People Watching.

Chapter Thirty-Four.

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Harry was thinking.
"All three of you are mental!"

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Sirius, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though!"
And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Sirius lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Sirius' weight fell on his broken leg.

"Sirius, NO!" Remus yelled, launching himself forward and dragging Sirius away from Ron again. "WAIT! You can't do it just like that— they need to understand— we've got to explain—"

"We can explain afterwards!" Sirius snarled, trying to throw Remus off. One hand was still clawing in the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and reck as he tried to escape.

"They've— got— a— right— to— know— everything!" Remus panted, still trying to restrain Sirius. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Harry— you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"
Sirius stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

"Right then," Sirius said without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for..."

"You're nutters, all of you," said Ron shakily, looking around at Harry and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."
He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Remus raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him and pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Sirius, Harry turned to Remus.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them..."

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Sirius savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Remus, nodding. "I believed it myself— until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's Map never lies... Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."
Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Sirius and Remus were both out of their minds. Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Sirius after all— but why was Remus playing along with him?

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Remus to talk sensibly.
"But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, you know it can't..."

(Y/n) gave a loud groan and all eyes turned on her.
"If you guys are so sure Scabbers isn't Pettigrew, why won't you let them cast the spell to turn an Animagi back into a human?" she snapped. "If Pettigrew isn't the rat, 'Scabbers' will be just fine. No harm done. But he isn't so maybe Ronald here is conspiring with Pettigrew as he's being so very defensive." Harry turned his head, trying to suppress a laugh at Ron's offended expression. 
Before anyone could say anything else, Remus turned to Hermione.

"Why can't it be true?" he asked calmly as though they were in class and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows.

"Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework— the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things... and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up to the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century— (Y/n) makes it eight but she's not in the records yet— but Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list.
Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Remus started to laugh.