By the time my survival instincts started screaming that this was far worse than I had imagined, it was already too late.
"Who's there?!"
Sirius Black let out a terrifying roar, and I nearly dropped the Wolfsbane Potion again. Being attacked by a wanted mass murderer would be a problem, so I deliberately let out a pitiful, "Eek…" to show I had no intention of resisting, and cautiously stepped into the room.
When I appeared with both hands raised while still clutching the goblet in one hand, Harry and the other two, along with Professor Lupin, all stared at me wide-eyed.
"Elaina? Why are you in a place like this…?"
Ignoring Ron, who was gawking while hypocritically overlooking his own situation, and who was somehow injured and wrapped in bandages, I turned to Professor Lupin and timidly opened my mouth.
"Um… I have a delivery for Professor Lupin today. It's your medicine."
At the sight of the offered goblet, Professor Lupin's face went pale. He hurried over to me and snatched it up, draining the contents in one go.
"S-sorry! To think I'd forget… Elaina, thank you."
"No problem at all. Oh, and you don't need to sign for it."
After all, Professor Snape, the sender, was already lying there unconscious.
"Well then, I'll be going now."
I tried to leave casually, like a delivery courier, but before I knew it, Peter Pettigrew had crawled up and grabbed the hem of my robe.
"Miss! P-please, help me!"
"Huh?"
Perhaps he hadn't bathed properly in ages, because just having him get close was enough to hit me with a harsh, suffocating body odor.
On top of that, his shallow, panting breaths, shrill voice, leering eyes full of ulterior motives, and blatantly suspicious movements assaulted every instinct a girl has that screams "absolutely not."
"P-please… stop…"
Despite appearances, I was still a fourteen-year-old girl. Being crawled up on by a complete stranger, especially one dressed like a filthy rat, left my mind half-frozen from a mix of fear and revulsion.
"Elaina, over here. Stand next to Hermione."
Unable to watch any longer, Harry stepped in protectively, and Hermione took my hand to reassure me.
Sirius Black immediately kicked Pettigrew away with all his strength, and Professor Lupin's expression turned icy.
"Sirius, this is Elaina. She's our classmate and our friend."
When Harry introduced me, Sirius Black glanced at my tie and house colors, looking a little surprised.
Harry then shrugged and turned back to me.
"You probably know already, but that man is Sirius Black. Everything about him being a mass murderer, or Voldemort's follower, was all a false accusation."
"What do you mean…?"
"The real culprit is right there. Peter Pettigrew."
After that, Harry and the others told me everything that had really happened.
When Harry's parents were targeted by Voldemort, Dumbledore suggested hiding their whereabouts using the Fidelius Charm, and Sirius, their close friend, was appointed as the Secret Keeper.
However, to deceive Voldemort, Sirius secretly made Peter Pettigrew the Secret Keeper instead. In reality, Peter was the traitor, and Harry's parents were killed. When Black cornered him, he was cleverly framed and thrown into Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit.
On top of that, both of them were unregistered Animagi. Pettigrew had hidden for years as Ron's pet rat, Scabbers, while Sirius transformed into a dog to escape from Azkaban.
The more I heard, the more unbelievable it all sounded.
In the end, Harry and the others hesitated and looked toward Professor Lupin.
"Um…"
"Is it about him being a werewolf?"
When I said that, Harry, Sirius, and the others all looked shocked.
"You knew?" Ron asked, his mouth hanging open.
I nodded lightly.
"Daphne and Astoria know, and Draco too."
"No way! Even Malfoy?!"
"Well, a lot happened."
And besides, I continued,
"After learning that much about werewolves in Professor Snape's classes, anyone would notice. Percy, Farley-senpai, and Estelle probably figured it out too and just kept quiet."
When I said that, Professor Lupin looked as though he was thinking, "So it was obvious after all."
Professor Snape apparently hadn't been satisfied with just teaching about werewolves in class. He had regularly sent capable students to deliver Wolfsbane Potion, dropping hints like the ones he'd given me.
And for seventh-years like Percy, who were preparing for the N.E.W.T. exams, it wouldn't be surprising for prefects or top students to know at least how to identify a werewolf.
On the other hand, that also meant many students knew his secret and still chose not to say anything.
Even if Professor Lupin was a werewolf, the way he sincerely cared for and taught his students hadn't changed. Surely, like Hermione, the older students had understood that and kept silent.
"By the way, if Sirius is innocent, then why is Professor Snape knocked out?"
When I asked, everyone oddly looked away. Sirius looked pleased as he said, "He brought it on himself," while Professor Lupin seemed uncomfortable.
"Shouldn't we wake Professor Snape and tell him the truth? We'll need manpower if we're going to escort someone."
"No. There's no need for that."
Sirius said coldly.
"I'm killing him here today. That's why I broke out of Azkaban."
"Eek!"
Pettigrew let out a pitiful cry, sobbing as he desperately begged for his life.
"He conquered everywhere! If I refused, I could've been killed!"
"Then you should've died!" Sirius Black roared.
"Rather than betraying your friends, you should have died! We would've done the same for you!"
That felt a bit heavy, to be honest.
Noticing my slight frown, Pettigrew immediately turned to me and pleaded.
"You're a smart young lady… you understand, don't you? I didn't want to do it. I was scared, I had no choice! Please, help me…"
He continued begging miserably.
"..."
I thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Honestly, not many people can throw away their own lives for someone else. Fearing death is a perfectly natural human feeling."
Certainly, Sirius's way of life, being willing to sacrifice even his own life for his best friends, was brave, beautiful, and noble.
But I don't think that's normal.
A set of values that treats self-sacrifice as something to be expected, both of oneself and others, feels a bit too heavy for someone like me, who grew up in modern times.
Of course, I don't think prioritizing self-preservation is necessarily right either, but even so, I can't deny that cherishing one's own life, like Pettigrew did, is understandable.
Perhaps, from Sirius's remark that Voldemort would never think of using "a cowardly, useless fool like you," he believed Pettigrew wouldn't be targeted. Still, that feels like a naïve assessment.
"…I won't deny that I was an idiot thirteen years ago."
For the first time, an emotion other than anger appeared on Sirius's face.
"James and Lily were as good as killed by me… There isn't a day I don't regret it…"
A single tear slid down his hollow cheek from his vacant eyes.
Friends more precious to him than his own life. Yet his own mistaken choice had ultimately led them to their deaths, and he would never see them again. It felt as though the deep guilt he had suppressed by hating Pettigrew was finally spilling over.
"Mr. Pettigrew."
I turned to Peter Pettigrew, who was hanging his head uncomfortably.
"In my opinion, your true crime isn't the betrayal itself, but the fact that you refused to face it."
If he had turned himself in to the Ministry of Magic right after Voldemort was defeated, he might have been able to secure an acquittal like the Malfoy family.
Even if not, since Voldemort himself directly killed the Potters, Pettigrew, as an accomplice rather than the actual murderer, should have received a lighter sentence.
"So what you truly should have done was turn yourself in to the Ministry of Magic."
It may be harsh for Harry and the others, but legally speaking, merely aiding and abetting murder does not automatically warrant a death sentence. There were still ample options to seek a reduced sentence through plea bargaining or similar means. From what I had heard, there were also faults on Black's side, so there might have been some room for leniency.
And yet.
"You turned your back on the crime you committed and ran away. In the end, you dragged twelve innocent Muggles into it and tried to pin every last sin on Sirius."
Out of fear of immediate punishment, you went on to pile crime upon crime.
"If you truly believed it 'couldn't be helped,' then you should have stood in court and explained yourself honestly to the very end. You should have protected yourself through proper, lawful means."
But perhaps Pettigrew himself never truly believed that it "couldn't be helped." That was why he kept running, trying to avoid the immediate consequences, until he had gone so far that there was no turning back.
"You threw away even your very last chance with your own hands."
"…!"
The little color that remained on Pettigrew's face drained away completely, and he slumped forward as if he had lost all will to resist.
Seeing that, Professor Lupin spoke quietly.
"Peter, you went too far. You didn't just betray James and Lily. You framed Sirius and killed twelve innocent Muggles. I won't say there's no room for sympathy, but you've gone beyond anything that can be defended."
Professor Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder with Black and raised his wand.
"Farewell, Peter."
"Stop!"
The one who shouted was Harry.
As Professor Lupin and Sirius stared in shock, Harry stepped in front of Peter as if to shield him.
"You can't kill him."
"Harry, this man is the reason your parents are dead."
"I know."
Harry answered calmly, then spat out his words.
"Just like Elaina said, let's take him back to the castle. If there's anyone who belongs in Azkaban, it's him."
Sirius looked as though he wanted to argue, but Harry cut him off.
"If my dad were here, I'm sure he wouldn't want his best friend to become a murderer for the sake of someone like this."
Silence fell for a while.
As Professor Lupin and Sirius exchanged glances, I gently spoke up.
"Sirius, do you understand what it means to hand the real culprit over to the Ministry?"
"…My innocence will be proven, and I'll be free."
"Yes. But that's not all."
I turned my gaze to Harry.
"Sirius Black is also Harry's godfather. In other words, his guardian. Once your innocence is proven, you'll have the right to care for and raise Harry as his guardian."
Harry's expression changed visibly in an instant.
"I can leave the Dursleys…?"
His voice trembled with tension.
"I can live with Sirius…?"
"If you go through the proper procedures, most likely."
When I said that, it was as if something exploded inside Harry's chest.
"Yes!"
In the gloomy atmosphere, Harry's joyful shout echoed throughout the Shrieking Shack. Professor Lupin's eyes went wide, and Sirius whispered in a hoarse, dazed voice.
"…Harry, do you really mean that?"
"Of course! I mean it!"
As Harry replied, unable to contain his excitement, the gaunt look on Sirius's face suddenly broke into a smile.
His skeletal features seemed to grow more than ten years younger, replaced by the radiant expression of a boy overflowing with joy. This was probably his true smile.
"Sirius."
I spoke.
"I think living for your best friend's son's future will be far more enjoyable than living for revenge over the past."
At that, Sirius looked a little embarrassed, yet his expression hardened with renewed resolve.
"Hey, Remus."
"I know. If that's what Harry wants."
Professor Lupin said gently, then conjured ropes from the tip of his wand and bound Peter in preparation for taking him back to the castle.
"Now then, about handing Peter over to the Ministry…"
He glanced at Professor Snape, who was lying on the floor.
"It really does seem best to do as Elaina suggested."
"Oi, Remus, he drank the potion, didn't he?"
"There's always the possibility of an emergency. Compared to the risk of letting this one escape, persuading Professor Snape is a small matter."
Even so, Sirius clearly looked unhappy.
"I'm telling you, this is going to be a hassle."
"Then we'll keep him bound until we can convince him not to cause trouble. That works, right?"
"…Fine."
With visible reluctance, Sirius joined Professor Lupin in pointing the confiscated wand at Professor Snape.
"Incarcerous. Bind him."
"Aguamenti. Water."
The ropes from Professor Lupin's wand bound the unconscious Snape, and from Sirius's wand came an amount of water that was clearly excessive, probably meant as a revival charm, soaking his face.
"Cough, hack…"
"Stop it, Sirius! Not now!"
As Professor Lupin hurried to intervene while Snape nearly drowned, Sirius replied with a mischievous grin and not a hint of remorse, "My apologies. Old habits."
There seemed to be some deep-seated history there that I didn't know.
"Black, you bastard…!"
Despite being bound, Professor Snape glared at Sirius with eyes brimming with basilisk-like killing intent. However, when his gaze landed on Pettigrew beside him, his expression turned to one of utter disbelief.
"Lupin, what is the meaning of this? Why is he here?"
In short, this and that.
As Professor Lupin explained the situation, the look on Snape's face as he stared at Pettigrew grew steadily harsher, until he looked ready to leap forward and kill him on the spot. Binding him had probably been the right call.
"…That's how it is. We're taking Peter back to the castle now and handing him over to the Dementors for Azkaban. Any objections?"
"If it were up to me, I'd like to hand over to the Dementors the colossal fool who entrusted his dear friends' 'Secret Keeper' to a man like this as well."
Sirius clicked his tongue loudly at the remark dripping with sarcasm, but since Snape's words were entirely reasonable, he seemed unable to argue back forcefully.
(End of chapter)
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