HARRY POTTER and the Prisoner of Azkaban CHAPTER 19
Chapter 19
THE SERVANT OF LORD VOLDEMORT
Hermione screams. Black stands up quickly. Harry is very surprised and does not move. “I found your Invisibility Cloak near the Whomping Willow, Potter,” says Snape. “It is a very useful thing. Thank you.” Snape smiles. He is happy because he has found them.
“I was in your office earlier this evening, Lupin,” Snape says. “I brought your potion. I saw the map on your desk. I looked at it and saw what I needed.” “Severus…” Lupin starts to speak. But Snape does not let him. “I told the headmaster many times that you were helping Black come into the school. Now I have proof!”
“Severus, this is a mistake,” Lupin says. “You don’t know everything.” Snape looks very happy. “The dementors will be glad to take two people to their prison tonight - Black and a werewolf!” “You fool, Severus!” Lupin shouts. “Are you still angry about a joke from when we were boys? You will send an innocent man back to Azkaban!” BANG! Smoke comes from Snape’s wand. The smoke wraps around Lupin’s mouth, hands, and feet. Lupin falls to the floor. Black starts to move toward Snape. But Snape points his wand at Black’s face.
“Give me a reason to hurt you, Sirius,” he says angrily. Snape and Black look at each other with hate. Harry does not move. He does not know what to say. He does not know who to believe. He is frozen.
Ron looks just as confused. But Hermione says, “Professor Snape, maybe we should listen to what they want to say.” “Miss Granger,” says Snape, “You are already in big trouble. You, Potter, and Weasley are here with a man who is a convicted killer and a werewolf. You should stay quiet.” “But, Professor Snape, maybe it’s a mistake…”
“BE QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!” Snape shouts. He looks very angry now. “DON’T TALK ABOUT THINGS YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!” Snape keeps his wand pointed at Black. “Revenge is sweet,” he says. “I always wanted to catch you. After we leave this tree, I will bring the dementors. They will be happy to see you again, Black. Maybe they will give you the dementor’s kiss.”
Black now looks a little afraid. “Please, listen to the true story,” he says. “Look at the rat!” But Snape does not listen. He is too happy to catch Black. “Come with me,” he says. “All of you. We are going back.” Before Snape can move, Harry runs to the door and blocks it. “Move away, Potter,” Snape says. “You are already in big trouble. I saved you. Lupin and Black could have killed you… ”
Harry cuts him off. “Professor Lupin could have killed me many times already!” Harry yells. “I was alone with him many times. He helped me. If he worked with Black, he would have already killed me.” “Move, Potter!” Snape shouts, pointing his wand at Harry. “YOU ARE PATHETIC!” shouts Harry. “They made fun of you many years ago, and you still don’t listen!”
“SILENCE!” yells Snape. “YOU CAN’T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!” He looks crazy. “Maybe I should have let you die,” Snape says. “You are just like your father. Arrogant. Ungrateful. You are wrong to trust Black. MOVE, POTTER!” Harry makes a choice. Before Snape can do anything, Harry lifts his wand. “Expelliarmus!” he shouts.
But he is not the only one. There is a loud noise and bright light. Snape flies across the room and hits the wall. Blood is on his face. He is not moving. He is unconscious. Harry turns to look around. Ron and Hermione also shouted the spell. “We attacked a teacher…” Hermione says quietly. “We are in so much trouble…”
Harry is not sure they did the right thing. Black quickly unties Lupin. “Thank you, Harry,” Lupin says. “I still don’t know if I can trust you, Professor,” says Harry. “Then it is time to show you proof,” says Lupin. “You, boy, give me Peter.” Ron holds Scabbers close. “How do you know my rat is the one you want?” he asks. “There are many rats.” “There is no doubt,” Black says. “Look at this.”
He takes a piece of newspaper out of his pocket. It is a photo of Ron and his family in Egypt. On Ron’s shoulder is Scabbers. “When Fudge visited me in Azkaban, he gave me a newspaper. I saw the photo. I knew right away it was Pettigrew. I saw him change into a rat many times when we were students. I knew it was him. The paper said this Weasley boy was going back to Hogwarts - where Harry is.”
“And look!” Lupin says. “The rat in the photo has one toe missing!” Harry is confused. “The only thing they found after the explosion was Peter’s finger,” Black says. “He cut off his own finger. Then he changed into a rat and ran away.” “Scabbers could have lost his toe in a fight!” Ron shouts. “He’s been with us a long time!”
“Twelve years,” says Lupin. “Why do you think he has lived so long?” “We took good care of him,” says Ron. “He looks sick now,” says Lupin, looking at Scabbers. “He’s scared of that crazy cat!” says Ron. But Harry remembers - Scabbers looked sick before Hermione bought the cat. He looked sick since Black escaped Azkaban. “This cat is not crazy, Ron,” says Black.
Black pets the cat. “He is very smart. He knew Peter was not really a rat. And he knew I was not really a dog. I talked to him. He helped me.” “How?” asks Hermione. “I asked him to bring Peter to me,” Black says. “But Peter ran away. So the cat stole the Gryffindor passwords. I think he took them from Longbottom…”
Harry remembers that Neville got in trouble for losing the passwords! “Peter tried to run,” says Black. “He put blood on the sheets. He wanted us to think he was dead again.” Harry tries to understand. “He faked his death because he knew you were coming to kill him! Just like you killed my parents!”
“No, Harry,” says Lupin. “We all thought Sirius Black told Voldemort where your parents were. We thought Peter tried to stop him. We thought Black killed Peter. But that’s not true. It is the other way around. Peter told Voldemort where your parents were. Black tried to stop him.” “THAT’S A LIE!” Harry yells. “BLACK SAID HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER!”
“Harry,” Black says quietly. “Your parents died because of me. I told them to change Secret-Keepers. I told them to use Peter instead of me. That’s why they died.” “But why?” asks Harry. “Because Voldemort was too strong,” Black says. “If he found me, he could make me talk. But he would never think Peter was the Secret-Keeper. I thought it was safer.”
“It’s time, Sirius,” says Lupin. “Let’s make Peter show himself. If we are wrong, the rat will stay a rat.” Black picks up Snape’s wand. “Give me the rat, Ron.” Ron gives him to Lupin. The rat moves wildly. “Ready?” Lupin asks. “Ready,” says Black. “One… two… THREE!”
Bright light comes from the wands. The rat floats in the air, turning and squeaking wildly. Another flash. The rat falls to the floor. He begins to change. Arms and legs grow quickly. Now, a small man stands in front of them. Crookshanks hisses…
