Chapter 53: A Night of Chaos
Section I
In the evening, Harry and the three arrived at Hagrid's hut in their cloaks of invisibility, the sun setting behind the Forbidden Forest and the afterglow shining on the treetops.
They walked up to Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door. It was a long moment before Hagrid opened the door.
"It's us," Harry whispered, "we're wearing the Cloak of Invisibility." Let's go inside, and we can take off the cloak of invisibility. ”
"Thank you." Hagrid whispered, looking sad and disheveled. He stepped back and let Harry and the others inside. Hagrid quickly closed the door, and Harry pulled off the cloak of invisibility.
"Tea?" He said, reaching for the teapot, and his big hands trembled.
"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" Hermione asked hesitantly.
"I ...... I just took it outside. Hagrid sighed, spilling all over the table as he poured the milk into the jar. Tie it with a rope in my pumpkin patch. Think it should look at the trees and ...... Take a breath of fresh air, and when it's taken to the Magical Creature Prison, you'll probably never see it again. ”
Harry looked at Ron, and Ron looked at Harry helplessly.
"Can anyone come up with a solution, Hagrid?" Harry asked anxiously and sat down next to him. "Dumbledore—"
"He tried," Hagrid said, "and he didn't have the power to control the committee." He told them that Buckbeak wasn't dangerous, but that they were a bunch of old stubborns, and that they didn't have a good relationship with Dumbledore. ”
"Don't think too badly." Hermione hesitated and said, "Buckbeak is just locked up, it won't be life-threatening, maybe it still has a chance to be released......"
Hagrid shook his head and let out a sigh. "You don't understand, a proud creature like a hippoir can't live once it's in a cage. I hurt Buckbeak, and it was a mistake to bring him into class......"
Harry and the three of them were stunned, only then did they understand the severity of the matter, and looking at Hagrid, who was sad and blamed himself, the three of them felt very uncomfortable.
"That's not your fault, Hagrid." Hermione said, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.
"Forget it, go see Buckbeak." Hagrid whispered, "See it one last time, and then leave, don't let Dumbledore or Fudge meet you, you should stay in the castle at this time." ”
Hermione wept silently, but to keep Hagrid from seeing, she turned and rummaged through the sugar jar on the cupboard. Suddenly, she screamed.
"Ron! I- I don't believe it - it's a spot!"
Ron looked at her dumbfounded.
"What are you talking about?"
Hermione took the sugar jar to the table and flipped it face up. Spotted screamed in panic. Struggling to get back into the jar, he slipped onto the table.
"Spotted!" Ron exclaimed, blankly, "Spotted, what are you doing here?" He grabbed the struggling rat and lifted it to a place where there was light. The spotted wolf bèi, thinner than before, and a large amount of fur fell off, leaving patches of bare skin. It writhed in Ron's hand, as if desperately trying to be free.
"It's okay, Spotted!" Ron said, "No cats! Nothing here is going to hurt you!"
Hagrid stood up suddenly, his eyes fixed on the window. His face used to be ruddy, but now he was the color of parchment.
"They're already here, and it looks like yours are leaving right away." Hagrid said in a gruff voice, and he opened the back door, "Let's go, hurry." ”
The three of them followed him to the door that led to the back garden, and Harry felt as if he were in a dream. The feeling was even stronger when he saw Buckbeak a few yards away. Buckbeak was tethered to a tree in Hagrid's pumpkin patch. As if he knew something was about to happen, Buckbeak spun his head around and clawed restlessly.
"It's all right, Vic," Hagrid said softly. "It's alright......" he turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "Let's go, let's go." ”
But Harry, they don't move. "Hagrid, we can't—" "We're going to tell them the truth." "They can't take it!"
"Let's go!" Hagrid said furiously, "If you guys get into trouble, it's even worse!"
The three Harry had no choice, they wore cloaks of invisibility. Spotted was screaming incessantly, and Harry had to leave so they wouldn't notice Dumbledore.
They turned and walked towards the castle, walking slowly so that all three of them could hide in their cloaks of invisibility. Now the light is fading quickly. By the time they reached the open field, darkness had descended around them like a spell.
"Spotted, don't move." Ron whispered, his hand resting on his chest. The rat was struggling like crazy. Ron stopped abruptly, trying to force Spotted deeper into his pocket. "You stupid mouse, what's wrong with you? Don't move - ouch! It bites me! ”
Patchard was visibly terrified, and struggled as hard as it could to break free from Ron's grasp.
"What's wrong with it?" But Harry had just seen - Crook Hill sneakily approached them, low on the ground, yellow eyes glowing strangely in the darkness. It could see them, or it could hear the speckled screams that followed, and Harry couldn't tell which one was going on.
"Crook Hill!" Hermione lamented, "Don't come, go away." Crook Hill! Go away!" But the cat got closer.
"Spotted—don't!" It was too late—the rat slipped through Ron's fingers and fell to the ground and fled. Crookshank chased after him as soon as he jumped, and before Harry and Hermione could stop him, Ron had already left the Cloak of Invisibility behind and ran into the darkness.
…………
Section II
Ron had just recaptured Spotted when a large black dog slowly came out of the darkness.
"It's ominous." Harry was stunned for a moment, then immediately shouted, "Ron, be careful. ”
But it was too late, and as soon as Harry's wand was drawn, he was pounced on by the big black dog, and then it jumped past the stunned Hermione and dragged Ron like a doll into the hole under the beating willow.
Harry and Hermione tried to follow to save Ron, but Beater Willow's frantically tapped note stopped them from moving forward. Amazingly, Crook Hill nimbly burrowed into the hollow of the tree, and after it pressed a scar, the beating willow calmed down.
Harry and Hermione followed Crook Hill into the hollow of the tree, and to their surprise, there was a long, dark tunnel underneath, and Harry and Hermione followed the cat all the way, and eventually, they came to a dilapidated wooden house that no one had been to in a long time - it was the screaming house in Hogsmeade Village. There, they found the wounded Ron.
"Ron—are you alright?"
"Where's that dog?"
"It's not a dog." Ron groaned. He clenched his teeth because of the pain. "Harry, this is the trap ......"
"What-?"
"He's the dog...... He's an Animagus......"
Ron looked over Harry's shoulder. Harry spun around quickly. There was a snap, and the man in the shadows closed the door behind them.
a clump of dirty, tangled hair that hung down to the elbow; If the eyes hidden in the deep, dark sockets do not glow, he may be a corpse; The waxy skin clings to the skeleton of the face, making it look like a skull. He grinned with yellow teeth, it was Sirius Black.
"Except for your weapons!" He said in a hoarse voice, pointing Ron's wand at them. Both Harry and Hermione's wands were out of their hands, flying high in the air, caught by Black. Then he took a step forward. He stared at Harry.
"I think you'll come to help your friends." Blake's voice was hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time, "Your dad would do the same to me." You were so brave that you didn't go to the teacher. I appreciate it...... It's a lot easier that way......"
Harry's ears rang as if he had been taunting his father, as if Black had just shouted out loud. Hatred boiled in Harry's chest, so there was no place for fear to stay. For the first time in his life, he longed for the wand to return to his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack...... Homicide. He rushed forward, not knowing what he was going to do, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him, and both hands grabbed him and dragged him back.
"Nope. Harry!" Hermione whispered to him in fear. Instead, Ron spoke to Blake.
"If you're going to kill Harry, you're going to kill us too!" He said furiously, though the straining to his feet had made his face even paler, and he was a little shaky as he spoke. Something flickered in Blake's dark eyes.
"Lie down," he said to Ron calmly, "you're going to hurt that leg even more." ”
"Do you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was holding on to Harry in pain to get up straight. "Harry, unless you step over our corpses!"
"There's only going to be one murder here tonight." Blake said, his smile widened.
"Why do that?" Harry spat and struggled to break away from Ron and Hermione. "You didn't care last time, did you? In order to get his hands on Peter Pettigrew, he could kill so many Muggles without care...... Crazy in Azkaban, what's the matter?"
"Harry!" Hermione sobbed, "Quiet!"
"He killed my parents!" Harry roared, wrestling hard, breaking free of Ron and Hermione's shackles and rushing forward. He had forgotten about magic, he had forgotten that he was short and thin, only thirteen years old, and that Blake was a tall adult. At this time, his heart was filled with hatred and a thirst for revenge. Harry and Blake scuffled together, and Ron and Hermione rushed to help. After a chaotic struggle, Harry retrieved his wand and raised it high to aim it at Black.
"You killed my parents." Harry said, his voice trembling slightly, but he couldn't hide the cold killing intent
Blake glared at Harry with his deep-set eyes.
"I don't deny it," he said calmly, "but if you know the whole story—"
"All the inside story?" Harry repeated, a violent thumping sound in his ears. "You betrayed them to Voldemort, that's all I need to know!"
"You must listen to me," said Blake, and now there was an urgent tone in his voice, "and if you don't—you don't understand—you'll regret it." ”
"I know more than you think," said Harry, his voice trembling even more, "My dad sacrificed himself to keep Voldemort at bay!" My mom pleaded with her own death to save me and my brother for survival! Because of you, my brother, and your damned master, is burdened with sin and pain that will never be erased! Harry shouted angrily, "Now, it's over, go to hell!" ”
"Don't, Harry, you can't ......," Hermione and Ron shouted.
Before they could say anything more, a ginger thing flew past Harry; Crook Hill jumped onto Blake's chest and crouched there, staying at his heart. Blake blinked and looked down at the cat.
"Go away." He muttered, trying to push Crook Hill away.
But Crookhill stuck his claws deep into Blake's robes, and just didn't move. It turned its ugly face to Harry, looking at him with those big yellow eyes. To his left, Hermione sobbed.
Harry glared at Black and Crookshank, his wand gripping even tighter. A strong desire welled up from the depths of Harry's heart, to kill the people in front of him, to kill all the enemies, this desire was so strong that Harry's breathing became heavier and heavier, the hand holding the wand was trembling slightly, and he could feel the power gathering, and the thought could kill the people and cats in front of him.
Suddenly, there was a new sound—low footsteps echoing across the floor—and someone was walking downstairs.
"We're here!" Hermione suddenly shouted, "Here we are—Sirius Black—quick!"
Blake was taken aback, and his body moved, and Crook Hill was almost shaken off; Harry spasmodically grabbed his wand - do it now! A voice in his head was saying - but thunderous footsteps came up, and Harry didn't move.
The door to the room was slammed open in a burst of sparks, and Harry spun around as Luhu crashed into the room, his face bloodless, wand raised, ready at any moment. His eyes flickered over Ron and Hermione lying on the floor, then shuddered across the door and swept past Harry, who was still standing there specifying Black with his wand, and then, his gaze swept over Black, who was at Harry's feet, collapsed and bleeding.
"Except for your weapons!" Lupin shouted.
Harry's wand flew out of his hand again, as did the two Hermione hold. Lupin nimbly grasped the three wands, then walked into the room, glaring at Black, Crook Hill still crouching on his chest to protect him......
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Section III
Still to Harry's surprise, Lupin pulled Blake to the ground, and the two hugged like friends. This caused the three of Harry to nearly collapse, Ron and Hermione asked Lupin in disbelief, and Harry, the hatred and killing intent that had just been extinguished exploded even more violently.
"I trust you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice shaking out of control, "and you've always been his friend!" You are wrong," said Lupin, "for twelve years I was not Blake's friend, but I am now...... Let me explain"
"No!" Hermione screamed, "Harry, don't trust him. He's been helping Blake into the castle, and he's going to kill you too—he's going to die
It's a werewolf! ”
Ron tried to get back up again, but was unsuccessful, snorted in pain and fell again. Lupin walked over to him, looking very concerned, but Ron panted and said, "Leave me, werewolf!" Lupin stopped, motionless. Then, apparently, it took a lot of effort to turn to Hermione and say, "How long have you known?"
"It's been a long time," Hermione whispered, "after I did the paper that Professor Snape assigned......"
"He'll be happy," said Lupin coldly, "and he lays out the paper, hoping that any of you will understand what my symptoms mean." Have you looked at the Moon Balance chart and know that I always get sick at the full moon? Or do you know that Boggart saw me and turned into a silver ball, the moon?"
"Both." Hermione said calmly. Lupin forced a grin. "As far as I know, you're the smartest witch of your age, Hermione."
"I'm not." Hermione whispered, "If I had been a little smarter, I would have told everyone that you were a werewolf!" But they already know," Lupin said, "at least the teachers do." He glanced at Harry, "Sauron knew too
Road. ”
"Dumbledore knew you were a werewolf and hired you?" Ron panted and said, "Is he crazy?"
"Some teachers think that way," Lupin said, "and he had to do a lot of work to convince some of them that I can be trusted."
"But he was wrong!" Harry yelled, "You've been helping him into the castle!" He pointed at Blake, who had already walked to the edge of the bed and collapsed on it, a trembling hand covering his face. Crookshan jumped beside him, fell on his lap, and whined in satisfaction. Ron dragged his injured leg away from them.
"I didn't help Sirius all the time." "If you give me a chance, I'll explain," Lupin said. Look—"
He separated Harry, Ron, and Hermione's wands and threw them back to their original owners. Harry was amazed at his own.
Lupin and Blake explain their past with James and Peter, their feud with Snape, and the fact that Peter Pettigrew is still alive.
Suddenly, there was a bang, as if something outside had been smashed, and several people in the room were startled.
"What's that?" Ron asked, "It can't be haunted, they say the house is haunted." ”
Lupin shook his head, "This house is not haunted, I heard the howls of the villagers, and I hid here when I became a werewolf." ”
Blake told the truth, Lupin told his analysis and suspicions, and finally, they teamed up to cast a spell on Ron's rat, and under the surprised gaze of Harry, the blob quickly changed in a dazzling light, and finally, a small man who cowered collapsed in the middle of the ground - it was Peter Pettigrew.
…………
Section IV
Peter Pettigrew weakly and agitatedly pleads, trying to convince others that he is innocent and that Blake is the betrayer. His voice trembled, terrified. He said that Blake was able to escape Azkaban because he had learned from Voldemort a powerful spell that no one else could imagine.
Blake let out a terrible laugh, and there was no joy in the laughter. He looked at Peter angrily, and the cold murderous intent in his eyes made Pettigrew tremble. Blake tells the real reason why Peter Pettigrew has become a rat in the past twelve years - he was hiding from Voldemort's men, and it was because of his news that Voldemort failed. Finally, after Blake had calmed down, he explained how he had escaped from Azkaban......
"I saw Peter in the newspaper at that time...... I learned that he was at Hogwarts, with Harry...... If only he had gotten the slightest rumor that the underworld was gathering strength. It couldn't be more appropriate to start taking action from there......"
"So you have to understand that I have to act. I was the only one who knew that Peter was alive, and it was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling that the Dementors couldn't extinguish...... It's an attachment, but the thought gives me strength and clarity in my mind. So, one night, when they opened my door to deliver food, I, as a dog, slipped out of them and asked them to feel the feelings of the animals, which were more difficult...... I was skinny, very skinny...... Skinny enough to slip out between the iron bars, I swam back to the mainland as a dog...... I headed north, and as a dog, I came to Hogwarts...... I've been living in the Forbidden Forest since I arrived at Hogwarts, but I've been there since I went to see your game......" Blake hesitated, "Your brother found me......"
"Sauron has seen you?" A few people were surprised, and Harry looked at Blake, "But he never told anyone about it." ”
Blake shook his head and smiled wryly, "He hates me and doesn't believe my word at all, actually...... He even wanted to kill me, but maybe he was in a hurry to get back to the court to save you, so he let me go. Blake sighed, "I don't know why he didn't mention it to the others. ”
He looked at Harry, who didn't look away.
"Trust me," Blake said in a hoarse voice, "trust me. I've never betrayed James and Lily. I'd rather die than betray them. ”
Harry hesitated for a long time, didn't speak, just nodded.
Peter broke down, feeling the murderous intent of Blake and Lupin, and he kept pleading with everyone present, begging for their forgiveness, but no one took pity on him. Peter Pettigrew knelt and shook uncontrollably, slowly turning his head towards Harry. Harry...... Harry...... You look like your dad...... It's like he ......"
"How dare you speak to Harry?" Blake yelled, "How dare you face him? How dare you speak of Jaime in front of him?"
"Harry," Peter Pettigrew whispered, dragging his feet towards him, hands outstretched, "Harry, Jaime won't let me be killed...... Jaime will understand, Harry...... He will be merciful to me......"
Both Blake and Lupin rush over, grab Peter Pettigrew by the shoulders and throw him to the floor. Peter fell to the floor and snorted in pain, and a shiny thing fell out of his dirty coat pocket......
"What is this?" Lupin was surprised, and Peter looked at it in a panic and tried to hide it, but Lupin got more out of his hands. "A pendant?"
"That's mine." Harry was surprised, "That's my pendant, Sauron gave it to me, and I've been losing it for months. ”
"Looks like you're really not growing, Peter." Blake sneered and said, "Now you have one more filthy name, a shameful thief." ”
"I didn't steal it...... Peter quibbled, tremblingly, "I ...... I picked it up ......."
"That can't be." Hermione said, "Sauron gave Harry a gift back then, he couldn't have lost it. ”
"Well, none of that matters now." Lupin said that he had returned the pendant to Harry, who had wanted to wear it around his neck, but found that the chain was broken, so he had to put it in his pocket.
Lupin turned around, raised his wand to Peter, who was slumped to the ground, and said coldly, "Now, do you have anything else to say?" ”
"What else can he say, this shameful traitor. He betrayed Lily and Jaime to Voldemort," Blake said, trembling as well, "Do you deny it?"
Peter Pettigrew burst into tears, looking like a king-size bald baby, shivering on the floor.
"Sirius, Sirius, what can I do? The Dark Lord...... You don't know...... His weapons you can't imagine...... I was scared, Sirius, I wasn't as brave as you, Lupin, or Jaime. I never did that on purpose, and the guy who couldn't even mention my name forced me to ......."
"Don't lie!" Black roared, "You've been delivering information to Lily and Jaime for a year before they died!" You're his spy!"
He ...... He's meddling everywhere!" Peter Pettigrew gasped and said, "Reject him, there. One What's in it for you?" What's the benefit of fighting the worst demon of all time?" Blake said, a terrifying rage on his face. "Just to save innocent lives, Peter!"
"You don't understand!" Peter Pettigrew lamented, "He's going to kill me, Sirius!"
"Then you're damned!" Blake yelled. "It's better to die than to betray a friend, and we'll do the same for you!"
Blake and Lupin stood side by side, wand raised.
"You should understand," Lupin said calmly, "if Voldemort hadn't killed you, we would have killed you." Goodbye, Peter. ”
Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.
"No, wait a minute." Harry said suddenly, and he walked over to Peter Pettigrew in front of the two wands. "You can't kill him."
Both Blake and Lupin were shocked.
"Harry, this scoundrel has cost you both of your parents," Black growled, "this groveling filthy creature will be unmoved to see you die." You heard what he just said, his own stinky skin is more important than the lives of your whole family. ”
"I understand," Harry said calmly, turning to look at Peter, his tone suddenly cold, "we'll take him to the castle and hand him over to the Dementors, maybe Azkaban would be a better fit for him." ”
"Harry!" Peter Pettigrew gasped, putting his arms around Harry's knees, "Y-thank you...... This is a mercy to me...... Thank you ......."
"Let go of me," Harry said dismayedly, shaking off Peter Pettigrew's hand in disgust, he looked at Peter and said coldly, "You know, you should be glad I'm not Sauron!" ”