DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, who isn't me. The only profit I get from this is personal satisfaction.
Ratted Out
Sirius found it strange to look at a twelve-year-old kid and recognize he was actually a man older than him by more than a decade, but Saint George was traveling the continent with Snivellus and it was easier to have a conversation with a possessed Young George than to use Patronuses all the time.
"Why aren't we in Dumbledore's office?" Old George asked. It was a valid question, considering that they were in the Ancient Runes classroom.
"We decided that someone would notice that we were always sneaking there," Fred said to his older twin, "so going somewhere different every time would throw people off the trail. Professor Dumbledore will pick a random spot and we'll find him with the map."
"Oi! It's not just any map," Sirius said. "It's my map!"
"Anyway, do we know what we're going to do about the rat?" Old George asked. "I left him some food, but it won't last forever."
"Why don't you just let me eat him?" Sirius asked.
"You already know the answer to that," Old George replied before turning back to Dumbledore. "Professor? The rat?"
"Right after Halloween, the Wizengamot usually gets a head start on dealing with the mischief caused the previous night, and most of the Aurors are still working in the field, so their inclination to curse first and ask questions later should not interfere should Pettigrew and a 'known' criminal show up," Dumbledore explained.
"So I get a break from learning Occlumency?" Old George asked.
Dumbledore shook his head. "Sirius will almost certainly be pardoned, but we don't have enough evidence to pardon you as well, so he will be the one to bring Pettigrew in. It is widely known that James Oliver does not exist, after all."
"Understandable," Old George said with a shrug.
"Well if you're spending your time with Snivellus, you might as well be on the side of ambiguously evil," Sirius said. If he was being honest, Sirius was still surprised that Snape was against Voldemort at all, but in retrospect it was completely obvious that Snape was in love with Lily and would do almost anything for her.
"If Dumbledore hadn't insisted on it, I wouldn't be anywhere near him!" Old George insisted.
"Either way," Dumbledore said, "it is to our benefit that you may interact on a personal level with both enemies and allies who are already have developed their biases towards my Potions Master. In other news, I think I have found a suitable candidate for you to send back in time, provided that he is able to go back to the moment of his birth."
"As far as I know that shouldn't be a problem," Old George said. "Who is it?"
"Remus Lupin," the Headmaster replied.
"What?" Sirius and Old George cried at the same time.
"Sorry," Fred said, "who exactly are we talking about?"
"It's Moony," Old George explained. "But I've never heard anything about him having a twin."
"Me neither," Sirius added, "And I roomed with him for seven years and knew all about his furry little problem. I'm pretty sure I'd have found out about a secret twin brother."
"From what I have gathered, it is quite possible that Remus himself did not know of his twin," Dumbledore explained. "The Healer who was supposed to oversee their labor was indisposed at the time and so an inexperienced one did so instead. Romulus Lupin was lost to the world within an hour of coming into it, but a twin brother identical to him in every way somehow survived. I had to speak to that Healer to discover that Romulus existed at all."
"And you think Remus will be able to save Romulus?" Old George asked.
"He's a bright man and if he knows what to look for, he should do fine. Of greater concern, however, is helping him to control and hopefully conceal his nature once he is in the past."
"I'm still lost here," Fred said.
"You remember my memories of our fifth year Defence professor, right?" Old George asked. "Well, he's a werewolf, but a really nice one. Bill's eldest fancies his son."
"Moony had kids?" Sirius laughed. "I thought he'd never do it!"
"The witch in question was very persistent," Old George said. "But if we send him back in time, I'm afraid he will end up dying alone and he deserves better than that. Remus is a much better option than the Patil twins, but could you keep looking, just in case, Professor?"
"I will, but do not get your hopes up," Dumbledore said. "Discovering Remus' history was pure chance."
"In other words," Sirius said, "get ready to add him to the Outcasts Club."
"You're just jealous that we didn't invite you," Old George replied.
"Well, I have to check on Peter," Sirius pretended to pout. "Now where is he?"
"I'll possess myself and get him for you sometime on Halloween. There's no way I'm telling you about my super-secret hiding place."
Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail and, more recently, Scabbers, had been stuck in a jar for what was surely months. He had a feeling that one of the twin gingers' pranks had gotten out of hand and they had left him in the attic while he was asleep that June day. Fortunately, they had left him plenty of food pellets—even if they did taste nasty. Unfortunately, the jar had an Unbreakable Charm on it, so even the couple times Peter tried to turn back into a human proved unsuccessful. He would probably end up being found sometime around Christmas, but he wasn't sure if he would last that long.
He heard rustling and promptly curled up into a little ball and covered his little ears. He waited for the sound of banging on the pipes, but nothing came. Then he saw a light appear on the floor in front of him. I'm saved! Peter thought happily as he looked up at the ginger twin boy and danced around to catch his notice. Then he noticed something strange about how he was walking.
Is he under the Imperius Curse or Confundus Charm? But why would anyone put him under those? It's not like he can do anything important, unless... Peter gulped. Unless Sirius got out and is looking for me.
But that's crazy—no one can escape Azkaban! And even if he did, he'd never expect to find me here. I'm safe. Maybe one of the Death Eater's kids was practicing on him and found out about this horrible prank and sent him to save me! That has to be it!
What little effect Peter's reassurances to himself vanished when the ginger twin took him down the ladder and stairs to the Weasley family fireplace and grabbed some Floo powder.
"12 Grimmauld Place!"
They rematerialized in front of a bloodthirsty-looking Padfoot. Peter shivered.
"Thanks, kid," Sirius said as he took the jar. "Now go back to school and tell no one of what happened tonight."
The boy nodded, still with a dead expression, and went back through the fireplace.
"Now, Wormtail, you have no idea what I'd like to do with you, but don't worry. You have to be alive to get me pardoned. But you don't have to be in a good condition, as long as what I do to you is technically not illegal either."
Peter gulped and wished that he was back with the ghoul in the attic.
Dumbledore went into the Wizengamot meeting as if he had no prior indication of what was to unfold that day. He greeted the new Minister of Magic and a few old friends as he went up to the Chief Warlock seat. Saint George had warned him of what Cornelius would become one day, but Dumbledore doubted that the Minister would be so eager to be his own man this early in his ministry.
The meeting began with ratifying of things that needed to be ratified when the doors flung open and Sirius dragged a terrified Peter into the room.
"I heard you were looking for me," Sirius said. "You should have been looking for him."
"Merlin's Beard! That looks like Peter Pettigrew!" one of the court members said.
"That's because he is Peter Pettigrew," Sirius said dryly. "Someone tipped me off that Peter survived his little stunt—a newspaper clipping that rearranged a bunch of letters—and I knew that if I could find him that there'd finally be some justice for the man who really betrayed Lily and James."
Dumbledore conjured ropes around both Sirius and Peter. "I think this series of events has called for the use of Veritaserum on both of these men who have been missing for quite some time," he said quietly.
"Absolutely," Cornelius Fudge agreed as he pointed to a witch who promptly ran out of the room.
"I just want to know who sent me that newspaper and why he didn't catch Peter himself," Sirius complained loudly.
"It seems you haven't been reading more recent newspapers," Dumbledore said. "A man named James Oliver confessed to aiding your escape. Unfortunately, he is proving as evasive as you were until just a moment ago."
Sirius cursed under his breath. "I don't think I've ever heard that name in my life."
The witch who had left earlier returned with a small bottle and placed several drops into Sirius' and Peter's mouths.
"State your name," Dumbledore said.
"Sirius Black."
"Peter Pettigrew."
"Perhaps it will be easier if we start with one of you," Dumbledore said. "Mr. Pettigrew, where have you been these last nine years? To the day, now that I think about it..."
"I was hiding at the Burrow," Pettigrew said.
"By that you mean the Weasley residence, I assume?" Dumbledore asked. "But I'm sure they would have noticed you some time ago."
"They didn't know who I was," Pettigrew said.
"And who do they believe you to be?"
"Their rat, Scabbers."
Gasps erupted from the members of the Wizengamot who understood what that meant.
"Are you an illegal Animagus, Mr. Pettigrew?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes," Pettigrew replied.
"And your form is a rat?"
"Yes."
"Quite an accomplishment," Dumbledore conceded. "And how long have you been a rat?"
"Sirius, James, and I all became Animagi our fifth year. To help Remus while he was a werewolf."
"And by James you mean James Potter, not James Oliver," Dumbledore clarified.
"Yes," Pettgrew replied. "Don't know any Olivers."
"Fascinating," Dumbledore said as he walked towards Sirius. "So, Mr. Black, did you use your Animagus abilities to escape Azkaban?"
"Yes," Sirius said.
"At the prompting of Mr. Oliver, correct?"
"I assume so," Sirius said, "though I've never met anyone of that name before." Technically that is true, Dumbledore thought, but of course you leave ambiguity in case Saint George needs to use the Oliver identity again. Good man.
"Did he even do anything to warrant his time in Azkaban?" one of the court members asked.
"Besides breaking out, no," Sirius replied.
"Mr. Pettigrew," Dumbledore asked, "do you concur with this assessment?"
"No," Pettigrew replied.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Really? What happened the 1st of November in 1981?"
"I was Lily and James' Secret Keeper," Pettigrew said. "I found their bodies next to the Dark Lord's. I panicked and took his wand and hid it. I think I told some wizard who was concerned about me being out alone that You-Know-Who was dead and they went to spread the news. But I was mostly trying to hide before Sirius came and killed me. He eventually tracked me down and I acted like he was the one to betray the Potters and then I blasted the street wide open while cutting off a finger for evidence and transforming into a rat. I thought I'd be okay, with Sirius locked away forever. It was fair, he did try to kill me, and I wouldn't survive a moment in Azkaban. Sirius would have told the Dark Lord where they were hiding if he and James hadn't tried to be clever and made me do it."
"I would have died rather than betray my best friend!" Sirius roared.
"What I'd like to know is why none of this came up in Black's trial earlier," the Minister said.
"I never got one," Sirius replied.
"What?"
"I believe Mr. Crouch delayed many of the trials of the 'certainly guilty' indefinitely," Dumbledore explained. "Others in that category include Mr. Dolohov, Mr. Mulciber, and possibly someone I forgot. Even if it is unlikely that they are innocent as well, we should probably ensure that we carry out the law properly now."
"I absolutely agree with you, Albus," Fudge said. "I will not let my time as Minister be tainted by our dark past, and so we shall make sure the untried become so, including these two."
Dumbledore nodded and looked at Sirius who was grinning like a maniac. The only thing that could make this better is if they were able to reveal that the younger Barty also still lived, but there was no good way of doing that. Yet.
All of the hubbub associated with Sirius' trial and the aftermath covered by the papers took longer than he expected it would. The whole time, all Sirius wanted to do was to go find Harry and act like the godfather he was supposed to be and now he was finally free to do it.
The one major hang-up was Lily. In her will, she had provided that, should she enact her blood magic, that Harry technically reside with his aunt until he became of age, and Dumbledore had followed through with that bit. Lily had made it abundantly clear, however, that Sirius was to take the main role of guardian. While it was understandable that Dumbledore didn't insist on that nine years ago, Sirius was quite adamant that it be rectified at soon as possible. He'd even wanted to meet Harry back when he was still on the run, but Old George had said that Harry's morals probably weren't very corrupted yet so he'd probably notify the police. And so Sirius had remained as patient as he could and tried to not go crazy while around other people, albeit with mixed success.
Now, though, Sirius was free to run up to Harry and give him a big hug. He didn't do so, exactly—it was more of a slobbery kiss, but Sirius decided on being a dog for their first meeting, as well as the next few meetings, so he didn't terrify the poor kid.
It was after Padfoot scared Harry's cousin Dudley off from picking on him that Sirius thought it might be time to introduce himself properly. He led Harry to a spot in the park that was deserted and barked.
"What is it, boy?" Harry asked.
Padfoot took a few steps back and changed into a human. "Hello, Harry."
Harry gaped in shock.
"It's okay, Harry. I'm Sirius. I want to help you."
"With Dudley?" Harry asked.
"Among other things. I'm your godfather. I haven't been able to meet you before now, but I have always wanted to be a part of your life."
"A dog is my godfather?" Harry asked.
"Well, James always called me a dogfather, but I was born human—a wizard. As were you."
"I'm a what? I can't be a... but I'm just Harry."
"And I'm just a man who was best mates with your dad," Sirius replied. "He was a wizard and your mum was a witch. They died protecting you from the evilest wizard who ever lived."
"But my aunt and uncle said—"
"Do you really think they've never lied to you?" Sirius asked. "They hate anything that isn't part of their nice and neat little reality—you know that better than anyone. They think a car crash is normal, but it's a lie and the truth—no matter how impossible it might sound—is always preferable to a lie. An evil man named Lord Voldemort wanted you dead—I don't know why, but I can probably introduce you to someone who does later. Voldemort killed your dad, then your mum, and then he tried to kill you. The spell backfired and you got a scar to prove it."
Harry's hand instinctively went to the lightning scar that had been on his forehead for probably as long as he could remember. "Why didn't it work?"
"Your mum died for you and sealed some protective magic on you. Dumbledore—he's the greatest wizard who ever lived—decided that you would be protected by living with the blood of your mum. Your aunt. I know she's a poor excuse for a guardian, but your safety ranks just slightly higher than happiness on Dumbledore's priority list. Now that I'm here, though, I'd like to make up for the lifetime of not being there for you and make sure you're happiness needs are fulfilled. Do you understand?"
"I can't live with you, but you'll be around?" Harry asked.
"You got it, kiddo. And let me tell you, you are going to have a much more awesome life now."
Remus wasn't really sure what he was doing in the middle of Yugoslavia, but Dumbledore had asked him to meet Severus Snape and a mystery companion for some reason and the werewolf liked to think that his old Headmaster tended to have good reasons. Remus just hoped he wouldn't be asked to participate in whatever conflict that seemed to be putting the local Muggles on edge.
"Lupin!" he heard a voice behind him call. Remus turned to see a middle-aged man with a grin more befitting of a five-year-old.
"May I help you?" Remus asked.
"Not as much as Sevvy and I are going to help you," the man replied.
How did he manage to convince Snape to let him call him that? Remus wondered. "What should I call you?"
"Sevvy calls me Oliver but I prefer Old George. Unfortunately, what I prefer might get me killed so you can call me whatever tickles your fancy that isn't that."
"So, Oliver," Remus said, "what exactly am I doing here?"
Oliver shook his head and tapped his head at where there used to be an ear. "Too many ears here. Follow me."
And so Remus followed a strange man all over the place until they simply Apparated into what appeared to be a closet. Snape was sitting on an upside-down bucket looking bored.
"That took you longer than it should have," Snape noted.
"Just making sure no one was following us, Sevvy," Oliver replied.
"Please do not call me that ever again," Snape said coldly.
"Only in public settings where I might be overheard and I don't want them to know it's you," Oliver said. "Other times, Snape it is."
"Can you tell me what's going on now?" Remus asked.
"Welcome to the Outcasts Club!" Oliver said. "Snape here has been tutoring me in Occlumency for the past few weeks and Dumbledore thought it might be good for us—that is Snape—to train you too."
Remus' eyes narrowed. "What kind of training?"
"Well, besides Occlumency, you should probably learn to brew the Wolfsbane Potion, and there's also a certain medical procedure you should be aware of, but seeing as neither Snape nor myself know the details on that one, we'll figure it out later. Basically, I have a mission for you and, should you choose to accept it, you'll need to be self-sufficient."
"I am self-sufficient," Remus defended.
"Mostly I agree, but your furry little problem might be something of a complication if anyone finds out about it, among other things," Oliver said.
"Stop circling around the topic," Snape snapped. "Lupin, Oliver here is planning on sending you back in time to stop the Dark Lord's rise to power."
"And to save my uncles—and maybe even send them back in time too—but that's a secondary goal," Oliver added.
"Have you two gone completely mental?" Remus asked.
"Why does everyone assume I'm crazy?" Oliver muttered to himself. "Remus Lupin, have you ever heard of Romulus Lupin?"
"I considered using it as a secret nickname as a kid, but I thought it was too obvious," Remus replied.
"Yes, well," Oliver said as he scratched the back of his head, "Romulus was your twin brother."
"That's impossible," Remus said.
"Well, he didn't live for very long," Oliver conceded, "but your parents had a Remus and a Romulus—it would have made no sense for them to name one of you that without the other. With you and your lycanthropy, I think your parents probably didn't want to add to your guilt so they didn't tell you about him. This is all speculation on my part, so take it as you will. The point, however, is that long-range time travel can be accomplished with identical twins and since you are such a twin, we can send you back to when you were born."
"Why isn't the Ministry involved with this?" Remus asked.
Oliver grinned. "Who says it isn't?"
"We're having this discussion while hiding in the middle of Yugoslavia," Remus said flatly.
"Fair point," Oliver conceded. "Right now, the only other long-range time traveler alive is yours truly. I was born George Weasley and I'm currently a 12-year-old wreaking havoc at Hogwarts. My brother and I found your map, by the way, and we've put it to good use."
"You solemnly swear?" Remus asked.
"That I am up to no good?" Oliver finished with a wink. "Well if you call participating in a prank against the universe several generations in the making, then yeah, you could say that. The question of the day, though, is whether you really want to jump back in time."
"My life isn't exactly sunshine and roses and if I can change the world for the better, then yes."
"Remus Lupin, I know you," Oliver said. "You got me through my Defence O.W.L. and we were in the reorganized Order of the Phoenix together. You got me home when I lost my ear and you died in the same battle as my brother did. So when I say that there are very good reasons for you to stay put, I hope you take me seriously."
"But if I can stop Voldemort—"
"Number one: you got married," Oliver said. "I won't tell you who she is in case I accidentally spoil things, but you loved her and she loved you. Number two: you had a son together—a wonderful son who did not inherit your condition. He wasn't very old, though, when you and your wife joined the final battle against Voldemort and you both died in the process. The boy's grandmother and godfather were largely responsible for raising him and that boy is extremely proud of both of his parents. Number three: if you jump back thirty years, it is highly unlikely that you will ever get to know the witch who accepted you despite everything and who you spent the rest of your life with—and with my current intervention, that potential life together will probably last much longer. Do not simply give that up."
"Says the man who chose time travel," Snape muttered under his breath.
"I regret leaving my family—and that is even with my predecessor deadening my connection to them—but I can't go back to the way things were," Oliver said. "You, Remus, on the other hand, still have your choice and I won't let you make it until you've thought it through. You can stay in the Outcasts Club—Snape's lessons can be useful even if you aren't a time-traveler-in-training. I just won't pass on what time travel information you'd need to know until you've made an official decision."
"Alright, alright," Remus said, "I'll consider all of the facts before utterly changing my whole life. Do you have any books on the subject?"
"You know, the hat really should have put you into Ravenclaw," Oliver chuckled. "But then again, Hermione."
"Hermione?" Remus asked.
"Brightest witch of the generation," Oliver said. "If you hang out for a couple years and become Defence professor again, keep an eye out for her. She figured out your secret after maybe a month or two, though that was largely due to Snape here. His grudge against you was still in effect at the time."
"It still is," Snape said. "I am only involving myself with either of you because Dumbledore requested it."
"Of course it is," Oliver said, "but by the time we're through, I'm going to make us all bestest friends."
"Just as long as Black stays away—" Snape said.
"I'm not going to guarantee that—he named the Outcasts Club, after all—but he's focusing on being a godfather right now and he could probably get by with substandard Occlumency anyway."
"What about the others who you have told about the time travel?" Snape asked.
"Well, Dumbledore already knows how to use it, but it looks like Lee, Tonks, Charlie, Fred, and Young George should all start practicing on their own. Next time I possess myself, I'll try to help them get started if Dumbledore hasn't already, but you'll probably have to do some clean-up later."
"You possess yourself?" Remus asked. "That just means your younger self, right?"
"Yeah, but if you do choose time travel, I do not recommend it," Oliver replied. "One of our rules is no talking about time travel for at least a year—the book says that's how long our revised version of the timestream takes to become 'canon,' and if we alert the 'Editor of the JK-verse' that we don't belong we'd be 'edited out.' One of the authors of the Memory Book my predecessor gave me likes using literary lingo for rewriting history—don't ask. The point is is that if you are possessing yourself and you cannot explain why, then your younger self is going to be absolutely terrified of you."
"Personal experience, I take it?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
George, as soon as he gathered all of the young people who knew his origins in the Room of Requirement, clapped his hands together and spoke in an overly excited tone similar to some of his least-favorite professors. "Okay, everyone! I'm going to teach you all about Harry Potter's worst subject: Occlumency!"
Charlie and Tonks exchanged glances. "Are we supposed to have heard of that before?" Charlie asked.
"It is quite possibly the most useful magic that no one's ever heard of," George replied. "Well, it is if you have enemies who can read your mind, and Ol' Tommy-boy just so happens to be very good at it. If you're lucky, you'll never have to see his face, but if he ever finds out about me, we are all dead meat. And the disclaimer: I am currently very far from being a perfect Occlumens—the whole reason that I'm hanging out with Snape right now is so he can get me up to scratch—but I should be able to help you all get to where you need to be. I need to be perfect if I'm going to send anyone else back in time, but you three plus Young George just have to be able to keep everything you know about me under protection."
"Then how exactly is George supposed to learn anything?" Lee asked.
"I think I'll have to become mentally closer with myself," George said. "Fred, with your permission, I'd like to use Legilimency on Young George right before I leave, and if it works, during History of Magic for the next several months. Theoretically, we will be able to sustain communication while I'm in control of my old body. Back when I wasn't sure when you were planning on pranking me, I used the spell on myself so I was aware of what was happening while I was James Oliver."
"You used a spell to read your own mind?" Tonks asked incredulously.
"I also used the Imperius Curse on myself to control my James Oliver movements," George added, "but I'd only consider using it on Young George in an emergency."
"You do realize that we trust you, right?" Fred asked.
"I just don't think it's a good idea for him to be both conscious and powerless. I accidentally used an unforgivable on Tonks and I don't plan to use it on anyone else besides me—and young-me does not count as me."
"Not to sound too eager," Tonks said, "but Charlie and I both have N.E.W.T.s this year and we should use our study-time wisely."
"I wouldn't know, seeing as I dropped out before I could take them," George said with a grin, "but I know your futures are slightly more reliant on test scores than mine, so I'll try to keep that in mind." He lazily pointed his wand at Charlie and said, "Legilimens."
Charlie jerked back as George poked around his brother's brain for nothing in particular. There was lots of memories of Quidditch and talking with Hagrid about various creatures. George also found Charlie's paranoia against the Saintlike One manifest itself through a very long letter to Tonks and he jumped out of his brother's mind before he saw more.
"Sorry about that," George said. "My Legilimency is pretty clumsy, but did you feel any of that?" George asked.
"Oh yeah, I felt that," Charlie replied. "I would have believed that Merlin felt that if I didn't know it was only in my own head."
"Voldemort is not nearly as noticeable as I am," George said, "but now that you have an idea what a foreign presence feels like, you'll be better prepared to repel it. But first let's bring Tonks, Lee, and Fred up to speed and I'll try to stay away from the 'evil Saintlike One' memories this time. Legilimens."