Daisy Potter and the Awesomest Godfather Ever (Book 3, Harry Potter ff)

Chapter 18 - The Servant of Lord Voldemort

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

"What?" Ron said. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

Xylophone snorted.

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

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately. Lupin 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." Sirius Black croaked suddenly.

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

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

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

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in.

"You're all mental." I said.

"Ridiculous!" Hermione said faintly.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" Harry said. "He killed him twelve years ago!"

He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me...not this time, though!"

Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black 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!" Black snarled, trying to throw Lupin off, one hand still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape.

"They've got a right to know everything, Pads!" Xylophone cried. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And the twins - you owe Daisy and Harry the truth, Pads!"

Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

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

"You're nutters, all of you." Fred said.

"I've had enough of this. I'm off." George said.

"Softpaw? Hopper?" Fred said, beckoning us towards the door.

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

"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 and I caught and pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, I turned to Lupin, and, supposedly, Emily.

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

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

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter." Emily said, 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, Daisy, Harry." Lupin said.