Chapter 34

A/N: It's a long one, but I hope you will be pleased with it. As always, my thanks to luvsev and WriterMerrin. You two are the best! For clarification: the words of JKR are combined with my own for the next few chapters. Some are direct quotes, others partial, and places where scenes that have been taken, I have used my own dialogue instead of JKR's. Many thanks to Rowling for her creative mind. I don't own it. I just like to tinker with it :)

***

Hermione, Harry, and Ron began talking again, the three of them, just like old times. Ron offered to help Hermione to appeal the execution. She flung her arms around him and sobbed about how sorry she was about Scabbers. Ron took it off the cuff, saying that Scabbers was old and he might try to get an owl from his parents.

In the meantime, they all tried to keep Hagrid's spirits up. As he walked them back to the castle after class one day, he began to cry. Malfoy was nearby with his cronies, making fun at Hagrid's expense. Hermione strode right up to the berk and cracked him good and proper across the face. She had had enough of his shite!

"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul...you evil..."

Ron tried to get her to back off of Malfoy. She had Draco at wandpoint right at the neck. She wasn't afraid of him. She had been trained by the best: Alastor Moody. She could wipe the floor with him and his sniveling friends if she chose.

"Get off, Ron!" she yelled as she advanced menacingly towards Draco.

Malfoy and his lot scurried out of there quickly. Ron was impressed. The three of them had Charms class and were running late. Hermione went to the common room to gather her things. She was so tired from all the exertion and the hard work, she passed out right on top of her Arithmancy homework. It wasn't until much later she was being jostled awake by a concerned Ron and Harry.

"Where have you been?" asked Ron. "We thought Malfoy had got to you!"

Hermione wasn't fully awake. "After Regulus and Travers, no way," she mumbled.

"What?" asked Harry.

They shook her until she was coherent and explained she had missed Charms. She started to panic, and Harry asked, "Who are Regulus and Travers?"

Hermione panicked. Had she talked in her sleep? "I-I don't know, strange dream," she said trying to pass it off as nothing.

They raced to make it to Divination on time. Today they were working on crystal balls. Hermione was getting restless. Each class was becoming just a little more insane than the last. Trelawney went around looking into everyone's ball when she turned rather dramatic.

"My dear..." she breathed to Harry. "It's plainer than before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr..."

"Oh, for goodness' sake! " said Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"

Professor Trelawney stood up and looked at Hermione with the utmost contempt. "I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."

"Fine!" yelled Hermione as she jumped up, crammed her books in her bag, throwing it over her shoulder, and said, "I give up! I'm leaving!"

She strode to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder. She had already been in a tetchy mood after hearing the things Severus had said to Harry when he had caught him coming back from Hogsmeade. She'd had a fantastic row with him over it...the worst fight they'd ever had.

***

She strode right into the Potions classroom without permission, and that set him on edge. Although, Hermione couldn't have cared less, the classroom was empty. She was hopping mad, and he was going to pay for it.

She then stormed out without waiting for a reply.

***

Now, she hadn't spoken to Severus in days. After her infamous departure from Divination, she buried herself in her work once more; however, she felt worse every day, feeling weepy and exhausted. She went back to Poppy, and the mediwitch told her she needed a rest.

"You really are taking far too much upon yourself," she said in all honesty.

Hermione sighed, "I know, Poppy. I've bitten off more than I can chew; however, I have to see it through to the end. Next year, I won't put so much on myself. I did drop Divination. I can't stand Trelawney. She thinks I have a dried up soul."

Hermione and Poppy laughed.

***

Just before Easter holidays, Professor Lupin called Hermione to stay behind after class.

Reluctantly, she made her way to his desk, fingering her wand inside her pocket.

Remus smiled at her and said, "Hermione, I know we haven't spoken a lot this year. I have to apologize for my reluctance. It's been rather difficult seeing the young girl I had once known standing in front of me. It brings back too many embarrassing memories."

Hermione smiled a little and said, "I have noticed your looking at me during class. It's been disconcerting."

Remus sighed wearily. "I am sorry, Hermione. You never really get over your first love."

Hermione lowered her head and wished with all her might she were anywhere else.

"I do have a true purpose keeping you back, not just to talk about the old days," he replied. "I wanted you to know that I now have the Marauder's Map. I have received it from Severus, who found it on Harry."

"That's good," she said nervously.

Remus looked at her intently. "Hermione, you were my best friend for so long. I swear, I would never do anything to betray you."

Hermione looked up at him and was warmed by his dark brown eyes. "Thank you, Remus," she whispered.

***

Easter holidays came and went. The studying continued to help her get through the endless, lonely days. Then finally, it was nearly June, and the Quidditch final was just around the corner. Hermione was elated to look forward to something other than her endless workload. Gryffindor won, and everyone took a break to celebrate. Even the scare of Sirius Black breaking into Gryffindor Tower could not destroy the happy mood.

Unfortunately, it was short-lived. June meant exams, and everyone was under pressure. Then the worst news came. Buckbeak's appeal had been set for the sixth, which happened to coincide with the final day of exams.

"For an appeal, this seems a bit dodgy!" snapped Hermione. "Looks as though they've already decided Buckbeak's guilty, bringing an executioner to the appeal."

They wanted to be there for Hagrid, but Harry's Invisibility Cloak was still hidden in the one-eyed witch's statue. They went on and finished their exams. The final day, Harry came running into the common room, bursting with news about Trelawney. He stopped when he saw the looks on Hermione and Ron's faces.

"It's over, mate," Ron said. Hagrid sent us this." He handed the note to Harry, who read in a rush and crumbled it up in his hands.

"We've got to do something!" Harry insisted.

"It's sunset, Harry...we can't," he said. We'd never get past everyone."

Harry sank into a chair and buried his face in his hands. "If only I had my cloak," he whispered sadly.

"Where is it again, Harry?" Hermione asked abruptly.

Ron and Harry looked at her like she had just sprouted another head. "If Snape sees me there, I'll get expelled for sure," he said seriously.

"True," Hermione replied. "But if I were to get it... How do you open the witch's hump again?"

***

Harry told her, and before he could finish, she was gone. Hermione was determined. Although she didn't like breaking rules, when it came to saving a life or helping someone in desperate need, she'd do it. She'd done it before, even for Severus. She looked around as she tapped her wand on the witch's hump and muttered the incantation. She pulled out the cloak and thought of the night James was waiting for her as she tried to sneak out to be with Severus after Lily had ended their friendship. She remembered how much he had reminded her of Harry. She felt the familiar pang of loss and regret and then pushed it into the back of her mind. She'd have time later to think about the past. Now she had a responsibility to help those who needed to be helped in the here and now.

She returned with the cloak and Ron looked at her in shock. "I just don't what's gotten into you, Hermione. First, you hit Malfoy, walk out on Trelawney's class and now this!"

***

After dinner they went to Hagrid's. He told them nothing could be done, and they should get back to the castle. Hermione started making tea once Hagrid started crying. She picked up the milk bottle and screamed.

"Ron! It's Scabbers!" she squealed.

"What?" he said in disbelief.

She brought the milk jug over to the table and dumped him out of it. Ron was beside himself with joy. "Scabbers! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed. Scabbers was frantic, trying to wriggle out of Ron's grasp. "It's okay, Scabbers," he said, trying to calm him.

"Yer best get outta here," said Hagrid seriously. "They're comin'..."

They scrambled around, and Hagrid led them out the back way. Once they were a good distance away, they each all started talking at once.

Then they heard the thud of the axe. "Oh, my God!" Hermione breathed. "They did it."

The three of them were silent until Ron began struggling with Scabbers. The rat was trying every which way to get loose.

"OUCH!" Ron bellowed. "He bit me!"

Ron squinted in the coming darkness. A pair of yellow eyes gleamed at him. Hermione turned to look where he was staring.

"Oh, no!" she moaned.

"Crookshanks, NO!" she yelled.

Scabbers was gone, and Crookshanks sprang after him. They ran after the rat and the cat. Ron got Scabbers into his pocket and caught Crookshanks by the scruff of the neck.

"Come on!" Hermione pleaded as she tried to get the Invisibility Cloak over them. "We've got to get back."

Just then they all heard the pounding of paws on the ground. It was a great, black dog. They screamed as it bounded towards them and then sank its huge teeth into Ron's arm, dragging him away towards the Whomping Willow.

Harry grabbed only a handful of fur before the dog yanked Ron effortlessly down a hole at the base of the tree. Suddenly, Harry and Hermione were knocked off their feet with brute force.

"It's the tree!" Hermione yelled.

Harry whipped out his wand and shouted, "Lumos!"

The wandlight showed the trunk of the thick tree. Hermione and Harry were on the ground by the hole where all they could see was Ron's foot that was caught on a root. They heard a terrible crack and knew his leg had been broken. He disappeared from view. Harry tried to scramble upright, but Hermione pushed him down.

"Don't get up!" she rasped. "You'll only get thrashed again! Where is that knot?" she shouted. She was frantically searching for it when, all of a sudden, Crookshanks came waltzing up to her and pushed the knot that stopped the Willow from killing them all. Her eyes locked with those of her familiar, the familiar whose trust she had never been able to gain. He trusted her now.

Hermione grabbed Harry, and they dove into the hole. They followed Crookshanks, who was like a sentinel, and were amazed with the sights around them as they continued deeper into the interior.

Finally, they reached what looked like a wall that had been smashed open in a house. Tatty furniture, dusty chandeliers and a rickety staircase were in front of them.

"It's the Shrieking Shack," Hermione said. So this had been the place Sirius Black had lured Severus to in an attempt to have him killed by Remus? she thought. They heard muffled sounds from up the stairs, and they crept up towards the noise, walking carefully on each dusty stair, watching out for the ones that were broken in between.

When they reached the room, Hermione flung it open as Crookshanks sauntered in and curled up on the dusty bed on the opposite side of the room. Ron was on the other side, white and looking terrified as he held a struggling Scabbers in his shaking hands.

"Ron?" Hermione said. "What is it?"

"It's a trap!" he shouted. "It's not a dog. He's an Animagus!"

Harry and Hermione turned around, and for the first time since 1978, Hermione was face to face with Sirius Black. He was beyond filthy. It was incredible that the once handsome, strong, muscular youth was now this emaciated creature before her. His eyes were hollow and sunken in. If it hadn't been for the fact she had practically grown-up with him, she'd have never recognized him.

He didn't seem to register whom she was, and for that, Hermione was grateful. Now she had to figure out how they were going to get out of this alive. She wasn't quick enough. Sirius had already disarmed Ron and cried out, "Expelliarmus!" Harry's and Hermione's wands flew out of their hands and into Sirius' outstretched palm.

"I knew you'd come to help your friend, Harry. Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful... it'll make things... easier," Sirius said in a raspy voice.

Hermione tried to keep her face out of Sirius' line of sight. He was fixated on Harry, but Hermione knew Harry's temper. He would have taken the mentioning of his father as a dig, and she knew he would not stand for it.

"No, Harry!" Hermione's voice rang out.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron shouted at the crazed man.

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," he said harshly. "Now rest your leg."

Harry refused to let it be. "Why just one murder? You killed my parents, your other friend, Peter, and all those Muggles! What, gone soft in Azkaban?" he yelled.

Before Hermione could intervene, the two wizards were grappling on the floor, Harry was choking Black, and they were struggling like mad for dominance. Finally, Hermione kicked Sirius, and he grunted in pain. He let Harry go for a second, and Harry dove for his wand. Crookshanks attacked Harry, and he cursed at the cat. Soon, he had Black against the wall with a wand at his throat.

"Are you going to kill me, Harry?" Sirius whispered.

Harry looked surprised. "You killed my parents," he replied.

"I don't deny it, but if you only knew the whole story," he said anxiously.

"The whole story was that you sold them to Voldemort, you bastard!" Harry cursed.

Sirius' eyes bulged from his head. "No, never! Please, you must listen. You'll regret it forever if you don't!"

Harry and Black stood locked in a battle of the minds. Just when Hermione couldn't take the pressure anymore, she heard footsteps.

"We're up here!" she screamed. "It's Sirius Black!"

Black's eyes left Harry's and were now boring into Hermione's. She didn't move a muscle. He had just opened his mouth to say something when Remus burst in, crying, "Expelliarmus!"

Hermione sank to the floor. She was so scared, but now Remus was here. He had sworn he wouldn't betray her. Lupin collected all the wands and turned to Sirius. "Where is he?"

Hermione was confused. The two wizards were whispering. "If it's true...after all this time, I don't understand!" said Lupin.

"It was all switched!" said Sirius. "I thought no one would suspect. Then it all went wrong...he just made this explosion!"

"Oh, Sirius," Lupin whispered. Then he hugged him, embracing him like a long-lost brother.

"What the hell is going on here?" Hermione screeched at Remus. "I trusted you! Now, you've been helping him all this time?"

Sirius turned and stared at Hermione intently. She knew there was no going back now. "Is she?" Sirius breathed as he gazed at her intently.

"Not now, Sirius," interrupted Lupin. He then blocked their view of Sirius' face, and they whispered in muted tones. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully, Remus would be able to keep Sirius under control...for once.

Harry turned to Hermione, "What is he talking about?"

"Not now!" Lupin roared at Harry.

Finally, Lupin turned to them and breathed heavily, as if he were out of breath. "I know what this looks like to you, but there has been a terrible miscarriage of justice..." he began.

"The point is that I have been keeping your secret, and you betrayed me...betrayed us all!" Hermione interrupted.

He took a step closer towards Hermione. "Now, Hermione, I did not betray anyone!" insisted Remus. "At no time did I ever assist Sirius in his search."

Hermione shook her head violently. "I trusted you! You have no idea what I went through to make sure Harry was safe! Why?" she screamed.

"I'm not here to kill Harry!" Sirius snarled. "I'm here to get Pettigrew."

"Peter?" Hermione whispered. "Peter's dead. You killed him!"

"No I didn't!" he bellowed. "He made that explosion when he transformed into his Animagus form: a rat!"

Ron went pale as everyone looked at Scabbers.

"All this time," Hermione whispered hollowly.

"You're all fucking insane!" shouted Ron. "Scabbers is just a family rat."

"Wait!" said Hermione as she held up her hand. "How did you know how to find us?" She looked directly at Lupin for the answer.

"I was perusing the map Severus had confiscated from Harry. I saw his name on it. That map cannot lie," he replied.

"Dear God!" Hermione moaned as she looked at Ron holding Scabbers.

"Wait just a damn minute!" hollered Harry. "What has Professor Lupin done? What's this secret?"

"He's a werewolf, Harry," explained Hermione. "That's why he's been missing classes."

Harry laughed mirthlessly. "So that's why Snape made us learn all about werewolves?"

"Snape?" Sirius said as his eyes darted from Lupin to Hermione. "What about Snape?" His eyes pierced through Hermione as the answer sunk in.

Lupin sighed. "Severus Snape is a professor here, Sirius, as am I."

"That foul, slimy git? That Death Eater?" Sirius raged.

"Let's not get off course," said Lupin. "Let's just explain to Harry what is happening."

Sirius began to speak. "Twelve years ago, I was your father's best friend. We had been friends since our first days at Hogwarts. He was like a brother to me. We made friends with Remus and another boy that sort of hung around us, named Peter. The four of us were always hanging out. Remus here had to transform every month, so we decided to become Animagi. I was a black dog, named Padfoot. Your dad, James, was a stag named Prongs, Remus here didn't have to learn to change, we just called him Mooney, and then there was Peter. He was a rat, and we named him Wormtail."

"The Marauder's Map?" asked Harry. "My dad and you all created it?'

"Right," said Remus. "We charmed it so it cannot lie. So you can imagine my shock when I was looking through it and stumbled across a name of a person I thought had died twelve years ago...Peter Pettigrew!"

Sirius continued. "Your mum and dad were hounded and constantly being hunted by Voldemort. They finally were talked into going into hiding. One week, Harry. One fucking week before their deaths, I came up with a brilliant plan that no one could ever figure out: make Peter Pettigrew the Secret-Keeper to James and Lily's house."

"And we knew there was a mole amongst us, we just never suspected Peter, of all people!" said Lupin. "We had always suspected someone else. Right, Sirius?"

Hermione opened her mouth in shock. Sirius had thought she had been the mole!

Sirius glowered at him. "I was incensed. I went to track the rat bastard down, and I did. Unfortunately, he had gained a little skill from his Dark Lord. He caused a scene, created an explosion right after slicing off a finger, and transforming into his Animagus form. No one would believe me; none of us were registered Animagi. And it's illegal to become an Animagus and not register your form with the Ministry," he finished.

Sirius turned back to Lupin and said impatiently, "So, Remus, are we done now with the goddamn history lesson? Let's kill him! Now!"

Ron's eyes grew wide, and he said, "You just stay away from Scabbers. He's been in our family for ages!"

"Twelve years, right? Very curious. Now give me the fucking rat, and I'll show you what he really is!" Sirius snarled as he tried to rip Scabbers from Ron's hand. "I'd like to commit the murder I was imprisoned for!"

"You're both nutters!" hollered Ron. "A werewolf and a murderer! What a pair. How Dumbledore ever hired you is beyond me!"

Remus lowered his head. "I struggled all year. With Severus on my back about being in league with you..."

"Typical Snivellus!" sneered Sirius. "That piece of slime was forever following, stalking, and bothering us, trying to figure out what we were up to every month. So, I decided to give him a taste to sate his imagination."

Hermione was getting a bit fed up with Sirius at this point, and Lupin could sense it.

"And nearly got him killed, you bloody idiot!" shouted Lupin.

"So, that's why Snape doesn't like you," Harry asked Remus. "He thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin. They all stared in disbelief as Severus Snape slipped off the Invisibility Cloak and pointed his wand directly at Lupin.

Hermione screamed. This can't be happening! He's going to kill them both, and he'll be sent to Azkaban! Of all the times to be an idiot!

Hermione stood frozen in disbelief as the three men she had known, grown up with...one she had loathed, one who had wanted her, and the other who was the love of her life...relived the grudge of all grudges!

"I've told the Headmaster that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof! You never could believe in Black's guilt. Never could think the worst of him, even when he tried to get you to kill me!" Severus raged.

Hermione desperately wanted to help, but she couldn't risk exposing everything in front of Ron and Harry. Sure, Sirius wasn't guilty, but damn it if he was an innocent! She never would forget that spectacle Avery had forced her to watch, as Severus, Lily, and James had been played like puppets in a sick and twisted play.

"Severus, you are making a mistake!" warned Lupin as he held his hand up in a defense stance. "Sirius isn't here to kill Harry."

"Two more for Azkaban tonight!" Severus spat. His eyes were looking crazed. Hermione wondered if he even had it within him to see reason when it came to Sirius.

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back into Azkaban?"

BANG! Snake-like cords burst through Severus' wand and bound Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles. Black let out a roar of rage and attacked Severus.

"Stop it!" Hermione screamed. "Please!"

Severus had his wand pointed right between Sirius' eyes. "Give me a reason. Give me a reason, and I swear I'll do it."

Hermione walked cautiously towards Severus. "P-Please, P-Professor Snape," Hermione whispered softly. "Please can we just listen and not do anything rash?"

Severus didn't even look her. "Miss Granger, I would keep quiet if I were you. Vengeance is sweet," Severus whispered almost lovingly as he continued to glare at Sirius.

"Wrong again, Snape!" Black sneered. "As soon as we take that rat to the castle, I'll be a free man again."

"Whoever said anything about the castle?" said Severus with a malevolent smile. "I'll just gather a couple of Dementors and watch them give you a gentle kiss into that good night. Perhaps, they can spare another kiss for the wolf, too."

Hermione knew she needed to get Severus to stop this insanity. He was slipping and was about to make a tragic mistake that would destroy all the work they had endured over the years.

Hermione placed a hand on Severus' arm gently. "Professor Lupin could have killed Harry many times this year, Professor Snape, but he didn't. He didn't," she rationalized.

"Do not ask me to fathom the depths of a werewolf's mind," he said coolly.

"YOU'RE JUST PATHETIC! JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU IN SCHOOL, YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN!" Harry yelled suddenly.

Hermione jumped back and grabbed Harry's hand before he rushed Severus. Don't, Harry, for the love of God, don't do this! she prayed silently.

"Don't you speak to me like that, you whelp! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! Instead, I have to endure the spawn of James Potter speaking to me as if he knew anything that is going on in this room!" Severus raged.

"Neither do you!" Hermione snapped at him. She walked up to him, looking up into his face, and whispered softly so Ron and Harry couldn't hear her. "If you've ever loved me, you'll stop this. Just stop this now, go back to the castle, and let the Ministry handle this."

Severus stood back, and after a minute of struggling with himself, let Lupin loose. The tension was still thick, but at least some order had come into the situation. They all continued to talk about Peter, the missing toe, the paper Sirius saw in Azkaban that showed Ron and his family in Egypt. There had been Scabbers on the cover, and that was how Sirius had found out that had been where Pettigrew had been all these years.

"So the rat attached himself to an old pure-blood wizarding family to keep a look-out on his master's whereabouts!" Sirius concluded.

"So now what?" demanded Harry. "You want to commit murder...become what they all said about you all this time?"

"Harry, that piece of filth is the reason you don't have your parents anymore!" raged Sirius.

Lupin turned to Severus and reasoned with him. "Please, Severus, join us. Force him to show himself," begged Lupin. "Let's get the bastard responsible for making our lives hell for the last thirteen years."

Grudgingly, Severus brandished his wand and steadied his hand. Sirius grabbed at Scabbers from Ron, and the rat went insane, running all around the room. Finally, one of the spells either from Lupin, Sirius, or Severus hit him, and there he was: Peter Pettigrew.