A.N- sorry, I've been an awful and neglectful author- for this I apologise… with the next chapter. Hope you like it!

Not mine don't sue.

Raising Harry Part Eleven

The house was blissfully quiet- well, as quiet as it was going to get, anyway. The ghoul in the attic was scraping and dragging chains, moaning loudly and enthusiastically. The bumps and thumps reverberating through the floor and making his ears twitch. The gnomes were swearing their way around the garden, their gruff, coarse voices drifting through the window, riding on the scent of jasmine. Errol was in the landing snoring loudly, moulting quietly.

Scabbers squashed himself further into the foot of the bed, ruminating in the thick, warm blanket enveloping him and trying desperately to ignore the smell of feet that tugged insistently on his nostrils. He exhaled long and contentedly. He wished that that scraping would quieten, he wanted to take the opportunity to sleep while no children were around… It would break up the monotony of sleeping while they were there. The scraping seemed to get more frantic… He wondered how one made a ghoul quiet down when he realised the noise was his heart hammering away in his chest. He was wondering why he was panicking when there are no cats around. None for miles he thought as he tried to sleep. He yawned and squashed himself a little further into the softness around him.

The quilt above his was wrenched back. The sun shone into his eyes, he screwed them shut, waiting for the infernal child to pick him up and squeeze him too hard, then chatter away when he squeaked as though they were having a conversation.

When it didn't happen, he was quite shocked. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that the room was empty. His heart beat even faster, now it was merely a flutter in his chest. He sniffed the air. There was the smell of roast lamb coming from the kitchen. Perhaps he had slept, perhaps they had come and gone. He leapt off the bed and scuttled down the stairs. He stopped on the first floor landing and sniffed again. It was definitely lamb, lamb and something else, something familiar. He hesitated, unsure of what to do. He was so hungry but he was also cautious, it was in his nature. The smell of the food beckoned him on and finally his stomach growled insistently, his legs obeyed.

The kitchen was its usual shambles, the plates and pots and pans spotless but spread throughout the room. On the table was the lamb. It was dark and glossy on the outside. Someone had begun carving it, inside it was the perfect shade of brown that became a pale pink in the centre. His stomach screamed insistently and he ran towards the table forgetting the phantom scent.

Forgetting it until he heard a voice to his right.

"Homorphus."

As the spell hit him he felt himself transform into his human body, he stood, naked, in the kitchen and turned to see who had cast the spell, his eyes wide and searching. Before he could turn there were quiet footfalls and a voice behind him.

"Immobilus."

He hit the floor in a paralysed heap finally catching sight of Remus Lupin. The werewolf was on his haunches, his wand aimed at Peter's heart, his face a storm of anger. He stood and walked slowly towards Peter.

"Looks like we caught us a filthy rat." He was talking to whoever was behind Peter, but as he spoke Remus' eyes remained in contact with Peter's.

"Looks that way, doesn't it, Moony." Sirius Black came and stood beside his friend, looking down on the prone man before them. As Peter looked up at them he hoped they would kill him quickly, but if the look on Remus' face was anything to go by his death would be long and painful… and messy his mind added unhelpfully.

Sirius crouched down and looked Peter in the face for a long time.

"How could you do that? I mean, to James. I could imagine you betraying Moony or myself… but James? I thought you were the only one who loved him more than me… You and Lily… Lily always loved you she was always the first there for you. Why would you betray the two people who loved you for you, the two people that were, really, too good to give you a second glance? They loved you and you killed them. And what did you get in return?" Sirius looked around the room. Peter's eyes began to water as he made an unheard plea for his life. Sirius saw it and read it properly.

"Moony, he thinks we're going to kill him." Sirius barked out a cruel laugh.

"Oh, no. We're not going to kill you, Peter,' Remus' voice was low and simple. There was no venom in it, and it made Peter shake in fright, 'We've got some friends that are very interested in you. Once the Wizangamot are through with you you're headed for Azkaban. In the dead of night when you stink of fear and sorrow, when the shadows reach out to claw at you in the dark and the guards sample your desperation you'll wish we had killed you."

More footfalls behind Peter heralded the arrival of Mad-eye Moody and his aurors. Rough hands lifted Peter to his feet and he was carried out of the kitchen. Sirius and Remus stayed behind watching their old friend and new enemy taken away.

"He's lucky, you know." Remus mused after a long time reaching for a slice of meat from the table.

"Lucky?" Sirius took a slice for himself.

"Yeah, we could have let Molly have him."

Remus smiled a small, haunted smile. Sirius put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm here." Sirius whispered.

"We're here." Remus covered Sirius' hand with his own.

Well? Almost ready to wrap this up. I think two more chapters… stay tuned.