Under the Silver Moon

Harvest Moon

Tonight was Remus's night to have hallway patrol. He waiting around till the hickory clock struck ten, and he made sure Rue and Rosalyn were sound asleep. Once he finished his checklist the content Defense professor started his rounds, enjoying the moonlight and cool breeze. It was a quiet night inside Hogwarts. Remus kept his eyes and ears already for any unusual disturbances, but none were to be found until he neared the steps closer to the Transformation classroom. He picked up on Severus's voice as we'll as Harry Potter's. The eldest a Lupin kept his distance to observe the situation; he finally grew curious as Severus snatched a formilar piece of paper from the thirteen year old's hands. He still kept his distance as he peered around the Potion masters shoulder.

"Harry, you alright?"

Severus whipped around with his wand raised right at Remus'S eye level; the man backed off not out of fear but out of caution, for he knew Severus was an unstable man upstairs. He was handed the piece of parchment. Shock and old memories flooded his mind. He hid his emotion we'll behind a small chuckle and a smile.

"It merely an insult to anyone who reads it. I suspect a Zonko product." he played off, but kept the parchment out of his enemy's grasp, " but I will take a look at since you say it my area of expertise. Harry, come with me."

The walk was a silent one due to Remus reading the maps name over and over again; The Maurader's map, Prongs Padfoot Moony and Wormtail, and in the far corner it read Cirque. The pranks, detentions, and his late night adventures with Rue made him smile, but a small wave of anger did reside deep within him. Once safety inside the classroom, He turned and stared Harry dead in his mother's eyes and had him the scorching he didn't expect to come from the normally cheerful man. As Harry started to leave, he turned slightly and asked a question and made a statement that changed his mind set.

"Sir, who is Cirque? And I do think the map is wrong because showed two names I didn't recognize one I never heard of and the other I believe to be dead"

Remus wanted to answer the questions about his wife, but if he did then the Potter would start snooping into her last. Curiosity replaced his anger.

"Who may that be?"

"Peter Petigrew."

The only word that could leave his lips as the boy walked out was, "Impossible.", the door closed behind his student. Remus quickly opened the map across the table where he read Severus's name still wandering the halls, his wife's in their private corridors, and in the hallway to the Gryfindor entrance; Peter Petigrew. He ran his left hand through his hair as he sat down from shock. Remus's mind began to spin with confusion and unanswered questions. Then the hard reality hit him as we'll as guilt, all the years of believing his best friend was a murder to find out one thing.

"He's been innocent the whole time..."

The morning came slowly, Rue silently entered the small gathering room in their chambers where she found her husband asleep with the map laid across his lap. She hasn't seen that map since she was seventeen; her curiosity got the better of her, but before she could even touch it Remus met her eyes. She saw sheer sadness and guilt in them.

"You okay?"

"No, I found Harry with this last night. He told me something that I never thought would ever be true. " His voice low

Rue wait for him to finish as she sat beside him; he laid his head on her shoulder.

"Harry saw Peter's name; the map never lies. I saw it, Cirque. Peter Petigrew inside the Gryfindor entrance. "

She remained silent. No words, no tears, just confusion; Remus knew that his wife always thought of Sirius as big brother. He helped his transformations and kept her company late at night. She had just found out thirteen years in Azkaban that he was innocent; her actions surprised him. She kissed the top of his head.

"Map never lies..."