They stared at each other, both in shock and awe. Her father stood before her... looking so thin, in tattered clothes that hung on him loosely. She could see the tattoos on his chest, and his sunken, sullen face. She looked into his eyes, grey eyes just like hers, but she didn't see madness in them... she saw grief, and exhaustion. Grace was suddenly hit with a heavy wave of emotions as she stared at him.

"Gracie..." Ron whimpered a third time.

"You're...you'reSnuffles?" she whispered in disbelief as she stared at him. She felt tears begin to swell in her eyes, and she blinked them away. "All this time...?" she asked and he looked away for a moment before turning back. He parted his lips, trying to find an explanation. There was a loud squeak, and Grace turned around to see Scabbers struggle in Ron's grip, then she turned back to her father. Now, she could see the mad, angry expression in his eyes as he stared at Ron. She stood in front of Ron, blocking her fathers view and she shook her head. "Pleasedon't!"

"Ron!You're okay!" Hermione shouted as she ran into the room and to Ron.

"The dog – where's the dog-" Harry asked as he entered after her.

"It's a trap, Harry!" Ron shouted, pointing to where Grace was staring. "He'sthe dog!He's an Animagus!" Harry and Hermione whipped around to see the door closing, revealing Sirius Black.

"If you want to kill Harry," Hermione spoke up, stepping in front of Harry. "You'll – you'll have to kill us too!"

"No," Sirius shook his head, his eyes landing on Ron and a dark smile spread across his face. "Only one will die tonight."

"Then it'll be you!" Harry shouted as he pushed past Hermione and ran to Sirius, wrapping his hands around his neck as they fell to the floor.

"HARRY! STOP!"Grace shouted in horror. "Please!Don't!"

"Going tokillme, Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," Harry hissed as he held his wand to Sirius.

"Harry, please! Please! Don't!" Grace cried, shaking her head.

Bam!

Grace jumped and stared at the door to see Remus, with wand out. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted, and Harry's wand flew out of his hand.

"Professor Lupin!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione exclaimed at the same time Grace shouted: "Remus!" Remus stared at them for a moment, before nodding his head at Harry, silently telling him to get out of the way.

"Looking a bit ragged, aren't we, Sirius? Finally, the skin reflects the madness within." Remus spoke slowly, eyeing Sirius on the floor as Hermione pulled Harry away.

"You'd known all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?" Sirius asked, grinning. Remus let his wand fall, and he smiled at Sirius as he held out his hand to help the man up. Grace blinked wildly at them as they embraced like long lost brothers. She shook her head, staring between them.

She knew Remus... she knew Remus wouldn't help someone who was bad! There had to be an explanation... but she couldn't think, she was still staring at her father and her uncle unable to know if she should be feeling surprise, fear, or betrayal.

"No!" Hermione shouted, stepping in front of Harry again. "I trusted you!Gracetrusted you! We've both covered for you, and all this time you've been his friend!" She shouted. Grace frowned, turning to Hermione, shaking her head at her.

"Hermione!" Grace hissed. "Don't youdare!"

"He's awerewolf!That's why he's been missing classes!" Hermione shouted, pointing to Remus. Grace's heart fell, and she shook her head, taking a step away from Hermione.

"How could you," she whispered in disbelief.

"How did you know?" Remus asked, eyeing her. "Because I know that Grace wouldn't tell a soul."

"Snape's essay," Hermione answered, glaring at him.

"You really are one of the brightest witches I've met, Hermione," Remus smiled.

"Yes, she glows like the sun!" Sirius rolled his eyes. "And you howl at the moon! Enough talk! He dies,now! If you won't do with me, Remus, I'll do it alone!" Sirius shouted. Grace shook her head, staring at him and Remus.

"Wait, Sirius-"

"I'VE DONE MY WAITING!" Sirius shouted, his voice cracking as he looked at Remus in pain. "TWELVE YEARS OF IT! IN AZKABAN!"

"Justonemore moment, they deserve to knowwhy!" Remus said calmly.

"I know why!" Harry snapped, glaring at them. "You betrayed my parents! You sold them to Voldemort!"

"It's alie!" Sirius exclaimed, and Grace turned to look at him, blinking away the tears. "I never would've betrayed James and Lily!"

"Someone else betrayed your parents, Harry. Someone in this room right now," Remus started, speaking slowly. "Someone who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead."

"What're you talking about? There's nobody here..." Harry shook his head. Grace frowned as she looked around the room. Harry was right...there was nobody there. Just her, Harry, Remus, her dad, Hermione, Ron and Scabbers.

"Oh yes there is," Sirius grinned. "Come out, come out, Peter! Come out, come out and play!" He shouted.

"You're mad..." Ron whispered as he held onto a squirming Scabbers.

"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted, and Remus' wand flew out of his hands. "Ah, vengeance is sweet. How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you," he smirked at Remus and Sirius.

"Severus," Remus warned.

"I told Dumbledore you were helping your old friend into the castle. And here's the proof."

"Brilliant!" Her father exclaimed. "And – as usual – you've come to thewrongconclusion! Now give us our wands back. Remus and I have a bit of unfinished business to tend to."

Snape glared venomously at Sirius as he held his wand to Sirius' neck. "Give me a reason,I beg you."

"Don't be a fool, Severus!" Remus called out.

"He can't help it! It's a habit by now." Sirus scoffed.

"Quiet Sirius!" Remus snapped.

"Listen to you two. Quarreling like an old married couple. The creature and the criminal," Snape sneered.

"Oh, why don't you go and play with your chemistry set!" Sirius sneered.

"Tell me, will you be soirreverentwhen I turn you over to the dementors?" Snape threatened and Sirius stared at him in fear. "Do I detect a flicker offear? One can only imagine what it must be like to endure the Dementor's kiss. It's said to be unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best to watch and make sure your daughter endures it too," he hissed and gestured his head to the door. "Afteryou."

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, and Snape went flying across the room, and hit the wall. Grace gasped as she stared in horror.

"Harry! You attacked a teacher!" Hermione gasped.

"Now isn't the right time for an ethical code, Hermione!" Grace snapped.

"You said, Peter, Peter who?" Harry asked.

"Peter Pettigrew! He was at school with us, we thought he was our friend," Remus spoke up.

"No," Harry shook his head. "Pettigrew's him!" Harry looked at Sirius.

"I thought so too until you two mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the Map!" Remus spoke up.

"The map was lying then –" Harry shook his head.

"The Map never lies!" Sirius interrupted. "Pettigrew's alive, and he's right there!" Sirius pointed to Ron, and Grace frowned. It couldn't have been Ron! Then she noticed Scabbers, who was squeaking so loud and squirming in fear in Ron's hands. She frowned at the rat, and then she turned to her father, who was grinning madly at Ron. Her father was an animagus, a big, black dog... Remus had told her that his friends in school would help him on full moons... Her eyes went back to Ron and Scabbers, and she remembered the crystal ball... a rat, turning into a man.

"Scabbers?" Ron shook his head. "Scabbers has bene in my family for –"

"Twelve years!" Sirius cut him off. "A curiously long life for a common garden rat! He's missing a toe isn't he?"

"So what?" Ron asked.

"All they could find of Pettigrew was his – "

"Finger!" Sirius finished for Harry. "Dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead!" Grace felt bile rise in her throat and she shook her head.

"He's an animagus..." Grace said in realization, and everyone turned to her. "That's...that's how he got away, isn't it?" She asked, looking at her father.

"But you have toregisterwith the Ministry when you become an animagus," Hermione spoke up, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You didn't," Grace said, looking at Sirius. "Because...because if you did, then...that's how you escaped, isn't it? That's how Peter was on the map that night, even though Harry and I couldn't see him!"

"But we didn't see anything, Grace," Harry shook his head in disbelief. "Look, I know he's your dad but-"

"Think about it Harry!" She said, turning to him. "It makes sense! We couldn't see Pettigrew because he was a rat, running past us on the floor where the light from your wand didn't reach! He's been an animagus all this time!"

Harry stared at her, and then back at Remus and Sirius. "Show us." Remus nodded and grabbed Scabbers from Ron's hands as he protested.

"Leave him alone!" Ron cried out.

"Together?" Sirius asked, ignoring Ron's cries as he turned to Remus who held out his wand. Scabbers tried running away, and as Sirius and Remus tried to chase the rat, Harry pulled Grace away and closer to him. She trembled, really hoping that she was right about this. She swallowed hard, then relaxed when she felt Harry's hand squeeze hers.

Grace gasped when she saw the rat make a dash to the door, but then suddenly turned into a rather round man, who got stuck in the broken hole at the bottom of the door. The man turned around and smiled nervously at Sirius and Remus.

"Si-Sirius! Re-Remus! My oldFriends!" He greeted, smiling and then darted to the window. Sirius stands in front of him and shoves him back as he and Remus held their wands out to him. Grace stared at the man with wide eyes, and felt bile in her throat. She had cared about that rat, often letting him sleep with her when she stayed over at the Burrow.

"Harry!" Peter exclaimed as he inched closer to Harry. "Look at you! You look just like your father, James. We were the best of friends, he and-"

"Shut up! Don't talk to him about James!" Sirius shouted and Peter cringed.

"You sold James and Lily out to Voldemort!" Remus shouted, pointing his wand.

"I didn'tmean to!" Peter cried as he cowered into himself. "The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses!" He winced, and turned to Sirius again. "Ask yourself what you would've done, Sirius! What would you have done!"

"DIED!" Sirius shouted. "I would've died rather than betray my friends! You should've realized Peter, if Voldemort didn't kill you-"

"Then we would!" Remus finished, glaring at the man. Grace shivered at the look in his eyes, she'd never seen him look that murderous.

"No.. please... you can't!" Peter pleaded as he went to Ron. "Ron! Haven't I been a good friend? A good pet? You won't let them kill me, will you? I was your rat!" Ron shimmied away in disgust, then Peter turned to Hermione. "Sweet girl... clever girl! Surely you won't let them-" Hermione stepped away, then Peter saw Grace. "Oh Gracie, sweet, beautiful Gracie. You've always been so kind to me-"

"Get away from my daughter!" Sirius shouted, stepping in front of Grace and Harry and pushing Peter back. Grace stared wide-eyed, and Harry pulled her back against him. "Now, Remus!"

"No!" Harry exclaimed, and everyone turned to him.

"Harry... this man..." Remus started.

"I know what he is... but we'll take him to the castle," Harry said, glaring at Pettigrew.

"Bless you boy! Bless you!" Pettigrew whimpered as he reached for Harry.

"Get off! I said we'd take you to the castle... after that, the Dementor's can have you," at this Peter started crying in protest.

"No," Grace shook her head.

"Grace, this man deser-"

"No," she shook her head, looking at her father. "If the Dementor's get him then, no one will know the truth. We take him to Dumbledore, then you'll be free..." she said, and Sirius' eyes softened at her, then he nodded.

"Alright... we'll take him to Dumbledore."