The Daughter of the Strict Potion Master

✩ 26✩

Conclusions and Ending

Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Nora were following after Lupin who was still carrying the map using his wand as a light. They rushed out the door and made their way away from the castle. Lupin trying to find Peter as the words Sirius Black appeared. The four of them ran after Lupin. Nora using her wand as a light through the darkness. "Are you sure this is such a good idea?" Hermione asked as the four were following Lupin.

"It's a little too late to be concerned about that now." Nora commented as they were starting to lose Lupin. They continued to follow Lupin into they were in front of the Whooping Willow and just as it looked like it was about to touch Lupin. He touched the note on the tree as he slowly disappeared inside. Draco, Harry, and Nora followed in. As Hermione seemed skeptical.

"Come on Granger that thing isn't going to likely stay frozen for long." Draco said as Hermione let out a sigh before going in. The four of them landed on their butts as they walked through only to be in an abandoned-looking home.

"We're in the Shrieking Shack aren't we?" Hermione asked as the four approached the stairs, creaking under their weight as they climbed. Only to see Ron's rat, Scabbers, in the room and just as they were about to do something the door closer revealing Sirius Black, in all his rugged glory. Harry charged first toward the criminal, wand poised above his head.

"Harry let him go he is an innocent man!" Nora cried.

"But he isn't Nora and I think it's time you see it!" Harry called back, his eyes not leaving the criminal beneath him. Just as he started to swish his wand it flew from his hands, Remus Lupin had stepped into the room.

"I see you are in a little bit of trouble old friend." He laughed, Harry sprung up and staggerd away. Remus helped Sirius up and they exchanged a hug to which the students were shocked and confused, all but Nora.

"We trusted you and all this time you have been his friend." Hermione said grimly, Nora sighed and shook her head.

"If you would just listen instead of jumping to conclusion, Sirius Black is innocent. The real culprit is Ron's bloody rat." She picked the grimy animal up from where it was under the piano, handing it to Professor Lupin and Sirius. "There is a spell to reveal animagi, correct?" Nora asked.

"Yes." Remus blinked twice, almost stunned she knew something like that.

"I bet, if you use that spell then you'll know what I mean when I say that rat is the culprit." She turned to the other three. "Then you would see I wasn't wrong about our teacher being a werewolf." She added.

"She knew?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"Professor Snape gave us an essay." Hermione finally spoke up. "After that it wasn't hard to tell."

Sirius took a closer look, taking a step towards Nora who wasn't going to back away like a scared little kid. What was there to be scared of when he was practically harmless?

"Severus daughter I see." He mused as he took the rat from Remus and flung him onto the bed, Remus casting the spell with his wand. Scabbers was making his escape but luckily got caught in the hole in the door. He was a decrepit-looking old man whom Sirius and Remus picked up and turned him towards them.

"Remus and Sirius my old friends!" The man cried, Nora took a couple steps back. Shaken by seeing it actually happen. Harry was still standing relatively close.

"I told you yet once again you doubted me." She whispered to Draco and Hermione.

"I'm sorry but Remus said the map-" Harry started to say.