Through the Tunnel
February drifted through to March, and there was still so sign of Scabbers. Ron and Hermione had stopped fighting though for Beth’s sake.
March changed to April and Beth was able to repel the boggart dementor every single time in anti-dementor lessons with Remus.
April changed through to May and everyone started to calm down, there were more important things to worry about than Sirius, such as the Quidditch cup which was won by Hufflepuff.
May was spent doing the regular frantic studying for the end of year exams.
The first few days in June were spent sitting the exams.
On Thursday evening, Beth had just finished sitting her Arithmancy exam.
Susan and Beth were walking through the grounds together, it was a quiet summer’s evening and the first night they had had off in what felt like a month.
“How do you think the exams went?” asked Susan.
“I don’t know how muggle studies went; I think I got my essay completely wrong.”
“I’m sure it was fine Sus,” giggled Beth.
“Do you want to head in at some point?” asked Susan.
It was a quarter to nine and nearly curfew.
“Do we have to?” sighed Beth.
It just seemed like such a nice evening; she didn’t want to go back to the Common Room where everyone would be crowding her.
“Just a few more minutes Sus please?”
“Oh alright,” said Susan shaking her head as they started towards Hagrid’s hut.
As they started towards the hut they saw a mass of orange fur go charging past them.
“Was that?” stammered Susan.
“Crookshanks,” nodded Beth.
“With Scabbers!” they both exclaimed looking at each other.
They both chased after Crookshanks at top speed.
Crookshanks stopped by the Whomping Willow and tapped one of the roots. The branches stopped moving and a tunnel appeared in the base of the tree.
“Sus,” said Beth turning to Susan frantically.
“Go and find Remus and tell him I’ve gone to the Shrieking Shack.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” stammered Susan looking at Beth nervously.
“I’ve got to go after them, otherwise Hermione and Ron will never stop fighting. Go and find Remus, and explain that I’ve gone to the Shrieking Shack, he’ll know what to do.”
“Ok Beth,” said Susan nodding.
“Good luck,” said Susan pulling Beth in for a hug, “I love you!”
Beth nodded and bit her lip walking towards the tree.
She levitated a twig over to the knot of the tree and pressed it. The tunnel appeared again in the tree.
Susan watched nervously as Beth walked into the tree and then sprinted off to go and find Remus.
Beth found herself in a pitch-black tunnel.
“Lumos!” she whispered lighting up her wand.
“Crookshanks!” she called using her wand as a torch trying to look for the cat.
“Scabbers!”
She couldn’t see either of them, so she walked along the passage, searching for the two pets as she went.
She felt like she’d been walking for miles when the path began to change, the path began to rise slightly, and Beth could see a crack of light coming from around the corner.
“Well I’ve gotten this far,” she muttered.
She looked behind, taking one last look for Crookshanks or Scabbers.
Remus is one his way, Beth reminded herself, whatever is around that corner, Remus will be here soon.
She took a deep breath and walked around the corner where there was a hole in the wall. She walked through into a dilapidated old room, the furniture was all broken and the windows boarded up.
So this must be the Shrieking Shack.
She summoned every last inch of courage and clasped onto her wand firmly.
“Crookshanks!” she called nervously as she went up the stairs.
“Scabbers!”
There was creaking from upstairs and she walked up to the bedroom.
“Crookshanks, if you’re hiding in there, you’d best come out!”
There was still no answer and she opened the door to the other room at the top of the stairs.
There was a fire burning in here so there was clearly another person in the house, and Beth had a bad feeling who that might be.
Beth bit her lip and walked further into the room.
“Crookshanks!” she exclaimed finding Hermione’s cat lying on top of the bed.
Crookshanks seemed to be playing with a squirming Scabbers.
“Thank Merlin you’re both alive,” she sighed in relief, “I thought you had eaten him for sure this time.”
“I’m not sure even that rat would taste particular rat would taste very nice, even to a cat,” whispered a hoarse voice from a corner of the room.
“Who’s there?” stammered Beth.
Beth shone her wand into the corner of the room and the man walked out of the shadows.
He had dark matted hair which fell down to his shoulders. His face was ghostly white and hollow, his beetle black eyes stuck out a mile on his paper white skin. He looked more skeletal than man, but Beth still knew that face anywhere. That was her uncle.
“Look I don’t know who you are,” stammered Beth, “I just want to take Crookshanks and Scabbers and go.”
“You’re not going anywhere, and neither is that rat!”
Sirius bolted the door shut.
“Now the next question how do you know this exceptionally bright cat?”
“Um well, actually he’s a kneazle,” Beth pointed out.
“And now it all makes sense,” muttered Sirius shaking his head.
Sirius looked away from the squirming rat for a moment and looked Beth in the eyes.
He took a step back in shock.
“Lilybeth?” he muttered staring into her eyes and cupping her chin.
“Look,” said Beth frantically trying to back away, “I don’t know who you are, or what you want from me, but could you please just let me go back to the school!”
“Don’t lie to me,” growled Sirius, “I haven’t changed that much!”
“It’s funny you know,” he chuckled reminiscently, “Lily was always a terrible liar too, you must get that from her.”
“How can you talk about her like that!” she screamed “you betrayed them!”
A pained look came across Sirius’ face and he flinched slightly.
“I didn’t!” he protested.
“I as good as did it, but I could never have betrayed James and Lily!”
“I don’t know what in the world you’re talking about,” stammered Beth as she tried to walk back towards the exit dropping her wand.
“Listen to me!” yelled Sirius gripping onto her clinging onto her for dear life, “you have to listen to me!”
“Please just me go!” sobbed Beth.
“You have to listen to me!!” pleaded Sirius shaking her in desperation.
There was a sudden crash of the door being burst open.
“Let go of her!!” glared Remus standing ominously in the doorway his wand at the ready. He looked like one of the furies summoned from Hell.
“Remus?” whispered Sirius turning towards him.
“Let go of her!” whispered Remus, walking purposefully into the room, his voice full of anger.
Professor Snape was now standing in the doorway with his wand held out like sword, ready to strike at any moment.
Sirius slackened his grip on Beth and Beth went running over to Remus bursting into tears.
“Shhh” he muttered softly, “it’s alright, I’m here now.”
“Remus, you’ve got to believe me!” stammered Sirius, “please just listen to me!”
“Tell it to the dementor’s Black,” growled Snape walking towards him, “they’re dying to see you.”
“You wouldn’t,” said Sirius his voice only half full of conviction, “even you wouldn’t do that to an innocent man Snape.”
“Innocent man!” spat Snape.
“Just give me a chance please!” he begged running over to the bed where Crookshanks was still clinging onto a struggling Scabbers.
“One more move Black and you’ll regret it I swear!” snarled Snape backing Sirius against the wall with his wand.
“It’s the rat!” screamed Sirius.
“Listen to me Moony, look at the rat!”
Remus looked up for a second from where he had been comforting a sobbing Beth.
“You’ll be ok little one,” said Remus passing her back her wand, “just wait here.”
Remus walked over to the bed cautiously his wand held aloft, Snape was looking at him incredulously.
“Don’t listen to him Lupin,” said Snape shaking his head, “he’s mad!”
“Peter,” breathed Remus in shock picking up the rat.
“The rat?” asked Snape getting more confused by the minute still pining Sirius up against the wall.
“But that can’t be right,” muttered Beth coming over, “Scabbers can’t be Peter, the Weasley’s have had him for twelve years!”
“That’s an unusually long life for a common garden rat,” said Snape quietly, “they usually die after two or three.”
“It’s because he’s an animagus,” pleaded Sirius, “you’ve got to believe me!”
“I’m innocent,” he whispered.
Snape still looked unconvinced, a world in which Sirius, inconceivable!
Remus looked at the rat for a moment.
It was Peter alright; he was even missing a toe.
“See for yourself Severus,” growled Remus passing him the squirming rat.
Beth watched in confusion as Severus inspected the rat.
Remus put his hands-on Beth’s shoulders protectively.
“If this really is Pettigrew,” muttered Snape, “then Black is?”
“Innocent,” nodded Remus and Sirius simultaneously.
“Prove it then,” said Snape putting the rat on the ground.
Remus and Snape both pointed their wands at the rat, which began to levitate in the air.
Beth had to close her eyes in disgust as Ron’s rat Scabbers slowly changed into a small man with an equally rat like face.
“Remus!” said Peter scrambling on the ground to get up, “Sirius!”
“Stupefy!” said Snape lazily, “incarcerous!”
Peter was knocked out unconscious and tied up.
Snape still kept his wand on him his eyes full of menace.
“Sirius,” stammered Remus was grip on Beth’s shoulder slackening.
Sirius smiled slightly his eyes lighting up for the first time in years.
Sirius ran over to Remus and pulled him in for a hug.
“I’m sorry!” they said simultaneously, both of them in floods of tears.
“You first,” said Remus chuckling slightly.
“I’m sorry I left you like that, on your own in the world, I should never have trusted Peter.”
“And I’m sorry that I believed you betrayed James and Lily,” said Remus stroking Sirius’ cheek, “I should have known better.”
“No Moons, I should have known better, known better than to trust that dirty fucking rat.”
“I don’t know about Miss Potter,” muttered Snape as he sat down on the old bed, still pointing his wand at Peter, “but I would like an explanation as to what’s going on here.”
“Yes of course Severus, you’re right,” said Remus nodding.
“Since when are you and Snivilus on first name terms?” asked Sirius.
“Since I grew up Sirius, he’s a decent guy, he’s been making me Wolfsbane potion all year.”
“I think we must both think we’re in parallel universes Black,” chuckled Snape, “I’m not half bad, and you’re completely innocent.”
“Hmm,” grunted Sirius kneeling down next to Peter and looking for something.
“What are you doing Sirius?” asked Remus concernedly.
“Got you, you fucking bastard!” exclaimed Sirius holding Peter’s wand aloft.
“The explanation Sirius,” said Remus gently.
Remus sat down on the floor next to Sirius keeping his wand on Peter, and Beth curled up next to him.
“Right,” Sirius muttered and taking a deep breath.
“The first thing you all need to know, is that I wasn’t the secret keeper.”
“What?” breathed Remus.
“We changed it, it was meant to be a rouse for Voldemort, we changed the secret keepers to Peter on the 30th of October.”
“Played right into his hands,” spat Snape.
“I know that!” exclaimed Sirius.
“I didn’t betray James and Lily, but I might as well have done,” he said shaking his head.
“Go on Siri,” said Remus putting his arm around him.
“On Halloween, I was at the flat getting ready for your return Remi, I was doing the washing up and I had the strangest feeling in my chest.”
Sirius stammered for a moment.
“I knew James and Lily were in trouble, so I apparated to Godric’s Hollow straight away, the house was half in ruins.”
“We know what the house was like Black,” whispered Snape, “we don’t need a reminder.”
“Right,” Sirius nodded still confused at Snape being civil.
“I went into the house and saw James lying at the bottom of the stairs, his glasses askew, I carried on up the stairs and found Lils lying on the nursery floor. As I was crying over Lils’ body I heard a little voice calling for me.”
Sirius smiled over at Beth who was curled up against Remus.
“My Lilybeth, miracle that you are, survived.”
“I tried to take her home with me and put her in the sidecar, but then Hagrid appeared, and told me that Dumbledore wanted her to go with Lily’s family.”
Remus and Snape grimaced slightly but didn’t say anything, now was not the time for discussing the Dursleys.
“As I watched Lilybeth fly away I knew there was only one thing I should do.”
“Track down Peter and make him pay for what he’d done!” he growled glaring at Peters frozen and tied up body.
“You shouldn’t have gone alone Siri,” sighed Remus, “you should have waited!”
“I always was a bit rash and impulsive though, wasn’t I?” said Sirius chuckling slightly.
“I searched and I searched, eventually I found Peter at a muggle street in Yorkshire on the 2nd of November.”
“Peter accused me of betraying the Potters, and cut off his own finger before causing an explosion which killed the muggles and then transforming himself into a rat.”
“The aurors arrived not long after,” sighed Sirius.
“That explains part of it,” sighed Remus.
“Uncle Sirius,” stammered Beth.
“Yes Lilybeth?”
“How did you get out of Azkaban?”
“That is a good question Miss Potter,” said Snape.
“The minister was visiting, and he left me his daily prophet for the crossword. On the front page was a photograph of a wizarding family who had a rat that I would have recognised anywhere.”
“I transformed into a dog and slipped out through the bars, and then swam ashore.”
“So you weren’t looking for Miss Potters dorm at all?” asked Snape, “you were looking for Mr Weasleys?”
Sirius nodded.
“So Pettigrew wasn’t the only unregistered animagus larking about out then?”
“No, James and I could transform too.”
“That leads us to tonight,” muttered Remus.
“Beth Cariad, what happened tonight?”
“Um well, Sus and I were going for a walk, we’d finished our exams and were just enjoying being outside for a while. We started walking towards Hagrid’s hut, when we saw Crookshanks run past with Scabbers, um er Peter.”
Remus nodded in understanding.
“We followed Crookshanks who was heading into the Whomping Willow. I had seen Crookshanks open the tunnel, so I knew how to do it, I told Susan to run back to the school and get you, and tell you I was going to the Shrieking Shack.”
“I walked down the tunnel and found Crookshanks, Sirius and Peter here.”
“Didn’t you know that Black was going to be at the end Potter?” asked Snape.
“I think I had a feeling I might be, but I wasn’t scared because I knew Susan had gone to go and get Remus.”
“You did the right thing sweetheart,” beamed Remus kissing her on the head, “I’m proud of you.”
“I suppose this is where we take over Lupin?” asked Snape.
Remus nodded.
“I was in my office, Severus had arrived with my goblet of wolfsbane and I had just drunk it when Susan came rushing into my office like a woman possessed.”
“She started stammering about Miss Potter, Grangers cat, Weasley’s rat and the Shrieking Shack,” said Snape, “it sounded like utter gibberish.”
“But then I checked the map, and saw Beth disappearing off the map and up the tunnel.”
“I think that’s everything,” shrugged Snape.
“What about Sus?” muttered Beth.
“I gave Miss Bones a calming draught and sent her back to her Common Room,” said Snape, “she should be fine.”
There was silence in the room for a moment and they all listened to the fire crackling.
“We should get back to the school,” said Severus getting up.
“You’re right Severus,” said Remus getting up.
Crookshanks went first, Snape and Sirius carried Pettigrew between them, and they were followed by Remus who was his arm around Beth.
“You’re more like Lily than James,” said Sirius as they walked down the tunnel.
“You’ve got her kindness, her heart.”
“What’s going to happen?”
“What do you mean Cariad?”
“With Uncle Sirius, and Peter?”
“Well, if we’re going to it properly, I’ll have to go back into the ministry,” grumbled Sirius, “get the trial I never got.”
“Do you think they’ll let you go free?”
“Seeing as we’ve got Peter for evidence?” asked Remus, “they have no choice.”
They reached the end of the tunnel and Remus flinched as he saw a full moon come out from behind the clouds.
Remus’ body started to shake slightly as he started to transform.
“Lilybeth no!” screamed Sirius running towards her and pulling her away from Remus.
“Run Beth!” he yelled pointing towards the castle.
“No!” sobbed Beth, “I want to stay with Remus!”
“It’s not safe!”
“Remus is perfectly safe,” muttered Snape shaking his head and looking at the perfectly tame wolf.
The wolf came over to Sirius and Beth and nuzzled up to them both, even touching noses with Crookshanks.
Beth put her hands in Remus’ warm fur as Snape and Sirius continued to levitate Peters still tied up body back to the castle.
“Severus!” yelled McGonagall running out towards them with Professor Sprout and Dumbledore.
“What in the name of all that is holy is going on?”
“Is that Remus?” she stammered looking at the wolf that Beth was cuddling.
“I think from the evidence of Pettigrews body,” said Dumbledore, “that this means that Sirius is innocent?”
“It was Pettigrew all along,” nodded Snape.
“I’m sure that this is a very long and interesting story Severus, but I think Miss Potter should get to bed.”
“Yes of course,” said Professor Sprout who had been standing very confused in the background.
“See you on the other side Lilybeth,” said Sirius giving her a hug.
“Next time you see me, I’ll be a free man,” he chuckled.
Beth knelt down next to Remus.
“I’ll see you later Remus,” said Beth kissing the wolf on the head, “I love you!”
“Am I going to be getting an explanation for any of this?” asked Sprout as she led Beth back to the Common Room.
“Peter betrayed Mum and Dad,” she said drowsily, “not Sirius, they’re both animagi.”
“Is it possible that your explanation has made me more confused dear?”
“With the night I’ve had Professor, that doesn’t surprise me.”
“Beth!” exclaimed Ginny throwing herself at Beth as she came in through the Common Room door.
Even though it was nearly midnight everyone was still waiting up for her.
The boys and Artie had been trying to distract themselves with a half-hearted game of Trick or Treat every flavour beans.
Susan’s calming draught had worn off nearly two hours ago and Cedric had had to forcibly restrain Susan from leaving the Common Room to go and look for Beth.
“Hey Sus,” said Cedric chuckling, “look who’s over there?”
“Beth!” yelled Susan leaping up from the armchair and pulling Beth into a tight hug as if she’d never let go.
“Thank goodness you’re alright!” she sobbed.
“What happened Beth?” asked Ernie.
Beth half collapsed into her and Susan’s armchair out of relief
“Scabbers is Peter, Sirius is innocent, and Snape is good.”
“Well that was complete gibberish,” said Zach raising his eyebrows.
“I think that’s the best you’re going to get out of her tonight,” said Cedric chuckling.
“Bed the lot of you!” he said firmly pointing upstairs.