"Harry, you're-you're not looking well.”said Hermione anxiously.
It was noon the next day, and Harry had not spoken to Bunce and the others because of what he had heard, but had been silently flipping through the photographs of his parents.
"Where did everyone go?" asked Harry.
"They're all gone. They left yesterday." Bance said.
"Yeah, it's the first day of the holidays, remember?”said Ron, massaging his stomach (for he was eating a toadmint). "It's almost time for lunch and I was going to wake you up when Bunce said you'd come down by yourself.”
Harry sank into the chair beside the fireplace. The snowflakes were still dancing outside the window. Crookshanks was sprawled out in front of the fireplace like a large ginger blanket.
"You don't look too good, you know.”said Hermione, looking anxiously at Harry.
"I'm fine." said Harry.
"Your face gives you away, Harry.”Bance said.
"Listen, Harry," said Hermione,"you must be very upset about what we heard yesterday. But the most important thing is that you must not do anything stupid.”
"For example?" asked Harry.
"Like going after Black," said Ron sharply.
"You wouldn't do that, would you, Harry?”said Hermione.
"It's not worth dying for Black.”said Ron.
"I hear things when dementors come near me, you know?”asked Harry.
"A little, but that's no excuse, Harry.”said Bunce, while Ron and Hermione shook their heads and looked very worried.
"I could hear my mother screaming, I could hear her pleading with Voldemort. If you'd heard Mama scream like that, before she was about to be killed, you wouldn't have forgotten. If you find someone, who everyone thought was her friend, betraying her and sending Voldemort after her-"
"But you can't do anything, you're only a third year and you barely know any spells, Harry.”Bance said.
"Bunce's right, the dementors will get Black, Black will go back to Azkaban, and-and he'll have it coming!”
"You heard Fudge. Black was not affected by Azkaban like a normal person. This punishment was different for him than for others.”said Harry.
"What are you talking about?" said Ron nervously.
"Don't be silly," said Hermione, panicking.
"But I lost my parents because of Black.”Harry snarled.
"Harry, please," said Hermione, her eyes now glistening with tears."Please be reasonable. Black's done a very, very terrible thing, but don't put yourself in danger, that's what Black wants. Your mom and dad don't want you to get hurt, right? They'll never want you to go to Black!”
"I'll never know what they think, because, thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them.”said Harry irritably.
"You're not the only one without parents.”Bance said.
All of a sudden, everyone became awkward and no one spoke. Then Crookshanks gave a great stretch and flexed his paws. Ron's belt trembled.
"Look," said Ron, changing the subject,"it's the holidays! Christmas was coming! Let's-let's go down and see Hagrid, we haven't seen him in ages!”
"No!" said Hermione at once."Harry can't leave the castle, Ron-"
"Well, let's go," said Harry."I could ask him why he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents!”
"I really haven't seen Hagrid in a long time, and I miss him a little.”Bance said.
Hermione glared at Bunce and Ron, who said quickly,"How about we play chess or pebbles? Percy's got a set."
"No, to see Hagrid," said Harry stubbornly.
So they took their cloaks from the dormitory and went through the hole in the portrait ("Stop and fight, you yellow-bellied mongrels!”），They passed through the empty castle and walked out of the oak door.
They walked slowly across the lawn, shallow furrows in the dazzling, powdered snow, socks and cloaks soaked and frozen at the edges. The Forbidden Forest looked as if it had been enchanted, every tree was tinted with silver, and Hagrid's cabin looked like a block of ice cream.
Ron knocked on the door. There was a low bark from Fang.
"He didn't go out, did he?”said Hermione shakily.
Ron had barely pressed his ear to the door when it opened.
"What are you guys doing? Come in, come in." said Hagrid, wearing an apron.
Bunce closed the door behind him. The fire was warm.
"What are you doing, Hagrid?" asked Harry.
"Ah, I'm making lunch. Do you guys want to eat?”said Hagrid.
"No, thank you for your kindness." said Bunce, who had already experienced Hagrid's terrible cooking.
"Why haven't you come to see me for so long? Have you forgotten about me?”said Hagrid, his mustache curling as he set the tea on the table.
"We forgot. Sorry." said Hermione, looking at Harry.
"Hagrid, I want to ask you something," said Harry.
"Go ahead." said Hagrid as he sat down, Fang sniffing Ron's robes.
"Why didn't you tell me anything about Black?”said Harry.
"How-how did you know?”said Hagrid, choking on his tea.
"Don't worry about us. Tell us why.”said Harry irritably.
Hagrid's eyes darted around guiltily, as though searching for the right words.
"You see, I-I was afraid you'd go after Black.”said Hagrid.
"But none of you told me the truth. You tried to hide it from me, thinking that I would be happy this way. Let me tell you, you're wrong.”said Harry angrily.
"Harry, you mustn't do anything stupid," said Hagrid anxiously, as Ron and Hermione nodded. "It was the dementors who caught Black, not you.”
"Of course, I also hope that I can catch that despicable traitor.”Hagrid added excitedly.
"Was Azkaban scary, Hagrid?”said Hermione, changing the subject.
"Scary? You can't imagine,"said Hagrid calmly." It's nowhere like that. I thought I was going crazy. My head is full of terrible things. The day I was expelled from Hogwarts, the day my father died, the day I had to let Aragog go."
Hagrid paused, as though he were struggling from a painful memory.
"You won't know who you are after a while. Besides, you don't know what's the point of living. I often wished that I would fall asleep at once. When they let me out, I felt like I was alive again. I remembered everything. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world. Remember, the dementors won't let me go.”
"But you're not guilty!" said Hermione.
Hagrid snorted angrily.
"Do you think they value this? They didn't care. They had already gotten two hundred people to be with them. They could suck the happiness out of these people completely. They did not care who was guilty or not.”said Hagrid.
"What an evil creature." Bangs suddenly said.
Hagrid's visit to the cabin, though far from interesting, had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped for. Though Harry had certainly not forgotten Black, it was almost impossible for him to get anything more out of Hagrid.
At this time, in other parts of the castle, the usual Christmas decorations were all done, although there were very few students staying. Thick sashes of holly and mistletoe were hung along the corridors, every suit of armor glowed with a mysterious light, and the Hall was decorated as usual with twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars.
On Christmas morning, Bunce was woken up by a pillow thrown at him by Harry.
"Don't blame me, Ron woke me up.”said Harry innocently.
"So you want to use the same method to deal with me, right?”Bangs said with a smile.
"Hey, present!" said Ron excitedly.
Bangs looked at the pile of pitiful gifts and sighed. Ron, meanwhile, was already tearing the wrapping paper from his own pile of presents.
"Mum's got me another maroon hoodie. See if you've got one too.”Ron grumbled.
Bangs had one too. Mrs. Weasley had given him a black leather hoodie. Hermione had given him a fine quill, Ron a box of Drowblers, and Harry a large chocolate cake.
"Sorry, you know I'm poor, so I had to give you a box of bubble gum.”said Ron, blushing as he watched Bunce hold the box of bubble gum.
"It's okay. I understand." Bance said.
Harry was carrying a slender package.
"What's that?" asked Ron, looking at her. He was holding an unopened package in his hand.
"I don't know."
Harry ripped open the package and gasped for breath as a beautiful, glittering broomstick rolled onto his bed. Ron dropped his parcel and jumped out of bed to take a closer look.
"I can't believe it." he said in a hoarse voice.
"Me too." said Harry excitedly.
"Who gave it to you?" Ron whispered.
"Help me see if there's a card.”said Harry.
Ron ripped open the Firebolt's wrapper.
"Nothing! Aiya, who would spend so much money on you?”said Ron jealously.
"It's fate, Ron," Bance said.
"Well," said Harry,"I'm sure it wasn't the Dursleys.”
"I bet it was Dumbledore," said Ron, pacing around the glorious Firebolt, scrutinizing it from head to toe."Didn't he send you the Invisibility Cloak anonymously?”
"But it was my father's," said Harry."Dumbledore just gave it back to me." He wouldn't spend so much money on me. He couldn't give his student such a valuable thing.”
"That's why he didn't say that it was from him!”said Ron."Otherwise a guy like Malfoy would say he's biased. Hey, Harry-"Ron burst into laughter." Malfoy! Wait till he sees you on this broom! He would die of discomfort! This was a world-class broom, for real!”
"I can't believe it," muttered Harry, stroking the broom with one hand.”Ron was now lying on Harry's bed, grinning nonstop.
"Harry, you've got to stop Ron, I reckon he'll be the first one to laugh at Christmas if this goes on.”Bance said.
"I know," said Ron, trying to keep his laughter down."I think I know who it might be-Lupin!”
"What?" said Harry, now beginning to laugh. "Lupin? Listen, if he had that much money, he could buy himself a few new robes.”
"Yeah, but he likes you." said Ron."He wasn't there when your Nimbus got smashed, he might've heard about it and went down to Diagon Alley to buy you one-"
"What do you mean by he wasn't there?”said Harry."He was sick when I played.”
"Well, he's not in the hospital.”said Ron."I was in the hospital wing and Snape made me wash the chamber pots, remember?”
"I don't think Lupin could afford something like this.”said Harry, frowning.
"What are you two laughing about?"
Hermione had just entered, dressed in her dressing gown, with Crookshanks. Crookshanks looked grumpy, and he had a wire around his neck.
"Don't bring it here!" said Ron, snatching Scabbers from his bed and slipping him into the pocket of his dressing gown. But Hermione didn't listen to him. She set Crookshanks down on Seamus's empty bed and stared at the Firebolt with her mouth wide open.
"Oh, Harry! Who gave you this?" asked Hermione.
"I don't know," said Harry."It didn't come with a card or anything.”
To Ron's great surprise, she was neither excited nor curious at this. On the contrary, her face was drawn, and she was biting her lip, very much like Professor McGonagall.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Ron.
"I don't know," said Hermione slowly."But it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, it should be a pretty good broom, shouldn't it?”
"You're the odd one, Hermione, not the broom.”Bance said.
"What's so strange about brooms, they're the best.”said Ron.
"Then it must be very expensive," said Hermione.
"Probably more than all the Slytherin broomsticks put together.”said Ron happily.
"Well, who'd give Harry something so expensive without telling him who it was?”asked Hermione.
"Who cares?" said Ron impatiently. Is that okay?"
"I don't think anyone can ride it at the moment!”shrieked Hermione.
"What do you think Harry's doing with it-sweeping the floor?”Bangs said with a smile.
But before Hermione could retort, Crookshanks had jumped out of Seamus's bed and headed straight for Ron's chest.
"Get-it-out-of-here!”roared Ron. Crookshanks's claws had now ripped Ron's dressing gown open, and Scabbers was trying to escape from Ron's shoulder. Ron seized Scabbers by the tail and kicked Crookshanks, but it missed and landed on the trunk at the foot of Harry's bed, knocking it over. Ron himself was jumping on the spot, moaning in pain.
Crookshanks's fur suddenly stood on end, and the room was filled with shrill, weak squeals. The pocket Sneakoscope Ron had given Harry had fallen out of its trunk and was spinning and glowing on the floor.
"I forgot I had this, Ron.”Bangs said as he picked up the Sneakoscope.
The Sneakoscope whistled as it spun in his palm. Crookshanks hissed and blew at it.
"You might as well take the cat, Hermione.”said Ron furiously, sitting on Harry's bed and rubbing his toes. "Can't you just lock this thing up?”he added. As Hermione walked slowly out of the room, Crookshanks's yellow eyes were still glaring at Ron.
Bunce handed him Harry's Sneakoscope, which Harry tossed into the trunk. There were only Ron's muffled moans of pain and rage. Scabbers was curled up in Ron's palm.
"It doesn't look good, does it?”said Harry.
"I'm just too nervous!" said Ron stubbornly."It'll be fine if that stupid, big furball leaves it alone!”
"I don't think so, Ron," Bangsi said," Look at how thin it is. Take it to eat later."”
"Good idea, Bunce," Harry agreed.
"Alright then." said Ron distractedly.
They all went into the hall at lunchtime and found that the tables had been moved back against the wall, leaving only one table for twelve in the middle of the room. Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were all there, as was Filch the caretaker. Filch had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing an old and rather old-fashioned tuxedo. Other than them, there were only two students: a very nervous first year and a sullen-faced Slytherin sixth year who looked like he was owed money.
"Happy Christmas!" said Dumbledore as Bunce, Harry, Ron, and Hermione approached the table. "We don't have many people. It's a little silly to use the tables in the various courtyards. Sit down, sit down!”
Bunce, Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat side by side at the end of the table.
"Firecrackers!" said Dumbledore enthusiastically, handing the end of a large silver firecracker to Snape, who reluctantly took it and pulled at it. The firecracker went off with a bang like a firecracker, revealing a pointed witch's hat with a stuffed eagle on top.
Bance and the others exchanged glances and grinned. Snape's mouth tightened, and he pushed the hat toward Dumbledore, who immediately swapped it for his wizard hat.
"Eat!" He said to everyone at the table with a smile.
While Bangs was roasting meat, the door of the hall opened. It was Professor Trelawney who came in, gliding toward them as though she were standing on wheels. For Christmas, she wore a green dress decorated with sequins that made her look even more like a shining, oversized dragonfly.
"Sybill, I'm so glad you're here!”said Dumbledore, standing up.
"I've been looking into the crystal ball, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney, in her most obscure and distant voice."And to my surprise, I see myself abandoning my lunch alone to join you. Who am I to refuse the urging of fate? I immediately walked out of my building. I sincerely ask you to forgive me for being late."
"Of course, of course," said Dumbledore, his eyes shining."Let me get you a chair-"
Sure enough, he pulled a chair out of the air with his wand, which spun in the air for a few seconds before it landed with a dull thud between Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. Professor Trelawney, however, did not sit down. Her large eyes were fixed on the table, and she let out a low squeak.
"I wouldn't dare, Principal! If I sit down, there will be thirteen people at the table! There was nothing more inauspicious than Thirteen! Never forget that if thirteen people eat together, the first person to stand up after the meal will be the first to die!”
"We're willing to take the risk, Sybill.”said Professor McGonagall impatiently."Sit down, the turkey's cold as a rock.”
Professor Trelawney hesitated, then sat back down in the empty chair, her eyes closed and her mouth pursed as though lightning was about to strike the table. Professor McGonagall stuck a large spoon into the nearest bowl.
"Tripe, Sybill?"
Professor Trelawney ignored her. She opened her eyes and looked around."Where's dear Professor Lupin?”
"I'm afraid the poor man is ill again," said Dumbledore, motioning for dinner to begin."He was unlucky to fall ill at Christmas.”
"But surely you already know, don't you, Sybill?”said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows.
Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.
"Of course I know, Minerva," she said quietly,"but people don't show off that they know everything. I often act as if I don't have the Eye of Heaven, so that people don't feel nervous.”
"This explains a lot of things." said Professor McGonagall sourly.
Professor Trelawney's voice was suddenly less muffled.
"If you must know, Minerva, I've already seen that poor Professor Lupin won't be with us for long. He seemed to realize that he did not have much time left. He always avoided me when I volunteered to show him the crystal ball-"
"Think about it." said Professor McGonagall dryly.
"I don't think," said Dumbledore, in a happy but slightly raised voice, which ended the conversation between Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney,"that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, have you made him another potion?”
"Yes, Headmaster." said Snape.
"Good," said Dumbledore."Then he'll be able to get out of bed soon. This plate of sausages tastes good. You can try it."”
Professor Trelawney was behaving almost normally until Christmas dinner was over two hours later. Bunce's stomach was a little bloated from Christmas dinner, and as Harry and Ron left the table at the same time, Professor Trelawney screamed loudly.
"Oh my god! Which one of you left your seat first? Who?"
"I don't know." said Ron.
"I don't think it makes any difference," said Professor McGonagall coolly."Unless there's a mad axe-cutter waiting outside the door, intent on chopping down the first person to enter the entrance hall.”
Even Dumbledore laughed and said,"Mr. Foley, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, please come to my office, if Miss Granger would like to join us, of course.”
They all followed Dumbledore in confusion to his office and closed the door behind them.
"I've called you here for something, Severus. Please get your strongest Veritaserum. Minerva, please come over to Hagrid's house and lie down, there's a big black dog in his pumpkin patch, you bring that dog to my office. Send another letter to tell Fudge to come as soon as possible.”
Snape and McGonagall might have found the instructions odd, but they did not show it. The two of them immediately turned around and left. Dumbledore walked up to Ron and said,"Can you show me your rat?”
Ron handed the struggling Scabbers to Dumbledore doubtfully.
"Not bad, a very clever method. It's really surprising.”muttered Dumbledore, clutching Scabbers tightly.
He was pointing his wand at Scabbers, which was glowing bluish-white; For a moment, Scabbers was suspended in midair, his little black body writhing wildly-Ron cried out involuntarily-and the rat dropped to the floor. There was another blinding flash, and then-
It was like a quick shot to observe the growth of trees. A head appeared on the ground and four limbs stretched out. A moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, wringing his hands in fear.
This person was very short. Even Bance was taller than him. His thin, pale hair was unkempt and he was bald. He looked like an obese person who had lost a lot of weight in a short period of time. His skin looked dirty, almost like Scabbers 'fur, and his pointed nose and small watery eyes had the characteristics of a rat. He looked around at them, breathing heavily, afraid of Dumbledore's eyes. He was about to explain when Dumbledore knocked him out mercilessly.
The office door suddenly opened. Snape and Professor McGonagall followed, followed by a large black dog.
"Peter!" Snape was frozen in the doorway.”
"Heavens." Professor McGonagall stood there, staring at the man lying on the ground.
The big black dog pounced on the unconscious man on the ground, but Bunce managed to hold it back.
"Severus, have you brought the potion?”
Snape handed Dumbledore a small bottle of clear liquid. Dumbledore bent over and pulled Peter up, making him sit against the wall. Dumbledore pried open his mouth, poured three drops, then pointed his wand at Peter's chest and said,"Quickly revive!"
Peter opened his eyes. His gaze was lifeless. Dumbledore was crouching in front of him, face to face.
"You can hear me?" asked Dumbledore calmly.
Peter's eyelids twitched.
"I can hear you." he whispered.
"I hope you can tell us." said Dumbledore softly."What are you doing here, and what's with the wreckage?”
Peter took a deep breath, trembling, and then began to speak in an emotionless flat tone.
"That was my plan. I knew Black would point out that I had betrayed the Potters, because Black was the only one who knew I was the Potter Secret-Keeper. So I came up with a plan. When Black cornered me in a crowded street corner, I shouted until the whole street heard Black betray Lily and James, then I blew up the whole street with the wand I hid behind me, broke a finger of my right hand and escaped down the drain as a rat. So Black was imprisoned in Azkaban for betraying the Potters and killing me and the Muggle onlooker.”
Peter's eyelids quivered.
"And then you became the Weasleys 'pet as a rat to keep in touch with the Wizarding world?”said Dumbledore calmly.
"Because Black Demon isn't with me, and his followers are looking for me for revenge. I had to pretend to be a rat and run away.”
"You can show yourself now, Black," Dumbledore said as he stood up.
The large black dog was transforming into a man with matted hair and a sallow face, grinning at Harry.
"Black?"
"Oh!"
"Now it's time to tell the truth, how you knew Peter was Scabbers, Black.”said Dumbledore.
Black put a claw-like hand into his robes and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. He smoothed out the paper and showed it to everyone.
It was a picture of Ron's family, which had appeared in the Daily Prophet last summer, and Scabbers was on Ron's shoulder.
"How did you get this newspaper?”asked Dumbledore.
"Fudge," said Black."He gave me this paper when he visited Azkaban last year. It was Peter, on the front page of the newspaper, on the boy's shoulder. I recognized him at once. How many times had I seen him transform?”
"And how did you get out of Azkaban, without a wand and without help? Why didn't you lose your mind?”Dumbledore continued.
" I don't know how I did it," he said slowly." I think the only reason I didn't lose my mind was that I knew I was innocent. It wasn't a pleasant thought, so the dementors didn't suck it out of my head so I could keep my head clear, and knowing who I was would help me conserve my power, so if the situation got too much for me... It's so uncomfortable I can transform into a dog in my cell, dementors can't see, you know."He swallowed." They sense human feelings, they know how to approach people... They can tell that my feelings are more... Feelings are less human, less complicated, I was like that when I was a dog, but they think I'm losing my mind like everyone else there, so they're not worried. But I'm weak, very weak, and without my wand I have no hope of driving them away from me."
"But then I saw Peter in the picture in the paper and I knew he was at Hogwarts with Harry. If he got wind that the Dark Side was gathering power, Harry would be in the most danger.”
"Once he is certain that he has allies, he will make a move…Give them the last of the Potters. If he handed Harry over to them, who would dare say that he had betrayed the ancient Voldemort? He will return with honor."
"So you must understand that I must take action. I'm the only one who knows that Peter is still alive."
"It's like someone's lit a fire in my head, and the dementors can't put it out. It's not a pleasant feeling. It's a kind of obsession. And so, one night, they opened my door to deliver food, and I, as a dog, slipped right past them. I was very thin, very, very thin, so thin that I could slip through the bars... As a dog, I swam back to the mainland. I walked north. As a dog, I came to Hogwarts. I've lived in the forest since I've arrived, except, of course, when I go to Quidditch matches."
He turned to look at Harry, who looked back at him.
At this moment, the office door was opened again. Fudge entered.
"Oh dear, Sirius Black, oh dear Merlin, Pettigrew?”said Fudge, wiping the sweat off his face.
"You came at the right time, Cornelius. I was just about to describe the truth to you. Minerva, please take the children back to rest. They have been frightened enough and should enjoy this Christmas.”said Dumbledore.
As Bunce followed Professor McGonagall out of the room, he heard Fudge say,"How is this possible-incredible-"
No one said a word as they walked, and Professor McGonagall led them into the common room before setting off.
"Sorry, Harry," said Ron.
"It's not your fault. You're a victim too.”said Harry.
"It's really unimaginable." said Hermione.
"I want to catch up on some sleep. Are you guys coming?”Bangs yawned.
"Alright then." said Harry.
The three of them headed back to the boys 'dormitory, leaving Hermione standing there watching Crookshanks frolicking on the floor.
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