Chapter 5

"It's suicide!" "Not if we're sneaky about it!" "We're not thirteen any more, Sirius! One of us can fit under the Cloak, one, and if we get caught, not only are we dead, but they then have it!" "It's bad enough that they already know about it!" "You're assuming the rat told them!" "We have to assume he did!"

Lily walked into the kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place to see her husband arguing with Sirius and Remus. James turned as she did so and immediately embraced her. "It's done," she said quietly. "I killed Severus. And, I took everything magical he had, so the Death Eaters wouldn't get it." James just held her tighter in response, but released her when Remus cleared his throat. "We were just discussing how we are going to deal with the rat, Lily, and some of us (he glanced at Sirius) think an outright attack on Malfoy Manor will work."

Lily shook her head as tears began to fill her eyes at the thought that more of her loved ones could die. "None of us can lose any of the others. We'd be outnumbered, and they cast to kill from the start. We can't go, and the rat isn't going to leave. So, use Kreacher, telling him to go get the rat and bring him here. But we need to work out the wording of the orders you give him, Sirius."

It took twenty five minutes for them to work out a set of instructions that they were confident the elf couldn't twist or wriggle out of, but eventually, Sirius called "Kreacher!" With a loud crack, the elf appeared, insults already coming from his mouth as he did so. "The blood traitor Master calls, so Kreacher comes, but Kreacher will not do what the wolf says, no Kreacher will not, or the blood traitor who is not Master, no, or his mu- who…" Kreacher coughed and gagged for a moment before saying "lovely wife", though his expression betrayed what he had really wanted to say, even though he had been ordered not to.

"Kreacher," Sirius said sternly, "Peter Pettigrew had the trust of the House of Black. He has betrayed that trust. Without making anyone aware of your presence in any way, including before and after your task is complete, you are to find Peter Pettigrew, then when he is alone, render him unconscious without injuring him, and bring him here for… punishment."

The Marauders could have sworn that Kreacher stood up a little straighter at these instructions. "Master finally remembers his family's ways. Perhaps Master will allow Kreacher to help with the punishing?" "Maybe." Kreacher snapped his fingers again and Disapparated.

"We might as well go through Snivellus' stuff while we wait," James said. "See if there's anything useful." Two and a half hours later, Lily's magically expanded handbag was empty, and the consensus was that nothing in Snape's possessions was of immediate use. "He was their potion maker, and they didn't have much use for potions, except for Healing on the odd occasion, it looks like." sighed Remus. "After all, why bother with poisons, Veritaserum, or any other potion when you can just use Unforgivables?"

At that moment, there was a loud crack, and the unconscious body of Peter Pettigrew slammed onto the kitchen floor. "Kreacher has returned with the traitor, Peter Pettigrew. Shall Kreacher fetch the knives now, Master, or perhaps the cleaver?"

Sirius looked at James and Remus. To Lily, it looked like they were having one of their almost telepathic "Original Marauders Only" private conversations. "No, Kreacher, the knives won't be necessary. I have something worse in mind." Kreacher's eyes almost gleamed with pride. "May Kreacher watch, Master? Kreacher is pleased to see Master acting like a true Black." Sirius nodded in consent. "Yes, Kreacher, you can watch."

The three Marauders pointed their wands at Pettigrew. Then, as one, they spoke. "Polymorphus Veritas Rattus." Pettigrew's body shrank, his ratlike features became more pronounced, and brown fur sprouted all over. A moment later, Sirius picked up the kitchen fireplace tongs and used them to lift the brown rat Pettigrew had been Transfigured into up. "Kreacher, take this rat, find some stray cats somewhere, and get them to kill and eat it."

Kreacher took the rat and actually bowed to Sirius before Disapparating again.