Sirius ran through the streets like a madman; he had left his bike behind when he got into the neighborhood when they lived. He had to know if it was true!

He was at his home when Dumbledore told him that he had sent Hagrid over to Godrics Hollow and that he should get over there right away. He didn’t offer any more explanation, though Sirius heard on his way there what everyone said happened. Every time he would hear a rumor, he would make his bike go even faster.

He reached Godric’s Hollow at record speed. The house was in shambles and his heart raced. It can’t be true, he thought.

He met Hagrid right outside the doors and slowly followed him in.

They both entered the house cautiously; if someone was still around they didn’t want to get hurt. When Sirius and Hagrid reached the stairs, Sirius gasped at what he saw. James was lying dead, and it was obvious that the Avada Kedavra curse had been used.

Sirius stared at James in shock. If that was true, then everything else must also be true, Sirius thought frantically.

Sirius ran up the staircase to Harry’s room before Hagrid could make it up, and started to cry when he saw what lay inside. Lily was dead on the ground, and the spell used to kill her was obvious. Then Sirius looked into the crib where Harry slept.

Harry was lying there, oblivious to the fact that his mother and father had been murdered. How could he know that one darkest wizard of all time had disappeared because of him? Harry was just a baby, and yet, he had defeated one of the darkest wizards.

Sirius swore right then and there that Peter Pettigrew would die. Peter had betrayed his James to Voldemort. Peter was a coward who didn’t have enough of a backbone to die for his loyal friend. The traitor would soon know what happened when he got on the wrong side of a Black, Sirius thought venomously.

Hagrid gently picked up Harry before starting down the stairs. Sirius came down right behind him, planning to come back later to say goodbye to his best friend and to the girl that would love James forever. Right now he wanted to deal with a traitor.

When they left the house, Hagrid started talking. Sirius didn’t know exactly what Hagrid was saying because his thoughts were focused on revenge. He heard the name ‘Albus Dumbledore’, though, and he knew that Harry would be in good hands with Hagrid; Dumbledore trusted Hagrid with his life. Hagrid would die before he let someone hurt Harry. Sirius also gave Hagrid his motorcycle–it would help Hagrid get Harry where he needed to go as fast as possible.

Sirius left the house right after that, knowing that Harry was safe. The last words he spoke to Harry were, “I will come back for you.�

With one backwards glance, Sirius took off into the night to find Peter. After all, he knew exactly where Peter would be. Peter would go someplace where he believed he would be safe, but, unfortunately for him, Sirius knew that place all too well. If luck was on Sirius’ side then no one would be home and Peter would be stuck outside.

~*~

Sirius found Peter right outside his old home. It looked as though his relatives that lived there now weren’t home, and he didn’t have a key, so there was no way for him to get inside. Luck really was on Sirius’ side.

It was broad daylight, and Muggles roamed the streets around them, but Sirius didn’t care. Peter needed to be taught a lesson the hard way.

~*~

Peter was scared; he had never seen such a murderous look on Sirius’s face. He knew what Sirius came to see him about. He also knew that Sirius wasn’t going to do a whole lot of talking; Sirius’s face gave it all away.

Peter began to walk backwards, hopefully away from Sirius.

~*~

How can Peter just stand there? Why doesn’t he try to explain himself while he still has the chance? Doesn’t he understand how serious what he did is? My best friend is DEAD because of him...

“Explain yourself. Now!� Sirius growled, shaking with anger. If Peter didn’t say something soon, he would regret it. That Sirius was sure of.

“What is there to explain, Sirius old buddy?� Peter said nervously, scared of Sirius and what he was capable of doing.

This angered Sirius beyond belief. How DARE he call me his buddy, Sirius thought, outraged.

“Why did you sell them out, vermin?� Sirius asked while trying to surpress his anger. It wouldn’t help the situation any if he lost his anger right then; maybe later he could, but not now.

Peter desperately tried to think of a plan; he didn’t want to even think about dying right now when he had his life ahead of him. Then he remembered something that would save his life: he was an Animagus. After deciding the best course of action, he went to work. He had to get Sirius to be as loud as possible. After years of being his friend he knew the ways to make him angry, but it made him feel guilty that he was using it against him now, it felt wrong.

“So you like what I did over at Godric’s Hollow? I was over there and I watched it all happen,� Peter said mockingly, though his heart wasn’t in it.

Sirius’ temper shot up. How could Peter be so calm about this? How was he supposed to be calm about this?

When Sirius spoke, the anger in his voice was palpable. “What do you think? Do you think that I am just going to sit here when you were a coward? Lily and James are dead because of you. Harry is going to grow up without his parents! Don’t you even care about that?�

Sirius wasn’t even close to being finished, so he continued. “You are a coward who doesn’t have enough backbone to die for the ones he loves! I would have died so that Lily, James and Harry could remain safe! I would have died instead of knowing that I was the reason why Harry doesn’t have any parents. The saddest thing is that we once called you our friend. In fact, there was a time that any of us would have died rather than betray our friendship with you.�

Peter tried his hardest to look brave, but it wasn’t working. Sirius’s words dug into him and made him feel guilty. He started to question himself. How did he do all of that to his friends, his buddies? Was he really ready for what was going to happen? Could he live with himself afterwords?

Sirius approached Peter. His face showed an abundance of anger. For once in his life he was being serious.

“How could you do that, Sirius? How could you betray Lily and James that way?� Peter said, putting his plan in action. It hurt him to lie, but he had to do it.

Sirius’ temper flaired. It was bad enough that he bragged, but lying about what he did took it to far. Sirius grabbed his wand out of his pocket. It was time to end this, once and for all. He lifted his wand arm and got ready to say a curse that will end it.

~*~

Peter had to act fast, before Sirius could say a spell. He pulled out his wand, behind his back and muttered a spell that cut off his finger, and screamed in pain, It hurt more then he thought it ever would.

For a moment he felt even worse. He knew where Sirius was coming from, and if he was him he would have done the same thing. He continued on, feeling worse then ever.

Keeping the wand behind his back, he blast the street apart. He felt bad that he had to create all of this destruction, but it was either this or his life; he was choosing his life.

Looking at Sirius he saw the friend that he has always had; the brotherly feelings that they had shared all throughout their time at Hogwarts. So many emotions ran through his mind that it made it painful for him.

Before he could change his mind he waved goodbye to Sirius, changed into his rat form, and went into the sewer system.

~*~

Sirius stared at the ground where Peter had just stood. I can’t believe the vermin got away, he thought furiously. But when Sirius started to think about it, he found dark humour in the situation. Peter had hoodwinked Sirius. Sure Peter had participated in the pranks at Hogwarts, but he never really came up with the best pranks. That had always been Sirius and James’ specialty.

Then Sirius started to laugh. He couldn’t control it; it was just coming out. After all, who would think that Peter was capable of betraying his friends and hoodwinking the best prankster in their group? During all of those Hogwarts years he has never managed to pull something over James or Sirius because they always caught it first, but now, after Hogwarts, he succeeds?

Sirius was also laughing because he knew he would get many years in Azkaban for something he didn’t do. He would use that time to think of a cruel and horrible punishment. One that would make Peter wish that he had died today. One that would make him wish that he had never been born.

At that moment, members of the Ministry of Magic started to arrive. They saw the mess and went right to work, as was their job. They had to perform memory charms on all of the Muggles that had seen anything that had happened. It would be dangerous for wizards all over the world if Muggles were running around talking about strange people with magical sticks, so they made them all think that a water main had broke. That way, the real details would seem fuzzy in their minds.

When the Ministry members noticed Sirius standing there laughing with a pool of blood and a finger next to him lying on the ground looking like it has seen better days, they tied him up. Sirius didn’t even resist; he just kept on laughing. He found the whole situation very entertaining, though if anyone asked him what was so funny, he wouldn’t be able to tell them. The last thing he thought before being administered a Sleeping Draught was, Peter Pettigrew will pay.

~*~

“Sirius Black, you are being charged with the murder of your friend Peter Pettigrew. Is that correct?� asked the Minister.

“No, Minister, that isn’t correct. I am being charged with the disappearance of my ex-best friend Peter Pettigrew,� Sirius replied as though he talked like this to the Minister every day.

“Mr Black, it’s clear that you killed Peter Pettigrew. Why do you keep insisting he disappeared?� asked the Minister.

“Minister, I have told you this many, many times, and my story will never change. Peter isn’t dead. He is an unregistered Animagus. All he did was change into his rat form and go into the sewer.� At this, some people laughed.

“And how did Peter become an Animagus?� asked the Minister. You could tell by his tone of voice that he was annoyed with Sirius and that he didn’t believe his story.

“I’ve also told this to you before, but let me refresh your memory: I can’t tell you.� Sirius was lying so that he didn’t get into trouble because of the real way that Peter and the rest of the Marauders became unregistered Anamagi.

“I hereby declare that Sirius Black is guilty of the murder of Peter Pettigrew. Take him to Azkaban,� the Minister said curtly before stepping down so that he didn’t have to look at Sirius again.

The Aurors came into the room and escorted Mr. Black to his new cell in Azkaban where he was to wait out his life.