Second Chance

“I don’t believe you.” I whispered, “How can I when all the evidence is to the contrary? You were their Secret Keeper Sirius! You were the only one that knew where they were. How could you betray the people who trusted you with their lives, with our Godson’s life? How could you do that?”

Sirius sat at the end of my bed as I paced before him. I didn’t know what to believe. My thoughts were racing.

“Gabrielle! I didn’t do it! They didn’t choose me after all!” Sirius yelled, rising to his feet and grabbing me by the shoulders.

“Of course you were! Who else would they have told but you?”

“Peter! I told them to choose Peter instead! I was the obvious choice other than you! They would have come after me, after you, they would have never thought of Peter! He was the only one that knew they were in Godric’s Hollow!”

“Peter is dead!” I screamed grasping at straws.

“Peter is not dead! He’s a Death Eater! I know exactly where he is! He’s at Hogwarts!”

“He’s dead he can’t be at Hogwarts! What would he be doing there?” I screamed.

“He’s pretending to be a student’s pet! As a rat! I saw him in the papers I know it’s him!”

“How can you be sure it’s him? He’s a fucking rat! They all look the same!” I howled.

“He’s pretending to be the pet of a Weasley boy. He’s missing a toe in the photo. All they found of a Peter was…”

“A finger.” I whispered.

“He cut it off and ran off like the vermin he is!” Sirius exclaimed grabbing my arms to hold me steady. “Gabby if you didn’t think there was a chance that I was innocent would I be alive right now?” He whispered.

“No…If I knew for certain you killed our best friends…I would have killed you at first sight.” I whispered.

“See you know I didn’t do this. Why would I? What would I have gained?”

Everything Sirius said made sense. James was like a brother to Sirius more than his own brother.
“I…but…this doesn’t make sense.” I moaned resting my face in my hands as I crumpled to the floor. “Peter was always a weak little thing. How could he become a Death Eater? What good would he have done for anyone? The boy could hardly fend off a pixie if need be. How in the world would Peter make any sort of Death Eater?”

“Peter always craved power. He wanted to be more then what he was capable. You know Death Eaters pray off the weak. They will do anything to get people to join them. Make them promises. Peter would have taken anything they said as truth. You know we never truly accepted him into the group. He must have resented us for that.”

“Enough to kill James, to kill Lily and Harry? Even he isn’t that desperate.” I whispered.

“It seems he was. Gabby get me into Hogwarts and I can prove it to you.”

“How the hell in Merlin’s beard do you expect me to get you into Hogwarts? I can’t even get into Hogwarts! How in the world did you even get here from Azkaban that fast?”

“Mooney’s a professor there isn’t he?” Sirius asked with a smirk.

I looked up at him with disbelief. I shook my head slowly. “How long have you been following me?” I asked, “There’s no way you could know that.”

Sirius gave his trademark laugh. “Come on now Gabby, do you really think I can’t find out what my best friend is up to these days?”

“How in the world do you Moony is a professor at Hogwarts? It has only been a few days!” I exclaimed.

Sirius smirked at me, “You know I have my ways Gabby. Get me into Hogwarts and I can prove to you everything.”

“Peter is dead. You can’t prove anything to me. He wasn’t that desperate to kill our best friends.” I moaned.

“But he was. That’s why he did it. Gabrielle why would I lie to you what would I have to gain from it at this point? I have nothing left to lose.” Sirius said sitting us down at the edge of the bed. “You and Harry are the only two people that I have left and everyone thinks I killed our best friends; that I killed all those people. Why would I? Because my family was no good Death Eaters? I never wanted to be a part of that. You know that better than anyone else does. Don’t let me lose you too.”
“Sirius…What exactly where you planning?