A/N: Hello again! This chapter, like the last few, doesn't have much action. I'm trying to bring everything into place logically and methodically, setting the stage for events that will happen later. I think of it as lining up dominos - but next chapter, instead of knocking them down, Sarutobi gets to blow the dominos up. Our favorite Defence Professor will go head to head with the Aurors and Dementors of Azkaban, with huge consequences for Hogwarts and our heroes.

By contrast, this chapter is mostly research in the library, with some heart-warming moments near the end. I also found a new use for the Marauders' Map that I hope people will like. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own neither Harry Potter nor Naruto

Chapter 13: A Rat Named Peter

Ron turned very cold towards Harry and Hermione as a result of the Scabbers incident. It wasn't necessarily that he blamed them for losing Scabbers, but he resented them for convincing him not to run after his pet immediately. He couldn't avoid them because of their daily training and meals in the Great Hall. But he didn't speak to them unless he had to, and it was clear to his two friends that Ron needed some time.

Harry was determined to bring his friend back to normal, so he wasted no time in starting the search for Pettigrew. He and Hermione took advantage of their extra free time to make frequent trips to the library. They told Madam Pince that they had a research project for Professor Sarutobi, but the sour old librarian still watched them with a large dose of suspicion. Harry was also slightly dismayed to find that they kept running into Percy while in the library – apparently not even holidays were enough to keep the Prefect from hitting the books. He seemed very surprised to find Harry going to the library, and was only disappointed that Ron didn't seem inclined to follow his friends' example. It was very difficult for Harry to keep from rolling his eyes – Percy was perhaps the only Weasley that Harry didn't enjoy spending time with. Well, him and Ginny, but Ron had assured Harry that she was normally much more fun, saying that he hoped she would adjust to life at Hogwarts soon.

The library was Hermione's domain, and Harry was astonished at how efficiently she maneuvered around the dusty bookshelves. She seemed to know where everything was located, and used her knowledge to draw out a preliminary plan.

"I already researched spells that might turn people into an animal," she said briskly, making Harry wonder when she had found the time. "Most are Transfiguration spells, and a rat is one of the options. However, the longest a spell like that will last is about a day – any longer and the spell breaks down by itself."

Harry thought about that. "But Scabbers has been in Ron's family for years," he objected. "I'm sure they'd have noticed if a random stranger appeared every other day, or if Scabbers went missing often. I mean, you see how upset Ron is – I doubt Scabbers has ever gone missing, which means he couldn't have transformed back into a human without being seen."

Hermione nodded emphatically, and plopped a heavy book down on the table. The cover had a line of pictures, each one a different stage in the transformation of a man. At the end of the transformation the man had become a lion. The title was, "Animagi Through the Ages."

Harry frowned at the book. It was much thicker even than his History of Magic textbook, so he disliked it on principle. "What's this?"

"This," Hermione said, patting the book as she might have a loyal pet, "is the answer. An animagus is a wizard who can transform him- or herself into an animal. It's terribly difficult, but the rewards are considerable. It's not like a spell that can wear off – you're an animal as long as you want, and yet your intelligence remains the same. It says in here that Animagi have acted as spies as far back as recorded history can trace!"

Harry was a little skeptical. "So this Pettigrew is an Animagus? But why would anyone want to spy on the Weasleys?"

"An Animagus doesn't have to be a spy," Hermione said patiently, "I just mentioned it in passing. And I don't know for sure if Pettigrew is an Animagus, I just haven't found any other spell that can enact a long-term animal transformation."

"That makes sense, then," Harry agreed, "but does it help us? I mean, so what if he's an Ani-whatsit? It doesn't help us find him, does it?"

Hermione beamed at him, the research-induced joy shining from her brown eyes making Harry feel a little queasy. "But that's just it! By Ministry law, every wizard who becomes an Animagus has to register – if they don't they can be arrested. So if Pettigrew is an Animagus-"

"-his name will be recorded by the Ministry!" Harry finished for her, almost shouting.

Madam Pince materialized from behind a nearby bookshelf, making Harry wonder if she had been trained by Professor Sarutobi as well. "Shh!"

"Sorry," Harry and Hermione whispered in unison. When the librarian left, Harry turned to Hermione with a triumphant grin. "You're absolutely brilliant! Where can we find the Ministry records?"

Hermione wasn't sure, but it didn't take her long to find out. She approached Madam Pince with a carefully crafted story about a Defence assignment on unorthodox magic, asking if the Ministry lists of Animagi were open to the public, and if so, whether Hogwarts had access to them. Madam Pince directed her to the Archives section, which consisted of filing cabinets filled with copies of Ministry laws, court cases, and the records of official meetings.

Harry stared at the filing cabinets in dismay. It would take months to even skim through all of that! But Hermione was undaunted. She took out her wand and tapped it against the side of one filing cabinet, then said slowly and clearly, "Registered Animagi. List."

There was a small humming sound, and the filing cabinet gave a little jump. Then one of the drawers, the second from the bottom, began to glow green. "Aha!" Hermione exclaimed triumphantly.

She turned and saw Harry watching her with a perplexed expression. "Reference spells," she said, blushing a little. "After we had such trouble searching for Nicholas Flamel last year, I asked Madam Pince if there were more efficient ways of searching for specific books or titles. I even know a spell to search for words within a book – every book and article in here has been enchanted to respond to it."

Harry watched as Hermione opened the glowing cabinet, and began flicking through the sheaves of parchment within. The one she was looking for was glowing as well, and only stopped when she pulled it out to take a look. At the top of the parchment, in big, official letters, were the words, "A List of all Animagi in Great Britain and Eastern Europe, Living or Deceased, Compiled in 1985."

"The spell finds the most recent edition," Hermione told Harry. "Now all we have to do is find Pettigrew's name, and that will point us in the right direction."

She tapped her wand carefully against the parchment and murmured, "Vox Reperio: Pettigrew."

Nothing happened. She repeated the spell once more, frowning slightly. Still nothing.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked.

Hermione glared at the piece of parchment as if it had personally insulted her. "It means that unless the spell failed, Pettigrew isn't on this list."

In order to make doubly sure, they checked every name on the list themselves, back to 1900. As it turned out there weren't that many names to check – it seemed that only a handful of witches and wizards became Animagi every few years. But sure enough, there were no mentions of a Peter Pettigrew, and only one Animagus in the last forty years had turned into a rat – his name was Barnabus Murgentroyd, and Harry was confident that they could disregard him.

Harry was stumped. "So what do we do now?"

Hermione put away the list of registered Animagi and closed the drawer vehemently. "I'm not willing to give up on him being an Animagus quite yet. This is only a list of registered Animagi, and some of the books I've read have mentioned unregistered ones. Still, we're going to need to find him another way. I have an idea, though."

Harry turned to her, waiting expectantly. He felt completely useless, but perhaps Hermione would feel better if she had an audience to appreciate her brilliance.

"One thing is for sure," Hermione said, her eyes flashing. "Pettigrew must be a wizard, and if he can turn into a rat he must be skilled. That means he studied magic, and there's only one place I can think of around here that teaches magic…"

Harry remembered not to shout this time. "Hogwarts!"

"That's right," Hermione said with satisfaction. "If he went to Hogwarts, or any of the other Wizarding schools for that matter, we can find a record of him. Come on – I know where the old yearbooks are kept!"

She led Harry through the maze of shelves and old books, until at last they came to the records of Hogwarts alumni. "Can you do that spell again?" Harry asked hopefully, looking with distaste at the shelf piled high with yearbooks.

"Of course," Hermione said briskly. "Vox Reperio: Pettigrew." In the middle of the stack, seven books began to glow green.

Hermione grinned like a cat after spotting a mouse. "Got you."

She took one of the yearbooks at random, and flipped until she found the specific page that was glowing. "Here he is!" she announced, pointing at a picture of a young student. "Peter Pettigrew. Wow… bit of a runty fellow, isn't he?"

Harry had to agree. Looking at the faded picture of the scrawny boy, who kept twitching periodically, it made sense that he would transform into a rat.

"So we've found him," Harry said. Now that his suspicions were confirmed, he only felt worse about what they would have to tell Ron. But even after removing any doubt that Scabbers was this Pettigrew fellow, the mystery had only deepened. Why was he pretending to be a rat, and why wouldn't he want to be found? Harry looked to Hermione and spread his hands wide. "So what's next?"

"We look for paper trails from his time at Hogwarts," Hermione said. "Some clue about him, maybe who his friends were. Once we find everything, we can start asking teachers. Professor McGonagall was probably teaching when Pettigrew was here, and Professor Dumbledore, too."

They split up, after Hermione made sure that Harry could use the Vox Reperio spell successfully to search for Peter's name. It was only half an hour later that Hermione called Harry over to the table where she was working. Her voice was curiously subdued, and as Harry approached she watched him nervously.

"What is it?" he asked.

Hermione showed him a stack of scrolls almost covered by lists of names and dates written in a sloppy, looping script. "I found him in a list of past detentions," she said, her voice even quieter than usual. "I figured that most students would get at least one detention in seven years here, and I was right…"

Harry couldn't understand why she seemed so hesitant. "Yeah? Hermione, that's great… isn't it?"

"Maybe," Hermione said. "Most of his detentions… well, look for yourself."

She pushed one long roll of parchment toward him. Her word-finding spell was still activated, and the many glowing repetitions of "Pettigrew" showed that this man had gotten quite a few detentions in his time. Then Harry looked at the names around Pettigrew's, and his heart almost stopped with shock.

Almost every single time Pettigrew's name appeared, it was next to one that Harry recognized almost as well as his own: James Potter.

"That's…" Harry breathed, too astonished to continue.

"Your father," Hermione finished softly. "There's two other names that show up as well – Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Almost every time one of them shows up in detention, the other three are there, too."

Harry's head was whirling. "So… does that mean this Peter Pettigrew and my dad were friends?"

"It looks like it," Hermione said.

"Then why…" Harry's head was starting to hurt. "Why wouldn't this Peter have revealed himself when he found out who I was?"

Hermione could only shake her head. "I don't know, Harry."

"Well, I'm sure as hell going to find out." Harry looked down again at the old detention records, confirming once again what his eyes told him to be true.

Hermione was looking just as curious and confused as he felt. "Are you going to ask Professor Dumbledore?"

"Not yet," Harry replied. "I feel like there's some big mystery going on here, and even though I trust Professor Dumbledore, I don't think he'd tell me about Pettigrew if he thought it wasn't something I should know. There's someone else I want to ask – he saw my dad a lot at school. He's also a lot more likely to give away information than Dumbledore." He grinned at Hermione, reassuring her that the shocking news hadn't managed to upset him. "Fancy a trip down to Hagrid's cottage, Hermione?"

oOoOo

Harry felt more than a little guilty about visiting Hagrid. After all, he hadn't seen him except occasionally at mealtimes all year. His schedule was much busier because of Sarutobi's training, but that was no excuse. Hagrid was not only Harry's first friend in the Wizarding World, but Harry's first friend, period. And now he was visiting Hagrid, not to catch up with his friend, but to get information from him. It made him feel ashamed, even though he was honestly looking forward to the chance to chat with Hagrid, as well.

He and Hermione left the castle during the afternoon, when Ron was busy searching the dungeons for Scabbers. They dressed warmly and headed down the road to Hagrid's cottage, enjoying the sharp, cold winter air against their faces. A merry trail of smoke was rising from Hagrid's chimney, and the man himself was splitting logs for firewood with an axe that looked large enough to be a tree itself.

""Arry!" Hagrid boomed when he saw them, "'Ermione! Didna think I'd be sein' yeh anytime soon."

Harry flushed with shame. "Sorry, Hagrid," he said contritely.

"Ah, go on, I was jes' havin' yeh on," Hagrid laughed. "The Headmaster tol' me all abou' yer trainin' – I know the two o' yeh have been righ' busy. I'm just glad yeh came!"

"We are too, Hagrid," Hermione said with real pleasure. "It's been too long."

He ushered them inside and poured them steaming mugs of tea. Harry steered clear of the treacle fudge, figuring that he would need his mouth for talking, and if he tried any of Hagrid's favorite dessert his teeth would be cemented together for hours.

They chatted for an hour that seemed no more than minutes, as Hagrid bombarded them with questions about their training, and how the rest of their year was going. Hagrid seemed to have a lot of respect for Professor Sarutobi.

"Has a way with dangerous beasts, an' no mistake," the Groundskeeper said. "Went inter the Forest with me a few weeks back, an' he stood toe-to-toe with some right nasty beasties."

Hagrid went on to say that he might ask Professor Sarutobi to go on another trip into the Forbidden Forest with him in the near future. "Yeh can never be too safe," he declared, "an' things've been a little… off, lately. The centaurs are worried, an' some o' the darker creatures seem teh be gettin' restless."

Harry told him he was sure that nothing in the Forest could faze Professor Sarutobi. Then he hesitated, wanting to bring the conversation around to Peter Pettigrew, but not sure how. Hermione solved the dilemma for him.

"Hagrid," she said, "we found something really interesting the other day. Harry wanted to research his father a little over Christmas break, and asked me to help. We looked at old detention records, and found three names that pop up next to his dad's all the time. We were wondering if you could tell us more about them."

Hagrid was beginning to look alarmed. "Like who?" he said roughly.

"Peter Pettigrew, for one," Harry answered. "And Remus Lupin and Sirius Black." Hagrid visibly flinched at the last name.

"I don't know what yeh're talking abou'," Hagrid said firmly, but Harry knew instantly that he was lying. He had acted the exact same way last year, when Harry asked about the Sorcerer's Stone.

"Hagrid," Harry pleaded, putting his cup of tea down on the table, "please! It's obvious you know something!"

Hagrid shook his head back and forth. Harry decided to push harder.

"Look, Hagrid, we already know their names. We're going to keep looking. If Professor Dumbledore won't tell us we'll check old editions of the Daily Prophet; we'll send letters to every witch and wizard we know. It's really, really important that we find out who they were!"

Harry realized a second later that he had contradicted Hermione's cover story about being curious about his father, but Hagrid didn't seem to catch the slip. Instead he was thinking hard, a thunderous frown on his face. He regarded Harry gravely, and then nodded to himself.

"Well, I guess now yeh've found the names, there's no keeping yeh from the truth," he said at last. "Dumbledore will be right mad at me fer spillin', but I reckon yeh've got a right teh know. It's personal, though – is it all right if Hermione hears?"

Harry assured him that whatever Hagrid was about to say, he could say to Hermione as well. So Hagrid began talking, and didn't stop until their tea was cold on the table. He told Harry about his father's friends, Peter, Sirius, and Remus. He told them how Sirius was chosen to become Harry's godfather. He told them about the start of the war, and the decision to make Sirius the Potter's Secret-Keeper. Tears were rolling down Hagrid's eyes at this point, and he had to stop periodically to blow his nose with an enormous handkerchief. But he managed to make it through the rest, telling the two shocked Gryffindors how Sirius had betrayed the Potters to the Dark Lord, and how he had murdered Peter and a dozen Muggles in cold blood.

"The most they ever found of him was a finger," Hagrid sobbed brokenly. "An' I met Sirius that night, after he… after he betrayed yer parents. He even lent me his motorbike, not hours before the Aurors came!"

Harry couldn't have spoken if he wanted to, so it was up to Hermione to ask the relevant question. "Where is he now?"

"In Azkaban," Hagrid choked out, "the wizard prison. His sentence is for life."

Harry felt very strange, as if he didn't fully inhabit his body. He noticed that the tips of his fingers were shaking ever so slightly. He knew there was something wrong with Hagrid's story, but it took him a second to figure out what it was – Pettigrew! Pettigrew was still alive…

Harry didn't know what to make of it. He had no clue where to start separating what was true from what was false. It was thanks to Hermione that he pulled himself together. Her gentle hand on his shoulder was what brought him back to the present, and her kind eyes were what kept him from breaking down right there in Hagrid's cottage.

"Hagrid, I…" Harry said, his voice cracking, "…thanks for telling me. I… I needed to know."

Hagrid nodded, still sobbing like a stormcloud. "Yeh talk to the Headmaster, if yeh need," he said. "I don' expect yeh to hear sommat like that an' not need to sort through yer emotions a bit."

He nodded at Hermione, who was motioning at Harry to get up from the table. "Yeh look after him, all right, Hermione? I don't doubt he needs a friend right now."

Harry let Hermione lead him out of the cottage. The cold air stung his face and helped distance him from the thoughts running in circles in his mind. They stayed outside for quite some time, walking to the edge of the frozen lake and watching the sun reflect off the ice in brilliant patterns of light.

After a while, Hermione turned to Harry. "Want to talk about it?"

Harry nodded silently after a long moment. "I don't know what to believe," he said at last. "Hagrid says Sirius betrayed my parents – my own Godfather! But the Map said Pettigrew is still alive!"

Hermione seemed to sense that Harry didn't want anyone's pity, nor did he want to wallow in a past he couldn't change. What he wanted was the truth, and Hermione was determined to help him find it.

"We have to approach this carefully," she said, using the brisk tone that meant she was all business. It cheered Harry up as nothing else could have. "First, we know that Scabbers is Pettigrew, and Pettigrew is alive. The Map wasn't wrong, otherwise Scabbers wouldn't have run away when you said his old name. It's the only explanation I can think of – he has to be alive. That said, the next thing we have to figure out is why Hagrid seems to think Sirius killed Pettigrew. The evidence must have been overwhelming if Sirius was arrested and put in Azkaban. Everyone must have thought that he did it."

One of the details Hagrid mentioned came floating up in Harry's memory. "Hagrid said… he said the most they ever found of Pettigrew was his finger." He stood up suddenly, things clicking into place. "Hermione, Scabbers is missing a toe on his front paw!"

Hermione gasped. "You're right!"

Harry felt like he had discovered something momentous, but he had no idea where to go next. "But what does that mean?"

Hermione held up two fingers, her eyes narrowing as they only did when she was deep in concentration. "It means one of two things: first, Sirius' curse missed, and Pettigrew survived. Then he transformed into a rat and went into hiding. But Hagrid said Sirius used a blasting curse that also killed twelve Muggles. What are the odds that a blasting curse of that size would obliterate twelve people, and yet only slice off Pettigrew's finger? It seems highly unlikely."

Harry thought so, too. "So then the second option…"

Hermione looked horrified at what she was about to say, but continued nevertheless. "The other option is that Pettigrew framed his own death. He cut off his own finger, killed the Muggles, and escaped as a rat. That would make more sense, because if Peter was innocent why wouldn't he come forward after Voldemort died and Sirius was arrested? He just waited, for eleven whole years, even though he could have been greeted as a hero."

"That's right," Harry agreed, thinking it through. "He didn't want to be found. He ran away after we figured out who he was, and I don't think he's coming back. That's the action of someone who's guilty. But if Sirius didn't kill Pettigrew-"

Hermione finished his thought. "-then he couldn't have betrayed your parents!"

"I don't know," Harry said after a second. "I mean, I'd rather it was Peter than Sirius, because my dad trusted Sirius enough to make him my godfather. But if Peter served Voldemort all those years, why didn't he do anything when I made friends with Ron? Wouldn't one of Voldemort's servants have tried to kill me or something?"

"Maybe," Hermione allowed, "but once Voldemort disappeared, didn't most of his servants claim they had been acting under the Imperius Curse? Once he was defeated, they all went on with their lives. Why would Pettigrew risk blowing his cover to avenge the Dark Lord if he only served him out of fear in the first place?"

Harry was growing more and more convinced that Peter Pettigrew was guilty of something, even if it wasn't necessarily betraying his parents to Voldemort. "We don't have proof of anything," Harry pointed out, "but I know how we can find out. We have to bring this to Dumbledore."

oOoOo

Once they decided on the plan, they wasted no time in carrying it out. Later that night, after eating a tense dinner with Ron in which their unspoken secrets weighed heavily on their minds, the two of them went to visit the Headmaster in his office.

The kindly Professor took one look at them and knew they had something important to tell him. He listened carefully as Harry poured out the entire story, his eyes growing wider and wider behind his half-moon glasses.

When Harry was done, Professor Dumbledore looked more shocked than they'd ever seen him. "So Pettigrew is alive…" he breathed.

Hermione watched him closely. "We were wondering if that news changed your mind about anything," she said hesitantly, "like Sirius being guilty… or anything like that."

Dumbledore regarded them both over his spectacles, looking very old and sad. "I'm afraid it does change my mind," he said at last. "About a lot of things. It clears up many of my doubts about that night. I never wanted to believe Sirius was guilty, but the evidence seemed so clear, and the Aurors snapped his wand so quickly we could never check to see if he'd actually performed the curse…"

Harry broke in quickly. "Then was it Pettigrew…"

"Who betrayed your parents?" Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I believe it must have been. I think, although I will have to check with Sirius to make sure, that Sirius decided to make a last-minute switch regarding who was to be James and Lily's Secret-Keeper. He and James had suspected that poor Remus might be spying for Voldemort – if that was the case, then secretly changing the Secret-Keeper would have been Sirius' way of trying to throw Remus off the scent. How tragic – it was Peter who was the spy the whole time!"

Dumbledore's voice was beginning to shake with an emotion that Harry easily recognized as repressed anger. He felt exactly the same way. If Pettigrew appeared before him right that second, Harry would have felt no compunctions about trying one of the more deadly curses that Sarutobi had taught him the other day. But there was something more important than daydreams of vengeance, and that was the innocent man staying in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit.

"Can you get Sirius out of Azkaban?" he asked Dumbledore.

The old man gave a great sigh. "That is exactly where my mind went as well, Harry. I will not lie to you – getting Sirius out is going to be extremely difficult. The Ministry is uncooperative at the best of times, and they will not want to admit that they made a mistake all those years ago. There is the added difficulty that Peter Pettigrew has escaped. If we had him in custody, the truth would be easy to ascertain."

"That's why he scarpered," Harry said with deep bitterness. "He knew we'd find out the truth. He was saving his hide."

"I fear you are correct, Harry," Dumbledore said sadly. "But I promise you this: I will do my utmost to bring Sirius safely out of that horrible place. You may depend upon that."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, and Hermione echoed his thanks. It was almost too much for him to wrap his mind around – not only that he had a godfather, but that it was up to them to clear his godfather's name. It was almost too strange to accept, but Harry knew that it was true.

"I will start working to free Sirius at once," Dumbledore promised. "The most important thing is finding Pettigrew, so I'll spread the word to everyone I know – and I know quite a few people. I'll also bring all the weight I have to bear on the Ministry, and try to get them to reopen Sirius' case. However, without Pettigrew I don't know how much I'll be able to do. As I said before, the Ministry is not fond of admitting that it is wrong."

"I know you'll do everything you can," Harry said, and it was true. If anyone could free Sirius, it would be Dumbledore. "You'll tell me if anything comes up, right?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at him merrily. "Of course I will. And I'll visit Sirius as soon as may be – they don't let students visit Azkaban, for obvious reasons, but I will make sure to tell him that you know he is innocent. I believe it will be of great comfort to him to know that, while I work on his behalf at the Ministry."

When they left Dumbledore's office, Hermione brought up the difficult issue of how they would tell Ron. "He has to know," she said firmly.

"Of course," Harry agreed. "Now that Dumbledore has confirmed it, we need to tell him about Pettigrew."

They broached the subject after getting back to the Gryffindor Tower. Ron resisted strongly, bringing up all of the reasons why Scabbers couldn't be Pettigrew. Harry found that he couldn't remain calm while trying to convince Ron – thinking about the rat made him almost physically sick. The man who had betrayed his parents had been right next to him for over a year!

Hermione, who was extremely perceptive, realized that if they went on any longer, either Ron or Harry would lose it.

"Come to the Headmaster's office with me," she urged Ron, tugging on his arm. "Can't you see how upset Harry is? We don't want this to be true any more than you do. Come on – Dumbledore will clear everything up."

Harry nodded to her gratefully. He knew Ron would eventually come to accept it, and when he did he would feel absolutely terrible about keeping Pettigrew safe all those years. Harry would have to reassure him repeatedly that it was not his fault. Pettigrew had fooled so many people over the years that Harry knew it would be the height of stupidity to blame Ron for something he had no control over.

Once Ron and Hermione left, Harry was left alone in the Tower. Ron had handed over the Marauders' Map before leaving, and Harry stared curiously at the blank parchment. It was such a seemingly innocent thing, but without it he would never have discovered that Pettigrew was still alive. He wondered who had made that Map, so he could thank them for clearing his godfather's name.

Harry thought about returning the Map to the twins, now that Ron would no longer need it to search for Scabbers. Then Harry started thinking – was returning the Map such a good idea? Peter Pettigrew had managed to evade Hogwarts' security easily, and if it hadn't been for the Map he might never have been discovered. Just thinking about what could have happened made Harry shiver.

If Voldemort had ever returned, Pettigrew would have been positioned perfectly to kill Harry. The fact that he was so vulnerable was truly frightening.

The Marauders' Map was more than just a pranking aid, Harry realized with sudden clarity. It should be used to keep students safe. It was better off in Dumbledore's hands than the twins'.

Harry stood up with renewed purpose, and went in search of Fred and George. They were holed up in their dorm room, and when he called they came down the stairs to join him in the common room. Harry immediately launched into his story, knowing that if he hesitated it might be too hard to tell them everything. He started with what had happened after the Polyjuice Potion, and didn't stop until he told them everything he'd learned from Hagrid and Professor Dumbledore.

"It's thanks to you two that I found this out," he finished, meeting the twins' shell-shocked eyes. "Without the Map, I would never have found out that my godfather is innocent, and your brother would still have a murderer for a pet." Fred and George paled visibly.

Harry felt awful about what he was about to ask them, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

"That's why I wanted to ask you… to turn the Map over to Dumbledore." He dropped his gaze to his shoes, fearing that they would feel betrayed. "It's just- it's such a powerful item, and Dumbledore might be able to use it to make the castle better protected-"

George cut him off suddenly. "Say no more, Harry my friend. We understand perfectly."

Harry looked at them in surprise. The twins were wearing the most serious expressions he'd ever seen on their faces.

"Listen, Harry," Fred began, "we know why you're asking this, and we're with you 100%."

George nodded. "Don't you think we feel terrible about our family living with Pettigrew all those years? We would give it up in a second if it meant bringing him to justice. And if Pettigrew can sneak into Hogwarts-"

"-other people might try it too," Fred finished. "We'll give the Marauders' Map to Dumbledore, and ask him to use it to keep the school safe. It's the right thing to do."

A wave of relief swept through Harry. "Thank you for understanding! Fred, George, I'm so sorry to ask you to do this-"

Fred waved a hand nonchalantly. "Not at all. Things were getting a little too easy with the Marauders' Map. Resting on our laurels, you know. It'll be a wrench saying good-bye to the Marauders, but I reckon it's time we struck out on our own. What d'you say, George?"

"I reckon that's about right," George said, standing a little straighter. "We have stood on the shoulders of giants, but now the Weasley twins must stand alone."

They clasped hands, seeming to forget that Harry was even there.

"Right then," Harry said, feeling awkward. "I'll just… go, then. Thanks again!"

"No problem, Harry," Fred said finally, turning to give him a mock salute. "We'll say our final goodbyes to the Marauders, and then deliver the Map to Dumbledore with our compliments."

oOoOo

After Dumbledore answered all of Ron's questions concerning Scabbers, the redhead reacted just as Harry feared he would. In addition to hating Pettigrew with a passion (a reaction Harry could understand), he also felt tremendously guilty. He seemed to think it was his fault for not seeing through Pettigrew's disguise, and for letting him escape the castle grounds.

"That's just mental!" Harry had said, in no mood to put up with Ron's misplaced guilt. "He tricked everyone including Dumbledore, and there was nothing we could have done. We're just going to find him and make sure that he pays for what he did."

Harry was not about to let his best friend feel guilty over this. "Besides," he added, "now that Dumbledore has the Marauders' Map, nothing like this will ever happen again!"

Harry – and the whole school, for that matter – soon found out exactly what Professor Dumbledore planned to do with the Marauders' Map. At the end of Christmas break, Dumbledore welcomed all of the students back with the customary feast in the Great Hall. Everyone gorged themselves, glad to be reunited with their friends and hoping to put off thinking about classes for as long as they could.

When Dumbledore stood up to address the school, he was looking uncharacteristically serious.

"I am glad to see you've all returned safely," Dumbledore announced, his voice magically amplified, "but I will not be able to send you off with my customary 'few words.' I have news for all of you that requires me to be more long-winded than usual."

Heads popped up along all four tables, as students put aside their dessert to listen with rapt attention.

"I was recently given a very powerful magical artifact," Dumbledore went on. "It is a map of Hogwarts, enchanted to show the precise location of everyone inside the castle and on the grounds. Needless to say, the potential for harm would be great if this map were to fall into the wrong hands. However, its potential for good is just as great. I have decided to incorporate this map into a new security system at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore paused, waiting for the murmurs to die down before continuing.

"Let me first make it clear that in its new form, this map will NOT show the location of every student. Such a power in any hands, even mine, is simply too great. Hogwarts is not a police state, and shall never become one on my watch. You are all entitled to your privacy, and as such the new security system will remain ignorant of your movements in and around the castle. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Mr. Filch, who wants me to state for the record that he strenuously opposed this decision." He nodded to the Caretaker, who was looking broken-hearted.

"I have therefore changed the map so that no student or teacher will ever show up there. If you are authorized to be here, then you will keep your privacy. However, if someone appears on the grounds who is not authorized, the map will track their movements and trigger an alarm. The only people, I repeat, the only people, who will show up on the map are those who have no right to be here. In the future, each new group of first-years will be registered with the map, so that the security system knows to let them in."

Dumbledore looked around, gauging the reactions in students' faces. "This may make it difficult for people to visit Hogwarts. However, I am sending out a message to all of your parents and guardians by owl, telling them about the new security measures. If anyone needs to visit Hogwarts, whether to visit a sick child in the Hospital Wing, attend a Quidditch match, or anything of that sort, they must first pick up a Visitor's Pass in Hogsmeade. I have asked my brother Aberforth to give out these passes, as he is someone I trust with my life. He agreed to help because it is in the best interest of the safety of you students…" Dumbledore coughed delicately, "and also because having visitors come to Hogwarts through him might boost his sales. Anyway, that is all I have to say regarding the new security system, except for this-"

He broke off, his grave expression growing even more serious. "This new security system does not mean that the school is in immediate danger. It is simply a preventative measure that I wish we could have taken long ago. From this point on, infiltrating Hogwarts by means of Disillusionment Charms, Invisibility Cloaks, Polyjuice Potion, Bodily Transfiguration or even Animagi will be impossible. It is my hope that this security system will never be put to the test, but I refuse to take chances when it comes to the safety of students. Thank you for your attention, and please enjoy the rest of the Feast!"

As soon as the Headmaster sat back down, the whispering began. But then, suddenly, the Headmaster stood back up, a wicked twinkle in his eyes.

"I almost forgot," he said, silence falling instantly. "I have yet to tell you who is responsible for this addition to our security. I would like to award fifty House points to Gryffindor, as a way of thanking Fred and George Weasley. Their dedication to the safety of their fellow students is an example to us all, and serves as a lesson to those who think they are merely nefarious pranksters."

He bowed his head deeply in the direction of the Weasley twins, whose mouths were open so wide that a Quaffle could have flown in.

As one, the twins turned to Harry, expressions of despair on their faces. "This is your fault, Harry!" George cried. "Our reputation is ruined!"

oOoOo

Dear Sirius,

Professor Dumbledore told me that you can receive mail in Azkaban, so even though I'm not allowed to visit you I thought I should write. I know that it doesn't do you much good, but I just wanted to say that I know you're innocent. Dumbledore knows it too, and he's going to do everything he can to get you out of Azkaban soon.

I know we don't really know each other, but I learned from Hagrid that you're my godfather. I was so glad to find out that one of my parents' close friends was still alive. Once you get out of Azkaban, would you be willing to meet with me? I'd really like the chance to get to know you.

My friend Hermione suggested that I tell you a little about my life – I wasn't sure if you'd be interested, but I guess if not you can just skip this part. I grew up with my mother's sister and her family, and that's where I live during the summers. They're not so fond of magic, but they let me go to Hogwarts so it's all right. I found some amazing friends last year. Their names are Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and I don't know what I'd do without them. We've been in some tight spots, and they've supported me every step of the way. I'm loving Hogwarts so far, especially Quidditch. Professor McGonagall put me on the Gryffindor team last year, as a Seeker. I know my dad was on the team - did you play as well? Quidditch is probably what I love best about Hogwarts, if you don't count my friends.

Anyway, I feel kind of strange writing so much about myself, so I'll stop here. If you can write back, would you tell me more about yourself? Of course, once Dumbledore gets you out we'll have more time. Stay strong! He'll definitely help you, and the world will know that you're innocent of everything.

I can't wait to see you!

Your godson,

Harry

In his cell in the island fortress of Azkaban, Sirius Black folded Harry's letter carefully. He tucked it into his ripped and tattered prisoner's uniform, taking as much care as if it were the most precious thing in the world – which indeed it was, to him. When the letter was safely stowed away, he let the tears flow. He cried as he hadn't since he learned of James and Lily's deaths.

From outside the cell came a rustling sound, as a Dementor glided closer to investigate his sobbing. Sirius wiped at his eyes with the back of one grimy hand, huddling tighter to ward off the mind-numbing chill.

"Come to feast on my grief?" Sirius asked. His voice was hoarse and cracked from disuse. The Dementor fell back a step, surprised by the laugh that came from Sirius' throat. Though it sounded more like a croak, Sirius' laugh was full of heartfelt joy. "You're out of luck, soul-sucker. I'm only crying because I'm happy. If I had a wand right now, I could make a Patronus so powerful it would send you and all your friends back to the devil that spawned you."

The Dementor glided away, seeming to retreat before the sound of his laughter. "Just wait, Harry," Sirius whispered, sliding one hand under his uniform to clutch his letter tightly. "I'm coming."