutes, decided to speak. He was still rather shocked to know that his rat was in fact a man. To him, it was extremely strange and disturbing, but there was something bothering him and he couldn't keep quiet for much longer.
"If you lot don't mind..." He started off, making everyone turn to him rather surprised. "Well, Scabbers – or Peter Pettigrew – has been with me, at Hogwarts, sharing a room with Harry, for three years..."
"That's right!" Hermione said, suddenly. "If he's working for you-know-who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"
"There!" Pettigrew said, shrilly. Jessica and Joshua groaned simultaneously. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"
"I'll tell you why..." Black said. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him."

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk. Joshua sighed and removed himself from his spot at the door and walked toward Pettigrew. He poked the small man with his wand and turned to Sirius Black. Sirius could see his old friend within the young boy, and he almost felt a small smile growing on his face.
"I don't trust Pettigrew. His reasons for hiding are ridiculous. But I am curious to know how you escaped Azkaban, Sirius, if you don't know dark magic." Joshua's greenish-hazel eyes stared at Black, intensely. Pettigrew gasped and started nodding frantically. Sirius frowned slightly, though he wasn't annoyed. He seemed to be pondering his answer.
"I... I don't know how to explain it." He said slowly. "I think... I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementor's couldn't suck it out of me... But it kept me sane and knowing who I am... It helped me keep my powers... So when it all became too much... I could transform myself in my cell – become a dog. Dementor's can't see, you know? They... They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions. They could tell that my feelings were less – less human when I was a dog. But they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so I didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand... But then I saw Peter in that picture. I realised he was perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again."
Everyone listened intently. Harry's heart was beating so fast, he was certain it could be heard during the small moments of silence. Pettigrew was shaking his head, desperately.
"If he handed in Harry, no one would say he betrayed Voldemort." Jessica concluded. Sirius turned to her, at the sound of her voice. He gave her a very weak smile and nodded.
"So you see... I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive. It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the Dementor's couldn't destroy it. It wasn't a happy feeling, it was an obsession, but it gave me strength. It cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring me food, I slipped past them as a dog. It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused. I was thin... Very thin... Thin enough to slip through the bars. I swam as a dog back to the mainland... I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry!" Sirius looked at Harry, who didn't look away this time. "Please... Believe me... Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

Harry allowed Sirius Black's words to linger for a long moment. He had to think. He'd listened, carefully, to everything. And even though some things still made no sense, it was believable. If Black wasn't innocent, Lupin wouldn't be either. If Lupin wasn't innocent – why would Harry still be alive? Black had been at Jessica's house with Harry there. He could've entered if he wanted to. He could've killed Harry right then and there. He could've killed Harry earlier, when he was armed and ready. He didn't. He explained. He was patient. Harry took a few steps closer to Sirius, but still not too close. He was still wary... But he believed him. Deep down, there was something telling him that Sirius Black was being honest. Deep down, Harry knew that Sirius would never betray his parents.
"I... I believe you..." Harry said, slowly. Sirius's eyes went so wide, it was like they were about to pop out of the man's head.
"NO!" Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's words had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward, still on his knees, grovelling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying. "Sirius... It's me... Peter... Your friend! You wouldn't-"
"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them." Black hissed, as he kicked Pettigrew away.
"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this... Wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"
"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter." Lupin said. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me – or Athos, for that matter."
"Forgive me, Remus." Sirius said, bowing his head.
"Not to worry, Padfoot, old friend." Lupin said, as he rolled up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"
"Of course!" Black said, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"
"Yes, I think so." Lupin said, grimly.
"You wouldn't... You won't!" Pettigrew gasped and scrambled around to Ron. "Ron... Haven't I been a good friend, a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you? You're on my side, aren't you?"
"Get off him!" Hermione said, pushing the small man away from Ron, who stared at Peter with the utmost revulsion.
"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about." Josh taunted.
"You, young man, are a perfect marauder." Sirius said, raising an eyebrow. Joshua shrugged slightly, as he held in his cheerful grin.
"Hermione... You're a clever girl... Please..." Pettigrew continued to insist, but Hermione quickly pushed him away, looking horrified. Peter whimpered and turned around for yet another attempt. Jessica glared at him as he approached her. "Sweet girl... Jessica... You have your mother's eyes... Your father's hair... Your father, Jessica, your father wouldn't allow any of this... Please-"
"I never liked you as a rat – and that was before I knew what you really were." Jessica said, in the snottiest voice she could think of.
"Harry..." Pettigrew cried, as he crawled to Harry, who stood just opposite Jessica. "Harry, you look just like your father... Like James-"
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY!" Sirius roared, suddenly, making everyone in the room flinch. "HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM!"
"Sirius..." Lupin warned, making the man calm down. Remus and Sirius strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.
"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort." Remus stated.
"Do you deny it?" Sirius asked, coldly. And at that exact moment, Peter Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.
"Sirius... Remus... What could I have done? The Dark Lord... You have no idea the weapons he possesses... I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you, Remus, Athos and James. I never meant it to happen... He-who-must-not-be-named forced me-"
"DON'T LIE!" Sirius bellowed. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE THEY DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"
"He... He was taking over everywhere! W-what was there to be gained by refusing him?" Pettigrew gasped.
"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" Black said, with a terrible fury in his face.
"You don't understand! He would have killed me, Sirius!" Pettigrew whined.
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" Black roared, and was once again held back by Remus.
"You should have realised..." Remus said, quietly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we could. Goodbye, Peter."

Harry wasn't entirely sure why, but he wasn't going to allow this to go any further. He couldn't stand there and allow Professor Lupin and Sirius Black to kill the small man. He couldn't bring himself to allow it. And he did possibly the stupidest thing he'd ever done in his life.
"NO!" He yelled, as he ran forward and placed himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the two wands. He could hear Jessica and Hermione crying out at him, desperately. "You can't kill him."
"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents." Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him that your whole family."
"I know." Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementor's... He can go to Azkaban... But don't kill him."
"Harry! You... Thank you... It's more than I deserve... Thank you!" Pettigrew gasped, and flung his arms around Harry's knees.
"GET OFF!" Harry shouted, angrily and frustrated. "I'm not doing this for you. I just don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers... Especially not for the likes of you."
No one moved or made a sound, except Peter Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.
"You're the only person who has a right to decide, Harry... But think about what he did..." Sirius said.
"He can go to Azkaban." Harry repeated. Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him. "If anyone deserves that place, he does."
"Very well. Then, I suggest we head back. Stand aside, Harry." Lupin said, turning to Pettigrew. Harry hesitated for a short moment. "I'm going to tie him up."
Harry stepped out of the way and thin cords shot from Lupin's wand. Pettigrew was soon wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.
"If you transform, Peter, we will kill you. You agree, Harry?" Black growled, pointing the wand at Pettigrew. Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nodded.
"Right... Ron, I can't heal your wound nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing." Lupin said. He hurried over to Ron, bent down, and tapped Ron's leg with his wand – "Ferula!" Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.
"That's better... Thanks." Ron nodded.
"What about Professor Snape?" Hermione asked, in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.
"There's nothing seriously wrong with him." Lupin said, as he bent over Snape and checked his pulse. "You were just a little... Overenthusiastic, Harry. He's still out cold, though. Perhaps... Perhaps we should leave him here for the time being. I'll come back to get him once you're all safely back in the castle."

x.x

Jessica led the way, using her wand to light up the passageway. She was followed by Ron, who was resting his weight on Sirius and Harry. Not too far from them, was Hermione, who lit up the passage from behind. At the very end was Josh, who walked ahead of Peter Pettigrew, keeping his wand on the small man at all times. And finally, Remus Lupin was behind Pettigrew, making sure the man wouldn't suddenly transform into a rat.
"I'm sorry about the bite. I reckon that twinges a bit." Sirius said, his voice echoing though the narrow walls.
"A bit?" Ron whimpered. "A bit? You almost tore my leg off!"
"Well, I was going for the rat. Normally I have a very sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, more than once, James suggested I made the change permanent. The tail I could live with, but the flees... They're murder!" Sirius chuckled. Harry grinned enthusiastically, though he couldn't exactly think of anything to say.
"We shouldn't be too far now." Jessica said. "You know, you never did tell us why you appeared at my house."
"Ah... Well, I happened to find your house on my way to Hogwarts. Not to mention I was quite hungry." Sirius laughed, slightly. "Your mother though, she never was too kind with the stray animals."
"Do you think she recognised you? I mean... You should've seen her yelling hysterically afterward." Jessica said, rolling her eyes.
"I don't doubt it." Sirius shrugged slightly. He resisted the urge to glance back at Remus – there was so much more he had to tell.

Jessica was the first out of the hole under the Whomping Willow, and she couldn't help but wonder where the so call knot was. Sirius came out soon after and started to pull Ron out. Harry was pushing Ron from underneath, making sure not to hurt his leg whilst doing so. Eventually, everyone was out. Sirius stared up at the starry sky. He was practically a free man. He could live without worries from now on. And Harry... He turned back to the others. Remus and Joshua were standing around Peter, making sure he stayed put. Harry was helping Ron sit on one of the Willow's roots, so he could rest for a while. Sirius wanted to ask Harry – ask him to come live with him. But perhaps it was too soon? Perhaps now wasn't the greatest of times.

"You should go talk to him." Hermione said, nodding toward Sirius.
"No... It's okay. I'll stay here." Harry assured, staring down at Ron's bandaged leg.
"No. You go and we'll stay." Jessica said, pulling Harry up to his feet. "He's waited a long time to see you, Harry, and I'm pretty sure he's got loads to tell you."
Harry sighed, quite loudly, but agreed. He slowly made his way to Sirius, who was smiling at him and stopped by his side. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say, or if he really had anything at all to tell him. He was still getting used to the idea that the man was innocent.
"You know..." Sirius started, as he turned his head toward the sky once again. "Turning Peter in means-"
"It means you're free." Harry nodded.
"Yes... But I'm also... I don't know if anyone ever told you, but... I... I'm your godfather." Sirius said, nervously.
"Yeah, I knew that." Harry said.
"Well... Your parents appointed me your guardian..." Black said, stiffly. "If anything happened to them, you know?" Harry stared at Sirius for a long moment. Was he hearing things correctly? Did Sirius mean what he thought he meant? "I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle. But... Well, you can always think about. Once my name's cleared... If perhaps you wanted a different home..."
"What – live with you?" Harry said, unable to hide his shock.
"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to." Black said, quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd-"
"Are you insane?" Harry said. Sirius flinched slightly, taking Harry's shock the wrong way. But the man eased instantly when the young boy broke into a wide grin. "Of course I want to live with you – leave the Dursley's! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"
"You want to? You mean it?" Sirius said, over excitedly.
"Yeah, I mean it!" Harry grinned.

Joshua prodded Peter Pettigrew with his wand. He was surprised Harry didn't allow Remus and Sirius to kill him. Joshua wouldn't have thought twice on it. Then again, he wasn't exactly one to be forgiving. He figured it came from his mother's Slytherin side. They all had a little bit in them.
"We should take him back; the other's can stay with Ron a little longer if he's still too weak to walk." Josh said.
"I'll go too." Jessica said, as she pointed her wand at Peter Pettigrew.
"Very well. One wrong move, Peter..." Lupin said, threateningly.
Harry and Sirius noticed they were about to start moving once again and went to get Ron off the ground. Hermione helped push him up from behind. And then –

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. They were bathed in moonlight. Remus stopped abruptly, making Peter and Josh collide with him. Sirius also froze, his eyes widening. Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then, his limbs began to shake.
"Oh... Shit, this can't be good." Josh muttered.
Jessica, who had been ahead like before, stopped when she realised no one was following her anymore. Rolling her eyes, she walked back up the hill, only to find her Uncle Remus having a fit.
"He... He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!" Hermione gasped.
"Run... Run, now." Sirius whispered.
"Can't we stop it somehow?" Jessica asked, worriedly. She cautiously moved around Remus, and back to where her brother was. Joshua was waiting to grab her by the arm. But then Remus jerked forward.
"JESSICA!" Joshua shouted. He foolishly let go of Pettigrew and jumped forward, pulling his sister away from Remus.
There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head and body were lengthening. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The dog bounded forward and seized the werewolf about the neck and pulled it away from Jessica, Joshua and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other. Harry stood transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted all of them –

Pettigrew dived for Lupin's dropped wand. Joshua pushed his sister aside and raised his wand – there was bang, a burst of light – and Joshua lay motionless on the ground. Jessica screamed, and this time Lupin's wand was aiming for her.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled; Lupin's wand flew out of Pettigrew's hand and out of sight. "Stay were you are!"
Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the grass as he scurried off. He heard rustling behind him, and he turned to find Professor Snape crawling up the hole under the Whomping Willow.
"POTTER!" Snape bellowed, furiously. There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Harry ignored Snape and turned once again, he saw the werewolf taking flight, galloping into the forest.
"Sirius! He's gone! Pettigrew's gone! He transformed!" Harry yelled.

Sirius was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds. Harry then dashed to Jessica, who was leaning over her brother. Joshua's eyes were only half closed, his mouth hung open. He was definitely alive; they could hear him breathing.
"He looks like he's been stunned." Hermione said, breathlessly, as she approached them.
"W-what are we going to do a-about P-Pettigrew?" Jessica hiccupped. Harry looked desperately around. Black and Lupin were both gone.
"We are returning to the castle!" Snape said, furiously, as he pulled Ron to his feet. But then, from beyond their range of vision, they heard a yelping, a whining – a dog in pain -
"Sirius!" Harry said suddenly, as he got to his feet and dashed off.
"HARRY! GET BACK HERE NOW!" Hermione screamed. She tried to run after him, only to be pulled back by Snape. She fell to her knees and sobbed.
"We can't leave him." Jessica whispered, clutching onto her brother's hand.
"None of you are to go after him, is that clear?" Snape said, coldly. Though, Jessica almost thought there was a small hint of concern in his voice. But that wasn't possible. This was Professor Snape she was thinking about. The man wouldn't be concerned about them – even if they were at high risk of being killed by a werewolf.

"Do you feel that?" Ron said, after a few long minutes of complete silence.
"What?" Hermione asked, frantically. She's stopped crying already, but she was still nervous and worried. "Dementor's." Snape murmured.
At that very moment, Jessica heard a soft groan. She quickly turned to face her brother, who slowly sat up and rubbed his head. He groaned a few more times, and muttered a few curse words under his breath, before he looked up.
"Man... I feel like sh-"
"Oh, shut up." Jessica said, wrapping her arms around her brother's neck. "You idiot! You need to be quicker next time."
"It's Remus's fault. He freaked me out." Josh mumbled, wrapping his arms around his sister also. He pulled away, before Ron could tease. "Speaking of which, where are Remus and Sirius – and Pettigrew?"
"Pettigrew escaped. Sirius went after Professor Lupin and... And Harry's with them. And Snape won't let us go too!" Hermione said, exasperated.
"Of course I won't." Snape spat.
"Glad to see you're up and well, Professor." Joshua smirked.

x.x

Harry could feel them watching him, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around him. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering him. He wouldn't allow it to take him or Sirius. He had to get Sirius away from that lake. Then, it raised both its rotting hands and lowered its hood. Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth... A gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle. A paralyzing terror filled Harry so that he couldn't move or speak. His Patronus flickered and died. White fog was blinding him. He had to fight... Expecto Patronum... He couldn't see, and in the distance, he heard the familiar screaming... Expecto Patronum... He reached out in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm... They weren't going to take him. He wouldn't allow it. Not now, that he finally knew the truth. Not now, when they could finally prove Sirius was innocent. But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Harry's neck. They were forcing his face upward. He could feel its breath... It was going to get rid of him first. He could hear his mother screaming in his ears... She was going to be the last thing he ever heard –

And then, through the fog that was drowning him, he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter. He felt himself fall forward onto the stones below him. Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, he opened his eyes. The Dementor must have released him. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him. The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away. Something was driving the Dementor's back. It was circling around him and Sirius. They were leaving... The air was warm again...

With every ounce of strength he could muster, Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake. Eyes blurred with sweat, Harry tried to make out what it was. It was as bright as a unicorn... Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back... Raising his hands to pat it... Someone who looked strangely familiar... But it couldn't be...

Harry didn't understand. He couldn't think anymore. He felt the last of his strength leave him, and his head hit the ground as he fainted.

I apologize for any mistakes and I promise to re-read this chapter soon! I just didn't do it now, before uploading, because I've got my head completely focused on chapter 15! :p Buuut... I'm almost certain I re-read this before! Anyway... I'll be back soon! xoxo