Chapter 32: The Reflection in the Dark

"ouch!" Ron yelled out it the blue "Scabbers, he bit me. Scabbers come back!" Ron spun around himself and spotted the Rat running through the grass.

"Ron?" Kiba asked as the boy too began to Run

"Crookshanks!" Hermione shouted beside him also getting up and running after the bushy ginger tail that was chasing Ron. She was closely followed by Harry who was telling them both to stop. Kiba grabbed the cloak that Harry had dropped and also dashed after them. Ron leaped forward landing on the ground with a thud, his right hand reaching Scabbers and pinning him down. He sat upright and turned to Harry and Hermione who looked deadly afraid.

"Harry.. that tree" Hermione whispered. Ron was sitting just inches away from the bark of the whomping willow, a deadly tree that tended to swing it's branches at anyone that came to close. This tree nearly smashed Ron and Harry to bits when they had crash landed the blue Ford Angela in it's crown

"Ron! Run!" Harry shouted but Ron froze and pointed behind Harry and Ron where Kiba was standing. Harry and Hermione turned and stared at the boy but then they heard it. A deep growl emitted from the darkness, Kiba turned too and saw it. That black dog, that large canine. It growled again before it barked twice. Kiba couldn't understand it, he was desperate to know what it was trying to say. One more bark and the dog charged. Hermione and Kiba tried to react but both weren't as fast as Harry. Kiba had to drop the cloak but he was far to late.

The dog pounced at Harry's chest, sending him to the ground. Kiba feared that the beast might unhinge it's jaw and bite into Harry but it didn't. It's gaze was fixed on Ron, who it charged at next. This time it's jaw did open as it jumped. Ron tried to evade the sharp teeth but they penetrated the skin and flesh on his leg nonetheless. Ron yelled out in pain as the dog began to drag him towards the bark of the willow and down a hole beneath it. Ron yelled for the other three's help but there was no chance they would reach him the last thing they saw going down the hole was his right hand that still tightly held on to the Rat Scabbers. Kiba stepped over to Harry and held out his hand to help him up but before Harry could take it Kiba was knocked several feet away from him landing in the hard ground.

The tree had awoken and wasn't letting the three pass through. One branch slammed the ground where Harry had been, he had barely managed to roll to the side. 'hold on' Kiba suddenly heard as Crookshanks ran past him. He watched as he squeezed between the roots of the tree and put his paw on a knot. The whomping willow stopped dead in it's movement, straightened itself out and looked like any ordinary tree.

"What?" Harry blurted out "what made it stop?"

"Crookshanks must've done something.." Kiba replied pointing to the ginger cat that disappeared in the nearby hole.

"How would he know?" Hermione asked

"He's friends with that dog," Harry said "i saw them together on the grounds, strolling through the night like buddies" they stood above the hole that led beneath the tree and stared into the darkness.

"Where do you suppose this leads?" Kiba asked Harry hoping that he knew due to his knowledge of the Marauder's Map

"I've seen the entrance in the map," the black haired wizard replied "and i have a hunch where it leads.. let's go" he went legs first into the hole and slid into the darkness followed by Kiba and then Hermione. They came out at the end Harry landed on his feet and managed to stay on them but Kiba slipped out of the hole and rolled landing on his back. Hermione came out landing on her feet but she tripped over a something in the darkness and fell face first onto Kiba's chest.

"I'm sorry" she apologized immediately as she got off of the boy.

"It's alright," he replied dragging himself to his own feet. "Lumos" with a slight movement of his wand the tip lit up surrounding the three with light. Hermione and Harry both lit up their wands aswell as they surveyed their surroundings. There was only one path to follow and they could see a bushy ginger tail bobbing up and down further down it and set off following the tunnel that was getting tighter and tighter and ultimately went towards towards the surface in a steep climb.

Kiba lead the way through a small trap door into the broken room. Kiba caught a glimpse outside through a crack in the wooden wall and he could see a village. "were in the shrieking shack" he said as he helped Hermione get through the trap door. He looked around, and studied the room and the stairs. There were several human footprints scattered along with large paw prints in the dust that had created a thick layer on the floor, and one Ron sized line that dragged upstairs. "Nox" Kiba turned off the light of his wand and Hermione did the same, the setting sun was giving them enough light through the cracks and they didn't want to reveal their position.

The shack swayed slightly in the wind, showing just how old the building was.. they crept up the stairs fearing that each crack and sound in the flooring would alert the dog. They silently followed the trail to a door. Harry didn't hesitate, he kicked the door and it swung open. Ron sat on the floor against a nearby desk clutching his bleeding, broken leg. Harry and Hermione scanned the room but Kiba stuck his wand behind his ear and rushed over to Ron. He barely took notice of Kiba as he checked his leg thinking of a spell he could use to soothe the pain. "Harry run! It's a trap. He's the dog, he's an Animagus!" the door behind them closed with a loud creak revealing a man.

Black stood in the corner of the room looking more like a corpse then a man. His soon was waxy, his eyes were sunken into his school underlined with bags. His body was thin, like it had been deprived of food for years. His arms looked like bones and his ribs could be seen beneath his tattood skin through his open prison shirt. Kiba and Harry reached for their wands quickly and were prepared to fight which caused the previously purring Crookshanks to hiss at them. "Expelliarmus!" croaked Black as he revealed Ron's wand in his own hand. Harry's wand flew high in the air and landed in Black's free hand but Kiba's was simply knocked out of his hand and rolled over the floor closer to Black. Hermione had been frightened enough by the shack but not she was hiding partially behind Kiba clutching the boys arm. "I would have expected you to come help your friend" Black spoke carefully sounding as though he hadn't used his voice in several years "so like your father, he would've done the same for me. I am grateful though, that you didn't call on a Teacher, it'll make this all much simpler" Kiba heard Harry growl with anger and saw him prepare to make a furious move towards the man but he reached out and held him back.

"If you want to kill Harry… ouch, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron suddenly said as he forced himself to his feet.

"Lie down," Black said quietly "you'll damage that leg beyond repair"

"didn't you hear me? You'll have to kill all four of us!"

"No!" Black hissed with a low growl "only one will die tonight"

"why?" Harry began forcefully removing Kiba's hand from his arm "you didn't care last time, did you? Why should it now? Has Azkaban made you go Soft?"

"Harry.." Hermione whimpered

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" without warning Harry lunged forward and grabbed Black's right wrist to force his wands away with his left hand as his right fist connected with the side of Black's face sending him backwards to the ground with Harry on top. The two wands in his hand shot out Sparks that narrowly missed Harry before they jumped from his grasp. Harry placed his hands around the throat of Black as he began to squeeze but Black got a hand in between just in time.

"are you going to kill me, Harry?" Black laughed "I've waited to long.." he put a have on Harry's face and pushed him off, but before he could get up himself Kiba's foot connected with his face. Black crawled backwards and leaned against the wall as blood poured from his nose. Meanwhile Harry was fighting Crookshanks for his wand and pointed it at the escaped convict with killer intent.

"You killed my parents" said Harry with a shaky voice but his wand was steady aimed at Black's chest.

"I.. don't deny it" Black whispered with a hint of urgency in his hoarse voice "but, if you knew the entire story.."

"I don't care about your story" Harry replied furiously. Kiba backed away and grabbed his wand holding it in his hand tightly. "You sold my parents to Voldemort, that's all i need to know!"

"listen to me.. you don't understand" Black said again the urgency in his voice rising "let me explain.. you'll regret it if you don't let me"

"i understand better then you think!" Harry retorted angrily "you don't hear get every night.. screaming.. trying to stop Voldemort from killing me.. you did that.. and now you've come to finish what you started.. but i won't let you!" Harry began focusing his magic, Kiba could feel it concentrate on Harry's wand as the scar bearing boy thought of the appropriate spell. Crookshanks leaped to Black's chest should him from the incoming attack we Black lay helpless, wandless on the floor.

"Expelliarmus!" the door to the room burst open and Harry's wand was once again removed from his grasp landing safely in Lupin's. His wand was pointed at Harry but he motioned to the boy too step aside. Lupin stuff above Black his wand aimed at the man, the hint of a smile etched on his face. A smile that Kiba had seen before, a smile that he had seen when Lupin had remembered his friends. "Well, well, Sirius. Looking rather ragged aren't we?" Lupin said "finally the flesh reflects the madness within.."

"You'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you Remus?" he replied jokingly.

"Where is he?" Lupin asked. The two men looked at each other when Black slowly pointed towards Ron. The four young wizards looked around and at Ron bewildered, none of them understood. "but then.. why hasn't he shown himself before..? Unless-" Lupin looked forward into the nothingness that was a wooden wall behind Harry "unless.. he was the one and you.. switched" Black's gaze had not left Lupin and he slowly began to nod. Lupin lowered his wand and pulled Black to his feet embracing him in a tight hug, one you would share with a brother.

"I found him" Black whimpered as he released Remus

"I know.." Remus replied

"It's him"

"I understand"

"Let's kill him!"

"I TRUSTED YOU!" Hermione suddenly yelled out "and you… you and him.. are friends. You've been helping him get into the castle"

"Hermione.." Lupin tried to speak calmly

"I've been covering for you! And you wanted Harry dead just liked he does"

"please, i can explain"

"we can't trust him" Hermione said turning to her friends "He's a Warewolf!"

"Hold on..!"

"that's why he's been missing classes"

"how long have you known?" Lupin asked

"Ever since Snape set the essay"

"you really are the brightest Witch of your age" Lupin complimented the girl "however, today you're not up to your usual standard. You got one out of three; i haven't been helping Sirius get into the castle, and i certainly don't want Harry dead" his face turned pale however, and Kiba realized the secret that Lupin hid "but i won't deny it. I am a Warewolf"

"enough talk, Remus. Let's kill him!" Sirius intervened

"wait!" he said stopping Black

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

"Alright. But give me one more minute, Harry has the right to know why" he handed Harry's wand to Sirius and kept his own. "i haven't been helping Sirius" he began

"how did you know we were here?" Kiba questioned him, the man he had trusted, the man that had set him into the world if magic

"The map" he replied "the Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining-"

"You know how to work it?" Harry intervened

"If course i know how to work it," he said impatiently waving his hand "i was among those who wrote it. I'm Moony- it was my nickname during my days in school." Lupin explained "i thought that you four might sneak out to visit Hagrid, so i decided to look in the map and i was proven right. Even your father's cloak can't hide you from the map"

"You know-"

"Yes. The amount of times I've seen James disappear under it.." he smiled again, that smile of happy memories. "Point is, when you left the hut, you were accompanied by someone new. I thought the map had been malfunctioning, but the map never lies.. i wondered how he could be with you. And then, Sirius appeared on the map, colliding with you and pulling two of you beneath the willow.

"Only Ron was dragged away!" Harry replied angrily.

"No Harry, someone was with him, someone i thought to be dead" Lupin said

"Who?!" asked Hermione quickly to finally reveal it

"Peter Pettigrew!" Sirius shouted "and he's in this very room!" he added with joy

"no." Harry said "you killed him" he added towards Black

"I wish i had, but little Peter got the better of me. Took advantage of my sorrow! Blamed me for all those murders"

"then where is he?" Kiba asked. In his mind the clockworks were spinning fast. He was keeping up with Lupin's explanation and thinking of everything in case Lupin was lying and changing details.

"he's right there!" Black pointed his finger at Ron

"Me?! That's mental" Ron whimpered

"No, not you. Your Rat!" Black spat

"Scabbers?" Ron stammered. Kiba's eyes lit up and they darted left and right scanning the room his mind rushing from one piece of information to the next.

"he's an Animagus" Black added "like me"

"But i saw neither of your names on the registry' Hermione said "i checked, there were only about six Animagi"

"registered Animagi" Lupin corrected her "when James, Sirius and Peter had found out that i was a Warewolf they took action. As my friends they decided to become Animagi to join me on the nights of the full moon" Lupin said "took them a while but ultimately, they did it. Sirius took the form of a dog, James that of a Stag and Peter.. Peter became a Rat. They risked everything on my behalf by not registering their forms, but in their presence i became less wild, i was calm as a Warewolf. Before, i would lockk myself in the shrieking shack during my transformation.. slashing at my surroundings and.. myself" Lupin sighed "during our nightly strolles we gained the knowledge of the grounds we needed to create the map, but someone was always on to us, always trying to find evidence. There were several near misses. But when Severus found out, Dumbledore forced him to keep quiet"

"Expelliarmus!" a voice said out if nowhere. Lupin's and Black's wand flew high and Snape revealed himself, throwing off the invisibility cloak. "vengeance is sweet. Oh how i hoped i'd be the one to catch you"

"Severus.." Lupin said carefully but absurd pointed his wand at him making him back away

"i told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle, and now, here's the proof"

"brilliant Snivellus" Black said mockingly "once again you've put your keen and penetrating mind to the task, and it as usual comes to the wrong conclusion" he said taking a slow after towards Snape "now if you'd excuse us, Remus and i have some unfinished business to attend to" he tried to snatch back the wands but but Snape reached quickly placing the tip of his own to Sirius' throat

"Give me a reason.. i beg you" he said

"Severus, don't be a fool" Lupin said trying to calm them down

"He can't help it, it's habit by now" Black replied

"Sirius be quiet!"

"Be quiet yourself, Remus!"

"Listen to you, quarreling like an old married couple" Snape added

"why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set?" Black asked Snape who in return patted his wand harder against Sirius' throat

"i could do it, you know.." he said "but why deny it the Dementors? They are so longing to see you" he added. Black tried to shuffle backwards as an obvious chill went down his spine "do i detect a flicker of fear? Ah yes, the Dementors kiss. One can only imagine what that must be like to endure, it's said to be nearly unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best.."

"Severus, please" Lupin pleaded. Snape stepped aside and motioned for Black to leave willingly

"After you" he said impatiently

"Expelliarmus" Harry suddenly ballowed, he was holding Hermione's wand and aimed it at Snape who was promptly disarmed. Kiba reached for his own wand and and it at Snape too.

"Mister Scamander, i'd be ve-"

"Depulso" he flicked his wand and Snape was send backwards into the bed which collapsed into him.

"What are you doing?!" Hermione yelped "you attacked a teacher!" Kiba ignored get and pointed his wand at Lupin. He was starting to piece it together but was missing a few details

"keep talking" he ordered.

"if Peter Pettigrew could turn into a Rat. Why do you think it is Scabbers then?" Harry added

"A fait question," Lupin muttered turning towards Black "how did you find him?" Black reached into his robes and tossed something to Hermione. It was an article from the daily prophet, in it was the weekend family in Egypt, along with Scabbers. "How did you get that?"

"Fudge" said Kiba "he visited Azkaban and gave Black the newspaper" Kiba lowered his wand and looked at Harry who was seemingly still confused. "don't you get it? Pettigrew faked his death"

"bloody coward cut off his own finger, and disappeared among the chaos of the explosion he made" said Black

"all they could find was a finger" Harry whispers "but how-"

"Animagi keep their physical traits when they transform. Scars, physique.. missing limbs" Kiba explained

"That's how i found him, now give him to me!" Black said making a move towards Ron but Lupin stopped him

"Scabbers has been in the family for-"

"Twelve years," Kiba said "curiously long life for a common garden Rat. But he isn't so common after all" without warning Kiba grabbed Scabbers by the tail "he's missing a toe.." he said showing him to Harry "and he's been losing weight since Black had escaped. He knew Black was coming for him"

"give Scabbers back!" Ron pleaded

"There's a reason i couldn't understand Scabbers, Ron" Kiba said "i can't understand Animagi.. i almost kicked a black dog in Hogsmeade this year"

"it was me," Black said "you looked confused, i was scared you knew" he admitted

"Harry.. i need your word" Kiba said. The black haired boy looked from Ron, to Hermione and then too the two men, he waited and thought

"Show me" he said. Black snatched Scabbers away from Kiba and picked up Snape's wand as Lupin retrieved his own. He dropped the Rat into a chair and together they casted a spell.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted in pain, physically and mentally. The Rat didn't move for a minute before it began to swell, it's legs extended, it's nose retracted.. and before they knew it, before them stood another man.

"Moony… my old friend!" he tried to push past both Remus and Sirius but they shoved him back into the chair. Harry stood stunned, speechless.. as did the others. He was a short man, barely taller than Harry, with thin unkempt hair and a bald patch on top of his head. Much like his Rat form he looked unwell, it seemed like he had been a plump man who had lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time. It seemed like his long term transformation had carried on a few smaller Rat like features into his face, like a small nose, and watery eyes and his large front teeth along with several long hairs sticking out of his cheeks like whiskers.

"Wormtail," Sirius growled raising his wand again. Lupin stopped him and took the word

"hello Peter, we've been having a little chat about you, about what happened the night James and Lily died"

"Remus! You don't believe him.. do you?" Pettigrew replied in a panicked time "he tried to kill me, Remus!"

"so we've heard," replied Lupin

"he's come to kill me again!" he pointed at Black with his middle finger, showing that his index finger in the same hand was missing. "i knew he'd come after me! That he'd be back!"

"you knew Sirius was going to break out?" Lupin asked raising a brow "when no one has ever done it?"

"he's got dark powers we could only dream of!" he whimpered in return "suppose The Dark Lord taught him a few tricks!"

"dark lord..?" Kiba muttered to himself but Sirius' laughter was to loud for anyone to hear.

"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said sith glee but Pettigrew flinched and began shaking "what's the matter Peter? Scared to hear your old Masters name?" he got closer to the scared man "i don't blame you, his lot aren't happy with you. Heard them curse you in Azkaban, afterall, you're the one who send him to the Potters right?"

"Don't know what you are talking-"

"you know, Peter. I'm having trouble understanding something" Lupin intervened "if you're innocent, why spent twelve years as a Rat?"

"innocent, but scared!" Pettigrew said. "if Voldemort's supported were after me, it was because i put one of their best men in Azkaban. Sirius Black, the spy"

"How dare you," Black growled like a bear, contorting his face and getting even closer to the petrified Pettigrew. "I should have known that you were the spy. You were always the one following the people stronger and more powerful than yourself. It used to be just us.. Remus, James.. and me" he sighed "i should've never suggested you as secret keeper.. i thought it'd be there perfect diversion.. a bluff. Voldemort was sure to come after me. Must've been your finest moment, right?" he pushed the his hand against Pettigrew's chest sending the chair backwards causing Pettigrew to fall onto his back. "how great you must've felt when you betrayed us all, when you told Voldemort where Lily and James were hiding Harry"

Pettigrew muttered under his breath as he got to his feet, his eyes darting from window to door to crack looking for an escape. "professor Lupin" Hermione said timidly, afraid to interrupt the men "Can- can i say something?"

"Certainly Hermione" said Lupin

"Well.. Scabbers.. this man. He's been in Harry's dormatory for three years, why'd he never try to kill him?"

"There!" shouted Pettigrew "smart girl! I've never hurt a hair on Harry's head! Why would i?"

"I'll tell you why," said Black "you never did anything without profit. Voldemort's been gone for twelve years, said to be half-dead. Even you aren't foolish enough to commit murder right under the nose if Albus Dumbledore! You needed to be sure that he was back to fill strength before you'd return to him. And how better then to hear the news then in a wizard family who would surely be on the lookout, a wizard family that had apposed him" Pettigrew opened his mouth but closed it again, trying to think of something quickly but Hermione spoke again.

"Mr. Black.. Sirius?" she spoke timidly once more. Black jumped slightly at being addressed so politely, like it had been something he'd love forgotten. "if you don't mind my asking.. but how did you escape?"

"ha, thank you!" Pettigrew gasped as he nodded frantically "exactly! Precisely what i-" he stopped at Lupin silenced him with nothing but a stern glance.

"I'm not quite sure.. but i believe that there was one reason why i never lost my mind.. i knew i was innocent.. but that wasn't a happy thought, it kept me sane, it helped me remember who i was.. helped me stay strong" he said "when it became too much, i transformed in my cell, became a dog. Dementors can't see, they find people through sensing emotion. My emotion were less human, less complex as a dog. They thought i was losing my mind, like all the others.." he paused and picked up the daily prophet "then i saw this. Knew that Peter was at Hogwarts, with Harry.. the perfect position to act should the darkness rise again.. if he'd bring them the last Potter, who would dare say he betrayed them twelve years ago?"

"you were the only one who knew that he was alive.." Kiba said. Black nodded in agreement.

"I had to do something. It was as if a fire had ignited within me, and nothing could extinguish it! It was an obsession, it have me strength.. and i had a plan. When they opened my cell door for food i slipped past them as a dog. I had gotten thin enough to fit through the bars.. swam back to the mainland. Entered the grounds through Hogsmeade, where i stole food and hid in the forest. Except when i heard the quidditch matches.. always came to watch James fly, and now Harry.. I'd say you'd give him a run for his money" he looked at Harry and turned his entire body towards the boy, his godson. "believe me," he croaked "i would've died, rather then betray my friends. I would have taken a curse for James, for Lily and for you" Harry stood still, transfixed on Black's skull like face and slowly nodded.

"shall we do it then, Padfoot?" asked Lupin as he rolled up his sleeves

"together.." added Black.

"Ron.. haven't i been a good friend? A good pet? A good rat?!" Pettigrew whimpered "you wouldn't let them!"

"I let you sleep in my bed.." Ron murmured

"kind boy.. kind master… i was your Rat.. a good rat!"

"If you made a better Rat than a human, that's not much to boast about" said Black. Pettigrew dropped to his knees and staggered towards Hermione who took a step out of his reach

"sweet girl.. clever girl, help me!" Hermione looked away, repulsed by the man who continued staggering over to Harry.

"Harry.. you look so much like your father.. like James!"

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Black pulling Pettigrew away by the collar "HOW DARE YOUR SPEAK OF JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?!"

"He wouldn't have wanted me killed, Harry. He would've understood… he would show me MERCY!" he was pulled away further by the two men this time.

"You sold Lily and have to Voldemort, didn't you?" she Lupin

"I didn't.. mean to." Pettigrew replied "Sirius, what could i have done. The dark lord.. you have no idea of the weapons he possesses"

"you should've realized, Peter." Black began "That if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would!" the two men pointed their wands at Pettigrew. Harry didn't move, he wanted to see Pettigrew pay for his parents' deaths.

"Wait!" Kiba shouted placing himself between the wands and Pettigrew "you can't kill him.." he said

"Kiba.. this man is the reason that Harry was orphaned" Lupin said

"this vermin would have seen Harry die too, without turning his hair. His whole stinking skin meant more to him than your friend and his family!"

"I know, and I'm not trying to spare him from punishment" Kiba said "we should take him up the castle"

"bless you, dear boy. Bless you!" Pettigrew said bowing to Kiba. He turned to Pettigrew and looked him dead in the eye

"Well take him to the castle. From there, the Dementors can have him" Kiba said "alive, the right man could finally be arrested for the murder of the Potters" he said turning back to Black and Lupin "Dead.. the truth dies with him"

"Harry?" said Black his gaze shifting to the black haired boy.

"Kiba is right.." he said "he deserves to go to Azkaban more than any other"

"Sirius, you could finally be a free man" Lupin added.

"very well," he replied "step aside Kiba. I'll tie him up" Kiba hesitantly stepped aside. He didn't know why he had done it, why would he spare Pettigrew. He deserved death, and Sirius.. Kiba didn't know what it was. But he felt a connection to the man, had the feeling that he had to help him. Maybe he did it because he know what murder could do to your body, the pain he had gone through, maybe he didn't want to put Lupin through it.. Kiba turned his attention to Ron, finally remembering the spell he had intended to cast.

"Ferula" he said tapping Ron's broken leg with his wand carefully. Bandages materialized out of thin air and wrapped themselves around the ginger's leg. "how's that?" he asked.

"Better," Ron replied "thanks" Kiba pulled him to his feet and let him hand his arm around his neck to help him stand.

"What about Snape?" asked Harry. Lupin stepped over to the bed and used a spell to repair it. Snape was laying in top of it as if he was sleeping.. he looked quite dusty but peaceful.

"He's alright.." Lupin said "just out of it.. you were a bit enthusiastic. We'll leave him here, he'll find his way back to the castle on his own" Black conjured chains to bind Pettigrew to Lupin and Ron so that he had no chance to escape and Crookshanks led the way down the stairs followed by Kiba and Hermione, then Ron, Pettigrew and Lupin who were closely followed by Harry and finally Sirius.

As the tunnel got tighter it became increasingly difficult for Ron and Lupin to walk with Pettigrew in-between them. They had to shimmy sideways to keep going. Crookshanks had already stopped the whomping willow from beating them to crumbles when they finally got to climb out of the hidden passageway. "i need a break, hold on" Ron sat down against a nearby rock still holding on to his leg. Lupin sat Pettigrew down on the ground beside Ron and took a seat himself.

Sirius could be heard gasping in the silence, he stepped away from the group and looked up to the castle atop the Cliff. "Harry.." Kiba said pointing Harry's gaze towards his Godfather "go on" he gave him a little nudge and Harry stepped over to the man. Kiba and Hermione watched the two, ignoring Pettigrew's continuing pleas. They could only speculate what the two were talking about but the moment was ruined by the night.

The clouds parted and revealed the shining full moon. "oh no," Hermione whimpered as she whipped around to face Lupin. The man was standing, staring straight at the shining orb with a blank expression and an open mouth. His breathing grew heavier and he hunched over his arms hanging loosely, as if his upper body had stopped working. Hermione began backing off the moment that Lupin's shoes ripped apart and his deformed feet were visible. His legs swelled as his foot now turned into a long slender paw.

Kiba lunged forward and grabbed Ron's wrist as he tried to undo the chains that black had rigged. The panic began rising as Lupin grew larger, his head forming and his teeth sprouting out of his gums. Kiba grabbed his wand and began muttering a spell but before he could, what he wanted had already happened. The chains dissolved and Pettigrew only remained tied to Lupin, but when Kiba looked up, neither was he. Pettigrew was cowering behind the rock as Lupin stood above Kiba, now fully transformed he let out a dangerously loud howl. Kiba tried to back away slowly but the snap of a branch below his foot which caused Lupin's eyes to fixate in him. He roared and seeing his right claw at Kiba from below.

It was much to late to do anything, Kiba was about to be sliced in half. Kiba pressed his eyes shut as he prepared for the impact of Lupin's Werewolf strength.

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