Rebecca's pov
Harry raised the wand. The seconds lengthened. And still Harry stood frozen there, wand poised, Black staring up at him, Crookshanks on his chest. Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs.
“WE’RE UP HERE!” Hermione screamed suddenly. “WE’RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK —
QUICK!”
Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks, The footsteps were thundering up the
stairs and Harry still hadn’t done it. The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready.
“Expelliarmus!” Lupin shouted.
Harry’s wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest.
“Where is he, Sirius?” Lupin asked.
Black’s face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn’t move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. It scared me that they were pointing at Ron and I hugged him even tighter if that was even possible.
“But then…” Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, “… why hasn’t he shown himself before now? Unlessunless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?”
Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin’s face, Black nodded.
“Professor,” Harry interrupted loudly, “what’s going on —?”
But he never finished the question, because what he saw made his voice die in his throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixed at Black. The Professor walked to Black’s side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.
“I DON’T BELIEVE IT!” Hermione screamed.
Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at
Lupin, wild-eyed.
“You — you —” Hermione began.
“Hermione —” I said cautiously, everything happening scared me and I was worried she would snap.
“– you and him!” Hermione continued ignoring me.
“Hermione, calm down —” Professor Lupin said.
“I didn’t tell anyone!” Hermione shrieked. “I’ve been covering up for you —”
“Hermione, listen to me, please” Lupin shouted. “I can explain —”
“I trusted you!” Harry shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering, out of control. “And all the time you’ve been his friend!”
“You’re wrong.” Lupin said. “I haven’t been Sirius’s friend, but I am now. Let me explain…”
“NO!” Hermione screamed. “Harry, don’t trust him, he’s been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too, he’s a werewolf!”
There was a ringing silence. Everyone’s eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.
“Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione.” Lupin said. “Only one out of three, I’m afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don’t want Harry dead. But I won’t deny that I am a werewolf.”
Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned. I stood in front of Ron protectively with my wand drawn.
"You stay away from him!" I yelled as I pushed Professor Lupin away. "Don't come anywhere near him or I'll kill you!"
"'Becca, don't do anything dangerous." Ron warned.
"Says you." I retorted as I glared at the professor.
Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said. “How long have you known?”
“Ages.” Hermione whispered. “Since I did Professor Snape’s essay…”
“He’ll be delighted." Lupin said coolly. “He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?”
“Both.” Hermione said quietly.
Lupin forced a laugh. “You’re the cleverest witch of your age I’ve ever met, Hermione.”
“I’m not.” Hermione whispered. “If I’d been a bit cleverer, I’d have told everyone what you are!”
“But they already know.” Lupin said. “At least, the staff do.”
“Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf.” Ron gasped. “Is he mad?”
“Some of the staff thought so.” said Lupin. “He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I’m trustworthy —”
“AND HE WAS WRONG!” Harry yelled. “YOU’VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!”
He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.
“I have not been helping Sirius.” Lupin said. “If you’ll give me a chance, I’ll explain. Look-”
He separated Harry’s, Ron’s and Hermione’s wands and threw each back to its owner.
“There.” Lupin said, sticking his own wand back into his belt “You’re all armed, we’re not. Now will you listen?”
“If you haven’t been helping him.” Harry said, with a furious glance at Black, “how did you know he was here?”
“The map.” Lupin said. “The Marauder’s Map. I was in my office examining it-”
“You know how to work it?” Harry asked suspiciously.
“Of course I know how to work it.” Lupin said, waving his hand impatiently. “I helped write it. I’m Moony — that was my friends’ nickname for me at school.”
“You wrote —?” Harry was cut off.
“The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn’t I?” Lupin had started to pace up and down, looking at us. Little patches of dust rose at his feet. “You might have been wearing your father’s old cloak, Harry—”
“How d’you know about the cloak?” Harry asked.
“The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…” Lupin said, waving an impatient hand again. “The point is, even if you’re wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder’s Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid’s hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else.”
“What?” Harry asked. “No, we weren’t!”
“I couldn’t believe my eyes.” Lupin continued, still pacing, and ignoring Harry’s interruption. “I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?”
“No one was with us!” Harry said.
“And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you. I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —” Lupin continued.
“One of us!” Ron said angrily.
“No, Ron." Lupin said. “Two of you. Do you think I could have a look at the rat?”
“What?” Ron asked. “What’s Scabbers got to do with it?”
“Everything.” Lupin said. “Could I see him, please?”
Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black’s leg and made a soft hissing noise. Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.
“What?” Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. “What’s my rat got to do with anything?”
“That’s not a rat.” croaked Sirius Black suddenly.
“What d’you mean? of course he’s a rat.” I said confused.
“No, he’s not.” Lupin said quietly. “He’s a wizard.”
“An Animagus.” Black said. "By the name of Peter Pettigrew.”