We Met In The Shadows.

Moonlit Trouble

"Scabbers...? What're you doing here?" Harry wondered, as he scooped up the fat rat and softly patted his head. Scabbers tried to flee but Harry put him in his pocket. He looked for a few more minutes, even poking random spots to check for any invisible traitors hanging about, yet he found nothing.

Confused, Harry pulled out the map again to check and sure enough: Pettigrew's name still hovered right next to Harry's. No, not right next to... rather, on top of. Harry felt a chill run down his spine as he slowly began to piece things together. He knew Sirius was an Animagus... So what if Pettigrew was one too...?

Harry immediately began formulating a plan. He would reach for the fat rat and cast Incarcerous, binding it long enough for Harry to take it to Professor McGonagall. If the rat wasn't Pettigrew, well, Ron would have his pet back at least. If it actually is Pettigrew, though... Harry shuddered at the thought. He steeled his nerves and reached for his coat pocket when, without any warning, he was knocked back.

Harry could feel the adrenaline pumping in his blood. It took near instantaneous effect as he sensed that things had begun to slow down, like the world around him had grinded to a halt. He saw the rat jump out of his pocket and transform mid air. The rat's grey body expanded until it was the size of a small man, when the fur began to disappear. The man's claws shrunk; taking on a dirty, long and unkempt appearance. His back was slightly hunched and the drool on his elongated front teeth glistened in the dim light. Harry began to aim his wand and utter a spell, when the man pounced at him, his hands outstretched in Harry's direction.

"Incarcerous!" yelled Harry, but he was unable to aim for the man in time. The spell whizzed past his crooked ear right as the geezer sunk his teeth in Harry's hand. He dropped the wand, yelling out in pain; the stick being promptly scooped up by rat-man.

He aimed at Harry, who was back on his feet, ready to grapple, and yelled, "Incarcerous!"

The ropes seized Harry as he fell to the ground with a soft thud.

"Release me, you bastard! I know you betrayed Sirius and my parents!" yelled Harry.

"Please, Harry, I-" began Pettigrew.

"LET ME GO!" howled Harry, rage bubbling inside him.

"H- Harry! Please, listen to me! You must understand, I did what I did out of necessity! I- I never would've betrayed your parents if I had a choice... The Dark Lord would've killed me-"

"Then you should've DIED! I would've died for my friends! But no, you're a pathetic, spineless coward. You disgust me so much." Harry spat on the ground in front of Pettigrew, making the dishevelled man take a step back.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't want to die." muttered Pettigrew.

"SCREW YOU, YOU TREACHEROUS SWINE! Untie me right now. I don't need a wand to take you. I WILL RIP YOU APART WITH MY BARE HANDS!" screamed Harry, struggling to break free of his bondage.

"I- I'm afraid I cannot do that, Harry. Nobody must know I'm alive, so I can't leave any evidence. I- I hope you find it in my heart to forgive me." said Pettigrew, as he aimed the wand at Harry's face.

"Avada K-Ouch!"

Pettigrew screeched in pain, as he looked down to see Harry's foot in his crotch.

"You little sh-"

He tried to raise his wand once again, but was knocked over by a hovering hand clutching a rock. The hovering hand dropped the rock and let a silvery cloak slide off, revealing Ronald Weasley.

Ron quickly bent over and snapped the wand laying next to Pettigrew.

"Nice, Ron! Untie m- What did you do!?" Harry was flabbergasted by what he just witnessed.

"I snapped Pettigrew's wand, so he can't use spells against us." said Ron, a triumphant smile adorning his face.

"Ron! That was my wand he stole! You just snapped my wand!" said Harry, his voice cracking with his anger.