SABAISM | H. POTTER

TWENTY - SIX. | THE INDISPUTABLE TRUTH

"YOU SHOULDN'T BE ENACTING SUCH A WAY," BLACK UNSURELY REPRIMANDED HIS DAUGHTER; PERCHING TO UNFASTEN HIS STRUGGLING HUSBAND, "YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT HIM TO ME." But Gemini Lupin-Black, assiduously pushed too far, persisted to be deaf to the first words her mother had directed at her in over a decade. Culling, instead, to keep at pulverizing the benumbed Severus Snape.

"Gemini Lily," Remus admonished, standing tall; now unfettered by former bonds, "I understand chagrin, but listen to Sirius. And stop this attack on a Professor, at once!" She, respiring laboriously, stopped alright. Stopped only to curlicue around and point her wand at her parents. "Cub -," the battered werewolf startled, only to be interjected by the incensed offspring. "Understand my chagrin, do you? Do you?," she hissed; scowling at the man, "No, actually, I don't quite believe you do. Picture this. Draco and I, after eating our weight in shepard's pie, dispatch to your office to...to spend the night with you. As we'd planned. Only to discover the door off-course, with an untouched potion and the Marauders Map adorning your escritoire. If it hadn't been for Draco's level-headiness in his choice to inspect the map, I'd have burnt the castle down in your search. But, you see, that alternative is still on the table. Because while you haven't been slain, you've so obviously had a curse placed on you."

"Gemini," Remus brokenly whispered; beholding the lass' distrustful figure, as she visibly tightened the hold on her wand, "I am terribly sorry that I worried the two of you. But, please, hear and pay attention...because you couldn't be any more wrong." And Draco, who'd antecedently been checking in on their friend's well-being, stalked to Gemini's side, wand stationed, once more. Inquiring, "Pray tell then, Father. Exactly how are we amiss?" - All neglecting Sirius Black's hiss of "Father?" - "Firstly, Cub," Remus sighed; watchful of his cut to the quick son, "As I've explained an exorbitant amount of times, it is Dad. You call me Dad. Secondly, your friends are, at this time, aware of my, uh, condition. Though, apparently, Mr. Potter heretofore knew. Thirdly, I've not been kidnapped nor have I been placed under any spells, I swear."

"Then what the fuck are you doing? This isn't logical, this isn't you! You wouldn't do this of your own free will. Not to us, not to me," Gemini hissed; glowering as best she could with such watery eyes. "You're correct, Gem," Remus assured, "The only acceptable reasoning behind me being in cohorts with your Mother, the only logical reasoning, is if he was innocent. Which he is." But his backing had yet to crack the cold exterior of his daughter. "Stop lying to me," she unevenly requited; making an effort to squash the budding hope in her chest. "I'm not being untruthful with any of you," Lupin stressed, "Because I, too, until just a moment ago, believed my mate to be a disreputable, heinous slayer." The lioness', who spared an expeditive glance at her Mother, probed, "Well then, what changed?"

"Peter Pettigrew did, Gem," Harry Potter spoke up, staring at the girl in worry, wishing for nothing more than to comfort her, "Your dad says that you were right...that the map isn't ever wrong. And the ratiocination as to why we detected him on the parchment and not before us? Because he's an Animagus. More specifically...a rat." Emeralds then spared a skeptical glance at the creature contending of Ron's grip. Thus responsible for Gemini's following moment of indecision, the grip on her wand loosening. And Draco, bless him, surfeited with the overcoming tension, birched, "THAT IS IT, EVERYONE PAY ATTENTION!" And everyone did, eyeing him in bewilderment. "Thank you. Now, I've had quite enough of this disordered clusterfuck. You've all reduced me to the brink of a migraine, and Gemini to potential arson. - Accio Ronald's Rat!"

"Oi," Ron griped as Scabbers landed in Draco's open palm. "You shut it," Draco sneered at the red-head; simultaneously levitating the rat into the air, "I'm past annoyed at this point. If you bother me further I will assign Fred to be your personal oppressor for the entirety of the next school year. - Gem...Gemini Lily Lupin-Black! Step back from your excessive feelings and perform that stupid spell that reveals the person behind the Animagus. You know I haven't yet learned it." Silver iris' blinked rapidly. But, without uttering a single syllable, the girl raised her wand at the squeaking animal.