The Book Of Jude

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Stumbling

'Oh, look at how she listens

She says nothing of what she thinks

She just goes stumbling through her memories

Staring out on to Gray Street.

But she thinks "Hey,

How did I come to this?

I dreamed myself a thousand times around the world

But I can't get out of this place."

There's an emptiness inside her

And she'd do anything to fill it in

But all the colors mixed together

To Gray...'

Dave Matthews Band, 'Gray Street'

"Promise me something," she said quickly, placing a restraining hand on his arm. They were both eager to get to Peter before he noticed them and fled again.

His piercing glare begged her to tell him what he was to promise.

"Whatever happens, don't give me away...please!" she implored him earnestly.

"But I can't do this myself, Jude. Harry will never believe me on my own." He shook his head, keeping his eyes on the rat as it scurried through the grass.

She closed her eyes and thought a moment, willing herself to think clearly. "I will be there, just as a cat. I can't be seen. It would be very bad."

He studied her for precious seconds. Peter could get away. Finally, Black sighed. "What is it you're running from?"

She swallowed hard. "Let's just say that I'm almost as wanted as you are."

He narrowed his eyes judiciously at her then nodded reluctantly. At that moment, they were interrupted by the sound of a boy's voice. It was Ron.

"How the hell did he get here?" Jude began as she watched the boy chase his pet rat. Her question was answered almost instantly as Harry and Hermione appeared, as if from nowhere. They'd used the Invisibility Cloak.

"Okay, let's go. I'll get Peter. You make sure Harry follows." Black was looking murderous. "He needs to know the truth about his father's death." He had a dangerous glint in his cold, black eyes.

"What makes you think he'll follow?" Jude asked, confused.

"He will. I have a plan and I'm counting on the fact that he's just like his father."

Jude nodded. In an instant she was bounding ahead of him toward the rat.

"Get away from him--get away--Scabbers, come here!" Ron was shouting and running furiously to free his rat from the large, ginger cat. There was a loud thud as Ron jumped, landing on both Peter and Jude. Peter was squeaking frantically. Jude made no sound but was madly fighting Ron for possession of the rat. "Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat--,"

"Ron--come on--back under the cloak--," Jude could here Hermione panting, urging her friend to take cover. "Dumbledore--the Minister--they'll be coming back out in a minute--,"

Jude snapped her furry orange head up and looked around, panicked. The Minister? She could have kicked herself! Hagrid's trial! He must have been there to witness the execution. Her grip on Peter slacked and Ron yanked him away, scrabbling for cover beneath Harry's Invisibility Cloak.

Jude felt the impact of the dog's paws heavily trampling the earth as he bounded for Ron. Jude watched as the enormous dog leapt at Harry, knocking him to the ground. The force of the leap, however, had carried Black over Harry and he rolled to a stop just in front of Ron. The dog sprang for him, fastening his jaws on Ron's shoulder. He was dragging him easily by his outstretched arm and Harry, grabbing large handfuls of the dog's fur, was still powerless to stop it.

"This was Black's plan?" Jude looked on in shock. She closed her eyes and swore under her breath. This was the best he could think of? He was going to have a hard time convincing Harry of his innocence after attacking his best friend. As she watched, she noted that Black was headed for the Whomping Willow. He pressed a knot on the trunk, having carefully navigated the furiously whip-lashing branches. She knew this passage. It ended in the Shrieking Shack. Her discovery of this tree's secrets had ended in two weeks of detention and a highly disappointed Dumbledore.

Staring after them, Jude saw Harry and Hermione pelting along over the dark grounds toward the tree. Bounding along after them, she remarked that Ron was putting up a pretty good fight. He'd hooked a leg around one of the twisted roots of the malicious tree. The rest of his body had disappeared into the passage. Jude lurched to a stop, however, as she heard the snap. Black had broken Ron's leg and the boy had disappeared. Jude stood frozen to the spot, fighting revulsion. She knew Black was determined to see this done...she just didn't realize to what lengths he would go to. It was the glaring reality she was now faced with--Black cared little for anyone of these kids--he was thirsty for revenge...and for blood. She gritted her teeth in rage. Of all the stupid things he'd done, of all the times he'd broken her trust, she'd never been angrier with him.

"Oh, help, help!" Hermione's plaintive cries brought Jude out of her incensed reverie. Harry and Hermione were standing just out of reach of the whipping branches of the tree and both were bloody. "Please..."

Jude slithered through the branches like a snake, quickly found the root and pushed. The tree froze as it turned to stone in an instant.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered, cocking her head to one side, curiously. She had a vice grip on Harry's arm as she continued to speak. "But how did he know?"

"He's friends with that dog," said Harry, narrowing his eyes at her in unconcealed suspicion and distrust. "I've seen them together. Come on--and keep your wand out--,"

Jude ignored the comments and slid into the passage with one swish of her tail. Black was right, Harry followed, just as suspected. Loyalty to friends was a strong bond, she guessed. There was no way to know--she wasn't the type to keep many friends.

Bounding swiftly and surely along the passage, Jude didn't look back. She knew they were right behind her by the faint beam of light at her tail. She could see into the depths of the blackness, however, and the light was necessary only for her two companions. In a few minutes, the path sloped slowly upward then twisted. It was an easy run for Jude, who quickly lost the other two. They were running in a crouched position and she could hear their heavy breathing further down the corridor behind her.

She leapt lightly into the dusty, pale-lit room. Stars were providing the only illumination but were sporadically interrupted by clouds. It was early in the evening and the moon was still a good hour or so off over the horizon, Jude wagered. The low light would make things difficult.

Jude smiled faintly. She'd promised these solemn, lonely rooms that she would be back someday. It was as she'd left it: furniture torn and rent to shreds, clouds of dust drifting about like the fabled specters, windows broken and boarded and doors torn from their hinges. She padded up the dusty, grimy and faded steps to the upper story, breathing in the forlorn and sad air of the place.

She found the room. Ron was leaning wearily against the bed, gritting his teeth in pain. Black stood opposite the boy, out of sight of the door. Jude glared murderously at the man as she leapt up onto a beautiful four-poster bed, covered in rich fabrics and a decade's worth of dust. She fought the urge to transform and comfort Ron as best as she could. He looked terrified and in much agony--he was clutching his leg with both hands and breathing unsteadily.

Still, she was no fool. It would have to be an extreme emergency to coax her out of her feline form. Black was no longer worth going to Azkaban for. She vowed to aid him in any way possible, short of revealing her identity. She settled onto the bed near Ron's head and purred loudly, hoping that her presence would be somewhat reassuring.

Unsurprisingly, a few moments later, Harry kicked the door open wide then raced over to Ron as soon as he'd seen him. Hermione followed a little more cautiously.

"Ron--are you okay?" Harry bent down to examine his friend.

"Where's the dog?" Hermione asked.

"Not a dog," Ron moaned. "Harry, it's a trap--,"

"What--,"

"He's the dog...he's an Animagus..."

Jude tensed as she watched the two startled kids turn to face the terrifying and formidable figure of Sirius Black.

"Expelliarmus!" she heard him croak, pointing Ron's wand at them. Their wands shot out of their grasps and Black caught them deftly in his free hand.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. "Your father would have done the same for me." Jude closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. The pictures in the Daily Prophet came back to her. She saw James and Black laughing--they looked like brothers. It was a wonder Black had not placed her...surely he would have remembered her from the night James was killed. She shivered as she thought that all of this murderous intent should be leveled at her instead of Peter. True Peter had betrayed his friends, but if he was out to revenge James' murder, she was the one he was really looking for. She shook the thoughts from her head. That was a secret that would remain with her. She had followed orders...done as she was told. Peter had betrayed them--he was their Judas. "Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful...it will make everything much easier..."

Jude begged Black silently to get on with it. Harry was seething with anger and seemed to have taken the comment about his father as a taunt. Hermione seized his arms and held him back as the boy made a lunge at Black. "No, Harry..." she gasped in a frightened whisper.

Ron was struggling to get to his feet, wincing with every movement he made. Jude watched him cautiously as he stood shakily and faced the wanted criminal. "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" The effort seemed to drain him of still more color.

Black looked at Ron, then his eyes flickered to Jude. She met his stare with cold and calculating anger. He knew what she was trying to say. She willed him to quit dragging this out and get on with it. These kids didn't need to witness his self-destructive trip to the past. He needed to tell Harry what he came to tell him, kill Peter and be done with it all. She was tired of him making everyone suffer by prolonging this torture. "Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You'll damage that leg even more."

"Did you hear me?" Ron persisted weakly. He was clinging painfully to Harry to remain upright. Jude wished he'd take Black's advice, but the boy was stubborn. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," Black said and grinned a horribly sinister smile. Jude couldn't believe it...was he being obtuse on purpose? Why didn't he just tell them he wasn't after them at all. This could be disastrous.

"Why's that?" Harry spat, fighting Hermione and Ron's grasp. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew...What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?" Jude had to hand it to the kid--he didn't scare easily.

"Harry!" Hermione whispered. "Be quiet."

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, launching himself across the room. Jude's eyes widened in surprise as Harry fell on Black and pummeled ever inch of him he could find. The scene would have been comical had it not been so serious. A skinny, short thirteen year old was grappling with a ragged, deranged-looking man in a deserted house. There was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's sent sparks at the ceiling, just missing Harry's face. Hermione and Ron were screaming and yelling incoherently. It was chaos--no one was in control any longer. Jude leapt from the bed into the middle of the mayhem.

Black's free hand was around Harry's throat and he was trying furiously to push the kid off of him. "No," he hissed, "I've waited too long--,"

Harry, glasses askew, fell away from the fray as Hermione's foot connected squarely with Black's chest, and he flew back against the wall. Ron seized his wand hand, causing him to drop the wands with a clatter.

Jude sprang after them, but Harry was reaching wildly from the tangle of bodies for the wands.

"Argh!" Harry yelled as he struggled upright. Jude sunk both sets of claws deep in Harry's arm. He threw her off, but she darted again, desperate to get to his wand first.

"No you don't!" Harry roared, and aimed a kick at her. She jumped aside, spitting in anger. He snatched up his wand and aimed it at Black. "Get out of the way!" he shouted at Ron and Hermione.

They scrambled away from Black, Ron wincing as Hermione hauled him up by his arms. Her lip was bleeding, but she ignored it, scooping up her and Ron's wands. Ron collapsed on to the four-poster, panting, his face was alarmingly pale, and both hands clutched his broken leg.

Black lay sprawled at the base of the wall, a bruise rising grotesquely around one eye and his nose was bleeding, adding more macabre decoration to Black's harsh appearance. His thin chest was rising and falling with ragged breath. Jude tensed as Harry walked slowly over to where he lay, stopping just in front of him and pointed his wand at Black's heart. "Going to kill me, Harry?" he asked without the slightest hint of fear.

"You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but he looked quite calm.

Jude winced at the words.

Black stared back at Harry with a hollow glare. "I don't deny it." Jude couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was not responsible for either of their deaths and Harry deserved to know that much at least. "But if you knew the whole story." At that moment, Jude was thankful that she alone knew the whole story--the real whole story.

"The whole story?" Harry parroted, glaring contemptuously at the man at his feet. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, his voice laced with a sincere urgency. "You'll regret it if you don't...You don't understand..."

"I understand a lot better than you think," Harry spat, his voice shaking more than ever now. "You never heard her, did you? My mum...trying to stop Voldemort killing me...and you did that...you did it..." Every accusation Harry laid on Black...they were her sins...she had heard his mother plead for her child's life. And it had been meager recompense that she had obeyed her pleas that night--she owed them all so much more.

Jude could not be still a moment longer. She streaked across the room and perched atop Black's chest--directly under the wand's deadly aim. Harry would have to kill the guilty party before he could kill Black. The situation had past the point of grave--she was staring down the tip of a wand, yet she could not bring herself to reveal her secret. She could not let them know that she had been involved. Under this boy's gaze, she would rather die anonymously than to have him know her guilt.

"Get off," Black murmured, trying to shove her off. She would not budge, however, and sank every claw into his shirt. She stared up at Harry, waiting for him to exact his revenge. Hermione heaved a small sob behind Harry. He raised his wand, his face stony and resolute.

An eternity passed in the space of a few seconds. Harry was frozen, staring down at the curious pair with a blank expression. No pity, no rage...just blank. Ron's ragged breathing was the only sound in the room.

Then another sound punctuated the silence. Muffled footsteps on the stairs echoing through the cavernous and lonely house.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. Jude did not take her eyes off Harry who remained still and unblinking. "WE'RE UP HERE--SIRIUS BLACK--QUICK!"

Black jumped at the sound of Hermione's shrill cries. Jude was almost thrown to the floor and Harry made a startled motion as the footsteps thundered up the stairs.

The door burst open in a shower of red sparks. It slammed loudly against the wall. Jude craned her neck to see around it as it swung back on creaking hinges. There was a weary-looking man, pale and stunned, surveying the room. Jude recognized him at once--it was Black's friend, Professor Lupin.

"Shit!" Jude thought the instant she'd seen him. She knew he did not believe his friend was innocent and knew that their plan had failed. Game over.

He surveyed the room shrewdly. His eyes lingered on Black a little longer than he'd spared on the others. Jude was perplexed, however, as his expression melted from tense worry to disbelief...even kindness. Finally, he looked at the curious cat crouching on the convict. His eyes narrowed as the squashed face of the cat met the stare evenly.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted, expertly disarming a stunned Harry. Hermione and Ron's wands flew out of her grasp and joined Harry's in Lupin's outstretched hand. Harry looked shaken and disappointed--defeated even. Jude had the oddest thought that his disappointment was unwarranted. She knew that he would have a chance to right the wrongs committed against him in due time. He would someday have his revenge. Lupin moved into the room, still staring at Black and the curious cat still crouching protectively on his chest. "Where is he, Sirius?" he asked tensely.

Harry stared at Lupin, confused. Black remained expressionless. For a few seconds, the room was still, no one moved at all. Then, Black raised a thin finger very slowly and pointed straight at Ron.

Harry turned to Ron, who shrugged his shoulders weakly, equally as mystified.

"But then..." Lupin muttered,staring so intently at Black it seemed as if he was trying to read his mind. "Why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless..." Jude watched as the man's gray eyes widened suddenly, as if seeing something beyond the room, a place long ago forsaken but not forgotten. "Unless he was the one...unless you switched...without telling me?"

Black nodded slowly, his dull glare never leaving his friend's face. Jude was amazed at how fast Black's reckless abandon and disregard for his own life... his own freedom...was thrown aside. His friend's renewed faith in him had restored him. A faithful friend...it was something Jude could admire, but never understand. Yet all the same she was thankful for his influence, she could never have managed to effect such a change in Black.

"Professor," Harry interrupted the cryptic exchange, "what's going on?"

But Harry fell silent as Lupin extended a hand to Black and helped him to stand. The cat jumped off of him and watched curiously as the two embraced like brothers. Harry stared, open-mouthed, in disbelief.

"I don't believe it!" Hermione screeched, shattering the silence like a hammer on fine crystal.

Lupin let go of Black and turned to face her, startled. She was pointing, wide-eyed and stammering. "You--you--,"

"Hermione--," Lupin tried to calm her.

"You and him!" She was pulling herself to her feet with a little effort.

"Hermione, calm down--,"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione was shrieking frantically. Jude was alarmed. She hadn't the slightest clue as to what was going on and couldn't even venture a guess. She looked at Black to see if he shared their bewilderment. He didn't. He was looking at the floor and shaking his head. Jude watched the scene closer. The professor looked extremely tired and worn, but it was definitely the same man from the train, the same man from the Daily Prophet photos. Still, there was another memory that tickled at the back of her mind. She'd seen him somewhere else--he was smiling sadly in the memory. The eyes, there was something about his eyes. She shook the thought from her head. It was probably nothing at all, she reasoned as Hermione still protested shrilly. "I've been covering for you!"

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

Harry was shaking with ill-concealed fury. The situation she thought had been defused was beginning to spark again, she could feel the tension in the room rising.

"I trusted you," Harry turned to his professor and shouted. "And all this time you've been his friend."

"You're wrong," said Lupin, regaining some of his lost composure. "I haven't been Sirius' friend, but I am now--Let me explain..."

"No!" Hermione yelled. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too--he's a werewolf!"

The silence was unbearable. Jude couldn't believe what Hermione had just said. She looked at Lupin, who appeared relatively calm, all things considering. He turned quickly and cast a furtive glance at her as she stood unnaturally still next to Black. Jude cocked her head. He was so familiar. Yet the memory was impossibly distant, she could not grasp at it.

He shook his head ruefully and turned back to Hermione with that sad smile that taunted Jude. "Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead..." He paused and Jude saw his shoulders sag almost unnoticeably. Yet she'd noticed. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

Ron made a haphazard attempt to get to his feet then fell back on the bed, whimpering in pain. Jude started in concern, noticing that the professor had mimicked her movement as well.

"Get away from me, werewolf!" Ron gasped, clutching his leg weakly. Jude shook her head. It seemed unavoidable. None of them would escape with their secrets that night--every one would pay, she was now just waiting for her turn.

Lupin stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes once again met the cat's only for an instant before he quickly glanced away. With an obvious effort, he turned again to Hermione. "How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay..." Jude raised her eyebrows with curiosity. How in the world did he manage to mix himself up in all of this? It probably wasn't that hard, Jude mused darkly.

"He'll be delighted," Lupin said coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping that someone would realize what my symptoms meant...Did you check the lunar chart and realize I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione answered weakly.

Lupin forced a laugh. "You're the cleverest witch of your age I've every met, Hermione."

"I'm not," she whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know," said Lupin. "At least the staff members do." Jude smiled a little at the revelation. Dumbledore, ever fair, would never discriminate against someone for such a reason. Hell, he hardly cared about her black past, or Snape's for that matter. He acted as if it simply wasn't there. She guessed that was a big part of the reason she admired the man so much.

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron gaped at him. "Is he mad?"

"Some of the staff thought so," he said. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy--,"

"And he was wrong!" Harry yelled. "You've been helping him all the time!" He pointed to Black, who crossed the room wearily and sank onto the bed. Jude leapt up beside him. Ron inched away painfully. Jude wished that everyone would just get to the point. She watched as Lupin tried to convince the boy with words that he was not a sinister creature working with Black to ensure their downfall. When words failed, he spoke with actions and handed them each their wands back. Jude was impressed. He held their attention better than Black had been able to. There was no free-for-all, a rough brawl where everyone got their share of bloody noses and black eyes.

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry said with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know we were here?"

"The map," said Lupin. Jude slunk into the shadows between Ron and Black. So he knew she was there as well. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it--,"

"You know how to work it?" Harry asked suspiciously. Jude watched tentatively as he explained to Harry the origins of the map and his hand in its creation, awaiting the moment when he would give her secret away. It was only a matter of time, she thought ruefully. The rest of the conversation, something more about the map, Harry's Invisibility Cloak and his father...it was a blur to Jude. She was no longer heeding the words spoken in the room. She was waiting.

"Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by someone else." Jude tensed at Black's side, and he seemed to notice her anxiety. He placed a reassuring hand on her head momentarily. He knew what she feared.

"What?" said Harry. "No we weren't."

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, pacing the room, ignoring Harry's comment. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

Jude relaxed only minimally.

"No one was with us!" Harry said impatiently through gritted teeth.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black..."

Jude's heart was beating wildly. Black was staring intently at his friend as he revealed the discoveries one at a time.

"I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow--,"

"One of us!" Ron insisted angrily.

"No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you."

He stopped pacing in front of Ron. "Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" Lupin said evenly, holding out his hand.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?" Jude moved forward from behind Black. She wanted to see this.

Ron fished the furiously thrashing rat out of his pocket. He seized him by the bald tail to prevent his escape. Despite herself, Jude hissed. He was the cause of this entire mess--for the entire mess that had been her life. His information had allowed a ten-year-old girl to become a murderer. And no matter how many dreams she pursued, she would never escape this life.

Lupin stared at her curiously before moving closer to examine the rat.

"What's my rat got to do with anything?" Ron asked incredulously.

"That's not a rat," croaked Black suddenly. Jude started at the sound of his voice.

"What d'you mean--of course he's a rat--,"

"No, he's not," said Lupin, intently staring at the creature. A thin smile played across his face. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."

After a tense silence, Ron blurted out, "You're both mental."

"Ridiculous," Hermione agreed.

"Peter Pettigrew is dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" Harry pointed an accusing finger at Black.

"I meant to," Black growled, "but little Peter got the better of me...not this time, though!" He lunged for Peter, falling on Ron's broken leg and throwing Jude to the ground.

Jude watched, alarmed, as he grabbed for the rat.

"Sirius, No!" Lupin yelled, rushing forward to stop Black. "Wait! You can't do it just like that--they need to understand--we've got to explain--,"

The professor's words struck Jude. He knew Black's intentions--he was going to kill Peter--and he was not going to stop him. Jude sighed heavily, she was clearly the minority--she didn't want to see anyone die tonight, but she would not be able to stop Black if he was determined.

She watched patiently as Lupin explained how Black and James and Peter had become Animagus out of duty to their friend after they'd discovered he was a werewolf. He presented quite convincing evidence that Peter had been the one to betray the Potters that night. He even confirmed Black's suspicions of how Peter had blown up half the block of a London street and sent twelve Muggles to their graves. Harry and Ron and Hermione countered as best as they could, but the evidence was so strong in the favor of Black's story, that it was irrefutable.

Jude watched as the weary man continued to protest one friend's innocence and another's guilt. The eyes once again caught her attention. Gray, like a stormy sky...sad and tired...weary of life. She studied the man's face until Black's voice broke her concentration.

"Hurry up, Remus," he snarled. He was watching Scabbers with a murderous hunger on his face. It frightened Jude. She would have to make the decision to put her ass on the line to save Peter, a very unworthy reason to spend the rest of her life in close quarters with hundreds of dementors, or to let him hang and burden her weary conscience. She waited in agony, watching their exchange closely.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there..." Lupin continued his tale of how Harry's father and his closest friends had done something extraordinary... and highly illegal. Harry listened eagerly, still yet to make up his mind, but enraptured, nonetheless, to be hearing of his father.

"And all this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether or not I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me..." Jude had to admit, it was rough to have told Dumbledore that she'd hid the very same thing from him. "And Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am." The story struck Jude. It was her own. "And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort,"

No, Jude thought, using dark arts I learned from Voldemort.

"That being an Animagus had nothing to do with it...so in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers for the first time in minutes, glaring up at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?" Jude had a pretty good guess.

"He's here, Sirius," Lupin said heavily. "He's teaching here as well."

"Professor Snape was at school with us," Lupin explained to his captive audience of four. "He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons...you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me--,"

Black made a derisive noise and Jude shot him a cold glare. Lupin explained the trick Black had played on him. No wonder he wanted Lupin out of Hogwarts. Of course, it hadn't been his fault, but Jude knew Snape to be a little less than reasonable on most occasions.

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," Harry asked Lupin slowly. "Because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin. Jude jumped in shock and surprise. She looked quickly around for the owner of the voice. She knew it well. It was Professor Snape.