Thank you goes to my Beta Lady Chrissysmiles for a great job!!!
Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter and I am not making any money of of this story.
Chapter 3 - Saving Sirius From The Big Bad Rat
Suddenly Dumbledore turned. "Harry, my dear boy I forgot to ask you where we may find Sirius located." he admitted with a bit of a blush.
Harry grinned at this. "Sir, I don't know exactly where it is but I will allow Uncle Severus to access my memory of the street as Sirius described it to me, if he agrees that is. No offense to you Professor but Uncle Severus taught me Occlumency so my barriers are used to his presence and would not automatically turn defensive. I am told that some witches and wizards also live in this area so he may recognize it."
"None taken my dear boy I understand completely."
Harry looks at his uncle. "Is that acceptable to you sir?"
"It is acceptable to me as long as I have your permission." replied Severus.
With permission given Severus approached Harry with his wand drawn and whispered Legilimancy. He accessed the memory with the description of the street they were to go to.
"I know where we are going as I have been there myself. Albus it is where the Jacobs live."
"Ah yes I know the area. Remus do you know of our destination?" asked Dumbledore.
"No Albus I have never been there unfortunately. I will have to do Side-Along with one of you to get there." answered Remus.
Soon after, they left the office to accomplish their mission.
Along the way Albus filled Remus in on what Harry had told them about Sirius, Pettigrew and the events they were on their way to prevent as they headed out of Hogwarts. To say that he was not a happy werewolf would be an understatement. To think a friend of theirs betrayed James and Lily was just mind boggling. All he could think of was geting his hands on Peter but he couldn't do that or he would be the one going to Azkaban and he couldn't do that when his cub needed him.
When they got to the street in question they didn't see Sirius or Pettigrew, so they faded into the shadows to wait for them to appear.
They didn't have long to wait before Pettigrew appeared and was looking all around. Severus quietly moved within the shadows to get a better position close to Pettigrew so he could be ready to capture the rat.
Then Sirius appeared looking around murderously. He spotted Pettigrew and quickly began to make his way over to where he was standing.
"PETER!" yelled Sirius.
Pettigrew looked at Sirius with real fear in his eyes. "Sirius how nice to see you again old friend," the rat simpered.
"Don't you dare call me friend, you filthy traitor. How could you do that to James, Lily and baby Harry? They trusted you and you betrayed them" demanded Sirius.
‘I did it for power. I want to be powerful and the Dark Lord can give that to me, what does it matter if a few people die as long as I get what I want. My Master promised me great power if I told him the location of the Potters, so I did. They were in my way, they were against my Master and their brat was to be the downfall of my Master and I couldn’t have that. My Master is a powerful wizard and will protect me.” answered Pettigrew unashamedly.
It was at this moment that Albus and Remus chose to step out of the shadows and walk over to where Sirius was standing.
Sirius was shocked to see the two men as he didn't tell anyone where he was going or what he was doing, so he didn't know how they knew where to find him. He was sure glad to see them though.
"Hello Albus, out taking a walk?" asked Sirius with an evil grin on his face.
Albus chuckled and replied, "As a matter of fact dear boy I was and glad I did for it seems you are having a party here."
Sirius turned his head to look quickly at Remus. "Hey Moony did you come for a walk as well to join the party?"
"Sure did Padfoot. Wouldn't have missed it for all the galleons in Gringotts." Remus replied wryly.
Albus looked over to Pettigrew and inclined his head. “Mr Pettigrew, wish I could say it’s a pleasure to see you but with what I just heard it would be a lie. There is only one flaw in your plans for power Mr Pettigrew.”
“Ya and what is that Dumbledore?” asked Pettigrew a warily. The Headmaster had always scared him.
“The flaw is that Voldemort has been vanquished so therefore is unable to give you what you seek including protection.” replied Albus.
Shuddering at the Dark Lord’s name Pettigrew shouted, “No that can’t be. I gave him their location and he was going to kill them all and be rid of them forever. How can a powerful wizard like my Master be gone. It is impossible!”
“Voldemort underestimated the power of love. James and Lily loved their son so much that they died to protect him so when Voldemort tried to kill Harry the spell rebounded back to Voldemort vanquishing him. I assure you Harry is very much alive thanks to his parents’ love.” answered Albus.
Sirius looked over at Albus. “Harry is alive?” he asked with hope in his voice.
Remus answers Sirius’ question. “Yes Padfoot Harry is very much alive and waiting for us at Hogwarts.” At this statement Sirius brightens up and smiles. He didn’t have James anymore but he still had James’ little boy, the golden snitch of Sirius’ eye.
He had assumed little Harry had died with James and Lily and he felt his life was over. He wanted to get revenge against the rat who caused their deaths. He was so happy that he still had his little godson in his life and he wanted to get this concluded so that he could get to his godson, who needed him as much as Sirius needed Harry..
All of a sudden bright lights all around them could be seen. The aurors had finally arrived to take the traitor into custody but there was only one problem, they didn’t know who the traitor was that betrayed the Potters to You-Know-Who. Albus had sent his Patronus to Auror Headquarters just saying that he knew the whereabouts of the person who betrayed the Potters and the directions to find the street but he hadn’t said who the traitor was.
When the aurors showed up, Pettigrew knew he didn't have a chance against all these powerful wizards without his Master’s protection so he had to come up with a plan to distract everyone then transform into a rat and escape into the sewer. What would distract all these wizards so he could escape. Then he had a great idea. If he pointed his wand to the street and sent a Reducto spell towards the pavement, it should hit the gas line that is under the street and explode therefore distracting the Aurors as well as his old friends and the Headmaster. He quickly changed into his rat form and headed for the sewer entrance..
Albus was watching Pettigrew as he talked to the ranking Auror who wanted more information on what was going on. Quickly, Albus reacted to Petterigrew’s attempt to escape, thanks to older Harry he knew that Pettigrew would try to blast the gas main under the street to make his escape. Albus saw Pettigrew aim his wand at the pavement and got his own wand ready, already starting the shielding spell.
Before the Reducto spell could hit the pavement a shield covered that area and the Reducto spell was absorbed rendering it useless. They looked around for Pettigrew and found him in rat form scurrying towards the sewer entrance.
Albus yelled to all the Aurors who where standing around wating for orders. “Catch that rat it is Pettigrew, the traitor who had the Potters killed and he’s was heading to the sewer.”
Everyone scrambled to catch Pettigrew before he entered the sewer system and was gone. But something strange happened when Pettigrew dived for the entrance of the sewer, he bounced off. Puzzled Pettigrew tried again and the same thing happened again.
At this time Severus came out of the shadows where he had been hiding and inquired sarcastically with a smirk, “Is there a problem Pettigrew? Can’t access your escape route? Well that is a pity.” Earlier Severus had put a spell over the entrance of the sewer so that the rat couldn’t escape.
With his escape route cut off Pettigrew had to try something else so he did the only thing he could think of doing...........he ran for it.
The chase was on. Everyone was chasing one little rat trying to catch it. Spells were flying everywhere and young aurors were trying to lay their hands on Pettigrew without magic. It reminded the older Muggles of the old Keystone Cop movies they use to watch as kids. It was comical watching all these strangely dressed grown men and women chasing one little rat then corner him only to see the rat escape capture causing two or more of the Aurors to collide.
Severus just stood back and watched what was happening in front of him and tried hard to keep from laughing at the young Aurors antics. Severus still had his wand in his hand just waiting for an opportunity to show itself so he could end this farce and get back to Hogwarts and Harry. He thought to himself that for a Potter the older Harry wasn’t so bad. But then again, he did have a hand in raising the boy so of course he would turn out better than his bully of a father, and little Harry would be raised even better this time around. He would make sure of it.
He finally had his opportunity because Pettigrew made the mistake of running past him. He carefully aimed his wand and hit the rat with a spell that would make him transform back into human form and then quickly sent a binding spell and a spell that would prevent him from transforming back into a rat.
Everyone gathered around the bound Pettigrew, some panting to catch their breath.
“Well done Severus!” Albus excitedly commended Severus as he came to stand beside him.
“Well well well if it isn’t Snivellus.” Sirius snidely commented.
“Sirius isn’t it time to drop the juvenile name calling. We are adults now. How about we start acting like it.” asked Remus.
Severus just raised his eyebrow and let the comment go as it did not bother him any longer to be called that name as it had when they were in school.
The highest ranking Auror came over and asked for an explanation so Albus told the man that Pettigrew was the one that betrayed the Potters to Voldemort. Everyone shivered at the name of He-Who-Must-Not-B-Named. Albus went on to explain that Sirius being the good Auror he was, (Severus snorted at this), went after Pettigrew to bring him in to face charges.
Pettigrew couldn’t stay silent any longer. “My Master will return for he is a powerful wizard and nothing will stop him from his goal not even a snot nosed brat. He will rescue me and I will gladly serve him again. And he will punish all those who are not with him.” This last part was said to Severus who just raised his eyebrow.
“It will be hard to serve him while you are in Azkaban Pettigrew.” Commented the Auror. “Take this rat away to a cell to await his trial.”
Three Aurors and Pettigrew portkeyed to the ministry, where Pettigrew was placed in a cell that had an Animagus dampening field on it.
“Let us know when his trial is and we will be there to testify if needed. You know where to contact me I am sure.” Albus told the Auror.
“That is good to know Headmaster, I will let my superior know. Have a good day gentlemen.” replied the Auror as he went off to instruct the rest of his squad on what needed to be done.
Albus looked at the three other men and said, “Well gentlemen shall we head to Hogwarts and check on Harry? Our job here is now done. It Is up to the Aurors to clean things up.”
All agreed with Albus and without further ado they all Apparated to the gates of Hogwarts.
Chapter 3 Saving Uncle Sirius