Chapter 12: The Truth Comes Out
James invited Siri and me to his place for the Christmas holidays. Much as I wanted to accept, I had to decline. Someone has to protect Reggie, after all.
There was a double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick that turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? people asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? Leo remarked that it had to be the babe – the babe with the power of voodoo. His obscure reference only served to confuse people more.
"It's like these people have never seen Labyrinth!" he complained one morning. "It's only the greatest movie of all time!"
"What's a movie?" Ron inquired curiously.
Leo gasped and – in a very Hermione-ish way – lectured him on the amazingness of movies and the joy of the cinema. He had been quite bored during the first half of the summer, and so spent his time catching up on all the movies the Dursleys had never let him watch. Labyrinth and the Monty Python movies were by far his favorite.
Unfortunately, while Leo was having a grand old time, reveling in the chaos and confusing people, Harry was not doing quite as well. People constantly skirted around him in the corridors, as though he was about to sprout fangs or spit poison.
Leo and the twins, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through..."
Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.
"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.
"Bad luck, old chaps. We've run out of tea," Leo placed on a worried expression. "Please don't petrify me. At least, not until I get into position first."
Ginny didn't find it amusing either.
"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met.
Leo liked to make various poses and say 'my body is ready'. Draco almost snorted oatmeal out of his nose the first time he saw this. Unfortunately, Zabini spotted this and was about to start pointing and laughing at Draco when his cereal suddenly exploded in his face. Everyone looked at Leo, automatically assuming that he was the one who did it, but he was just as shocked as they were. When he spotted Draco's self-satisfied smirk, Leo couldn't have been more proud.
At last, the term ended, and Leo boarded the train headed towards King's Cross. He sat with Lee Jordan and the other members of the Gryffindor team. They joked and laughed and played various games of Exploding Snap. Now and again, Wood would bring up Quidditch and tried to get everyone to get on board and help him plan out the next match. Leo politely informed him that he'd be more than happy to officiate the wedding between him and the game, silencing him rather quickly.
Soon enough, the train pulled into the station and everyone disembarked. Leo dragged his trunk and empty owl cage off the train, onto a trolley, and off the platform. He looked around the station, quickly spotting Remus in a long and threadbare overcoat covering a shabby jumper and trousers. He pushed his trolley forward quickly and, when he got close enough, enveloped the man in a tight hug, almost knocking him over.
"Don't think I've ever had anyone quite so happy to see me," Remus chuckled, hugging him back.
"Maybe you should fix that," Leo grinned before stepping back. "Invest in a dog or something. They're always happy to see you."
"So I've heard," Remus replied with a wry smile before taking Leo's trolley and leading them out of the station. "Have you ever had a dog?"
"No, but I've always wanted one," Leo sighed. "The Dursleys thought about getting Dudley one, but they reconsidered after I convinced his aunt's dog to chase him round the yard."
Remus snorted in amusement.
"What kind of dog did you have in mind?"
"A big, black, shaggy one," Leo grinned widely, missing how Remus's face paled. "Something that looks like it could tear your face off but ends up being really sweet and lovable."
"Yes, well," Remus said after he took a moment to recover. "Don't think you should be getting one any time soon. You still have school – and dogs aren't allowed."
"I know," Leo shrugged in response. "Not like I'd be able to get one anyway. Apollo gets super jealous when there are any other animals in the room with me. Except for Hedwig – but that's just because he fancies her."
Remus just smiled in amusement at this before pulling them off into an alley and out of sight of everyone. Once there, he shrunk Leo's trunk and owl cage before putting them both in his pocket. He held out his arm to Leo, who took it, and they Disapparated away.
When they landed and Leo looked upon Remus's house, he had to admit he was surprised at what he found. He had been expecting a shabby hut or small cottage. Instead, there stood a large, two-story cottage with a sprawling, plot of land before it, what appeared to be a barn off in the distance, and a small forest sprawling out behind it all. Surrounding the entire property was a large stone fence that he didn't think even Remus would be able to see over. There was no gate that he could see.
"Have to be honest, I wasn't expecting the house to be this nice," Leo commented.
"And yet you came anyway?" Remus asked with a tone of mild surprise.
Leo shrugged.
"It's not about the things you have, it's about who you are."
"Now who's the philosopher?" Remus chuckled, earning a small smile from the boy. "To be quite frank, this isn't actually my house."
"Never picked you as someone who would break into someone's house, Remy," Leo remarked. "You just became a hundred times cooler – and you were already pretty cool to begin with."
"Thanks, I think," Remus replied in a dry tone. "This house used to belong to your parents. They left it to me in their will and, well... I wanted to, at the very least, hold onto it for you."
"My parents lived here?" Leo asked incredulously, his eyes widening comically.
"Yes, and they were quite insistent – despite my many, many refusals – that I stay with them. They could be surprisingly stubborn when they wanted to be," Remus informed him before glancing downward at him. "A trait that you share with them, I'm sure."
"I think Professor Minnie would agree with you there."
Remus then chauffeured him inside. They were immediately greeted by a rather open living room that contained a fireplace, various dark grey couches, white walls, and light, wooden floors. Leo was surprised to find a record player and a Muggle telly with a VHS player. Remus informed him that Cas had been quite fascinated with the Muggle world and wanted to incorporate some of their more ingenious inventions into his home.
The rest of the first floor contained a spacious kitchen/dining room – Leo was starting to notice that a lot of the rooms were rather open – a bedroom off to the side of the kitchen that Remus stayed in, a full bathroom, and a locked door that refused to budge no matter how hard Leo pulled it. Remus informed him that it led down to the basement before he took him up the stairs.
There were four bedrooms – one of which, his parents' room, had an attached bathroom – and one other bathroom. Remus informed him that two of the other rooms were guest rooms, meant for the Potters or Sirius to stay the night. Leo couldn't quite bring himself to enter his parent's room, so instead, he opened the door to what used to be his room.
Against the wall stood a dark wooded crib, above which was suspended a mobile with various animals made of ice – most of them canine, though Leo did spot a doe, a stag, a unicorn, and a cat. The walls were a dark grey with white trimming, and the floor was covered in plush, white carpet. There was a dark dresser/changing table opposite the crib and an overflowing toy chest in the corner of the room. Several comfortable bean bag chairs littered the center of the room and, when Remus flicked off the lights, stars swirled above his head, reminding him starkly of the ceiling in the Great Hall.
"Cas was inspired by the ceiling in the Great Hall," Remus told him, seeming to read his mind. "He has this same ceiling in his own room and tried to persuade me to put one in mine. One of the few times I've ever won an argument with the man."
"It's brilliant," Leo stated, continuing to stare upward in awe before shaking himself. "So, what's in the basement?"
"Can't tell you, I'm afraid," Remus informed him, leading him out of the room and down the stairs. "It's a secret."
Leo merely stopped and raised an eyebrow at the man. Remus seemed to realize his mistake for he sighed and tapped the knob of the door with his wand, allowing it to unlock and swing open. Leo took off down the stairs before Remus could change his mind. At the bottom of the stairs was another door. This one was made of steel and heavily reinforced. Leo opened it and was surprised to find a dungeon-esque room. Heavy chains were attached to the floor, looking as though they were bought quite recently. Bits of fur and dried blood covered the stone walls and floor as Leo looked around in steadily growing horror.
"What-what is this place?" he asked, turning as Remus came down the stairs.
Remus seemed to debate answering the question but ultimately decided that Leo should know just what exactly he was spending his holiday with.
"It's a sort of emergency room I had Cas build," Remus informed him. "It's meant to house werewolves. Or, well, one werewolf in particular."
"What were -" Leo stopped suddenly, staring at Remus.
Seconds ticked by as the blonde continued to stare, mouth slightly agape as he realized what exactly Remus was implying. When seconds turned to minutes, Remus started to grow worried and was instantly regretting coming clean to the boy. At least until Leo found his voice.
"Holy shit," he exclaimed. "That's so bloody wicked! What's it like? Do you have a name for him? Do you ever have the urge to chase cats? Chew bones? Lick your own -"
"Alright, I think I get it," Remus cut him off with a nervous chuckle as he began to lead him back up the stairs. "In order: it's awful, Moony, no, no, and absolutely not."
Leo stopped suddenly at hearing this, a shrewd expression on his face as the gears turned in his mind. Remus turned to look at him quizzically, prompting the blonde to run up the stairs to catch up to him. They exited the basement and made their way back into the living room.
"Wow," Leo whispered, his eyes still wide in amazement as he sat down in an armchair. He hesitated for a moment before making a decision. "Who else knew?"
"Yours and Harry's parents of course," Remus replied as he sat down. "A few of our other friends knew as well -"
"You mean Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew?" Leo asked ruefully.
Remus' gaze sharpened.
"How do you know about them?"
"My uncle is the first thing that gets brought up when I meet someone new. I got curious and asked about it," Leo gave a small shrug. "Figured if you knew my dad, you must know my uncle."
"I thought I did," Remus grimaced. "He's not the person I thought he was -"
"Or maybe he is," Leo remarked. "He's innocent, I know he is."
"Leo, I'm sorry to say that -" Remus began with a sigh.
"You're wrong," Leo shook his head. "He's innocent, I can prove it."
He asked Remus to unshrink his trunk and, curious despite himself, the werewolf did so. Leo rummaged about for a bit before pulling out an old bit of parchment and an envelope with his name on it. Remus' face paled considerably at the sight of the parchment. Leo thrust it into his hands.
"What do you want me to do with this?" Remus asked, feigning ignorance.
"I think you know what," Leo replied in a tone that made it quite clear that Remus wouldn't be able to get out of this.
"Where did you even -"
"Friends. Now open it."
With a sigh, Remus took out his wand, tapped the paper, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
At once, the Map sprawled out before them, showing the vastly empty corridors with only a few people here and there walking about in groups or sitting in their common rooms. Leo directed Remus's attention to the boys' dorm, where the name 'Peter Pettigrew' sat alone and in the same place as it always had. Remus became rigid in shock.
"But that's -"
"Yeah."
"But he's supposed to be -"
"He's not."
"But that means -"
"Yeah."
"... I'm a git."
"Don't worry, Remy," Leo patted his shoulder sympathetically. "It took me almost a whole month to figure it all out."
"And how exactly did you figure it out?"
Leo hesitated for a moment before handing him the letter – the first letter Sirius had ever written to him. Remus gave him a mildly disapproving look.
"Pretty sure exchanging letters with someone in Azkaban is illegal."
"Save the judgment until after you read the letter, Moonshine."
Remus gave a snort of amusement despite himself before opening the letter and perusing the contents. About halfway through, his face turned pale and his hands began to shake. When he finished, he set the letter off to the side and put his hands on his face, rubbing it slowly. After a moment, he put his hands down and looked at Leo with a curious expression.
"Did you know he was innocent? Before this, I mean?" he inquired, holding up the letter.
Leo shook his head.
"No. But I saw Pettigrew's name on the Map and realized that something wasn't quite right with the story. Why would someone who's supposed to be dead be hiding at Hogwarts? Especially when the person who's supposed to have killed him is supposed to be behind bars? I sent Sirius a letter, and he proved my suspicions correct," Leo paused before pouting and crossing his arms over his chest. "But he still won't tell me how to find Pettigrew."
"That's surprisingly responsible for him."
"I know, it's very annoying," Leo replied in a cross tone. "So, how do we get him out?"
"Sirius?" Remus confirmed, receiving a nod. "We can't do anything until we have Peter. Even then, it'll take quite some time convincing anyone that Sirius is innocent, given -"
"The public thinks he's a mass-murdering lunatic that comes from a family blacker than our name?" Leo suggested, receiving a small chuckle and a nod in return. "Yeah, I figured as much. Still, until we can find Pettigrew, he'll be happy to know that one of his best mates knows he's innocent."
"You're still sending letters to him?" Remus asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I'm expecting Apollo to bring one back from him any day now. Why?"
"There's something I want to tell him..."
Christmas morning dawned bright before Apollo returned with Sirius's response. In it, the man praised him for his feats against Lockhart, seeming quite amused that he had bested the man in front of an entire school. He was sympathetic about the detentions and adamant in his refusal to help him in his quest to find Pettigrew. To quote him directly, 'Leo, there's no way I'm going to tell you how to find that little rat, so just drop it.' Remus seemed to find this funny, but Leo didn't quite understand why.
The two decided to wait to send their letters until the day before the end of the Christmas holidays, wanting to give Apollo plenty of time to recover. In the meantime, they set about opening their presents. Leo ended up getting a photograph that depicted himself blasting Lockhart away – the last picture Colin had taken – from Harry. This got quite a laugh from him, and he made the ultimate decision to frame it and hang it once he got back to Hogwarts. From Ron, he got a box of chocolate frogs and a letter saying the presents from his mum were at the school. From Hermione, he got – he shrieked with delight, prompting Remus to cover his ears at the high-pitched noise – a VHS copy of Labyrinth. Draco and the twins sent him a single note with two words: It's ready.
Finally, there were only two presents left, one for each of them. Remus received a new cloak with a built-in warming charm from Leo and barely managed to stammer his thanks to the boy. Leo had the same response upon opening his own present and finding an album full of photos of his parents. He had never been so touched.
Afterward, the two ran outside and had a spectacular snowball fight. The best part was, due to the wards placed in and around the property, Leo could practice magic without setting off the Trace. He used this to his advantage quite often, usually casting Incindeo to keep from being hit. Remus put an end to this by casting a silent spell and stringing him upside down by his ankle. From there, he was free to hit the blonde with as many snowballs as he possibly could.
Around noon, the two headed back inside to clean up and sat down with mugs of hot chocolate and board games. Remus tried to get him to play chess, but Leo took one look at the board and flipped it before taking a set of Muggle playing cards out of a kitchen drawer. Remus thought this was progress, considering that, during the summer, the blonde generally ran from the room upon spotting one of those boards.
He surprised Remus with his ability to play blackjack and poker, which Leo said was something he picked up after years of public school. After dinner – which consisted of pizza that Remus picked up - they played a game of Exploding Snap before settling down to watch Labyrinth. All in all, Leo would say it was the best Christmas he had ever had.