Like that, another Hogsmeade weekend arrived, and this time the village was buried under snow.
White covered the rooftops, the roads were packed with footprints from students rushing between shops, and cold wind pushed snow along the streets while Hogwarts students filled the village with noise and excitement.
Near the entrance of The Three Broomsticks, a carriage from the Ministry had just arrived.
Cornelius Fudge stepped out first, pulling his heavy cloak tighter against the cold while Rubeus Hagrid stood nearby brushing snow off his coat.
"This weather gets worse every year," Fudge muttered.
Madam Rosmerta crossed her arms the moment she saw him.
"Well, maybe sending Dementors all around the village wasn't exactly good for business," she said sharply. "People are scared to come near the place now."
Fudge sighed tiredly.
"Rosmerta, we're trying to catch a dangerous criminal."
"Dangerous criminal or not," she replied, "those things make decent folk avoid Hogsmeade entirely."
Minerva McGonagall stepped out beside them while snow continued falling around the street.
"We have little choice," she said firmly. "Black has already entered Hogwarts once."
Hagrid looked uneasy at the mention of Sirius Black.
"Still can't believe it," he muttered. "After all these years…"
Fudge lowered his voice slightly.
"He's obsessed with Harry Potter," he said seriously. "And after what happened to James and Lily—"
Rosmerta's face changed immediately.
"Do yeh think Black would really try ter hurt Harry?"
"That is exactly what we fear," said McGonagall quietly.
Several nearby students slowed slightly after hearing the name Harry Potter.
Fudge noticed at once.
"Not here," he said quickly. "Let's discuss this inside."
Rosmerta nodded and opened the doors to the Three Broomsticks, letting all of them step into the warmth of the crowded pub.
At a nearby, Harry had already heard enough to freeze completely.
The moment Sirius Black and his parents were mentioned together, his attention locked onto the conversation instantly.
Ron noticed his expression first.
"Harry?"
But Harry was already reaching into his robes.
Hermione's eyes widened immediately when she saw the shimmering fabric.
"Harry, don't you dare—"
Too late.
Harry threw the Invisibility Cloak over himself and vanished from sight before slipping toward the Three Broomsticks.
"Harry!" Hermione hissed quietly.
Ron looked impressed more than worried.
Victor watched the invisible shape move away through the crowded pub and sighed softly.
"Well," he muttered, "there goes everyone's peaceful afternoon."
He had honestly hoped to avoid this part entirely.
But apparently fate had decided otherwise.
Now Harry was going to hear the story exactly the way the wizarding world believed it happened—that Sirius Black had betrayed James and Lily Potter to Voldemort after being one of their closest friends.
And for Harry, that part would hurt more than anything else.
Because Harry valued friendship almost like family.
Learning that someone trusted enough to stand beside his parents had supposedly handed them over to die would stay in his head far longer than the murder itself.
Upstairs inside the private room, Harry sat silently beneath the cloak while the adults talked around the table.
The fire crackled nearby while mugs clinked softly against wood.
"It's still hard ter believe," Hagrid muttered heavily. "I knew Sirius since he was a boy. James an' Lily trusted him with everythin'."
"They trusted him enough to make him Secret-Keeper," said Minerva McGonagall quietly.
Harry felt his stomach tighten hearing that.
Cornelius Fudge shook his head sadly.
"And barely a week later, James and Lily were dead."
The room fell quiet for a moment.
Then Madam Rosmerta spoke carefully.
"But if Black was the Secret-Keeper… how did everyone find out he betrayed them?"
Fudge leaned back heavily in his chair.
"Because of Peter Pettigrew," he said.
Harry listened closely from beneath the cloak.
"Poor Pettigrew," Fudge continued. "He was devastated after James and Lily died. Went after Black himself."
Hagrid nodded grimly.
"Found him in the middle o' a street packed with Muggles."
"According to witnesses," McGonagall said quietly, "Pettigrew cornered Black and accused him of betraying James and Lily."
Fudge lowered his voice.
"Black apparently laughed."
Harry felt cold hearing that.
"Then Pettigrew shouted for everyone to hear that Sirius had betrayed the Potters…"
"…and the next second the entire street exploded," Rosmerta whispered.
"Twelve Muggles killed," Fudge said grimly. "And all they found left of Pettigrew was a finger."
Harry stayed completely still beneath the cloak, his hands tightening slowly.
Silence settled over the table for a few moments after Hagrid spoke.
The fire burned quietly nearby while snow tapped softly against the windows of The Three Broomsticks.
Cornelius Fudge rubbed his forehead tiredly before speaking again.
"I was there after it happened," he said heavily. "The whole street was destroyed. Muggles dead everywhere. And Black standing in the middle of it all…"
Hagrid shook his head grimly.
"Still remember it myself."
Fudge's expression hardened.
"And now he's escaped Azkaban."
At the mention of Azkaban, even Madam Rosmerta looked uneasy.
"If we find him again," Fudge continued, "the Dementors will deal with him immediately."
Rosmerta looked uncomfortable hearing that.
"The Dementor's Kiss?"
McGonagall's face tightened slightly, though she said nothing.
Fudge nodded once.
"After what Black did, there are people at the Ministry who think he deserves worse."
*****
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