Harry McGonagall

Chapter 30 - The Rat Revealed

Harry punched Remus in the face before hearing an unfamiliar voice. "Padfoot? It's so good to see you again." Harry turned, and for the first time in his memory, saw Peter Pettigrew. He absentmindedly got up, ignoring Moony, who had a black-eye forming on his face.

"What, how?"

Peter started to speak before Sirius gripped his throat tighter. "Tell them the truth, rat!"

While sniffling and stuttering, Pettigrew told them, "It was me. I t-t-told the Dark Lord where Lily and James were hiding. You have no idea the curses that he knows. No idea how much pain he can cause. W-w-what would you do?"

"I would've died!" snarled Sirius. "I would've died rather than betray my friends! To think I convinced them to trust you to be their secret-keeper instead of me. Making myself a decoy." He sighed. "Biggest mistake of our lives!"

"That's why you didn't kill the Dursleys or Ron Weasley," mumbled Brianna, mainly to herself.

By now, all the wands were on Peter as Remus stated, "There's only one just punishment for that kind of betrayal, Wormtail. You should've known that if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Hold him, Sirius."

"Don't you want to turn him in?" asked Padma, gesturing toward the trembling coward. "He could get Mr. Black free."

Taking a calming breath, Remus reluctantly admitted, "You're right, of course," while Harry watched.

"Death is too good for him. The Dementors can have him once we've cleared Sirius' name." He pulled out his own mirror and called, "Minerva McGonagall."

After about fifteen seconds, she answered, "Harry?"

"Have I got a story for you," he replied. "But you'll need to come to C.A.R.E. headquarters immediately."

While his aunt made her way to their location, Harry filled her in on the recent developments, even pointing his mirror at Pettigrew to confirm the story. After he was done explaining things to her, Harry talked to Sirius for a few minutes, who said, "Your parents made me your godfather, Harry. I'm sure you're happy with your adoptive family, but if you ever wanted another home, you could..."

"...come and live with you?" Harry asked. Padfoot nodded. Harry wasn't sure how to respond to this without hurting Sirius' feelings. In one sense, he was a complete stranger, but he was also Harry's godfather and a close friend of his birth parents. He took a deep breath. "I do appreciate the offer, Sirius. I really do. But like you said, I am very happy with my adoptive parents. But you can visit, you know. Once you're free, you could even..."

At that moment, Minerva arrived. "Hello, gentlemen. I do hope we can clear up this misunderstanding," she said calmly, but appeared shocked as she stared at Peter, whose throat was still being held by Sirius Black. "Mr. Pettigrew, I cannot express how disappointed in you I am," she added in her worst 'teacher giving detention' mode. The rat Animagus cringed. She then turned to Lupin. "I must say that is an impressive black eye, and I do hope you've taken your medication, Remus."

With a grin, he replied, "I have taken my wolfsbane."

"Good." She looked to the ground. "I see none of you have seen fit to revive Professor Burbage yet."

Suddenly, the air got very chilly as a cold feeling overtook them all. Harry began hearing his birth mother's voice pleading with Voldemort as a swarm of over fifty Dementors came into view. He was forcing his Occlumency shields up as he watched Professor Lupin point his wand toward the monsters.

Suddenly, the Defense teacher started trembling in pain and dropped his wand. Harry glanced up and saw the full moon in between two of the Dementors and back down to see Lupin changing. A Dementor was charging at him. Sirius, in the meantime, didn't have his own wand and was scrambling to pick up the werewolf's. Even though Moony would keep his mind, he'd be unable to perform magic until the next morning.