PETER PETTIGREW
Alexa was sitting on some stairs, near the exit of the castle. She was reading some newspapers. Old ones. She found them on the library. On the forbidden section, of course. They were from back at the day, when his father, Sirius, was arrested. She wanted to know more about it. She knew Remus wouldn't tell her, so she decided to find out for herself. People were exiting the castle since it was Hogsmeade day. Suddenly, she felt two presences next to her.
- May I help you today, gentlemen? – she said with a grin on her face.
- Actually, Black, it's the other way around. – Fred said on her right.
- We may just become your saviours. – said George on her left.
- How is that so? – she looked at both of them with curiosity.
- Here. – Fred put on her lap a worn roll of parchment. She unfolded it. It was blank.
- What's this?
- This is the secret to our success. – said Fred.
- But we're willing to give it to you in order to keep you safe from…- George looked at her and nodded. – you know.
- I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. – Fred touched the parchment with his wand and suddenly, ink started appearing all over it.
- Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present the Marauder's map… - Alex looked surprised. The Marauders. That was her father's and Remus's group of friends. – Where did you get this?
- Filch's office. First year.
- It shows everyone at the castle, at all times.
- Awesome… - Alex though why Remus never told her about that map. It was quite useful. She was scanning the map when she saw a name that caught her attention. She had read it somewhere else. "Peter Pettigrew". – Where is this?
- That's Gryffindor common room. – said Fred looking at where she pointed.
- This is pretty awesome but…I think Harry needs it more than I do. – both Fred and George looked at her with surprise. – I mean, if my dad…If Sirius Black comes here and what they say about him is true, he'll probably go after Harry, not me. He should have this.
- Are you sure? – said Fred with concern.
- Absolutely. But I appreciate it, really. Thank you, boys. – Alex stood up and turned around.
- Wait! Aren't you coming to Hogsmeade today? – George asked.
- No, I got some research to do. Have fun! – and with that, Alex left.
She headed to the Slytherin common room. She had an idea of where she had read that name. When she got to the common room, she went to the bedrooms, to look among her stuff. She was looking for the photo album Remus had given her on the first year at Hogwarts. She always brought it back to Hogwarts. She didn't trusted Lucius with it on the Malfoy's manor. When she found it, she opened it and looked for it. There it was. A picture of Remus's group of friends. "Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew.". There he was. An old friend of Remus. But…What was he doing in the Gryffindor common room?
She couldn't enter the Gryffindor common room, so she decided to ask Remus about it. She was walking towards his office, when she saw him walking outside the castle. She ran towards him.
- Uncle Remus! Wait! – he turned around in surprise.
- What are you doing here? I though you went to Hogsmeade.
- I didn't feel like going today.
- Are you worried about your father?
- No…well, yeah, but that's not why I stayed. Listen. – she started walking with him. – Are you still in touch with Peter Pettigrew?
- What? – he looked at her oddly. – It's…hard to keep in touch with someone who died a long time ago, Alex.
- He is dead? – Alex didn't understand.
- Your father killed him all those years ago… - Remus looked sombre. But that couldn't be. She had seen his name on the map.
- Are you sure about it?
- Pretty sure. Only thing left of him was a finger. – Alex was in shock. How could it be?
- And what about your map?
- My map?
- The Marauder's map. – Remus stopped on his feet.
- Where did you hear about the map? I never told you. – she shrugged.
- It says who's where at Hogwarts, at all times, right?
- Well, yes. It does so, but…
- And it never lies? Is it ever wrong? – Remus looked at her with suspicion, but he answered anyways.
- No, it never lies. Alex, what did you saw? Did you saw Sirius on the map, cause if that's the case…
- No, I didn't. It's fine. I'm tired, I probably read it wrong. – Remus looked worried. Alex turned around and ran towards the castle. She was sure about what she had read. She just needed to understand. There was a missing piece somewhere. She headed to the library, to the forbidden section, to look out for more newspapers. She was focused when Remus pop up behind her.
- This is the forbidden section, you know that, right?
- Are you going to lecture me about it?
- Depends. Are you going to tell me what did you saw? – he was right. She had to tell him. Maybe that would clear things up.
- I saw Peter Pettigrew on the map. – Remus went pale.
- That's impossible.
- I know it is. But you just said it yourself. The map never lies.
- Do you think you could have…?
- Read it wrong? No. I'm certain about it. – they looked at each other, and then Remus shook his head.
- It's an old map. Maybe it's not working as it used to.
- But what if it is working well?
- It can't be, Alex. C'mon, you're not allowed in here.
- But, uncle Remus.
- I said out! – he was shocked. Alex understood. This was his friends she was talking about. He lived it. She couldn't push him any further. Not when he wasn't ready to open up those memories all over again.
It was late in the afternoon. Alex was outside, near the lake. She was thinking about what had happened when Harry sat next to her.
- I've been looking out for you. – he looked distraught.
- Harry…
- I heard a conversation between the minister of magic and professor McGonagall. They were talking about your father. – Alex looked serious. She decided to let him talk before saying anything. – He was the one to betray my parents. He told Voldemort where to find them.
- I'm so sorry, Harry. I…I didn't know.
- He is my godfather. – Harry looked at her, sadness and anger in his eyes. – When he comes for me…I'm going to kill him. – Alex understood his feelings. Of course, she did. There were some doubts on her mind after reading the map, but she understood Harry's feelings.
- I won't stop you. – Harry nodded. They stayed in front of the lake in silence for a while till they returned to the castle.
When she got to the common room, Draco was sitting in one of the couches, reading a book. She sat next to him, loudly, to caught his attention, which she did. However, he looked back at his book and kept on reading.
- Are you still mad at me? – silence. – I already told you. I encountered the Gryffindors on my way back and since I was soaked, Fred let me his robe. He was just being a good friend.
- I really doubt he wants to be just your friend… - Alex rolled her eyes at Draco's words.
- He's just my friend. But what if he wasn't. Can't I date whoever I want? – that caught Draco's attention, who looked up at her, with a poker face.
- Of course, you can! Do whatever you want! I just…don't want a Weasley at Christmas on our house…
- Well, if that was the case, I'd probably celebrate Christmas at his house. Less dangerous, all things considered. – Draco looked at her again. A mix between anger and sadness. – But that's not the case, okay?
- Whatever you say… - he went back to his book. She remembered what he had told her some days before, at the bus.
- Is that jealous I detect? – she grinned at him.
- Jealous? Of a Weasley? Never. - Draco laughed.
- Good. Because you have no competition. – Alex got up from the couch and headed to sleep, leaving a red-face Draco behind.
Next day arrived, and Alex was walking around with Hermione, Ron and Harry in the afternoon. They were heading to Hagrid's hut. He had had a trial for what happened at his class with Draco and Buckbeak. All Lucius's fault, of course.
- Beautiful day. – said Hermione.
- Gorgeous. Unless, of course, you've been ripped to pieces! – Ron looked mad at Hermione.
- Ripped to pieces? What are you talking about? – Harry asked.
- Ronald has lost his rat.
- I haven't lost anything! Your cat killed him!
- Rubbish.
- Harry, you've seen the way that bloodthirsty beast of hers is always lurking about. And Scabbers is gone!
- Well, maybe you should learn to take better care of your pets!
- Your cat killed him!
- Did not!
- Did.
- Didn't.
- Where did you saw your rat last time, Ron? – asked Alex, trying to help her friends out with their discussion.
- Yesterday. At our common room! And then it just disappeared! – Alex stopped. Suddenly, everything started to make sense. Hermione turned around, and so did her other two friends.
- Alex?
- I just remembered that I was meant to meet Neville at the library. He needs help with…potions. – Alex turned around and started walking away. – Say "hi" to Hagrid for me, okay?
Ron had lost his rat. The last time he saw it was at the Gryffindor Common Room. The same day that Alex had seen Peter Pettigrew's name on the Marauder's map. They were animagus. All of them. She knew her dad turned into a black dog. But what about Harry's dad and Peter? She spent a lot of time looking out for Remus. It was nightfall when she did.
- I've been looking for you! – Remus was at the library. He was reading some newspapers. Old ones. Alex had opened that door, and he looked devastated to be remembering everything. And she was about to make it worse.
- Alex, sorry, I've been thinking about what we talked the other day. Listen, there must be an explanation. The map probably malfunctions after all those years and…
- What did he turn to?
- What?
- Peter Pettigrew. He was an animagus, like the rest. What was his animal?
- He was a rat.
- The map didn't lie, uncle Remus. He's alive. – Remus looked worse than before. This was a lot for him. He got up.
- Tell me everything you know on our way to my office. Let's go. – the whole castle was quiet.
Alex told him about Ron's rat, that he had lost it and that the last time he saw it was that day she saw Peter's name on the map. They were walking through the halls, when they encountered Snape and Harry on a corridor.
- Professor…? - Snape turned to see at Remus standing in the shadows. Alex was after him.
- Well, well. Lupin. Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we? – he looked at Alex. – And with a student, non the less.
- As you know, I'm Alexa's Godfather and tutor. We were catching up. – Snape looked at Remus with defiance. - Harry? You all right?
- That remains to be seen. I've just now confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mister Potter. Take a look, Lupin. This is supposed to be your area of expertise. – it was the Marauder's map. Fred and George must have given it to Harry as Alex told them. Remus took it, which now displayed a rather unflattering caricature of Snape and a pair of potions. - Clearly, it's full of Dark Magic.
- I seriously doubt that, Severus. It looks to me as if it merely insults anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a Zonko product. Nevertheless, I shall pursue any hidden qualities it may possess. As you say, it's my area of expertise. – he looked at Snape with a smile, holding the map on his hands. – Come with us, Harry.
Remus led both Alex and Harry to his office. He was furious.
- I don't know how this map came to be in your possession, Harry, but I'm astounded that you didn't turn it in. Did you ever stop to think that this, in the hands of Sirius Black, is a map to you? To Alex? – he was right. They both knew. - Your father didn't set much store by rules either. But he and your mother did give their lives to save yours. Gambling their sacrifice by walking about the castle unprotected, with a killer on the loose, strikes me as a poor way to repay them. I won't cover up for you again, Harry. Same goes to you Alexa. Do you hear me?
- Yes, sir. – both Harry and Alex said at the same time.
- I want both of you to return to your dormitories and stay there. And no more adventures, cause now, I'll know. – he pointed at the map. Alex looked at Remus one more time. They shared a look of concern.
- Professor. Just so you know, I don't think the map always works. Earlier, it showed someone in the castle. Someone I know to be dead. – both Alex and Remus looked at Harry and then at each other.
- And who was that, Harry?
- Peter Pettigrew. – both Remus and Alex paled. If Harry had seen it too, it meant Alex theory was right. Peter Pettigrew was alive, and he was Ron's rat. Harry left the room. Alex looked at Remus.
- Remus…
- Go to sleep, Alex. We'll talk about it tomorrow. – he turned and walked into his office. Alex left the class and headed to the Slytherin common room. If she was right, that changed everything. Why would Pettigrew fake his death?