Posted: 17 October, 2009

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story that is recognisable from the Harry Potter books, movies, etc. Everything else however (eg. story plot, original characters, etc.) stems from my own imagination and belongs to me. No copyright infringement is intended and I am not profiting financially from this story in any way.

Chapter 7 - Unmasking a Rat

Wednesday, 25 December, 1991

Harry stood on the sidewalk of a street lined with several rather shabby-looking offices, a pub and an overflowing skip. He took a swallow from the flagon in his backpack, grimacing at the taste. Polyjuice potion had to be one of the foulest potions known to wizard-kind. It was awfully useful though, hence his trip down Knockturn to find some the day previous.

Reassured that his current appearance – that of a random blue eyed, brown haired Muggle man – would hold for at least another hour, he strode over toward the old damaged red telephone box on the other side of the road. Picking up the phone he dialled 6-2-4-4-2.

As the dial whirred smoothly back into place, a cool female voice sounded inside the telephone box, not from the receiver in Harry's hand, but as loudly and plainly as though an invisible woman were standing right beside him.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Concerned citizen to see Madame Bones. I have an appointment."

..ooOOoo..

Amelia Bones sat in her office, glaring occasionally at the clock on her wall. It was Christmas day and rather than spending the morning with her brother and his wife, watching her niece Susan open her presents, she was stuck at work. She sighed then, knowing the decision to be at work right now was her own, and recalled the reasons for that.

Just yesterday she had received an anonymous owl. The contents of the letter had shocked her immensely and she'd been initially sceptical. After all, what were the chances that Sirius Black, who even now resided in Azkaban, had been innocent all along? She immediately began making discrete inquiries. When she discovered that it was true the man had never had a trial she'd decided to give the anonymous writer a chance to prove his claims and owled back, agreeing to his requested meeting at her office on the morning of the twenty-fifth.

And so here she was, waiting for her guest to appear. She did not have to wait long however, as after only a few minutes her secretary suddenly buzzed her intercom.

"Yes Michael?"

"There is a wizard here to see you Madame. He has provided no name but insists that he has an appointment with you."

"He's expected. Send him in please."

The figure who entered the room was a tall, plain featured man with blue eyes and brown hair, wearing some sort of Muggle bag-like contraption on his back. As he stepped across the threshold a beam of light scanned his form. Whoever her guest was, he obviously expected the security protocol as he barely batted an eyelash. She glanced down at the display slate inlaid on her desk. It reported that the man was under some form of appearance alteration. Since the scan had not stripped it however, it was likely potion induced, rather than a spell. She wondered how to feel about the fact that he had come in disguise.

"I apologise for not wearing my own face Madame Bones," he said, as if in response to her thoughts, "but given the possible fallout of what I hope to reveal, I wanted to remain anonymous."

"Very well," she nodded slowly, deciding to allow it and gestured toward the seats in front of her desk. "Please take a seat."

She adjusted her monocle to stare piercingly at the man as he set his bag at his feet and sat down.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."

"Sir, if what you claim has even the barest hint of truth, then it is my duty as head of the DMLE to look into it with all seriousness."

"Of course."

"Now, according to your letter you claim that Sirius Black is innocent of all charges, that he never received trial, and that the true criminal is Peter Pettigrew of all people, who framed Black and faked his own death." She shook her head. "A very convoluted series of events. I looked into records and confirmed Black's lack of trial however, so I know that much is true. You claim you have proof of the rest?"

"I do."

Then the man reached into the bag at his feet, opening it and drawing out a small cage containing a rat of all things. She curled her lip at the sight, being not at all a fan of rodents, and looked at the man askance.

"This is your proof?" Amelia asked sternly, but he only nodded.

"This Madame is not just a rat, but also an Animagus."

"I do not recall a rat shape-shifter on the registered list of Animagi."

"That's because he's unregistered. This is Peter Pettigrew," he claimed calmly.

In the cage, the rat was looking quite disturbed at events, running about and squeaking frantically. Whether this was because he truly was a man who knew he was about to be unmasked, or simply because he was an unhappy rat, was yet to be proven. Amelia drew her wand.

"Please place the cage on the ground and step away," she said and the man promptly obeyed.

"The cage has an Unbreakable Charm," he warned.

"Then I'll have to stun the animal and then have you open the cage. Stupefy," she cast, the red light sending the rat into unconsciousness. "Can you please remove the animal from the cage?" she requested and he did so, tipping it onto the ground. "Please stand back while I cast the next spell. Animagus Reverto."

She gasped, tightening her grip on her wand. The moment the spell connected the rat began to shift and morph until finally, lying unconscious on the floor of her office was the body of none other than …

"Peter Pettigrew," she breathed in shock, before regaining her composed air. "There is still the Veritaserum questioning to be done of course, but if your information continues to be correct … well, Sirius Black will be receiving an unexpected gift this Christmas: freedom."

..ooOOoo..

As Harry left Amelia Bones office some time later, he metaphorically crossed his fingers, hoping desperately that he had done the right thing. He had contemplated for quite some time, after capturing the rat, whether turning him in was the correct action. Eventually though, he had decided to go ahead with it.

His conundrum had stemmed from the fact that in the original timeline Peter had been integral to the re-bodying of Voldemort. On the one hand, that act had allowed the dark wizard to rein terror once more. On the other however, Voldemort's gaining of a physical form had granted his opponents a crucial advantage: he was far easier to defeat with a corporeal body than he had been as a wraith.

However, withholding the knowledge of Pettigrew's betrayal, and releasing him to eventually search out his master, would also have grave consequences. For too long Sirius had wasted in Azkaban, innocent and yet suffering for crimes he did not commit. Harry knew that in his place Dumbledore may well have let events rerun their course, and could even understand in theory why it should be so. Personally however, he couldn't justify to himself allowing his godfather to suffer for another year or two when he had the power to save him.

And so, in the end, he had decided to give Pettigrew up to the authorities. He chose Madame Bones rather than Dumbledore. This was not because he believed the headmaster would do nothing. Dumbledore wasn't a bad man after all; he would definitely take action to right the wrong. The reason that he did not invoke Dumbledore's aid in freeing Sirius was actually quite simple: curiosity.

The headmaster would not have simply let him keep his identity a secret, as Madam Bones had. Instead he would have attempted to question, demand and possibly coerce the truth from him. Harry couldn't really blame the older wizard for this. It would be hypocritical given that he himself was sometimes insatiably curious, and Merlin knew that curiosity had gotten him into enough trouble over the years. And with the truth, there was the aforementioned risk of Dumbledore deciding it was safer to keep with the previous timeline. Hence his going instead to Madam Bones.

Apparating back to his hotel, Harry continued to hope he had done the right thing. And at the same time, he knew that he couldn't have done anything else.

..ooOOoo..

Whilst Aurors were sent to transfer Sirius Black from his high security Dementor haunted jail to the comparatively luxurious Ministry holding cells to await his long denied trial, across the country others were having a less eventful Christmas.

Neville Longbottom this day paid his traditional visit to his incapacitated parents at St Mungo's. There he happily informed his mother about his blossoming friendship with Harry Potter and his progress in school, which he credited to his friend. He told her about the packet of Liquorice Wands and the fascinating book '101 Interesting Plants' that Harry had sent him, confessing quietly that he much preferred them to the stuffy sweaters and socks his Gran had gifted him this Yule season.

Hagrid, upon opening the beribboned envelope addressed to him in Harry's handwriting, promptly went wide-eyed and burst into tears of joy. When the teachers questioned his reactions – for he had received the envelope at breakfast in the Great Hall – he proudly showed off the gift his young friend had sent. The half-giant couldn't wait to make use of the tickets to visit the Romanian dragon reserve complete with a behind the scenes in-depth tour.

Harry meanwhile spent the day alone. Despite this he was more than content. For one, whilst not with friends, he was at least not subjected to the Dursleys. Also he was basking in the knowledge that thanks to his actions, Sirius would soon be free. And so he was quite happy as he received his small pile of gifts (a wooden flute from Hagrid, the invisibility cloak anonymously from Dumbledore, fifty pence from his aunt and uncle, and a box of Chocolate Frogs along with 'Quidditch Through the Ages' from Neville). It was a good Christmas.

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