Anna Potter and Prisoner of Askaban

Chapter 13

UPSTAIRS ROOM
[Rose bandaging her bloody hand with ripped of robe's piece.]
Anna: Rose! You're okay -- The dog -- where's the --
Rose: It's a trap, Anna. He's the dog. He's an Animagus...
"You knew that, too?" Asked Remus, after seeing no one was surprised.
"You call each other Padfoot, Prongs, wormtail and Moony and disappear every full moon." Said Evan.
"Does everyone know?" Groaned James.
"Only observant ones." Said Regulus.
[Anna looks down, follows the paw prints on the floor to a pair of filthy human feet. Anna looks up slowly at the man standing in the shadows. Filthy, matted hair hangs to her shoulders. Her skin like a corpse. Sirius Black. He studies Annas face keenly. Anna draws her wand.]
"Aaah.... I look terrrible. Look at my hair! My hair!" Cried Sirius.
"Really, pads? Now?" Said James.
Rose: If you want to kill Anna, you'll -- you'll... have to kill me too!
Sirius Black: No. Only one will die tonight.
"What does that mean?" Said worried Lily.
"Ms. Hufflepuff said he is innocent!" Defended Remus.
Anna: Then it'll be you!
Rose: Anna! No! [Just then, Footsteps sound. Black wheels toward the door, edgy. Anna eyes Black, wand hand shaking violently. As Black turns back, she stops, regards Anna cautiously.]
Sirius Black: Going to kill me, Anna?
Anna: Yes.
"She wouldn't, would she?" Said Lily.
"In her mind, She lost her parents and lived in abusive household because of him." Said Barty.
[Anna raises her wand.  BLAM! -- the door crashes open: Lupin.]
Anna/Rose: Professor Lupin! [Lupin ignores them, eying Black intensely.]
Professor Lupin: Looking a bit ragged, aren't we, Sirius? Finally the skin reflects the madness within.
Sirius chuckles lightly.
Sirius Black: You'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?
[The two regard each other, the moment taut with tension, then Lupin steps forward and kisses Black.]
Anna: I trusted you! I covered up for you. And all this time you've been with him! He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes!
Rose: I know.
"She does?" Said Remus.
Anna: You do?!
Rose: (offended) Of course, i'm not idiot! [Black howls then, bitterly amused. Lupin eyes him, then turns back.]
James gives Sirius amused look.
Professor Lupin: How long have you known?
Rose: I had my suspetion when your boggart turned into moon, but i knew for sure when Professor Snape set the essay.
"She is smart." Complimented Lily. Remus nodded.
Anna: Same.
Professor Lupin: You're the brightest witches of your age I've ever met, Anna, Rose.
Sirius Black: Yes, you glow like the sun. And you howl at the moon.
James chuckles.
Sirius Black: Enough talk! He dies. Now. If you won't do it with me, Remus, I'll do it alone.
"He?" Asked Barty.
Professor Lupin: Wait, Sirius --
Sirius Black: I did my waiting! Twelve years of it!  In Azkaban! Trust me, you wouldn't have lasted a week!
Pity looks are sent toward Sirius, which he ignores.
[Lupin eyes Black, then nods.]
Professor Lupin: All right then. As you wish...
Anna: No! [Anna raises her wand when Lupin wheels and, with a flick of his own, disarms her. Furious, Anna eyes Black murderously.]
Anna: You betrayed my parents! You sold them to Voldemort!
Sirius Black: It's a lie! I never would've betrayed James and Lily!
"See? You are innocent." Said James. Sirius smiled relieved.
"Who betrayed them then?" Asked Evan.
Professor Lupin: Anna! You've got to listen--
Anna: Did he listen! When my mother was dying! Did he hear her screaming!
Sirius Black: No! I wasn't there! And I'll regret it the rest of my life! [Anna's looks into Black's eyes, which are glittering with pain and guilt.]
James can't take seeing him like this and closes his eyes.
Professor Lupin: Someone else betrayed your parents, Anna. Someone in this room right now. Someone who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead.
"Who?" Asked angry Sirius.
Rose: [Rose raised her wand] That's enough! Stop being drama queens and start talking. I'm losing patience.
"What she said!" Said Lily.
[Black turns then, to Rose, and croons in a cruel sing song:]
Sirius Black: Come out, come out, Peter Come out, come out and play...
"No." Whispered Gryffindors.
"No, no, no." Said Remus.
"Peter wouldn't do that to us." Said James.
"It's not possible." Said Sirius. Even Lucius looks at them with pity.
[Rose draws back from Black's demented gaze, cofused. Anna's eyes shift from Rose's face to her hands, where Scabbers twists violently. As a curious expression befalls Anna, Lupin and Black, as one, raise their wands.]
Snape: Expelliarmus! [The wands fly from their hands. The others turn, find Snape standing in the doorway, smiling smugly.]
"Of course he had to show up at worst time!" Yelled frustrated James.
Snape: (eying Black) Ah, vengeance is sweet. How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you.
Marauders galre at Snape with hatred.
Professor Lupin: Severus --
Snape: I told Dumbledore you were helping your him into the castle. And here's the proof.
Sirius Black: Brilliant! And -- as usual -dead wrong. Now give us our wands back. Remus and I have a bit of unfinished business to tend to. [As Black approaches, Snape puts his wand to Black's neck.]
Snape: Give me a reason. I beg you.
Professor Lupin: Don't be a fool, Severus!
Sirius Black: He can't help it. It's habit by now.
James and Sirius agreed at future- Sirius.
[Rose and Anna snort. Sirius hears it and winks. Anna glares at him.]
Professor Lupin: Quiet, Sirius!
Snape: (clucking his tongue) Listen to you two. Quarreling like an old married couple.  The creature and the criminal.
Sirius Black: Well... We're old married couple, so piss off.
"You got married!'" Cheered Lily.
"Finally!" Yelled James. Remus and Sirius sent a glare toward James, then smiled at each other. Regulus smiles at his brother's happiness.
Snape: Witty as ever I see. Tell me, will you be so irreverent when I turn you over to the Dementors? (as Black reacts) Do I detect a flicker of fear? One can only imagine what it must be like to endure the Dementor's Kiss. It's said to be unbearable to witness.  But I'll do my best.
"We will take care of Snape!" Whispered Regulus to Barty. Barty nodded.
"How dares he taunt you about Askaban?!" Yelled Lily. She can't believe her childhood friend would become so cold.
[Snape's eyes harden.  He gestures to the door.]
Snape: After you. [As the others start to go, Anna glances at the table where Lupin has left Anna's wand. In a flash, it's in her hand.]
Anna: Expelliarmus! [Snape soars into the air, hits the wall with a THUD, and slides down.]
"That's my goddaughter." Said Sirius proudly and pointed at screen.
[Rose stares in shock. Anna turns to Black.]
Anna: Oh, how i have dreamed of this day for whole three years.
Everyone chuckles except Lily.
Anna: Anyway.... You said Peter before. Peter who?
Professor Lupin: Pettigrew. He was at school with us. We thought he was a friend.
Marauders are still in denial.
Anna: No. Pettigrew's dead. He killed him. [As Anna points at Black, Black laughs mirthlessly.]
Professor Lupin: I thought so,too. Until you mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the Map.
Anna: The Map was lying then --
"The map never lies." Said Marauders with broken voice. Not wanting to believe their best friend would do this to them.
Rose/Sirius Black: The Map never lies. 
Sirius Black: Pettigrew's alive. And he's right there. [Black points at... Rose. Rose looks shocked and looks down at rat.]
"I knew he looked familliar!" Said James and let out number of curses.
Rose: (laughes in disbelief) No, he can't be. Scabbers has been in my family for --
Sirius Black: (bitterly) Twelve years. A curiously long life for a common garden rat. He's missing a toe, isn't he?
Marauders can't deny it anymore and start sobbing. Lily is crying, too, because he was also her friend.
[Black unfolds a dog-eared clipping from The Daily Prophet: it shows Rose in Egypt with his family, Scabbers on his shoulder.]
Anna: All they could find of Pettigrew was his --
Sirius Black: Finger. Dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead. Then he transformed into a rat.
"We will take care of Pettigrew, too." Said Regulus.
"We have to be faster than them then." Said Barty and pointed at Marauders and Lily, who are glaring at rat murderously.
[Anna stares into Black's sunken eyes. Wanting to believe. Desperate to believe. Glances at Rose's shocked face.]
Anna: He has a point, Rose. Scabbers doesn't have one finger and rats don't live that long, but...
Rose: Show us. [Lupin and Black turn to Rose. Rose gives scabbers to him.]
Sirius Black: Together. [With that, Lupin takes out his wand and, as one, he and Black cast a stream of blue-white light. Scabbers twists madly in midair, then -- FLASH! -- transforms into... a very short man with thinning hair and grubby hands. Peter Pettigrew.]
Everyone glares at him.
Pettigrew: S-Sirius... R-Remus. My old friends. [Neither speaks. Pettigrew's small, watery eyes dart toward the windows and door. Suddenly, he makes a break for it, but Sirius merely shoves him back.]
"Coward!" Said James.
[Pettigrew's nose twitches, his gaze finding Anna. His hands flutter nervously, reveal a missing index finger.]
Pettigrew: Anna! Look at you! Y-you look just like your father. Like James. We were the best of friends, he and I --
"How dares he?" Setheed Sirius, shaking with anger.
Sirius Black: Shut up!
Pettigrew: I didn't mean to! The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses! Ask yourself what you would have done, Sirius. What would you have done!
"This is his reason?! Betrayed us because he was scared?!" Said hurt Lily.
Sirius Black: Died! Died rather than betray my friends! And you should have realized, Peter, if Voldemort didn't kill you...
Professor Lupin: We would.
Marauders nodded.
"I will make his death so slow and painful,even Bellatrix will look surprised." Said Sirius with black madness showing in his eyes.
Pettigrew: No... please... you can't... (eyes darting,  finding) Rose! Haven't I been a good friend? A good pet? You won't let them kill me, will you? I was your rat... [Rose draws back in disgust.]
Rose: I let you sleep in my bed! Oh my Merlin! I slept next to mass murderer.
Everyone glares at Peter harder.
[As one, Lupin and Black raise their wands, point them directly into Pettigrew's face. He shrinks back trembling, closing his eyes in fear.]
Anna: No.
"What?!" Yelled shocked Marauders, Barty, Evan and surprisingly, Regulus.
Rose: Whaaat?! [Pettigrew's lids lift. Lupin and Black turn. Staggered.]
Professor Lupin: Anna, this man...
Anna: I know what he is. But we'll take him to the castle.
"No! We kill him!" Said Sirius.
Pettigrew: Bless you, girl!  Bless you --
Anna: Get your filthy hand off me! I said we'd take you to the castle. After that, the Dementors can have you.
"She is right. It's better then killing." Cackled Sirius.