𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 \\ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗷. 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝑋𝑉𝐼𝐼.

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

SIRIUS AND PROFESSOR Lupin lifted Peter Pettigrew up from the floor, shoving him back. "Remus? S-Sirius! My old friends!" Pettigrew tried to run, but Sirius and Lupin pushed him back. Frantically, he turned, spotting Caroline and Harry. "Harry! Look at you. You look so much like your father, like James. Caroline, you're so much like Dee. We were the best of friends, James, Dee and I..."

"How dare you speak to them! How dare you talk about James and Delilah in front of them!" Sirius yelled, he and Lupin cornering Pettigrew when he tried to run.

"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort, didn't you? And by extension, Hector!" Lupin accused, his wand pointed at Pettigrew.

"I didn't mean to! The Dark Lord. You have no idea the weapons he possesses!" he turned to Sirius, pointing at him. "Ask yourself, Sirius! What would you have done?" Pettigrew wailed.

"I would have died! I would have died rather than betray my friends!" Sirius shouted. Pettigrew crawled under the piano, trying to get to the door. Harry had left Caroline's side, blocking the door.

Pettigrew ran up to him, gripping his shoulders. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed. Your dad... Your dad would spare me. He would have shown me mercy!" Lupin and Sirius pulled Pettigrew off of Harry while he screamed.

"Should have realized, Peter, that if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Together!" Sirius shouted, him and Lupin raising their wands to him.

"No!" Harry shouted suddenly. He glanced at Caroline, who nodded.

"Harry, Caroline, this man..." Lupin said gently.

"We know what he is. But we'll take him to the castle." Caroline said, now standing next to Harry as they walked closer, more blood dripping down her arm, reaching her wrist now.

"Bless you, girl. Bless you!" Pettigrew said, dropping to his knees, reaching for Caroline.

"Get off her!" Harry said, pulling Caroline back quickly, his arm snaked around her waist as she clutched him. "She said we'd take you to the castle. After that the dementors can have you."

— ✩ ☽ ✩ —

"SORRY ABOUT THE bite. I reckon that twinges a bit." Sirius said to Ron, him and Harry helping him walk down the passage way.

"A bit? A bit? You almost tore my leg off!" Ron said.

"Now, I was going for the rat. Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog..." Caroline tuned out the rest of their conversation, turning around and waiting for Lupin, who was dragging Pettigrew with him.

Lupin gave her a smile when he arrived next to her. "I assume you have questions, is that right?" he asked, falling in step with the girl. They had wrapped her bleeding shoulder hole as best as they could with a few pieces of scrap cloth.

Caroline nodded. "If you really were my godfather, way back then, why didn't you take me in?"

"I wanted to, darling, you need to know that. Dumbledore knew I was a werewolf. He thought it wouldn't be wise, and deep down, I agreed with him. I've never wanted to put you in harm's way, Caroline." Lupin said, still dragging Pettigrew.