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Harry opened his mouth when…
"Harry stop!"
He saw to his surprise it was Professor Lupin, Ron, Hermione and Baby Tooth. Harry faced them but didn't lower his wand from Sirius' neck.
"Don't do this Harry!" Hermione begged
"You guys don't understand! I have to! He killed my parents, he's the reason they're dead!"
"No Harry," Professor Lupin said, "Sirius isn't the one who killed your parents. We used to be friends at Hogwarts your father, Sirius and I with another student called Peter Pettigrew. We called ourselves the Marauders as we were known for playing pranks. We also created the Marauders' Map using our nicknames; Peter was Wormtail, Sirius was Padfoot, your father James was Prongs and I was Mooney. You couldn't find a closer group of friends than us…"
"That's what makes Sirius' betrayal worse!" Harry interrupted, "He was their friend and betrayed them to Voldemort! He was even named my Godfather and still betrayed them!"
At Lupin's surprised look Harry added, "I overheard Professor McGonagall and the Minister talking about it in The Three Broomsticks."
"Harry there's more you need to hear and you need to know more my past friendship at Hogwarts. You see I was unfortunate before coming to Hogwarts as I was bitten by a werewolf when I was quite young and so I became one…"
"I knew it!" yelled Hermione
Lupin turned to her with a puzzled expression, "How did you know?"
"Ever since Professor Snape set the werewolf essay."
"Ah yes, he deliberately set it in the hope someone would find out. You truly are the cleverest witch I've ever met."
"Hey," Ron cried, "Not important right now!"
"Right," Lupin agreed, "Dumbledore still let me come to Hogwarts and every full moon I would go the Shrieking Shack via the secret tunnel under the Whipping Willow, which was planted there to keep students away from discovering it. All the howling and shrieking people claimed from the shack were made by me, creating the story the shack was haunted.
"I couldn't keep the secret forever though as James, Sirius and Peter found out. To keep me company they managed to turn themselves into animagus with James as a stag, Sirius as a black dog and Peter as a rat. James and Sirius animals' forms could keep me controlled and restrained if needed to and Peter in his rat form could move under the Whipping Willow undetected to press the knob to freeze the Willow. This way I could run in the forests with them."
"That's a nice story but I don't get what this has to do with Sirius' betrayal?" Harry muttered
"It's because you need to know for the truth to make sense," a raspy voice gasped
It was Sirius Black who had spoken then, "When your parents went into hiding they cast a fidelius charm which would keep them hidden from anyone except who had been told of their location by their secret keeper. I was supposed to be their secret keeper but at the last minute we changed it for Peter to be it, as it wouldn't be obvious to Voldemort and I would be a decoy. Peter was the one who betrayed your parents, not me.
"Afterwards when I tracked him down he faked his own death by shouting how I had betrayed James and Lily then blew up the street behind him killing those muggles, framing me for the murder. I knew he must have chopped off his finger leaving it behind for the Ministry to find, to make them think he was dead, then escaped down the sewers with the other rats, which is why he's missing a toe. I thought Peter must be dead or in hiding until I saw in the paper the picture of the Weasley family in Egypt with the rat on your friend's shoulder. After seeing Peter change so many times I would recognise that rat anywhere. So I escaped and came to find him.
"Hermione's cat Crookshanks tried to help me many times until he faked his death then shortly after I was captured by Pitch Black and have been here ever since."
"How did you escape?" demanded Ron
"The dementors' effect doesn't work on animals so I spent my time mostly as a dog and since the dementors are blind, the day they were bringing food to my cell I slipped out through the door and escaped."
"Sirius is right Harry about Peter," Lupin agreed, "After I had confiscated the map off you I saw Peter show up on the map the day you four snuck off to see Hagrid as I was drinking my wolfsbane potion. Coming back from the hut I was shocked to see there were five with the name Peter Pettigrew showing next to Ron."
"The map must have lied!" Harry argued
"The map doesn't lie. Peter is alive and he's the rat in Ron's pocket."
"Prove it."
Lupin gestured for Ron to give him the rat, when Ron hesitated Hermione sighed and grabbed Scabbers, who was struggling now the body lock spell had worn off. Handing him over to Lupin the professor pointed his wand at Peter and immediately the rat changed into a small, scrawny man with beady eyes and terrified expression, the man still looked like a rat.
"Remus! My old friend!" Peter squeaked nervously with a small smile
"Hello Peter. Long time no see, particularly after going into hiding from Sirius."
"Sirius was going to kill me! I had to go into hiding! He's evil, he follows the Dark Lord!"
Sirius laughed but it came out as a sick cough, "Me follow Voldemort?" he rasped ignoring Peter's wince, "Too scared to hear your master's name Wormtail? When you were the one to sell out James and Lily to him."
Peter swallowed hard, "He threatened me Sirius! He was going to kill me!"
"Then you should have died for them! Be loyal to them!" shouted Lupin
"But if he works for Voldemort," said Hermione, "Why didn't he kill Harry before? He's been sleeping in the same dormitory for the last two years."
"She's right! I've never land a hand on Harry's head!" Peter cried
"Because you had no reason to since the Dark Lord was gone," Lupin rebutted, "You were only thinking of saving your own skin and living as a pet rat of a pure blood family meant you got the best care with all the magical news."
The black sand around Harry vanished and his mind was clear for the first time in weeks. Shaking it he put away his wand and helped Sirius up, a warm smile passed between them.
"So I guess that means I have another family member," Harry said
"Been wanting to meet you for years," Sirius smiled back
"No! Ron don't let them kill me, I was your pet rat!"
Ron looked disgusted and moved away, "I let you sleep in my bed."
Lupin walked towards Peter raising his wand, "If Voldemort doesn't kill you then I will!"
"No," Harry said, "Let him live. We'll take him to the castle and Sirius you'll have to be set free and Peter take your place."
"Just like your mother, thinking things through" Sirius said
Harry smirked, "Not all the time."
Peter suddenly broke into a run away from the clearing. "Petrificus Totalus!" shouted Hermione, Peter instantly froze again. "I think that's becoming my signature spell with all the times I've had to use it today."
Lupin summoned Peter back and cast another spell to tie him up, "Just in case the spell wears off again."
Ron suddenly remembered Pitch and looked to find the guardians still being drained, Jamie still alive and Pitch sitting on a black sand chair calmly observing. "Hey. Why didn't you do anything all through that?"
Pitch started laughing.
"He tricked us," Hermione angrily, "It was all a set up."
"You certainly are a very clever girl for your age Hermione," Pitch chuckled darkly, "You're right. The 'innocent killing an innocent' was simply just a distraction. While you were convincing Harry not to kill Sirius the guardians were slowly being killed with no interruptions, and it was entertaining to watch. Also the 'killing the strongest believer' isn't needed either, but I've still got a punishment for dear Jamie because if it wasn't for him I would have succeeded before."
He cocked his head at Jamie, "I think a never-ending sleep tormented endlessly by nightmares should do the trick don't you think?"
"I don't think so!" cried Harry, "Expecto Patronum!" A white burst came out and hit the dementors but to no avail as their black sand shields protected them. "Everyone do the spell! Maybe together we can beat them! Think of your happiest memory."
As Ron and Hermione tried with only white mist appearing Lupin cast his patronus, which was a werewolf, before quickly throwing a wand to Sirius.
Sirius felt the familiar energy of his wand run through him, "You had my wand?"
Lupin grinned, "Kept it all these years, now cast your patronus already!"
As Sirius cast his a dog appeared. With these patronus' together it still didn't work. Harry saw the guardians slumped on the ground breathing shallowly. Hearing Pitch's laugh again he breathed in deeply thinking of his happy memory, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
A magnificent white stag appeared and, seeing it, Sirius whispered in shock, "Prongs?"
As the dog and werewolf patronus' moved to stand next to the stag it renewed Ron and Hermione's efforts and casting the spell together soon an otter and beagle joined them. The patronus' ran towards the dementors and in one attack the dementors, nightmares and Pitch were blown away from the guardians and Jamie, who was released from his bonds. Lupin quickly got out some chocolate and shoved it into the guardians' and Jamie's mouths and they recovered quickly. Harry helped Jack up.
"I'm so sorry for what I said."
Jack smiled pulling Harry into a hug, "It's ok Harry, I was once tricked by Pitch too."
Lupin suddenly froze looking at the full moon appearing over the clearing. Shuddering he shouted, "Get back!" before he changed into a werewolf. After the transformation was complete Lupin looked curiously at them and made no sign to attack.
"It's ok everyone," Sirius said, "Remus had taken his wolfsbane potion so he's in complete control."
Lupin nodded in response walking towards them, seeing Pitch appear out of the shadows again with his nightmares and the dementors he growled.
Pitch snarled angrily, "Get them!" he ordered.
The dementors and nightmares swarmed in. Sandy immediately got out his dream sands and turning the nightmares into dream sand or destroying them, Bunny threw his boomerangs, North got his swords slicing them to bits, Tooth used her wings with Baby Tooth helping and Jack used his staff. As the guardians battled Harry and the others helped too as they cast spell after spell at the nightmares. Stuffing their mouths full of chocolate it made saying the spells harder but helped hugely against the dementors. Lupin also helped ripping the nightmares apart and since the dementors' effect didn't work on animals, he could easily fight against them. Soon nearly all the nightmares were destroyed.
Pitch was furious! His plan had been perfect and now it was failing! Disappearing into the shadows he reappeared right to Jack grabbing his staff. Spinning Jack to face him he caught the winter spirit's arm in a tight grip, squeezing painfully. As Jack struggled Pitch formed a dagger in his hand, "If I'm going down than at least I'll take the Guardian I hate the most down with me!"
Jack stared at the dagger plunging downwards barely hearing Jamie cry, "Jack!"
Just before the dagger hit him Jack was pushed roughly out of the way tumbling along the ground. Hearing a cry of pain he looked up and to his horror Jamie was standing where he was with a black dagger in his heart.
Jamie looked at him, "Jack?" he whispered weakly. Then his eyes closed and he fell to the ground motionless.
"NO!" Jack screamed
How evil is Pitch! And on to the next chapter!