(A/N: This chapter represents the point where my AU most intersects with the events in the book. As such, by necessity, certain bits of dialogue and action are highly reflective of those in the book. Please consider this a mass citation to The Prisoner of Azkaban. I have absolutely no desire to plagiarize such a fantastic work! Occasionally, a slight excerpt or quote is used. I recommend you have a look at Chapter 17-20 of POA for contrast, or even read them side by side. ^_^
Also, forgive the rather lengthy repetition. I felt it was necessary to show the subtle differences in the way things played out. From this moment on, the changes get more and more extreme. This is a VERY long chapter, so if you haven't any spare time at the moment, perhaps you'd better try it later.)
Chapter 4.
Confrontation.
(June 6, 1994)
..."Ron-come on-back under the cloak-" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore-the Minister-they'll be coming back out in a minute-"
But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even ctch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws...
...Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll...
...All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground-but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken...
..."Harry," Hermione whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack..."
...Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.
On a magnificent four poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring, next to a young woman with long, loose brown hair. On the floor beside them, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.
Harry and Hermione stared at the strange woman.
"Who are yo-" Hermione started, but Ron interrupted.
"He's the dog... he's an Animagus... Run!"
Harry turned around. The man in the shadows shut the door behind them.
He didn't look at all like Harry expected. He was clean, and dressed in muggle clothes. His dark hair hung nearly to his chin, falling in front of his face. He was very thin, but not emaciated like he should be. His eyes, though, had a haunted look. His teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.
"Expelliarmus!" he said, pointing Ron's wand at them. Black caught their wands as they flew out of their hands.
"Do come in, Harry," said the woman on the bed. "And you too, young lady."
Black nodded toward the bed. There was no question-it was an order. They walked over and stood to the side of Ron.
"I thought you'd come and help your friend," Black said smoothly. "Your father would have done the same for me."
Harry lurched at Sirius, but hands caught him from either side. "No Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper. Ron, however, spoke to Black.
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely. He was pale from the effort of standing upright and swayed to the side.
The woman swung off the bed quickly, and grabbed Ron's arm. "No one is killing anyone. Come here and lie down before you damage your leg even further."
Sirius frowned. "Ruth-" he growled, viciously.
She raised a hand as she pulled Ron onto the bed and settled a pillow behind him. "NO, Sirius. We'll stick to the plan. No one dies tonight."
"Why so squeamish?" Harry muttered. "He never cared before."
"Harry-" Hermione interrupted. But Harry was furious.
"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" he shouted, launching himself at Sirius.
They were a tangle of arms and legs for a moment as Harry knocked Sirius off his feet. But the woman Ruth was too quick. She launched herself forward and pulled a fiercely kicking Harry off of Sirius. Hermione flew at Ruth, fists swinging, but she wasn't as weak as Sirius and just knocked the girl out of the way. She pushed Harry into Hermione, planting herself between them and Sirius. Hermione slunk to the floor.
"He would agree with you, Harry. But you don't the truth," she panted. "Any of you. You don't know the whole story."
"He sold them to Voldemort, that's all I need to know," Harry muttered. He was shaking. Sirius stared up at him from his vantage point on the floor.
Ruth shook her head. "That's not how it happened-" she began. She was cut off by a noise from downstairs-someone had entered the shack.
Hermione screamed for help. Ruth reached behind her and jerked Sirius to his feet and clear of the door just as it burst in a shower of red sparks. Black pushed her behind him. Lupin entered, his face pale, and his wand ready. His eyes flickered over Harry and Hermione, took in Ron on the bed. He paused at the woman, and then stared at Sirius.
There was a long, unsteady silence. Harry could feel Hermione trembling behind him.
Then, Lupin spoke. "Where is he Sirius?"
The two men regarded each other for a moment. Then, slowly, Sirius pointed to Ron. Harry looked to Ron, whose face was a picture of bewilderment.
"But then..." Lupin stared at Black so intently it seemed as if he were trying to read his mind. "...why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless-" Lupin's eyes widened "-unless he was the one... unless you switched without telling me?"
"Professor-" Harry began, "what's going on-" but never finished the question.
Lupin embraced Black like a brother. Ruth smiled fiercely.
Hermione was outraged. "I DON'T BELIEVE IT!"
Lupin tried to calm her, but Hermione was livid. "Harry-don't believe him! He's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too-he's a werewolf!"
Lupin sighed sadly. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. Not at all up to your usual standard Hermione," he began. Lupin calmed the children in a way that neither Ruth nor Sirius could have managed. He explained about being a werewolf. About how he'd seen them on the Marauder's Map. About how he'd seen Sirius pull two of them under the Whomping Willow.
"Do you think I could have a look at that Rat?" he finished.
Ron was indignant. "What's Scabbers got to do with anything?"
"Everything," Lupin said.
Ron pulled a furiously squiggling Scabbers out of his robes. The rat clawed and bit in an attempt to escape.
"So that's him," Ruth murmured.
"What's my rat got to do with-" Ron began, but Sirius interrupted.
"That's not a rat. That's a wizard. An Animagus, by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
"Peter Pettigrew's dead! He killed him twelve years ago!" Harry pointed at Black.
"I meant to, but little Peter got the best of me," Sirius growled.
"Perhaps you should start at the beginning," Ruth suggested.
Lupin nodded. "There are parts of it even I don't understand," he began, but he started the tale from the beginning. He explained about being a werewolf, and how his three best friends became Animagi to accompany him during his transformations. Slowly the children's faces shifted from shock, to confusion, to a sort of overwhelmed surprise. As Lupin explained about Sirius' trick on Professor Snape, however, they were all shocked.
Snape threw off the invisibility cloak, and confronted them. He refused to be dissuaded. He accused Lupin of helping Black into the castle, but his eyes flicked over to Ruth and he paused.
"Even getting muggles involved, I see. The Ministry will be most interested in this."
Hermione interrupted him. There was a shouting match between Snape and his students. Ruth tried to discreetly sneak Ron's wand over to Black, but she couldn't move quickly enough. She needn't have bothered. When Snape raised his wand to threaten Black, Harry jumped in front of him. Ruth gasped. All three children cast a spell at once, and Snape fell to the floor, a trickle of blood running from under his hair.
"You shouldn't have done that," Sirius murmured. "You should have left him to me..."
"Shut up, Sirius," Ruth murmured. "It was a job well done. But hurry up and finish explaining things before he wakes up. Start with Azkaban."
Sirius grumbled at Ruth, but began explaining. He described Azkaban, and how he kept himself from going mad. He showed them the picture of Scabbers on Ron's shoulder, and Lupin figured out that Peter had cut off his own finger to fake his death. Sirius explained what happened that night.
It was clear that no one would be convinced until they saw Pettigrew for themselves, however, so Lupin and Black turned on the rat. With a blinding flash of light from their wands, Scabbers became Pettigrew.
"Well, hello Peter," Lupin said pleasantly, "Long time, no see."
"S-Sirius... Remus... My Friends... my old friends," Pettigrew squeaked. Sirius's wand arm shot up, as though out of instinct, but Ruth caught it. She slipped her arm around his, locking him in place.
"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died," Lupin began, "You may have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed--"
"He's going to try and kill me again Remus!" Lupin wailed. "He killed Lilly and James and now he's going to kill me too-"
"No one is killing anyone, Pettigrew," hissed Ruth. "We just want some information."
"They're not to be trusted!" Peter said shrilly. "He's got dark powers that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him! And she's obviously a servant of the Dark Lord!"
Sirius and Ruth both growled back at Pettigrew at the same time. "What, Voldemort teach me tricks?" and "I was 11 years old! Servant of the dark lord indeed!"
Sirius laughed. "Why Peter, you haven't been hiding from ME-you've been hiding from the Death Eaters. Voldemort's lot aren't very happy with you, after your little gift. I heard some things in Azkaban. And not all of Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them."
Pettigrew sputtered.
"Why," Ruth interrupted, "Would an innocent man spend twelve years as a rat?" The question was posed as though it were something she was dying to know.
"I was scared! If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put their best man in jail! The spy, Sirius Black!"
"I, a spy for Voldemort?" Sirius growled. "Tell me, Peter. When did I ever run after bigger, stronger friends? I'll never understand why I didn't see it before."
"But if you didn't use Dark Magic," Hermione interrupted, "How did you escape from Azkaban? No one's ever done it before."
"There! Yes, thank you! That's what I want to know."
"Do shut up, Pettigrew," Ruth muttered, as Lupin glared at him.
Sirius shook his head. "I don't know how I did it. I think the only reason I never lost my mind is because I knew I was innocent. It wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't take it away from me... but it kept me sane... when it all became too much, I could transform into a dog..." He swallowed.
"But when I saw that picture of Peter... I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry... perfectly positioned to act. It was like a fire lit in my brain. I had to do something, I was the only one who knew he was alive. I slipped past the dementors as a dog. I was thin, very thin... Thin enough to slip through the bars... I swam as a dog back to the mainland. Ruth, this muggle," he pointed to Ruth, and she looked down at her feet, "rescued me, and took care of me. It was months before she found out who I am, but she trusted me, and agreed to help me. She nursed me back to health and sanity. We came here together, and together we've been trying to find Peter all year."
He looked at Harry. "Believe me. Believe me, I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."
There was a moment of silence, while everyone waited to see his response. Eventually, Harry nodded.
Peter sniveled and pled. He grabbed at Sirius's feet, and he kicked him away. "My shoes are clean-I don't need filth like you dirtying them up."
He grabbed at Ruth. "Please, Lady, you won't let them hurt me, will you? Have pity!"
She shrunk back. "Don't touch me. Don't you ever touch me. I know all about you," she said, her tone condemning.
"Remus!" he squeaked, turning, "You don't believe this... wouldn't Sirius have told you if they'd changed the plan?"
"Not if he thought I was the spy. I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually.
"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.
"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend. And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing it was you who was the spy?"
"Of course."
"If that's all established," Ruth said with a smile, "It's time to turn him over to Dumbledore."
Lupin's eyes widened. "For what he's done-" he began grimly.
"No." Ruth shook her head. "A quick death is poor justice. Send him to Azkaban, where he belongs."
Lupin regarded the muggle woman for a moment, then nodded his head. "I see. Sinister, in its way, but fair."
The children looked confused. Ruth smiled at them. "Don't you see? Being trapped inside his own mind... with his own cowardice and bad deeds... it's far worse than anything we can do to him. Because he did it to himself."
Ron scowled, but Hermione nodded. Eventually, Harry did too.
Pettigrew sputtered his thanks, but a quick kick from Sirius silenced him.
"Then it settled," said Lupin. He raised his wand to Pettigrew.
"No!" Harry shouted, raising a hand.
"I'm going to tie him up, Harry. That's all, I promise." Thin cords shot from his wand, and wrapped themselves around Pettigrew. He wriggled, bound and gagged on the floor.
"But if you transform, Peter, or try to escape-we will kill you," Sirius growled.
Lupin cast charms to splint Ron's leg. Ruth giggled as another spell lifted like a marionette.
"And two of us should be chained to this," Sirius growled, prodding Pettigrew with his toe, "just to make sure."
Ron and Remus volunteered, and manacles were conjured. Ruth snapped them around wrists. As she locked them down on Professor Lupin's wrist he smiled.
"I'm pleased to meet you, my dear," he said pleasantly. "After all this, perhaps we can get to know each other properly."
Ruth smiled. "I've heard so much about you already. I'm sure we'll be friends." She clamped the manacles on Peter and stepped back. The progression set out through the tunnel.
It was slow going. Besides being hampered by Snape and Pettigrew, the many anti-muggle charms on Hogwarts made it hard for Ruth to pass along. Twice, she was convinced that the tunnel ended in a sheer rock and Professor Lupin had to cast a charm to move her along, and once, she was suddenly overcome by a strong desire to run away, and only Harry grabbing her elbows and steering her forward got her through.
"Do you know what this means?" Sirius said to Harry as he navigated Ruth down the tunnel.
"You're free."
"Yes, But I'm also-I don't know if anyone told you-I'm your godfather."
"Yeah I knew that."
"Well... your parents appointed me guardian. If anything happened to them... I'll understand of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle... but... well... think about it. Once my name's cleared..."
"What, live with you? Leave the Dursleys?"
"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to. I just thought I'd-"
"Are you insane? Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"
Sirius turned around and peered at Harry around Ruth. "You want to? You mean it?" He was grinning widely.
"Yeah I mean it!"
Sirius laughed. "Actually-well, the truth is, Ruth and I... as soon as my name's cleared..." He cleared his throat, and nodded at her. "She's not normally as daft as this," he grinned, as Ruth quietly protested about needing to be at an appointment at that precise moment. "You'll like her... we're getting married."
Harry's grin widened. "Congratulations!"
"I'd like you to be best man, Harry. It would have been James, but..."
"Of course." Their tone was serious for this, but neither seemed to be able to shake their cheesy grins.
They left the tunnel, and started across the grounds. The anti-muggle charms seemed to wear off, and Ruth shook her head to clear it. "Sod that for a lark," she muttered under her breath and thanked Harry and Remus for helping her through the tunnel. The castle glinted ahead of them.
Then, a cloud shifted free of the moon. Remus suddenly stiffened. His limbs began to shake.
"Oh my-" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight!"
"Run," Sirius whispered. "Run. Now."
Harry darted forward, but Sirius flung him back where he collided with Ruth. "Leave it to me. RUN!"
As Lupin transformed with a sickening sound, Sirius transformed and bounded forward. They fought, snarling, on the front grounds. Peter, meanwhile, dove for Lupin's fallen wand. Hermione screamed. A bang burst from Pettigrew's wand, and in flash of light, Ron fell motionless to the ground.
Herry raised his own wand and shrieked "Expelliarmus!"
But Pettigrew transformed.
"NO!" shrieked Ruth, and took off after the bald tail scurrying through the grass.
"Be careful!" Hermione shrieked, as the woman and the rat ran dangerously close to the fighting werewolf and animagus.
"Sirius-he transformed! Pettigrew got away!" Harry called out.
"I got him!" Ruth lost a shoe as she ran, abandoning it without missing a step, and kicked her foot out of the other. She ran faster barefoot. She was wearing a loose blouse over a tee shirt, and as she ran, she ripped the blouse off. The rat scampered toward a bush. Before it reached it, Ruth flung herself forward, the blouse held before her like a net.
The scrabbling rat was caught beneath it. Ruth managed to grab it, and, although it bit her through the shirt, she tied it into a bundle. Pettigrew kicked his legs futilely. She raised the shirt to her mouth, and, although she was panting, spoke quite clearly. "If you change again, I will kill you with my bare hands and throw your body in the lake. You saw me run. You know I can do it." The rat grew still.
She carried the bundle back toward the others, but something odd was happening. She froze. A group of things in black hoods were drifting toward Harry and Hermione as they tried to pull Ron toward the castle. She stiffened.
"Run!" she screamed. "Harry-Run!"
Sirius came bounding back toward the two, bleeding from gashes on his back and muzzle. He transformed back into himself in mid step, whipped out his wand and bellowed "Expecto Patronum!" A tremendous silver dog emerged from the wand, and drove the black hooded things away. Sirius stared at the wand, as if shocked.
Harry rubbed the back of his hand at his head, and looked at Sirius, whose face was bleeding badly. "What did you think of?" he panted.
Sirius lowered the wand. "You, coming to live with Ruth and I," he said quietly, just out of Ruth's hearing. She bounded toward them, panting, and handed the bundled-up Rat to Harry.
"He's in there. I don't think he'll try to escape again," she said.
Snape had fallen to the ground, forgotten. They all turned, surprised, to hear him moan. He sat up, rubbed the trickle of drying blood on his forehead, and looked around as though trying to clear his head. When he saw Sirius, his eyes widened and he patted his robes, looking for his wand.
"Looking for this?" Sirius said, holding up the wand. "I'll give it back when we get to the castle."
"Keeping us hostage? You'll never succeed, Black," Snape snarled.
"Professor-" Hermione began.
"HOLD YOUR TONGUE, MISS GRANGER!" he bellowed. "It was your foolishness-you and Potter-that got us into this in the first place!"
"He's an innocent man," Ruth said. She pointed to the bundle in Harry's arms and said, "There's the proof. Peter Pettigrew. He's an animagus. A rat. And if you don't believe it, just come with us to the castle. You'll hear everything."
"Or I could knock you out again," said Sirius, pleasantly. He aimed the wand at Snape. "Either way. Although, I, of course, have my preferences..." Ruth elbowed him. Sirius muttered something along the lines of "greasy haired git" under his breath.
Snape stood up. For a long moment he regarded Sirius. Eventually, he nodded, although with a bit of a sneer. Ruth and Hermione lifted Ron, and they set off toward the castle.
As soon as Sirius stepped through the front doors, they began to scream. They shrieked, at full volume, the sound cutting across front campus like a knife.
"Flitwick's charm!" Hermione screamed over the noise.
"The whole castle will wake up in a minute!" Harry screamed. Everyone's hands were over their ears over the shrieking.
"Good!" Sirius bellowed. "Let them come!"
MacGonagoll was the first to round the corner, clad in the same tartan robe the trio had seen her in first year. She started, surprised to see Black entering the castle with Harry, Hermione, Ron, Professor Snape, and a strange woman in tow, but quickly aimed her wand and shouted "Stupefy!"
"NO!" shrieked Harry and Hermione at the same time. Ruth tried to dive in front of Sirius, but she was too late-he hit the ground with a thunk.
"Professor, he's innocent!" shouted Harry, as Flitwick rounded a corner. He silenced the doors with a swish and flick of his wand. "He's innocent," Harry reiterated into the sudden, thundering silence. "We have the proof." He held up the squirming bundle. Pettigrew was biting at the fabric of Ruth's shirt in an attempt to get away. Ruth was kneeling over Sirius, trying to use the hem of her skirt to stop one of the scratches on his face from bleeding.
MacGonagoll looked thunderstruck. She looked at Professor Snape. He glowered. "He confunded them, obviously. And the muggle too. Best to get them to the hospital wing, and Black to the Dementors right away."
"What's going on?" It was Dumbledore. He rounded the corner, and took in the scene with a quick glance. Cornelius Fudge stood by his side. "Black!" he said triumphantly.
Everyone began speaking at once. Dumbledore held up a silencing hand. He looked to Snape. "Severus?"
"I followed Lupin out through that old secret passage of his," Snape sneered, haughtily. "He's been helping his old friend to sneak into the castle. They've obviously confunded Potter and Granger here-"
"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry yelled. Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey had appeared in the doorway from the corridor.
"Professor, Sirius Black is innocent, we've got proof-" Hermione began in a rush. Harry held out the squiggling rat.
Snape opened his mouth, probably about to shout something along the lines of "Hold your tongue," but Dumbledore reached out to the bundle in Harry's hand. His twinkling eyes looked grim.
"Peter Pettigrew-he's an animagus," said Harry.
Dumbledore frowned. He swished his wand, and suddenly the rat was frozen mid-squiggle. He peeled off the now-torn shirt. The rat hung before him, immobile, his eyes glittering in fear. "Mr. Weasley's rat," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Dumbledore, you can't be serious!" Fudge muttered. "Let me fetch the dementors-we'll take care of him right now!"
But Professor Dumbledore ignored this suggestion. "Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, I'd appreciate it if you'd let the students know that everything is under control. Poppy. Please take these students to the hospital wing and see to their injuries." They didn't dare argue, not with the tone in his voice. "Severus-I know that you've been injured as well, but I need you to make up a batch of veritaserum, as quickly as possible please." Snape nodded gravely and stalked down a corridor. "Minerva, Minister, please accompany this lady, Mr. Black, and I to my office." Dumbledore's tone was intense.
Professor MacGonagoll muttered "Ennervate" and Sirius's eyes flicked open. Ruth patted his shoulders soothingly, stood, and helped him to his feet. She flicked her eyes toward Dumbledore and raised an eyebrow. He nodded.
Madame Pomfrey bustled the protesting Harry and Hermione toward the Hospital wing. When they had gone, Dumbledore gestured the rest of them down the hallway. Professor MacGonagoll brought up the rear of the group, with a look that seemed to say no matter what rat was in Professor Dumbledore's hand, she didn't trust Black.
When they reached Professor Dumbledore's office, he pointed Ruth and Sirius toward chairs with his wand. "Sit," he said, a command that they couldn't help but obey. He held the rat by the tail, and prodded it with his wand. In a flash of light, he became Peter again, just like in the Shrieking Shack. MacGonagoll gasped. Fudge whimpered "Great Scott!"
"Peter Pettigrew," said Dumbledore gravely. His brow furrowed.
"P-Professor Dumbledore!" squeaked Pettigrew.
"Sit," said Dumbledore. "And no one say a single word." They sat in a stony, frightened silence.
Eventually Snape entered, holding a beaker full of steaming liquid. Dumbledore pulled some cups from a shelf behind his desk, and a dose was administered to each.
They were questioned over and over. It lasted until morning.
Students were already moving into the Great Hall for breakfast, all curiously gossiping about the previous night's events, when Dumbledore sent MacGonagoll for Harry and Hermione.
The scene in Dumbledore's office was a strange one. Ruth and Sirius sat bleary eyed in their chairs. Dumbledore sat in his chair, flanked by Fudge and MacGonagoll, all with dark expressions on their faces. Pettigrew was nowhere to be seen.
"Harry, Hermione. We're planning to announce it in a few minutes, but we thought you deserved to know first. After a thorough interrogation, we," he spread his hands to include Fudge and MacGonagoll, "have unanimously agreed that Sirius Black is to be pardoned of all charges and immediately released from Azkaban. We've placed Peter Pettigrew under the charge of the dementors-he'll be taken to Azkaban as soon as arrangements are made to rat-proof his cell." The students both grinned widely. Hermione sighed with relief.
"I imagine you'll have a lot to talk about," Dumbledore went on, "so you may remain here until you are finished." He flicked his wand, and some breakfast appeared spread across his desk-toast with marmalade, goblets of milk, plates of scrambled egg and bacon. MacGonagoll and Fudge left the room, but Dumbledore remained behind his desk for a moment.
His eyes went to Sirius. It was a long moment before he spoke. "I have never been more pleased to have been so wrong, Sirius. Welcome back. And my best wishes for your new life."
Sirius's broad smile shone. "Thank you, Professor."
Also, forgive the rather lengthy repetition. I felt it was necessary to show the subtle differences in the way things played out. From this moment on, the changes get more and more extreme. This is a VERY long chapter, so if you haven't any spare time at the moment, perhaps you'd better try it later.)
Chapter 4.
Confrontation.
(June 6, 1994)
..."Ron-come on-back under the cloak-" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore-the Minister-they'll be coming back out in a minute-"
But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even ctch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws...
...Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll...
...All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground-but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken...
..."Harry," Hermione whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack..."
...Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.
On a magnificent four poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring, next to a young woman with long, loose brown hair. On the floor beside them, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.
Harry and Hermione stared at the strange woman.
"Who are yo-" Hermione started, but Ron interrupted.
"He's the dog... he's an Animagus... Run!"
Harry turned around. The man in the shadows shut the door behind them.
He didn't look at all like Harry expected. He was clean, and dressed in muggle clothes. His dark hair hung nearly to his chin, falling in front of his face. He was very thin, but not emaciated like he should be. His eyes, though, had a haunted look. His teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.
"Expelliarmus!" he said, pointing Ron's wand at them. Black caught their wands as they flew out of their hands.
"Do come in, Harry," said the woman on the bed. "And you too, young lady."
Black nodded toward the bed. There was no question-it was an order. They walked over and stood to the side of Ron.
"I thought you'd come and help your friend," Black said smoothly. "Your father would have done the same for me."
Harry lurched at Sirius, but hands caught him from either side. "No Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper. Ron, however, spoke to Black.
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely. He was pale from the effort of standing upright and swayed to the side.
The woman swung off the bed quickly, and grabbed Ron's arm. "No one is killing anyone. Come here and lie down before you damage your leg even further."
Sirius frowned. "Ruth-" he growled, viciously.
She raised a hand as she pulled Ron onto the bed and settled a pillow behind him. "NO, Sirius. We'll stick to the plan. No one dies tonight."
"Why so squeamish?" Harry muttered. "He never cared before."
"Harry-" Hermione interrupted. But Harry was furious.
"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" he shouted, launching himself at Sirius.
They were a tangle of arms and legs for a moment as Harry knocked Sirius off his feet. But the woman Ruth was too quick. She launched herself forward and pulled a fiercely kicking Harry off of Sirius. Hermione flew at Ruth, fists swinging, but she wasn't as weak as Sirius and just knocked the girl out of the way. She pushed Harry into Hermione, planting herself between them and Sirius. Hermione slunk to the floor.
"He would agree with you, Harry. But you don't the truth," she panted. "Any of you. You don't know the whole story."
"He sold them to Voldemort, that's all I need to know," Harry muttered. He was shaking. Sirius stared up at him from his vantage point on the floor.
Ruth shook her head. "That's not how it happened-" she began. She was cut off by a noise from downstairs-someone had entered the shack.
Hermione screamed for help. Ruth reached behind her and jerked Sirius to his feet and clear of the door just as it burst in a shower of red sparks. Black pushed her behind him. Lupin entered, his face pale, and his wand ready. His eyes flickered over Harry and Hermione, took in Ron on the bed. He paused at the woman, and then stared at Sirius.
There was a long, unsteady silence. Harry could feel Hermione trembling behind him.
Then, Lupin spoke. "Where is he Sirius?"
The two men regarded each other for a moment. Then, slowly, Sirius pointed to Ron. Harry looked to Ron, whose face was a picture of bewilderment.
"But then..." Lupin stared at Black so intently it seemed as if he were trying to read his mind. "...why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless-" Lupin's eyes widened "-unless he was the one... unless you switched without telling me?"
"Professor-" Harry began, "what's going on-" but never finished the question.
Lupin embraced Black like a brother. Ruth smiled fiercely.
Hermione was outraged. "I DON'T BELIEVE IT!"
Lupin tried to calm her, but Hermione was livid. "Harry-don't believe him! He's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too-he's a werewolf!"
Lupin sighed sadly. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. Not at all up to your usual standard Hermione," he began. Lupin calmed the children in a way that neither Ruth nor Sirius could have managed. He explained about being a werewolf. About how he'd seen them on the Marauder's Map. About how he'd seen Sirius pull two of them under the Whomping Willow.
"Do you think I could have a look at that Rat?" he finished.
Ron was indignant. "What's Scabbers got to do with anything?"
"Everything," Lupin said.
Ron pulled a furiously squiggling Scabbers out of his robes. The rat clawed and bit in an attempt to escape.
"So that's him," Ruth murmured.
"What's my rat got to do with-" Ron began, but Sirius interrupted.
"That's not a rat. That's a wizard. An Animagus, by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
"Peter Pettigrew's dead! He killed him twelve years ago!" Harry pointed at Black.
"I meant to, but little Peter got the best of me," Sirius growled.
"Perhaps you should start at the beginning," Ruth suggested.
Lupin nodded. "There are parts of it even I don't understand," he began, but he started the tale from the beginning. He explained about being a werewolf, and how his three best friends became Animagi to accompany him during his transformations. Slowly the children's faces shifted from shock, to confusion, to a sort of overwhelmed surprise. As Lupin explained about Sirius' trick on Professor Snape, however, they were all shocked.
Snape threw off the invisibility cloak, and confronted them. He refused to be dissuaded. He accused Lupin of helping Black into the castle, but his eyes flicked over to Ruth and he paused.
"Even getting muggles involved, I see. The Ministry will be most interested in this."
Hermione interrupted him. There was a shouting match between Snape and his students. Ruth tried to discreetly sneak Ron's wand over to Black, but she couldn't move quickly enough. She needn't have bothered. When Snape raised his wand to threaten Black, Harry jumped in front of him. Ruth gasped. All three children cast a spell at once, and Snape fell to the floor, a trickle of blood running from under his hair.
"You shouldn't have done that," Sirius murmured. "You should have left him to me..."
"Shut up, Sirius," Ruth murmured. "It was a job well done. But hurry up and finish explaining things before he wakes up. Start with Azkaban."
Sirius grumbled at Ruth, but began explaining. He described Azkaban, and how he kept himself from going mad. He showed them the picture of Scabbers on Ron's shoulder, and Lupin figured out that Peter had cut off his own finger to fake his death. Sirius explained what happened that night.
It was clear that no one would be convinced until they saw Pettigrew for themselves, however, so Lupin and Black turned on the rat. With a blinding flash of light from their wands, Scabbers became Pettigrew.
"Well, hello Peter," Lupin said pleasantly, "Long time, no see."
"S-Sirius... Remus... My Friends... my old friends," Pettigrew squeaked. Sirius's wand arm shot up, as though out of instinct, but Ruth caught it. She slipped her arm around his, locking him in place.
"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died," Lupin began, "You may have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed--"
"He's going to try and kill me again Remus!" Lupin wailed. "He killed Lilly and James and now he's going to kill me too-"
"No one is killing anyone, Pettigrew," hissed Ruth. "We just want some information."
"They're not to be trusted!" Peter said shrilly. "He's got dark powers that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him! And she's obviously a servant of the Dark Lord!"
Sirius and Ruth both growled back at Pettigrew at the same time. "What, Voldemort teach me tricks?" and "I was 11 years old! Servant of the dark lord indeed!"
Sirius laughed. "Why Peter, you haven't been hiding from ME-you've been hiding from the Death Eaters. Voldemort's lot aren't very happy with you, after your little gift. I heard some things in Azkaban. And not all of Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them."
Pettigrew sputtered.
"Why," Ruth interrupted, "Would an innocent man spend twelve years as a rat?" The question was posed as though it were something she was dying to know.
"I was scared! If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put their best man in jail! The spy, Sirius Black!"
"I, a spy for Voldemort?" Sirius growled. "Tell me, Peter. When did I ever run after bigger, stronger friends? I'll never understand why I didn't see it before."
"But if you didn't use Dark Magic," Hermione interrupted, "How did you escape from Azkaban? No one's ever done it before."
"There! Yes, thank you! That's what I want to know."
"Do shut up, Pettigrew," Ruth muttered, as Lupin glared at him.
Sirius shook his head. "I don't know how I did it. I think the only reason I never lost my mind is because I knew I was innocent. It wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't take it away from me... but it kept me sane... when it all became too much, I could transform into a dog..." He swallowed.
"But when I saw that picture of Peter... I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry... perfectly positioned to act. It was like a fire lit in my brain. I had to do something, I was the only one who knew he was alive. I slipped past the dementors as a dog. I was thin, very thin... Thin enough to slip through the bars... I swam as a dog back to the mainland. Ruth, this muggle," he pointed to Ruth, and she looked down at her feet, "rescued me, and took care of me. It was months before she found out who I am, but she trusted me, and agreed to help me. She nursed me back to health and sanity. We came here together, and together we've been trying to find Peter all year."
He looked at Harry. "Believe me. Believe me, I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."
There was a moment of silence, while everyone waited to see his response. Eventually, Harry nodded.
Peter sniveled and pled. He grabbed at Sirius's feet, and he kicked him away. "My shoes are clean-I don't need filth like you dirtying them up."
He grabbed at Ruth. "Please, Lady, you won't let them hurt me, will you? Have pity!"
She shrunk back. "Don't touch me. Don't you ever touch me. I know all about you," she said, her tone condemning.
"Remus!" he squeaked, turning, "You don't believe this... wouldn't Sirius have told you if they'd changed the plan?"
"Not if he thought I was the spy. I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually.
"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.
"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend. And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing it was you who was the spy?"
"Of course."
"If that's all established," Ruth said with a smile, "It's time to turn him over to Dumbledore."
Lupin's eyes widened. "For what he's done-" he began grimly.
"No." Ruth shook her head. "A quick death is poor justice. Send him to Azkaban, where he belongs."
Lupin regarded the muggle woman for a moment, then nodded his head. "I see. Sinister, in its way, but fair."
The children looked confused. Ruth smiled at them. "Don't you see? Being trapped inside his own mind... with his own cowardice and bad deeds... it's far worse than anything we can do to him. Because he did it to himself."
Ron scowled, but Hermione nodded. Eventually, Harry did too.
Pettigrew sputtered his thanks, but a quick kick from Sirius silenced him.
"Then it settled," said Lupin. He raised his wand to Pettigrew.
"No!" Harry shouted, raising a hand.
"I'm going to tie him up, Harry. That's all, I promise." Thin cords shot from his wand, and wrapped themselves around Pettigrew. He wriggled, bound and gagged on the floor.
"But if you transform, Peter, or try to escape-we will kill you," Sirius growled.
Lupin cast charms to splint Ron's leg. Ruth giggled as another spell lifted like a marionette.
"And two of us should be chained to this," Sirius growled, prodding Pettigrew with his toe, "just to make sure."
Ron and Remus volunteered, and manacles were conjured. Ruth snapped them around wrists. As she locked them down on Professor Lupin's wrist he smiled.
"I'm pleased to meet you, my dear," he said pleasantly. "After all this, perhaps we can get to know each other properly."
Ruth smiled. "I've heard so much about you already. I'm sure we'll be friends." She clamped the manacles on Peter and stepped back. The progression set out through the tunnel.
It was slow going. Besides being hampered by Snape and Pettigrew, the many anti-muggle charms on Hogwarts made it hard for Ruth to pass along. Twice, she was convinced that the tunnel ended in a sheer rock and Professor Lupin had to cast a charm to move her along, and once, she was suddenly overcome by a strong desire to run away, and only Harry grabbing her elbows and steering her forward got her through.
"Do you know what this means?" Sirius said to Harry as he navigated Ruth down the tunnel.
"You're free."
"Yes, But I'm also-I don't know if anyone told you-I'm your godfather."
"Yeah I knew that."
"Well... your parents appointed me guardian. If anything happened to them... I'll understand of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle... but... well... think about it. Once my name's cleared..."
"What, live with you? Leave the Dursleys?"
"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to. I just thought I'd-"
"Are you insane? Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"
Sirius turned around and peered at Harry around Ruth. "You want to? You mean it?" He was grinning widely.
"Yeah I mean it!"
Sirius laughed. "Actually-well, the truth is, Ruth and I... as soon as my name's cleared..." He cleared his throat, and nodded at her. "She's not normally as daft as this," he grinned, as Ruth quietly protested about needing to be at an appointment at that precise moment. "You'll like her... we're getting married."
Harry's grin widened. "Congratulations!"
"I'd like you to be best man, Harry. It would have been James, but..."
"Of course." Their tone was serious for this, but neither seemed to be able to shake their cheesy grins.
They left the tunnel, and started across the grounds. The anti-muggle charms seemed to wear off, and Ruth shook her head to clear it. "Sod that for a lark," she muttered under her breath and thanked Harry and Remus for helping her through the tunnel. The castle glinted ahead of them.
Then, a cloud shifted free of the moon. Remus suddenly stiffened. His limbs began to shake.
"Oh my-" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight!"
"Run," Sirius whispered. "Run. Now."
Harry darted forward, but Sirius flung him back where he collided with Ruth. "Leave it to me. RUN!"
As Lupin transformed with a sickening sound, Sirius transformed and bounded forward. They fought, snarling, on the front grounds. Peter, meanwhile, dove for Lupin's fallen wand. Hermione screamed. A bang burst from Pettigrew's wand, and in flash of light, Ron fell motionless to the ground.
Herry raised his own wand and shrieked "Expelliarmus!"
But Pettigrew transformed.
"NO!" shrieked Ruth, and took off after the bald tail scurrying through the grass.
"Be careful!" Hermione shrieked, as the woman and the rat ran dangerously close to the fighting werewolf and animagus.
"Sirius-he transformed! Pettigrew got away!" Harry called out.
"I got him!" Ruth lost a shoe as she ran, abandoning it without missing a step, and kicked her foot out of the other. She ran faster barefoot. She was wearing a loose blouse over a tee shirt, and as she ran, she ripped the blouse off. The rat scampered toward a bush. Before it reached it, Ruth flung herself forward, the blouse held before her like a net.
The scrabbling rat was caught beneath it. Ruth managed to grab it, and, although it bit her through the shirt, she tied it into a bundle. Pettigrew kicked his legs futilely. She raised the shirt to her mouth, and, although she was panting, spoke quite clearly. "If you change again, I will kill you with my bare hands and throw your body in the lake. You saw me run. You know I can do it." The rat grew still.
She carried the bundle back toward the others, but something odd was happening. She froze. A group of things in black hoods were drifting toward Harry and Hermione as they tried to pull Ron toward the castle. She stiffened.
"Run!" she screamed. "Harry-Run!"
Sirius came bounding back toward the two, bleeding from gashes on his back and muzzle. He transformed back into himself in mid step, whipped out his wand and bellowed "Expecto Patronum!" A tremendous silver dog emerged from the wand, and drove the black hooded things away. Sirius stared at the wand, as if shocked.
Harry rubbed the back of his hand at his head, and looked at Sirius, whose face was bleeding badly. "What did you think of?" he panted.
Sirius lowered the wand. "You, coming to live with Ruth and I," he said quietly, just out of Ruth's hearing. She bounded toward them, panting, and handed the bundled-up Rat to Harry.
"He's in there. I don't think he'll try to escape again," she said.
Snape had fallen to the ground, forgotten. They all turned, surprised, to hear him moan. He sat up, rubbed the trickle of drying blood on his forehead, and looked around as though trying to clear his head. When he saw Sirius, his eyes widened and he patted his robes, looking for his wand.
"Looking for this?" Sirius said, holding up the wand. "I'll give it back when we get to the castle."
"Keeping us hostage? You'll never succeed, Black," Snape snarled.
"Professor-" Hermione began.
"HOLD YOUR TONGUE, MISS GRANGER!" he bellowed. "It was your foolishness-you and Potter-that got us into this in the first place!"
"He's an innocent man," Ruth said. She pointed to the bundle in Harry's arms and said, "There's the proof. Peter Pettigrew. He's an animagus. A rat. And if you don't believe it, just come with us to the castle. You'll hear everything."
"Or I could knock you out again," said Sirius, pleasantly. He aimed the wand at Snape. "Either way. Although, I, of course, have my preferences..." Ruth elbowed him. Sirius muttered something along the lines of "greasy haired git" under his breath.
Snape stood up. For a long moment he regarded Sirius. Eventually, he nodded, although with a bit of a sneer. Ruth and Hermione lifted Ron, and they set off toward the castle.
As soon as Sirius stepped through the front doors, they began to scream. They shrieked, at full volume, the sound cutting across front campus like a knife.
"Flitwick's charm!" Hermione screamed over the noise.
"The whole castle will wake up in a minute!" Harry screamed. Everyone's hands were over their ears over the shrieking.
"Good!" Sirius bellowed. "Let them come!"
MacGonagoll was the first to round the corner, clad in the same tartan robe the trio had seen her in first year. She started, surprised to see Black entering the castle with Harry, Hermione, Ron, Professor Snape, and a strange woman in tow, but quickly aimed her wand and shouted "Stupefy!"
"NO!" shrieked Harry and Hermione at the same time. Ruth tried to dive in front of Sirius, but she was too late-he hit the ground with a thunk.
"Professor, he's innocent!" shouted Harry, as Flitwick rounded a corner. He silenced the doors with a swish and flick of his wand. "He's innocent," Harry reiterated into the sudden, thundering silence. "We have the proof." He held up the squirming bundle. Pettigrew was biting at the fabric of Ruth's shirt in an attempt to get away. Ruth was kneeling over Sirius, trying to use the hem of her skirt to stop one of the scratches on his face from bleeding.
MacGonagoll looked thunderstruck. She looked at Professor Snape. He glowered. "He confunded them, obviously. And the muggle too. Best to get them to the hospital wing, and Black to the Dementors right away."
"What's going on?" It was Dumbledore. He rounded the corner, and took in the scene with a quick glance. Cornelius Fudge stood by his side. "Black!" he said triumphantly.
Everyone began speaking at once. Dumbledore held up a silencing hand. He looked to Snape. "Severus?"
"I followed Lupin out through that old secret passage of his," Snape sneered, haughtily. "He's been helping his old friend to sneak into the castle. They've obviously confunded Potter and Granger here-"
"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry yelled. Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey had appeared in the doorway from the corridor.
"Professor, Sirius Black is innocent, we've got proof-" Hermione began in a rush. Harry held out the squiggling rat.
Snape opened his mouth, probably about to shout something along the lines of "Hold your tongue," but Dumbledore reached out to the bundle in Harry's hand. His twinkling eyes looked grim.
"Peter Pettigrew-he's an animagus," said Harry.
Dumbledore frowned. He swished his wand, and suddenly the rat was frozen mid-squiggle. He peeled off the now-torn shirt. The rat hung before him, immobile, his eyes glittering in fear. "Mr. Weasley's rat," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Dumbledore, you can't be serious!" Fudge muttered. "Let me fetch the dementors-we'll take care of him right now!"
But Professor Dumbledore ignored this suggestion. "Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, I'd appreciate it if you'd let the students know that everything is under control. Poppy. Please take these students to the hospital wing and see to their injuries." They didn't dare argue, not with the tone in his voice. "Severus-I know that you've been injured as well, but I need you to make up a batch of veritaserum, as quickly as possible please." Snape nodded gravely and stalked down a corridor. "Minerva, Minister, please accompany this lady, Mr. Black, and I to my office." Dumbledore's tone was intense.
Professor MacGonagoll muttered "Ennervate" and Sirius's eyes flicked open. Ruth patted his shoulders soothingly, stood, and helped him to his feet. She flicked her eyes toward Dumbledore and raised an eyebrow. He nodded.
Madame Pomfrey bustled the protesting Harry and Hermione toward the Hospital wing. When they had gone, Dumbledore gestured the rest of them down the hallway. Professor MacGonagoll brought up the rear of the group, with a look that seemed to say no matter what rat was in Professor Dumbledore's hand, she didn't trust Black.
When they reached Professor Dumbledore's office, he pointed Ruth and Sirius toward chairs with his wand. "Sit," he said, a command that they couldn't help but obey. He held the rat by the tail, and prodded it with his wand. In a flash of light, he became Peter again, just like in the Shrieking Shack. MacGonagoll gasped. Fudge whimpered "Great Scott!"
"Peter Pettigrew," said Dumbledore gravely. His brow furrowed.
"P-Professor Dumbledore!" squeaked Pettigrew.
"Sit," said Dumbledore. "And no one say a single word." They sat in a stony, frightened silence.
Eventually Snape entered, holding a beaker full of steaming liquid. Dumbledore pulled some cups from a shelf behind his desk, and a dose was administered to each.
They were questioned over and over. It lasted until morning.
Students were already moving into the Great Hall for breakfast, all curiously gossiping about the previous night's events, when Dumbledore sent MacGonagoll for Harry and Hermione.
The scene in Dumbledore's office was a strange one. Ruth and Sirius sat bleary eyed in their chairs. Dumbledore sat in his chair, flanked by Fudge and MacGonagoll, all with dark expressions on their faces. Pettigrew was nowhere to be seen.
"Harry, Hermione. We're planning to announce it in a few minutes, but we thought you deserved to know first. After a thorough interrogation, we," he spread his hands to include Fudge and MacGonagoll, "have unanimously agreed that Sirius Black is to be pardoned of all charges and immediately released from Azkaban. We've placed Peter Pettigrew under the charge of the dementors-he'll be taken to Azkaban as soon as arrangements are made to rat-proof his cell." The students both grinned widely. Hermione sighed with relief.
"I imagine you'll have a lot to talk about," Dumbledore went on, "so you may remain here until you are finished." He flicked his wand, and some breakfast appeared spread across his desk-toast with marmalade, goblets of milk, plates of scrambled egg and bacon. MacGonagoll and Fudge left the room, but Dumbledore remained behind his desk for a moment.
His eyes went to Sirius. It was a long moment before he spoke. "I have never been more pleased to have been so wrong, Sirius. Welcome back. And my best wishes for your new life."
Sirius's broad smile shone. "Thank you, Professor."