Chapter 13
Godric's Hollow Wednesday April 8th, 1980
"James, you cannot honestly think that Moony would betray us would you?" Lily stood pacing the floor of the home in Godric's Hollow.
"No Lils, but I don't see Sirius or Peter doing so either." James said with a saddened look on his face. "But obviously someone did or we could have stayed in our home. Are wards severely damaged Lily, Harry won't be born in our family home because someone betrayed us."
"I know you're right but Moony?"
"I don't know who it was but we've got to be careful Lily." James walked up to Lily placing a hand lightly on her swollen belly and putting his forehead on Lily's. "I've got to protect you, and our son."
"Okay love, if you and Sirius think this is the right decision, we will talk to Peter tonight about being our Secret Keeper."
"I love you Lily, I will do anything I can to keep you both safe and right now that seems to be Peter."
The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole- Friday July 2nd 1993
Remus' POV
I don't think life has quite given me the chance to truly be happy long enough to enjoy it since I was a child. If I could do one thing all over again, I would have begged my best friend to trust me, maybe my life would have turned out differently. Meeting James' son tonight has given me hope that maybe one day soon I would have the chance to feel the joy I felt before my world crumbled down almost 12 years ago. Seeing him so happy with all that life has thrown at him gives me hope that I can live up to be his "Uncle Moony" again. Getting his letter and meeting his surrogate family gives me hope again.
As Harry and I enter the Burrow I see his friend carrying his pet rat down the stairs. I don't really think much about the rat until I see him place it down. The rat looks very nervous pacing back and forth in his cage, I take a closer look as we get further in the house. Something about this rat seems familiar but what could be familiar about a rat. Then it hits me, this isn't some random rat, this is a rat I have seen many times before. I'm not sure if it's me or my wolf that makes the connection. This isn't a rat, at least not only a rat. It can't be though, he's dead. If Peter were here then, Sirius didn't kill him. Why wouldn't he come out of hiding if it weren't dead and Sirius was arrested and Voldermort defeated. The Peter I knew was a coward but to hide for 12 years as a rat, he wouldn't unless… As the thoughts turn in my mind there is only one explanation. Peter was their secret keeper, he betrayed Lily and James, why else live out your days as a common house pet. I can feel my anger start to brew the hatred, the sadness, the confusion bubbling up and I can't take it anymore.
""You bastard!" I yelled when I could no longer hold it in anymore "Stupefy!"
A bright red light rushed out and hit the rat dead on. I watched as his limp body stopped moving and he lay motionless in his cage. This night has turned out in no way as I had expected. I looked around the room at the shocked faces and realized I had some explaining to do.
Normal POV
"Scabbers!" Ron yelled running to the cage.
"What in Merlin-" Arthur began before he was cut off.
"Get away from the rat Ron," Remus was angered but calm and stern in his words. "He is not what you think he is."
What is Moony on, it's just a rat
Beats me Harry but he seems very mad
"Remus, what is the meaning of this, he is just a rat," Molly asked while shaking her head in confusion.
"Molly, how long has this rat been in your life?"
"Oh I don't know, maybe 11 or 12 years."
"He's missing a toe isn't he?"
"Yeah," Ron answered this time.
"It's not very common for a rat to live that long is it?" Remus asked calmly but the anger still present in his voice.
"I don't think so," Arthur answered, still very much confused.
"If I am right, this isn't a rat, this is someone I knew, in a different lifetime. His name is Peter Pettigrew."
Peter Pettigrew, how
That was the friend Sirius killed right?
Yea, how could he be Scabbers
I don't know but Mr. Lupin seems very sure of himself
"That's absurd Remus, Peter Pettigrew died almost 12 years ago now."
"Did he?" Remus questioned, "All they found of him-"
"-was a missing finger," Arthur finished with a puzzled look on his face peering at the stunned rat. "But how could he be a rat?"
"James, Sirius, and Peter were unregistered animagi. They became animagi in my fifth year to help with my "furry problem". James was a stag, Sirius a black dog, and Peter…a rat. That's where the nicknames came from."
"Furry problem?" Ron asked, confused.
"Ronald," His mother interjected at the outburst.
"If this is Peter, what is he doing here? Sirius Black is in Azkaban, why is he hiding out as my son's rat?" Arthur asked.
"I have the same questions Arthur, I have a guess but I couldn't say for sure. Our best bet is to be safe and Floo call the Aurors, I think they're going to want to hear this."
Molly made her way to the fireplace and Floo called the ministry. While doing this Remus removed the cage around the rat and levitated the rat to the couch.
"Arthur, I'm going to force him out of his animagus form. If this is Wormtail, we will know very soon. If it is, we need to bind him as soon as he changes, do you understand?" Arthur shook his hand. With an incantation and a flick of his wand, the stunned form of Scabbers the rat was transformed into none other than Peter Pettigrew. Arthur and Remus both placed protective bonds on the man.
What? How? What does this mean Ginny?
I…I don't know Harry
"Good heavens," Mrs. Weasley stood frozen returning from her floo call. "The Aurors will be here shortly."
The family waited in shocked silence for a very long minute before they heard the pop of apparition from outside.
"I'll go get the Aurors," Percy said, having made his way back into the living room sometime during the confusion. Percy walked out and ushered the two Auror inside.
He looks…
Scary Harry finished
"Moody, welcome, I'm sorry you're here under these circumstances but-" Arthur started but was interrupted.
"I'll be damned," Mad Eye Moody walked closer to the stunned man. "I apologize Arthur, when we were told I didn't believe it but, it's him. This doesn't make any sense."
"It doesn't, we're confused as you are," Arthur said, the shock still evident on his face. "Molly, get the kids out of here, they don't need to be here for this.
"I'm not leaving," Harry said firmly daring the adults to move him.
"I'm staying with Harry," Ginny demanded to her father.
"Harry can stay, Ginervra, you will go upstairs, now." Arthur used a tone he very seldom used and almost never on his youngest child.
"Yes daddy," Ginny walked quietly up the stairs behind her brothers.
I'll listen in to everything anyway
The two Aurors walked in front of the unconscious man with the three other adults and Harry standing off behind them.
"I'm going to wake him up, are you ready?" Moody asked, pointing his magical eye towards Harry. Harry shook his head and watched
Creepy
What's creepy?
His eyeball, not the real one moves on its own
Ew
You can say that again
Ew
Harry chuckled slightly, getting confused looks from the adults in the room. He cleared his throat and nodded towards Peter.
"Rennervate," Alastor's mood spoke while pointing his wand at Peter.
The man began to stir, moving his arms closer to his face and sucking the back of his teeth. His eyes fluttered and when they opened he jumped slightly trying to move but was knocked back down by his feet and hand bonds. Mad Eye walked up and straightened the man on the sofa. He was now sitting upright with his bound feet on the floor and his arms stuck together just below his face.
"R…Remus…" Pettigrew sounded squeaky and rat like, even in his human form. "My friend, my old-" Peter was cut off as Lupin's wand rose.
"Enough boy," Moody demanded with his eye fixed on Peter and his magical eye on Lupin. "What is your name? Why are you in this house?"
"Pet…Peter P..P..Pettigrew, sir." Pettigrew squeaked out. "I…I've lived here for som…some time now."
"How did you get here?" Mad Eye demanded.
"I fled, I was scared, I fled after…after…" Peter looked around the room in a panic. He shifted obviously trying to accomplish something and failing.
"We out anti-animingus binds on you as well Peter," Remus spat out in disgust. "You aren't going anywhere, so speak."
"H..Harry, oh Harry, you look so much like your father." Peter spoke trembling to get the words out.
"Don't speak to him," Remus bellowed.
"What happened on the first of November 1981?" Moody demanded, getting tired of the back and forth.
"He tried to kill me, he tried to kill me so I ran and I hid. When a nice boy oh he was a nice boy found me. Weasleys, they took care of me," Peter pleaded. "Molly Arthur I was a friend, a friend surely-"
"Don't speak to my wife!" Arthur Weasley was furious, the anger of the night's events working heavily in his mind.
"Why did you stay hidden, who would live as a rat for eleven years?" Moody demanded.
"I was scared he would get me."
"He who? Sirius was imprisoned and Voldermort defeated. Why did you stay with the Weasleys?" This time it was the younger Auror who spoke. Her hair, Harry noted, seemed to turn colors. What was once a vibrant teal now seemed to be as black as Harry's.
"I.. I.." Peter was lost for words.
"Enough, if you won't speak we will get to the bottom of this," Moody explained. "You're coming to the ministry with us, we will get answers. Cadet Nymphadora secures his bonds and prepares him for transport."
The young Auror made her way to the man casting more charms allowing for slight movement of his feet. She ushered him up by his arm and led him toward the door.
"Goodnight, we will have someone update you on the case," Moody said heading for the door.
"Remus please," Pettigrew begged.
No one answered the man. The three walked out the house and were gone with a pop of apparition.
"Remus, what just happened?" Arthur asked the man sitting in the arm chair.
"I honestly have no idea Arthur," Remus shrugged, confused, defeated, and determined to figure out what just happened.
Molly sat on the arm of the chair Arthur just sat in and Harry sat next to Remus. The four sat in silence looking at each other with equal levels of confusion on their faces.
"What are you thinking this could mean Remus?" This time it was Molly who spoke up.
"It means two things Molly," Remus said, straightening up in his seat. "One, Pettigrew is a coward who hid for eleven years on an invisible threat. Or…or it wasn't Sirius who betrayed Harry's parents and Peter is a bigger coward than I ever expected."
The group in the living room sat in a stunned silence unaware of the rage that flew through the youngest member of their group.
If it was him, he was in this house the whole time and I didn't kill him. I am so stupid
No you aren't Harry
We had him for eleven years and didn't know, how would you have known
I don't know Gin but this is confusing and frustrating and I'm tired of not having answers
Ginny could feel the pulsing of Harry's anger flowing through her now.
Harry you've got to calm down
Calm down, Ginny, how can I?
As Harry's anger began to rise from Harry so did a buzzing that started moments before. This caused the adults to focus their attention on Harry. Harry, whose eyes blazed in anger, sat fixated on the spot Pettigrew once occupied, his mind racing. The more he sat the angrier he became, he ignored Ginny's pleading for him to calm himself. A slow rumble started that shook Harry out of his trance just enough to know he needed to leave the house. He walked himself slowly but determined outside of Burrow. When he made his way to the empty field he let his anger take control. Ginny ran down the stairs and outside followed by the adults just in time to feel a surge of magic blast from Harry which shook them where they stood and when they looked up, Harry was gone.
AN: Another cliffhanger?! Honestly, I didn't think I had it in me. I appreciate all of the follows/favorite/reviews, please review to let me know what you think. I wasn't sure how I wanted this chapter to end but I'm pleased. It wasn't an easy chapter to write for sure.