Snips and Scars In Which Marauders are Identified, a harry potter fanfic

Chapter 37, everybody! In which Dumbledore has an interesting afternoon….

Ron's kind of got an oblique reference to Mean Girls there, and I think Fred and George are referencing Phineas and Ferb? IDK every time I see that meme it involves Dr. Doofenschmirtz(?) so maybe.

In other news, thanks to The Arcticourt Spellwright, K, and Missy96 for the reviews! Glad you've been liking the subplots of the familiars and Malfoy. :D

So Harry was not thrilled about losing Pettigrew, less thrilled about Professor Lupin insisting on levitating a bound Snuffles up to Dumbledore's office despite Harry, Hagrid and even Malfoy pointing out that he was a good dog—Harry had only paused long enough in his pursuit to stick his head into the Great Hall and call for Hermione and Ron to come with him.

It was only when they got to Dumbledore's office for the headmaster to comment on such a party that he noticed they had a small following.

"It seemed important," Luna said.

"I was following Luna," Neville said, pointing.

"We're invested," Fred said.

"And we needed a break from our little family squabble," George added. "Edmund, Hubert, and Donald are a little cross with us for revealing a certain piece of paper."

In retrospect, maybe it was a good thing Hagrid and Malfoy were unable to come—Buckbeak had refused to let Malfoy leave and bodily dragged him back to the stables, leaving Hagrid to try and rescue the Slytherin. Otherwise, the room would have been mighty crowded.

"Why is Snuffles tied up?" Ron asked blankly.

"Ah, I must surmise that the dog is Snuffles?" Dumbledore asked, putting some papers aside and waving his wand at a tea set. "I am most intrigued, this is vastly different than how I intended to spend my afternoon—I'm sure an explanation is coming?"

"Professor, Snuffles was just trying to capture Pettigrew—" Harry started—

"Hold it," Professor Lupin said, waving his hands before pointing at Snuffles, looking at them as he did so. "Snuffles?"

"That's his name."

"He's been around since the beginning of the year," Ron said. "We know he looks like a Grim but Hagrid okayed him—"

"Best dog," Fred said.

"A good boy," George agreed.

"With a nose for pranks."

"Pranks—this is what you've been doing?" Professor Lupin demanded of Snuffles. "This—I need a moment."

Dumbledore held up a teacup. "Tea?"

"Now wait a minute," Hermione said as Dumbledore handed out cups. "Professor, you talk as if you know this dog."

"There is a striking similarity to a dog James Potter had," Dumbledore observed.

Professor Lupin looked like he was nursing a minor headache, glared at Snuffles when the dog whined. "Yes I am telling them you violated Marauders charter—"

"Wait—Marauders?" Fred asked.

"Like the Marauders' Map?" George asked.

Professor Lupin looked like his headache had upgraded to a migraine. "How did you—" he started—cut off when Dumbledore pulled the map out and activated it. "I see I have a lot of explaining to do."

"Fortunately, we have plenty of tea and biscuits," Dumbledore said, waving his wand and summoning several comfy chairs. "There's also dog biscuits, but I don't recommend them if you aren't of the canine persuasion."

Everyone got settled in as Professor Lupin composed himself, Harry sneaking Snuffles a dog biscuit while he had his eyes closed—Lupin finally sighed and started with "So you know I was friends with James, Sirius and Peter—"

"Wait what?" Harry asked, floored.

"Obviously there was no mass-murdering while we were in Hogwarts," Lupin said quickly, making a short motion with his free hand. Behind him, Fitzherbert was writing madly. "We spent most of our spare time mapping out the school—that map, actually," he said, pointing at the Marauders' Map. "And—well, professor, you're aware of my er, condition—"

"You mean being a werewolf?" Hermione asked, probably a little shorter than she intended.

Everyone took a nonplussed moment to stare at her.

"Oh good night Hermione, you can't just call someone a werewolf," Ron scolded.

"Wait," Neville said, looking at Ron and Harry. "Is that why you were asking about wolfsbane?"

"Er, yeah—Snips kinda…accused…but we didn't tell Hermione," Harry said, looking at her.

"Snips told me," Hermione said. "And it fits."

"Of course."

"Who?" Lupin asked.

"The local veggie-pusher," Fred offered. "Brave little bugger for daring to disturb Hermione—don't give me that look I'm right."

"But that's a long story and we were working on yours first," George said, gesturing a little with his tea.

"Fine," Lupin sighed. "Yes, I'm a werewolf—and if you were asking about wolfsbane, then you must be aware of the potion—Professor Slughorn has been making it for me for the past year."

"Yes we were aware of the danger issue, yes we took every precaution," Dumbledore said, prompting Hermione to close her mouth. "And I suppose this means I owe you a very late Outstanding grade, Professor Lupin. You'll understand if I don't award points instead."

"I can't take all the credit—it took all four of us." Here Professor Lupin tapped on the top of the map. "These were our nicknames—Moony, that's me; Prongs was James; Peter was Wormtail; and Sirius…was Padfoot." Here he pointed at Snuffles.

There was a very long, very drawn-out silence as everyone processed that.

"Oh," Luna said. "Well if one was an unregistered Animagus, then I suppose the rest of them being so makes sense."

"The dog is a person," Ron said flatly, tone starting to edge to hysteria as he continued. "What's next? Buckbeak? Crookshanks? Snips?!"

"If I had a sickle for every time that happened," George mused.

"You'd have two sickles," Fred said. "Which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice."

"Well you might as well," Mauve said to Snuffles. "The cat's out of the bag and all that."

Harry stared. "What do you mean you knew?"

"Well see Crookshanks told us and then we got the whole story and technically we've been trying to hunt the rat down for a while now—I mean that is how Fitzherbert knew about Pettigrew to tell you."

Neville poked Harry's arm. "What are you saying?"

Oh right Parseltongue. "Apparently all our pets—and Fitzherbert, I'm not sure if he qualifies as one—knew about this already. Snips too?"

"Snips too," Mauve confirmed, nodding.

Dumbledore looked at Fawkes. "Did you know about this?" Fawkes nodded. "I see. We've talked about you keeping school gossip to yourself."

Fawkes ruffled his wings a little bit, which made Harry pretty sure that was a shrug.

"Back to the reason we're here," Lupin said, rubbing his forehead.

"Right." Dumbledore waved his wand, causing Snuffle's bindings to vanish. "Mister Black, would you kindly?"

Snuffles looked around at everyone, head ducked and ears flat.

And then there was a person standing there.

Harry had seen an Animagus transform a couple of times, that being Professor McGonagall, but even knowing the accusation, he wasn't ready for the shock of suddenly seeing a person where Snuffles used to be.

"Okay," Ron said, breaking the stunned silence. "That's it, no more pets in the dorm."

"Boy I hope Trevor's really a toad," Neville squeaked.