After hearing Sirius's account of his escape from Azkaban, Sherlock's curiosity was satisfied.
Harry, meanwhile, thought of the book he had read at Sherlock's house.
He vaguely remembered that the description of Azkaban prison went something like this:
The world's most terrible prison was built on a lonely little island in the vast ocean.
However, what was truly terrifying wasn't the high walls and seawater that isolated the prison from the world, but the Dementors guarding it.
Through textual description alone, Harry's feelings about the high walls and seawater weren't that deep.
But regarding those Dementors that were more terrifying than high walls and seawater, Harry had strong feelings indeed.
Both times he encountered them, Harry had passed out directly, and when he regained consciousness, he was covered in cold sweat, his hands and feet ice-cold. The second time, tears had flowed down uncontrollably.
One could imagine what kind of experience the prisoners locked up there would have.
They had almost all lost positive emotions and could no longer summon a single happy thought.
So even without experiencing the Dementor's Kiss, most people went mad after just a few short weeks.
When Fudge went there to inspect, the vast majority of people were talking to themselves.
But Sirius was the exception.
Not only had he managed to last a full twelve years there by virtue of his Animagus transformation, more importantly, after learning that Peter Pettigrew was still alive, he escaped from this most terrible prison in the world, becoming the first person in history to successfully break out.
In any case, whether it was this perseverance or capacity for action, it was enough to move or even shock people.
"Truly unexpected."
Even Sherlock couldn't help but sigh. "Our Minister of Magic finally did something good, even if only unintentionally."
Harry nodded in agreement.
In any case, Fudge's act of giving Sirius the newspaper did objectively contribute to Sirius's determination to escape.
Judging from Fudge's behavior in telling him about this, he still hadn't realized what he had actually done.
That wasn't surprising at all.
However, speaking of which, precisely because someone had escaped from the world's most terrifying prison for the first time, the Ministry of Magic was so eager to cooperate with Sirius, describing his escape as an action authorized by the Ministry.
Otherwise, it would look too bad.
"Thank you for your answer, Mr. Black."
Sherlock stretched. "All questions have been cleared up. I think it's time for you to leave here now."
"Leave here? Go where?"
Sirius couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised.
How did the initiative in this meeting shift without him noticing?
Who's the elder here anyway?
Sherlock smiled slightly.
"Isn't it obvious? Peter Pettigrew has already been brought to justice; the truth is out. As for the formerly notorious Death Eater, murderer, and traitor Sirius Black—you're free."
"You really didn't need to be so detailed, Mr. Holmes."
"I'm merely stating a fact."
"Don't worry about these details, Mr. Black."
Seeing that he was still somewhat conflicted, Sherlock took the initiative to speak even more clearly:
"From this moment on, you can live in the sunlight. You don't have to hide anymore, nor do you need to add those seasonings to your food."
Harry also nodded insistently.
"Sherlock is absolutely right. Actually, not long ago, Minister Fudge came to see me. He said he hoped you would go to the Ministry of Magic to receive that medal."
Harry then recounted what Fudge had told him.
After finishing, feeling it wasn't enough, he simply started from when Sherlock first discovered Peter's suspicious behavior, continuing all the way to when he brought three companions to the headmaster's office and exposed Peter Pettigrew's identity in front of Dumbledore and others, making him personally confess under the Veritaserum provided by Snape to all the crimes he had committed over the years.
Combined with how the Ministry of Magic had now nailed it down, this matter was truly ironclad and could no longer be reversed.
"I see."
Sirius looked at Sherlock with an even more different gaze.
Even as self-confident as he and his good friend James were, they hadn't learned Animagus transformation by age thirteen.
In their twenties, they had been fooled by the Wormtail they once looked down upon, spending twelve years in Azkaban for nothing.
Looking at Sherlock, at just thirteen years old, he had almost single-handedly brought the truth from twelve years ago back to light.
What is genius?
This is genius!
"Actually, I already learned about this from that cat—you call it Crookshanks, right?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, it's my good friend Hermione's pet."
"It's the smartest cat I've ever seen."
Sirius couldn't help but show an expression of emotion. "Not only did it recognize Peter immediately, but when it saw me, it also quickly determined I wasn't a dog."
Harry: "..."
'Why does that sound strange?'
"But it took quite a while before it trusted me, and I finally made it understand what I was looking for. During this time, it's been helping me, even trying to bring Peter directly to me, but that didn't work."
Sherlock looked at Harry, who couldn't help but show an embarrassed expression.
Speaking of which, it was he who had stopped Crookshanks time and time again.
If it weren't for having a friend like Sherlock who uncovered the truth, he would have been a hindrance.
"There's no need to think that way, Harry."
Sherlock saw through his friend's thoughts at a glance. "Making Peter's matter public, compared to letting Sirius kill him, would only have benefits and no harm."
"What?"
Harry looked at Sirius in surprise, his face incredulous. "You—you wanted to kill Peter?"
"Of course I want to kill him!"
Sirius said viciously, "I've been waiting for it—that despicable, shameless, filthy bastard!"
At this point, he seemed to feel that showing such a side in front of Harry wasn't quite right, and restrained his emotions.
"But the current outcome isn't bad either—in any case, it stole this for me. I had originally planned to go to Hogwarts Castle again after this holiday ended to personally capture Peter and bring him back, but it seems I won't need it now."
As Sirius spoke, he pulled a small note from his pocket and handed it to Harry.
After Harry took it and looked, he found it densely covered with writing:
Caput Draconis
Wattlebird
Fortuna Major
Fairy Lights
Baubles
Flibbertigibbet — what does that even mean? weird word
Oddsalts — something McGonagall said once? write clearer next time!
Vile mongrel dog— probably not real password—just practicing insults for Malfoy?
"These are the passwords for Gryffindor Tower!"
Harry couldn't help but cry out, then handed the note to Sherlock.
Sirius nodded. "Yes, I estimate it probably took this from some boy's bedside table."
"Neville Longbottom."
Sherlock only needed one glance before saying, "He mentioned before that to help with memory, he wrote down a whole week's worth of passwords. Tsk, even I didn't discover this note. In a way, this cat is indeed smarter than him—"
Sirius: "..."
Harry: "..."
"Today's students, really—"
Sirius shook his head, then looked at Sherlock again with an admiring expression:
"Before I entered Azkaban, I heard Lily mention that the Muggle world had detectives who could see through people's hearts, but I never imagined someone could actually use mere traces of evidence to expose a lie that had been covered up for twelve years."
"Logic doesn't distinguish between wizard and Muggle. There's always only one truth."
"Perhaps you're right, but—"
Sirius hesitated slightly, looking at Harry again. "Do you really want me to go to the Ministry of Magic?"
Harry nodded insistently, glancing at the sandwich Sherlock had examined on the table. "Just as Sherlock said, I hope you can live in the sunlight again, not having to live like this anymore."
"In the sunlight?"
Sirius mulled over Harry's words, then, as if making some major decision, nodded. "Alright, I'll go with you."
This made Harry breathe a long sigh of relief.
Today's trip hadn't been in vain. And so, a three-person team was formed.
Sirius walked at the front, leading the way down the stairs and back into the tunnel.
At first, all three were silent, but after walking along the tunnel for a while, Sirius suddenly spoke.
"Harry, you might not know what it means if I really go to the Ministry of Magic."
"Doesn't it just mean the truth comes out and you regain your freedom?"
Harry said curiously, then thought of something and added:
"Ah—actually, after the Ministry of Magic issued the announcement, your wanted notice was revoked. They just hope you won't tell people about your escape. I think that Order of Merlin medal is to keep you quiet. But I heard it's very valuable. Sherlock said even Professor Flitwick wants one—"
"That's not what I mean."
Sirius's voice sounded somewhat nervous. "I didn't mention this in the letter I wrote to you, and I don't know if anyone's told you—actually, I'm your godfather."
"Yes, I know about this." Harry said, but still didn't understand what Sirius wanted to say.
Sherlock, however, understood immediately. He looked at Sirius with interest as he continued:
"Your parents appointed me as your guardian."
Sirius's voice became increasingly nervous. Having just spoken so much with Sherlock and Harry in the Shrieking Shack, his language ability, which had almost returned to normal, became less natural again. "In case something unfortunate happened to them—"
Harry didn't interrupt him.
This time he understood what Sirius meant.
Could it really be what he was imagining?
He couldn't help but glance back at Sherlock, only to see him looking at him and Sirius with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
"Of course, if you'd like to continue living with your aunt and uncle, I would understand."
Sirius finally mustered his courage and spoke his heart.
"But—well—I mean—you could think about it. Once I clear my name and restore my reputation, if you'd like a different kind of home—"
Hearing this, Harry finally confirmed Sirius's intentions.
At this moment, his heart surged, and he could no longer restrain himself, calling out loudly: "What? You mean you want me to live with you?"
Due to being too excited, he even bumped his head on a protruding rock at the top of the tunnel.
"Of course, I suppose you wouldn't want to."
However, Sirius misunderstood Harry's action and immediately began to backpedal:
"I understand, of course I understand. They are your relatives, after all. Besides, I've made so many mistakes. It was on my advice that Lily and James let Peter be the Secret-Keeper. I thought it was a good plan—a switching trick.
Voldemort would definitely come looking for me, but I didn't expect he would really use such a weak, incompetent creature. Harry, I don't want to shirk responsibility. Although it was that bastard who betrayed them, in my view, I might as well have killed them with my own hands."
Sirius's voice became increasingly low:
"I understand all this, so even if you don't want to call me godfather, I can completely understand."
"Are you out of your mind?"
At this moment, Harry couldn't help but curse. He really thought there was something wrong with Sirius's brain:
"Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Do you have a house? When can I move in?"
Strangely enough, although this was only his third year at Hogwarts, Harry already felt a strong sense of belonging to the wizarding world.
He identified immensely with his identity as a wizard.
Admittedly, with Sherlock's help, he had already repaired his relationship with the Dursley family.
Before Sirius came to find him, he had even thought about going back during the winter holidays to tell his aunt and uncle the true cause of his parents' death.
But if he really had to choose between the Dursley family and Sirius, he would definitely choose the latter.
Of course, Harry didn't discriminate against Muggles.
But since he recognized his identity as a wizard so deeply in his heart, he would naturally be closer to Sirius, who was also a wizard.
Even though today was only the first time meeting him.
On the other hand, Sirius Black at this moment gave him a strong feeling—this person was so similar to his father!
Moreover, he was the guardian appointed by his parents.
Just as Sirius had said, even his parents hoped he would be with Sirius.
In a sense, a godfather is a father.
"You're willing?"
Sirius was stunned.
He stopped, turned around, and looked at Harry with a shocked expression, as if wanting to confirm whether what he said was sincere.
"Really willing?"
"Yes, absolutely certain! I'm willing to live with you!"
Harry looked at Sirius and called out the word he most hoped to hear.
"Godfather!"
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