The Other Potter Book Three.

Chapter Twenty Eight

Sirius Black looked at me with a freaky kind of knowing look as I said my random comment. Okay. Creepy. Stop looking at me like that. Please? Pretty please? With avocado trees on top? Or a volcano.

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of Lupin’s statement to sink in to the other three. 

"You're both mental." Ron said. He looked like he was crossed between pain and confusion.

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly. 

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively. 

“Harry, again, calm!” I said, waving my hands around in a calming way.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me...not this time, though!" 

And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg. 

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

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape. 

"They've -- got -- a -- right -- to -- know -- everything!" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry -- you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!" 

Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands. 

"All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. 

"Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for..." 

"You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at us for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off." 

He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers. 

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen." 

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him am pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin. 

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them..." 

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands. 

“Fish munching mushroom lover volcano llamas.” I mumbled trying to keep myself sane.

Yes sane, I consider myself sane.

Meh, Sanity is overrated anyway.

This is what I think of when in the room with a convicted serial killer.

Fantastic.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. "I believed it myself -- until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies...Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry." 

Hermione and Harry exchanged looks and I knew that they had both agreed on something; Black and Lupin were both out of their minds.

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.