Chapter 102: You're Awake, Scabbers. Malfoy's Stutter
A small, balding rat missing one of its toes opened its eyes from sleep.
This time, it didn't wake in Ron's school robe pocket or on a pillow by the bed.
And the first face it saw wasn't a head of Weasley's red hair.
"You're awake, Scabbers."
"!"
Scabbers' eyes widened in alarm, seeing that handsome boy staring down at it with dark, penetrating eyes.
"Squeak, squeak."
Scabbers looked around nervously and found itself on a silvery-white metal platform in what appeared to be an empty space.
Leonardo's eyes held slowly rotating black vortices as he observed Scabbers grooming its front paws.
Hmm, even with the Peeking Fiend's Eye, he couldn't see a magical pathway.
So this was what an Animagus looked like. In animal form, they could hide their wizard nature, making detection difficult.
Perhaps the magical pathway only appeared during certain actions or under specific stimuli?
Leonardo poured more magical energy into the Peeking Fiend's Eye, making the vortices in his pupils spin faster.
Sensing something wrong, Scabbers glanced at the motionless boy staring at it, then began moving its four short legs to escape.
But Leonardo had already waved his wand, raising barriers around the metal platform and blocking Scabbers' path.
Scabbers stopped. It recognized the young wizard. Ron's classmate, the boy from the train.
Scabbers remembered thinking even then that something felt off about this one, that it had wanted to avoid contact.
But it never expected to wake up and find itself in Leonardo's hands.
Scabbers twisted its head and looked around, acting like a normal rat.
Since Leonardo hadn't actually done anything to it yet, Scabbers figured Ron probably just lent him the rat for a few days and would want it back later.
But just as Scabbers was about to find a corner for another nap, Leonardo cast a Levitation Charm, and it rose into the air.
Watching Scabbers struggle, Leonardo frowned slightly.
Even under the effects of magic, the rat's magical pathway didn't manifest. He'd fully activated the Peeking Fiend's Eye but couldn't detect even the slightest trace of magical flow.
Was this how all Animagi appeared, or was Peter Pettigrew particularly special?
After all, he'd been in hiding for over a decade as a rat. Possibly the longest any Animagus had remained in animal form.
How could a normal person endure that long living as a small rat?
From that perspective, Peter was genuinely "brave."
Could cowardice and the fear of death suddenly give way to stronger courage for survival?
Perhaps a sudden, unexpected "attack" would force the Animagus to break its disguise and reveal its magical pathway.
If that didn't work, he could always ask Professor McGonagall for guidance about magical pathways in Animagus form.
If she transformed into her tabby cat form, he could observe her directly. But that felt too presumptuous.
"Professor, could I see you as a cat?"
Scabbers was far more convenient for observation.
Leonardo placed Scabbers back on the platform and pulled out some snacks. Scabbers hesitated, but then figured that a rat refusing food would look suspicious, so it picked up a biscuit and began gnawing.
Observing Scabbers' normal activities, Leonardo detected no magical traces.
Then a small arc of electricity shot from his wand tip at Scabbers.
"Squeak!"
The rat jumped straight up. The shock hadn't hurt, but it certainly startled him. Scabbers looked nervously around, finally glancing reluctantly toward Leonardo.
That glance made his heart sink.
Because the young wizard was smiling.
Scabbers' heart lurched. Could this be some kind of twisted sadist who enjoyed tormenting cute little animals?
What kind of friends had Ron befriended?
But Leonardo had seen it. Through those eyes, he'd caught that flash of magical energy, that momentary manifestation of the magical pathway.
Yes, a sudden magical shock caused the pathway to flicker briefly.
But it had disappeared too quickly.
If he applied sustained magical stimulation, could he extend the pathway's visibility?
Scabbers' entire body went cold. It had a terrible feeling that something dangerous was about to happen.
An hour later, Leonardo exited the pocket dimension.
"The progress is decent. If I keep at it, half a month should be enough to complete the task."
Discovering and recording an Animagus' hidden magical pathway.
A soft golden figure suddenly materialized beside him.
"Back already, Aurelius?"
"How was your chat with Mr. Newt?"
Leonardo unfastened the satchel hanging around the small Qilin's neck while speaking, removing a return letter and two books from inside.
Two copies of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
The books were the standard store editions, but when Leonardo opened the cover, the first page bore the handwritten signature of Newt Scamander.
"Excellent. I've got the signed copies now. The end-of-year exam prizes are ready."
"Harry and the others should study harder, knowing what's at stake."
Leonardo pocketed the books and looked at Aurelius. "You've grown another size, haven't you?"
The young Qilin, still in its growth phase, expanded rapidly each month.
"Maybe, Master. Though I can adjust my size, so it's not that noticeable."
After some interaction with Aurelius, Leonardo headed back toward Hagrid's hut. He'd arranged to have dinner there today with Hagrid and the others.
But as he approached the cottage, Leonardo spotted a suspicious figure lurking nearby.
Were Fang and Teeth out for another walk? He hadn't heard any warning barks.
A boy with slicked-back platinum blonde hair stood in front of the hut, clutching a box under his arm.
"Checked the library, asked the Ravenclaws, who said he wasn't in the common room. No classes today, so he's probably... here."
"Can I help you, Malfoy?"
Startled by the voice behind him, Malfoy clutched the box tightly.
"Ah, it's you, Leonardo."
Leonardo looked at Malfoy holding the large box, unable to figure out why he was here. The timeline didn't match. Hagrid wouldn't hatch the dragon egg until after Christmas, when Malfoy reported him.
They were now approaching the Quidditch match season.
"That is... that is..."
Malfoy stammered for a long while before finally thrusting the box toward Leonardo, his face turned away.
"I c-came to apologize."
"I sh-shouldn't have said you had no right to comment on pure-blood. I shouldn't have d-disdained your Muggle heritage."
The more he spoke, the quieter Malfoy's voice became, but remembering his father's instructions, he pushed through.
"Th-this is a gift I prepared."
"W-will you... accept it?"
Hearing Malfoy's stuttering, which rivaled even Quirrell's, Leonardo couldn't help but smile.
After all, he was just a child. How many children could apologize so sincerely?
But this didn't seem like something Malfoy would do, at least not so quickly.
Could someone be coaching him behind the scenes?
Hmm. If Malfoy could be this honest, if he could adjust his attitude and stop being so arrogant, perhaps he and Harry could have become friends long ago.
In an instant, vortices appeared in Leonardo's pupils. He observed Malfoy with the Peeking Fiend's Eye and the box in his hands.
Oh. Intense magical heat, but not from a living thing. It felt familiar, like the dragon heartstring he'd obtained from Snape.
That same faint warmth of scalding energy.
And there wasn't just one.