Hogwarts: Not Even Voldemort Can Stop My Learning

Chapter 151: Lupin Takes the Blame

The group entered the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore was writing at his desk when they all filed in. He immediately noticed the unconscious Peter Pettigrew.

The white-bearded Headmaster strode over, examining the dusty Peter closely before looking at Lupin and the others.

"If I'm not mistaken… this is Mr. Pettigrew?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, sir," Lupin replied.

Their eyes met.

Wade felt that, in that moment, Dumbledore must have understood what had happened.

The Headmaster didn't directly address it. He conjured enough chairs and said, "Please sit. Let me hear your story."

Everyone exchanged glances.

The Weasley Twins were signaling Wade with their eyes—they didn't want to reveal the secret of the Marauder's Map. They had been racking their brains the whole way there, trying to come up with a plausible story while keeping that detail hidden.

But Lupin spoke first.

"When I was at school, James and I, along with some others, drew a map that could show everyone's name in the school…"

The Weasley Twins stared at him, their eyes wide with surprise.

"You… you made the map?"

"Yes." Lupin smiled at them. "I'm Moony, that's the nickname my friends gave me back at school. By the way…"

He looked at Harry and said, "James was Prongs, and Sirius was Padfoot. And Peter…"

Lupin's gaze shifted to Peter Pettigrew, and he said with disgust, "He was Wormtail. Because his Animagus was a rat."

Harry looked at Peter, then at Lupin, very interested in the stories from his father's school days, but he also knew it wasn't the time to press for details.

He sat beside Lupin, quiet and well-behaved, like a child next to his father.

Dumbledore's gaze briefly flickered over Harry, but he said nothing.

Lupin then continued his narration. Before coming here, he had already learned the general sequence of events from Wade. Now, he recounted it slowly and methodically, every word carrying a convincing power.

Wade didn't want to stick his neck out, so Lupin voluntarily took on most of the responsibility.

In his story, Wade had seen Peter Pettigrew's name frequently appearing in Harry and Ron's dorm on the map. Knowing there was no such student in Gryffindor in their year, he mentioned it to Lupin when they communicated through the Book of Friends.

Fred and George exchanged looks.

With Lupin saying that, it sounded as if he had given the Marauder's Map to Wade. Their own escapades of stealing the Marauder's Map from Filch's office and frequently sneaking out of school using it were also covered up.

—He's a good man!

Fred conveyed with his eyes.

George nodded vigorously. Even though they hadn't said much, their admiration for Lupin had already skyrocketed.

They had never encountered an adult they liked so much.

Lupin, of course, wouldn't forget the name of his former "old friend." He immediately realized there was a problem.

Unable to enter the school, Lupin requested Wade to catch Peter Pettigrew, and Wade, in turn, asked the Weasley Twins for help…

"Why didn't you ask me?" Harry asked, puzzled. "Ron and I are in the same dorm; it would have been easier!"

"Because you spend all your time together, he's very familiar with you," Wade casually offered an excuse. "If you accidentally exposed your intentions, he might have turned the tables and held you hostage."

Harry blinked. "But Fred and George ended up exposed too!"

George coughed. "Wade probably thought… even if we bullied Ron's rat, he'd just think he was unlucky, not that he'd been exposed, right?"

Everyone actually found that quite reasonable!

These two brothers were so accustomed to mischief that they unexpectedly proved useful in such a situation.

Percy tried to say something several times but held back due to the presence of the professors, his ears turning red from the effort.

Professor McGonagall was furious.

"Remus!"

She glared at Lupin angrily, saying sternly:

"I thought you would be somewhat more stable now that you're an adult, but you're even more reckless than James was in his youth! Tell me, what were you thinking, sending a few children to catch Peter?!"

"If… if Peter had been… they could have been hurt, or even died!"

Wade and the Weasley Twins instinctively flinched.

"I'm sorry," Lupin apologized, bowing his head and taking the blame without hesitation. "I got carried away; I didn't think it through…"

Professor McGonagall's expression softened, and she sighed.

"I can understand how you feel, James and Lily… sigh… But, no matter what… children should not be put in danger. Even if nothing happened, I must say, what you did was absolutely wrong…"

"Yes," Lupin said sincerely. "I should have contacted you or Dumbledore… but I was afraid that even a second's delay would mean he would completely disappear…"

Professor McGonagall's expression was filled with pity. She shook her head and said nothing more.

The "children" who had narrowly escaped danger were as quiet as quails.

Lupin continued his story.

Following his instructions, Wade, after capturing Peter Pettigrew, brought Peter Pettigrew through the Secret Passage to Hogsmeade—

Professor McGonagall was gasping for breath again, fuming. If Lupin hadn't already graduated, she probably would have deducted two hundred points from her own house.

—Lupin interrogated Peter and confirmed that he was the betrayer from back then. And Sirius had been completely framed by Peter.

A betrayer?

A bad premonition welled up in Harry's heart. He stared intently at Lupin, his heart pounding violently.

—Who did Peter betray?

But Lupin had no intention of elaborating. He immediately returned to the school with Wade and Peter Pettigrew to have Dumbledore handle the aftermath.

"So... the Secret-Keeper back then was..." Professor McGonagall asked incredulously.

"It was Peter." Lupin looked pained. "Sirius exchanged Secret-Keepers at the last minute... He thought it would be safer that way..."

Professor McGonagall wanted to say something, but seeing Harry's bewildered expression beside her, she held back.

Children shouldn't be burdened with hatred too early.

"Can we be sure that everything Peter said is true?" Dumbledore asked. "You know, he's been lying for over a decade... How can we prove he's not making up a story now?"

"I'm sorry, sir," Lupin said, looking ashamed. "I used Veritaserum..."

The casual use of Veritaserum was illegal, but everyone present could understand Lupin's feelings and didn't question it.

"I think we need to notify the Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore said, standing up. "Ron Weasley and Wade Gray, you two stay. Professor McGonagall, please take the other children back to the common room, and then ask Arthur and Molly to come to the school."

"Alright," Professor McGonagall said.

Harry quickly asked, "Can... can't we stay?"

"I'm sorry, but you probably can't be much help with Peter Pettigrew's interrogation," Dumbledore said plainly.

"Uh..."

Harry was speechless. He could only cast an envious glance at the two who were staying behind and left with Professor McGonagall.

Ron silently mouthed to him, "I'll tell you everything later."

Harry nodded slightly, feeling a bit better.

"Pro-Professor!" Percy quickly raised his hand and said, "Scabbers used to be my pet, so perhaps I can provide some information."

"We can too!" the Weasley Twins eagerly said. "We also participated in the capture!"

"...I think it's enough to have just one person stay," Dumbledore said.

Fred and George were still unwilling, but Professor McGonagall said sternly, "Don't be difficult, Mr. Weasleys! The Headmaster has made his decision."

Fred, frustrated, had no choice but to follow them out. As he left, he was still mouthing something to Wade—

You HAVE to tell us all the details when it's over!

They were absolutely desperate to be involved. This was much more interesting than all their pranks combined.

Unfortunately, the adults cruelly and mercilessly excluded them.

Wade nodded slightly, agreeing.

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