Chapter 28- Seeing the truth

Ron was enjoying the fact that it was him in the spotlight instead of Harry for a change, and for awhile it seemed like he couldn't re-tell the story enough, making it more dramatic each time. Harry was glad Ron was the center of attention, but hearing him go on and on about the incident was getting annoying, not to mention unnerving. It got to the point where he was considering just avoiding Ron for awhile when his friend finally decided to start talking about the upcoming Quidditch game instead.

Harry's victory against Ravenclaw turned out to be nothing compared to the Quidditch final against Slytherin. It ended up being the dirtiest game he could remember playing, with Malfoy and his team pulling everything to deliberately crashing into people to grabbing his broom by the tail. But in the end, Gryffindor won both the game and the cup. The celebrating had gone on for at least a week before everyone seemed to remember at once that June was coming soon. And with June came exams.

Each exam seemed harder than the one before it. Potions was by far the worst, but Harry couldn't honestly say he'd expected anything different. Snape did at least manage not to point out to everyone how Harry couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken. Usually Snape delighted in that sort of thing. And now there were only three exams left before Defense Against the Dark Arts. For once everyone seemed to be looking forward to having an exam, because they all knew by now Remus had a way of mixing book lessons with practical applications. The combination worked both give them practice and help them remember what they had learned. The exam turned out to be an obstacle course where the students actually had to face many of the dark creatures they'd learned about. The rest of the class found it a wonderful change from the written exams in History of Magic and astronomy, but poor Hermione had a fright when her boggart turned into McGonagall and told her she'd failed everything. Ron laughed about that for hours.

At last there was only one exam left. Harry would have been happier about that if it hadn't been Divination. After having to wait for what felt like forever as Trelawney tested them one at a time, Harry was finally called. He couldn't see anything in the crystal ball and ended up deciding to fake it. Remembering how Trelawney loved predicting his early death, he said he saw himself being burned to death by a Hungarian horntail. That seemed to satisfy her, and Harry started to leave when he heard Trelawney speak in a strange voice.

"It will happen tonight…"

Harry turned and saw the divination professor looking like she was having an attack of some kind. She stated speaking again.

"The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever before. Tonight ... before midnight ... the servant ... will set out ... to rejoin ... his master ..."

Then she started to return to normal, or hat passed for normal in her case.

"So sorry. Must have drifted off from the heat of the day."

Didn't she realize what had just happened?

"But you just said-"

When he'd finished repeating what he'd heard her say, Trelawney looked at him in disbelief and told him he must have drifted ff as well. Harry was left wondering if he had heard her make a real prediction or if that had been her way to impress him. His thoughts were turned in a happier direction when he reached the common room and saw Hermione looking at a note.

"It's from Hagrid. He says he wants us to come down to his hut for a quick visit."

Harry looked at the clock.

"It's getting a bit late. Dad doesn't want me out after dark with Black on the loose. We should be back before too long though, and I can always have Dad watch on the map to be we're safe."

"The Map?" Hermione asked, and Ron gave Harry a questioning look.

"Sortve an heirloom in my family," Harry said, grinning a bit. "Anyway, I'll ask Dad to watch us on it and than we can go."

Remus told Harry he was planning on watching that map to be sure Black didn't show up again anyway and as long as they got back to the tower before dark it was all right for them to go visit Hagrid. So in a short while they were in Hagrid's hut. Ron still wasn't speaking to Hermione, but agreed to go since Hagrid had asked him to come too, and it just so happened that was exactly what Hagrid anted to see them about.

"I've bin meanin' ter talk with you , Ron," he said. His normally friendly voice had a stern edge to it now. "You owe someone an apology. In case you haven't noticed, Hermione's been in a state ever since Black got too close ta you and I can tell she feels bad about what happened ter yer rat. I think it's high time you made up with 'er."

"I would if she'd just stop defending that bloody cat!" At Ron's words, Hermione looked ready to start crying.
"I woulda thought yer friends would mean more to you than yer rat, Ron." Hagrid sounded disappointed., and Ron looked at his feet. He had an uncomfortable look on his face.

"You're right Hagrid. I'm sorry, Hermione."

Harry felt a wave of relief as Hermione hugged Ron.

"And I'm really sorry about Scabbers."

"Now that that's settled-" Hagrid said, grinning like he had a wonderful secret to share. He pulled a box out, and in the box was a very familiar looking rat.

'Scabbers!" Ron pulled the rat out excitedly. Scabbers was wriggling like he'd gone insane and kept trying to get free, but Ron was so excited to see his pet again he barely noticed.

"Hagrid? Why didn't you tell me earlier that you found Scabbers?"

"'Cause I wanted the apology to be because Hermione's yer friend, not because yev got ye rat back."

Ron went back to looking Scabbers over. The rat looked absolutely terrible, skin and bones with patches of his hair missing.

"Tried ter feed im," Hagrid said. "Couldn't get im ter touch a bite though. 'E must be awful stressed."

They all thanked Hagrid for finding Scabbers and getting Ron to apologize, and Harry noticed it would be getting dark soon, so they all started heading back. Hagrid offered to walk up to the castle with them, but Harry assured him they'd be all right and get back before the sun set.

"Wonder if Pomfrey could have a look at Scabbers?" Ron asked as they walked. "He does look ill."

"I think she's afraid of rats," Harry said. "But maybe tomorrow my dad could-"

At the mention of Remus, Scabbers started freaking out worse than ever, and actually bit Ron in the finger. Ron couldn't help dropping him and had to run after him as he sped off, Crookshanks seemingly coming out of nowhere to chase the rat. By the time Ron and Hermione had both grabbed their pets, they were dangerously near the Whomping Willow, although thankfully not near enough to get hit. They stood there trying to catch their breath for a moment when they heard a terrible growl and Harry turned to see the giant black dog.

With so many people and all of the Hogwarts grounds to search, finding one specific person on the map wasn't easy even when you knew what you were looking for, and Remus worried that even though he was watching the map carefully Black might be able to avoid being seen. He searched the area of the map that represented the Forbidden Forest since that would be a likely hiding place if Black were anywhere on the school grounds, but saw nothing there. Then he checked the tunnels. No sign of him.

He turned his attention back to Hagrid's hut in time to watch the trio leave. But somebody else was with them. Remus' eyes went wide. That was impossible! Peter was dead. He watched as they started back to the castle. Was Harry bringing Peter to see him? He was even more confused when he saw Peter make a run for it. Why would Peter run from Harry? Surely he must know who Harry was, and he wouldn't run from him. And why had Peter been so close to Ron?

Then everything seemed to make sense. Ron had a pet rat- a rat that had been in his family for twelve years? But if Scabbers had been Peter the whole time, why hadn't he shown himself? They had been friends for years after all. If Peter had been hiding from everyone including his old friend and his best friend's son, there was only one explanation. A wave of guilt went through Remus as he realized the horrible truth. He had left his best friend to rot in Azkaban for twelve years when he was totally innocent. He had even seen Wormtail disguised as Scabbers many times before. Hadn't the rat always either hidden or squeaked furiously whenever Remus got near him? He must have known sooner or later he'd recognize him. If only he'd looked close enough to notice-. But there wasn't time to think about it.

He saw Sirius run at them, and realized he must have just missed seeing Sirius leave the Forbidden Forest when he'd checked that part of the map before. Within moments Sirius had collided with Harry and started dragging Ron and Wormtail down the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack. The anti- Animagus wards would send a light shock through both Padfoot and Wormtail as they crossed them since they were in animal form, but the wards only worked as a one way barrier and since they were leaving the grounds instead of entering them the magic wouldn't be able to force them back to human form. It would slow them down, but not stop them.

Grabbing the Map, Remus started running towards the group. Harry and Hermione were bound to go after Ron, and that meant an encounter with the real traitor. Remus knew the truth now, but he didn't know what would happen now that Wormtail was finally cornered. He had to get there before somebody got hurt.

AN: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. This part has been a bit slow in developing so it's close to cannon, but there will be bigger changes in the next couple chapters. Harry will finally meet Sirius. Prophesy is obviously from POA