It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced his thought,

"You're both mental."

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.

Despite the absurdity, I considered the words, replaying the conversations I'd had earlier with Black and Lupin.

It can't be possible, can it? I mean if Remus says so then maybe it is. What if Remus is lying too? No, no! He can't be, Mum trusts him just like she did all those years ago. But then again...

I internally groaned, desperately finding myself falling deeper and deeper into a hole of confusion.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Sirius, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though!"

Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Sirius lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.

"Sirius, NO!" Remus yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Sirius away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that - they need to understand - we've got to explain-"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Sirius, trying to throw Remus off. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape. I cringed at the sight.

"They've - got - a - right - to - know - everything!" Remus panted, still trying to restrain the convicted escapee. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry - you owe Harry the truth, Sirius! And what about your daughter, Sirius! You owe her the truth the most! She needs to understand why you weren't there for her as a child!"

Sirius stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

"All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat.

"Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for..."

I stiffened as I was referenced in the conversation. I gritted my teeth, hair beginning to turn crimson as a fire lit up inside me.

Hermione gasped loudly, her wide eyes turning onto me. "Rubi, y-you're his-"

"Unfortunately." I bitterly spat out. The realisation dawned upon the faces of Ron and Harry, their expressions darkening.

"I can't believe you!" Harry pointed a finger accusingly at me, "You've been helping him?" He said referring to Sirius. "You lied to us all?"

"Don't. You. Dare. Harry James Potter!" I said menacingly. "I've only provided him food since I've met him since there is a thing called humanity. Otherwise, he's as guilty in my eyes as he was before I met him. As for lying," I added, my head held high, "No, I didn't lie. I only found out some time ago who my real father is, and the truth stings."

Harry closed his mouth, the trio still slightly wary of me but chose not to make a further comment, returning their attention to both of the adults in the room.

"You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Remus raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him and pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Remus.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them..."

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Sirius savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Remus, nodding. "I believed it myself, along with - er - Rubi's mother - until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies... Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

"Remus," I groaned, rubbing my face with my hands in frustration, "I was there too and I didn't see anything."

Remus rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Since you have the tendency to act quick and not think things through, obviously you wouldn't have." He muttered under his breath.

"No, I don't!" I exclaimed, "I'm very intelligent, thank you very much." Sourness dripped from my voice.

"This isn't the time for your sillness."

I pursed my lips, biting back the remark that was on the tip of my tongue.

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Remus to talk sensibly. "But Professor Lupin... Scabbers can't be Pettigrew... it just can't be true, you know it can't..."

"Why can't it be true?" Remus said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.

"Because... because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework - the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things...and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."

I turned to look at Hermione with surprise, silently applauding her for putting so much of her attention into her homework, when Remus started to laugh.

"Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," said Sirius, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right... but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Remus, "I only know how it began..."

Remus abruptly broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of us stared at it. Then Remus strode toward it and looked out into the landing.

"No one there..."

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

I snorted at that, being the select few that knew the truth behind the so-called ghost inhabited building.

Ron glared in my direction, "You're telling me that you aren't scared! This building is haunted!"

"It's not," said Remus, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted... The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."

He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts - with my becoming a werewolf, None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitter... and if I hadn't been so foolhardy..."

He then narrated the story that was told to me not too long ago, although it caught the full attention of Sirius at the end, who tore his gaze away from the squirming rat in Ron's hands swiftly after ages, looking at Remus.

"What's Snape got to do with it?" Black harshly.

"He's here, Sirius," said Remus heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at us.

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons... you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me-"

Black made a derisive noise.

"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to... hoping he could get us expelled..."

"Fiona was the most upset with you out of all of us after." Remus muttered under his breath which caused Sirius to freeze. "Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Remus said, directing his attention back to us. "We were in the same year, you know, and we - er - didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field... anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be - er - amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it - if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf - but your father, Harry, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life... Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was..."

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Remus, startling everyone.

Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Remus Lupin.

Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. I jumped slightly, glaring daggers at the Potions Master.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep his wand pointing directly at my godfather's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you..."

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along."

I shut my eyes and slapped a hand onto my forehead in frustration.

How could we have been so stupid?

"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 and the younger Black running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus-" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.

"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-"

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

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

"You fool," said Remus softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG!

Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Remus' mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move.

"Remus!" I gasped, bringing a hand to my mouth, eyes wide.

With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Sirius stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.

Snapping out of my daze, I moved forth, kneeling down beside my godfather. As I reached forward to untie the cords however, a cold voice interrupted,

"If you know what's good for you, Black, you'll want to move away."

I craned my head upwards, eyes narrowed to slits. A few strands of my hair that fell into my eyes were fiery red, and my hands slightly shook with anger.

"Make me."

A vicious sneer made its way across his twisted face, "Tut, tut, a very poor way to repay all your mother's sacrifices."

My face darkened immensely, but before I could get a word out, Black senior spoke,

"Don't you dare mention my wife with your filthy mouth!"

Snape's eyes flashed dangerously, "Seems twelve years in Azkaban hasn't affected you at all. Perhaps, another encounter with the Dementors..." Snape trailed off triphumantly as Sirius' face lost some colour.

Harry stood there, paralyzed. I glanced around at Ron and Hermione. Ron looked just as confused as Harry did, still fighting to keep hold on the struggling Scabbers. Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape - it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Black, Potter and Weasley 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-"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Sirius' face. Hermione fell silent.

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

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" - he jerked his head at Ron - "I'll come quietly..."

"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "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... I-"

My stomach twisted as what little color there was in Sirius' face left it. "You - you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat - look at the rat-"

But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that I had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.

"Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Remus flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him too-"

Before anyone could move a muscle, Harry had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door.

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

"Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry said. "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," hissed Snape.

"If out of the two of you, someone had to commit a murder, it would without doubt be you, you slimy git-" I hissed at him. 

"Keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you, Black." He ordered, before looking Harry dead in the eye, "Get out of the way, Potter."

"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN --"

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! 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!"

"SHUT UP!" I swiftly rose to my feet, moving over to go stand alongside my cousin, whilst pulling out my wand from my pocket. Harry seemed to be on the same page, he had raised his wand, both of us pointing it directly at his face.

"Expelliarmus!" I yelled, except my voice wasn't the only that shouted. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out.

Hey!

So here's the next chapter, I know nothing that new. Hopefully I can finish this year up soon, it's been way too long. Also what would you all like to see in GoF? Anyways, have a great day, don't forget to leave a vote! Bye!

-S.B.