Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 43

Jenna stared up at Remus in surprise, but her shock was nothing compared to Sirius as he watched his old friend walk into the room fiercely.

"Expelliarmus!" Remus shouted.
Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding which belonged to herself and Ron.

Remus caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring down at Sirius, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Remus asked in a rare hoarse tone, catching them all off guard because of his presence.

Wordlessly, Sirius raised his boney finger and pointed it at where Ron was sitting on the floor, his leg bleeding.

"But then... why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless..." Remus's eyes widened in realization, remembering what Jenna had told him, "unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?"

Sirius slowly nodded. Remus then glanced down at Jenna who was still in her cat form, laying on Sirius's chest. Throughout the last few months she had tried to explain everything to him. To make him understand.

All along, Remus had thought that Jenna was blinded by love, that she wasn't being sensible and was looking for an excuse to make Sirius innocent in her mind out of denial.

      Although tonight he had seen Pettigrew's name on the Marauder's Map with his own two eyes. That changed everything.

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

But then Remus lowered his wand and grabbed Sirius hand, helping him off the floor as Crookshanks slipped away from him, and then embraced Sirius like a brother.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed. Remus let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Remus, wild-eyed. "I didn't tell anyone! I've been covering up for you —"

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

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — he's a werewolf!"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Remus, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.

"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead..." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Remus made toward him to help him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!"

Remus stopped dead, her face turning more pallid. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay..."

"He'll be delighted," said Remus coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant. You really are the brightest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"I TRUSTED YOU!" Harry suddenly yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THIS TIME!"

Harry then pointed his wand back at Sirius, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring.

"I have not been helping Sirius," said Remus, trying to keep his voice calm. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"

He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw
each back to its owner; they all caught them, looking stunned.

"There," said Remus, sticking his own wand back into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

     Jenna glanced up at Remus with concern, wondering what the hell he was up to.

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry said, with a furious glance at Sirius, "how did you know he was here?"

"The map," said Remus. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it —"

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.

"Of course I know how to work it," said Remus, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

"You wrote — ?"

"I had a feeling you would come down to see Hagrid tonight before the execution. And I thought that you might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry —"

"How d'you know about the cloak?"

Remus smiled at the memories. "The number of times I saw James disappearing under it..."

Nobody noticed this, but Sirius then raised his hand, stroking Jenna on her fluffy ginger head as a way of comforting her.

"The point is," Remus shook a hand at him impatiently, "even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Remus, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" said Harry.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black and —" but then he paused, before going on "and I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"No, Ron." Remus shook his head feebly. "Two of you."

He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.

"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.

     Crookshanks got up at the mention of the name, hearing a ringing of hatred in her ears as her yellow eyes fell upon Ron's pocket, where the rat laid.

"What?" Ron frowned in confusion. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Remus. "Could I see him, please?"

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping.

Crookshanks stood up fully on Sirius's leg and made a soft hissing noise. She wanted to leap forward, but Sirius caught her in his arms, preventing her from pouncing.

Remus moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.

"What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"

"No, he's not," said Remus quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Sirius, fuming, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew.