𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝒮𝒾𝓍

----------------------------------------

June at Hogwarts was interesting. Sunsets were so late in the night that it felt as if the sun never went away. One could be preparing for bed and still see remnants of the harsh glow as it disappeared behind the distant hills. It was unfair and really just wrong.

At no point should anyone be leaving dinner and heading off to relax before bed while the sun was still at least an hour away from vanishing from sight. And yet up in the castle… they were.

Up in the castle, it was just a typical night. Up in the castle, it was 7:30 in the evening.

Time to head off to the common rooms after yet another filling dinner. Maybe the mood was a bit more upbeat as the exam stress was off their minds. But it was time to gather around a fire and chat. Or hurry up to freshen up after a long and hot day. Or begin a round of exploding snaps up in the dorms.

Up in the castle, it was a normal night.

Everyone is blissfully ignorant to the events currently unfolding just a ways away… in some abandoned shack residing in Hogsmeade village.

The Shrieking Shack… where currently an event that would change the entire wizarding world, was slowly taking shape.

~~~~~~

"Expelliarmus!" The blasts from three casts attempting the same spell at once shook the Shack, Snape flying into the wall. Harry had just barely had a chance to look at Ron and Hermione when another spell flew into the room.

"Immobulus!" The entire room seemed to freeze, the five known occupants of the room unable to so much as blink.

From the shadows of the hallway, Iris would tentatively enter the room, a floorboard creaking. Eyes darting between each and every person. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Remus… Sirius Black. Tearing her eyes from the crazed man, she looked over towards Snape. Watched his chest rise and fall for a moment, confirming to herself that he was not only alive but probably going to be out for a bit.

Tugging at her tied-up hair with a free hand, clutching her wand with her other. Moving her eyes back to Sirius Black… she could only say one thing to the room's silence, "What the fuck."

Letting out a sigh, Iris asked the only question that mattered, "Who wants to explain?"

…

In an instant, Iris's eyes grew darker, and her body turned away from Black as she spun in a circle, sending a glare throughout the room, "Not all at once," her jaw clenched, "all of you shouting at me is going to get us nowhere. So shut up."

Their thoughts must have quieted as quickly as they had begun, for Iris dropped the glare. Stopping in place, Iris took a breath, crouching down. Her eyes absently wandered the room as she rubbed at her temple with her free hand.

The wallpaper may as well of been nonexistent. With how old and torn up it was, the wood beneath may as well of been all that was ever there. The floors were old, nails sticking up, bent over in some cases. There was furniture, just about none of it where it was probably supposed to be. The couch, for one, was not only ripped apart to near shreds but laid rather poorly on its back in the middle of the room. Dust flew through the air, and there was most definitely some sort of mold or some undiscovered disease lurking somewhere.

The Shrieking Shack had most definitely had better days… long, long ago.

But the room condition was the least of Iris Blackwell's problems… so as her eyes carried back over to Remus Lupin, she stood abruptly. Her wand flicking in hand.

Remus found himself able to move again, though as he lamely tugged at the ties on his arms and legs, he found his movement still severely limited.

But he could speak, and Iris wasted no time in finding answers, "Explain."

Flinching back at the unfamiliar venom that laced her voice, Remus quickly went to begin recapping the events that had led to this moment, but before a single word could be said, Iris cut him off, "Less words, cut to the chase."

Sucking in a breath of air, Remus tried again, "Peter Pettigrew is alive."

Iris's eyebrows knitted together, her head falling into a tilt as she took in the words, "That makes no sense, they found his finger at the scene, he…." Iris faded off as her head began running overtime, thinking it over… connecting dots.

Absently she spoke aloud to herself, her eyes glazed over, darker and greener than the deepest of forests, "All they found was a finger… animagus… James a stag, Sirius a dog, Peter a…." Her eyes widened a fraction as her body jolted in realization. Turning to Ron, she looked to the creature he held in his hand, "A rat."

Narrowing her eyes at the rat, she shook her head, laughing coldly to herself, "I heard an extra voice at the Christmas feast…. A rat couldn't have been anything more fitting than that."

Iris's wand waved again. Everyone finding their movement returned, but Harry and Hermione would enjoy the returned animation for no more than a second as Iris shot her wand towards them, "Incarcerous." Binds similar to that of the ones holding Remus tied up each of them. Ron was left alone as his visibly destroyed leg left him limited all on its own.

Rounding to Sirius, Iris held her wand ready at her side, "Still doesn't clear your name, so I suggest you start talking."

Sirius didn't start talking; instead, he seemed rather much in shock. Attention locked onto the teen girl staring him down, "You and Leo… I read it in the paper—"

Iris shook her head firmly, cutting him off there, "Yes, all sorts of surprises for everyone tonight. I am supposed to be dead. Pettigrew was supposed to be dead. You are supposed to be a mass murderer. All sorts of revelations. But at this moment, you and the murder part seems a tad bit more relevant."

Motioning to Remus, Sirius quickly bent down to untie his old friends of the bindings. Standing back up, he faced Iris, "Peter is the one that sold out James and Lily and killed those muggles. Remus just put tall together tonight when he saw Peter on the map."

Said man nodded, rubbing at his wrists as he stood, thanking Harry as he did.

Harry, however, quickly clarified one thing, "I'm still not saying I believe you."

"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Black. "You, boy — give me Peter. Now." The man nearly took a step towards the tied-up trio, but one look from Iris stopped him. The girl remained firmly in her spot between him and the trio. Allowing the group to continue on, much calmer than they had been earlier as she made her way into the Shack.

Holding his rat closer, Ron attempted to defend his pet. "Come off it. Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean . . ." He looked up at Harry and Hermione, seeking an ounce of support. "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat. There are millions of rats. How's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

Lupin frowned, looking back to Sirius, "You know, Sirius, that's a fair question. How did you find out where he was?"

Stuffing a hand into his pocket, Sirius pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Fixing it up before he handed it off to Remus.

It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer. An all-paid trip to Egypt after Mr. Weasley was rewarded at work, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"How did you get this?" Lupin asked Black, shock overtaking him. He moved over to Iris, allowing her to quickly scan over it as well. Her eyes briefly locked onto Ron's rat once more. Comparing the two, undoubtedly.

"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page… on this boy's shoulder. . . . I knew him at once . . . how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts . . . to where Harry was…."

"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…."

"What about it?" said Ron defiantly.

"He's got a toe missing," said Black.

"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…."

Iris hummed as she looked over towards Ron, "How long have you had him?"

Going rigid, Ron answered quickly, "12 years—"

Remus cut in, "Extraordinary long life for an ordinary house rat."

Sputtering as he attempted to explain it away, Ron came up with words not even he could really believe deep down, "We take good care of him."

Remus quickly countered back, "Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" said Lupin. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…."

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward an orange, ugly-looking thing, who was purring off on some mangled bed.

Crookshanks, and again the last thing Iris cared about. Stopping everyone before they could derail more, Iris strode toward Ron, "Enough of this back and forth. Let's just get this over with and reveal the truth."

Before she could make a grab for a rat, Harry shouted out, "But you were their secret keeper! He said so before you turned up! He said he killed them!"

The room almost seemed to freeze again as everyone stopped. Turned to Sirius Black as they awaited an answer. An explanation. Anything to get out of that one.

And well, he did.

"Harry . . . I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me…. I'm to blame. I know it…. The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straightaway. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies…I realized what Peter must've done… what I'd done…."

Seeing that as good enough an explanation as any and taking advantage of the somber mood that filled the air, Iris snatched the rat from Ron's hand. Eyes cold as she ignored the squeaks while handing it off to Remus. And brushing aside Ron's worries with a simple, "If he is really just a rat, the spell won't do anything."

And so, moving back as Remus and Sirius prepared to cast at the rat between them, Iris stood before the trio. Waving away the binds around Harry and Hermione. Them vanishing off with a quick snap.

Silence returned to the room for a second before a band followed by a blinding blue light flashed. The rat held in mid-air on its own, twisting and turning before it dropped to the ground. Another light flashed before it slowly faded away… revealing none other than a man.

Taking a step back, almost in disbelief, Iris scoffed. Her eyes looked over the short, balding little man that lay sprawled on the ground. It was very fitting how much he even seemed to resemble a rat.

Leaning against a wall, Iris allowed herself to be a bystander as Remus, Sirius and Harry confronted the man. This situation was much more personal to them than it was to her. So she watched, and she listened. Her nose scrunched as she watched the rat do everything he could to try and weasel out of the situation.

Her disgust for him would only grow as he started making rounds, attempting to appeal to at least one individual. And as he made to begin crawling over towards Iris, she would stop him immediately, "Come any closer, and I will blast your filthy self out the window."

Pettigrew shivered as he met her cold gaze, stuttering through his poor attempt at appealing to the Blackwell, "Iris, I was so glad to see you… you alive. Leo, Leo would not want me to die."

"Don't speak for my father. You were hardly even an acquaintance in his eyes. Because anyone who knew my father knows that if he were here…" Iris spun her wand, "he would kill you himself."

The rat-like man shivered again, but out of options, he pulled yet another thing out of his ass, "I know who killed him!"

Things happened rather quickly after that. Iris jumped towards Pettigrew, her wand going up, aiming directly at his neck. Remus jumped to Iris, knocking the wand from her hand. Holding her back with a struggle as he called for Sirius to help. The two men hugged one arm each.

Remus attempted to soothe the girl, "Iris, Iris. He is just getting a rise out of you. He has been cut off from the death eaters for over 12 years. He knows nothing."

Iris would calm herself, taking in Remus's words. Believing them… well, not entirely, as she kept all her attention on the man. Her gaze distant as she already began intruding into his brain.

But she was calm, no longer ready to pounce at the man. But Remus did hang onto Iris's wand as the group prepared to finally leave the Shack. Peter in bonds, Snape floating behind.

~~~~~~

The walk out was slow and… odd. An awfully ugly orange cat was leading the way. Behind him were Pettigrew, Lupin, and Ron… the three tied together to prevent Pettigrew from an easy escape. A step behind the trio walked Hermione and Iris, side by side but oblivious to one another, both clearly focused on anything else. Iris, in particular still lost in Pettigrew's mind, eyes distant, attention elsewhere. Sirius and Harry took up the back, talking of something. Well, and then there was Snape. Bumping into things as he floated behind them all.

Slowly and awkwardly. The group slowly and awkwardly stumbled through the tunnel between the Shrieking Shack and the Whomping Willow.

Eventually, they would finally make it out, and everyone would take a breath after getting out of reach of the still tree. Even Iris shook from her daze as she looked around. Taking in how dark it was… dark.

It was night.

Iris's eyes moved upwards towards a hill where a white glow was slowly moving into view… the moon… full…

Tensing, Iris shot her head towards Remus, who was already staring up at the moon, a look overtaking his face. And he began shaking.

Everyone seemed to realize at the same time. Iris and Sirius jump into action, shouting for everyone else to run. Ron and Pettigrew began panicking, still tied to the man who would not be kind and gentle Remus Lupin very soon.

Iris waved her hand, an Accio leaving her as her wand flew back into her grasp. Sending a blast to the ties that held Remus to both Ron and Pettigrew, Iris did so just in time. For a snarl ripped through the air, Remus was gone, and a werewolf in his place… a werewolf.

A tall, hunched-over, hairy beast. That was just about to make a move for Ron when a black dog hurled himself at the werewolf. The two enter into an animalistic fight. Blood flying as skin tore and shredded.

Sirius and Remus… two people Iris could not just sit by and watch tear one another apart…

Taking a breath and glancing towards where Harry and Ron were struggling with Pettigrew, Iris nodded to herself, dropping her wand.

In only a second, Iris was gone; in her place, a wolf with fur black as night leaped towards Remus and Sirius. Knocking the two apart, a low growl escaped her as she quickly found her own feet. Placing herself between the werewolf and a very injured Sirius.

Sirus would attempt to get back up, try to throw himself back at the werewolf, but the black wolf snapped at him. Then circled the werewolf, snapping and pulling at its legs to draw all attention. Allowing Sirius to go off, getting away from even more harm.

The wolf… Iris… succeeded in drawing attention. Finding herself being lifted and thrown back several feet. She hit the ground with a yelp but rolled back to her feet, ready to face the werewolf running her way head-on. Continuing to keep it from running back off to the easy prey of the three teenagers and an unconscious Professor.

Jumping to the side once he got close enough, Iris quickly rounded to grab at the werewolf's leg with her teeth. Biting down and biting down hard, pulling. The werewolf would stumble, swiping at Iris far quicker than she had anticipated. And so, Iris would have to eat the pain of the three deep gashes to her side. Attempting to jump away before the werewolf could cause more harm.

But it would come as a fail as Iris found herself being hit away, swatted like an overgrown fly into the trunk of a tree. The impact came as a shock, heightening the pain of her growing number of injuries. And Iris was back. The wolf was gone as the girl winched her way to sit up, looking to the approaching werewolf, "Fuck Remus, I really don't want to hurt you."

Leaning against the trunk, Iris flinched at the pain in her side. Placing a hand there and then pulling it back, all she could find was blood. Far too much of it. Shaking her head, Iris turned back to the werewolf, a drawn-out snarl under its breath as it slowly approached her.

Iris closed her eyes as it neared a bit too close for comfort… this was Remus… she couldn't fight him.

So feeling his breath in her face, Iris prepared for the inevitable…

A twig snapped nearby. Both Iris and Remus heard it. Both snapped their attention towards it.

Then… a rock hit Remus in the head. Sending the werewolf into a frenzy as it raced off in search of the new attacker.

Saving Iris…

Hitting her head against the tree truck, Iris let out a breath, relief flooding over her as she took a moment. Calming her heart. Calming her mind.

But she couldn't stay still for long. Sirius was out there somewhere, hurt and, to her knowledge, alone.

Fighting back the pain, Iris pushed herself up. Setting off deeper into the forest, going off almost instinct as she stumbled along. Forced herself to keep going with every wobbly step and every jolt of pain.

On and on, she would go, her world growing increasingly fuzzy. Her hearing was all but nonexistent as her body started screaming for her to stop. To slow down. To do anything but continue her stubborn path forward. Pleading with her to give up on her search.

But Iris Blackwell needed to make sure it would all be okay. Which is how she ended up at the lake. Nothing but a defeated laugh left her as she fell to the ground beside Sirius Black.

All fight left her as the dementors circled.

The pain too much to ignore. The blood loss too much.

Iris Blackwell's world went black…