"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed. 

But that wasn't right, Harry thought suddenly... Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks... ever since Ron's return from Egypt... since the time when Black had escaped.... 

"This cat isn't mad," said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me.... Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me. .. 

"Tunas back on, you lucky cat!"

"What do you mean?" breathed Hermione. 

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't... so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me.... As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table...." 

Harry's brain seemed to be sagging under the weight of what he was hearing. It was absurd... and yet... 

"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it." croaked Black. "This cat -- Crookshanks, did you call him? -- told me Peter had left blood on the sheets.... I supposed he bit himself... Well, faking his own death had worked once."

 These words jolted Harry to his senses. 

"And why did he fake his death?" he said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

 "No," said Lupin, "Harry-" 

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

 "Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers. 

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.

 "Harry," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've