Secrets- A Severus Snape Story

Chapter 13 - Bad Timing

Harry ran forwards, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing their wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly "You can't."

The three looked staggered.

"Harry this piece of virmin is the reason you have no parents," snarled Black. "This cringing piece of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

"I know," panted Harry. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors. He can go to Azkaban ... just don't kill him."

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You - thank you - it's more than I deserve - thank you -"

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Petttigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because I don't reckon my dad would've wanted his best friends to become killers - just for you."

No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, who's breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black, Lupin and Aurora were all looking at one another. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.

"You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry, " said Aurora. "But think ... think what he did..."

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does ..."

Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him. 

"Very well," said Lupin. "Stand aside, Harry." Harry hesitated

"I'm going to tie him up, " said Lupin. "That's all I swear."

Harry moved out of the way. Thin chords shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.

"But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew, too, "We'll kill you. You agree, Harry?"

Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor, and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him. 

"Right," said Lupin, suddenly business-like, "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madame Pomfrey, so I think its best if we just leave your leg strapped up until we can get you to the hospital wing."  Lupin helped him to his feet;  Ron put his wait gingerly on the leg and didn't wince. 

"Thanks." he said. 

"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure. 

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Aurora. "We were just a little - over-enthuisiasstic. Still out cold. Er - perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. I'll take him like this ..."

She muttered, "Mobilicorpus" As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck and knees, he was pulled into a standing position a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Aurora picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely inter her pocket. 

"Whilst you carry Snivellus," said Black, avoiding the cold stare his friend was giving him, "two of us should be chained to this, just to make sure." nudging Pettigrew with his toe.

"I'll do it." said Lupin. 

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forwards.

Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air: soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right and Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. And with the lead of Aurora, who previous to entering the room had been referred to as Crookshanks, the group set off up to the castle. 

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Harry had never been part of a stranger group, Black led the way down the stairs;  Lupin, Pettigrw and Ron were next, looking like contestants in a six legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by Aurora's wand who was following the body of the Potions Professor. Harry and Hermione brought up the rear.

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Harry went right after Aurora, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them, Harry could tell she was trying her hardest to prevent him from bumping into anything but occasionally Snape would bump his lolling head on the low ceiling.

"You know what this means?" Sirius - who had stopped to walk next to Harry- said abruptly as they made their slow progress across the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes.." said Sirius. "But I'm also ... I don't know if anyone ever told you... I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, I knew that. I guess this means I finally have a set of godparents." Whispered Harry gesturing towards Aurora who was in front of them.

"Well ... Your parents appointed us as your guardians," said Black stiffly. " if anything happened to them...I understand, of course if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Sirius. " But... well ... think about it. Once my name is cleared and when Dumbledore gives the okay for Rora to finally  come out of hiding ... if you wanted a .... a different home ..."

"What - live with you?" Harry said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand. I just thought I'd-"

"Are you mad?" Said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Sirius' " of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Sirius turned to look at the boy next to him. "You want to?" He said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" Said Harry.

Sirius' giant face broke into the first true smile Harry had ever seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger was shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognisable as the man who had laughed at his parents wedding. 

"Rora, he said yes!"

Aurora turned towards the pair a beaming grin was etched upon her face. Although her happiness was short lived as a thump was overheard as Snape's head scraped the ceiling, she turned back to the limp body of the professor and adjusted his position. Above the shifting of the groups footsteps the sound of her grumbling towards her feeble fiancé was just about audible.

They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Aurora saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back to let Harry, Hermione and Sirius to pass. At last all of them were out.

The grounds were very dark now, the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering.

"One wrong move, Peter." said Lupin, threateningly, ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Aurora, his chin bumping on his chest. 

Suddenly, a cloud shifted. There was dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Sirius and Aurora froze, and as an immediate response flung their arms out to make Harry and Hermione stop.

Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh my - " Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his Potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Sirius whispered. "Run! Now!"

Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin He leapt forwards but Aurora caught him around the chest and threw him back. 

"Leave it to us- RUN!"