Back in Black // Sirius Black

Chapter 12

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all attacked in unison, sending Snape's wand flying and his body crashing into the wall. The slimy man crumbled into an unconscious heap. I fell into Sirius' arms in relief as Hermione cried about the repercussions of attacking a teacher.

"I should kill that son of a bitch," Sirius growled as he held me fast.

"Then there would be an actual murder on your hands. They would definitely lock you up for murdering a professor," I scolded.

Sirius released me and started to help Remus out of the rope. Once he was on his feet again, a skeptical Harry turned to Sirius.

"How can we believe this ruse?" Harry scoffed. "McGonagall and Dumbledore even seemed to be convinced you are a murderer!"

"The proof is right there," assured Sirius. He nodded in Ron's direction. "Give me the rat!

"Come off it!" Ron gulped in fear. "So what if Pettigrew could turn into a rat! There are millions of rats. How would you know my pet was the one you were looking for?"

Remus and I looked at Sirius expectantly. The young Gryffindor was correct. If Sirius had the capability to escape after all this time, why did he choose to leave last summer, and how did he know to find Peter with Ron?

Sirius rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a very crumpled piece of paper. I soon recognized the piece as a photograph from the Daily Prophet. The picture was of the Weasley family, and even my eyes were caught by the rat on Ron's shoulder. It was undeniably the same rat I became an Animagus with.

"My God," Remus whispered, glancing over my shoulder. "His front paw..."

I gasped when I noticed it. There was a toe missing on the rat. I remembered when I heard of Peter's death, and that the only thing his mother could bury of Peter was his finger.

"He cut it off himself?" I realized. "How surprising, he always was very spineless."

"Smarter than we thought," Sirius snorted. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I was the one who betrayed Lily and James. I was so mad at the boy, that I planned to kill him. Oh, I really meant to! But before I got the chance, he cast the curse and blew up the street, killing all those Muggles! And he scurried away to the sewers, like the coward he is, leaving me to clean up the damage!"

Ron thumbed nervously at his rat's paw. I offered him a motherly smile.

"Ron," I said sweetly, "how long has your family had Scabbers?"

"Twelve years," he gulped. "I don't like what you're assuming! There are so many pet rats!"

"Twelve years is a rather long time for a garden rat to live..."

"I take great care of him!"

"Please, Ron," I begged. "If Scabbers is your rat, this won't hurt him one bit. You don't have to give Scabbers to Sirius, but hand him to me. You've known me for ages. Let me take him."

To my surprise, Ron handed Peter to me. Once in my hands, the sickly-looking rat started to shriek and squirm more. Years of accusations and lies seemed to come to a head as I lifted my wand to the rat's head.

"Wait!" Harry yelped. "There's still something I don't understand. Why would Peter fake his death? Sirius is fooling you all, Pettigrew faked his death because he knew the truth that Black was about to kill him just like he killed my parents!"

"No," I whispered, "Sirius would never kill your parents!"

"And now, Black's come to finish the job!"