The Unknown Twin

Chapter 6

Remus told the trio to find a table while he got them butterbeer. Once he sat down he turned to Harry, while passing drinks around, "Can I see the map? You said you saw him in the Gryffindor common room?" Harry took out the map and handed it to Remus nodding. The man scanned the map in the area of the Gryffindor common room and gasped. "I don't believe it..."

"Uncle Remus? What's wrong? If Peter is dead then the map obviously lied, how do you know it's telling the truth?" Alice asked curiously.

"Peter is alive, the map never lies. I helped create the map, with your dads, and Peter too, so I know it doesn't lie." Remus answered, then added more to himself than the eleven year olds, "But how is it possible...wait...no he wouldn't?" Then he looked at Harry once more. "Are you in Gryffindor? Or Slytherin like your sister?" he asked kindly.

"Gryffindor" Harry replied, wondering why it mattered.

"Do you know if any of the pupils own a rat, by any chance?" Remus said more eager.

"Yeah, Ron has Scabbers. He's old though, and missing a toe." Harry answered having a sip of butterbeer.

"That's it! I need to see this rat, as soon as possible." Remus said standing up and draining his glass.

"But why? What's all this got to do with Peter Pettigrew?" Emily asked politely.

"Everything. Peter is an animagus, which means he can turn into an animal at will. He turned into a rat. And all they found of him was his finger, and Harry said he was missing a toe. I just need to see if it is him. Because if it is, Sirius is a free man." Remus mumbled the last part to himself, not wanting Alice to know her father was in Azkaban for the murder of muggles and Peter.

Once they got up to the castle, it was just about dinner time, so they went to the Great Hall to see if Ron was there. Which of course he was, Emily thought, he'd spent his whole day there if he could. Giggling to herself at the thought, she went over to Ron. "Hi Ron, I need a favour."

"Hmmm?" Ron replied, his mouth full of food.

"I need to borrow Scabbers, though maybe you should come too." Emily said, then, being impatient as she was, suddenly dragged Ron by the back of his robes past to Remus, Alice and Harry, and out into the Entrance Hall before he yanked them out of her hands. "Alright, keep your hair on. You could've let me finish dinner." He scowled.

"But you would've taken too long Ronald," she replied, making her brother laugh, along with Alice and Remus, as they caught up with them.

5 minutes later Emily, Alice and Remus were waiting for Ron and Harry to return with the rat. "They're taking forever! Remus, make them hurry up" Emily groaned, making Remus chuckle. "They've only been in there about a minute and a half, be patient. You've inherited your father's patience, when it comes to waiting at least, that's for sure." Emily's reply was interrupted by the reappearance of Harry, Ron and Scabbers. "Ron, I need you to trust me okay?" when Ron nodded Remus continued, "Scabbers isn't a rat. He's actually a wizard, named Peter. Well, I about 90% sure. I need to do a simple revealing spell. If he's Peter it will change him back. However if he isn't Peter he will be unharmed and unaffected." It took about 10 minutes to convince him, but finally Ron handed the rat over. Remus pointed his wand at Scabbers, who was asleep, and muttered a spell. After a moment, the rat turned into a small man, with greying hair, who looked a lot like a rat, which Harry found ironic. Ron however, went slightly pale. "Remus. My old friend. And Harry, Emily, Alice! You've all grown so much!" While the eleven year olds backed away, Remus muttered another spell, shooting ropes out his wand, tying the man up. When Harry Alice and Emily began to protest, Remus interrupted them. "We need to see Professor Dumbledore, then I will explain everything. Well as much as I can."