Harry Potter and the Serpent Items: Part 16

“You had to hide for ten years, Peter?” Remus deadpanned.

“Just listen to me.” Peter pleaded, “Harry has a new pet. A dog...”

“Black?” Remus’s voice was suddenly sharp.

“I would recognise him anywhere.” Peter agreed, “Harry doesn’t know the danger he’s...”

The leash escaped Harry’s hands, leaving a rope burn behind as he lost control of his dog. Padfoot bounded around the corner, Harry milliseconds behind, and pounced on one of the men.

The other drew his wand, but Harry was faster and shot off the one useful thing he’d learnt in the school’s Dueling Club. “Expelliamus!”

The other man’s wand flew into Harry’s hand as the boy tried to pull his dog off of the ratty looking man who looked like he’d lost a lot a weight recently.

“Padfoot.” Harry pleaded, trying to ignore the fact the man whose wand he’d taken was storming over. “Padfoot down.”

“Move away from that dog.” The second man, Remus, demanded of Harry, “And give me my wand back.”

“He’s mine.” Harry growled, “And no.”

“You don’t know who...”

“Sirius Black, my Godfather.” Harry shot back, “And my guardian.”

“He’s a dangerous criminal!” Remus protested.

“He saved my life.” Harry growled at him.

“He murdered thirteen Muggles and our friend Pe...”

“I did not!” Sirius transformed back, seizing the back of Peter’s robes as the man tried to flee, “It was all Pe...”

The man in question transformed into a rat and scurried away into the darkness.

“Damn it!” Sirius snarled before shifting back into a dog and chasing after the escaped rat.

“Padfoot!”

“Black!”

Harry and Remus darted after the pair but lost them in the dark alleys.

“Wand. Now.” Remus demanded of Harry.

“Promise you won’t attack Padfoot.” Harry shook his head, backing away from the thin, light brown haired man, his wand pointed at him.

“I swear I won’t attack Padfoot as long as he doesn’t attack either of us.” Remus swore.

The moment Harry handed Remus back his wand the man held it out on his hand, “Find Sirius Black.”

The wand hovered above his hand for a moment and then pointed in a rather specific direction.

Harry chased after Remus who followed his wand to find a rather angry dog that turned into an incredibly angry man.

“The bastard got away!” Sirius snarled, “That treacherous, lying, backstabbing rat!”

“Black.” Remus pointed his wand at the man, “I should kill you for betraying Lily and James.”

“What?” Harry yelped, stunned.

“It. Wasn’t. Me.” Sirius growled. “We swapped Secret Keepers. I was too obvious a choice. I should never have suggested Peter. When he heard what happened he fled and I hunted him down. The prick cut off his own toe and blew up half a street escaping.” Sirius snorted angrily, “I’ll swear it under Veratasirum if necessary.”

“Why didn’t you..." Remus trailed off as he remembered the fact that the most they’d ever found of Pettigrew was his toe, “You thought I was the spy.”

“I’m sorry, my friend.” Sirius hung his head in shame, 

Remus considered Black for a few moments then lowered his wand. “We should have known that it would be the rat.”

“Excuse me.” Harry spoke up when it became obvious that Remus wasn’t going to blast Sirius, “But who are you?”

“This Harry,” Sirius said with a grin, wrapping his arm around his friend and becoming amused when Remus pulled away, “Is Moony.”

“Remus Lupin.” Remus introduced himself while glowering at Sirius, “I was a friend of your parents.”

“Nice to meet you.” Harry nodded. He opened his mouth to say something else but stopped when the sound of people running down the alley.  Sirius swiftly transformed into his canine form before anyone could see him.

“What’s going on?” Harry recognised the man as the Auror who had helped him when he’d been attacked as Padfoot wandered up to Harry’s side. “Are you alright?” He asked Harry, who nodded.

“Sorry, my dog decided he was going to lick Mr Lupin to death and I had trouble pulling him off.” Harry apologised, “Sorry if the noise worried you.”

The Auror looked a little putout but didn’t say anything as he escorted the three of them back to the pub where Remus and Harry sat and had a meal, with Padfoot sat at Harry’s feet. Harry enjoyed a good meal and a conversation with an adult that actually seemed interested in what he had to say and seemed quite interested in things like his upcoming trip to Egypt.

Harry had the odd feeling that Remus wanted to do something drastic to the Dursleys after Harry had mentioned that they’d told him that his parents had died in a car crash and wisely kept back the rest of his upbringing. After all it didn’t matter if Vernon wasn’t going to recover from Powel’s Penalty Game.

Remus, in turn, explained that he’d been in the alleys because he had gotten a letter from a family friend who had wanted to meet up with him. He just hadn’t expected it to be who it had been. Not that they could report it to anyone. If they tried they’d just sound crazy. They needed proof which meant they needed the rat.

After the meal Remus told Harry to get in contact with him if he needed anything and suggested that he took Padfoot while Harry was in Egypt.  That way Harry’s friends wouldn’t suddenly have the huge canine dumped on them.

Of course what wasn’t said out loud was that none of his friends would be harbouring a wanted criminal either.

Harry sent Padfoot with Remus there and then, half making up his mind to pack up his stuff and go to the Weasleys. He was half hoping that Pettigrew had been stupid enough to go back to the one place he knew he could get food and water without having to forage for it or fight other rats. He seriously doubted anyone could be that stupid, but he could always hope.

He only hesitated to go and visit his friend only because sneaking into Muggle London was one thing, leaving London altogether was something else entirely. The matter was taken out of his hands when Mr Wealsey and a pair of Aurors knocked on his door just as he was packing up the last of his things.

He waited just long enough to make sure that he hadn’t left any of his cards behind and the followed the trio to the fireplace and then, through the floo network to the Burrow where Molly hurried Harry upstairs to the room he was going to share with Ron for the rest of the summer.

When he’d commented during one of the many discussions about the upcoming holiday that Hermione was going to be envious, Mrs Weasley had looked rather embarrassed and admitted that she hadn’t thought to invite the girl along and unfortunately she didn’t think that there was time to adjust the plans now but she’d try. It would be good for Ginny, after all, if there was another girl on the trip.

Within a few hours Hermione was also staying at the Weasley house and between the pair of them, they managed to get Ron into the card game and between that and Molly’s continued attempts to keep Harry as close to the house as possible, Harry lost track of time over the next few days. While he didn’t see a sign of ‘Scabbers’ the whole time he was there, he did enjoy several games of Quidditch, get to help degnome the garden and enjoyed some of the best food he’d had all summer.