The Fall of Dumbledore: The White King

Proving Innocence

Later that evening, Hades found Remus Lupin alone in his office. The werewolf looked up as Hades entered, his expression guarded but tinged with weariness.

"Professor," Hades began carefully. "There's something you should know about Pettigrew."

Lupin raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Hades drew a steadying breath. "Pettigrew was my father's friend James Potter's Secret Keeper during the war against Voldemort. He betrayed my parents to Voldemort, telling him their location and enabling him to..." Hades swallowed hard. "To murder them."

Lupin's face drained of color. "Pettigrew?" he choked out. "That rat betrayed James and Lily?"

Hades nodded grimly. "And for that, everyone falsely believed Sirius Black was the one who betrayed them. But it was Pettigrew all along."

Lupin dropped his head into his hands, shoulders shaking slightly. After a long moment, he lifted his eyes back to Hades, glistening with unshed tears. "All these years...we thought Sirius was the traitor. He went to Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit because of that wretched vermin."

"Yes," Hades said heavily. "Pettigrew deceived everyone, even my parents' closest friends."

"Your father," Lupin said hoarsely. "All this time...I believed the lies about him being a Death Eater, a turncoat. But he was innocent..."

"He was," Hades confirmed quietly.

They sat in heavy silence, the weight of the past crashing upon them. Finally, Lupin spoke again, his voice thick.

"We have to prove Sirius's innocence. If Pettigrew confesses, it could free him. Perhaps some of the wrongs can finally be righted."

Hades nodded fervently. "My father is already working on extracting Pettigrew's memories to use as evidence."

The sound of footsteps made them both turn. Severus Snape entered the room, vials clinking in his hand. He paused, eyes flicking between Hades and Lupin distrustfully.

"Lupin," he said, at last, voice clipped. "I'll need your assistance to obtain Pettigrew's memories properly."

Lupin looked startled but inclined his head. "Of course, anything to clear Sirius' name."

Snape's lip curled faintly but he didn't comment further. "Come then. I've prepared a potion that should allow us to extract the memories with minimal effort, provided you're capable of brewing the second part correctly."

The two professors headed for the door, Snape sweeping ahead. Lupin paused and looked back at Hades.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "For telling me the truth."

Hades gave a tight nod and watched as Lupin hurried to catch up with his father. A tentative spark of hope flickered inside him.

Perhaps this nightmare was finally nearing its end. Perhaps the incredible injustice done to Sirius Black could finally be rectified after over a decade. And maybe, just maybe, the betrayal and loss that had haunted his father's life for so long could start to heal.