Marauder crack

Wormtail warns

It is Peter who calls Dumbledore's office at three in the morning. Sweaty, out of breath, eyes almost bulging, crying from the effort. Apologising for bothering him at so high hours, trying to convey urgency.

- Hunters- he gasps. - They hurt the wolf, professor.

It is Peter Pettigrew who makes up a story when Dumbledore, on their way to the hospital wing requires knowing the first details. "They were hunters, professor. It was Sirius who noticed, you know. He was looking down the window, he couldn't sleep, he thought he heard gunshots in the woods. We all went out and he was there really badly injured".Not a word about illegal Animagus. Peter improvises on the go. And fear is the one that speaks through his mouth spinning a story that is compelling and in the urgency of the night, hiding dozens of lies. "If Dumbledore finds out, he will expel us". Fear is the fuel of his imagination.

Dumbledore half listens to him, more concerned about the health of Remus than the circumstances of the shooting. When he reaches the door of the hospital wing strikes them with such overwhelming emotions.

On that threshold between life and death, reeks of spilled innocence and fresh blood. Smells like an uncertain future and Dumbledore notices the weight of the signs, which indicates a sinister fate. The old professor knows this is not the time to think about this, just as he knows that there will come a time when it will be inevitable. Thinks about it because the signals are more and more abundant. But of all omens that he has been perceiving, the one in front of him is the most shocking.

Sirius Black, plagued, gang member, rebel without a cause, casanova without remedy, holds the dying body of the wolf in his arms. There is a trail of blood that comes from the garden to them. Blood on the silverback of the Wolf. Blood in the animal's dilated eyes and blood on the face disconcerted by the very young Black, who bows his head towards the animal and caresses him as if it were their lives that hung by a thread.

- They tried to kill Remus, professor.

It remains, hoarse, his voice sounds sulfurous and final. It does not refer to the wolf, like Peter, but Remus.

- It is OK son. We will take care of it.

- They have tried to kill Remus - he repeats and it takes Albus's and James's and Peter's strength for the boy to step aside from the wolf and agree to make room for them so they can take care of his wounds.

Dumbledore is personally in charge of extracting the bullet and his incantations fill the hospital wing with a violet color and the smell of sulfur. Sirius refuses to go out and looks at everything with a lost gaze. 

"It's just meat", he mutters, as Dumbledore ponders the nature of men and beasts. That night he stays awake, waiting for the moon to hide and the wolf recovers his nature to see the extent of his wounds.