Chapter 31: Getting Wormtail
If Crookshanks was correct, then they would be here somewhere.
Sirius waited, crouched and ready to rush forward. His eyes darted about. He could hear them, but couldn't quite pinpoint where the struggling and cussing was coming from. There was a cry of pain and a rat appeared out of nowhere, rushing away. The Weasley boy appeared next, charging after him. Sirius didn't have time to reminisce about the invisibility cloak. Instead, he lunged forward after the boy.
Pure adrenaline was pumping through his limbs and despite his hunger he felt like he was fifteen again. He pounded forward, Harry stood in the way. He was reaching for his wand. With a leap, Sirius pounded over the boy, his front paws almost knocking Harry backwards. He skidded to the side and growled. He could see the rotten rat traitor. He leaped over Harry snarling and sunk his teeth deep into Weasley's arm. The boy likely cried out, but Sirius couldn't hear it. He had a mission to do. He turned and dragged the boy towards the Womping Willow. It was so close. He could finish this all tonight. He would finish this all tonight!
Sirius made it through the Womping Willow easily. Weasley was fighting furiously, but Sirius pushed forward, even as there was the sound of of a horrible crack cut through the air and Sirius knew he had broken the boys leg. He could finish this all tonight. He would finish this all tonight!
He got to the shrieking shack on his adrenaline and brought the boy to one of the bedrooms. He dropped the boys arm and growled, sniffing around him for the rat. The Boy batted him away, his face pale from pain.
"Get off you mangy-"
He pulled out his wand, but before he could point it, Sirius grabbed it and retreated away, eyes watching the boy and the rat, who squirmed about in his hand. Sirius transformed into his human form and stood before the boy, who's expression of pained bravery turned into one of sheer panic before it collected itself.
"Sirius Black," he gasped and Sirius had to admit he liked the dramatic effect it had.
"Give him to me," Sirius demanded.
"You'll never get Harry," Weasley snapped. Sirius made a sound of frustration as Crookshank pranced in. He moved forward and the board creaked. He paused. He had heard something. Weasley made a sound of pain as he tried to move his leg. Someone was downstairs.
Sirius moved back and moments later a bushy haired girl and Harry Potter rushed into the room.
"Ron- are you okay?"
"Where's the dog?"
"Not a dog," Ron moaned. "Harry it's a trap- He's the dog...he's an Animagus..."
Slowly Harry turned to look at Sirius. Sirius closed the door and croaked "Expelliarmus." He caught their wands.
"I thought you'd come and help your friend," Sirius said, his heart pounding. James would have done the same- James would have run in despite all the danger posed and tried to save any of his friends. Sirius felt a rush of affection for the boy and his lost friend. He had an urge to embrace him, but he resisted. "Your father 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..."
Something flashed in Harry's eyes- a hatred that reminded Sirius that the world thought he had killed the Potters and Peter. Ron stood, holding on to the bed post with effort.
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"
Sirius looked at the red head, and another wave of emotion threatened to overcome him. But now was not the time. He forced himself to refocus- to hollow out his emotions. He had to disconnect as he had in Azkaban. He had to finish this all tonight.
"Lie down. You will damage that leg even more."
Sirius felt a grin pull at his lips as Ron insisted he'd have to kill all three of them. Here they were, Harry and his friends so similar to the marauders at thirteen, minus the rat. He couldn't help but feel proud watching them. He wondered momentarily if the girl were as reasonable as Moony was. Before he could tease out his thoughts there was a shuffle of movements and Harry yelled "HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!"
Despite Sirius' own feelings for twelve years, muttering to himself that he had killed Lily and James, the words from Harry's mouth hit like a cruciatus curse to the heart. He didn't move as Harry lunged for him, nor did he move as Harry tried to punch any place he could, magic forgotten in his rage. Then, the small voice in his chest stirred.
"No," he hissed, grabbing Harry by the throat and pushing him away. "I've waited too long-"
There was a shuffle, made more complicated as Ron lunged for Sirius and attached himself. Crookshanks jumped in, dodging a kick. By the end of it, Sirius was on the ground, panting. he could feel a bruise above his left eye and blood trickling from his nose. Harry approached, his wand pointed at Sirius heart, rage flashing behind his emerald eyes. Bloody hell he looked like Lily when she was angry.
"Going to kill me, Harry?"
"You killed my parents."
Sirius felt the stab again as he watched Harry. The boy's hand was steady.
"I don't deny it, but if you knew the whole story..."
"The whole story? You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."
Sirius' eyes darted to Ron, whose pocket wiggled. Frightened squeaking could be heard if you listened for it. Peter Pettigrew was there alive and well.
"You've got to listen to me. You'll regret it if you don't... You don't understand..."
Crookshank streaked forward and buried his nails into Sirius' chest. Despite his shaking, the cat wouldn't budge. Harry raised his wand, eyes flashing with determination. Sirius stared at him, watching him as the seconds lengthened. Sirius wasn't sure how long they sat there, but he watched as Harry's eyes softened, then hardened, then softened again as if battling some unknown thoughts. Sirius didn't hear any muffled sounds until the door of the room burst open making Harry wheel around.
"Expelliarmus," shouted Mooney, his face bloodless despite his run.
Harry's wand flew from his hand, as well as the two in the bushy haired girl's hand. Sirius blinked in surprise. Remus Lupin was... saving him?
"Where is he, Sirius?"
Sirius stared at his friend, one of the last he had in the whole world, one who had thought he was a traitor, who Sirius had been convinced was a traitor (no matter hwat Calamity had said). Now Moony was there before him, ready to hear him out in front of his students. he'd never be employed again. The git was risking the best job he'd ever had all for Sirius? Sirius pointed to Ron Weasley, overcome with his friend's sacrifice. Moony looked at Ron, then back to Sirius, staring at him as if trying to rea dhis mind as they had once been able to do.
" But then... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless- unless he was the one...unless you switched...without telling me?"
Sirius watched his friend, knowing that when he nodded he would be admitting what he had always regretted: that he had questioned Remus John Lupin and doubted his loyalty. But, he nodded. Sirius almost expected sadness to leap across Moony's face, but instead he lowered his wand and within seconds was embracing Sirius.
All hell broke lose. Harry was yelling that he trusted Moony, the bushy haired girl (Moony called her Hermione) was outing him as a werewolf, and Ron was scooting away horrified. Moony was giving it a go to explain how they'd all come here, much to the resistance of the teens. Sirius watched astounded at what was playing out. In his wildest dreams, he had never imagined his plan going like this...
Ron pulled the rat from his pocket for Moony to inspect.
"What? What's my rat got to do with anything?"
Sirius was dragged back to reality.
"He's not a rat," snapped Sirius.
"What d'you mean- of course he's a rat-"
"No, he's not," said Moony. "He's a wizard."
"An Animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
"Peter Pettigrew is dead! He killed him twelve years ago," shouted Harry. pointing at Sirius.
Sirius felt his face twitch for a moment, rage erupting in his limbs. He lunged towards the rat and there was a yell of pain before Sirius felt himself pulled back by Moony who was yelling for him to wait. Sirius threw Moony off as he tried to reach the rat again, who was squealing and scratching Ron's face and neck in an attempt to escape. Moony was trying to say something to Sirius, but he couldn't hear over the pounding of his rage. Then, he heard a single sentence break through.
"You owe Harry the truth, Sirius," said Moony.
"All right, then," Sirius snapped, still watching the rat trying and failing to escape. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for..."
"There were witnesses," Harry snapped steadying his weakened friend. "a whole street full of them..."
"They didn't see what they thought they saw!"
This story was taking too long. Moony was taking them all the way back to when he was bitten. Sirius let the story wash over him like a wave, never moving his eyes from the panicked rat he was going to kill. He clenched and unclenched his fists. He'd do it with his bare hands if he needed to. He said a word or two, but they escaped his mouth without his notice. He could see the rat's eyes darting back and forth, desperately trying to make an escape plan. Snape was brought up- why? Slimey git. Then, just when Sirius felt as if he were going to lunge forward to kill the rat once and for all, Severus Snape pulled the invisibility cloak off of himself.
Sirius leapt to his feet as Remus and Snape exchanged words. He looked as slimey as he always had. There was a bang and snake like cords wrapped themselves around Moony's wrists, ankles, and mouth overbalancing him and knocking him to the floor. Sirius let out a roar of rage. The git would ruin everything! He lunged forward but stopped dead when he found Snape's wand pointed straight between his eyes.
"Give me a reason," Snape hissed, eyes flashing with familiar hatred. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."
Sirius stared at him, refocusing all his rage for Peter on the greasy dark art loving death eater before him. The git yelled at Hermione, bullying even as an adult. Sirius couldn't help but feel a snide pride. He might have been in Azkaban for twelve years but at least he didn't get off on trying to make thirteen year olds cry.
"Vengeance is very sweet. How I hoped I would be the one to catch you," Snape breathed.
"The joke's on you again, Severus. As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle I'll come quietly."
"Up to the castle? I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black... pleased enough to give you a little kiss I daresay..."
Sirius felt as if an ice bucket had been poured over him. No. His eyes darted to Moony on the floor, The teens in the room, and the sky, where his images of reuniting with Calamity, once this was all over had secretly been stored- too distant a hope to have been toyed with in his conscious mind.
"You-you've got to hear me out! The rat- look at the rat!" Even as he spoke, Sirius could see that glint in Snape's eyes. The same glint he had seen in Bellatrix' eyes on the battle field, and the look in the masked face when he and James had been knocked from the sky goign to Andromeda's house. He was beyond sanity. Sirius was going to lose his soul. His mind raced for an escape, any means of escape. In his desperation he missed the exchange. All saw was three beams of red light hit Snape at one, lifting him off the ground and slamming him into the wall, a trickle of blood from under his hair.
"You shouldn't have done that. You should have left him to me.." Sirius said, but he felt a rush of affection for the boy. Harry avoided his eyes, looking back at Hermione who was muttering fearfully as she watched Snape.
Moony tried to explain the situation again, Sirius watching as Ron clutched his rat confused. After much convincing (and some more yelling), Ron finally handed the rat to Moony. The rat's attempts to escape turned to pure panic, it's tiny eyes bulging. Sirius rushed to retrieve Snape's wand and returned. Together, like old times, he and Moony shot the blue streaks from their wand and watched as the rat slowly transformed and grew. Finally, his heart pounding in his ears Sirius saw the shrunken appearance of a plump man who had rapidly lost weight, his skin and eyes oddly rat like after being one for so many years.
"Well, hello, Peter," said Moony pleasantly, as though this scenery was familiar to him. "Long time, no see."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Review either way!
