The Loyal and Just

Chapter Twenty One

"You're all mental." Ron said,

"Ridiculous," Hermione muttered

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" Harry said, "He killed him twelve years ago!"

"I meant to," Sirius growled, "but little Peter got the better of me... not this time though!" Crookshanks was thrown off as Sirius leaped from the bed, lunging at Scabbers, falling on Ron, who yelled in pain.

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin shouted, dragging Sirius off of Ron, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"

"We can explain afterwards!" Sirius snarled,

"Sirius!" I shout, "They've still got the right to know everything!" I came by Ron,

"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!" Lupin shouted.

Sirius stopped struggling but kept his eyes locked on Pettigrew.

"All right, then," Sirius said, "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." said Ron, shaking, "I've had enough of this. I'm off." He tried to stand up again, but Lupin raised his wand,

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," Lupin said, "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen,"

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, he tried to force the rat into his robes again, but he started swaying, I joined him immediately, pulling him onto the — well, my — bed.

I don't listen to all of it, instead, I try to focus on patching up Ron's leg. I know it'd be a lot better if Madam Pomfrey took care of it, so I try to get rid of the swelling and wrap it up in robes, forming a sort of splint (ferula).

Lupin was talking about being a werewolf when he came to Hogwarts. How Dumbledore had let him come here, to the Shrieking Shack, whenever he transformed. And how James Potter, Sirius, and Peter had become Animagi when they found out he was a werewolf. Lupin talked about creating the Marauder's Map, a Map, I suppose, that allows the reader to watch everyone's movement all over Hogwarts. He talked about Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.

I didn't realize what was going on until Hermione screamed. I spun around. There, standing at the door, was Severus Snape.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," Snape said, "Very useful, Potter, I thank you..."

Snape looked sickeningly triumphant, "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" He asked, "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a goblet full along. And very lucky I did... lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me everything I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus—" Lupin began,

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout—"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," Lupin said urgently, "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry—"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," Snape said, "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this... he was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin... a tame werewolf—"

"You fool," Lupin said softly, "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

There was a loud bang and Lupin was wrapped up in cords, shutting him up. I've never really hated Snape, after all, he was my head of house and I did well in his class. He's never really been against me. However, now I just wanted him gone.