HP: I beat the otome game at Hogwarts

Chapter 136 Dumbledore's Reminder

Everything was blurry.

Who took Harry's glasses?

The rows of medicine bottles and white hospital beds identified this as the university hospital. Harry saw Ron lying on the bed next to him, still unconscious.

Harry strained to lift his head and saw Snape and Dumbledore arguing not far away, while Hermione stood pale-faced beside the headmaster.

“Yes, that’s what Hermione said. She said Ron and Harry were also there and saw it with their own eyes,” Dumbledore said, quietly observing the furious Snape through his semi-circular spectacles.

"Where's the evidence!" Snape roared. "There's no Peter Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack! And there's no indication of his presence in the Forbidden Forest!"

“That’s because you were unconscious,” Hermione explained urgently. “Professor, you missed Peter Pettigrew regaining his human form, and then he turned back into a mouse and ran away—”

"Shut up! You little brat who's spouting nonsense!"

Harry was eager to get off the bed so he could speak up for Professor Lupin and Black, but his limbs weren't quite on his own, and he tumbled off the bed with a thud.

"Harry!"

Hermione exclaimed in surprise and delight, and rushed to Harry's side like a whirlwind, helping him up.

“Headmaster!” Harry blurted out, “Black is innocent! Peter Pettigrew didn’t die! He turned into Ron’s mouse, we all saw him!”

"Shut up, Potter! Your brain has been messed up by Lupin and Black's evil magic. He and that Granger have both gone mad!"

“Headmaster, Professor, please hear us out,” Hermione tried to explain, “We really saw it! Peter Pettigrew is an illegal Animagus, he’s Ron’s rat, I mean, he’s been living as a rat all along, actually…”

“See that, Headmaster?” Snape sneered. “Both of them are in a daze! It must have been Black and Lupin, working together, just like they always have!”

"Lupin and Black didn't attack us!" Harry roared. "We're not crazy!"

“Severus, I would like to speak with Harry and Hermione alone,” Dumbledore said.

“You certainly don’t believe their nonsense, do you?” Snape stopped roaring, his face grim, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore.

“Severus,” Dumbledore replied firmly, “I will speak with you in a moment.”

Snape stormed off, his black robes trailing behind him like a pair of black wings.

Dumbledore closed the door to the university hospital, leaving only the three of them in the room.

Harry and Hermione rushed to explain to Headmaster Dumbledore.

"Professor, Black is innocent. The real traitor is Peter Pettigrew..."

"Back then, my dad and his friends were all illegal Animagus, and Peter Pettigrew was a mouse..."

"Black and Peter Pettigrew switched places. Peter Pettigrew is the one who kept my parents' secret..."

"Peter Pettigrew's claws, I mean his fingers, he cut them himself..."

"When Professor Lupin transformed into a werewolf, Peter Pettigrew seized the opportunity to turn into a mouse and escape..."

Dumbledore listened attentively to Harry and Hermione's explanations, patiently waiting for them to finish, until the two looked at him expectantly, hoping he could help clear Black's name.

“Listen,” Dumbledore said calmly, “I believe what you say is true, but unfortunately, there is currently no evidence to prove Black’s claims, except your own words—”

“But—” Harry and Hermione were about to speak when Dumbledore stopped them.

“Listen to me,” Dumbledore said, looking at the two of them. “The testimony of two thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince the Ministry of Magic.”

"Back then, an entire street of witnesses swore they saw Black kill Peter Pettigrew, but now Peter Pettigrew is gone. A mouse can hide anywhere, just like he did for so many years in the Weasleys' house."

Hermione bit her lower lip in disappointment.

“And Professor Lupin, he’s an adult wizard!” Harry suddenly remembered. “He can tell everyone the truth: Peter Pettigrew is a mouse—”

“Harry,” Dumbledore said calmly, looking at Harry, “Professor Lupin is still wandering in the Forbidden Forest. He’s a werewolf, and his testimony will hardly convince the Ministry of Magic. Besides, he and Black are old friends, which makes him even less trustworthy. You know, most people in the wizarding world don’t trust werewolves.”

“But—” Harry was extremely unwilling.

"Moreover, many of Black's actions are illegal. He is an illegal Animagus. He broke out of prison, he broke into the Gryffindor Tower with a knife, and he attacked the portrait of the Fat Lady... Unless Peter Pettigrew is involved, whether alive or dead, even I cannot help Black clear his name."

“So we can’t do anything? I mean,” Harry stared, “Professor, is there anything we can do for Black?”

“You just said that Black and Lupin ran into the Forbidden Forest together, and at least Black wasn’t caught or kissed by a Dementor. So, until we catch Peter Pettigrew, Black should stay hidden and avoid being caught, right?”

Harry and Hermione nodded hesitantly in agreement, or perhaps all they could do was try their best to help Sirius Black hide safely and conceal his whereabouts.

“I still need to speak with Professor Snape later,” said Headmaster Dumbledore. “I need to reassure him and persuade him not to publicize what happened tonight, but I think he will still want to notify the Ministry of Magic to search the Forbidden Forest for Black… but I hope this will at least be delayed…”

Hermione understood before Harry: they needed to deliver the message to Black before Snape informed the Ministry of Magic and before the Ministry of Magic and the Dementors came to the Forbidden Forest to capture Black, so that he could escape quickly!

Harry quickly realized it too, and he was eager to rush into the Forbidden Forest to find Black!

“Harry, we need help. We’re just two third-years and can’t move freely in the Forbidden Forest—” Hermione asked the crucial question.

“I think our mutual friend,” Dumbledore reminded him at the opportune moment, “is Hagrid, who is very trustworthy.”