"Who exactly are you? What is your real purpose?"
"My name is Wes Elwin, I'm a professor at Hogwarts, and I can help you."
After experiencing the betrayal of a former friend and the torment of Azkaban, Sirius was not about to trust a stranger easily — even if that stranger had just given him a proper meal.
He looked at Wes Elwin without responding right away. Silence seemed the best answer for now. He tried to glean more from Wes Elwin's words, but there wasn't enough information yet for him to make a judgment. His wary gaze fixed on Wes once more.
"Oh, relax. You've got nothing now — what could I possibly be after?"
Seeing Sirius so on guard, Wes Elwin tried to use a light, joking tone to ease his concerns.
"But I'm not helping you for nothing, either. How about we make a deal?"
"What do you want?" Sirius couldn't imagine what a professor might want from him.
"Documents and records from the Black family."
Wes Elwin stated his purpose directly — he wanted the centuries of accumulated knowledge from the Black family.
"I've been kicked out of the Black family," Sirius said flatly.
"You're the only male heir of the Blacks. You are the rightful successor of the Black family."
"Is that so?" Sirius had no affection for the Black family, and he wasn't interested in what Wes Elwin was saying. "If you can help me catch Wormtail, you can have everything."
"Alright, then sign this contract." Wes Elwin pulled a prepared piece of parchment and a quill from his pocket and handed them to Sirius.
"Looks like you came prepared." Sirius took the parchment, scanned the contract carefully, found no hidden clauses or traps, and signed his name without hesitation.
After the contract was signed, Wes Elwin said, "Come on, I'll take you to see Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore!" Sirius jumped to his feet at the name.
With a hint of doubt in his voice, Wes Elwin asked, "You don't trust Dumbledore?"
Sirius quickly waved his hands. "How could I not trust him? Dumbledore is one of the people I respect most."
"Then what's there to hesitate about?" Wes Elwin pressed further.
Sirius gave a bitter smile. "Just look at me… and I'm still a wanted man…" As he spoke, his voice grew quieter, his shoulders drooped, and his whole demeanor seemed a little defeated.
"I don't think Dumbledore will care about that. Besides, don't you want to see Lupin and Harry as soon as possible?"
Wes Elwin's words were like a lit fuse, instantly igniting a deep yearning within Sirius.
At the mention of his dear friend and Harry, Sirius could no longer hold back his excitement. "Let's go, we'll leave right now!" he said loudly, and immediately started heading toward Hogwarts.
"Wait." Wes Elwin called out quickly. "There are Dementors stationed around Hogwarts. You won't be able to get in like that."
At those words, Sirius froze in place, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. The enthusiasm he had just felt was instantly doused.
"And besides, your current appearance isn't exactly suitable either."
Sirius lowered his head and took in his vagrant-like appearance—tattered clothes, greasy long hair, and a scruffy beard. In that moment, he seemed to become aware of his disheveled state, and with a hint of embarrassment, he lowered his head further, his fingers unconsciously rubbing at the hem of his shirt, looking rather unsure of himself.
The two of them followed a winding path until they arrived at a crystal-clear riverbank. Wes Elwin pulled a clean set of clothes and some toiletries from his pack, handing them to Sirius.
"I'm an adventurer—these essentials are something I always carry with me," Wes explained.
Without hesitation, Sirius leapt into the river. The cool water instantly revived his spirits. He scrubbed himself vigorously, washing away the dirt and fatigue clinging to him.
When he finally changed into the clean clothes, it was as if he had regained the handsome air of his youth. His upright posture and deep gaze seemed to transport him back to his days of glory. In that moment, he appeared to have regained a long-lost sense of dignity and confidence.
"That's better. Don't resist." Before Sirius could fully react, Wes suddenly cast a transfiguration spell, turning him into a small black cat.
"Meow~ meow~" The little black cat seemed to be complaining, its tiny body wriggling restlessly in protest at this sudden transformation.
"Shh. Your Animagus form is too conspicuous," Wes said soothingly. "We need to avoid unnecessary trouble as much as possible."
Sirius stopped struggling, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, he suddenly felt the back of his neck tighten.
Looking up, he saw the large face of Crookshanks staring down at him. It turned out that the cat had been picked up by Crookshanks, dangling helplessly in his jaws.
"Cats are much smarter than dogs," Wes said, striding forward. Crookshanks trotted along behind him, still carrying the squirming black cat.
"Meow~ meow~" The small cat kept crying, its voice full of dissatisfaction and protest, but neither Wes nor Crookshanks paid it any mind.
As expected, the Dementors completely ignored the black cat that Sirius had become, showing no interest in it whatsoever.
Wes made his way, as familiar as ever, to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore was seated at his desk, attending to paperwork. Seeing Wes enter, he looked up, his eyes landing on the black cat in Crookshanks's mouth. He couldn't help but wonder when Wes had acquired such a pet.
As for Crookshanks, he was already well-known around the school, recognized by everyone as Hermione's cat. His presence in the castle drew no suspicion or attention.
Dumbledore set down his work and asked gently, "Wes, what's this about? You've brought me a cat?" His gaze shifted to Crookshanks, who carefully placed the small black cat on the floor. Sirius gave a dissatisfied meow but stood there obediently, waiting for the next move.
"Headmaster, please call Professor Lupin here. I'll explain everything together."
Hearing this, Dumbledore gave the black cat another look, sensing something unusual about it.
Before long, Professor Lupin arrived at the office, still unsure why he had been summoned.
Once everyone was there, Wes lifted the transfiguration spell on Sirius.
Sirius transformed back into human form. Although more than a decade had passed and his appearance had changed somewhat, Lupin recognized his old friend at once.
°°°
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