Up for a Burnout//Harry Potter

Fear crawls up Matt's back as he kneels frozen still by Ron. In an admirable display of bravery, Hermione steps forward, throwing her hands out in an attempt to shield Harry.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll- you'll... have to kill us, too!" She says, voice trembling. Matt starts to connect the dots. Why Harry wasn't allowed into Hogsmeade, why Harry would be in trouble if he was found at Hagrid's after curfew. Why Black kept attempting to get into Gryffindor common room.

"No." Black spoke. His voice was low and dry, insanity leaking from every word. "Only one will die tonight." Then Harry moved.

"Then it'll be you!" Wand in hand, he shot out from behind Hermione.

"Harry, no!" Hermione tries to grab at the boy, but he is too fast. He knocks Black to the ground, one hand around the wizard's thin neck, the other pointing his wand right between his eyes.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" The maniac laughs. Harry groans in anger, but before he can cast a single spell, the door gets thrown open.

"Expelliarmus!" Professor Lupin steps in, caching Harry's wand in his hand and pulling Harry off, eyes never leaving Black. Harry is pushed back to his friends, all three of them reaching out to grab at some part of his clothing. "Looking a bit ragged, aren't we, Sirius? Finally the skin reflects the madness within." Lupin says, wand now pointed at Black.

"You'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Remus?" Black smirks. For a moment, they just stare at each other. Then, to the horror of the students, Lupin helps Black up and hugs him.

"He's here! He's right here!" Black shakes in Lupin's embrace.

"I kno-"

"No!" Hermione yells. "I trusted you! I covered up for you. And all this time you've been his friend!" She turns to her classmates, pointing at the Professor. "He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes!" The three boys stare at her dumbfounded.

"How long have you known?" Lupin asks, taking a step to them. Matt has his wand in his hand in an instant, stepping in front of Hermione. He's ready to shout Protego at any given moment if Lupin's wand as much as twitches.

"Since Professor Snape set the essay." Hermione says from behind Matt, her hand gripping the back of his school button-up.

"You're the brightest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione." Lupin laughs. Matt adjusts his grip on his wand. What's the incantation for the binding curse again?

"Yes, you glow like the sun. And you howl at the moon. Enough talk! He dies. Now. If you won't do it with me, Remus, I'll do it alone." Black groans.

"Wait, Sirius-"

"I did my waiting! Twelve years of it! In Azkaban!" Black snaps, voice hysterical. The kids shrink back.

"Very well, kill him, but wait one more minute. Harry has the right to know why."

"I know why!" Harry shouts. "You betrayed my parents. You're the reason they're dead."

"No, Harry, it wasn't him." Lupin's voice was desperate. "Somebody did betray your parents, but it was somebody who, until quite recently, I believed to be dead!"

"Who was it then?!"

"Peter Pettigrew!" Black shouted into the room. "And he's in this room right now. Come out, come out, Peter! Come out, come out, and play!"

"Expelliarmus!" The door opens once again and Lupin's wand flies out of his hand. Snape steps into the room. "Oh, vengeance is sweet! How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you."