"HP: Too Late, System!"Chapter 239: Why Did Peter Betray Them?
After Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room, he immediately sought out Ron and Hermione—though at the moment, Ginny was sitting beside Hermione as well.
Harry hesitated, glancing between them, his mouth opening as if to share his secret. In the end, he changed the subject and asked about homework instead.
But Ginny saw right through him. She could tell he had something private to discuss with the other two. With a silent sigh, she began to get up to leave.
Hermione caught her by the arm and declared, "Ginny is part of the Detective Society—she's even our chief archivist! I think she should hear this too. Don't you agree?"
Before anyone else could answer, Ron scoffed, "We're dealing with serious stuff here. She's just a kid—what would she know? Organizing files is just busywork you gave her anyway."
Ginny shot Ron a furious glare.
Seeing the tension between the girls, Harry cleared his throat. "Honestly, I don't think it matters. One more person means another perspective to help us analyze things."
Without waiting for Ron's inevitable protest, Harry launched into a full account of his conversation with Lupin.
When he finished, he looked at the three expectantly. "So? Anything jump out at you?"
Ron thought for a moment, then said with great seriousness, "Professor Lupin was definitely hinting at something!"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "No kidding, Captain Obvious."
Hermione frowned, thinking hard. "Didn't Professor Lupin react at all when you mentioned that Peter might still be alive?"
Harry nodded. That had struck him as odd, too. From the photo, the two men seemed to have been friends. To hear your old friend might be alive and not react at all? It didn't make sense.
Hermione fell silent again, then looked at Harry. "If you had to choose a Secret-Keeper, who would you pick?"
"Easy," Harry answered without hesitation. "You two, or maybe my cousin… well, actually, I'd consider you too, Ginny."
Hermione pressed, "But if your enemy was Malfoy, wouldn't he guess? Wouldn't that defeat the whole point?"
Ron snorted, "So what if he guesses? I'd duel him for it. I'd die before I ever told him the location protected by the Fidelius Charm—and let's be honest, he'd probably be the one to die first."
Ginny gave another disdainful snort, which Ron returned with a glare.
Harry paused. He knew it was obvious who he'd pick as Secret-Keeper, but you couldn't just hand that role to someone you didn't trust, could you? That felt even riskier. Maybe Professor McGonagall or Dumbledore were options...
He glanced up at Hermione and noticed her staring at him, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes. Ron was still busy glaring at Ginny.
Suddenly, a spark of realization lit up in Harry's mind. He blurted out, "Are you saying Professor Lupin was hinting that the Secret-Keeper wasn't Black at all? That my dad switched Secret-Keepers—and it was actually… Peter?"
Ron rubbed his tired eyes, confused. "But why him? Wasn't he supposed to be a hero?"
Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious? I haven't even seen that photo, but you said there were only four people in it. If it wasn't Professor Lupin or Black, then it had to be Peter Pettigrew."
Harry still felt muddled. He grabbed a scrap of parchment and started scribbling as he spoke, "First, there are four people: my dad, Professor Lupin, Black, and Peter. They were all classmates, even friends, but my dad and Black were clearly closest.
Second, everyone believes Black was the Secret-Keeper, but it could've been Peter. So Peter was the traitor? But why would he do it?"
Hermione furrowed her brow. "I have two theories.
First, Peter really was the traitor. He leaked the secret, and Black was trying to catch him. But if I remember right, in the information we collected, someone's parent said that at the scene, Peter shouted, 'Sirius, how could you do this?' Is that right, Ginny?"
Ginny nodded.
Hermione continued, "So that's a contradiction. But if Peter is still alive, and he was the traitor, then it makes sense why he's been hiding all this time."
Ginny interrupted, curiosity sparking, "I've been wondering—why are you all so sure Peter Pettigrew is still alive?"
Ron said impatiently, "That's a secret. Let Hermione finish."
Harry shot Ginny an apologetic glance. "Sorry."
Hermione pressed on, ignoring the drama. "Second, maybe Black wasn't trustworthy at the time—he was a werewolf, and Professor Lupin said werewolves had joined You-Know-Who's side. So the Secret-Keeper couldn't have been Black. Maybe Professor Lupin was unavailable for some reason, so they chose Peter.
But somehow, Black found out the secret from Peter… but that doesn't make sense either. As far as I know, unless you're the Secret-Keeper, you can't reveal the protected secret, even if you know it… Anyway, Harry, go on."
At this point, Hermione was starting to suspect that Lupin had meant Peter was the real traitor—and that he might even know Peter was alive. Maybe those special pet foods and cages that kept Scabbers asleep were made by Professor Holmes at Lupin's request.
Maybe… Lupin even knew where Black was, and the reason Black hadn't been caught was because he'd helped him.
Seeing that even Hermione was stumped, Harry started scribbling again as he spoke, "If Black was the Secret-Keeper, then the reason for his betrayal would be because he was a werewolf.
But if Peter was the Secret-Keeper, why would he betray them? Was it just fear?
And what about Professor Lupin—what was he doing at the time? Why does he feel he was also at fault?"
Ron watched as Harry drew several question marks on the parchment. "We just don't know enough about Professor Lupin or Peter.
Harry, why not go ask Snape? He was their classmate, and he hates Black. He's even scared Black might sneak into Hogwarts, so he brewed Wolfsbane Potion. Didn't Professor Holmes say the people who understand you best are often your enemies?"
Ginny grinned wickedly. "So, do you think Malfoy understands you better than we do, Harry?"
Ron scoffed, "Not a chance. I think Professor Holmes is way off with that saying."
Harry rolled his eyes. Go to Snape? He could just imagine Snape suspecting him of being in league with Black and forcing Wolfsbane Potion down his throat.
Hermione sighed. "Looks like, in the end, we'll have to ask Hagrid!"
...
In the Defence Against the Dark Arts office, Douglas listened as the two men recounted stories from years past. He was silent for a long time.
Honestly, their circle was far too tangled for his liking. He had no desire to comment on that history at all.
(Let's not start any arguments—so I've cut my original opinion. And please, James fans and Snape fans, let's keep the peace in the comments!)
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