Sirius was glad he'd written to Albus. He'd not used his name or any words that obviously identified his location in case his letter had been intercepted, but Albus had known it was him. More Polyjuice had been sent to London and forwarded on. It came with a brief note.

The same thought had occurred to us too. Stay out of sight. He's safe.

Sirius had written a detailed letter, telling Albus all about the rat, his haunts, his mannerisms, even his favourite foods. Somewhere close by he'd be here. He must be. A plan must have failed, and the rat was nothing if not fearful of being caught. Sirius had explained in his letter that Peter was occasionally more fearful of failure in front of the other Marauders than he was about being caught by a professor. If the same held true now, the rat was more fearful of Voldemort and Death Eaters than he was of getting caught by Aurors. No-one knew what they were up to here, but something needed doing, and the rat would be here to do it now that they'd caught Crouch.

Sirius' problem was that he couldn't work in the open. The truth as the people knew it was warped. The Daily Prophet had been both helpful and hindering about the truth. 'Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, two respected professors at Hogwarts had seen Crouch disguised as Moody on Hogwarts grounds talking to Peter Pettigrew.' There were no further details about that bit, just that people should report any sightings of Pettigrew and that he was a person of interest to the Aurors. Sirius didn't know why more details hadn't emerged. Why hadn't Pettigrew been named as Secret Keeper? Why hadn't a whole load of history come out? Sirius could only assume the rat had escaped and Crouch hadn't been forthcoming with information before he'd been kissed.

While not back at square one, it left Sirius searching for Pettigrew in a very hamstrung manner. He still couldn't be seen. He'd be arrested on sight. Thankfully there were no Dementors around, but he still didn't want to be recognised in Hogsmeade.

He spent a lot of time out and about using Polyjuice. A lot of shopkeepers and café owners recognised 'Sirius' on sight now. He had his regular routine of watching the world go by. An old retired wizard that no-one paid any attention to. He gossiped with people, the image of a garrulous old man, but he hadn't seen what he was looking for yet. Sirius kept his eyes open every day. He wondered briefly if you could overdose on Polyjuice. He was currently using it for about 16 hours a day. Sirius also wasn't getting that much sleep, and what he was getting he was snatching an hour here and there. The rat would be keeping low, not drawing attention to himself.

Did the rat also have Polyjuice? Was he the elderly witch with a walking cane he'd smiled at in the pie shop yesterday? But mostly Sirius was out and about watching the dark spaces that no-one else saw, the alleyways, the gutters, the drain pipes. A rat could hide anywhere. Sirius didn't have much of a plan if he did find the rat. Apart from not killing him. That was the important bit. He'd had to reason firmly with himself about that. Sirius' freedom and exoneration relied on an alive rat. Anything else was optional.

It was ten days after the second task. Sirius had read about it in the paper. Skeeter had done a hatchet job on his godson. At some point he'd turn his attention there. Something that he couldn't quite put his finger on kept eluding him. The Marauders had done a lot of eavesdropping in their day, mostly on Snivellus. He'd have to think about that a bit more when he had the time. The rat was the priority.

In the past fortnight Sirius had been everywhere in Hogsmeade. He could swear he knew it like the back of his hand when he'd been at school. Now he really knew it. Every alley, every ginnel, every snicket. He now also knew the movements of regular people. He didn't know many names though. Tartan shawl with the hickory wand went to Puddifoot's every day at 9:30 and ordered a tea, scone, cream and jam. And everyday there was an argument about whether this was a Devonshire or Cornish cream tea. Tall, dark and handsome with the leather boots closed his shop at 5:45 weekdays and went to visit a house off the main square. Forty minutes later he'd leave and go to a different house for the evening. But only on weekdays. He'd get caught one day. He wasn't careful enough. Harrowed blonde brought her two hellions into the village to do shopping every three days. They were angels with her, but the moment she abandoned them outside a shop for five minutes they changed into demons. No smaller child or familiar was safe. The moment the blonde emerged butter wouldn't melt. Two future Slytherins right there.

This morning was no different. The argument about scones was in full flow. Sirius had no idea how anyone could argue this point daily, but each to their own. He paid his bill and left the café. He stepped onto the street behind a man with his cloak pulled up tight around him. It was cold and windy today, so that in itself wasn't suspicious. Sirius watched everyone like usual, but there was something about the man. It was his walk. He recognised that gait, the slight hunch of the shoulders, the slight scurry, the shorter stride.

"Pettigrew!" screamed Sirius, enraged.

Pettigrew spun to the sound of his name and saw an old man draw a wand. Peter drew his and ran towards an alley. A blasting curse soared over his head. The entrance to the alley was turned into a pile of rubble. Pettigrew spun round and fired a Confringo. He didn't care who the man was. He knew his name.

They were in the village square. Faces appeared at windows. Two men facing each other, one old, one with his face hidden, the dust still settling from the blast. The woman with the hellions ushered them inside. A patronus left Honeydukes.

Peter wasn't an idiot, the pause after his Confringo was only slight, enough to gauge the wizard in front of him. Pettigrew dived for cover behind a nearby low wall. The old man summoned a Patronus. A very recognisable dog.

Pettigrew whimpered. He couldn't apparate away. Well, technically he could, but he couldn't return to his master without having completed the task. Failure wasn't an option. He could apparate away from this immediate problem, but Black would always be here. But these were the best odds he was getting. Black didn't have his own wand. He was Polyjuiced, sure, but he was a fugitive, he wasn't exactly in top condition. Peter could always hope the Polyjuice wore off too. Black the mass murderer would have a bigger problem on his hands then. The village would turn against him.

"Black! Sirius Black! He's trying to kill me!" screamed Peter, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

Sirius spun around judging where he was in relation to anyone else, and who had wands and who would use them. The situation just got rather more dangerous.

Both men heard the muttering from doorways, Black! Black is here! Quick, Hide the children, use my floo.

People were watching, but no-one was yet intervening.

Peter fired a blasting curse. Sirius ducked. This wand wouldn't make a shield he'd trust. This fight wasn't going to be as easy as it should be. He had to be heard. If he went down, at least the truth was out there.

"Pettigrew! You were the Potters' secret keeper, not me! You betrayed them to Voldemort!" He fired a body bind curse at the wall, hoping to get lucky – an elbow would do. It was a bugger trying to not kill your opponent.

"Liar! It was you! You tried to kill me like you killed the muggles! I've had to hide from you ever since!" A cutting curse headed towards Sirius. It went wide.

"What are you up to now, rat? Your animagus form is a rat! 'He's at Hogwarts' was about you. I would never harm Harry Potter!"

"Liar!" screamed Pettigrew. He fired a silencing charm, just to attempt to stop the talking.

Sirius had been under the influence of this dose of Polyjuice for a good couple of hours already. Usually at this time of day he slipped down an alleyway and took another dose. The dose was in his pocket. He was just a bit busy ducking to take it right now.

He reverted to his true form. That's when the screaming and the hysteria started. Someone from across the square fired a stunner his way. He had to duck – that person had been accurate. He knew he couldn't fire back. Pettigrew took the opportunity of him being distracted to send another blasting curse his way. Pettigrew made a dash towards the other exit across the square. Sirius fired a stunner at Pettigrew's retreating back, and with both of them running, Sirius missed. He couldn't let the rat get away. He ran after him. There were screams from nearby shops. Pettigrew suddenly veered off course, at right angles. He didn't go through the archway at the far side of the square. He ran along the edge of the square. Through the archway came Albus Dumbledore. Sirius met his eyes and skidded to a halt.

Albus' Totalus Petrificus didn't miss the rat. It stunned most things in the vicinity as well.

There were too many people about for Sirius to escape. This was far too public. Sirius looked round. No-one was coming any closer, but more than one person had a wand handy. But Albus was there. Sirius very slowly moved his wand to a non-threatening position.

"Drop it, Mr Black." Sirius dropped the wand.

"Albus," begged Sirius softly.

Albus took him out with a stunner.

Albus created a shield around himself and Sirius and waited. He didn't have to wait long. The Auror corps arrived en masse. Ten trigger happy, armed wizards apparated into the square. One had spotted Sirius on the floor and fired a Blasting curse before seeing the man was unconscious. The curse bounced harmlessly off Dumbledore's shield.

Dumbledore stood calmly in the centre of the chaos.

"Mr Fawcett," said Dumbledore, "Was that absolutely necessary? He's unconscious, you know."

Albus wasn't watching the Aurors, or Black unconscious at his feet. He was watching Pettigrew.

Fawcett looked suitably embarrassed. Kingsley arrived and looked around.

"Albus?"

"Perhaps someone could secure Mr Pettigrew over there. Securely please, and prevent him from turning into a rat." Kingsley nodded and two Aurors took Pettigrew into custody. "I'm going to lower this shield now, and no-one, including Mr Fawcett over there, is going to fire anything at Mr Black."

Fawcett looked very, very embarrassed.

Kingsley came forward towards Albus, "I'll take him myself then, shall I?"

Albus lowered his shield. "Don't do anything in a hurry, Mr Shacklebolt. I have been totally honest with you about what I know to be true. Veritaserum all round I think. I don't want him harmed."

Kingsley nodded and levitated the unconscious Black. He conjured restraints and apparated away.

The remaining Aurors dispersed around the village to talk to the witnesses. Albus returned to Hogwarts.