What—kill me? Now?
Having just been jolted awake from unconsciousness, then dragged to the ground in a disorienting heap with pain from his right arm flooding his brain, Peter Pettigrew's already inadequate mind turned to complete mush.
Witnessing Sirius Black and Lupin radiating murderous intent toward him, Peter Pettigrew instinctively chose his usual response to danger.
Animagus transformation.
He shrieked, his form retreating as he began collapsing and spinning, rapidly transforming into a large black rat and scurrying backward.
Directly behind him cowered Ron, who had been frightened against the wall earlier.
Confronted with this wretched rat, how could Ron fail to recognize his own pet Scabbers? This creature had been his cherished companion through years of happy childhood memories.
But those once-precious recollections—as he'd believed them to be—now lay shattered by brutal reality. The self-imposed filter of his consciousness cracked completely as Peter Pettigrew's rat form came flying toward him. The Scabbers before him was no longer the adorable rat of Ron's heart, but a repulsively ugly rodent with sparse, patchy fur.
"Ahhhhh, don't come near me! Ahhhhh!"
Facing the lunging Peter Pettigrew, Ron displayed what might have been latent Quidditch Keeper talent, slapping the gray-black creature from midair with a single palm strike.
The rat was immediately yanked back by Sirius'sSummoning Charm, trapped within his tightly clenched right fist.
"Sirius's performance is quite convincing. Professor Lupin seems a bit stiff, but forcing Ron to confront reality by witnessing Peter Pettigrew transform into Scabbers with his own eyes is the most effective approach. Though somewhat cruel for him... I find it rather satisfying, hmph."
Hermione propped her chin thoughtfully, observing Sirius's methods while analyzing the situation, her commentary laced with personal satisfaction. Ron had evidently pushed Hermione beyond her patience this time.
"Sirius might not be performing. He genuinely intends to kill Peter Pettigrew here and now."
Glenn disagreed with her assessment. He could discern whether others' murderous intent was authentic, and Sirius's current behavior was undoubtedly heartfelt—his continuously straining left hand proved this.
"Appears he wants to crush Peter Pettigrew to death in his grip."
Hermione accepted Glenn's correction without offense. After adjusting her perspective, she continued monitoring developments.
"Considering his position, if I faced something similar, I imagine... I'd also want to personally execute this sort of person rather than consigning him to Azkaban."
Glenn glanced at Hermione. After voicing this thought, she fell contemplatively silent for several seconds, then shrugged.
"But were it me, I'd never allow such circumstances to arise. Critical positions like Secret-Keeper for the Fidelius Charm, or vital objects and information—I'd only trust them to myself... though naturally, you're the exception. Entrusting them to you would provide even greater peace of mind."
Glenn didn't mind Hermione's words, sharing identical sentiments. Long ago—even in his previous existence—he had trusted only himself. Maintaining control over important matters provided ultimate security.
Yet such self-reliance proved exhausting. Having trustworthy individuals to share burdens was undeniably beneficial—a lesson he'd recently learned.
"Dumbledore's intervening. Pity. If Sirius Black could eliminate Peter Pettigrew now, future complications would be avoided."
Glenn's mildly complaining tone reached Hermione's acute hearing. She turned, pressing closer while halting his hand movements.
"Oh? Sounds like you're orchestrating something beyond my knowledge. Care to enlighten your devoted sister?"
"...Nothing particularly significant. Bring your ear closer."
Glenn paused momentarily, then drew Hermione nearer. She yielded to his guidance, positioning her ear beside his mouth.
The scene within Hogwarts' headmaster's office had become thoroughly bizarre:
Professor Lupin's expression shifted as Sirius suddenly proposed arrangements completely unknown to him, then immediately forced composure. But the matter concluded instantly, leaving him feeling helpless and bewildered.
Harry's mind seemed battered by Dumbledore's concise yet incomprehensible revelations, now further overwhelmed by witnessing Peter Pettigrew's live transformation—his brain had essentially crashed.
Ron—whether terrified or disgusted by Peter Pettigrew—trembled against the wall, his complexion paler than anyone present. Shattered cherished memories and fractured self-perception compounded his mental confusion.
Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, these illegal Animagi, enacted what could generously be called half a cat-and-mouse scenario. One radiated murderous intent, continuously constricting his right hand yet never achieving sufficient force to crush Peter Pettigrew's body. The other squeaked frantically, clawing and struggling desperately while unable to escape Sirius's iron grip.
Dumbledore, apparently observing this chaotic drama with detached interest from his sofa, secretly channeled magic through his concealed hand to prevent Sirius from fatally crushing Peter Pettigrew. Simultaneously, he devoted considerable attention to eavesdropping on Glenn's whispered conversation with Hermione—sensing the boy contemplated something dangerous, yet hearing nothing from his constantly moving lips.
On the adjacent sofa, Glenn and Hermione appeared like shameless lovers engaged in intimate activities. In reality, they were covertly discussing the scheme Glenn had previously mentioned to Snape. Glenn had even guarded against Dumbledore's surveillance—while seeming to communicate verbally, he actually transmitted information through Morse code tapped by his right hand, which remained on Hermione's after drawing her close. Dumbledore possessed no knowledge of this cipher.
The performers in this farce extended beyond the immediate participants. Portraits of former headmasters adorning Hogwarts' office walls observed silently, their painted eyes fixed intently on the unfolding scene, each thinking the identical word:
Spectacular.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
🔥 Want to read the next 120chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on Patreon - patreon.com/DarkGolds]