Hidden In The Shadows Part 1- Harry Potter Story

An Unsuccessful Revenge

"I told Dumbledore," Snape sneered, pointing his wand at Sirius and Remus. "That you were helping this scoundrel into the castle. But he didn't believe me."

Lupin raised his hands. "Now Severus.."

"Incarcerous!" the oily haired man hissed and the werewolf was bound in ropes. Snape stood menacingly, an old hatred in his eyes. "I stopped by to deliver your usual potion and a certain map just happened to be open."

"Still as snoopy as ever," Sirius hissed. "Didn't you learn your lesson the first time?"

"YOU!" Snape snarled, pointing his wand at the prisoner. "The dementors are waiting to greet you, have a little kiss they do." Sirius went pale and Estella stiffened, sharing a horrified glance with Hermione.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" four voices chorused together and the potions professor was thrown against the wall and knocked unconscious. Estella looked at the others in surprise.

"We attacked a teacher," Hermione whimpered.

Harry strode forward as Lupin escaped the ropes. "Explain. Now." He demanded firmly.

Lupin nodded at Ron, panting. "Hand me the rat."

"NO!" Ron protested.

"Just give it to him!" Estella snapped, and again the others looked in surprise. "We don't have much time," she added.

Ron reluctantly gave Lupin the rat, who had begun to tremble. Sirius grinned evilly. "Fudge visited me in Azkaban and gave me a newspaper, and your family was pictured, Weasley."

"The picture from Egypt," Ron realized, eyes widening.

"Look at the rat," Sirius nodded, eyes dark. "When I confronted Peter, he shouted for everyone to hear that I had betrayed Lily and James before he blew up the street. All they could find of him.."

"Was his finger," Estella breathed, looking at the rat's paw, which was missing the finger.

Ron shook his head in denial. "No. Scabbers has been in my family for"

"TWELVE YEARS!" Sirius leaped forward eagerly. "The common garden rat only lives for three or four." He snarled. "And his life ends tonight."

"Wait!" Sirius froze at Harry's command. "I don't understand," the boy began, betrayal shining in his eyes. "You were their secret keeper.."

Sirius's eyes darkened further. "I WAS. I convinced them to switch because Peter would be less of a target." His eyes shone. "I as good as killed them. And for that I will always be sorry."

Lupin held out his wand. "It's time. One. Two. THREE."

Light shone from his and Sirius's wands and the teenagers watched in horror as Scabbers morphed into a small, chubby man with watery eyes.

"Sirius! Remus!" Peter Pettigrew looked around in terror. "My old friends!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" Sirius roared, lunging at the man. "YOU BETRAYED LILY AND JAMES."

Pettigrew began to weep. "You don't know what it was like," he gasped pathetically and Estella stiffened in revulsion. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was so powerful, he would have killed me."

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED," Sirius grabbed Pettigrew's collar. "YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS."

Lupin raised his wand simply. "You should have known that if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Goodbye Peter."

The small man curled to the ground and Estella froze as Harry ran forward.

"Wait," the boy stopped in front of Peter, holding out his arm.

Sirius let out a growl of frustration. "Harry this worthless scrap is the reason your parents are dead."

"I know," Harry answered simply, looking at Pettigrew with a strange look in his gaze. "But don't kill him."

"YES! THANK YOU HARRY!" Peter threw himself at Harry's robes.

Harry kicked him off in disgust. "I'm not doing it for you. I just figure my dad wouldn't want his two best friends becoming murderers." He exchanged a meaningful look with Remus and Sirius. "The dementors can deal with you."

Peter whimpered as Sirius tied him up and Lupin levitated Snape's body. "You escape and I'll kill you," Black promised darkly.

Estella watched as the group proceeded out of the shack and through the tunnel, following them at the rear. She still wasn't sure who to trust.

Estella watched as Sirius exchanged a few words with Harry, beaming so that he looked ten years younger.

"Wait," Hermione breathed in horror as they stepped outside. Estella looked at the full moon with a sickening jolt.

"He hasn't taken his potion," she whispered.

Remus Lupin began to convulse and twitch as the others watched him transform into a werewolf.

"GO!" Sirius shouted before shifting into a dog and leading the werewolf away.

"NOO!"

Estella whipped around in horror at Harry's roar as Pettigrew transformed into a rat and disappeared into the forest.

"I've got to get him!" Harry lunged forward, but Estella grabbed his arm.

"There's nothing we can do Harry," she breathed, watching as the boys head drooped. "We have to help Sirius."

She helped Hermione sit Ron up from where Pettigrew had stunned him before the three turned and rushed off into the forest. Estella's blood curdled at the sound of a dog whimpering and she followed Harry to the lakeshore where Sirius lay, cuts along his body. What made his face twist in fear, however, was the swarm of dementors swirling above him.

Estella bit her lip, drawing blood. "Harry! Your Patronus!" she called desperately.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled hoarsely. Hermione joined in his efforts but Estella saw they couldn't hold out for long. She gulped in a huge breath as Hermione crumpled to the ground.

"PENNY!" Harry looked at her, his eyes pleading.

"Estella," she whispered, too quiet to be heard over the Dementors above. She was beginning to feel emptiness take over before she shook her head desperately. She had no choice but to try. To her horror, she saw Harry's legs give and a Dementor closing in on his face. Pushing away all reason, she darted forward in front of the dementor with her hands raised. To her shock a shield formed from her fingertips and the dementors began to press in, bouncing off the instant they touched it.

Estella gritted her teeth. She had no idea how she was doing this, but it wouldn't last forever. As the shield started to flicker, she saw a figure at the other side of the lake and she squinted her eyes. Light burst from their wand and the dementors were forced away in waves as a stag bounded across the water and Estella's eyes widened. Eventually the light faded and Estella began to hear footsteps. Quickly, she stumbled through the forest and hid behind a tree, peeking out.

Severus Snape stood looking at the three figures. He summoned two cots for Harry and Hermione and chained up Sirius before looking around with his narrow gaze. Estella shrank back against the cover of the tree and hoped he would think she was elsewhere. To her relief, the Potions professor turned and walked out of sight, taking the three others with him.

Estella let out a sigh and collapsed on the forest floor, exhausted. Her mind was racing with all that had just happened but she finally gave into the darkness that overtook her.