Secrets Revealed

Chapter 11

I was map-watching like when I was a student at Hogwarts when I saw a name that wasn't supposed to be there.

"Remmy!! We have a problem!" I shouted from across his office and run to his desk.

"What is it?" He asks in a panic and I point to the map. "T- That's not possible, Nova. The map is old it must be lying."

"You know as well as I do that the map never lies, Remus. Face the truth. Peter is alive and kicking. I was right and you were wrong. Admit it." I told him sternly.

Remus sat there in disbeleif and began muttering to himself.

"Careful. Someone might think you've gone mad." Nova said, finally fed up with the muttering after ten minutes.

"His name along with Ron and Sirius' id in the shrieking shack. Harry and Hernione have just entered as well." I point out. "C'mon. Let's go!"

With that we rushed out of Remus' office. Completely forgetting to close the map.

When we got to the Whomping Willow I dodged the branches and hit the knot in the bark.

"You good, Nova?" Remus asked before he slipped into the hole.

"Yeah. Just a few scratches from the branches, but they're already gone." I respond as I glance over myself.

I could hear the voices mumbling before but now that we're getting closer, their shouting is starting to hurt my sensitive ears.

"We're up here! Sirius Black! Quick!" I hear Hermione scream. And Remus takes off the last hundred meters without warning.

"Idiotic dog." I mutter, thinking if Sirius, before sprinting after Remus.

He cast a spell and the door exploded open with a bang and a shower of red sparks.

Harry wheeled around as Remus came hurtling into the room with his wand raised and ready.

Our eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Harry’s feet.

"Expelliarmus!" Remus shouted. I winced, covering my ears and shot him a fiery glare.

Harry’s wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Remus caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who had a cat lying protectively across his chest.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Nova practically growled. Her eyes lighting up dangerously as she assessed the room once more.

Sirius' face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn’t move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron.

Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.

"But then…" Remus muttered, staring at Sirius so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "… why hasn’t he shown himself before now? Unless" — His eyes suddenly widened,
as though he was seeing something beyond Sirius, something none of the rest could see, "—unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling us?"

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin’s face, Sirius nodded.

"What did I tell you, Remus!" Nova exclaimed and threw her hands up in the air. But before she could continue and scold Remus, Harry spoke up.

"Professors," Harry interrupted loudly, "what’s going on?"