𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐬 | 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐞𝐫𝐚

Chapter 37. The Shrieking Shack ☾

At that moment, Snape walked into the room. "You're the idiot, Lupin." He shoved the flask he was holding into Remus' hands. "Drink, now." He commanded. Remus looked at him gratefully and took the flask, drinking it down in one gulp.

At this point, Harry took his opportunity and yelled, "Expelliarmus," at Snape. Snape's wand flew out of his hand into the air.

"What? Why did you disarm me?" Snape snapped.

"So you don't kill Sirius." Harry said.

"Although I'd love to, I'm not here to kill Black. I'm here for answers and to make sure Lupin doesn't kill you all." Snape explained. "On the way to give him his potion, I overheard his little spiel about Pettigrew being alive...and how that was impossible. Then he ran out of his office, so I followed him. Then, I heard his little rant just now about Black being Dragon." Snape then mumbled to himself. "That explains so much."

"So, you don't think I'm guilty?" Sirius asked, hopefully. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you're guilty of many things. But turning in Lily and Potter? No, I do not think even you would stoop that low." Snape confessed. He glared over at Pettigrew.

"No, it was Pettigrew. Then, he set me up! You see, he's a rat...literally. We all became animagi our fifth year. Pettigrew can turn into a rat. He yelled out so that everyone would see us, then he made the street explode, cut off his finger, and turned into a rat. He was the spy for Voldemort." Sirius explained to everyone in the room.

Snape looked thoughtful for a moment. "So that was why the Dark Lord was always muttering to his lap at meetings." He mumbled. Draco laughed. Snape looked back at him and stared, confused.

"Nothing. Just imagining the Dark Lord talking into his lap." Draco lied flawlessly. Snape was still confused, but let it go.

"I don't understand how he could have come up with that. Pettigrew, not You-Know-Who." Remus clarified. Sirius shrugged.

"He never was very smart. The Dark Lord must have come up with the plan and had the rat carry it out." Snape added. He turned to Black. "How in the world did you, Potter, and Pettigrew become animagi?"

"A conversation for another time, Snape." Sirius sighed.

"That suggests there will be another time." Snape sneered. Remus just held his head in his hands.

"Would you really hand me over to the dementors knowing I'm innocent of this crime?" Sirius pleaded.

"Not for this crime, but there still is the fact you are guilty of attempted murder." Snape reminded him.

"Can we just move on? Sirius still needs to explain exactly what happened. They claimed he made a confession on scene." Remus halted further conversation down this road. They still had a rat hanging from his collar, looking like he was about to escape. Remus also focused his wand on Pettigrew.

"I convinced James and Lily to switch secret keepers. I thought it was the perfect bluff." Sirius then continued to explain exactly what happened. Hermione and Harry sat there bored. They had now heard this for a second time, not to mention reliving this night for a third. Draco sat on the edge of the bed enthralled. Why hadn't Black been in Slytherin?

When Sirius had finished his tale, Remus went and slapped him over the ear. "Idiots! Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell Dumbledore?"

"We did tell Dumbledore. Who do you think cast the charm?" Sirius asked. Everyone in the room gasped. Hermione and Harry perked up a bit. "I was the witness. Pettigrew nor the Potters could. They were the Secret Keeper and the Secret. Therefore, we had to have Dumbledore cast the spell."