Blake's thoughts drifted to Peter Pettigrew.
Without delay, he set aside his pie, pulled out a pack of spicy chips—the kind Hogwarts students adored—and handed them to Ronald and Harry.
"By the way, Ronald," Blake said casually, "Ginny told me your pet rat hasn't been doing well lately?"
Ron's grin faded as he accepted the chips. "Yeah… I think it's getting old. Been acting sluggish."
Blake chuckled silently. No surprise there.
Peter Pettigrew, of all people, knew exactly why Sirius had gone to Azkaban—and now that Sirius had escaped, fear alone could make Pettigrew sick. He was a coward at heart.
"I've done some study on magical creatures," Blake said. "I can take a look, if you want."
Ron brightened instantly. Blake did co-own a magical zoo, after all. Even if Scabbers wasn't a true magical beast, Blake probably knew more than anyone.
"Sure! That'd be great," Ron said, placing the spicy chips on the table. He reached into his pocket for Scabbers.
But the rat refused to come out.
"Banban! Come on, Blake just wants to help."
Ron furrowed his brow. "Weird. I thought he was dying. Now he's suddenly got energy?"
Blake shot a meaningful look toward the bulging pocket.
Refusing to come out? Suspicious.
"Come here, Banban," Blake said firmly.
With a panicked squeak, the balding rat shot from Ron's pocket, claws flailing helplessly as it floated mid-air before Blake.
Blake noticed the rat clutched one front paw tightly—trying to hide the missing toe.
Clearly, Pettigrew feared being recognized. Especially with Lupin nearby.
Hermione and Cassandra subtly moved back. Lupin examined the rat.
"He looks frail," Lupin noted.
Blake glanced at him, surprised. He hadn't recognized the rat?
"Yeah…" Ron frowned, checking his pocket again. "He's been losing a lot of hair."
"Oh…" Blake blinked, studying the trembling rat.
It wasn't just shedding. There were spots of blood on its bare skin.
Pettigrew had yanked out his own fur—probably to look older and more decrepit. Typical desperation from someone who once faked his own death by cutting off a finger.
No wonder Lupin hadn't recognized him. He still believed Pettigrew had died betrayed by Sirius—who Lupin thought was the real traitor.
And unlike Sirius, Lupin had no reason to scrutinize an old, balding rat. Animagi, after all, were identical to real animals when transformed.
Blake watched Scabbers twitch.
"Huh. Why does it keep rubbing that paw?" he said loudly.
The rat froze mid-air.
"Oh, that?" Ron explained. "He's always been like that. Lost a toe before I got him—he used to belong to Percy."
Pettigrew quaked in terror. If Lupin figured it out…
But Lupin remained still, his face unreadable. He had no idea.
Sirius, of course, had known the truth the moment he saw the Weasley family photo in the Prophet. That missing toe gave it away.
Seeing Pettigrew alive reignited Sirius's will to escape Azkaban—just like Grindelwald when he regained a purpose.
Blake's curiosity faded. The puzzle had solved itself.
"Blake," Ron asked anxiously, "do you think he's sick?"
Blake examined the rat. "Nothing physical," he replied. "It's mental—he's terrified."
Pettigrew flinched in disbelief. The kid had nailed it.
"What do we do, then?" Ron asked.
"If he were human, I'd say therapy. But he's a rat—you can't reason with him."
Hermione and Cassandra exchanged glances. They knew Blake could speak with any animal. Why pretend otherwise?
But they said nothing. Blake was clearly up to something.
"Can he take medicine?" Ron asked, a bit panicked.
"Calm down." Blake patted his chest. "You've got the Magical Beasts Master right here."
Ron visibly relaxed.
Blake eyed the rat. Scabbers glanced back, eyes darting nervously. Blake caught a flicker of malice behind the fear—a reminder that this was no pet, but a traitor.
That irritated Blake. Letting this rat off easy didn't sit right.
Then an idea hit him. A slow, wicked grin spread across his face.
"Actually… there's something you could do," he said.
Ron perked up. "Really?"
"Ever heard that neutered pets live longer and behave better?"
"Huh? What's that?" Ron asked, confused.
Even Scabbers looked puzzled—until Blake added:
"Castration. Makes pets calmer, less sickly, and they live longer."
The rat screeched in panic, flailing wildly in the air.
Blake nodded once—and the rat instantly froze, paralyzed yet fully conscious.
It was similar to the Petrificus Totalus, but subtler. The body was locked, but the mind remained fully alert.
To Ron and Harry, it just looked like Blake had gently touched Scabbers' head—and the rat calmed.
"See?" Ron said. "You really know magical creatures."
Still, he hesitated. "This seems… kinda intense. You're joking, right?"
Scabbers internally wept. Yes! Say yes!
"Not joking," Blake said. "You can ask around."
Hermione chimed in. "It's true. I've read loads of books on pet care."
She'd always wanted a cat, though Blake's presence had changed those plans—and she never ended up with Crookshanks.
Ron looked at Harry, desperate.
Harry sighed. "I used to get left with Mrs. Figg. Loads of cats. Been to the vet with her. It's real."
"But that's cats," Ron argued weakly. "Maybe it doesn't apply to rats?"
Pettigrew screamed silently. It doesn't! Don't do it!
Blake grinned. "Ronald, you do want Banban to live longer, right?"
That sealed it.
Ron gave a heavy sigh. "Banban… it's for your own good. I'm sorry…"
He stopped himself before saying, "You're not using it anyway."
Scabbers lay frozen, utterly defeated.
"When do we do it?" Ron asked.
"Today," Blake said quickly. "If we wait, he'll escape."
He flicked his wand. Two empty chip bags transformed into medical gloves.
"You're not doing this now?!"
"Relax. It'll only take a minute."
Blake donned the gloves, pulled a small scalpel from nowhere, and said, "I've done this dozens of times at the magical zoo."
"Alright…" Ron whispered, resigned.
"Don't worry. He won't feel a thing," Blake said, smiling. "I'm not a monster."
No… the rat wouldn't feel pain.
But Peter Pettigrew, trapped in his own mind?
That was a different story.
Lupin, watching from the side, nodded approvingly. This boy had a kind heart.
"Let's give them some space," he said.
Hermione and Cassandra quickly followed him out—neither wanted to witness a magical neutering.
Ron and Harry stayed.
After shutting the door, Blake cleared the table and transfigured a piece of cake wrapper into a sterile cloth.
He placed the limp rat gently on it and cast a faux stun spell—one that only paralyzed the body, not the mind.
Ron watched with awe. "You even stunned him so gently…"
Peter Pettigrew screamed inside. That's NOT a stun spell! He didn't even numb me! This kid is a demon!
"Time for the procedure," Blake said cheerfully. "You two sure you want to watch?"
Harry nodded. "Of course. We're here for Banban."
"Alright then." Blake raised the scalpel.
Pettigrew wailed in his head. NOOOOO—!
Snip.
A sharp chill.
Followed by blinding pain.
A single tear rolled from Scabbers' eye.