"Sirius Black?"
Harry saw the name on the wanted notice.
This name wasn't new to him. Among his classmates two years below him, there was a Sirius Black, son of Professor Phineas Black.
Principal Black had five children: Sirius II, Phineas II, Signus, Belvina, and Acutus.
Sirius, also known as "Sirius," was a common name in the Black family. As Harry knew, before his junior Sirius, there was an elder in the Black family who also used the name, likely Principal Black's brother who died young.
So, his junior should be Sirius II.
He knew the Black family; they often named their children after stars, constellations, or galaxies... But looking at the wanted notice, the person didn't seem like an old man.
Could it be someone else also named their child Sirius?
The man in the portrait was shouting, and Harry felt like he'd seen this somewhere before...
Two angry voices came from the nearby sitting room; it was the Weasleys speaking.
No, it was an argument.
Harry hesitated. He wasn't someone who liked to invade others' privacy, so after thinking it over, he decided to go back upstairs.
But he heard his own name, so he moved closer in that direction.
"...It's meaningless not to tell him," Mr. Weasley said passionately, "Harry has the right to know, I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. Harry is already thirteen, and—"
And what? Harry wondered.
"Arthur, the truth will scare him!" Mrs. Weasley retorted firmly, "Do you really want Harry to return to school with such a mental burden? For heaven's sake, not knowing, he's happy!"
"I'm not trying to make him miserable, I want him cautious!" Mr. Weasley argued, "We all know Black is dangerous, Molly. They say Sirius Black has gone mad. He may be mad, but he's smart enough to escape Azkaban, something most can't achieve."
Here, Mr. Weasley's tone carried some complaint—not toward Mrs. Weasley, but toward the Ministry of Magic.
"It's been three weeks, and no one has seen a hair of Black. I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the 'Prophet Daily,' in terms of capturing Black, we've made no more progress than inventing self-spelling magic wands. The only clear thing we know is what Black is after—"
At this point, Mr. Weasley turned back, catching an awkward Harry's gaze.
"Harry." Mr. Weasley nodded to Harry, and Mrs. Weasley also greeted him.
"Uncle Arthur, Auntie Molly." Harry felt a bit awkward, caught eavesdropping.
Mr. Weasley came over, patting Harry's shoulder, "Come with me for a minute, will you, Harry?"
Harry followed him, and they walked to the fireplace beside a column, where the column could shield them.
Mr. Weasley held Harry's shoulders, seriously saying, "Harry, some in the Ministry, even your Auntie Molly, would strongly oppose me revealing this to you, but I still believe you should know the truth—you are in great danger, very great danger."
"Very great danger?" Harry asked puzzled.
"Yes, very great danger," Mr. Weasley repeated, casting a glance at Black's wanted notice.
Harry got it, asking, "Does this have to do with the Black being wanted?"
Hearing this, Mr. Weasley looked around to confirm no one was near, then continued, "What do you know about Black's affairs—how much?"
"I know he's a descendant of Professor Phineas Black, he broke out of prison," Harry said lightly.
"Do you know why?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Because Azkaban's food isn't great?" Harry hesitated, he'd been to Azkaban, where the environment wasn't just bad, it was unbearable even for rats.
Besides, does breaking out need a reason?
"Because thirteen years ago, you stopped You-Know-Who," Mr. Weasley said, "and Black is his devoted follower. We believe his escape from Azkaban is aimed at you—to kill you, understand, Harry?"
"I understand, Uncle Arthur," Harry nodded.
"So I need you to promise you'll absolutely not try to find him," Mr. Weasley said, patting Harry's shoulder, "Don't actively seek him out."
Harry paused, puzzled, looking at Mr. Weasley, "Why would I want to find him? Someone who wants to kill me?"
"Anyway," Mr. Weasley changed the subject, "I'm also a Gryffindor, know Gryffindors are the bravest, so I don't want you to invite trouble because of unwarranted bravery—okay, Harry?"
"I understand, Uncle Arthur," Harry nodded, "I won't look for him—Sirius Black, right?"
"Good boy." Mr. Weasley patted Harry's shoulder, "I always knew you were a good kid, Harry."