Harry and Amelia Potter

3.14

"We're in the Shrieking Shack, aren't we?" Hermione asks as we reach the end of the tunnel.

"Come on." Harry says to her. We reach the top of the stairs and see an opened door. We walk through. "Ron."

"Ron. You're okay." Hermione sighs with relief.

"The dog. Where is it?" I ask him.

"It's a trap. He's the dog. He's an Animagus." Ron points to the corner of the room. We turn around and the door closes. Revealing a man. Sirius Black.

"If you want to kill Harry and Mia, you have to kill us too!" Hermione says, stepping in front of us.

"No. Only one will die tonight." He mutters.

"Then it'll be you!" Harry says and steps forward, wand at the ready.

"Are you going to kill me, Harry?"

I step up next to him with my wand out.

"If he doesn't, I will."

"Expelliarmus!" We hear from the side of us and our wands are knocked out of our hands. We turn and see Professor Lupin. "Well, well, Sirius. Looking rather ragged, aren't we? Finally, the flesh reflects the madness within."

"Well, you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you?" Sirius says, and then smiles madly. "I found him."

"I know."

"It's him."

"I understand."

"Let's kill him!"

"No! I trusted you! And all this time, you've been his friend." Hermione states. "He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes."

As she says this, I think about it. It makes since. He fears the full moon, Snap assigned us the essay, he always looked rather ill every month.

"How long have you known?" He asks her.

"Since Professor Snape set the essay."

"Well, Hermione. You are the brightest witch of your age I've ever met." Lupin says. "I'm surprised you didn't figure it out, Mia."

"Enough talk, Remus! Come on, let's kill him!" Sirius says impatiently.

"Wait!"

"I did my waiting! Twelve years of it! In Azkaban!"

"Very well. Kill him." Lupin says. "But wait one more minute. Harry and Mia have the right to know why."

"We know why." I say. "You betrayed our parents."

"You're the reason they're dead!" Harry yells.

"No, it wasn't him. Somebody did betray your parents... somebody who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead!" Lupin exclaims.

"Who was it, then?" I ask.

"Peter Pettigrew! And he's in this room! Right now! Come out, come out, Peter! Come out, come out and play!" Sirius says.

"Expelliarmus!" Snape enters the room and knocks Lupins wand out of his hand. "Vengeance is sweet. How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you."

"Severus..."

"I told Dumbledore you were helping a friend into the castle. Here's the proof."

"Brilliant, Snape. You've put your keen mind to the task and come to the wrong conclusion. If you'll excuse us, Remus and I have business... to attend to."

"Give me a reason. I beg you! Don't be a fool."

"He can't help it. It's habit."

"Be quiet."

"Be quiet yourself!"

"You two, quarrelling like an old married couple. Run along and play with your chemistry set!" Lupin interrupts Snape and Sirius.

"I could do it, you know. But why deny the dementors? They're so longing to see you. Do I detect a flicker of fear?" Snape asks coldly. "Oh, yes. A Dementor's Kiss. One can only imagine what that must be like. It's said to be nearly unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best."

"Severus, please."

"After you."

"Expelliarmus!" Snape flies back through a wall. I look over to my brother, who's wand is out.

"Harry! What did you just do?" I ask.

"You attacked a teacher!" Hermione exclaims.

"Tell me about Peter." He says, now pointing his wand at Lupin.

"He was at school with us. We thought he was our friend!"

"No. Pettigrew's dead. You killed him!" I say, looking to Sirius.

"No, he didn't. I thought so too, until you mentioned Pettigrew on the map!"

"What?" I question Harry. He never told me that.

"The map was lying, then." Harry says.

"The map never lies! Pettigrew's alive! And he's right there!" Sirius points to Ron.

"Me?! He's mental!"

"Not you! Your rat!"

"Scabbers has been in my family for..."

"Twelve years? Curiously long life for a common garden rat! He's missing a toe, isn't he?" Sirius asks.

"So what?"

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

"Finger! Dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead! And then he transformed into a rat!" Sirius states.

"Show us." Harry says. Lupin moves to grab the rat from Ron. "Give it to him, Ron."

"What are you trying to do to him? Scabbers! Leave him alone! Get off him! What are you doing?"

The rat tries to run away but Lupin points his wand at him and he turns into a small, plump, man.

"Remus? Sirius. My old friends!" He says. Then turns to Harry and I. "Mia! Harry! Look at you! You both look so much like your father! Like James! We were the best of friends..."

"How dare you speak to Harry and Amelia!" Sirius cries. "How dare you talk about James in front of them!"

"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort, didn't you?" Lupin asks.

"I didn't mean to! The Dark Lord. You have no idea the weapons he possesses! Ask yourself, Sirius! What would you have done? What would you have done?"

"I would have died! I would have died, rather than betray my friends!"

"Mia, Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed! Your dad... Your dad would have spared me! He would shown me mercy!"

"Should've realized, Peter, that if Voldemort didn't kill you, then we would! Together!" Lupin tells him. Both him and Sirius raise their wands.

"No!" I scream.

"Mia, this man..." Lupin starts to say.

"I know what he is." I cut him off. "But we'll take him to the castle."

"Bless you, girl! Bless you!" Peter runs up to me and starts kneeling before me, tugging on my clothes.

"Get off! I said we'd take you to the castle. After that, the dementors can have you."