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Chapter 387: Today Is a Good Day!!
Ron's words won Harry and Hermione's approval. They nodded breathlessly and prepared to keep running.
But before they could move again, a huge black dog suddenly appeared in front of them.
It walked toward Harry with a fierce expression.
Harry tried to raise his wand, but with Darren on his back, he was too slow. He barely managed to dodge.
"Harry, you go first! I'll hold it off!" Ron shouted and stepped forward.
The black dog immediately leaped and knocked him down, clamping its jaws around Ron's leg and dragging him away.
Harry ran after them and grabbed the dog's tail, but his hands only caught a handful of fur before he was flung aside. Something struck him in the face and he nearly dropped Darren.
Fortunately, Hermione protected Darren, but both of them were thrown backward.
"The Whomping Willow!" Hermione yelled. "It's heading for the Whomping Willow!"
They rushed after them just in time to see Black drag Ron beneath the tree's roots and vanish into the tunnel below.
Harry froze.
"What do we do? We should go get a professor—"
Before he could finish, Crookshanks darted in from the side and leapt at the Whomping Willow, pressing his paws against a knot in the trunk. Instantly, the maddened branches stilled.
Hermione gasped.
"How did Crookshanks know how to do that?!"
"He's been helping Black all along," Harry said grimly.
The black dog now stood at the tunnel entrance, glancing back at them as if urging them forward.
Harry hesitated. Darren was still unconscious.
But the dog bared its teeth, and Harry had no choice.
Cradling Darren, he followed Hermione into the tunnel.
The passage was dark and narrow, sloping downward. After what felt like a long time, they finally came out into a ruined house filled with dust and broken furniture.
"The Shrieking Shack," Hermione whispered.
A hoarse voice suddenly spoke from behind them.
"You can put the boy down… I promise he'll be safer here."
Harry and Hermione spun around.
A tall, thin man stood there—his face pale and sunken, his hair greasy and tangled. The trace of former handsomeness only made his current appearance more terrifying.
"I know Darren didn't expect me to succeed," the man muttered. "I waited for the right moment… and I took it."
Harry's grip tightened.
"Who are you?"
The man laughed dryly and raised his wand.
"Expelliarmus!"
Both Harry's and Hermione's wands flew into his hand.
"Incarcerous!"
Ropes burst into existence and bound them tightly.
He walked forward, lifted Darren from Harry's back, and laid him on the dusty bed in the inner room.
Then he raised his wand again.
"Incarcerous."
Darren was bound too.
"Who are you?!" Harry shouted in fury.
The man laughed bitterly.
"You still don't know? I was James's best friend."
Harry's eyes widened.
"You're Sirius Black."
Hatred burst through him.
"You're not worthy to even say Darren's name! You handed him to the Death Eaters!"
Harry struggled wildly.
"I wanted to kill you since the day you betrayed my family!"
Black sneered weakly.
"Just like James… so emotional."
Before he could finish, someone slammed into him from behind.
Ron.
Ron clutched Black's wand and frantically freed Harry with it.
Hermione kicked Black in the face.
Harry caught the wand and pointed it straight at Black's heart.
"You should have died a long time ago," he said through clenched teeth.
"If Darren were awake, he might have stopped me… but now you've lost your last chance."
His eyes burned with fury.
"If I knew the Cruciatus Curse… I would use it on you first."
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