A Life Changing Story "Harry Potter and Percy Jackson

Part 14

I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape,throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you. . . ."
"You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?"Snape said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. Youforgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. Andvery lucky I did . . . lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk wasa certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I sawyou running along this passageway and out of sight."
"Severus —" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.
"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helpingyour old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old placeas your hideout —"
"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "Youhaven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here tokill Harry —"
"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes nowgleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledoretakes this. . . . He was quite convinced you were harmless, youknow, Lupin . . . a tame werewolf —"
"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worthputting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"
Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape'swand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, andankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move.
Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed hiswand straight between Black's eyes.
"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it,and I swear I will."
Black stopped dead. Face filled with hatred.
Nobody moved. Ron looked confused, Harry was paralyzed shocked while Hermione, took an uncertain step towardSnape and said, "Professor Snape — it —it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w — would it?"
"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from thisschool," Snape spat. "You, Potter, Jackson and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For oncein your life, hold your tongue."
"But if — if there was a mistake —"
"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, lookingsuddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUDON'T UNDERSTAND!"
Hermione fell silent.
"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How Ihoped I would be the one to catch you. . . ."
"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. "As long asthis boy brings his rat up to the castle" — he jerked his head atRon — "I'll come quietly. . . ."
"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need togo that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out ofthe Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black . . . pleasedenough to give you a little kiss, I daresay. . . ."
The color in Sirius's face drained out.
"You — you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat —look at the rat —"
But it looks like he seemed beyond reason."Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and theends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag thewerewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too —"
But Harry had crossed the roomin three strides and blocked the door.
"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already,"snarled Snape. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin —"
"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred timesthis year," Harry said. "I've been alone with him loads of times,having defense lessons against the dementors. If he was helpingBlack, why didn't he just finish me off then?"
"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works,"hissed Snape. "Get out of the way, Potter."
"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSETHEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'TEVEN LISTEN —"
"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!"Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. "Like father, like son,Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me onbended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you!You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you mightbe mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will make you.GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"
But Harry did something nobody would've done in their right mind.
Before Snape couldtake even one step toward him, he had raised his wand."Expelliarmus!" he yelled — except that his wasn't the only voicethat shouted.
Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall,then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from underhis hair. He had been knocked out.
Harry looked around. Both Ron and Hermione had tried todisarm Snape at exactly the same moment. Percy just looked at the scene expresionless.
"We attacked a teacher. . . . We attacked a teacher . . . ," Hermione whimpered, "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —"
Black bent downquickly and untied Lupin. Lupin straightened up, rubbing his armswhere the ropes had cut into them.
"Thank you, Harry," he said.
"I'm still not saying I believe you," he told Lupin.
"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Lupin. "You,boy — give me Peter, please. Now."
Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest.
"Come off it," he said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke outof Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean . . ." He lookedup at Harry, Percy and Hermione for support, "Okay, say Pettigrew couldturn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed toknow which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"
"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Lupin, turning toBlack and frowning slightly. "How did you find out where he was?"
Black took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out toshow the others.
It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appearedin the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron'sshoulder, was Scabbers.
"How did you get this?" Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck.
"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the frontpage . . . on this boy's shoulder. . . . I knew him at once . . . howmany times had I seen him transform? And the caption said theboy would be going back to Hogwarts . . . to where Harry was. . . ."
"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw . . ."
"What about it?" said Ron defiantly.
"He's got a toe missing," said Black.
"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple . . . so brilliant . . . hecut it off himself?"
"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him,he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily andJames. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the streetwith the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feetof himself — and sped down into the sewer with the otherrats. . . .
"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Lupin. "The biggest bit ofPeter they found was his finger."
"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"
"Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder whyhe was living so long?"
"We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.
"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" saidLupin. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Siriuswas on the loose again. . . ."
"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding towardCrookshanks,
"This cat isn't mad," said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bonyhand and stroked Crookshanks's head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what hewas right away. And when he met me, she knew I was no dog. . . . Finally, I managed to communicate to them what I was after, and they've been helping me. . . ."
"What do you mean?" breathed Hermione.
"She tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't . . . so she stole thepasswords into Gryffindor Tower for me. . . . As I understand it, she took them from a boy's bedside table. . . ."
"Neville said he lost the passwords." Percy said.
"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it. . . ."croaked Black. "This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? —told me Peter had left blood on the sheets. . . . I supposed he bithimself. . . . Well, faking his own death had worked once. . . ."
And why did he fake his death?" Harry said furiously. "Because heknew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"
"No," said Lupin, "Harry —"
"And now you've come to finish him off!"
"Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers.
"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.
"Harry," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked himdown — but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father — Sirius tracked Peter down —"
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled. "HE WAS THEIRSECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP.HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!" Harry shouted pointing at Sirius
"Harry . . . I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuadedLily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuadedthem to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me. . . . Because there was a mole in our side. Witches and wizards were dying left and right. The one's who were hiding such as Percy's mother." He pointed at Percy. "Were caught and instantly killed."
"So, the night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter ,make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place,he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. Iwas scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. Andwhen I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies . . . I realizedwhat Peter must've done . . . what I'd done. . . ."
His voice broke. He turned away.
"Enough of this," said Lupin, "There's one certain way toprove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat."
"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ronasked Lupin tensely.
"Force him to show himself," said Lupin. "If he really is a rat, itwon't hurt him."
Ron hesitated, then he held out Scabbers andLupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping,twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head.
"Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin.
"Together?" he said quietly.
"I think so," said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one handand his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One — two —THREE!"
A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair. There was another blinding flash of light and then . A headwas shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; amoment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands.
He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry andHermione. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was alarge bald patch on top. He had the appearance of aplump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow.
"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, "Long time,no see."
"S — Sirius . . . R — Remus . . ." Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky "My friends . . .my old friends . . ."
Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist,gave him a warning look, then turned again to Pettigrew,
"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened thenight Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer pointswhile you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"
"Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and Percy could see beads of sweatbreaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, doyou. . . ? He tried to kill me, Remus. . . ."
"So we've heard," said Lupin. "I'd like to clear upone or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so —"
"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black. "He killed Lily and Jamesand now he's going to kill me too. . . . You've got to help me,Remus. . . ."
"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a fewthings out," said Lupin.
"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly. His eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, theonly door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me!I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"
"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" saidLupin, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"
"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I supposeHe-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"
Black started to laugh "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.
Pettigrew flinched at the name.
"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. "Idon't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, arethey?"
"Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Pettigrew,
"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Black."You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard thingsin Azkaban, Peter. . . . They all think you're dead, or you'd have toanswer to them. . . . I've heard them screaming all sorts of things intheir sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossedthem. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information . . . andVoldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here,biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways. . . .If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —"
"Don't know . . . what you're talking about. . . ," said Pettigrewagain, more shrilly than ever "You don't believe this — this madness,Remus —"
"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why aninnocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," saidLupin evenly.
"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men inAzkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!" "Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men inAzkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!"
"How dare you." Sirius growled. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I eversneak around people who were stronger and more powerful thanmyself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't seeyou were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'dlook after you, didn't you? It used to be us . . . me and Remus . . .and James. . . ."
"Me, a spy . . . must be out of your mind . . . never . . . don'tknow how you can say such a —"
"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed. "I thought it was the perfect plan . . . a bluff. . . . Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'duse a weak, talentless thing like you. . . . It must have been thefinest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you couldhand him the Potters."
"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I saysomething?"
"Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously.
"Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"
"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimedhand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair ofHarry's head! Why should I?"
"I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anythingfor anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort'sbeen in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren'tabout to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, fora wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'dwant to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find awizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren'tyou, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and itwas safe to rejoin him. . . ."
Peter opened his mouth and closed it. No words coming out.
"Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione
Black jumped at being addressed like this
If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out ofAzkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"
"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —"
Percy punched him in the face. Hermione glared at him.
"What! Now he'll shut up." Percy muttered rubbing the blood of his knuckles.
"I don't know how I did it," Sirius said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn'ta happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me . . .but it kept me sane and knowing who I am . . . helped me keep mypowers . . . so when it all became . . . too much . . . I could transform in my cell . . . become a dog. Dementors can't see, youknow. . . ." He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people byfeeding off their emotions. . . . They could tell that my feelings wereless — less human, less complex when I was a dog . . . but theythought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyoneelse in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak,and I had no hope of driving them away from me without awand. . . .
"I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reas"But then I saw Peter in that picture . . . I realized he was atHogwarts with Harry . . . perfectly positioned to act, if one hintreached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strengthagain. . . ." on I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn'ta happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me . . .but it kept me sane and knowing who I am . . . helped me keep mypowers . . . so when it all became . . . too much . . . I could transform in my cell . . . become a dog. Dementors can't see, youknow. . . ." He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people byfeeding off their emotions. . . . They could tell that my feelings wereless — less human, less complex when I was a dog . . . but theythought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyoneelse in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak,and I had no hope of driving them away from me without awand. . . .
Pettigrew was shaking his head rubbing the blood of his nose.
". . . ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies . . .and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'ddare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed backwith honors. . . .
"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one whoknew Peter was still alive. . . ."
"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementorscouldn't destroy it. . . . It wasn't a happy feeling . . . it was an obsession . . . but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one nightwhen they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as adog. . . . It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions thatthey were confused. . . . I was thin, very thin . . . thin enough to slipthrough the bars. . . . I swam as a dog back to the mainland. . . . Ijourneyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I'vebeen living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch theQuidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry. . . ."
He looked at Harry, who did not look away.
"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I neverbetrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."
Harry nodded.
"No!"
Pettigrew had fallen to his knees. He shuffled forward on his knees,
Sirius — it's me . . . it's Peter . . . your friend . . . you wouldn't . . ."
Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.
"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them,"said Black.
"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead. "You don't believe this . . .wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan
"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin. "I assumethat's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually
"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.
"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was nowrolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"
"Of course," said Black, grinning. he too began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill himtogether?"
"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.
"You wouldn't . . . you won't. . . ," gasped Pettigrew. And hescrambled around to Ron.
"Ron . . . haven't I been a good friend . . . a good pet? You won'tlet them kill me, Ron, will you . . . you're on my side, aren'tyou?"
But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost disgust.
"I let you sleep in my bed!" he said.
"Kind boy . . . kind master . . ." Pettigrew crawled toward Ron,"you won't let them do it. . . . I was your rat. . . . I was a goodpet. . . ."
"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boastabout, Peter," said Black harshly. Pettigrew turned onhis knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.
"Sweet girl . . . clever girl . . . you — you won't let them. . . .Help me. . . ."
Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching handsand backed away
"Please Perseus... Your mother wouldn't have wanted it." But Percy turned away not looking at his face.
Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his headslowly toward Harry.
"Harry . . . Harry . . . you look just like your father . . . just likehim. . . ."
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Black."HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALKABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"
"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed. . . .James would have understood, Harry . . . he would have shown memercy. . . ."
Both Black and Lupin seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror.
"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who wasshaking too. "Do you deny it?"
Pettigrew burst into tears. It was like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.
"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord . . . youhave no idea . . . he has weapons you can't imagine. . . . I wasscared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. Inever meant it to happen. . . . He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Namedforced me —"
"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY ANDJAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"
"He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew."Wh — what was there to be gained by refusing him?"
"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizardwho has ever existed?" said Black, with a terribly fury in his face."Only innocent lives, Peter!"
"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would havekilled me, Sirius!"
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIEDRATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULDHAVE DONE FOR YOU!"
"if Voldemortdidn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to thewall.
"NO!" Harry yelled. He ran forward, "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."
"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents,"Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you dietoo, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skinmeant more to him than your whole family."
"I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'llhand him over to the dementors. . . . He can go to Azkaban . . .but don't kill him."
"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry'sknees. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thankyou —"
"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him
"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don'treckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just foryou."
"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," saidBlack. "But think . . . think what he did. . . ."
"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deservesthat place, he does. . . ."Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him.
"Very well," said Lupin. "Stand aside, Harry."
Harry hesitated."I'm going to tie him up," said Lupin. "That's all, I swear."
Thin cords shot from Lupin'swand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on thefloor, bound.
"But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wandpointing at Pettigrew too, "we will kill you. You agree, Harry?"
Harry nodded.
Lupin hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg withhis wand, and muttered, "Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ronput his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.
"That's better," he said. "Thanks."
"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice,looking down at Snape.
"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Lupin, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little —overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if wedon't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can takehim like this. . . ."
He muttered, "Mobilicorpus." As though invisible strings weretied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position.
"And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudgingPettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure.""I'll do it," said Lupin.
"And me," said Ron, limping forward.
Soon Pettigrewwas upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm toRon's left. Crookshanks leapt lightly off thebed and led the way out of the room,