Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.

So this chapter isn't that different from canon, but it's setting things up for the upcoming changes!

Chapter 12 Know your Enemy

Blaise's eyes were bulging as he shakily pointed his wand at Professor Snape, then Black, and finally Delphi, who seemed to be unconscious. When Potter rushed over to her, his wand was on her. "STOP!"
"What did you do?!" Potter didn't seem afraid of Blaise and was more flabbergasted by his change of character. "You attacked an auror!"

"Stop acting as if she's a bloody god," Blaise yelled hysterically. Then, he pointed his wand at Black. "Mum said that Dad was a spy for Professor Riddle. That he could turn into an owl and would deliver messages to him."

"So Circe lied to you," Professor Snape said calmly. "That doesn't surprise me."

"SHUT UP!"

"Lucius turned into an owl." Black's eyes glazed over at the memories. "He used to fly to Hogwarts deliver letters to me himself. His way of watching out for me…"

"Well, that would explain why Sirius is afraid of owls…" But Potter's eyes were on Blaise's wand. She couldn't really believe them, could she? It was absurd. Absolutely absurd.

Black's pale, cracked lips twitched into a smile. "Ripped out some of his hair once…"

Draco shook his head, still in denial. "If Blaise's dad is alive, and somehow a rat, don't you think he would've told Blaise? And how did you know where to find him? The idea just randomly popped into your head after twelve years?"

"He didn't tell his son because he's a bloody coward! That's why!" Black yelled until Blaise took several steps back. After receiving a glare from Professor Snape, he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. His eyes were on the floor when he told Blaise, "Ludo Bagman told me in Azkaban that you had a pet rat. That the only reason Circe called the aurors on him was that he tried to kill it."

"Who?" Potter asked rudely.

"Mind your business!" Pansy snapped, even though she probably didn't know either. Draco sure didn't, but he could only assume.

Blaise's breathing became rather erratic. He never talked about his life outside of school. Ever. "He's a liar. He gambled away all our money. That's what he did! He's in jail for hitting my mum when she confronted him for it! He broke her jaw, he did!"

"That's what he's in jail for," Black said gently. "But that is not the motivation Circe had for having him arrested."

"He's a LIAR!" Blaise yelled desperately. "ALL MEN ARE! You betrayed Draco's parents!" A shaking hand pointed at Professor Snape. "He's a spy! Potter's dad fucks anything that walks!"

"Hey!"

"You all lie!" Blaise went on. "And when you're confronted with the truth, you turn into violent monsters! Wanting to kill my pet in front of me before you do me and my friends in! You all—"

"Zeus has a toe missing," Black pressed. "They say only a finger was left of your da—"

Blaise had enough and lunged at Black. The beloved Zeus fell to the floor and began to flee as they wrestled to the ground. Draco tried to run after his friend, not sure whether to stop him or help him when a jet of blue white light flew between him and Blaise. It hit Zeus right in the back.

Draco watched open mouthed as Zeus started to slowly transform. Even Blaise stopped trying to strangle Black as his rat doubled, then tripled, in size on the floor. His fur started to fade away as it transformed into dirty clothes. Only dark, greasy hair remained and a bald spot was beginning to develop on the back of his head.

"It worked," Potter said in disbelief, but Draco hardly heard her. Black was… he was telling the truth.

Black glanced at Potter from under Blaise. "Thank you."

"Dad taught me that." Potter seemed to be talking to herself. "Because Uncle Peter always cheats at hide and seek and hides in old milk bottles as a rat…"

"Blaise," the man whispered desperately as Blaise flung himself off of Black. "M-my son…" He held out his arms as if to embrace him. Blaise was practically backing himself into the nearest wall. "My beautiful boy!"

"Stay away from him." Black stood up and rubbed his neck. Both men looked worse for wear, and Draco wasn't sure who, if either would win if it got physical between the two of them. "You let him think you were dead all his life while you slept soundly next to him!"

"No. Blaise knew all along, didn't you, Blaise?" The man, August Zabini, looked at Blaise expectantly. Judging by how sick he looked, Draco figured Blaise had no idea. "You and your mother were protecting me from him."

"From someone who was in an impenetrable prison?" Professor Snape asked, using the same annoyed yet teacher-like tone he usually reserved for Gryffindors.

August paused for just a moment, either to get his story straight or put his thoughts into words. "Sirius taught him everything he knows. With that and what You-Know-Who taught him, I knew that if anyone could do it, it would be him!"

"But," Pansy said quietly, "the Ministry would have protected you. If you're innocent, we would have protected you!"

"You weren't hiding from me!" Black hissed. "You were hiding from Dumbledore's supporters. What the Weasleys would do if they could get their hands on you! What I hear in Azkaban! Gideon and Fabian seem to think the double-crosser double-crossed them. What they would do to you if they heard you were alive…"

August went white at the names Gideon and Fabian, which Draco did not recognize. Potter made a face though, and considering who she associated with, he knew her cringe was justified. Black's words made August suddenly become very, very nervous.

"You don't-don't know what you're t-talking about," August stuttered. "You're mad, Regulus! Always were!" Then, desperate, he turned back to Blaise. "Who are you going to believe? Two traitors or your own father?"

Blaise's eyes filled with tears as he started to crack further. The man he idolized, who he thought had died a hero, was right in front of him, begging for his life. His best friend was plastered against the wall, not knowing what to do. He wanted to believe his father, but Draco could see that in his heart, he didn't.

Pansy could see it too and tried to help by arguing for August. "Blaise and Draco are roommates in the dungeons. He-he could have killed Draco for these past three years and hasn't! Maybe… maybe he just wanted to be with his son!"

"Yes! Yes!" August pounced on the argument, but Draco felt like he was just using every opportunity to manipulate them. "I knew I had to run, but I couldn't leave my son! My boy! I have no reason to harm Draco. He's looked after Blaise the entire time they've been at Hogwarts. From the likes of her."

The venom was directed at Potter, the one who believed Black and Professor Snape the most. The one who was able to back up their story the most. She frowned, more confused than anything else.

"Because," Black spat, "everyone believes Dumbledore to be dead or in some sort of weak, half-dead state. You aren't about to risk exposing yourself to Tom Riddle. You aren't for the Cause as Lily Potter puts it! The War was starting, and you rolled the dice, thinking Dumbledore would win. You don't do anything that doesn't benefit yourself."

"See how he insults your mother?" August said smoothly to Potter. "From what I've seen, she clearly only has eyes for you. Lily joined the Coven out of familial obligation. She didn't believe in the Cause, no one did. No one, except the Blacks."

He was only calm and collected when he found a way to try to manipulate someone. Draco was starting to believe him less and less. He didn't know how to say it though, because that would mean betraying Blaise.

"I believe you." Blaise was speaking to Black, not his father, who he suddenly wouldn't look at.

"No!" August fell to his knees and started groveling as if his own son doomed him to death. He practically crawled to Draco as he started begging. "You wouldn't kill me in front of my own son, would you, Draco? Kill your best friend's father in front of him?"

"DON'T YOU TALK TO HIM!" Black roared. "DON'T YOU DARE BEG TO HIM FOR YOUR LIFE AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

"Regulus," Professor Snape warned as Black advanced towards him.

"He would have killed me, Regulus," August pleaded as tears formed in his beady eyes.

Black's expression darkened. "Then you should have died. We would have died for you."

"Were you really too stupid to understand," Professor Snape drawled, "that if you betrayed us for Dumbledore, that we would have killed you instead of him?"

Pansy whimpered while Potter kept glancing at Blaise to August and Black to Blaise. Her eyes fell on Draco as if he could stop this madness. Blaise's face was blank as he forced himself to turn away. His best friend.

"DON'T!" Draco yelled as Black and Professor Snape raised their wands. "Don't…"

Professor Snape glanced at Black, who's wand arm fell. "Not in front of the boy, at least."

"Not at all," Draco pressed. "Blaise… Blaise is my best friend. He-August can go to Azkaban. Where he belongs."

"Along with the rest of Circe's boyfriends—Ow!" Black's words made Professor Snape smack him on the back of the head.

"Let's go," Professor Snape snapped, not seeming to like Draco's decision. Still, he stuck by it and made no attempts to kill August. Without a word, a shot of red light came out of his wand, and August went stiff as a board. He twitched slightly, meaning the stunner wasn't that strong. "Professor Riddle will want to talk to you immediately. If you transform, I'll slice you in half. Son or no son present."

"What about Delphi?" Potter asked, causing Professor Snape to flinch. "You can't just—"

With a swear, Professor Snape levitated Delphi towards him. He hesitated before checking her pulse and then nodded to himself. "She's fine. Out cold, but fine. Pomfrey can revive her. But I'll take her."

They walked through the tunnel in silence. Draco was desperate to talk to Blaise, who was becoming more quiet than usual. Potter kept glancing over her shoulder as they walked, thinking that Professor Snape would hurt Delphi in some way. He seemed rather careful with her however, making sure not even the thinnest root on the tunnel's ceiling touched her head.

"You could've killed him," Blaise finally muttered. "I would have understood."

Draco shook his head. "That wouldn't have made it right."

Blaise's lips twitched into a tormented smile. "He's just like anyone my mum's ever been with. Somehow, I believed her when she said he was different."

"Blaise…"

"That's why I believe Black."

As soon as they reached outside, Delphi fell to the ground with a thud. Potter spun around, ready to accuse Snape of wrongdoing, but she backed away until she almost collided with Black as the sight of how rigid he had become.

Black looked at the sky, drawing attention to the full moon. Given how hysterical Blaise was and all that had unfolded, Draco had almost forgotten that Professor Snape was a werewolf. The man sunk to his knees, and he heard a sickening snap over his professor's moans of pain.

"Run," Black whispered. "Stop staring at him and run!"

Draco and his friends were all too willing to listen, but the bloody Gryffindor had to ruin things as usual. Potter ran for Delphi as the wolf started howling. The movement seemed to make the auror start to come to, but a barely conscious witch was no match for a full fledged werewolf. She was just starting to open her eyes as it opened its mouth to reveal giant, yellow teeth, ready to bite.

With a snarl, a black pharaoh hound lunged at the wolf. It scratched him, and Black sunk its teeth into Professor Snape's shoulder. Delphi blinked and pushed herself up.

"Delphi! He's getting away!"

"Shut up and run, Potter!" Pansy yelled, but Draco looked over his shoulder and saw a rat scurrying off into the distance.

Potter glared at them and ran after the rat, sprinting past the werewolf and dog fight. The wolf paused and sniffed the air, reminding Draco that Potter had been hit with that vine from the Whomping Willow. She had an open wound, and the wolf smelled it.

"Potter!" Delphi yelled as she struggled to run after them. Regulus ran after the werewolf, but it spun around and slashed him across the chest. As he tried to lip after them, Delphi gathered her bearings and rushed past him.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" Pansy cried. "What are we going to do?!"

Before Draco could think of anything, the temperature seemed to drop twenty degrees. The sky darkened, and he saw dozens, if not a hundred dark figures heading straight for Black.

Kat wasn't about to let Zabini get away. For once, she wasn't going to be helpless. She wasn't going to stand by and do nothing while people were hurt. She was going to make a difference.

"Katherine!" As much as she admired her, Delphi was easy to ignore as she ran after the rat, who wouldn't dare transform in front of an auror. Kat would step on him if she had to.

What wasn't easy to ignore was the loud howl from behind her, the hot breath on her neck as it got closer. It had four legs, and she had two. Kat screamed as it pounced on her. She couldn't help but sob uncontrollably as she felt drool on her neck.

There was a flash of red light, and everything went dark.

"He's innocent!" Draco yelled as the dementors descended on Black. They were running so fast that his throat hurt from the cold, but he feared that he was already too late. Black was just lying there, looking more and more corpse-like the closer the dementors got.

He took out his wand and glanced desperately at his friends. "Think happy thoughts and repeat after me. Expecto patronum! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

His friends tried to follow suit in vain. The tip of Pansy's wand lit up but nothing more, and Blaise's wand didn't respond at all. They had to save Regulus. They had to.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM! Expecto…"

Draco woke in the Hospital Wing to the sounds of Delphi arguing with the Minister of Magic himself. He kept his eyes shut, hoping to figure out what was going on. Where was Regulus? What did the dementors do to him?

"If you're lying to me Auror Riddle…" Fudge warned. "Why is there a tracker on the boy?"

Delphi didn't answer his question. "Regulus is telling the truth, sir. Execution of the Kiss is too rash. We need to investigate—"

"A nearly thirteen year old closed case?" Fudge asked sarcastically. "No. Now that Severus has been brought into custody—"

"Did you question him?" Delphi demanded.

Fudge laughed. "Question a werewolf? We're still deciding whether to arrest him or not!"

At that, Draco couldn't take it anymore and opened his eyes, forcing himself to sit up. For all Professor Snape's faults, he was good to him and made sure they learned the truth. He didn't deserve to go to jail, at least not for this.

"She's telling the truth," Draco said loudly. The fact that she was surprised him. It was clear that Delphi hated Professor Snape. For what reason, Draco didn't know.

Fudge raised his eyebrows, which was most likely all the consideration that he was going to get. "You are obviously recovering from being bewitched, my poor boy. Professor Riddle clearly should have sent a better auror to protect you."

Delphi stepped forward, not even flinching at such an insult from the Minister. "I'm not letting you do this—"

"Letting me?" the Minister repeated incredulously. "You've put an illegal tracker on the Boy Who Lived, apparently had a nice little chat with Regulus Black before bringing him into custody, which I highly doubt you would have done if it weren't for the dementors, and didn't kill a werewolf on sight when it nearly attacked a child."

Delphi didn't tell Fudge that Blaise had knocked her out. Most likely, she saw all their memories, meaning she was practically there witnessing everything, but still. She lied to the Minister of Magic. Despite this, Draco wasn't prepared for what happened next.

"You're fired," Fudge said through clenched teeth.

Delphi regarded Fudge coldly. Then, almost frighteningly so, her face broke out into a chilling smile. "You're going to regret that, Minister."

"Is that a threat?" He puffed out his chest to make himself look bigger.

"Not really." Delphi shrugged tiredly. "Now if you excuse me…"

Fudge didn't like the sound of that and huffed and puffed as he followed her to wherever she was going. Delphi sleepily ignored all of his complaints and threats and looked over her shoulder and winked at Draco. She was distracting Fudge for him.

"We have to save him!" Potter was apparently pretending to sleep and nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. "Do you know what the Kiss means?"

"Shut up, Potter." Draco rubbed at his temples, unsure of what to do when Black, well Professor Sirius Black burst into the Hospital Wing. Yippee.

For once, Professor Black looked unkempt. "Is it true? Delphi told us everything. Is it true?"

"Sirius, she's an auror!" If Potter didn't stop worshiping Delphi soon, Draco was going to bust a capillary.

"It's true," Draco translated.

Professor Black started pacing and muttering to himself, like he was doing math in his head. Then, he threw the Time Turner at Draco's lap. "I nicked this from your room. You have to save him."

"Me?" Because it wasn't like he felt like he got hit by a truck or anything.

"I'm coming!" Potter piped in as if it were a fucking fieldtrip. Unfortunate, Pansy was still knocked out, and Blaise was nowhere to be seen.

"Two turns," Professor Black suggested. "Professor Riddle's holding them off on Regulus. I'm going to make sure Severus gets released."

"But—"

"Two turns, Draco."

"Why'd he send us back this far?" Potter asked for the third time as they hid in a bush that was at a safe distance from the Whomping Willow. He had to wait a grand total of five seconds for her latest theory. "Maybe-maybe we're supposed to tell Snape to go back into the Shrieking Shack before he turns."

Draco sighed. The sun was starting to set, so everyone should be coming out of the tunnel soon. "For the last time, Potter. Everything that we did already happened so we would know it by now."

"Then why don't we know?!" Did he ever mention that he hated her?

As if she sensed the hatred radiating off him, Potter went quiet after that, giving Draco a few moments peace to think. He replayed the night's events in his head over and over again.

"I know!"

"What?!"

Draco glared at her. "Could you give me a chance to explain it? Geez… We have to wake Delphi up. Then, she'll see August turning into the rat, or at least see enough of our memories to be on our side like she was in the Hospital Wing."

Potter didn't seem to believe him. "I'll let you know if I get any better ideas."

Thankfully, everyone came out of the tunnel soon after. Draco had to squeeze her arm to keep from running into the crowd. "What would you think if you saw yourself running out there like that?" Draco yell whispered.

"That I finally found some good use for that damn Time Turner!" Potter whispered back.

"Shut up! You're making me miss it!" Draco hissed before casting, "Rennervate!"

Delphi started to come to, and Draco hoped she caught a glimpse of August. Potter was rather annoyed with him, but he didn't care.

"You're dumb as hell," she mumbled.

Draco rolled his eyes. "C'mon. We have to help past me hold off the dementors until Delphi saves us. Pansy and Blaise were useless. Then, we can figure out how to save Regulus."

"Can I light them on fire?" Potter asked. "Because I'm pants at the Patronus. Sirius tried to teach it to me."

"Potter," Draco said as they crept through the woods. "I hate you."

But of course, she wasn't listening. In the not so far distance, Potter heard Professor Snape snarl at past her. "That's… That's where the rat was…"

"Potter," Draco said firmly. "He got away. We just have to accept—POTTER!"

But it was too late. Potter ran off on a fool's mission. Leaving him to try to hold off a hundred dementors.

Thank you for all the reviews myafroatemydog!