Chapter 257

“I have a question,” interrupted Felix, “Why I didn’t get an alarm from the sneakoscope?”

The originally excited trio suddenly went quiet, and an uncomfortable silence filled the air. After a few seconds, Harry said with shame, “I forgot to bring it Professor, and I changed into new clothes.”

“It seems that the short period of peaceful life has made you lose your vigilance.”

Felix said calmly, he didn’t look angry, but Harry felt even more guilty, his face burning brightly.

Dumbledore looked at the trio, “So, you didn’t detect Sirius Black early because you forgot to bring the sneakoscope, what happened next, and why did you identify him as an Animagus?”

Harry looked up, “We were coming back from Hagrid’s place because of the Buckbeak case …” he paused, “and when we passed near the whomping willow, a big black dog jumped out of nowhere and he, he attacked Ron, dead set on taking him away.”

Felix saw a light of doubt flash across Dumbledore’s gaze, which happened to be something he himself didn’t understand. Isn’t Black after Harry, how can he give up the opportunity within his reach to attack Harry’s companion instead?

Let Harry also experience the pain of losing his friend? It doesn’t make sense.

“I went blank, subconsciously used the Disarming Charm, the spell hit the big black dog’s body, knocking him out of the way, and that’s when -” Harry said, wide-eyed: “I saw the big black dog’s head flicker for a second, and it turned into Black’s face, and I’ve seen his wanted list so many times that there’s absolutely no way I would mistake him for someone.”

“The big black dog then rolled twice on the floor, Hagrid suddenly ran out of his hut and yelled in our direction, and Black turned and ran away.”

Harry did not mention something, that big black dog looked at him at that time oddly, seemed to be partly angry, and with relief … was he blinded, how could he think so?

He continued, “Hagrid carried Ron to the hospital wing, and then he left, saying he was going to search the entire Forbidden Forest.”

Sounds a bit like exasperation … Forbidden Forest is not merely a small piece of land next to Hogwarts. The Forbidden Forest can accommodate Acromantula, centaurs, unicorns, trolls, and werewolves at the same time, it definitely can’t be described as small.

In fact, Hagrid’s emotions were much more exaggerated than Harry had described, and it looked as if he was going to tear Black apart in his rage.

Dumbledore said softly, “So that’s what happened.” He closed his eyes and sat quietly aside, Flitwick couldn’t help but ask: “Felix, can your sneakoscope detect the Animagus form?”

Felix nodded and said, “Theoretically it is feasible, because I designed it at the beginning to target both name, bloodline, and magic.” He looked at Professor McGonagall with some hesitation, “Of course, I am not an Animagus myself …”

“If so …” Professor McGonagall said thoughtfully, “it is indeed possible to find an Animagus, the Animagus transformation is not similar to ordinary animal transformation, the wizard preserves the ability to do magic and the ability to think like a human. ”

“And it’s not clear what form Black was when he tried to infiltrate the castle last time, if it was an Animagus, it’s telling, Albus–”

Dumbledore said approvingly, “I’m thinking the same thing as you, Minerva. The question I was just pondering was why Black was fixated on Mr. Weasley,” he looked at Ron, ” Is there any particular reason?”

Ron said uneasily, “I, I don’t know, sir. I don’t have anything on me …” He looked down at himself and suddenly realized with a start, “Scabbers is gone!”

“Is that your pet mouse?”

“That’s right, it was just here. It probably got scared and hid somewhere.”

Felix gave Ron a look, he drew his wand and quickly called out, “Accio Scabbers!” However, there is no response, “Not around-”

Black’s inexplicable obsession with Ron, the sudden discovery of Animagus, and what could be wrong with Ron if he is okay …

He looked at Dumbledore and said in a quiet voice, “Headmaster, things may not be quite as we thought.”

Dumbledore did not judge that easily: “There is one person who can tell us the answer … Minerva, Remus is still in his office?”

“All the time, he isn’t feeling well these days.” Professor McGonagall said vaguely.

Hermione said pointedly, “Headmaster Dumbledore? You guys know that Professor Lupin is, is a-”

“Yes, I know.” Dumbledore said, his tone having a meaning the conversation would end here, “Remus has been in his office for the past few days, dealing with some old problems, and he hasn’t had the energy to focus on anything else. But I need to talk to him in-depth, he might be able to provide some information we don’t know.”

Dumbledore stood up, his gaze falling from his high nose to Harry, “I want you to stay in the castle for the next little while, don’t go outside, and keep the sneakoscope with you.”

The professors left, Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other and were just about to speak, but Madam Pomfrey walked in, and she reapplied a layer of white ointment over Ron’s wound, which hurt so much that Ron grimaced, but soon he felt less pain and the wound area tickled.

“The boy needs time to recover, you should not stay here for too long.” Madam Pomfrey cautioned, pursing her lips and saying with a stern expression, “Why do you always get yourselves into such a mess?”

Harry said sombrely, “I’d like to know the answer to that question, as well.”

When only the three of them were left in the ward, the room went quiet, except for the sound of Ron’s occasional deep breathing because his wounds hurt and itched, as if the whole repair process had accelerated a dozen times.

Hermione suddenly spoke out, “Harry, have you ever thought that Black’s target was never you?”

Harry wanted to open his mouth to retort, but he could not say anything else. He also thought it is possible, and it made him a little ashamed, as if his long preparation is a joke.

But what did that have to do with Ron?

Hermione fished out the beaded pouch and took the chestnut wood memory disk from it, “We can try to piece together the memories and combine what we saw together.”

A few moments later –

“Look here, isn’t it obvious enough? Black’s goal is clear, it is Ron, but Ron … is not supposed to ah ~ Black was imprisoned when he was a baby.”

Hermione said very naggingly, “Is there anyone in your family who has an enmity with Black?”

“Or maybe he was brain-damaged by the Dementors,” Ron said sullenly.

“Remember the information we overheard at the Three Broomsticks about Minister Fudge saying that Black talked in a coherent manner and asked him for a newspaper, that doesn’t sound like something a madman would do.”

“What does that tell you? Wasn’t there a rumour that the dark lord had secret contact with the dementors, and those capes might have looked at their master’s face and given him the benefit of the doubt.”

“Ron, use your brain, it’s rusting,” Hermione said in exasperation.

Harry did think of the key, “The newspaper, you mean, he saw the newspaper … and broke out of prison within days after that. The key is the newspaper, Ron, remember the letter you wrote to me on holiday? In it was a clipping of your family winning the Daily Prophet’s annual award.”

Ron had a surprised look on his face, “So Black saw the news about our family winning the award and suddenly went crazy with jealousy and came over here specifically to try to kill me? Merlin, it’s only 700 galleons! And it’s already almost spent …”

Then he said with disgust: “Why should Fudge carry a newspaper with him, his brain was flattened by Buckbeak?”

Hermione said, “It can’t be that reason, Harry, I can’t figure it out yet, but we’ll have to find the newspaper of that time and see if there’s any missing information.”

Harry added, “And Professor Lupin, I bet he knows something, just look at Dumbledore’s attitude.”

Hermione looked a little hesitant, “Oh, Harry – I think it would be better for us to visit the professor after a couple of days when they confirm that there is no problem …”

On the other hand, Felix separated from Dumbledore halfway through, Dumbledore did not want anyone to interrupt his conversation with Lupin.

But for Felix, some clues are already in front of him, he just needs to re-sort the information at hand to find out the most likely few guesses.