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braveclementine · 5 months

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Chapter 16

Warnings: None, Readers under 18 can read this book. It is solely fluff- nothing sexual

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

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𝕴 𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 time again and I followed completely last because I wanted to be behind Sirius and Harry as they talked. Sirius had the wand that was holding Professor Snape afloat. His head kept bumping against the ceiling. Sirius was obviously making no effort to prevent this.

"Sirius." I said calmly. "His head keeps touching the ceiling."

"So?" Sirius asked, but he lowered the wand just a little bit. Then he turned to Harry and said, "You know what this means? Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free." Harry stated.

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

"Yeah, I knew that." Harry said. In the dim light, his face looked a bit confused as though he wasn't sure where the conversation was going.

"Well. . . your parents appointed me your guardian. If anything happened to them. . .I'll understand of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle. But well, think about it. Once my name's cleared. . . if you wanted a. . . a different home. . ."

"What-live with you!" Harry said in near excitement. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to, I understand, I just thought I'd-" Sirius said quickly, covering up the hurt he was feeling.

"Are you insane? Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a home! When can I move in?" Harry asked, breathless.

Sirius looked at him and Snape's head started to scrape across the ceiling. "You want to? You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it." Harry said.

Sirius smiled. I hadn't seen him smile like that before.

"Sirius" I said quickly. "Severus' head!"

"Ah, right." He said, lowering the wand again.

Then we were outside again. I breathed in the fresh air. I loved being outside.

"You and Lupin could come and live with Harry and me as well." Sirius said to me.

I grinned even though I knew what would happen soon, my nerves were starting to tingle again. "We'd love that Sirius."

"What's about to happen next?" Harry asked.

I paused for a second and then, as the clouds parted, I said, "Dad's going to turn into a werewolf."

Sirius threw his hand out, catching Harry, Hermione, and I behind it. I lost my breath. Sirius turned to me, wide-eyed, "You couldn't have mentioned it sooner?"

"Sorry." I wheezed. "I don't see everything right away, you know!"

I looked behind Sirius's arms to see that Dad was shaking. I edged to the other side of Sirius.

"Run," Sirius whispered to Harry, looking the other way, "Run. Now."

I did run, but not away from dad. I ran towards, him, skidding to a stop in front of him, fear in my eyes. Dad looked into my eyes and fear was in his eyes as well. "Elizabeth-" He choked out, a hand reaching out to touch my cheek. "Go- now- don't- want you- here."

Sirius was there, yanking me away from dad. "I love you!" I shouted, letting Sirius yank me back to where Snape was lying in a heap. Harry and Hermione were still there. Hermione was trembling in fright and she took my arm. Hermione screamed and I twirled, raising my wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Dad's wand shot out of Peter's hand and I reached up to grab it, and I pocketed it. The three of us watched Peter warily and then he waved his hand and turned into a rat, shooting off into the grass.

"Sirius, he's gone!" Harry shouted, "Pettigrew transformed." Harry shouted. I took off on the grass, my wand lit, running as fast as possible, looking for any sign of motion. Sirius overtook me, disappearing out of sight and I sighed.

I turned back to where Ron and Snape were laying. Hermione and Harry were already crouched by him.

"We'd better get them up at the castle and tell someone." Harry said, pushing his hair out of his face.

There was a yelping sound however, a dog in pain, and we all spun around. Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind him. Quickly, I turned back around to face Snape on the ground and got on my knees, putting one hand on his cheek and pointed my wand at his heart. "Enervate." I muttered. He didn't stir.

"Bloody hell." I muttered, shaking Professor Snape. "Please, please wake up Professor. We need you." I paused and then said, "I need you. Just wake up." He finally started to sir. "Thank Merlin."

Then, I sprinted away after Harry and Hermione. It was down by the lake shore. Harry had his wand raised, shouting "Expecto Patronum, Expecto Patronum!"

Sirius gave a shudder, rolled, over, and lay motionless on the shore. I felt fear shoot through my heart and I glanced frantically across the lake shore.

"Hermione help me!" Harry shouted, not knowing that I was already there.

Hermione was whimpering however and could barely get the first word out. I wiped out my wand and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A large wildcat burst forth from my wand and leapt at the dementors that were surrounding me. I sent it down towards Sirius, about twenty meters away from me. I ripped out the marker again, quickly writing a time for two minutes in the future.

I raised my wand, concentrating on the spell. But there were more than a hundred or so dementors. My wildcat wasn't enough.

Hermione collapsed onto the ground. Harry continued to struggle with his own patronus. I sent my wildcat around Hermione. But my concentration lapsed and my wildcat disappeared. I took a deep breath, trying to recollect my energy.

I raced forward, crossing the distance between us. Harry was still trying to produce a patronus but the dementors hands were around his throat. The dementors were swooping down on me as well. But I had to make it to Sirius's side.

"HURRY UP!" I shouted across the lake.

I fell to Sirius's side and turned upwards as the dementors swooped down on me. Dad- James- was screaming and mum was screaming for James was whispering that he loved me in my ear. I was crying and I buried my face into Sirius' shirt. I raised my wand, a weak silvery spurt sent the dementors away. I could see someone sprinting towards me, but I wasn't sure if it was a dementor or just someone who liked to wear black. The screaming was louder now. I collapsed, my vision going black.

"Mum. . ." I whispered and I faded away.

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𝕴 𝖜𝖔𝖐𝖊 𝖚𝖕 when someone was saying, "Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the two girls-"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them." I recognized Snape's voice immediately. "Miss Kane was just collapsing when I reached the beach. Its possible she held off the dementors for a bit of time. . . I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretches, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

I didn't open my eyes. I wanted to listen to what else was happening. But it didn't seem as though anything else was going to be said. I sat up slowly. Harry and Hermione were in beds opposite me and Ron was next to me.

Madam Pomfrey was working over Ron at the moment and then turned, walking over to Harry, carrying a block of chocolate the size of a boulder. She started breaking it apart with a hammer and said, "Ah, you're awake!" to Harry.

"How's Ron?" Harry and Hermione asked together. I looked over at him, he seemed fine.

"He'll live. As for you three. . . you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're- Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry had sat up, putting on his glasses.

"I need to see the headmaster." He said, grabbing his wand as well.

"Potter, it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now-"

"WHAT?" Harry exclaimed. My heart gave a jolt.

Harry, Hermione, and I all jumped out of bed. My legs shook but I grabbed my wand regardless.

Fudge and Snape came into the room. I didn't dare meet Snape's gaze. I was still quite furious with him for threatening Dads life, regardless of what I'd said to him when trying to wake him up.

"Harry, Harry what's this? You should be in bed- has he had any chocolate?" He asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously. Both him and Snape were preoccupied with Harry and I tried to edge past both of them and Snape caught my arm. I tried to wrench it out of his grasp furiously, but his fingers held tight.

"Minister listen!" Harry said urgently. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's-"

Fudge was shaking his head and smiling. "Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control. . ."

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry bellowed and I stared at him in shock. Snape had let go of my arm. I stepped to the side, not quite moving for the door yet. I needed his attention completely off of me. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister listen, please." Hermione said urgently as she hurried over to Harry's side. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and-"

"You see, Minister." Snape, said, looking at Fudge. I dashed past him and he caught my arm again, pulling me back into the room. "Confunded- both of all. . . Black's done a very good job on them. . . Miss Kane get back into bed."

"WE'RE NOT CONFUDNDED!" Harry roared in anger.

"Minister! Professor! I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!" Madam Pomfrey said angrily, holding a piece of chocolate that was melting in her hand.

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened! If they'd just listen-"

Madam Pomfrey stuffed the block of chocolate into Harry's mouth, and he nearly choked, and she pushed him back into the bed.

Snape's grip tightened on my arm as he walked toward my hospital bed, dragging me behind him. I let him lead me, mostly because I knew Dumbledore was coming soon.

The hospital door opened again and Dumbledore walked in. "Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black-" Harry said, his mouth thick with chocolate.

"For heaven's sake!" Madam Pomfrey shrieked hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist-"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Kane, and Miss Granger-" Dumbledore said. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black-"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind? Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive-"

"That, indeed, is Black's story." Dumbledore said.

"And does my evidence count for nothing? Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"Because you were knocked out!" I complained.

"Miss Kane, hold your tongue." Snape said angrily. I gritted my teeth in annoyance. I felt a fresh wave of rage wash over me, just thinking about him threatening dad.

"I would like to speak to Harry, Hermione, and Elizabeth alone." Dumbledore said. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy- please leave us."

"Headmaster!" Madam Pomfrey said "They need treatment, they need rest-"

"This cannot wait." Dumbledore said evenly. "I must insist." Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and then went away to her office, slamming her door loudly in protest behind her.

Fudge also left, muttering something about going and seeing the dementors before they sucked the soul out of my Godfather.

Snape however, was harder to get rid of. "You surely don't believe a word of Black's Story?" Snape snarled.

"I wish to speak to Harry, Hermione, and Elizabeth alone." Dumbledore repeated.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen. You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

I gritted my teeth. Dad was somewhere out there. Sirius was going to die. Snape need to leave. Now.

Snape strode out of the room, slamming the hospital door shut. Harry and Hermione burst into speech but I overrode them quickly. "Be quiet!" They both looked at me.

"This is going to be a really long conversation." I said exasperated. "And quite frankly, we don't have the time so let me tell you what Dumbledore is going to say. You guys say that my dad could back up Sirius but it doesn't matter because no one trusts him because he's a werewolf and his friendship with Sirius is bad. And then, you guys say Snape's just biased and Dumbledore will point out that Sirius hasn't acted innocent since he attacked the Gryffindor common room with a knife. Also, Dumbledore believes Sirius' story which is good because he's going to let Hermione use the time-turner, turn it 3 times and save both Buckbeak and Sirius at the same time. Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. We also can't be seen, which both Hermione and I understand."

Harry and Hermione gaped at me.

"Did you get that?" I asked.

Dumbledore chuckled, "Thank you for speeding that up. How many minutes did we save?"

"Seven." I said.

"Lovely." Dumbledore said. "Elizabeth, you will go with them, won't you?"

I hesitated. I was tired and I had only envisioned Hermione and Harry going together, and I said this aloud. Then I added, "But I will go if you guys want me to come."

Hermione and Harry looked at each other and Hermione asked tentavely. "In the Shrieking Shack, you said you had no friends. . . what did you mean by that?"

I flushed and answered truthfully. "Because I sometimes feel that I forced my friendship upon you, Ron, Harry. Hermione's friendship with me always felt genuine but because of my visions, I sort of gravitated towards you guys, throwing myself into the friendship when my visions showed just you, Ron, and Hermione. Sometimes I feel as though our friendship is fake. I've worried that sometimes you guys feel that way as well." And of course I didn't add that he was my brother and I wanted to get to know him without telling him that we were related because, of course, I couldn't.

"Of course you're our friend!" Harry said fiercely. "Though I have a question of my own."

"Sure." I said. "But we're reaching six minutes now."

Harry hesitated and then asked, "Sirius-"

"He's my Godfather too." I said, smiling down at my hands. "Which makes us, in a way, siblings."

I grinned at Harry and he grinned back. Then I turned serious again and said, "We should go now."

Dumbledore nodded, standing up. "Yes, do hurry. I'm going to lock you in. It is- nine minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it, but we've already established that. Good luck!" He closed the door and there was the sound of a lock.

"Good luck? Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?" Harry asked blankly.

Hermione and I were already moving towards each other and Harry joined us. Hermione undid her time turner and I removed mine, putting it in my pocket so we didn't loop time. Hermione threw her time turner over Harry and mine heads.

"What are we doing?" Harry asked.

"I'll explain when we finish." I said.

Hermione turned the turner three times.

Then, there was a blur of colours and people moving past us either way and finally, things stopped moving.

There was golden sunlight coming through the hospital windows.

"Hermione, Elizabeth, what-" Harry was looking around, confused, looking at the empty bed that Ron would occupy three hours later.

"In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm and I followed close behind as we headed into the broom closet. Hermione shut the door behind us.

"What- how- Liz, what happened?"

"We traveled back in time. " I answered. "This is how Hermione and I have been getting to all our classes. It's called a time-turner. If we have it over our necks, we can turn it and go back and hour or two or more."

"Shh!" Hermione said suddenly, "Someone's coming! I think- I think it might be us! Yes. . . I think it's us going down to Hagrid's." Hermione answered, nodding.

"You're telling me, that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?" Harry asked, flabbergasted.

I nodded, "That's what Dumbledore means by don't be seen. Our past selves can't see the others. Hermione and I would be okay if we caught a glimpse of ourselves, we know about the time-turners and would know that we must be using them. But your past self wouldn't understand and it could even ruin your mind."

Harry gaped at me.

"Where did you get the... time-turner?" Harry asked.

"Professor McGonagall." Hermione answered this time. "She gave it to us on our first day back and made us promise not to tell anyone. Elizabeth's dad doesn't even know about it."

I nodded. "He just thinks I've been working a lot of hours."

"She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so that I could have one. Professor Sprout did Elizabeth's letters. They had to tell them that we were model students and that we'd never, ever use it for anything except our studies"

I nodded. "I've been using it for classes and also for studying. I'll study in the library until it closes, turn the timer and then got to the common room and study. It gives me extra hours in the day but also lengthens the day by a lot.

"So we need to do what?" Harry asked.

"We need to get Buckbeak, fly him up to Sirius's tower, and then fly down to the courtyard where Buckbeak will drop us off and Sirius will fly away." I said and then frowned, "Actually, I'm not entirely sure how it'll work because I only envisioned you, Hermione, and Sirius on Buckbeak. I don't know if he'll fit the four of us."

"We'll manage it." Harry said confidently, which was surprising considering how confused he'd been a few seconds ago.

"We need to wait a few minutes." I said, checking my watch. "I marked all the times of where we were in my head so that we could match them in this way." I held up my arm.

"You knew we'd have to do a redo?" Harry asked.

I nodded, "I was hoping to maybe change the future but. . . it just didn't work out that way. Maybe if Snape had brought the potion into the Shrieking Shack things would've worked differently. I'd forgotten that dad dropped his wand because I thought it was in his belt."

"Don't beat yourself about it Elizabeth." Hermione said, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It must be difficult carrying those visions."

"It is." I said bluntly. "But I'm used to it. Besides, it comes in handy for things like that."

I checked my watch and arm again. "One more minute and we can go. We'll go around the greenhouses to stay out of the way of Hagrid's cabin. We'll hide in the forest behind the cabin."

"Why does Sirius call you Eilís?" Harry asked.

"It's a nickname," I said, looking down at the watch. "It's Irish for my birth name. I used to call him puppy when I was small."

"You knew him when you were young?" Harry asked, distracted.

"Time to go." I said, glad for an excuse not to answer. I pushed open the door cautiously and then strode out the door, leading the other two. We sprinted until we reached the greenhouses and then I led them into the forest and we picked our way carefully towards Hagrid's cabin.

I had marked the time perfectly. I could hear Hermione shrieking and saying, "Ron! I- I don't believe it- it's Scabbers!"

I clenched my fists, wishing that I could just run in there and grab him. I knew Harry was thinking similar thoughts but he didn't voice them. Our don't be seen message was ringing through his head.

I talked to distract us. "Sirius and I used to run through the forest at night." I whispered. "I brought him food in a basket because I was afraid that he was going to starve."

I watched as my own face popped in the window of Hagrid's cabin, grinning at us. I shivered. I suddenly wished I hadn't done that, it was weird.

"You've been meeting with him this whole year?" Harry asked.

I nodded. "I never helped him in the castle or anything like that. But I always brought food, even if I didn't see him. I'd leave it at the edge of the forest and places like that."

I fell silent as Hagrid opened the back door. I turned to Hermione and Harry and said, "Let me go and get Buckbeak. I originally saw you doing it Harry, but Buckbeak knows me and I won't have to waste time bowing and waiting for him to bow either, okay?"

They both nodded and I got up closer to the bush.

"It's okay Beaky, it's okay." Hagrid was saying, "Go on. Get Goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't-"

"We'll tell them what really happened-"

"They can't kill him-"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all." Hermione threw the invisibility cloak over us. "Go quick. Don' listen. . ."

There were new voices, ones that we hadn't heard the first time.

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out- outside!" Hagrid croaked.

Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Good, they had seen him.

"We- er- have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure-" Fudge was saying now.

Macnair pulled his face away from the window and I darted out of the bush and came up against Hagrid's cabin wall. I reached Buckbeak and quickly untied the rope from behind his neck. But I kept the rope upon his neck so that I could lead him. I clucked my tongue and he followed. Fudge was still talking, ". . .sentenced to execution by beheading to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair. . ."

"Let's go." I whispered as I brought Buckbeak into the forest. "This way." I led Buckbeak along with Harry and Hermione along the forest line. We were nearing the edge of the forest where we would see if Ron fly out from under the cloak. I brought them a bit deeper in so that we wouldn't be seen. I tied Buckbeak's rope to a tree.

I heard the cabin door slam open and then silence. I watched, keeping a hand on Buckbeak's neck in case he managed to pull himself loose. My knots weren't as tight as Hagrid's were. There was a thud of an axe hitting wood. Macnair had chopped Hagrid's fence in half in anger.

Then Hagrid was howling, this time with happiness. He was shouting words, but it was hard to hear from this distance. Something about blessing Buckbeak.

"We need to move around to the other side where the Whomping Willow is or we won't be able to see anything." I said anxiously. We started moving in the direction that we'd gone before, moving slowly.

"There's Ron!" Harry pointed out.

A dark figure was springing across the lawn, shouting. "Get away from him- get away- Scabbers, come here-"

Another dark figure was close on his heels- that we me. Two more dark figures let the cloak trail out behind them.

"I can't believe you guys let the cloak go." I murmured.

"I know." Hermione said sadly.

"There's Sirius!" Harry said excitedly, pointing. "Looks even worse from here." He murmured, "Ouch- look Elizabeth just got hit across the face, I just got walloped by the tree- and so did you- this is weird-"

I agreed. "We don't usually search ourselves out to see what we look like so this is just as weird for me."

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot." Hermione whispered.

"And there we go... We're in." Harry murmured.

After we disappeared, the tree froze again. And then, only seconds later, Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the Committee member were making their way right up to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage! If only Dumbledore had come with us. . ." Hermione moaned.

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too." Harry said in a bitter voice. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot."

"Or he would've ordered the dementors into there and we would've had those creatures in there with us." I said shuddering.

The four men climbed the stone steps, the Committee member moving slower than the others and then they disappeared from view into the castle.

"There's Dad!" I said, feeling excitement in my chest. Dad was sprinting down the stone steps, hurtling toward the Whomping Willow. But before he did anything, he yanked something out of his pocket, opening it. I crept closer. Then, Dad snapped it closed (I could almost have sworn I heard the click from here) and with a wave of his wand, a stick lifted from the ground and prodded the knot. The tree stopped and Dad sprinted to the entrance and slipped inside.

If he'd only grabbed the cloak!" Harry said, "It's just lying there. . .If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and-"

I shook my head. "it doesn't matter Harry. Snape only used the cloak because it was there. He'd go in anyways if he didn't have the cloak. He hadn't planned on having the cloak in the first place. Besides, the reason Peter escaped was because dad turned into a werewolf, not because Snape was there."

Harry fell silent.

"I'm so sorry Harry." I whispered. "I love Sirius too."

At that moment, there was a burst of song. It was Hagrid who was singing at the top of his lungs, making his way up to the castle. A large bottle was swinging from his hands.

"See?" Hermione whispered. "If you'd gone to get the cloak, Hagrid would've seen you!"

"No, Buckbeak!" I whispered, grabbing his rope and digging my heels in. Buckbeak, hearing Hagrid's voice, was trying to get back. Harry grabbed the rope too and we managed to keep Buckbeak in the trees.

I tied Buckbeak lightly to the tree. A moment later, the castle doors flew open, Snape came charging, running towards the Willow. His long hair flew back from his face and I couldn't help but smile and hide it from the other two. He skidded to a stop by the Willow and bent down, picking up the cloak.

Harry's fist clenched. "Get your filthy hands off it." He snarled under his breath. I giggled. Hermione shushed us. And then Snape had stopped the Whomping Willow from moving and slid into the tunnel as well.

"So that's it." Hermione said quietly. "We're all down there. . . and now we've just go to wait until we come back up again. What time, Elizabeth?"

I was busy marking times off on my arm and showed her the next time silently.

She sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees and asked, "Harry, there's something I don't understand. . . Why didn't the dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out. . . there were so many of them. . ."

Harry and I sat down too. I sat down next to Buckbeak, resting my head against his leg. I was so tired, I could've fallen asleep right there. I didn't though, I knew we couldn't afford that.

Harry said, "There was something that came galloping across the lake, it was large and silver, and it had made the dementors retreat. There was also someone on the other side of the lake, a man."

"But what was it?" Hermione asked.

"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the dementors go. A real Patronus. A powerful one." Harry said, but he sounded cautious.

"But who conjured it?" Hermione asked next.

Harry didn't say anything. He looked like he was thinking hard, trying to conjure up the memories.

"Didn't you see what they looked like?" Hermione asked in a eager voice, "Was it one of the teachers?"

Which teacher? I thought. Flitwick was small, Lupin and Snape were in the tree, Hagrid couldn't have done it. I supposed she might've been thinking about Dumbledore? There weren't any other male teachers. Perhaps the Alchemy Professor? I had no idea who that was.

"No. He wasn't a teacher." Harry said but didn't elaborate anymore.

"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those dementors away... If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see-" Hermione asked eagerly.

Harry interrupted her, "Yeah, I saw him. But. . . maybe I imagined it. . . I wasn't thinking straight. . . I passed out right afterward. . ."

"Who did you think it was?" Hermione asked eagerly and a bit annoyed.

"Hermione." I moaned.

"I think-" He swallowed hard. "I think it was my dad."

Hermione's head was turned from me so I didn't know how her expression looked but Harry looked guilty, almost fearful about her reaction.

"Harry, your dad's- well- dead." She said quietly.

I turned my head fully away. His dad. . . my dad. . .tears watered in my eyes. Stupid effing hormones!

"I know that." Harry said quickly.

"You think you saw his ghost?"

'I don't know. . . no. . . he looked solid. . ." Harry said uncertainly.

"But then-"

"Maybe I was seeing things. But from what I could see. . . it looked like him. . . I've got photos of him. . ." Harry said, drifting off.

"The four Marauder's on the same night." I murmured aloud.

Nothing happened for another hour in which I drifted away into a daydream.

I jolted when Hermione whispered, "Here we come!"

I jumped to my feet, brushing my pants off. "Okay, we need to move." I quickly untied Buckbeak's rope and started off through the forest, hurrying at a fast pace.

"Elizabeth!" Hermione gasped, "Where are you going?"

"We have to get to Hagrid's cabin." I said, not looking back, still hurrying. "If we'd stayed where we were, Dad would've run straight at us. Hagrid's cabin is going to be empty right now and for enough time we can use it as a hideout."

Dad was only just transforming, according to my watch and arm. I marked off another time. We were very close to Hagrid's cabin. Hermione and Harry were running behind me to catch up. Harry opened Hagrid's cabin door and I led Buckbeak in the cabin.

Buckbeak seemed very content in the cabin and he folded his wings contentedly and seemed ready to go to sleep.

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know." Harry said slowly. "I can't see what's going on- we won't know when it's time-"

Hermione stared at Harry suspiciously and I said, "I'll go with him, okay?"

Hermione nodded and Harry and I left the cabin. Once again, I acted as tour guide of the forest and led Harry over to where the opposite side of the lake was. Harry crouched behind a bush at the very edge of the lake shore but I climbed a tree farther back- though still with a good view.

I watched my wildcat across the lake as my past self clumsily wrote the last time on my arm. It was a weak one, I realized. It was to dim. I was really going to have to work on it. Then I was running towards Sirius and falling down by his side. I was reaching up, trying to make the patronus again but I only produced a faint glimmer. I heard myself shouting "HURRY UP!" from across the lake.

I watched as Harry (present Harry not past Harry) leapt to his feet and raised his wand and yelled, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

And out of his wand burst a dazzling silver animal that looked like a stag. I smiled softly. Harry had dad's stag. I realized though, that while I didn't have moms doe, I was still their daughter. It didn't matter how many similarities and differences there were between me and my parents. I wasn't a carbon-copy and I could live with that. I felt peace after that and I realized that that was really who my battle was with- myself.

The Patronus turned back, cantering towards Harry. It stopped on the bank, staring at Harry. Harry was staring back at it. I hoped down from the tree and stood next to Harry. And then, very slowly, the Stag bowed its antlered head.

"Prongs." Harry whispered, trembling fingertips reaching for the Stag but it vanished. I put my arm around Harry. He put his arm around me and we stood there, side by side.

Then there were hooves behind us and we both spun around. Hermione was leading Buckbeak down to the lakeshore. "What did you do? You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"

"I just saved our lives. . ." Harry said, his eyes shining. "Get behind here- behind this bush- I'll explain."

Harry explained how it was himself that he had seen. Because him and his father looked so much alike.

"Did anyone see you?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"

"Harry, I can't believe it. . . you conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those dementors! That's very, very advanced magic. . ." Hermione said, caught between approval and disapproval.

"Elizabeth produced a patronus too. The other Elizabeth, I mean." Harry said.

"It wasn't as strong though." I said. "I was too worried about dad and Sirius to produce a good one. . . I think that's what my problem was anyways."

"Look-" Hermione said, "Snape!"

We peered around the bush. Snape was conjuring stretchers with his wand and then picking up Harry, Hermione, Sirius, and I in turn to put us on them. When he came to me, he pushed my hair back from my face. I blushed and turned away from Harry and Hermione who were looking at me weirdly.

"What was that?" Hermione asked.

"He must've been examining the cut on my cheek." I said. As if my words had reminded me, I reached my hand up to touch my face. There was a thin cut there, but Madam Pomfrey's magic was working because it was all sealed up.

"Oh." Hermione said. "Right, it's nearly time." She looked at her own watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing. . ."

We waited, watching. Buckbeak, bored, was digging up worms to eat. I wished I had a pole cat for him to eat.

"D' you reckon he's up there yet?" Harry asked, checking his watch. He was counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.

"We need to figure out how we're all either fitting on Buckbeak or one of us isn't riding at all." I said urgently.

"Look! Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle." Hermione said.

"Macnair!" Harry said and we were all exchanging anxious looks. "He's gone to get the dementors. This is it-"

We stared at each other.

"Elizabeth knows how to fly Buckbeak." Hermione said.

"Harry on." I said urgently, helping Hermione onto the back. Then, as Harry got on, I said, "I can sit on your lap, or I can just run to the courtyard."

"Get on." Harry said. I climbed up, settling ourselves in and I quickly looked behind me. Yes, Sirius would fit now. Harry's arms were tight around my waist and I could feel Hermione's hands around Harry's because we were pressed tightly together and I felt her knuckles digging into my back.

"Let's go Buckbeak!" I exclaimed and Buckbeak took off and I clutched the rope. Harry's arms tightened. Buckbeak soared up into the sky and we were moving forward. Buckbeak was gliding upward towards the seventh floor. "Thirteenth window." I muttered.

Despite the fact that we were literally running to beat time, I felt a flush of pleasure, feeling my brothers arms around me. I loved Harry and even though he didn't love me-at least not the way that I did- I was glad that we could still be friends. I longed for the day when I could admit to being his sister. That would probably be the best day of my life.

I pulled left and we pulled up in front of the thirteenth window. Sirius was sitting in a chair, his eyes closed. The window was small, so I was going to have to be glad that Sirius was so thin. I pulled Buckbeak as closed as I dared to the window. Harry raped on the window and Sirius gave a start.

He jumped up and came to the window. Wiping out my wand, I said "Alohomora!" The window sprang open. Wow, I hadn't used that spell in forever.

"How- how-?" Sirius asked weakly, staring at the Hippogriff.

"Get on- there's not much time." Harry said. "You've got to get out of here- the dementors are coming- Macnair's gone to get them."

Sirius placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. He flipped his leg over Buckbeak's' back and pulled himself on behind Hermione, clutching around her waist. I was suddenly very aware that if I let go, all four of us would plummet to our death.

"Down Beaky, come on." I said. "The courtyard."

We flew downwards towards the courtyard. Then, Buckbeak landed and I quickly jumped off so that Harry could get down and then Hermione.

Sirius slid up on the back and I handed him the reins. "His name is Buckbeak and he's a good Hippogriff." I said, feeling tears water up behind my eyes. "Love you Puppy."

"Love you too Eilís." Sirius reached down to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Sirius, you'd better go quick." Harry said and I backed away, "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment."

"How can I ever thank-"

"GO!" The three of us yelled at him and then I added, "Just write once in a while."

"We'll see each other again." Sirius said, wheeling Buckbeak around, "You are- truly your father's son, Harry. . . and you're, your mum's daughter Elizabeth. . ."

Tears spilled out of my eyes and Sirius took off into the sky. Then I grabbed their arms and said, "Let's go."

We had eleven minutes and so we sprinted down the hallway and turned and I pulled them under the staircase, putting a finger to my lips while footsteps stomped down it at a fast past.

". . .only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties. The kiss will be performed immediately?" Snape asked.

"As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last. . . I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape. . . and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him. . ." Fudge said and they disappeared around the corner.

Harry gritted his teeth and I put a hand over my mouth so that I didn't laugh. Then, we left and sprinted up the stairs and down the left of the hallway. Luckily, the way I'd brought them meant that we didn't run into Peeves and we skidded to a stop in front of the hospital wing just as Dumbledore was coming out.

"I'm going to lock you in. It is five minutes to midnight, Miss Granger, three turns should do it as we've already discussed. Good luck."

Then Dumbledore closed the door and took out his wand to magically lock it. We ran forward and Dumbledore looked up, a wide smile under his beard. "Well?" He asked quietly.

"We did it!" Harry said breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak. . ."

Dumbledore beamed, his eyes glowing briefly with that twinkling light. "Well done. I think- Yes, I think you've gone too- get inside- I'll lock you in-"

The three of us slipped through the door. "Act like your sleeping." I hissed at them as we climbed into bed. The three of us laid down in the beds.

Madam Pomfrey came out a moment later in a horrible mood. "Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"

I accepted the chocolate that she gave me and I was glad to find that it was milk chocolate because dark chocolate was too bitter for what I wanted now. I could hardly swallow the chocolate though- I was listening quite intently.

And then. . . very far above us. . . a roar of fury echoing somewhere above them. I threw myself back down on my pillow and turned my head so that it was facing the door.

"What was that?" Madam Pomfrey asked in alarm. "Really- they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"

"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left someone in the room with him. When this gets out-"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape was much easier to hear than Fudge because he was much, much louder, "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS- HAS- SOMETHING- TO - DO- WITH - POTTER!"

"Severus-be reasonable- Harry has been locked up-" Fudge was saying, his voice much closer than it had been last time.

BAM. The door to the hospital was open and my eyes were closed, mouth slack as though I was sleeping. I gave a fake jolt as the door opened.

Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore looked like he could use a box of popcorn. He looked like he was at the cinema watching a best rated comedy imaginable. I sat up, rubbing my eyes. Fudge appeared angry, but Snape had reached his breaking point.

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER! WHAT DID YOU DO!" Snape roared.

"Professor Snape!" Madam Pomfrey shrieked, not as loud as Snape. . . yet. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable. This door's been locked, we just saw-" Fudge said, trying out logic.

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape said, pointing at Harry and Hermione and then turning to point at me. I yawned and stretched.

"Calm down, man! You're talking nonsense." Fudge barked severely.

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER! HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT-" Snape shrieked.

"That will do, Severus." Dumbledore said quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" Madam Pomfrey said, bristling as though Dumbledore had insulted her. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus. Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further." Dumbledore said calmly.

"Professor?" I asked innocently.

"Yes Elizabeth?" Dumbledore asked.

"If Sirius Black could escape Azkaban with lots of dementors around, it seem quite probable that he could escape Hogwarts with zero dementors or any guard at all, isn't it?" I kept my face blank, perhaps slightly curious.

"Yes, thank you for point that out Elizabeth." Dumbledore said.

Snape looked furiously at me. I looked hesitantly at them.

"Ah yes," Fudge said suddenly, looking uncomfortable. "Miss Kane, we will have to have a conversation, when you are better, about your father."

Harry, Hermione, and I froze. "W-what?" I asked.

"Well I can't see it being probable for you to stay in a house with a werewolf so we'll have to-" Fudge was saying.

All the blood drained from my face and Snape stopped looking angry. "Y-you can't!" I choked out. "Y- you can't take him from me!"

"Miss Kane! I have a job-"

"No!" I shrieked. I looked wildly at Dumbledore. Dumbledore was frowning at Fudge.

"I don't believe that Professor Lupin is any danger to Elizabeth, Cornelius. She's lived with him for nearly all her life. Professor Lupin has never put her in any danger." Dumbledore said.

"That as it may be!" Fudge exclaimed. "There could be a slip! She is far to important to be left alone with a creature like him."

"He's all I have." I sobbed.

"There are other families, Miss Kane." Fudge said wearily.

Tears were streaming down my face and I leaped out of my bed. Madam Pomfrey hurried over and tried to push me back into bed. "Headmaster, please." Madam Pomfrey pleaded, "My patients need to not be disturbed."

"Of course Poppy." Dumbledore said seriously this time. "Cornelius, Severus, come. Cornelius, let's continue this conversation in my office please."

I let Madam Pomfrey push me back into bed and I turned my face into my pillow and sobbed. Dad was going to be taken away from me! Where the hell was I going to stay! I couldn't lose dad. . . I couldn't. . .

Madam Pomfrey tried to give me something to drink but I refused it. I didn't want to be calm. I didn't want to be put to sleep. I didn't want something that would take the fear and distress away. I just wanted to cry my heart out. So I did. Finally, she just left it on my nightstand if I wanted it eventually and went into her office.

Ron woke up sometime and asked Harry and Hermione about what was happening. Hermione explained over my sobs. She sounded close to crying too.

I exhausted myself out eventually and fell asleep. I never took the potion.

⬅️➡️

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braveclementine · 5 months

Text

Chapter 15

Warnings: None, Readers under 18 can read this book. It is solely fluff- nothing sexual

.💙💙💙.

𝕳𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖘𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖉, 𝕳𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖞 looked stunned, and Sirius jumped to his feet. How dramatic, I thought.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow." Snape said, holding up Harry's invisibility cloak. My heart thudded in my chest and my fingers twitched towards my wand. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you. . . You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here? I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did. . . lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

I looked at dad exasperated. "You left the map out?"

"Severus-" Dad began, shooting me a warning glance.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout-" Snape said, eyes glinting.

"Severus, you're making a mistake." Dad said urgently, not quite angry yet. "You haven't heard everything- I can explain- Sirius is not here to kill Harry-"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight." Snape said, his eyes now gleaming. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this.. He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin. . . a tame werewolf-"

"No!" I said, stupid panic lighting in my chest. Surely Snape wouldn't give Dad to the dementors, surely not.

"You fool." Lupin whispered. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

There was a bang and thin cords burst from the end of Snape's wand, twisting around Dad's mouth, wrist, and ankles. I screamed and leapt from the couch towards Dad. Sirius threw his arms around me, holding me to his chest. Sirius glared at Snape and Snape glared at Sirius. "You let go of her now, Black." Snape said.

Sirius let go of me slowly and I dashed over to dad. "Don't you do it Kane." Snape said as I made to cut the cords. I hesitated.

Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Professor Snape- it- it wouldn't hurt to heart what they've got to say, w- would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school. You, Potter, Weasley, and Kane are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."

"But if- if there was a mistake-" Hermione tried again nervously.

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL! DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Snape roared, a few sparks coming from his wand. My hands touched dad's and he took them. I squeezed tightly as Hermione went silent.

"Vengeance is very sweet." Snape breathed, looking at Black again. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you. . ."

"The jokes on you again, Severus." Black snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle, I'll come quietly. . ." He jerked his head towards Ron.

"Up to the castle? I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black. . . pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay. . ."

"No!" I shouted again, jumping to my feet. What was I going to do? Stand in front of Sirius?

Sirius shot me a warning glance, the colour draining out of his face, "Eilís, stay out of the way." Then to Snape, he said, "You- you've got to hear me out. The rat- look at the rat-"

But Snape was beyond reason. I shivered. "Come on, all of you." He clicked his fingers and the ropes that encased dad's hands flew to Snape's hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too-"

"NO!" I screamed, tears falling down my face. Threatening Sirius was one thing, threatening my dad was another. I raised my wand, tempted to curse him to oblivion. Snape's eyes widened as I pointed my wand at him. I had never hated Snape so much as I did now. There was a horrid panic in my chest. Professor Snape couldn't give dad to the dementors, he couldn't! Much to my relief, Harry crossed the room, standing in front of the doorway.

"Get out of the way, Potter, you've in enough trouble already," Snape snarled. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin-"

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year. I've been alone with him loads of times, having defense lessons against the dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"

"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works, Get out of the way Potter." Snape hissed.

"Shut up!" I yelled at the same time Harry roared, "YOU'RE PATHETIC! JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN-"

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT! Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee!" Snape yelled. I gnashed my teeth, hating him with a passion. "You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black- now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"

I raised my wand, realizing that Ron, Hermione, and Harry had all raised their wands too and we all shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

There was a blast and Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, sliding to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his long hair. He was out cold.

"You shouldn't have done that." Sirius said, looking at Harry and then at me, "You should have left him to me. . . "

"We attacked a teacher. . . we attacked a teacher. . ." Hermione whimpered, staring at Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble-"

"We'll be fine." I said confidently. Then, I bent down next to dad and quickly untied the ropes.

"Thanks sweetheart." Dad said, rubbing his wrists where they had been cut.

I took cloth from my pockets and wrapped his bleeding wrists methodically, tying knots. Dad stood up and I went to stand by Sirius who put a hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you, Harry." Dad said.

"I'm still not saying I believe you." Harry said, not looking at Sirius, Lupin, or me.

"Then it's time we offered you some proof. Ron- give me Peter, please. Now." Dad said.

Ron hesitated. "Come off it. Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean. . .Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat- there are millions of rats- how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

I was surprised. I didn't know Ron could have such deep thoughts like that.

"You know, Sirius that's a fair question." Dad said, turning to Sirius, frowning. "How did you know where he was?"

Sirius reached into his robes and pulled out the newspaper clipping and handed it to Dad.

"How did you get this?" Lupin asked in amazement.

"Fudge. When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page. . . on this boy's shoulder. . . I knew him at once. . . how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts. . . to where Harry was. . . where Eilís was."

"My God." Dad said, staring from the real rat to the one in the picture. "His front paw. . ."

"What about it?" Ron asked defiantly, as though insulting Scabbers was insulting him as well.

"He's got a toe missing." Sirius said, squeezing my shoulder.

"Of course, so simple, so brilliant. . . he cut it off himself?" Dad asked.

"Just before he transformed. When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with his wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself- and sped down into the sewer with the other rats. . ."

"Please Ron?" I begged. "Just give Dad the damn rat."

"Look, Scabbers has probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right-"

"Twelve years, in fact." Dad said. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"We- we've been taking good care of him?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" Dad asked. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again. . ."

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" Ron said, nodding to Crookshanks since he had to use both hands to hold onto Scabbers.

"No." I said. "He was ill in Egypt, remember? That's why you wanted to get him checked out at the Pet shop where he met, Crookshanks. That's why you got the Rat tonic."

Ron looked flabbergasted and Dad gave me a proud smile. "This cat isn't mad." Sirius said. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me. . . Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, looking fearfully at Crookshanks.

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't. . . so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me. . . As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table."

"Neville's." I said.

"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it. . . This cat- Crookshanks, did you call him?- told me Peter left blood on the sheets.. I supposed he bit himself. . . Well, faking his death had worked once. . ."

"And why did he fake his death?" Harry asked furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents?"

"Harry! I'm going to slap you." I said angrily. "Open your ears."

"Harry, don't you see?" Dad said in a hurried voice. "All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down- but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father- Sirius tracked Peter down-"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP! HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!" Harry said, shouting at the top of his lungs. I looked nervously over at Snape who twitched, but didn't wake up.

"Harry. . ." Sirius croaked out and also looked at me with a silent look, saying he was including me in this but not saying it. My throat tightened. "I as good as killed them. I persuaded Lily and James to change to peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me. . . I'm to blame, I know it. . . The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house destroyed, and their bodies.. I realized what Peter must've done. . . what I'd done. . ."

His voice cracked and he turned away, moving past me.

"Enough of this." Dad said in a hard voice that I hadn't heard him use in years. Not since I was seven, crossing the road to get to Trangs' house and nearly got hit by a car. That was the one and only time he'd ever used a hard voice with me, scared out of his mind that I had almost been killed. "there's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron-"

But I'd already moved past all of them and yanked Scabbers out of Ron's grasp and handed him to dad. Then, to a shocked Ron, I said. "It's not going to hurt him- if he's really a rat- which he's not because I foresaw all of this."

I stayed by the others.

"Ready Sirius?" Dad asked.

Sirius had Snape's wand in his hand.

"Together?"

"I think so." Dad said, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand. "On the count of three. One- two- THREE!"

There was a flash of blue-white and Scabbers froze in mid-air and then he hit the floor. There was another blinding light and then Scabbers turned into a man.

He was a very ugly man too. He was short, about the same height as I was, perhaps slightly taller. He was fat, colourless, and there was a bald spot on his head with thin, light brown hairs sticking out like a rat nest. They matched the bald fur patches of his rat shape. His nails were sharp, yellow, and crooked like he'd chewed on them. His eyes were small, watery, and darted around constantly. They were a grey-blue color. His skin was grubby and his nose was pointed. His breathing was very fast and shallow.

"Well, hello, Peter." Dad said quite pleasantly and if it wasn't for the sudden surge of hate that was rushing through me, I might've laughed. "Long time, no see."

"S- Sirius. . . R-Remus. . ." Peter's voice was even squeaky and it grated my nerves. "My friends. . . my old friends. . ."

Sirius raised his wand arm but Lupin grabbed his wrist. I twirled my wand in my fingers. He'd killed mum and dad. He was the reason there was a gap between Harry and me. He was the reason Dad and Sirius felt guilty. He was the villain. Even though I knew what was supposed to play out, I wanted him to die. I wanted to change the future.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter." Dad said, his voice dropping to just above dangerous, "about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed-"

"Remus." Peter gasped. "you don't believe him, do you. . . ? He tried to kill me, Remus. . ."

"So we've heard." Dad said coldly.

I interrupted, "So. If he was trying to kill you, then why would you be the one to search out Sirius after Lily and James died?"

There was a buzzing silence. Dad and Sirius shifted to look at me, awe in both of their eyes.

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Peter said quickly, obviously hoping that no one would think the question through to much. His eyes flickering between me and the others. He pointed at Sirius with his middle finger, his pointer finger gone. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too. . . You've got to help me Remus. . ."

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out." Dad said coldly.

"Sorted things out? I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!" Peter squeaked, avoiding my gaze. Harry and I exchanged glances.

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban? When nobody has ever done it before?" Dad questioned.

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

"I thought all Death Eaters called Voldemort the Dark Lord?" I asked pleasantly while Sirius laughed and said, "Voldemort, teach me tricks?"

Peter flinched horribly at the sound of his name.

Sirius grinned, "What, scared to hear your old master's name? I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius-" Peter breathed faster, his eyes flicking from the door to Sirius. I stepped in front of the door, glaring at him, my wand raised slightly.

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years. You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters." Sirius said. Peter flinched again. "I heard things in Azkaban, Peter. . . They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them. . . I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information. . . and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways. . . If they ever got wind that you were alive Peter. . ."

"Don't know. . . what you're talking about. . ." Peter said, his voice climbing higher and higher between panting breaths. He wiped his shining face on his dirty sleeve. "You don't believe this- this madness, Remus-"

"I must admit, Peter," Dad said evenly, "I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat."

"Innocent, but scared! If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban- the spy, Sirius Black!"

"How dare you!" Sirius growled, looking furious for a moment, "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But, you, Peter- I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us. . . me and Remus. . . and James. . ."

"Me, a spy. . . must be out of your mind. . . never. . . don't know how you can say such a-" Peter was panting, trying to talk. I supposed not talking for twelve years could lead to a gap in memory of how to talk.

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it." Sirius said so hatefully that Peter took a step back. I took a step towards him. "I thought it was a perfect plan. . . a bluff. . . Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you. . . It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Peter muttered random words under his breath and his eyes darted for any possible escape routes.

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked hesitantly. "Can- can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione." Dad said in a courteous manner.

"Well- Scabbers- I mean, this- this man- he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"There!" Peter said as though Hermione's words were his salvation. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why." Sirius said. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him. . ."

"Er- Mr. Black- Sirius?" Hermione asked.

Sirius jumped and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anyone that was quite like her before. I giggled.

"If you don't mind me asking, how- how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Thank you!" Peter gasped, nodding frantically as though someone might miss his gesture if he only nodded once. "Exactly! Precisely what I-" But Dad looked at him, and he shut up. Sirius frowned, not at Hermione, but at the words.

"I don't know how I did it. I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me. . . but it kept me sane and knowing who I am. . . helped me keep my powers. . . so when it all became. . . too much. . . I could transform in my cell. . . become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know. . . They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions. . . They could tell that my feelings were less- less human, less complex when I was a dog. . . but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand. . ."

Sirius broke off, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing at me and then at Harry. "But then I saw Peter in the picture. . . I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry and Eilís. . . perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again. . . ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies. . . and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? If he gave Voldemort someone who could see the future? Well, he'd be welcomed back with honors."

Dad flinched and I felt an odd shiver go through me, though my body didn't show it on the outside. I'd never thought of it like that.

"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive. . .It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it. . . It wasn't a happy feeling. . . it was an obsession. . . but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog. . . It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused. . . I was thin, very thin. . . thin enough to slip through the bars. . . I swam as a dog back to the mainland. . . I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course." He looked at me, including me with his eyes, not his words, and then at Harry, "You fly as well as your father did."

Harry didn't look away like he had before.

"Believe me. Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them." Sirius croaked out, pleading with Harry.

Harry nodded, his throat constricting.

"No!" Peter wailed, dropping to his knees. He shuffled forward on his knees, his hands clasped in front of him. "Sirius- it's me. . . it's Peter. . . your friend. . . you wouldn't."

Sirius kicked out, making Peter recoil. "There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them."

"Remus!" Peter turned to Dad. "You don't believe this. . . wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter." Dad said calmly as though this wasn't exciting business at all. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" Dad called over to where Sirius was standing.

"Forgive me, Remus." Sirius said. Those were the words, I knew, that he had written on the bottom of the letter that had been in my backpack.

"Not at all Padfoot, old friend." Dad said, rolling up his sleeves. I pulled my wand from my belt. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"

"Of course." Sirius said, seeming more relaxed now that we were getting to the killing part. We should kill him. I thought. So many lives will be saved if we kill him. . .I think. And his body will be proof, our memories will be testimony. We should kill him. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so." Dad said solemnly.

"You wouldn't. . . you won't. . ." Peter scrambled around to where Ron was. "Ron. . . haven't I been a good friend. . . a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you. . . you're on my side, aren't you?"

Ron was staring at Peter as though it was an alien that had come down from space. "I let you sleep in my bed!" He cried revolted.

"Kind boy. . . kind master. . . you won't let them do it. . . I was your rat. . . I was a good pet." Peter said, crawling towards Ron. Ron wrenched his leg out of the way. I snorted.

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter." Sirius said, a bit amused.

Peter grabbed the front of Hermione's robes next. "Sweet girl. . . clever girl. . . you- you won't let them. . . Help me-"

Hermione pulled her robes away, backing up into the wall, looking horrified, and unable to find her voice.

Pettigrew turned towards me next, "Elizabeth-"

I didn't let him get another word out. So quietly, that Peter immediately went quiet, I said, "Do you know what I hear when the dementors get near me, Peter?"

Peter backed away and everyone was looking at me. Dad's eyes were penetrating. "I hear my mum screaming for my dad because he's down in the basement, hiding me away so Voldemort can't find me. I hear him whispering in my ear over my mum's screams that I'll be fine and that he loves me." Tears streamed down my cheeks. "My parents are dead, Peter, and it's your fault. I have no sympathy for you and I truly hope that you die tonight."

Peter backed even farther away from me and turned to Harry. "Harry. . . Harry. . . you look just like your father. . . just like him."

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY!" Sirius roared. "HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM!"

"Harry, Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed. James would have understood, Harry. . . he would have shown me mercy. . ."

Dad and Sirius both strode forward, seizing Peter's shoulders and threw him backwards on the floor so that he was lying on his back. He lay there, twitching in terror. I moved even closer, a type of horrible anticipation coming over me.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort, do you deny it?" Sirius asked, shaking too.

"Sirius, Sirius what could I have done? The Dark Lord. . . you have no idea. . . he has weapons you can't imagine. . . I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen. . . He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me-"

"DON'T LIE!" I screamed, losing complete control at the same time as Sirius.

Sirius continued farther, "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He- he was taking over everywhere!" Peter gasped. "Wh- what was there to be gained from refusing him?"

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed? Only innocent lives, Peter!" Sirius said angrily.

"You don't understand!" Peter whined. "He would have killed me Sirius!"

I was finally standing shoulder to shoulder with Dad and Sirius (though much, much, shorter).

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

"You should have realized," Dad said softly. "If Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye Peter."

I raised my wand along with the other two, but couldn't make myself really say the words. Tears fell down my cheeks. If I'd said the words, Peter would've died.

[What I didn't know then was that if I'd killed Peter, I would've saved Cedric's life. I would've saved Uncle Moody, and Fred's and Lavender's and Colin's and so many other innocent lives. But I didn't know- I hadn't seen that far. I wouldn't see that far for a long, long time.]

"No!" Harry shouted, putting himself between Peter and our wands. I dropped my arm and walked over and sat on the bed, putting my head on my knees, crying. Hermione's arm went around my shoulder. I let her comfort me, needing the sympathy she was giving me.

"You can't kill him, you can't." Harry was saying now.

"Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents." Sirius snarled. "This cringing bit 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. We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors. . . He can go to Azkaban. . . but don't kill him."

"Harry!" I heard Peter gasp. "You- thank you- it's more than I deserve- thank you-"

"Get off me." Harry said angrily. I guessed that Peter had tried to grab him. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because- I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers- just for you."

There was silence. Then, Sirius said, "You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry. But think. . . think what he did. . ."

"He can go to Azkaban." Harry said in a final way. "If anyone deserves that place, he does. . ."

"Very well." Dad said. "Stand aside Harry." A pause and then dad said, "I'm going to tie him up, That's all- I swear."

"But if you transform, Peter. We will kill you. You agree, Harry?" Sirius asked.

Harry didn't answer and dad said, "Right. Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing." I looked up as Dad hurried over. I watched the spell intently as he muttered, "Ferula," and bandages spun up Ron's legs.

Dad then helped him to his feet and Ron tested the weight on his foot. "That's better." Ron said, "Thanks and er-" He looked from Dad to me, "I- er- I'm sorry for what I said earlier."

Dad waved away the apology. "It doesn't matter."

I just nodded.

"What about Professor Snape?" Hermione asked. I rolled over the bed onto the other side and took Snape's hand and checked his pulse.

"He's fine." I said, moving my fingers deftly over his forehead, sweeping back his hair and touching the cut. "He's still out. But umm, perhaps we don't revive him yet."

"Alright." Dad said and he muttered, "Mobilicorpus." Invisible strings pulled Snape up into a standing position. I giggled. He hung a few centimeters above the ground. I picked up the invisibility cloak and handed it over to Harry.

"And two of us should be chained to this." Sirius said, kicking Peter. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it." Dad said.

"And me." Ron said, limping forward as I was about to offer.

I breathed a sigh of relief as we finally made our way out of the tiny room, following Crookshanks. His bottlebrush tail was held up jauntily and we made our way out into the dark night.

⬅️➡️

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