20

Chapter 20

Father?

I ran into the tunnel and cautiously went forward. I could hear Ron further down so I went a little faster. It didn't take me long to realize we were in the Shrieking Shack. I followed dog tracks all the way to the top. I saw Ron sitting on a sofa. I ran inside but I felt something behind me. When I turned around, Sirius Black was standing there. I hissed at him and then ran forward. I jumped onto his chest and scratched and bit.

"Get off!"

He threw me back and I hit the ground, hard. I turned back into myself and looked a Ron.

"Don't tell anyone."

He slowly nodded and I pulled out my wand. I glared at Black and he seemed surprised.

"Lily, I didn't know it was you. I didn't mean to hurt you." He said.

"What would you care!?" I asked.

I heard Harry and Hermione running up the stairs.

"Harry no! Get out of here!" I said.

I knew he wouldn't listen but I had to try.

"Ron are you okay?" Hermione asked.

"Where's the dog?"

"It's a trap! He's the dog. He's an Animagus!" Ron said.

I stayed in front of my brother. Hermione grabbed me and pulled me back.

"If you want to kill Harry and Lily then you'll have to kill us too." She said.

"No. Only one will die tonight." Said Black.

Harry pushed past me and Hermione.

"Then it'll be you!"

"Harry!"

He grabbed Black and took him to the ground before pulling his wand on him.

"Are you going to kill me, Harry?" Black asked.

Before he could do anything, Lupin walked through the door.

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry's wand flew from his hand and Hermione pulled him back.

"Sirius, looking rather ragged, aren't we? Finally, the skin reflects the madness within." Lupin said.

"Well you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you Remus?" Black said.

Lupin stared at him before lowering his wand and helping him up. I narrowed my eyes, realizing Black was also one of my 'father's' friends.

"I found him!"

"I know."

"I found him!"

"I understand."

"Let's kill him!"

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

"Did you really just figure that out?" I asked.

"No. I knew when Snape sent the essay."

"It took you that long?"

She scowled and I shrugged.

"Well Hermione you really are one of the brightest witches I've ever met."

"Enough talk, Remus. Let's kill him!"

"Wait!"

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

I watched Lupin carefully. He looked at us and then sighed. He held out his wand to Black.

"Very well, kill him. But wait one more minute Harry and Lily have the right to know why." Lupin said.

"I know why! You betrayed our parents. You're the reason they're dead!" Harry said.

I took my brother's hand.

"No Harry, somebody did betray your parents but it wasn't him. It was someone who until quite recently I believed to be dead." Lupin said.

"Who was it then!?"

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

"Expelliarmus!"

Oh, now I'm in trouble.

Dad came in and I slowly moved behind Harry.

"You don't know how much trouble you're in, young lady."

I bit my lip and moved into view.

"I can explain."

"No explanation in the world will be good enough for this."

"This wasn't planned, professor!"

"You don't have to call me professor here. And I don't care if it was planned or not! Hogsmade visits are gone for the rest of this term."

It honestly could have been a lot worse. Dad looked back at Black.

"Vengeance is sweet. How I hoped I would be the one to catch you."

"Severus…"

Dad turned his wand on Lupin too.

"I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the castle and now here's the proof!" dad said.

"Brilliant, Snape. Once again you put your keen, penetrating mind to task and as usual comes to the wrong conclusion. Now if you'll excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to."

Dad put his wand to Black's throat.

"Give me a reason. I beg you!"

"Severus don't be a fool." Lupin said.

"He can't help it, it's habit by now." Black said.

"Sirius be quiet!"

"Be quiet yourself Remus!"

"Look at you two, arguing like an old married couple."

"Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set."

My eyes widened. It would have been funny in a different situation.

"Oh, that did not help you." I whispered.

"What?"

"I said, that didn't help you. Especially when my father has his wand to your throat." I said.

"Father?"

"She's my daughter." Dad hissed.

"They let you raise Lily? James would've never allowed that!" Black said.

"Well he didn't have much choice now, did he?" Dad snarled.

"Little, cowering, Snivellus. How could you have raised a strong, beautiful girl? You couldn't even defend yourself."

I was getting angrier with every word he said.

"Four against one was very brave! It's not very fun on the other end of the wand, is it?" Dad snapped.

I could see the smirk on Black's face and that was it. I ran forward and brought him to the ground.

"My father is a better man than you'll ever be!" I snarled.

Dad pulled me back and kept me behind him. He pushed his wand into Black's neck.

"I could do it, you know? But why deny it the Dementors? They're so longing to see you. Do I detect a flicker of fear? Oh yes! The Dementor's Kiss, one can only imagine what that must be like to endure. It's said to be nearly unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best." Dad snarled.

I'd never heard him sound so vicious in my whole life.

"Severus, please!" Lupin said.

Dad had no intention of listening.

"After you." He said.

He looked at Harry, Ron and Hermione before nodding to the door. I looked at my dad.

"I'm really sorry dad."

"You're safe. That's what matters. But there is still no Hogsmade."

"Yeah, I know." I grumbled.

He smirked.

"Expelliarmus!"

I screamed as my father went flying back. I glared at my brother.

"I swear to god Harry, I'm gonna kill you!"

I ran to my dad. I was worried he'd hit his head. I tried to wake him up but he was out cold.

"The map never lies. Pettigrew is alive. And he's right there!"

Black was pointing at Ron, or rather… Scabbers. My eyes slowly went wide with realization.

"He's an Animagus." I said.

"Exactly!"

"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?"

Harry and I looked at each other.

"All they could find of Pettigrew was his-"

"Finger! The dirty coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead! And then he transformed into a rat." Black said.

I stepped forward.

"Show us." I said.

He yanked Scabbers away from Ron and then set him down on the piano. He started to make a break for the door.

"Stop him Lily!"

I went weasel and tackled Scabbers. I dragged him back and then ran off. They got him and when I blinked, Peter Pettigrew was there.