CRY TO ME [h. potter x oc]

CHAPTER 18

YOU NEVER think you'll find yourself in impossible situations until you do — in which case, not only are you proved wrong, but you end up questioning every single decision that led you to this point. In my current state, coiled up on the floor, shaking to myself in silence, back to a creaking wall, my stomach burning, I could feel my brain disassociating, barely registering the conversation properly.

"You're both mental," Ron broke the silence.

"Ridiculous!" Hermione agreed.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" Harry pointed out aggressively. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, who was still twitching impatiently.

"I meant to," the grimy man growled, "but little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though!"

With that, Black tore forwards, rushing at Ron, to which the boy yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his mangled foot. "Sirius, no!" Lupin shouted, standing up from where he'd been crouched next to me, to haul Black off Ron, "Wait! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain—"

"I did my waiting! Twelve years of it!" Black suddenly screamed, looking positively hysterical, "In Azkaban!" he struggled, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was still clawing the air to reach Scabbers, who was screeching and squealing loudly, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape. "Come out, come out, Peter!"

"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 stilled, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, mauled hands. "All right, then," Black conceded, 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 sputtered, looking round at Harry 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 said 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 jean 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, Harry turned to Lupin. "There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he argued, "a whole street full of them..."

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" Black spat, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," Lupin responded. "I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies... Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, confused voice, "But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, you know it can't..."

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin asked calmly, as though this was a casual class.

"Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things... and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."