Fanfiction: Search and Suspicion, Part III

[author_by_night]

Author/Artist: author_by_night
Title: Search and Suspicion (Part 3/3)
Rating & Warnings: PG-13
Word Count/Art Medium: 2,287
Prompt(s): 47, with shades of 10 and 21.
Summary: Between Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic, there is much deliberating about Sirius Black's second break-in - particularly for Remus Lupin and Nymphadora's Tonks, who have personal connections to the convicted murderer. Follows the second half of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Note: This is the final part. :) It does serve as a prequel of sorts to a fic I wrote a few years ago, Three Shifters Shifting, that deals more with Tonks and Remus as they try helping Sirius.


-

They'd made it to final examinations without another break-in. And, it seemed, without the Defense Against the Dark Arts curse affecting Remus's job.

"There is no curse, Remus," Minerva had reassured him from the very beginning. "Just a string of bad luck..."

Remus had caught Dumbledore's eye, however; and Dumbledore did not look convinced. So all year, Remus had been searching other prospects. Newt Scamander's son was looking for volunteers for an expedition... but Remus didn't know if such a thing was plausible when you factored in Full Moons. Which was a pity, because while Remus didn't know Newt Scamander or his family personally, it was clear that they did not share most of the wizarding world's biases.

According to Hagrid, he'd been at Buckbeak's trial. Remus imagined Dumbledore had prompted his visit. But even Scamander was overriden. He'd bowed before Buckbeak, Dumbledore said, with a very sorry look on his face.

Buckbeak was to be executed tonight. Remus had considered going for support, but thought better of it. He didn't want to bump elbows with someone who liked killing creatures with four legs. And given that tonight was a Full Moon...

Besides, Hagrid had Harry, Ron and Hermione. They'd go, no doubt about it.

Remus thought of Sirius again. Perhaps he'd better watch the map.

For the first time since he was eighteen, Remus opened it and held his wand to the parchment.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said.

The map opened, and Remus scanned for Harry. Sure enough, he, Ron, Hermione were crossing grounds to Hagrid's hut.

Minutes passed; Remus drank his tea and did the crossword while still glancing at the map. He watched Harry, Hermione, Ron and Peter Pettigrew leave...

Hold up.

Remus grabbed the map and pulled it in front of him. How could Peter be there? Was something wrong with the map?

Then he saw Sirius coming towards Ron and Peter. The three of them huddled together - or so it looked on the map - and went towards the Whomping WIllow.

No. It couldn't be.

Remus peered at the map. Even if Peter were somehow there, why was he with Ron? Not Harry? Unless...

Ron's rat. Ron had a pet rat; how many times had Ron come into class with it on his shoulder? How had Remus not seen it before?

No body had ever been found; just a finger. True, that didn't mean anything, they'd found Caradoc Dearborn's remains scattered through Cardiff... but... it did mean something. Because Peter was very clearly never dead. He'd scurried under the sewers... made his way to a nice family with children, children who'd perhaps begged for a pet...

Peter was alive. That was who Sirius was after.

Remus didn't think about the Full Moon; he didn't think about the fact that he'd left the map wide open on his desk, just a few minutes before Severus was due to come with his Wolfsbane; he didn't even think to get Dumbledore, or even the sweet Auror he'd met a few months before. He thought only of Peter, of Sirius, and everything he thought he'd known, but apparently didn't.

---

This was highly vexing.

Kingsley stormed up the stairs to Dumbledore's office, Tonks in tow. She didn't speak, and he knew she was torn between disappointment and relief. Frankly, so was he; he'd never believed in the Dementor's Kiss. He didn't even believe in using Dementors at all. Dumbledore, not Fudge, had the right idea about that.

Besides, they could not restrain a man of Sirius's height. If Kingsley had been allowed there last night... but no, Fudge had said; he was not needed. They'd captured Sirius and that was that. Never mind that it was supposed to be Kingsley's case.

According to a sheepish Fudge, Sirius had escaped yet again, going Merlin knew where.

"I'm angry, Tonks," Kingsley said.

"You're the calmest angriest person I've ever seen," Tonks remarked.

"I'm not calm. I'm about to let loose."

"Breathing exercises," Tonks said dryly as she knocked on Dumbledore's door.

After a minute, Dumbledore let them in. "Mr. Shacklebolt. Mrs. Tonks."

"What is the meaning of this?" Kingsley demanded. "Sirius escaped? Again? And Fudge's Dementors almost sucked the souls of two teenagers? SIRIUS BLACK ESCAPED AGAIN?"

"There it is," Tonks whispered.

"Yes, he did. No, we were not able to learn how. My guess is Sirius found a way to create a Portkey."

"Are the students okay?" Tonks asked.

"They are," Dumbedore replied. "Thankfully, Remus Lupin came to their aide. As did Severus Snape."

"I need to talk to Remus. Immediately."

Dumbledore sighed. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. He resigned this morning."

"What?!" Tonks exclaimed. "Why?"

"A disgruntled faculty member let it slip that he's a werewolf. He knew that parents wouldn't be happy. I also think Remus felt guilty for transforming last night."

"It was a Full Moon, of course he transformed," Tonks said with a frown.

"While he was trying to help Ron, Harry and Hermione. I think in realizing Sirius was there, he forgot what night it was."

Kingsley frowned. "Well... I have reason to believe he knows how Sirius was getting into the castle. I don't think for a minute that he was helping - but I believe he knows more than he's let on."

"Ah." After a minute, Dumbedore said, "Remus told me this morning. There was a map of secret passageways. He was able to locate it after Sirius's second attempt."

"I would like to see it, if that would be possible."

"I'm afraid not. I would prefer to examine it myself."

With anyone else, Kingsley would have objected; however, he'd learned to trust Dumbledore. Not understand him - but trusting him was usually the way to go.

His mind turned to Remus. He'd really lost his job? The poor bloke.

Kingsley got a few more details from Dumbledore - not that there was much to tell. Still, at this point anything would do.

Tonks knew where he'd be. She sat next to Remus and said, "I thought we agreed we wouldn't meet at the Hog's Head when we'd hit a career low."

"I hadn't expected you," Remus said. "What brings you here?"

"I was at Hogwarts. Investigating, you know. Sirius got away again?"

"He... he did, yes." Remus looked especially tense.

"And you've resigned. Did you really have to do that?"

"Yes." Something in Remus's voice told Tonks the discussion was final. "Not only due to concerns about the students' safety - I could have bit any of them last night - but because I now have bigger rats to fry."

"You're going to try finding him," Tonks observed slowly.

Remus hesitated. "Something like that. But it's more complicated. I suppose you should know."

"Know what?"

"The truth."

"Dumbledore told us."

"He - he did?"

Tonks nodded. "About the map. That Sirius had been using it, but it's confiscated. Kingsley... had an inkling you knew more than you'd let on, see."

"Oh." Remus shook his head. "That's not what I thought you meant. No, Tonks, it's... it's about Sirius. Maybe we should go to the room I've rented."

Curious, Tonks followed Remus up to a small room with a trunk in it. It looked more like a very small attic. Complete with a cobweb on the window.

"I'll be here a few nights," Remus explained. "Until I find somewhere else. Turns out Dumbledore's brother runs this place."

"We laughed at Dumbledore's brother?"

"Yeah, but it's okay, they hate each other. Mostly. Sometimes Aberforth does him favours. I guess I'm one of them."

"Then what are you going to do?" Tonks asked.

Remus visibly forced a smile. "We'll see, won't we? Never mind that. I wanted to talk about Sirius. First, however, I need to know that I can trust you. I am about to give you information known only to Dumbledore and a handful of other people. Do you understand that? No one else can know. Not even Kingsley Shacklebolt."

Was it just Tonks's imagination, or did the air feel different?

"I don't know that I can lie to Kingsley," Tonks said.

"When the time is right, when we have the evidence, we'll tell Kingsley. For now, we have to prove this."

"Can I tell my parents?"

"You must tell them. But I can only tell you if you promise to keep it between them and yourself. I know I'm asking a lot, Tonks. I wouldn't if I didn't have to. Dumbledore can confirm anything you might question."

Tonks laughed nervously. Inwardly, she had a feeling she had to give her word. And if it was that important, it must be worth holding from even Kingsley. "Fine. I promise. I trust you and Dumbledore." Mostly Dumbledore, considering she'd only just met Remus a few months ago, although she had a good feeling about him as well.

"Last night, I saw Sirius, as you know. I did in fact confront him. But I learned something. First, let's backtrack. When Sirius was arrested many years ago, your mother contended that there had been some mistake. Do you remember that?"

Tonks nodded slowly. Was he getting at what she thought...?

"She was right. Without getting into the whole story, Sirius Black was not the Potters' Secret Keeper. They switched."

"Who...?"

"Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. Sirius apparently didn't believe he was the right one. I never did ask why, but I'm guessing he thought he might break. James and Lily chose Peter instead."

"Peter Pettigrew was killed," Tonks reminded him. Had he gone mad?"

To her surprise, Remus smiled darkly. "Notice that there was no body? Just a finger."

"Of course, everyone knows..."

Tonks's eyes widened. "Oh. He faked his death."

"He faked his death, and hid as a rat. He's an unregistered Animagi, see. So is Sirius."

"Why wouldn't my Mum have known that?"

"Because they did it as teenagers, along with James, to keep me company during Full Moons."

That sounded like a stretch... and yet, Tonks could see herself having done similar for a friend...

"There were witnesses, though," Tonks said.

"Exactly. Convenient placement, wasn't it? Peter yelling at Sirius, cutting off his finger... what a perfect way to frame someone."

"That's madness." But it made sense. Too much sense. "So you're saying... Peter was really the killer? And got Sirius arrested for it?"

Remus nodded, and Tonks felt heat rising.

"That son of a bitch," she spat. "Do you know how much pain Sirius's arrest caused my Mum?"

Remus put his hand on her shoulder. "I know."

"Where is Sirius?" Tonks asked. "I want to see him."

"You can't," Remus told her.

"Damn it, Remus, I believe you."

"I know. But he's gone. He escaped on Buckbeak last night. No one knows where he is."

Tonks sat on the edge of Remus's bed and rubbed her temples. It was so much to process.

"So he's really innocent," she said. "All along. I expect he was trying to kill Peter, then?"

"That he was," Remus replied. "Peter was posing as Ron Weasley's rat."

"Scabbers!" Tonks realized aloud. "He was Percy Weasley's rat at one time..."

Tonks shuddered and stood. She thought she should have felt something, but didn't. Shock, she realized.

"I'm going to need time," Tonks said honestly. "But I believe you. And I'll tell my parents at once, of course. You can come with me."

Remus looked hesitant. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"It might be the easiest way for them to believe. Not that it'll be too difficult; as you pointed out yourself, Mum always knew something wasn't right."

"I wish I'd realized that," Remus admitted.

"You were in mourning," Tonks said. "And all the evidence pointed otherwise. Don't be hard on yourself."

Perhaps to the surprise of both of them, Tonks gave Remus a hug. "Thank you. Your news means the world, even if it's bittersweet. I'll take it. Even if it means keeping a secret."

"I'm glad."

Tonks looked around Remus's room. It wasn't right that he had to live here; even then, for how long? Where would he go next?

"There's an empty room in my flat," Tonks began. "In Bristol."

"Tonks..."

"I've been trying to find a flatmate for a while. Haven't had much luck. Maybe you can vacate it for a while."

"No," Remus said, and he took a few steps back. "I don't need your charity."

"Charity? No," Tonks said. "This isn't charity. If anyone's been charitable, it's you. You've given me and my family the answers we've always wanted, you lent an ear a few months ago..."

"I won't be able to pay you much."

"When someone finally turns Umbridge back into a toad and you can get a job, then you can pay me back. Even if it's sixty years from now."

"I hate Bristol."

Tonks raised her eyebrows. "Now you're fishing for excuses. How could you possibly hate Bristol? I realise you don't want to be a burden, but you also have nowhere to go. I'm offering you a place. If nothing else, it'll be easier for us to work together."

Remus looked confused. "Work together?"

"I'm going to look for Peter. Clear Sirius's name. I need your help with that, and the closer you are, the more secretive we can be."

After a minute, Remus picked up his trunk.

"Fine," he said. "But only for that."

Tonks barely heard him; she was already hurrying out of the room.

She didn't like the idea of lying to Kingsley; but it was best, at least for now. Tonks knew what she was risking, but she didn't care.

This was why she had become an Auror.