Nobody could have stopped Moira as she walked calmly through the twisting corridors to the large oak doors of the Great Hall. They slammed open when she pushed them. On the front table sat the pile of wands, which had been taken from the students. She chose one and slid it up her sleeve. She turned and, from the corner of her eye, saw a figure slinking in the shadows. She found herself face to face with Peter Pettigrew.
"Moira O'Shaughnessy. How are you?" he asked casually
"It's been a rough day, Peter." She smiled. Her voice was even, calculated. If he noticed, he did not show. "How about you?"
"It hasn't turned out too badly. It definitely beats being a rat."
"You mean you're not anymore?"
His face reddened.
"I may be a rat, but I'm a powerful rat."
"You're going to be a dead rat."
"I wouldn't be too sure." He threw a punch with his steel fist, but Moira spun to the left and gripped his wrist, twisting it back toward her. She shoved his shoulder down, breaking his elbow on her knee.
"Don't try to fight me like a man. That's a higher species than you'll ever reach."
"Bitch!" he spat through clenched teeth, cradling his arm.
"You're supposed to be a wizard, Peter. Or are you happy being a rodent?" Another smile spread across her face. She slid the wand from her sleeve and tapped it on her hand as she slowly circled him.
"You've caused a lot of pain in my life, Peter," she said. "You caused Lily and James' deaths. You took the man I loved away from me, made me believe he was a murderer, and ruined my perfect wedding. Of course, I didn't know it was you at the time, but that doesn't make it okay." He turned slowly, watching her as she circled. "You tried to kill Harry twice. You helped bring back Voldemort." She stopped and looked at him. "Take your wand out, Peter. I wouldn't want to kill an unarmed man."
"You won't kill me."
"Crucio!" He fell to the ground and she stared down at him as he writhed in pain, screaming. She broke the spell after just a few seconds. "Don't bet on that."
Dumbledore and McGonagall ran into the Gryffindor Common Room. Snape was leaning over Remus Lupin, who was bleeding badly. It covered Snape's hands as he tried to stop it. Several students were huddled at the far end of the room, deathly quiet except for an occasional whimper or sob. Hermoine, Ron, and Harry were with Sirius a few feet away.
"Severus, what happened?" Dumbledore demanded as he knelt next to him and began helping.
"Remus was under the Imperious Curse. He was going after the children. Moira stopped him."
Dumbledore eyed the sword on the ground.
"Minerva, go find Poppy. Hurry!" When McGonagall disappeared from the room, he asked, "Where is Moira now?"
"Looking for someone to kill," he answered gravely.
"I'll take care of Remus. Go find her."
Snape rose and hurried from the room.
"You used an Unforgiveable Curse on me!" Peter screamed.
"There are three. One down, two to go. Take out your wand, Peter."
He just stared defiantly back.
"You grew a backbone. The timing's all wrong. Especially since your precious Death Eaters left you here to be captured or killed." Peter said nothing, made no movement. "All right. I can wait." She continued circling him. "Where was I?" she asked, feigning thought. "Ah yes, reasons you deserve to die. You helped kidnap Remus. That was enough to really piss me off, but then you led a bunch of Death Eaters to Hogwarts." A chuckle escaped her throat. "Not only that, but Remus was brought under the Imperious Curse. I know you didn't do that, Peter. You're too weak for that kind of magic. But I blame you. I do." A quick movement told her Peter had whipped out his wand.
"Imperio!" she yelled. He turned his wand on himself, his eyes wide with fear. "What curse were you going to use on me, Peter?"
"None," he gasped. "I- I wasn't-"
"I don't believe you. That's what happens when you betray your friends. They stop believing you." She stared down at him, hatred dancing in her eyes. "Say the spell, Peter," she told him, flicking her wand.
"Cru- crucio!"
Again, he fell to the ground screaming. His cries echoed through the school as he spasmed on the floor. They stopped after a few more seconds when he dropped his wand.
Snape ran down the hallway, screaming Moira's name. She wasn't answering. He continued on, searching the many twists and bends of the school. A scream echoed, lasting for some time, then died. It wasn't Moira, but it was coming from near the entrance. The Great Hall.
"That's two down, Peter. You know which one is left."
"You won't-"
"Quiet, old friend. I want you to listen right now."
He snarled something under his breath.
"What was that, Peter? I didn't hear you. You know, I don't allow my students to talk back." She flicked her wand and sent him crashing into the wall. "Remus could have killed people. He nearly did. People he cares about. Innocent people." She advanced on him as she spoke.
"He- he didn't?"
"No. Sirius and Severus are hurt. So are Harry and a few other students. Does that make you happy?" She flicked her wand again and sent him flying through the air, crashing into the opposite wall. "He's dead because of you. This is the second time you've taken the man I love from me. I don't think I can forgive that."
"The man you love? Dead?"
"Yes. And I'm really not happy." She gripped his collar and stood him on his feet. "I change my mind about the last curse." Her voice was low and venomous. "I think I'd like to kill you with my hands. It's slower, but also much more painful for you." She slammed him hard against the wall. He started laughing.
"I didn't kill Remus." He smiled coldly. "You did, didn't you? That's why you want to kill me. Because you had to kill Remus."
She threw him over a table.
"Yet another reason I'm going to kill you." In two quick bounds, she was over the table with her knee planted in his sternum and her hands closed around his throat.
"No! No! I didn't do it! Moira-"
"No, Peter. I've had enough of you. You will never hurt anyone again." She began squeezing. He gasped and tried to fight her with his good arm, but she was stronger, fueled by hatred. His fight was weakening when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Moira, don't do this." Snape was looking at her sadly.
"I have to, Severus. He did all of this. He-" Tears steamed on her hot cheeks. "He killed all of them."
"Then you will be no better than he is. No more than a murderer. And a coward."
"I can live with that."
He reached down and pulled up her sleeve with his bloody hand, revealing her scarred hand and arm, covered too in Remus' blood "Can you? Can you live with it?" He kneeled beside her so he was looking into her eyes. "You're not a murderer, Moira. Don't make yourself into one. Believe me, it doesn't make anything any easier."
"But Remus-"
"Is alive. Albus and Poppy are helping him now. You don't have to do this."
Moira loosened her grip, and Peter lay before her gasping for breath.
"I knew you couldn't do it," he gasped. "I knew-"
"Stupify!" Snape stared with disgust at the little man lying in front of him. Moira climbed off of his unconscious body and collapsed against Snape's chest, sobbing. Stunned for a moment, he closed his arms around her. "It's all right, Moira. Everything's all right now."
Sirius limped through the entrance hall and slipped quietly into the rose garden. The sun was rising, bathing the dormant garden in faintly pink light. He followed the winding path until he came across Moira. She was sitting on a carved bench, her back to him. A full cup of tea sat beside her.
"He's dead, isn't he, Sirius?" she asked faintly, staring vacantly at the blushing morning sky.
"No, he isn't." He moved her tea, noticing it was ice cold, and sat beside her on the bench, noting the blood dried about her garments. Her arm and face had gone unattended, though they no longer continued to bleed. "Have you been out here all night, Moira?"
"Most of it."
"Why don't you come up to the Hospital Wing and get these cuts taken care of?"
"How's your leg, Sirius?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Better. Stiff, but better."
"Good. And the students?"
"Scared, but healthy. Harry's arm is back in its joint. Most of the injuries were cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious."
"Good," she answered, her eyes still staring blankly toward the sky. "They were climbing out the window," she told him. "Most of the younger kids had gotten away, hiding in Hagrid's cabin. They had even found poor Hagrid unconscious in the snow and dragged him inside." She was silent for a moment, then added absently, "They're good kids. True Gryffindors. Brave in the face of the greatest dangers."
"What's going on, Moira?"
"I almost killed two men last night, Sirius."
"Up until this morning, I had killed thirteen people," he countered. "That doesn't make either of us murderers."
Moira looked at him for the first time since he had joined her.
"The Ministry has Peter?"
"They do," he nodded. "And about two hours ago, he confessed what he did under a truth potion."
"You heard it?"
"No. I was still in a hospital bed, but Snape did."
"I'm glad for you, Sirius. I really am." A small smile touched her lips before disappearing. Her eyes fell back to the sky. He followed her gaze to where the moon still sat faintly in the sky.
"He wants to see you, you know."
"Is he awake?"
"No, but he'll know you're there."
"What makes you think he'll want to see me? I nearly killed him."
"Moira, Remus knows what he is. He knows how dangerous he can be. I'm sure he has no illusions about what was happening. You stopped him from doing a horrible thing. You stopped him from killing."
"I almost stopped him from living."
"And he would agree you made the right choice. He could never have lived with what he would have done. Especially if he would have killed you or Harry."
"When I realized what I'd done, I wished he did kill me." She looked down at her hands. "I still have his blood under my nails."
Her old friend regarded her quietly. Slowly, he reached up and pulled her chin so she was facing him. Tears threatened to stream down her face.
"You really love him, don't you?"
"I do. I really do."
They both sat in silence as the sun rose higher and higher in the sky. Birds began chirping around them.
"How did we get here?" Sirius asked
"The long scenic route. Lots of twists."
"I'm not sure I know which was harder."
"I'm sorry, Sirius. About all of this."
"Don't be. There are much worse ways this could have ended."
"And a lot happier."
"No. You never would have been happy. And knowing that, neither would I. And Remus-"
"You don't blame him?"
"Blame him? How can I blame him for loving you? I'm happy for him. For you both." The weak smile on his lips could not hide the difficulty in saying those words.
"Thank you," she told him, taking his hand in hers. "You know I still love you, right?"
"I waited years to hear you say that. Just not with the meaning I know is there." He patted her hand. "But I understand." They sat quietly for a moment. "Go to the Hospital Wing so Madame Pomfrey can see to your wounds. And while you're there, talk to Remus. I think he needs you right now."