oOoOoOoOo

Sirius had left the tattered Ministry just over an hour ago and was now standing in front of James' house, staring at the front door furiously as though it was to blame for all the wrong turns in his life.

He continued to glare threateningly at the oak door for the next minute, contemplating and before even he knew what was going on, he found himself storming into the manor, slamming the door furiously behind him. Any noise that had filled the house previously had come to a halt as Sirius thumped down the hall. He glanced into the living room, but nobody was there.

"James!" he shouted angrily, feeling his temper rise with every passing minute.

Noise filled the house again as the occupants recognised the voice. Just as Sirius was about the shout out once more, James skidded out of the den, looking deeply annoyed.

"What are you angry about this time, Sirius?" he snapped.

"Is Remus here?" Sirius retorted, trying very hard to keep his anger in control.

"He is in the den with Harry," James said, looking confused. "What is this about? I thought you already knew about Remus."

"Oh, I know alright," Sirius hissed heading into the den.

Remus was kneeling in front of Harry, talking to him softly, apparently calming him. He looked up as James followed a slightly maddened Sirius inside.

"What's going on?" Remus said, standing up to face his two friends.

"I want to talk to you," Sirius said in a deadly whisper.

James was looking between Remus and Sirius cautiously.

"Arabella!" he called. "Arabella, could you please come in here for a minute?"

There was a silence that filled the room, in which time Harry scurried over to James and buried his face in James' shirt. James stroked his hair as they waited for Arabella Figg to arrive. It felt like minutes had passed, but in actual fact it was seconds and Sirius was becoming impatient.

"ARABELLA, GET OVER HERE!" he roared and Harry flinched in James' shirt.

James shot Sirius a look just as they heard hurried footsteps on the stairs. Seconds later, a harassed looking Mrs. Figg hurried into the room.

"I hope there is a reason for that obscene behaviour, Mr. Black!" she raged.

"Arabella, could you take Harry upstairs for me, please?" James asked hurriedly seeing how Sirius was not in the mood for a lecture.

Mrs. Figg glared dangerously at Sirius before turning her hawklike gaze on James.

"Certainly, dear," she said, holding out her hand for Harry to take. "Come along, young Potter."

Harry loosened his grip on his father before looking up into James' face.

"Can't I stay?" he asked.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't," James said apologetically. "How about if Mrs. Figg takes you out to the park?"

Harry's face lightened, but Mrs. Figg scowled. It wouldn't be the first time she had taken an energetic six year old into a park, with swings and whatnot.

"And I'll come out and join you later," James promised, a smile creeping onto his face as Harry grinned.

"Alright," Harry said, nodding his head and letting go of his father completely. He took Mrs. Figg's hand.

James watched as the two of them walked out of the den. There was a bit of scurrying in the hall and then finally there was the sound of a door opening, more scurrying and the sound of the door being closed.

James turned back to a fuming Sirius, who was shooting daggers at Remus. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded.

Sirius ignored James and spoke directly to Remus.

"Did you do it?" Sirius growled.

"What?" Remus asked incredulously.

"You heard me," Sirius said, beginning to raise his voice. "Did you do it?"

"The werewolf attack?" Remus asked, hurt evident in his voice. "Why would you ask that?"

"I thought you talked to him this morning," James said, staring at Remus. "Didn't you explain to him?"

"I didn't get much time," Remus said.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," Sirius roared, grabbing a stunned Remus by the collar and glaring at him. "Did you do it?"

"No!" Remus exclaimed. "I told you it wasn't me!"

Sirius glared at him for a hard second before thrusting him all but gently on the couch by the coffee table.

"Sirius, are you going to tell us what's going on?" James asked angrily. "Because I really don't think there's any need for this. Remus told us he didn't do it, and I for one believe him."

Sirius continued to glare at Remus, but he spoke to James.

"You know what I found out today, James?" Sirius spat. "He has no alibi. How could we have missed that? He comes storming in an hour after the attack. He didn't tell us how he knew. Did he, James?"

James stared at a shattered looking Remus. It was true. Remus hadn't said how he knew about the attack. He hadn't provided them with information on where he had been at the time of the attack. But that didn't mean he was guilty.

"So?" James said sceptically. "So he didn't tell us how he knew? That doesn't mean anything. Just because he doesn't have an alibi doesn't mean he's guilty."

"I agree with you there," Sirius said, his eyes still not leaving Remus. "But here's the kicker. Remus' fur was found. His wolf fur."

"What?" Remus' voice was shaky, but very confused. "No, they've got it wrong. I…I wasn't there."

"Are you sure about that?" Sirius growled. "Are you really sure? I mean, what about Dolores Umbridge? You've been angry with her for a long time? Maybe you decided to get a bit of revenge."

Remus made to stand up, but Sirius shoved him back down. "No," he said, defiantly. "They've got it wrong."

"I bet Moony wasn't happy about the legislation," Sirius spat. "Maybe you lost control of Moony for a while. He was bound to take over some time. Is that what happened, Remus? Did you lose control of the beast? Did you?"

Remus looked very much betrayed as he stared up at Sirius. "I don't know how my fur happened to be there, but it wasn't me. I didn't do it," he said all this calmly, too calm for Sirius' liking. "And frankly Sirius, after last time, I would have thought you had a bit of trust for me."

Sirius turned away from him and started pacing the length of the den. James was staring at him furiously and Remus had buried his face in his hands.

"This is ridiculous," James snapped. "If Remus said he didn't do it, then that's all the confirmation I need. And that's all the confirmation you should need, Sirius."

Sirius stopped pacing and turned to look at James, his eyes had lost their anger, but something else lingered there. Something James couldn't place. Was it doubt, confusion, regret?

"I didn't want to believe it," Sirius muttered, now turning from James to Remus who still had his face hidden. "But Remus, it doesn't look good for you. You do know that, right? Anything you might be hiding, you need to tell us."

Remus still hadn't brought up his head.

"Remus?"

oOoOoOoOoOo

Remus felt a hand grab him from his collar and slam him into the wall. Remus struggled against his attacker, but it was no use. It had been a full moon only three days ago and he was still getting over his injuries.

"Stop squirming, Remus," his attacker snarled as his grip over Remus tightened.

Remus knew this voice and he instantly relaxed. This person wouldn't harm him. This person was not a foe but a friend.

"Sirius, what are you doing?" Remus sighed. "Are you drunk?"

But Remus knew this was not true. His wolf's strong sense of smell told him that Sirius hadn't been near a beer bottle for at least two days.

Sirius didn't answer Remus' question. Instead he spun him around so that Remus' face was no longer pressed against the wall, but was looking up at Sirius' furious eyes. Suddenly Remus felt a sense of foreboding. Sirius was angry. This was not some prank to get Remus all worked up for nothing. This was the real thing. And Remus, standing in an empty alleyway in Diagon Alley, felt, more than anything, confused.

"You're the one, aren't you?" Sirius sneered, his usually handsome features contorted in rage.

"What?" Remus asked, confused as ever. "What am I?"

"You're the one," Sirius repeated and Remus could now see the traces of betrayal in his grey eyes.

"Sirius, please talk some sense or I will be forced to jinx you," Remus said calmly, but his mind was in overdrive.

Remus knew that anything you were accused of these days would be taken very seriously. The war against Voldemort was drawing to a close. Remus knew it. His wolf senses were screaming it out. Something big was about to happen. But what, Remus didn't know. But if Sirius was accusing him of being something he was not and he brought it straight to the Ministry, Remus knew there was no chance for him. If you were accused as being a Death Eater, you would be lucky to see the inside of Azkaban. And as Remus was a werewolf, punishment would be far worse for him.

"You're the one, werewolf," Sirius spat.

Remus was stung. Sirius had never called Remus a werewolf. But he had then and he had said it with so much anger, so much hatred that it positively stung. But Remus wasn't going to let it show.

"Yes, I'm quite aware I'm a werewolf," Remus snapped. "Anything more you wish to accuse me of?"

Sirius grabbed Remus by the front collar again and pushed him off the wall and back down again. Remus was beginning to feel the start of a bruise.

"You're the traitor!" Sirius roared. "You're the one that's been leaking information out of the Order. It's been you all along!"

Remus stared up blankly at his glaring friend. "What?" he asked, clearly hearing wrong.

"You're the spy for Voldemort!" Sirius growled. "You're the one that's been leaking information about James and Lily to Voldemort!"

"No," Remus muttered, shaking his head, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You're not accusing me?"

"Yes I am, wolf," Sirius sneered. "I should have thought about this before, shouldn't I? It's no secret Voldemort is recruiting werewolves, is it? It's been all over the Daily Prophet and the Order has been looking into it for ages. What did he offer you, Remus? Eternal glory?"

"You're accusing me because he's recruiting werewolves?" Remus asked incredulously. "I'm not a stereotype, Sirius. I am a human too."

Sirius looked absolutely furious. "Where do you sneak off to, then?" he asked. "You keep secrets. You don't talk to us anymore and you've secluded yourself from James and Lily. Don't you think they haven't noticed? They think you're acting suspicious, too. What about Harry? Did you think about him when you made the deal? How long as it been? A year? More?"

Remus was hurt. How could Lily and James be suspicious of him? "I have not been making any deals with Voldemort," Remus snarled, his own anger growing. "I have my reasons for secluding myself from Lily and James. I would never put their life or Harry's life in danger. I am not the spy!"

"They're all lies, wolf," Sirius snarled. "They're lies.You're filth. I would see you die before you put their lives in danger."

Remus could feel the corners of his eyes burn. "And I would die if that day ever comes."

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Remus?" James encouraged again, now becoming extremely worried at his friend's prolonged silence.

Remus looked up at them, his eyes showing signs of hurt and betrayal, but his lips were twisted in a cruel mockery of a smile.

"You know, I didn't really think you'd react any differently, Sirius," Remus said, and to James' discomfort, the smile was still plastered on his face. "I'd say your family has really touched you in some way. Their prejudices against half-bloods and muggleborns have really stuck with you, even though you might think otherwise."

Sirius looked stunned at the harshness in Remus' words. "My family may have brainwashed me for the first ten years of my life, but they have no affect on me now. I am not prejudiced against half-bloods. Remus, I had to know. I didn't believe it for a minute, but I needed to hear it from your mouth."

"You heard it from my mouth and you still had to hear more," Remus said, standing up, his smile gone from his face. "You baited me Sirius. You wanted me to crack. I don't understand it. You still don't trust me, do you?"

"Of course I trust you," Sirius said. "Like I said, I had to be sure. I was being an auror. I'm sorry."

Remus shrugged and sunk back on the couch, looking at the opposite wall, his eyes glazed over.

"You're still holding a grudge against us for what happened all those years ago, aren't you?" James asked softly. "You still resent us."

Remus' eyes stayed unfocused as he continued to stare at the opposite wall.

"Remus, come on mate," James pleaded. "I can't tell you how much I'm sorry for that. And Sirius is too."

Remus' eyes unglazed and he looked up at his two friends. "I'm not holding any grudges and I don't feel resentful. It just hit me then, you know. I could be executed. On Thursday, they're going to find me guilty. I have no chance."

"That'll never happen," Sirius said defiantly. "There's always a way. Besides, you're innocent, so there's a loophole here somewhere."

Remus smiled. He knew Sirius was trying hard to make up for his rash behaviour before, and he appreciated it. "About half an hour after the attack on the Ministry, I had apparated home after work," he sighed, watching James and Sirius' keen expressions. "My wolf senses were going mad, so I had decided to take a rest. I didn't understand it then, but Moony was itching for the fight that had just ended."

"But how did you find out?" James encouraged. "I mean, if you were at home the whole time, you couldn't have known."

Remus nodded. "I wasn't home the whole time," he said. "Something urged me to go to Diagon Alley, so I went. I have no alibis because nobody saw me there."

"Did you use a concealment charm?" Sirius asked knowledgably.

"No," Remus countered. "It was just that everyone was in such a state of panic that nobody noticed me. I got the word there."

There was silence. Remus didn't know what James and Sirius were expecting, maybe something more of a heroic story.

"Should we go and see Harry?" Remus suggested, standing up again.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Peter Pettigrew had been a Death Eater for a year before that Halloween night. Like every Death Eater, he was sneaky, devious and highly untrustworthy. It might have not seemed so in the earlier days, but Pettigrew was also very smart. He took the foolishness of his friends and used it to his advantage. Which he planned to do again and not only to his would-be friends.

Pettigrew travelled down the Diagon Alley street, but not as a rat. No, Pettigrew was in his human form. However, he was not foolish enough to just go around Diagon Alley in his present state and there was that tiny problematic matter of being a wanted criminal. So there was Pettigrew striding down the footpath, wearing new robes and wizard's hat he had acquired using his clever thievery. He kept his head low at all times, never glancing up. He knew where he was going. He had been down this street so many times in the past that it seemed like only yesterday. It was even easier as a rat to find your way around. It was also easier as a rat to track down people. Which he had done for the past couple of hours.

Horris Smith had come and gone from the Ministry, carrying documents each time. Finally the head of the Auror department had stopped for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. Pettigrew, in his animagus form, scurried inside and summed up that the Auror would not be coming out anytime soon. According to his account to the bartender, the Ministry was suffering greatly from the werewolf attack and he didn't desire going back within the next two hours unless he could help it.

Pettigrew felt this was a good amount of time to prepare, which he did. And now he was standing outside the Leaky Cauldron, fumbling nervously with the sleeve of his robes. Taking a deep breath and taking care to keep his head low, he swung open the door and stepped inside.

Looking around, Pettigrew swept his eyes over about a dozen people, drinking and talking animatedly with each other. And then he spotted the man. Sitting exactly where Pettigrew had left him twenty minutes prior: on a stool at the bar. He studied the man for a minute. Horris Smith was an old man, with many scars lining his face. He was the same size as Pettigrew, but just a bit taller. His black hair was streaked with grey and his blue eyes were cold. He had the expression and air of a man that's seen too many hardships in his life to care for the little worries. Pettigrew knew as soon as he saw him, that this would be a hard task. This was not a man to be fooled easily. But he also knew that he could do this.

He drew another deep breath and deliberately stumbled forward. People stared at him weirdly as he passed by but he payed no attention to them.

"Mr. Smith," he breathed, still refusing to make eye contact, as he reached Smith. "Thank Merlin I found you."

Horris Smith looked suspiciously down at Pettigrew. "Do I know you?" he asked, turning around in his stool, trying to get a look at Pettigrew's face.

"No, no, you don't," Pettigrew shook his head and pretended to become all flustered and nervous. "I need to talk with you urgently."

Smith looked him up and down as though analysing him. He then turned back to the bar and called for the bartender.

"Another Firewhiskey, thanks Tom," he said.

"S…Sir, I must speak with you," Pettigrew pleaded, hoping to sound desperate. "It is urgent."

"I see it being no more urgent then my need for a drink," Smith said as Tom handed him another Firewhiskey. "Why don't you run along, boy?"

Pettigrew realised that unless he didn't go to drastic measures there was no hope of using Smith.

"It's about Remus Lupin," Pettigrew cried out, pleasantly aware that now the whole bar was staring at the pair in interest. "The werewolf."

Horris Smith looked up at him, surprise evident in his wide eyes. "Not here," he hissed. "Outside, into the courtyard. Now."

Pettigrew didn't need telling twice. He kept his head down as he travelled to the back of the Leaky Cauldron to an open door where beyond held a courtyard. He felt Smith's presence following him. Once he walked through the door he turned around and just glimpsed Smith closing the door behind them. Just as Smith turned around to face Pettigrew, Pettigrew turned towards the opposite wall so that Smith had no view of his face whatsoever.

"What is this about?" Smith asked furiously. "Do you work for the Ministry? Who sent you down here?"

Where to start? Where to start? Pettigrew mused. If only I had a wand.

Instead, Pettigrew decided to keep up his charade. At least for the moment.

"Nobody sent me," he spluttered. "I've got information for the Ministry on Remus Lupin."

"Yes, yes, well don't waste my time, boy, what is it?" Smith asked impatiently.

Pettigrew shook his head. "I must speak at the official Hearing," he said tempestuously. "I must speak at the Hearing."

"Dear boy are you daft?" Smith replied, clearly annoyed. "Not only are you too late to make a request such as this, but you need a strong lead. Which I'm assuming you don't have."

"Please, Mr. Smith," Pettigrew said, trying to raise his voice in what he hoped sounded like a pleading tone. "If you'd just give me the day and time. I'm sure it won't be that bad. Please."

Pettigrew felt Smith's hesitation when he said his next words. "I really shouldn't…"

Pettigrew decided that if he needed to earn this auror's trust he needed to face him. So slowly, he turned around, his head still low so as not to show Smith his true identity.

"The information I possess could sentence Lupin to death," Pettigrew said, hoping he had voiced the right thing.

He was fortunate.

"Noon, courtroom ten, this Thursday," Smith said. "I hope for your sake and mine that you are telling the truth about your information."

Pettigrew nodded fervently and prepared himself for the next question he needed to ask.

"I'm concerned, is all, but will there be Aurors there?" he asked.

"Certainly," Smith nodded, his blue eyes taking in Pettigrew carefully, once again trying to get a glimpse of his face. "I'll be there myself, personally seeing that Lupin gets into his chair."

"That's fantastic news," Pettigrew said and he meant it. It worked in brilliantly with his plan.

"Yes, it is," Smith said. "Now I must ask something."

"Please," Pettigrew encouraged.

"I must ask the name of the man that will do us all a great deed," Smith said. "I wish to tell your name to the Aurors down at the Ministry so they may raise their goblets to you."

Pettigrew grinned. This was his moment. He took off his hat.

"With great pleasure," Pettigrew said. "I go by Peter Pettigrew."

And for the first time since he had walked into the Leaky Cauldron, Pettigrew raised his head and looked into the face of the head of the Auror department.

Smith looked at him confusedly, and then recognition dawned. "Pettigrew!" he hissed, anger sounding in every syllable. He reached within the inside of his robe, where there was sure to be a wand.

Pettigrew acted fast. He hurried forward, grabbed Smith by his right arm and twisted it back while grabbing his left and drawing it away from the inside of his robes. But Smith was not the Head of the Auror department for no reason. He brought his foot down on Pettigrew's shin and while Pettigrew was wincing in pain, he clamped his teeth on the hand which Pettigrew was using to twist Smith's arm. Feeling as though he had won the battle, he reached for his wand again and this time he was successful. He drew out the eleven inch wand and tried to point it at Pettigrew's face which was only an inch away.

But the war was not yet won.

Pettigrew drew back his bitten hand and thrust it at Smith's already scarred face. Pettigrew let go of Smith's other hand, as the aged Auror let out a cry and stumbled back against a brick wall. The wand, which had flown out of Smith's hand, landed some four feet away, on the other side of the courtyard. Pettigrew smirked.

Without a second thought, he flung himself onto the wand just as Smith regained his balance. As soon as Pettigrew's hand landed on the wand, he felt a sense of power he had long forgotten. A surge of electricity seemed to swarm through his very being and Pettigrew shuddered involuntarily.

He heard hurried footsteps behind him and wasted no time.

"Crucio!"

As Pettigrew hadn't used a wand in a very long time, it was no wonder that the spell didn't go as effectively as he would have liked, but nevertheless, Smith was writhing on the ground in pain, his screams sure to attract the attention of the innocent occupants of the Leaky Cauldron.

There came a knock on the courtyard door.

"Is…Is everything alright in there?" he heard the bartender ask, his voice shaky and uncertain.

"Yes, yes, everything's fine," Pettigrew called through the door as Smith's screams died. Bending down to the now calm, but wincing Smith, he hissed into his ear. "Be a good man and tell that fine gentleman that all is well." And to place emphasis on his demand, he brought the wand to Smith's ashen coloured face.

"A…All is…is well, T…Tom," Smith breathed.

"Louder. I don't think Tom heard you," Pettigrew spat, pressing the wand in Smith's cheek.

"All is well, Tom!" Smith struggled and then broke out into fits of coughing.

"If you're sure," Tom replied uncertainly, but seconds later Pettigrew heard the sound of feet retreating.

Pettigrew stood back up and paced the length of the courtyard, passing a small bin as he did. Smith remained sprawled on the ground, helpless, his coughing subsided and his breathing coming out in rapid, heavy gasps. Pettigrew almost felt sorry for the man. Almost.

He stood in front of the Auror, pondering. How should he finish this man off? Should he gather more information before he dispose of this pitiful Auror? It seemed like a good idea, but that meddling bartender had probably gone off to alert the authorities.

Pettigrew ripped his new robes up the sleeve of his left arm, revealing a horrible looking tattoo. He knelt down by Smith, grabbed a chunk of Smith's black hair and brought it up. His eyes were closed and his mouth was fully open, seemingly trying to get as much oxygen as possible.

"Open your eyes," Pettigrew snarled.

Pettigrew could see Smith struggling to obey him, but it seemed his eyes were just too heavy for him.

"Mobili-eyes," Pettigrew snapped moving his wand upwards so that Smith's eyelids moved with it.

Blue eyes glared up at him. "What…what is…is it now?" Smith rasped.

"You see this?" Pettigrew hissed, thrusting his left arm in clear view.

Smith's eyes widened as his eyes fell on a skull with a snake curling outwards. "The Dark Mark," he breathed.

"Yes, the Dark Mark," Pettigrew nodded. "This is His mark. You see how it is dull now?" he let go of Smith's head so he crashed to the floor again, but his eyes were still open. Pettigrew began to trace the tattoo affectionately with his now free hand.

"Yes, it's dull and lifeless," Pettigrew continued softly. "But it will burn again…it'll glow a bright green once more. And I must thank you."

Smith looked positively outraged to be thanked by a mad Death Eater.

"What the hell for?" he choked, his voice still husky and his breathing still shallow. "I hope you're not accusing me of being in league with a bunch of filthy Death Eaters? In having a hand in whatever plan you're concocting."

Pettigrew paid no mind to the insult, but answered the general question. "But of course you had a hand," Pettigrew sneered. "You told me exactly what I needed to know. The Dark Lord will thank you."

Smith's expression turned from confusion to outrage. "You-"

Pettigrew silenced him quite easily by giving him a gentle kick in the ribs. "It's been a pleasure, Mr. Smith, but I'm afraid my time here has run short…and so it seems has yours."

Smith's eyes widened as he realised what Pettigrew meant by that.

"Avada Kedavra!"

oOoOoOoOo

James, Sirius and Remus stood side by side in the local muggle park, watching an extremely happy Harry try out every slide, swing and round-a-bout the park had to offer. Mrs. Figg had returned to the manor the moment the three friends had met them.

"I'm telling you now, the kid's a natural," Sirius grinned, watching as Harry zoomed by exceptionally fast on the flying fox. "A natural, I tell you."

"It's a muggle invention, Sirius," James pointed out. "It means nothing. Even Remus could do that."

"Gee, thanks," Remus said dryly, before cheering on Harry.

"So, I tried to tell him this morning," James began, rather awkwardly.

"The talk, eh?" Sirius grinned, elbowing James in the ribs. "I knew he might have been eager, but at six? He really is his father's son."

"Calm down," James laughed as Sirius wriggled his eyebrows. "I meant about his, uh, heritage."

"You finally got around to it, then?" Sirius asked a grin on his face. "Great! I can teach him Quidditch!"

"I said 'tried'" James corrected glumly.

"What, so he still doesn't know?" Sirius demanded angrily. "James, this is getting out of hand!"

"I know, I know," James cried, gripping his hair rather painfully. "But Remus turned up and…"

"Oh," Remus looked downcast. "Sorry about that."

"No, no, I'm not blaming you," James objected. "I just can't find the right time."

"How about now?" Sirius asked, impatiently.

"I want to do it when I'm not distracted with anything," James said. "I was thinking about telling him after you're cleared, Remus."

Remus shrugged, but said nothing.

Sirius opened his mouth, no doubt to say something, but Harry beat him to it.

"Dad! Play with me!"

James grinned as Harry ran up to him and grabbed him by the hand.

"Care to join us?" James asked Sirius and Remus.

"Bad back," Remus smiled.

"Come on, dad!" Harry cried, pulling on his sleeve and with a laugh, James allowed Harry to drag him off to the round-a-bout.

"So, you ready for Thursday?" Sirius asked Remus as they started to walk around the park together, James and Harry's laughs piercing the otherwise silence.

Remus shrugged. "I don't see myself having much of a chance," he said. "I didn't do it. I know I didn't do it. But how did my fur end up there? That's what's killing me."

"There's always a reason," Sirius muttered. "Always. I'll go back to the Ministry and try to find out what's going on. I'll do some research into past werewolf persecutions. We'll get you out of this, Remus."

Remus gave a sad smile. "It hasn't really hit me just yet what could happen," he said. "I could die."

"You're just a ray of light aren't you?" Sirius said dryly.

"Well, you'll excuse me if I don't share your enthusiasm," Remus replied sarcastically.

"Let's not talk about this anymore," Sirius suggested, turning around and looking in the opposite direction. "Hey, is that James' house?" he asked, pointing ahead.

Remus swivelled his head so that he could see the house clearly. "It can't be," Remus replied, tilting his head, every which way. "That house has a tower of some sort."

"But it looks like it's coming from his house," Sirius said, squinting. "I've never seen a tower on his roof before."

Remus looked around at the other houses. "There's one over there as well," he said pointing to a house close to what they supposed was James'. "And there." He pointed again to another tower on top of a roof further away from the two other houses.

"That's strange," Sirius muttered as they continued to walk past a fountain. "I've never seen a tower in this village before, let alone perched on someone's roof."

oOoOoOoOo

Author's Notes: I'm so sorry for the long wait…I just got back from holiday and I had a great time! I hope you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Years to everyone!

GMUXMenSoaps: That's all right, I forgive you…lolz…I hope school's not wearing you down (grumbles) I hate school…thank god I'm on holidays! Remus' trial will not be dragged on…I couldn't put you through that…or myself. Thanks for the review!

SeriousSiriusFan: I was thinking…maybe after I'm done writing this story you could help me write a one-shot on this…the grocery scenario? But only if you help me! I need help on humour…I suck completely! Sorry for the long wait…I can't wait to do the story with you…of course if you wanna :D Thanks for the review!

Swirling Bloom: Thanks for the review! I hope you enjoy this chapter…tell me what you think.

Shadows of the dark: That is so sweet…aww…I like you…:P Tell me what you think about this chapter! Thanks for the awesome review!

Starry Fluff: I'm sorry for the long wait…I feel bad! Thanks for the nice review! I really try to capture the characters…character? Lolz…that trapped me…Anyway, I love Sirius so I hope I'm not portraying him wrong. Peter just grosses me out, even in the canon books…he's just wrong:P Thanks for the review! Much appreciated.

Rebecca: I love Remus too! I love all the Marauders, minus Peter. Is it really that sad? Oh, I'm sorry…is sad a good thing? Lolz…I'll try and make it happy…thanks for the review!

Vindictivelemon: Okay, the first thing I have to say is, I lurve your name! Your name is so awesome! And are my excuses that petty? Lolz…they're the truth, I swear! But I'll try and sound more convincing next time…lolz…thanks for the review!

Crimson Reality: Ooh…thanks!

EmotionlessNightmare: Thanks for the review! I'm sorry about the long wait! I hope this chapter isn't too slow for you…or anyone! Lolz…thanks again for the review!

Fenderbender505: So true...I hope he dies in the canon books too, but as for him dying in this fic… You'll be surprised at what he can do, if he puts his mind to it. I never really thought of him as being a slow or dimwitted person. Maybe academically he wasn't so bright, but to be a Death Eater I think you need a scheming mind! Thanks for the review!

NCCJellyBean: JK Rowling said it herself; Veritaserum cannot be trusted in a trial. Any crafty witch or wizard can beat it.