enigma. - Harry Potter

0.10

Chapter 11

As Sirius heard harry demand those words, he turned back to Ron who sat clutching onto Scabbers, Sirius grabbed onto Scabbers as Ron fought his grip "What are you going to do to him?" Ron accuses, afraid as he holds Scabbers in an iron grip as Sirius pull him harder, Ron trying to ignore everyone around him asking him to let go.

"Give it to him, Ron."

"Let the rat go, Ron!" harry and Ariana shouted at him.

Finally, he let go. Sirius grabbing Scabbers by the skin of his fat neck, bringing him over to the piano, Ariana's wand still following him. Ignoring Ron's complaints from the frantic redhead, Sirius dropped the rat on the piano, but as soon as he dropped him Scabbers made a run for it. Sirius and Remus' spells followed the rat narrowly missing, as he ran across the piano, onto the chair and across the floor making it near the small hole in the wall, when suddenly midjump, a spell hits him, causing the rat to turn into very short man with thinning hair and grubby hands. Missing one finger. Peter Pettigrew. Remus and Sirius yank the grubby man from the now larger hole in the wall before throwing him away with disgust and force, leaving peter in the middle of the room.

"Remus? S-Sirius. My old friends!" Neither speaks. Pettigrew's small, watery eyes dart toward the windows and door. Suddenly, he makes a break for it, but Sirius merely shoves him back. Pettigrew's nose twitches, his gaze finding Harry and Ariana, his hands flutter nervously.

"Harry! Look at you! Y-you look just like your father. Like James. We were the best of friends, he and I –" He clung onto harry before turning onto Ariana who stood next to Harry. "and you Ariana! So beautiful! Just like your mother. She was always so kind to me. So kind."

"Get off her! How dare you speak to Ariana and Harry!" Sirius shouted appalled as he grabbed onto peters arm dragging him back. "How dare you talk about James in front of him." As soon as he let go of the arm peter ran forward hiding behind the piano in an attempt to put space between himself and Sirius and Remus.

"You sold James and Lily to Voldemort! Didn't you?!" Remus shouted as peter started to break down.

"I didn't mean to! The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses! Ask yourself Sirius. What would you have done!" Peter cried.

"I would've died! Died rather than betray my friends!" Sirius shouted with such ferocity Peter flinched before he crouched and crawled under the piano. But the way out was blocked by harry running in the way leaving Ariana running with him, peter reaching them first grabbing Harry's shoulder before hurriedly whispering in his ears. "James wouldn't have wanted me killed. Your dad would have spared me! He would have shown me mercy!" Remus and Sirius then reached him dragging Peter, once again from Harry and Ariana

As one, Lupin and Black raise their wands, point them directly into Pettigrew's face. "And you should have realized, Peter, if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Together." He shrinks back trembling, closing his eyes in fear, when...

"No!" Pettigrew's lids lift, Sirius and Remus turn their heads slightly in Harry's directions, staggered.

"Harry, this man..." Remus starts in a calm voice as Sirius stays quiet slightly locking eyes with Ariana who stood beside harry.

"I know what he is. But we'll take him to the castle." Harry explains in a voice, Ariana can only describe as so angry he's calm.

"Bless you, boy! Bless you." Peter cries getting on his knees, as he goes down to Harry's feet, in reaction harry steps back disgusted

"Get off! I said we'd take you to the castle. After that, the Dementors can have you." He spits.

The group headed down the cave like passages out the shrieking shack. Ariana in head, angrily silent, Harry knowing to leave her alone when she's like this, letting her do her own way up, leaving him and Sirius carrying injured Ron, both of them watching Ariana movements.

"Sorry about the bite. I reckon that twinges a bit." Sirius apologises causing Ron to reply back almost in disbelief.

"A bit? A bit? You almost tore my leg off!"

"I was going for the rat. Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog." Sirius argues "In fact, more than once, James suggested that I make the change permanent." Hearing his father harry smiles lightly as they come to a small rest stop, turning to look at his godfather "The tail I could live with. But the fleas, they're murder." Hearing this they both share a smile, up ahead Ariana slowed down a bit to hear also hears this causing a quirk her lips up a bit before forcing them into a frown, annoyed in her effort to ignore him completely, and begins walking on faster. Noticing this Sirius frowns a bit before continuing.

Climbing out the hole, noticing it a lot darker, Ariana moves forward moving on to the side to allow the other to come up and to get some space to think, sitting down looking over at the cloudy night looking if the brightest star can shine through.

Harry, Ron and Sirius being the first of the group to emerge climb out setting Ron beside the tree, to begin to look at his leg as Hermione comes along. Harry turns, to see Sirius walking away staring in wonder at the castle, shining radiantly under the bright bowl of the night sky. Ariana meters away from him. Walking up to join him after checking with Ron and Hermione.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Sirius starts as harry reaches him shoulder to shoulder both staring up at the castle. "I'll never forget the first time I walked through those doors. It'll be nice to do it again. Freely." Turning to Harry slightly then at Ariana, who sat looking like she wasn't listening but you could still tell she was, before turning back to Harry. "That was a noble thing you did back there. He doesn't deserve it."

"I don't reckon my father would want his best friends to become killers for a worthless piece of vermin like Pettigrew. Besides: Dead, the truth dies with him. Alive... you're free." They get interrupted by the worthless pleading of peter who's being dragged from the hole as he prattles desperately.

"Turn me into a Flobberworm! Anything but the Dementors..." he pleads before turning to see Ron grabbing his shoulder desperately. "Ron! Haven't I been a good friend? A good pet? You won't let them kill me, will you? I was your rat." Ron draws back in disgust; Pettigrew's pleading eyes find Hermione. "Sweet girl. Clever girl. Surely you won't let them!" Hermione tugs her robes from Pettigrew's sweaty grasp. As then Remus pull him back shouting "Get away from her!"

Harry and Sirius both turn back, staying in a comfortable silence before Sirius breaks it "I don't know if you know, Harry, but when you were born, James and Lily made me your guardian."

"I know."

"And, well, I'll understand if you choose to stay with your aunt and uncle, but if you ever wanted a different home... for you and Ariana, if she ever forgives me..." Sirius trails off staring at Ariana brokenly.

"What? Come and live with you?" harry asks in shock and amazement at the offer before he blurts out as they both look over at Ariana who's picking at the grass "You know she doesn't hate you. She's just confused and angry and most likely annoyed, but she doesn't hate you."

"It's just a thought. I can understand if you don't want to." But before he can reply, Hermione's voice rises on the air, quavering with fear.

"Harry! Ari!"

They all turn, seeing Hermione staring at the full moon peaking over the mountainside. They all turn to Remus, a rigid silhouette, his fingers twitching.