STARLIT SUPERNOVA. h. potter

xiv. A Wormy Betrayal

starlit supernova
❛ xiv. a wormy betrayal ❜

━━━━━ IT TOOK A few seconds for the information to sink in, and for Nova to understand that she had connected dots without even realizing she had connected dots.

"You're both mental," Ron hissed to Black and Lupin. "No, not both — you three are mental." He gave Nova an absurd look. "Wormtail? What the hell are you on about?"

"Remus," Sirius looked up at the man, "how does she know about —?"

"I have some ideas," the professor said, peering at Nova closely. "You see what others can't," he spoke to her. "Professor Trelanwey talks all the time about your gift in her class; your aura, your Inner Eye. Are you —?"

"Pettigrew's dead," Nova changed the topic. The voices jeered at her, fussing at her for denying and avoiding. She was getting sick of the endless chatter; it was like a hammer to the head with every voice that spoke. "Black killed him twelve years ago. Ron's right" — she looked the criminal in the eye with a shocking bout of courage — "you and Lupin are both mental."

And so are you, a cruel voice chimed. The same ragged voice that screamed Padfoot at her. She recognized the man's voice now; it was Sirius Black's voice.

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

Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.

"Sirius, no!" Lupin yelled, launching himself forward 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!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was 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!" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry — You owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

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. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for ..."

"You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking around at Harry, Nova, and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers. "You're going to hear me out, Ron," he told the boy quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"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 caught him and pushed him back down to the bed.

Then, ignoring Black's presence, Harry turned to Lupin. "There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them ..."