The Rat, The Dog & The Wolf [Hermione, Ron, Pettigrew, Remus, Sirius, Snape, R]

The arrival of darkness was nigh, the moon was already pushing the sun from the sky, to take its place during the night. After the death of buckbeack, Harry, Hermione and Ron walked back to the castle at a slow pace, morning for the dear beast. It had died because Kain Shadow had convinced Raphael to speak with Barty Crouch Sr. after the creature 'attacked' Kain. Barty immediately demanded that the beast be put down, and sadly, the Ministry complied. Hearing small squeaks, Harry looked over his shoulder at Ron and rose a brow, "What's wrong with Scabbers?" he asked with a worried tone.

After running for so long, Peter could see his life passing before his eyes, he had seen those eyes, his eyes. They had stared back into his, the rage, the hate, it frightened him even more than lord Voldemort did back in the day. Returning to Ron wasn't in his plans, in fact Pettigrew wanted to flee from Hogwarts. But the damn cat was always a problem, and now, Ron had him in his grasp again. Wriggling, trying to escape, knowing the dog was close, almost sniffing him coming, Wormtail had no other choice but to sink his small teeth into Ron's index finger with all his strength.

It had been a day full of sorrow. Buckbeak was gone thanks to that damn Kain and Raphael. But, bright side, Ron found Scabbers. Thinking about just how he should tell Hermione and Crookshanks sorry for assuming he ate his pet rat, Ron wasn't really thinking about much. However, his attention was grabbed when Scabbers wouldn't stop wriggling. "Scabbers, what's gotten into you?" he asked softly to his pet. Harry's question made him look up and open his mouth to answer when he felt his rat bite him hard. "What the bloody hell, Scabbers?!" Ron snapped, dropping the rat.

As soon as Ron let him go Pettigrew ran as much as he could over a small hill, and when he hopped over it was surprised to see the goddamn cat, there, again. Before he could move once more, Crookshanks pounced on him, and he squeaked trying to run from his doom.

"I can't lose him again! Mum will kill me!" Ron said taking off after Scabbers. Running over a tiny hill, Ron stopped when he saw not the cat having a go at his rat, but something in the shadows. "Harry, Hermione.... What do you see there?" Ron asked pointing towards the dark shadows and something that looked like a set of eyes watching them. He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a growl on the wind...

Watching a strange set of shining eyes in the darkness they suddenly disappeared and the dark lifted slightly, revealing whatever had been there, had left abruptly. "Never mind that... Grab scabbers," he answered, not wanting Ron to panic, considering he saw it too, as he ran to the rat and pulled Crookshanks off it, "Hermione, keep this thing on a damn leash..." he whispered.

Whatever it was that Ron saw, Harry saw it, too, but just as it quickly as it was there, whatever it was, was gone. "I must be going mental..." Ron said under his breath to himself. When Harry pulled Crookshanks off Scabber, he wasted no time in scooping the rat up and shoving him in his pocket. "Now, stop all this nonsence, Scabbers..." Ron said with a firm shake of his head. Looking up as he turned to head back the way they came, his ears heard it again: a soft growl on the wind. Scanning the area around them, Ron froze as what he saw only feet away from where he had seen that something before. "Harry..... Harry! Hermione! It's The Grim!" he shouted as a warning, pointing to the great, black dog stepping from the leafy cover of the bushes...

Letting Crookshanks go, Harry sighed, and looked up first seeing Scabbers try to hide himself in Ron's pocket, and then seeing Ron's eyes, filled with the fear he was used to seeing in them whenever they were in trouble. When the two had laid eyes on the whomping willow the last year when the car crashed, they both had those yes, so Harry wondered... why now... until he heard the words, and turned around...

Padfoot moved through the shadows catching sight of Ron, Harry and Hermione, as they finally caught Scabbers. Scabbers...they called him by that name. The wretched rat had his escaped his clutches day in and day out always slipping through his paws, but no more, he was getting it over with. Pettigrew was not escaping this time around - stepping out from the bushes after Dumbledore, Barty Sr and Lisbeth left the scene, Padfoot growled not too loudly, enough to summon the attention of the trio. His eyes stared into Ron's, and then went down to his pocket - his paws dug into the dirt underneath them as he sniffed Pettigrew's stench. As Harry turned around, Padfoot pounced from the floor, his paws hitting the boy's shoulders, sending him crashing towards the floor. Before she could react, Padfoot then tripped the girl, Hermione, so she could do nothing to ruin his plan. Turning his attention to Ron, he lunged at the boy, his jaw open, aiming to grab hold of his leg.

Hermione cried out as she hit the ground painfully, this whole situation was completely mad she decided. A groan filled her ears as the willow began to moan though it did not full on attack, her eyes fell on Ron and widened in horror as the dog latched onto him "Harry! its got ron!" she cried lunging forward to grab Ron's hand her fingers barely closing around his.

As the great black dog knocked both Harry and Hermione to the ground, Ron backed up slowly trying to keep his distance from the dog. When it lunged for him, Ron turned to run but ended up falling to the ground hard and cried out as the dog's strong jaws latched onto his leg. "OW! Harry! Harry, Hermione! Help! HELP!" Ron called out to them, panic thick on his words. Reaching out for either of them, his fingers just barely making contact with hers but enough that he could get some kind of hold of her hand.

Growling at their persistent behavior, Padfoot only pulled Ron's leg once, and it was enough to pull him away from his friend's grasp. His teeth sunk into his flesh and the blood poured out, as Pettigrew stared at the black dog from the pocket. Padfoot's eyes warned the rat that he had no escape this time, however Wormtail still tried to wiggle out from Ron's pocket, to no avail. Harry all the while began moving, having hit his head harder than Sirius had planned for him to. Slightly dazed, he turned around, lying on his stomach, and watched as Ron was dragged into the whomping willow, "RON!" the boy shouted for his friend, rising to his feet and as he was about to try to help Hermione do the same, something truly sharp and blunt took him off his feet...

The tree moaned loudly shaking it began to fling its branches in wicked circles twisting and groaning. Hermione's eyes went wide as she got to her feet her fingers going to her wand her eyes on the dog, as he pulled ron she saw a glint in its dark eyes, before she could muse over anything she was swept up into the air off her feet by a tree branch and sent screaming in circles.

"OW!" Ron cried out when he felt the dog give one good pull, yanking him out of Hermione's grasp, his teeth sinking into his flesh. This wasn't happening! This wasn't happening! The dog... the dog was going to kill him! "HARRY! HERMIONE! HELP!" Ron called as he was dragged into the base of the tree, trying to get away to no avail...

As the black disappeared with Ron into the tree, Harry looked around, slightly dazed after falling on his head, grabbing the dirt around him to find his glasses. Just then, the three bent down, and Harry rolled out of the way, seeing it stomp the dirt beside him. Continuing to search for his spectacles, he finally found them, and got to his feet. As he placed them, he looked around, jumping over a branch, before trying to search for Hermione, wherever she had been taken, "Hermione?!" he shouted all the while swatting away the smaller branches and evading the larger ones.

Soon, the branch Hermione was holding herself to passed by, and Harry reached up and sliced it with his wand, as his friend fell into his arms. Catching her before she fell, he slid Hermione down to her feet, before tackling her to the ground just as a large branch passed above them. Looking over her, he saw where the dog had taken Ron and growled, "C'mon," he told her tightly grabbing her hand and sliding down the hole, Hermione doing the same afterwards. 

Walking over the roots over of the tree, Harry pushed a trap door up, and was amazed as he saw a familiar set of stairs. Helping Hermione up, he closed the trap door, and walked up the stairs, slowly, but yet, the stairs creaked anyway. "...This is the Shrieking Shack," he noticed before pushing the door to one of the rooms open, Hermione entering with him, "RON!" he smirked slightly yet worry overwhelmed him as Hermione jogged to their friend, Harry walking slowly behind her.

Sitting on a nearly destroyed sofa, Ron could not believe what was happening around him. This was just utter madness! As if things weren't mental enough already, let's just slather more on! Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, Ron tensed as he held Scabbers in his hands. When the door opened and Hermione and Harry entered we was more than relieved, as was apparent on his face. "Am I glad to see you! Harry, Hermione, it's not The Grim! It's Sirius Black! He's here!" Ron said frantically, pointing to the open door behind Harry.

Without losing another second, Harry wheeled around and only had time to blink, before the door closed behind the trio. Moving his wand Kronos had retrieved for him, Sirius non verbally cast the disarming spell, and Harry and Hermione's wands were suddenly in his hand, after he had taken Ron's as well. Walking closer to them, he lifted one of his arms, the growing muscle seen due to his sleeveless shirt as he was being well fed by Mariya and the forest. Placing the arm on Hermione's shoulder, he pushed her away from Harry, and stared into the boy's eyes.

"Much like your father... couldn't help coming to help your friend, could you," he asked hoarsely. His voice was strangely unlike his own, because he had stopped using it for a long time.

"James would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it will make everything much easier...."
The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had
bellowed it. A rising, boiling hate erupted in Harry's chest, leaving no place
for fear or doubt. For the first time in his life, he wanted his wand back in his
hand, not to defend himself, but to attack... to kill.

"There shall be one murder here tonight, but fear not, because the rest will be safe," said Sirius, his lips twisting into a dark grin.

"Why's that?" Harry spat, "Didn't care about the number last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew... What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?" he asked his fingers balling into a fist.

Without even thinking, perhaps it was the rage, or the hate, or all of it together driving him, Harry pulled his arm back and hurled it at his godfather, only for Sirius to grab his hand with amazing speed, "No, but I did get to train a bit," Sirius cackled, nearly crushing Harry's fist forcing him to his knees.

However Harry grabbed his wand from Sirius' pocket and was able to bite Padfoot's hand, pushing him slightly away. Aiming his wand at his chest, Harry's eyes narrowed behind his spectacles, "Going to kill your own godfather, Harry?" Sirius asked exhaling calmly, "You killed them! I should do the same to you!" Harry answered, no longer were his eyes filled with tears this time only with a burning hate for the devil in front of him.

"So much intelligence, so much strength, yet you fail to see the devil beside you," Sirius growled silently and Harry pushed the wand into his throat, "Oh I see him alright, but he's right in front of me," he snarled back at Sirius who chuckled dryly.

"You may keep thinking that if you wish, or you can always hear the full story," Sirius said extending his arms to the side. "Wh-...What do you mean?" Harry asked not letting go of the wand, "You sold my parents out! That's the full story, the unadulterated truth," he shouted.

In a swift move Sirius grabbed the wand taking it from Harry's hand with ease, and kicked the boy with mild strength throwing him into his friend's arms, "You have to grow so much, still," Sirius shook his head, aiming his wand at Harry just in case the boy tried something, before they both caught sound of footsteps.

Smirking madly at Harry, he flicked his wrist, "I could kill you right now, just like that," he snapped his fingers and chuckled.

Hermione caught Harry as Black sent him flying at her and Ron, moving her body in front of him she looked up at the man who betrayed her best friend's parents defiantly. "If you want to kill harry you have to kill us too" her hands gripped harry tightly her brown eyes never once moving from the criminal.


Remus paced his office lost in thought, he could have sworn he had seen peter on the map the other night when he took it off Harry. Cracking his knuckles he turned back to his desk and muttered the oath that brought the map to life. Pouring over it he he watched as people walked through the school, turning the page he began to take in the grounds of Hogwarts, spying harry out of bed he frowned. This was not abnormal for his best friend's son to be out with his two friends at night but something was a-miss. The figures on the map were moving rapidly and suddenly the whomping willow on the map began to move.

Grabbing the map Remus took off running out onto the grounds his muscular body carrying him quickly. Getting to the cursed tree he looked at the map and watched as ron led the way to the shrieking shack with hermione and harry in tow. Smashing the nob on the tree he ran into the secret tunnel ducked low, coming out in the shack that held so many bitter memories he unconciously touched the scar on his arm he had gotten from being in the shack locked up like a monster.

Moving towards the stairs he felt his heart stop, he would know that voice in any form it took, he would know that voice even after all these years. Folding up the map he put it in his jacket pocket and took out his wand, walking up the stairs he flung the door open and stepped into the small room, his wand trained on none other then his best friend the brother of his soul.

"Sirius"

Tilting his hand the wand was suddenly safely put away in his belt along with the other two, and Sirius returned to his normal posture, noting that the other man was taller than him. Sniffing the air, his fists clenched and a small smile took form, replacing the dark crooked grin from before. "Well well... now all we need is James and everyone will be here, safe and sound," he paced slightly, and shot Remus a look that quite literally told him he was being thrown into a bed later that night, "You've grown," he joked. "Professor Lupin?!" Harry asked looking over Hermione...

Remus' lips twitched but he didn't smile he looked at the two students then he took a step of blind faith in his brother. Stepping toward's sirius he turned to harry and hermione disarming them once more with ease. Catching there wands he slid them into his jacket pocket, turning back to Sirius he said "Where is he Sirius?" his voice tense.

For a moment sirius didn't answer his jaw tight he raised one hand pointing at Ron, "But then..." Remus muttered, staring at Sirius so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless –" Remus's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Sirius, something none of the rest could see, "unless he was the one... unless you switched... without telling me?"

Very slowly Sirius nodded and Remus cursed softly, then very slowly he lowered his wand. Crossing the room her grasped sirius' hand and pulled him into his arms embracing him like a brother.

His arms went around Remus' back his muscles clenching around his brother's body hugging him tightly, "He's here, brother! Let's kill him!" Sirius grinned madly nearly hopping with excitement.

"I DON'T BELEIVE IT" hermione screamed, Remus let go of sirius and turned to her, she took a shuddering step towards them pointing accusingly at Remus, "YOU AND HIM!"

"hermione calm down" Remus began "I didn't tell anyone!" she shrieked "I've been covering for you!" "Hermione listen to me please!" Remus shouted "I can explain!"

"I trusted you and all this time you've been his friend," Harry spat protectively placing a hand on Hermione's waist, and also to make sure she didn't do anything other than talk. All the while Sirius looked at Harry with amusement, wondering just who in the fuck had raised the boy. "Oh no, please not Dursley," he whispered beneath his breath.

"Your wrong" said Remus glaring at the young witch "I can explain-"

"NO" Hermione shouted, "Harry don't trust him! he's been helping Black into the castle,! he wants you dead too!-HE'S A WEREWOLF!"

Remus stopped dead. Then, with 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," Remus said coolly. "He set that essay hoping someone would realise what my symptoms meant. Did you check the lunar chart and realise that I was always ill at full moon? Or did you realise that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"
"Both," Hermione said quietly.
Remus forced a laugh. "You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

Everyone's eyes were now on Remus, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale. "Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he 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..." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Sirius gasped loudly, faking a shocked look as he stared at Remus... "You're a werewolf?!" he asked with a growl as he clenched his fists, "You lying assh- ah, I'm joking, yeah, Remus is our local werewolf, tough guy to chew, if you get where I'm hinting at," he winked at Remus and took a step forward, "Remus get this crap over with, I wanna kill him!" he snarled.