Chapter 2
The moment came sooner than expected the Thursday of their first week of classes. Checking no one was around, she grabs a rock and transfigures it into a small cage. A few charms to prevent him from shifting back into a human, she catches the sleeping rat outside one of the greenhouses and places him quickly inside. A well placed Silencio keeps him quiet. She places him into her pockets that already had the undetectable expandable charms on them. She needed a story before she could turn him in.
Theo was looking at her funny the rest of the day, especially during dinner where you could hear Ron Weasley upset he couldn't find his rat.
She raises an eyebrow at him before going back to eating. She knew his personality well, he had been her fiance at one point after all. He was the quiet watching everything type. She wasn't ready to be caught yet though.
She listened as Draco got excited about their first potions class the next day. He made it clear that Snape was his Godfather and he had already been learning from him from a young age. Already she was the top of their class (having already done this work before) so he was hoping to have at least one class to one up her on.
She already knew he was going to but pushing his buttons was too funny to miss.
---
She was being stared at. She tried ignoring him but she was sure she wasn't doing a good job.
Severus Snape had been staring at her since she walked into his classroom.
"Miss Black, please stay for a few moments please, " he announces as everyone packs up their bags to leave.
"Yes Professor?" He gestures for her to sit in front of his desk where he placed a pot of tea.
"I will get straight to the point with you, if I may, " she nods. " Your father was my best friend. As such I feel it is my duty to check in on you and let you know if you ever have any troubles, you can come to me. I was meant to be your Godfather if you shall accept that title for me?" He smiled at her.
She ponders this new information before nodding her head in agreement. And decides to test this new arrangement.
"Well Godfather, I would like to ask your help actually. Can you keep a secret?" She smiles up at him.
"Indeed I can. "
She pulls out the cage. And places it on his desk. The rat was pissed.
"Is that Mr Weasley's familiar?" He arches a brow at her, wondering where she was going with this.
"Yes sure except...I don't think it is a rat. At least not born as one. " she decides to take more of a chance on the man. "My mother told me a few things about my father and as a result being his daughter, I must say I do not trust taking this to the Headmaster. He has never seemed to help anything under the Black name, and I would be just the same. I was wondering.... can you take this to the Head Auror at the Ministry?"
She watched as his eyes spoke volumes on trying to comprehend what she just asked of him.
"I would like my name to stay out of it so you can makeup what ever story you may on your suspicions about the rat. I just don't want to involve Professor Dumbledore," she adds. It was the reminder of Dumbledore telling a 17 year old Regulus Black he wouldn't help him that made his decision. His friend was long gone but his daughter was right here. He takes the cage and watches her leave to lunch.
---
"Minerva, a word if you please?" Severus knocks on the older woman's door. She gestures him in. He charms the door locked and cast a Muffiato around them.
He places the cage on her desk. If his goddaughter was right, the rat could only be one other thing. An animangus.
"Is that the missing pet of Mr Weasley?" She looks at him in confusion.
"I believe this may be an animangus and I would like you to come with me to see Madam Bones," he says. She opens her mouth to start asking questions but shuts it instead to get up and follow him through the floo.
---
"Good evening Professors, I had not expected to see you today, " Amelia Bones walks into her office where Minerva and Severus were waiting.
"Pardon us for interrupting your day Madam Bones, but it was brought to our attention that this rat, " he places the cage onto the desk, " is not a pet rat but in fact an animangus. He is the familiar of a 1st year boy but if I remember correctly, he was also his older brother's. I'd say 10 yearsish with the family. An abnormal life span for the rodent," Severus begins his explanation.
"And how was this brought to your attention if I may ask?," the Head Auror was looking fascinated by the caged animal. "I'd assume the wards would have recognized the person but if he has been coming in and out every year for a while, I'd assume not..."
"No,Madam, " Minerva decides to bring forth the problem with the Board. "We have put in requests for a renewal of the wards for the past 10 years with the Board but have been declined. They are not up to par, I'm sad to say, too keep the children safe. "
"I'm sorry to hear that. If this creature is indeed a witch or wizard, maybe that can help change their minds, don't you think? Follow me, we have a room we can use to change him back if he is. "
The room was bare. They stunned the rat before pulling him out the cage and laying him on the floor before leaving the room, to watch from the other side. Madam Bones stays in to cast the finite spell.
Everyone stares in shock as Peter Pettigrew lays before them.