As the ceremony drew itself to a close, Remus told James and Sirius what Dumbledore had implied about Peter.
"I'd like to give Peter a piece of my mind," said James, "Along with the Dursleys, I'd like to visit them too."
Sirius nodded agreement, "There's a list of people I'd like to yell at. Though," he thought for a moment, "Some of them are dead."
"We can yell at their graves?" suggested James.
"Oh, that isn't psychotic," muttered Remus, "Great idea, let's go to a cemetery and start yelling at tombstones. Surely we won't get out."
Sirius rolled his eyes, "No need for the sarcasm, Moony."
James looked around the large room, where people were starting to leave. "You certain Kingsley will let us go see him?"
"I'd rather him see us," said Sirius, "I really would rather not set foot in that place again."
Remus stood up, readjusting Teddy in his arms. "It doesn't hurt to try, does it? It'll be some type of closure for us, James especially."
Sirius nodded, "Moony has an Order of Merlin now, so he's all powerful."
"And I doubt they'll say no to our BWF."
Remus sighed and rolled his eyes, "We're thirty-eight, yet you both act like you're two."
"Technically," said James standing up, and offering a hand to Sirius, "I'm only twenty-one. I dunno his excuse."
"I lived for years as an adult, I think I deserve a little immaturity." Sirius rubbed his hands together, "So, are we going to talk to the rat or no?"
James nodded slowly, his lips pursed in thought. "Yes, we —"
"Somehow, whenever I go near you three, it seems like you're conspiring." James was cut off by Regulus Black, who stood there, his arms crossed. "I'm feeling kinda left out. I want to be involved in this."
Sirius rubbed his little brother's hair like he used to do when they were little. "You'll be involved in all future conspiring. Finally realised the 1970's Regulus was a stuck-up little snob?"
Regulus swatted away Sirius's hand. "Early 70's Regulus was a snob. Regulus circa 1979 was not. I died fighting against the same cause you did. And our scenarios are a lot more similar than you'd think."
That made his older brother frown, "How? I never joined the Death Eaters."
"But people thought you did. Both of us died with the public believing we were Death Eaters, when both of us died for the Wizarding World."
Sirius was at a loss for words, so he just nodded, noticing how his brother was right.
"Speaking of Death Eaters," James said, completely oblivious to the fact he was interrupting a brotherly moment, "We were talking about ways to scream at our ex-friend."
"Peter? He was a very dodgy lad." Regulus said, "He joined right before I died, and I remember being really concerned about seeing him, but we never talked."
Remus exasperatedly stated, "I still don't get how we didn't spot him! He's animagus is a rat, which is known for disloyalty. The last two years he always wore long sleeved jumpers, even in summer, when I was usually the only one to do that. All the signs are so obvious now!"
"Don't dwell on that," James said, "I'm right here. We're all alive, by some miracle, and we're all healthy, and Peter's in Azkaban. I still think yelling at him would be therapeutic."
"How do you think you'll manage that?" asked Regulus.
"Asking Kingsley's our only bet." Sirius informed him.
Regulus nodded. "It's worth a shot. You want me to take Teddy, Remus?"
Remus looked at his son in his arms. "If you could."
Regulus grabbed Teddy from him, "Teddy's technically mine and Sirius's little cousin."
Sirius smirked. "That's my excuse to corrupt him, and James is like my other brother, so he is unbiologically Teddy's cousin through that, so that gives him the reason to corrupt him."
"I'm still going to be Uncle Prongs when he can talk," insisted James, "But if you want to use that excuse, I'm down for it."
Remus shook his head. "Let's go talk to Kingsley."
■■■
It only took a little over an hour — involving a detailed talk with Kingsley, Remus having to be reminded countless times that yes: the plaque was actually his and not some random Remus John Lupin off the street, James getting so startled by the head auror's sudden appearance that he turned into a stag, Sirius needing ten minutes to calm down after almost peeing himself from laughing at James, and several apologies — before the three Marauders found themselves in a secure Ministry room awaiting the arrival of Peter.
After Sirius adamant about never stepping foot in Azkaban again, the easiest way was to bring Peter — cuffed, of course — to them.
"I feel like I'm mentally prepared right now," James muttered as he paced the room, "But ten galleons says I won't be when he enters the room."
"I'm not mentally prepared," muttered Sirius, "I wasn't when I saw him for the first time after your death, and I'm still not now. I wish they'd hurry."
"Azkaban's pretty far," reasoned Remus, "Besides, we don't know what he's doing."
"They have an Apparition room in Azkaban," said Sirius, "Just left of the photography area. Well, sort of. It has an on and off switch that's located in the courtroom. It's how they get inmates there and back, but also ensure that they don't escape themselves. I'd say they're probably going to Apparate there themselves, get Peter, and Apparate back to the courtroom and come up here."
James stopped pacing to turn towards his best friend. "I know where here now, and that Kingsley's a good person, but I hate the Ministry as a whole so much for what they did to you, and countless others."
Sirius couldn't reply because there was a knock at the door.
Remus tugged at the sleeve of his jumper, and took a deep breath. "It looks like Peter's here."
And the door opened and in walked Peter Pettigrew.
■■■
Azkaban itself is a bore, and anyone there could confirm that. Nothing special happens normally, besides planning escapes that fall through the floor, and ostracizing Umbridge. Food was delivered by Aurors at designated times, and they didn't see anyone at any other minute.
So, the surprise when the Head Auror came sauntering through the halls was immense, all the inmates hopes of leaving the blasted place skyrocket, if only for a minute. In Gawain Robards' hand was a set of handcuffs, which he spun aimlessly around as he made his way through the halls. He stopped in front of Peter's cell, and opened the door with a flick of his wand, which he had removed from his pocket. He stepped forward and cuffed Peter, not bothering to mutter a word.
"Where's Peter going?" a girlish voice called from the cell over. Umbridge's toad-like face pressed against the bars, curious to know what was happening.
"He'll be back," Gawain muttered, "He has an acquaintance to make at the Ministry."
Rabastan stood up from where he had been presiding on the floor. "Bring back food."
"Bring back air!" his brother added.
"Bring back cats."
The three other prisoners turned towards Umbridge.
"Mental," mumbled Rodolphus.
"Says the mass murderer who married Bellatrix Lestrange." countered Rabastan. "I don't think you have a say in what's mental, my dear brother."
"You're all menaces to society," grumbled Gawain, leading Peter out of his cell. He made it far enough down the hall, making sure Umbridge and the Lestrange brother's couldn't hear him before he talked again. "Anti-Animagus spell on the hand-cuffs. Don't even think about it." He led Peter to the apparition spot. "James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin have requested to make your acquaintance, please behave."
Peter didn't have time to stutter out a reply before they left Azkaban with a pop.
I'm evil, I know.
Hope you enjoyed!
~Maddy 🖤