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"Even if you kill him now, no one will know."
At Dudley's suggestion, Harry slowly raised his wand.
Peter, who had just woken up, heard Dudley's words and was so frightened that he instinctively wanted to beg for mercy. Unfortunately, his mouth was gagged, so he could only make muffled sounds. He kept wriggling, trying to escape, but could only spin in place like a top.
Lupin wanted to use a spell to stop Harry, but Dudley interrupted him with one spell, knocking his wand aside. The professor could only shout urgently, "Harry, you cannot do this!"
"Dursley, you should not do this. You should stop him."
"Stop him?" Dudley raised an eyebrow. "Stop him from avenging his parents? What right do you have to stop him?"
Lupin became even more anxious. "You are his brother. You cannot watch him become a murderer and go down the wrong path!"
"It is precisely because I am his brother that I should support his revenge."
Dudley looked into Lupin's eyes and said seriously, "What he kills would not be a person. It would be an animal. A rat. A rat that has been dead for twelve whole years."
"And this is not going down the wrong path. A life for a life, a debt repaid. That is only natural. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. That is fairness."
"There is no hatred deeper than the murder of one's parents."
Seeing that Lupin could not persuade Dudley, Sirius once again turned into the big black dog. He broke free from the wooden hand and rushed forward, wanting to stop Harry.
Before he could run two steps, an even larger wooden hand seized him.
'Is this really an underage wizard from Hogwarts? Such advanced Transfiguration. Even Professor McGonagall is only about this level.'
The big black dog struggled with all his strength, but it was futile. He could only keep barking at Harry.
"All of you, shut up. Only Harry can choose. Only Harry has the right to choose."
Dudley said this in a deep voice, then stomped his right foot heavily. The entire Shrieking Shack began to shake, as if it might collapse at any moment.
"Harry, if you want to kill this rat, then kill him. Do not have any misgivings. I will handle what comes afterward."
His parents' deaths had always been a wound in Harry's heart. Although he never talked about it, Dudley, who had grown up with him, knew clearly that at school, whenever other children were picked up by their parents, Harry's eyes always showed envy.
When Dudley said he would handle it, he did not mean it casually.
Harry once again slowly raised his wand and pointed it at Peter. Peter was so frightened that his soul nearly left his body. He desperately wriggled to Harry's feet and kept rubbing against his shoes, as if begging for mercy.
Whether Peter lived or died depended entirely on Harry's choice.
Did Harry hate the man who had caused his parents' deaths?
Of course he did. He was filled with hatred and wished he could tear Peter to pieces.
But when the choice was truly placed in his hands, his naturally kind heart hesitated.
"If you cannot do it, I can do it for you."
Dudley stepped forward and spoke with startling calm.
Hermione looked at Dudley's back with worry, but she did not stop him.
This was Dudley's choice. She respected his choice, and she would stand on Dudley's side.
After hearing Dudley's words, Harry first felt warmth in his heart. Although he had grown up without parents, he had a brother who protected him, an aunt and uncle who loved him, and many friends who treated him sincerely. The time he spent with them was the happiest.
So Harry shook his head. "Big D, no. You do not need to become a murderer for someone like him."
He took a deep breath, made an enormous decision, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "I want the truth made public. I want everyone to know what really happened. I want the guilty to receive the punishment they deserve, and I want the innocent to have their names cleared."
After hearing Harry's words, Hermione, Lupin, Sirius, and Peter all let out breaths of relief.
Lupin and Sirius wished Peter would die immediately, but they absolutely did not want Harry to be the one to do it.
Dudley pondered briefly, then said, "Harry, if that is your choice, I will help you complete it."
"Mm."
Harry nodded firmly and revealed a bright smile.
His cousin Dudley was the best brother in the world.
"Mr. Rat, you are very lucky. You get to keep your life."
Dudley looked at Peter's expression of having survived a disaster, his face full of mockery.
Then he glanced at the big black dog, who had nearly been squeezed breathless, and snapped his fingers to release him.
"And you, foolish Black. Because you are Harry's godfather, I will clear the criminal charge against you."
"But from now on, do not come looking for Harry again. I do not want him infected by your stupidity."
The big black dog turned back into human form, gasping for breath.
"Professor Lupin, you..."
The instant Dudley began speaking to Lupin, Sirius, who was on the floor, suddenly erupted and desperately lunged toward Peter.
"Stop, Black!" Lupin cried in alarm.
However, a wizard without a wand who could only transform as an Animagus was not even as dangerous as a Cornish pixie.
The moment Sirius pounced toward Peter, he stopped in midair once again.
It was Pixie. He had already recovered from the spell's stunning effect.
"Let me go! I am going to kill him! Let me avenge James! I spent twelve years in that place!"
Sirius roared in midair, his arms flailing wildly. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on Peter, filled with hatred. If a gaze could kill, Peter would already have been torn apart and chopped into mince.
Dudley snapped his fingers. Vines identical to the ones around Peter bound Sirius as well. Then, finding him too noisy, Dudley stuffed a clump of rotten cloth from who knew where into his mouth.
"Professor Lupin, I think you should manage your idiot companion. If there is a next time, I will throw him to the Dementors. I imagine they would be very happy to give him a French kiss."
After doing all this, Dudley stood up.
"It is getting late. We should return to Hogwarts first and report this to Professor Dumbledore."
This matter was troublesome, yet also not troublesome. The key was whether they could convince the current Minister for Magic, Fudge, to overturn Sirius's conviction. It was necessary to speak with Dumbledore first.
"Perhaps this can be settled today. After all, the greatest Minister for Magic in all Britain has recently been visiting Professor Dumbledore's office quite often."
Then Dudley looked toward the other side of the Shrieking Shack. "This passage connects to the Whomping Willow at the school. It will not take much time."
The group brought Peter and headed toward Hogwarts. Along the way, Lupin said something to Sirius. The man finally abandoned the idea of killing Peter, so Dudley undid his restraints.
With the password "Licorice Toffee," the entrance to the Headmaster's office opened.
By coincidence, Dudley had guessed correctly. Minister for Magic Fudge really was in the Headmaster's office asking Dumbledore for advice.
"S-S-S-Sirius."
The moment Fudge saw Sirius enter the office, he was so frightened that he nearly hid under the desk.
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