Alex Weasley: Book 3

53

"You're the cleverest witches of your age I've ever met." Remus looked at the girls.

"If we'd been a bit cleverer, we'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know," said Lupin. "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-"

"Like Snape you mean? The only reason he's been brewing you potions all year because his trust in Dumbledore outweighed his mistrust in you." Alex said.

"They were wrong!" Harry yelled. "You've been helping him all the time!"

"I have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look-" he returned Hermione's wand back to her, before putting his own away. "There," said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

"If you haven't been helping him," he said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"

"The map," said Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it-"

"The stupid map." Alex grumbled under her breath, and Hermione reached out to grab Alex's hand to comfort her. Usually the meaner Alex got, the more scared she was.

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.

"Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony -- that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

"How clever." Alex muttered sarcastically though everyone ignored her.

"You wrote-?"

"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?"

"You forgot me." Alex piped up.

"I suppose I don't know you well enough."

"That was by design." She retorted.

"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry-" he continued, but was cut off.

"How d'you know about the cloak?"

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it." said Lupin, 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. Five minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," Lupin said, 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!" said Harry.

"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 --"

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you."

"I followed, I wasn't dragged."

"Not you." Lupin said and she tried to process what he was saying. He stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?"

"Oh." Alex said. "Oh no. No, no." She moved to the corner and gagged, throwing up a little.

"Alex?" Hermione followed her, moving her hair away and patting her back.

"Ron, give Scabbers over." She said, before moving to throw up some more. Ron hesitated, but complied. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately and 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 again, 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!"

"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

"Peter Pettigrew was working with Voldemort." Alex said, feeling less nauseated by the situation. "Not Sirius. I'm guessing he was also a friend of your parents, Harry."

"How do you know?"

"A witch never reveals her secrets." Alex said.

"Alex, there were witnesses." Hermione said. "He's dead."

"I never said he wasn't, though I do doubt it. But trust me, Hermione. He was working with Voldemort."

"I believe you."

"That's mental!" Ron burst out.

"Peter Pettigrew's dead! He killed him twelve years ago!" Harry pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me... not this time, though!" Black attempted to lunge at the rat, but his binds stopped him.

"Sirius, stop. You'll hurt yourself. And you can't do it just like that- they need to understand, we've got to explain."

"We can explain afterwards!" Black snarled.

"They've got a right to know everything!" Lupin said, still trying to stop Black from struggling against his binds. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry; you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"

"All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for..."

"You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off." He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Alex caught him and helped him onto a bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them..."

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. "I believed it myself, until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies. Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."