Chapter 2. Dumbledore's Office

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters involved. They are the property of J.K. Rowling. After all, if they were mine, would Sirius be dead?

Stone grated against stone as the spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office twisted upwards. As soon as the opening appeared at the top, Remus Lupin stumbled out, panting and covered in scratches.

Dumbledore looked up solemnly from behind his desk. "I was wondering when I'd be seeing you, Professor Lupin."

Remus stayed standing at the door, swaying slightly. "Where-where's Siriusâ€got to talk to him"

Dumbledore frowned. "Do you remember the events of the past night, Remus?"

"I rememberâ€in the Shrieking Shackâ€Sirius was innocent. Peter did it Professor, Peter Pettigrew's alive-

Dumbledore nodded slowly, peering at Remus over his half-moon spectacles. "Yes, Harry and Hermione have informed me of what happened in the Shrieking Shack. Do you remember, though, what happened after you left it?"

Lupin began to think, focusing on remembering. "Weâ€we started back up to the castle."

"Go on," said Dumbledore, his gaze intense.

"Pettigrew was with us. Harry wouldn't let us kill himâ€said James wouldn't want itâ€so we were bringing him to the dementors. He was chained, chained to Ronald Weasley andâ€and me. Then I transformed-"Remus stopped as the realization hit him. "Oh Godâ€Pettigrewâ€I was chained to him."

When Dumbledore spoke, his voice was heavy with sadness. "Sirius ran after you when you transformed to try and keep you away from the others. Peter Pettigrew found himself unguarded, and was able to escape once again."

"No" Remus found himself wondering where Peter could go, while the wizarding society believed him dead. Back to the gutter, with the other rats? Find a home with another family, as some other child's pet? He shuddered.

"And," continud Dumbledore, "with Pettigrew gone, so was all evidence of the innocence of Sirius Black."

The implications that had not hit Remus before did now, and he swayed again before dropping into an armchair. His face in his hands, he wonderedâ€.how had this happenedâ€just an hour ago, ten minutes ago, everything had been okay. Now, Sirius was a wanted man again. Softly, Remus asked the only question left. "Where is he?"

"Harry and Hermione were able to use the girl's timeturner to rescue Sirius from the dementors. He flew off on Hagrid's hippogriff last night."

"He's on the run," Remus responded hollowly.

"Yes."

Somethiing else came to Remus then, and he knew it was time to confess. "Professor, when we were still in school, the four of us- James, Peter, Sirius, and I-"he fumbled for words. "They- they found out about my transformations- they wanted to help" Remus trailed off, seeing that Dumbledore was smiling.

"I received an owl from Sirius at dawn, detailing the his own innocence as well as the same confession you are about to make. He told me that in order to make you transformations easier, himself, James, and Peter accompanied you each month- as Animagi."

Remus was speechless. "You're- you're not angry? I thought-"

"Madame Pomfrey had long suspected something of the kind," said Dumbledore. "She saw the four of you come up grinning and covered in scratches month after month, mumbling about a quidditch accident, or accidentally walking too close to the Whomping Willow. Although what you all did was foolhardly-"Dumbledore smiled fondly. "I could hardly have expected less from four friends so close."