Deceiving Magic's Child

A flash of blue-white light... a speeded-up film of a growing tree.

All the purebloods exchanged confused looks. What the hell was a film?

A head was shooting upward... Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back again.

"I can't believe it," Minerva muttered. It was one thing being told it. Albus had assured her it was true after Sirius re-joined the order. But it was something else to hear about it first hand like this.

"Well, hello, Peter,"... "My friends. . . my old friends. . . "

Sirius and Remus both growled.

Black's wand arm rose... He tried to kill me, Remus. . . . "

Sirius's eyes darted to the mantel. How he'd like to finish the rat once and for all.

"So we've heard," ... You've got to help me, Remus. . . . "

Albus blinked. How was all this happening without his older self being aware? Surely, someone must have realised that Harry and his friends were out of bed by now? Or that Severus was missing?

Black's face looked more skull-like... "When nobody has ever done it before?"

Kingsley rose a single brow at that.

"He's got dark powers... taught him a few tricks!"

"Lying little good for nothing..." Sirius mumbled under his breath.

Black started to laugh... "Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.

Even Tom wanted to laugh at that. His feats of magic were not mere tricks. And he did not share. 

Pettigrew flinched ... His whole face was shining with sweat now.

"No. They weren't," Lucius said. "They blamed Peter. Thought he'd betrayed the cause. Of course, not everyone knew he was a death eater. But those who did..."

"You haven't been hiding... They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them...

"Cousin Bella had a thing or two in store for Wormy," Sirius said vindictively. He had heard her rant about him in Azkaban. In fact, he may have egged her on, telling her all about Peter’s grand escape.

I've heard them screaming... If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter -"

"He'd be dead," Lucius said with a decisive nod.

"Don't know... would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Lupin evenly.

There was a murmur of agreement rippling through the chamber.

"Innocent, but scared!" ... the spy, Sirius Black!"

Sirius's eyes hardened. He silently begged Mother Magic to let him finish him off.

Black's face contorted... me and Remus. . . and James. . . "

Remus almost laughed. That was true enough. Peter was always hanging on their coat tails. He would laugh if he wasn't still insanely worried that they'd all die because they were foolish enough not to escape while they still could. He couldn't believe his older self was being so foolish. He was putting Harry and the others in danger.

Pettigrew wiped his face again... telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters. "

Harry glared at the mantel too now.

Pettigrew was muttering distractedly... can I say something?"

Everyone wondered what the girl could possibly want to say.

"Certainly, Hermione," ... how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

Moody rolled his eyes. "No motive. He thinks his old master is gone."

"There!" ... you could see what was in it for you.

Moody nodded. It made sense.

Voldemort's been in hiding... Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter?

The Weasleys looked unimpressed at this. They were all glaring at the mantel too.

Just in case your old protector... he had never seen anything quite like her.

"She called me Mr Black!" Sirius laughed loudly. "I don't think anyone's ever done that."

"If you don't mind me asking... He seemed to be pondering his answer.

"I wouldn't have been able to if I wasn't an animagus," Sirius said gruffly, "I imagine."

"I don't know how I did it," ... but it kept me sane and knowing who I am. . .

"Sane enough, at least," Sirius said sharply.

helped me keep my powers. . . I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand. . . . "

Amelia needed to make sure they got rid of the dementors. She'd talk to Heir Potter about it first of course, but she couldn't imagine he'd disagree with her that they had to go.

"But then I saw Peter in that picture... He'd be welcomed back with honors. . . . "

Moody nodded his head. He could easily see it happening that way. Damn, they really had been too carefree with Potter's safety. To think he'd been sharing his dorm room with a death eater for three years!

"So you see,... You fly as well as your father did, Harry. . . . "

Sirius smiled at that. He'd have to make sure he never missed a match.

He looked at Harry... Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.

"You believed me?" Sirius sighed in relief.

"Of course, I did," Harry whispered back. "You're my godfather."

"I'm your dad," Sirius corrected. "Dad number two. I'd like to say I'm the better of the two, but sadly that would be a lie. Your father was a thousand times the man I am."

"No!"...  without you touching them," said Black.

Severus choked on his laughter. That was the sort of thing he'd say.

"Remus!"... "Forgive me, Remus," said Black.

"Nothing to forgive," Remus muttered. "Protecting James, Lily and Harry came first."

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend,"... "Shall we kill him together?"

"YOU CAN'T!" Mrs Weasley screeched, before glancing at Harry. She didn't want to anger him again. "Not in front of the children," she whispered.

"Yes, I think so," ... you're on my side, aren't you?"

"Get away from my son," Arthur said in a deadly cold voice.

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew... it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black harshly.

Ron looked like he wanted to be sick. He didn't like thinking about Scabbers. Even though this had all happened years ago.

Ron, going still paler with pain... backed away against the wall, looking horrified.

Hermione glared at the rat in his cage.

Pettigrew knelt... HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

Sirius looked livid. His hand was itching for his wand.

"Harry," ... he would have shown me mercy. . . "

Harry frowned. He didn't know what his dad would have done. He still didn't know if he'd made the right decision that night.

Both Black and Lupin ... "Do you deny it?"

"He should really be brought before the wizagmot for trial," Amelia said with a sigh.

Pettigrew burst into tears... He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me -"

Sirius scoffed.

"DON'T LIE!"... "Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"Peter didn't care about that," Sirius said crossly.

"You don't understand!" .... AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

Harry closed his eyes. His feelings were waging a war in his stomach. Had he made a mistake?

Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder... "NO!" Harry yelled.

The entire chamber went suddenly quiet. They were all staring at Harry now.

He ran forward...  but don't kill him. "

Amelia smiled. She knew she was right about him.

"Harry!" ... I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers - just for you. "

Sirius made a sound half way between a laugh and a cry.

No one moved ... "But think. . . think what he did. . . . "

"It was your decision," Sirius said gently, "and you made the right one."

"You think?" Harry asked.

"I know," Sirius murmured. "You're a good man, Harry Potter."

"He can go to Azkaban,"... "That's all, I swear. "

"You should also cast anti animagi enchantments on the ropes," Tonks said. Personally, she wouldn’t have tied him up at all. She’d have stunned him and floated him back to the castle in chains but ropes would have to do, it seemed. 

Harry stepped out of the way...  nodded so that Pettigrew could see him.

Sirius couldn't be more proud of his pup. He was a better man than he was. A better man than most.

"Right,"... we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing. "

Poppy smiled at that. Too many people thought they were competent at mediwizardy.

He hurried over to Ron... "Thanks. "

Both sets of Weasley parents smiled at Remus.

"What about Professor Snape?" ... "You were just a little - overenthusiastic.

A couple of people laughed at that including Severus.

Still out cold... tucked it safely into his pocket.

"You're all forgetting something," Remus growled. "It's still the bloody full moon."

”Sorry,” Harry said, feeling abashed.

”It wasn’t your fault, Harry. It was my responsibility to take the potion and I should have made the decision to stay in the shack. The blame lies with my older self.”

"And two of us should be chained to this,"... "And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward.

Mrs Weasley whimpered. Now her son was chained to the werewolf.

”That really isn’t the wisest idea,” Moody said gruffly. 

Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air... his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high.

"Well, that's that then," Flitwick said. "Next chapter... oh dear."

"What?" everyone asked.

"The title of the chapter is The Dementors Kiss."

There was a sudden intake of breath as everyone sat a little straighter, feeling highly unnerved.