Rabastan Lestrange hit the ground with an unnatural, hollow thump. Kingsley lowered his wand and Tonks put hers at the ready. There was a flash of red as she Stunned Dolohov. Pettigrew didn't even flinch as his fellows fell around him. He had fixed an insane glare on Lupin's approaching figure. Lupin halted about ten feet away from his old friend, his wand held loosely in his hand. Kingsley turned his wand on Pettigrew. "Don't," said Lupin, meeting Pettigrew's gaze evenly. Tonks and Kingsley exchanged worried glances but did not act. Moody was still sprawled across the grass, and now and then Dolohov would give a slight convulsive twitch. Harry watched the scene in horror and suddenly felt his legs carrying him toward Lupin and Pettigrew, his heart pounding. "We meet again, Moony," Pettigrew said tauntingly, "how the tables have turned." "Have they changed that much?" Lupin replied quietly. Pettigrew snorted. "Don't be stupid, Moony. Even you know that resistance to the Dark Lord is useless. You know you're failing." "Still afraid to speak the name, Wormtail? Still afraid to say Voldemort?" Lupin said. Pettigrew's lip curled. "You contaminate the name of Lord Voldemort with your filthy Mudblood tongue, Moony." Lupin did not even flinch, but took a full step closer to him. Pettigrew looked vaguely panicked. "Join us, Moony... The Marauders are all but dead. James and Sirius were too weak to grasp the power that is to be attained. They were worthless idiots... they died in vain, Moony! You don't have to die like they did... we could use someone like you... your kind." Harry felt blood rushing to his head as the names of his father and godfather were mentioned. He pulled his wand out, breathing raggedly under the invisibility cloak. The anger mounting inside him was rapidly becoming uncontrollable with every passing jeer from Pettigrew. "Liar," Lupin snapped back, "that's a lie and you know it. My kind doesn't associate with deceivers like Lord Voldemort." "There is only power, Moony," Wormtail whined, alarm and mania rising in his voice, "only power and those strong enough to seek it. James and Sirius were weak... Forget them." Harry was now close enough to see Pettigrew's pale, ratlike face. Something moved on the ground, and with a horrifying grin, Dolohov raised his wand. "Avada... kedavra!" There was a snap as Tonks haphazardly kicked Dolohov's arm in an effort to divert the curse's path to Lupin. Something still caught him and he spun lifeless to the ground. Kingsley lashed out with the same curse and Dolohov slumped back down into the weedy grass. At the sight of Lupin motionless on the ground, Harry threw down his Firebolt, tore off the invisibility cloak and pressed his wand to Pettigrew's throat, only his shock keeping him from cursing Pettigrew. "YOU!" bellowed Harry in an insuppressible rage, "YOU LET VOLDEMORT KILL MY PARENTS AND SIRIUS, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF INHUMAN SCUM! YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE... FOR KILLING EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER MEANT SOMETHING TO ME!" Pettigrew mumbled something. "YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, TRY AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF, YOU SACK OF DUNG! YOU'VE GONE AND KILLED EVERYONE WHO EVER CALLED YOU A FRIEND, YOU CRINGING FOOL!" Harry jabbed the wand even more into Pettigrew's neck. "Harry! Harry, I never... never got to explain, did I..." Pettigrew was beginning to panic; his watery eyes were darting for some way to escape. Tonks and Kingsley were looking fit to draw blood with their gazes. "SHUT... UP!" Harry screamed. Tears were running down his face but he felt no sadness, no sorrow for Peter Pettigrew. Images of his father, Sirius and Lupin spun in his mind and finally settled on the memory of Pettigrew begging for his life in the Shrieking Shack, Sirius and Lupin scowling down at their traitorous comrade and finally, his silver stag Patronus. "They were right," Harry whispered savagely. "What?" Pettigrew squeaked. "You don't deserve to live. Avada –" "No," said a weak voice just behind Harry, "No." Pettigrew gasped as Harry drove the wand against his windpipe. "Harry, don't," the voice persisted, and he finally recognized it as Lupin's. A rush of relief coursed through him. In the instant that Harry had let himself off guard, Pettigrew had an arm around Harry's neck pointing his wand at Harry's head; his other hand twisted Harry's arm behind his back. His scar was burning so badly that he was seeing red and hot floods of tears were obscuring his vision. "Let – GO!," Harry said through tightly gritted teeth. Pettigrew was glancing around; the Aurors were looking beyond murderous and even Lupin's tired stare was boring through him. With a crack, Pettigrew Disapparated and Harry fell to the ground. Tonks was visibly relieved and Lupin rushed forward to grab Harry as he swayed on his feet. He dimly watched Lupin's approach as his vision began to clear. Lupin put a shaking hand on Harry's arm. Harry immediately wrenched himself away. "Why didn't you let me kill him?" he demanded hotly, "And why didn't either of you kill him? You killed Dolohov and Lestrange! Why couldn't you have just done it and ended it all?" "Harry," Tonks said as gently as she could, "Nobody knows that Pettigrew's alive. They still think... they still think Sirius was responsible for your parents' death. We were hoping to get him alive." "ALIVE? What's the point of having a load of scum like him alive?" Harry shouted. "We wanted to clear Sirius' name, Harry," Kingsley said quietly. Harry's heart seemed to shudder in his chest. "CLEAR HIS NAME NOW? LOAD OF GOOD THAT DOES, NOW THAT HE'S DEAD!" Harry ran his hand through his hair roughly and ignored the pang of guilt that had plagued him all summer. Tonks, Lupin and Kingsley all exchanged meaningful glances. "We can't linger here," Kingsley said, "It would be too easy for the other Death Eaters to Apparate. You know what to do, Lupin. Tonks and I have to go back to the Ministry to get help for Mad-Eye and to turn in Dolohov and Lestrange's bodies. Damn shame that we had to kill them both; we could have gotten some information from them." Kingsley hoisted Dolohov's smaller body over one shoulder and grabbed Lestrange's forearm with his other hand. With a crack, he disappeared. Lupin helped Tonks shift Moody into a sitting position and with a physical strength Harry never would have guessed her having, she stood Moody's motionless form up. Lupin tucked Moody's invisibility cloak between her arm and Moody and she gave a solemn nod to him. "Get your cloak, Harry, and your broom," said Lupin. Harry turned to the silvery mass on the ground and picked up the Firebolt and cloak. They both mounted the broom and Lupin pulled the cloak over Harry before pulling it over himself. "You've got an ankle showing there, Remus," Tonks said quietly to him. He tugged the cloak over it and the two kicked off the ground. Harry sadly watched Tonks Disapparate as he and Lupin flew away.