Resurrected and Reunited (Harry Potter)

Chapter 13

JAMES' POV

​​​​​​​Remus, Lily, and I were chasing after Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as we knew they and Sirius were all at the Shrieking Shack since we had seen them on the Marauder's Map. "Immobulus."  Remus shouted, pointing his wand at the Whomping Willow.  It stopped swaying and we entered the tunnel under the tree.  We followed the long tunnel to the Shrieking Shack, like Remus, Sirius, Peter, and I had done so many times before. 

HARRY'S POV

"Harry!  It's a trap!  He's the dog, he's an animagus!"  Ron exclaimed, pointing to the door of the room.  It still swung, but it was creaky, and parts of the wood were missing.  It swung open to reveal my Godfather, and the man who had betrayed my parents...Sirius Black.  His hair was shaggy, his clothes were that of a prison inmate, and from what I could see of his skin, he was covered in what looked like prison tattoos.  What scared me most though, were his eyes.  They looked like those of a predator whose eyes were locked on its prey.

Suddenly, even though you could clearly see his leg was broken, Ron stood up and put himself in front of Hermione and I.  "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"  Ron growled protectively.  Sirius ignored him.
"No, only one will die tonight."  Sirius stated ominously.
"THEN IT'LL BE YOU!"  I yelled, pushing past Ron and throwing myself onto Sirius, knocking him down and pointing my wand at his face. 
"Are you going to kill me Harry?"  Sirius laughed.
"Expelliarmus!"  Professor Lupin yelled, disarming me.  I saw Professor Lupin gesture for me to get off Sirius with his wand.  I did so and he looked down at Sirius, pointing his wand at him.  "Well, well, Sirius, looking rather ragged aren't we?  Finally the flesh reflects the madness within."  Professor Lupin stated.

"Well you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you Remus?"  Sirius retorted, a smirk on his face.  Professor Lupin helped him up and embraced him in a hug.  I was confused at this.  Why would Professor Lupin, who has been so kind to me this school year, be helping and hugging the man who betrayed my parents.  WHAT?!

JAMES' POV

Sirius pulled away from Remus then noticed us.  He froze, not believing what he saw.
"James?  Lily?"  He asked in complete disbelief.
I smiled, knowing no words were needed.  Sirius wrapped me in a long overdue hug.
"I missed you.  So much.  You have no idea."  He said, his voice cracking.  "I am so sorry."  He added, almost on the verge of tears. 
"For what?"  I asked curiously.
"I suggested you make that dirty coward your secret keeper instead of me."  Sirius replied.  "The only thing that kept me sane in that godforsaken place was knowing that I was innocent from all the charges pinned against me."  Sirius stated.
"Sirius Orion Black, our death and Peter's betrayal was not and will never be your fault.  Please tell me that you haven't dwelled on that for the past 12 years."  Lily said sadly.  Sirius didn't say anything, as no reply was needed.  It was only then I got a good look at him.  It was clear that Azkaban had aged him significantly.  His hair was shaggy, his clothes were in tatters, and from what I could see of his skin, he was covered in what looked like prison tattoos.  I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a squeak, almost like a rat.  I looked over to where Ron was sitting.  The second I saw it, I knew exactly what, or should I saw who, it was.  My eyes narrowed into slits.
"Why are you looking at me like that James?"  Ron asked, slightly wary of my icy gaze.
"I'm not looking at you.  I'm looking at your rat."  I stated.  Ron then looked confused.
"Scabbers?  What's my rat got to do with anything?"  He asked, holding his rat closer to him.
"Everything."  Remus stated. 
"That's not a rat."  I sneered.
"What are you talking about?  Of course he's a rat!"
"No, he's not."  Remus replied  "He's a wizard."
"An Animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew."  Sirius finished.
"You're mental.  There's no way.  You killed Pettigrew 12 years ago."  Ron accused Sirius.
"I meant to.  But Pettigrew got the best of me.  Well not this time."  Sirius sneered.

*After Sirius, Remus, and James explain everything to Harry*

After Remus, Sirius, and I had given the long explanation of what had happened, up to the parts that each of us knew, we all then turned to Ron.
"You see, it is very possible for the rat that you are holding in your hand to be Peter Pettigrew."  I said.
"I don't even know how many times I've seen him transform.  I'd recognise that rat anywhere."  Sirius said.
"He just can't be."  Ron said quietly, almost to himself.
"Alright, if that is true, let us test that theory.  We'll force him to transform.  If he really is a rat, this will not harm him, but if he is an animagus, it will force him to transform back into his human form.  Deal?"  Remus asked Ron.  After a moment of deliberation, Ron reluctantly handed his thrashing rat over to Remus.  "Together?"  Remus asked Sirius and I.  We both nodded.  We got out our wands and cast a spell at Peter at exactly the same time.  A flash of light suspended him in the air before he began to transform back into a human.  Once he was a man again, he looked up at the three of us.
"Hello Peter.  Long time, no see."  Remus said coldly.
"R-Remus...S-Sirius...J-James...my old friends!"  He greeted us.  No one smiled.  Everyone was glaring at Peter, wands raised and pointing at him.
"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort didn't you?"  Sirius growled, more of a statement than a question.
"I didn't mean to."  Peter whined.  "The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses."  Before anyone else could say anything, Lily spoke up.
"You made it so that we wouldn't see our son grow up.  We missed it all; his first steps, his first laugh, his first smile, his first word.  He had to grow up in a horrible, harsh environment, because you betrayed us and framed Sirius for the betrayal and your supposed murder."  She said.
"I guess your animagus form fits.  You dirty, cowardly, little rat."  I sneered.