Updated: June 26th, 2017

Chapter 25: Dog, Rat, Snake, Wolf

At that moment, Harry and Hermione burst through the door. They dashed across to us. I stared blankly at the corner where the fugitive stood, hidden by the room door. "Ron! Cora! You're okay," Hermione breathed. She had cuts all over her face and her clothes were ripped in some places.

"The dog – where's the dog," Harry freaked out, his wand in hand.

"He's the dog," Ron gritted in pain, pointing at the corner. "Harry, it's a trap! He's an Animagus!"

Harry and Hermione wheeled around. With a snap, Sirius Black closed the door, revealing himself. He raised a wand – my wand. It must have fallen from my pocket when we entered the room. Hermione placed herself between Harry and Black. "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"

Something flickered in Black's eyes, "No. Only one will die tonight."

"Then it'll be you," Harry growled, lunging for Black.

I found myself screaming in response. Black's eyes flashed towards me before landing back on Harry. He had his wand pointed directly at Black, he was shaking like a leaf. Black regarded Harry cautiously, my wand still pointed at us, "Going to kill me, Harry?"

"You killed my parents," Harry said, his voice quivering slightly. He raised his wand, ready for the kill. "It seems only fair."

The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks. Remus came hurtling in, his face emotionless and wand raised. His eyes looked over Ron, who was paler than ever as he clutched his rat; then Hermione who was standing defiantly next to Ron and I; he looked to me as I stared as Black, clutching my broken wrist; and finally to Harry who still had his wand pointed at Black.

"Expelliarmus," Remus shouted. My wand flew out of Black's hand and into his own. Black stumbled down to the ground. Remus had his wand at the escapee's neck in an instant. "Looking a bit ragged, aren't we, Sirius? Finally the skin reflects the madness within."

"You'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus," Black laughed up at my godfather.

The two observed each other, the moment taut with tension. My friends shared a look of unease. Hermione's face paled at the mention of 'the madness within'. She gave me a knowing look. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

Lycanthropy is a magical illness known to be spread by saliva-blood contact; thus, a human bitten by a werewolf in wolf form will become a werewolf him or herself.

It seems that werewolves, when in their animal state, pose the danger of biting the nearest human being. On every full moon, a werewolf will go through an incredibly painful transformation from a human into a wolf-like creature.

Though werewolves usually only infect their victims through biting, they sometimes take it too far and attack their victims. Without any humans nearby to attack, or other animals to occupy it, the werewolf will attack itself out of frustration. This leaves many werewolves such as with self-inflicted scars and premature aging from the difficult transformations.

Because werewolves only pose a danger to humans, companionship with animals whilst transformed has been known to make the experience more bearable as the werewolf has no-one to harm and will be less willing to harm him/herself.

The two men laughed at their little joke. Remus lowered his wand, pocketed mine, and extended a hand. Harry and Ron stared, confused as he helped Black to his feet. The men embraced only like brothers would.

"No," Hermione shouted in disbelief. "I trusted you! Cora and I covered up for you and all this time – you've been his friend!" She looked at Harry and Ron, pointing at Remus, "Tell them, Cora! Tell them what he is!"

My breath caught in my throat for the millionth time that night. I stared at my godfather, eyes misty, "He's a werewolf. That's why he's been missing classes."

Harry and Ron stared, flabbergasted. Black laughed, amused. Remus eyes my father, then turned to look at me and Hermione. His gaze lingered on me in a sad way, "How long have you two known?"

"Since Professor Snape set the essay," Hermione replied.

"You really are the brightest witch of your age, Hermione," Remus said, amused. He didn't look away from me though. I saw fear flicker through his eyes. He thought I'd turn against him now that I knew what he was.

"Yes, you glow like the sun," Black rolled his eyes at Hermione and Remus. "And you howl at the moon. Enough talk. He dies now! If you won't do it with me, Remus, I'll do it alone!"

"Sirius, wait –"

"I did my waiting," I flinched as Black howled in agony. "Twelve years of it! In Azkaban!"

Remus eyed Black before nodding, "Alright then. As you wish…"

"STOP," I shouted, standing up. Harry stepped forward too, his wand pointed at Black. My friend eyed the man murderously.

"You betrayed my parents! You sold them to Voldemort," Harry stepped closer to the two men. He kept a hand on my shoulder to keep me behind him. "You sold out Cora's mum, too! Your own wife –"

"That's a lie," Black roared. His eyes suddenly glazed over and his voice softened. "I never would've betrayed James and Lily or Olivia. I loved them…"

"Harry! You've got to listen –" Remus tried to reason with the boy protecting me.

"NO," Harry shouted. "Did he listen when my mum was dying?! Did he listen when she was screaming?!"

"I wasn't there," Black stepped toward us. Harry pointed his wand threateningly at the man. Black's eyes were full of guilt and pain. "And I'll regret it the rest of my life."

Remus stepped up, joining Black, "Someone else betrayed your parents, Harry. Someone in this room right now. Someone who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead."

"He's as good as dead," Black snarled.

I pulled myself away from Harry's. My eyes narrowed at the two older men, "What are you talking about? There's nobody here."

"Oh yes there is…" Black smirked, his voice cruel, "Come out, come out, Peter! Come out and play!"

Ron drew back, "You're mad!"

My eyes shifted from Black to Ron's face to the rat in his hands. Scabbers twisted and squeaked violently. I nudged Harry and motioned with my head. Harry stared curiously as Remus handed my wand back to Black. With raised wands, they poised for an attack. The door flew open a third time. A slimy, deep voice was heard and the wands flew from Remus and Black's hands. Snape stood in the doorway, smiling smugly.

"Ah, revenge is sweet," Snape eyed Black. "How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you."

"Severus –" Remus began, but Snape continued, sneering at my godfather.

"I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle. And here's the proof."

"Brilliant! And – as usual – wrong," Black rolled his eyes. "Now give the wands back. Remus and I have a bit of unfinished business to do."

Instead of handing the wands to Black, Snape grabbed him by the collar, his wand at the escapee's neck. I gasped, stepping forward. Black's eyes caught mine until Snape shook him, "Give me a reason. I beg you."

"Don't be a fool, Severus," Remus tried to reason.

"Why don't you go play with your chemistry set?"

"Quiet, Sirius," Remus snapped.

Black looked at me again with those intense grey eyes. Now I know what The Fat Lady was talking about. We definitely had the same eyes. "Your reason not to, Severus…think of that girl standing right behind you…would you really take away her only living parent…right in front of her innocent little eyes…?"

I snorted loudly. Everyone stared at me; Harry had a look of disbelief. I just shrugged. I was not as innocent as people thought. When I looked back at Black he was grinning at me. Snape narrowed his eyes at Black, "Tell me, will you be so impudent when I turn you over to the Dementors?" Black cringed. "Do I detect a flicker of fear? One can only imagine what it must have been like to endure the Dementor's Kiss. It's said to be unbearable to witness…but I'll do my best."

As he gestured to the door, Snape dropped the two wands. He kicked them in our direction, not giving them a second glance. I slowly crouched down, pocketing Remus's wand and grasping my own. Before Black or Snape could reach the door, I jumped in front of it, wand pointed at our Potions Master.

"YOU'RE PATHETIC," I yelled. "Just because they made a fool of you at school – you won't listen to what they have to say – give them a second–"

"SILENCE," Snape shrieked at me. The tips of our wands were nearly touching. "Like father, like daughter, isn't it! I just saved your neck – ALL OF YOU! You are just as ungrateful as he is, aren't you?! Now, get out of the way, or I will make you."

I stood bravely in the doorway. I glanced passed Snape and to everyone in the room. If looks could kill, Remus would have offed me a long time ago. Ron, who was trying to hang on to Scabbers, was still on the bed and Hermione, who hadn't spoken a word, looked genuinely scared. The only person who looked rather thrilled with my little endeavor, however, was Sirius Black. My – dare I say it now – my father looked quite proud.

"No," I whispered, staring at Snape's face.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, YOU SILLY GIRL!"

I made up my mind in a split second. I raised my wand higher and before I uttered a word, someone shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

The blast made the whole room rattle. Snape soared backwards, hitting the wall with a THUD! The drywall around him crashed down as Snape fell over, unconscious. Ron, Hermione, and I stared in shock. Harry lowered his wand, an evil look in his eye.

Hermione paled, "Harry, you attacked a teacher!"

Harry looked a bit in shock himself. But with a shake of his head he quickly turned to the men, "You said Peter before. Peter who?"

"Pettigrew. He was at school with us. We thought he was a friend," Remus explained.

"No, Pettigrew's dead," Harry pointed his wand at Black. "He killed him twelve years ago."

"I thought so too," said Remus, "until you mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the Map."

"The Map was lying then –" Harry tried.

"The Map never lies. Pettigrew's alive. And he's right there," Black pointed at Ron. Once again, our ginger friend went white with fear.

"M – me," he squeaked. "It's lunatic…I'm not –"

"Not you, you idiot," Black rolled his eyes. "Your rat."

"Scabbers," Ron held his rat closer. "Scabbers has been in my family for…"

"Twelve years," Black chuckled bitterly. "A curiously long life for a common garden rat. He's missing a toe, isn't he?"

Harry's face darkened, "All they could find of Pettigrew was his –"

"Finger," Black finished, letting out a bark-like laugh. "Dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead."

"It makes sense," I whispered. "He's an Animagus too." I stared into the eyes of the man who was my father. I wanted to believe; I was desperate to believe what I was hearing. I glanced at Ron, his face pained. Scabbers was squirming more violently than ever. My attention went back to Black. "Show us then."

Remus and Black turned to Ron. "What are you going to do to him," Ron asked.

The men exchanged a glance. Black had already retrieved Snape's fallen wand when I held out Remus's to him. He counted to three and a flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands. Scabbers bit down on Ron's hand for the second time that night. Ron dropped the rat in shock. Black and Remus went crazy, shooting the light from the wands, trying to hit the rat. Scabbers was just about to disappear through a hole in the wall when Remus finally hit him.

We all turned away as the wall came down in a cloud of dust, old paint, and drywall. In the space where Scabbers had once been was a short, grubby looking man. He was hardly taller than me and his thin, straw colored hair was long and frazzled with a bald patch on top. He was pudgy. His nose was pointy like a rat's. The man also had small watery eyes and his two front teeth were long, also like a rat's. He was breathing hard as he looked at all of us one at a time. This sad, pathetic excuse for a man was Peter Pettigrew.

"S –Sirius…R – Remus," the man smiled nervously. Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. "My old friends…" No one spoke; we just stared. Pettigrew's eyes darted around. Suddenly, he scrambled to the door, but Black shoved him back. The rat-man's nose twitched, his gaze finding Harry as he got to his knees. "Harry! Look at you! You look like your father. Like James! We were the best of friends, he and I –"

"Shut up! You have no right to say James was your friend," Black raged, shoving Pettigrew off of Harry.

"And you…" Pettigrew stumbled towards me. I recoiled as he grabbed my jeans, looking up at me with his pleading eyes. "Coralynn. I haven't seen you since you were a baby. You look like your mother too! She would be so proud to have a pretty little –"

This time Sirius Black practically threw Pettigrew across the room. He was seething, "DON'T EVER TOUCH MY DAUGHTER AND DON'T EVER TALK ABOUT OLIVIA, YOU TRATIOR! I OUGHT TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!"

"No! Please," the man backed away. "The Dark Lord, he – he forced me –"

"DON'T LIE," Black bellowed. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING OFF INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY, JAMES, AND OLIVIA DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"I didn't mean too," Pettigrew sounded close to insanity the way he pleaded. My lip curled in disgust. "You have no idea the weapons He possesses! Ask yourself what you would have done, Sirius. What would you have done?"

"DIED! I would have rather died than betray the ones I loved!"

"You should have realized, Peter," Remus's voice was so low, "if Voldemort didn't kill you…we would…"

"No…please…you can't…" he begged for his life. Two wands pointed directly at Pettigrew's face. He shrank back against the broken dresser, trembling in fear. Ron stared coldly at the man who pretended to be his pet for the last three years. Hermione covered her face with her hands, turning away.

"NO," Harry yelled. He stepped forward, placing himself in front of the wands and Pettigrew. The man's head lifted in relief. Both Black and Remus looked thoroughly shocked.

"Harry, this man…" Remus began.

"I know what he is. But we'll take him to the castle."

"Harry, no," I begged.

"Bless you, boy," Pettigrew grasped Harry's clothes again.

"Get off," Harry lashed out. Pettigrew backed away, scared at Harry's tone. "I said we'll take him to the castle. After that, the Dementors can have him."