Shitza: Dark, so dark outside. A typical November day up here. No snow yet, only rain, rain and even more rain Oh well...
Oh, ehm... better get on the big news. Well, this update was pretty late, mainly because my exams are up and I have to study a lot on those. Also, we had a stupid virus, which fortunately didn't harm any of my files, but it kept on switching my first page on the net, which grew pretty tiredly after a while.
Anyway, also have other news. I'm planning a new fic' of LotR, hoping to get it out soon. An old idea, we'll see what will become of it. Also, for my HP news, I'm making the best end battle chapter ever, with a lot of action and emotions. I'm hoping to make it to a really great final for this, as I'm not planning any more Sequels.
Also, speaking of Harry Potter. I think I've noticed something reading it the other day. In book 2 At the Deathday party, it's clearly said the Gryffindor House Ghost is 500 years old. But as I was reading book 1, I saw he said he hasn't eaten for about four hundred years. But if that had been the case, the whole story would have taken place 1892, a hundred years before. Don't know if these are old news, just I haven't thought of any mistakes before, especially after the Thestral incident, which had an explanation.
Back on fic' news and those things, have anyone guessed what happened. We'll now here is the answer. Enjoy and don't forget to review. For making up the long wait, here's a long chapter.
Shitza
To blaze potter: Sorry, I could have picked you to the team, but I thought, it would be very less done if so. I know Fred and George were in the team, but I have other plans for the Marauders in Quidditch, both pranks and good stuff.
Chapter 21 The Rat Returns
It was Sunday morning when someone threw the blankets of him. Harry shuddered before opening his eyes to see Ron standing over him, fully dressed in his Quidditch robes.
"Wake up sleepy, it's time to train. Don't forget the quidditch season has already started and it's Chaser tryouts today. Since Cass left for Ravenclaw and Katie is out, we need two new chasers. So hurry and get dressed, we'll meet at the pitch."
Harry took his glasses from his bedside table. He had completely forgotten about the tryouts. He swore as he got up and hurried to the showers. His hair was still wet when he finally arrived by the pitch. A long line of Gryffindors already stood there. Ginny was ready, holding the Quaffle in her hand. Ron was talking to the newcomers, welcoming them and also saying this...
"This is a sport that requires blood, sweat and a lot of strategy. It is nothing for those who feel unsure, because being unsure leads to defeat and thinking we are meeting every single team, we are not going to be defeated. We will win, because we are the best and we are Gryffindors. Now, anyone who still isn't that sure if they are ready you may leave now, because there is no turning back once we stand here facing out opponents. There are no mum's to send letters to."
The speech maybe sounded harsh, but it was the truth. Three of the younger Gryffindors trembled through, one of them left. Ron smiled at the girl, she had done a good thing for her team. The Gryffindor team applauded as the girl went up to the seats instead. She was blushing heavily. The team returned to their task. As Ron would have said... "We'll turn these beginners into pro's Well make them undefeatable."
The first to step up was one of the newcomers from Salem's. His name was Daniel waterfall, a third year who first more looked like skin and bone. Yet on the broom he proved himself to be a really good flyer and scored nine of the ten possible. Giving him a very good start. Ron was pleased to have such a well-trained start, which would higher all the points, as he believed. Daniel turned out to have been a Quidpot player in Texas, and one of the best in Salem's later as it turned out. He didn't know all the rules in Quidditch, but he was eager to learn everything he could.
The next was a familiar face, Dennis Creevey. Yet poor Dennis should perhaps try the Beaters place next time, he wasn't a star shooting. He was a good flyer, but he only scored three times. Harry saw his disappointed face as he went over to his friends, the two other Marauders. He noticed, to his surprise that Blaze was one of the new competitors. He was dressed for practise. Harry wondered how good he was.
Next person was a French girl, Jaqueline Renard. Jacqueline was a blond bushy haired girl with a happy smile and lots of laughter. He also looked like a sort of bookworm, but not as bookish as either Cassandra or Hermione. Ron saw this and thought she would probably be a piece of cake, which turned out he was completely wrong as she too scored nine of ten. His yaw dropped as she cheered and went to wait with the others. Ron banged his fist into the ground as his team laughed at their captain.
Next person stepping forward was unmistakeable Neville, going for a second tryout, and once more their friend made an excellent result, eight of ten. It should have been nine, but fortunately for Ron, who accidentally kicked it away.
Then it was Blaze. He shot like a rocket through the air, surprising even Ron. But the poor Marauder didn't have such a good fortune scoring, because it first looked as if he scored ten off ten, but Ginny had kept a close watch on the two mischief brothers and noticed their tricks back stage. Blaze said something about it wasn't his idea, and it wasn't for once. It was just the brothers' idea of a good joke and a way of getting their leader into the team. Blaze yelled at them before taking a second tryout, which didn't go as good but it was still good. Seven of ten.
Next person to the tryouts came as a surprise for everyone, especially since she was afraid of heights. Hermione. There was no logical explanation for this, but Hermione had still wanted to try, even if she doubted she was good enough. Harry crossed his fingers as he saw Hermione soaring up, clinging to the broom. She was still trembling, but came as a surprise for everyone, which made them doubt on their keeper. Ten of ten. Hermione nearly fainted when she got down, but Ron told her if she really hated flying she wouldn't continue, which she didn't. The results had been shocking as they were.
There where even more people in line waiting. Seamus had tried, but scored only six of ten. Parvati had eyes like a hawk, but very poor scores. Euan Abercrombie was a very good flyer and good scorer, but his landing was catastrophic.
The result ended with Ron picking Jaqueline and Daniel. Both of them were pretty unknown since they only had begun at Hogwarts this year, but very good. The Gryffindor team, now looking like this... Keeper and Captain Ronald Gryffindor Weasley, Chasers: Ginny Weasley, Jaqueline Renard and Daniel Waterfall... Beaters: Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper, Seeker Harry Anemone Potter.
Both Jack and Andrew had grown to be quite the Beaters over the summer, Ginny was an excellent Chaser, Ron one of the best Keepers in Gryffindor history, Harry the best Seeker in Hogwarts history and with their new teammates Jaqueline and Daniel, they thought themselves unbeatable. Well, we'll see one day how it will go.
The new team made their way towards the common room. Their hardest task was now completed, now it was training, training and even more training that waited. Yet no one seemed to mind, they were all happy and their spirit off winning soared higher then ever.
On their way they met the Ravenclaw team, led by Cassandra. Ron stared at her, he had no idea she had been made captain. This would be a hard year as they knew also that Draco was Slytherin Quidditch captain. Harry smiled as he passed, so did Ron, yet a bit more nervous by the fact his girl friend had been made captain. He had had no idea of it.
The team split, the two girls made their way towards their own dorms. The boys went back to get a shower. Afterwards Ron and Harry went to meet Hermione in the library. They found her together with Draco, buried behind a large stack of books.
"Where's Cassandra?" Draco asked.
"I think she's gone of to Quidditch training" Harry said. "Did any of you know she had been made captain?"
Hermione lay the book she had been reading on her lap. "Well, she told me last week, guess she sort of forgot to tell you all."
"Well, anyway... Where's Nev?" Harry asked. It was strange that the Hufflepuff heir hadn't turned up. Now it was Draco's turn to look up and look around.
"That's weird, he was here some minutes before you two turned up."
Suddenly a head popped up from one of the shelves. Neville stood by the Divination section reading the cover of an extremely large book. He picked it up, and went over to the table. He almost dropped the book, it was very heavy, around a thousand pages thick. He opened it, it was covered in dust.
"I thought you said you'd been checking every single book in the library." He said opening it.
"Well, as I'm not that much for divination, I never bothered. I thought Cassandra took care of those." Hermione said defensively.
"Honestly, it's because of divination we became the ones we are. I wouldn't have believed in this if I wasn't such a huge part of the Prophecy." Harry said. Neville kept reading the pages. The book surely was dull and had very much information about different ways to unveil your future.
After an hour Cassandra turned up. She was dressed in the usual robe, but she was wearing a blue satin scarf over her shoulders in a very old fashioned style.
"Have I missed something?" she asked as everyone seemed to stare at her.
"Well, we can't say you read through the whole library. You missed a book." Draco said looking at Neville reading.
"WHAT!!!!!!" she said shocked. That had never happened her before. She ran over to look at the book Neville was reading. She couldn't believe her eyes. How in the world?
"What's up Cassandra, you look as if you've seen a ghost." Hermione said.
The bearer of le Fay's feared powers looked at the cover. It was richly decorated with emerald shaped as a circle, ruby shaped as a rectangle, a sapphire shaped as a triangle and a yellow unknown stone, shaped like a half moon. In the middle was a star shaped diamond, and in the heart of it was a black pearl. They had never really looked at the cover, but now it really came into interest. How much didn't they recognise the colours. Harry looked at the title, which said Unfogging the Unknown."
"What is really so shocking about the book, except that it wears the colours of our houses?" Ron asked.
"Ron, all seers with some education in their art know that book was destroyed in the fourteenth century. It was kept in a village, but when the plague came they burnt down the whole village, including this book. It is said it still haunts the most skilled Seers dreams. Only the real good ones are allowed to read it."
"Doesn't make any sense, does it?" Ron said. Now it was the others time to sigh.
"We all know Neville is skilled, probably the greatest seer in history since his ancestor Hufflepuff. This means we might finally be able to unveil the Prophecy." Hermione squealed exited.
"Hey take it easy, it's Nev after all." Ron said. The others stared at him. "Okay, but I think this is really an unfair game."
"Then tell me, Gryffindor." Cassandra said in a poisonous tone. "We are way behind this, Voldemort already has the prophecy in his hands, do you really think he'll play fair with us. He knows what can happen to him if he fails, just the same that probably happen to us."
"We'll disappear, cease to exist. We'll be gone in the darkest paths ever to be found. We'll be more then dead. That awaits him to and that's why he's so frightened of us." Hermione said.
"Also, if we don't find this and defeat him, what do you think then will happen to these worlds. He'll take the Wizarding world and the Muggle world. For our friends and family there will be no place to escape. The ones he that don't throw themselves to his feet, which I seriously doubt anyone will, he'll kill them, or worse torture them to death." Harry said.
"Honestly, think of your family, your brothers and you sister. What would they say about a life like that. I know everyone in your family has the braveness of Gryffindors, and worse being from Godric's blood can relate to that they are by the first ones to be caught and tortured." Cassandra said. "Think of what happened to my parents and my brother. I don't think those deaths were accidents any more. After all this I wouldn't be surprised if it was Him who ordered their deaths."
"And my parents, Sirius, Cho and Cedric. They all died because of him. None of them really deserved death, not even Cho, she was possessed by him remember. Don't you remember all those attacks he has planted to make us fall. Even if he failed so far, it still can mean we'll be defeated when the time comes, and if we don't know where or when? Then how are we supposed to defeat him? I have two prophecies, each one saying the same, as far as we know. If I don't win I'll be kill. My life is both fame, but also a terrible weight which I can't drop, because everything in the world is depending on ME."
Ron didn't know what to say, instead he left. He just wondered when all this would end. He wasn't afraid, he was never really afraid. But he didn't want to put all the weight on Nev's shoulders. The book maybe was ancient and once it maybe had been destroyed, yet he couldn't get it why it would show up now. It didn't make much sense.
The others went back to whatever they felt like. Draco went down to the lake, to practise some Elemental Control. Hermione went up to the owlery, she was going to send a letter to the Headquarters. Cassandra went back to the Ravenclaw common room, to go and talk with the other Ravenclaws. She really loved the House, the Ravenclaws were more clever then the Gryffindors, well not counting Hermione in this case. Neville went to the greenhouse, to give Professor sprout some samples of the four elemental plants he had. Professor sprout would surely love them, there were so rare it would be a real treasure for the lessons. Harry went to fetch his potion's essay, which was still half finished. He went to a small tower to wait, he hated being disturbed. Ron went, who knows where?
He took out the parchment, mumbled something about ridiculous knowing. Harry sat writing on the Potions essay as the door flew up. First he didn't see anyone enter, but then. Someone he recognised and sort off knew.
"You" he gasped"
On the floor there was a rat, but not just any rat. One of its paws where silver, which could only mean.
The rat transformed before his eyes, and a man stood up eyeing him. Unmistakeable he had been right, it was Peter Pettigrew.
"Happy to see me again" the man squeaked. It was weird how much he even sounded like a rat. He surely looked like one.
"What do you want?!" Harry said taking out his wand, pointing it straight between the man's eyes. It was a pause then...
"I haven't come here to kill, hurt or frighten you, Harry. I came here because I have nowhere else to go, and I came to offer my services, to help you win."
"Why would you do that, traitor!" Harry said. To his surprise Peter curled up to a ball, trembling.
"I'm so terrible sorry and Sirius was right I should have died. I was never brave to become a Gryffindor and not good enough to be one of James' friends. I should have died that night, I am here to repay the things they did to me, and for you saving me that night so long ago."
Harry's hands shook. He would more then ever wanted to punch this rat, but the more he thought of it Peter had sounded like he for once was speaking the truth and by looking into the rat's eyes he saw something deep inside. He heard footsteps and seconds later Ron stood in the doorway.
"Well, looks like Scabber's returned. What do you want?!"
"Nothing, I just came to offer my services to this man."
"Yeah right, and I'm the Phantom of the Opera. Honestly, why should I believe in you?"
"Ron, I think he's telling the truth. Get the other and wait for me in the Room of Requirement. I don't want to school to know about this, so I suggest you come with me Peter." He said creating a matchbox, big enough for the rat to crawl into. He hurried away as Ron hurried away to find the others. Later, he conjured cage where he forced Peter to get in into. He hated doing it, but he knew what the others would say. Peter looked at him, an odd shine in his eyes, like as if he understood. He nodded and waited patiently, not saying a word. A few minutes later everyone else appeared. Peter trembled of fear, he knew what these heirs were capable of. Harry had clearly imagined the others look when they would see the rat. He had been correct. Hermione gasped, taking out her wand. Draco looked untouched, but Harry could see him gripping his own wand in his pocket. Neville did nothing, just stared up to the ceiling, mumbling. Ron stared ice cold at the rat. Cassandra, who knew only the things she had read in Magiska Nyheter, the Swedish Wizarding news paper, (translated into Magic News). He had heard the story in the papers own word, and she wasn't so sure of what to think.
Harry made Peter explain, which made everyone open their eyes, most in disbelief. Draco looked suspiciously at Harry and went into the Anemone's head to see if this rat had taken his mind. He found nothing of use.
"So you say you've returned to our side" Hermione said fiercely. "How should we know you are speaking the truth?"
"He is" Draco said. "I went in to his mind and found only the truth. I hate to admit it, but he's been speaking the truth and nothing less then the truth for the time we've spoken and listened to him."
Ron felt his stomach turn and he felt like vomiting. Cassandra snuggled in under his arm, seeking comfort for herself. Listening to this... thing had made her feel even worse then ever. She would surely have liked to punch him, to satisfy the hatred that burnt inside her.
They released the rat. Peter looked shaken, but he then smiled, which nearly made Hermione faint. No one had really seen him smile so lovingly. Now they only had one problem, how in the world would they be able to tell the Headmaster about this. Peter was wanted through the whole country.
(Shitza: Should I stop here... No, think I'll continue for a while, I think this is getting pretty exiting, don't you?)
(At the Headmaster's Office)
Harry opened the stone gargoyle, the current password was Passion fudge. They dragged Pettigrew inside, once getting near the door, the rat refused on walking inside. The Heirs had to force him inside, and still to their surprise they found out he thought they treated him nicely. Harry really wondered what kind of torture Voldemort had done on him, if the rat thought sweetly of them after this. Ron surely hadn't acted sweetly when he kicked him inside.
Dumbledore sat by his desk, when he heard a soft "thumb" on his desk. He looked down and saw a skinny looking man sitting in a most usual position. Head on the floor, legs in the air. The man turned around, eyeing him. Old Albus knew those eyes. It was Peter's.
"Hello Peter" he said. He knew the heirs had something behind this. Peter wouldn't turn up on his office like this, unless something had happened. When he looked up he saw the six teens walking in, most of them wearing a look of disgust, yet to his amazement Harry had a look of friendship. Like an old forgotten friendship. Albus had seen this look before, once.
-Flashback-
James was proudly holding his newborn son, showing him for all the old marauders and his old headmaster. The young baby had green eyes just like his mother and black hair in the same colour as his father. Albus looked in wonder at the small boy before James gave it to him to hold. The old man's hands shook as he took him.
"Hello Harry" he said with love in his words.
By the door to the house stood Lily, in all her glory. She was dressed in Muggle cloths, and looked her son and her old Headmaster in awe. The old man really loved her son she could tell.
Then James gave his son for each of the Marauders to hold. Sirius, the small boy's godfather played with him, before reluctantly giving him to Remus. Remus took him close and asked if he allowed to bite him. Lily's face whitened, but when he told her he had been joking she sighed in relief. She was very familiar about Remus' identity. Then Peter was allowed to hold him. It was a long pause before young Harry Potter grabbed the man's nose and started to giggle.
"Mark my words James, this will surely be a unusually strong boy." The rat faced man said before giving Harry back to Lily.
-End flashback-
Old Albus still remembered those words as clearly as if Peter had said them yesterday. He wasn't sure if Peter remembered them, but those had been the days before Peter had betrayed them.
"I am here to offer my services, master Dumbledore. I made a huge mistake falling over to the Dark Side and I want to repay my debts by helping you with the little I can."
He stood up and bowed, rather clumsily. Dumbledore looked at the heirs, all of them looking from Peter to Harry, all of them had noticed that strange look in Harry's eyes. They sighed and tried to get their friend out from the trance. Harry blinked and smiled at the others. They smiled back, firstly all of them had thought he was being sort of mind controlled, but now they knew it was the old Harry deep under. It was just that Harry knew something the others didn't.
"Tell the professor your story Peter, then we'll talk about those other things." Harry said calmly. By the desk the man nodded and began his tale.
---Wormtail's Tale---
"It's long time ago, but it feels like it happened just yesterday and the more I think of what I did the more I regret I betrayed them James was the nice one standing, helping me. He of course had his ways, but he was a really good friend.
A year before I was attended the role as a Secret Keeper, Lucius Malfoy knocked at my door. I saw him from a window and firstly refused to open. But he threatened by blowing it up and then to hunt me down. I trembling opened it. He told me his master was about to offer me a place in his service. I said I would think about it and tell them tomorrow.
I thought of it and by those days I was rather lonely. Remus was hiding, trying not to get involved as he was werewolf and therefore a most wanted possession in the Dark Lord's armies. Sirius was busy with the Order as he was one of the higher ranked persons. James had Lily and his newborn son Harry. I felt so alone I really wanted company and I thought I could do some spying for the Order. I remember the pain the dark lord put me through when I arrived. He marked me and then took control. He forced me to taste the power and I liked it. I liked it so much I began spying for him. I gave him some of the Order's plans and he thanked me. Let me taste more of the powers.
After one year he told me he had an easy task for me. It was a while after I had forced Sirius to make me into the Secret Keeper. He just wanted to know where James, Lily and Harry lived. He told me he would give them my offer, which I thought was okay, James would probably agree in the end.
It took hours waiting, and that night I sat in my cottage. I had this feeling that something wasn't right and went to see what had happened. I was shocked as I saw the green light coming from the bedroom before the explosion that demolished the house. I knew I would be caught and killed if I didn't come up with an explanation. Sirius arrived just in time. I made up the story, killed the Muggle's behind me and cut my finger of. Sirius was blamed and sent to Azkaban. I thought I was safe, but still I had this nagging feeling none of it all was over. I came to this wizard family in order to wait and see. I knew I couldn't return to my past life where I would get killed.
I stayed at that Wizarding family for years, never heard anything. I knew he would be back and I was deliberately thinking of getting him for killing off James and Lily. And so, the day came, ten years afterwards. I did hear about the events with the philosopher's stone and I knew he was on the verge of coming back. I also heard Harry tried to stop him and managed. I was really proud, he was really his father's son. I was even more proud the year after, beating that snake. I have never really liked snakes, they always try to eat me.
Yet the year after that, during Harry's third year, Sirius escaped and I panicked. He was the only one who knew I was the one who betrayed them, yet they didn't know why. He just thought I had betrayed them forever, which isn't true. I tried to protect them, but failed deeply.
He almost killed me, but in the end of that horrible year Harry managed to save me. I was forever grateful for that and I owe him so much now. For example, I was responsible for his parents' death, I was responsible for sending his godfather to his grave. Still he saved my life, so now I owe him my life. And I will repay it.
Of course I should continue to the year after. The summer I found Voldemort and tried to kill him, but his mind overpowered me and he told me he wouldn't kill me if I continued helping him. I was forced to agree and thereby help him back to life. It took me a year to do, and in the end I managed. He was reborn, more powerful and deadlier. Yes he gave me back an arm, but he took away my heart.
It wasn't easy afterwards. I struggled with myself to regain my own mind. The following years I've tried to lie low, which went sort of well. Yet some months ago he threw me out, he was so strong, yet still I managed to escape the Death Eaters thaw was set to kill me. I've been staying with some woman called Petunia, who sort of nursed me back, but now. Now I finally found the courage to crawl out. I have finally regained myself."
---End Tale---
The heirs, all except Harry stared at him. Hermione then fainted and Cassandra felt her knees go weak as she too was about to faint. Draco sat down, not sure of what to think. Neville tried to understand but the more he tried the worse headache he received. Ron clutched his heart as he had to grab on to the doorknob in order not to fall. Harry remained unaffected as it seemed, but in his mind a hundred questions whirled.
Albus smiled, which made all heirs look at him. "Well told" he said to Peter, who smiled uneasy. The others nodded and Hermione regained consciousness. Her faint hadn't been that bad, she had just received a mild chock.
The rat eyes lit with an unusually bright light, as if he was licking every word Dumbledore had said, even if it only had been two words in total. He had forgotten how it felt to be complimented. He laughed, which he hadn't done for years. He laughed softly, which made everyone taken aback, but they also smiled. They saw someone had returned from the darkness back to the light.
"I'll send words to Petunia and the rest of the Order to explain. You have to continue your stay at the Order peter, I think it's the safest for you. I'll also tell petunia to let you have a good rest and that she should be extra observant." Dumbledore said picking up a piece of paper scribbling down a quick letter. He gave it to Fawkes and instructed peter to grab the Phoenix tail. The two of them disappeared in a whirl of flames.
When the two of them had disappeared Dumbledore turned to the heirs.
"Thank you for bringing Pettigrew here. He has been through a lot and I am happy for now finding the truth."
"Excuse me professor, but how do we know he is really speaking the truth?" Ron asked.
Harry smiled knowingly, which both irritated the two Know-It-Alls. "It was in his eyes. No eyes shine so purely unless they are speaking the full truth."
In his pocket something hissed hungrily. It surely had tasted the sent of a big fat snake.
To Reviewers: So sorry I am late up, anyway I hope you liked this chapter and even if I just did get one review, I am content that some of my old reviewers are picking up on the story.
bballkid: You are absolutely right, yet there are parts when I don't know when to add it in. Ten thousand things are spinning around my head and I'm hoping to make a good part of it soon. Anyway, that snake may not be so much mentioned, but he'll have his purpose as the heirs have theirs.
HPBeatles: November, in the beginning of November. I thought I mentioned something like that in an early chapter, that the Hogsmeade trip would take place then. Also, this chapter didn't take place until shortly afterwards.
For earlier chapters: No I haven't forgotten.
Ace10392: Hi again Ace, long time ago. I am so happy you're catching up and I know people won't like what I wrote about the Bible, but I wrote it from a magical point of view and then Magic always has its explanations. Good luck on your story, I read your last chapter as you might saw. Hoping for some more.
dnd4ever: Yay, another review from you. Once you were really one of my most energetic reviewers I was so surprised this summer I had about ten reviews from you.
End Notes: Almost finished. I know I'm very talkative right now, so I better shut up. It's late, school's up tomorrow. Yet as a last note I just want to say... I SERIOUSLY NEED MORE OC'S PLEASE REVIEW AND SEND ME MORE OC'S.
Thank you!
Shitza