Moony, Prongs, Padfoot, Wormtail, these were names of animals. The Marauders were Animagi. Or, at least, most of them were.
And I had a good feeling that I knew who Moony was.
On the day when everyone was supposed to go to Hogsmeade, I stayed back and went to visit Professor Lupin.
"Professor?" I knocked and he was quick to open the door. When he saw me, he grinned. "Good afternoon, Y/N. I hope you're not here because I toasted to Gryffindor winning against Ravenclaw in the last Quidditch match."
"Oh, with Harry as their Seeker, it was bound to happen," I replied with a smile.
He waved me inside and pulled up a chair. "I know that face. It's the kind that has something to tell."
I nodded. The way I said this had to be careful. There's finding answers and there's digging up unwanted memories, and the latter was frankly as unwanted as Crabbe's brain.
"I do... You were friends with Peter Pettigrew, right?"
"Yes, I was, as I said."
"So, are you Moony?"
Shock quickly overtook his features. Then his features softened and he looked up at the ceiling, a soft smile spreading across his face.
"I haven't been called that in a long time," he said quietly. "How do you know that nickname?"
Seeing as the map was his, I didn't see any reason to hide it from him. "Fred and George found a peculiar thing in Filch's office. When the words, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' were recited, it would present itself as The Marauder's Map. You made it, didn't you?"
He smiled as I named it and he nodded as if I had brought back his greatest achievement. "Indeed I did. With three of my best friends." His eyes went solemn. "People I thought were my best friends."
"Sirius Black?"
"Yes, yes... I'm surprised. You have incredible deduction skills, Y/N, even better than some in the Ministry. Perhaps you would have found Sirius before he killed Peter."
I bit my lip. I hadn't meant to make him think of that again - mission failed.
Still, it was sort of inevitable.
"Sirius helped create the map," Professor Lupin continued. "Me, him, Peter, and James. We even put a charm on it to insult Snape."
"Snape? You were at Hogwarts at the same time as Snape?"
"Yes, he was quite a pain to the four of us. And it looked like he and James were constantly playing tug-of-war with Lily until he called her a Mudblood. Lily never spoke to him again."
"I can imagine."
Professor Lupin hummed quietly. "So, you deduced that I was Moony. Who else do you know of?"
"Peter was Wormtail, wasn't he? He was a rat, right?"
He abruptly stood from his seat. "Now I'm curious. How could you possibly know that Peter was a rat? They weren't registered, you know?"
Now it was time to look crazy. "Peter is Scabbers."
"Ron's rat?"
"Yes, Ron's rat! Listen, I sound crazy right now, but hear me out."
Surprisingly, Professor Lupin sat down and leaned forward, listening intently. He was quite accepting of everything mad and crazy as long as it had evidence to back it up.
"Ron's rat has been in his family for twelve years," I said.
"And Peter supposedly died twelve years ago..."
"Exactly, and it's also surprisingly long life for a rat, isn't it?"
"Indeed..."
"And his rat has been randomly disappearing and seeming more pale and sickly since Sirius Black escaped."
"Out of fear?"
"Yes, I assume so. And, more importantly, he's missing a toe, and the only thing left after the explosion was-"
"A finger," Professor Lupin breathed, his hand going over his mouth.
I nodded. "Scabbers has had his toe missing since they got him."
"Y/N, this all seems really far-fetched." The long pause that stood in between his sentence made me think that he didn't believe me. But, after a far too long moment of contemplation, he concluded, "but I believe you."
"Listen, Ron said that Crookshanks ate Scabbers, but there wasn't a tail left."
"And cats don't often eat the tail?"
"Right, and if he did, it would have digestion issues. So that means that Scabbers has run off. I have a feeling that Crookshanks has known this for ages, since he's been chasing after Scabbers since September and no other mouse."
"I see. Could—"
The fireplace suddenly burst with flames and the sound of Snape's voice echoed from within. "Lupin! I want a word."
Professor Lupin sighed and stood. "I must attend to this. Don't leave this office, alright?" He stepped into the fire and disappeared, leaving me alone in the room.
I remained seated, awkwardly kicking my legs like an impatient child.
After a bit, something banged on the window and I turned my head, seeing Dipper trying to get in through the glass. "Dipper?" I opened the window and he flew in, holding a small piece of parchment. It was from Hagrid.
Dear Y/N,
We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed. Beaky has enjoyed London. Already told Hermione. Thanks for all the help.
Hagrid
My eyes widened and I felt myself begin to tremble.
The door opened and Professor Lupin walked in with the Marauder's Map in his hand and he stopped, noticing my face. "What's happened?"
I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. As soon as I couldn't see, he put his arms around me. "It's alright," he assured. He didn't even know what I was so upset about - I guess that's one miraculous thing about him. Emotions are raw. They need no reason.
•••
During the Quidditch final between Gryffindor and Slytherin, I shut myself in the Ravenclaw common room. I tried to study for exams but bringing up literally any animal made my heart sink.
I opened the door with a sigh and nearly tripped over a mass of orange that was at my feet. "Crookshanks?"
When I looked down, the cat's yellow eyes seemed to glare at me.
"What?" I knelt down and picked him up. "I don't have time to go to the Shrieking Shack."
He suddenly grabbed the necklace Neville gave me and ripped it off my neck before running off. "Crookshanks!" I began running after him. "Get back here!"
He ran outside and into the opening under the Whomping Willow. I groaned and slid under, quickly rising to my feet to run after.
"Crookshanks?" I called into the Shrieking Shack.
"What's this?"
I froze, hearing a voice inside. Professor Lupin was at the game, so it couldn't have been him.
The voice was hoarse but kind.
"You didn't steal something from someone, did you?" the voice asked, probably talking to Crookshanks.
I warily walked in, my wand out, and went up the stairs.
The sound of the steps creaking made the voice stop talking.
I got to the top of the steps and someone's back faced me; they were knelt down with their hand on Crookshanks' head. "Hello?"
When they turned, I nearly jumped back.
It was Sirius Black.
"I-"
"Don't come any closer!" I aimed my wand at him, unsure of what I was planning on doing. "Back up!"
He backed into the wall, raising his hands.
Crookshanks hissed at me and I picked him up, holding him close. "What are you doing here? How did you get here? How do you know about this place?"
"I promise that I can explain-"
"I have half a mind to turn you in right now!"
"Stop, please!"
His voice was uncharacteristically desperate, his expression far too gentle to even remotely appear to be the same person in the papers.
I moved my wand away from him and his brows raised. "Huh. I didn't expect you to actually stop."
"And I didn't expect you to say please, so we're both pretty shocked here."
I breathed shakily. "Do you have a wand?"
"Not right now."
"Okay. How do you transform between dog and human?"
"How did you know?"
I silently pointed my wand at the paw prints that led up to him.
He slowly stepped towards me and I pointed there wand back at him. He displayed both of his hands, one of them holding my necklace. "This is yours?"
"Accio necklace."
It flew into my hand and he lowered his own. "Look... I can explain everything to you."
"How do I know that you won't lie?"
"You're a smart girl. Very smart. I could see it when you spent time in here to do your homework and doing investigations. You can see where my story doesn't line up."
I nodded and shook my wand. "Go on then. Keep your hands where I can see them."
"Right, yes... What do you already know?"
"You're here for Peter Pettigrew. Not Harry. Otherwise you would've killed him when you were at the Quidditch game; roaming the halls; in the school."
"Yes, that's right."
"Why Peter Pettigrew? What did he do?"
"Everything!" he suddenly snarled.
I jumped back, wild-eyed, and he recoiled. "I'm sorry."
Please, sorry, he was saying things that a traitor, a murderer should never say. At least when they're caught. I exhaled and shook my head, dropping my hand holding my wand to my side. "Tell me, did you actually kill James and Lily Potter?"
That was when he broke.
He fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands. My eyes widened and I dropped down beside him, part of me remembering that he could have returned from his form as a dog to kill me at any time.
"I shouldn't have!" he sobbed.
"Shouldn't have what?"
"I shouldn't have told him to make Peter the Secret-Keeper instead of me!"
I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean...?"
"James and Lily... they had to hide. They needed someone to keep the secret and they wanted me but I told them to give it to Peter." He trembled, clasping his hands over his eyes. "I shouldn't have... I killed them!"
I pulled out my wand, remembering the cheering charm that Flitwick taught us, and used it on Sirius.
He sighed and his tensed muscles relaxed.
I backed away and leaned on the wall, feeling that the wind was blown out of me. "Merlin," I whispered, pressing my hand on my forehead.
"Sorry," he mumbled again.
"Look I- Why don't you tell me what happened? I won't interrupt you, and you can stop whenever."
And he told the story.
"I was the original Secret-Keeper for James and Lily. They had to run and hide because of the prophecy that involved Voldemort and Harry. However, last minute, I told them to change it from me to Peter. When I learned that they were killed, I knew exactly who was the reason for it. So I went after him the very next day. Before I could do anything, he screamed, telling me I was a traitor, and sent a Blasting Spell that killed all the Muggles around. He cut off his finger like the little coward he is and scurried off as a rat. I thought he died but then I learned that he was here."
I placed my hand over my mouth.
This entire time, Sirius was innocent and the person that actually killed Harry's parents was literally in our midst.
I contemplated telling someone, but the thought dissipated quickly. Ron was furious when his rat was gone, he loves that bloody thing too much. And how could I convince people that Sirius was innocent?
"I'll bring you something to eat," I said, rising to my feet.
"You won't tell anyone that I'm here, will you?"
"No." I handed him my wand so he could return to a dog. "You've waited twelve years, haven't you?"