As usual, thanks so much for the love. Went over this chapter 5 times to make sure that it was good. We are 1 chapter away from finishing 3rd year, and safe to say it has been an interesting year. Some of you may already know or have guessed what this chapter may be or who may be featured. If not, that's cool. Still hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 23: May the Truth Set You Free (Part 1)
Harry wondered if he was some kind of oath-keeper in a past life or something. It was the only explanation he could think of as to why he kept stumbling upon constant mysteries and secrets. There was Sirius, the goofy godfather he remembered, the mad criminal Aurors were hunting, with an equal amount of evidence saying one thing and gut-instinct saying another. There was Draco with his glowing eyes and bizarre behavior, and the strange picture from the book he had yet discussed with his best friend that answered little and created more questions. And now the latest mystery/secret: Remus.
Shortly after he got what he needed from the library, Harry went back to his room and crawled into bed, not even bothering to change out of his clothes, just needing sleep to take him far away. Realization refused to leave him though, crashing into his mind as he woke up the next day, circling around his head. As much as Harry tried not to think about it, tried pushing it away, the truth refused to die. So many pieces began to fall into place. Why Remus never stayed in one place for too long, his long and frequent absences, his exhausted appearance. There was also the tiny detail that happened during his stay at Moscow Harry had forgotten about till it resurfaced. Towards the end of the vacation, Remus dropped him off at a collegian's house, an elderly woman who made trays of lemon squares for Harry during his stay. Remus retrieved him almost a week later, looking even more worn out than he did before, more ragged.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked.
Remus tried fixing his mouth into a smile, but even something as simple as that seemed to take most of his energy. "Just recovering from the flu. I'll be better soon, pup. Don't worry."
When he was done with his classes, Harry went back to the library, this time to do research on the creature. He was there for almost four hours, going through book after book, absorbing as much information his brain could contain. By the time he left, not only was his head spinning, but so was his stomach, as he recounted the large body count werewolves typically left in their wake. The images of that body count-men, women, children torn apart in ways not even pigs were butchered. Harry had to clamp his mouth to keep the nausea in. Then his mind went to Remus, Moony who taught Harry to read when he was barely two and helped encourage the passion, who wasn't always around but made sure to sent letters so he'd know he was thinking about him, who left Moscow for Hogwarts to be closer to him, with sharp fangs and claws coated with crimson red.
Harry bit his bottom lip hard to push the image away, to push down the nausea threatening to burst from him. He bit down on that lip so hard, blood filled his mouth.
Common sense screamed at him to tell Severus, to tell Dumbledore, to warn the students. Yet, a larger instinct overpowered that voice, telling him to push down the shock and nausea. To take slow, steady breaths.
"Hey, mate? You okay?"
Harry blinked and looked over at Ron, who was carrying a frantic Scabbers in his hands. The Gryffindor caught up with Harry after his Divination class, which was another day of loony predictions and cup-staring, and the two decided to take a walk around the campus.
"Just a lot on my mind." Understatement of the year. He stole a glance at the rat. Ron proposed the walk in hopes it would calm Scabbers's nerves. The rat has been in a frenzy since Halloween. "I don't think Scabbers has calmed down yet."
Ron frowned as he looked down at his pet rat. "I thought being home would make him feel better, but it didn't. Stupid Percy, being the suck-up twit that he is, thought I did something to him. Me? Can you believe that? If anything, he should be looking at Hermione and her devil-spawn animal she calls a cat. That beast has been eyeing Scabbers since she bought him from the pet-shop."
Harry rolled his eyes. While he was dealing with dementors and confliction, it was pet owner versus pet-owner over at Gryffindor wing. "Hermione swore up and down that her cat has been in her room all day. Plus, think about it, Ron. There's no way he could get into yours. He would need the password."
Ron didn't look satisfied, his frown deepening. "It was probably a Slytherin then. Those slimy snakes are always up to something."
Harry glared pointedly at Ron until the confusion on his face melted away to realization, his cheeks blushing from embarrassment.
"With the exception of you, of course," Ron said quickly. Harry rolled his eyes again. "Sorry, mate. I sometimes forget that you're a Slytherin. Truth be told, I honestly can't believe that you are one."
Another ancient argument that's been brought up countless times, going back and forth. Three years later and people still found it hard to believe that he wasn't in his parents' house, even more so that he was in the rival's one instead.
"I know this may come as a shock to you, Ron," Harry said. "but not all Slytherins are bad, you know. It's not like we gather around the common room and pay tribute to Satan with human sacrifices."
"Well, maybe not all of you. For others, though…"
As his voice trailed off, Harry turned over to the direction of where Ron's glare was directed. Draco was lounging on one of the rocks near the cliff overlooking Hagrid's hut. The blond smiled as he caught Harry's eye, then his smile sharpened when he saw who was with him.
"Weasel-bee," he drawled. "Here's some free advice. Try showering more than once a month and you'll go from smelling like trash to your pet rodent."
"Shut your mouth, Mal-"
"You!"
The boys paused and turned. Hermione charged towards them, her eyes locked on Draco. She aimed countless glares at him before but that didn't hold a candle to the storm brewing in her eyes.
"You foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!" She backed Draco into a rock, the tip of her wand pressed against his neck.
Harry got in the middle of them, pulling Hermione back. "What's going on?"
Hermione's glare didn't waver. "What's going on is that your friend is a conniving, condescending, conceited-"
"Oh, big words for a little insect." Draco remarked.
Hermione lunged forward and Harry caught her, passing her over to Ron, before she had the chance to hex him.
"Enough!" Harry turned over to Draco, who sent him a smile that was way too smug, too sharp for its' own good. "What the hell did you do?"
"Nothing." The wicked glint in Draco's eyes contrasted with his innocent answer.
"Nothing?!" Hermione repeated, stunned. "You call sabotaging my extra-credit project for Potions, completely messing up my potion, and causing it to blow up in Professor Snape's face nothing?"
Draco. Biting down a curse, Harry said "I'm sure Snape will let you redo the assignment again, Hermione. He's, um, flexible." Somewhat, depending on the day. And his mood.
"Maybe for Slytherins," Ron unhelpfully peeped. "but not for the rest of us."
"Ron, not helping!"
"Especially not for insufferable know-it-alls." Draco added.
"Draco!" Harry hissed.
"It was just a simple mistake, Granger." He shrugged.
"A mistake?!" she echoed.
"You're familiar with the word, aren't you? It's the same one your parents said after you came into the wor-"
Draco's head nearly flew to the other direction, courtesy of the punch Hermione delivered to his face after she broke free of Ron's hold and pushed Harry aside.
"Hermione! What the hell?!" Harry got between the two and pushed her back. He looked back at Draco and inwardly flinched.
If there was one storm more deadly than the one in Hermione's eyes, it was the one blazing in Draco's as he slowly brought his head back, his left cheek swollen. "You filthy, wretched little insect-"
"Dog!" Ron yelped.
"What?" Harry asked, hands stretched out to Draco and Hermione's chests, struggling to keep the two apart.
"Dog!" Ron repeated, horrified.
Harry followed the direction of Ron's shaky finger, his arms dropping limply by his sides while his mouth dropped to the ground, his eyes widening.
Across from them was a dog, a dog that was almost as big as a bear, its fur black as night, dark eyes as cold and vicious as its' smile.
"Harry." Draco murmured, his anger forgotten.
"Do not move." Harry softly instructed.
Ron whimpered, clutching onto his rat.
The dog's eyes skimmed from one teen to another, widening a bit as they looked over at Harry, the look in them causing the hairs of Harry's neck to rise. It lunged and Harry expected to feel pain flaring up his leg. The only thing he felt was the cool breeze. What happened?
"Harry!"
The answer to that question was solved as he turned over and saw that Ron was being dragged away, his leg clamped in the dog's teeth.
"Harry!" he yelled.
"Ron!" Draco pulled Harry back before he could run. Hermione was already halfway down the cliff, chasing after them.
"Are you out of your mind, Potter?"
"If you want to head back to the castle, be my guest." Harry shrugged Draco's hold off his shoulder and ran. He heard a murmured curse and footsteps trailing behind him.
The three of them followed the sounds of Ron's screaming, tailing him and the dog deep into the forest, navigating their way through the maze of trees and twisted bushes. It seemed as if the further they ran, the faster the dog went. From what Harry's strained eyes could make out, Ron was struggling against the dog's hold, trying to hook onto a low branch or vine to anchor himself, but the dog was apparently as strong as he was fast, refusing to budge.
The dog ran straight towards the Whoomping Willow, disappearing underneath its' trunk.
"Guys!" Ron screamed before he was consumed by the tree.
The second the two were in, the tree came alive, standing taller, its branches squirming like octopus tentacles, whipping wildly in the air before slamming onto the ground to prevent Harry and his friends from entering. The force of the pounded roots was so strong, the ground vibrated underneath their feet.
"Dear Merlin." Draco grunted.
"We have to save Ron." Hermione said.
"We're not going to be saving anyone if we're roadkill, Granger."
"Duck!" Harry warned.
Three of those branches came down on them, twigs clenched like knuckles, the impact knocking the teens off their feet.
"If that dog can get in, so can we." Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches.
"Maybe we could-" Whatever Hermione was about to say was put on pause as one of the branches wrapped itself around her waist and flung her over the tree's head, twirling her around and around like some sort of yo-yo. "Harry!" she shrieked.
"Hermione!"
"Duck, you idiot!" Draco pushed him over to the right, just in time too as a thick branch pounded down at the spot where he stood less than a second ago, creating a deep dent into the ground.
When the branch carrying Hermione sprung towards them, she grabbed onto Harry's shirt, lifting him off his feet. Draco barely made it, grasping onto his waist, as the three were flung high into the air, spinning around and around so fast the forest become a swirl of green and gray. Finally, just when Harry was sure he was about to lose his lunch, the branch lowered itself onto the ground and tossed them underneath the tree.
Harry grunted as his stomach collided with the hard ground, getting the air knocked out of him. He grunted again as he felt a heavy weight settle onto his back as two more thumps followed behind him.
"Sorry." Hermione murmured.
"It's fine," Harry mumbled. "Are you guys alright?"
"I think so." Hermione said.
"I'm not!" Draco hissed.
Harry turned back. His back cushioned Hermione's upper body from the rough landing while Draco's, taking up most of her weight, covered the lower end.
"Get off me, Granger!"
Hermione quickly moved. Draco's frown deepened when he saw his clothes and most of his hair were coated in dirt. Growling, he said to her, "You can expect a bill from my healer-and my dry-cleaner."
"Why don't you-"
"Shut up!" Harry ordered, his eyes straining to see through the veil of darkness surrounding them. From what he could make out, they were in some sort of tunnel.
At the far end was a small flicker of light. Seeing as though there was no other way, the three crawled through the tunnel, trying not to notice the cold, wet texture of the ground below them. Or at least most of them weren't.
"The second we're back in school," Draco angrily muttered. "And after I've taken a very long, hot shower, I'm going to kill you three."
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry snapped. "And keep crawling."
It felt like for hours they were on their hands and feet, lined up behind the other, digging through the dirt and darkness. Eventually, as they got closer to the end where the source of light grew from a flicker to a patch, the area around them widened, promoting them to soon walk on their feet, then soon walk in the same line.
The rough, stony exterior of the tunnel was replaced by a room. A very disordered, dusty room. Papers peeling from the walls; stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture broken as though someone smashed it and the windows were all bordered up.
Harry glanced over at Draco, who swallowed nervously, then over at Hermione who looked very frightened.
Harry pulled himself out of the hole, looking around. The room was empty, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway.
"I think we're in the Shrieking Shack." Hermione said.
"The question is why." Harry muttered. His eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out; one of the back legs had been ripped off entirely. "Ghosts don't do that."
At the moment, there was a creak overheard, a quick but sharp sound that made them nearly jump. They looked up, Draco close to Harry's left, Hermione by his right. She held Harry's hands so tightly, he was sure he was losing circulation. They held their breaths as they heard more steps creaking over their heads.
Quickly as they could, they crept into the hall and up the crumbling stairs. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except for the floor, where a wide shiny strip had been made by something being dragged upstairs.
They reached a dark landing.
Harry looked over at his friends, who answered his silent question with a nod. Wand gripped tightly, he kicked the door wide open.
It was a bedroom. Judging by the broken antiques crowding the dresser and the four-poster bed with dusty, torn hanging, and the old piano that was set in the middle, it must have been a beautiful room once. On the opposite side of the bed was a blue velvet chair. Seated on the chair, clutching onto his leg, which stuck out at a strangle angle was Ron.
Harry and Hermione dashed over to him. Draco reluctantly followed behind.
"Ron, are you okay?"
"Where's the dog?"
"Not a dog." Ron grunted, his teeth clenched in pain.
Beside Harry, Draco went still as if he slipped into a trance. Fear flickered across his widened eyes.
"It's a trap!" he cried.
"What?"
"He's the dog!" Ron cried. "He's an Animagus!"
Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around, heart shuddering underneath his chest.
Years on the run had not been kind to Sirius. If it weren't for the wild glint of light flashing in his eyes, Harry would have mistaken him for a corpse. A mass of filthy, matted hair hung at his elbows. His skin lost most of its color and was almost as waxy as a candle, stretching tightly over the bones of his once-handsome face that aged at least two decades. His yellowed teeth were fixed into a crazed grin.
"My, how you've grown." His eyes lit in dark glee as they examined him.
Dear. Merlin. Harry cursed himself for not recognizing the dog.
"If you want Harry, you're gonna have to kill us too!" Ron said.
"Only one will die tonight." Sirius promised.
"And it will be you," Draco's eyes flashed dangerously as he stepped before Harry. "If you as so much take another step."
Sirius smirked, placing one foot forward. Harry and Hermione took out their wands.
"Expelliarmus!" Remus shouted.
Their wands flew out of their hands. Remus caught them as he entered into the room, eyes locked on Sirius, his wand an inch away from the man's neck.
"Well, well, Sirius. Looking a bit ragged, are we? Finally the flesh reveals the madness within."
Sirius rotated his body halfway over to him, the smirk still hanging on his lips. "Well, you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?"
Remus stared at him for a second or two before he lowered his wand. Sirius jumped into his arms and Remus embraced him fiercely.
What?!
"I found him." Sirius whispered excitedly as they broke apart, still holding each other close.
"I know." Remus said gently, as if he was talking to a child in the middle of a sugar rush instead of an alleged mad criminal.
"He's here."
"I understand."
"Let's kill him."
"No!" Hermione yelled. "I trusted you! And all this time you've been his friend."
The left corner of Remus's lip curled, but it was too faint, too calculating to be considered a smile.
"He's a werewolf!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "That's why he's been missing classes."
"Brava, Granger. Groundbreaking discovery," Draco commented. "However would you please mind explaining to us how that's relevant to anything?!"
"It is. To everything." She didn't tear her eyes away from Remus, as if she expected him to tear them into ribbons any second.
"How long have you known?" Remus demanded.
"Since Professor Snape set up the essay."
Wonder shone in his eyes. "Well, Hermione, you truly are the brightest witch of your age. Although," His eyes shifted over to Harry. "It seems someone else may have connected the pieces together before you did."
Three set of bewildered eyes aimed towards Harry, demanding answers. Answers he didn't have.
He couldn't speak. He couldn't move, eyes locked on Remus and Sirius, his head pounding with thoughts and questions.
He was right about Remus. He was actually right about him. Did that mean he was also right about-
"Enough talk, Remus!" Sirius snapped. "Come on, let's kill him!"
"Wait-"
"I DID MY WAITING!" Sirius shouted. "SIX YEARS OF IT! Being hunted down like a damn dog!"
The determination and rage set upon the man's face was absolute. He wanted bloodshed and his shrieks made it clear whose blood he wanted. Remus sighed heavily as he handed over his wand.
"Very well," he said. "but wait one moment. Harry has the right to know."
"I know why," Harry said. The man before him barely resembled the fun-loving, mischievous godfather he remembered. He perfectly fitted the image of the madman that was plastered across the wanted posters. The accused traitor who ran after his best friend and his wife were murdered. "You betrayed my parents. You're the reason they're dead."
"No, Harry," Remus replied. "Someone did betray your parents but it was somebody who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead."
Someone else? Could it-no. No, it wasn't possible. There was no one else. The Aurors said all the clues and angles pointed right at Sirius. Yet the ribbon of doubt lingering in Harry's chest quivered, rolling faster than before, growing. "Who was it then?"
"Peter Pettigrew!" Sirius answered. "And he's in this room right now. Come out, come out, Peter. Come out and play!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Remus's wand flew out of his hand. Severus strode into the room in a swirl of black, his eyes lit in dark, malicious glee as they darted from Remus to Sirius, the curved edge of his mouth sharp as a knife.
"Vengeance is sweet." he declared. "I'd hope I'd be the one to catch you."
"Severus-" Remus was cut off as Severus aimed his wand towards his direction.
"I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle and now…here's the proof."
Sirius scoffed, the hatred blazing in his eyes just as bright as Severus's. The familiar gesture brought to mind the innumerable arguments and glaring matches between the two. "Brilliant, Snape. Once again you put your keen and penetrating mind to the task and, as usual, come to the wrong conclusion. Now, if you would excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to."
Severus closed the distance between them and jabbed his wand into Sirius's throat. "Give me a reason. I beg you."
Remus tried reasoning with him. "Severus, don't be a fool."
"He can't help it," Sirius taunted. "It's a habit by now."
"Sirius, be quiet!"
"Be quiet yourself, Remus!"
"Listen to you two," Severus drawled. "Quarreling like an old married couple."
"Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set?" Sirius spat.
His snarl died into a pained hiss as Severus dug his wand deeper into his throat. "I could do it, you know. But why deny the Dementors? They're so longing to see you." Sirius tried to brush off the words, but they struck something deep inside him. A shudder rattled his body, a move that was easily picked up by Severus. "Do I detect a flicker of fear? Oh, yes. The Dementor's kiss. One could only imagine what that must be like. It's said to be nearly unbearable to witness but I'll do my best!"
"Severus-" He whirled over to Remus, his black eyes just as deadly as his drawn wand.
"And as for you, I predict a permanent leave of absence as well as a one-way trip to Azkaban in your future."
If Sirius or Remus were put away, then the truth went with them. Remus said that it wasn't Sirius. That someone else betrayed his parents. Harry had to know who. He looked to Draco and saw that his wand was tucked into his back pocket. He leaned in and wrapped his fingers around it.
"Severus, please!"
"After you!" Severus glanced over at Harry and his friends and nodded his head towards the door.
Forgive me, uncle. Harry drew Draco's wand from his pocket and stepped in front of the group. He directed the tip in front of Sirius, then quickly shifted it over to Severus. "Expelliarmus!"
The spell bounced off Severus, knocking him into the bed that fell apart from the strong impact, shattered pieces raining down on his unconscious body.
In front of Harry, widened eyes gawked at him. Behind him, jaws were dropped. Harry spared a look at his friends. It was hard to tell between the three who was the most shocked.
"Harry," Ron breathed. "What did you just do?"
"You attacked a teacher." Hermione said.
"You attacked Snape." Draco clarified.
Harry understood their shock. He also knew that as soon as Severus woke up, he would have his head, his neck, his hide-everything. He couldn't think about that now. He had to get answers. "Tell me about Peter Pettigrew."
"He was in school with us," Remus said. "We thought he was our friend."
"No, Pettigrew is dead," Harry glanced at Sirius. "You killed him."
"No, he didn't," Remus insisted. "I almost thought so too until Sirius showed me the map."
The map? The Marauders' Map? The same one that's been missing since before Winter break? His eyes fell on Sirius. Well, that solved one mystery. "The map was lying then."
"The map never lies." Sirius's tone rang of absolute. "Pettigrew is alive. And he's right there." He pointed right at Ron.
"Me?!" Ron gasped. "He's mental, I'm telling you-"
"Not you, you twat!" Sirius snapped. "Your rat!"
Ron gawked at the man and held his frantic pet against his chest. "Scabbers has been in my family for-"
"Six years!" Sirius finished. "Curiously long life for a common garden rat. He's missing a toe, isn't he?"
"So what?"
Ron might not have understood the significance of the seemingly-small detail, but Harry did, feeling the wheels turning in his head. Minister Fudge's words replayed in his mind. The wreckage that was left behind, tearing through an entire Muggle neighborhood. The thirteen bodies lying throughout the ruined place, and a single body part that was left of the deceased Marauder. "All they could find of Pettigrew was his-"
"Finger!" Sirius exclaimed. "The dirty coward cut it off so that everyone would think he was dead!"
"Coincidence then!" Draco said. "Missing limbs aren't exactly uncommon with rats."
"Maybe not," Sirius focused his burning glare at the pet. "But I recognize that bastard's form anywhere. I was there when he picked his Animagus form. I only wished I realized then how it was such a fitting choice for him."
Scabbers squealed, trying to slip out of Ron's hold.
"Six years of endless searching led me straight to Egypt. And when I saw him out there while he was perched on the twat's shoulder, I got a clear enough look to know that I finally found him. Maybe it was a risk striking in such a public place, but I was more than happy to exterminate now and ask questions later."
Ron's eyes were so wide; they nearly took up his whole face. "That's why you were in the flee market? To kill Scabbbers?"
"Well, I certainly wasn't there to do antique-shopping!"
"You're mad!" Hermione cried.
"I'm telling the truth!"
"That's just the thing a liar would say to save his skin," Draco remarked. "Right after making up a ridiculous story."
Or was he? Harry's eyes drifted over from Sirius that was twisted in deep rage over to Scabbers who was squirming in Ron's hands, trying to escape. Sirius sounded more than mad; he sounded obsessive, and completely delusional. And yet…"Ron, give him the rat."
"Harry, are you insane?"
"Ron, give it to him!"
"No way-" Sirius was beyond the point of waiting and listening. He snatched the rat out of Ron's hands. "Leave him alone! Scabbers!"
The rat was squealing loudly, nearly screaming, as he tried to claw his way out of Sirus's grip. When Sirius tossed him onto the piano, he jumped and scrambled across the room, dodging the blasts shooting from Sirius's borrowed wand. He tried to run to the door but was finally hit.
A flash of bright light filled the room, nearly blinding them. Once it finally faded, they were able to open their eyes.
In Scabbers's place was a scrunched-up, plump man who was only a few inches shorter than Harry and Hermione with thinning, dirty-blonde hair and a large bald spot on top of his hand. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and there was something rat-like lingering on his nose and his small, watery eyes.
"Oh my…" Harry heard Hermione mutter behind him. He didn't even need to turn around to know that Ron's jaw practically hit the ground, sensing his shock that was billowing out like fumes.
"That's not even my rodent, Weasley," Draco said. "And I already feel severely violated for you."
Pettigrew dropped his hands he was nibbling on like they were cheese. He looked around the room, his breathing shallow and hard.
"Hello Peter." Remus said pleasantly, as if rats turning into long-lost friends were an everyday occurrence. "Long time, no see."
"S-Sirius….R-Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. "My old friends."
He jumped from the floor and ran towards the door but the two were ready for him, pushing him back and blocking the doorway. Panicked, he looked over the room for a second exit, but as his eyes fell on Harry, they widened in amazement. "Harry, look at you."
Draco took back his wand and stood in front of Harry, blocking him from sight, directing the glowing end at the rat. Pettigrew barely seemed to notice, all of his attention focused on Harry.
"You look so much like your father. Like James. We were the best of friends, him and I-"
"How dare you speak to Harry?" Sirius snarled. Pettigrew tried fleeing again, but Sirius was hot on his heels. "How dare you talk about James in front of him?!"
Pettigrew ran over to the piano but realized too late he backed himself into a corner. Remus by his left, Sirius by his right, wands drawn, faces hard as stone.
"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort, didn't you?" Remus demanded.
"I didn't mean to." Pettigrew nearly sobbed. "But the Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses." He pointed an accusing finger over to Sirius. "Ask yourself, Sirius. What would you have done? What would you have done?!"
"I WOULD'VE DIED!" The fury in Sirius's voice was as thunderous as it was venomous. "I would've died rather than betray my friends!"
Pettigrew ducked under the piano and attempted to run to the door. Harry broke free of Draco's hold and stood in front of it, blocking his path. With a hysterical whimper, Pettigrew's hands latched themselves onto Harry's shirt, smudging the sky-blue material with his dirt-encrusted fingers.
His hot, foul breath blasted onto Harry's face as he leaned in close, pleading, "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed. Your father-he would've shown me mercy!"
Sirius and Remus yanked him back. Remus held Pettigrew tight while Sirius stood in front of them, the tip of his wand flowing bright, Avada-green.
"I can't tell you how many times I dreamt about this, you pathetic, backstabbing, spineless little-"
"No!" Harry ordered.
Sirius didn't lower his wand but he did turn to Harry. They all did, questions swirling in their eyes, wondering why he stopped the execution.
"Potter, are you mad?" Draco asked.
"Harry, this man-" He cut Remus off, eyes locked on the trembling man that was practically wetting his pants.
"I know what he is. I also know that if he dies, then the truth dies with him." He glanced over Sirius. "Which means you'll still be blamed and hunted down."
Sirius looked like he wanted to protest, but had no rebuttal.
"We take him back to the castle."
"Bless you!" Pettigrew looked like he would've hugged him if he wasn't being held by Remus. "Bless you, you dear boy-"
"I said we'd get you back to the castle." Harry reminded him. "After that, the dementors can have you."
A look of pure terror crossed the man's face at the mention of the dementors. "No! Please no! I'll do anything. Anything! I swear-"
A flare of blue energy shot across the room and slammed against the side of Pettigrew's head, knocking him out of Remus's arms, onto the floor, out cold.
Harry turned back to the direction where the spell came from, watching Draco twirl his wand around his fingers.
"Well, I don't know about you lot," he said. "but if I had to listen to that annoying rodent squeal a second longer, I would have happily killed him myself."
