"Ron stop!" Harry shouted as he and Hermione hauled themselves down the Gryffindor staircase. Hermione hit him soundly on the back of the head, "Hey, what was that for?" he questioned, temporarily distracted from the chase.
She gave him a hard look and shook her head before she too called out, "Robert, come back here!"
Harry gave a silent "oh" at his name mistake and quickly followed the two in front of him who had gained some distance during his distraction, "Hey! Wait up!" He launched forward and grabbed at Ron's arm to slow him down.
Ron was still stuck in a one-track mind over his recent epiphany to hear the voices of his friends call him back. It wasn't until Harry clutched at his arm that his stride paused but that didn't stop him from trying to pull away.
The grand spectacle of the three friends had now gained the attention of everyone in the tower. It quickly became apparent that the news from Dumbledore and the talk in the dormitories had soaked up the whole afternoon, clearly shown by the fact that the common room was now bursting inquisitive students just back from class. But it was only Hermione who noticed their stares.
Behind some of the masks of curiosity lay hard balls of emotion carved by years of distrust. Any words said now in front of these people would experience a delay of mere seconds before finding their way into the twitching ear of Professor Smith. So it was with amazingly quick thinking that Hermione distracted the boys before they could shout out any compromising information.
"Robert Millings give me my potions work back right now!"
Hermione's words shocked Ron into reality; he and Harry stared at her in confusion. She felt a brief wash of déjà vu as she tried to convince them with her eyes to just follow her lead, the brief image of a troll lying on a bathroom floor and the stern face of Professor McGonagall flashed before her mind.
Harry caught on first having just noticed the interest they were receiving. He turned to Ron and widened his eyes in effort to get the message across, "Yeah Rob give it back."
Ron was still completely lost.
"Don't play the fool with me," Hermione spoke quickly to fill in the gaps, "I know that you've been wasting your time reading that Quidditch book instead of doing that essay on Potions Influence on Muggle Literature for Professor Snape. I finished last night and now it isn't in my bag so just hand it over. I know it was you."
Thinking it was just Hermione on one of her homework lectures the majority of the audience tuned out her voice but a few lingering ears remained and she begged silently for Ron to continue the façade.
Finally he realised what she was trying to do, though it stung that his two friends didn't understand how important it was that he got to Dumbledore. "Look I was going to give it back to you," he started then faltered as he tried to think of an excuse to get them away from the last annoying listeners, "but- but I left it in the library!" The tone of triumph in his words sounded odd for the situation but it was luckily ignored as the final whisperer grew bored.
"Fine! Let's go get it then shall we?" Hermione suggested signalling for them to leave.
Now with a legitimate excuse to leave the common room after classes but before the evening meal the trio stepped out of the portrait and headed towards Dumbledore's office.
"Ron we still have absolutely no idea what is going through that weird head of yours," Harry pressed.
"I know."
His non-answer annoyed Harry and he tersely stated his question, "Well are you going to tell us?"
Ron ignored his tone and carried on with a purposeful stride, "It'll be easyier if you just wait until we see the Headmaster."
"Fine," Harry breathed in annoyance while Hermione strayed to back trying her best not to laugh at the irony of the situation- usually Harry was the one holding back information.
Eventually the familiar gargoyle was sighted and the fast pace that Ron lead became even quicker. "Finally," he muttered under his breath. "Liquorish."
As they rose on the staircase Ron fought to remain in control of his emotions. It was difficult to believe that it had only been a few hours since he'd learnt about 'his' father's death and, more recently, the fate of his family. To Ron the world was slipping, it didn't matter where he was or who he was with, it was still the Weasleys that had suffered from the most obvious secret war in wizarding history. Something should have changed. At such magnitude of the news he'd had to face today something must be different to symbolise the loss he felt. It should be raining, there should be lightning in the sky, the Grim should have made an appearance at least once! But no, as they re-entered the office everything remained as it had before: Portraits slept on the wall, Fawks rested on his perch, a clockwork counter ticked away the seconds. Granted Ron hadn't taken these things in on his first visit but it was obvious that they had always been there, that they always would be there. Or should that be that it seemed like they would always be there?
"Hello again Mr Millings. How can I help you?" The Professor's voice brought Ron back to the matter at hand.
"Sir I need to talk to you. It's very important." Ron hoped that his eyes conveyed that this wasn't the type of conversation that could be discussed openly. He remembered how careful Dumbledore had been, when he had spoken to them earlier, knowing that even his own office wasn't safe.
The Headmaster glanced at Harry and Hermione before returning his steady gaze to Ron from behind his desk. His head nodded slightly and Ron sighed in relief.
"I am sorry but I cannot speak to you right now. I have an important report to write for the ministry," he apologised.
Harry and Ron stared at him in disbelief but Hermione lips quirked in a smile. She tried to convey to the boys to keep calm knowing that Dumbledore had a trick up his sleeve.
"In fact, I was just going to gather some of the information that I need for the letter. I will accompany you out." The Headmaster rose slowly from his chair.
Ron seemed to have improved his body-reading skills as, while Harry still looked confused and slightly betrayed, he was sure that Dumbledore was merely moving them to a new, safer room in which to speak. "Sir, this involves Professor Lupin as well," he quickly spoke up.
The old wizard glanced back at Fawks before guiding the students out of the room; the phoenix disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Ron wondered if the stricter restrictions made it easier for the group to travel around the castle or more dangerous. On the one hand no one was around to see anything, on the other if anyone did see them then they weren't the most inconspicuous of troops. When they suddenly stopped he was surprised to see the door to the Room of Requirement in front of him.
Dumbledore entered wordlessly and the others silently followed. On entrance Ron saw the room decked with dark wooded furniture of five chairs and a circular table, already seated on the far side was Professor Lupin.
"You received my message," Dumbledore stated to the werewolf.
"Yes, Fawks was very prompt," Lupin cast his eyes over Harry, Hermione and Ron, "I'm not sure why I am here though."
"Perhaps if we all take a seat all will be explained. Is that not right Mr Weasley?"
Ron felt uncomfortable under the Headmaster's gaze and hurried to sit down between his two friends.
At Dumbledore's request the table became laden with food. "As we are missing dinner at the moment," he explained gesturing at the meal, "tuck in." He reached for his cutlery and the others followed suit though even Ron didn't feel hungry at the moment. "Well Ron?" Dumbledore pushed.
Ron's mind suddenly filled with doubts- what if he was wrong? What if he'd asked for a shot on goal and dropped the quaffle? His mouth became dry but a quick glance at Lupin's flickering eyes gave him a renewed sense of confidence. "Professor, could you tell me what happened on the night of Sirius Black's capture?" he directed towards the Defence teacher. If Dumbledore found this question odd he didn't show any outward sign though Harry's face quickly darkened at the thought of his murdering godfather being brought up yet again.
Grudgingly Lupin answered. "I thought that the three of you, sorry, the two of you and our Ron," he said with a look towards Harry and Hermione, "would be visiting Hagrid that night because of Buckbeak's planned execution. So when on the map I saw Sirius' name I left to help you as soon as possible knowing you to be in danger," he ignored Ron's snort, "when I reached the willow Black had been knocked out, his body returned from its animagus form. Harry stood over him with a wand whilst Hermione seemed torn between helping Ron, who had somehow been hurt, and stopping Harry from committing murder. I didn't have long to react before Severus appeared with his own brand of justice. Before Sirius could even regain consciousness he'd been given the Dementor's kiss." Lupin's voice had become emotionless as he fought to place a barrier between him and his long dead best friend.
"Good riddance," hissed Harry though everyone pretended not to hear.
After briefly being wrong footed by the nature of Sirius' death Ron reacted directly now, feeling in full control of the odd interrogation
"Okay," he said, "Now would you like to tell us who you really saw on that map?"
Hermione gasped in alarm at Ron's tone towards a teacher but he was past caring as Lupin stared into his eyes. The time worn face was torn between a look of relief and horror.
"Are you telling me that that was real?"
Ron stood up quickly from his chair in short tempered display of anger, "Are you telling me that you never told anyone about it!?"
Lupin's uncomfortable look gave him his answer.
"As interesting as this is would one of you care to tell me what map you are talking of."
Ron glanced in surprise at the Headmaster's ignorance and sat back down when it became clear that this would be Remus' confession.
"He's talking of the Marauder's Map sir," Lupin began, "It is a plan of all the Hogwarts grounds with every named being listed along with their movements. I was going to tell you of its existence but when it disappeared a week after Sirius' death I thought that Snape had taken it and well… there was just never the right time."
Quiet disappointment shone from Dumbledore, it's silent glare more terrible than any violent reprimand. Shaking his head slightly the Headmaster turned to Ron, "Am I correct in believing that this was the night our two worlds parted ways?" Ron nodded. "Then perhaps you could tell me what could have happened."
Ron gave a brief account of that night initially leaving out Wormtail by name knowing that it would be best to get the time travelling part out of the way first.
"So you understand that I wasn't there when they saved Buckbeak or Sirius but I was defiantly there when we found out the truth."
"Oh, so you are going to tell us why you saved that killer then are you?" spoke Harry sarcastically. The talk so far had been distinctly painful for him with every truth he had known for the past years being slowly ripped away.
Ron looked at Harry and forced their gaze to meet, "Harry, Sirius didn't give your parents away to V-Voldemort. They changed secret keepers at the last minute."
Dumbledore's eyebrows rose in surprise and Lupin looked as though he had swallowed a very large and bitter pill. "It was Wormtail Harry, it was the last of the marauders- Peter Pettigrew."
He continued over the gasps of surprise before anyone could interrupt.
"Peter faked his own death and turned into his animagus form of a rat- otherwise known as Scabbers and passed down pet of the Weasley family. If I'm right, and I'm sure that I am, then he didn't just murder your parents Harry-"
Hermione's eyes widened and teared in realisation as she whispered the finish of his sentence, "He killed you as well."
AN: And now your all wondering why aren't you. Tough. You'll just have to wait a few more chapters to find out. The end is now drawing near and the real action is soon to begin.
Thankyou to every reviewer it's nice to hear from some familiar names, and again to nattieb even if we do have slight differences of opinion over English/American spelling.
Cheekychick- Don't worry about Sirius the truth is known.
Karla Marie- you were right.
eckles- I havn't forgotten about them, there is another jump planned in the next couple of chapters.
sea-me-surf- If you note my other stories you'll see that I can't write a truely depressing ending so don't worry too much. Though I hope to get you reaching for the tissues very soon.
Bub bye till next week!
