Author's Note: Ah… Well, um… This should be interesting. I'm still trying to figure out what happened to this story. It changed drastically… I'm just not sure where or why exactly it happened.

Title: Role Reversal

Rating: PG

Spoilers: There aren't too many spoilers in chapters 1-12. The whole story has some spoilers, but how else do you write a fanfic? The chapter with major spoilers is "Old Friends".

Summary: James and Lily make a bet. Lily has to pull a bunch of pranks and James can't do any.

Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own Harry Potter or its characters. If you're reading this, you should already know whom it belongs to anyway.

Setting: This story is set in MWPP years. If you don't know what that means, you probably shouldn't be reading this fanfic.

!!! = setting change

= begin flashback

= end flashback

[…] = time

italics = emphasis

italics = thoughts

bold = death-speak

-Old Friends-

[After the reception]

"Whew! I'm tired," Veronica said to Sarah. They were sitting in the empty room where the reception had been held. She looked at her friend. "So did you enjoy the party?"

"It was okay."

"Ah."

Sarah pondered whether or not to tell her friend about Remus. "Really, Veronica. The wedding was great. I just… The reception brought back some memories, and…"

"I see."

The blonde took a deep breath. "Remus was here, you know," she said, looking at her friend's face to gauge her reaction.

"He was?"

Sarah nodded.

"What… Why didn't I see him?"

"He didn't want you to know he was there. At least not until he was gone."

"Oh." Veronica felt a little better knowing that she had Remus's sort-of blessing. "I really wish Lily and James could have been here. Then the wedding would have been really perfect."

"Mm."

"Do you think… Do you think they're… watching over us or something?"

"Maybe."

"It would make me feel a lot better to know that they're still kind of… with us. You know?"

"Yeah."

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

James?

What?

How long have we been dead?

I'd say about three and a half years.

Oh. Do you think our friends still think about us?

Take a look for yourself.

Lily looked down, toward Earth. They really miss us. I wish… I wish there were some way to tell them that Sirius is innocent. Peter framed him.

I can't believe that rat. He killed us. And for what? A wizard who doesn't even have any power anymore.

Because of Harry. Do you think he remembers us? He was only a year old when we died.

Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn't. I don't know.

Being dead is strange. There's no sense of time.

At least we died together.

Mm. I wish Remus and Veronica had found some way to get back together. They were so good together.

Poor Moony. He gave up a life of happiness for her.

And what about Sarah? She's having the hardest time with this. I mean, she was supposed to be married three years ago, but Sirius is in prison. And he's certainly not having a good time.

Who would have thought that one fat rat could cause so much pain?

I hope something happens to him. I hope he feels all the pain he caused our real friends.

!!!

[Harry's 3rd year] (AN: Didn't think I'd ever get here, but tada! Here I am!)

Sirius came out of the water and turned back to his human form. I made it. I can't believe I made it. He unlocked his memories, and for the first time in twelve years, thought about a certain blonde woman he was supposed to be married to.

Sarah. What if she thinks I'm guilty? No, she wouldn't.

You can't know for sure, he told himself.

What if she's forgotten about me? She's probably gone off and married some other man.

The first thing I have to take care of is Peter. He looked at the photograph of the Weasleys in Egypt. He focused on the fat, gray rat in the picture. He's at Hogwarts. He must die. I can't let him hurt Harry. Harry, my godson.

I can't see Sarah, he realized. I can't take the chance of her turning me in. At least not until Peter's taken care of.

!!!

Sarah glanced at the headline of the Daily Prophet and dropped the stack of plates she was holding. Luckily, she was wearing shoes at the time, so she didn't cut her feet on the broken pieces. He's escaped. Sirius is out of prison.

She waved her wand to repair the dishes, then read the rest of the article. "Sirius isn't mad. He isn't dangerous to anyone. How could they say this?" Because they don't know the real him. She couldn't help feeling happy that Sirius had escaped. Will he try to see me? God, I'm thirty-three years old, I don't have a husband, and the man I was supposed to marry is an escaped convict. Will this nightmare never end?

!!!

"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that—that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

Screamed? Remus thought. What if—? No, he couldn't have remembered their deaths. He was only a year old when Lily and James died.

Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale.

"But I heard screaming—"

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" he asked Lupin.

"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban." Azkaban. Where Sirius has been for twelve years… How did he get out?

!!!

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know…."

Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry?" He looks so much like James did in his first year. Except for the eyes, of course. Those are most definitely Lily's eyes.

!!!

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage. That boy. He looks so familiar. Ah. He must be… Lucius Malfoy's son. Of course. The endless cycle of Malfoy versus Potter…

!!!

"Harry?"

Harry doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice.

"Ah," said Lupin. He considered Harry for a moment. Knowing the Dursleys, they wouldn't have signed his permission form. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

Remus is so great. He's being so kind to our son, Lily said to James.

I always knew he was a great friend.

Where is Sirius now?

I'm not sure. What do you think he'll do now, since he's escaped?

He might see Harry. He hasn't seen his godson in twelve years.

Has it really been that long?

Yes.

Peter. Sirius will go after Peter.

Of course. The man who framed him. He's going to commit the murder he was imprisoned for.

He's going to become a murderer because of us.

Oh, for Merlin's sake! Feeling guilty when you're dead? This is just ridiculous.

!!!

"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid—but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?" That Professor Trelawney and her Grim. The Grim always reminded me of Sirius. The dog.

"No," said Harry.

He thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog he'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. He didn't want Lupin to think he was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think he couldn't cope with a boggart.

Something of Harry's thoughts seemed to have shown on his face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Harry?" He even looks like James when he thinks.

"No," Harry lied. He drank a bit of tea and watched the grindylow brandishing a fist at him. "Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the boggart?"

"Yes," said Lupin slowly.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.

Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.

"Why?" he said again.

"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Harry stared. Not only was this the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from himself) was Professor Dumbledore.

Why does he look so surprised? "Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I—I remembered those dementors."

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. His greatest fear isn't Voldemort. The person who killed his parents. He's a very brave young man. "Well, well… I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is—fear. Very wise, Harry."

Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he drank some more tea.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly. Lily and James's son? Of course he's capable of fighting a boggart.

!!!

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering. Every time I take this blasted potion, I remember how I lost Veronica.

!!!

"We don't know anything about werewolves—"

"—two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly. He's trying to get them to figure out my secret. He's trying to ruin me.

The babble broke out again.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind—"

"—he wouldn't listen—"

"—two rolls of parchment!"

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.

"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

"Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"

That girl is very bright. I think she needs to loosen up a bit, though. Reminds me of Lily.

!!!

"Wait a moment, Harry," Lupin called. "I'd like a word."

Harry doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the hinkypunk's box with a cloth.

"I heard about the match," said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"

"No," said Harry. "The tree smashed it to bits."

Lupin sighed. It's because of me. That tree was planted because of me.

"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."

"Did you hear about the dementors too?" said Harry with difficulty.

Lupin looked at him quickly.

"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time… furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds…. I suppose they were the reason you fell?"

"Yes," said Harry. He hesitated, and then the question he had to ask burst from him before he could stop himself. "Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just—?"

"It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read Harry's mind."The dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have." Those horrors are in my past as well.

A ray of wintery sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's gray hairs and the lines on his young face.

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself… soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."

"When they get near me—" Harry stared at Lupin's desk, his throat tight. "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."

Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to grip Harry's shoulder, but thought better of it. He can hear Lily being killed? There was a moment's silence, then—

"Why'd they have to come to the match?" said Harry bitterly.

"They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up…. I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement… emotions running high… it was their idea of a feast."

"Azkaban must be terrible," Harry muttered. Lupin nodded grimly.

"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."

"But Sirius Black escaped from them," Harry said slowly. "He got away…."

Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it.

He doesn't know. He doesn't know that Sirius is his… "Yes," he said, straightening up, "Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible…. Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long…." And twelve years is definitely long.

"You made that dementor on the train back off," said Harry suddenly.

"There are—certain defenses one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."

"What defenses?" said Harry at once. "Can you teach me?"

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors, Harry… quite the contrary…."

"But if the dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them—"

Lupin looked into Harry's determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well… all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill." I owe James the safety of his son, at least.

!!!

"What does a Patronus look like?" said Harry curiously.

"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."

"And how do you conjure it?"

"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory." I always remember the day Veronica told me she loved me.

!!!

Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled.

A dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over him—

"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto—"

But the classroom and the dementor were dissolving…. Harry was falling again through thick white fog, and his mother's voice was louder than ever, echoing inside his head— "Not Harry! Not Harry! Please— I'll do anything—"

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

"Harry!"

Harry jerked back to life. He was lying flat on his back on the floor. The classroom lamps were alight again. He didn't have to ask what had happened.

"Sorry," he muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down behind his glasses.

"Are you all right?" said Lupin.

"Yes…" Harry pulled himself up on one of the desks and leaned against it.

"Here—" Lupin handed him a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had." He's very powerful, this boy. I guess I should have expected that. After all, he's a Potter, isn't he?

"It's getting worse," Harry muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time—and him—Voldemort—"

Lupin looked paler than usual. How horrible it must be to hear that.

"Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand—"

"I do!" said Harry fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. "I've got to! What if the dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"

Harry's very determined. Stubborn, just like his parents. "All right then…," said Lupin, "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on…. That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough…."

!!!

"Harry! Harry… wake up…."

Lupin was tapping Harry hard on the face. This time it was a minute before Harry understood why he was lying on a dusty classroom floor.

"I heard my dad," Harry mumbled. "That's the first time I've ever heard him—he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it…."

Harry suddenly realized that there were tears on his face mingling with the sweat. He bent his face as low as possible, wiping them off on his robes, pretending to do up his shoelace, so that Lupin wouldn't see.

"You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice. I haven't heard James's voice for twelve years…

"Yeah…" Face dry, Harry looked up. "Why—you didn't know my dad, did you?"

"I—I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. Of course I knew him. He was one of my best friends. "We were friends at Hogwarts. Listen, Harry—perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced…. I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this…." What if he can't handle this? To hear his parents die so many times…

!!!

There was a loud crack, and Harry's cloudy Patronus vanished along with the dementor; he sank into a chair, feeling as exhausted as if he'd just run a mile, and felt his legs shaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Professor Lupin forcing the boggart back into the packing case with his wand; it had turned into a silvery orb again.

"Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where Harry sat. It really was excellent for a kid his age. "Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!"

"Can we have another go? Just one more go?"

"Not now," said Lupin firmly. I don't want the poor boy to die from exhaustion. "You've had enough for one night. Here—"

He handed Harry a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate.

"Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. Same time next week?"

"Okay," said Harry. He took a bite of the chocolate and watched Lupin extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the dementor. A thought had just occurred to him.

"Professor Lupin?" he said. "If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well."

Lupin turned very quickly.

"What gives you that idea?" he said sharply.

"Nothing—I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…."

Lupin's face relaxed. Sirius Black. My other best friend. Supposedly. The man who killed my friends was certainly not my best friend.

"Yes, I knew him," he said shortly. "Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, Harry, it's getting late."

!!!

Sirius is still loose, Veronica thought. She looked at her three-year-old daughter Lily (named after Lily Potter, naturally). The little girl had dark hair like her mother's, but brown eyes like her father's. Wonder how Sarah's doing.

She went into the other room to check on her five-year-old son, Remus. He was named after a certain werewolf, of course. Remus Anderson's hair was a light brown color. He had his mother's sparkling blue eyes. Strange how he acts like Remus. He's never even met Remus Lupin. I guess my memories of him kind of rubbed off on him, she thought. She smiled. I wonder how life's treating Remus. I hope he's all right.

!!!

Sirius has been out of prison for a few months now, Sarah thought. He hasn't come to see me. Or if he did, I didn't know about it.

She laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Even if Sirius is a murderer, at least Harry should be safe. Dumbledore and Remus are there to protect him. I know he isn't, though. Deep down in my heart, I know he's innocent.

!!!

Sirius was in dog form with Crookshanks purring next to him. This cat is really smart.

I hope Harry likes his new broomstick. James certainly would have. He looked up at the night sky. I will avenge your deaths, my friends. I will make Wormtail pay.

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

What?

He's really going to kill Peter.

Well, this stinks. We feel guilty, and we're dead. Dead people aren't supposed to feel anything.

James.

You see? You're annoyed with me. Dead people aren't supposed to be annoyed.

!!!

"You're expecting too much of yourself," said Professor Lupin sternly in their fourth week of practice. "For a thirteen-year-old wizard, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement. You aren't passing out anymore, are you?"

"I thought a Patronus would—charge the dementors down or something," said Harry dispiritedly. "Make them disappear—"

"The true Patronus does do that," said Lupin. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, you will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground."

"You said it's harder if there are loads of them," said Harry.

"I have complete confidence in you," said Lupin, smiling. Harry's a very nice boy. More polite than James was when we were young… "Here—you've earned a drink—something from the Three Broomsticks. You won't have tried it before—"

He pulled two bottles out of his briefcase.

"Butterbeer!" said Harry, without thinking. "Yeah, I like that stuff!"

Lupin raised an eyebrow.

"Oh—Ron and Hermione brought me some back from Hogsmeade," Harry lied quickly.

"I see," said Lupin, though he still looked slightly suspicious. If he's sneaking off to Hogsmeade, he's putting himself in danger. "Well—let's drink to a Gryffindor victory against Ravenclaw! Not that I'm supposed to take sides, as a teacher…," he added hastily.

!!!

"They call it the Dementor's Kiss," said Lupin, with a slightly twisted smile. "It's what dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there, because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and—and suck out his soul."

Harry accidentally spat out a bit of butterbeer.

"What—they kill—?"

"Oh no," said Lupin. "Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no… anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just—exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever… lost."

Lupin drank a little more butterbeer, then said, "It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. It was in the Daily Prophet this morning. The Ministry have given the dementors permission to perform it if they find him."

Harry sat stunned for a moment at the idea of someone having their soul sucked out through their mouth. But then he thought of Black.

"He deserves it," he said suddenly.

"You think so?" said Lupin lightly. "Do you really think anyone deserves that?" Sirius doesn't deserve that. He was a good man before Lily and James's deaths. The man who killed them wasn't the real Sirius Black.

"Yes," said Harry defiantly. "For… for some things…"

!!!

Harry turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased.

"The dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"

"That would be because they—er—weren't dementors," said Professor Lupin. "Come and see—"

He led Harry out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the field.

"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin. That silly boy. It was something his father would have done. Except Lucius was a lot smoother than that.

!!!

Damn. Why'd that Weasley boy have to wake up? And where was Peter?

Sirius had come back from Gryffindor Tower. His mission had gone horribly wrong. Ron had woken up screaming when he saw Sirius standing above him with a knife.

I just want to get rid of Peter. That's all I want—to avenge Lily and James's deaths.

!!!

"Lupin!" Snape called into the fire. "I want a word!"

Utterly bewildered, Harry stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes.

"You called, Severus?" said Lupin mildly.

"I certainly did," said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. "I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this."

Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face. The Marauder's Map. We had so many adventures back then. That map came in handy many a time.

!!!

Harry didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. He, Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin.

"Professor, I—"

"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry." I can't take the chance that Sirius will find it and use it to kill Harry.

Harry had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest.

"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?"

"Because…," Lupin hesitated, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining." And we would have.

"Do you know them?" said Harry, impressed.

"We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before.

"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them—gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

James, I wish there were some way to tell them. To tell them the truth of what happened that night.

Harry thinks Sirius betrayed us. My best friend. The best friend I ever had.

I guess we just have to watch and wait. To see how things turn out. Hope they turn out for the best.

!!!

Something's going to happen tonight. Something important. I just know it is, thought Sarah. Something about Sirius. God, I miss him.

She stared out the window at the motorcycle that had belonged to her fiancé so many years ago.

!!!

"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 catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws…. Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow—an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

Peter will die tonight, Sirius thought grimly, rushing forward.

!!!

Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. I haven't spoken in so long. No one to talk to. It hurts. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…."

The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had bellowed it. A boiling hate erupted in Harry's chest, leaving no place for fear. For the first time in his life, he wanted his wand back in his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack… to kill. Without knowing what he was doing, he started forward, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him and two pairs of hands grabbed him and held him back…. "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, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.

Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes. Peter's the only one I want to kill.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened. Peter, you rat, I've finally got you, after all these years.

"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew…. What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward—

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

No, Harry! He didn't! He didn't kill us!

Lily, he can't hear you!

I have to try!

No one's heard you for twelve and a half years. What makes you think someone will hear you now?

Nothing. I just…

I know. I know.

!!!

Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry's face by inches; Harry felt the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every part of Black it could find.

But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat—

"No," he hissed, "I've waited too long—" I've waited much too long to be stopped now. I have to get to Peter. He must die tonight.

The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew.

!!!

Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all that I've done to you. It's all my fault.

Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding.

"You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady.

Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes.

"I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story." I told them to change to Peter. I as well as killed them.

"The whole story?" Harry repeated, a furious pounding in his ears. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't…. You don't understand…."

"I understand a lot better than you think," said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that… you did it…."

Lily. Dying. No, Harry, I didn't hear it. And I did do it.

!!!

Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor—someone was moving downstairs.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE—SIRIUS BLACK—QUICK!"

!!!

"Where is he, Sirius?" Where's Peter?

Harry looked quickly at Lupin. He didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? He turned to look at Black again.

Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.

"But then…," Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless"— Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "—unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded.

This explains everything, Remus thought. The reason for everything that's happened.

"Professor," Harry interrupted loudly, "what's going on—?"

But he never finished the question, because what he saw made his voice die in his throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixedly at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother. I knew somehow. I knew he was innocent.

!!!

Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.

"I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"

When will these kids learn not to jump to conclusions? "You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now—Let me explain…."

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too—he's a werewolf!"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…." An odd shiver passed over his face. How does everyone keep figuring out that I'm a werewolf? Snape knew, Lily knew, Sarah knew, Veronica knew… Veronica… I miss her. How long has it been? "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped,

"Get away from me, werewolf!"

Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…."

"He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. Snape's had it in for me for years. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant…. Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

Lupin forced a laugh. I always knew there was something about that girl… She's smart. Very, very smart.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know," said Lupin. "At least, the staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron gasped. "Is he mad?"

"Some of the staff thought so," said Lupin. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy—"

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.

I'm still hurting the people I care about, Sirius thought.

"I have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look—"

!!!

"The map," said Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it—"

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.

"Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony—that was my friends' nickname for me at school." No one's called me Moony in years.

"You wrote—?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"

He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet. Reckless yet kind, just like his father.

"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry—"

"How d'you know about the cloak?"

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…," said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. And the number of times I disappeared under it with him. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else." Peter.

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?" Everyone thought he was dead.

!!!

"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly. I'd recognize Peter anywhere.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?"

!!!

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly. Wormtail.

"What d'you mean—of course he's a rat—"

"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew." That rat caused me to lose everything.

!!!

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that—they need to understand—we've got to explain—"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. He killed my best friend. He must pay. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape. I will not be denied my revenge!

"They've—got—a—right—to—know—everything!" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Harry—you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

"All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…." Only for you, James. I'm doing this for you. For your son—my godson.

!!!

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. When will these children learn? Things aren't always as they seem. "I believed it myself—until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's Map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Black and Lupin were both out of their minds. Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Black after all—but why was Lupin playing along with him?

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as thought trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.

"But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows.

"Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework—the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list—"

Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh. These three have broken the rules so many times themselves, how can they not believe that we did too?

"Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer." Vengeance shall be mine.

"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, "I only know how it began…"

Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing.

"No one there…" Why does this seem so suspicious?

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

"It's not," said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted…. The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."

He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment, then said, "That's where all of this starts—with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…." It's my fault. Everything that's happened has been because of me.

He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione said, "Shh!" She was watching Lupin very intently.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform…. I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again. If only it had been available when I was with Veronica.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…." Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. Great man, Dumbledore. I can't believe I betrayed his trust. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house" —Lupin looked miserably around the room, —"the tunnel that leads to it—they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

Harry couldn't see where this story was going, but he was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Lupin's voice was Scabbers's frightened squeaking.

"My transformations in those days were—were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor…. Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it….

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Harry—James Potter.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her…. I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth….

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi." What happened to those great friends? They've all changed.

!!!

"Hurry up, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face. As much as I'd like to travel down Memory Lane myself, I don't have time for this.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did…. And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."

"What sort of animal—?" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off.

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily. I didn't realize how dangerous I was until later. That's why I gave up the most important person in my life. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless—carried away with our own cleverness.

"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…"

Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me.He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," said Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me—"

Black made a derisive noise. That snake. James should have just let him get to Moony.

"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…."

"Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we—er—didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be—er—amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it—if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf—but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…."

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin.

Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.

!!!

Veronica woke up suddenly. She had fallen asleep from exhaustion after chasing her kids around the house.

What? Something… I was dreaming. Remus. And Sirius. What? She tried to organize her thoughts. Something's happening. Something important. What is it? Something to do with Harry. How could I know this? What's going on?

!!!

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep his wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I think you…."

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. Once glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along with passageway and out of sight."

"Severus—" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him. No. This can't be happening. He's going to ruin it all. Everyone keeps jumping to conclusions.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout—"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything—I can explain—Sirius is not here to kill Harry—" It's Peter he's after. Why won't anyone believe what we're trying to say?

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this…. He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a tame werewolf—"

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes. The idiot. I always knew he was going to make things difficult for us.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.

!!!

"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you…."

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" —he jerked his head at Ron—"I'll come quietly…." I only want to do what I came here to do. Get rid of Peter.

"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay…."

What little color there was in Black's face left it. No… He can't do this to me. Not after all this time.

"You—you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat—look at the rat—"

But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that Harry had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.

"Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too—"

He doesn't know what he's doing, Remus thought. He's never bothered to listen to anyone once he makes up his mind.

Before he knew what he was doing, Harry had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door.

"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already," snarled Snape. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin—"

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

That idiot!

James.

He is an idiot! Look what he's doing! He's not letting them explain! He's always hated us. Now I suppose he thinks he's doing the right thing.

Let's just hope everything works out? Harry's a good boy. And you know Sirius and Remus. They can take care of themselves.

!!!

Harry made up his mind in a split second. Before Snape could take even one step toward him, he had raised his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" he yelled—except that his wasn't the only voice that shouted. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out.

Harry looked around. Both Ron and Hermione had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment. Snape's wand soared in a high arc and landed on the bed next to Crookshanks.

"You shouldn't have done that," said Black, looking at Harry. "You should have left him to me…." His father would have done the same, though. How very similar he is to James.

Harry avoided Black's eyes. He wasn't sure, even now, that he'd done the right thing.

"We attacked a teacher…. We attacked a teacher…," Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble—"

Lupin was struggling against his bonds. Black bent down quickly and untied him. Lupin straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them. Sirius, my old friend. Sarah will most definitely be pleased to know that you are innocent.

!!!

Black put one of his clawlike hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others.

It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"How did you get this?" Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck.

"Fudge," said Black. Lucky Fudge didn't suspect anything. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page… on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry was…." My godson was in danger. What else was I supposed to do? I had to come here, to destroy the person who had killed his father.

"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…"

"What about it?" said Ron defiantly.

"He's got a toe missing," said Black.

"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself?" Who would have thought Peter was capable of making such an ingenious plan?

"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself—and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…."

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Lupin. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger." It all makes sense now.

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right—"

"Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We—we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" said Lupin. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…."

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.

But that wasn't right, Harry thought suddenly…. Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks… ever since Ron's return from Egypt… since the time when Black had escaped….

"This cat isn't mad," said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. This cat has been as good a friend to me as the Marauders were. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me…. Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…."

!!!

"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it…." croaked Black. "This cat—Crookshanks, did you call him? —told me Peter had left blood on the sheets…. I supposed he bit himself…. Well, faking his own death had worked once…."

These words jolted Harry to his senses.

"And why did he fake his death?" he said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No," said Lupin, "Harry—" Sirius would never have killed Lily and James. Not after all they'd been through together.

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers. Just not for the reason you think, Harry.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.

"Harry," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down—but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father—Sirius tracked Peter down—" You helped me, old friend, and now it's my turn to help you.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

He was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly overbright. Lily and James. I've mourned their loss for the past twelve years.

"Harry… I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me…. I'm to blame, I know it…. The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies… I realized what Peter must've done… what I'd done…."

Sirius looked at the remains of the house and realized what had happened. Oh God. Lily and James. Dead. Sirius turned white and started shaking. I did it. I killed them. I told them to switch to Peter, and he betrayed them. Harry. He doesn't have parents anymore. And he's only a year old. "Give Harry to me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him."

"I can't let you have him. Dumbledore told me Harry's ter go ter his aunt and uncle's."

"But they didn't have anything to do with Lily and James! They won't care for him!"

"I have me orders."

Sirius sighed. "All right. Take my motorcycle. I won't need it anymore."

Hagrid left.

"Peter," Sirius growled.

His voice broke. He turned away.

"Enough of this," said Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice Harry had never heard before. We have to prove it to them. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat."

!!!

"Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin.

Black had already retrieved Snape's wand from the bed. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face. Finally, after all these years.

"Together?" he said quietly.

"I think so," said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One—two—THREE!"

!!!

"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see."

"S—Sirius… R—Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"

Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning look, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual. We'll get a confession out of him.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed—"

"Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and Harry could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…."

"So we've heard," said Lupin, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so—"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black, and Harry saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too…. You've got to help me, Remus…."

!!!

Sarah Apparated into the Andersons' house.

"Veronica, are you here?"

The dark-haired woman walked into the kitchen. "Shh. I just got Lily to sleep. Sarah, what are you doing here?"

"Do you get the feeling that something's happening tonight? Right now? Something significant. Really important."

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do."

"Something just doesn't seem right. Someone's involved who shouldn't be."

"Who could that possibly be?"

"I don't know. But the rest of it. Whatever's happening involves Sirius and Remus."

"Yeah. But where are they?"

"They'd probably be at Hogwarts. Remus is teaching there."

"He didn't tell me that."

"You didn't ask."

Veronica sighed. "Well, then, what should we do?"

"I don't know. We can't Apparate there, and what if whatever's happening is really dangerous? Or what if it's nothing at all?"

"You said Sirius may be involved. What if he is a murderer? We can't risk it. Remus can take care of himself. I know he can. I can't go anyway. My kids… they need me. I can't just…"

He's not a murderer. I know he isn't. He can't be. But I guess Veronica has a point. I can't just drag her into something where she might be killed. She has children to take care of, and a family to manage. "All right. We won't do anything. We'll just wait to hear from Remus." Sarah looked around. "As long as I'm here, can I see the kids?"

"Sure."

!!!

Black's face looked more skull-like than ever as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes.

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Lupin. Sirius's name will be cleared.

"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

!!!

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Black. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter…. They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them…. I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways…. If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter—" He betrayed the Potters. A fat lot of good that did him. Serves him right for killing Lily and James. They were the best people in the world.

"Don't know… what you're talking about…," said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin. "You don't believe this—this madness, Remus—"

He knows we've got him. There's no way he can deny any of this now. "I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Lupin evenly. The traitor.

"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban—the spy, Sirius Black!"

Black's face contorted. Me, the spy? Ludicrous.

"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear-sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter—I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…."

Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath.

"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a—"

The Fidelius Charm was about to be performed. Sirius was standing, looking very thoughtful.

"Wait!" he said as James raised his wand.

"What? What is it?"

"Look, Voldemort's bound to come after me. What if he gets the secret out of me? You have to switch to someone else. Someone he will never suspect."

"Who?" Lily asked.

"Hmm… How about… Peter?" Sirius said.

"Well, I'd have to agree that he isn't likely to be suspected."

"So we're going with Peter then?" James asked.

"Yes."

"All right." James wrote a short message on a piece of parchment. "We'll owl him."

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff…. Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you…. It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; Harry caught words like "far-fetched" and "lunacy," but he couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen color of Pettigrew's face and the way his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and door.

!!!

"Er—Mr. Black—Sirius?" said Hermione.

Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.

"If you don't mind me asking, how—how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I—"

But Lupin silenced him with a look. Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.

I didn't think about Sarah, that's what I did. "I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…." He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions…. They could tell that my feelings were less—less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand….

"But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…."

Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotized.

"…ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors….

"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…."

Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had told Mrs. Weasley. "The guards say he's been talking in his sleep… always the same words… 'He's at Hogwarts.'"

"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it…. It wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog…. It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused…. I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars…. I swam as a dog back to the mainland…. I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry…." James was one of the best flyers I've ever seen.

He looked at Harry, who did not look away.

"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them." Prongs was the best friend I ever had.

And at long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.

"No!"

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, groveling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.

"Sirius—it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't…"

Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black. I always knew there was a reason why he became a rat, of all things.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this… wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.

"Forgive me, Remus," said Black. I had to careful. I had to make sure they were safe.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course," said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeve. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

Well, I didn't want them to become killers.

I don't think I can watch this, Lily said.

You're dead. What are you going to do, Lily, throw up?

I'd slap you right now if I could.

!!!

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Harry.

"Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…."

He's the reason Harry doesn't have any parents. "HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Black. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed…. James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…."

Both Black and Lupin strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who was shaking too. He betrayed them. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine…. I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen…. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me—"

No, it's not true. He's just trying to save himself. "DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He—he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh—what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

That's no excuse for what he did! "What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.

"You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter." It's time.

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.

"NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."

Black and Lupin both looked staggered. Why not?

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors…. He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You—thank you—it's more than I deserve—thank you—"

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because—I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers—just for you."

!!!

[Meanwhile…]

I don't think I've ever been more proud of Harry than I am right now, James said, gazing down fondly at his son.

Me neither, Lily replied. Who would've thought your son could be so responsible?

I resent that.

Yeah, well I resent being dead, but what are you gonna do?

!!!

No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," said Black. "But think… think what he did…."

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…."

!!!

"You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes…," said Black. "But I'm also—I don't know if anyone ever told you—I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.

"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them…"

Harry waited. Did Black mean what he thought he meant?

I know how horrible Lily's relatives can be. "I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"

Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Harry's stomach.

"What—live with you?" he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. Maybe they've changed. "I understand, I just thought I'd—"

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Black turned right around to look at him; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Black didn't seem to care. Sarah and I had a house. If she hasn't decided to be with someone else… Maybe…

"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. Finally. Everything's going right for once. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harry's parents' wedding.

!!!

Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh, my—" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Black whispered. "Run. Now." No. Something's going wrong. No.

But Harry couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. He leapt forward but Black caught him around the chest and threw him back.

"Leave it to me—RUN!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. This can't be happening. I can't be changing now! Of all the— His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end again; he was backing away—

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. I'm sorry, my friend, but I can't let you bite anyone. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other—

!!!

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled.

What?! No! He can't get away! Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.

!!!

The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why—Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.

"Nooo,"he moaned. "Noooo… please…." I've waited so long… I finally had a little bit of happiness. It's slipping away. Sirius realized why the dementors were affecting him. It's because I'm thinking of Harry. I'm thinking of Harry… and Sarah…

!!!

"Alohomora!"

The window sprang open.

"How—how—?" said Black weakly, staring at the hippogriff. What's going on? I thought it was all over.

"Get on—there's not much time," said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here—the dementors are coming—Macnair's gone to get them."

Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the hippogriff behind Hermione. James never ceases to amaze me. Even his son is great.

"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower—come on!"

The hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Harry and Hermione slid off him at once.

"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Harry panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."

Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.

"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius.

"He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick—go—"

But Black was still staring down at Harry. He barely knows me, yet he's saving my life.

"How can I ever thank—"

"GO!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.

Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are—truly your father's son, Harry…."

!!!

Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door.

"I saw you coming," said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map. That thing is very useful.

"I just saw Hagrid," said Harry. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.

"Why?" said Harry. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"

Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry.

"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. I guess Snape's never going to change. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he—er—accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

"You're not leaving just because of that!" said Harry.

Lupin smiled wryly. He doesn't know too much about the world yet.

"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents…. They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you…. That must never happen again." This is what I was afraid I would do to Veronica.

"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" said Harry. "Don't go!"

Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. I have to. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, "From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned…. Tell me about your Patronus."

"How d'you know about that?" said Harry, distracted.

"What else could have driven the dementors back?"

Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was smiling again.

"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed," he said. "You guessed right… that's why we called him Prongs." You live on in your son, James.

Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry.

"Here—I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. "And…" He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. One more thing of your father's for you to have, Harry. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it."

Harry took the map and grinned.

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school… you said they'd have thought it was funny."

"And so we would have," said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. "I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."

There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket.

It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry there.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank you, Headmaster."

Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty grindylow tank.

"Well—good-bye, Harry," he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometimes. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…."

Harry had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

"Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office. Until we meet again, Harry.

!!!

Sirius looked at Buckbeak. His thoughts wandered to the flying motorcycle he used to have. I wonder what happened to it.

Then he started thinking about his fiancée. Sarah. I really want to see her. I wonder if she's moved on.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's Note: Okay, this took me forever to type, so nobody say it's stupid or anything, okay? Thank you. Thanks for the reviews, too. I really didn't expect so many for one chapter… I really can't remember what I was going to say, so uh… just review, then, I guess. Dang, this chapter was long…