UNVEIL | D.M (UNRAVEL BOOK 2)

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The whole room gloomed, Professor Lupin and Sirius Black couldn't believe what they have just seen; Harry disarming Professor Snape, sending him away. He had just attacked a teacher and the thought of it made Hermione waver, that could be counted as an offence and someone guilty could be expelled. "Why would you do that..?" Aine whispers, eyes blank.

"Tell me about Peter Pettigrew," Harry demands, ignoring Aine's question. As the girl figured, Harry could be a little hotheaded at times and his emotions clouds his judgement.

"He was at school together with us. We thought he was our friend..." Lupin says bitterly, "No, Pettigrew's dead! You killed him!" the boy accused, pointing to Black who sighs.

"No, he didn't!" Lupin says, blocking Harry's path before he cast another spell. "I thought so too until you mention seeing Pettigrew on the map."

The map was lying then!" the boy exclaims.

"THE MAP NEVER LIES!" Black noted, his voice filled with certainty, he went on, "Pettigrew's alive! And he's right there!" He points to Ron.

Aine glances at Ron, shaking, his face has gone a little pink, what did Black mean that Pettigrew's alive and here? She wonders, she looked to Ron, and then down onto his hands, grasping tightly around his rat. "That can't be..." she mutters under her breath and when she looked up, Black was nodding to her, she knows now. Aine took a deep breath in, mentally preparing for what's coming. 

"ME?! He's mental!" Ron retorts.

Black groans in frustration, "Not you, you silly boy! Your RAT!"

"Scabbers? He's been in my family for—"

"Twelve years?" Ron's stares at Black, raising a curious brow. How did he— Then back down onto his pet, now unsure of the truth.

"Curiously long life for a common garden rat! He's missing a toe, isn't he?" Black smirks.

However, Ron's doubts were still not completely washed, "So what?" he says, eyes quivering as he looks to Scabbers again who screeches. Still in denial. There was just no way—

"All they could find of Pettigrew was his..."

"FINGER!" Black spat, "Dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead! And then he transformed into a pathetic rat!" he snarls.

"Show me." The boy said, "Give it to him, Ron."

But Ron was hesitant, they can't be serious, this rat lived with him for a decade and two. Even though it was given down to him by his older brothers, a part of him cherishes this little pet of his. But the fact that he is actually a man? A fugitive at that! "What are you going to do with him?" Ron asks, grabbing onto his rat, but Black simply snatched it out of his hands as if a parent taking away a child's toy. Ron's lips shook, and he bit on his lips, glaring at Black. Aine ran to her friend, placing a firm hand on his shoulders. If what they say was true, giving him away would do Ron well. Who know's what it might even do to her friend. "It's okay, Ron..."

"Scabbers! Leave him alone!" He wails, "Get off him!" he added. But no matter how much he tries to stop them, the adults were already pointing their wands at the filthy rat. It was then when Black placed him on top of the piano, that the rat started escaping. Aine watches as the two scrambled around, catching the rat who dodges their attacks, I guess being small has an advantage, huh?

Black clicks his tongue, clearly annoyed as Lupin quickly shot a spell at the rat as he ran into a small hole in the wall, hoping to escape. His hopes were truly crushed as Lupin's spell had got him, turning him back into a human again. Ron's face quickly faded into one of disgust, and Hermione gasps. Harry looked to his Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor who looks away, ashamed that the person who orchestrated the turmoil was his close friend. Aine took a step towards Harry and the boy grabs her hand and pulls her close to him. Peter Pettigrew was no rat, in fact, he was very much human to her surprise. He was a short man compared to his friends, his hair was balded on the top and his skin was smeared with filth. His nose was slightly pointy and he gazed at his friends with watery eyes, a squeaking sound escaping his mouth as he tries to speak. He looked very much like a rat with those features. "Remus...? Sirius...!" He beams, and the sight of it made Ron very uncomfortable.