ENJOY Chapter 20!

UPDATED:9/30/2019

Chapter 20

They slept in the Great hall that night. But as the nights went on fall turned to winter and everyone was slowly, but not fully, forgetting about Sirius Black being loss.

Eventually, Emma had taken it into her own hands to track down Sirius, it was getting too cold out there for him, even his Animagus form could only last him so long in the freezing weather. She needed to find him and get him somewhere safe and warm. To top it off even more, Emma was getting irritated because he still hadn't gone to the cabin at all. Emma was overjoyed when she found him in the Shrieking Shack, but her joy faltered upon seeing Sirius in a quivering mess leaning against the hard wood beam of the breaking bed frame. He looked terrible, worse than she had previously seen him. Emma had no words for it and she felt horrible for not looking for him sooner when he failed to show at the cabin.

Rushing around the room in search of any blankets she smiled gladly, finally finding what she was searching for. But the blanket had become so mated over the years it was falling apart, "Sirius, I told you to go to the cabin, what are you still doing here?" She froze in her search at hearing his weak voice, shaking through his trembling teeth.

"I had to stay near you and Harry… Peter… He's here, he's here, he's dangerous. I couldn't leave you both again, not like last time, it's all my fault… Fox, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." He cried. He was dilutional from the cold, his dirty face was smeared with tears cried over the weeks of being alone in this chilling weather.

Emma instantly moved to his side, wrapping her own cloak around him to add extra warmth the blanket was likely failing to give as she rubbed her hands over his arms, an attempt to warm him. Her long-sleeved winter dress was enough to help keep her warm for the moment, her focus was entirely on Sirius. "No, Sirius. It was not your fault. Now, come with me, I need to get you somewhere safe, please… Sirius please?" she begged him. His hands shaking as he pulled his hands continuously from her grasp. Sirius was fighting her, refusing to move, and even in his weakened state he was still stronger than her. Though, Emma found the most difficulty with him was mentally and emotionally. He was a wreck. Hid reactions to her was causing her already alert concerns to soar even higher on what had happened while he was alone in the Shrieking Shack and during his time in Azkaban.

'I should have come looking for you sooner. This is my fault Sirius.' Emma couldn't fight her tears any longer. She had to get him to look at her for her to see what was wrong and if she could help him. "Sirius… Sirius looked at me, please?" Emma felt a glimmer of hope When Sirius finally stopped pulling his arms from her hands, their eyes locked on one another.

For just a few moments Sirius felt peace. She wasn't a hallucination, he honestly had no idea being this cold could make you hallucinate, he thought only heat would do that. Unless someone had placed some kind of spell on him to make him hallucinate the past few days, "Em-Emma?"

Filled with hope, Emma smiled at him upon him realizing reality, "Yes, yes it's me… I'm here, I'm real… It's okay… Come on, let's get you somewhere warm and safe. You need food Sirius." At his nod Emma felt a thrill of triumph in her then quickly Disapparated to the Cabin.

Upon their arrival, Emma eased him towards the fireplace, and wrapped him in a warm blanket around him, waved a hand at the fireplace and smiled as a roaring fire started, "I'll get a warm shower ready for you. While you clean up, I'll fix some food, how does that sound?"

Sirius smiled, staring into the fireplace taking in the warmth it gave off gladly, "It all sounds wonderful. Home, family… I just can't keep my mind wrapped around it… I'm home, but I'm not free yet, it's like a part of me is still in that prison… Emma, we have to find Peter. We find him and kill him."

Emma's eyes widened at him in shock, she couldn't believe what she was hearing him say, "Or we turn him over and force Veritaserum down his throat and make him talk to the Ministry." Emma offered a counter measure. She was curious as to why he was looking for Pettigrew, he was supposed to be dead, but she couldn't be sure really. The last they had spoken, she let slip her memory had been tampered with. If Peter was alive, then someone was helping him hide. For twelve years Peter would have been in hiding. Question was, who was he hiding from and who was he with?

Emma's mind was brought back to reality as Sirius' voice spoke through, still the gentle whisper it always was, only it now held long lost times, sorrow, regret and hardship. "I want my family back Fox. You, Harry, Remus… All of you. But I can't have peace, we can't have peace, until Wormtail has taken responsibility for what he's done, but we'll discuss this in a bit. For now, a shower and food sounds too good to let wait any longer."

"Of course, come one. Let's get you to the bathroom for that shower."

Once she had him in the bathroom and the shower ready, Emma gave him his privacy and went about cooking a late dinner. Minerva and Dumbledore knew she 'd be away for a while and she had asked them, and Remus, to keep close eyes on the kids for her.

Sirius had finished the shower, feeling fresh and relief from the stench that had clung to his skin for ages. He'd turned the water freezing cold for being in the warmth for so long, but he knew Emma would never mind. She was cooking food after all, and she tended to take her time with cooking some things, at least she had before from what he could remember the last time they had ate a home cooked meal together. Walking into the kitchen his ears caught the sound of Emma humming a song that he was very unfamiliar with. Again, it was another thing he could add to the list of things that was now unfamiliar to him regarding his dear Fox. The unfamiliar things between them as the years went on had his heart nearly shattering as it hit him that they had changed a lot over the years. At least he had, and he wasn't sure how to take that realization. But he knew that no matter what, he'd always love her; One thing he knew that would never change, and he hoped she still loved him, but he'd rather try instead of leaving her and regretting it later. He listened to Emma's voice as she hummed and cooked, it was soft and sweet, like milk and honey to his ears, soothing his fears of this moment being a trick, "What song are you humming?" He asked. His sudden question startled Emma half out of her skin, he hadn't mean to frighten her at all, and he felt bad when he had nearly made her jump out of her skin from being startled, though he couldn't help but laugh a little. It helped him relax that she smiled in return. He had to give it to her, she had guessed correctly about his clothes size. The pants and shirt fit him perfectly and a casual long-sleeved, cream knitted sweater for winter holidays, sad to say because he had lost a lot of his weight and muscle while away.

Sirius was under the impression it was a name brand of the small steel plate sown in at the right sleeve, engraved with what he thought looked like a Rose and Lily. 'Must be a personal signature to the clothesline.' He wondered how she could afford it, the clothes looked expensive, but he would later find that the clothes were sold at a price to try to accommodate as many people as they could, sold in cheap places all the way up to high end clothes lines. He had noticed Emma herself and changed while he was in the shower in the form of black leggings and a red knitted sweater shirt. She still had the charmed necklace, he still wondered who sent it to her for her thirteenth birthday, and since he was currently out of prison via escape, he may just find out now, surely she must have figured it out over the years.

Emma took a calming breath and smiled at him, a little embarrassed she had been caught humming a particular personal Lullaby, but she wasn't going to lie to him either, there was no point. "Just a song I made up when I sang Draco to sleep. He used to have nightmares as a child so when it was just him and myself in the home that Sissy and I had built I'd sing him to sleep at night and the song surprisingly worked." She saw the shock on his face, and she had a feeling he knew who Draco was, "Malfoy? Lucius Malfoy's son? The blond kid that was inside the Potter Estate when I came to you?"

"Yes, he is my Godson, legally… By Narcissa's request… Why?" They both knew how Lucius had been when they went to school together, but he hadn't really bothered her afterwards while they were at school, after all he was a part of the group Avery had been involved in, but Lucius hadn't caused the scar to hip lip, Avery had been the one who busting her lip her first year, even though Lucius had held her off her feet by her hair. But Sirius was not going to blame Draco for being his father's son and sharing a name.

"That's a bit of a shock honestly. Narcissa asked you to be the Godmother for her son? I'm actually curious to know how Lucius reacted to this. Or does he adore you too now, after all these years?" Sirius was joking of course, and he knew she saw it when she giggled and tried tickling him as he trapped her between him and the stove with a playful grin on his face, "Sing it for me? Just so I can continue to hear your voice…" He whispered softly against her lips, his voice was always close to a gentle whisper, something she always loved about it. Her own emerald eyes sparkling in the dim light of the kitchen as she looked at him with daydreams and longing of her own and himself doing the same to her.

Sirius ran a shaking hand through her long, soft, waving hair. He was looking at her in a closer proximity, no stress, no rush to leave, no one to run from… Just the two of them, safe in a cabin far from trouble. He noticed her hair was still deep red, her eyes hadn't lightened at all as she grew over the past twelve to thirteen years, to him, she barely looked like she had aged over twenty-four and he knew he looked a sight. Azkaban had truly taken a lot out of him. But Sirius had caught her humming a lullaby he had never heard before, it was understandable why he was so curious to hear it, even after finding out she had made it up for Draco. It made him to want to listen to the words even more. He knew he was going to love it any way the words went, simply because she had made it up for a child in her care and one that she held close to her heart, almost as close a she held Harry to her heart. That made it all the sweeter when she began to gently sing it to him.

"With bright blue eyes and emerald skies,

Listen as the Phoenix cries;

'Come along thy blue-eyed child, thy blue-eyed child,

Upon thy wings of Silver and Gold, Silver and Gold,

In search of the Silver furred Fox's long lost Padfoot, her long lost Padfoot,

Find him you shall in a cage of iron, surrounded by seas of sorrows,

For his Silver furred Fox awaits with families embrace,

With songs of longing, songs of longing,

To see his Silvered furred Fox, and families embrace,

For freedom he shall be granted, shall be granted,

When his Silver furred Fox sings to her emerald skies and bright blue eyes,

And sing her songs as thy fly with thy blue-eyed child, up through the emerald skies,"

As she sang the Lullaby both couldn't help but smile, "You put me in it?"

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Emma played with the curling strands of his hair with delight. "Of course, it's something only he and I know, now you. It's a part of myself and him, it means something to both of us. It started out as just a random made up thing I ended up singing and made up as I went. Then he'd started to sing along once he remembered the words… I ended up having small music box made for him with the lullaby tune and the figures crafted inside a last year." At a sudden thought of the things that had progressed on both positive and negative, Emma's smile began to slightly falter when a second thought hit her that as of lately it seemed things were gaining on the negative side. "Draco is going to be around a lot of the time, maybe for a long while if Narcissa does do what I think she's doing, and I hope she doesn't, for Draco's sake. I don't want her to do it. But she is his mother, she needs that boy as safe as he could possibly be." Emma whispered between them, her eyes scanning his own grey eyes. Eyes she had missed looking into.

"And there's no safer place than with you. She's a smart woman. If she knows she can't keep him safe, even with her body, she'll send her son somewhere she knows he will be safe. You are the only outside option she has… The Lullaby is wonderful, beautiful even, just like you… However, I smell some amazing cooking, how about we finish this conversation over dinner, Love?" He adored the way it sounded, 'Love,' it was like nothing had changed. But they had changed, they were older, wiser and he hoped that they were still very much in love, he knew he'd never love someone as much as he did Emma, it would never change for him.

Emma wanted to argue that she really wasn't, simply because the safest person to be with was Dumbledore, for her the safest place to be was in Sirius's arms.

They had meant to finish their conversation, but they had decided to talk about other things, like the happiness they had before everything had fallen off the cliff-side. They'd both laughed for what felt like hours, but they knew there were many other things they needed to discuss.

He hated breaking their enjoyment, but they needed to talk about a lot of things, and he wasn't sure how long he'd have, "Emma, what do you remember?"

"My memories were messed with, Sirius. I don't know what was erased and what wasn't or if anything was changed… But I can show you what was left after it happened, follow me." She said softly.

Emma walked him into an office/library room and led him over to a floating, slightly flat looking, bowl with a small dip sinking inward towards its' center.

Sirius was confused what it was. 'It has water in it?' He honestly thought it was going to overflow, it had looked as if it didn't have a bottom once he looked into it. Sirius looked at Emma in pure confusion as he watched her walk over to a cupboard and pulled out a vile, pouring in the contents. "Go on, the Pensieve won't hurt you. Just dip your face inside a bit and you'll see everything."

Doing as he was told, Sirius found himself being pulled into the void of water, seconds later Sirius found himself standing in the safe house and watching the days go by, each time he looked and saw a cloudy figure standing in the distance. He was witnessing what Emma had witnessed when he left them at the safe house with Wormtail. As other memories smashed in along with it, it seemed this memory was withdrawn a few years ago. And as the event went on, he found himself watching in horror, Sirius was unable to do anything, it was tearing him apart. Anytime he had tried touching the person or object, it would turn into smoke and vanish away into the next event, then the next. He witnessed her waking up, being refused custody, being attacked by Quirrell and finding Voldemort had been behind everything. Sirius watched helplessly as Emma scream out for him when she had tried escaping from the underground dungeon and cry herself horse and nearly dead. He watched Remus and Narcissa rescue her then everything went dark.

When everything was over it was like he'd been sucked out and slammed back, almost onto his butt. The effects of said feeling sent him staggering, he was glad Emma had stood next to him and helped him steady his footing, "Wormtail… Emma, I switched with Wormtail that night, that's why you remember him coming to the safe house. I handed you all over into his care. The figure you can't give a shape or voice too, is Wormtail... He is still alive. He is at Hogwarts with Harry and the others. He snuck into your room after you came out of surgery and tried erasing your memories…" Sirius's eyes trailed with a few tears, but his sadness soon melted away creating a wide smile, he had no idea why he was happy, Pettigrew was still alive like he had said and most likely with the kids, but he was and as he sailed through his joy and excitement Sirius grabbed Emma's face and pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss. He had forgotten how much they affected one another. They never could keep their hands to themselves. He had forgotten the feel of her lips, her hair, her in general and now all he wanted to do was reacquaint them both to one another.

Sirius held a hand to her neck, even at how weak he had been due to Azkaban, he still had a gentle yet firm grip on her, keeping her in the kiss, he wasn't going to let it end anytime soon, and from her reaction, he had a feeling neither did she. Backing Emma into the door frame Sirius gently putting her back against the sturdy frame. They had both tried to find their way out of the office room. Laughing at their clumsiness when they had fallen over the fur rug in the living room landing on the soft fur in front of the fireplace. The fire burning with as much heat as they kissed one another with hunger. Slipping a hand under her knitted shirt, he lifted the material up and over, tossing the shirt off to the side somewhere as she did the same to his.

Fire rushed through them both, like fire and brimstone mixing. Sirius laid Emma back into the fur rug, their bodies molding to one another as their kiss intensified in passion, heat, and loving contact long over do. A hand tangled itself into her wavy mess of hair and wrapped the other under and around her waist, pulling her closer, if air wanted to pass between them, it would find it a bit difficult.

Emma's veins rushed with heat like steam was rolling off her body as she ran a hand through his dark curling hair, resting her other hand against his chest. She felt his heartbeat, the warmth and the goosebumps rising on his skin. They had been separated for twelve long and painful years, and to finally be within reaching distance and not kiss one another they both felt it was almost a crime not to act on their emotions and desires.

Sirius pulled from their kiss, gently glided his lips over her neck, nipping playfully at her soft skin, leaving Emma in an almost giggling mess at being ticklish and the thrill of knowing he was finally back in her arms.

Her giggles had made Sirius laugh in return as he left butterfly kisses down her chest and abdomen, paying special attention to the scar at her sternum that both Avery and Voldemort had so cruelly given her. The entrance of the wound had healed to a pale, rather slim, short and slightly puckered from scar-tissue from the dagger Avery had shoved through her. However, the center of the wound was rounded with a slight hook off the side from the wand which had been shoved through her almost four years later. Bur in their moment of passion and heat Sirius hadn't noticed the still reddish pink burn on her back of the exit wound.

The two spent their night wrapped up in one another's embrace, taking their time in remembering each other as the night carried on, the world spun on and time continued just fine without them present.

Hogsmeade

Harry and Draco were heading out to meet Ron and Hermione in Hogsmeade when they were suddenly stopped by Fred and George linking their arms through Harry's as the two brothers passed by one another and dragged him off back inside and off to a corner stairway with Draco laughing at Harry as he pathetically struggled against the twins, "Easy there Harry,"

"Guys, we're trying to get to Hogsmeade,"

"We know, now hush up, we have something for you,"

"Yes, we've decided that your need for this is greater than ours," as they explained everything the twins watched Harry and Draco both grin wide, this made them grin as they walked away, "Enjoy the Mischief. Be seeing you around Harry, Draco, enjoy Hogsmeade!" and with that they were gone.

"Come on, let's try this out then. We should probably go up to Gryffindor tower and get something really quick though, it'll help us not get caught or expelled."

"Sounds like a plan, let's go," and they were off to retrieve Harry's invisible cloak and headed off through the passageways into Hogsmeade and to the candy shop's cellar. "This is wicked Harry,"

"Yeah," The two of them had found Hermione and Ron near the Shrieking Shack, but it was the extra company their two friends had currently with them. Draco growled in the back of his throat when he heard the last person he wanted to deal with, "Finn, I swear I'm going to knock his lights out one of these days."

Harry laughed at the idea, "You already have, Draco. Come on, let's mess with them." Harry laughed with mischief. He'd been wanting to do this for some time really, this was just a bonus that they got to mess with Finn and the others.

Draco's irritation instantly melted away and grew with total mischief, if he got to torment Finn, he was all in, "What's the idea?"

With that they hid over the hill side, rounded up snowballs and began the snowball assault, "Watch this," Harry snickered. Slipping the cloak over him and Draco nearly peed himself as he watched Finn screaming like a little girl and the other two having one of their pants pulled down then shoved head first into the snow when he'd tried to pull his pants up and the other tripping and slipping over the snow as he ran.

Finn screamed, trying to get away from Harry's invisible self when he was knocked over, picked up by his ankles and pulled past the wired fence and towards the Shrieking Shack screaming frightfully then took off running and knocking the other two down and out of the way as he took off, the others calling after him in panic trying to keep up with the retreating boy, "Malfoy! Wait!" This had everyone laughing, Draco even more when Harry moved to Ron and Hermione and began messing with them.

Draco had rolled down the snow-covered hill laughing when Ron paled a shade of green when his hat began to move, but Hermione laughed harder "Harry," and it continued on from there, they had a snowball fight, chased one another around and tackling one another and had pinned Draco then eventually Ron and had tickled them to a crying mess. They were having fun and the day was amazing.

"Those weasels! They've never told me about the Marauder's Map, hang on, wait a minute… Harry, what did the front of the Map say again?"

With a laughing sigh Harry recited the front entree of it, "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief- Makers are proud to present the Marauders Map and there are paw prints around it, under the words, like a deer's hoof, a rat's paw, a dog's paw and a strange hand like claw. There's also a little fox at the top right-hand corner before you open it. I'll show you all tonight. It's awesome, Draco and I already tried out one the secret passageways- hey isn't that Fudge and Professor McGonagall with Hagrid?"

They smiled and giggled at Rosmerta backing Fudge up, hammer in hand, as they spoke "Sirius Black in Hogsmeade, now what would bring him here?" she asked. The kids hadn't heard what Fudge had whispered to her, but they knew seconds later when her face squinted in confusion and exclaimed, "Harry Potter?"

"Shush! Inside, come on." Minerva ushered them in and up to Rosemertas' personal office, but Harry had quickly followed behind, leaving three confused and very concerned friends who had attempted to follow him in, but were all called out and told to get out due to no underage wizards allowed inside on that day and to "Shut the damned door!"

Hermione huffed and moved to close the door, "So rude,"

But it was Ron and Draco's synced comment had the three friends laughing, "Thick heads," they all continued to laugh for a while, even when they were left in the cold snow while Harry ventured indoors to overhear what the heck was going on.

"The girl is in love with that beast of a man! He has Emma wrapped around his fingers. She's loved him from day one and he will use that! With her memory nearly in ruins they had no case to help him, and the Magical community was better off without him if you ask me. Sirius was the last person to see the Potters alive. That man may not have put a hand to the Potters, but he is the reason they are dead! He even sent he own wife to be into face Death himself that fateful night. Emma Evans and Harry Potter are both very lucky to have survived that encounter." Fudge shouted, "If he's escaped, Emma is the only one that he would trust to aid him. Worst of all, she believes he's innocent! And why wouldn't the poor child? He messed with her memories, brain washed her over the years he knew her, this is precisely why I tried to keep that boy from her custody! Because she'd be handing him over for Sirius to finish what he and the Dark Lord started years ago… The death of Harry James Potter. And he'd likely kill her too no doubt, that man never cared for her, never! He likely only ever used the poor girl!"

Harry's anger was boiling, the Minister of Magic was having a discussion about his family, his Aunt in particular, and he wasn't the only one getting upset, he could see the steam rolling off McGonagall, Harry had to wander, why she was there in the first place?

"Cornelius! I may agree about Sirius Black being involved in some things because of his strange behavior. However! I will say this now and make this very clear, Emma would die before she allowed that boy to be harmed in any way! Besides Albus, Emma Evans is the only one I know who could keep Potter safe and alive. Even at the cost of her own life if necessary! That woman has endured enough over the years, suffered the most dare I say, at the hands of that evil Wizard, besides the dear Longbottom's of course. But for three years, three long and painful years that she laid in that bed comatose, the only thing that girl thought of or dreamed of, was that frightful night! Of course, that was only thirteen months afterwards because her mind was healing. Yes! Healing, her own mentality was mending itself, and it took thirteen months for her to accomplish! Her body gave out nearly seven times over the three years, and every time she came back! Harry Potter is the only thing keeping her going in this life!" McGonagall was furious, she had shouted, not screamed, but shouted at Fudge. Poor Rosmerta was nearly hiding herself in the corner of the fireplace to keep a distance from the Professor, "Pardon me dear Rosemerta, however, I believe I should be going. Good day." Minerva huffed a bit as she stood for the sofa and moved for the door,

Cornelius sighed as he took a sip of the Brandy from his cup and moved a few steps, in hopes of trying to change her mind from leaving so soon "Now, Minerva-" he was silenced when he caught the glare in her eyes, one he really hated being on the receiving end of, he was about to realize how much of a mistake he was making by trying to convince her to stay.

"Cornelius Fudge, as I have said already. I agree Sirius Black was involved with something before he was arrested. However, I will never admit nor agree, or disagree, in believing that he would ever harm Miss Evans intentionally, nor his Godson! I know very well how he reacted when he and Hagrid found Mr. Potter and Miss Evans in that Nursery. And that, Minister, was no act he put on." With Minerva's thoughts said, she walked out with an upsetting huff. Her anger was perfectly clear to Harry, even to Fudge. But Harry still wanted to hear what more was going to be said, so of course he stayed.

'Uncle Remus always did say my curiosity came from my Aunt.' He thought with a happy grin at the memory.

"Forgive us, Rosmerta. Minerva is simply protective of Miss Evans and young Mr. Potter, with good reason, as she is with Mr. Longbottom as well. I take full responsibility for my dear friend."

"And as you should, Cornelius, Minerva is a very protective woman by nature, she never looked at the Evans as simple students, none of her students are simply just her students, many of them she tends to sometimes look at as her own children or grandchildren, and the Evans' girls were almost as close to her as Grandchildren. I heard a rumor about poor Horus Slughorn nearly having a heart attack with grief when he found out about Lily and James." Rosemerta said with a sorrowful sigh, sitting next to Cornelius on the sofa and sunk in to relax, they had much to talk about she supposed.

"No dear lady, he did suffer a heart-attack, the rumor was true," he informed her, he didn't have to look at her to know she was in shock herself, and he continued with the horrifying news very few people knew about, "Lily Potter was two, almost three, months along in her second pregnancy when that evil wizard attacked them. That is why I say Harry is lucky he made it out alive. Emma was even more so. Unfortunately, she too lost her unborn, barely a month really. The poor thing never had a chance, not after Emma's heart stopped the first two times in surgery, or so I was told. Really, the attack alone she suffered was truly enough to cause the dear thing to have a miscarriage. Poor girl doesn't even know, if she remembers that is, that she was pregnant herself. I try to keep silent about that as much as I can, because truly I never looked at her file, it's simply what I had heard in rumors. Though, I have to say, she still would have made a very nice mother, even at her age then. Honestly if she had known for herself, she was pregnant maybe she would have woken up sooner? We can only wish things from the past and for the future though."

Rosemerta gazed into the roaring fire, unshed tears for the expecting couple and the possible loss of Emma's own, even if it could very well be just a rumor the idea was still heartbreaking to hear such things. Even to a woman who could never conceive one of her own, "Emma never said a thing about Lily or herself expecting?"

Cornicle's attention was pulled from his memories of when he had been informed of the attack on the Potter's safe house that he hadn't quite heard what she had asked, but the longing look on her face told him what her questions had been, "No, never once mentioned it, and no one ever asked her. Poor child was suffering enough as it was, I dare say I may have come across someone myself for bringing up such a thing to the girl after that traumatizing event. Though I did not help either in the near future after that. However, I must say that I do very much believe Sirius Black was the culprit that sent those innocent people to their doom. A child lost his parents, two children, in fact, and two possible children were lost in the process because of it. I suppose we'll never truly know."

"I'm sorry to say, Cornelius, but I don't believe trying to keep Harry from his Aunt was a smart idea on your part, she's a strong, stubborn girl. I personally believe it aided the enemy in his harm than anything. And I say this only because he came to our world with no knowledge of anything, had he been raised by Emma when she woke from a coma he would have been understanding of things, how things run and work, but you cannot change the past, only help try to change the future. More Brandy?"

"Huh- oh yes, thank you,"

Harry had heard enough. Silently leaving the room, he closed it as quietly as he possibly could and ran for the forest, the snow gently falling around him as the words continued ringing in his ears, "Lily Potter was two, maybe three, months along with a child", "Emma was even more so. Unfortunately, she too, lost her unborn, barely a month really. The poor thing never had a chance,", "Really the attack alone she suffered was truly enough to cause the dear thing to have a miscarriage," and finally, "Poor girl doesn't even know, if she remembers that is," He had sat atop the rock crying, his fathers' cloak draped over him still. He'd have been a big brother to a little brother or sister, running around and laughing, someone to enjoy his life with and a big cousin to Emma's little one running around doing the very same as his younger sibling would have been doing. He knew then that his family had been very much cheated of a life they should have had. He wished he knew what had happened to Neville's family, he'd heard McGonagall mention them and he'd wondered if his parents were killed also, if so, they have something in common, besides their birthdays being a single day apart from each other.

That night Harry was still clearly upset over what he had found out that day, he couldn't seem to fall asleep and made the decision to sit in bed, wand alight with 'Lumos' as he looked through the Marauder's Map. He was frozen in shock at what he was seeing. The name moving, and very real, was Peter Pettigrew.

'That's not possible, he's supposed to be dead… Right? This thing must be malfunctioning or something. I still need to check this out. If he really is alive, I want answers.'

Slipping on his house shoes and his sweater, Harry headed out, map in hand and began his search.

Unfortunately, he was finding nothing. He had scared himself as he watched the name script move around him. He heard nothing and had found nothing but a mirror with his own reflection that nearly made him jump out of his skin. Harry sighed with disappointment.

'Yeah, the map is malfunctioned,'

But his luck had just ran out as Snape's name and body rounding the corner, Harry panicked. Clearing the map and killing his Lumos charm only to have a light shined in his face. He was glad he had the time to put the map into his sweater pocket, but again his luck had run out, Snape had notice something in his pocket and had him empty his pockets.

"Reveal your secrets,"

But instead of opening the map to Snape's eyes, an insult appeared. Snape had forced Harry read it aloud, "Why you insolent little-"

"Professor, please, calm yourself. Now, may I ask what is going on here, ah, Harry."

"Well, well, well, Lupin… Out for a walk in the moonlight?... Your appearance is most appropriate at this time. I have just confiscated a something from Mr. Potter, looks to be something of your professional expertise, it's full of dark magic-"

Lupin couldn't help as he looked at the Marauder's Map, memories coming back in sudden flashes making him smile. Snape, however, was under the impression Lupin was laughing at him, "On the contrary, Professor, this parchment seems to insult anyone who attempt to open it. I suspect it's a Zonko, but as you say, it is my area of expertise. I shall hold onto this- Harry would you come with me, please. Good night, Professor." The three left it there, for the time being. Snape was not yet through with this. He didn't, wouldn't, trust Remus Lupin.

Lupin had walked Harry back to his office with a disappointed huff, "I know your father never much abide by the rules, Harry. But your mother and father gave their lives to save yours. By being out after hours unprotected with a killer on the loos seems to be a pretty poor way repay them! Now, I will not cover for you again, Harry. You will return to your dormitory and if you take any detours, I shall know. Good night."

Harry sighed in defeat, his uncle had just scolded him a good one and he had no idea what to do, he still serious believed Sirius was dangerous, Harry was skeptical, but as he made it to the door he remembered why he was out like he was, "Um, Uncle Remus, I don't think that map always works,"

Remus sighed but choose to entertain his nephew, "Oh really? Why's that?"

"Because I saw a name on the map, someone I was under the impression was dead."

"Oh really, and who was that?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

Lupin looked up from the desk, trying to put the map into a drawer. Unfortunately, what he was hearing had him instead of holding the map closer to him, like it was a safety net while he stared in shock at Harry, "That's not possible."

Remus stared after the retreating Harry, and quickly opened the map to look for the name. His heart stopped when he too found Peter Pettigrew running about the castle, his heart dropped to his stomach with painful breaths as his eyes filled with tears as Remus sank into his chair, running his hands through his hair.

Memories flooding his mind and ears. He'd left Sirius abandoned to Azkaban and damned him before they even had real evidence against him or for his innocents. He hadn't believed Emma at all over the twelve years, and by allowing this, Sirius's life had been utterly ruined and Emma had lost the chance for twelve years to have her family she had deserved, they lost twelve years of their lives, Remus had lost James and Peter, and then his best friend had been convicted of the murders he'd helped a possible suspect that had likely been the real culprit hid for years as an innocent man suffered for twelve years. "What have I done…"

***Thank you for reading I hope you have all enjoyed this chapter! I know I said I was going to do Draco's re-sorting in this chapter, but I decided against overloading this chapter with so much, so I left a cliffhanger, Keep reading to find more adventures in the coming chapters :) I hope you liked this chapter and Thank you all for the comments and votes. Have a wonderful Day/Night!