Chapter 37
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
June 6, 8:22 P.M.
"Perhaps it would be best if you start from the beginning," suggested Aqualad.
Hermione nodded. "As Wal-Kid Flash might have already explained, Harry and I have already lived this time and used my Time-Turner to come back in time to fix some things. Three hours to be exact. You see after we leave Hagrid's hut things are going to start getting… crazy."
She then turned to look Kid Flash in the eye. "You were right, Wally, about everything. About Black being innocent, Ron being involved somehow, everything."
Kid Flash tensed at the mention of his cousin. "Is Ron going to be alright?"
Hermione nodded. "Madam Pomfrey said he'll be fine. He was unconscious when we left, that's why he didn't come."
That didn't do much to calm Kid Flash's nerves.
Harry and Hermione then told the three heroes all of what would happen later that night.
Kid Flash frowned. "So he got away."
Harry nodded his head angrily. "Yes, but maybe you can use your speed to catch him without being caught yourself," he said hopefully.
"I'll sure try," said Kid Flash.
"But it might be better to have a backup plan, just in case," said Zatanna thoughtfully. She held out her hands and said, "Raeppa Ym Redrocmac!" There was a puff of smoke and her digital camcorder appeared in her hands.
Aqualad realized what she was suggesting and nodded. "Do it. Kid Flash, you go with her. But stay out of sight."
Hermione also understood their plan and said, "You don't have to go there just yet. First we need to save Buckbeak."
The five of them turned their attention to Hagrid's hut. As they watched they heard a knock at the door. Hagrid opened the door and peered outside. They could hear Harry's voice whisper, "It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."
"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid replied, stepping back to let the invisible Golden Trio through the door.
"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," muttered Harry.
Zatanna snickered. "Maybe the weirdest you've ever done, but not for us."
Harry gave them a skeptical look. And the tree heroes began recounting some of the stranger parts of their careers.
"Well, one time we went to two alternate dimensions, one where I'm an adult and the only Flash, and another where I'm still Kid Flash and am dating a pink-haired Hermione."
"What!" Hermione nearly shrieked.
"And all three of us have turned into Doctor Fate in the past."
"Also this isn't the first time I've time traveled."
"We once had to save the League from mind control."
"We were nearly cloned while in Cadmus."
"Red Arrow turned out to be a clone, none of us saw that coming."
"I once got tricked into kissing Clayface. Yuck!"
"Six months of our memories were wiped away in a hostile country."
"Didn't you boys get kidnapped by Gorillas once."
"I saved a Queen! Which might not be weird, but it is cool."
"Artemis and I once met a ghost girl who could be solid if she wanted to be, but she could only say one word, 'Secret,' and we helped her bring her murderer to justice."
"I once had my brain switched with-"
"Stop," said Harry looking overwhelmed. "I get it, alright, you've done way weirder stuff than this."
Kid Flash snickered at the looks on his and Hermione's faces. He then took the moment to give the two of them a glance over. They definitely had been put through a lot. Both of them were wearing cloths that were ripped in a few places, Hermione had a bandaged scratch on her cheek and winced when she leaned against a tree, and Harry had several scrapes on his hands and a bruise forming on his chin. He once again hoped that his cousin would be alright.
Harry was looking over at Buckbeak who was tethered out in the garden behind Hagrid's hut. "Now?" he asked.
"No!" whispered Hermione. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"
"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," muttered Harry hopelessly.
Kid Flash on the other hand grinned. "Piece of cake."
Just then there was a loud crash inside the hut.
"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione explained. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment-"
A shriek sounded inside the hut, proving her right.
"Hermione," said Harry, "what if we- we just run in there and grab him-"
"No," said Hermione looking terrified. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen-"
"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!" Harry protested.
Aqualad gave Harry a stern look. "Harry, what would you think if you saw yourself bursting into that house?"
Harry paused to think. "I'd-I'd think I'd gone mad," he said finally, "or I'd think there was some Dark magic going on-"
"Or a clone," Kid Flash piped in. "Possibly an evil I'm-going-to-replace-you-and-hurt-your-loved-ones-and make-them-think-you-did-it clone."
"Exactly!" Hermione continued. "You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards meddle with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"
Harry didn't look happy but he agreed to stay hidden.
Just then they spotted Dumbledore, the Minister Fudge, a committee member, and the executioner leaving the castle and heading for the hut.
"We're about to come out," Hermione whispered.
Kid Flash was a bit confused by the line up. "Doesn't the Minister of Magic have better things to do than to witness an execution of a school pet?"
Hermione and Harry exchanged glances and shrugged. "I suppose he might just be here to talk to Dumbledore and decided to tag along," Hermione mused.
The five had to get quiet as the back door of the house opened and the Golden Trio stepped out. After protesting and offering to stay, Hagrid told them to leave and not listen, and they slipped back under the Invisibility Cloak and hurried away.
Hagrid failed to close his back door, letting the five that were hidden in the woods hear what was going on in the cabin.
"Where is the beast?" they heard the executioner ask in a cold voice.
"Out-outside," Hagrid croaked.
The five made sure they were hidden as the executioner peered through the window and stared at Buckbeak.
Once his face vanished Kid Flash darted forward. He stopped in front of the hippogriff and gave a bow. Buckbeak glared at him for a few seconds then bowed back.
Not wasting any time Kid Flash ran over to where Buckbeak was tied to the fence. After untying the knot he began trying to pull Buckbeak into the woods. The only problem was, Buckbeak didn't feel like moving.
After several fruitless tugs Aqualad ran over and helped him pull. With the addition of the Atlanian's strength the two were able to pull Buckbeak out of sight among the trees. With that done they went back to their hiding places and waited.
A few seconds later Hagrid's door burst open and the huts inhabitants came out. They all froze at the sight of the hippogriffless garden.
"Where is it?" asked the committee member. "Where is the beast?"
"It was tied here! I saw it," insisted the executioner. "Just here!"
"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore in an amused voice.
"Beaky!" Hagrid cried.
The executioner seemed enraged that he had nothing to kill and swung his axe at the fence.
Hermione's eyes widened. "That was what we heard. We thought it was the execution, but it was that."
Back at the hut Hagrid had begun crying tears of joy. "Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"
When Buckbeak heard Hagrid he tried to go back to him and it took all five of the hidden teens to keep him from doing so.
The adults at the cabin all went back inside for various reasons and the teens decided to move over into the woods by the Whomping Willow.
"There's Ron," said Harry once they'd found their hiding place.
Kid Flash watched as his cousin ran across the lawn and dive for something in the grass, all the while shouting at Hermione's cat to get away.
"There's Sirius!" said Harry as a huge black dog came from the passageway under the Whomping Willow. The dog knocked the Harry that was by the willow flat, then clamped it's jaws onto Ron's arm and dragged him back towards the passage.
Kid Flash tensed when he saw his cousin's leg break in his efforts to get away. Aqualad placed his hand on Kid Flash's shoulder to clam him down. "You're sure he'll be okay?" Kid Flash couldn't help but ask again.
Hermione nodded as she and Harry watched themselves get smacked around by the Whomping Willow until Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, pressed the knot on the tree causing the whole tree to freeze.
The past versions of Harry and Hermione disappeared under the tree and Aqualad turned to Kid Flash and Zatanna. "You know what to do."
"Wait," said Harry. "Wally, you should go grab my Invisibility Cloak to keep you from being seen.
The two nodded and Kid Flash darted out of his hiding place and snatched up the cloak, then he ran back and picked Zatanna up bridal style and carried her through Hogsmeade to the Shrieking Shack.
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Once the two of them had hopped the fence they scaled the house until they were sitting on a ledge outside the room Harry and Hermione told them about. Once they were sure they weren't going to fall off, they set up Zatanna's camcorder so that it had a view of the whole room through the window but didn't turn it on just yet. And then they covered themselves with the cloak.
Not a moment to soon as the dog burst into the room and deposited Ron on the floor beside the bed in the room. Ron backed away from it shaking in terror. He grew even more terrified when the dog changed into Sirius Black. Ron bravely held his wand out in front of him, but before he could utter a spell Black snatched the wand and pushed Ron back down. Just then Crookshanks entered the room and hopped up on the bed. When Black saw the cat he hid in the shadows behind the door.
Kid Flash made a mental note to increase Hermione's stealth training, as he could hear both her and Harry trying to sneak up to the room from his hiding place outside. They entered and Ron tried to tell them it was a trap. The two wheeled around and were disarmed by Black using Ron's wand.
"I thought you'd come and help your friend," said Black in a hoarse voice. "Your would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"
Kid Flash wondered if this guy was trying to make himself look like the bad guy. He had of course filled Harry and Ron in about his doubts about Black, but neither of them had believed him and Harry was still mad about his parent's deaths.
When Harry heard Black's comment about his father he started forward but was held back by Hermione and Ron. Hermione pushed him behind her and slipped into a defensive stance that Black Canary had taught her.
Ron tried to stand up on his broken leg. "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said bravely.
Black glanced over to him. "Lie down. You will damage that leg even more."
"Did you hear me?" Ron snapped as he leaned on Harry to help him stand upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"
"There will only be one murder here tonight," said Black with a grin.
"Why's that?" snarled Harry as he tried to duck around Hermione, but Ron held him back. "Didn't care the last time, did you?" Didn't mind slaughtering all those muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"
"Harry," Hermione hissed, "be quiet!"
"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared. He broke free and rammed into Black and began attacking him. Black got his hands around Harry's throat, and Hermione rushed over and gave Black a kick and made him let go of Harry. Ron managed to throw himself at Black's wand hand and knock the wand free. Harry darted over and snatched up is wand and pointed it at Black yelling for the other two to get out of the way.
They did so and Harry kept his wand pointed at Black. "Going to kill me, Harry?" Black asked.
Harry walked over to him. "You killed my parents," he said.
"I don't deny it," said Black. "But if you knew the whole story."
"The whole story? You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."
"You've got to listen to me," said Black urgently. "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…"
"I understand a lot better than you think," snapped Harry and he proceeded to tell Black about what he heard every time he was near a dementor.
While he was talking Crookshanks darted past Harry and lay down on Black as if to protect him. Black tried to get it off, but he sunk in his claws and wouldn't budge.
For about two minutes they all just stood there. Black sprawled in the corner. Harry standing over him with his wand pointed at his heart. Hermione and Ron behind him, waiting for something to happen.
Then from inside the house came the sound of footsteps.
"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed. "WE'RE UP HERE-SIRIUS BLACK-QUICK!"
The door burst open and in came Mr. Lupin. He took one look around then shouted "Expelliarmus!" disarming Harry and Hermione (who had gathered her and Ron's wands).
"Where is he Sirius?" asked Mr. Lupin.
The Golden Trio stared at him in confusion. Their confusion grew as Black lifted his hand and pointed towards Ron.
Mr. Lupin on the other hand seemed to be on the same page as Black. "But then… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless- unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"
Black nodded.
Harry spoke up. "Professor, what's going on-?"
He cut himself off as he watched Mr. Lupin walk over to Black, help him up and give him a hug.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
Mr. Lupin turned to look at Hermione who was pointing at him and stammering accusingly.
"Hermione, listen to me, please! I can explain-" Mr. Lupin tried to say.
"I trusted you!" yelled Harry. "And all the time you've been his friend!"
"You're wrong. I haven't been Sirius' friend, but I am now- Let me explain…"
"NO!" Hermione yelled again. "Harry don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too- he's a werewolf!"
There was a stunned silence for a few moments before Mr. Lupin said, "Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione. Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead… But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."
"I knew it!" Kid Flash couldn't help but whisper. Zatanna elbowed him to be quiet.
Fortunately when he had said that Ron had let out another painful whimper as he clutched his broken leg. Mr. Lupin move over to help him but Ron snapped, "Get away from me, werewolf!"
Mr. Lupin stopped and turned back to Hermione. "How long have you known?"
"Ages," said Hermione. "Wally and I found out while doing Professor Snape's essay…"
"He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you two check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"Both," said Hermione.
Mr. Lupin let out a dry laugh. "You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."
"I'm not," said Hermione quietly. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have convinced Wally that we should tell everyone about what you are!"
"I must say, I'm a bit surprised Wally isn't here with you all," Mr. Lupin remarked.
"You better be glad he isn't!" snapped Ron. "You lot wouldn't stand a chance against him!"
"Maybe," said Mr. Lupin. "I have a feeling that boy is more than he seems, if his boggart is anything to go by."
Kid Flash stiffened, and hoped Mr. Lupin wasn't on to him.
"As telling people what I am," Mr. Lupin continued. "The already know. At least, the staff do."
"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" asked Ron. "Is he mad?"
"Some of the staff thought so," Mr. Lupin replied. "He had to work hard to convince certain teachers I was trustworthy-"
"AND HE WAS WRONG!" shouted Harry pointing at Black. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!"
"I have not been helping Sirius," Mr. Lupin said, "If you'll just give me a chance, I'll explain. Look-"
He tossed each of the Golden Trio back their wands. "There," he continued. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"
Harry caught his, but continued glaring at the older men. "If you haven't been helping him, how did you know he was here?"
"The map," Mr. Lupin explained. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it-"
"You know how to work it?" Harry asked.
"Of course I know how to work it. I helped write it. I'm Moony- that was my friends' nickname for me at school."
"You wrote-"
"The important thing is I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione, and possibly Wally, might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And besides Wally, I was right wasn't I?"
Mr. Lupin started to pace as he continued to speak. "You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry-"
"How'd you know about the cloak?"
"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it… The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back to the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."
"What?" asked Harry. "No we weren't!"
"I couldn't believe my eyes," Mr. Lupin continued, ignoring Harry's outburst. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"
"No one was with us!"
"And then I saw another dot," moving fast toward you, labled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow-"
"One of us!" snapped Ron.
This was the part Hermione and Harry had told them about. Zatanna reached over to her camcorder and hit the record button.
Unaware he and the others were being filmed Mr. Lupin turned to Ron and corrected him, "No, Ron. Two of you."
He then moved over towards Ron. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he asked.
Ron looked completely bewildered. "What? What's Scabbers got to do with it?"
"Everything," said Mr. Lupin. "Could I see him please?"
Hesitantly Ron reached into his robes and pulled out his struggling pet rat.
M. Lupin gave the rat a long hard look.
"What?" Ron asked again, holding his rat close to him. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"
"That's not a rat," said Black.
"What d'you mean- of course he's a rat-"
"No, he's not," said Mr. Lupin. "He's a wizard."
"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
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A/N so how do you all like my take on how Wally deals with this? I was careful not to actually say Lupin is a werewolf up until this point, though it might have been obvious. Not many chapters left to write.
Mission ideas are welcome and appreciated.
Also I'm at the point where I need to start planning ahead for my sequel. I won't say much, but I will say that I plan to have a person on the Team compete in the tournament. What I need help with is I need to know who I should have compete. I know I'm not going to use Robin, as there is already a fic on this site that has him as the Team champion. I'm leaning towards Wally, or maybe Zatanna. If anyone has an opinion or idea I'd like to hear it.
I own nothing