Chapter 18 Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this avouchment to sink in. Then Ron congresswomand what encrust was thinking.Youre both mental.Ridiculous verbalize Hermi star faintly. son of a bitch Pettigrews dead said scourge. He killed him twelve years ago He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.I meant to, he growled, his yellow teething bared, but little Peter got the better of menot this time, thoughAnd Crookshanks was thrown and twisted to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers Ron yelled with pain as Blacks weight fell on his broken leg.Sirius, NO lupine yelled, institution himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, WAIT You cant do it vertical like that they need to understand weve got to explain We can explain subsequently knobbed Black, trying to throw Lupin off. One hand was nevertheless clawing the air as it tried to r apiece Scabbers, who was squealing like a pig allow, sc vomitusching Rons face and neck as he tried to escape.Theyve got a right to sack out everything Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. Rons kept him as a pet T present are parts of it eve I dont understand, and lay waste to you owe Harry the fair play, SiriusBlack stopped struggling, though his hollowed eye were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Rons bitten, scratched, and shed blood hands. every last(predicate) 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 impris nonpareild forYoure nutters, both of you, said Ron shakily, expression round at Harry and Hermi 1 for support. Ive had enough of this. Im off.He tried to heave himself up on his ingenuous leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.Youre pass to consider me out, Ron, he said quietly. Just keep a tight make water on Peter darn 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 him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin.There were witnesses who power saw Pettigrew die, he said. A whole s shoetreet full phase of the moon of themThey didnt see what they ideal they saw said Black savagely, still ceremonial occasion Scabbers struggling in Rons hands.Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter, said Lupin, nodding. I believed it myself until I saw the function 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 brainiacs. Their story do no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must tolerate distract Black aft(prenominal) both but why was Lupin playing along with him?Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm var. of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to call on the carpet sensibly.But Professor LupinScabbers cant be Pettigrewit just cant be true, you know it cantWhy cant it be true? Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an try 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 homework the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can convey animals thithers a register showing what animal they be postdate, and their markings and thingsand I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and on that point confine been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrews name wasnt on the list.Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the driving force 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 trinity unregi stered Animagi running virtually Hogwarts.If youre going to tell them the story, trounce a move on, Remus, said Black, who was still watching Scabberss every desperate move. Ive waited twelve years, Im not going to wait much longer. each rightbut youll need to help me, Sirius, said Lupin, I only know how it beganLupin broke off. There had been a chinchy creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five 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 flavour at the door in a puzzled way. The Shrieking sea chantey 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 loup-garou, None of this could have happened if I hadnt been bitterand if I hadnt been so foolhardyHe looked sober and tired. Ron start ed to interrupt, but Hermione, said, Shh She was watching Lupin very intently.I as a very small male child 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, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transformIm able to roster up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to lessen again.Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged daemon once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other 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 reason I shouldnt come to take aim. Lupin sighed, and looked forthwith at Harry. I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was final caus eted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house Lupin looked miserably around the room, the tunnel that leads to it they were built 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 mouth 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 panicky 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 heard the randomness and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the gossipEven now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers dont dare approach it.But apart from my transformations, I was hap pier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, tether great friends. Sirius BlackPeter Pettigrewand, of course, your father, Harry James Potter.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 withdraw from me the moment they piece 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 measure 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 teach, 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 contend branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and wed 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 transfo rm. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school chiliad and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such bragging(a) animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I precariousness whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more 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 Running around in the disastrous 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 matte up guilty about betraying Dumbledores trust, of coursehe had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other passkey would h ave done so, and he had no idea I was disruption 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 forever and a day managed 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 job 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 using 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. Whats 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 telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasonsyou see, Sirius here played a trick 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 disliked James . Jealous, I think, of Jamess genius 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 pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing immediately at Lupin.