"I don't know how I did it." Sirius repied. "I think the only reason I didn't begin to lose my mind was because I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors 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 in my cell…become a dog. Dementors can't see you know. They feel their way towards people by sensing their emotions." My spine began to tingle as it had when Remus was telling us about his life as a werewolf. "They could tell my feelings were less human, less complex when I was a dog, but they thought, of course that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it 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 remembered Remus finding Peter in that picture. I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry and Alice, perfectly positioned if one hint reached his ears of Voldemort returning." Peter didn't deny it. Instead he shook his head violently muttering to himself. Sirius continued on. "Ready to strike the moment he could be sure of allies, to deliver the last of the Potters to him. He could turn in Harry and Alice, and no one would dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort. He'd be welcome back with open arms. It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it. It wasn't a happy feeling,it was an obsession, but it gave me strength."
"so one night when they opened my door to bring me food, I slipped past them as a dog, I swam as a dog back to the mainland. Harry, Alice," He said looking at us each in turn. "I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them." I don't know if it was the genuine tone in his voice, or the honest pleading in his eyes that finally convinced me, but I stood and walked over to Harry.
"Harry, we have such few Allies, it would be a shame to lose two of our biggest supporters. The people who raised us, because of a mess up like this. Twelve years of protection doesn't just disappear!"
"It all makes sense. I'll stand with them if you do." He said giving me a reassuring nod. Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as if Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, groveling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.
"Sirius, it's me! It's Peter! Your friend you wouldn't!" But Sirius' only response was a swift kick to Pettigrew's ribs.
"There's quite enough filth on my robes without you touching them."
"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to him. "You don't believe this! Wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?" Remus looked to Sirius, thinking.
"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter. I assume that's why you didn't tell me all those years ago?"
"Forgive me Remus." Sirius said.
"No worries Padfoot. As long as you will, in turn forgive me for believing you were the spy?" Sirius took pause at this. He had obviously been burned more by the accusation of spy than Remus had, and it was clear in his eyes that he was not quick to forgive, But I smile cracked across his face. The first smile, I'm sure, he had made in months. As he rolled up his sleeves he spoke.
"Shall we kill him together?" He asked looking back at Remus.
"NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward Putting himself between our guardians and Voldemort's spy.
"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents." Sirius 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 than your whole family." But it wasn't lack of believe that was stopping Harry. It was what people thought of Sirius and Remus that truly mattered to him. I joined Harry at the other end of their wands.
"Look, I know what he did. But, we'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors. He can go to Azkaban, just don't kill him." I pleaded.
"I don't reckon dad would've wanted his best friends to become killers." Harry said looking from me to Sirius and Remus. A beat passed, no one moved or made a sound. Sirius and Remus exchanged a glance, and then in one fluid movement, they lowered their wands.
"you're the only two people who have the right to decide." Sirius said staring at us. "But think, think of what he did!"
"He can go to Azkaban." Harry said repeating me. "If anyone deserves that place, he does."
"Very well." Remus said. "Alice, Harry stand aside." We exchanged a look, but neither of us made a move away.
"I'm going to tie him up." That's all, I swear." We stepped out of the way, moving towards Hermione, Emily and Ron. Thin cords shot from Remus' wand, and in the next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor bound and gagged.
"But if you transform, Peter," Sirius growled pointing Severus' wand at him. "We will kill you. Is that alright with you Alice? Harry?"
"Yes." I answered speaking for both of us.
"Right." Remus said suddenly business-like. "Ron I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madame Pomfrey, So I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing." He tapped Ron's leg with his wand, causing bandages to spin out of the wand and up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. He helped Ron too his feet.
"That's better thanks." Ron told him.
"What about Professor Snape?" I asked looking expectantly at Remus.
"There's nothing seriously wrong with him." He told me bending down to check Severus' pulse. "You were all just a bit, over enthusiastic. He's still out cold. Perhaps it's best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this. Mobilicorpus." As if he were a marionette, Severus was willed into a standing position. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Remus picked up my invisibility cloak and tucked it in his pocket. I'm not getting that back for a while. I thought.
"And two of us should be chained to this." Sirius said nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."
"I'll do it." Remus volunteered.
"And me." Ron said limping forward.
"Let's get out of here!" Emily exclaimed.
