Melody Riddle and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 12: Fateful Match

"Where have you been?!" Sirius asked the moment I stepped foot into the room.

I brought my hands up in front of me, "You do realize a girl needs sleep sometimes, don't you? In any case I've been busy with a lot of things.... And I take it Crookshanks didn't bring Pettigrew back here, correct?"

"No... did you catch him?" he suddenly looked very hopeful.

I shook my head and said with a sigh, "I think he may have faked his death again. His blood was on the bed sheets of the student who owns him, and I guess he had a couple of cat hairs from Crookshanks to leave at the scene of the fake crime."

Sirius dropped his face into his hands and sat down.

"He's probably still in the castle, though, I don't believe he'll stray far just to get away. There's no food or shelter besides Hogwarts for miles," I said. When Sirius gave the barest of nods, I added, "He might still be in that room, and no one thought to look for him because they all just assumed he was dead. So, like what happened with you, everyone blames Crookshanks."

Looking up suddenly, Sirius asked, "You seem to know a lot about the person who had him as a rat... how is that possible? I know you said you were secretly friends with a Gryffindor, but a normal Slytherin should worry about their reputation should that be found out."

"Well, think of it," I said, sitting down next to him. "Even if I become shunned by most of the Slytherins, I still have a few Gryffindors and one Slytherin I can fall back on."

"And.. your family still loves you even though you're not in Ravenclaw..."

With a nod, I said, "I'm probably too lucky for what I have, but I don't really care what others think. My life isn't dependent on what others think I should do with it."

"Huh... and the boy who has had this rat for years – is he your friend, too?'

I shook my head vigorously, "He and Harry don't particularly trust me. They aren't likely to become friendly to me any time soon, either."

He looked down, "Because –"

"Because I'm a Slytherin.. I've helped them whenever they needed it, but they still don't trust me."

"And they're in your year?"

I nodded.

"Then I'll at least know where they're sleeping in the Gryffindor dormitories..." at my inquisitive look he said, "I saw that Weasley family in the newspapers. When I saw that rat, I knew it was Peter. I'd seen him as a rat so many times in school, so I recognized him... I'll have to find my way into the castle again to get him."

I felt a jolt at that, "Sirius, don't –"

"Just to check –"

"No! Listen to me – a dog may be inconspicuous out in public, but no one in Hogwarts owns a big black dog. Besides, we don't know where Pettigrew is. I only said he could still be in that room, because the better plan of action for him would be to run around the castle. I promise that should I see him, I'll grab him." I said.

He chuckled, "Melody, you're not my mother. Besides I'll do it at night when everyone's asleep – and" he added before I had a chance to protest, "I have a way in and out of the castle that isn't the front door. There's a secret passageway that the Whomping Willow is sitting on, I'll enter and exit through there."

I rolled my eyes, "Worrying about you does not mean I'm your mother."

He laughed, "Glad you know – my own mother never mothered me in that way."