Chapter 39 - Taking Action
I held the rat in my hands and kept staring at him. My fingers moved slowly over his rough fur, but my mind was working much faster. I tried to think of a way to take this rat away from the Burrow without anyone noticing. I needed a plan that is fast, clean, and believable. I needed it to be something that will not bring suspicion to me, and most importantly, something that will not give Peter Pettigrew even a single chance to escape.
I first thought about borrowing the rat. Maybe I could say I want to study him, or show him to my brothers, or compare him to other pets. But that plan died as soon as it came to my mind. If I borrowed Scabbers now, the Weasleys will expect me to return it later. When it disappears after that, they will know something is strange. They will start asking questions I cannot answer.
I did not moved on that idea.
Then, I thought about replacing it. I could take Scabbers and leave another rat as a replacement in its place. The problem here was that the Weasleys might not notice the difference at first but they have lived together for years now. They know their pet. Even Ron, as careless as he is, would eventually see something odd. And when the truth comes out, everything will point back to me.
So I threw that idea away as well.
Another idea flashed in my mind. I could simply slip Scabbers into my pocket while no one was watching. I could take advantage of the chaos in this house. There are so many voices, so many children and so much noise. Maybe no one would even look at my hands. But the more I think about it, the more impossible it feels. Every Weasley will be there to say goodbye when I use the floor to depart. They will notice my bulging pocket.
So that plan was also scrapped.
I went through idea after idea. I imagined different approaches and different excuses. I imagine different lies. But every plan ends the same way. It ends in suspicion. It ends with someone asking where the rat went. It ends with someone remembering that I was the last one to hold him.
Then a final thought came to my mind. What if I mix all the ideas together? Not borrow him. Not replace him. Not pocket him. But a plan that uses parts of all of them. That might work. I kept thinking about it and shaping it in my head.
Then the perfect opportunity appeared.
Molly clapped her hands and told everyone to go outside to play in the garden. The Weasleys jumped from their seats and ran out one by one. Fred and George raced each other to the door. Ron shouted that he wants to be the Seeker. Ginny wanted to be Chaser. Even Percy walked out with a rare smile. I was still holding Scabbers. No one asked for him back.
I stayed near the end of the group. When we reached the garden, I turned to Ron and spoke in a soft voice.
"Ron, can you show me the washroom?"
Ron nodded without thinking, "Yeah, it's inside. I'll show you."
He took me back into the house and pointed to the door. Then he impatiently ran outside again to play.
I stepped inside the washroom and closed the door behind me. I made sure the latch clicked. Then I took out my wand. Scabbers looked up at me with his lazy, sleepy eyes. He thought I was only holding him. He did not know what is coming.
I moved my wand quickly, "Stupefy."
A red flash hit him. His body became still in an instant. His limbs froze, his tail goes stiff, and his eyes closed halfway. I exhaled slowly. That part of the plan worked.
I placed him on the sink for a moment and then raise my wand again. I spoke another spell. The rat's body twisted into a sharp shape and changed colour. His fur turned into a rough brown surface. His legs shrunk. His ears disappeared. In a second, Scabbers was not a rat anymore. He was now a small rock. A harmless, heavy rock.
I picked him up and put him carefully into my pocket. I felt the weight. He was secure. He could not move. He could not transform. He could not run. He was mine now.
Then I took out a small rock from my other pocket. I picked it up earlier from outside while pretending to tie my shoes. I placed it on my palm and pointed my wand at it. I took a deep breath and focused. I imagined Scabbers' shape, size, colour, and even his tiny scars.
"Transfigure," I whispered.
The rock shivered for a moment. It stretched and grew fur. A tail forms. Front paws appear. Within a few seconds, the rock was no longer a rock. It looked exactly like Scabbers. Almost perfect. Anyone from our year at Hogwarts would not be able to do this, but I was way ahead of them.
This looked like Scabbers. This behaved like a normal, lazy rat. It was the perfect replacement.
I put my wand away, straightened my shirt, and stepped out of the washroom. I walked outside to the garden. The Weasley children were already running around in the afternoon sun. The grass was long and green. The garden stretched out in a messy but beautiful way. It matched the house and was full of life.
Ron ran up to me, "Arthur! Come play!"
I smiled and handed him the transfigured rat, "Here. I don't want to carry him while playing."
Ron took him without looking and dropped the rat near a flower pot and immediately ran off to chase a ball. He did not check if the rat was real or not. He did not question why the rat was calm in my hands. He was too excited to think.
Typical Ron. He was exactly the kind of person I needed for this plan. He was friendly, careless, and always excited about games. He did not questioned anything.
The fake Scabbers slowly crawled away. The twins yelled and laughed. Ginny chased after a butterfly. Percy sat on a chair and read a book. No one watched the rat. No one cared that he was wandering off. This was perfect for me.
I moved it to the other side of the garden and pointed my wand subtly at the fake rat. With a tiny bit of magic, I made him run farther away. He disappeared behind a stack of garden tools. Then I cancelled the magic. Once my spell ended, the transfigured rat slowly returned to the shape of a rock. The Weasleys will think he simply escaped. Pets running off, hiding and then reappearing later. That was normal here. No one will link it to me.
We played outside for nearly an hour. When the sun started lowering, I told them politely that I had to go home. Percy walks inside to get his notes. He gave me the thick stack of carefully written pages and I thank him while put them in a bag. Then I checked my pocket again. It was still heavy. The rock was still there, still safe and secure.
I stepped into the fireplace and turned to all of them to wave goodbye. Then I took a pinch of Floo powder and threw it into the fire. Green flames rose. I spoke clearly, "The Leaky Cauldron."
I spun fast and landed in the pub. The smell of smoke and old wood hit my nose. Without wasting time, I walked out to Diagon Alley. The street was bright and crowded. I went straight to the apothecary and bought a few vials of strong Sleeping Draught. I needed them. I could not risk Pettigrew waking up at home. I did not want to use magic there because the Trace will detect it. But I can use it here as I did back in the Burrow. I wanted to use potions for extra safety.
I walked back to the Leaky Cauldron and entered the washroom again. I closed the door and locked it. Then I took out the rock from my pocket. I raised my wand and cancelled the transfiguration. Scabbers appeared again, stunned and motionless. He looked weak and frail.
I gently open his mouth and pour an entire vial of the sleeping potion inside it. The liquid goes down his throat. His body does not react because he is still stunned. I stunned him once more just to be safe. I used almost all my magic. I could not let him wake up before I delivered him.
Then I transfigured him again into a rock. This will keep him silent and harmless for more than a day.
I quickly left the pub because it was already evening. Once I reached home, I took out a piece of parchment and wrote a note to Madam Tonks. I informed her that I have secured the person, and that I will arrive at her house tomorrow morning.
I gave the note to Drein and sent him off. Then I wrapped the rock carefully and placed it inside my enchanted trunk.
That night, I got to sleep with a steady heart. Tomorrow will be one of the most important day. Tomorrow, at last, we will have the evidence that Sirius Black is innocent. Harry will finally have someone who knows his parents more intimately. After all, he was one of the Marauders with James. Also, he was his godfather.
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End of Chapter 39 - Taking Action