The Grim
The moon hung high above the Forbidden Forest, casting a pale, silvery glow over the school grounds.
Harry’s footsteps were soft on the snow as he walked along the edge of the forest, deep in thought. The tension in the air felt heavier than usual, and his mind kept returning to the events unfolding around him. Sirius Black—his godfather—was still believed to be a dangerous criminal, and the truth about Peter Pettigrew had yet to come to light.
Harry could feel the weight of the secret pressing down on him. It wasn’t just the fact that he knew the truth—it was that he had the power to change everything. He could help clear Sirius’s name, make things right for his parents, and stop Peter from getting away with his betrayal. But how?
As Harry walked further along the path, a shape in the shadows caught his attention. A large, black dog—no, a Grim—emerged from the darkness, moving with the unmistakable grace of a creature with a purpose. Harry knew who it was before the creature even shifted.
"Sirius," Harry muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.
The Grim stopped, its eyes locking with Harry’s. Then, without warning, the creature’s form shifted, and in place of the enormous dog stood Sirius Black, his face drawn and worn but filled with a certain intensity.
"You… you knew it was me?" Sirius asked, his voice rough but not aggressive.
Harry stood still, watching him. "I know who you are, Sirius. You’re not the monster they say you are."
Sirius’s face faltered for a moment—relief, confusion, and suspicion all fighting for dominance. He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving Harry. "And you know why I’m here?"
Harry nodded. "I know you’re looking for Peter. But you don’t have to do this alone. We don’t have to repeat the same mistakes from last time."
Sirius frowned, shaking his head. "What do you mean? I’m going to make him pay for what he did to James and Lily. For what he did to me."
Harry met Sirius’s gaze with unwavering certainty. "I’m not saying you shouldn’t make him pay, but killing him won’t fix everything. It won’t bring your friends back, and it won’t clear your name."
Sirius clenched his fists, frustration evident in the way his jaw tightened. "I don’t need my name cleared. What matters is getting rid of the rat. If I have to kill him, then so be it."
Sirius stared at Harry, his eyes intense with frustration and determination. He was so close to avenging his friends, to exacting the justice he had waited for years to deliver. The thought of letting Peter Pettigrew slip away again seemed unimaginable to him.
But Harry wasn’t backing down.
"Stay with me, Sirius," Harry said, his voice steady, though he could feel the weight of his words. "Killing Peter will only make things worse."
Sirius's lips twisted into a bitter smile, shaking his head. "You don’t understand, Harry. You’re just a child. You have no idea what he did to us. What he did to your parents. He’s the reason they’re dead. I’m not going to let him live.”
Harry’s gaze softened, but his tone remained firm. "I do understand. More than you think. And that’s exactly why we can’t do this. The Ministry will never believe you if you do this. They'll just think that you’re guilty like they always thought."
Sirius took a step back, his expression conflicted, torn between the rage burning in his chest and the words Harry was throwing at him. "I’m already guilty in their eyes, Harry. They’ll never see me for what I am."
Harry stepped forward, his heart pounding with the weight of what he was about to suggest. "No. We’ll turn him over to the Ministry. To the DMLE. Let them review his case. You’re not guilty, Sirius. You have a chance to prove that. If we let the Ministry handle it, they’ll be forced to investigate, and once they realize the truth, they’ll have to set you free. They’ll see Peter for what he really is."
Sirius looked at Harry as if he had just heard a completely foreign idea. He seemed to consider it for a moment, his expression torn. "You’re asking me to trust the system that locked me up for twelve years. I don’t know if I can do that."
"Then trust me," Harry said, his voice steady.
Sirius glanced down at the ground, as though weighing the words. His eyes flickered with frustration, but then something softer appeared in them—hope, buried beneath the years of pain. Finally, he nodded slowly. "Alright," he said, though his voice was thick with emotion. "We do it your way. We turn him over to the Ministry."
Harry exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Sirius. I know it’s not easy, but it’s the best shot we have. And we’ll make sure it works."
Sirius looked at Harry, his eyes more open than they had been in years.
"But how did you know all of this?" he questioned quietly. Harry just smiled and didn’t answer any of his questions.
After the conversation with Sirius, Harry felt a sense of resolve solidifying within him. They had a plan—finally—one that didn’t involve killing Peter. It wasn’t a perfect plan, and it wasn’t a quick solution, but it was a path toward justice, toward clearing Sirius’s name and bringing Peter Pettigrew to the light.
Over the next few days, Harry worked quickly behind the scenes, trying to arrange a way to get Peter into the custody of the DMLE. He couldn’t afford to let things slide now—not with Sirius finally trusting him and the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place.
The next part of the plan was crucial: convincing Remus Lupin to be involved. Harry knew that Lupin deserved to know the truth—he had been one of the closest friends of his parents, and he deserved to understand the whole picture.
So, one evening, after everyone had retired for the night, Harry found himself standing outside Lupin’s office, his heart heavy with the conversation he was about to have. He had to tell him everything—about Sirius’s innocence, about Peter’s treachery, and about the secret he had kept hidden for so long.
Lupin was still working late, and Harry knew this was the moment. With a deep breath, Harry knocked on the door.
A soft voice called out from inside. "Come in."
Harry pushed the door open and stepped inside, his eyes meeting Lupin’s tired but welcoming gaze. "Professor," Harry began, his voice steady but firm, "I need to talk to you."
Lupin closed the book in front of him and gestured for Harry to sit. "Of course, Harry. What’s on your mind?"
Harry took a seat across from him, his hands resting on his knees.
He hesitated for only a moment before speaking. "You know about Sirius Black, right? The one everyone thinks is guilty of betraying my parents."
Lupin nodded, his face darkening at the mention of his old friend’s name. "Yes. I know him."
Harry took a deep breath, trying to steady the weight of the truth he was about to reveal. His heart beat faster as he met Lupin’s eyes.
"Sirius didn’t betray them," Harry said, his voice firm, the conviction clear in every syllable. "It was Peter Pettigrew."
Lupin’s brow furrowed in disbelief. His face, always calm and measured, now reflected shock. "Peter?" he repeated, as though the name didn’t make sense in the context. "But… how do you know this, Harry?"
Harry took a step closer, his mind racing. "I know because it’s the truth, Professor." He paused, measuring his words. "I’ve seen the evidence. I know what happened that night. It was Peter who betrayed your friends, not Sirius."
Lupin stared at him, clearly trying to process this new information. His eyes flickered, searching Harry’s face for any sign that this was some sort of mistake or misunderstanding. But Harry stood there, unwavering, his expression steady.
"But… that doesn’t make sense. How could we have all been so wrong? Why would Peter… why would he do that?" Lupin asked, his voice tinged with the anguish of long-held grief and confusion.
Harry swallowed, his own emotions rising to the surface. He knew Lupin had carried that pain for years—had blamed himself, in part, for not seeing Peter for what he was. "I can’t explain everything right now, but I’ve spoken to Sirius. I’ve heard his side of it. And Peter is alive—he faked his death. He’s been hiding in plain sight all this time."
Lupin took a step back, as though the very idea of Peter still being alive shattered his world all over again. "And now… you want us to go to the Ministry?" Lupin asked cautiously, his voice hesitant. "Harry, I know you mean well, but you’re asking me to trust the Ministry. After all these years, do you think they’ll believe us?"
Harry met Lupin’s gaze, resolute. "They’ll have to. Sirius is ready to do this the right way. We’ll turn Peter in, let the Ministry investigate properly. We can’t let him slip through the cracks again. Not this time."
Lupin stood silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, finally, his shoulders slumped slightly, and he nodded, though the weight of the decision hung heavily between them. "You’re asking a lot, Harry," he said softly. "And I know how much it means to you—to clear Sirius’s name and put this right. But it’s not going to be easy."
Harry’s heart pounded, but he couldn’t back down now. "I know, Professor. But this is the only way. We need the Ministry to see the truth. And we need your help to make it happen."
Lupin looked at him for a long time, as though weighing his words carefully. Finally, he sighed and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder. "If you’re sure about this, Harry, then I’ll help. I owe it to your parents—and to Sirius—to make things right."
Harry felt a surge of relief wash over him. The battle wasn’t over yet, but with Lupin’s support, they had a fighting chance. "Thank you, Professor. This means more than you know."
Lupin smiled faintly, though his eyes were clouded with the complexity of everything they’d just discussed. "You’re a lot like your father, you know that?"
Harry smiled back, though the truth of their situation lingered heavy in the air. "I just want to make sure the people who matter get the truth they deserve."
Lupin’s smile grew a little more, and he gave Harry’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Then let’s make sure we do it right."