"𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚢. '𝙲𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚎."

𝕃𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕋𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕤 - 𝕆𝕗 𝕄𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕄𝕖𝕟

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

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

"How could they?" Hermione choked. "How could they?"

"Come on," Harry said softly, gesturing for the four of them to head back to the castle.

They started to turn around until Ron started fidgeting trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket.

"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hands around his rat and trying to put the scrambling rat deeper inside his pants pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still-"

"OUCH! He bit me!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ron be quiet!" Y/N whispered harshly. "You're going to get us caught."

"He won't...stay...put," Ron defended trying to contain the hyper rat. "What's the matter with him?"

Suddenly Harry caught the eye of a low body with yellow eyes slinking near them.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione exclaimed frantically. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

Crookshanks didn't listen. The cat was moving closer and closer towards Ron.

"Scabbers—NO!"

Scabbers had managed to break free of Ron's grip but Crookshanks sprang after him. Before anyone could stop him, Ron ran after the two pets.

"Ron!" Hermione screamed.

The three sprinted after Ron who was shouting at the cat to give up on hunting Scabbers.

"Get away from him...get away...Scabbers come here."

Ron leaped forward and grabbed Scabbers holding his hands tight over him.

"Come on Ron!" Harry hissed beckoning for him to come back so they could go to the castle.

Y/N, Hermione, and Harry were all pleading with Ron, but his face became frozen in fear.

"Y/N, Hermione, Harry! Run!" He shouted pointing behind them. "It's the Grim!"

They whipped around and saw a black, pale-eyed dog growling at them.

To their surprise, the dog leaped right over Harry and bound after Ron fastening its jaw around Ron's leg dragging him towards a rather peculiar-looking tree.

"RON!" They all shouted running after the dog.

"HARRRYYYYY," Ron yelled holding on to Scabbers with his left hand and outstretching his right one.

Harry threw himself forward trying to grab onto Ron's hand but he missed.

The dog began dragging him down to a gap that was in the roots of the trees. All they could see was a bit of Ron's torso and his head.

"HELPPP," Ron whined while the three tried their best to grab on to him but his head disappeared out of sight.

Suddenly, a large tree branch came out of nowhere and knocked the three a couple of feet away.

Y/N and Hermione grabbed Harry helping him up as they heard a high-pitched scream from the tree.

"We've got to go for help," Hermione insisted looking at the tree.

"What exactly is that thing?" Y/N asked touching the deep gash she had on her cheek from being knocked on the ground.

"The Whomping Willow," Harry said trying to decide what to do.

"You mean the Whomping Willow that turned your Nimbus Two Thousand into a pile of splinters?" Y/N asked starting to panic.

Harry and Hermione both nodded their heads as Y/N's face went into a panic.

"That's brilliant," Y/N said sarcastically.

"Again," Hermione said, "We need to get help."

"That things big enough to eat him!" Harry protested. "We haven't got time."

"We're never going to get through without help...." Hermione pointed out.

Another branch tried hitting them.

"If the dog can, then we can," Harry affirmed breathing heavily.

They started back towards the tree ducking and avoiding the vicious swinging branches.

"Duck!" Hermione shouted, but Harry was too late he got hit knocking his glasses off his face.

Hermione and Y/N both jumped when the next branch came around but when another one swung down Y/N wasn't as lucky.

She got swung up by a branch and was now clinging onto a branch trying her best not to fall as she swung around the tree.

Harry had just avoided a branch when he looked up and saw a blurry vision of the Y/H/C girl screaming while being swung violently.

"Y/N!" Harry shouted trying to feel around on the grass for his glasses.

Once he felt them he put them on his face seeing a clear vision of Y/N latched onto the tree branch.

When the branch was lowered to the ground for a split second Y/N grabbed the hood of Hermione's pink zip-up jacket and waited until the branch was close to the opening below the tree and threw her in.

As the branch began to swing around again she grabbed a fistful of the front of Harry's blue shirt and threw him in after her.

Harry landed with a grunt next to Hermione. He started to get up but Y/N came barreling down through the opening and landed on top of him knocking him right back down.

"Sorry," Y/N said getting up and helping Hermione and him stand up.

"Don't worry about it."

"Where do you suppose this goes?" Hermione asked.

"I have a hunch," Harry said wiping off some dirt from his shirt. "I just hope I'm wrong."

Hermione and Y/N gave each other nervous glances before following after Harry.

They moved down the tunnel and up some creaky stairs before noticing a trap door. Y/N climbed up after Harry and she took his hand helping her up, then Y/N turned around and helped Hermione.

They were in a very dirty room, where the wallpaper was peeling, and stains were seen on the floorboards. The windows had blocks of wood over them and the furniture looked like it had been ripped to shreds.

Hermione gripped onto Y/N's shoulder.

"I think we're in the Shrieking Shack," she whispered.

Harry's eyes fell on a wooden chair that had a large chunk taken out of it, and the other leg was torn off it.

"Ghosts didn't do that," He pointed out.

Hermione jumped hearing a creak above them so they slowly made their way up the stairs.

When they reached the top they heard a clear moan of fright, that could only belong to Ron. Harry gave Y/N a questioning look and she nodded.

Harry gripped his wand tight and kicked the door down open.

The room looked like it was an old bedroom and it was as dusty as the rest of the house. Ron was holding onto his leg and his rat terrified on the floor.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed moving to his side.

"Are you okay?" Y/N asked worriedly.

"Where's the dog?" said Harry.

"Not a dog," Ron whimpered. "Harry, it's a trap, He's the dog.....He's an Animagus...."

The three looked to where Ron was pointing to. They followed paw prints to a space behind the door and with a snap it was shut revealing a man in the shadows.

He had tattered clothing, deep dark eye sockets, and his matted hair was shoulder length. 

Sirius Black.

Y/N, Hermione, and Harry drew their wands but using Ron's wand Sirius yelled, "Expelliarmus!" causing their only form of defense to fly out of their hands.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," Sirius said, his voice throaty. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful.....it will make everything easier...."

Harry felt his blood boil, he pushed past Y/N and started towards Sirius wishing he had his wand. He didn't want to defend himself, he wanted to kill.

Y/N pulled him back in a swift motion.

"Don't even think about it," she hissed in his ear keeping a tight grip on him.

Harry still kept his raging gaze fixated on Sirius.

Ron however spoke up, "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" He said fiercely even though he was in no position to make threats.

"Lie down," Sirius said to Ron calmly. "You will damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly clinging on to Hermione trying to stay standing. "You'll have to kill all four of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," Black said, showing his yellow teeth in a grin.

"Why's that," spat Harry, trying to break free from Y/N's tight grip. "Didn't care last time did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew...What's the matter gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Hermione cried. "Be quiet!"

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry bellowed, and with all his might lunged forward out of Y/N's grip.

Completely forgetting that he was a skinny thirteen-year-old and didn't have any wand to defend himself, all he saw was red.

Y/N, Ron, and Hermione were both yelling after him as Harry took one hand and forced the wand tip Black was holding out of the way and his other hand collided with the side of Sirius's head making them both fall back into the wall.

Blacks freehand found its way to Harry's throat.

"No," Sirius hissed, "I've waited too long..."

"Harry!" Y/N shouted running to where Sirius and Harry were in a brawling match.

Harry felt himself losing air as Black's grip tightened.

He was growing light-headed until he saw Y/N's foot swing out and kick Black making him let go of his neck.

Ron threw himself forward towards Black's wand hand, but suddenly a cat leaped into the fray.

"CROOKSHANKS!" Hermione called.

Y/N felt two deep cuts go into her arm as Crookshanks leaped towards Harry's wand.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Harry roared, aiming a kick at Crookshanks. He snatched up his wand and ordered Ron, Y/N, and Hermione out of the way.

Hermione gasped for breath, her lip bleeding heavily. Y/N tried her best to ignore the pain that came from her arm and the cuts she had on her face. Ron collapsed on the broken four-poster bed clutching his broken leg.

Harry walked up to Black who was laying on the floor with a bruise on his eye and his nose slightly bleeding.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" he grinned creepily.

"You killed my parents," Harry said keeping his wand hand steady.

"I don't deny it," Sirius said quietly. "But if you knew the whole story..."

"The whole story?" Harry repeated his face going red. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, his face going urgent. "You'll regret it if you don't....you don't understand...."

"I understand you a lot better than you think," Harry said, but Y/N was trying to read Sirius's face. He almost looked genuine. "You never heard her, did you? My mum....trying to stop Voldemort killing me...and you did that....you did it..."

All of sudden, Crookshanks jumped onto Sirius's chest, like the two were old friends, and sunk his claws into his robes protectively.

Harry's felt dizzy. At the moment, he didn't even care if he killed the cat too.

He lifted his wand, now ready to finally avenge his mother, finally avenge his father. He was going to kill Black. He had to kill black.

The seconds kept becoming longer while Harry was still frozen.

"Harry don't," Y/N protested, trying to get through Harry's thick skull, that was hellbent on committing murder. "If you kill him your just as bad as he is."

Harry stayed where he was.

"She's right Harry," Hermione added. "You'll feel guilty."

"Killing him's not going to change anything," Y/N said. "It's not going to bring your parents back."

Suddenly the door slammed open.

"Expelliarmus!" Professor Lupin shouted entering the room bloodless with his wand readied.

Harry's wand flew out of his hand again and so did the ones Hermione had grabbed while Y/N seized Harry back away from Black

Lupin caught the wands and moved to Black laying on his back.

Then with an undetermined voice, Lupin spoke, "Where is he, Sirius?"

The three kids looked at Lupin confused.

Black pointed to Ron, who everyone looked at confused.

"But then..."Lupin muttered trying to figure out Blacks expression. "...why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless..." Lupin's eyes went wide as if he had just had an epiphany. "unless he was the one....unless you switched.....without telling me?"

Black nodded weakly.

"Professor?" Harry asked.

"What's going on—?" Y/N questioned but she didn't finish her question before she was stunned at what Lupin did next. Lupin lowered his wand and pulled Black to his feet embracing him like they were brothers.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT," Hermione yelled, Y/N's face growing red with anger.

A Professor that Y/N fully trusted had been working with Black? She'd sent Harry to have lessons with him. She asked him for help on countless occasions.

"You...you..." Hermione accused.

"Hermione—"

"—you and him!"

"Hermione calm down!"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shouted. "I've been covering for you..."

"Hermione please listen, I can explain," Lupin shouted.

"We trusted you!" Y/N said. "You've been his best friend all along?"

"You're wrong," Lupin said. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now...Let me explain...."

"NO!" Hermione fumed. "Y/N, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants Harry dead too....he's a werewolf!"

Everyone went silent while Lupin went pale.

"Not at all up to your usual standard," Lupin said. "Only one out three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead..." He paused for a moment. "..But I won't deny that I am indeed a werewolf."

Ron made an effort to get back on his two feet, and Lupin stepped forward to help him but Ron spat, "Get away from me werewolf!"

The only person who seemed to believe a fraction of what Lupin was saying was Y/N. She noticed the offense he felt at the comment Ron made, his eyes still glimmered with kindness just like the day they had met on the train.

"How long have you known?" He asked Hermione.

"Ages," Hermione said. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay..."

"He'll be delighted," Lupin said. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant...Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill the full moon? Or did you realize that when the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

Lupin made a forceful laugh.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met Hermione," Lupin pointed out.

"If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"They already know," Lupin said. "At least, the staff do."

"Dumbledore hired you knowing you were a werewolf?" Ron gasped. "Is he mad?"

"Some of the staff thought so. I had to work tirelessly to show them that I'm trustworthy—"

"AND HE WAS WRONG," Harry belted out. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THIS TIME!"

"I have not been helping Sirius," Lupin said. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look—"

He took the four's wands and threw them each back to his owner. Y/N caught her's but unlike Harry, Ron, and Hermione, her's wasn't drawn.

"There," Lupin said. "You're armed, we're not. Now, will you listen?"

"If you haven't been helping Black how did you know he was here?" Y/N asked raising an eyebrow.

"The map," Lupin said. " The Marauders Map. I was in my office examining it..."

"You know how to work it?" Harry asked.

"Of course I know how to work it," Lupin said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I helped write it. I'm Moony.....that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

"You wrote-" Y/N started astonishingly.

"The point is I was watching you carefully this evening because I had a feeling you four would find your way down to Hagrid's hut. I watched you but you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" Harry shouted. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," Lupin said ignoring Harry's protest. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us," Harry yelled again.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black,.....I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow.."

"One of us!" Ron objected.

"No, Ron," Professor Lupin said. "Two of you."

Ron looked at him like he was crazy.

"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" Lupin questioned.

"What?" Ron said. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," Lupin said. "Could I see him please?"

"What does my rat have to do with anything?" Ron protested holding Scabbers tighter.

"Give him the rat Ron," Y/N said sternly not leaving her gaze on Lupin.

Everyone stopped and looked at her.

"Are you mental?" Ron exclaimed looking at Y/N. "I'm not giving up my rat."

"That's not a rat," Sirius Black croaked.

"What d'you mean....of course, he's a rat...."

"No, he's not," Lupin said. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," Black piped up. "By the name of Peter Pettigrew."

"Your all mental!" Ron voiced what Harry and Hermione were all thinking.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" Harry said. "He killed him twelve years ago!"

"I meant too," Sirius emphasized, "but little Peter got the better of me.....not this time, though!"

Sirius lunged at Scabbers and Ron yelled in pain when Black landed on his leg.

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled grabbing Black and dragging him away from Ron. "WAIT! You can't do it just like that...they need to understand...we've got to explain..."

"We can explain afterward!" Black declared, trying to get at Ron again.

"You owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

"All right then," Black said not taking his eyes off the rat. "But make it quick. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for...."

"Hear me out all of you...Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen, Ron," Lupin said.

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron whined.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," Lupin explained. "I believed it myself until I saw the map but the map never lies...Peter's alive...Ron's holding him."

Harry looked at Ron and they both nodded in agreement that he was out of his mind. He then looked at Y/N who seemed to be intently listening.

"If Scabbers really is Peter why isn't he a registered Animagi?" Y/N asked.

"There have only been seven Animagi in this century and Pettigrew's name wasn't on that list of registered Animagi," Hermione added remembering all her added study in the library she had forced Y/N to endure with her.

"The Ministry never knew there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts," Lupin laughed.

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," Black snarled watching Scabbers closely.

"Wait," Lupin hissed.

"I DID MY WAITING!" Black bellowed. "TWELVE YEARS OF IT! IN AZKABAN!"

Lupin sighed. "All right....but you'll need to help me, Sirius. I only know how it began."

There was a creak before Lupin started.

"This place is haunted!" Ron screamed.

"The Shrieking Shack was never haunted.....The screams and the howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."

Y/N furrowed her brow at the Professor.

"I was bitten as a very young boy but there is no cure. Professor Snape has been making me a potion that is very recent. It makes me safe. As long as I take it in the week proceeding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transfer...I'm able to be in my office as a harmless wolf. Before that, however, I was a monster once a month but with Dumbledore being headmaster he let me come to Hogwarts as long as I was precautious. The tree was put here to stop anyone from coming through the tunnels. It's painful to be a wolf, I had no one else to bite in isolation so I bit and scratched myself."

Y/N noticed Harry tense up less, but his gaze was still tough.

"But, it was the happiest part of my life, I had friends at Hogwarts. Sirius Black.....Peter Pettigrew.....and of course Harry...James Potter. I lied to them at first where I was disappearing to once a month, but they figured it out and they didn't desert me at all. They became Animagi."

"My dad too?" Harry asked loosening up.

"Indeed," Lupin said. "They took three years to do it. In fifth year they managed it."

"How did that help you?" Hermione asked.

"They couldn't keep me company when I turned as humans, as animals they were with me. My mind was less wolfish when I was with them."

Black had a look of hunger on his face, "Remus...."

"I'm getting there," Lupin promised. "Sirius and James transformed into large animals while Peter transformed into a small one. We made the Marauder's map to help us. We signed it our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs.

The was stung Harry slightly and Y/N placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"That was really dangerous!" Hermione cut in. "What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"That fact haunts me, and there were near misses but we were young and carried away in our own cleverness. So in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" Black's gaze moved from Scabbers for the first time. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here," Lupin said "Teaching. Professor Snape went to school with us. One year Sirius played a trick on him which almost got him killed..."

Black let out a snort.

"Served him right. Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to....hoping he could get us expelled..."

Lupin tried to be more sensible. "We were in the same year, he didn't like us very much, especially James. Jealous I think of James's talent on the Quidditch field. Sirius thought it would be umm....amusing to tell Snape that all he had to do was touch the knot on the tree trunk with a stick and he'd be able to follow me. Snape tried it, and well, he almost tried to get in but your father, Harry, pulled Snape back before he made it to the house. He got a glimpse though. Down the tunnel but he was forbidden to tell anyone."

"That's why Snape doesn't like you," Y/N estimated. "Because he thought you were in on the joke."

"That's right," a cold voice drawled.

Everyone turned to see Snape with his wand drawn entering the room.

"You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" He asked narrowing his eyes.

"Not really," Y/N muttered to herself making Sirius let out a snicker.

"I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a goblet along. And very lucky I did....lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus...." Lupin began but Snape cut him off.

"I told the headmaster again and again that you were helping your old friend Black into the castle and here's proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout.."

"Severus you're making a mistake," Lupin said frantically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this...He was quite convinced you were harmless you know, Lupin...a tame werewolf."

"You fool" Lupin spoke under his breath.

"Listen to him sir," Y/N offered. "Your petty grudges are not going to help anything."

"She's right Severus. Is a schoolboy grudge really worth putting an innocent man in prison?"

A BANG! went out as snake-like cords were around Lupin's mouths, wrists, and ankles and he fell to the floor.

Black fumed and lunged towards Snape but Snape pointed his wand right between Sirius's eyes.

"Give me a reason and I swear I will," Snape snarled.

Black stopped dead but Hermione unexpectedly spoke up.

"Professor Snape...it..it won't hurt to hear what they've got to say wouldn't it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape said in his insufferable voice. "You, Sinclair, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."

"There was a mistake," Y/N piped in protecting Hermione. "Just listen-"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape yelled looking mental. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

Y/N didn't back down. "Professor Lupin could have killed Harry a thousand times, he's been alone with him multiple times! If he was helping Black why didn't he just kill Harry then?"

"DON'T ASK ME TO FATHOM THE WAY A WEREWOLF'S MIND WORKS," Snape spat. "I won't say it again. STAY QUIET!"

"YOUR PATHETIC!" Harry yelled stepping slightly in front of Y/N. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN—"

"SILENCE I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT." Snape roared. "Like father, like son, Potter! You should be thanking me."

"Oh please," Y/N scoffed. "All we have to thank you for is trauma. LISTEN!"

"You kids are too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black...now get out of the way, or I will make you." Snape threatened.

Y/N didn't need to be told twice before she pulled out her wand and yelled, "Expelliarmus!" but that wasn't the only voice bellowed.

Snape went blasting into the wall and a trickle of blood oozed from his hair. He was out cold.

Y/N looked to the right of her where Harry, Ron, and Hermione had their wands drawn, and unluckily for Snape, they all decided to cast the charm at the same time.

"We attacked a teacher.....We attacked a teacher....." Hermione whimpered. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble.

Lupin had finally managed to break free of the rope and stood up.

"Thank you, Harry," he said.

"I'm still not saying I believe you," Harry said.

"Then it's time we offer proof," Black said. "You boy...give me Peter. Now."

Ron yanked Scabbers to his chest.

"Come off it," he said shakily. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean..." He looked at Harry, Y/N, and Hermione for backup.

"Ron just give him Scabbers," Y/N said trying not to sound impatient. "Nothing will happen to him if he's not Peter."

"Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat...there are millions of rats...how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban."

Black sighed and reached into his pocket and smoothed out a crumpled piece of paper.

It was the photograph that was in the Daily Prophet over the previous summer. Ron and his family when they were in Egypt and Scabber's was perched on Ron's shoulder.

"How did you get this?" Lupin asked.

"Fudge," Sirius said growing more impatient by the second. "He came to inspect Azkaban last year and gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page.....on this boy's shoulders...I knew him at once....and the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts...to where Harry was..."

"My God," Lupin said looking from Scabbers to the picture and back, "His front paw..."

"What about it?" Ron said defensively.

"He's got a toe missing," Black pointed out.

"Of course," Lupin said. "So simple....so brilliant....he cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," Black said.

"All they found left of him was his finger," Y/N breathed connecting the story.

"When I confronted him he yelled so the entire street heard, about me betraying Lily and James. Then he killed everyone within twenty feet, transformed, and ran down the sewer...."

"He's been in my family for ages," Ron kept pressing.

"Twelve years, in fact," Lupin said. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We-we take good care of him!" Ron proposed.

"Doesn't look so good now," Lupin pointed out, noticing the thin fraying rat.

"He's just been scared of that mad cat!" Ron said pointing towards Crookshanks.

Harry thought, but realized Scabbers looked ill before he knew about Crookshanks.....ever since Ron came back to Egypt and found out Black escaped.

"This cat isn't mad," Black said. He stroked Crookshanks head kindly. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"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 still didn't fully understand but Y/N did.

"That's why Crookshanks was always after Scabbers," Y/N expressed. "It makes perfect sense, no cat finds one specific rat all the time when plenty of other students have them."

"Exactly," Black said. "Peter must have started to understand what was going on and I suppose he bit himself faking his own death yet again...."

"The blood on the sheets," Hermione breathed.

"And why did he fake his death?" Harry suddenly yelled becoming angry again. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

Y/N put her head in her hands now that Harry was still not registering anything.

"No, Harry-" Y/N started but was cut off by Harry.

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

"Yes, I have," Black said giving a sinister look to Scabbers.

"Harry all this time we thought Sirius betrayed your parents but it was Peter...." Lupin tried. "Sirius tracked Peter down..."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry roared. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

Black shook his head. He had a look of guilt on his face.

"Harry...I as good killed them. I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter...I'm to blame, I know it....the night they died I arranged to check on Peter to make sure he was safe but he was gone. No sign of struggle yet it didn't feel right. I went to your parents straight away and I saw their destroyed house, their bodies...I realized what Peter must've...what I'd done."

Sirius's voice broke and he turned away quickly.

"Enough of this," Lupin said in a harsh tone none of the students had ever heard before. "Ron, give me the rat."

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked.

"Force him to show himself," Lupin said. "As Y/N said, if he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Should've led with that. Y/N thought thinking back to the constant reluctance from Ron.

Ron hesitated before handing Lupin Scabbers. Scabbers began frantically squeaking and trying his best to break grasp.

"Ready, Sirius?" Lupin asked.

Sirius had Snape's wand at the ready and approached Lupin. His cheeks were slightly stained with tears but his face was burning with anger.

"Together?" Sirius asked.

"I think so," Lupin said. He held onto the rat tightly with one hand and his wand with the other. "On the count of three. One....two...THREE!"

A flash of blue-white light erupted from both their wands and Scabbers was frozen in midair, then the rat hit the floor, and with another flash of light, a head started shooting up from the ground.

Limbs looked like they were growing. And where Scabbers was, there was a very short man with thin hair and a bald spot on the top of his head in his place. He was plump but had the appearance that he had lost a lot of unhealthy weight. He looked like he almost had whiskers and had small watery eyes.

"Well hello Peter," Lupin greeted as if this was a normal thing to see rats turn into men. "Long time no see."

"S-Sirius....R-Remus...." Pettigrew's voice was as squeaky as a rat's. "My friends......my old friends...."

Black rose his wand arm at the look on Peter's eyes darting towards the door, while Lupin grabbed onto his wrist tightly.

Pettigrew gasped, "Remus, you don't believe him, do you.....? He tried to kill me, Remus...."

"So we've heard," Lupin said coldly. "I'd like-"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" He pointed at Sirius with his middle finger given his index one was missing. "He killed Lily and James, Remus, you've got to help me!"

"He's got Dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Peter shouted angrily when no one went to seize Black. "How else did he get out of Azkaban? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks."

Sirius let out a sinister laugh. "Voldemort, teach me tricks?"

Pettigrew flinched at the name.

"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" Black asked. "I don't blame you, his lot isn't very happy with you are they?"

"I- I don't know what you mean Sirius...." Pettigrew murmured, his breathing scattered.

"I've heard things in Azkaban, Peter...." Sirius said. "They all think you're dead.....some of them scream things in their sleep....and of course not all Voldemort's followers were caught.....what do you think'll happen if they find out you were still alive?"

"Er- Mr. Black?....Sirius?" Hermione piped up pretty shaken. "How exactly did you escape Azkaban?"

"When I found out Peter was still alive and where he was, it was like someone lit a fire in my head..."

Harry's mind went back to what Mr. Weasley had told him before he had gotten on the train. 'The guards say he's been talking in his sleep...always the same words...He's at Hogwarts.'

"One night when they opened my door to bring me food, I slipped past them as a dog. They can't sense animal's emotions that easily so they were confused. I was thin enough to slip through the bars. I swam to the mainland and journeyed here into Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since. Except for when I came to watch Quidditch games of course. You play quite well Harry....except the time where this one," he said letting out a light laugh and nodding towards Y/N. "-beat you. You fly as well as your father, Harry."

Harry felt lightheaded. He couldn't believe how casual Sirius seemed.

"Believe me," Sirius said hoarsely. "Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

Finally...Harry believed him. He slowly nodded and with that Pettegriew fell to his knees in defeat.

"No!" He clasped the front of Sirius robes begging him. "Sirius... it's me....it's Peter...your friend...you wouldn't..."

Sirius kicked out at Peter. "There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them."

"Remus!" Peter tried, turning to Lupin. "You don't believe this...Wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," Lupin said through gritted teeth. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius," he asked casually.

"Forgive me, Remus," Black said not taking his eyes off Peter.

"Not at all Padfoot, old friend," Lupin said rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course," Black said rolling up his sleeves too. "Shall we kill him together?"

"I think so," Lupin said.

"You wouldn't..." Pettigrew stammered.

He scrambled up to Ron who had a mix between disgust and terror.

"Ron.....haven't I been a good friend....a good pet...? You won't let them kill me, will you Ron? You're on my side..."

"I let you sleep in my bed!" Ron shouted in repulsion.

"If you made a better rat than a human that's not something to boast about Peter," Black pointed out.

Peter scrambled and kneeled at Hermione's feet as if he were praying.

"Smart girl...clever girl...you...you won't let them...Help me...."

Hermione let out a scream jumping away from where Peter was.

Peter turned to Y/N and seized the collar of her shirt. She yelped in disgust at the foul-breathed man breathing so close to her.

"Such a sweet...ambitious girl......don't let them kill me....your mum and dad wouldn't want that!"

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Harry bellowed pulling Pettigrew off of Y/N roughly and standing in between her protectively.

"You know nothing of my family," Y/N spat, angered and slightly confused at what Peter was talking about.

Peter trembled looking up at Harry.

"Harry.....Harry....you look just like your father......just like him..."

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" Black bellowed. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry," Peter whispered. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed.....James would have understood, Harry....he would have shown me mercy....."

Black and Lupin pulled Pettigrew back by his shoulders and threw him onto the floor.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," Black said sternly. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears. He looked like a man baby crying like a coward on the floor.

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done. I was scared, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I didn't mean for it to happen.....he forced me...."

"DON'T LIE," Sirius shouted. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED. YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"You don't understand!" Pettigrew whimpered. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" Black roared. "DIE RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS! AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

Black and Lupin both raised their wands.

"You should have realized," Lupin said harshly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you we would. Good-bye Peter."

Hermione turned to the wall letting out a small whimper

"NO!" Harry yelled, "You can't kill him!" he threw himself between Pettigrew and the wands. "You can't."

Sirius and Remus looked at him surprised.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents." Sirius snarled. "You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," Harry said breathlessly looking at Y/N who gave him a pure look of confusion. "We'll...take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors...He can go to Azkaban..." he turned back to Sirius and Remus, "but don't kill him."

"Harry!" Peter yelled relieved flinging his arms around his shins. "Thank you....it's more than I deserve..thank you..."

"Get off of me..." Harry growled, kicking away from Pettigrew's grasp. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because I don't think my dad would've wanted his best friends to become killers...just for you."

No one moved but in a swift moment, Black and Lupin lowered their wands.

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," Black said. "But think...think of what he did..."

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry said again.

"Very well," Lupin sighed. "Stand aside Harry."

Seeing Harry's hesitation Lupin lowered his toned. "I'm going to tie him up. That's all, I swear."

Harry moved out of the ways and cords shot from Lupin's wand and Pettigrew was tied up and gagged.

"But if you transform, Peter," Black threatened. "we will kill you. Agree Harry?"

Harry looked at Peter and nodded.

Remus's tone shifted to a business one as he began saying instructions.

"Right. Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap up your leg until you're at the hospital wing."

He hurried to Ron and muttered, "Ferula."

Bandages formed around Ron's leg and bound it tightly. Ron put his weight on it and didn't wince.

"That's better. Thanks," Ron said a bit guiltily.

"You next," Lupin said gesturing for Y/N to come near him. He muttered the same spell and where Crookshanks had sunk her deep claws into her arm bandages formed.

"Thank you," she breathed finally being able to be relieved of her pain.

"What about Professor Snape?" Hermione asked.

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," Lupin said checking his pulse. "Still out cold. Maybe it's best we don't revive him until we're back in the castle."

"Morbilicorpus," He muttered, and as if there were strings that you couldn't see Snape was hung a few inches off the ground being pulled like a weird puppet.

"You should probably chain it up," Y/N said gesturing towards the pathetic Peter on the ground.

Sirius smiled at Y/N and nudged Peter with his toe.

"I'll do it," Lupin volunteered.

"And me," Ron offered, limping.

They attached chains to Lupin's right arm and Ron's left.

"Y'know?" Y/N heard a hoarse voice say from behind her. "You remind me of someone."

Y/N turned to Sirius looking at the girl intently. She gave him a questioning look before he shook his head and moved between Y/N and Harry out the door.

"You okay?" Y/N asked now that they were the only two left in the room.

Harry shrugged not knowing exactly how he felt at the moment.

Y/N wrapped her arms around him in a hug which Harry gladly returned, finally releasing the tension he had gathered in the past several minutes they had been in the Shrieking Shack..

When they pulled away Harry raised his hand tracing the cut Y/N had on her cheek with his thumb.

"I promise, I'm fine," Y/N said slightly embarrassed. She immediately shook off the butterflies in her stomach trying not to show how much that simple act affected her.

She started to move towards the door but noticed Harry wasn't following.

She turned back to see Harry smirking.

"You coming?" She asked rolling her eyes and looking forward. She stretched out her left hand to the direct side of her, which Harry gladly took from behind her and they exited the room, following after everyone else.

─── ∙ ~☾~ ∙ ───

𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟑: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐

A/N: ALMOST DONE WITH YEAR 3! There's about 2 more chapters until year 3 is completed! Thank you so much for everything! 💕