What surprised Sirius, however, was that the tip of the boy's wand didn't produce any spells—instead, it conjured a silver teapot and a bronze cup.
"Have something to drink," Rhys said, his tone no longer carrying any trace of killing intent, as he poured Sirius a cup of black tea.
Sirius: ???
The boy's sudden change in attitude left him momentarily confused, but he quickly realized—he had convinced the kid!
Sirius's spirits lifted: with the help of a current Hogwarts student, the difficulty of carrying out his plan would decrease significantly!
He took the cup and downed the tea in one gulp. The warm liquid filled his stomach, and strength he thought long gone surged back into his limbs, revitalizing him.
However, contrary to Sirius's assumption, Rhys hadn't changed his attitude because of Sirius's halting, disjointed explanation—honestly, after being locked in Azkaban so long, Sirius's language skills were a mess, and most people would've thought he was insane after listening to his rambling defense.
But Rhys was different. He had already seen Peter Pettigrew's memories. Cross-referencing them with Sirius's story, he was fairly certain Sirius wasn't lying.
Since the man was innocent and had a legitimate reason to come to Hogwarts, Rhys forgave him and decided to offer his assistance.
After finishing his tea, Sirius wanted to press on and secure the young wizard's full support, but Rhys gestured for him to stay calm for now.
"Scourgify!" Rhys first used a cleaning charm to remove the filth from Sirius, then pulled a set of robes from his little pouch and gestured for him to change into them.
Rhys was a man of propriety and couldn't stand the sight of Sirius in such a dirty state. Besides, the man was a descendant of the Black family—it was only proper that he show him a bit of care.
Back in the day, among Rhys's students were also members of the Black family.
Though they weren't as gifted as Adrian and ultimately failed to earn the right to enter his secret chamber, they were generous, donating quite a bit to the fledgling Hogwarts.
That kindness, it seemed, had trickled down to their many-times-removed descendant.
"Thanks." Once all the filth was gone from his body, Sirius felt noticeably refreshed. After putting on the clean, dry, and comfortable robes, he even felt a sense of renewal.
Though the robes were tailored to Rhys's frame, the emaciated Sirius—after more than ten years in Azkaban—was all skin and bones, so he managed to fit into them. The only issue was that the hem, originally meant to reach the calves, now stopped somewhere around the thighs.
Now clothed anew, Sirius silently vowed that once he had personally dealt with Peter, he would find a way to properly repay this kind-hearted young lad.
Seeing that Sirius at least now looked like a proper human being, Rhys was finally willing to talk to him about the matter of Peter.
"Catching Peter actually isn't that difficult."
Sirius, who had been adjusting his robes, suddenly froze, a manic gleam flashing through his eyes.
"Yes, I just need to—"
"Peter is with me."
Sirius's voice cut off abruptly, and a strangled noise escaped his throat.
He sprang up, his dark eyes nearly bulging from their sockets.
"Really? That bastard Peter is really with you?!"
After receiving Rhys's confirmation, he lunged forward like an arrow, only to be slammed back against the tree trunk by Rhys's magic. Sirius let out a feral howl, while Rhys used magic to pin him in place until he calmed down somewhat.
"Calm down first. Killing Peter is easy. But you need to think carefully about things beyond just revenge."
"I don't care! I just want Peter dead!" Sirius's emotions were out of control.
"Then what about the truth?"
"It's not important!"
Rhys frowned.
"Very well then. My magic will bind you here until sunset—you'll have plenty of time to think over the question I just asked. I'll return here tomorrow morning. You can give me your answer then. If it's the same as just now, I'll hand Peter over to you."
With that, Rhys turned to leave. But after a few steps, he paused.
"By the way, Peter is under absolute control while in my custody. But if you regain your freedom and choose to sneak into the castle, I'll let him go. You understand—I keep my word."
After delivering the warning, Rhys took out a packet of his stored food, placed it on the ground, and left the Forbidden Forest without looking back.
Sirius struggled with all his might as he watched Rhys's retreating figure, but the magical restraints bound him tightly—he had no chance of escape.
Eventually, after expending the last bit of energy in his body, Sirius gave up and leaned against the tree to rest.
As he rested, the blood rushing to his head began to cool, and he finally regained his composure.
He began to seriously reflect on the question Rhys had posed: After killing Peter, then what? Between the truth of what happened back then and Peter's life—which mattered more?
After a long period of contemplation, Sirius still felt that the most important thing was making Peter pay in blood. But Harry's face also surfaced in his mind.
He had seen Harry dragging his suitcase, fleeing that Muggle household… Clearly, the boy hadn't lived well there.
Sirius fell into deep thought, so much so that he didn't even notice when the magical ropes binding him disappeared.
Sure, killing Peter with one swipe would be satisfying, but it would also cement his status as a criminal, leaving no room for redemption.
Could Harry really accept a fugitive godfather? Worse—if the truth never came to light, wouldn't he believe Sirius was the one who murdered his parents?
Once calm, Sirius suddenly saw many things more clearly. That boy's question—he now had a new answer.
Truth be told, it was a bit greedy of him. He wanted Peter to pay in blood, but he also wanted to reclaim his own name…
"There's no such thing as having it all," Sirius muttered with a bitter smile, shaking his head.
Just then, a noise nearby caught his attention.
He looked up and saw a plump rat pawing at the bundle the boy had left for him.
Without a second's hesitation, Sirius transformed into a black dog and leapt forward, catching the rat in his mouth and swallowing it after two swift chews.
This kind of behavior, he was long used to.
After taking care of the rat, he twitched his nose a couple of times, and his eyes lit up instantly—the scent of food coming from the bundle was incredibly strong!
He tore the package open, and a heap of smoked meat, cheese, and bread was revealed before him.
Having been on and off the brink of starvation for so long, Sirius didn't hesitate for even a second. He immediately grabbed the food from the bundle and began devouring it ravenously.
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