Lupin, James, Lily and the black dog made their way out onto the grounds. Sirius and Remus were trying to think up a way to prank Snape. After walking in silence, Lily spoke up.

"Where are you taking us?" she asked them.

"Somewhere where Sirius can become his human form, so that we can talk" Lupin told her. After a while, they found themselves outside the Whomping Willow.

"We're going to the Shrieking Shack?" James questioned, looking confused.

"We'll explain everything when we're in there" Lupin told him firmly.

= = = = = = = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

On entering the Shrieking Shack, James and Lily seated themselves on the four-poster bed. As soon as Lupin shut the door, Sirius transformed back into his human self.

"Ah, finally! I didn't think I'd walk on two legs again" Sirius said, sighing with relief. James laughed.

"So, what do you want to know?" questioned Lupin "We know you have questions that you want answered, so go ahead"

"Well . . ." James looked from Sirius to Remus "Why is Padfoot in his Animagus form? Why can't he just walk around like any other human being?"

Sirius let out a hollow laugh.

"Let's just say it's a long story" Sirius said.

"Well, we have plenty of time, why don't you tell us?" James enquired.

"Well . . . when you and Lils were killed, it was because Voldemort was after Harry, you asked me to be the Secret Keeper, but I refused and told you to have Wormtail, so right at the last minute, we switched" Sirius gulped and took a deep breath "I thought that Voldemort would come after me, but I was wrong, telling you to have Peter as the Secret Keeper was the biggest mistake of my life and you all paid for it"

Sirius shut his eyes and tried to calm himself down. "Peter was working for the Dark Side . . . he was working for Voldemort, so when I told him that he was Secret Keeper, he immediately went and told Voldemort, he told him the information he needed to know" Sirius by now was shaking, it looked as though he was trying his hardest not to cry. James and Lily looked at him sympathetically.

"Well, that night, Voldemort broke into your house, killed James and advanced on Harry, but Lils, you got in the way, you pleaded with Voldemort to kill you instead of him. So he did, but when he turned on Harry, somehow the curse rebounded and Voldemort disappeared for fourteen years" James and Lily looked at him in astonishment.

"When I arrived at Godrics' Hollow, the house had exploded, Hagrid was holding Harry, I asked him to give him to me because you'd made me godfather James" Sirius shook his head.

"He refused and said it was Dumbledore's orders that he had to be taken to his Aunt Petunia's" Lily gasped.

"Petunia's?! The poor boy! She absolutely hates magic!"

"And according to how Harry acted when I asked him if he wanted to come live with me, they treat him like dirt" James and Lily's faces were one of shock.

"So, when Harry was taken, I went to find Peter, but when I arrived at his, there was no sign of a struggle, I was worried, but the next day, I cornered him and he yelled out for everyone to hear how I'd betrayed the both of you, then he used some sort of spell which slaughtered thirteen muggles and he transformed into a rat and went into the sewers"

Lily and James looked absolutely horrified.

"But, what happened to you after that?" Lily asked, her voice shaky.

"I was sent to Azkaban without a trial"

"WHAT?!" Lily and James looked completely shocked and horrified.

"Yep, two years ago, I escaped by transforming into my Animagus form, I swam to Hogwarts, where I knew where Peter was because when he transformed into an Animagus, he purposely cut off his finger" James, who was at a loss for words, looked to Lupin.

"James, everything we're telling you is completely true" Lupin told him.

"So, in other words, Wormtail betrays us?!" James said.

Sirius nodded, then he snarled.

"Two years ago, Moony and I attempted to kill him, but Harry stopped us"

"Stopped you?! Is he mad?!" James gasped. Lupin shook his head.

"He had a very good reason to stop us, he said he didn't want his father's best friends to become murderers just for Wormtail"

"Unfortunately, that night, when we'd explained everything to Harry, Ron and Hermione, we were taking Pettigrew up to Hogwarts when I transformed and I didn't take my potion, therefore, I was a monster and Pettigrew got away"

"I'll never forget the look he gave me when he first saw me, it was one of absolute hatred," Sirius said, looking sad.

"He thought you were the murderer"

"I know, but still . . ."

"Your son is bloody amazing James! He can produce an excellent Patronus like you saw earlier today"

"Did you teach him that Remus?" Lily questioned Lupin nodded.

"Then you really are an excellent teacher! Not many fifth years can produce a Patronus!"

"He learned it in his third year actually, he saved my life by doing so" Sirius told him, looking wistful.

"Wow!"

"One question that I would like to know though" Lily said, looking curious.

"Sure what is it?" Lupin asked.

"When did I start going out with Mr. Bullying Toerag here?" she asked, nudging James. "Hey! I am not!" James said, looking annoyed. Sirius let out a bark-like laugh.

"You started going out with him in seventh year, he actually managed to deflate his head" Sirius said, looking amused.

"Harry is in some ways like Lils, he doesn't like to see anything bad happen to someone, but he knows how to fight back and he looks just like you James and heck, he breaks rules too, he's got a hold of your Invisibility cloak and the Marauders map" Lupin told him.

"Hey, what time is it?" Questioned James.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because I'm getting hungry!" James moaned.

"Actually, I am as well," Sirius admitted.

"You're always hungry Padfoot!" James and Lupin said at the same time then started laughing.

"It's seven thirty, Sirius, you'd better transform back into a dog" Sirius groaned.

"Hey, we'd better meet Harry now, we need to tell him the good news!" Lupin told his friend. Sirius' eyes lit up.

"Oh yeah! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" Sirius said, transforming into a dog and bounding off. Lupin chuckled. James sniggered.

"Hasn't changed much, has he?"

"Nope"

"Come on, let's go" and with that, they left the Shrieking Shack and made their way to the Great Hall.