Discovery

16.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered.

"You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking.

"I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story."

"The whole story?" Harry repeated. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't...You don't understand..."

Before either of them could do anything, Crookshanks lept onto Black and sat on his chest. Harry hesitated, and then there were footsteps.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly.

"SIRIUS BLACK!" I yelled. "CRAZY PSYCHO MURDERER UP HERE—HELP!"

The door of the room burst open, and Professor Lupin came hurtling in, his wand raised and ready.

"Expelliarmus!" Lupin shouted, and Harry's wand flew out of his hand.

"Where is he, Sirius?"

I looked quickly from Black to Lupin.

"But then..." Lupin muttered, staring at Black intensely, "...why hadn't he shown himself before now? Unless—" Lupin's eyes widened. "—unless he was the one... unless you switched...without telling me?"

Very slowly, Black nodded.

"Professor," Harry interrupted loudly, "what's going on—?"

Lupin lowered his wand, then embraced Black like a brother. I stood there, bewildered.

Lupin had been helping Black after all, and I had been right.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed. "You— you—"

"Hermione—" Lupin let go of Black and turned to her.

"—you and him!"

"Hermione, calm down—"

"I didn't tell anyone! I've been covering up for you—"

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouted. "I can explain—"

"I trusted you," Harry shouted at Lupin, "and all this time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now— Let me explain..."

"THIS IS WHAT I TRIED TO TELL YOU!" I shrieked at Harry. He turned to me, dumbstruck.

"What— what do you mean?"

"LUPIN WAS FRIENDS WITH BLACK SINCE THEIR YEARS AT HOGWARTS! THEY KNEW MY MOTHER!" I roared. "I KNEW LUPIN WAS HELPING BLACK, BUT YOU NEVER LISTENED WHEN I TRIED TO TELL YOU!"

"Harry, Lupin wants you dead too— he's a werewolf!" Hermione screamed.

Everyone went silent.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of two, I'm afraid. I certainly don't want Harry dead...But I won't deny that I am a werewolf. And Ella, I definetly have not been helping Sirius get into the castle." 

"Ella?" Black repeated. "Why do you go by Ella?"

"What?" I blurted out, confused by the change in subject. What did Black care if I went by Ella?

"Your name is Ellador—" Lupin nudged Black.

"Woah— wait— how do you know my name?" I asked, startled.