Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter Negative Six: Rat, Cat, and Dog

Harry's mind had gone blank with shock. The three of them stood transfixed with horror under the invisibility cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun cast a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them they heard a wild howling.

"Hagrid..." Harry breathed. Without thinking about what he was doing, he moved to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione seized his arms.

"We can't," wispered Ron urgently and paper white. "He'll be in even more trouble if they know weve been to see him.

Hermione was beginning to hyperventilate, "How-could-they? How could they!" she choked through her tears.

"Come on" Ron urged, though his teeth were chattering. "We should get back before we're missed."

They set back to the castle, walking as fast as they could manage under the cloak. Even still, Dumbledore, Fudge, Macnair, and the comitee member all past them by in silence at some distance. Light was fading at an alrming rate, by the time they reached the last open space to the castle the darkeness was over them like a blanket.

"Scabbers! Keep still!" Ron hissed, clamping a hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay stillOUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" Hermione wispered urgently. "Someone might hear us!"

"He-wont-stay-put" Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip, "What's the matter with him?"

But Harry had just seenslinking towards them, body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darknessCrookshanks. Whether he could see them, or was following the sound of Scabbers' squeaks, he couldn't tell.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No go away, Chrookshanks! Go away!" But the cat was getting nearer

"ScabbersNo!" Too late the rat had slipped through Ron's fingers, was plummiting to the ground. With reflexes trained to a seeker only, Harry's hand moved witn unhuman speed to clamp down on the worm-like tail of Scabbers.

"With all the screaming, someone must have heard us by now. We have to get back to our dorm fast!" Hermione insisted urgently.

Harry handed Scabbers back to Ron, the rat did not seem to awfully pleased about being caught but was shoved down in the chest pocket again all the same. They resumed their hurried baby-steps with Scabbers squirming and squeaking and Crookshanks prowling up behind them. But all of that didn't matter any more, Harry could see the steps closing in towards them. They were meters away, and the front doors were just beyond the stairs...

But it can be said that those with lives of heart ache and struggle do not know the kind touch of luck often, or for long. Not even a full meter from the front door Crookshanks pounced, catching their feet and sinking his claws into the cloak, causing all three children to topple over onto the cool ground and the cat roll to the side with the cloak and rat.

"Oh Crookshanks!" Hermione hissed in frustration, "you're being a very bad cat!" But her scolding had little effect as the three children struggled to detangle the arring pets from Harry's cloak.

"Oh it's got holes in it now!" Harry moaned, holding up his father's memento.

"Well no use crying over spilt milk, I guess we needto" Ron let the end of the sentence hang because the air seemed to fill with a low rumble. The next few moments seemed to go in slow motion; for the first time, Harry saw the dog clearly. It looked like a black lab in face and body set, but it was as shaggy as a sheppard, and as tall as a great dane. Judging by how it's head was bent forwards, pale eyes locked on them, it was getting ready to attack .

"Run!" someone, or maybe all three, cried and they balled up the stairs. Hermione was the first to reach the doors, pushing them open enough to slip through the gap between them. She was soon followed by Harry, who mirrored her motion to drop what he was holding and prepare to shut the dors. But as soon as Ron was finishing pulling himself through the large dog sunk it's teeth into his leg.

"Aaarg! Le'go you mangy mutt! Le'go!" Ron cried as Harry grabbed his arms to pull him through. Ron lifted his other leg and kicked with all his might, hitting the dog in the head and knocking it off with a yelp of pain and shock from the sudden blow. Whether the slam was Hermione shutting the door, himself and Ron flying backward into the ground, as the dog attempting to bulldose it's way in, Harry would never be able to say.

But for the moment they had more important things on their minds. "Ron are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. But was that ever a close one!"

"We can marvle at our luck later. Let's get you to the hospital wing." Harry said, throwing the now useless cloak over his shoulder and pulling Ron up to his feet. With one arm over each or their shoulders for support, Ron let himself be half carried towards the set of stairs at the far end of the entrance hall.

But before they even reached the first step the front doors were blasted open, framing the silouette of Sirius Black. The children could feel the blood drain down fron their faces as the pale eyes stared down at them with a hunter's persition from under the matted black hair. Instintivly Ron's hand moved to his pocket, only to find , to his horror, empty.

"Looking for this?" came Black's crackling voice. It was clear he hadn't spoken much these last twelve years. He held up Ron's want amusingly, tauntingly, before pointing it at the three of them. "Expelliarmus!"

Hermione and Harry's wands flipped out of their hands and flew neatly into Black's outstreched palm. He tucked them into his robe belt and moved closer to the children, coming to hover over them like an ominous beast of prey.

Then, suddenly, Harry felt himself being pulled behind his friends. "You'll have to get past us first!" Ron stated bravely.

Black looked down at the determined thirteen-year-olds with shocked mirth before giving a bark of laughter. "Sorry to disapoint you kid, but there's only going to be one murder here tonight."

"Expelliarmus!" all eyes moved upwards, standing on the flight above was Professor Lupin. "Step away from them, Sirius. You have a lot of explaining to do."

"What's to explain!" Harry burst out. "He's the reason my mum and dad are dead!"

Sirius looked right into the seething boy's eyes. "I don't deny it."

Yet this caused the last person there that Harry would expect to cry out "But why?" Lupin cried, "why would the one person who could outdo James, the one who called him brother, who hated everything to do with the darkarts, turn to Voldemort? Betray the one who pulled you out of every tangle, or sink in it with you? That's not you, Padfoot, I couldn't believeit to be. They said you got bored and that's why you did it, but I know you. You never take orders from anyone. Ever. So why did you sell out? And why the hell did I just seeunless...of course...you switched, but never told me... where is he Sirius?"

Black's face was quite dead and distant as he pointed at Ron. This didn't make sense, who could they mean? Both Hermione and Harry looked at the bewildered Ron in some hope he may give some clue towhat they were on about but his returned look of shock and lost confusion put and end to that.

The attention was pulled off Ron again as a form rushed past them, it took a moment to realize what was happening. Lupin had passed them ans was now ginving Black a hug as if they were long separated kin just now reunited. Harry felt like his stomach had just lost it's bottom.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed. Lupin and Black broke off the embrace and turned to look at her. She had stepped away from him and was pointing with a shaky finger, wide-eyed.

"You-you"

"Hermione"

"You and him!"

"Hermione, calm down"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shreaked. "I've been coovering up for you"

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouted. "I can explain"

Harry felt himself begin to tremble, not with fear, but with a wave of bitter fury. "I trusted you!" he cried at Lupin, voice wavering out of control, "and all this time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," insisted Lupin, "I havent been Sirius' friend for twelve years, but I am now... let me explain..."

"NO!" Hermione screamed, "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead, toohe's a werewolf!"

The silence which followed was deafening. All eyes were locked on Lupin. Harry was shocked, Ron was horrified, Sirius was concerned, and Hermione terrified, Lupin himself put on a good front of calm, despite the lack of color in his face giving him away. "Not up to your usual standard, Hermione." his voice was strained to mimic it's usual jovial tone, though it definately missed a certain something. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. But five points to Gryffindor anyway, and five more for Ron's show of bravery..."

Oh, hey Gryffindor is winning..." Sirius pointed out. But a quick look from Lupin stopped the mood. "Don't go blaming Moony, it's been the ginger over there that's been helping me, and neither of us want Harry dead, that's not why I'm here."

"So you're saying that he really is a werewolf?" Ron asked, pointing. With a solum but determined nod, Lupin confirmed, and Ron jumped away, putting weight on his bad leg and hissing in pain. Lupin moved to help, but Ron gasped "Get away from me, werewolf!"

Lupin pulled back, then forced his attention to Hermione. "How long have you known?"

"Ever since I did Professor Snape's essya."

"Snape? What's Snivilus got to do with this?" Sirius asked.

"He works here, he's Potions Master." Lupin replied.

"Ah, so the slimy git finally found more like him? Does he sleep in a jar, or just keep the near all the time?"

"Padfoot..." Lupin said testingly. "Well, he will be happy someone figured it out, at least."

"Quite right, Lupin and how happy I am that it was me to find you. I've told the Headmaster again and again not to trust you, that you were helping Black..."

"Severus, your making a mistake"

"Vengence is so see"

"Petrificus Totalus." Snape's arms and legs snapped to his side and he fell over. "That ought to hold him for a bit." Sirius said rather casually while lowering Hermione's wand. Lupin gave him a look of disbelief to which Sirius just shrugged, "he interuppted you."

"Oh here." Lupin passed out Ron and Harry's wands and instructed Sirius to give Hermione hers before Sirius wandered over to get Snape's. "And now, Ron, I believe you have a rat with you?"

"Yeah, but what does Scabbers have to do with this?"

"Everything. Now, please?" Lupin asked again, taking the smoking goblet from Sirius, who had found it by Snape. "Ah my Wolfsbane potion! I forgot that I hadn't yet taken it..."

Ron carefully took Scabbers out of his pocket and at once Sirius began to growl, eyes locked once more on target.

Ginny looked around for eavesdroppers quickly befor ploping herself down with Fred and George. "Have either of you seen Ron? I don't think they're back yet."

"You're right, they're not here..." Fred said after a quick look around.

"Who's not here?" Percy suddenly appeared behind them.

After a quick glance, George told Percy, "They went to go make sure Hagrid is alright, but they're still not back."

Within seconds, Percy was out of the potrait hole, minutes found him banging on Professor MacGonigall's door "Professor! Professor!"

"Mr. Weasley, what is the meaning of this!"

"Professor, my little brother Ron and his two friends, Harry and Hermione, are missing!"

"What!"

"George said that they were headed for Hagrid's..."

"Then we will head for there. Being the situation, I think it best you come with me, Mr. Weasley." and with that the two hurried off. Down and down they went, cutting every corner they could manage.

"That is no rat...that is an Animagus, by the name of Peter Pettigrew." Lupin's voice wafted up from the stairway ahead.

"Mr. Weasley..." MacGonigall said, suddenly shakly. "Go fetch Professor Dumbledor. The password is 'Licorish Sticks!"