"You're both mental!"

"Ridiculous!"

"Peter Pettigrew is dead!"

Confused, Teddie turned to Theo. "Who is Peter Pettigrew?" she asked.

"I don't know," Theo replied.

Looking back at the others. They were all still glaring at one another, but she needed to know who this man was. Clearing her throat, Teddie caught Professor Lupin's attention and voiced her question again.

"He was in school with us," Lupin replied. "We thought he was our friend."

"But he killed him twelve years ago," Harry interrupted, pointing his wand at Black.

"I meant to," Black growled. "But little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!"

Black lunged forward, his hands outstretched towards Ron.

"Sirius, no!" Lupin yelled.

"Protego!"

Two separate shields collided in front of Ron, and Black was thrown back by the sheer force. He blinked and looked at bother Hermione and Theo, both of whom had their wands drawn.

"WAIT!" Lupin shouted, stepping in front of Black and holding up a hand. "You can do it like that - they need to understand - we've got to explain -"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black.

"They've - got - a - right - to - know - everything!" Lupin panted as he tried to keep Black at bay. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand!"

Teddie glanced around at Harry. He looked just as confused as she felt. She offered him a small smile as he met her gaze, and then returned her attention to Professor Lupin and Black.

"Whether Scabbers is a human or not," said Teddie. "You can't just kill him, regardless of what your reasons are. If you do, then you'll end up back in prison for the same reasons you were put in there in the first place."

"She's right," said Lupin. He managed to struggle Black back into his corner and held him at arm's length. "Teddie is right, and then there is Harry - you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

Black stopped struggling and glared at Professor Lupin. "Fine!" he hissed. "But explain quickly. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for."

"You're both nutters," said Ron, his voice shaky. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

Lupin raised his wand, pointing it at Ron and Scabbers, an action that caused the reaction of four wands being directed at him. He smiled, faintly. "You are going to listen to what I have to say, Ron," he said, calmly. "Just don't let Peter go."

"He is not Peter!" Ron roared. "He is Scabbers."

Teddie whined and pressed two fingers to the side of her head again.

Theo wrapped his arms around his best friend. "Unless you want the roof to be brought down on us," he said, sharply. "I suggest you get on with your story."

"Understood," said Professor Lupin, lowering his wand.

"There was a street full of witnesses that saw Peter die," said Harry.

Black shook his head. "They didn't see what they thought they saw!" he said, savagely.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. "I believed it myself - until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's Map never lies … Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Once again, Teddie looked around at Harry and Ron. None of this made sense to her. She had no clue who this Peter Pettigrew character even was, all she did know was that mass murderer Sirius Black was holding her and her friends inside a desolate ruined old house, against their will, and Professor Lupin was playing along.

"But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…" said Hermione, quietly.

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin asked, calmly.

"Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework - the Ministry keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… Professor McGonagall is on there, I saw her name when I looked her up."

"Unless, of course, he isn't registered," said Theo.

Lupin chuckled and nodded. "You're both correct," he told them. "But he wasn't the only one - there were, in fact, three unregistered Animagus running around Hogwarts at the time we were in school."

Teddie's gaze flickered to Black. "He's one of them," she said. "The dog - no one knew he could transform into a dog. That's how you escaped Azkaban."

Black met Teddie's gaze and nodded, slowly. "How did you -?" he started.

"My brother," said Teddie. "He had a theory. After the first time you tried to break into the castle, everyone had a theory on how you had done it - some were as ridiculous as to say you could transform into a plant - but Mason's theory was that you were an animal."

Theo nodded as he too remembered the conversation surrounding Animagus. It had happened just before they had broken up for the Christmas Holidays.

"But, I still don't understand," said Teddie, turning her attention back to Professor Lupin. "Why were Black and Pettigrew unregistered? Mason told me that the processes was a long one, and if you screwed up, even once, you had to start all over again."

Lupin nodded.

"What was so important to Black and Pettigrew that they would spend an entire month trying to become an animagus, and who was the third?"

"James, of course," said Black. His gaze flittered to Harry. "Your father, Harry. He was the third unregistered animagus. It was his idea."

Harry opened and closed his mouth as he searched for something to say.

Then, a loud creak echoed from outside the bedroom, and the door opened on its own accord. Lupin walked the length of the room and peered outside.

"No one there…"

"This place is haunted," said Ron.

"It's not," Teddie and Lupin answered. They stared at one another, surprised.

"You don't believe the stories of this place?" Lupin asked.

Teddie shook her head. "This isn't my first time inside the Shrieking Shack," she answered. "My friend, Derrick, dared me to come in here last Halloween. I did. I didn't have a chance to explore the entire place, but from what I did see, I could tell it wasn't haunted."

Lupin seemed impressed.

Black cleared his throat. "Hurry up, Remus!" he snarled, his black eyes glued to Ron and Scabbers. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"Alright, alright," said Lupin. "But you're going to have to help me, Sirius. I only know how it began…"

"Wait, if this place isn't haunted," said Ron. "Why does everyone think that it is, huh?"

"Surprisingly enough, this is where everything starts," said Lupin. He pushed his greying hair out of his face. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… the screams and howls the villagers heard were made by me."

"Of course," said Theo. "The Shrieking Shack didn't exist until you came to Hogwarts."

Lupin nodded.

"Were you bitten or born?" Teddie asked.

"Bitten," Lupin answered. "When I was a young boy. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The Potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the very week leading up to a full moon. I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to just curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again."

"Before that," said Teddie, her voice quiet. "What? You became a monster?"

Lupin stared at her, somberly. "Yes, Teddie," he confirmed. "A fully fledged monster. It seemed impossible that I would ever be accepted into Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me. But then Dumbledore became the Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions; there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…"

Lupin sighed.

"You once told me that the Whomping Willow was planted the year you came to Hogwarts," said Harry.

"Yes, I remember," said Lupin. "But what I didn't tell you was the Whomping Willow was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house… the tunnel that leads to it - they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

Teddie shook her head. "I don't understand," she said. "What does this have to do with anything? I am sympathetic to you, Professor Lupin, really, I am. I have never been in your situation, but I understand what it is like to be an outsider, to have everyone hate you - I'm a Muggleborn in Slytherin, after all. But what does this have to do with him," she nodded towards Black, "and Scabbers being Pettigrew?"

"I'm getting to that," said Lupin. "If you would allow me to please continue."

Teddie looked considerate before nodding. "Okay," she said, falling silent.

"My transformations in those days were, well, they were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noises and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumours, and even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach."

"Unless, of course, they are stubborn little witches," Theo teased, poking Teddie in the side.

Teddie grinned.

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life," Lupin continued. "For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Harry - James Potter."

Harry met Teddie's gaze. They were both still confused about where all this was heading, but they listened to rapid attention.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories - I told them my mother was ill, and I had to go home and see her … I was terrified that they would desert me the moment they found out what I was."

"But they didn't," said Teddie. "They found out the truth, didn't they? And they stayed."

Lupin smiled at her. "Yes, Teddie," he said. "They stayed. In fact, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

"My dad, too?" Harry asked.

"Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius were two of the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because, as your brother found out, Teddie, the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong."

Teddie glanced down as she remembered her brother's words from the Animagus conversation. He had seemed excited by his theory, and she knew once she told him he had been right, she'd never hear the end of it. But she also worried what it would do to him academically? Would try the transformation himself?

"But, how did becoming Animagi help you?" Hermione asked.

"They couldn't keep him company as humans, so they did it like animals," said Theo.

Lupin nodded.

"A werewolf is only dangerous to humans," said Lupin. "Every month when I was taken out of the castle, they followed. They would transform."

"What were they?" Harry asked.

"Sirius was, of course, a Dog," said Lupin. "Peter, a rat, and your father, Harry, was a Stag."

"I can only imagine what it means to have a stag personality," said Teddie. "A dog," she looked to Sirius, "is obviously playful but they can be protective as most dog species are guard dogs. A rat personality speaks for itself. You can't trust a rat. I'm surprised you didn't figure out Pettigrew sooner."

"Teddie," Hermione gasped.

Teddie looked around at the bookworm. "What?" she asked.

"You can't possibly believe anything of what they are saying," said Hermione.

"There is still a lot I don't understand," said Teddie. "But, some of the facts can't be ignored, Hermione. That doesn't mean I believe you," she added, turning back to Professor Lupin. "There is still more to the story, isn't there?"

Lupin nodded. "You don't give yourself near enough credit, Miss Green," he said. "You're smarter."

"I'm observant," said Teddie. "Please, continue."

"Yes, Remus, continue," Black growled. His eyes had yet to leave Ron and the still squirming Scabbers.

Lupin cleared his throat. "Under the influence of my friends I became less dangerous," he said. "My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"You didn't stay in the Shack for much longer after that, did you?" Teddie asked.

Lupin looked guilty as he shook his head. "An array of highly exciting possibilities were opened up to us after they became Animagi. We would leave the Shack almost every full moon and roam the school grounds and Hogsmeade. With Sirius and James having transformed into such large creatures, they were able to keep me in check."

"That was really dangerous!" Hermione shrieked. "Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin, heavily. "And there were near misses. We laughed about them afterwards, but we were young, thoughtless -"

"Stupid?" Teddie offered.

Lupin nodded.

"So, you've known all along," said Theo, suddenly. Everyone turned their attention to him.

"Known what?" Harry asked.

Teddie frowned at her best friend.

"You knew all along how Black was getting into the castle," said Theo. "All year, you've known the truth, and you never said anything."

Lupin's face hardened, and there was a self-disgust in his voice. "Yes. I have been battling with myself, all year, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore the truth. But I didn't. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would mean admitting that I had betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me."

"That's why Professor Snape mistrusts you," said Teddie. "We all thought it was because you had been given the job he has wanted for years, but he knows, doesn't he? It is obvious that he knows about you, he has been making you a potion every month; but he knows about them, doesn't he?" she nodded at Black.

"Yes," said Lupin.

"Snape?" Black asked. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," said Lupin. "He's teaching here as well." He looked back at the five teenagers. "Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defence job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons…"

Teddie's gaze strayed from Lupin and onto Black. The devilish grin on his face made her blood boil with anger. "What reasons would they be?" she asked.

"Sirius played a trick on him," said Lupin. "A trick that included me."

"It served him right," Black sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled."

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month," said Lupin. "We were in the same year, you know, and we - er - didn't like each other very much. Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me towards the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be - er- amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was follow the tunnel beneath the tree."

Teddie snapped her attention to Black. "A trick?" she asked. "A trick?! You could've killed him!"

"I'll admit, that was the idea," Black answered. He didn't seem to care, Teddie noted, and her hand tightened around her wand.

"You really are crazy," said Theo.

"Snape tried it, didn't he?" Harry asked.

"Of course he did," said Black. "He -"

"Who saved him?" Theo interrupted. "Obviously he didn't make it very far. If he had, he wouldn't be here today. So, it's obvious that someone helped him."

Lupin nodded. "James," he said. "He did it with great risk to himself."

Teddie continued to glare at Black. She was starting to give him the benefit of the doubt, but now? After hearing what he had done to her neighbour and favourite Professor, she was swaying in the opposite direction.

"Snape was forbidden to tell anyone about what he had seen," said Lupin. "But from that time on he knew what I was."

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry. "He thought you were in on the joke."

"It's not a joke!" Teddie said, wheeling around and glaring at Harry. "Professor Snape could've died!" She turned back to Lupin and Black. "Regardless of whether you were involved or not, Professor, it still isn't funny." She looked to Black. "You should've been expelled for endangerment. You used your friend's condition to try and hurt another student, that doesn't make you a good person! That makes you exactly what everyone thinks you are! It makes you a murderer."

Black's eyes flashed. "Snivellus survived, did he not?" he asked. "I didn't kill him! He didn't have to listen to me! He could've left well enough alone."

"But you knew he wouldn't!" Teddie protested. "You knew Professor Snape would investigate. What if James hadn't have got to him in time? What if Professor Lupin had killed him? Would you have even cared?"

Black shrugged, uncaringly. "Probably not," he answered, simply.

"Teddie!" Theo yelled as, without warning, Teddie lunged forward. She pulled her fist back and sunk it deep into Black's stomach. The man doubled over, wheezing and spluttering as he tried to regain his breath.

Teddie wasn't exactly sure what had happened, all she knew was that Black's uncaring response to the death of a student had caused her to snap. She was well aware of the shouts of her name but as she stood over Black's hunched up body, she didn't care about them. She raised her fist, one more time, and swung it forward, stopping only as long, slender fingers curled around her wrist, and yanked her back.

Whipping around, Teddie glared up at the person that had stopped her from hitting Black for a second time. Instantly, her body relaxed and she felt the anger drain from her face.

"Thank you, Miss Green," said Professor Snape. "But your defence is unwarranted. I can take care of my own battles."

Teddie stared at her Head of House. "Yes, Professor," she whispered.