Chapter Five
Final Betrayals
September 29, 1981
It was two days before James and Lily were supposed to officially go into hiding and Sirius had come to Hogwarts around midnight. They had been tucked away in a secluded area of the school which most people didn't even know what there. James had been wondering at first why he was there. All the Order members were wound up tight because of the last two weeks someone had been slipping the Dark Lord information about the Order's movements. At first it was suspected to be Snape, so one Order meeting was called without him and a similar bit of information, which was false, went Voldemort's way.
No one knew who it was and they didn't have the time to search for the traitor. Too much was happening.
But, much to his surprised, that wasn't what brought Sirius here at midnight. Well at least not completely.
His best friend was pacing back and forth in the tiny parlor of the two-bedroom flat-like rooms Dumbledore had transfigured for them until they made use of the Secret Keeper. It was the pacing that was irritating him. Normally, James could just pass it off, laugh at it, joke around, push him into a chair, ordering him to sit and make it a grand joke, but not tonight. Tonight, Sirius' pacing seemed to mark the madness of this situation.
It was the insaneness of the situation that caused James to merely go through what Sirius had said instead of making the bloody man stop pacing. "I don't believe you…I can't. You're just jumping to conclusions." James said finally.
Sirius shook his head, his pacing increasing before James had even finished. "No, James." His voice was broken and rough. "No, I'm sure. It can't be anyone else." He looked at the raven-haired father sitting on the chair. "Do you really think I'd even say it if I wasn't sure?"
Another silence fell over the two. James hung his head. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible that the Order's traitor was one of them. One of the Marauders.
"How do you know?"
"Peter." Sirius said simply. "James, there were only three people that knew and had the opportunity to divulge all the information about us…about you that's been sold to Voldemort." He paused looking at the worried hazel eyes. "Three people James! Three people other than us and I'm under a secrecy spell…that only leaves—" He stopped him in mid sentence.
"Does the Headmaster know of your…suspicions?" James struggled with the word.
"Yes." Sirius growled. "There are only three, Peter, Dumbledore and…" He couldn't even bring himself to say it.
His best friend closed his eyes and sighed. "Remus…"
Suddenly Sirius swung his fist bitterly against the wall. "We should have known, James! We should have seen it! He was our friend!"
James watched helplessly as his best friend beat his fists against the wall. "Padfoot,"
"We should have known!"
"Padfoot." The fists pounded harder. "SIRIUS!" James thundered getting to his feet.
A quiet surrounded the room and Sirius' hand was bleeding. Harry let out a choked wail, protesting the sudden shout. Sirius flinched, as if struck. James shut his eyes taking several deep breaths; he could sense Lily standing in Harry's nursery in the next room, breathless, frozen, and waiting.
Sirius sank down on the maroon loveseat shaking his head. "We should have known." He whispered softly. James buried his head in his hands. "He's a werewolf, Prongs. He—"
"He's Moony!" snapped James bitterly. "He's a Marauder, Sirius. A Gryffindor—a bloody Prefect, for Merlin's sake! He fought by our side, slept in our dorm!" He glanced towards the door and lowered his voice. "He's the reason we stuck together for so long, Sirius, you know it! He's the reason we survived!"
They were quiet for a long time.
"What do we do now, Padfoot?" croaked the father. "Tell me please." He looked at the door. "I've got a fourteen-month-old baby in there. We're going into hiding in two days, Sirius." James swallowed hard. "Where the hell do we go from here?"
Sirius stared at James. Both their eyes were shining with tears, their jaws set in resolve. "We make Peter the secret-keeper," Sirius said firmly. "We will throw them off the scent."
"They'll come after you, Sirius!" James exclaimed
He nodded. "I know." The haunted blue eyes met James'. "It's the only way." Sirius said firmly.
"We'll think of something else." snarled the raven-haired man shaking his head. James refused to believe that would be the only way to protect his family was to put Sirius at risk, it just wasn't an option in his mind. "I don't give a flying rip, you can come into hiding with us, but I am not sacrificing your life like that. The moment Voldemort realizes we disappeared he'll come after you."
"I know."
"No."
Sirius slammed his fist down on the table. "You can't refuse James! If he finds out where you are it doesn't—"
He was cut off when there was a tiny pop, a house elf standing nervously in the living room. "Master Potter, sir, Master Lupin is wanting entrance, sir, what do I tell him Master Potter, sir?" the tiny grayish creature asked.
James put his hand on Sirius' knee as the animagus twitched, wanting to launch himself at the werewolf. "Let him in," The elf bobbed his head up and down quickly. "Behave yourself, there is no proof and he's still our friend."
Sirius let out a snarl and stalked to the fireplace, where he poured himself a glass of whiskey as the portrait swung in and their tired and aging friend stepped into the room. The footsteps paused and there was a tense silence as Sirius dumped the contents of his glass into his mouth.
"I…I was hoping to speak with you, Pron—James…" came the nervous voice of their werewolf friend.
He was in the process of pouring another glass when James spoke. "What is it, Moony? Anything wrong?"
He could feel the amber eyes darting from him to James and then back. "I was hoping to do it alone,"
Sirius half slammed the container of whiskey down. "Oops sorry," he said unapologetically as he turned around. "Butterfingers,"
"Padfoot, why don't you go see how Lily is doing with putting Harry to sleep," James didn't have to look at his best friend to know that ire was seeping into his blue eyes. "Please, Sirius," he half whispered, barely audible.
The man let out a snarl and took his glass into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Harry let out a wail and a faint smile traced his lips as Lily scolded Sirius. His attention turned to the fidgeting Marauder. "Have a seat, Remus." He offered.
The werewolf swallowed hard and shook his head. "I can't."
"What's wrong?" he steeled himself. He couldn't let on that they suspected him.
For several moments the tawny haired man paced before sitting down, standing up and sitting down again. "Prongs…James…" Amber eyes suddenly met his eyes and James was taken back with the angst in them. "You don't trust me do you?" he asked finally.
"What makes you think that?"
"I haven't been in contact with you for nearly a month." The man was looking everywhere but him now. "Peter sees you more often than I do and…and I was here when Albus woke Snape up from the coma." James tensed. "Jacob told me that you three were with Albus…why are you leaving me out Prongs? I thought the Marauders didn't keep secrets from each other…" he whispered.
James shifted, feeling as if the weight of the world just landed in his lap and thought his heart was the perfect thing to tug on. "What secrets are you inquiring about?" he asked carefully. This sounded fishy. It almost sounded as if Remus was looking for information.
"That! That's it right there," the eyes were now tear-filled, meeting his straight on again. He shook his head. "Inquiring about? James, you sound like a bloody Slytherin with that language. You're on guard, tense, and I can smell distrust!" Silently the raven-haired man cursed Remus' lycanthropy. "Why don't you trust me, Prongs? What did I do?"
James stood and turned his back to the man with a sigh. "Nothing, Moony…nothing,"
Taking after Sirius, he poured himself a glass of whiskey. At this rate he would need more than just normal whiskey to sooth him. He wondered for a moment if one of the elves could get their hands on some fire whiskey but he was brought back to the situation quickly.
"Times are tense, right now, Remus. Some times friends grow apart."
"The Marauders are friends for life." Remus whispered the words he had cherished since the moment James had spoke them in their forth-year. "You swore that to me…"
James sipped the liquid. "And we still are friends, Moony."
"But you just don't trust me," James looked back at the man who looked as if his world was ending. "You don't trust me but you still trust Peter and Sirius…" the horror and realization hit him seconds later. "You think I'm the spy don't you?"
The raven-haired man cursed once more within his own mind. Remus was always the smartest of all of them. "I didn't say that," he tried but he had been silent too long.
"JAMES!" exclaimed the werewolf jumping to his feet, the hurt in his eyes overwhelming. "How…how could you believe that?" James turned around and looked at him. Remus looked towards the door Sirius had disappeared into. "Do they believe it as well?" Remus asked after a long moment of silence.
James didn't answer. He couldn't place the emotion that crossed Remus Lupin's face that next moment nor could he speak as the Marauder nodded slowly before backing away.
"I…" for a moment the man held his eyes and the betrayal was so clear it hurt. "I…" Remus shook his head and fled the room.
Sinking into a seat, James felt his heart give a painful lurch. He had betrayed Remus. If he didn't turn out to be the spy—"Merlin what have we done?" James asked staring at the ceiling as if it would give him some answer.
He downed the contents of his glass and wished desperately for some answer to fall and hit him in the head, either literally or figuratively. He poured another glass magically and the raised the glass up to the air.
"To the Marauders."
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Things at Grimmaud Place were just as tense as at Hogwarts and had only escalated when Remus returned upset. The next day was when the McGees confronted Dumbledore. It had been over a month since they first were at Hogwarts with Snape. Eighteen days since they had come back to Grimmaud Place to stay after Snape was stable, fourteen days since Jacob and Alexandria signed the adoption and guardianship papers and handed them over to Albus. Ten days since Albus claimed he sent it to the Ministry. And eight days since the Ministry claimed they misplaced it.
With each passing day the McGees became more and more agitated. They wanted to take their child home, why wasn't Dumbledore letting them? that was the whole point he said yes when they volunteered to adopt Bethany, to get her away from the war. But the mangy old coot wouldn't let them take her away like he promised.
That's why they asked Remus and Peter to watch over Bethany that afternoon. The two Marauders had been excluded and left in the dark about what was going on with James and Lily, which was probably why Remus had been so upset upon his return from 'visiting' James and Lily. As far as several members of the Order were concerned neither of them could be trusted. Jacob and Alexandria didn't believe that.
Dumbledore was calmly sitting at the kitchen table, looking very tire but he had a forced smile on his face. "Cut the crap, Dumbledore," Jacob broke the silence. "We want to take our daughter back to the States with us by the end of the week,"
"Mr. McGee, as I've told you many times before, I cannot allow you to take Bethany away because it still not legal for you to do so. The Ministry misplaced the papers and without them being approved by the Ministry, you are not allowed to take her anywhere." Dumbledore said summoning three tea cups and a pot of tea.
"You mean they lost them." Alexandria rephrased.
"Tell the Ministry to un-loose them!" snarled Jacob, who had taken to pacing. "I know what you're doing Dumbledore. I don't know why but you're not letting us leave."
"My boy, would I ever do that to you two?" he looked shocked. "I want Bethany as safe as the next person. After all I'm still her guardian,"
"Three weeks ago, I would have said you didn't have it in you to play games in peoples lives," Alexandria said softly shaking her head. Her crystal eyes were ablaze with emotion. "But now, after what you said to get Snape out of that coma…I don't know anymore."
"That was for his own good, he needed to live,"
Jacob sat down with a growl. "Did he? What right do you have to say whether people live or die? It wouldn't have been suicide, his injuries were severe enough…he wanted to die but you wouldn't let him. Is that noble or scheming?"
"Jacob, child, why would I ever—"
"I'm not a child, Headmaster," Jacob said clearly. The old man looked at him. "Answer me plainly, why won't you let us take Bethany away?"
Dumbledore sighed bringing the cup of tea to his mouth. He swallowed it. "I told you that I can't allow you to do something illegal,"
Jacob rounded the table and Dumbledore stood up with a jerk. "You're hiding something and I want to know what it is! Did you finally find out why they wanted Bethany? Why won't you let me take her?"
The old man shook his head. "Sit down," Jacob snarled and started pacing again. "I cannot tell you everything yet, Jacob, it's just not possible."
"It is possible, just unlikely that you'll tell us everything." snapped Alexandria shaking her head.
Dumbledore raised the teacup again and sipped it. Jacob looked at him and had an oddly triumphant look on his face. "I could take advantage of what you just drank, Albus." He said causing his wife to look at him sharply. "You're not a fool, I know that. So you know that taste…you know that I just gave you the strongest form of Veritaserum there is,"
"Jake!" Alexandria gasped.
There was a look of anger and then acceptance in Dumbledore's eyes, but his face was completely neutral, signaling that the potion had taken effect. "Yes I'm aware of that."
"I could force you to tell me what I want to know," he said slowly. Dumbledore stared at him for several moments. "But I won't." He poured a second vial into Dumbledore's drink, this time visibly. "There is a reason Alexandria and I haven't declared for the light. We aren't ashamed of using certain means to get the truthful answer to something."
Dumbledore sipped the tea and shook his head as the effects of the potion faded from him. "Stay until November, look for a new house away from LA, that city is too Muggle."
"Of all the hypocritical things to say," Jacob retorted as Dumbledore rose. "You must go, yeah, yeah I know."
The Headmaster bowed his head and left the room.
"Are you out of your mind? Why did you do that?" Alexandria exclaimed jumping to her feet. "Giving Albus Dumbledore Veritaserum!"
His temper snapped like a fragile twig. "I WANTED ANSWERS ALEXANDRIA!" His wife blinked but didn't shrink away when he came towards her. "We have been here since Christmas, waiting to take our child home with us! It is now nearly nine months later and we're no closer to getting Bethany away from this war than we were at Christmas!" Jacob hated the fact that he was taking his anger out on his poor wife's ears but she simply stood there, listing. He began to pace again. "That bastard of a man is refusing to give her up for a reason that is probably so far up his ass that Merlin himself couldn't find it!"
Alexandria snorted sitting down. "I hope not. What would Merlin be doing up Dumbledore's ass to begin with?"
There was a moment of silence as he looked back at his wife in shock, part of him not being able to believe she had just said that before he chuckled. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the head. "Thank you Alex"
She smiled and leaned into his touch. "Couldn't have you bringing the house down around us,"
"Aw, but it'd be fun," Jacob joked sitting down.
His brown eyes were still dark with his displeasure but Alexandria knew he'd get past it. She didn't like what the Headmaster was doing but there wasn't much they could do about it. Appealing either to the American Magical Government or the Ministry of Magic would do no good, in America Bethany wasn't a citizen yet and in England they were too busy with Voldemort to care about the children the monster left behind.
She was about to speak when the fireplace flared to life, burning a vibrant green. Jacob moaned and pointed his wand at the teacup. "Jake!" she exclaimed as she saw him change the tea to scotch. "It's not even four yet." He smirked, raised the glass, and sipped the contents making her shake her head, turning their attention to the fireplace.
Very few people would come directly to the kitchen when flooing to Grimmaud Place because it required a password and a key handed out by Dumbledore. Most usually went to the 'entry room' or 'greeting room' which was devoted to people who arrived by floo. They didn't have to wait long until the person stepped through, landing easily on his feet.
"I thought Madame Pomfrey wanted you to stay at Hogwarts until the beginning of the term." Alexandria said motioning for the black-haired man to sit.
He sneered but accepted the seat; moving slower than normal and he had a slight limp that wouldn't have been noticeable unless they knew the exact way the man walked. "A day hardly matters."
"Many health care professionals beg to differ," Alexandria said with a smile. "Tea?"
"No." he half snapped.
Jacob snorted. "You sound like Albus bloody Dumbledore,"
His auburn haired wife shot him a look that could kill and flicked her wand in his direction. At first nothing happened and he smirked sipping his cup. Instantly he spit it out. It tasted like prune juice.
"Alexandria," he growled as she burst into laughter.
She bit her lip but her face was bursting with a grin. "I guess that spell and alcohol don't mix very well,"
"Alex what did you do to me?" he asked pulling the two-way mirror out. Jacob's jaw dropped. His skin had a sentence written over it again and again: I Drink Prunes and his hair had gone a ghastly amber and ruby-red that stood on its end. "ALEX!"
"I guess trying to spell it to say I'm a drunk only works without magical scotch…are you sure that's scotch, dear?" Alexandria went to peer into the cup with a grin but Jacob poked her in the side. She let out a squeak. "Hey!"
"Take it off!"
"Never!" she exclaimed jumping to her feet and moving away from him.
"Alex," Jacob rose to his feet.
"As entertaining as this is," Snape interjected with a sneer. "I have places to be. I assume you invited me for a seat because you had something productive to tell me and not just to waste my time."
The husband and wife looked at him before nodding with a sigh. Alexandria sat back down and looked at the man. "Yes there is," Jacob said with a smile. All he got in return was a sneer that made him wonder if he could spell the man's face into a smile for a day. He shuttered figuring that would probably be more terrifying than his glare. "It's about Bethany,"
A strange light lit in the black eyes. "Is she all right?"
"She's fine," Alexandria reassured. "We're just having problems with Dumbledork right now," There, on the corner of his lips she could have sworn they were trying to tug into a smile. "He told us how you wanted to adopt Beth,"
The eyes became hard as steel, portraying no emotion.
"And we came to a decision." Jacob said slowly. "Alexandria and I both agree that raising Beth in a two parent home is better however," he took a breath. It had taken them many hours of discussing to come up with this because neither of them found the man to be very pleasant. "However we would still like you to be a part of Beth's life."
"What for?"
Alexandria blinked staring at him. "What for?" she repeated in shock. "Because you care for Beth and she cares for you. Why else?"
"She is not my child," he snapped standing up.
"But you wanted her to be," countered the auburn haired witch.
There was a flash of anger in his eyes before he looked away.
"I don't want to give up my daughter, Mr. Snape, however if we force you out of her life we fear that the consequences of that would be worse than if we killed the child's biological mother ourselves."
Something they couldn't place flickered across Snape's face before he turned his back to them.
Alexandria continued. "You are the first adult she latched onto after her mother's death. She cares about you a great deal and trusts you more than I've ever seen a three-year-old trust someone. Beth is a unique girl and she's chosen you to care about. We don't want to loose that joy for her."
The man dressed head-to-toe in back placed his hand on the mantle of the fireplace shaking his head. "We have been looking for a new house in California," Jacob picked up where his wife left off. "My business is going very well and we managed to find a plot of land just outside a Muggle and Magical community where I'm having a house built for us."
Severus sneered at the thought, even though they couldn't see him. Of course, the man just had to show off the money he had. The great and noble McGees couldn't just buy a house already built but they had to make sure everything suited their exact needs.
"…and there will be a set of rooms put aside specifically for you, if you would like to visit us when we go to live there."
He snapped out of his thoughts, realizing the infuriating man was speaking while he had been lost in his own thoughts…his own set of rooms? The arrogant prick to think he would stoop low enough to come and—
"Before you go off and get angry," the wife spoke cutting through his thoughts. "This is merely a suggestion in order for you to visit Beth. Unless of course you wish to remove yourself completely from her life," There was a shift in the woman's tone. "And if that is the case I'll leave it to you to tell her."
Severus turned to face them, neither seemed to be joking, taunting, or teasing him. They honestly wanted him as a part of Bethany's life. "Very well. Once the war ends I shall visit," he made to leave but Alexandria stopped him.
"Mr. Snape, do you suppose you could do us a favor?" He cursed. That was why they were doing this, they wanted something from him! How stupid was he to think that it was because—"Albus lost the adoption papers when sending them to the Ministry, is there any way you can sneak around and find out why he is keeping us here?"
He blinked looking back at her. Why would Dumbledore be keeping them here? I thought the whole point was to get Bethany out of England, not keep her here. Without realizing it he gave the woman a curt nod. "I'll do what I can."
"Thank you."
Another nod and he escaped the room, heading towards the staircase that led to his room. It was repulsive that he was forced to stay here but he had no choice, Dumbledore's orders. There was a cry of glee coming from the parlor and he slowed to a stop and peered in the door that was open a crack. Bethany was clapping her hands happily at something. In the next moment the werewolf and Pettigrew fell to the floor laughing.
His upper lip curled in disgust and he started to turn away but two brown orbs were suddenly on him. "SNAPE!" came the childlike voice of joy as the three-year-old got to her feet and raced towards him. She tripped a few feet before him and he dove down to catch her. The brunette let out squeals of giggles and wrapped her arms around him. "I miss yeh." Bethany said.
Severus glanced at the other two men and they quickly averted their gaze. "I missed you to, Bethany." He said softly.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Peter shuffled into his darkened flat with a depressed air. Today was actually an enjoyable day. He got to spend it with Bethany and that little girl could make Snape smile, which was like turning water into fire. The Weasleys arrived not long after Snape and the twins along with Bethany reeked havoc until dinner. He had joined the meal until Sirius came. The tension in the air between the group became so much that all three Marauders left, as to not spoil the evening for everyone else.
Instead of turning on a light, he sat with a thump on his couch, pouring himself a glass of sherry. It was an acquired taste and only Remus and himself acquired it. Sirius gave all his 'supply' to them because of it. Now it was being put to good use, getting him wasted.
"I would think a man of your caliber would drink something more masculine." A familiar silky voice said just as he took a drink of the liquid.
He was so startled he spit the liquid out. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed fumbling for his wand.
"Easy, I'm not here to hurt you." The voice said before a dim light entered the room, the lamp and candles had been lit. Lucius Malfoy's image was outlined in shadows and the orange light. "How are you my friend?"
Peter slid his wand away and poured himself another glass of sherry. "When have I ever been your friend?"
"When you started supplying me with information about your precious little group a year ago," Lucius invited himself to a seat but not after sending several cleaning charms to it. He grunted at the blonde man. "Anything to report tonight?"
Yeah, go to hell. He thought bitterly. "Nope, nothing other than Dumbledore being the normal jackass he has been since school. They still don't trust me but at least I'm not alone in that."
Lucius sneered but forced a pleasant smile. "Would you like to relay your next bit of information directly to the Dark Lord himself?"
"No. I'd prefer to still sit on a fence post." snapped Peter wishing desperately that he could handle fire whiskey. It had never agreed with him but had gotten him drunk with two drinks.
"That is dangerous."
"So are werewolves," he retorted, quite obviously referring to the fact one of his best friends was werewolf.
The two men stared each other down before Lucius reluctantly relented and stood. "I shall leave you to your…sherry," the blonde's upper lip raised in disgust much like Snape's did.
He held the glass up with a grin. "Thank you very much, Malfoy. Get out of my house."
Lucius bade him farewell and disappeared via portkey. I should probably put wards up against portkeys. Peter thought after a moment. Seconds after he polished off his fifth glass the fire flared to life and he looked towards it. Who would be calling him?
James' head instantly appeared. The man looked tired and worried. Hope rekindled itself in his soul as he knelt in front of the fireplace. "Hey Wormtail…can I talk to you?" James asked. "It's about a secret keeper,"