9th June

An owl swooped above Hermione and me as we lay in the shade with our backs against the tree, discussing our exams. I wondered how it would feel to be free to roam the skies, to catch your hair in the breeze. I vowed that at some point in the next year I would learn how to fly a broom. The bird landed on a branch just above Hermione's head and a note was dropped onto her lap,

'Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset.

Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.

Hagrid'

It was at this point where Ron and Harry joined us and found out the awful news. Hermione had tears streaming down her face. Ron took a seat beside her and tried to comfort her; they were getting awfully close. I was genuinely shocked, given Ron's research, but assumed that a higher power had control over the decision. One by the name of Malfoy. I knew that both Lucius and Narcissa would do anything to protect their only child.

I laid down on the grass, staring at the blue sky. I watched as the only cloud slowly drift into the distance, it reminded me of a bunny rabbit somehow. It truly was a beautiful day. After a few minutes Harry shuffled closer to me and whispered, "Something strange happened at the end of my Divination exam."

"Hmmm?" I whispered back, turning to look at him.

Harry appeared as though he was lost in thought, "I think Trelawney made a prediction. Just like she did at Christmas with you."

"Seriously? What did she say?" I leaned in a little closer, being careful to keep my voice down, it was obvious Harry didn't want to worry the other two with the other news we had just received today.

"The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant had been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and set out to re-join his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever before."

"Blimey." Was all I managed to say.

"Sirius Black is going to return to Voldemort tonight. But how am I meant to stop him?"

After dinner, we all unanimously decided to visit Hagrid. Yes, even though it was against his wishes, but when did any of us ever do what we were told? He was bound to be a mess before Buckbeak's execution. We hid in a broom cupboard in the Entrance Hall to wait for the corridor to be deserted. It was very dark and smelt like chemicals in there. Thankfully it wasn't too tight a fit, I'm still not too good with confined spaces. Harry had brought down his invisibility cloak and both he and Ron hid under whilst Hermione held onto me and I made us invisible. The four of us swiftly made our way down the hill towards Hagrid's Hut, trying not to get caught.

Harry knocked on the door. Hagrid opened up, scanning his eyes around expectantly, "It's us, we're under the cloak…" Harry spoke in a loud whisper. So Hagrid took a step aside, his eyes searching everywhere but the space we were standing in.

"I tol' yeh not ter come."

We ignored him, he needed us. I thought seeing him in tears was bad, but today he was wondering around aimlessly, not knowing what to do with his time. That was harder to see.

"Tea?" he asked. His hands were shaking; I was worried he'd scald himself. I took the kettle and poured for him.

I glanced around the room to see where Buckbeak was, but Harry clearly was doing the same thing, "Where is Buckbeak, Hagrid?"

"Beaky's out the back, he's tethered by me pumpkin patch, enjoying the fresh air whilst- whilst he still can." Hagrid's hands were shaking violently now as he filled the milk jug. He lifted the jug to place it onto the table where we were all sitting. It smashed as his grip got so tight and it fell to the floor.

"Don't worry!" I said, as Hermione got down on our knees to clean it all up and I checked to see if he was hurt. I took a clean handkerchief from the drawer and cleaned up the small amount of blood visible, Hagrid refused for me to put a bandage on it.

"There's another one in the cupboard." Hagrid told Hermione.

Hermione fished around to the back of the cupboard and lifted out another jug, "AHHH!" Hermione shrieked, "Ron! I can't believe it! Scabbers!" she lifted the pet rat out of the milk jug. It looked awful; bald patches and significant weight loss told me that rat was not one bit well.

Ron took Scabbers in hand, it wriggled and squeaked, desperate to escape. The poor thing was terrified. "Scabbers! It's me! Ron! There's no cats here to hurt you!"

A quick glance in Harry's direction told me he was as shocked as I was. I prayed that the arguing wouldn't begin again. I couldn't deal with it and I'm pretty sure Harry couldn't either, even if there is less than a month left before summer.

"They're comin'" Hagrid peaked out of the window behind his thin curtains. The remaining colour draining from his cheeks. I saw 3 men walking carefully down the slope towards us, "They mustn't find you here. 'specially you, Harry! Please, go! I'll be okay!"

"Hagrid, they can't!" Ron began to argue, trying to keep a hold of his rat.

Hermione continued, "We'll tell them what happened."

"They can't kill him…" Ron said. But a glimpse at the axe drawing ever closer told me differently. I gulped and tried to hurry my friends out the door.

"We'll visit tomorrow, Hagrid. Stay strong." I patted his arm, as his shoulder was too high up for me to reach.

Harry threw the cloak over him and Ron and Hermione held my hand and we both snuck out the back door invisibly as there was a knock at the front door. "Please hurry…" Hermione took one last look back at Buckbeak, I could feel her trembling as she whispered, "I don't want to hear it."

We walked quickly and quietly. But Scabbers was squeaking so loudly I thought that alone would get us caught. I could see their footsteps in the grass in front of us stop moving. "Oh, please Ron!" Hermione moaned as we nearly tripped over him.

"Scabbers! It's me you idiot!" Ron whispered loudly, but neither Hermione nor I could see what he was doing. We heard the door to Hagrid's hut open behind us; Hermione tugged on my arm for us to continue without them. We heard Ron whispering loudly again behind us. Hermione stared at me as if to get me to say something, to take her mind off it.

*THUD* The deed was done.

Hermione's knees buckled. I wasn't prepared for and pulled me down with her as she sobbed and I held her close, careful not to look behind me. "How could they?" Hermione whispered over and over, her breathing was shallow and uneven. I hauled her back onto her feet again, telling her that we needed to get out of here. Darkness was swiftly taking over. I could see Harry and Ron's footsteps beside us in the grass as we walked up towards the castle.

"SCABBERS!" Ron was losing patience now, "CALM DOWN."

Hermione's grip got tighter on my hand as she pointed to the two yellow eyes in front of us. "Crookshanks! NO! Go away!" she tried to shoo her cat away, but it was no use. He must have heard the squeaks of Scabbers.

"Scabbers! NO! Come back!" Ron appeared from under the cloak and made a run after his rat. Hermione and I bolted after him, I was desperate to conceal him before he got caught. Before we all got caught. The minister of magic could be walking behind us any minute now. Suddenly Ron dropped to the ground. Hermione let go of my hand and Harry dropped his cloak as we tumbled into a heap on the ground, Ron stuffing Scabbers back into his pocket.

"AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed. I massive bear like black dog pounced, placing both its front paws on Harry's chest, throwing him to ground and attacked Ron, sinking its massive teeth into his arm, dragging him off as though he were a rag doll. There was a very loud *crack* as Ron's leg broke on the way into the tiny opening in the tree. I bolted after them, not knowing that seconds later I was going to get the wind taken clean out of me- we were in the vicinity of the Whomping Willow. Hermione let out a yelp as her and Harry's bodies thudded to the ground to my left. "Lumos" I lit my wand. Ron and the dog were now completely out of sight.

"We need to get help!" Hermione spoke in a panic. She was still lying on the ground, too.

Harry swiftly answered, "We haven't got time! That thing is big enough to eat him!"

"Question is… How are we meant to get in there?" I crawled on my hands and knees, narrowly missing a whack from branch of the tree.

Hermione muttered to herself, "Oh help! Help! Help! Please! CROOKSHANKS!" her cat made a run for the knot in the tree and pressed it. As if by some abnormal force of nature, the tree stopped swaying and Crookshanks ran into the space where Ron and the dog had last been spotted. The three of us followed suit. We climbed into the space and crawled as fast as we could, the ground was made of mud, I focused on that rather than how enclosed it was down here. Vital minutes passed as we followed the tunnel's pathway. The space opened up, allowing us to get to our feet and run at a crouch. My back hurt, my lungs were working in overdrive and I had a massive stitch in my side but I powered on. Harry reckoned that from studying the Marauder's map, this tunnel took us to somewhere near Hogsmeade. All I could think of were the horrible things that could be happening to Ron. Soon after a light appeared ahead of us and the tunnel sloped upwards, we were under a trap door of a floor in a very dusty room which had recently been disturbed. Ron had been trailed through here, blood was splattered sporadically.

We climbed quietly into the room, on guard, watching out for the humongous dog. The wallpaper was peeling and every piece of furniture was broken, the windows were boarded up and it was as though no one had been here in a while. The door to our right was sitting half off its hinges and ajar. The disturbed dust told us to search for Ron that way. We whispered as we turned our lights off "nox" and Hermione grabbed onto Harry and me as we took a step into the darkened corridor, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."

"That will be something to tell the kids." I was being sarcastic and she knew it, the look on her face told me that she wasn't amused. But it was a great distraction method as Harry and I pushed the door open in front of us, revealing Ron lying on the floor, clutching his leg, covered in sweat and blood. I could see the bone sticking out. Madam Pomfery had never told me how to treat broken legs. All I could think to do was to elevate it, to minimise the bleeding.

Ron wouldn't let me touch him, "Kathryn! Harry! Hermione!" Ron pointed behind me, wincing.

"Where's the dog?" Harry puffed.

"It's a trap!" Ron said and I turned and froze, "he's the dog, he's an Animagus!" The door slammed shut behind us. Panic instilled itself upon me as I saw a man standing in the shadows. I was relieved to have my wand securely in my hand. I pointed it at the man, taking a few steps closer to him I saw the striped clothes, he might have been a corpse except for his dark brown eyes staring back into mine, his dark brown hair was matted down and his teeth were yellow. He was Sirius Black.

"Expelliarmus!" Sirius croaked, Ron's wand in hand.

Harry, Hermione and I simultaneously lost our wands as they flew up in the air to be easily caught by Sirius. "Kathryn?" I heard the small voice of Hermione, she was warning me not to get too close, either that or one of the boys was doing something terribly stupid. I took a step back as Sirius's eyes were drawn to Harry. He was fixated.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend. Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"

'Make what much easier?' I spoke aloud the thought in my head, demanding to know the answer. I glanced at Harry who looked like he was about to explode. His breathing sped up and he was both sweaty and pale. He was about to make a run for Sirius.

"NO!" Hermione yelled at Harry as she grabbed his shirt. I took a step in front of him and tried to calm him down. I looked into his eyes and shook my head, but he was having none of it. I could only imagine what he was going through, meeting the man that handed over his parents to Voldemort. Harry was no longer hurt, but full of rage.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us, too!" Ron winced as he stood up to join us defending Harry.

Sirius' eyes flicked over to Ron, "Sit down! You'll make that leg of yours worse!"

I spoke unusually clearly and calmly, "No-one is going to die tonight. I'm sure we can all work this out."

"Are you always this demanding? Do you always get what you want?"

I laughed, Sirius wasn't expecting my reaction, he was trying to taunt me and it wasn't working, "You don't have a clue."

"Well, I do know there will be one murder tonight."

Harry stood beside me, poised ready for action, "Whys that?"

"Be quiet!" Hermione pleaded from behind.

"Well, as Ron said if you're going to kill Harry, you're going to have to kill us too and I'm not prepared to let that happen. We've been through too much to be killed by some escaped convict." I raised my eyebrows at him. I knew I was wandless and I knew I was being incredibly stupid, but the longer I kept the man talking, the longer I had to formulate a plan to get us all out of there alive.

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry yelled, taking a leap at Sirius, knocking the wands out of the way with one hand and giving an almighty punch to the cheek with the other, causing Sirius to fall into the wall behind them.

Hermione and I glimpsed at each other in sheer terror. We were screaming. Ron was yelling. Sparks flew out of one of the wands, which we narrowly missed. Sirius' hand was suddenly wrapped firmly around Harry's throat, squeezing. Hermione and I made a run towards them. I dug my fingernails into his arm, elbowing him in the ribcage and he dropped the four wands right into my hands whilst Hermione gave a swift kick in his nether-region. Sirius groaned in pain and Harry was released. I passed out the wands to their owners. Harry directed his at the now defenceless Sirius.

Sirius was "Going to kill me, Harry?"

"You killed my parents."

"I don't deny it. But if you only knew the whole story…"

Harry was shaking with fury, "You sold them to Voldemort, that's all I need to know!"

"You've got to listen to me," Black started to plead, a sense of urgency in his voice now, "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…"

Harry's voice was now shaking uncontrollably, "I understand a whole lot better than you think. You never heard her, did you? My mum, trying to stop Voldemort from killing me? And you did that… You did it."

It was at this point that Crookshanks leapt up onto Sirius' chest, right over his heart. Black stared down at him. We all momentarily gawked over the troublesome ginger cat. "Oh bloody hell, here we go again." Ron groaned from the bed where he had taken refuge. Sirius tried to move the cat, but he wouldn't move. Hermione sobbed. Harry raised his wand and aimed.

Unexpectedly, there were muffled footsteps echoing up the stairs, in our direction. It seemed as though all my prayers had just been answered. "WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione yelled at the top of her lungs. "WE'RE UP HERE! SIRIUS BLACK! QUICK!" I ran to the door to guide the individual toward us.

"Professor?" I was confused. Of all people in the world to rescue us, I somehow didn't imagine it to be Lupin. I didn't really have a figure in mind, to be fair. I quickly stuffed my wand back into my back pocket and opened the door wide to let him enter the room.

"Expelliarmus!" Lupin yelled. Harry, Ron and Hermione's wands flew out of their hands and straight to our teacher. That was peculiar, I thought he was here to save us? "Three?" he questioned. My wand hadn't left me; it wasn't in my hands.

"I did it again, Professor… My wand is in my skirt this time…" I pretended to act ashamed of myself. Instead I pushed my wand up my sleeve behind my back, ready to use in my own defence should l need to. There was something not quite right. I saw Hermione cower into the corner beside Ron, taking a seat on the floor. I remained standing beside a trembling Harry.

Lupin spoke, observing his old friend, his voice odd, "Where is he, Sirius?" I looked to Sirius, so that he could fill in the blanks in our thought pathway. His expression was as blank as ours until he lifted a shaky hand to point it directly at Ron. If it was possible, Ron's face turned whiter. This just didn't make sense. "But then…" Lupin began putting the pieces together, answering his own question, "…why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless-" Lupin stopped. My head was urging me to shout, to ask what in Merlin's beard was going on, but Lupin continued, "unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"

Lupin and Sirius had been staring intently at each other for a couple of minutes now and it was starting to get a bit creepy. Sirius nodded in agreement. What do they mean about Ron switching with Sirius?

"Professor Lupin," Harry took the courage to interrupt the two men, "what's going-?"

Then Lupin lowered his wand. I let mine drop from my sleeve and held it behind my back. Lupin lent a hand to help Sirius up off the floor and embraced him. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I knew the two were friends before but I also knew that Lupin believed that Sirius was guilty. But somehow that had changed.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed. "You- You-" She had gotten up off the floor and stood beside me, squeezing my wand arm, silently telling me to be on guard. Not that I wasn't doing that already. Lupin raised his wand slightly.

"NO!" I yelled, "DON'T YOU DARE!"

"Kathryn, Hermione, please, calm down…" Lupin spoke calmly as he let go of his friend.

"AFTER ALL I'VE BEEN THROUGH?" I raised my wand at my teacher. I was furious.

"Exp-"

"PROTEGO!" I yelled in return, blocking his spell, but it wasn't enough to reclaim my friends' wands, "I DON'T BELIEVE A WORD YOU SAY!"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione joined in my anger, "I've been covering up for you…"

"Please, just let me explain."

"I trusted you." Hermione said exactly what I was thinking. What we were all thinking.

"Kathryn… there's no need to raise-"

"What have you been teaching me all year? To stand here and keep my mouth shut? To not defend myself? I think not. After all I've been through, after all I've told you. I thought you cared, whilst this whole time you were the one who let him in." I spoke loud and clear and then dropped my voice to almost a whisper, "You lied to me..."

I saw him shudder, "Don't jump to conclusions, Kathryn."

I was losing my cool, I didn't know what I was capable of, the spells were running through my head, "WELL EVERYTHING'S UP IN THE AIR AND I'VE GOT TO LAND SOMEWHERE!" My wand was now very close to his face. My breathing was heavy and I felt a bead of sweat run down my forehead. I felt like I had been betrayed.

"HOW CAN WE TAKE ANYTHING YOU SAY SERIOUSLY?" Harry had a new sense of fury in his voice.

"I haven't been Sirius' friend for twelve years. But I am now. Let me explain." His eyes pleaded with me and everyone else in the room, but he knew I was quick and he knew I could do a lot of damage if I wanted to. He's been teaching me defensive spells after the ordeal with Oliver.

"NO!" Hermione interjected, "DON'T TRUST HIM!" she yelled for us all to hear, "He's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead, too- he's a werewolf!"

I felt better that that was now out in the open, I had hoped Hermione was smart enough to have worked it out. Lupin seemed remarkably pale, but appeared very calm at the accusation.

"1 out of 3, Hermione, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle. I certainly do not want Harry dead. But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Lupin looked at me and I shook my head. I didn't tell her. I would never betray confidence like that, not with someone I had trusted so deeply. I genuinely believed he cared about what was going on in my life. I thought he wanted to help me.

Ron made a valiant effort to get up again, "Get away from me, werewolf."

"How did you know?" Lupin asked, trying to ignore Ron's comment.

"I worked out your symptoms after Professor Snape's essay. I knew from the lunar chart that you were always sick around a full moon and that your boggart changed into a moon, not an orb."

"You're the cleverest witch I ever met, Hermione."

"I'm not! If I'd been cleverer, I would have told everyone what you are!" I could see that she was kicking herself, but I knew deep down what his response would be.

"But they already know" he said, he looked at me, but again I shook my head, "At least the staff do."

Ron spoke from the bed side, "Dumbledore hired you, knowing you're a werewolf? Is he mad?"

"Some of the staff thought so, he had to work hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy." Lupin explained.

Harry made me raise my wand higher, "AND HE WAS WRONG! YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THIS TIME!"

Lupin sighed, scratching his forehead, searching for a way to explain, "I have not been helping Sirius. If you give me a chance, I'll explain. Look-" he handed out the other three wands and placed his in his belt. I stared at it. Was this a trick? He must have seen my suspicions and handed me his wand, "I'm sure you'll look after it for me?"

I nodded. It was now that I understood he was about to tell us all the truth. I was last to do so, but I lowered my wand.

Harry questioned, "How did you know he was here? If you haven't been helping him?"

"The map," Lupin explained, "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it." I saw Sirius' ears perk up.

"You know how to work it?" Harry seemed shocked.

"Of course I know how to work it! I helped write it! I'm Moony! That was my friends nickname for me at school."

"You wrote-?"

"The important thing is, I had my suspicions that you would go and see Hagrid tonight before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?" Lupin started pacing up and down the room, "You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry-"

Harry interrupted, "How'd you know about the cloak?"

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" Lupin then glanced between myself and Hermione, "What I wondered was how you two got there undetected, you couldn't have been under?"

"You're not the only person with secrets you know." I spoke it with a whole load more sass than intended. I think I even had my hand on my hip when I said it. But he seemed half impressed, half bewildered.

"My point is… I saw you four go into Hagrid's hut and five of you leave twenty minutes later! You were now accompanied by someone else."

"What? No we weren't." Harry snapped.

I thought about it, "Hermione found Scabbers."

Lupin smiled at me, "And then I saw another dot moving fast towards you labelled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you and I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow."

"ONE OF US!" Ron shouted angrily.

Lupin stopped pacing just beside Ron, asking to see his rat. To see Scabbers. If Sirius could be seen on the map when he was a dog, then if Lupin was to see the rat on the map, then that must mean… "The rat is an animagus." I spoke my thoughts aloud.

"An animagus," Sirius stood beside me, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" Harry's anger was raising again, "He killed him, twelve years ago!" Harry pointed at Sirius beside me.

"I wanted to," he growled like he would have as a dog, "but little Peter got the better of me… not tonight, though!" Sirius pounced at Ron, trying to take a hold of Scabbers. Ron was forced to put weight on his broken leg to steady himself.

Lupin yelled, "SIRIUS! NO! They've got to understand first! You've got to wait!"

"I DID MY WAITING! TWELVE YEARS OF IT, IN AZKABAN!"

"They've- got- a- right- to- know- everything!" Lupin struggled to get Black restrained. "Ron has kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Harry- you owe Harry the truth!"

Sirius stopped struggling and looked back to his godson. "Alright." He said, "But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"

A shiver ran up my spine. I really didn't want to see this, I have already seen one murder and it still haunts me to this very day… But Lupin promised to help us understand, and I knew for Harry's sake at least that I should stay, to support him. Lupin told Ron to keep a hold of Peter, but Ron insisted they call him Scabbers. Scabbers was still frantically trying to release himself from Ron's tight grip. I sat down between Ron and Sirius, putting pillows under Ron's leg and examined it. Blood was still oozing out of it, and I took a clean handkerchief out of my pocket to clean away the dirt as best I could. He looked at me as though he could have hit me. I apologised once I was finished.

"There were witnesses who saw Peter die," Harry spoke, "A whole street full of them…"

Sirius answered, "They didn't see what they though they saw…" his eyes were fully focused on Scabbers profusely trying to escape from Ron's grip.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," Lupin explained further, "Even I believed it, until I saw the map tonight. The Marauder's Map never lies! Peter is alive! Ron is holding him, Harry."

Hermione, who had been sitting in the corner cleared her throat and challenged Lupin's theory, "But Professor… Peter can't have been an animagus… Professor McGonagall told us that the ministry keeps a register of witches and wizards and what animals they become… I've studied the register! Peter's name isn't on it…"

"Right again, Hermione. But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts." Lupin replied. But he was interrupted by an impatient Sirius who just wanted to get on with it. So Lupin quickly explained how he had become a werewolf and how the Wolfsbane potion hadn't been discovered and his transformations each month made him have to separate himself from human contact. Until his three best friends- Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter worked it out and they learnt how to become Animagi as a werewolf is only a danger to humans and not to animals.

It all started to sink in, "So that's how you got into the school undetected? How you attacked the Fat Lady? How you scared Ron half to death with a knife? How you snuck past me in the Common Room that night? You- You gave me nightmares. I couldn't sleep. I thought I was going mad." I started feeling rather emotional, I tried to hold myself together.

Sirius nodded apologetically.

My mind was elsewhere as Lupin told Harry, Ron and Hermione about Snape discovering their secret. I thought about the night I had the panic attack. I thought of the nightmares, how I felt like I was going to die. I forced myself to focus back on Lupin's voice telling how Sirius lead Snape straight to Lupin whenever he was transformed.

"What an idiot." Hermione whispered, she was now kneeling beside me, making sure that I was alright. She squeezed my shoulder gently. The feeling bringing me right back into reality again. "Talk to me." She whispered.

I opened my mouth to speak but my breath was taken away as I saw Severus Snape pulling off Harry's invisibility cloak and dropping it to the floor. "That's right." He sneered. His wand was directed at Lupin.

There was a wave of shock circulating the room. Sirius jumped to his feet. Hermione did the same. Harry was trembling. Ron struggled to sit himself up and I felt like I was going to throw up. I had Lupin's wand in my belt.

'THINK! THINK! THINK!' I wracked my brains for a plan and decided to do something extremely stupid.

"Oh Professor! Thank goodness you're here!" I jumped to my feet. I could hear the sounds of confusion around the room as the words flew out of my mouth. The more dramatic the better. I placed myself between Snape and Lupin and handed Lupin his wand as he was standing behind me. "Is this stuff to do with Peter Pettigrew true? Is he really alive?"

"Miss Pink, I would appreciate it if you could step aside." Snape pushed me out of the way. I did what I was told. My work there was done. "Vengeance is sweet. How I hoped to be the one to catch you. I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle and now- here's the proof!"

Lupin took a step forward, but surprisingly his wand wasn't raised, "Severus, please! Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Snake-like cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted around Lupin's mouth, wrists and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor. His wand dropped, too. Sirius took a run at Snape. But Snape placed his wand right in between Sirius' eyes. I dropped to my knees and looked at Lupin and whispered, "I didn't do that performance for the good of my own health you know." I stood and stuffed his wand back into my belt, shaking my head. I didn't know how to undo the spell, and I knew it was best off if I didn't interfere with an angry Snape. I reckoned he'd do more than take the entire of Gryffindor's house points away tonight. There was no doubt that the four of us were in deep, deep trouble.

"Give me a reason," Snape snarled, "Give me a reason to do it and I swear I will."

Sirius stopped struggling. In a competition of who hated whom more, it was currently tied.

Hermione took an uncertain step forwards. "Professor Snape, what if there was a mistake?"

"KEEP QUIET YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted extremely aggressively, forcing me to my feet to defend my friend, "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND." A few sparks came out of the end of his wand.

I wasn't going to stand for this, "YOU'LL ACTUALLY FIND, SEVERUS WE KNOW MORE THAN YOU, SO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE AND LISTEN."

Snape was shocked, as though he was astounded by me shouting at him again, I had done so before and on both occasions, I got his attention.

Sirius spoke very calmly, "As long as the boy brings his rat up to the castle-" he jerked his head towards Ron, "I'll come quietly."

"Up to the castle?" Snape questioned, "We don't need to go that far. All I need to do is call the Dementors once you're out of here… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay."

Sirius grew paler. Panic took over, "You- You've got to hear me out! The rat! Look at the rat!"

But just as we had seen time and time before in class, Snape was going to win and there was very little we could do, "Come on, all of you." Snape demanded, "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him, too…"

In three strides, Harry was blocking the door.

"Get out of the way, Potter!"

Harry stood firm, "I've been alone with Lupin many times this year. Why would he not have killed me then and there? Why wait until now?"

"I don't know how the mind of a werewolf works. Get. Out. Of. My. Way." Snape grabbed the top of Harry's shirt.

"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled, pushing Snape's hand off him, "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL, NOW YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN!"

"SILENCE!" Snape had had enough, "I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT."

"Is there a spell?" I questioned Sirius, "is there a spell I can use to make Peter reveal himself? Please! Anything?" I walked towards Harry and stepped in front of the door and took out my wand.

Sirius couldn't speak.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY, BOTH OF YOU." Snape threatened us with his wand. Within a split second, Harry raised his wand. I raised mine. Ron and Hermione must have raised there's, too.

"Expelliarmus!" we all shouted and Snape was lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall with such force that blood started pouring from his head. Snape's wand flew towards Ron on the bed.

"We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher…" Hermione paced the room, freaking out. Sirius lent down to help Lupin with his bonds, "We're going to be in so much trouble!"

I grabbed her arm, "Hermione. Come on. You know what he's like. And you can't deny how much you've wanted to do that over the past three years!" I could see the edges of her lips curl up. "You alright, Ron?"

"Yeah…" he didn't sound convincing. He was now sitting on the edge of the bed.

Sirius stood and cleared his throat, his eyes glimpsing from mine to Scabbers, "Yes, Kathryn. There is a spell, and I think it's about time we give you all some proof." He walked over to Ron, "You boy- give me Peter. Now!"

"How do you know this rat is Peter? There are millions of rats!"

Lupin admitted, "That's actually quite a fair point, Sirius! How'd you know?"

Sirius took out a photo from his pocket of the Weasley family on holiday in Egypt. Scabbers was clearly visible.

"The biggest part of Peter they could find was his finger." I remembered from the conversation at the Three Broomsticks. It was very obvious from the photo that Scabbers had a missing toe.

"Precisely." Sirius smiled at me, "Just before he transformed, when I cornered him, he yelled for the entire street to hear that I'd betrayed James and Lily. Then, before I could curse him, he blew up the street, killing everyone within 20 feet of himself- he sped down into the sewer with the rest of the rats..."

Then somehow Crookshanks was brought into the conversation. I don't quite believe how Sirius as a dog could communicate with a cat, but I went with it. You sort of have to in the wizarding world. Apparently Crookshanks is no normal cat and could see Scabbers for what he really was and that's why the cat attacked the rat to bring the rat to the dog. My brain was about to explode. Then Scabbers faked his own death again and made a run for it and then we saw him today. And well, here we are now.

"So you're going to finish Peter off, just like you killed my parents?" Harry was furious again, I think he was regretting his decision to take Snape out of the equation.

"Harry!" Lupin took a step closer, "Can't you see? All this time, we thought Sirius betrayed your parents and Peter tracked him down, but it was really the other way around! Peter betrayed your parents! Sirius tracked Peter down."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled, "HE WAS THEIR SECRET KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP, HE SAID HE KILLED THEM."

I was completely bewildered by the entire situation. It was really hard to watch Harry so emotionally drained.

"Harry… I as good as killed them, I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret Keeper instead of me… I'm to blame, I know it… the night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies – I realised what Peter must have done. What I'd done…" Sirius' voice broke and he turned away from us, wiping at his eyes with his cuff.

"Enough." Lupin had a steely tone in his voice, "There is one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me your rat."

Ron's face was full of concern, "What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?"

"Force him to show himself, if he really is a rat, it won't hurt him." Lupin enlightened.

Ron handed over his pet.

Together?" Sirius asked Lupin after having retrieved Snape's wand. Lupin nodded, "One- two- THREE!" A flash of blue light erupted from both wands, Scabbers was momentarily frozen in mid-air before he fell and hit the floor. Another bright light flashed before us and a head shot upwards from the floor, limbs sprouted and next thing a fully grown, sickly looking man stood before us. I cautiously took a step back from him. He was thin and shorter than me but slightly taller than Harry. His hair was unkempt with a large bald patch on top. He somewhat resembled a rat in his features. His eyes darted from the floor to the door and back to the floor again. Ron looked gobsmacked.

"Well, hello Peter." Lupin was the first to speak, he was rather pleasant, "Long time no speak."

"S-Sirius …. R-Remus …. My old friends…" jittery wouldn't even come close to how the man was acting. Sirius pointed his wand at Peter, but Lupin gave him a look.

Lupin was very calm as he addressed Peter, "We've been having a little chat, Peter about the night Lily and James died…"

"You don't believe him, do you?" Peter pleaded desperately, "He tried to kill me, Remus…" The guilt was dripping down his face, "He's come back to kill me now!"

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out." Lupin said. This suggested he already knew that someone was already going to kill Peter after he answered the relevant questions and settled any ambiguities. The odds weren't great.

"Sort things out?" Peter squeaked, "He's been after me for twelve years! He's going to kill me, Remus!"

"You knew he was going to break out of Azkaban? When no one has done it before?"

Peter nodded, "He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of! I suppose He Who Must Not Be Named taught him a few tricks!"

Sirius laughed. It was kind of creepy. "Voldemort? Teach me tricks?"

Peter shivered at the sound of Voldemort's name. He truly was petrified.

Sirius speculated, "You haven't been hiding from me these past twelve years! You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter, they all think your dead, or you'd have to answer to them, well I guess now you have ample opportunity to let them kill you. It sounded like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort met his downfall with the Potter's didn't he? He went there under your instruction. Now they're all in Azkaban. If they ever got wind that you were alive, Peter…!"

"That is a rather curious point, Peter, why would an innocent man disguise himself as a rat for twelve years?" Lupin questioned.

"Voldemort's supporters would have come after me, for putting one of his best men in Azkaban- his spy- Sirius Black!"

"HOW DARE YOU." Sirius growled, "You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? Lily and James only made you their Secret Keeper because I suggested it. A bluff. It must have been your finest moment, telling Voldemort you could hand the Potters to him."

Peter muttered to himself.

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked, "M-May I ask a question?" Lupin nodded for her to continue, "Scabbers- this man- has been sleeping in Ron and Harry's dormitory for the past three years! How come he hasn't tried to hurt Harry?"

Peter looked delighted with himself.

Sirius answered straight away, "Because Peter would never do something unless there was something in it for him. He would never commit murder for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all his powers, would he?"

Peter could not find the words to defend himself.

"Er- Mr Black? Sirius?" Hermione asked timidly. Sirius was completely taken aback. He had clearly not been referred to so politely in a very long time. Probably twelve years. But Hermione continued nonetheless, "How did you get out of Azkaban if you didn't use dark magic? If you don't mind me asking?"

Peter once again looked overjoyed, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.

Sirius frowned as though thinking very carefully about how to begin, "I don't know how I did it," he said, "I think the only reason I didn't lose my mind is because I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… it helped me keep my powers, so that when it became too much, I could transform in my cell… become a dog… they could sense my emotions were less human… less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course that I was losing my mind just like everyone else in there. But I was weak, very weak, I had no way of driving them away without a wand… But then I saw Peter in that picture. I realised he was at Hogwarts with Harry… Perfectly positioned to act if Voldemort was to get into power again… Then if he was to deliver Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honours… You see, I had to do something, I was the only person who knew Peter was alive! Knowing that, it made me stronger, it cleared my mind. So one night when they opened my door to give me my food, I slipped past them as a dog… I was thin, thin enough to squeeze though the bars… I swam back to the mainland as a dog, I made my way up North to Hogwarts and I've been living in the forest ever since. Except when I come out to watch the Quidditch of course… You fly as well as your father did, Harry…"

Sirius studied Harry's face. Harry didn't blink.

"Believe me," Black croaked, "Believe that I would never betray James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

Harry nodded. He believed Sirius.

"NO!" Peter fell to his knees. He knew his time was nearly up. He shuffled towards Sirius and mumbled something, pleading for his life, no doubt.

"Remus, wouldn't Sirius have told you if they'd changed the plan?" Peter tugged at Lupin's robes.

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter." He looked down to him, then up to Sirius "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?"

"Forgive me, Remus…"

"Not at all, old friend!" Lupin rolled up his sleeves, "Now will you, in turn forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course!" something that resembled a smile appeared over Sirius' face, "Shall we kill him together?"

Lupin spoke grimly, "I think so."

Peter pathetically shuffled over towards Ron who was lying on the bed, blood no longer pouring out of his leg, but he badly needed to get seen to, "Ron… Haven't I been a good friend…a good pet? You won't let them kill me, will you?" But Ron was looking at Peter in complete revulsion.

"I let you sleep in my bed!" he spat.

Peter then turned in search of his next victim- Hermione. He grabbed the bottom of her robes and tugged, "Sweet girl, clever girl… help me." But Hermione took a hold of her robes and yanked them out of Peter's hands and stood behind me.

"You- you said no one would die tonight." Peter knelt at my feet and begged for his life.

"I did." I admitted.

Peter then stood to stare up into my eyes, thinking that somehow I was going to rescue him. But he made one fatal mistake as he grabbed my wrist and before trying to grasp my wand. Both Lupin and Sirius lunged towards me, but I was too quick for all three men. I had grabbed Peter's arm and twisted it into a lock-hold, "Don't make me break your arm, Peter. You see, I've never really liked rats. I'm more of a… dog person. Sorry. Besides, I believe your fate has already been decided."

I glanced over to Harry who nodded to me. He knew exactly what I meant.

"Harry, James wouldn't have me killed… James would have understood… he would have shown me mercy…" Peter gazed up at Harry. I still hadn't let go of him and made it almost impossible for him to escape.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY!" Sirius roared, grabbing Peter off me and pinning him against the floor, "HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM? You sold Lily and James to Voldemort, do you deny it?"

Peter burst into tears. He resembled an oversized baby cowering on the floor. He was pathetic, he knew it was over now. "I didn't mean to… He was going to kill me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS! AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" Sirius and Lupin both raised their wands, "You should have realised, if Voldemort hadn't killed you, we would. Goodbye Peter."

"NO!" Harry shouted, causing both Lupin and Sirius to look up at him, taking their eyes off Peter, "You can't kill him. I can't imagine my father would have wanted his two best friends becoming murderers for him, we will take him to the Dementors, they can do what they like with him."

The room went silent apart from the sound of Peter's wheezing breaths. Both Lupin and Sirius looked at each other, nodded and lowered their wands, "You are the only person who has the right to decide, Harry." Sirius said as Lupin tied Peter up and gagged him with thin cords that appeared from the end of his wand. "But if you transform Peter, we will kill you. Do you agree, Harry?" Harry stared down at Peter's wriggling body, stared directly into his small black eyes and nodded.

All of a sudden everyone was moving about, getting everything sorted to get back up to the castle again. Lupin strapped Ron's leg up into a splint, teaching me the spell 'ferula' for any future maladies. This allowed Ron to put weight back on his feet again without wincing. Lupin then checked Snape's pulse, declaring that he was 'just knocked out' and Hermione used the spell 'mobilicorpus' which pulled him into an upright position, his feet dangling a 10cm or so from the ground. Lupin kept the invisibility cloak in his pocket. Lupin and Ron chained themselves to each side of Peter, ensuring that he couldn't get away. Hermione linked arms with Harry and me in the tunnel where we all followed Crookshanks, completely taken aback from all that had happened. Sirius brought Snape first, pushing him along, then Lupin, Peter and Ron followed with the 3 of us at the back. We knew the truth and we had the proof to free Sirius.

In the close proximity of the tunnel, this gave ample opportunity for Harry and Sirius to get to know each other, "I don't know if anyone ever told you Harry- I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew."

"Well, your parents appointed me your guardian, if anything happened to them…" Sirius explained, "I understand if you want to stay with your Aunt and Uncle, but… well, think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a different home…"

My stomach flipped in excitement for Harry, this was the best news. He could escape the Dursleys!

"What? Live with you?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to…" Sirius was carefully choosing his wording.

Harry was ecstatic, "Are you mad? Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

I glanced back to Hermione who was just behind me and pouted, whispering, "I want to move out, too..."

"I'm sure you can spend a few weeks with me, don't worry! Last letter to mum and dad I asked." She said as though it wasn't a big deal.

I couldn't help but hug her tightly. I was dreading going back home to my parents. They hated me more than words could say. Where the Dursleys saw Harry as a burden, my family saw me as something to treat like something on the bottom of your shoe. Something to push about, to neglect, then to pretend to the outside world that I was the most loved child but the bruises and scarring were not just physical but mental as well.

Next thing we were out of the tunnel and into the clean air of the outdoors. Everyone was still in one piece. It was pitch black outside. I had only been out this late a handful of times. The clouds shifted in the sky and revealed a full moon, lighting up our pathway. WAIT. Full moon. Sirius stuck out his arm to stop Hermione, Harry and me from walking any further. Lupin had gone rigid as he peered up to the sky and then his limbs started to shake.

"He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!" Hermione gasped.

"Run." Sirius whispered to us, "Run now!"

"Ron." I said as none of us made a move. Ron was attached to Peter who was attached to Lupin. We were going nowhere without him. I watched as Lupin transformed, his neck lengthened. His arms became hairier. His feet ripped out of his shoes. He was transforming too fast. Next thing, Sirius had transformed into a dog again, pulling Lupin away from us, the battle began. Peter dived for Lupin's dropped wand, faster than any of us could have reacted. We were too late; he had already transformed into Scabbers. Harry shouted to a bleeding Sirius who immediately chased after the rat. Snape was still bobbing up and down beside us. Ron was resting his leg. Lupin headed into the Forbidden Forest. Sirius let out a yelp; he was in pain. Harry, Hermione and I sprinted towards him, to help. As I was running I realised it was getting unbearably cold. I saw Sirius' body lying on the ground, no longer a dog. The Dementors approached.

"Think of something happy!" Harry yelled to the two of us.

I searched my memory and focused on the happiest memory I have.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled, "Expecto-" he spoke, "Expecto Patronum!"

Hermione collapsed in front of me.

"Expecto patronum!" I spoke the incantation, I thought of happy things, but then I couldn't. I heard my Auntie yelling at me. I heard my mother threaten me. I remembered what Oliver did. I thought I was going to die. Then the world went into darkness.