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Chapter Sixteen: A Race Against Time
Meanwhile, the Saviors were on their way to Hagrid's hut, just as in the original story. Hagrid's Hippogriff had injured Malfoy earlier, and the Ministry of Magic would deal with him that day. After being driven off by Hagrid, they encountered Sirius Black in his dog form. In the abandoned room beneath the Whomping Willow, the trio had a long, tense conversation and finally realized it wasn't Black who had betrayed Harry's parents—it was Peter Pettigrew. After Harry temporarily incapacitated Snape, the trio escorted Pettigrew out of the basement.
They crossed the clearing silently. The castle's lights gradually brightened, and Snape floated ahead of Sirius, his chin resting against his chest. Dark clouds drifted across the moon, casting eerie shadows. Suddenly, Lupin stopped in his tracks, and Sirius signaled Harry and Hermione to halt.
Lupin's gaze fell on the full moon, and he froze. His limbs began to tremble.
"Oh no…" Hermione gasped, struggling to breathe. "He forgot to take his potion tonight. He's not safe."
"Run!" Sirius whispered urgently. "Run—now!"
Harry couldn't move. Ron was still tied up with Peter and Lupin. As he tried to move forward, Sirius grabbed his wrist and threw him back.
"Leave it to me—go!" Sirius barked.
A terrifying roar cut through the night. Lupin's head elongated, his shoulders hunched, and coarse hair sprouted across his face and hands, which twisted into sharp claws.
The werewolf raised his head, sniffing the air, while Sirius vanished from Harry's side and began to shift into his massive black dog form. As Lupin tore free of his bindings, Sirius leapt, biting his neck, trying to pull him away from Ron and Peter. They grappled viciously, jaws snapping, claws tearing. Harry froze, captivated by the ferocity of the struggle—until Hermione's scream snapped him back to reality.
Peter lunged for Lupin's discarded wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged legs, collapsed with a thud, a flash of light erupting as he hit the ground—unconscious.
"Peter!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand. "Stand still!" But it was too late; Peter had begun to transform. His bald tail slipped free from the handcuffs binding him to Ron. Rustling came from the grass.
At that moment, Lockhart appeared seemingly from nowhere. He waved his wand and struck the rat-like figure, leaving its fate unknown.
"Professor Lockhart! You're here! That's amazing!" Hermione exclaimed, relief washing over her face.
A low growl cut through the night. Harry saw the black dog knocked into the air by the werewolf, then darting into the forest.
Lockhart retrieved the rat, placing it carefully in his pocket, and shouted, "Quick! Go! I'll handle this werewolf—this is my specialty!"
With a flick of his wand, he unleashed a Pain Spell. Lupin howled and lunged after him, distracted by the searing pain.
Hermione and Harry sprinted toward the forest, following Sirius. Soon, they encountered a swarm of Dementors. Before Harry could react, he saw his father's silhouette cast a bright Patronus, driving the creatures away—saving them, if only for a moment.
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The next thing the three saviors knew, they were waking up in the Hogwarts infirmary. Dumbledore was there, looking grave. Black had been captured and was slated for execution. He reminded Hermione that time was short and she would need to act carefully.
Hermione pulled out the Time-Turner, placing it gently on Harry's head, preparing for their temporal mission.
"Wait! Hermione, didn't Professor Lockhart catch Peter? Peter can prove Black's innocence!" Harry suddenly remembered.
Hermione slapped her forehead. "Oh no! I almost forgot! What about Lockhart and Lupin? We need to check on them immediately!"
Without hesitation, Hermione and Harry abandoned Ron, who had lost consciousness and was still in the infirmary, and dashed toward Professor Lockhart's office.
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Inside his office, Lockhart was deeply engrossed in a complex spellbook when Hermione and Harry burst in, bloodied and breathless. Lockhart leapt forward instinctively, pulling Hermione into his arms.
"Professor! I'm so glad you're alright!" Hermione cried.
Lockhart froze, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over him. My goodness, Hermione… didn't you just do the same thing a few hours ago? If you want to get close, you could at least try a different approach!
"Professor, Black has been caught! But Peter—Peter can prove his innocence. And what about Lupin? You didn't… hurt him, did you?" Hermione's rapid-fire questions left Lockhart bewildered.
"What are you talking about, Hermione? I've been here all night reading in my office!" Lockhart said, utterly confused.
Harry, staring at him, muttered, "Wait… who is this Professor Lockhart?" His jaw dropped.
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