A/N: We are chipping away at the end of our story now… buckle up, it's going to be a perilous journey! Babies enjoy waking in the middle of the night, however… so luckily for you I am bright-eyed and set to post, 4:45 a.m. though it may be. This chapter is actually a bit ahead of schedule, so it is possible we will get another before end of week-end! I initially expected Chapter 40 would be the concluding instalment for Part II… but now I think perhaps there will be 42 in total. Either way, not much farther left to go!

Enjoy 'Padfoot's Tale'! Please remember to read and review! My responses are at the end, as usual.

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DISCLAIMER: Any and all familiar characters and/or story lines are the property of Joanne Rowling.

Chapter 37: Padfoot's Tale

Sirius Black was changed.

Albus remembered the wizard as a handsome young man, full of a youthful exuberance infectious to all those around him. But the creature who stood before him now bore only a passing resemblance to the boy he had watched grow up; the man he had once admired. His hair was elbow-length, matted and wild, with bits of the forest clinging to the strands. He wore tattered robes that were faded with time and travel. His skin was unhealthily pasty, his strong muscles disintegrated into skeletal physique. Only the grey eyes seemed familiar… and even they were haunted. These were not the eyes of a mischievous youth. These… these were eyes Albus recognised from other men. Eyes that had seen Death – and knew there was much worse out there.

'Dumbledore,' the man rasped out. His voice, like the rest of him, was hardly a shadow of the wizard he had been.

'Sirius,' Albus greeted him back. He gave a short inclination of his head, his expression neutral as he could make it. 'It has been many years.'

Sirius swallowed hard. 'Too many,' he agreed darkly. 'Though… I suppose you do not think so.'

Albus stared closely at him. 'There is much to discuss,' he allowed enigmatically. 'Much to consider. But on the whole, Sirius, I expect you must have quite a story to tell. Your actions do not comport with those of an innocent man… and yet your presence here tonight assures me that you must be.'

Sirius cocked his head, almost doglike. He frowned. 'I am…' he said slowly. 'But, how could you know that, Dumbledore? I was expecting to meet the Dementors as soon as you led me from the forest tonight.'

Albus twinkled at him, smiling just a fraction. 'The forest harbours only the innocent, Sirius,' he said. 'There is magic in these trees. Dark wizards may pass through them, but those who seek shelter; stay with any permanence… the Forest allows only the pure of heart.'

Sirius gave a half smile himself. It did not quite reach his eyes, but for the first time Albus could see the hint of the man he had known in this stranger's face. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Albus held up a hand to forestall him.

'Not here,' he said softly. 'Even the magic of this place will not protect from all prying eyes or ears.'

Sirius frowned again. 'But… where, Albus? I cannot be seen – even with you…'

'I have thought of that, my boy,' Albus assured him. He chanted a singsong phrase and clapped his hands in the air. With a burst of fire and song, Fawkes appeared above him, circling their little clearing in a swirl of scarlet and gold. Sirius smiled at the familiar bird as Fawkes settled on Albus' shoulder.

'He shall transport us directly to my study,' Albus informed the man, stroking the phoenix's head. 'If you would take my hand?'

He offered his left out to the bedraggled wizard, lodging the right in Fawkes' tail feathers. Sirius hesitated just a fraction before reaching out to clasp the headmaster's hand. His grip was ice-cold and calloused.

'Ready?' Albus asked. Sirius nodded, and Albus inclined his head to the phoenix. Fawkes gave one final trill and they vanished in a flash of light.

When they reappeared in the centre of the circular study, Albus released both Black and the bird at once. He swept up toward his desk. Sirius followed, looking around tentatively. Albus gestured at the chair across and the man sat, right on the edge as though expecting he would have to vacate it in great haste.

Albus settled into his own before he spoke. 'Tell me,' he said at last, 'Why is it that you have come to the Hogwarts grounds?'

Sirius stared directly into his eyes as he answered. 'To kill Peter Pettigrew,' he said bluntly.

Albus blinked. It was not the answer he had been expecting. 'Did you not succeed in that mission twelve years ago?'

Sirius grimaced, biting back what Albus was sure would have been an oath. 'No,' he answered shortly. 'I meant to… but the snivelling little rat bested me. For the first and only time in his worthless life. But it was my fault, Albus! If it weren't for me, he never could have… if it weren't for me, he would not have been able to betray them at all. Harry would not be in such danger. James and Lily would not be…. Would not be…'

Albus sighed. 'Sirius,' he said seriously. 'You are going to need to back up in your explanation, I fear. I do not understand.'

Sirius opened his mouth again, but then he paused. He looked around the office instead.

'What is it?' Albus asked. Sirius spun back to face him.

'Do… do you still have that basin?' he asked. 'That Pensieve?'

Albus nodded slowly.

Sirius relaxed a fraction. 'I can show you then,' he said. 'You can see for yourself… see what happened, when we placed the Fidelius Charm. And you will understand…'

The headmaster rose from his desk, retrieving the stone basin from its usual cupboard. He set it carefully down on the desk between them.

'Will you do it?' Sirius asked quietly, leaning forward so his head was closer to the Pensieve. 'I… I do not have a wand.'

Albus nodded for a third time. He drew his own wand from the folds of his robes, holding the tip against Sirius' temple. 'Think of whatever it is you wish to share,' he instructed quietly. Sirius closed his eyes. After a moment, he nodded.

Albus withdrew the tip of his wand slowly, watching the strands of silver gossamer pulling away. He lowered the memory carefully into the stone basin, where it shimmered and swirled. When he looked up, Sirius was watching him.

'Together,' the headmaster said. The man nodded.

And, in unison, they took the plunge.

They were standing in the Potters' familiar sitting room. Lily was bouncing Harry on her hip, whispering in his ear. The baby was having a wobbly. James stood at the fireplace, gipping the mantel hard with one hand while the other fingered his wand.

Sirius stood before them – the familiar Sirius, like Albus remembered. He was dressed in a long travelling cloak, wet on the shoulders from the gale outdoors. The storm was pounding against the windowpanes, wind and leaves mixing with the heavy downpour. Darby, in his favourite perch by the glass, had his hair on end watching the torrents against the glass. Albus suspected the thunder was causing Harry to cry.

'Lily, can you take him in the kitchen for a moment?' James asked, unusually short-tempered. Lily shot him a look of surprise but obeyed without comment, striding backward through the swinging door still cooing at her son. The baby's cries muffled slightly as the door swung shut behind them. James ran a hand over his forehead.

'Say it again?' he asked Sirius in a low, tense voice.

'They killed them, James,' Sirius answered. His face was white, his mouth strained. 'Everyone in the house. Dorcas, they're saying, was killed by Voldemort himself. She wasn't even recognisable when we arrived to sort out the… clean things up,' he amended, swallowing hard. 'Her husband, their children – all dead. The daughters…'

He swallowed hard again, and even in the memory Albus felt ill. He remembered the Meadowes' murders… remembered what they'd done to her two daughters, one eighteen and just out of Hogwarts, the other only ten. The son too had died, but at least he'd been blessed enough to be born a male.

James gave an animalistic sound somewhere between a growl and a snarl. 'He won't let us out anymore,' he told Sirius in frustration, slamming a hand on the marble. 'Dumbledore… he doesn't think we can risk it, even for the Order. And he's still got my cloak…'

'What?' Sirius asked in bemusement. 'Thought he took that back in July?'

'Yeah,' James agreed. 'But he says he's still looking into it. I think maybe he's just afraid I'll sneak off it he gives it back.'

Albus, watching the scene, felt a guilty squirm in his stomach.

'Prongs… you, Lils and Harry need to stay hidden. You know that. You need to survive. Things are really bad out there…'

'Don't you think I know that? While we're stuck here – the others are dying!' James spat viciously. 'They're picking us off one by one! What good will any of it be, if there's nothing to survive TO?!'

'I know,' Sirius said heavily. 'But mate, you have Harry to think about now. Do you want to expose him to what's waiting out there?'

'Of course I don't,' James said angrily. He growled again, gripping his untidy hair.

Sirius glanced toward the kitchen. The sounds of Harry's crying had died completely now.

'Listen… I've been thinking,' he said in a low voice. 'Dorcas – she was one of the best, James. She and Anthony both. They had wards all over that house… and he still got them, in the end.'

James stilled, his gaze calculating. And Albus knew what was coming next…

'It is dangerous,' James said. 'For you, more than anyone. Are you certain it is a risk you are willing to take?'

Sirius looked him straight in the face, his grey eyes blazing. 'I would die for any of you, James,' he told him seriously. 'But… I have a better plan. A safer idea.'

'You think we should use Dumbledore?'

Lily had re-entered the room, unnoticed by the men. Both turned to face her at once.

'He's asleep,' Lily said, answering her husband's unspoken question. She turned her gaze back to Sirius. 'Albus?' she asked again. 'He offered, a few weeks ago. James told him you'd agreed to do it when we needed someone, but he said he'd be willing to help. We could send a message tonight and –'

'No,' Sirius said, shaking his head. 'Not Albus. He has enough on his plate. I think we should tell everyone it's me. They'll expect it, anyway. The Death Eaters will come for me… and I'll be ready. I'll go into hiding like we talked about. I'll make it seem legitimate, make them all think if they can get to me they can get to you… James can give the Secret to Albus and the others you want to visit – nobody needs to know who the external Secret-Keeper is.'

James' brow was furrowed. 'But who, Sirius, if not you? You'd rather we used Remus, or –'

'No,' said Sirius again. He chewed at his lip, looking guilty. 'I… I think Dumbledore's right. Whoever has been slipping Voldemort information, its someone close to everything – close to you. We all know Remus has never had the easiest lot…'

'Sirius!' Lily protested hotly. 'How can you even –'

'I don't want to, Lils!' Sirius pleaded, palms raised. 'Of course I don't want to believe it's Remus! But think about it… he makes the most sense. We can't trust anyone, don't you see? And even supposing it hasn't been him, he's out there as much as I am, fighting them. If we hide him too, it'll be obvious. They'll know something's going on.'

'So who, then?' James demanded.

'Peter.'

There was a moment of stunned silence. James and Lily exchanged glances. Albus shot his own at the emaciated version of Sirius Black beside him. Tears ran silently down his cheeks, his face a picture of anguish as he watched the past unfold.

'Peter?' James repeated with a hint of doubt. 'Sirius… don't you think he's a bit… well, is he really up to something like this? Does he have the backbone for it?'

'But that's why it's perfect!' Sirius said excitedly. 'Nobody would ever expect it! They'll think it's got to be me – they'll come after me… and the Order can ambush them when they do. Take out as many as we've lost these past few months. Wormtail – he's never in the thick of things, is he? Doesn't have the stamina. We don't even have to hide him, unless he begs for it… None of them will go for him, he's not enough of a threat on his own,' he added honestly. 'And you know him, James. He'll jump at the chance to be useful. He'll probably think it a great honour.'

'I don't know…' Lily said. She wrung her hands fretfully. 'Wouldn't Albus be a better choice?'

But James was still staring at Sirius. His hazel eyes were unfathomably, but his jaw was working as he thought it through.

'I think…' he said slowly, 'This just might work.' He turned to look at his wife. 'We've taken so much help from Albus already, Lils,' he reminded her. 'He's got a war to fight, and we can be of no assistance at the moment. I don't want to add to his plate. Peter… he can do this. I know he can.'

Their eyes locked for a moment. Lily gave a short, resolute nod.

'Fine,' she agreed. 'Let's call him then. We should do it tonight.'

Sirius let out a whoop of delight at his successful persuasion, and chatted excitedly with James while Lily stuck her head in the hearth. A few minutes later, short, plump Peter Pettigrew spun into the run, coughing ash out of his throat and wiping at his tiny eyes.

'You're sure?' James asked, when the new arrival had caught his breath.

Pettigrew looked pale and slightly nauseated, but he nodded all the same. 'I can do this, Jamie,' he said in a squeaky voice. 'I want to do this. For you and Lily and… and the baby.'

Sirius clapped him on the back. 'Good show, mate,' he said approvingly. 'Lils, all set to go?'

Lily smiled. She withdrew her wand from her right sleeve, gesturing James and Peter forward.

The Sirius of the past grinned as he watched the ritual take place.

The Sirius of the present sobbed openly at the headmaster's side.

And Albus watched with a heavy heart, as the Potters imparted their greatest secret to the Traitor who would hand them to Death.

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Sirius lost his balance as they landed back on the headmaster's office floor. Albus' arms steadied him automatically, his agility beguiling when compared with his age.

'Please, sit,' Dumbledore said kindly. He pulled him gently toward a sofa, patterned differently than the one Sirius remembered from more than a decade ago. He sank onto it with a pang of distant guilt: he was far too filthy to sit on nice things.

'I shall call for some tea,' the headmaster offered.

He could have summoned it, Sirius knew. Or just as easily snapped his fingers for an elf. But Albus used the hearth instead, and Sirius recognised that he had done so to give the mess of a man before him a few moments to pull himself together; some time to compose his mind. He was grateful.

'Thank you,' he murmured, when Albus passed him a steaming cup a few minutes later. He sipped at the brew with relish – he had missed tea.

'Tell me what happened next, Sirius,' Albus requested after a moment.

Sirius set the cup on its saucer, staring into the dregs as he spoke.

'Barely a week after that night, it happened,' he said. He felt calm, almost numb, even through his anger. He wondered if Albus had altered the tea. 'I was supposed to check on him that evening, we'd arranged it days before. When I arrived, his house was empty. I could tell something was wrong… he'd left supper on the counter, untouched. There was no note, but no signs of a struggle. I left to check on James and Lily immediately. Hagrid… Hagrid was there, when I got to Godric's Hollow.'

'I sent him,' Albus said quietly, confirming what Sirius had already known. 'To see to Harry.'

'He told me,' Sirius recalled. 'The house was… well, you know what happened. James and Lily were just lying there, dead in the rubble. I knew what Peter must have done. We all knew how the enchantment worked. He had betrayed them – betrayed all of us… willingly handed his best friends and their son to Voldemort.' He took another shaky sip, trying to calm his temper. 'I asked Hagrid to give Harry to me but he would not. He told me you had said he had to go to his aunt in Surrey. I didn't realise, not then… but you must have thought already I had betrayed them.'

'I did,' Albus admitted. 'But Sirius, I would have sent Harry to his relations anyway. Lily's death – her sacrifice gave him protection. He could not be harmed as long as he was in Petunia's care.'

Sirius shrugged his shoulder irritably. 'She's an awful woman, Albus,' he told him, looking into the headmaster's face for the first time since he had begun the recollection. 'They both are. Lily would not have approved. Harry… Harry was meant to be with me.'

'Yes,' Albus agreed. 'They are horrible.' Something flashed behind his eyes, but Sirius could not discern what it was. He frowned, and the headmaster sighed. 'There is more to be said on that score,' he admitted. 'But now is not the moment. Please, continue.'

'I gave Hagrid my motorbike,' he said, leaving the curious comment for now. 'I told him to use it to get Harry away.'

'I remember,' the headmaster recounted. 'He arrived on Privet Drive astride it.'

Sirius smiled. 'At least it did its job then,' he said sadly. 'I… I failed in mine. I left to track Peter, to find where he'd run to when his true Master fell. It took me less than a day; Peter has never been a particularly inventive man. I found him in Ulster, not far from his mother's home. I took a ward stone from the Potters' house – one of the backups we had not yet activated. When I found the traitor, I threw the stone into the street to trap him: created an Anti-Apparition field. I spelled a barrier that would not let the onlookers in… But it did not matter…'

'The Muggles,' Albus prompted when Sirius had drifted into silence again. 'There were a dozen killed in that street, Sirius. Almost twenty Ministry officials gave sworn testimony that you cursed the whole block. How did they die, if not at your hand?'

'Peter,' Sirius spat angrily. 'I was out of my mind with rage and grief. I did not suspect his scheme… until it was far too late. I saw him for the Rat he truly was, whimpering and scraping against the gutter… begging me not to kill him. I raised my wand to do it, and he shouted for the street to hear that I had betrayed Lily and James. That I had been their killer. The Ministry had started arriving by then – they heard him. I was so startled, I did not realise what he intended until it had happened. He blew the street apart with his wand behind his back, severing his own finger with the curse. He transformed as the explosion went off and disappeared into the sewer with his brethren vermin.'

'His finger…' Albus repeated. Sirius looked up again, and knew the headmaster could see the brilliance and the horror in the scheme – just as he could.

'Yes,' Sirius confirmed. 'The Ministry took me then, as I'm sure you remember. They brought me directly to the prison, before I could even get my head straight again. By the time I was lucid enough to protest, there was no one left to shout to. I thought there would be a trial, eventually… but days passed, then weeks, and there was nothing. Eventually, I no longer cared. I did not wish to be spared, anyway. I had suggested Peter as the Secret-Keeper… and I was as much to blame for their deaths as Voldemort himself.'

'You were not,' Albus disagreed quietly. He placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder, squeezing hard. 'You were not to blame for what happened,' he repeated. 'None of us suspected Peter Pettigrew… not even myself. An oversight which cost all of us dearly, and a fool's mistake I should not have made. The lowly, the forgotten, even the untalented… they can do as much damage as the most formidable sorcerer.'

He squeezed Sirius' shoulder once more before leaning back into his own seat again. 'And I am afraid Bartemius Crouch sent many to the Dementors without trial, in the days when he ran MLE. It was not uncommon at the end, particularly after Voldemort's downfall and the capture of many suspected Death Eaters. He decreed that hearing evidence in absentia was enough, where that evidence was overwhelming. More efficient, in their view. I protested the decision, but I am afraid the majority of the Wizengamot agreed with Bartemius' point of view.'

'I know,' Sirius said bitterly. 'I heard – from some of the others down in that foul place. Before they went quiet, they cursed him in the night…' He paused, feeling ill at the recollection. 'He got his comeuppance though, didn't he? I saw them lead his boy to his cell, not long after I arrived. Saw Barty and his wisp of a wife too, a year or so later. The son died in there.'

'Yes,' Albus confirmed heavily. 'As did Barty's wife, not long thereafter. He has had an unhappy existence these past twelve years.'

Sirius wanted to say he deserved it… but, somehow, he found he could not. He knew too much of the bitter loneliness a pile of dead loved ones left in its wake… and he did not wish that on even the power-grasping, brutal Bartemius Crouch.

'But how did you escape?' Albus asked, drawing Sirius back to the present. 'And why, after so many long years?'

In answer, Sirius placed his tea aside and reached into the tattered pocket of his robes. He pulled out that miraculous newspaper cutting – the one he'd kept on him all these months. It was yellowed and smudged with obsession, the elements, and its journey through the sea… but the picture was still discernible. He passed the parchment to Dumbledore, who frowned down at it in puzzlement.

'Look at the boy,' Sirius said, nodding at the picture. 'The youngest one. His shoulder…'

Albus scrutinised the photograph through his half-moon spectacles. After a moment, he looked up sharply at Sirius' face again. 'This is Peter Pettigrew?' he asked, indicating the rat with a long finger.

Sirius nodded slowly. 'The article… it said the boy would be returning to Hogwarts. To where Harry was. And I couldn't stay in that cell – not when I was the only one who knew the truth. I couldn't let the Rat near my godson, when I knew he would kill him and run for it at the slightest sign that the Dark side was gathering force yet again. The information was what I needed – the catalyst that gave me the strength to attempt an escape. I slipped past the guards and out of the prison in my Animagus form: the Dementors cannot sense animal emotion nearly as well as they can human. They thought, I assume, that I was merely losing my mind like all the rest in Azkaban. I managed to swim to shore… and I have been hunting Peter Pettigrew ever since.'

'He is dead,' Albus said quietly.

'No,' Sirius disagreed, almost desperate now. 'He's not, Albus.'

'I do not mean from twelve years ago,' the headmaster clarified. 'But this rat – he was a pet of Harry's friend and dormmate, Ronald Weasley. Harry himself told me he had died. Apparently, their friend Hermione had a cat with a fixation on Ron's pet. He managed to finish the job shortly after the holidays.'

Sirius shook his head again. 'I know the cat,' he admitted. And he explained to the headmaster about meeting the animal in the grounds, how he had been working with him to try and catch Wormtail. 'He brought me the list of passwords; the ones that got me into Gryffindor Tower. I tried to kill Peter then, but he had gone. The cat told me later that the boy thought him responsible – that Wormtail had left bloodied sheets behind him and fled the Tower. He faked his death, yet again. But he is not gone, Albus. He is still here – is still at the school, somewhere. I can feel it.'

Albus pushed back in his chair. He rested the tips of his fingers beneath his chin – a gesture so familiar that Sirius almost smiled in spite of himself.

'The attacks at Hallowe'en and the first week-end of February were not wise,' the headmaster observed. 'They will not support your claims, in the Ministry's mind.'

Sirius grimaced. 'I thought Hallowe'en would be best,' he admitted. 'Everyone would be out of the Tower… Peter would have been there alone. No possibility of collateral damage to innocent students. And I – I must confess there was something righteous in it, to avenge James and Lily on the anniversary of their death.'

'But you could not get through,' the headmaster stated.

'No. I lost my temper, somewhat, when the Fat Lady refused to open. I am… I do apologise. It was not kind, what I did to her.'

'No,' Albus agreed solemnly. 'Though she has been restored.'

'And… Harry,' Sirius groaned. He ran his hand through his filthy hair, hating himself all over again as he remembered the events of that February night. 'He wasn't supposed to wake. None of them were… I was planning to slit Peter's throat, and sneak away again before they were any the wiser.'

'Harry is not known for keeping out of trouble,' Dumbledore admitted. There was a fond sort of twinkle in his eye as he spoke of Sirius' godson. It made Sirius feel an odd mixture of satisfaction and jealousy.

'Like his father,' Sirius said proudly in response. 'I tried to calm him, to talk to him… but he believes me as traitorous as the rest of the Wizarding World. I didn't mean to hurt him. I would never hurt him. Things got… out of hand. And he can do wandless magic, by the way – did you know? Disarmed me – sent my wand clear across the room.'

'Oh yes,' Albus agreed with a smile. 'He has been receiving instruction for almost a year now. He is talented, like both his parents before him.'

Sirius grinned in earnest. 'He looks just like James,' he said wistfully. 'The spitting image. Lily's eyes, of course… but otherwise, he is his father reborn.'

'No,' the headmaster disagreed. 'Physically, yes, he very much resembles his father. And he has parts of both Lily and James – the best parts of both, in my view. But Harry is his own person, Sirius.'

Sirius' smile faded a bit. 'What's he like?' he asked the headmaster. 'I've watched him at Quidditch… he flies as well as James did, perhaps even better. But what else does he enjoy? Who are his friends? Who looks out for him? Is he…' he swallowed thickly. 'Is he happy?'

Albus' expression was all tenderness. 'He is kind and compassionate,' he said softly. 'He fiercely loyal, and incredibly brave. He has seen many difficult trials in his young life, and met each and every one admirably. He flies wonderfully – as you have noticed. He has been playing for Gryffindor since his first year – the youngest Seeker at Hogwarts in more than a century. He also shows great promise in defensive magic, Charms, Transfiguration and several other fields, including wandless spellwork. He struggles somewhat with Potions, although his work is much improved of late. He loves treacle, strawberries and Yorkshire pudding. He hates parsley, courgette and most kinds of nuts. He has many friends, though his closest are the two I have already spoken of – Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. And he is looked out for by every member of staff within this castle, although I cannot say truthfully he has ever been cared for by Vernon or Petunia Dursley. As to whether he is happy… a difficult question. But on the whole, I like to think the answer is yes. Certainly he has had a much happier time at school than he enjoyed in early childhood.'

Sirius did not know quite what to say. 'You've been there?' he pressed, capitalising on the obvious affection in the headmaster's voice. 'You, and Minerva? Remus?'

Albus' eyes were sad. 'Not nearly as much as I should have been,' he confessed heavily. 'I left well enough alone while he was young. I thought it would be best – safest – for Harry to be with his aunt and uncle. I still believe the protection Petunia's blood has given him a vital resource. I knew she would dislike the scheme… and I did not want to muddy the waters or test her resolve by involving the Wizarding World in his life while he was young. So I waited, until it came time for Harry to come to Hogwarts. His first year at the school was… eventful. The details, I fear, would take more than an evening to explain. Following the events of term I came to suspect something was amiss at the Dursley home, and I visited the following summer. What I found…'

He broke off, and Sirius shivered. The headmaster's anger was a terrible thing to behold.

'I did not deem it suitable for him to remain there for any great length of time, any longer. Nor do I think he should ever be alone in that house again. I returned Harry to Hogwarts, where Minerva and I watched over him for the summer until the start of his second year. Last summer Remus spent a week with him on Privet Drive and then he lived here, with us, for the remainder. That was about the time you broke out of Azkaban, as I am sure you will remember. I understand you met Harry and Severus near his relations' home.'

Sirius' eyes blazed, both at the information on the Dursleys and the reminder of Snivellus. 'Why would you think it wise to send him to those wretched Muggles in the first place, Albus?' he demanded. 'And why would you send Snape to retrieve him? Don't you know what that man –'

'Harry's mother's blood protects him, Sirius,' Albus explained patiently. 'The sacrifice Lily gave ensures he cannot be touched by Voldemort, so long as its power remains. I acted in the best way I could see for Harry's survival, as I continue to do. As does Severus.'

'Snape hated James!' Sirius spat. Whatever calming potion might have been in the tea was losing its effect… or perhaps his anger had finally surmounted it.

'Schoolboy grudges fade, Sirius.'

Sirius gave a mirthless laugh. 'Grudge?' he repeated sarcastically. 'Grudge? No, Albus. Snape's feelings for James went far beyond a grudge! He wanted him dead, even when we were kids. And he is a Death Eater! They tell all sorts in prison cells, you know… screaming through their bars. Everyone wondered how Snape had slithered his way out of Azkaban… how it was that he managed to escape his due. It was you, wasn't it? You saved him! For what, Dumbledore? So you could hand him James' son on a silver –'

'Do not presume to understand my motivations, Sirius,' Albus said sharply. 'Nor Severus'. Severus Snape risked everything – became a spy for the Order at great personal peril. He has saved your godson's life on numerous occasions since. And he is no more a Death Eater than you are.'

Sirius bit down the retort he longed to fire, too aware that Dumbledore had gone out on a very long limb for him, tonight. He ought to be grateful; ought to be rejoicing that his hunt for revenge and redemption was no longer a solitary mission in the shadows… And so he held his tongue, for the moment.

But he would never, never trust Severus Snape.

There was a long silence. Albus poured a fresh round of tea. Sirius sipped at his for something to do while his temper thawed.

'We shall need to decide what to do for the best,' Albus said at last.

'Peter,' Sirius replied immediately. 'I must kill Peter.'

'Sirius –'

'No,' he interrupted, setting the nearly-full cup aside again. 'Albus, do not get me wrong – I am very grateful for what you've done tonight. But that is my mission, now. Harry will never be safe as long as Peter survives; as long as he is out there lying in wait. I have spent twelve years rotting on that forsaken island… I am entitled to the murder they put me there for.'

'Vengeance is not justice, Sirius,' Albus said quietly. 'Revenge will not give you what you seek. It will not reawaken the dead. It will not return the years you have lost.'

'Revenge is all I have left, Albus!' Sirius disagreed.

'No, it is not,' said Albus, his own voice still calm. 'You have me. You have Remus, who will be overjoyed to have your friendship again. And, most importantly, you have Harry.'

'You have Harry,' Sirius countered. He was watching Albus' face closely, and he knew the words were true.

'I can share,' Albus assured him. He was smiling, but Sirius did not laugh.

'I might have been there, once,' he said sadly. 'I might have been good for him. We could have been happy… but things are not as they were, Albus. I am not as I was. You are a much better parent for him; a much safer option.'

'I am not Harry's father, Sirius,' Albus said quietly. 'Nobody is trying to replace James. But Harry needs people who are there for him. He has me, and Minerva. He has Remus. But there is room for you too, Sirius. It is your right. And Harry will welcome you with open arms, when he knows the truth. He has a big heart.'

'With Peter alive, there is nowhere he is safe!' Sirius repeated in a shout.

For one moment – just one, shining, selfish moment – he could see it. He could take Harry for his own, just as he had promised James and Lily so many years ago he would. He could raise him – or finish raising him, he supposed – in a country house in some far flung county… the sort of house he and Marley had teased one another about in stolen hours of fantasy. He would be Harry's keeper. He would make sure he was safe and well. He would play Quidditch and brew guelder-rose wine… Remus would visit and Harry and Sirius would swap his capers for Doxy eggs…

But that was not reality. It was not his reality.

His reality was the Rat.

'I will not give up hunting him!' he said hotly. 'I will not rest – until he is gone.'

Albus sighed. 'We will capture him,' he promised. 'We must, I think, if we are to secure your pardon with the Ministry. But Sirius… it is essential that you grasp the difference. Pettigrew's capture is necessary for your future, and for Harry's. But this task cannot be retribution for the vicious crimes that Pettigrew has committed. If it is… if you proceed under the mantle of revenge… you will lose yourself in the process.'

Sirius did not see the difference. But, for the moment, he did not care. As long as Peter was dealt with… as long as the Rat rotted away – underground or in a prison cell, it made no difference.

And clearly he could not do it alone.

'Fine,' he said curtly.

Dumbledore did not look like he entirely trusted the answer, but he nodded all the same. 'Very well then,' he said. He stood from the chair and swept toward the fire. 'I shall need to step out a few moments. Please – help yourself to more tea. I will not be gone long.'

He threw a pinch of powder into the flames, but the destination was announced too quietly for Sirius to hear.

He felt odd, alone in the study. He'd been here a hundred times before. In his school days, when one of their pranks had got them into more trouble than Minerva or Filch felt like handling on their own… and later, as a young adult, when he'd fought alongside Dumbledore and the Order. It was many years, now. The furnishings and décor had changed some. But there were familiar bits all the same: Fawkes on his high golden perch, the stately portraits of a hundred sleeping (or feinting) headmasters and headmistresses, the roaring fire and the whirling silver instruments. It felt, in a sense, like coming home… but coming home to find you've travelled a decade into the future.

He did not know how long he'd been sitting there before the fireplace turned green.

Albus reappeared, smiling and carrying the Pensieve under one arm. Sirius had not even realised he'd taken it with him. Minerva appeared just behind him, her eyes wide and tearful. She dashed toward him as soon as the swirling ash subsided, clutching him tight in an uncharacteristic embrace. But the hug Sirius returned to her, startled and pleased though he was, was perfunctory.

For right behind her, stumbling out of the hearth, was…

'Remus!' he breathed over Minerva's shoulder.

He'd seen Remus a few times before, of course, over the past nine months. He knew he was greyer, more lined. He knew his shoulders slumped slightly in a way they had not when they'd been twenty-one. But now – seeing him standing there on the hearthrug – he looked barely a day over seventeen. His face was arrested. In shock, yes… but also in pure, unadulterated joy.

'Sirius!' he cried back.

Minerva released him, and Remus threw himself so heavily into her place that Sirius nearly stumbled back to the sofa. The man's arms were vicelike around his chest, and the place his face was pressed to his shoulder was wet.

'I've missed you too, Moony,' he said after several unbroken seconds, trying for light.

Remus gave a half-laugh, half-sob, pushing himself straight at last and wiping self-consciously at his face.

'Too long, Padfoot,' he said thickly. 'Too long.'

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'Severus.'

The call sounded from the fireplace. An unusual occurrence – Albus was more likely to come down in person if he needed the Potions Master in the middle of the night. Surprised, Severus set the pyjamas he had been about to change into down upon his bed and returned to the sitting room. But it was not the headmaster's head he found at his fireside. Instead, Albus himself was standing on the hearthrug, the ancient stone Pensieve in his hand and a curious expression on his face.

'Headmaster,' Severus greeted with a curt nod. 'What is it?'

Instead of answering, Albus walked over to the low table, setting the Pensieve on the polished surface. 'Sit, Severus,' he said, gesturing to the sofa behind him. 'There is something you must see.'

Severus scowled. He did not like venturing into the unknown with no indication of what it was he was intended to see. Even less did he like being told to sit in his own quarters.

The headmaster was not paying him any mind. He was busy uncorking a phial of shimmering silver memory, pouring the contents into the etched stone. Severus watched them swirl with apprehension.

'Headmaster, I –'

'I will go with you,' Albus replied quietly. 'But there is little time.'

Reluctantly, Severus placed his head into the Pensieve.

His feet slammed to the floor twenty minutes later… yet Severus felt as though he'd left his head behind.

It was not possible… it could not be possible…

He glanced into the headmaster's face, and he knew Albus had been turned.

'Headmaster, surely… surely you realise the utter impossibility of this!' Severus spat angrily. 'Peter Pettigrew – an undetected spy? Inconceivable. And even assuming it were possible… pretending for a moment that Sirius Black has provided a true memory… how does that at all account for his actions since last summer?! Why is Black after the boy, if it was Pettigrew who betrayed them?'

'He is after Pettigrew, Severus,' Albus said heavily. 'I have been speaking with him for hours.'

He told the Potions Master, in summary, what Sirius Black had said: the masterful story he'd spun. A faint part of Severus' brain registered the possibility… but the rational, logical side he had always trusted screamed in protest. His own memories vehemently denied it. And bile rose in his throat.

'I told you!' he raged, striding about the office with his fists clenched. 'I told you, headmaster. You are still doing it, don't you see? You are protecting Black, again, and he does not deserve it! You should have called for the Dementors the moment you found him… or, better yet, killed him on sight.'

'I am protecting the truth, my dear boy. The truth, and the good people who do not deserve their lot. I have done it for you for years… and I will do it now, for Sirius Black.'

'Sirius Black is the enemy!'

'Peter Pettigrew is the enemy, Severus,' Albus corrected. 'Voldemort is the enemy, and Pettigrew is in his service while Black's loyalties remain true. And until you are willing to accept that, you will be of no assistance in Pettigrew's capture or in the protection of this castle.'

Severus ground his teeth, fuming.

'The Ministry will not care,' Severus retorted viciously. 'You think this – this memory – will be enough to exonerate him, Albus? He is a Black. He is considered to have fooled you, let alone the rest of the Order and the Ministry, for years. He is considered to have been a trusted lieutenant of the Dark Lord. You think the Ministry will accept that he does not have ways to alter his memories? You think they will trust even Veritaserum – trust that he is not a sufficiently accomplished Occlumens to evade its influence – with his notorious pedigree and the allegations against him? They will not. Even you… you gave testimony against him. Fudge has led a public manhunt for him for months the likes of which this world has not seen since the Dark Lord fell. You may be the greatest sorcerer of the age. But your word, Albus, will not be enough to save him. Not this time.'

'No,' Albus agreed quietly. 'I suspect it will not. We will need Peter Pettigrew, if we hope to change Fudge's mind.'

'I could care less for Black's freedom,' Severus snarled. 'Whether he is guilty of the crimes he was imprisoned for or not, he is an attempted murderer. He is a pestilence on society, and he can spend the rest of his days in Azkaban for all I care. Why should I help, Albus? He is nothing to me.'

Albus' eyes flashed. 'Protecting the innocent – righting the injustice of the past… these should be motivation enough, Severus,' he chastised. 'But if it is not… if you will not assist in this for Sirius, then do it for Harry. Do it because Pettigrew is still out there, somewhere, and he betrayed Lily to Lord Voldemort. He will come for Harry.'

'He has had twelve years to do so,' Severus pointed out, hiding his flinch at the Dark Lord's name. 'If what you and Black believe is indeed true, then he has been sleeping at the brat's bedside for the better part of three years. He has made no move to kill him yet.'

'No,' Dumbledore agreed. 'But for twelve years, Voldemort has been a mere shadow. Pettigrew was responsible, at least in part, for bringing that downfall about. I do not think that Peter was ever loyal to the Dark Lord because he agreed with his philosophies… I suspect his was a coward's betrayal. He placed a bet, on the horse he expected to win. As such, I rather think he would be unlikely to act on his own to aide a master he no longer has reason to think could protect him.'

'You suspect, Albus?' Severus repeated. 'How can you be sure… if you did not realise in the first place that Pettigrew was your traitor?'

'I cannot,' Albus answered truthfully. 'But I knew Peter… or, at least, I knew him somewhat. Clearly not as well as I thought. I do know, however, that bravery was not a quality he possessed in spades. But now – things have changed, Severus. Peter is a cornered man. Cornered men resort to desperate actions. Desperate men are dangerous.'

Severus huffed, turning away again. He watched a specimen of pickled Ashwinder undulating in its jar on a back shelf, willing some other path to open up before him.

It did not.

'Fine,' he relented at last. 'I will help you, Albus. But do not expect me to make nice with that filthy brute of a man – whatever your own feelings.'

Albus sighed. 'That will do for now, Severus,' he accepted in a patronising tone. He gathered up the Pensieve once more.

'Come – the others are waiting upstairs.'

The scene Severus and the headmaster arrived to interrupt made him long for a phial of Draught of Living Death.

The Wolf was busying himself over the sitting area table, where it looked like the House-elves had provided a feast large enough to comfortably feed a small army. There were plates of bangers and heaping mounds of mash, breads and cakes, boiled vegetables on platters larger than rubbish bin lids and brightly coloured sweets. Lupin was plating as much as he could fit, clearly intending to force the lot on his erstwhile friend. Minerva, meanwhile, had the odious man seated on the ottoman. She was attacking his knotted mat of hair with no less than six pair of conjured shears, tutting to herself while she directed their efforts. A disgustingly brown basin on the floor with three floating flannels suggested she'd forgone magic in cleaning the mane first.

Black himself had his head down when the arrivals exited the Floo. Severus dearly wished he would lift it – those shears looked vicious enough to take an eye if he popped up at just the right angle…

'Better,' Minerva said with a sniff, dashing Severus' fleeting hopes. The shears stopped their assault, and she banished both them and the basin with a lazy flick of her wand.

Black gave an exaggerated sigh, flipping his head back and shaking out the much-shortened locks in a manner that would have suited his mutt alter ego much more than it suited a grown wizard. Bits of water flung themselves into all corners of the room. Severus snarled as several hit his face.

The sound awoke Black to their presence. His eyes snapped open and fixed, immediately, on Severus'. It was clear in an instant that their loathing was as mutual and as deep as ever it had been.

'Snivellus,' Black said curtly, his eyes narrowing as they remained fixed on Severus' face.

'Mutt,' Severus returned just as coldly. He felt his upper lip curl into a sneer, and thanked Black's tasteless actions for implanting the insult in such a timely manner.

'Sirius, don't,' the wolf muttered at the man's ear. Black shrugged away irritably, but he moved his gaze from Severus to Albus.

Severus, for his part, did not trust himself to speak again. But he did manage a scathing noise as Lupin handed the loaded plate to Black. The criminal dove into it immediately.

'What we are to discuss does not leave this room, is that understood?' Albus said, coming back from the Pensieve's cabinet to take the armchair at the head of the group.

Everyone nodded. Everyone also exchanged glances of varying distrust.

'Peter Pettigrew is the priority,' the headmaster continued. 'Without him, preferably alive –' he paused a moment, his gaze flickering to Severus and also to Black – 'Our chances of reversing the charges against Sirius grow very slim indeed. Sirius believes he is still at Hogwarts…'

'I know he is,' Black emphasised.

Severus could not help his scoff. Black turned his steel grey glare on him.

'I know Pettigrew,' he spat. 'Much better than you, Snape. And as I am the only one who has been looking for him these past nine months –'

'Only because you were too short-sighted and moronic to seek the help of your betters,' Severus retorted in a silky voice. 'Or, perhaps, this is all some cock and bull story you have –'

'Severus…' Albus interrupted with a cautionary glare.

'No, let him say his piece, Albus,' Black disagreed. He gave Severus a challenging look. 'After all, perhaps he is right. None of us really knew Peter in the end, did we? He didn't truly run with our crowd. With Snape's, on the other hand, he was renowned… Makes you wonder, really, whether he has truly evaded my capture all this time just on his own sheer luck…'

'Sirius,' Albus warned, turning that same admonitory look toward him.

Severus snarled, starting forward at once. He ignored Minerva's hand on his arm and Lupin's protest – shoving the tip of his wand right under Black's arrogant chin. Twelve years in Azkaban had not taken all this man's bravado after all. He gave a half-cocked smile, waving Lupin off as the latter started forward and locking Snape's furious gaze with his own.

'Give me a reason,' Severus challenged in a low hiss. 'Just one reason, mutt. And I swear I shall do it.'

'Go ahead and try your best,' Black retorted carelessly. 'You never did have the gumption, Snivellus. Or the wandwork.'

'I would remind you that I am the only one of the two of us with a wand, you worthless little –'

But he was pulled back before he could finish the threat, an invisible hook seeming to grab him round the middle and yank him all the way across the sitting area to his own seat. Spitting hair out of his mouth he whirled to glare at Dumbledore, but the headmaster was still seated quite the same as before, looking stern but holding neither wand nor hand outstretched.

'Will you cease acting like petulant children!'

Severus turned his gaze on Minerva again, slightly chagrined as she stowed her guilty wand. Black gave a one-armed shrug and settled back with his colossal plate of food again.

'Wormtail is definitely still here,' he said as he picked out the onions from his vegetable pile. Severus noted the nickname with inward scorn. 'He won't leave the safety of the castle while I am on the hunt for him… nor will he wish to part himself from the opportunity to take Harry, if the time should come where that seems his best option.'

'I tend to agree,' Albus said, as casually as if the men before him had not nearly come to blows moments before. 'Unfortunately, locating him could prove difficult.'

'Why?' Lupin asked with a frown. 'Surely we could use a tracking spell of some kind…'

'Won't work,' Black said around a mouthful of sprouts. 'Not if he keeps to his Animagus form. Most of those spells are for human detection only – they wouldn't register an Animagus in animal form. And Peter would not dare to transform… especially here. I doubt he's spent five minutes as a man since James and Lily were killed.'

Lupin looked shifty for a moment. He gave Albus a nervous glance before he spoke again. 'There are… other types of tracking spells. Scrying spells that rely on – er – different talents.'

'Dark magic,' Minerva said shortly. Her tone was not dismissive, but she too glanced at Albus as she said it. 'Ronald Weasley stated that his rat left bloodied bedsheets… we could probably get a sample –'

'Won't work,' Black repeated. Thankfully, he'd swallowed his bite this time. He shot another look at Severus, only a fraction less contemptuous. 'Tell them why, Snape. You ought to know better than the rest of us.'

Severus refused to show his outrage. 'There is no way to know if he even has it,' he said in as neutral a tone as he could. 'After all, he'd be much harder to conceal within the Order ranks if he did. The main reason, I expect, they did not demand to see yours, Black. It is possible that the Dark Lord –'

'He has it,' Black said shortly.

'How do you know?' Severus retorted. Black gave him a hard, steadfast look.

And Severus knew… Black knew because he had tried it…

He raised an eyebrow. 'I would not have thought those spells to your liking, Black,' he mocked. 'Rather more your family's style… and you always worked so hard to distance yourself from that which you were born to be…'

'Desperate times,' Black responded without remorse. 'It was the first thing I tried, after they died. I hardly cared what it might cost me… but my attempt came to nothing. Not that it mattered. Peter was as predictable as ever he –'

'Perhaps you just haven't the skill,' Severus jeered. 'It is hardly conclusive proof that he has one.'

'Has what?' Minerva asked with a frown.

Severus turned to her. 'The Dark Mark,' he said. He whispered the words, though he knew not why. 'It is imbued with certain magics…'

'A Protean Charm,' Minerva said, nodding. 'Everyone knows –'

'Not just a Protean Charm,' Severus corrected her. 'The Dark Mark is imprinted on every Death Eater who bears it by the Dark Lord himself. It is a means of summoning, yes… but it is also a manner of cloaking from detection. Most scrying magics are rendered impossible on those who bear the Mark – though not all,' he added, shifting his gaze from the sickened-looking Minerva to Albus.

The headmaster shook his head. 'Even if other means of tracking were conceivable,' he said slowly, 'I fear the magic of the castle itself would nullify their success. Hogwarts protects her occupants. Tracing him by tracking or scrying would be impossible here.'

Lupin suddenly clapped a hand to his mouth, his eyes growing wide. 'No,' he disagreed. 'No… not impossible…'

He jumped to his feet, hurrying toward the fireplace.

'Remus, what –' Minerva started, bewildered, but the wolf did not stop. He shouted at the hearth for his quarters and disappeared in a flash of flame.

He returned barely two minutes later, slightly breathless and clutching a tattered, worn scrap of parchment in one hand. Black's eyes snapped to it at once.

'Brilliant!' he said, looking thrilled. He leaned forward as Lupin reached the low table, the rest copying automatically. 'How'd you nick it back?' he asked in a reverent tone. 'I thought Filch would have burned it by now.'

Lupin chewed at his lip a moment. 'I… it wasn't destroyed,' he evaded. 'I got it earlier this term.'

He placed the tip of his wand to the parchment. 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,' he said seriously, tapping the centre. Severus was about to snort when intricate, curling ink lines began to spread over the page, swirling themselves into what was clearly –

'A map,' he said, impressed in spite of himself. 'The entire castle…'

'And the grounds,' Black added smugly. 'We made it – the four of us. Back when we were at school.'

'Merlin,' Minerva breathed.

Albus' eyes too were calculating as he swept the document, which was now crawling with a thousand tiny ink dots, each labelled with a miniscule name.

'It will be virtually impossible to spot him in all this,' Severus pointed out, making his tone extra rancorous to cover up the moment of weakness.

They tried all the same – for more than an hour. By the end of it Severus thought he was likely to need spectacles thicker than Trelawney's… but Pettigrew was nowhere to be found.

'He could be in the forest,' Black suggested half-heartedly when they finally called it quits.

'If he is,' the headmaster said, 'Then he will not be able to remain there for long. The forest harbours only the innocent.'

Severus snorted derisively. If Black had been living there nine months…

'How did you find me?' the man asked, apparently on a similar train of thought. 'You never said.'

Albus smiled. 'It was Aberforth's idea, actually,' he admitted with a smile. 'I had been mulling over the options with him, six weeks or so ago. He suggested if you were in the forest, then my growing suspicions were correct – there was more to the tale than what we thought we knew. It was difficult, of course. I have a generally good relationship with both the centaurs and the unicorns, but both evaded my entreaties for assistance. They do not feel it right to interfere with the fate of the Wizarding World, and they consider it sacrilege to meddle in the magic of the Forest. Tracking spells do not work in the trees, just as they are ineffectual in the Hogwarts grounds. So I searched each night the long way, seeking your magical signature and looking for your presence.'

'I wasn't using magic,' Black pointed out. 'I didn't have my wand…'

'You have an aura all the same,' the headmaster said simply. 'And all magic leaves traces, Sirius. A wand is quite unnecessary. As I say, it took quite some time… but we got there, in the end.'

Minerva cleared her throat. 'Albus, it is coming on four in the morning,' she pointed out. 'If we are creating a plan…'

'Quite right,' Dumbledore agreed. 'Well, I suppose for now the best we can do is continue to search – each of us. Remus, I would suggest you keep this ingenious map with you. If Pettigrew is indeed in the Hogwarts vicinity, he is bound to put in an appearance at some point. Minerva, Severus and I can conduct our own searches periodically through the castle and grounds, and obviously you will let us know should your perusal of the map discover Pettigrew's whereabouts. Sirius –' He turned to face Black again. 'I think, for tonight, you ought to remain here. But it would not be a wise idea in the long term. I would suggest taking a room at the Hog's Head…'

'I am not sitting this out, Albus!' Black shouted. 'I broke out of Azkaban to come after Wormtail… I lost everything because of him! I have led the only effort to bring him to justice! You cannot push me aside now…'

'Oh yes,' Severus jeered. 'Because you've done so well thus far…'

'Do let me finish, Sirius,' Albus said placatingly. 'I was about to say, I would suggest a room in the village, but I suspect with the Dementors patrolling Hogsmeade it would not be wise. The castle too seems a risky decision. Even in my own quarters, I fear, there is always a chance another student or uninformed member of staff might become privy to your whereabouts and raise the alarm. We cannot risk your discovery. I think, on the whole, that the best bet may be the Shrieking Shack.'

How fitting, Severus thought nastily. Black's eyebrows raised.

'The… the Shrieking Shack?' he repeated uncertainly.

'Yes,' said the headmaster. 'It is accessible from the Hogwarts grounds, as you know, but impossible to enter from the outside. No student is aware of the passage, and no Dementor or Ministry wizard would be able to break in from the village. You would be on hand and able to assist – yet we do not run the risk that you may be discovered. We can take measures to make it more comfortable, of course… but I dare say it will be a vast improvement over a hollow in the forest even in the dreadful state it is currently reposing.'

'I – yes, alright,' Black agreed after a moment.

Inwardly, Severus gave a sigh of relief. At least he would not have two of the insufferable group under the castle's roof… Lupin alone was torture enough…

'And I do think you will be needing this,' Albus added. He swirled his wand through the air, catching a thin black box. He held it out.

Black took it with a puzzled expression. He flipped the lid, revealing a brand new, gleaming wand. Black grasped it in his left hand with trembling fingers. It let out a shower of purple sparks as it was removed from its packaging.

'How did you manage to acquire it?' he asked, turning shining eyes to the headmaster. 'How did you know it would suit?'

Dumbledore smiled. 'I took the liberty of placing an order several weeks ago,' he admitted. 'Just in case. You have no reason to worry – I consulted the school records to glean an idea of what combination might be suitable, and I utilised a wandmaker on the Continent. I do not think it likely there will be a suspicious trail.'

'Thank you, Albus,' Black breathed, running talon-tipped fingers over the length of the wand. 'It is perfect.'

'Let's leave it there, for tonight,' Minerva insisted with another anxious glance at the clock.

Everyone got to their feet. Minerva made to lead Black upstairs to the guest chamber, while Severus and Lupin started for the hearth. But Black paused at the base of the steps, turning to Albus again.

'What about Harry?' he asked.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. 'I will see to it that Harry is protected,' he assured him. 'He will be closely watched to ensure no harm might come to him while Pettigrew remains at large.'

'No – I mean yes,' Black said, looking awkward. 'But I meant… may I see him?'

'A terrible idea!' Severus spat before he could stop himself; before Albus or Minerva could reply.

Black, Lupin and Potter running about Hogwarts again… never mind that it was a different Potter… they were just the same, after all. Harry Potter was James reincarnated, and nobody would see that sooner than Black. Severus could not stand it… he would not tolerate it…

'Severus –'

'Who was asking you?' Black shouted. 'I don't recall seeking your permission to see my godson, Snivellus. Nor do I remember either Lily or James naming you his keeper!'

'Believe me, I have no interest in staking any claim to your arrogant toerag of a godson!' Snape retorted icily. 'I do, however, have to suffer through the task of attempting to teach him – thick as his father though he may be –'

'Severus –'

'And the last time he appeared in my classroom with his fragile psyche fractured, it set his progress back weeks!' Severus finished. 'Forgive me, Black, but I do not think introducing him to his long-lost convict of a godfather and announcing there is yet another to blame for his parents' demise would aide him in mastering dangerous magical arts!'

'Why you sodding –'

'ENOUGH!'

Albus had shouted this time, and the office thundered in more ways than one. His glare was shared between the pair of them… but Severus knew the bulk was meant for him alone.

'I want to see him,' Black said stubbornly. 'And after all, he'll need to meet me, if – once we are able to deal with Pettigrew – he's ever going to come and live with me…'

'Live with you?' Severus repeated mockingly. 'Live with you? Five minutes out of a twelve-year stint in Azkaban… nine months living of woodland rodents and obsessing over murdering your once best friend while refusing to seek any aide… and you think you are ready to become a parent? You think you can raise the Boy Who Lived?! You think it wise to remove him from Hogwarts – from the headmaster's protection – to seek shelter in your capable arms? You are madder than even I thought, Black.'

Black stiffened, his nostrils flaring white. 'He's my godson!' he shouted. 'He's mine by right! By law!'

Severus laughed maliciously. 'You think your guardianship rights still stand?' he jeered. 'They were severed the moment James Potter hit the ground, you ignorant –'

'I SAID, ENOUGH!'

The candles in the room flickered, the floor vibrating. Both Sirius and Severus fell silent as though struck dumb. Minerva was looking awkward, Lupin wary. Severus continued to glare at Black, who stared just as resolutely back.

'This is not the time for a conversation on Harry's future,' Albus said in a calmer voice. 'But Sirius is right, Severus. He deserves the chance to meet Harry… and Harry deserves the same.'

Black gave a true smile. Severus wished he could knock out each of those yellowed teeth.

'We will decide how to handle it in the morning,' Albus went on. 'For tonight, I believe everyone is in desperate need of sleep. Remus, Severus, I shall see you on the morrow.'

Severus gave a curt nod to Minerva and the headmaster and pushed past Lupin to be first through the Floo.

Lupin… who he noted with vacant interest had been quite silent during that little show of temper…

And he wondered, as he stalked into bed and lay staring wide-eyed up at the ceiling, whether he and the wolf were perhaps in agreement, for once, on Harry Potter.

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Review Responses, Chapter 36

Valkyrie-Sythe: Thank you for your review! Glad you are looking forward to the climax of our story :). I cannot promise how it will end, of course, but I do hope you will enjoy it!

Anyeshabaner: Thanks for reviewing! Hmm… it would be a wonderful thing if that was the way it worked out… but I cannot promise it will be that perfect: this is Harry, after all. Hopefully you'll enjoy the journey to resolution in this book and beyond. As for how or even if they are able to Sirius exonerated – well, I think his situation will become clearer by the end of Chapter 39 or 40. :) Enjoy the next instalment!

LouisaLaw: Thanks for your review! It's great to hear that you're enjoying the series so far and are finding it a unique read. I hope you will continue to like it as we move forward! Part III (which we should begin around May, if life does not offer delay) will definitely not be the last in the series… I am anticipating at least seven parts, perhaps eight. The first few will cover about one year each (so Part III, e.g. will pick up just after end of term and follow Harry through the summer and through his fourth year), though of course the timelines that are explored in flashback fall outside the 'present' progression. As we advance into Parts IV-VII, however, it is possible I may start cutting out smaller timeframes to focus on – if only to preserve length. This book is already shaping up to be twice the length of Part I, or the equivalent of POA canon + OOP. So the short answer I suppose is no, it will not be the last in the series, but yes it will focus on summer and fourth form.

StormOwlRage: Thank you for the review and the well wishes! Happy you are enjoying the book still, and I'm glad you like the characters' portrayals. I do promise to keep updates as quick as I can, despite the circumstances in my personal life… luckily, I'd logged quite a bit of writing for both the conclusion of Part II and the start of Part III over the past few months in anticipation of the twins' arrival, so hopefully I can continue to be timely with updating. As I write this reply, Chapter 36 has been up for approximately twelve hours… I am hoping to have Chapter 37 up by week-end – you can hold me to that if it does not post in a timely manner.

Guest: Thanks for reviewing! Glad you are excited about the story and I hope the update was not too long of a wait for you. Enjoy Chapter 36!

AlsoKnownAsMatt: Thank you for your review! I am glad you liked the interaction between Snape and Albus over Sirius and happy the cliff-hanger read well. Everything is going smoothly with the twins so far… they do wake me quite early this morning (hence the posting at about four a.m. or so…). They say it is best to sleep when the baby sleeps, but it's not so easy to get on their odd schedule.

Hope you like the next chapter!

MoonshineMadame: Thank you for your review! I hope your viva voce went well – I remember how horrible the experience always was… but at least it is behind you for now. Thank you for the well wishes :). It is true that you hardly ever have any time with children – or, at least, in my limited experience thus far it is… but luckily I had stock-piled quite a bit of writing over the past few months in anticipation of this period of my life (and the beginnings and endings are always the first things I complete in writing), so luckily there is not too much to be filled in. I am hoping I can keep the updates speedy, even with the children around. Nanny arrives at the six-week mark so that will also make things a bit easier.

Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Oh poor Remus, I felt badly for him and I put him at the door in the first place… haha. I did consider having Albus react more like Minerva, but on the whole I felt this fit better with the breadcrumbs of truth he has been collecting and musing over since the summer. Yes, pretty sure Minerva is more stunned that both she and the headmaster managed to miss such a crucial bit of dangerous rule-breaking… but then, they did have a war on at the time. Happy you liked the little story of how the Animagus scheme came about. :)

Ah, Aberforth! Interesting that you've asked after him… because there is a story here. To answer your question – yes, he does know, Albus has told him. So originally, I had an entire scene in this chapter where Albus requested Minerva bring Harry to the Hogs Head, then went to see Aberforth and mused aloud with him about the situation until Minerva and Harry arrive. It is Aberforth who sort of validates Albus' decision not to go to Fudge, and ultimately the one who prods Dumbledore into searching for Sirius himself for answers (as we see from the final scene he has been doing). However, ultimately I decided to cut this scene (with the exception of the part after Harry and Minerva's arrival) from the final version of Chapter 36, even though I loved it. There were a few reasons why… 1) I felt I had too much 'musing on Sirius' true motives' in this chapter already, so though it might be logical for the characters it would mean rehashing for the readers; 2) it made the cliff-hanger ending more interesting, in my view, because we have jumped six weeks quite suddenly with little idea of what happened in between. That time frame as well as Albus and Aberforth's discussion will be explored in the conversation with Sirius, which I thought would be both more dynamic and more cohesive, as Sirius has the answers Albus is looking for. I hope this will make sense when it plays out!

Snape and the lesson. Yes, probably would have made more sense for Minerva to talk to Snape. Honestly, I do not believe she even thought of it, being so distracted with the weight of the news over Sirius. Oooh… Harry's accidental reveal. Yes, he had no idea that Snape did not know. For similar reasons as the situation with Aberforth, I elected to skip over the details of the headmaster's conversation with Harry – jumping instead to Harry's reaction later in the night. So we only get passing mention that Dumbledore plans to inform some of the staff but not the Minister, at least for now. Harry has taken that information and assumed that Albus has told Snape (not an unfair assumption, really, as Albus certainly would have)… but nobody here had really considered that Harry might reveal the truth to the Potions Master first. Safe to say Snape is beyond furious.

Ah, and the final scene. I alluded it to a bit above… but we've had a bit of a time-jump here (the chapter picks up in the second week of February and ends close to April). This final scene is a teaser in many respects, but we'll get more details in the next chapter, including Albus' motivations… Will it change the original story? Most definitely. To an extreme? Hmm… we'll see… I hope everyone enjoys how Part II concludes.

Enjoy Chapter 37! :)

Estel Ashlee Snape: Thanks for your review! Glad you're still enjoying, and I hope you like the next instalment!

AECM: Thank you for reviewing and for the well wishes! Happy you're still loving the story, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!