Title: Harry Potter and the Werewolf of Azkaban
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, settings or anything else from Harry Potter.
Summary: Thirteen years ago, Remus Lupin was sentenced to life in Azkaban for the betrayal of the Potters and the murder of Peter Pettigrew and thirteen other Muggles.
"James and Lily, Remus! How could you?" The voice was shrill with anger.
The street was crowded with Muggles, who noticed the disturbance and turned to watch the plump little man sobbing before a taller, calm-faced figure. Heads craned to see what would happen.
"Why, Remus? Why did you betray them?"
Remus Lupin stood very still and very calm, looking down at Peter Pettigrew. Slowly and carefully, he reached inside his jacket, feeling for the comfortable weight of his wand in the top pocket, close to his heart.
And then everything seemed to happen all at once. The terrible confusion of angry light and roaring sound and afterwards the eerie calm.
"It was...it was all so sudden," stammered a witness a little later on, when the Aurors had arrived on the scene. "It was the man - the tall man - he did something, said something and then it was...it was all bright and loud and...and..." she trailed off and covered her face with pale trembling fingers, trying to shut out the horrible images flickering through her mind: the flashing brightness, the tangled outstretched limbs, the blood, the smell of roasting, the tall man still as a statue and laughing softly. Laughing as if the carnage was amusing, as if it was all a big joke that nobody else had understood.
The Aurors approached Remus Lupin carefully. His wand was still held loosely in his hand, and the quiet laughter was horrifying. Flecks of blood had spotted his face; he looked mad, maniacal. The remains of Peter Pettigrew were scattered at his feet, and Remus Lupin was watching them intently, and laughing that soft, obscene laugh. He laughed until the moment the Stupefys hit him, and then he toppled soundlessly to the gore-spattered ground and laughed no more.
The trial was quick, his guilt a certainty before it was even begun. All it required was the mention of Peter Pettigrew's finger in a box and the word 'werewolf'.
Muggles testified against him. Dumbledore testified against him. Sirius Black testified against him with hard dark eyes fixed on his, full of hate and bitter betrayal. Remus Lupin sat perfectly calm and quiet and still while the prosecution ranted at length about dangerous half-breeds. There was no defence.
The trial lasted two days, and then the sentence had to be decided on. All those in favour of the silver bullet? A sizeable portion of the jury raised their hands, was it more than half? Remus watched impassively. All those in favour of the Dementor's Kiss? Fewer hands were raised for this, much less than the half needed to pass the vote. All those in favour of life in Azkaban? Many hands were raised, there was a count, yes, and it was more than half. Remus allowed himself a small sigh. All those in favour of - a small laugh here - acquitting the defendant of all charges? No hands were raised. The courtroom was silent, a hundred pairs of acusing eyes fixed on Remus Lupin, who did not move or speak. Sentence passed! Life in Azkaban!
The guards held Remus Lupin tightly as he was marched out of the courtroom. Remus twisted in their grip to look at Sirius, whose dark eyes burned him with the depth of their hate. Remus gave him a little defeated, apologetic smile, and mouthed the word: 'Wormtail'.
A/N Hopefully this will go on to tell the whole story, providing I don't get bored first. Reviews and especially constructive criticism are extremely welcome.