Chapter 25
Pets and Murderers
In the following weeks, Harry found himself readapting to Hogwarts. But it had changed. He could not help but notice that several of the staff looked at him differently. There was a strange pity in their eyes. When Harry met a gaze with such a look, however, he stubbornly held his head high and marched on.
He had not asked Remus how many people had seen the scars on his back, but with each day, he was sure the secret was out, at least among the staff. Then again, maybe they just looked at him that way because they all believed Sirius Black had beaten him to within an inch of his life. For they all believed this. It did not matter what Harry said to try to convince them that it was all an accident. A misunderstanding.
Fudge had visited again. Harry had been summoned up to Dumbledore's office to meet with him this time. The meeting had opened with Fudge smiling at Harry like a fond uncle who had had one too many glasses of wine. The look had slowly melted into a glare through most of the conversation. And it had all ended with Fudge storming out of the room shouting at Kingsley Shacklebolt to find him an expert on breaking the Confundus Charm.
Harry had stood in the middle of Dumbledore's office listening as Kingsley and Dumbledore had spoken about him in hushed tones. About how there was little hope of breaking such a strong Confundus Charm, how all they could do was wait and see if it would wear off. Then Dumbledore had remembered that Harry was still there, and he had kindly shooed him off to lunch.
Harry did not even try to convince Remus that Sirius had not meant to hurt him. The mere mention of Sirius's name had Remus gritting his teeth in anger. Harry had not known it possible for kind-hearted Remus to loath someone the way he seemed to loathe Sirius Black. It was clear to Harry that Remus also thought Harry was Confunded. Harry fumed internally a bit at how still Remus did not trust him; but their relationship had taken enough hits lately, so Harry let it slide. Merlin knows that between Remus finding out about Harry's traumatic childhood and Harry finding out about Remus's "condition," they had enough to be getting on with.
And so Harry did not speak of what happened in the cave with Sirius to anyone. It mattered little, Harry told himself. With any luck, Sirius Black was long gone, and Harry would never see him again.
.
A sunny June Thursday afternoon found Harry sitting in the herbology greenhouse next to Susan Bones. Harry had rather forgotten Susan in all the hubbub in his life. But now he was back in his classes, he remembered how much he enjoyed her company, and he realised he had really rather missed her without noticing. He had been back to classes for over three weeks now, and he increasingly found that he was enjoying herbology; this was primarily due to Susan Bones.
Twice a week, Harry walked down to the greenhouses with Hermione, Neville, and Ron and they each took their assigned seats. Right from his first day back, Susan had given him a smile when he walked in; it was the smile of someone who was genuinely pleased to see him, not the smile of someone who was trying to buddy up to him to hear his story and start gossiping about it. An important distinction these days.
Throughout the class, Susan chatted contentedly beside him, seldom requiring a response. It wasn't that she spoke too much, as some people do—everything she had to say was interesting and worth hearing. And it wasn't that she seemed to prefer the sound of her own voice to that of others— if Harry had something to contribute to a discussion, she listened intently, asked appropriate questions, and contributed her own knowledge. It was merely that she was very good at keeping awkward silences at bay in a conversation. And Harry was the master of awkward silences.
But what Harry liked most about her was that she never asked him anything related to his recent abduction. Susan seemed to understand without being told that it was none of her business. So little did she inquire about Harry's personal life, that he was rather surprised to discover that she wanted to be an investigative journalist when she graduated from Hogwarts.
"I want to report on serious news, you know?" she was saying. "I want to write articles to keep people informed on foreign affairs or the immoral appropriation of land that had been allotted to the centaurs or political corruption. None of this drivel you read in the Daily Prophet about which of the Weird Sisters cut his hair resulting in the whole band getting in a duel." Harry had no idea who the Weird Sisters were or why anyone should care about a haircut, but he nodded. He was surprised to hear Susan discourage the Prophet as he had seen her reading it at the Hufflepuff table almost every morning.
A bell from the castle sounded, magically amplified to the greenhouses. The students began packing up their trowels and pruning shears.
"See you later, Harry," called Susan as she joined her Hufflepuff friends as they made their way up to the castle.
Neville and Hermione were waiting outside the greenhouse when Harry exited, Ron close behind him. "We thought we might go study for the Transfiguration final exam by the lake," said Hermione to Harry and Ron. They had a free period and as the day was fine and sunny, all agreed, though Harry suspected Ron had no intention of studying.
The sun shined brightly and a light breeze ruffled the pages of Hermione's book where they had settled in the grass by the lake. Hermione began firing quiz questions at them. Harry participated at first, but when it became clear that Neville required the most help, he fell back and let the study session morph into a private tutoring session between Hermione and Neville. Harry laid back in the green grass and stared up at the clouds moving across the sky. Ron sat beside him, absently plucking blades of grass and fiddling with them. Harry glanced across the lake and paid silent homage to the mountain that had helped to guide him home. He let his mind fall quiet in the peace of the evening away from all the pitying eyes and whispers.
Final exams were next week. Nerves and tensions were beginning to run high among the students. Harry appreciated that it drew their attention away from him. But it brought with it a different kind of tension for him. Final exams next week. Then end of term. End of his six month purgatory.
It grew chilly as the sun began to set. Harry pulled himself away from his study of the clouds— all the more fascinating as the colours began to change to yellows and pinks and purples—to follow the others back up to the castle. Ron and Hermione were bickering about something, but Harry paid them little attention.
"Really, Ron. He's a cat. What do you expect? It's in his nature to chase rodents."
"Scabbers isn't just any rodent! Get control of your cat. You know he's poorly. The stress of your pig-nosed beast chasing him around is going to kill him!"
They skirted the edge of the Forbidden Forest on their way back to the Great Hall for dinner. Harry let out an absent sigh and glanced toward the dark trees. And he froze. Something was looking back at him. A pair of glowing eyes catching the fading light stared back at him and blinked. Could it be?
"Alright, Harry?" Neville's call made Harry jump.
"Huh? Oh yeah," said Harry, tearing his attention back toward his friends. "I just er… forgot my book. Back at the lake. I'll meet you guys at dinner."
"Are you sure?" said Hermione, looking concerned. "Maybe we should go with you—"
"No, I'm fine," Harry assured them. "I won't be a minute. I'll see you at the castle." And with those words, he was jogging back the way they had come.
When Harry was sure the others had turned around and continued their trek to the castle, Harry stopped and watched them round the bend. Then he hastened toward the trees where he had seen those familiar eyes.
"Dog?" Harry called softly into the trees. There was no response. What if he was wrong? The forest was said to be home to all sorts of dangerous creatures. What if it wasn't the dog? What if it was something dangerous?
Harry licked his lips and took another step into the woods, under the shelter of the trees. "Dog?" he called again, a little louder.
Woof! The happy bark made Harry jump. And then his black dog had come bounding up to him, wagging his tail so happily his whole rear end was shaking and Harry thought he might get a bruise from where the tail struck his shin.
"Hey, boy!" said Harry, smiling his first real smile for quite some time. "It's good to see you too! What are you doing here? Did you follow me?" Harry ruffled the dogs soft ears between his hands and the dog leaned into his touch groaning in pleasure.
The dog looked skinnier than when he had last seen him. Which was saying a lot as the dog had been practically skin and bones before. "I don't know if you're allowed up at the castle, boy. Maybe I could sneak some food out for you…" He straightened up, glancing back at the castle, thinking. Maybe he could convince Remus to keep him. Or Hagrid was said to take in all sorts of stray animals.
He turned back to the dog, thinking he would have him stay here while he went to pinch some food. And he jumped a foot in the air. Sirius Black stood exactly where the dog had been, his hands raised in supplication, a look of pleading on his gaunt face.
Harry dove in his pocket for his wand, pointing it directly at the man's chest. "Where…how…" The reality sank in. "The dog was you? All along?"
"I know this is a shock, Harry" said Sirius, still holding his hands up as though in surrender. "I didn't want to deceive you—"
"I let you sleep curled up next to me! I rubbed your belly!"
Sirius abruptly looked like he was trying not to laugh. "That's what you're going to take away from this?" he asked. "Well, yes. It was the best way I could think of to help keep you warm in the cave. And the belly rubs—well, those just felt really good." He wasn't trying to hide his amusement now. He was grinning from ear to ear, and Harry thought that all it would take for that goofy grin to look exactly like the dog's was for his tongue to come lulling out.
Harry was still pointing his wand at Sirius's chest, something Sirius seemed to have barely noticed. "I said I would kill you if you ever came near me again," said Harry. That wiped the grin from Sirius's face. His eyes darted down to the wand in Harry's hand then back up to look him in the eyes.
"Harry, please. Just hear me out."
"I've heard you out plenty," said Harry. He was surprised at the calm in his voice and the steadiness of his hand. He would have expected to feel more conflicted given how fiercely he had defended this man to everybody else.
"But I'm better. Listen!" Sirius pleaded. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. But my mind. It's clearing. Every day, it's a little clearer. I just get confused sometimes. So confused. But I understand I was wrong now."
Harry's finger twitched on his wand. His first show of indecision. Sirius noticed and grasped at it.
"I'm not here to take you away again. I understand I was wrong now. But Harry. The rat—"
"Not the bloody rat again!" growled Harry. "I am sick and tired of hearing about this stupid rat!"
"But Harry! It's Peter! Peter Pettigrew is the rat! He can transform!" Sirius was rushing, desperate to get it all out and make Harry see.
But Harry just spoke over him. "Get out of here. I've had enough."
"Please Harry. You're in danger! I can't go into the castle. But if you could just bring me the rat—"
"I said get out of here! I'm turning you in." Harry made to walk away, back up to the castle. "I'm telling the aurors where you are. The Dementors can have you." It was an empty threat. Harry had no intention of telling anyone, but if it encouraged Sirius to leave and never come back, so be it. "I'm done with you."
A hand whipped out and grabbed his arm as he made to leave the cover of the trees. Harry jerked around to glare at the man holding his arm in a strong grip that belied his thin frame and pitiful gaze.
"Please, Harry." His voice was a whisper, and Harry found, against his will, he was leaning in to better hear him. "Just bring me the rat. And I'll go. You'll never see me again. I'll go. Just bring me the rat."
Harry looked deep in the sunken eyes of the older man and saw something there. Whatever Sirius had said about getting better, Harry looked into those grey eyes and he saw a madness behind them that was only thinly veiled. A desperation. Sirius truly believed everything he was saying.
"Get off me," he wrenched his arm out of Sirius's grip. Then he stepped closer so he and Sirius were nose to nose. "I owe you nothing," he ground out through gritted teeth. Then he turned on his heal and was off back to the castle. And he could not help but notice that, in the end, he had made Sirius no promises. But no refusals either.
Hermione watched Harry closely at dinner. Ron and Neville were chatting contentedly with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. Honestly, boys could be so oblivious. Hermione's eyes were on Harry even as she served herself another portion of her favourite Ploughman's salad. Something was wrong, she could tell.
Harry had been a bit distant since his return to Hogwarts—it was to be expected. Hermione had not pried into what had happened to him in the weeks he had been gone, and he had not offered information. One look at him when he had gotten back had supported the hypothesis that Harry had been tortured by Sirius Black. But Hermione's critical nature had her questioning what everyone else seemed to take for granted. He hadn't been behaving like someone who had just been tortured.
But today… Something had shaken him. He had taken too long to meet them for dinner. Longer than it should take to just go back and retrieve a book. Hermione had been getting seriously worried and was just about to go tell Professor McGonagall when he had finally entered the Great Hall looking lost in thought.
And so Hermione watched as he pushed his food around on his plate, little of it actually finding its way to his mouth.
Back in the Gryffindor common room, Harry, Neville, Ron and Hermione found a quiet corner and pulled out their notes and books to work on an essay that Professor Snape had set them a few days ago. Hermione had already written hers, but there was no harm in taking a bit of time to edit it. Neville was struggling, so she figured she should stay close in case he had questions. Ron, of course, had not even started.
An hour or so in, Hermione was out of corrections to make to her essay. She rolled the parchment and looked around. Neville sat a little down the way near the fire. He was furiously scribbling and just as furiously crossing things out. Next to him, Ron's hair was standing on end from all the times he was running his fingers through it. Hermione sat across a small work table from Harry. His essay lay before him, half finished. He was staring out the window playing absently with his quill. Outside the last of the long Scottish June day was coming to an end. The last vestiges of light just playing over the lake before setting.
"Alright, Harry. What's wrong?" she asked the question she had been wanting to ask for the past couple hours.
Harry started and turned to her. "What? Nothing. I'm fine."
"You're not fine. Something's up. You've been somewhere else all night."
Harry stared at her, conflict behind his eyes. It did not come naturally for Harry to confide in people.
"Come on, Harry. Maybe I can help."
Harry sighed. He glanced over to the next table where Ron and Neville were comparing notes. Then over to Lee Jordan who was entertaining a group of sixth years with a crude impersonation of Professor Snape. Then back to Hermione.
"Okay. But I need you to promise not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you." His voice was so low, Hermione had to bend in to hear him.
"Of course. You can trust me," said Hermione, earnestly. Was Harry really about to confide in her?
"It's Sirius Black," Harry said. "He's here." Hermione blinked. Her mind was not registering what Harry was saying. Then it clicked into place.
"Here? At Hogwarts? Did you see him? Oh, Harry, we have to tell someone. We have to tell Dumbledore. Don't worry. He's not coming anywhere near you. No one will let him take you again."
"Hermione," Harry said.
"I mean it. I'll fight him off myself if I have to."
"Hermione!" Hermione cut off. It was a common problem for Hermione. Her mind worked too fast for her mouth to keep up and she was rambling. She looked at Harry, sure her fear was showing in her face.
"That's not what I'm worried about," said Harry calmly. And Hermione was surprised to see he really didn't look worried. Not the way he should upon discovering his captor and torturer was back. Things were not adding up. She was missing a key piece of information somewhere.
"But Harry. This is really really serious…" Hermione started, but she trailed off when she saw Harry shaking his head.
"Listen," Harry said. "Sirius isn't out to hurt me." 'Sirius?' Hermione quoted in her head. He's on first-name terms with him now, is he? "He's been trying to protect me. He sucks at it, but that's what he's trying to do."
Well that stopped Hermione's brain. She could think of nothing to say to that.
"I want to tell you about what happened when I was with him and what he told me. I need help making sense of all this and figuring out what to do."
And then Harry proceeded to tell Hermione an outrageous story. Hermione forced herself not to interrupt. To keep silent and listen with an open mind. When he finished his story, ending with his recent encounter with Sirius on the Hogwarts grounds, Hermione remained silent for a bit.
"Harry…" she began. Something must have shown in her tone, because he interrupted her.
"I know what you're going to say. I know it sounds crazy. It is crazy. He's crazy. And I know you're probably thinking that I've been Confunded—that's what everyone I've tried to tell has thought. But I honestly don't think he's sane enough to perform a Confundus Charm. I truly believe that he believes what he's telling me. I just don't know if I should believe what he's telling me.
They sat in silence for a little longer. Hermione tried to organise her thoughts. She knew what she should do. She should drag Harry to Dumbledore's office right now and have him tell him that he just saw Sirius Black on the grounds.
But she couldn't. This was the first time Harry had confided in her and she could not break that confidence if she ever wanted him to do it again.
"It does sound crazy," Hermione said at last, thoughtfully. "But maybe there's some truth mixed in with the crazy."
"Exactly," said Harry. Hermione saw relief in his face that someone was finally listening. "I mean. Take this rat he's looking for. If Sirius can turn into a dog, why can't there be someone out there who can turn into a rat?"
"An Animagus," Hermione agreed, nodding as she thought this through.
"A what?" asked Harry.
"An Animagus. They're people who can turn into animals at will. Like how Professor McGonagall can turn into a cat" Hermione noted surprise in Harry's expression—he had apparently not known this about their Transfiguration teacher. She continued, "But Animagi are really rare—it's very challenging to master. And those who try are supposed to be registered with the Ministry. There have only been seven people who registered as Animagi in the 20th century. And none that turn into rats that I can remember."
"But that doesn't mean there aren't people out there breaking the rules," said Harry. "I mean, was Sirius on this list?"
"True," Hermione agreed. "So this Animagus frames Sirius for murder, fakes his own death, transforms into a rat, and goes into hiding…" Hermione thought out loud. "But why does Black think he's here at Hogwarts?"
"I don't know," said Harry. "And how does he expect me to find one rat in this whole castle? There's got to be hundreds in this place!"
"At least," Hermione added dryly.
Again they sat in silence dissecting the information.
"It must have been someone he knew," said Hermione. "The rat. To have inspired this level of a vendetta."
"Peter something-or-other," offered Harry. "He called him Peter once."
Hermione jerked to look at him, the name triggering something in her memory. She dived into her bag and pulled out notebook. Harry watched her. "Peter Pettigrew?" she asked when she found the pages she was looking for.
"Yeah. I think so. How did you know that?"
"Here," exclaimed Hermione. She passed over the notebook of her notes from their research while Harry had been missing.
"What is all this?"
"While you were gone we—Neville and Ron and I—we started doing some research into Black. We wanted to find out as much information as we could. In case we could find something that would help you get home. Most of it didn't help much. But here. Look at his best friends from school." Hermione pointed and watched as Harry's mouth silently formed the words, "James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew."
"They were friends. With my dad. All of them." He pulled out a newspaper clipping that was folded between two pages of the notebook. Hermione recognised it as the one describing Pettigrew's death and upcoming funeral arrangements.
"'All they found of Pettigrew was his finger, which has been returned to his mother for burial.'" Harry read aloud. "You think he could have cut it off himself?" Hermione shivered at the thought.
"We tried to research Pettigrew further, but we couldn't find a lot on him. Bit of a nobody, really."
Harry sighed at ran his fingers through his hair. "I need to talk to Remus. He's the only one who can make sense of all this."
"DAMN!"
Hermione and Harry who had been bent over the table deep in conversation jumped and jerked around.
Ron was scrambling in his school bag.
"What's wrong, Ron," Hermione asked, alarmed.
"I forgot to give Scabbers his rat tonic again! I keep forgetting and he's just been getting worse and worse."
Hermione sat back, shaking her head in frustration at the interruption, but Harry was watching Ron closely. She looked back to see what had attracted his attention. Ron had placed his pet rat on his lap and was drizzling some liquid into his mouth with a dropper.
"What? Scabbers?" Hermione said. "Hold on Harry. Ron has had him for ages. You can't just assume—"
"Ron!" exclaimed Harry. Ron looked around at him.
"What?"
"Your rat! Hermione, look! He's missing a toe!"
"So? He's always been like that," said Ron defensively. "Probably got in a fight before I had him."
"Hermione!" said Harry, ignoring Ron. "It's him! It's Peter!"
At those words (what a ridiculous thought, Hermione chastised herself, rats didn't understand words), the rat chomped down on Ron's finger and wriggled out of his grip.
"Ouch!" cried Ron as the rat scurried away toward the fireplace. "Scabbers!"
Harry lunged for the rat, but he was too slow. Scabbers had scurried through a hole between the stones of the mantel and disappeared.
"My God," said Harry. "It's him, Hermione. It's really him. He was telling the truth."
"Hold on, Harry," said Hermione, reasonably. "Just because he's missing a toe, doesn't mean—"
But Harry wasn't listening. He had dived into his school bag and retrieved an old and grubby piece of parchment. He pointed his wand at it and muttered something Hermione couldn't hear over Ron shouting, "Can someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on," while nursing a bleeding finger and trying to get down on all fours to look into the hole into which his rat had just disappeared. "Scabbers!"
"Ah ha!" cried Harry, finding something he was looking for on his old bit of parchment. "It's him, Hermione. It really is him! It's true! He was framed! He's innocent! Peter is headed downstairs through the walls!"
And then Harry was racing out of the common room, all eyes in the room turned to watch him go from all the commotion.
"Harry!" Hermione called after him. "Where are you going?"
"I have to tell Remus! He's got to know…"
But with that, Harry's voice had faded out the portrait hole, leaving a confused and uncertain Hermione behind.
Susan Bones was making her way back to the Hufflepuff Common Room. She meandered slowly along the corridors. Hannah, Sally-Anne, and Megan stayed behind in the library to continue studying, but Susan wasn't concentrating well. Plus, "studying" was a loose term for what they were doing. Mostly, they were just gossiping. All very well on some days, but end of term exams were coming up after all. So Susan had left them to it and was heading back on her own. Maybe she could get a chapter of Potions studying in before bed. Still, it wasn't exams that occupied Susan's mind as she strolled back. She took her time walking as an excuse to wallow a little longer.
Last weekend had been the last outing to Hogsmeade of this school year and still Justin Finch-Fletchley had not asked her out. She had so thought he would this time. They had been flirting together for a couple months now. When would it be more than flirting? And now the term was almost over, and Justin would go back to his Muggle home and forget about her for a whole two months.
Hannah kept telling Susan that she was a strong independent woman; if she wanted to go on a date with Justin, she should just take charge and ask him herself. Just. As if it were as simple as that. She spoke as though she had so much experience in the matter—as though she was asking out boys left and right. But easy for her to say. Earnie MacMillan had asked her to Hogsmeade last weekend and they had spent the whole time canoodling in Madam Puddifoot's. Hannah had come back blushing and boasting about her first kiss. Susan was happy for her friend. Truly. But also jealous.
Hannah had it so much easier. With her petite slender frame and her blond hair and her big blue eyes. It was no wonder that she would have her first kiss before Susan had even been on a real date. What could Justin (or any boy) see in her compared to—
SLAM!
Susan felt something barrel into her and she went down in a tangle of robes and legs. She groaned on the floor and just had time to wonder if this was karma for the envy she was feeling toward her best friend when she caught sight of what had hit her. Suddenly Hannah and Earnie and Justin all fled from her mind.
"What the— Harry!"
Harry's frenzied face looked up and their eyes met. "What's happened?" she asked, instantly realizing something was amiss. One look at Harry and Susan knew something was wrong. Something was really wrong. Something so wrong that she felt shame for being so focused on her trivial and childish problems with Justin that she didn't even hear Harry coming before he'd run into her.
Harry scrambled to his feet and bent to offer her a hand. "I'm so sorry, Susan," Harry said, out of breath as he helped her to her feet. He had been running. "I didn't see you."
"It's fine," Susan brushed off. "But what's wrong? Where are you going?"
"I have to see Remus. I'm so sorry. I have to go. I've figured it out! The Ministry has it all wrong!"
"Has what all wrong?" Susan said, shaking her head, trying to make sense of the frantic rush of words coming at her.
"Sirius Black!" Harry said, as though it was perfectly obvious. "He's innocent! I get it now! He never killed all those people! Peter Pettigrew did it and framed him! And Sirius spent all those years in Azkaban and it drove him crazy, but he was trying to tell me!" Susan now safely on his feet, Harry was heading away again, down the way she came. "I have to go," Harry called back at her. "I'm so sorry!"
Susan stood stock-still and watched him disappear down the hall. She chewed on her lip and thought. She glanced behind her—the stairwell that would take her down toward the common room was just there. She looked back down the hall where Harry had just run. It would be so easy to do nothing. She could go back to her dormitory as planned. Study her potions book, sulk about Justin. Or she could do something that could help someone, change someone's life.
Susan did not understand all that Harry discovered. But she understood enough. But how could she help? She was just one girl. Just one insignificant school child. No one cared about her opinion or what she had to say. Well… there was one person who might. One person who might listen and who might have the power to do something about it.
And so Susan turned on her heal. She did not follow Harry to Professor Lupins office. She did not go down the stairs toward the Hufflepuff Basement. Instead she pulled a tapestry aside and entered a corridor that would lead her up toward the Owlery. She hoped there was enough time.
Remus let himself into his office with a tap of his wand. His mind was occupied with thoughts of Harry. Just a matter of days. Just a matter of days and then his 6 month agreement was over.
Remus had been watching Harry closely—he couldn't help it. He read into every look, every sigh, every scratch of the nose. The agony of not knowing what was going through his head, what Harry would choose... it was killing him.
Harry had been especially distracted at dinner today. Remus had watched him from the staff table, pushing food around his plate, not talking with his friends. It worried Remus to no measure. Harry's friends—it was one of the few things Remus had in his favour. Could Harry leave them? As Remus watched him pulling away, he feared that he could.
Remus sighed and looked over toward his desk. A goblet sat there, smoking. Professor Snape was certainly reliable. That goblet was there waiting for him every month, no matter what. Remus grimaced. His mood was already so sour, he couldn't bring himself to add another bad taste to his mouth. But he had to. The sun was almost setting and the moon would be up not long after that. He made toward his desk and reached for the potion.
Suddenly, the door behind him burst open. Remus whipped around to see Harry stumbling through. Harry bent over and braced his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. There was a piece of old parchment clutched in one hand, crumpled against his knee.
"Harry!" Remus exclaimed. "What's wrong? What's happened?" Worry had him to the boy in two long strides. He pulled a chair over for Harry to sit on and crouched before him, waiting for Harry to catch his breath enough to talk. Harry struggled to bring out the words between gasps of air.
"Remus... I figured it all out… Sirius Black... He's innocent! He was framed! We have to hurry. The rat is getting away."
Remus felt his expression change. He felt the worry drip from his face leaving it blank. Blank was a better expression to show Harry than the anger he felt. This Confundus Charm was strong, that was sure. Dumbledore had been hoping it would fade by now. But clearly Harry's mind was still gripped by the spell. Remus could have throttled Black with his bare hands. To take the boy's mind and twist it to make Harry think that Black was the victim instead of the abuser… Harry continued to blather on, but Remus barely heard him.
Remus licked his lips and took a deep breath to calm himself. "Harry," he said, very gently. It was not Harry's fault he could not see that his mind was not his own. Harry continued to splutter, something about Hermione's research and Ron's pet and Peter Pettigrew.
"Harry!" Remus said more forcefully, interrupting the stream of frantic words from Harry's mouth. "Listen to me. I know this is all very confusing. But listen to yourself. Try to see that this is the Confundus talking. It doesn't make any sense, Harry."
Remus tried to formulate his thoughts, tried to show Harry the logic. What made more sense? That Black kidnapped and tortured Harry or that he took him to keep him safe and Harry mysteriously ended up covered in bruises and broken bones? That Black, Lily and James's Secret Keeper and the only one with the knowledge of their whereabouts betrayed them or that he was wrongly imprisoned for 13 years?
Remus opened his mouth to try to put these arguments to words. To try to help Harry break this spell and end this nonsense once and for all. But his words died when he saw the way Harry was looking at him.
The boy had gone silent now. He was staring at Remus, his lips slightly parted and a look in his eyes… Betrayal. There was no other word for that look. The piece of parchment in Harry's hand slipped from his grip and fluttered to the floor. Harry made no move to pick it up. Just sat there, perfectly still, staring at Remus with that horrible expression.
"You don't believe me." Harry stated it. He didn't ask it. He stated it.
Remus looked at Harry, pleading him to understand. "Harry," he started. "I believe that you believe what you're saying. But Harry—"
"Stop." Harry cut him off. His face was going hard. Determined. "I don't need your help. I'll do it myself. I can take care of it myself. I don't need you."
Remus felt as though Harry had slapped him. He stared at the boy in shock, unmoving. And with those words, Harry got up and moved to the door, his movements suddenly calm and resolute.
Remus jerked himself from his stupor. "Harry! Please!" The door slammed. Harry was already gone.
Remus took a step forward to follow him, but something crinkled and slipped under his foot. He bent down and picked up the parchment. He stared at the little scrap of paper in his hands. It couldn't be. It was impossible. And yet…
Remus removed his wand from his pocket and tapped the parchment. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He whispered the words. He couldn't say why. There was no one there to hear him. Lines of ink blossomed from the point where his wand touched the parchment. Remus knew they would, but they still shocked him. The lines fanned out and formed words that Remus didn't have to read, though he read them all the same.
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
How? How could Harry have this? It was impossible. The map was lost years ago. And yet… Remus's eyes flew across the map, studying it as though it were his first time seeing it. Though, there was a time when he knew every inch of it by heart.
Abruptly his eyes halted on one name. One name he would never have expected to see on this map again. Peter Pettigrew. How? Suddenly the implications smashed into him like a ton of bricks.
"Oh, God," he whispered into the empty room. "Harry. He's telling the truth."
As Remus watched, Peter Pettigrew's dot was making its way across the Entrance all and out the front door.
Suddenly his brain kicked back on. "Harry," Remus said aloud again. "Where's Harry." He scoured the parchment, praying Harry was headed back to Gryffindor Tower. But—
There! He caught sight of Harry's dot and groaned. It was moving fast down the grand staircase toward the front doors.
"Harry! No!" Remus looked back to the grounds to find which way Peter's dot was headed and his eyes met another. One labelled "Sirius Black."
Without further thought, Remus snatched the parchment up and ran for the door to his office. Please don't let me be too late. He did not even bother to close the door behind him as he raced down the hall after Harry.
Behind him, a goblet still sat on his desk, faintly smoking.