Chapter 26
In pure panic for Harry's safety Elle grabbed hold of a branch and through her self down the hole. It was muddy inside. But there was tunnel and they knew that's where they had to go to save poor Ron.
"Are you two ok?" Harry asked and Hermione and Ellouise just nodded there heads before Hermione took Harry's hand and he lead the girls on. God, this was freaky thought Elle.
They went up a trap door in to what looked like an old house. It was very old. every time someone moved it made a creaking sound and it freaked Ellouise out.
When they got up to the top of the stairs they saw a open door. In the bed laid Ron. The poor boy looked very pale to Ellouise. Hermione, Harry and her ran to his side.
"Ron-are you ok?" Hermione asked.
"Where's the dog, stag and tiger?" Harry said concerned for his best friend.
"Not a dog," said Ron gritting his teeth in pain and getting even paler. "Harry it's a trap."
"What?" said Elle and was about to say "do you mean?" when she noticed three other figures in the room.
The first she knew to be the mass murderer Sirius Black. He had long hair and was unnaturally thin. He's teeth also badly needed brushing.
The two other figures teeth were just as yellow and were just as thin but look's wise it could be her and Harry in a few years time. The women's hair was also very long and the mans was styled just like Harry's and just as unruly. The man who looked like Harry was beaming with pride while the women was crying. If she didn't know better she would say Lily and James potter had come back to life.
"Once again Messer's Padfoot and Prongs pull it off," said the man who resembled James. "Despite the fact I did not raise my children it would seem I still know them well. If I at your age saw that happen to my dear friend Sirius at your age I would have chased after him too."
SLAP! James touched his stinging cheek and look upon his daughter. Her face was filled with anger. She had Lily's temper she thought.
"How dare you?" asked Elle. "How dare you? My uncle died to save Harry. You must be sick in the head to be able to dis-credit his memory in the way you are!"
James smiled at her a little; at least the girl had a sense of family loyalty.
"How dare I?" he mimicked her. "One, I am your father not your uncle. Two, I also died to save you my darling and three, as far as I know it is impossible to discredit your own memory."
Sirius couldn't help but laugh a little. That answer. It was so Prongs. James hadn't changed, not really.
Harry had heard enough. He tried to attack James.
"No Harry he is not worth it," Elle soothed him gently whispering in his ear trying to hold him back.
"Then why did you hit me if I'm not worth it, Ellouise?" James asked.
This was too wired thought Elle. How did he know her name?
"If you want to kill Harry then you will have to kill us too," said Ron fiercely too Sirius and James.
"Boy, why on earth would I want to kill my own godson?" Black replied with a hint of pride in his voice looking at Harry. "Besides only one will die tonight!"
"Whys that you didn't have too many second thoughts when you killed Pettigrew and all those muggles did you Sirius?" Harry roared.
"Harry! Be quiet!" said Hermione in fear.
"He killed my mum and dad," he continued. "And now there pretending to be them!"
Harry ran at the two men, inflicting pain on them being his main goal. But them being two fully grown men and him being one skinny teenage boy he didn't have very good chances. But Harry did manage to punch Sirius once before falling down. Sirius' hand then found Harry's throat.
"No," he hissed "I've waited to long," his hand was getting tighter around Harry's throat.
"Get off him," yelled Ellouise. Tears were spilling down. Lord sometimes all it seemed she did was cry now days.
"Sirius! Stop this madness!" cried Lily angered that he was hurting her little boy.
"You killed my parents," said Harry. He looked Black square in the eye. He wasn't scared of Sirius he wouldn't be.
"I don't deny that," Sirius said quietly. Sadness shone in his eyes. "But if you just knew the whole story-"
"You sold them out to him, what more is there to it?" he stated. He was red in the face and shaking with anger.
"No he didn't," said Lily. "You must hear us out."
"You'll regret it if you don't," pitched in James.
"No I really won't and I already heard you out. I and Ellouise both have!" Harry cried. "You never heard her did you? You never heard my mother begging him too save me? You never heard her die, did you?"
"Both of you! I did it for the both of you," Lily cried. She was so upset. Why did Elle think she wasn't loved like Harry? She died for both and she came back for both of them and of course her James.
"For the last time you are not my parents!"
"Then who is?" asked Lily not letting fear of the answer show in her voice.
"Vernon and Petunia Dursley!"
Lily's heart sank to the pits of her stomach. She fell to her knees.
"That bitch!" lily whimpered. "How could she James?"
"I don't know but we're cross that bridge when we come to it. We're here for a different reason aren't we, darling?" James told her ever so gently. "Come on Lil's eleven months of dreams. Don't give up not now. Tonight is the beginning of our future! Me, you and the kids! We just have to do this! He stole them and there childhoods from us! It's pay back time!"
It was then muffled footsteps moving down stairs.
"We're up here!" Hermione cried. "We're up here-Sirius Black, Quick!"
They waited and life for a moment was in slow motion! Every one let out a sigh of relief as Remus appeared. The kids relaxed, Lupin was here they were safe.
"I'm sorry," Lupin said to Black before turning to James. "For month's I've known you were back. I just never truly believed till now!"
"How?" James asked.
"Let's just say nothing can fool Moony," Lupin laughed a little. The two other men laughed and they were clearly in on the joke.
Then he added, "The map never lies."
The three men shared a brotherly embrace.
"I don't believe it," Hermione screamed.
The three men let go of each other and turned to her. She was pointing at Lupin wide eyed. "You-you-"
"Hermione-" pleaded Remus.
"You and them-" she cried in disbelief.
"Hermione, calm down," he continued.
"I didn't tell any one!" she shrieked. "I've been covering up for you all this time!"
"Hermione, listen to me please," Lupin shouted "I can explain."
"No you can't! We trusted you," she cried. "You've been his friend."
"You're wrong," said Lupin quietly. "Yes I made a mistake. I haven't been Sirius's friend for over 12 years but I am now, let me explain."
"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Don't trust him guys he's been helping Black in to the castle and he wants you dead too- he's a werewolf!"
"No," whispered Ellouise in denial.
"Yes Ellouise, but I am afraid Hermione you are not up too your usual standard. Only one out of three today. I've not been helping Sirius and the last thing I want is Harry dead. But I can't deny I am a werewolf!" Remus said.
Ron was clearly in pain and as Lupin tried to help him he just simply said
"Get away from me werewolf."
Lupin looked a little hurt and his two best friends felt anger towards Ron but this wasn't about him.
"How long have you known?" Remus asked.
"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did professor Snape's essay."
"Severus? A teacher" James laughed. "How did an idiot like him ever become a Professor?" but after receiving a glare from his wife he decided he better shut up.
"He'll be delighted." said Lupin coolly. "He set 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 din to the moon when I saw it?"
"Both."
"She's a right little Lily isn't she just," James laughed.
"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met Hermione," Remus commented.
"I'm not," Hermione said. "If I had 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, is he mad?" asked Ron.
"Of course he's not!" said Lily. "For most of the month Remus is a perfectly safe human being, it's just once a month he's dangerous!"
"Kind of like Lily!" said James trying to lighten the mood.
"But all this time, Dumbledore he was wrong!" Harry yelled. "You've been helping him all this time!"
"I have not been helping Sirius," said Remus firmly.
"We should have known," said James. "I and your mother have been with Sirius all year. Remus hasn't been too him once, I promise you."
"Oh yeah like I can really trust you can't I?" said Harry.
Elle let a tear roll down her face. All this year she had suspected but now she knew. She was not the child of Vernon and Petunia Dursley. She was not Dudley's baby sister; it was all so final now. There was no going back. Eleven years of her life had been a lie.
"Let me explain!" Remus said giving the wands back that they had took from the kids earlier.
"You're armed we're not, now will you listen?"
"Yes," said Elle not giving Harry the option to refuse. "We need to hear this Harry and beside what other options do we have?" Elle knew they had thousands but she needed to know this. "Go on professor." she said acting like she was ready for one of his classes that up until Easter she had enjoyed so much.
"Fine, we'll hear you out but can I ask one question?" asked Harry.
"You just did," said Sirius trying to be amusing but failing.
"If you haven't been helping Black how did you know he was here tonight?"
"Oh Harry that easy, the map." he said smiling at Sirius and James with a marauders glint in his eye. "I was examining it in my office tonight"
"You know how to work it?" Harry asked.
"Of course I know how to work it," said Remus. "I helped write it. I'm moony- that's what James and Sirius here used to call me in the marauders days, at school."
"You wrote-"
"The important is, I was watching it tonight because I had an idea that you, your sister, run 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 said before carrying on. "You might have been under fathers olds cloak Harry-"
"How do you know about the cloak?" asked Harry.
"The number of times I saw James disappear under it…the point is even if you're wearing an Invisibility cloak you show up on the map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, but now some one else had joined you."
"No they hadn't," said Elle. If she hadn't of already known her mum and dad were in fact her uncle and aunt she would of said this man was mad!
"I couldn't believe my eyes!" said a pacing Lupin. "I thought the map must have been malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"
"No one was with us!" said a frustrated Harry.
"And then I saw 3 other dots, moving fast towards you . Labelled Sirius Black, Lily Potter and James Potter. I thought I was truly losing it!"
"You have!" said Ron but his comment was ignored.
"I saw them collide with you, I watched as he pulled two of you in to the Whomping willow."
"One of us," said Ron angrily.
"No, Ron. Two of you. "Lupin corrected him. "Do you think I could have a look at your rat?"
"What's scabber got to do with it?"
"Everything pleases Ron," Remus said.
As Ron got scabbers out of his pocket he was thrashing around furiously trying to get point of his master's grip.
"That's no rat!" said James.
"What do you mean?" asked Ron.
"That's an Animagus-when he is in human form, he goes by the name of Peter Pettigrew," announced the dark arts professor.
"You're all mental," said Harry.
"Ridiculous," agreed Hermione.
"Pettigrew is dead, he should know, he killed him." said Harry pointing at Sirius.
"No, I hoped I had but I failed. But tonight I will not!" said Sirius menacingly. The e way he said it sent shivered down Ellouise's spine. This had to be a nightmare. One she would wake up from soon hopefully.
Sirius suddenly went for Ron's rat and came crashing down on Ron's broken leg causing him a lot of pain.
"Sirius no," said Lupin forcefully pulling the man of Ron. "WAIT! They have to know why especially Elle and Harry. Come on for the kids calm you're self!"
"We can explain later!" he responded.
"No Sirius they need to know now!" said Lily. "We've scared them enough already don't you think. Especially Elle. She has to understand. She my baby girl! I can't through yet! Not till they understand."
"James?" asked Sirius looking for back up.
"Buddy I'm sorry but I have got to side with Lils on this one."
"You've got five minutes," Sirius granted theme angrily.
"You're nutters both of you!" said Ron to Sirius and Remus.
"You're going to hear us out Ron. Just hold peter tight when you listen!"
"He's not peter, he's scabbers!"
"Come on guys this is getting us no where!" said Elle annoyed. She had to know and there bickering was not helping the situation.
"Professor Lupin, it can't be Pettigrew, it just can't be………" Hermione said.
"Why not?" said Lupin as if she was testing a theory they had come across in class.
"Because…because people would know if 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 keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their marking and things…and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register , and there have only been seven Animagi this century , and Pettigrew wasn't on the list-" Hermione explained.
"Right again Hermione but what the ministry didn't know was that there were four unregistered Animagus running around Hogwarts in my time at school!"
"Hurry up Remus," said Black clearly getting bored and earning himself a disapproving look from Lily.
"Ok but all three of you will have to help me I only know the beginning of the story."
"Of course," Lily agreed.
"It was rumored that the shrieking shack was haunted well can I just put a stop to that rumor right now. That was just me. The howls and the screams." said Remus. "I guess that is where our tale begins- with me getting my bite. If that hadn't happened none of this would of nor would it if I had I not been so foolhardy-" Hermione then tried to speak but Remus silenced her.
They next found out how Remus had been young when he had received hiss bite. Unfortunately for him there had been no cure for him in those days despite his parents best efforts. How the Wolfsbane Snape made him made him safe and every week he could curl up in his office a harmless wolf.
"Dumbledore was headmaster when I came to Hogwarts and he was sympathetic towards me. He said that if we took precautions then there was no reason why I should not come to school and be with people my own age. Harry you remember that I told you the willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts," said Remus sadly. "It was planted because I came to Hogwarts. As was this house built and that tunnel we came down made.
Once a month I was smuggled out of the castle, in to this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel month to stop any one coming across me while I was dangerous."
"I'm so sorry," said Ellouise feeling bad for the way he had been treating Remus lately. Not talking to him when he went through all this pain.
"It's not your fault Elle but my transformations were awful back in those days. It is painful turning in to a werewolf. I was separated from all human contact. I bit and scratched myself. The villagers heard the noise and thought they were hearing particularly evil spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor of course. Even now although the house has been silent for years the villagers won't approach it." he said thoughtful. "But apart from the transformation I had never in my entire life been so happy. I had three incredible new friends. Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. Now my three friends could hardly fail to notice my absents once and month and like you worked it out.
"I was scared they would desert me if they did but they didn't in stead they did something not only that made my transformations bearable but the best times of my life. They became Animagi.
"It took them the best part three years to work out how tot do it. James and Sirius were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation had gone terribly wrong - one reasons the ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting g to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally in our fifth year they manage it. They could turn inn to a different animal at will."
"But how did that help you?" Hermione asked.
"They could not keep me company as humans, so they keep me company as animals."
Elle sat listening as they found out how Peter, James and Sirius got in to the tree each month and how Remus felt better when they were there and dhow he became less wolfish in under there influence.. How they snuck in to Hogsmeade as James and Sirius could keep him at bay.
"And that was how we came to write the map. Sirius is Padfoot. James is Prongs. Peter is wormtail. I sometimes felt guilty for betraying Dumbledores 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 lead three fellow students in to becoming Animagus illegally-"
"It was not just you're fault Remus," said James. "We followed willing. It was what we wanted!"
"Well that explains Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail but how did you become a tiger Lily?" said Ellouise.
"When I found out what the boys were up to I wasn't about to let them have all the fun! I had once been a good girl but when I started dating your father I became the nearest thing a girl would ever get to being a marauder until you came along of course Ellouise. My first fall moon was my last. I fell pregnant with the first of my two children." said Lily.
"Me," said Harry. He believed her. His heart was telling him she was telling the truth.
"Yes, Harry, you! You're my son I swear, I wouldn't lie to you!" said lily pleading with her son. She took his hands in her own. "I love you."
"I know that!" he didn't fall in to her arms, and he didn't kiss her but he did believe her and for now that was enough.
Elle and Harry sat attentively as there family ended there terrible tale. How Sirius had changed with Peter. How he got sent to prison without a trial. How Remus had been desperate to hold his baby all year.
"Do you Elle? You believe us?"
"As hard as it is to admit I believed you from the start!" James moved to his daughter and held her tightly.
"I've missed you!" he declared.
She began to cry and James settled her in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her. A smile creped across her face. The emptiness in her heart left her. Her fathers love surrounded her like a warm blanket. In his arms she was home.
"We're a family again!" said Remus.
"It seems that way does it not?" said James tucking Ellouise's hair behind her ear.
"There is one more deed to be done before we go home. Give Peter to me Ron!" Sirius said still angry. And really who could blame him? He had just spent the best years of his life paying time for a crime he did not commit.
"Not so fast Black!" they heard a voice from the door and then a thud. Snape had come in saw lily and fated.
"Well, that's him sorted," said James smiling.
A/n : big yay it was fun writing that lots of fun! Haha poor old Snape I'm so mean to him! I don't know if it was mr moony who was amazed an idiot like him ever became a professor but I just had to put it in!
Sarahamanda: I hope this chapter answered your questions.
Taeniaea: thanks for reviewing!
Dante Lewis: happy birthday! I hope you really enjoy your party's and your time off! Reviews are great! I always come back from prison (you know what I mean, school) and go straight on to see if I have any new one's!
Yes Harry had really bad timing and it was not original at all but oh well, it worked right? Yeah I thought about what she'd do but bless her so much is going on she just didn't need anything else going on in her life right then so she had a break from him!
Didn't even consider about James getting down there. Just presumed he'd be able too. Yup I'm done but I couldn't leave him out could I? That would just be mean!
Thank you! I can't wait for my new cousin. Praying for a girl, too many lads in this family already! All me and my cousins range between 18 years-2 months so still too young for kids of our own still but in a few years maybe! And weddings! Yay I love them!
ickle-princess: sorry but it had to be done! I hope you liked this chapter!
Drunkenbuddie: yeah poor old Ron! Not necessarily scared just freaked out by him!
TabbyMinerva: you'll see more of Remus next chapter!
Thanks for reviewing as always and another would be great! Please!
Rocks-my-socks