Secrets Exposed

"I can't believe it! They actually did it!" Hermione said, stifling a sob.

Gohan frowned. He didn't feel Buckbeak's ki drop off. In fact, he sensed Buckbeak's ki running through the edge of the forest with—

Gohan's eyes widened. "Hermione, do you feel that? In the forest."

Hermione frowned. "Buckbeak…and-" she gasped. "That's impossible! Harry's here with us! And so are you! Who's that other ki?"

Harry and Ron blinked confusedly as Gohan answered. "It's yours."

Hermione and Gohan looked at each other in shock. Then, Harry's eyes widened as the realization struck him. "That's us! In the forest! But how—"

Hermione turned to him. "We'll explain later, right now we have to get back to the castle to Dumbledore…all of us!"

Harry opened his mouth to asked why they were going to see Dumbledore when—

"NOOO!" Gohan shouted suddenly as an orange cat made its way toward them. Scabbers broke free from his master and shot away.

"Scabbers!" Ron left the invisibility cloak and pursued the two.

Gohan made to follow, but Hermione grabbed his arm. Gohan glared. "I'm not letting Pettigrew escape, Hermione! He's ruined too many people's lives!" He wrenched his arm away and sped after. He reached Ron, who had caught the rat and was defending him from Crookshanks.

Harry panted as he caught up with them. "Would someone mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

Exasperated, Gohan pointed at the rat and opened his mouth to tell Harry once more when he felt a familiar, oddly canine ki. It bounded at them quickly and silently. It struck Harry and Ron on the chest, the force from the blow causing the two boys and dog to topple.

Gohan stepped forward. "Wait! We're going to see Dumbledore. Don't—"

But the dog already grabbed Ron by the arm and began dragging him away. Gohan rush after but realized, as its unusual ki washed over him, that he was near the Whomping Willow. Dodging the limbs with his quick speed, he shot after Ron's screams and followed them into a tunnel. The tunnel seemed to go on forever. It finally ended in a dusty room. Gohan followed Ron's whimpers upstairs. He swung the door open. Ron lay on the floor, wringing his equally frightened rat, and over him stood a haunted man, staring hungrily at Ron.

Gohan glared angrily. "Hey!" The man whipped around. "That wasn't very nice, Sirius! You could have ripped Ron's leg off!"

Ron's eyes popped when he heard Gohan say Sirius's name. Sirius Black smiled a strange smile and backed behind the door Gohan had just entered.

"That won't do you any good!" Gohan continued. "I can sense Ki, you know!"

Ron whimpered, holding his rat with one hand and reaching down to touch his injured leg with the other. Gohan sensed Hermione and Harry coming.

"Harry, wait! Don't go in there!" Hermione said as a sound of sprinting was heard, and Harry entered the room. Hermione came in after and glared at him. "Didn't I tell you not to? He's right behind the door!"

As if on cue, the door closed. Sirius Black pointed Ron's wand at Harry's "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand shot across the room.

"I knew you'd come to save your friend. Noble, like James. I'm glad you didn't go for a teacher…makes things considerably easier." Harry glared angrily.

"If you want to kill Harry, you have to kill us, first!" Ron shouted bravely as he attempted to stand.

Sirius winced at the accusation. "You…might want to lie down, before you cause yourself more injury."

Ron stood to his full height, wincing painfully. "Didn't you hear me? You have to kill us first!"

"No, only one will die here tonight!" Sirius said, his eyes shifting to the rat.

"It will be YOU!" Harry bellowed and lunged at Sirius. He easily knocked the man over, wrestled Ron's wand away, and began punching Sirius. Suddenly, Harry felt himself lifted and pulled away from Sirius. Gohan handed the struggling Harry to Hermione, who pinned Harry's arms to his sides.

"What are you doing?" Harry spluttered as he attempted to break free from Hermione's strong grip.

Gohan glared at the man. "That's enough, Sirius! We're taking Pettigrew to Dumbledore now! It would be best for you to just leave!" The rat began squeaking and struggling in earnest.

Harry blinked stupidly. Gohan and Hermione were in on this?

"No!" Sirius spat. "I want to commit the murder I was convicted for! You have no idea…TWELVE YEARS…IN AZKABAN!" he wailed. "I want Pettigrew DEAD!"

"No!" Gohan said firmly, taking a stance. "I'll fight you before I let that happen. Pettigrew must face justice! I intend to make sure that happens. Don't you get it? If you kill Pettigrew there will be no proof of your innocence—"

"I don't care! I want Pettigrew, and I want him now! Stand aside, boy!"

Hermione shouted in agitation. "Shut up, and listen to Gohan, you," she struggled for words, "…reckless… mongrel!"

Sirius smiled sardonically at her. "I can see why Harry is friends with you. The resemblance is uncanny."

Hermione blinked, suddenly feeling sick. "Resemblance?"

"Selena Subaru. Your behaviors..and your looks. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were related."

Hermione blanched, blushing. But she was relieved. Better to be compared to Selena than that…that…

Her loosened grip allowed Harry to suddenly break free. He threw himself back toward Sirius. He picked up Ron's wand, and pointed it at Sirius's throat.

"Are you going to kill me, Harry?" Sirius whispered.

Harry looked into the gaunt face of the man he had pinned, his face contorted with rage and hate. "You killed my parents."

Sirius blanched once more, before he softened. "Yes, I did that. I killed them. I was such a fool. I will let you kill me, Harry, but not before I've killed Pettigrew first! He deserves to die before I do!" He struggled to free himself from Harry. Suddenly, Crookshanks entered the fight and clamped himself onto Sirius's chest. Harry was wrestling both man and cat—

Suddenly, the door burst open. Lupin's eyes took in everyone before he shouted, "Expelliarmus!" The wands that Harry and Ron were holding shot from their hands, and Lupin caught them.

Lupin jerked his head at Harry, motioning him away. Harry complied reluctantly. Lupin studied Sirius before speaking. "Where is he, Sirius?"

Sirius rose to his feet. Harry gasped. Now Lupin? Harry looked over at Sirius, who remained expressionless. Then, he raised his hand and pointed directly at Ron, who looked completely confused. Lupin looked at Ron, frowning.

"But, but—"

"Pettigrew was the traitor, Professor. Really, sir, you shouldn't be out right now." Hermione said suddenly.

Lupin jumped at the sudden information and warning. Then he rounded on Sirius. "You…switched?"

"I'm so sorry, Remus," Sirius choked. "I should have never suspected you. I should have known all along who the traitor was!"

"Professor, please, the full moon—" Hermione pleaded.

Lupin jumped. Then, he smiled. "How long have you known?"

"Ages. Since Professor Snape's essay—"

"Professor Snape?" Sirius said, incredulous. "They made that greasy git—"

Lupin waved him off impatiently. "So, what gave me away? Comparing my time of illness with a lunar chart or the fact that the boggart turned into the full moon?"

"Both."

" You're the cleverest witch of your age I have ever met. Your mother must be proud," Lupin said with a small, ironic smile.

Hermione blanched at his knowledge. Is it that obvious that I'm Selena's daughter? She sighed. She might as well tell them. "Mother's dead."

Lupin blanched at the news. "Selena? Dead?" Lupin said in a genuinely hurt voice as Sirius' eyes snapped at Hermione in surprise. "So…you're living with your father?"

Hermione recoiled at the thought. She examined their faces. It was clear that neither of them knew who her father was. "I live with my parents," she said flatly. "My Muggle parents."

Lupin stared. "I…see."

Harry broke in. "Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" He asked for the second time that night, his eyes shot suspiciously to Gohan, Hermione, Sirius, and Lupin.

'Yeah," Sirius agreed. "The sooner I get to kill Peter, the better!"

"Yes, but Harry, at least deserves to know. He needs to know what really happened that night. You may need to help me, Sirius, I don't know all the facts—" Lupin said, but Sirius cut him off.

"Yes, yes, but make it snappy. I have an appointment to keep," he said, gazing hungrily toward Ron.

Lupin handed Harry the wands. "There. You're armed. We're not. Now will you listen?"

"Good luck with that," Gohan muttered sarcastically. Harry shot him an angry look.

"I had thought, like you, Harry, that Sirius betrayed your parents," Lupin began. "Until I watched you and your friends go to Hagrid's on the Marauders Map. I suspected you might sneak there to comfort Hagrid during Buckbeak's execution."

"You know how to work the map?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Of course I do! I helped write it. I'm Moony. Anyways, I watched as you four left with someone."

Hermione and Gohan exchanged glances. "But we didn't leave with anyone," Harry argued.

"Yes, you did, actually. I couldn't believe it. I thought the map was malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" Harry shouted.

Lupin continued as though Harry hadn't said anything. "Then, I saw Sirius approach and drag two of you into the Whomping Willow."

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"Two of you," Lupin insisted. "Ron, may I look at your rat?"

"Why? What does Scabbers have to do with this?"

"He's not a rat!" Sirius spat suddenly.

"His ki has human qualities," Gohan said aloud. Hermione nodded. Harry gasped, noticing for the first time.

"That's because he's a wizard," Lupin said. "His name is Peter Pettigrew."

Vegeta squinted toward the shack. "Why aren't we stopping this little meeting? Isn't that what we are here for?"

Piccolo sighed. "Since Harry doesn't want to listen to Gohan at the moment, he needs to find out some way. I guess there can be no better way than to allow Sirius to tell them personally."

"But what about those two teachers? You saw them. The second one didn't look too happy. Besides, you know what the dog is like. He shows absolutely no restraint at all."

Piccolo smirked. "Look who's talking."

Vegeta growled. "Look, Namek! I'm just saying this is a bad idea! The moon is full tonight, you know."

Piccolo looked at the giant orb, sighing. He couldn't help but sense Vegeta was right. Something definitely was going to happen tonight.

"What? Peter Pettigrew? But he's dead! He killed him!" Harry said, pointing at Sirius.

Sirius bared his teeth. "I meant to, but Peter outsmarted me. A stroke of brilliance I would have never thought…but not this time!" Sirius lunged at Ron, but Gohan caught him and pushed him away. Sirius glared at him. Ron's rat was squealing and scratching Ron's face and neck.

Lupin sighed. "You can't just do it like that, Sirius. They need to understand—"

"We'll explain later!" Sirius yelled as he tried unsuccessfully to get around Gohan. "Damn you, boy!"

"They have a right to know everything! Ron's kept him as a pet, and Harry…Harry deserves to know the truth, Sirius."

Sirius stopped resisting. He glared at Lupin in exasperation. "Well, get on with it!"

Ron stared at them. "You're all complete nutters! I'm leaving." Ron made a motion to stand, wincing painfully.

Lupin pointed his wand at Scabbers. "You're going to hear us out, Ron. Just be sure to keep a tight hold on Peter—"

"HE'S SCABBERS, NOT PETER!" Ron bellowed angrily. Harry helped him sit shakily back on the bed.

Gohan sighed wearily. He heard Hermione say, "Professor, there's one thing I'm missing. How can Pettigrew be an animagus? All animagi are required to be registered at the ministry. I checked the list for McGonagall. There are only seven registered animagi this century. Pettigrew isn't one of them."

Lupin nodded, laughing. "Right again! But the ministry never knew there were once three unregistered animagi at Hogwarts." He stopped as a loud creak sounded and the door swung open of its own accord.

"This place is haunted!" Ron said shakily.

"No, it isn't." Lupin said in a musing voice. "It was never haunted. The screams and wails the villagers heard in the house were made by me.

"That is where the story starts, actually. Me becoming a werewolf. None of this might not have happened if I hadn't been bitten…and if I hadn't been so foolish. I was a small child when I was bitten. Back then there was nothing to take. All year Severus Snape has been brewing Wolfbane for me, allowing me the safe transformation."

"I still can't believe that git actually teaches—" Sirius began.

"Sirius, please! As long as I take it a week before the full moon, I can keep my mind. I can curl up in my office and wait for the moon to wane again. Before that, I was a mindless monster once a month. I feared I never would be able to come to Hogwarts. Nobody would want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore became headmaster. He was sympathetic. He said there was no reason I shouldn't be able to come, if certain precautions were taken. This house, the Whomping Willow, it all was designed to keep me safely away from the other students during my transformation.

"I was sealed here just before the painful transformation. I would stay here and bite and scratch myself. The screams and shouts they heard down in the village were all mine. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor that the shack was haunted. It kept the curious away, mostly.

"Transformations aside, I was happy. I had friends…James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. James found out first. I thought my friends would abandon me when they discovered it. But they stayed. James and Sirius figured out how to transform into animals, and they taught Peter. They'd all keep me company during the full moon. Eventually, we'd go about the grounds each full moon. They figured they could control me.

"What kind of animal—" Harry said.

"Professor, that was—" Hermione began, cutting Harry off.

"Irresponsible, yes. I've often remembered how I was breaking Dumbledore's trust, leading three students to become unregistered animagi, stalking the school grounds at night in my transformed state. It was incredibly dangerous. I am still haunted by the guilt. What might have happened if I attacked someone. I haven't changed. I was too cowardly to tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an animagus. Then, I'd have to admit that I had encouraged rule-breaking. Maybe Severus is right about me…in that aspect."

"Snivellous!" Sirius jeered.

Lupin sighed. "Snape tried so hard to keep me from getting the Defense post. I can't say I blame him…Sirius almost got him killed. He played a trick on him…one involving me. We didn't like Snape very much…and vise versa. Snape was rather curious about where I went every month. Sirius thought it would be amusing to tell Snape to prod the knot on the Whomping Willow. When James heard, he pulled Snape back, risking his own life. But not before Snape saw me. Dumbledore made Snape swear to secrecy."

"So, that's why Snape hates you? He thinks you were in on the joke?" Harry asked.

"That's right!" A voice sneered. Everyone turned to see Severus Snape emerge from beneath the Invisibility Cloak, pointing a wand at Lupin.

Snape shook the cloak. "I found this at the base of the Willow. Very useful, Potter. I thank you." He shifted his gaze toward Lupin. "You forgot your potion tonight, Remus. I had brought a goblet to your chamber when I stumbled across a curious artifact: a map, indicating Potter, Granger, Weasley, and Black at this location…and you heading this way."

"Severus," Lupin began, but Snape cut him off.

"I told Dumbledore you're here helping an old friend into the castle, and now here's the proof. But hiding out here? I didn't think you'd have the nerve—"

"Severus, you're making a mistake. Sirius isn't here to kill Harry—"

"Two more for Azkaban, I think. I wonder what Dumbledore is going to think about his harmless little werewolf now."

"Severus, don't be a fool! Is a schoolboy's grudge worth putting an innocent man back in Azkaban?"

Bang! Ropes appeared and wrapped around Lupin, causing him to collapse to the floor. Sirius made a quick movement, but Snape pointed his wand in Sirius's face. "Give me a reason, Black!"

Gohan stepped forward. "Professor, Please! He's telling the truth—"

"Mr. Son, of all people I would have never deemed you susceptible to being Confunded."

"But Professor—" Hermione tried.

"Lady Subaru, I'd suggest that you remain silent. Surely you understand the position you are in at this moment. You may be Heir of Arandia, but nobody knows it. You and your little friends are facing expulsion as it is, being caught in a mass murderer's and werewolf's company." Harry blinked stupidly at Hermione, and Ron gasped loudly, his eyes widening.

"But Sirius is innocent!"

"KEEP QUIET, STUPID GIRL! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING! Vengeance is sweet. I had hoped I would be the one to catch you—"

Black smirked. "As long as the rat comes, I'll come quietly."

"Oh, we don't need to go all the way to the castle. The dementors will be so happy to see you, they may give you a kiss."

Sirius paled. "You have to listen to me! The rat, look at the rat!"

But Snape seemed beyond all reason. "You first, children." But Harry blocked the door. "What are you doing, Potter? Don't you think you are in enough trouble as it is? I've saved your skin. Be grateful."

"Lupin has had plenty of opportunity to kill me. He's even given me dementor lessons. Why would he have bothered—"

"Don't ask me about the internal workings of a werewolf's mind! Move out of the way!"

Harry yelled. "DON'T BE SO PATHETIC! YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN…ALL BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OUT OF YOU—"

"SILENCE! I WON'T BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY FROM YOU! You're just like your father! I just saved you! You should be thanking me! But you would die, defending that monster, just like him, too arrogant to believe you were mistaken about him! NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

"Expelliarmus!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione bellowed all at once. Snape crumpled, his wand shot from his hand.

Sirius shook his head. "You shouldn't have done that. You should have left him to me." He walked over to free Lupin.

Hermione collapsed on the bed next to Ron, muttering, "We attacked a teacher…I don't believe it…so much trouble."

"Thank you, Harry." Lupin said.

"I'm not saying I believe you," Harry said stiffly.

"Right. I suppose it's time for some proof. Ron, give me Peter. Now, please."

Ron clutched Scabbers tighter. "Come off it! Are you saying this nutter escaped from Azkaban just to kill my rat? The sewers are filled with rats…how does he know he's got the right one?"

"That's a fair point, Ron. How did you know, Sirius?"

"The newspaper," Gohan murmured thoughtfully. Sirius nodded at the boy and pulled the paper out.

"Fudge came in to inspect the prison. He gave me this. I recognized Peter as soon as I saw him. The paper said the boy would be returning to Hogwarts…with Harry." Harry pulled the paper to him, examining the photograph of Ron's family during their trip to Egypt. Scabbers was visible on Ron's shoulder.

Lupin leaned forward, examining the rat. "My God," he muttered.

Gohan nodded. "He's missing a toe."

Harry jumped, remembering the fated finger that was supposedly what was left of Pettigrew.

"So simple, so brilliant, he cut it off himself?"

Sirius glared with intense dislike. "I had cornered him in the alley. He shouted for the world's benefit that I betrayed James and Lily, then he blasted behind him, killing all those Muggles! The he transformed and took to the sewers."

"Look, Scabbers is a good rat. He's been in the family for ages."

"Twelve years, in fact? Curiously long age for a common rat."

"We…took…care of him," Ron stammered.

"He doesn't look so well now. Probably hasn't slept a wink since he heard of Sirius's escape."

"He's afraid of that insane furball!" Ron said, nodding at Crookshanks. "He hasn't given him one moment's rest—"

"He's not insane, Ron," Sirius said. "He's the smartest of his kind I've ever met. He knew that Peter wasn't an ordinary rat. He knew I wasn't an ordinary dog, either. He's been trying to bring Peter to me for a while now. He failed, so he brought me a list of Gryffindor passwords he had found on a boy's bedside table. Then the cat, Crookshanks, is it? Yes, he told me he found blood on the sheets. I believed he faked his death once more…especially since it worked so well in the past."

Harry spoke. "He faked his death, because he knew you'd kill him like you did my parents!"

"No! Harry—" Lupin began.

"Now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes! That I have," Black said, his eyes staring malevolently at Scabbers.

"I should have let Snape have you!"

Lupin shook his head. "Don't you see? It was Pettigrew that betrayed them—"

"NO! BLACK WAS THE SECRET KEEPER! HE—"

Sirius nodded sadly. "I suspected that Remus was the mole, so I persuaded James to make Peter the secret keeper, instead. I would then go into hiding, making Voldemort believe that I was still the secret keeper. Only Peter was the mole. I had James make the traitor secret keeper! So yes! I did it, Harry! I killed your parents!" He spat bitterly, filled with self loathing.

"Enough of this!" Lupin said. "There's only one sure way to prove this! Give me that rat, Ron. Now!"

Ron hugged the scratching, squeaking mess. "What're you going to do to him?"

"I'm going to force him to show himself. If he is really a rat, this won't hurt him."

Ron reluctantly held out the protesting rat. Lupin took it. "On the count of three, Sirius."

"Together?"

"I think so. One…two…three!" The rat froze in mid air, twisted crazily, and hit the floor. Then he began slowly forming into the shape of a man. The man's eyes darted fearfully around the room.

"Well, hello, Peter. Long time, no see." Lupin said casually.