DOORWAYS || MARAUDERS ERA

ϟ62: MIRANDAϟ

"Going to kill me, Harry?"

Rhea wanted to evaporate from the surface of the earth.

Bloody hell, she thought, Sirius Black, mass murderer, Harry's godfather, was a bloody animagus...

How had they gotten into this mess? If only stupid Scabbers had stayed still, Ron wouldn't have run after him and they wouldn't have met Sirius Black at all...

"You killed my parents," Harry said shakily, pointing his wand at Black.

"I don't deny it," Black said quietly, "But if you knew the whole story—"

"Whole story?" Harry repeated incredulously, "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"Harry, please," Rhea muttered, groaning at his blatant foolishness and trying to pull him away from Black, who had a bloody nose because Harry had punched him. If Rhea wasn't so blinded with panic, she might've been able to put her legilimency to use. "Please, let go of him... let's GO!"

But before they could do anything else, there was a streak of brown whizzing past them. Crookshanks the cat settled himself upon Black's chest, protecting him. Hermione gave a helpless whimper.

"The cat is with the dog," Rhea widened her eyes in horror and muttered in feverish hysterics. "Harry, get off him—"

There were muffled footsteps outside the room as though someone else was there. Black stiffened and Harry tightened his grip on his wand. Hermione screamed, "We're up here! Quick!"

And the door to the room banged open, revealing Remus Lupin, standing there with his wand and looking gaunt. "Expelliarmus!"

All their wands sprung into Lupin's hands, and Rhea thanked the gods for sending timely help.

"Where is he, Sirius?" Lupin asked urgently.

First name basis? Rhea internally screamed, but stilled when Sirius pointed at Ron, who looked bewildered.

Lupin began muttering incoherently, and all Rhea could think about was whether he would help them or not, because he seemed to be in his own trail of thoughts.

Rhea promptly gasped when Lupin then tackled Black in a brotherly embrace.

"What?" she yelled at the same time Hermione screamed, "I don't believe it!"

"Hermione—"

"You—and him!"

"The wolf's joined the pack!" Rhea muttered hysterically, pulling at her hair. "Merlin save us all! Ron, can you get up—?"

"Not without the rat!" Black snarled, stopping Rhea from walking further. She backed away in fear.

"ye-yes, you can have Scabbers," she agreed vigourously, just wanting to get her friends to safety instead of worrying over a rat that should have been eaten by Crookshanks.

"Rhea!" Ron cried out, betrayed.

"Enough!" Lupin yelled, throwing their wands at Harry as an act of surrender and pulling Black away from Rhea. "Look, you're armed and we aren't... here you go..."

He backed away from them with his arms raised. "And now... it's time to hear the truth."

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