(The Potters and the Prisoner of Azkaban, act three, chapter fifteen)

𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹

As soon as she saw who it was, Hermione put herself in front of the twins as if that would keep them safe from the murder in front of them. "If you want to kill Nora and Harry, you'll have to kill us too!"

"No." Sirius shook his head as he slowly stepped forwards. "Only one will die tonight."

A chill ran down Nora's spine.

"Then it will be you!" Harry screamed as he pushed Hermione to the side and lunged at the man in front of them. He grabbed Sirius by the throat, making them both fall down to the floor. Harry took his wand out of his jacket as fast as he could and pointed at Sirius forehead.

"Are you going to kill me, Harry?" Black asked with a chuckle.

Everyone looked up in surprise when the door suddenly opened again. Remus ran in and pointed his wand at harry. "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand flew to the other side of the room and Remus nodded his head at Harry, a sign that he must get off of Sirius. Mary MacDonald also entered the room with her wand pointed at face level.

"Well, this looks suspicious." Jeremy spoke, making a few people in the room turn to look at him.

"What do you mean Gilbert?" Klaus raised his eyebrow.

Jeremy crossed his arms, nodding toward the screen. "This. All of it. Looks like someone's been up to something shady. Something is not right about this."

Kol followed his gaze, amusement flickering in his eyes. "And what exactly do you think you've uncovered, little Gilbert?"

Jeremy shrugged. "I don't know yet. But I do know that when people start doing things like this, it's usually for a bad reason."

Damon chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, how delightfully paranoid of you." His tone was light, but there was a sharpness behind his words.

"Tell me, are you accusing Remus of something?" Sirius asked.

Jeremy held his ground. "I'm not accusing him of anything.

"Well, well, Sirius. Looking rather ragged, aren't we?" Remus asked as Hermione pulled Harry away from the two men and woman. "Finally, the flesh reflects the madness within."

"Well, you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?" Black asked Remus as the werewolf helped him stand up. "I found him!" Sirius spoke, excited, as the madness once again shone through as the two hugged each other again after twelve long years before Black went over to Mary, hugging her as well.

"I know." Remus nodded.

"He's here!"

"I understand."

"Let's kill him!"

"No!" Hermione yelled at the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. "We trusted you! They trusted you two!" She spoke to Remus and Mary as she pointed at the Potters, one of who kept glaring at Sirius, and the other one, who hadn't moved one finger since she had seen him. Nora never had this reaction when danger was in their way. She and Harry bravely defeated Voldemort in their first year and last year again, but just a younger version of the Dark Wizard and his stupid snake.

She had never frozen. Her first instinct was always to fight and if not possible to flight, but she had never ever stood stock still, making the escaped prisoner look at her worriedly.

"And all this time you were his friends!" Hermione continued before turning to her friends. "He's a werewolf. That's why he's been missing classes!" She pointed at Remus.

"How long have you know?" Remus asked the Granger girl, curiously.

"Since Professor Snape set the essay." Hermione replied.

"And it wasn't exactly hard to figure out. You were always out around the days of the Full Moon." Nora added, speaking for the first time since she stood eye to eye with her father.

"Well, well, you and Hermione really are the brightest witches of your age I ever met." Remus laughed, but something inside Sirius seemed to snap.

"ENOUGH TALK, REMUS! Come on, let's kill him."

"Looks like you got some anger issues going on there." Caroline spoke.

"Well, if you were in my position, you would have a few of your own too." Sirius replied, fully aware that everyone in the room was looking at him.

"Wait." Mary raised her hand to silence him as she saw the looks of four of her favourite students.

"I DID MY WAITING, MARY! TWELVE YEARS OF IT IN AZKABAN!" The Black screamed and even though the four students didn't hear it, it was clear to Remus and Mary how much pain shielded in those few words and they couldn't exactly blame him for being this angry. He lost twelve years that he could've spent with his daughter and god son.

"Very well. Kill him." Remus gave his wand to Sirius as Hermione let out a gasp. As soon as she heard the words leaving Lupin's mouth, Nora moved to the left, to stand in front of her brother. If they thought she was just going to let them kill her favourite family member, they were wrong. So very wrong.

That was all Remus had to say for Sirius to accept Remus' wand.

"But wait one more minute. Nora and Harry have the right to know why." Remus stopped Sirius from doing anything.

"I know why!" Harry spoke, pushing past Hermione and Nora. "You betrayed my parents and my aunt! You're the reason they're dead!"

"No, Harry, it wasn't him. Somebody did betray your parents, but it was somebody who until quite recently, we," He nodded to himself and Mary. "believed to be dead."

"Who was it then, huh?" Nora asked with anger, not even trying to understand why they were helping Sirius Black out of all people.

"Peter Pettigrew! And he's in this room right now! Come out, come out, Peter!" Sirius yelled loudly, making the Potter girl flinch and as soon as Sirius saw that, his voice softened down. He didn't even want to think about what could be the reason behind her flinching.

"Expelliarmus!" Snape suddenly yelled from by the door and Remus wand flew right out of Sirius' hand into Snape's.

"Vengeance is sweet. How I hoped to be the one to catch you." Snape spoke as he pointed his wand at Sirius and no one could mistake the hate he bore for the prisoner in his voice.

"Severus-" Remus spoke, but Snape just switched his wand in his direction, making the werewolf take a step back again. "I told Dumbledore you were helping a friend into the castle. Here's the proof!"

"Brilliant Snape, once again, you put your keen and penetrating ind to the task and as usual come to the wrong conclusion. Now if you'll excuse us, Remus, Mary and I have some unfinished business to attend to." Sirius spoke as he walked closer to the person he hated so much in school, and he still did. Snap put his wand against Sirius' throath just as Harry had pointed it at his forehead.

"Give me a reason. I beg you." Snape spoke with anger.

"Severus, don't be a fool." Mary spoke with a roll of her eyes.

"He can't help it. It's a habit by now." Sirius continued as if Snape's wand wasn't pointing right at his throat.

"Sirius, be quiet!" Remus spoke to him.

"Be quiet yourself, Remus!" Sirius spoke back to him.

"Listen to you two, quarreling like an old married couple." Snape quipped.

"Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set?" Sirius asked and even Nora - who definitely did not want to admit it - found that was a brilliant thing to say to Snape.

"I could do it, you know? But why deny the dementors? They're so longing to see you." Snape studied Sirius' face for a few seconds. "Do I detect a flicker of fear?" He asked, his lips curling up a bit. "Oh, 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."

"Severus, please." Remus spoke, but Snape just ignored his words. Meanwhile Harry was taking Ron's wand up from the bed, and Nora was taking her own wand out of her back pocket.

"After you." Snape looked at the kids but Nora and Harry walked slowly, but almost in unison, closer towards the four adults.

Harry raised Ron's wand at Snape and quickly yelled "Expelliarmus!" Making their Potion professor fly back onto the old bed, and because of the impact, it broke down.

"Harry, what did you just do?" Ron asked, while Hermione let out a gasp. "You just attacked a teacher." But the Potter boy didn't listen to them, blinded with rage.

"Tell us about Peter!" Harry spoke, moving Ron's wand to Remus, while Nora pointed her at Sirius.

"He was at school with us. We thought he was our friend!" Remus explained.

"No. Pettigrew's dead. You killed him!" Nora spoke, still pointing her wand at her dad.

"No, he didn't." Mary spoke, from the side, feeling a bit safer since she didn't have a wand raised in her face.

"We thought so too, until your brother mentioned Pettigrew on the map." Remus spoke, standing in front of Sirius.

"The map was lying, then." Harry spoke, thinking that that was the only reasonable excuse for seeing the name on the map.

"The map never lies!" Sirius said. "Pettigrew's alive! And he's right there!" He pointed at Ron.

"Me? He's mental!" Ron screamed, shaking his head.

"Not you! Your rat!" Sirius yelled.

"No!" Ron immediately defened Scabbers. "Scabbers has been in my family for-"

"Twelve years?" Sirius asked, and Ron frowned at how Sirius would have known that. "A curiously long life for a common garden rat! He's missing a toe, isn't he?" Sirius asked, still remembering that day when Peter cut it off as if it was yesterday. After all it was the day that not only ruined his life, but also others, like the two kids in front of him.

"So what?" Ron asked.

"All they could find of Pettigrew was his-" Harry spoke and Nora also thought back to the day in Rosmerta's bar.

"Finger!" Sirius finished his god son's sentence. "The dirty coward cut it off so that everyone would think he was dead. And then he transformed into a rat."

"But, Scabbers can't be Pettigrew." Hermione spoke up.

"Why not?" Nora asked, looking at her best friend with a confused look.

"Because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did ANimagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework. The Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals. There's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things. And I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."

"Right again, Hermione!" Lupin spoke "But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts. Making ten Animagi this century."

"Actually, make that number eleven." Nora said, making everyone in the room look around in surprise at her.

"What do you mean, Nory?" Harry asked. But before anyone could ask another word, Nora had changed into a small ginger kitten.

Sirius could swear he almost melted away with pride as he looked at his daughter, who turned back into her own body. And he wasn't the only one in the room proud of the youngest Potter.

"How?" Her friends all muttered at the same time, confused on how she even became one without them noticing.

"It's not really that difficult, to be honest. I'll tell you guys later." Nora shrugged as she turned to her father. "Show us." Nora continued, really wishing that it was true what they were saying. Because if it was, it meant she could have a dad. They wouldn't have to live with the Dursleys anymore and she could finally with Harry be part of a family that loved them. But she wasn't showing her hope. For all she knew, he could still be laying and he could indeed be the person who killed her mom, uncle and aunt.

Sirius nodded as he reached out for the rat, but Ron wouldn't let go off Scabbers.

"What are you trying to do to him?" The Weasley boy asked, shaking his head.

"Give it to him, Ron." Harry spoke.

"Please, Ron." Nora added, and something in Nora's voice made Ron let go of his family's rat.

Sirius placed Scabbers on the piano in the room as he, Remus and Mary all pointed wands at him, but before they could cast the spell, Scabbers went running. The three adults spent running after it until finally Sirius could use the spell when the rat was right in front of the door.

In a matter of seconds, Scabbers had turned into a fully grown man, who was now stuck in the broken door, before being pulled out by two of his old friends.

"Remus? Sirius? Mary?" Pettigrew spoke, his arms opening. "My old friends!" Peter continued before trying to run away but the three other adults were faster and pushed him back.

In panic the former rat looked around the room, searching for any way out, but then his eyes fell on the Potter boy. "Harry, look at you. You look so much like your father! Like James! We were the best of friends!"

"How dare you speak to Harry!" Sirius screamed at the man in front of Harry. "How dare you talk about James in front of him!"

Peter shook his head, scarcely as Sirius placed himself in front of Harry, making Pettigrew run over to Nora, holding her hand. "Nora! Your mother would've been so proud! You're so much like her!" Nora's face scrunched up in disgust as she heard him talk about her mother. The one he sold out.

"You stay away from her!" Sirius spoke, if possible, even more angry as he pushed Peter away from his daughter. Peter quickly ran behind the piano, getting blocked by his left and right because Sirius and Remus while Mary walked over towards the kids, standing in front of them so that Peter wouldn't be able to reach them again.

"You sold out James, Lily and Jasmine to Voldemort!" Remus accused Pettigrew.

"I didn't mean to!" Peter quickly spoke. "The Dark Lord, you have no idea the weapons he possesses! Ask yourself, Sirius! What would you have done?"

"I would've died! I would've died rather than betray my friends!" Sirius yelled back as Peter ducked under the piano and tried to flee for the door again, but this time the Potters blocked the door.

Peter grabbed Harry by the shoulder. "James wouldn't have wanted me killed! Your dad would have spared me! He would have shown me mercy!"

"Get off of him, you filthy rat!" Nora screamed as she tried to push away the man from her brother and with the help of Sirius and Remus, she succeeded.

"Should have realized, Peter, if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Together!" Sirius spoke, as he, Remus and Mary raised their wands at him.

"No!" Harry screamed, making the three adults, including Nora turn to him with surprise.

"Harry," Remus started. "this man-"

"I know what he is! But we'll take him to the castle." Harry spoke, walking closer to the betrayer.

"Bless you, boy. Bless you." Peter spoke, thankfully as he fell to his knees, reaching for Harry, but Harry stepped back.

"Get off!" Peter looked up at him. "I said we'd take you to the castle. After that the dementors can have you." Harry spoke, making Pettigrew let out a cry of fear.

"I would've said, kill him," Nora spoke. "But this option is much better."

The room was silent, tense with anticipation of what they had just discovered. Nobody had said anything until now. Some faces were filled with dread, others with intrigue, but all eyes remained fixed on the images unfolding before them.

Elijah Mikaelson, ever composed, stood with his arms crossed, his sharp gaze analyzing every moment. Yet, beneath the surface, there was an undeniable tension in his posture. This was his daughter. Every struggle she faced cut through his immortal calm like a dagger.

Beside him, Sirius Black was a storm of emotions. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his normally playful demeanor absent. "They should never have suffered like this." He muttered under his breath, his grey eyes dark with anger. It was like he was reliving that moment all over again.

Jasmine, Nora's mother, had tears welling up in her eyes. "They were so young," She whispered, pain evident in her voice.

Rebekah Mikaelson let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. "That disgusting rat." she spat. "I would have torn him apart." She still would if she ever laid her eyes on him.

Niklaus Mikaelson smirked at his sister's outburst but said nothing, his jaw clenched tight. He had seen suffering before—inflicted it, even—but watching his niece endure such hardship stirred something in him that he rarely acknowledged.

Caroline Forbes had tears in her eyes but also a determined look. "They deserve so much better. You all do. I can't believe you were in jail for twelve years and you were innocent this whole time. That's not fair." she said, voice thick with emotion. "They deserved to be loved. And someone took that option away from them.

Elena Gilbert had gone completely quiet, watching with an expression that was both horrified and deeply empathetic. Jeremy beside her shifted uncomfortably, guilt in his eyes/

Lily Potter, her hands clasped together tightly, could barely keep her emotions at bay. "They were just little kids." She whispered, her heart breaking as she watched the way Nora had been treated. She still had to get used by how small they look on the screen, even thought they had been watching the last three years of her son and niece's lives, but Lily was still used to how they looked right now. In the real time line. 

James Potter's face was tight with suppressed rage. "We should have been there." He said. "We all should have been there." He wasn't just saying that for his son and Nora, but also for his friends. Sirius was locked up for years and nobody could help him from his suffering. And Remus and Mary had been left behind all alone. 

Sirius let out a humorless laugh, trying to lighten up the situation, even though he felt no joy watching back. They only two good things that happened that day was getting his daughter and god-son to realise that he didn't murder James and Lily. And the other thing was reuniting with them. That had been something he had dreamed of for years. "She's definitely a Potter." He said. "And a Mikaelson." He added.

Klaus finally spoke, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "She'll fit right in, then."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Hi guys, be sure to comment and vote if you want. I love reading them and your support keeps me so motivated! Thank you so much for reading and I hoped you enjoyed the chapter! And I'm sorry for the long wait! x

Love Katherine 

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

WORDS: 3224

POSTED: THURSDAY 03/04/2025

WRITTEN: WEDNESDAY 02/04/2025