Harry beamed. His professor believed him! And he was convincing the others. Harry could tell from their expressions.
Sirius and Remus proved recalcitrant, but in the end Snape won the day with his caustic query: "So you'd prefer to risk Har- erm, Potter's тАУ life by ignoring his concerns and doing nothing? He is the only one among us who has seen both Wormtail and Scabbers, but of course you choose to dismiss his opinion. Did it not occur to you that by refusing to act on the boy's suspicions, you are reinforcing his poor opinion of adults and giving him no reason to trust you? Do you really imagine this is the way to convince him to turn to adults for help, rather than trying to tackle the Dark Lord by himself or with the aid of his little friends? Clearly you do not consider his welfare worth expending a bit of investigative effort."
That naturally trumped the objections, as both guilt-ridden Marauders apologized profusely to a now-smug Harry. Then the council of war began.
Of course, Sirius was all for going directly to Hogwarts and grabbing the rat, while Remus' only alteration to the plan was that he was the one who should go, lest Sirius' exoneration not have reached all ears in Britain. Snape nursed a headache and wondered how Gryffindors managed to survive in the wild.
"You don't suspect that Pettigrew might possibly be tipped off to your arrival, perhaps by some of the myriad ghosts, portraits, or students? And that, once alerted in that fashion, he might be able to escape in the enormous, magical castle?" Snape finally snarled.
They blinked at him. "But тАУ but тАУ that wouldn't be fair," Sirius objected. "He should stay and face us like a Gryffindor!"
Now even Harry was looking disgusted, and Sirius blushed. "Okay. So that was stupid. But I just spent ten years surrounded by Dementors!" he whined. "I'm not at my best!"
"What do you suggest, Severus?" Remus cut in smoothly.
Severus unconsciously slipped into lecture mode, and Remus тАУ with a wink at Harry тАУ conjured quills and parchment for the rest of them. "It will be important that the rat not suspect anything is amiss," he began, his Slytherin mind busily plotting. "Black will therefore hold a press conference..."
"Brilliant!" Sirius brightened.
"тАжat which you will make some very disparaging remarks about Britain and Fudge and how despite your exoneration you have no intention of ever setting foot on British soil again."
"What, never?" Sirius asked in concern.
Severus sighed. Gryffindors. "That is what you will say," he replied with exaggerated patience. "Are you unfamiliar with the concept of lying? Think of it as pranking the British public."
"Well, yeah, but think of all the witches back home who'll go into mourning at the news," Sirius grinned. "They'll likely burn Fudge in effigy."
Harry giggled and Remus groaned, even as Snape massaged his forehead. "To continue," he ground out. "this statement will reassure Pettigrew that you will not be showing up at Hogwarts to visit Harry and therefore potentially encounter him. It will make it less likely that he will try to flee. In the meantime, we will lay our plans for his capture. First, of course, we must move Potter out of his dorm room."
"What?" Harry yelped. "Why?"
Snape glared at him. "Do you think I will allow you to continue to sleep in the same room with the creature who betrayed your parents to the Dark Lord? Have you forgotten that the Dark Lord's target that night was not your parents, but you? If Pettigrew, despite our efforts, feels unsafe and decides to flee, he might easily choose to harm or abduct you as he departs. Or you might let something drop that would make him suspicious тАУ"
"I would not!" Harry argued hotly. "An' me leaving the dorm would make everyone talk an' that would definitely make him suspicious! We need to catch him, an' I'm goin' to stay in the dorm an' keep an eye on him!"
"Oh, no, you're not!" Three adult voices rang out in unison, and the men exchanged a somewhat embarrassed look before focusing on the determined-looking boy before them.
"You will move to my quarters immediately upon our return to Hogwarts."
"No."
"Harry," Remus tried, "it's too dangerous. Peter is too unpredictable."
"No!"
"C'mon, Pronglet," Sirius urged. "I've got to admit, Snape has a point. Catching that traitor isn't worth risking you."
"NO!"
"Potter, disobedience will only result in тАУ"
"I don't care if you smack me," Harry growled, his scowl looking remarkably like his guardian's. "I'm not going to move out of the dorm! I'm going to help catch the rat who betrayed my parents!"
Snape glared at the brat. Such Gryffindor obstinacy. Ah well, it was a good thing that it was no match for Slytherin cleverness. "Very well, Potter," he said calmly.
Harry blinked, taken aback by the sudden capitulation. "What?"
"I said, very well." Snape repeated. Now all three Gryffindors were staring at him. "If you refuse to participate in this plan, then we will use another one."
"Now wait," Sirius protested. "We can't risk Harry's safety тАУ" he began, ignoring his godson's grimace.
"I quite agree. So instead of developing a complex yet foolproof plan that would require a great deal of cunning on the boy's part but virtually guarantee Pettigrew's capture, we will instead be forced to employ a much cruder plan that will not need Potter's help."
Harry looked alternately intrigued and distressed. "Wait. What do you mean your other plan required me to be cunning an' stuff? I thought you said I was going to have to move out of the dorm."
"Potter," Severus rolled his eyes, "you can hardly be plotting Pettigrew's downfall in front of him, nor can you engage in planning meetings with the three of us from a couch in your Common Room. But since you prefer to stay with your little friends rather than join the adults in devising and implementing the plot, we will have to use a more direct approach. I will merely floo-call the Aurors from here and provide them with your observation. Hopefully, despite their history of ineptitude, they will decide to investigate the accusation of a child, based on the penseived memories of an escaped felon -"
"Oi! I was pardoned!"
" тАУ and proceed to Hogwarts with sufficient speed and guile to capture the rat unawares. Of course, it is significantly more likely that they will dither about, decide to contact the Weasleys, who will in turn ask Ron about Scabbers, but I'm sure Ron will have no difficulty in concealing this informationтАж"
"Wait, wait!" Harry protested. Ron might be his best mate, but Harry was under no illusions as to the redhead's ability to dissemble. Nor, to be brutally honest, was Ron all that quick on the uptake. He would surely tip Pettigrew off. "That's an awful plan," he argued. "Pettigrew's sure to get away."
Snape shrugged. "Since you are not willing to participate in the other тАУ"
"No, no. I'm willing. I just don't want to move out of the dorm!"
Snape leaned forward until they were nose to nose. "Your safety is not negotiable," he said with absolute finality.