Enjoy!

"Shocking business...shocking...miracle none of them died...never heard the like...by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Pettigrew..."

"Thank you, Minister."

"Well, you already have an Order of Merlin, First Class. Be difficult to give you another, but I'm sure we could manage something. At the very least get you a nice house, a new wand, and some decent clothes."

"Much appreciated, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there...Black's work, I suppose?"

"Actually, Professor Snape, Minister."

"No!"

"Black had bewitched the students...some kind of Confundus Charm, if their behavior was any indicator. As for Lupin...well, he and Black were old friends...probably was letting him in the castle if I am correct over HOW close they were. And as for Snape, well, he's an ex-Death Eater...old habits die hard I'm sure."

"Dear me...and how did this all go about again?"

"Well, I turned into a rat when Black first came after me...knew I couldn't be found alive as he'd likely try to break out of Azkaban to get after me. Sorry, for tricking everyone into thinking I was dead, but it was the only thing I could think to do. And I wasn't registered because of the war and it was an aid to our side if no one knew. He must of found out I was a rat, recognized me in that Egypt picture of the Weasleys...and came after me here at Hogwarts. I ran away from the school, so Harry wouldn't get caught up in it, but it seems he was bent on getting Harry no matter what. Of course, he thought Harry was a Gryffindor. Most people do...I suppose...not that he has ever ACTED like one...but that's beside the point. He kept coming after me and then I saw the students try to take him on in the Shrieking Shack...been keeping an eye on them whenever they leave the castle, you know. I rushed to their aid, but Lupin had already gotten there and weaved some great tale about ME being the bad one if only to save Black's skin. They bewitched the students and then we went out of the Shrieking Shack and Lupin...well, you remember...he's a werewolf...and he turned and Black tried to make a run for it, leaving the students and me for the werewolf...they probably planned for that to happen...and then Snape comes along and he hexes me! When I come to, the werewolf is chasing the children around while Snape is trying to manage it and Harry and Black and that other boy..."

"Nott."

"Yes, Nott...had vanished and I went to help with the werewolf, but Snape tried to hex me again, so I had no choice: I knocked him out with a spell."

"Dear me..."

"And then I drove the werewolf away, but the three remaining children tried to attack me...still, the Confundus Charm...and I had no choice, but to stun them all. I made sure it wasn't a particularily strong stunning. It was all I could...then I went down, saw the dementors attacking Harry and Nott and I drove them off and I tied up Black and got all the students up to the school and here we are now."

"Quite an amazing story. Should be in tomorrow's paper."

"Oh...no, no, no...can't do that. Remember, I'm in hiding. I plan to go back into hiding this morning once Black is dealt with. I'm much better serving the Ministry if I'm still a secret."

"Good point."

Harry's ears were burning as he listened to the conversation, not sure if what he as hearing was real or his imagination. Suddenly, his eyes flew open as he realized what he had been hearing was indeed very real. Bolting upright, he grappled for his glasses and yanked them on and made to get out of bed, but Madam Pomfrey stopped him.

"You're awake." She handed him a piece of chocolate, but he set it aside. She picked it up and handed it to him again. "You need to eat this, Mr. Potter."

"I need to talk to the Minister." Harry argued. "I have to tell him something really important."

"It's all right, Potter." She tried to shove him back into bed. "THey'ev got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now..."

"NO!" Harry shouted, almost screamed as he jumped out of bed and started running towards the exit, but he skidded to a stop at sight of Fudge and Pettigrew entering.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" Fudge seemed irritated. "You should be in bed...has he had any chocolate?"

"Minister, listen!" Harry pointed at the rat of a man beside the Minister. "HE'S the bad guy! HE was the Secret-Keeper! Black is innocent!"

Fudge wasn't listening though. He was only shaking his head.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control..."

"NO! YOU HAVEN'T! YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, listen, please." Theo's voice made Harry jump a little. "You have to listen to us. We weren't Confunded. I swear..."

"You see, Minister." Pettigrew squeaked, seeming more bristled and on edge than when he had been talking to the Minister alone. "Confunded, both of them...Black and Lupin have done a good job on them..."

"Yes...if we catch Lupin, he'll get the kiss as well...endangering students and...siding with Black."

"NO!" Harry's voice cracked from the strain he was putting on it. "You're wrong! Professor Snape saw! He can tell you!"

"Minister! Peter!" Pomfrey was fuming. "I must insist that you leave. Potter and Nott are my patients and neither should be distressed."

"I'm not distressed! I'm trying to tell them what happened! If they'd just listen..."

But Madam Pomfrey stuffed a large hunk of chocolate in his mouth, silencing him, while she began telling the Minister to leave. Harry spat the chocolate out, mouth now dry and chalky feeling.

Just then Dumbledore arrived and Harry immediately blurted, "Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black is..."

"For heaven's sake!" Madam Pomfrey gasped. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist..."

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Mr. Nott, and Miss Granger..." The Headmaster informed her. Harry glanced over at Hermione to see her getting out of her cot, the only of the Gryffindors who wasn't still unconscious. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black..."

"It's safe to assume he's told you the same thing Potter has been saying?" Pettigrew sniffed, but he seemed almost terrified to be in Dumbledore's presence. "About me being the Secret-Keeper and a traitor..."

"That, indeed, is Black's story."

"And does my word mean nothing? That I have been in hiding for these past twelve years, trying to discover more Death Eaters and keep myself a secret from Black so he would not have the will to escape?"

"You lying, miserable little RAT!" Harry spat, glaring at Pettigrew with all the hate and malice and desire for revenge he had once reserved for Sirius Black.

"My goodness, Mr. Potter." Fudge gasped in shock, but Pettigrew laid a hand upon the man's arm.

"It's fine, Minister. He's still Confunded. He's not responsible for his actions..." He added a sad sniff at the end, which earned him apologetic looks from the Fudge and Madam Pomfrey and scowls of loathing from Harry, Theo, and Hermione.

"I would like to speak to Harry, Theodore, and Hermione alone." Dumbledore repeated calmly. "Cornelius, Peter, Poppy...please leave us."

"Headmaster!" Madam Pomfrey gasped. "They need treatment, they need rest..."

"This cannot wait. I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey stormed away into her office, slamming the door behind her, while Fudge consulted his watch and finally murmured, "The dementors should have arrived by now. I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore I'll see you upstairs." And then he left, but Pettigrew stood there still.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Pettigrew whispered.

"I wish to speak to these three alone."

"Sirius Black murdered all those Muggles." Pettigrew murmured. "He betrayed Lily and James to You-Know-Who and he was more than willing to use these students to capture me and to have a werewolf finish them off..."

"I wish to speak to these three alone." Dumbledore enunciated the last word clearly and Pettigrew finally spun and left the room in a scampering way.

The three all started talking at once, trying to explain what had happened, but Dumbledore held up his hand to silence them.

"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time. There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word. Mr. and Miss Weasley are unconscious as is Professor Snape and Professor Lupin is not only discredited by Pettigrew, but also a werewolf wandering in the woods and by the time he is human again it will be too late. A street full of eyewitness saw Black kill all those Muggles and Pettigrew disappear. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper..."

"But..." Harry started.

"Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Pettigrew's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"But how can they believe him?" Hermione whimpered.

"Because they, in particular Fudge, do not want to believe they have been tricked for the past twelve years. It is so much easier to accept Pettigrew's version than to admit they have failed the community. Furthermore, Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady...entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife...without substantial evidence proving Pettigrew is a lie, we have no chance of overturning Sirius or Lupin's sentences."

"But you believe us."

"Yes, I do. But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic...what we need, is more TIME."

He looked directly at Hermione when he said this.

"But..." She started, but then her eyes lit up. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention." Dumbledore told her. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, all of you: YOU MUST NOT BE SEEN. Miss Granger, you know the law...you know what is at stake... YOU MUST NOT BE SEEN."

Dumbledore was at the door now and he consulted his watch. "I am going to lock you in. It is...five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry murmured, staring at the door as it closed. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

Hermione was ignoring him as she pulled out a strange hourglass and threw the chain over the three of their heads.

"A Time-Turner." Theodore stated, awe in his voice.

Hermione turned the hourglass over and then colors were swirling past them until they landed in the Entrance Hall and Hermione was shoving them into a broom closet.

"A Time-Turner?" Harry gasped at his friend. "What...are we back in time?"

Hermione shushed him. "Listen! Someone's coming! I think...I think it's you two."

"Footsteps across the hall..." Theo murmured, his ear pressed to the door. "Yes...moving slowly...just two...it's definitely Harry and I...we've gone down the steps."

"Where did you get that Time-Turner?" Theodore asked. "They're very difficult for anyone to get hold of...let alone a Mud...um...someone like you."

Hermione was red at the insult, but she stuttered out an explanation and then Theodore told them he was sure Dumbledore wanted them to rescue Black...and hopefully Lupin and...maybe even Buckbeak.

This brought on the idea of letting Buckbeak go, so Sirius could use him to escape.

"But what about Lupin?" Harry asked. "How are we supposed to save him?"

"There's no way we can save him too." Hermione groaned. "We don't have enough time."

"We just need to save Black." Theodore finally stated. "Because if we can save Black...well, once Professor Snape comes to and gives his version of the story, they'll believe him and Pettigrew will have to be captured and Black can go free."

"So it's just saving him for now?"

"For now, yes." Theodore nodded.

"Then let's get started." Harry opened the closet door and the three headed out.

And I'll write more later. :D Hope you enjoyed and review if you want.