Okay guys. I know I've been gone for a while; this is one long overdue update! A rather upsetting anniversary passed by lately which knocked me rather hard – but on with the show. Before I start I'd like to sincerely thank everyone who's read, reviewed and favourite this story as well as my other one Goblet of fire.
Summary: It's been five years since the end of the Great War, five years since Voldemort was killed at last. His death was supposed to bring about happiness and the end of suffering, but it didn't. Things went from bad to worse. Now Fate has had enough. Now Fate is intervening.
Chapter Ten:
By Rosa241
McGonagall's POV:
Oh my Lord above!
My eyes flick to the other eyes in the room. Ronald looks confused, shocked, hurt but mostly confused. Percy's gaze is fixed hard on the man sitting to my left, both hands placed on his younger brothers shoulders, any other time and I'd have smiled at the changes that seems to have taken place in his attitude over the summer but right now there's something...or rather someone...far more important taking my attention.
"Peter Pettigrew!" My eyes grow wide as I finally speak the words my mind has been screaming at me. "You're alive."
His eyes meet mine and fear is shown right through them. No confusion, no shock, no relief...just pure and complete fear. After all this time, he's really alive. I can feel my heart ready to beat right out of my chest.
"P-p-professor." His voice comes out barely above a whisper. It comes to me that this is probably the first time he's used it in years.
"Peter..." We're both in total shock right now, what the hell am I supposed do now?
"Who are you?" Ron's voice interrupts my shock and finally sets my mind back turning. "Who is he?"
"Quiet Ron." Percy voices to his brother, his gaze never once leaving Peter, it's almost like he expects him to just disappear.
Walking to the desk behind me and grabbing a blank sheet of paper I quickly set about writing the note. Merlin knows that I can't deal with this on my own.
Dumbledore
Come to my classroom this instant. It's an emergency. Peter Pettigrew is alive.
Minerva
Passing the note over to my owl she floats off quicker than I've ever seen her move. Perhaps she understands the severity of the situation.
"Peter. I can't understand it...I thought you were dead. We all did." His gaze flies to me. It's scared and panicked, almost like he expects something to happen. "How can you be alive?"
"Where am I?" His whispered voice sounds small and weak. Looking at him I can hardly believe that he's sitting here in front of me, after all these years he's here.
"You're at Hogwarts Peter. You're safe." I don't know why I utter those last two words but it feels right and it seems to do the trick as the tension in his shoulders lifts slightly. Wandering over I place a calming hand on his shoulder. "How on earth can you be alive? I thought Sirius had killed you."
"Killed him? Why would someone have killed him?" Rnns voice is stronger and more curious this time. My gaze flickers over to the two Weasly's, I'd half forgotten the pair were still there.
"Ron for heaven's sake be quiet." Percy whispers to his brother.
"But-"
"Quiet." His voice is strong but soft, it really is remarkable the changes in him. Focus Minerva.
The room is silent for a few moments, all of us taking in everything that has just happened. It doesn't take long for the door to be flung open as Albus, and to my surprise Severus, walk into the room. He takes in the scene before him, his gaze lingering over the man in the centre of the room before flickering towards Severus.
"Severus, would you take these two boys to my office. Send word to the ministry...and their parents." It's not a question; it's a statement...an order. Severus' eyes roll over Peter before gesturing to Percy and Ron. As the two boys leave Albus' gaze finally meets my own, I'm sure the shock in his eyes is reflected in my own.
Dumbledore's POV:
It takes a few moments after the two boys have left with Severus before I open my mouth again, finding the right words for a situation like this isn't exactly easy. As I watch Peter, his eyes flickering over every corner of the room, it's almost like he's looking for a way out, for an escape. Finally finding the words I need I speak.
"Mr Pettigrew. You must forgive us but until today we strongly believed you to be dead." He looks towards me before dropping his gaze to the ground. "If you wouldn't mind, could you possibly tell me what happened that day? The day Sirius..." I don't need to say any more, he knows of what I speak.
"I...well..." He clears his throat before continuing. "After Sirius sold out James and Lily I...I was so angry. I went to speak to him; I wanted to...to know why. He...was laughing, saying things these, these terrible, horrific things. He grabbed his wand and...everything exploded."
He still refuses to meet my eye but his voice gets stronger as he speaks.
"But how on earth did you survive? A spell like that isn't something you just walk away from." My question is just one of many floating round my mind right now.
"A...Animagi." My eyes go wide at that. I'm not sure what I had expected but it most certainly wasn't that. "Sirius, James and I. We are...were...are animagi."
"But how? When?" Minerva is almost as shocked as I am. The animagus transformation isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination.
"In our fifth year, we wanted to help Remus with his transformations. It was James' idea." He finally lifts his head to look at me. The way he looks right now, so tired and sad...but there's something, something in his eyes. There's something else there. "James was a stag, Sirius a dog and myself a rat. I saw what Sirius was doing and I transformed."
"It is incredible is it not?" Both of their eyes flicker towards me as I move across to the window. "The fact that after all these years, we thought that there would be nothing that could surprise us but here we are." I take my time before speaking again, using the moment to reorganise my thoughts. "May I ask why did you confront Sirius? You must have known that you wouldn't stand a chance against him. And why, why would you not come forward? Why stay all these years as a rat rather than return to your family, to where you belong?"
"I was angry, I wanted answers. Looking back I...I suppose I didn't really think I just...wanted to know why." I don't know why but the way he looks right now, there's something off. There's something within me screaming, shouting that there is more."I was scared. I was responsible for one of the dark lord's top supporters going to prison. Revenge...I feared revenge."
"But all this time?" He merely shrugs his shoulders, repeating fear. I should believe him; I've nothing to say other wise...nothing except my own soul. There is something inside if me telling me that there's more. But what?
Percy's POV:
I did it. I actually did it! Pettigrew's been found and soon Sirius will be free! I did it! This will have to change things of course; with Sirius around Harry's life will be so much easier. Not only will that but Voldemorts right hand man, well future right hand man, will be behind bars. Ron's fidgeting beside me brings me back to reality.
"You okay?" I nudge him slightly before he looks at me.
"Who is he?" Naturally he's confused, heck I think anyone would be.
"Peter Pettigrew." Snapes eyes flash towards me. "Professor McGonagall said his name." I offer as way of an explanation. "I don't know who he is."
Ron seems deflated at this but he quietens down. As he settles back into his thoughts his shaking hand finds my own, clutching at it with fear. I squeeze back before letting my eyes wander over to professor Snape. He's already sent one note flying out of the window, an Owl clutching in between its teeth. Most likely that one was to the ministry, what they're going to think of this I don't know. For the first time I actually allow myself to think about my situation.
My job is to stop Voldemort from returning to power. Peter was largely responsible for Voldemorts return before. It was Pettigrew who killed Cedric Diggory, it was Pettigrew who created the potion that returned Voldemort back to his former self...thinking about it Pettigrew was an integral part of the war – both the first and the second. A tapping brings my attention back to the room. Turning round I see Professor McGonagalls owl tapping furiously at the window. Before I have the chance, Professor Snape strides over and lets the Owl in, taking the letter it's clutching in its beak.
His eyes fly over the letter a few times before he sets the paper on the desk.
"Do not leave this room." He says as he walks out of the room. Before I can stop him Ron rushes over towards the desk and snatches up the piece of paper Snape was previously reading.
"Ron, don't do that. Put it back." He shrugs his shoulders before reading the paper aloud.
Severus
Bring some Veritaserum.
Albus
"What's Veritaserum?" Ron squints at the word as he tries to search his mind as to what it is.
"Veritaserum is a powerful truth serum." I take the paper from him and settle it back on the desk before tugging Ron back over towards the chairs. If Dumbledore wants truth serum then that means that he's going to find out everything, it's working. It's actually going to work.
And we'll leave it there for now. I know I say this every time but I mean it this time. I'm already half way through writing the next chapter so it should be up before this time next week. Also for those of you awaiting an update for my other story, Goblet of Fire, it'll be up either today or tomorrow. Happy reading!