Chapter 18 Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

It as well ask a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Harry was thinking.Youre both mental.Ridiculous verbalise Hermione faintly.Peter Pettigrews dead express Harry. He killed him twelve years ago He pointed at Black, whose suit twitched convulsively.I meant to, he growled, his yellow teeth bared, un slight little Peter got the better of me non this time, thoughAnd Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers Ron yelled with pain as Blacks weight wild on his broken leg.Sirius, NO Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, WAIT You cant do it just like that they need to infer weve got to explain We can explain afterwards snarled Black, essay to throw Lupin off. One hand was so far clawing the air as it tried to snuff it Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Rons face and neck as he tried to escape.Theyve got a right to know e realthing Lupin panted, st ill trying to restrain Black. Rons kept him as a pet There are parts of it even I dont understand, and Harry you owe Harry the truth, SiriusBlack halt struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Rons bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.All right, then, Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat.Tell them some(prenominal) you like. just now make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned forYoure nutters, both of you, said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. Ive had decent of this. Im off.He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.Youre going to hear me out, Ron, he said quietly. Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen.HES NOT PETER, HES SCABBERS Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him am pushed h im back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin.There were witnesses who visualize Pettigrew die, he said. A whole lane full of themThey didnt see what they scene they saw said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Rons hands.Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter, said Lupin, nodding. I believed it myself until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauders map never liesPeters alive. Rons holding him, Harry.Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently Black and Lupin were both out of their minds. Their bosh made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must eat up unhinged Black after all but why was Lupin acting along with him?Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly. notwithstanding Professor LupinScabbers cant be Pettigrewit just cant be true, you know it cantWhy cant it be true? Lupin said calmly, as t hough they were in class, and Hermione had only spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.Because because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my preparation the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become beasts in that locations a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and thingsand I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrews name wasnt on the list.Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh.Right again, Hermione he said. But the Ministry never knew that here used to be terzetto unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts.If youre going to tell them the story, liquidate a move on, Remus, said Black, who was still watching Scabberss every desperate move. Ive wait ed twelve years, Im not going to wait much longer.All rightbut youll need to help me, Sirius, said Lupin, I only know how it beganLupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom approach had opened of its own accord. All pentad of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing.No one thereThis place is haunted said Ron.Its not, said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. The Shrieking Shack was never hauntedThe screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me.He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, Thats where all of this starts with my becoming a lycanthrope, None of this could have happened if I hadnt been bitterand if I hadnt been so foolhardyHe looked unplayful and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, Shh She was watching Lupin very intently.I as a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, precede the full moon, I keep my mind when I transformIm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to decrease again.Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. another(prenominal) parents werent likely to want their children exposed to me.But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no cogitate I shouldnt come to school. Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This digest Lupin looked miserably around the room, the tunnel that leads to it they were bu ilt for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel let the cat out of the bag to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous.Harry couldnt see where this story was going, but he was listening raptly all the same. The only sound isolated from Lupins voice was Scabberss frightened squeaking.My transformations in those days were were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers hear the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumorEven now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers dont dare approach it.But isolated from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius BlackPeter Pettigrewand, of course, your father, Harry mob Potte r.Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see herI was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth.And they didnt desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi.My dad too? said Harry, astounded.Yes, indeed, said Lupin. It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will.But how did that help you? said Hermione, sounding puzzled.They couldnt keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals, said Lupin. A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under Jamess Invisibility Cloak. They transformedPeter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willows attacking branches and uphold the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them.Hurry up, Remus, snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.Im getting there, Sirius, Im getting therewell, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a wer ewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out to a greater extent about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did And thats how we came to write the Marauders Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs.What sort of animal ? Harry began, but Hermione cut him off. That was still really dangerous course around in the dark with a werewolf What if youd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?A thought that still haunts me, said Lupin heavily. And there were near misses, some of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless carried away with our own cleverness.I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledores trust, of coursehe had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always ma naged to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next months adventure. And I havent changedLupins face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didnt do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that Id betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that Id led others along with meand Dumbledores trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a cable when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school utilize dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with itso, in a way, Snapes been right about me all along.Snape? said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. W hats Snape got to do with it?Hes here, Sirius, said Lupin heavily. Hes teaching here as well. He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been impressive Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasonsyou see, Sirius here played a gag on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me Black made a derisive noise.It served him right, he sneered. Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up tohoping he could get us expelled.Severus was very interested in where I went every month. Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We were in the same year, you know, and we er didnt like each other very much. He especially dislike James. Jealous, I think, of Jamess talent on the Quidditch fieldanyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be er amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and hed be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it if hed got as far as this house, hed have met a fully grown werewolf but your father, whod heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his lifeSnape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was.So thats why Snape doesnt like you, said Harry slowly, because he thought you were in on the joke?Thats right, sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin.Severus Snape was move off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.