CHAPTER 13: Talons and Tails
The next few days passed without incident. Ron was too embarrassed to mention Parvati and Harry to anyone, which Harry was sincerely grateful for. Harry still wasn't quite sure what was going on between him and Parvati. Harry had never really asked her out, but he didn't know if kissing her made them a couple. Harry wished Hermione would write that book on girls Ron had mentioned to her.
"Potter, will you please come with me?" Harry whipped around to see McGonagall standing behind him. He stood up and followed her out into the hallway. "The Headmaster wishes to see you. He wishes to update you on some of the situations that have arisen outside of this school." Harry took the phrase to mean in the Order of the Phoenix.
They walked in silence the rest of the way to Dumbledore's office, where the stone gargoyles sprang too life and moved to the side before they could even say the password.
"Ah, thank you Minerva. You may leave, I wish to speak to Harry alone." Dumbledore watched her as she nodded curtly and took her leave. "Well, Harry, I told you that I would not make the mistake of refusing to tell you important information again, and that is why you are here. I have two matters of importance, the first having to do with Mr. Fudge's murder." Harry didn't say anything, he just waited for the headmaster to continue. "We have a few leads as to who may have wanted to kill the Minister, some believe that Dolores Umbridge killed him, others that Voldemort had him killed-"
"Neither of them did it. I can't explain how I know, but it just wouldn't make sense. Umbridge must've known she'd be the one of the first suspected, besides that you heard her last year, she loved Fudge. Having him in office was the only way she could hold any power. She had to know she wasn't getting elected, and I doubt she was under the illusion that the next minister would keep her on."
"I quite agree with that assessment, Harry. However, I sense that you haven't finished so please, continue." Dumbledore surveyed him with those bright blue eyes, a look of pride in his eyes.
"I don't think it was Voldemort or his orders that led to Fudge's death either. Voldemort would have thanked the man for making his return so easy rather than killing him. People think that the raids may have led to an act of revenge? I doubt that, Fudge waited so long that Malfoy Manner and every other house in the wizarding world could've been completely cleaned out and stuffed with bunny rabbits. It just doesn't make sense."
"Now, Harry. I would, again, agree with you. But do you have any ideas on who it may have been?" Harry explained his and Parvati's theory that it was either someone who was likely to gain power, or someone who wanted Fudge replaced. Again, Dumbledore agreed. "There was something that was not released in the Daily Prophet the other day, something that would, to be honest, simply confuse the issue. Cornelius Fudge did not die because of the killing curse, nor was his body devoid of marks." He looked at Harry over his half-moon spectacles. "He was stabbed in the stomach with a sword."
Harry nodded his head, not totally understanding why this was important enough for Dumbledore to tell him. However, he decided not to mention it because he liked being informed, over informed is better than under informed.
"Obviously you do not see what I saw when I realized this piece of information?" Harry shook his head. "Very well, I shall explain." Dumbledore sat back down. "It could mean one of two things, although I should explain that the two theories I have are not, by any means, the only possible reasons. The first thing I thought of was that Voldemort knew you carried the sword with you, and he was trying to frame you. But this idea didn't make much sense to me seeing that you would undoubtedly be able to come up with an alliby. My second thought was that Voldemort was sending you a message, he knows that you've been practicing with the sword, and he is willing to meet you head on."
"He made a dumb move, then. He killed a man that couldn't have helped us. More importantly he probably wouldn't have helped us. On top of that he hasn't proved anything except that he has a sword, killing Cornelius Fudge is no great feat." Harry thought for a second, Dumbledore simply waited for him to continue. "He also may have given us something we can use, Professor."
"Oh? What's that?"
"Now you know there's a spy either in the order or in this school. How else could he have known about my training?"
"Well, Harry. It could be anyone. Remember you wear your sword at all times, it wouldn't be difficult for someone to see you."
"And they say you're aware of everything that goes on here." Harry said with a knowing smirk. "It would be harder than you think to see my sword, aside from the fact that I wear Professor MacClaggan's robe which hides it nicely, I've learned a few of those Celtic Ruins on the sheath. One of them keeps the blade sharp as long as it is returned to the sheath every week. The second hides the sheath from plain sight unless the wielder has use for it. This means that the spy has either seen me practicing or holding the sword, or has been told about it. I know for a fact that my friends wouldn't tell anyone about the sword, but maybe someone in the Order may have."
"May I see this sheath, Harry?" Harry nodded and produced the sheathed sword, which Dumbledore took carefully in his hands.
"Quite interesting, these last three runes will not be easy for you to decipher, I shall be truly impressed when and if you do. However, I assume you can ask Professor McClaggan for help."
"Actually he said much the same thing you did, he wanted me to see if I can find it out for myself, not even Hermione can help."
"I should have expected as much. I shall take your theory into careful consideration, of course. But I highly doubt that there is a witch or wizard in the Order willing to betray us, I would tend to believe that this person may have seen you subconsciously grabbing the sword, which you do have a tendency to do." Dumbledore smiled, Harry acknowledged his defeat and moved on.
"What was the other thing you wanted to tell me?"
"Oh, right you are, Harry." Dumbledore sighed. "I have some good news and bad news, the good news first." Another pause. "Harry, we found Peter Pettigrew."
"What? How? When? Where is that little-"
Dumbledore held up his hand to silence the teen. "I will take your questions in order. First, we did, in fact, catch Peter Pettigrew. Secondly, we caught him because an informant of mine tipped us off that he was being sent into the Ministry of Magic to find out who was most likely to become Minister, Voldemort lost a very valuable spy inside the Ministry in Lucius Malfoy. To answer your third question, we caught him yesterday. And to your last question, I don't know."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?"
"I mean, Harry, that I have no idea where he may be. Kingsley Shacklebolt found him inside the ministry, he saw a rat with a bit of silver on it's paw and realized who it must be immediately. However, when Shacklebolt caught up with him Pettigrew bit him and ran away. That was the bad news. I have one other piece of information to tell you, and I am afraid to tell you, but Peter Pettigrew is believed to be in or around Hogwarts."
Harry sat back for a moment, then smiled. "Voldemort once told me that he considered the death eaters to be his real family." Dumbledore gave him an inquisitive look.
"Yes, I believe you've told me that before. Why do you remember it now?"
"Well, Professor." Harry started, sitting forward in his chair. "I'm going to take his family from him like he did mine." Harry got up and walked towards the door.
"Wait, Harry. I don't know if this is a good idea." Dumbledore said, Harry realized his voice showed how nervous this idea made him, and Dumbledore wasn't one to get nervous.
"You sound too much like Hermione. It is a great idea. Voldemort will lose his closest followers to the boy who lived, remember that he still doesn't know the prophesy, it will drive him mad. He'll make a mistake, it's the only way I can beat him. If he is at his best I can't win, he's too good." Harry turned his back on the old man and walked out before he could be stopped again.
Harry walked straight into the Gryffindor Common room, walking straight past Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville. He walked up the steps to his dormitory where he nearly threw all of his possessions out of his trunk to reach the marauders map, which was safely stored at the bottom. Harry activated the map, scowering it for any sign of Pettigrew, after a moment of searching he smiled. Peter Pettigrew had just ran into the Forbidden Forest.
Harry stalked back outside, not caring who he knocked out of the way, he was going to find that rat. He reached the front doors to the castle and looked at the map again, no sign of Pettigrew. The good thing, Harry knew, was that Pettigrew would have to go along way to be able to apparate.
Harry ran past Hagrid's hut and into the forest, not caring what he ran into on the way. "PETTIGREW! I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE SOMEWHERE! DON'T YOU WANT TO BRING ME BACK TO YOUR MASTER?"
POP.
Harry spun around to see a short, chubby man with a small patch of reddish hair, he must have just transformed. "Yes, Harry. I would like that very much." The man lifted his silver hand, which held his wand. Harry was prepared for this move, in fact he had been praying for it. He made a slashing motion with his wand, imitating Antonin Dolohov's curse that hit Hermione in the Department of Mysteries. Harry just wished he knew the incantation. The man's eyes went wide when he saw that Harry didn't plan on 'taking him alive'. He transformed into a rat just in time for the spell to shoot over his head, slicing into a tree.
"YOU WON'T RUN FROM ME PETER! I'M GOING TO FIND YOU!" Harry knew that this would be very hard, indeed. Finding a rat in a forest was next to impossible for any person. Then a thought struck him, impossible for a person! Not remotely difficult for an eagle!
Harry stood very still, closed his eyes, and thought about the eagle he had seen fly out of his wand that first night with McGonagall. He pictured the sharp beak, beady black eyes, and golden feathers. Harry felt a sudden pain, like he was being put under the cruciatus curse. He was afraid that in his concentration he hadn't seen Pettigrew come back for another attack, but that thought was quickly put to rest when he found himself feeling lighter, not at all like the unforgivable curse. The pain subsided as quickly as it came, Harry finally opened his eyes. He had done it, he was sitting on the ground, but he was now an eagle. Harry flapped his wings at once, wanting to take to the air to find the rat.
Harry's beady, black eyes searched diligently all over the forest floor. He could see amazingly clearly, he could clearly distinguish shapes in the darkest shadows, and he could see for miles around. Harry wasn't sure if he had smelt or just sensed him, but the next thing Harry knew he had turned to the left to see Wormtail sprinting away as fast as his little feet could carry him. Harry flapped his wings and soared through the trees, easily dodging branches as they crossed his path. Harry felt as if he was traveling nearly as fast as he did on his firebolt, and soon was swooping down on the rat. Harry descended very quickly, snatching the rodent up in his talons. Harry had the sudden urge to rip him apart, but another thought struck him. If he wanted anything proven, he needed the rat alive and well.
Harry flew towards the castle as fast as he could, searching out the window of Dumbledore's office. Luckily it was open, and he flew right through it, startling the headmaster and Fawkes the phoenix, who prepared to attack the intruder.
"NO! Fawkes it's ok. Harry will you kindly hand me Peter?" The Eagle dropped the rodent into Dumbledore's outstretched hand, then transformed back into Harry.
"How'd you know it was me?"
"I hate to tell you this, Harry. But you keep the scar when you transform, you have a tuft of darker feathers in the shape of a lightning bolt on your forehead. That and I've never seen an eagle with such brilliant green eyes." Harry just nodded, not really caring.
Dumbledore pointed his wand at the rat, a blue white light shot out and the rat started to twitch. Soon the rat became that small, fat, nearly bald man with a silver hand that Harry had seen in the forest.
"You are lucky, Peter, that Harry here decided to let you live. I, for one, did not expect it."
"Dumbledore!" The man squeaked. "How—how nice to see you again!"
"Shut up, Peter. I've let you live twice now, you won't get a third chance." Harry waited for the fear to show in the death eater's eyes. "Now that I have your attention, there is something you are going to do for me."
"What…what would you have me do, Harry?"
"First of all, never call me Harry again. You have no right to address me, you killed my parents. But as for what you are going to do, you are going to clear Sirius' name."
"Why would you want that? Sirius is d-dead."
"I know, you fool. But everyone still thinks he's a criminal, don't they? You are going to clear things up for me."
"Y-Yes, of course. And then You'll let me go?"
"No. And then I'm going to use you to send Voldemort a message. None of his 'family' is safe."
"But then- OH MY GOD! Dumbledore! YOU WON'T LET THE BOY-"
"Yes, Peter. I most certainly will. This is Harry's choice, seeing as you killed his parents I can't entirely blame him. As long as he knows what he is doing then I will pretend to know nothing of it. Although I'd have to ask Harry not to mention that I DO know anything to anyone?" Dumbledore looked to Harry.
"Of course not, Professor. Although I might need you to point me in the right direction of where I can learn a spell-"
"Say no more." He said, waving his hand dismissively. "As a matter of fact you already have the book, aside from that I am sure Remus wouldn't mind giving you a hand."
Pettigrew's eyes went wide with fear. He knew there was no chance of escape; he just wasn't sure which wizard he feared more at that point in time, Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore.
Harry and Dumbledore sat in silence, watching their prisoner very closely. They had already called for the aurors, more specifically Kingsley, they needed an auror they could trust. Kingsley was accompanied by the man Harry recognized as Dawlish. When they arrived they said next to nothing, they just put two spells on wormtail, one to make sure he couldn't disapparate, and one to make sure he couldn't transform.
"That wasn't entirely necessary, the rat knows I would've found him." Kingsley looked at him seriously, but when Dumbledore didn't interrupt he just nodded. The two aurors frog marched the prisoner out of the office, promising Harry and Dumbledore a chance to see him after the interrogation.