"I don't know what you're talking about…" Peter shook his head frantically, then looked toward the people surrounding him.
"You wouldn't believe this madness, would you?" he pleaded. "If the Dark Lord's followers were really hunting me, wouldn't it be because I sent one of his most capable subordinates to Azkaban? Sirius is the Dark Lord's most loyal lackey. He's from the House of Black, a pure-blood dark family without question. Just look at his family—"
Black's face twisted violently.
"How dare you say that!" he roared. "Me, Lord Voldemort's lackey? When have I ever grovelled before someone stronger than myself? If anything, that was always you. You were the one who clung to powerful friends for protection. At school, it was James, Remus, and me. Later, it became Lord Voldemort."
"Believe me, Harry," Black said hoarsely, turning to him. "Believe me. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would rather have died than betray them."
Harry's throat tightened, leaving him unable to speak. He could only nod.
He did believe him. Otherwise, why would anyone willingly live as a rat for more than ten years?
The moment Peter saw Harry nod, his small eyes instantly filled with tears. Mucus and tears streamed down his face as he crawled toward Harry on all fours, his voice shrill and hoarse, overflowing with false remorse.
"Harry! For James and Lily's sake! Harry, my dear boy! I was forced! The Dark Lord… he was too powerful! He threatened me! I… I had no choice! I always wanted to protect you! I've been protecting you in secret all this time! Forgive me! Please, forgive me!"
He lunged forward, trying to grab hold of Harry's trouser leg.
Harry stepped back abruptly. His emerald eyes were utterly devoid of warmth, filled only with cold disgust and an indescribable revulsion.
He looked at the tear-streaked, obsequious face before him and could not comprehend how his parents had been betrayed by someone like this.
Seeing that Harry was unmoved, Peter immediately changed targets. He crawled on all fours toward Remus Lupin, his voice even more pitiful.
"Remus! My old friend! My brother! I was wrong! I truly was! It was the Dark Lord… it was him! He forced me! He threatened to kill me! You know how mad he is! Remus, do you remember? We were… the Marauders… we were brothers! Spare me! Please, spare my miserable life!"
He slammed his forehead against the floor again and again.
Remus Lupin closed his eyes. His face had gone deathly pale, his body trembling faintly as though he were forcing down a violent surge of emotion.
Brother.
Hearing that word from Peter's mouth only filled Remus with overwhelming nausea.
Peter then turned desperately toward Ron. "Ron! Good boy! Kind boy! I… I'm your Scabbers! I've been with you for so many years! For the sake of the… the happiness I brought you! Please, speak for me! Tell them I didn't mean it! I'm just… just a poor rat!"
He tried to cling to their past bond in a final, frantic attempt.
Ron's face twisted with rage and disgust. His lips quivered as if he wanted to speak, but in the end he simply turned his head sharply away.
The thought that he had slept in the same bed for so long with the traitor who had murdered Harry's parents made his stomach churn.
Peter then lunged toward Professor McGonagall. "Professor McGonagall! Strict but fair! I… I know I was wrong! I'm willing to confess! I'm even willing to go to Azkaban! Please! Don't kill me! Give me a chance to reform! I'll do anything!"
He wailed, his voice shrill and grating.
Professor McGonagall recoiled half a step in disgust, as if avoiding something profoundly filthy, her lips pressed into a hard, uncompromising line.
Peter immediately turned to Dumbledore. "Ah, great Headmaster Dumbledore! You are so gentle, so kind! You are the most tolerant Headmaster in history. Save me, please! If you just say the word, spare my life, they'll all agree. Headmaster Dumbledore!"
Dumbledore's blue eyes were filled with deep sorrow and a knowing compassion, but he pressed his lips together and remained silent.
At last, Peter's gaze fell on Professor Snape, as though clutching at his final straw. "Severus! Professor Snape! We… we both once served the Dark Lord! For old times' sake! Help me! Please speak to the Headmaster! Don't let them kill me! We're on the same side!"
Professor Snape's face instantly froze over, his cold black eyes blazing with utter disgust and contempt, as though he were staring at the most repulsive creature imaginable.
His thin lips moved, his voice low and hoarse. "Stop your disgusting performance, Peter. Or try begging someone else."
"Someone else?" Peter froze for a heartbeat, then turned desperately toward Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick, his voice breaking with sobs. "Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, save me! I'm your student! Even if my grades weren't very good, I was always honest, always pitiful… wasn't I?"
Professor Flitwick turned his head away, and Professor Sprout let out a quiet sigh, saying nothing.
"Oh, no—" Peter dropped to his knees before the twins. "You two… for the sake of all the years we lived together, please have mercy…"
Fred and George both turned their faces away.
Peter then shuffled on his knees and stopped in front of Hermione, clutching desperately at her robes.
"Kind girl… clever girl… you won't let them kill me, will you? You'll stop them, won't you? You're so smart, you—"
Hermione tore her robes free from his grasp and stepped back, fear flickering across her face.
Peter's gaze finally shifted to Sagres and Black, lingering at last on Sagres.
"Powerful wizard," he pleaded, "you possess unmatched strength. Save me. I'm willing to serve you for the rest of my life. If you say the word, they'll all let me go. No one would dare oppose you. Please… say you'll spare me."
Sagres looked at him calmly, saying nothing.
"Why don't you beg me, Peter?" Black said coldly. "Afraid I might forgive you?"
"Oh, Sirius," Peter crawled forward on his knees, his voice dripping with false humility, hands clasped to his chest as if in prayer. "My friend, there's clearly been some misunderstanding between us, but that's all right. You'll forgive me, won't you? I'm your most loyal friend. You wouldn't just stand by and watch me die, would you…"
Black kicked him away. Peter recoiled with a whimper.
"Don't touch me," Black said icily. "My robes are filthy enough already."
Peter was utterly desperate.
He collapsed onto the carpet like a formless heap of mud, his bloated body heaving violently with sobs and terror.
He looked around and found only coldness, disgust, and contempt on every face, not a shred of sympathy or hesitation.
He knew then that his flattery and grovelling performance had failed completely.
A deathly silence settled over the common room, broken only by Peter's ragged, desperate gasps and whimpers.
In that suffocating quiet, Sirius Black stepped forward.
His voice was unnervingly calm, yet carried an iron resolve that rang clearly in everyone's ears.
"Let's kill him."
To everyone's surprise, the one who answered was the usually gentle Remus Lupin.
He opened his eyes slowly. The gaze that had always held weariness and kindness now glinted with cold resolve.
Meeting Black's eyes, he spoke without the slightest hesitation, a single, curt word.
"Good."
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