Chapter 143: The Truth Revealed
"Harry," Lupin interjected hastily, "you don't understand yet. We all thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter was chasing him. But the truth is the opposite. It was Peter who betrayed your mother and father, and Sirius who was pursuing him."
"Could it be," Augustus spoke, his expression skeptical as he looked toward Sirius, "that the role of Secret Keeper was swapped back then?"
Sirius nodded slowly, and for the first time, a glimmer of light shone in his sunken eyes. "Harry... I might as well have killed them," he said hoarsely. "I convinced Lily and James at the last moment to switch to Peter as the Secret Keeper. I told them it would be safer to use him instead of me... It's my fault, I know. The night they died, I went to check on Peter, to make sure he was safe. But when I got to where he was supposed to be hiding, he was gone. There was no sign of a struggle. Something felt wrong. I was scared. I rushed to your parents' house. When I saw the ruins of their home, their bodies... I knew Peter had done something terrible. I knew how badly I'd failed." His voice broke as he turned away.
The room fell silent. The weight of the truth was almost unbelievable, yet it seemed to explain the events of thirteen years ago better than any other story.
Snape's eyes were cold as he stared at the rat clinging to Ron's chest. "So it was you. You killed Lily? The great hero, the recipient of the Order of Merlin, Third Class—Peter Pettigrew? Ha. The truth is more twisted than fiction. A rat that deceived everyone."
"Now that we've come to this," Augustus said, turning to Ron, "hand over Scabbers. Let him reveal his true form. Surely, he's eager to prove his innocence."
Ron hesitated, but after a long pause, he finally handed over Scabbers. Augustus took the balding rat, which immediately began squealing and writhing in his grip, its tiny black eyes bulging. Drawing his silver wand, Augustus cast a blue-white spell.
For a moment, Scabbers was suspended mid-air, his small body twisting frantically. Ron cried out in alarm. The rat fell to the ground with a thud. A blinding flash followed, and it was like watching a time-lapse of a tree growing. A head formed, limbs extended, and soon, where the rat had been, a man stood.
The man was short, barely taller than Harry and Hermione. His thin, pale hair was disheveled, and a large bald patch gleamed on the crown of his head. He looked as if he had once been overweight but had lost a great deal of weight very quickly. His skin was dirty, resembling Scabbers' fur, and his sharp nose and watery eyes still retained a rodent-like quality. His gaze darted nervously around the room before fixating briefly on the door.
"Good evening, Mr. Pettigrew," Augustus said with a faint smile. "There's no need to be in such a hurry to leave. Isn't this a delightful reunion? Two professors, an escapee from Azkaban—all former classmates of yours. How can you walk away from such a nostalgic gathering?"
Peter Pettigrew glanced fearfully at Augustus, then at Lupin and Sirius. Finally, he stared at the floor. "S-Sirius... L-Lupin…" he stammered in his high-pitched voice. His eyes darted again toward the door. "M-my friends… m-my old friends..."
Sirius raised his wand arm, but Lupin grabbed his wrist, shooting him a warning glance. Lupin then turned to Peter, his tone casual but pointed.
"We were just discussing, Peter, what happened the night Lily and James died. You might've missed some details while you were busy squealing on the bed."
Sweat broke out in large beads on Peter's pale face. "You don't believe him, do you?" he said frantically, his voice shaking. "He tried to kill me, Lupin! He killed an entire street of people. If I hadn't turned into a rat and escaped through the sewers, I would have died too. Augustus, Professor Snape, you have to believe me. He knows dark magic beyond our comprehension! I suspect... I suspect even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a thing or two!"
"Ah, that explains it," Augustus said, his tone laced with mockery. "How generous of your old master to personally instruct Sirius, who was once a key member of the Order of the Phoenix. No wonder he managed to blow up an entire street and leave only you alive. Truly, you're a lucky one, Peter."
"Yes, exactly, Augustus!" Peter shrieked, missing the sarcasm. "If Voldemort's followers are after me, it's because I put one of their best in Azkaban—the traitor Sirius Black!"
Augustus's silver eyes flashed with impatience. "Enough with the excuses. I think it's time for Veritaserum. Of course, any procedural violations can be handled under my family's guarantee. It'll cause no trouble."
Peter wiped sweat from his face, his breathing erratic. His complexion was ashen, and his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and doors.
"Mr. Augustus, Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked timidly. "May I... may I say something?"
Augustus nodded, and Lupin gestured politely. "Of course, Hermione."
"Well... Scabbers—I mean, this man—he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for Voldemort, why hasn't he tried to harm Harry before now?"
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