Trick 49: Finding out the Truth!

Ace ran up the stairs and kicked the door open, pointing out his wand. He saw someone on top of someone else with their wand in their face and he flicked his own, saying "Expelliarmus!"

Harry's wand flew out of his hand and Ace let out a breath, saying "Oh it was just you, Harry. I thought you were the one on the ground." Before pausing as he saw the man, he pulled Harry off him and pushed Harry to Hermione, pointing his wand at the man on the ground, saying "Sirius Black?"

The man looked at Ace and said "Who are you?" Ace frowned and walked to the side, saying "Self Claimed Librarian at Hogwarts. You're an Animagus?" Sirius replied slowly "Good eye, lad."

Ace questioned "Why did you claw at the portrait of the Fat Lady? To get to Harry and kill him?" Sirius didn't reply and Ace said "Answer me." but before anything could happen, his wand flew out of his hands as Lupin appeared, shouting "Expelliarmus!"

Ace was stunned and looked over, saying "Remus?" Lupin held his wand at Sirius, saying "Let's all just calm down." he glanced at Ace before turning to Sirius, saying "Well, well, Sirius. Looking rather ragged, aren't we? Finally, the flesh reflects the madness within."

Sirius replied "Well, you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?" Lupin raised a brow and lowered his wand before helping Sirius up as they hugged.

Ace was shocked and opened his palm slowly, but Lupin pointed his wand at him, saying "Ace, please calm down." Ace frowned and retorted "I won't let you hurt these children. I can't believe this, honestly." as he felt very betrayed.

Remus shook his head and said "It's not like that-" Hermione shouted "I trusted you! And all this time you've been his friend!" she turned to Ron, Harry, and Ace shouting "He's a Werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes!"

Ace was shocked and said "Really?!" Lupin looked at Hermione and asked "How long have you known?" Hermione bit her lips and replied "Since Professor Snape set the essay." Lupin smiled and said "Well, Hermione, you really are the brightest witch of your age!"

Ace stepped in front of the children, pulling them behind him as he frowned at Lupin and Sirius, as Sirius shouted "Enough talk, Remus! Come on, let's kill him!" Lupin turned around and replied "Wait!"

Ace moved his hand and Remus turned back, pointing his wand at him warily as Sirius replied angrily "I did my waiting! 12 years of it! In Azkaban!" Remus frowned and said "Very well, kill him. But wait one more minute, Harry has the right to know why."

Ace readied himself as Harry shouted "I know why! You betrayed my parents! You're the reason they're dead!" Ace was silent, pulling Harry back as Lupin replied "No, Harry, it wasn't him. Somebody did betray your parents but it was somebody who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead!"

Harry shouted "Who was it then!?" to which Sirius replied "Peter Pettigrew!" as he took Remus' wand, waving his hand while continuing "And he's in this room! Right now! Come out, come out, Peter! Come out, come out, and play!" while inching closer to the group behind Ace.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Snape appeared, shouting "Expelliarmus!" as Lupin's wand flew out of Sirius' hands.

Ace pulled his hand and his wand flew back to him as he pointed it at Lupin, frowning in thought.

Snape looked at Sirius and held his wand at him, saying "Vengeance is sweet. How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you." Lupin looked at Snape and said "Severus…" Snape pointed his wand at Lupin and looked at Ace before saying "I told Dumbledore you were helping a friend into the castle. Here's the proof."

As he gestured at Lupin, looking at Ace.

Ace looked at Lupin with a complicated face and pointed his wand at him, Sirius walked to the side, saying "Brilliant, Snape. Once again, you've put your keen and penetrating mind to the task, and as usual, come to the wrong conclusion. Now if you'll excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to-"

Snape stuck his wand against Sirius' neck, saying "Give me a reason. I beg you!" as Lupin and Ace jumped. Lupin said "Severus, don't be a fool!" Sirius remarked "He can't help it. It's a habit."

Lupin cursed "Sirius, be quiet!" Sirius shouted "Be quiet yourself, Remus!" Ace pulled Lupin to him, holding his wand at him with a frown as he watched Snape, saying "Severus… There's children here. You don't want to do something you'll regret."

Snape looked at Sirius and replied "I know exactly what I'm doing." before looking at Lupin and commenting "Look at you two, quarreling like an old married couple." Sirius sneered "Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set!"

Snape jerked the wand and Ace said "Severus! Calm down!" as he pointed his wand at him, Snape looked at him and frowned as Ace continued "Don't lower yourself to his level. Don't become a murderer."

Snape turned back to Sirius and said "I won't kill him. I'll just turn him over to the Dementors. They should be longing to see him." as he pressed Sirius back, continuing "Oh? Do I detect a flicker of fear? Ah, yes. A Dementor's Kiss. One can only imagine what that must be like to endure. It's said to be nearly unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best."

Ace frowned and Lupin said slowly "Severus, please." Snape pointed his wand to the door and looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, saying "After you." Harry stepped out with Hermione's wand, pointing it at Sirius before saying "Expelliarmus!" and pointing at Snape!

He sent Snape flying into a bed, shocking literally everyone inside!

Ace looked at Harry and said "What are you doing?!" Harry looked at Ace before turning to Sirius, saying "Tell me about Peter Pettigrew!"

Ace frowned and walked over to Snape, picking up his wand on the way as Sirius and Lupin explained "He was at school with us. We thought he was our friend!" Ace checked on Snape and felt his neck for a pulse, letting out a breath of relief, realizing that he was just unconscious.

He turned back to see Sirius pointing at Ron as he shouted "And he's right there!" Ron was stunned and said "Me?! He's mental!" Sirius looked frustrated and said "No, you twit! The rat!"

Ron was dumbfounded and said "Scabbers has been in my family for-" Sirius cut him off and shouted "12 years!? Curiously long life for a common garden rat! He's missing a toe, isn't he?" Ron retorted "So what?!"

Ace walked out from behind the bed, looking at the rat as Harry muttered "All they could find of Pettigrew was his…" Sirius finished "Finger! The dirty coward cut it off so that everyone would think he was dead! And then he transformed! Into a rat!"

Harry said "Show me." Sirius looked at Harry before grabbing Scabbers as Harry said "Give it to him, Ron." Ron said in distress "What are you trying to do to him!" Sirius took the rat from Ron and placed him on the piano as Lupin grabbed his wand from the ground.

Sirius picked up Harry's wand and he and Lupin flicked their wands at Scabbers who was running around quickly. Ace watched Scabbers run around until he tried to leave through the door, suddenly transforming into a man!

Ace was stunned and looked at Lupin, putting his wand away as he said "Sorry, Remus." Lupin looked over and smiled, "Not a problem." Sirius grabbed Pettigrew and tossed him into the piano, pointing his wand at him as Lupin did the same.

Pettigrew looked at Sirius and Lupin, saying "Remus? Sirius? My old friends!" before trying to make a run for it. However, the duo stopped him, and threw him back.

Ace looked at Pettigrew as Sirius and Lupin pointed their wands at him. Pettigrew turned to Harry and shifted slightly, however Ace grabbed him, pushing him back as he stood in front of Harry, pointing his wand at Pettigrew.

Pettigrew looked at Ace, Sirius, and Lupin saying "How could I betray James and Lily?! I didn't mean to!" Sirius shouted angrily "How dare you!" Pettigrew ran around the piano as Lupin shouted "You sold them to Voldemort, didn't you!"

Pettigrew retorted with a whimpering voice "The Dark Lord… You have no idea the weapons he possesses!" Ace frowned and asked slowly "You were threatened?" Pettigrew replied quickly "Yes! My life-"

Sirius shouted "Enough! You're a rat, always have been!" Lupin looked at Ace, saying "Ace, this man, you don't know the full story. He's been lying for decades." Ace retorted with a frown "But, if he was threatened then-"

Sirius shouted "Threatened?! Threatened!? Hahaha! I would've died before betraying my friends!" Pettigrew crawled under the Piano and ran to Ace, saying "Please, help me! I was threatened by the Dark Lord! I didn't have a choice!"

Ace frowned and looked at him as Lupin sighed "Ace, please trust me. You can't believe what this man says." Sirius ran around the Piano prodding Pettigrew's neck with his wand, saying "Enough! You should've realized, Peter, that if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would! Together!"

Ace grabbed Sirius' hand, saying with a frown, "You can't bring judgment to people! They didn't kill you on your charges and they happened to be false! People can't kill other people! It's wrong!"

Sirius shouted at Ace, "I went to Azkaban for twelve years! Do you even have the slightest idea of what that means?! Tortured every moment of every day by Dementors at best!" Ace retorted, raising his voice, "That doesn't mean you should become a criminal!"

Lupin said quickly "Ace, you don't know the history. He couldn't have been-" when suddenly, he was cut off by Harry, shouting "Enough!"

Ace, Lupin, and Sirius looked at him as he walked up, saying "We won't kill him." Ace smiled and said "Good boy." Sirius frowned and Lupin started to explain, "Harry, this man-" but Harry cut him off, continuing "I know what he is. But we'll take him to the castle."

Pettigrew fell to his knees and whimpered "Bless you, boy. Bless you!" as he groveled at Harry's feet, but Harry took his foot back in disgust, adding "Get off! I said we'll take you to the Castle. After that, the Dementors can have you."

Pettigrew showed intense fear and Sirius grinned, Ace's face fell slightly and Lupin trained his wand on Pettigrew, letting out a breath as he said "Ace, could you help me with him?"

Ace nodded and they grabbed Pettigrew by the arms as Sirius went to help Ron. The entire group left the house and returned to the treehole pathway.