Lupin hadn't really told us much at all. Nothing he had told us gave us the slightest inclination that all was not as it seemed, or as to why he was on such good terms with Black, a convicted mass murderer. But surely there had to be something? I found myself trying to figure it out through an ever-growing migraine as Snape clenched his wand tightly, his eyes shining in triumph as he stared at Black. Carefully, I slipped my own wand up my sleeve and bit my bottom lip, shooting another look at Harry. This time, he wasn't paying attention, his eyebrows tight as he glanced between Black, Snape and Lupin.

"Severus, you're making a mistake," Lupin insisted gently, but Snape simply turned his wand on him instead.

"Oh, I don't think so," he said, his expression a mixture of smug arrogance and absolute delight. "This is no mistake. Black escaped, Black ran, and now Black is caught. My, I had hoped I would be the one to catch you." He smirked widely as he turned back to Black and a shudder ran down my spine. Was I really going to side with Snape over my own father?

Black shot me a strange look, and Snape laughed cruelly. "Tut, tut, tut, am I breaking up the family reunion?" My fists clenched at my sides and Black's face set furiously, but Snape didn't seem to care. "Didn't think I knew who she was, Black? Parading around the school with Potter, it was like a horrible case of déjà vu." I felt myself start forward angrily, but Harry caught me around the waist and held me still before Snape could turn on us.

"Sir?" Hermione interrupted hurriedly in a timid voice. "It can't hurt to hear what they have to say, can it?"

Snape's expression wavered. "Granger, you are in the presence of a mass murderer and a werewolf. Be quiet!" Harry met my gaze again and I shuffled uncertainly.

"Tell me," I asked Lupin before Snape could do anything else. Lupin frowned, confused as the Potions Master glanced between the two of us rapidly. "Tell me, now."

"Enough, Williams!" Snape barked angrily, and his wand wavered in my direction. In the same second, my eyes widened as Black lunged toward him, but Snape moved too quickly, burying the tip of his wand into the side of Black's neck. "You have no idea how good it will feel to hand you over," he murmured darkly. "The Dementors have missed you, Black. Enough to give you a kiss, I dare say." Black's eyes flashed with fear, and my stomach jolted, my hands instinctively clutching at Harry for support. He went rigid beside me, as torn and confused as I was.

Lupin gulped hard. "Pettigrew isn't dead," he rushed, and Harry and I froze on the spot. "Sirius didn't kill him, or the Muggles, or the Potters. Pettigrew was Voldemort's supporter. He turned Lily and James over and when Sirius confronted him, he faked his own death."

Snape stared at him, open mouthed, and I had a feeling the only reason he was allowing Lupin to continue was surprise. But he was rapidly shaking that off, and what Lupin was saying still made no sense.

"People saw him kill Pettigrew," I insisted quickly with a shaky voice, and I flinched when Black looked in my direction. "He blew him up!"

"Pettigrew turned into a rat," Lupin hurried. "The largest part of him they found was a finger. He thought it was much better to fake his own death and lose a finger than to face the consequences of betraying his best friends to Voldemort."

"Nonsense!" Snape snarled, and with a flick of his wand, both Black and Lupin had their hands tied behind their backs. Lupin shot me a pleading look, and I shook on the spot, still torn. Could it be true? What if I stopped Snape and it wasn't?

But if I didn't and it was, Black would have his soul taken and Lupin would most likely be arrested.

Behind Lupin, however, the wands he'd taken off us had clattered to the floor and without thinking, I let mine drop into my hand and flicked it, catching the wands as they flew through the air toward me. "Move," Snape spat, prodding Black with his wand and my father's face tightened in pure hatred. Before I could make my mind up, Harry bolted forward, snatching his wand from my hand and blocking the doorway as much as he could. For a split second, no one else moved. Then Snape lifted his wand on Harry, and Harry and I had both of ours in his face before I could even take a breath. Behind me, Hermione squeaked and Ron cursed loudly. Biting my lip, I shoved Hermione's wand into her hand, my eyes fixed to Snape.

Slowly, he took a deep breath through his nose, his eyes flashing. "Potter, Williams, get out of my way," he instructed in a dangerously calm voice.

"I want to hear what they have to stay," Harry insisted, standing his ground and my chest tightened.

"What you want, Potter, doesn't matter," Snape scowled.

"Actually, it does," I argued. "Lower your wand."

"You won't attack a teacher, Williams."

"You obviously don't know me very well."

Harry snorted. "You should have seen her when Lockhart tried to run last year. Horrible."

Snape's jaw clenched. "You and your friends have been caught with a mass murderer, Potter! Now even by your standards, I'm sure this will take some explaining when we get back to the Minister. Unless you wish to go the same way as your dear godfather, I suggest you move out of my way!"

"Sir," Hermione tried again. "Please, they-"

"GRANGER, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!" Snape yelled.

"Hey!" Harry scowled. "Don't yell at her!"

"Potter, move before I lose my patience."

"Let them go," he retorted.

Snape's fist clenched around his wand and the moment I saw his mouth open, panic crushed my chest. "Expelliarmus!"

Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one who'd had the same thought, yelling the spell at the same time as both Harry and Hermione. There was a loud bang, and Snape was suddenly knocked off his feet, sailing through the air and crashing into the far wall with a deafening thud. Beside me, Hermione gave a feeble whimper, her own wand dropping to her side. Harry, Black and Lupin gawped at the two of us. "Oh god," she gulped, clutching my arm for support. "We attacked a teacher."

"It was Snape," I replied quietly, as though this made it acceptable. "Besides, he knocked his head. Who knows what funny idea he has now about what happened."

Black snorted loudly with a small smirk but Harry straightened out, letting his wand fall to his side. "Right, get to the point," he demanded, untying Black and Lupin with a flick of his wand. "Before anyone else finds us."

My father sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I used to be your parents Secret Keeper," he said in a small voice. "They used the Fidelius Charm to protect the house, which means keeping its location a secret and entrusting that to one person. Only that one person would be able to disclose where they were. Without that information, Voldemort could have had his nose pressed against their living room window and he still wouldn't be able to see them."

"So Voldemort came looking for you and you told him?" Harry glowered, but Black's face paled and he shook his head furiously.

"No, no, never," he frowned, and my chest tightened again. Hermione shifted closer and slipped her hand into mine reassuringly. "But . . . not long after your parents went into hiding, Voldemort turned his attention to Artemis."

"What?" I choked.

"You were kept out of sight, even when you weren't in hiding," Black told me softly. "Being . . . well, being you everyone knew you'd be a target eventually. When he heard that – that Selena and I had had a daughter, he started looking for you. When they heard, the Potters offered to take you in. So long as I kept their location secret, no one would ever find any of you. It was the safest option. But Pettigrew knew that was where you were going, and when Voldemort heard, he immediately assumed that they'd have trusted the secret with Selena, since she was so strong."

My mouth went dry. "That's . . . that's why she died?"

Black stared at me hopelessly, shifting with another gulp. "No one is entirely sure. But she disappeared, and I knew so long as you were still with the Potters, all of you were in danger. So I got you out of there. It was only a few weeks before Halloween night, and Remus agreed to take you in, so long as I organised something else before the full-moon. I'd only just found where the Williams lived and they were so completely detached from everything, it was the perfect place. No one would ever think to look for you there. That's why I took you there."

"So how did Pettigrew find out where the Potters were?" Ron asked bravely, obviously sure Harry and I weren't capable of speech at the moment.

"After Selena . . . disappeared, it was only logical to assume I'd be next," Black pointed out. "And I swear, I'd have taken it to the grave. But I couldn't leave Artemis alone, so I convinced the Potters to switch Secret Keepers, to use Pettigrew instead. I was sure no one would have ever thought we'd use someone as weak as him, and none of us ever thought he'd have been a double-agent the entire time. But the moment Pettigrew got his hands on the news, he took it to his Master. When I dropped Artemis off with Mia, I knew something was wrong. I knew I had to get to the Potters' house, to make sure they were okay, but by the time I got there . . ." He trailed off, wiping a hand over his face. My eyes flicked toward Harry, who was still stood in the doorway with a pale face.

"I cornered Peter alright," Black continued in a furious snarl. "I might have killed him for it all too, if I'd have had half a chance. He started yelling that I'd been the one to turn them over, whimpering and attacking so pathetic. Set me right up."

There was silence for a long time. I wanted so much to believe that he was telling the truth. The look of complete devastation on his face when he spoke about Selena and the Potters, the anger he showed at Pettigrew . . . it all looked so real. But what if it was all smoke and mirrors? A trick designed to get the better of us all?

"How do we know you aren't lying?" I finally managed in a shaky voice, and Hermione's hand tightened.

Black looked at me and smiled half-heartedly, lifting a finger and pointing across the room at Ron. "Me?" Ron blinked. "What do I have to do with it?"

"Your rat, Ron," Lupin sighed patiently.

"Scabbers?" he gawped with a shaky laugh. "No, he can't be, I mean . . . he's been in my family for . . ."

"Twelve years?" Black guessed sourly. "Strangely long life for a garden rat, don't you think?" Ron blinked at him, speechless, but in his hands, Scabbers was struggling harder than ever now.

"Give them the rat," I told him quietly.

His eyes widened. "What? But he-"

"If he's just a rat, it won't hurt him, I promise," Lupin assured him. "If not . . . then you'll see." Ron hesitated, his eyes flicking between me and Harry. Slowly, he nodded, stretching his hands out with Scabbers clamped tightly between them. By that point, the rat was going mad. He squirmed, bit, and scratched, but Lupin took him anyway as Black moved to collect their wands from Snape's unconscious body. Handing Lupin his, the two of them stood with identical frowns and lifted their wands at the small rat, muttering under their breaths.

I don't think I'd ever seen anything so nauseating in my entire life. The rat seemed to expand in every direction, its head stretched so much its eyes looked ready to pop out. The only part that shrank back was its tail and after a horrible, stomach turning few seconds, a balding fat man sat in front of Black and Lupin, his front teeth too large to fit inside his mouth.

Behind me, Hermione whimpered. "I think I'm going to be sick," she moaned, and Black snorted darkly.

"R-Remus," Pettigrew stuttered nervously. "S-Sirius. My old friends!" Harry gawped at the man, his eyes so wide I was surprised they stayed in their socket. But I could feel my eyes narrowing, fixed to the man on the floor with such a dislike I could have killed him myself. He was the reason I didn't know my own father. He was the reason Harry didn't know his parents.

The anger suddenly burnt too badly and I wrenched myself out of Hermione's hold, moving as far from the man as I could manage with clenched fists.

"Remus, you can't believe him," Pettigrew was pleading, pointing a shaky finger at Black. "Me? Betray Lily and James to the Dark Lord?"

"I've only ever heard his supporters call him the Dark Lord," Lupin pointed out coolly, his face contorted in fury. "Innocent people don't hide, Peter."

"I had no choice!" Pettigrew blubbered, scrambling away from Black. "H-He wanted to kill me!"

"And why was that?" Black asked in a sickly voice. "Why would I want you dead unless you'd betrayed us all?"

"Y-You're c-crazy," he insisted. "Your Master had just fallen, you were looking for revenge!"

"You were the Potters Secret Keeper!" Black yelled at the top of his voice, and Lupin had to catch him before he reached Pettigrew, who yelped and crawled further away desperately. "You gave your best friends to Voldemort!"

Pettigrew suddenly wailed and I went rigid, shifting closer to Harry. "You have no idea what he's capable of," he mumbled. "He has powers you can't imagine! What was I supposed to do?"

"Die!" Black snapped. "Anything but betray your friends, as we would have done for you!"

"You should have realised Peter," Lupin frowned. "If he didn't kill you, we would." He and Black straightened out, but Pettigrew squealed and he clambered over to Ron pleadingly. Immediately, Ron gulped, trying to pull his injured leg away from him.

"Wasn't I a good pet?" he rushed. "A good rat?" Ron nearly lost all the colour in his face trying to move, but he shook his head furiously, pushing back and gawping at Pettigrew in disgust.

Desperate, Pettigrew wheeled around and moved toward Hermione. "Sweet, intelligent girl. You know I'm innocent, don't you?" She let out a disgusted, short laugh, before clamping a hand over her mouth, appalled at herself as she pressed herself against the wall.

I watched as his eyes fell on me, and my body went rigid, waiting for his plea for help. "Arty," he started.

"Try it," I snarled through my teeth. "I dare you."

Gulping hard, Pettigrew glanced at Harry beside me and my blood boiled. "Harry, you look so much like James," he muttered, crawling forward on his knees and snatching at the sleeve of Harry's jacket. My hand tightened around my wand, my jaw locked as I watched. "James wouldn't have wanted me killed, he-" He broke off with a nervous squeak, his eyes suddenly wide and fixed to Harry's wrist.

I followed his gaze and my stomach dropped through the ground. Poking through the end of Harry's sleeve, I could just about make out the blue tattoo almost shining against his skin. Pettigrew's eyes flicked to me in shock, and fury roared in my ears.

I lunged at him before I could stop myself and he yelped, barely managing to get away before Harry caught my waist. "Arty, stop!" he insisted, and Black and Lupin rushed forward, grabbing Pettigrew's shoulders and dragging him back.

"I swear to God," I breathed raggedly, my body shaking in anger. "I swear to God, Pettigrew-"

"Arty, calm down!" Harry rushed, hauling me away from everyone else and doubling his grip on me.

Black sent me a curious look, but straightened out and lifted his wand to Pettigrew's face. "You handed Lily and James over to Voldemort," he snarled. "Do you deny it?" Pettigrew whimpered loudly, staring at the tip of Black's wand.

"Together?" Lupin asked Black calmly. My father nodded with a frown, and the two lifted their wands. Hermione mumbled something on the other side of the room and spun around, her hands over her eyes, while Ron shut his tight. I watched, still wrapped in Harry's arms, as my father and uncle took a deep breath.

"No!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, pulling me behind him and hurrying forward to put himself between Pettigrew and my family. I stumbled on the spot, staring at him in disbelief as Black and Lupin slowly lowered their wands.

"Harry," Black started carefully. "This man, this pathetic excuse of a human being, is the reason you have no family."

"I know," Harry nodded, gulping. "Turn him over to the Dementors. If anyone deserves that, he does." Black and Lupin didn't move, frowning in confusion for a second, but Harry glanced toward me and took a deep breath. "I don't think my Dad would have wanted his best friends to be murderers. And besides . . ."

Black raised an eyebrow. "Besides what?"

"You said you didn't want to leave Artemis alone."

Black's face straightened and my stomach twisted as everyone turned to me. I squirmed slightly, trying to talk past the large lump in my throat. My eyes fell to Pettigrew, and anger swelled again. "I have no problem with you killing him," I said shortly.

Lupin frowned deeply. "If we aren't killing him, then can we at least bind him?" Harry hesitated, glancing between Black and Lupin cautiously, then nodded slowly and stepped away. My jaw clenched as Lupin bound Pettigrew's hands together with a flick of his wand, and when Pettigrew risked a glance in my direction, he whimpered loudly as my eyes flashed.

"Calm down, Arty," Harry muttered.

I scowled. "Sure. Why not?" He frowned in confusion at my short, irritated tone, but didn't try to stop me slipping past him to get to Ron. Gulping hard, I knelt down beside him and scanned his injuries. There was a large bite mark on one of his arms, and one of his legs was slightly twisted. "Think you can walk?"

He hesitated. "I'll try," he insisted bravely, pushing himself up with a little difficulty. Immediately, I straightened out in front of him, watching as he tried to put weight on his injured leg. He let out a small yelp of pain, and I caught him quickly before he hit the ground.

"I'll take that as a no," I sighed heavily. "Professor?"

Lupin turned, eyeing Ron cautiously as he stepped closer. "I'm afraid there isn't much I can do to help here, but this may help." Lifting his wand, he pointed it at Ron's injured leg. "Ferula!" Ron gasped loudly as a bandage wrapped tightly around his leg, and he blinked a few more times than necessary to rid himself of the tears in his eyes. Gingerly, he put his weight back on his injured leg, allowing me to hold him steady. He paled slightly, but didn't shout out. Sucking the air in through his teeth, he nodded a thank you at Lupin. My Uncle smiled wryly, straightening back out and glancing at me. "How about you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I dismissed shortly. "We need to get him back up to the castle." Lupin followed my gaze and nodded gravely.

"Someone should be tied to this thing," Black spat, kicking out at Pettigrew.

"I'll do it," Ron volunteered, glaring down at the man. He seemed to have taken it as a personal insult and to be honest, I didn't blame him. Pettigrew had been living with his family for the past twelve years and all this time, he had been the one to hand the Potters over to Voldemort and murder thirteen Muggles.

"I'll-"

"No!" Harry and Black cut me off because I could finish my sentence, and I scowled between the two of them.

"I'll do it," Lupin said sternly, stepping forward and allowing Black to chain him and Ron to Pettigrew.

"Err, Professor?" Hermione's timid voice came. "What do we do about Professor Snape?"

Lupin glanced toward Black, a little exasperatedly, but my father shrugged his shoulders with a small, barely contained smile. "I won't do anything," he said, and even I didn't believe it. Still, Lupin said nothing as Black winked at Hermione. "I'll make sure he gets to the castle in one piece." Hermione's eyes widened a fraction, but she nodded all the same and watched as Black flicked his wand, picking Snape up like a rag doll.

"Can we get out of here now?" Harry sighed heavily, and Black and Lupin nodded at him. Hauling me in front of him and receiving an irritated frown in reply, the two of us led the way out of the room and cautiously back down the stairs.

When we reached the hole in the wall, I lit the tip of my wand and helped Hermione back through. We then struggled to get Ron, Pettigrew and Lupin through without hurting Ron, Hermione and I helping from the passage and Harry and Black from the other side. After they'd got through, Black pretty much shoved Snape through without a care in the world, before he and Harry followed. I felt a little strange, leaving Harry with him after everything that had happened this year, but I didn't say anything. Honestly, I was still trying to wrap my head around all of it. I had a father, and he wasn't a murder, or a Voldemort supporter. He was exactly the man everyone had thought he was thirteen years ago.

Vaguely, I wondered what Mia and Luke were going to say when they found out.