Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Thank you for your reviews and encouragement! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
"So what did you get Hermione for Christmas?" Harry asked Ron as they ate dinner with everyone in the Great Hall.
Ron smirked. "A cute, fluffy stuffed animal. Of a rat." His smirk faded. "Unfortunately, it appears Hermione knows me too well. She got me a stuffed orange cat."
Harry began laughing. "You two really need to give it a rest with that."
"How can you say that? Crookshanks killed Scabbers!" Ron protested. He narrowed his blue eyes. "Wait, you're taking care of Crookshanks for her aren't you?" There was a gleam in his eyes.
"Yes and he hasn't once tried to hurt Nova. In fact they get along very well." Harry told his friend. "And no, you may not hurt Crookshanks."
"I wasn't going to hurt him." Ron said innocently.
"Yeah right." Harry scoffed. He noticed Draco looking at Ron thoughtfully.
Ron noticed as well. "What?"
"I'm just wondering if I am powerful enough to obliviate you with any memories about Scabbers." Draco shrugged. "Without destroying your mind that is. I bet I could."
"Don't you dare Malfoy!" Ron hissed.
"Do not fret Mr. Weasley. Mr. Malfoy would not risk getting expelled for something as frivolous as erasing a memory of a rat." Snape drawled, overhearing their conversation.
"But he won't shut up about it. It's annoying." Draco whined.
"Hmm, you do have a point." Snape mused as he took a sip of his coffee.
Ron's eyes widened.
"There will be no need to obliviate anyone." Dumbledore said from across the table. He eyed Snape and Draco and then turned kind eyes on Ron. "I am very sorry for the loss of your familiar Ronald."
"Thank you Headmaster." Ron said with a smug look to Draco.
"He may not even be dead, there was no body found." Harry said reasonably as he took a bite of his mashed potatoes.
"Of course there wasn't, Crookshanks ate him!" Ron said in frustration, slamming his fork down.
"Yeah but you'd think that there would be pieces of him or-" Harry started to say.
"Ew, enough! I won't be able to finish my dinner." Daphne glared at her friends. "No more talk of rats during mealtimes okay?"
"I concur with that." Professor McGonagall said, eyeing the boys sternly.
Harry stifled a laugh as he set some chicken aside on a napkin.
"You do know that you can eat anytime you are hungry?" Snape asked, only half joking. For a boy that had been starved on a regular basis it would be understandable for Harry to want to keep food with him.
"Yeah I know." Harry said easily. "This is for the stray dog."
Remus, who had been quietly eating his meal, looked at Harry sharply. "You saw that dog again? Have you been going near it?" His tone was uncharacteristically sharp and everyone at the table looked at him warily.
"What do you care?" Snape asked suspiciously. "I would think you would feel for the poor beast." He smirked as he went back to his coffee. He ignored the warning look Dumbledore gave him.
"The stray is friendly, jus' shy." Hagrid put in. "Fang seems to like him enough and I've seen that orange cat visit him."
Harry was surprised. He did let Crookshanks out to wander as Hermione had told him that Crookshanks always came back. He didn't know that the cat had visited the stray dog though. He began chuckling as a thought occurred to him.
"What?" Daphne asked curiously.
"Well, first Crookshanks gets along with Nova and now some stray dog. Yet, not your rat." Harry grinned at Ron.
"Hilarious Harry." Ron mumbled as he picked up his fork and began eating again.
Remus looked uncertain. "I simply think Harry should be careful around an unknown animal. You never know if it could turn vicious." He said slowly.
"I do agree with you there Lupin." Snape said, staring at his colleague. "Some animals can certainly be dangerous."
"Severus." Minerva murmured.
Remus paled slightly and pushed his chair back. "Yes, exactly right. Excuse me please, I am no longer hungry." He walked away.
Harry looked after him in confusion while Daphne looked contemplative.
"What was that about?" He whispered to her.
"Don't know for sure." Daphne shrugged yet her eyes remained thoughtful.
HPHPHPHP
After dinner Harry and his friends were deciding what to when Draco mentioned night flying.
Daphne frowned. "I doubt we would be allowed to. It can be dangerous."
"So? It's fun." Draco countered.
"I've done it, it is fun." Ron agreed. "Though it wasn't fun when my Mum caught the twins and I when we were younger." He winced in memory.
"It sounds good to me. I haven't tried the Hover Board out at night." Harry grinned.
Daphne bit her lip. "Well, I suppose we could cast a lot of cushioning charms under us. But Harry, aren't you supposed to have an adult outside with you?"
"He will. Hagrid is likely in his hut which is outside of this castle." Draco said smugly.
Harry wondered if Hagrid would be okay with them flying at night. He doubted Severus would be but still, it was just flying. "Maybe I should ask Severus?" He ventured.
Draco and Daphne snorted. "He will say no. Graham wanted to have practices at night once and was told it was out of the question." Draco rolled his eyes.
"Well, I bet Hagrid would keep an eye on us if he thought we had permission." Daphne mused. She caught the surprised look Harry was giving her and grinned. "I told you I'm not a complete goody-goody."
"And classes aren't in session so we can't have points taken away or be given detention." Ron said enthusiastically.
Harry wavered. He didn't want to make Severus mad but it sounded like fun. What real harm could come from it? "Let's do it. But only for a little while. I have a feeling Severus won't care about classes not being in session, we will be cleaning cauldrons from dawn to dusk if he finds out."
Ron shrugged. "So we make sure Snape doesn't find out. Come on, let's go!"
Trying to be as stealthy as possible, they each got their brooms and Harry also grabbed his board as well as his invisibility cloak. Severus wasn't in their quarters which Harry was grateful for. He didn't think he could outright lie to the man anymore. Throwing the cloak over him he found his friends waiting just outside the castle.
"Geez, how long can Harry take?" Draco complained, not aware that Harry was standing right next to him.
"I hope Professor Snape didn't catch him." Daphne said nervously.
Suddenly Draco gave a yelp as something grabbed his broom from him. The three teenagers watched in shock as Draco's broom began flying to the Quidditch Pitch.
Realization dawned in Ron's eyes and he began laughing. "I think Harry is here."
"Potter that was not funny!" Draco yelled as he ran to the pitch, Ron and Daphne following and laughing. "Merlin, I almost had a heart attack." Draco muttered as Harry pulled off the cloak and dropped it on Draco's head while he flew about him.
Harry grinned and tossed Draco the Hover Board. "Does that make up for it?"
Draco's face lit up and he hopped on the board. "I suppose I can find it in my heart to forgive you." He quickly soared into the air.
Ron and Daphne got on their brooms and soon all of them were in the sky. Harry was enjoying the thrill of flying in the crisp air. They hadn't cast any cushioning charms but the ground below was a snowy blanket so he figured they would be all right.
As he was flying he noticed something going on by Hagrid's hut. He paused in the air and could make out Hagrid and Dumbledore standing outside. There were two more people. One of them looked like…Minister Fudge! Which meant…
Harry landed, motioning for his friends to join him. "I can't believe it; they are going to execute Buckbeak tonight!" He hissed. He felt his hatred for Fudge intensify.
"What? No!" Daphne gasped.
"I can't believe that idiot Fudge is going through with it!" Draco glared in the direction of Minister.
"Poor Hagrid." Ron said softly. A movement on the ground caught his eye and he stepped away from the group.
"That must be the executioner." Daphne said in disgust as they continued watching. "I don't want to see this." She turned her head away and Harry put his arm around her.
"It looks like Professor Dumbledore is talking pretty adamantly." Draco observed.
"Fudge doesn't look very happy." Harry said, perplexed.
"Oi!"
"Ron?" Harry turned around. His eyes went wide when he saw what Ron was holding. "Is that Scabbers?"
Ron was halfway up the hill. "It is! He's still alive after all! This fur ball was about to attack him!"
Harry looked down. "Crookshanks?"
"You owe Hermione an apology now." Daphne pointed out as she, Harry and Draco walked up to join Ron.
"Maybe, but her cat is still trying to…Ahh!"
"Ron!" Harry yelled in shock. The stray dog from the forest suddenly ran up and was snarling as it grabbed Ron's leg and began dragging him away. Ron shrieked in pain and panic.
"No, let him go!" Harry called out as he followed. "Bad dog!" Before Harry could reach his friend the dog dragged Ron, who was still holding onto Scabbers, into the Whomping Willow.
"Harry watch out!" Daphne pushed him out of the way right before a tree branch swung right where Harry had been standing.
Draco narrowly dodged a branch as well. "This bloody tree is trying to kill us!"
The three teens stood away from the Whomping Willow, looking on helplessly. "We need to get an adult." Daphne said in concern.
"Wait, look!" Draco pointed to Crookshanks who slipped through and easily dodged the branches, putting his paw on a knot at the base of the tree. The Whomping Willow froze.
"Brilliant." Draco breathed.
"How in the world did Crookshanks know to do that?" Daphne wondered out loud.
"He's friends with the dog. Hagrid mentioned that earlier." Harry led the way through the tunnel and soon they found themselves in the Shrieking Shack. They heard a crash upstairs and after a brief glance at each other, they headed upstairs with their wands at the ready. They entered a bedroom and found Ron huddled in the corner, one hand still holding a wiggling Scabbers and the other holding his leg which was bleeding.
"Harry, it's a trap! He's an Animagus!" Ron yelled.
Harry turned, his eyes following the paw prints on the floor that turned into…He raised his eyes to see a tall, thin man with straggly hair staring back at him. Sirius Black! Before he could move, Sirius disarmed him and easily grabbed his wand.
"Stay away from Harry!" Ron yelled, trying to get up and falling back down as he winced in pain.
"You're not getting to him." Daphne said determinedly, though fear shown clearly through her eyes.
"You'll, you'll have to go kill us first!" Draco added as he trained his wand on Black along with Daphne.
Sirius continued to stare and then broke into a raspy loud laughter. "No, no. Only one needs to die tonight. Only one, only one…" He chanted.
"He's completely barmy!" Ron shook his head.
Harry felt a surge of anger and lunged himself at Black. "Murderer!" Harry shouted out as he pushed at Black, kicking him hard in the shin. He managed to get a hold of his wand and stepped back and held the convict at wand point.
Sirius turned his wild grey eyes onto Harry as he rubbed his shin, still snickering. "You are going to kill me Harry?" His laughter continued.
"Yes!" Harry yelled as he thought about his parents. "Although, being returned to the Dementors is probably worse isn't it?" He spit out hatefully.
Sirius stopped laughing and stared at Harry. "You need to listen to me." He urged suddenly. There were footsteps rapidly approaching and everyone turned towards the door.
"Professor!" Harry said in relief as Professor Lupin entered the room.
Remus ignored him and kept his gaze on Black. "You don't look well Sirius." He said in an amused tone. "You finally have showed everyone how mad you truly are."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Well, you would know about the madness within wouldn't you Remus?"
To everyone's shock, Remus stepped forward and pulled Sirius into a friendly hug!
"What – what are you doing?" Harry asked in shock. This couldn't be happening!
Daphne gasped. "Hermione and I covered for you! He's a werewolf Harry! That's why he takes that potion and misses classes. We figured it out weeks ago but didn't say anything." She glared at Remus. "You've been helping him!" She gestured to Sirius.
Sirius began laughing again as Remus turned to Daphne. "I'm impressed. You two are the brightest witches of your age I believe."
"She's as bright as a star and you howl at the moon." Sirius shook Remus's arm. "He's here! We can kill him now. Or I can just do it myself!" Sirius said gleefully.
"Wait Sirius-"
"I've done my waiting!" Sirius snarled and his dirty face darkened. "Twelve years I have waited! Do you have any idea what it was like there?" He asked desperately.
Remus paused and then nodded slowly. "Okay Sirius."
"No!" Harry raised his wand along with Draco and Daphne. Once again Harry's wand sailed out of his hands.
Harry glared at Remus as the Defense Professor grabbed his wand and then Harry turned murderous eyes onto Sirius. "I hate you!" He hissed. "You betrayed my parents. They trusted you!"
"I would never betray James and Lily!" Sirius responded heatedly. "Never!"
"Harry, you need to listen to us –" Remus began. He held a hand up as Draco and Daphne stepped closer with their wands out. "Please wait, just listen to us first." He said calmly.
"I've listened! I've listened to my Mum and Dad as they died!" Harry said furiously. "I've heard my Mum screaming and begging for my life!"
Sirius's eyes widened with horror. "You've heard them? Oh Harry, I wish I had been there that night. I would have helped them!"
"The person who betrayed your parents is indeed in this room but it was not Sirius." Remus told Harry. "It was someone who we all believed to be dead."
"They're both insane." Draco scoffed. He and Daphne still had their wands trained on Remus and Sirius.
"So then, who betrayed my parents if it wasn't you?" Harry asked bitterly. "Because I don't see anyone else here!"
"He's there!" Sirius pointed to where Ron was sitting.
Ron looked startled. "Me?"
"No not you!" Sirius snapped impatiently.
Harry followed Black's glaze realized he wasn't looking at Ron. He was looking at Scabbers who was wriggling around like mad in Ron's hand.
Harry exchanged confused glances with Daphne and Draco.
"Ready? One, two – " Remus began as he handed Sirius Harry's wand and they focused on Scabbers.
"Expelliarmus!"
Harry felt a sense of relief as his guardian stalked through the door. Snape pocketed Remus's wand and after studying the other wand, he handed it to Harry. "Are you okay?" He asked though he didn't take his dark eyes off of Sirius and Remus.
"Yeah. Ron's hurt though." Harry answered quickly. "Sirius is an Animagus. He's the dog I've been seeing." Harry narrowed his eyes in thought. "You knew didn't you?" He accused Remus.
Remus flushed. "Harry I- yes I suspected-"
"Yet you failed to mention it?" Snape cut in harshly. "You didn't feel the need to tell the Headmaster of his ability?"
"I-" Remus looked guilty.
"Sod off Snivellus!" Sirius barked a laugh. "This is just like the old times, you sneaking around trying to cause trouble. How did you even know we were here?"
"I went to Lupin's office to drop off his potion and saw his name move beyond the edge of a very interesting map." Snape answered as he glared at Sirius hatefully. "Of course, I never trusted Lupin so I came to see what he was up to. Needless to say, I'm not surprised at all to see him here helping you!"
"Still so pathetic, aren't you Snivellus?" Sirius returned the heated glare.
"Shut up!" Harry glared at the man who had been named his godfather.
"Harry…" Sirius said, his tone softening.
"Stop!" Remus yelled in exasperation. "Why don't we deal with Pettigrew first?"
"Pettigrew is dead!" Harry protested.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Pettigrew? What are you talking about?" He followed Sirius's and Remus's gazes that fell on the rat in Ron's hand. Surprise flickered across his face. "Are you saying Pettigrew is an Animagus as well?" He asked incredulously.
"Yes." Remus nodded seriously.
"This is Scabbers. He's been in my family for years!" Ron spoke up. His voice was laced with fear and pain.
"Twelve years perhaps? Rather a long life for a rat, wouldn't you say?" Sirius asked sarcastically. "And I bet he is missing a toe?"
"All they could find of Pettigrew was his finger." Harry whispered. Could it be?
Ron gave a yelp as Scabbers bit his hand and started to run when Snape flicked his wand and suddenly a short, stout man stood where Scabbers had been. He was twitching slightly and wrinkling his nose.
"My friends, my dear friends…" Peter croaked out. His eyes darted around the room and he tried to make a break for it but Sirius grabbed his arm and shoved him back.
"Don't you dare!" Sirius shouted. "You betrayed James and Lily!"
Snape's forehead furrowed in confusion and then understanding came across his face. "You were the secret keeper." He said slowly. His eyes darkened.
Peter took a step back, his eyes still flitting back and forth. They landed on Harry. "Harry, dear sweet boy. You look just like your father, he and I were best friends you know…"
"Don't talk to him!" Snape stood protectively in front of Harry, shielding him from the man who was responsible for Lily's death.
"Don't even look at him!" Sirius added. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes as he saw the way Snape was guarding Harry.
"I had no choice." Peter said pitifully. "The Dark Lord was so strong! What would you have done?" He voice was practically a whine.
"I would have died trying to protect my friends! I would have never betrayed them, you bloody coward!" Sirius growled.
"If Voldemort didn't kill you then you had to know we would." Remus said with a shake of his head. He held out his hand to Snape. "My wand please?"
Peter's eyes widened with fear. "No, you wouldn't let them kill me would you?" He desperately asked Ron. "I was a good rat, a faithful pet."
Ron looked disgusted and Draco and Daphne turned their wands onto Peter as well.
Remus took his wand from Snape and they both pointed their wands at Peter.
"No, please." Peter whimpered.
"Wait." Harry said suddenly.
"Harry, this man is responsible for your parents' deaths!" Sirius said incredulously.
"I know that. Believe me, I know." Harry said quietly. "But we should take him to the castle and let the Dementors have him. He should have to face what he has done."
Snape looked torn and then lowered his wand. His expression softened. Harry had the same kind heart Lily had had. "You're right." He turned to Remus and Sirius. "We will take him back to the castle."
"We should just kill him. Blast him into pieces like he led people to believe." Sirius muttered.
"No Sirius, Harry is right. Besides, the ministry needs to see Peter to prove your innocence." Remus pointed out. He waved his wand over Peter. "Incarcerous!" Thin cords shot out of Lupin's wand and bound Pettigrew till he fell to the floor, wriggling around.
"He should also be chained to two of us." Sirius said, giving in. "No point in taking any chances."
"I'll do it." Remus offered.
"Me too." Draco chimed in.
Severus went to Ron and ran a diagnostic. He then tapped the leg gently and muttered a spell. "Ferula." Bandages began circling Ron's injured leg until it was bound in a tight splint. "You need to go to the infirmary. Do not put weight on that leg."
"Thank you Sir." Ron said weakly as Snape levitated him so that he didn't have to walk.
Remus led the way with Peter tied him and Draco, followed by Daphne who was making sure the levitated Ron didn't bump into anything. Sirius, Harry and Snape walked behind them.
"Do you know that I am your godfather?" Sirius asked Harry as they walked.
Snape remained quiet as he listened.
"Yes I know." Harry replied. He felt exhausted and overwhelmed with everything that had happened in the last hour.
"Once I am cleared, you are welcome to come live with me." Sirius offered. "You should have been with me from the start. Unless you are happy with your relatives?"
Harry snorted. "No, I was never happy with them." He said honestly.
Sirius looked confused for a second but then smiled. "So you will come live with me?" He asked hopefully.
Harry hesitated. Sirius might have been a good friend to his parents' but he was a stranger to Harry. Plus, Harry was happy with his living conditions. "I wouldn't mind visiting you and getting to know you but I have a new guardian and I'm really happy with him." He cast a look over his shoulder at Snape. "Unless he is happy to not have to be my guardian anymore?" There was uncertainty in Harry's voice.
Snape relaxed. "Of course not little idiot." He had been afraid Harry would agree to live with Black and then Snape would lose him. And Snape knew now that he didn't want to lose the boy who had somehow become a son to him.
Sirius gaped at Harry as he watched their exchange. "Are you saying…him? He hated your father Harry! And your father hated him!"
"I know-" Harry wanted to explain how he came to be the ward of Severus and how good his guardian was to him.
"Watch it Black!" Snape growled.
Sirius opened his mouth to say something but a scream interrupted him. Looking ahead they could see Remus outside, doubling over. His face was twisted with pain.
"It's a full moon!" Ron cried.
"He didn't take his potion." Snape said suddenly and quickly he was in front of the teenagers, making sure they were safely behind him.
Sirius ran up to Remus. "No Moony! It'll be okay, just remember who you are!"
Remus began shaking and soon was transforming, skin becoming covered in fur and growls could be heard. His head grew longer as well as his body. His shoulders hunched over and his hands curled into paws with long sharp claws. He looked up and his eyes turned a feral gold. He moved forward to attack.
TBC: