Unable to find Snape anywhere, Lewis realized he had no choice but to reveal what he knew himself.
"Since Professor Snape isn't here," Lewis said, "I'll take you to the place where I last saw him. Maybe we'll find some clues there."
"Where?"
Harry and Hermione asked in unison.
"Follow me."
As he spoke, Lewis unconsciously glanced at Professor Lupin.
The place he intended to lead them to was the passage beneath the Whomping Willow that led to the Shrieking Shack—the very place where Lupin had once transformed into a werewolf.
Returning there would probably be awkward for him.
Lupin noticed the strange glance but couldn't understand its meaning.
Still, since everyone had already started following Lewis, he simply came along without asking.
Under Lewis's guidance, the group soon entered the Forbidden Forest.
Professor McGonagall resisted the urge to scold him and reminded him sternly,
"Mr. Green, entering the Forbidden Forest is against school rules."
"Sorry, Professor," Lewis replied as he walked. "But I had a reason."
"I needed to search the Forbidden Forest for a rat."
"That's how I managed to clear Sirius Black's name."
"A rat?"
Lupin exclaimed in shock.
"Sirius Black?"
Harry's eyes widened.
"Clear his name?"
Hermione covered her mouth.
"What exactly happened?"
McGonagall demanded.
"The Ministry took you and Severus away because of this?"
"That's right."
Lewis nodded.
"Before I came back, I had just participated in a trial."
"During that trial, Sirius Black was officially proven innocent."
"The real culprit was someone else."
Everyone stopped walking.
They stared at Lewis in stunned silence before questions erupted all at once.
"So that's why you disappeared!"
"You mean Black was innocent?"
"Who was the real murderer? Was it connected to that rat?"
"So the one who betrayed my parents wasn't Black?"
"You've been helping him all along, haven't you?"
Luna, McGonagall, Lupin, Harry, and Hermione all spoke at the same time.
Instead of answering each question individually...
Lewis simply recounted everything that had happened from beginning to end.
Within the gloomy Forbidden Forest...
Aside from the wind sighing through the trees...
Only Lewis's calm narration could be heard.
"..."
"This..."
Harry looked completely bewildered.
"It's impossible."
"How could Ron's pet rat Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew?"
"Why is that impossible?"
Lewis asked curiously.
"Because..."
Harry hesitated.
Hermione answered for him instead.
"If Peter Pettigrew were an Animagus, people would know."
She looked toward Lewis.
"After Professor McGonagall taught us about Animagi, I looked through several books."
"One of them explained that becoming an Animagus is extremely dangerous. If something goes wrong, a wizard may never transform back into a human."
"So the Ministry strictly regulates Animagi."
"Every registered Animagus must report their animal form and identifying features to the Improper Use of Magic Office."
When Hermione finished speaking...
Professor McGonagall, whose face was usually stern, actually smiled.
"That registry is public."
"I checked it myself out of curiosity."
"I saw Professor McGonagall's name."
"Including her..."
"There have only been seven registered Animagi this century."
"Peter Pettigrew wasn't among them."
She paused before adding thoughtfully,
"But personally..."
"I think there are always clever people who manage to become Animagi without registering."
As she said that...
She glanced at Lewis.
She had personally witnessed someone bypass the Ministry's registration.
Their eyes met.
Neither needed to say another word.
"Hermione is correct."
This time, Lupin spoke.
"As far as I know..."
"There were indeed three unregistered Animagi at Hogwarts."
His voice carried unmistakable bitterness.
"They were Sirius Black..."
"Peter Pettigrew..."
"And, Harry..."
"Your father, James Potter."
"My father too?"
Harry gasped.
"Yes."
Lupin nodded, his expression filled with nostalgia.
"Actually..."
"They became Animagi for my sake."
"Sirius contributed a secret inherited by the Black family."
"The Blacks had conducted extensive research into Animagus transformation."
"Thanks to that..."
"The three of them succeeded."
Lewis immediately became interested.
It seemed Sirius's promised payment truly contained some priceless treasures.
He definitely wanted to study the Black family's secret techniques.
After all...
Animagus transformation was considered one of the most difficult branches of Transfiguration.
Even many powerful adult wizards failed to master it.
If he could obtain those methods...
Perhaps he could help his companions...
And even his girlfriends...
Become Animagi themselves.
Perhaps...
They might even achieve magical Animagus forms.
Lupin continued,
"Your father and Sirius were the brightest students in the school."
"They succeeded."
"And thankfully they did."
"Animagus transformation can end in terrible accidents."
Harry listened with complete attention.
Having grown up without his parents...
He treasured every story about them.
Hermione, however, frowned.
"Professor Lupin..."
"What about you?"
Lupin didn't answer.
Instead, he continued,
"Peter's Animagus form..."
"Was a rat."
"Everyone believed Sirius had killed Peter."
He lowered his head.
His eyes brimmed with tears.
He could finally imagine...
How much Sirius had suffered inside Azkaban.
No one spoke after that.
No one wanted to interrupt his memories.
Eventually...
They arrived near the Whomping Willow.
Lupin immediately understood.
"So..."
"Sirius had been hiding inside the Shrieking Shack."
"This is where you met him."
Lewis nodded.
"Professor Snape followed me all the way here."
"Maybe we'll also find traces of Ron and Malfoy."
As he spoke...
He stepped toward the Whomping Willow.
Then slowly extended one hand.
The violent tree gradually calmed.
Its branches stopped thrashing altogether.
"I've never seen anything like that."
McGonagall looked at Lewis in astonishment.
"How did you do it?"
She had to admit...
The more talented this student became...
The fewer things she could teach him.
And the less she understood him.
"Perhaps..."
"The Whomping Willow is afraid of me."
Lewis answered casually.
With the tree no longer flailing wildly...
The hidden entrance beneath it was fully exposed.
Following Lewis and Lupin...
The group approached the tunnel.
The closer they got...
The stronger a certain smell became.
It wasn't merely damp earth anymore.
The girls' expressions immediately changed.
Having permanently enhanced his senses with the Permanent Sensory Elixir...
Lewis suffered the most.
The overwhelming stench nearly made him black out.
Without hesitation, he cast Bubble-Head Charm on himself.
Then immediately cast it on Hermione and Luna as well.
He was beginning to regret ever using that diarrhea potion for a prank.
Seeing this...
Professor McGonagall nodded approvingly before casting the same spell on herself.
The Bubble-Head Charm was perfect for blocking unpleasant smells.
Lupin followed suit, placing one on himself and Harry.
Large transparent bubbles surrounded their heads.
"Is there a dead animal hidden beneath the Whomping Willow?"
McGonagall asked.
Lewis shook his head.
"I don't know."
"It didn't smell like this the last time I came."
Before entering the tunnel...
Lewis deliberately slowed his pace.
He allowed Lupin and Harry to walk in first.
Based on the smell alone...
He already had a very good idea of what awaited them inside.
Even though...
He was personally responsible for creating that masterpiece...
He had absolutely no desire to admire it with his own eyes.
Beside him...
Luna gave him a meaningful look.
Her face was rather strange.
As a fellow psionic...
She had clearly sensed something.
Lewis gently flicked her forehead.
"Children shouldn't look at things they shouldn't."
Luna stuck out her tongue.
Then obediently turned her head away.
After walking for less than a minute...
The two people in front suddenly stopped.
Harry looked down.
His foot had stepped into something sticky.
A wet, unidentified substance soaked through his trouser leg.
Thanks to the Bubble-Head Charm...
He couldn't smell the source of the odor.
He tried taking another step.
But the ground was so slippery that he struggled to keep his balance.
Every footstep produced a loud...
Squish... squish...
"Light Orb!"
A glowing sphere floated in from behind.
It illuminated the tunnel ahead.
And...
It also illuminated Lewis's masterpiece.
The moment Lewis caught even a brief glimpse of the scene...
He immediately grabbed Luna and Hermione...
Dragging both girls backward.
Unfortunately...
He was already too late.
Everyone present...
Stood frozen in utter shock at the sight before them.
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