Secrets Revealed

Chapter 16

Warning: little bit of cussing in this one. Slight violence...

"S-Sirius... R-Remus... N-Nova..." Even Peter's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted towardthe door. "My friends ... my old friends..." 

Black's wand arm rose, but Remus seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning took, thenturned again to Peter, his voice light and casual. 

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. Youmight have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —" 

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

 "So we've heard," said Remus, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters withyou, Peter, if you'll be so —"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Peter squeaked suddenly, pointing at Sirius, "He killed Lily and James andnow 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," said Remus. 

"Speak for yourself, Remus." Nova spat but kept her distance.

Peter squeaked as he noticed Nova circling around him slowly from behind. Harry, Hermione, and Ron all looked at each other and all agreed that she seemed more animal-like as each moment passed. 

Hermione looked as though she was piecing a puzzle together and had almost finished.

 "Sorted things out?" squealed Peter, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in theboarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be backfor me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" asked Remus, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

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

 Sirius started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room. 

 "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said. 

 Peter flinched as Nova barked out a cold laugh and continued to stalk about.

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

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Peter, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now. 

"You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said  Sirius. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. 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 still alive, Peter —"

"Don't know what you're talking about..." said Peter again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Remus and Nova. "You don't believe this — this madness,Remus, Nova —" 

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

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