"Sherlock, you were able to confirm Peter Pettigrew's identity because of the Marauder's Map, weren't you?"
Harry withdrew his gaze from the sweating Neville practicing thrusts and asked Sherlock.
"Harry, you've spotted the crucial point."
Sherlock showed a satisfied smile.
"Although I said yesterday that the final puzzle piece was the Pocket Sneakoscope, the real puzzle piece was actually the Marauder's Map you gave me. Since you're the map's owner, I wouldn't reveal it without your consent."
"Thank you, Sherlock!"
Harry breathed a long sigh of relief. He was reluctant to turn such a wonderful item over to the school.
"We really should thank Fred and George properly. Without the Marauder's Map, I never would have imagined the truth could be like this."
At this point, Harry's voice became slightly subdued.
Peter Pettigrew—overnight, this name changed from a martyr who defended his parents to the murderer who killed them.
"Not necessarily, Harry."
Sherlock's voice was full of confidence.
"Even without the Marauder's Map, I still could have discovered Peter's true identity through the known clues, just as I said yesterday, it would just have taken a bit longer.
However, when I saw Peter Pettigrew's name clearly marked on the map, and that he was in our dormitory with Ron, I decided to act immediately.
The evidence was conclusive, so there was no need to wait any longer.
Otherwise, with his cunning, he might very well have pulled another escape trick, and finding him again would be troublesome."
"Escape trick?"
"Yes, bite himself, leave some blood on the bed sheets, then casually plant some misleading evidence, like Crookshanks's cat hair.
Then everyone would probably think Crookshanks ate the rat. After all, given Crookshanks's past attitude toward 'Scabbers,' this would seem perfectly natural."
Harry thought along the lines Sherlock described and suddenly realized Sherlock was absolutely right.
If such a thing happened, everyone, including himself, would certainly believe Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers.
For Peter Pettigrew, this was something he could definitely do—after all, he'd done the same thing once before.
"Harry, you need to know that in this matter, the victims aren't just your parents and Sirius, who suffered twelve years of false imprisonment."
Sherlock became serious, his gaze increasingly deep.
"There are also those thirteen innocent victims and the thirteen families behind them.
On this point alone, Peter deserves capital punishment. In my view, delayed justice is not justice. unfortunately, what we can do now is expose Peter as quickly as possible.
If the Ministry had been more responsible twelve years ago, they might not have failed to discover the truth, but they didn't.
Hmph, they're simply a bunch of good-for-nothings!"
At this point, Sherlock changed tack, "I only hope they can accept this reality, otherwise there'll be complications."
"What?!"
Harry was shocked, "The facts are so obvious, how could the Ministry—"
"Never underestimate a bureaucrat's bottom line, Harry."
Sherlock shook his head, "For those politicians, sometimes they'd rather persist in error than admit their mistakes."
Harry, still in his ivory tower, clearly lacked sufficient understanding of British Magical society. He said in disbelief. "How is that possible?"
"I also hope I'm overthinking it. After all, the person who classified this case twelve years ago was the previous Minister of Magic.
If it were the current Minister, Cornelius Fudge, I wouldn't doubt it for a second."
"Sherlock, you seem to have no regard for Minister Fudge?"
"Doesn't his name already say it all?
Cornelius Fudge—the first part suggests being in a predicament, the latter means refusing to admit it."
"Huh?"
"Just a joke."
Seeing Harry couldn't follow his train of thought, Sherlock explained.
"But judging from his words and actions, this person's character traits are quite obvious.
On the surface, he appears amiable and quick to anger, at most a bit prone to exaggeration.
But in reality, he's arrogant, cowardly, incompetent, and selfish. Once he feels his position is threatened, he'll show his sinister and aggressive side. This is quite obvious."
"Obvious..."
Harry shook his head, deciding not to discuss this topic with Sherlock anymore.
After all, his "obvious" was like Hagrid's "cute little thing" beyond other people's understanding.
"Sherlock, my father and Professor Lupin, they made the Marauder's Map?"
"Obviously, Harry."
Here we go again.
Fortunately, Sherlock continued to explain.
"Your father James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew, after discovering Lupin's werewolf secret, they learned to become Animagi.
Professor Snape told us that werewolves are only dangerous to humans after transformation.
So as long as they became animals, they could peacefully coexist with Professor Lupin in his werewolf state during full moons.
Three Animagi in animal form accompanied the werewolf through the entire campus at night, thus creating that Marauder's Map, and each took a nickname.
Werewolf Lupin is Moony, Peter who could transform into a rat is Wormtail, Sirius who became a big black dog is Padfoot, and your father is Prongs."
Since learning this nickname, Harry had always wanted to ask this question.
"Prongs, what kind of animal is that?"
"A creature with antlers—a deer, ox, sheep, or a large animal like a unicorn."
"Why must it be a large animal?"
"Because Peter transformed into a rat. To control the werewolf, the other two would be better off transforming into large animals.
If you're interested, you can ask Professor Lupin or Sirius later."
"So, the big black dog I saw twice was Sirius?"
"Obviously, my friend."
Sherlock smiled, "When you left Privet Drive, Sirius had already escaped. That morning, he probably wanted to come see you.
The first Quidditch match was after Halloween, you know he'd already been to the school by then. He went to the Quidditch pitch because he still wanted to see your heroic performance on the field.
In a sense, Professor Trelawney's divination wasn't entirely wrong."
"It really was him—" Harry murmured.
"Don't think about all that, old chap!"
Sherlock smiled and patted Harry's shoulder, "Speaking of which, don't you find it curious?
The Marauder's Map was in the Weasley twins' hands for so long, but these three years they never noticed that a person named Peter Pettigrew was constantly with their own brother."
"That's right!"
Reminded by Sherlock, Harry couldn't help slapping his forehead, "That's way too strange!"
"The most likely reason is 'hidden in plain sight.'"
Sherlock said slowly, "They know Gryffindor house too well, and they're even more familiar with their brother Ron, so they didn't pay much attention to Ron.
Even if they occasionally looked, it just wasn't during the times when Ron and Peter were sleeping together at night.
After all, watching your brother's behavior in the dormitory late at night would be rather odd.
Also, from my daily interactions with them, I can conclude they don't know I once took you to the Forbidden Forest.
Incidentally, this Marauder's Map doesn't show all locations in the school as they claimed—at least the Chamber of Secrets in Slytherin isn't on it."
Harry looked at Sherlock with admiration. He'd just been told he discovered a blind spot, but compared to his friend, it was nothing.
Sherlock had the Marauder's Map for only one day and had already made so many discoveries.
"Alright, these things aren't important. We have vacation the day after tomorrow. I think you can consider going back to Privet Drive for the holidays!
Maybe by the time you return, you'll be able to meet that godfather who's been silently caring about you."
'That's right!'
Harry's eyes immediately lit up.
Previously, the Ministry wouldn't let him leave Hogwarts, but now that the truth was out, did that mean he could go back?
But he immediately shook his head, "No, Ron stayed at school for my sake. If I go back, wouldn't I be abandoning him?"
"There's also Ginny." Sherlock reminded him.
"Ah, she just didn't want to spend two weeks with Percy. It has nothing to do with me."
Sherlock looked at Harry meaningfully, "Is that really what you think, my friend?"
"Yes!"
Seeing Harry's unemotional expression, Sherlock chuckled.
"Well—actually, this isn't a problem. If you want to go home, Ron and Ginny can go home too. There's still time."
"But we've already registered on the list of people not going home—"
"Harry, I don't know when you became so rule-abiding?"
After saying this, the two looked at each other and burst out laughing together.
"What are you laughing about?"
At this moment, the sweating Neville finished his practice and walked over with his wooden stick.
Seeing their happy smiles, he couldn't help but ask curiously.
"We're talking about vacation coming up," Harry looked at Neville holding the wooden stick, somewhat eager to try, "Neville, shall we spar?"
"Sure!"
For Neville, this was exactly what he wanted.
Sherlock's fencing skills were too advanced, every practice session felt like asking for humiliation.
Next, Harry began fencing with Neville.
Sherlock watched from the side, occasionally pointing out their flaws.
After an exhilarating fencing session ended, the three returned to their dormitory.
Next came breakfast in the Great Hall.
Two days before vacation, there were fewer classes, so everyone unconsciously slowed their pace during meals.
However, after breakfast, Professor McGonagall found Sherlock and Harry and brought them to her office.
"Please sit, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Potter."
Professor McGonagall got straight to the point, "I have something to tell you, concerning Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew."
"Are they going to reveal the truth?"
Harry immediately asked with delight.
"Professor, does that mean I can go home for the winter holidays, and also visit Hogsmeade on weekends from now on?"
"I'm very sorry, Potter."
Hearing McGonagall's words, Harry's heart sank.
The last time Professor McGonagall told him he couldn't go to Hogsmeade or go home for winter and spring breaks; her opening line was exactly this.
Now she was doing it again, could it be that—
Under Sherlock's thoughtful gaze and Harry's worried expression, Professor McGonagall told them both unfortunate news.
"Dumbledore took Peter to the Ministry of Magic last night, but he didn't mention your leading role in this matter to the Ministry.
He knows the Ministry too well. Those people have deep-rooted prejudices against Muggle thinking methods and logic. Your deductive method, which seems brilliant to us, is considered unorthodox in their eyes.
So, if he told the truth, it would be devalued as insufficient because the Ministry views it as a non-magical method."
At this point, Professor McGonagall's voice dropped.
"As it turns out, he was right."
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