The tunnels in the Womping Willow were narrow and winding. It was spooky, the way even the tiniest sound echoed off the walls. Olive made sure to keep moving and not to look behind her or else she'd scare the crap out of herself.
She wondered why Sirius made her go all this way. Was he simply sending her somewhere where she couldn't help him? Or was all this part of the plan?
After scampering around in the darkness for a long time, she finally found some light at the end of the tunnel. Olive transformed into her normal self, holding her wand out as she walked up the worn staircase.
The inside of the Shrieking Shack was spooky. There were scratches everywhere, tiny spots of blood, even torn cloth scattered everywhere. Besides the creepy abnormalities of the place, the Shack actually looked like a home. There was a bedroom, living room, a run down kitchen. All of which were scarcely furnished.
"Olive, what the hell-"
The Ravenclaw turned around, wand outstretched as she came face to face with Professor Lupin. Her hair had turned a shocked white, her heart pounding in her ears. Once she saw that it was him, she let out a small sigh, changing her hair back to normal before lowering her wand.
"Professor, I didn't mean to point-"
"It's okay." Lupin sighed, "I just didn't think Sirius was going to let you help out."
"I was adamant." She shrugged, "It would mean to world to him if he could walk free again."
"It would mean the world to all of us." Lupin nodded, "However, I shall advise that what you are doing is dangerous."
"I know." Olive nodded, "It is for a good cause though, yes?"
"Right." Lupin said, taking a seat on the bed of the Shrieking Shack. He looked tired, worn down.
"Missy would be happy to be able to see him." She added, "Legally this time."
"I think we all would. We were very good friends back before everything went to crap." Lupin explained, "Has Missy ever told you any stories?"
The Ravenclaw shook her head, "No."
"When this all settles down, we'll have to get together and tell you all about our time at Hogwarts." He smiled, "Of course, it wouldn't be the same without Ja-"
A growling sound scared the two, taking their attention off the conversation and onto who was coming up the tunnel.
"Is that Sirius?" She asked, hearing some yelling and whining. Lupin had his wand out, pulling Olive behind a door with him. She covered her mouth, desperately trying not to make a single noise.
A few moments later, Sirius appeared, dragging something behind him. Olive thought it would be Peter, who managed to turn into himself somehow, but instead saw the shocking red hair that marked a Weasley.
It was Ron, clutching onto his rat for dear life. His leg was torn up, the pant leg ripped, the bone most likely broken. The skin was torn and bleeding.
"Sirius, you brought the boy?!" Lupin came out from hiding, running his hand down his face "And you nearly ripped his leg off!"
Ron whimpered in fear, scooting himself further away. Olive stepped out from her hiding place, brows narrowed in concern for the Weasley. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.
"You!" Ron shouted, pointing at Olive with an accusing finger, "I knew there was something weird about you! You're helping a murderer!"
The fifth year took another step, "Just listen-"
"No! Get away from me!" He shouted, literally having to pick up and move his leg with his hand in order to scoot backwards. Olive stopped her in tracks, nodding silently.
Sirius and Lupin were arguing in the other room- mostly about how Sirius had missed the rat and brought Ron with him as well. Olive just stood listening to the conversation, feeling somehow guilty under Ron's gaze.
"He didn't mean to." She said quietly, "It's just-"
"What the hell are you doing with our friend?!"
Great. More people to ruin their plan.
Hermione and Harry stood in the doorway, looking a little beat up from the Womping Willow. They were pointing their wands at Olive, menacing glares on their faces.
"The dog!" Ron pleaded, "The dog! It's him! It's Sirius Black!"
Lupin and Sirius appeared in the doorway. Lupin disarmed Harry, Hermione deflecting the spell almost expertly. The Professor caught the boy's wand, putting it on a table beside him.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Sirius said, "We're only here-"
"Because you want to kill me?" Harry piped up. Olive nearly rolled her eyes- that's the exact opposite of what they wanted to do!
"Why is Olive Lark here?" Hermione asked, "She has nothing to do with-"
Her eyes widened slightly, "You're the black cat! You're the one messing with Fred and George!"
"What?" Sirius turned to look at the fifteen year.
"I'll explain later." Olive said, before shyly turning to the third years, "P-please just listen."
"Only one will die tonight." Sirius said mysteriously, eyeing everyone in the room feverishly.
"Sirius, stop being dramatic." Lupin quipped. However, Hermione and Ron were already staying close to Harry. Both had their wands pointed at Olive, Sirius, and Lupin. Ron was pale, clinging onto the bedpost with hands faintly stained red.
"If you want to kill Harry you'll have to kill us too!" Hermione said.
"What?" Sirius turned to them, "You think I want to kill Harry? He's my godson!"
"You betrayed my parents!" Harry snapped, staring at the fugitive with murder in his eyes.
"I did not!" Sirius defended himself, "Just let us explain."
"We can't trust them." Hermione whispered to Harry. She turned to Lupin suddenly, her eyes wide, "You've been helping him?"
"Miss Granger-"
"Snape knew! That's why he'd been teaching your classes about..." she gasped, "You're a werewolf! That's why you've been skipping classes."
"Snape wanted you all to figure it out, I guess, to get me fired." Lupin shrugged, "You're an exceptionally bright girl, Miss Granger."
"You have this all backwards." Olive said suddenly, her voice quiet, "Please listen to us. We aren't trying to hurt any of you."
"Why should we trust you?" Harry raised a brow, "You've been lying to everyone about being the cat all year."
"We're trying to prove Sirius's innocence." Olive explained, "He didn't betray your parents, Harry. Trust me."
"What do you know that we don't?" Hermione asked.
"He was with my sister and I that night." She explained, "At our flat."
There was a silence. Olive was trying to get everyone to listen. If they could explain themselves, then they can move on with the plan without interruption. Peter would catch on any moment- he was clinging to Ron with with his buried in his sweater.
"Then who betrayed them?" He asked, taking a step towards them.
"Surely, Mr. Potter, you aren't going to believe a bunch of liars now?" Out from the hallway Snape appeared, "You should not leave your belongings lying around."
He threw an invisibility cloak at Harry's feet, "Surely Mr. Black here has Miss Lark bewitched."
Olive was stiff as a board, watching Snape with a wide eyed stare. She didn't know what to say, her mouth suddenly dry.
"N-no-" she managed to squeak out, but no one seemed to hear it.
"Severus." Sirius glared, "You can never keep your greasy nose out of anything, can you?"
"You're in quite a situation here, Black." Snape said, "And the rest of you are all out after curfew."
"Severus, they were with me-" Lupin tried to say, but the Potions Professor put a hand up to silence him.
"I wonder what the papers will say once I turn you in, Black." Snape sneered, "You know what the punishment will be when they finally catch you."
"You don't need to remind me, Severus." Sirius snapped.
"Well, now that I have you here- Potter, Granger, Lark, do us a favor and escort Mr. Weasley to the Hospital Wing. Once I turn in the fugitive I will hand out your punishments." Snape explained with an eye roll.
Olive was still frozen, not knowing what to do. She couldn't just let Sirius be taken away after everything they had planned! They had Peter with them- all they had to do was go to Dumbledore.
Harry seemed to have a plan. One moment he was going to help his friend off the floor, the next he had Hermione's wand in hand. He had it pointed at Sirius briefly, and then turned to Snape, sending him back into a cupboard with a disarming spell. The Professor lay unconscious among the pile of rubble.
"Harry!" Hermione shouted, snatching her wand back from him, "You attacked a teacher!"
"Who betrayed my parents?" He demanded.
"It was him!" Sirius pointed to the rat, which was still in Ron's hands, squirming and squealing.
"Me?" Ron shouted, "Are you insane?"
"Not you, the rat!" Lupin walked over, snatching the squealing rat from Ron's hands. Olive had her wand out, the jar in her hands so they could safely transport him to Dumbledore.
"Scabbers? He's just a rat!"
"How long have you had this rat?" Sirius asked, watching the rodent squirming as it was roughly handled by Lupin and himself. Olive kept her gaze trained on the rat, ready to cast a spell if needed.
"He's been in my family for twelve years." Ron said, "Let him go!"
"Twelve years? Well twelve years ago Harry's parents were betrayed. Their Secret Keeper Peter Pettigrew? All that was left of him was a finger." Sirius explained, "And your rat is missing a toe, isn't he?"
"Yeah, so?" Harry narrowed his eyes, "Scabbers is a rodent."
"Harry," Olive spoke up, "Peter's animagus is a rat. Like Sirius's is a dog."
"And yours is a cat?" Hermione asked condescendingly. Olive's face flushed momentarily, the rest of her features pale.
"That's different." She replied, "I'm not an animagus. Peter Pettigrew is."
"Show me." Harry said, "I want proof."
Olive looked to Sirius and Remus with a worried expression. This was not a part of the plan, and she worried that if they showed the third years that Scabbers is in fact Peter... he could manage to escape somehow.
"Show him." Lupin nodded, "Do the spell."
Olive nodded, quickly muttering the spell, sending a wave of magic over to the rat- which was squealing for its life. Within seconds, the rat started changing into a man. Sirius let go of the materializing fabric of the man's jacket.
Everyone was nearly repulsed by what they saw. Peter was a mousy man, with balding hair, and had the figure of a man who is plump but thinning greatly. His features were dirty, and he stood uneasily on two feet for a while. Looking around, he spotted Harry, and knelt at his feet.
"Harry! It's me! Peter! Your father and I were the greatest of friends!"