Forbidden Lover

Chapter Twenty Six

Artemis’s P.O.V
After a moment had passed, I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard Professor Lupin speak up to Sirius, “well, well, Sirius. Looking rather ragged aren’t we? Finally the flesh reflects the madness within.” Professor Lupin said to him, “well, you’d know all about the madness within, wouldn’t you Remus?” Sirius said to Professor Lupin before he helped Sirius up and they hugged each other as I slowly walked over to Harry, Ron and Hermione before she shouted, “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.” Hermione said and I furrowed my brows a little, “how can you know that besides him missing classes. Every teacher misses class every once and a while.” I told her before Professor Lupin spoke up, “she’s right you know, how long have you known?” he asked her, “since Professor Snape set the Essay.” she told him, “well, well, well, Hermione. You really are the brightest Witch of your age I’ve ever met.” Professor Lupin said before Sirius spoke up, “enough talk Remus. Come on, let’s kill him.” Sirius said to him and Professor Lupin tried getting Sirius to wait but Sirius spoke up, “I did my waiting. 12 years of it. In Azkaban.” Sirius said to him before Professor Lupin gave Sirius his wand, “very well. Kill him. But wait one more minute. Harry has the right to know why.” Professor Lupin said, “I know why. You betrayed my parents. You’re the reason they’re dead.” Harry told them, “no Harry, it wasn’t him. Somebody did betray your parents but it was somebody who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead.” Professor Lupin told him, “Who was it then?” Harry asked him, “Peter Pettigrew. And he’s in this room. Right now. Come out, come out Peter. Come out, come out and play.” Sirius shouted, “it makes sense if you think about it. I remember hearing from my father that no one found anything of Peter, but a finger.” I mentioned before Snape rushed into the room and pointed his wand at Sirius after disarming him, “Vengeance is sweet. How I hoped I’d be the one to catch you.” Snape said to him before Professor Lupin tried to intervene, “I told Dumbledore you were helping an old friend into the Castle. Here’s the proof.” Snape began to say before I decided to say something, “with what Proof. It’s your word against theirs Professor. Dumbledore would believe them over you." I said to him, “you stay out of this Malfoy." he said to me before Sirius spoke up, “Brilliant Snape. Once again, you’ve put your keen mind to the task and as usual come to the wrong conclusion. Now if you’ll excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to.” Sirius told him, “give me a reason. I beg you.” Snape said to him as they continued to argue.

After a while, Snape tried getting us to leave before Harry attacked him, “Harry. What did you just do?” Ron asked him, “you attacked a teacher.” Hermione mentioned to him, “as if you hadn’t done the same. I remember overhearing that you had set Snape’s cloak on fire.” I said to her before Harry spoke up, “tell me about Peter Pettigrew?” Harry asked, “he was at school with us. We thought he was our friend.” Professor Lupin told Harry, “no. Pettigrew’s dead. You killed him.” Harry said, “no he didn’t. I thought so too until you mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the map.” Professor Lupin said to Harry, “the map was lying then.” Harry said, “the map never lies. Pettigrew’s alive. And he’s right there.” Sirius said as he pointed to Ron, “me? He’s mental.” Ron said, “I don’t think he meant you Ron.” I said looking at the rat, “not you. Your rat.” Sirius said to him, “Scabbers has been in my family for-'' Ron began to say before Sirius cut him off, “12 years. Curiously long life for a common garden rat. He’s missing a toe isn’t he?” Sirius said to Ron, “So what?” Ron asked, “all they could find of Pettigrew was his-” Harry began to say before Sirius cut him off, “finger. The dirty coward cut it off so that everyone would think he was dead. And then he transformed into a rat” Sirius explained, “show me.” Harry said and Sirius eventually took the rat from Ron and both Sirius and Professor Lupin had managed to turn Scabbers into Peter Pettigrew and I just stood there in shock and dragged him out from the hole in the door, “I think I believe them now.” I managed to say to them before needing to go outside, “I think I need some air.” I said before rushing out of the Shrieking shack and eventually made it outside and just sat down on one of the rocks and just began to think to myself about everything that had just happened earlier.

After a while I began to hear the other’s walk out of the Whomping Willow and helped Ron as Sirius and Harry sat him down on one of the rocks, “you better go.” Ron said and I looked to see that Harry was looking at Sirius, “he’s right, you should talk to him.” I said to Harry, “no, no. don’t worry, ok. It’s fine, I’ll stay.” Harry said, “you go, Artemis and I will stay.” Hermione told Harry, “you ok?” he asked Ron, “I’m fine. Go.” Ron told Harry before he walked away and went over to Sirius, “how does it feel?” I asked Ron, “yeah, it looks really painful.” Hermione said to him, “so painful. They might chop it” Ron said to us, “oh please, the worst they could do is give you something that isn’t pumpkin juice for the pain.” I told him and we chuckled a little, “she’s right, I’m sure Madam Pomfrey will fix it in a heartbeat.” Hermione told him, “It’s too late. It’s ruined. It’ll have to be chopped off.” Ron said as we continued to talk before seeing Professor Lupin come out with Peter Pettigrew, “Ron. Haven’t I been a good friend, a good pet? You won’t let them give me to the Dementors will you? I was your rat.” Pater said to him in a panic, “sweet girls, clever girls. Surely you won’t-” Peter began to say to Hermione and I before Professor Lupin had pulled them away and after a moment, both Hermione and I noticed something and saw that it was a full moon, “bloody hell, if you’re right about Professor Lupin, this isn’t good.” I said to her, “Harry.” she said calling out his name and pointed to the moon when she got his attention and as Professor Lupin started to change, Sirius tried to keep him back as best he could until Professor Lupin threw him off and Harry, Ron, Hermione and myself were huddled together the entire time before Hermione slowly started walking away, “Hermione. Who knows if he’s taken Wolfsbane at all today.” I said to her but she didn’t listen, “Professor? Professor Lupin?” Hermione questioned before he howled and I pulled her back to us before Snape got in front of us be before he noticed Professor Lupin and stayed in front of us before Lupin attacked us and we all fell down and I was about to do something before Sirius had beaten me to it and eventually both Sirius and Lupin fought each other before running off, “Sirius” I heard Harry say before he ran off and followed them, “Harry” I shouted after him, “come back here Potter.” Snape said but he kept running after them, “you three, go back to the Castle now, do you understand me.” Snape said to us and the three of us nodded and both Hermione and I helped Ron back to the Castle. By the time we got there, we had gone straight to the Hospital Wing and Hermione told Madam Promfrey what had happened to him before she tended to Ron and wrapped his leg in bandages and after a while, Snape had came into the Hospital Wing carrying Harry and set him down on one of the beds and for now the three of us just talked about everything and what we should do now as we waited for Harry to wake up.