HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
chapter eighteen
-
C A L L H E R B Y
H E R N A M E
-
"A thought that still haunts me."
_______________
It takes a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron speaks.
"You're both mental."
"Ridiculous!" Hermione agrees faintly.
"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" Harry says.
"He killed him twelve years ago!" He points at Black, whose face twitches convulsively.
"I meant to," he growls, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me... Not this time, though!"
And Crookshanks is thrown to the floor as Black lunges at Scabbers; Ron yells with pain as Black's weight falls on his barely-healed leg.
"Sirius, no!" Professor Lupin yells, launching himself forwards 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!" Black snarls, trying to throw Professor Lupin off.
One hand is still clawing the air as it tries to reach Scabbers, who is squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tries to escape.
"They've got a right to know everything!" Professor Lupin pants, 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!"
Harry and Lily glance at each other, once again taking notice of her missing self in the story.
Black stops struggling, though his hollowed eyes are still fixed on Scabbers, who is clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched and bleeding hands.
"All right, then," Black says, 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," Ron says shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support.
"I've had enough of this. I'm off."
He tries to heave himself up on his good leg, but Professor Lupin raises his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.
"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he says quietly.
"Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."
"He's not Peter, he's Scabbers!" Ron yells, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers is fighting too hard; Ron sways and overbalances, and Harry catches him and pushes him back down to the bed.
YOU ARE READING
Invisible (III)
FanfictionLily's going into her third year at Hogwarts with a headache because her visions have been appearing without warning all summer long. They only show one man. A man that betrayed her parents and got them killed, and is now out to get her twin brother...
