XXVIII. Satisfying
Giving fulfilment or the pleasure associated with this.
Harry, Hermione and Jayla move as fast as they can, bending almost double; ahead of them, they see Crookshanks and Hades' tail bobbing in and out of view. "What are your cats doing here?" Harry asks the girls.
"How are we supposed to know?" Hermione snaps as the passage goes on and on; it feels at least as long as the one to Honeydukes. They can think of Ron and what the enormous black dog might be doing to him… And then the tunnel begins to rise; moments later, it twists, and Crookshanks and Hades have gone. Instead, they can see a patch of dim light through a small opening. Harry, Jayla and Hermione pause, gasping for breath, edging forward. They raise their wands to see what lies beyond.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑶
It is a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper peeling from the walls; there are stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture is broken as if somebody smashed it. The windows are all boarded up. Harry glances at Hermione, who looks very frightened but nods, then at Jayla, who gives him a stiff smile in return, though she looks a little fearful, but not because of what he thinks. Harry pulls himself out of the hole, staring around. The room is deserted, but a door to their right stands open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabs Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes travel around the boarded windows. "Harry," She whispers. "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack." Harry and Jayla look around. Their eyes fall on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks have been torn out of it; one of the legs has been ripped off completely.
"Ghosts didn't do that," Harry says slowly. At that moment, there is a creak overhead. Something moving upstairs. The three teens look up at the ceiling. Hermione's grip on Jayla's arm is so tight she loses feeling in his fingers. Harry looks at the girls, raising his eyebrows, and the girls nod, moving on.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑶
Quietly as they can, the three Gryffindors creep out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything is covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide, shiny stripe has been made by something being dragged upstairs. They reach the dark landing. "Nox," They whisper together, and the lights at the end of their wands go out. As they creep towards it, they hear movement from behind it, a low moan and a deep, loud purring. They exchange a last look, a last nod. Their wands are held tightly before them.
⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑶
Harry kicks the door wide open. On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks and Hades, purring loudly at the sight of them. Ron is on the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which sticks out at a strange angle. Harry, Jayla and Hermione dash across to him. "Ron - are you okay?" Hermione asks the redhead, checking him, and Jayla takes her wand, tapping his leg lightly.
"Episkey," Jayla mutters, seeing his leg heal slightly. "It's not fully healed, unfortunately. We need to get you to the castle."
"Where's the dog?" Hermione asks him, looking around.
"Not a dog," Ron moans, gritting his teeth in pain, though it lessens thanks to Jayla. "Thanks, JJ." She smiles, glad to see he's doing better. "Harry it's a trap -."
"What -?" Harry questions.
"He's the dog… he's an Animagus…" Ron stares over their shoulders, and Harry wheels around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closes the door behind them, blocking their only exit. A mass of filthy, matted hair hangs to his elbows. He might be a corpse if his eyes weren't shining out of the deep, dark sockets. The waxy skin is stretched so tightly over the bones of his face that it looks like a skull. His yellow teeth are bared in a grin. It is Sirius Black.
"Expelliarmus!" Sirius croaks, pointing Ron's wand at them. The three teens' remaining wands shoot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black catches them. Then he takes a step closer. His eyes are fixed only on Harry. "I thought you'd come and help your friend," He says hoarsely. His voice sounds like he has long ago lost the habit of using it. "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…" Sirius's taunt about Harry's Father rings in his ears as though Black bellows it. A boiling hate erupts in Harry's chest, leaving no place for fear. For the first time in his life, he wants his wand back in his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack… to kill. He starts forward without knowing what he is doing, but there is a sudden movement on either side of him, and three pairs of hands grab him and hold him back.
"No, Harry," Hermione gasps in a petrified whisper; Ron speaks to Black.
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us, too!" Ron declares fiercely, though the effort of standing up has drained him of still more colour, and he sways slightly as he talks. Something flickers in Black's shadowy eyes.
"Lie down," Sirius says quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."
"Did you hear me?" He replies weakly, though he is clinging painfully to Jayla to stay upright as she tries to keep the pressure off his bad leg. "You'll have to kill all four of us!"
"There'll only be one murder here tonight," Black informs with a broad grin.
"Why's that?" Harry spits, trying to free himself from Ron, Jayla and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… And killing your wife… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"
"Harry!" Jayla hisses. "Be quiet!"
"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" He roars and, with a considerable effort, breaks free of their restraint and lunges forward. He forgets about Magic - he forgets that he is short, skinny, and thirteen, whereas Black is a tall, full-grown man. All Harry knows is that he wants to hurt Black as much as he can and doesn't care how much he gets hurt in return… Perhaps it is the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, but Sirius doesn't raise the wands in time. One of Harry's hands fastens over Black's wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of the teen's other hand collide with the side of the escapee's head, and they fall backwards into the wall, making the girls scream. Ron yells; there is a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand get sent into the air with a jet of sparks, which miss Harry's face by inches. Harry feels the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clings on, his other hand punching every part of Black it can find. But Sirius' free hand finds Harry's throat.
"No," Sirius hisses. "I've waited too long -." The fingers tighten, choking Harry, his glasses askew. Then he sees Hermione's foot swing out of nowhere. Black lets go of Harry with a grunt of pain. Ron throws himself on Black's wand hand, and Harry hears a faint clatter and a snap as he fights free of the entanglement of bodies and sees his wand rolling across the floor before throwing himself towards it.
"Argh!" Harry yells as Crookshanks joins the fray; both front claws sink deep into Harry's arm while Hades minds her own business, enjoying her nap. Harry throws him off, but Crookshanks darks quickly towards the wand. "NO, YOU DON'T!" He roars, aiming a kick at the ginger cat that makes a giant leap aside, spitting at him. Harry snatches up his wand and turns. "Get out of the way!" He shouts at his friends. They don't need to be told twice. Hermione is gasping for breath, her lip bleeding and scrambling aside, snatching up her and Ron's wands. Ron crawls to the four-poster and collapses onto it, panting, his white face now tinges with green, both hands clutching his broken leg. Jayla scrambles to her wand, inspecting it, seeing the magical item as broken as Ron's old wand. She whimpers, looking at it and snatching it up before moving towards her friends. Black is sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rises and falls rapidly as he watches Harry strolling nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart.
"Going to kill me, Harry?" Sirius whispers, hearing Jayla sob a little at the thought of his death, making his heart chip a little more. Harry stops right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking at the escapee. A livid bruise rises around Black's left eye, and his nose is bleeding.
"You killed my parents," Harry replies, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand is relatively steady as Sirius stares up at him out of his sunken eyes.
"I don't deny it," He replies very quietly. "I got my wife killed… But if you knew the whole story -."
"The whole story?" The raven-haired teen repeats with a furious pounding in his ears. "You sold them to Voldemort; that's all I need to know!"
"You've got to listen to me," The former prisoner argues, and there is a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't… you don't understand.
"I understand a lot better than you think," Harry reasons, and his voice shakes more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My Mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that.,, you did it… You killed your own wife… that sound must haunt you enough…" Before either of them can say another word, something ginger streaks past Harry as Crookshanks leaps onto Black's chest, settling himself there, right over Black's heart.
"Hades, don't you dare," Jayla hisses, pulling her cat into her lap as she sits on the bed. Black blinks and looks down at the ginger cat.
"Get off," Sirius murmurs, trying to push Crookshanks off him. But the older feline sinks his claws into Black's robes and won't shift. He turns his ugly, squashed face to Harry, looking up at the boy with those great beady yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gives a dry sob. Harry stares down at Sirius and Crookshanks.
"So what if I have to kill the cat, too?" Harry ponders, feeling a little guilty, knowing how much Hermione loves that cat. "No! It's in league with Black…" He tightens his grip on his wand. "If it is prepared to die, trying to protect Black, it isn't my business… If Black wants to save it, that only proves he cares more for Crookshanks than my parents…" He raises his wand. "Now is the moment to do it. Now is the moment to avenge my Mother and Father. I am going to kill Black. I have to kill him. This is my only chance…" The seconds tick by, and he stays frozen with his wand poised as Black stares up at him with Crookshanks on his chest. The only thing that can be heard in the room is Ron's ragged breathing coming from near the bed while Hermione stays silent, and Jayla is stroking Hades' fur, trying to distract herself from the fact Harry is going to kill Sirius Black. Suddenly, there's a new sound…
Muffled footsteps echo up through the floor - someone is moving downstairs. "WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screams quickly. "WE'RE UP HERE - SIRIUS BACK QUICK!" Black makes startled movements, almost dislodging Crookshanks, and Harry grips his wand convulsively.
"Do it now!" A voice hisses in Harry's head, but the footsteps are thundering up the stairs, and he still doesn't do it. The room door bursts open in a shower of red sparks, and Harry swirls around as Professor Lupin comes hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flicker over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Jayla, sitting on the bed with Hades in her lap, close to tears, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at the boy's feet.
"Expelliarmus!" Lupin shouts, causing Harry's wand to fly once more out of his hand; so do the two Hermione is holding as Jayla's wand can't do anything now that it's broken. Lupin catches them all deftly, then moves into the room, staring at Black, who still has Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest. Harry stands there, feeling suddenly empty. He didn't do it. His nerves failed him. Black is going to be handed back to the Dementors. Then Lupin speaks in an odd voice that shakes with some suppressed emotion. "Where is he, Sirius?" Harry glances at Lupin. He doesn't understand what the Professor means. Who is Lupin talking about? He turns to look at Black again. Black's face is quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he doesn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raises his empty hand and points straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glances at Ron, who looks bewildered.
"But then…" Lupin mutters, staring at Sirius so intently it seems he is trying to read his mind, "... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless -." Remus' eyes suddenly widen as though he is seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest can see, "- unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me and Dee?" Jayla lets out a sob, making Harry cringe and very slowly, Sirius' sunken gaze never leaves Lupin's face and nods.
"Professor Lupin," Harry interrupts loudly, "what's going -?" But he never finishes the question because what he sees makes his voice die in his throat. Lupin lowers his wand, and the next moment, he walks to Black's side, seizing his hand and pulling him to his feet so that Crookshanks falls to the floor and embraces Black like a long-lost Brother. Harry feels as though the bottom has dropped out of his stomach.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screams and Lupin lets go of Black and turns to her. She raises herself off of the floor and points at Remus, wild-eyed. "You - you -!"
"Hermione -," Remus tries to explain.
"- you and him!" She shrieks, pointing at them.
"Hermione, calm down -," He says softly.
"I didn't tell anyone!" The bushy-haired Witch shrieks again. "We've been covering up for you -."
"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouts. "I can explain -." Harry can feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.
"I trusted you," Harry shouts at Lupin, his voice wavering out of control, "And all the time you've been his friend!"
"You're wrong," The Professor argues. "I haven't been Sirius' friend for twelve years, but I am now… let me explain…"
"NO!" Hermione screams, "Harry, don't trust him; he's been helping Black get into the castle; he wants you dead too - he's a Werewolf!" There is a ringing silence that settles over the room. Everyone's eyes are now on Lupin, who looks remarkably calm, though rather pale.
"That has nothing to do with this!" Jayla defends him, standing up from the bed with Hades still in her arms.
"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," Remus retorts. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…" An odd shiver passes over his face. "But I won;t deny that I am a Werewolf." Ron makes a valiant effort to get up again but falls back with a whimper of pain. Lupin makes a step towards him, looking concerned, but Ron gasps.
"Get away from me, Werewolf!" Ron scrambles, making Lupin stop dead. Then, with an apparent effort, he turns to Hermione.
"Ronald Weasley, don't be so stupid," Jayla sneers at him, dropping Hades onto the bed and stepping away to help the redhead Wizard sit up.
"How long have you known?" Lupin asks, turning to Hermione.
"Ages," Hermione whispers. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…"
"Same," Jayla mutters.
"He'll be delighted," Remus comments coolly. "He set that essay hoping someone would realise what my symptoms meant. Did you check the lunar chart and realise that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realise that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"Both," Hermione says quietly, and Lupin forces a laugh.
"My Dad's best friend is a Werewolf, too. I recognise the signs," Jayla adds, shrugging as she helps Ron onto the bed to get more comfortable.
"You're the cleverest Witches of your age I've ever met, Hermione, Jayla," Lupin remarks, thinking of two similar Witches from his youth.
"I'm not," Hermione whispers. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"
"But they already know," He argues. "At least, the staff do."
"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a Werewolf? Is he mad?" Ron gasps and suddenly yelps when Jayla slaps his shoulder.
"Some of the staff thought so," Remus agrees. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy -."
"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yells. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THIS TIME!" He points at Black, who crosses to the four-poster bed and sinks onto it, and Hades joins him, curling up on his lap as he hides his face with one shaky hand. Crookshanks leaps beside him and steps onto his lap, joining Hades, purring. Ron edges away from them, dragging his leg. Jayla tries to stop him so he doesn't injure himself any further.
"I have not been helping Sirius," He argues. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look -." He separates Harry, Ron and Hermione's wands and notices that Jayla's wand isn't in the mix before throwing each back to its owner. "There," Lupin says, seeing Harry catch his wand with a stunned look, and the Professor sticks his own back into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now, will you listen?" Harry doesn't know what to think. Is it a trick?"
"If you haven't been helping him," Harry questions, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"
"The map," He answers. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it -."
"You know how to work it?" Harry says suspiciously.
"Of course, I know how to work it," Remus replies, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony - that was my friends' nickname for me at school."
"You wrote -?" He questions.
"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening because I had an idea that you, Jayla, Ron and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?" Lupin starts pacing up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rise at his feet. "You might have been wearing your Father's old Cloak, Harry -."
"How'd you know about the Cloak?" The raven-haired teen asks.
"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" Remus replies, waving an impatient hand again. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid and set off back towards the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."
"What?" Harry says. "Now, we weren't!"
"I couldn't believe my eyes," He mutters, still pacing and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the Map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"
"No one was with us!" Potter argues.
"And then I saw another dot, moving fast towards you, labelled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you, I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow -." Remus explains.
"One of us!" Ron barks.
"No, Ron," He argues. "Two of you." He stops his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" He asks evenly.
"What?" Ron squeaks. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"
"Everything," Lupin replies. "Could I see him, please?" Ron hesitates, then puts a hand inside his jeans. Scabbers emerges, thrashing desperately; Ron has to seize his long bald tail to stop him from escaping. Crookshanks and Hades stand up on Black's lap and make hissing noises. Lupin moves closer to Ron, who seems to be holding his breath as he gazes intently at Scabbers.
"What?" He asks again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"
"That's not a rat," Sirius Black suddenly croaks.
"What d'you mean - of course, he's a rat -," The redhead argues.
"No, he's not," Lupin argues quietly. "He's a Wizard."
"An Animagus," Black says, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."
It takes a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voices what Harry is thinking. "You're both mental.
"Ridiculous!" Hermione argues faintly.
"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" Harry says. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He points at Black, whose face twitches convulsively.
"I meant to," Sirius growls, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me… he killed her," he looks at Jayla, "he killed Dee… not this time, though!" Crookshanks is thrown to the floor as Black lunges at Scabbers. Ron yells with pain as Black's weight falls on his broken leg.
"Sirius, NO!" Lupin yells, launching himself forward and dragging Black away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that - they need to understand - we've got to explain -."
"We can explain afterwards!" Sirius snarls, trying to throw Lupin off, one hand still clawing the air as if trying to reach Scabbers, who squeals like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tries to escape.
"They've - got - a - right - to - know - everything!" Remus pants, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Harry - you owe Harry and Jayla the truth, Sirius!" That stops the escapee's struggling, though his hollow eyes are still fixed on Scabbers, who clampers tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched and bleeding hands.
"All right, then," Black agrees without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"
"You're nutters, both of you," Ron says shakily, looking around at Harry, Jayla and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off." He tries to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raises his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.
"You're going to hear me out, Ron," Lupin tells him quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."
"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" He yells, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but the rat is fighting too hard; Ron sways and overbalanced, and Harry catches him and pushes him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turns to Lupin.
"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," Harry remarks. "A whole street full of them…"
"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" Black replies savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.
"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter and Dee," Lupin explains, nodding. "I believed it myself - until I saw the Map tonight. Because the Marauder's Map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry." Harry looks at his best friend, and as their eyes meet, they silently agree: Black and Lupin are both out of their minds. Their story makes no sense whatsoever. How can Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Black, but why is Lupin playing along with him?
Then, Hermione speaks. In a trembling, will-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to convince Professor Lupin to talk sensibly. "But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"
"Why can't it be true?" Lupin suggests calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.
"Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework - the Ministry keeps tabs on Witches and Wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have only been seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list -." Hermione argues, explaining thoroughly. Harry barely has time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione puts into her homework when Lupin starts laughing.
"Right again, Hermione!" Remus laughs. "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be four unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."
"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," Black snarls, who still watches Scabbers' every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years; I'm not going to wait much longer.
"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," He says, "I only know how it began…" He breaks off. There is a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door opens of its own accord. All six of them stare at it. Then Lupin strides towards it and looks out into the landing. "No one there…"
"This place is haunted!" Ron reminds them.
"It's not," Lupin argues, looking at the door puzzledly. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… the screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me." He pushes his greying hair out of his eyes, thinking momentarily, then says, "That's where all this starts - with my becoming a Werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…" He looks sober and tired. Ron starts to interrupt, but Hermione stops him.
"Shh!" Hermione watches Lupin very intently.
"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days, there was no cure. The Potion that Professor Snape and Jayla have been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again." He explains calmly. "Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully-fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me." He casts a look at Sirius. "But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that, as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" He sighs and looks directly at Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I had come to Hogwarts. This house -," He looks miserably around the room, "- the tunnel that leads to it - they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle into this place to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous." Harry can't see where this story is going, but he is listening raptly to all the same. The only sound apart from Lupin's voice is Scabbers's frightened squeaking. "My transformations in those days were - were trouble. It is very painful to turn into a Werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumour… even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…
"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends, Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your Father, Harry - James Potter." Remus glances at the boy. "Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my Mother was ill and that I had to go home to see her.. I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth…" He looks at the girl. "And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformation not only bearable but the best times of my life. They became Animagi. With the help of the new transfer student, who saw the signs immediately and helped us."
"My Dad, too?" Harry questions, astounded.
"Yes, indeed," Lupin replies. "It took them the best of three years to work out how to do it. Which luckily for them was when Dee was transferred from America. Your Father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong - one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."
"But how did that help you?" Hermione asks, sounding puzzled.
"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," Lupin explains further. "A Werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James' Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."
"Hurry up, Remus," Black snarls, who still watches Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.
"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… Well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now we could all transform. Soon, we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius, James and Dee transformed into such large animals they were able to keep a Werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts student ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfood. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs. Dee didn't want any part in the Map, unfortunately."
"What sort of anime -?" Harry begins, but Hermione cuts across him.
"That was still really dangerous!" Hermione exclaims. "Running around in the dark with a Werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip and bitten somebody?"
"A thought that still haunts me," Lupin replies heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless - carried away with our own cleverness." He shakes his head. "I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led four fellow students into becoming Anamagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…" His face hardens, and there is self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me.., and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using Dark Arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."
"Snape?" Black says harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers for the first time in minutes and looking at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"
"He's here, Sirius," Remus explains heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looks up at the four Gryffindors.
"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me -." Black makes a derisive noise.
"It served him right," Sirius sneers. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get up expelled…"
"Severus was very interested in where I went every month," Lupin tells the teens. "We were in the same year, you know, and we - er - didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James' talent on the Quidditch Pitch… anyway. Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me towards the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be - er - amusing to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it - if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown Werewolf - but your Father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden to tell anybody by Dumbledore, but from that time on, he knew what I was…"
"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," Harry questions slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"
"That's right," A cold voice sneers from the wall behind Lupin. Severus Snape pulls off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.
Hermione screams.
Black leaps to his feet.
Harry jumps as though he'd received a massive electric shock.
"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," Snape reveals, throwing the Cloak aside, careful to keep his wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…" He seems slightly breathless, but his face is full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering perhaps, how I knew you were here?" He says, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your Potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."
"Severus -," Lupin begins, but Snape overrides him.
"I've told the Headmaster again and again that you've been helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout -." Severus sneers, looking at his old-school nemesis.
"Severus, you're making a mistake," He replies urgently. "You haven't heard everything - I can explain - Sirius is not here to kill Harry -."
"Two more for Azkaban tonight," Snape's eyes gleam fanatically as he talks. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… he was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a tame Werewolf…"
"You fool," Remus sighs softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"
BANG!
Thin, snake-like cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twist themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists and ankles; he stumbles and falls to the floor, unable to move. With a roar of rage, Black rushes toward Snape, but he points his wand straight between the escapee's eyes. "Give me a reason," Severus whispers. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will." Sirius stops dead. It will be impossible to say which face shows more hatred. Harry stands there, paralysed, not knowing what to do or who to believe. He glances at his friends. Ron looks just as confused as he does, still fighting to keep hold of the struggling Scabbers.
Hermione, however, takes an uncertain step towards Snape and says, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape - it - it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?" Harry looks at Jayla, silently crying as she cradles Hades to her chest. He can't help but wonder what is making her cry and wants to ask, but he doesn't know where to start.
"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spits. "You, Potter, Weasley and Miss Darkmore are out of bounds in the company of a convicted murderer and a Werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."
"But if - if there was a mistake," She argues gently.
"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" He shouts, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" A few sparks shoot out of the end of his wand, which is still pointed at Black's face. Hermione falls silent. "Vengeance is very sweet," Severus breathes at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you…"
"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarks. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle -" He jerks his head at Ron, "- I'll come quietly…"
"Up to the castle?" Snape questions silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the Dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay…" What little colour there is to Black's face leaves.
"You can't…" Jayla gasps, looking at Sirius and Snape in disbelief.
"You - you've got to hear me out," Sirius croaks. "The rat - look at the rat -." But Snape's eye has a mad glint that none of the students have ever seen. He seems beyond reason.
"Come on, all of you," Severus urges, clicking his fingers and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin fly to his hands. "I'll drag the Werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him, too -." Before he knows what he is doing, Harry crosses the room in three strides and blocks the door. "Get out of the way, Potter; you're in enough trouble already," Snape snarks. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin-."
"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry argues. "I've been alone with him loads of times, having defence lessons against the Dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"
"Don't ask me to fathom the way a Werewolf's mind works," Severus hisses. "Get out of the way, Potter."
"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yells. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL. YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN -!"
"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieks, looking madder than ever. "Like Father, like Son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knees! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your Father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black - now get out of the way, or I will make you GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!" Harry makes up his mind in a split second.
Before Snape can take even one step toward him, he raises his wand. "Expelliarmus!" Harry yells - except that this isn't the only voice that shouts. There is a blast that makes the door rattle on its hinges; Snape is lifted off his feet and slams into the wall, then slides down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He's knocked out. Harry looks around. Both Ron and Hermione tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same time. Snape's wand soars in a high arc and lands between Jayla and Crookshanks on the bed.
"You shouldn't have done that," Black warns the teens, looking at Harry. "You should have left him to me…" Harry avoids his eyes. He isn't sure, even now, that he's done the right thing.
"We attached a teacher… we attached a teacher…" Hermione whimpers, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble -."
"Mione, he's still alive. He wasn't thinking rationally," Jayla assures her best friend. Lupin struggles against his bonds. Black bends down quickly and unties him. Remus straightens up, rubbing his arms where the ropes cut into them.
"Thank you, Harry," Lupin says.
"I'm still not saying I believe you," Harry retorts.
"Then it's time we offered you some proof," Black replies. "You, boy - give me Peter. Now." Ron clutches Scabbers closer to his chest.
"Come off it," Ron says weakly. "Are you trying to say you broke out of Azkaban just to get your hands on Scabbers? I mean…" He looks up to his friends for support. "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat - there are millions of rats - how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"
"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," Lupin reasons, turning to Black and frowning slightly. "How did you find out where he was?" Black puts one of his claw-like hands inside his robes and takes out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothes flat and holds out to show the others. The photograph of the Weasley family appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers. "How did you get this?" Remus asks Sirius, thunderstruck.
"Fudge," Black answers.
"For once he's useful," Jayla mutters, thinking of the horrible Minister of Magic.
"When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page… on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry was…" Sirius explains.
"My God," Lupin says softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…"
"What about it?" Ron snaps defiantly.
"He's got a toe missing," Black states.
"Of course," Lupin breathes, so simple… so brilliant… He cut it off himself?"
"Just before he transformed," Sirius says. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. That I'd killed Dee, which I later learned was at our house. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself - and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…"
"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" Remus questions, looking at the redhead. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger.
"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right -." Ron argues.
"Twelve years, in fact," He agrees. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"
"We - we've been taking good care of him!" The youngest Weasley boy claims.
"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" Remus questions. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"
"He's been scared of those mad cats!" Ron snaps, nodding towards Crookshanks and Hades, who are still purring on the bed and Jayla's lap.
"But that isn't right," Harry thinks suddenly… "Scabbers has been looking ill before he met Crookshanks… ever since Ron's return from Egypt… since the time when Black escaped."
"This cat isn't mad," Black says hoarsely. He reaches out a bony hand and strokes Crookshanks' fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognised Peter for what he was straight away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. Hades is another story. It was a while before he trusted me. Finally, I managed to communicate to them what I was after, and they've been helping me…"
"What do you mean?" Hermione breathes.
"He tried to bring Peter to me but couldn't… so Hades stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…" Sirius explains, and Harry's brain seems to sag under the weight of what he is hearing. It is absurd… and yet… "But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it… this cat - Crookshanks, did you call him? - told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… I suppose he bit himself… well, faking his own death had worked once…" These words jolt Harry to his senses.
"And why did he fake his death?" Harry asks furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"
"No," Lupin argues. "Harry -."
"And now you've come to finish him off!" He yells.
"Yes, I have," Black confirms with an evil look at Scabbers.
"Then I should've let Snape take you!" The raven-haired teen shouts.
"Harry," Lupin says hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time, we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down after killing Dee - but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter killed Dee and betrayed your Mother and Father - Sirius tracked Peter down -."
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yells. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP, HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!" He points at Black, who shakes his head slowly; the sunken eyes are suddenly over-bright.
"Harry… I as good as killed them," Sirius croaks. "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. While he went to our house and killed my wife. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house destroyed and their bodies - I released what Peter must have done. What I'd done." His voice breaks, and he turns away.
"Enough of this," Lupin says, and there is a steely note in his voice Harry has never heard before. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat."
"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asks the DADA Professor tensely.
"Force him to show himself," He tells him. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him." Ron hesitates momentarily before finally holding out Scabber to Lupin, who takes him. Scabbers begins squeaking no-stop, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" He looks at Sirius, who picks up Snape's discarded wand from the bed. He approaches Remus and the struggling rat, his wet eyes suddenly seeming to be burning in his face.
"Together?" Sirius says quietly.
"I think so," He agrees, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One - two - THREE!" A flash of blue-white light erupts from both wands and for a moment, Scabbers freezes in midair, his small black form twisting madly. Ron yells, and the rat falls and hits the floor. There is another blinding flash of light, and then it is like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head shoots upward from the ground, limbs sprouting; the next moment, a man stands where Scabbers once was, cringing and wringing his hands. Crookshanks and Hades spit and snarl on the bed, the hair on their backs standing up. Peter is a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, colourless hair is unkept, and a large bald patch is on top. He has the shrunken appearance of a plump man who lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looks grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingers around his pointed nose and very small, watery eyes. He looks around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Harry sees his eyes dart to the door and back again. "Well, hello, Peter," Lupin greets pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupt into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see."
"S-Sirius… R-Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice is squeaky. Again, his eyes dart towards the door. "My friends… my old friends…" Black's wand arm rises, but Lupin seizes him around the wrist, giving him a warning look, then turns again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual to not alarm Peter.
"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily, James and Dee died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed -." Remus says, looking at his old friend, who grows nervous under the stares of the four teens and his old friends.
"Remus," Pettigrew gasps, and they can see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you… He tried to kill me, Remus…"
"So we've heard," He replies more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so -."
"He's come to try and kill me again!" Peter shrieks suddenly, pointing at Black, and Harry sees him use his middle finger because his index is missing. "He killed Dee, Lily and James, and now he's going to kill me, too. You've got to help me, Remus…"
"YOU KILLED HER! YOU LYING BASTARD!" Jayla screams, jumping from the bed, startling her friends as she storms towards the squeaking man, who cowers at her raging eyes. Sirius steps in front of her, stopping her by wrapping his skinny arms around her waist. "LET ME GO! HE DESERVES TO DIE LIKE SHE DID!" Harry looks at his long-time crush and wonders who she's talking about. "YOU KILLED MY AUNT!" That bombshell makes Harry gape at her in shock at the big reveal, and he looks at Black again, seeing how his eyes gleam as he looks at Jayla, who has tears streaming down her face. "He should be dead, not her…" She sobs, and Harry moves towards her, pulling her into his arms. He can't help but wonder a few things but will leave it to when they're alone.
"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," Lupin argues, though he looks sadly at Jayla as she cries into Harry's chest, and he runs a hand up and down her back to try and give her some comfort.
"Sorted things out?" Pettigrew squeals, looking wildly about him again, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"
"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" He muses, furrowing his brow. "When nobody has ever done it before?"
"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Peter shouts shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!" Black starts laughing, a horrible, mirthless laugh that fills the whole room.
"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" Black questions. Pettigrew flinches as though Sirius brandishes a whip at him. "What, scared to hear your old master's name?" He asks. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"
"Don't know - what you mean, Sirius -." Pettigrew mutters, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face shines with sweat now.
"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," Sirius remarks. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… they all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways… if they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter -."
"Don't know… what you're talking about…" He replies again, more shrill than ever. He wipes his face on his sleeve and looks at Lupin. "You don't believe this - this madness, Remus -."
"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," Lupin argues evenly.
"Innocent, but scared!" Peter squeals. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban - the spy, Sirius Black!" Black's face contorts.
"How dare you," Sirius growls, sounding suddenly like the bear-sized dog he has been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever speak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter - I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…" Pettigrew wipes his face again, almost panting for breath.
"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a -." Pettigrew argues almost.
"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hisses so venomously, making Peter take a step backwards. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… it must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters." Pettigrew mutters distractedly, and Harry catches a few words like 'far-fetched' and 'lunacy', but he can't help but pay more attention to the ashen colour of Peter's face and the way his eyes continue to dark towards the windows and doors.
"Professor Lupin?" Hermione asks timidly. "Can - can I say something?"
"Certainly, Hermione," Lupin agrees courteously.
"Well - Scabbers - I mean, this - this man - he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years," She reasons. "If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"
"There!" Pettigrew exclaims shrilly, pointing at Hermione with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"
"I'll tell you why," Black says. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for twelve years; they say he's half-dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose for a wreck of a Wizard who'd lost all his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a Wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…" Pettigrew's mouth opens and closes several times. He seems to have lost the ability to talk.
"Er - Mr Black - Sirius?" Hermione says timidly, making Black jump at being addressed like this and staring at her as though being spoken to politely is something he'd long forgotten. "If you don't mind me asking, how - how did you get out of Azkaban if you didn't use Dark Magic?"
"Thank you!" Peter gasps, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I -!" But Lupin silences him with a look. Black frowns slightly at Hermione, but not as though he is annoyed with her. He seems to be pondering his answer.
"I don't know how I did it," Sirius answers slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that 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… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallows. "They feel their way towards people by sensing their emotions… they could tell that my feelings were less - less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone in there, so it didn;t trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand… But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realised he was at Hogwarts with Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…"
Pettigrew shakes his head, mouthing noiselessly but staring, all the while, at Black as though hypnotised.
"... ready to strike the moment he could be sure of allies… to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honours… So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive."
Harry remembers what the Weasley and Darkmores discussed at the beginning of the school year. "The guards say he's been talking in his sleep… always the same words… 'He's at Hogwarts'."
"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it… it wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night, when they opened the door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… it's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland.. I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog… I've been living in the Forest ever since… except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course… you fly as well as your Father did, Harry…" Sirius looks at Harry, who doesn't look away. "Believe me," He croaks. "Believe me. I never betrayed James and Lily." He looks at Jayla. "I would never kill Dee. Never. I would have died before I betrayed them." And at long last, Harry believes him. Harry's throat is too tight to speak with the overwhelming emotions, so he nods.
"No!" Pettigrew screams, falling to his knee as though the boy's nod has signed his own death sentence. He shuffles forward on his knees, grovelling like the worm he is, his hands clasped in front of him as if praying for mercy. "Sirius - it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't…" Black kicks out, and Peter recoils.
"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," Black sneers.
"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaks, turning to Lupin instead for help, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this… Wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"
"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," Lupin reasons. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" He asks casually over Peter's head.
"Forgive me, Remus," Black replies.
"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," Remus retorts, who rolls up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"
"Of course," Sirius says, and the ghost of a grin flitters across his gaunt face. He, too, begins rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"
"Yes, I think so," He agrees grimly.
"You wouldn't… you won't…" Pettigrew gasps, scrambling around to Ron. "Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?" But Ron stares at Peter with the utmost revulsion.
"I let you sleep in my bed!" Ron exclaims in disgust and disbelief at what is happening.
"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawls towards Ron, "You won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"
"If you made a better rat than human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," Black comments harshly. Ron goes paler with pain, wrenching his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Peter turns on his knees, staggering forward and seizing the hem of Hermione's hoodie.
"Sweet girl… clever girl… you - you won't let them… help me," Peter pleads, but Hermione pulls herself away from his clutching hands and backs away against the wall, looking horrified. Pettigrew kneels, trembling uncontrollably, and slowly turns towards the hugging Harry and Jayla. "Harry… Harry… you look just like your Father… just like him… Jayla… you look so much like your Aunt… sweet like her, too…"
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY AND JAYLA?" Black roars, jumping towards them. "HOW DARE YOU FACE THEM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES AND DAVINA IN FRONT OF THEM?"
"Harry, Jayla," Pettigrew whispers, shuffling towards them, hands outstretched," Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood Harry… he would have shown me mercy… Dee, she was the sweetest thing… she would have shown me mercy…" Black and Lupin stride forward, seizing Pettgrew's shoulders and throwing him backwards onto the floor. He sits there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.
"You sold Lilly and James to Voldemort, and you killed Davina," Black sneers, shaking with rage. "Do you deny it?" Peter bursts into tears. It's horrible to watch: he looks like an oversized, balding baby cowering on the floor.
"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me -." Peter cries, wishing for mercy.
"DON'T LIE!" Sirius bellows. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"
"He - he was taking over everywhere!" He gasps. "Wh-What was there to be gained by refusing him?"
"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil Wizard who has ever existed?" Black questions with a terrible fury on his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"
"You don't understand!" Pettigrew whines. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" He roars. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!" Black and Lupin stand shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.
"You should have realised," Lupin says quietly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye, Peter." Hermione covers her face with her hands and turns to the wall.
"NO!" Harry yells, pulling away from Jayla and runs forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him." He declares breathlessly. "You can't." Sirius and Remus both look staggered.
"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarls. "Who killed my wife." Harry sees the haunted look in his eyes as he mentions his dead wife and the shudder in his voice. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die, too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family and mine."
"I know," Harry pants. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors. He can go to Azkaban… just don't kill him."
"Harry!" Pettigrew gasps, flinging his arms around the boy's knees. "You - thank you - it's more than I deserve - thank you -."
"Get off me," He spits, throwing Peter's hands off in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because I reckon my Dad and Jayla's Aunt would've wanted their best friends and husband to become killers just for you." No one moves or makes a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath comes in. He wheezes as he clutches his chest. Black and Lupin look at each other. Then, with one movement, they lower their wands.
"I guess, you're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," Black agrees. "But think… think what he did…" Harry looks back at Jayla, who nods, seeming to agree with his decision.
"He can go to Azkaban," He repeats. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…" Peter still wheezes behind him.
"Very well," Lupin folds. "Stand aside, Harry." The raven-haired teen hesitates. "I'm going to tie him up," He assures Harry. "That's all, I swear." Harry steps out of the way, moving towards Jayla, who accepts his arms around her again. Thin cords shoot from Remus's wand this time, and the next moment, Pettigrew wriggles on the floor, bound and gagged.
"I'm sorry," Jayla whispers to Harry, making him frown and wondering what she means. "I'm sorry I never told you about Sirius."
"It's okay, I think I understand," Harry mutters, squeezing her a little.
"But if you transform, Peter," Black growls, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew, "we will kill you. You agree, Harry?" The raven-haired teen looks down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nods so Peter can see him.
"Right," Remus says, suddenly business-like. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing. Though, Jayla has done a nice enough job to get you there." He comments, looking at the Darkmore Heiress, who clings to Harry, and he hurries over to Ron, bending down, tapping Ron's leg with his wand and muttering, "Ferula." Bandages spin up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helps the redhead to his feet; Ron puts his weight gingerly on the beg and doesn't wince.
"That's better," Ron confirms. "Thanks."
"What about Professor Snape?" Hermione asks in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.
"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," Remus assures her, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little - over-enthusiastic. Still out cold. Er - perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this…" He mutters. "Mobilicorpus." As though invisible strings are tied to Snape's wrists, neck and knees, he's pulled into a standing position, head lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hangs a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lupin picks up the Invisibility Cloak and tucks it safely into his pocket.
"And two of us should be chained to this," Black suggests, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."
"I'll do it," Lupin says."
"And me," Ron adds savagely, limping forwards. Black conjures heavy manacles from thin air; soon Peter is upright again, leg arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. The redhead's face is set. He has taken Scabbers true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks and Hades leap lightly off the bed and lead out of the room, their tails jauntily high.
