At the same time, Crabbe and Goyle, who were lying on the ground, slowly opened their eyes. They sat on the ground, dazed, staring at the sweaty Draco and the unfamiliar man holding Draco's wand, not knowing how to react. They had no idea what had happened, or why Draco was talking to this man so respectfully.

Suddenly, Malfoy, like a monkey, jumped up from the ground. He took a few cautious steps back, trembling, and asked,

"Sir, I will go back to the dormitory and write a letter to my father, asking him to start planning to deal with Dumbledore–"

<<NEW CHAPTER STARTS>>

"Draco, what exactly–"

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other, confused and curious. They wanted to ask Draco what was going on, and who this man was.

"Both of you, shut your mouths!"

Draco's face turned pale, and his sweat soaked his inner clothes. He was afraid that these two idiots would waste the opportunity to escape he had fought for with all his wisdom. He knew that this madman was not someone they could afford to offend, and that he might change his mind at any moment. So, he spoke in an unprecedented stern tone, silencing his cronies.

"So, can we leave now, sir?"

Draco struggled to control his voice, so as not to reveal his true thoughts. This damn man dared to choke him, threaten him, and use his wand against him. Draco swore that he would make him pay for it, one way or another. He hated him with every fiber of his being, and he wanted nothing more than to get away from him as soon as possible.

"You can go–"

Draco thought he had concealed his hatred well, but in the eyes of the master of disguise, Peter, Malfoy's performance was simply childish and ridiculous. 

'How could that cunning Lucius give birth to such a foolish boy, who couldn't hide his emotions at all?' Peter sneered inwardly, but he didn't show it on his face. 

Peter nodded, and a sly and malicious light appeared in his small green eyes. He looked at Malfoy and his companions, who were eager to leave, and said in a low and menacing voice,

"But remember your promise, young Malfoy. You must tell your father and make him take action as soon as possible–"

As soon as they stepped out of the owlery, the wet and cold air rushing towards them made Draco shiver involuntarily. The joy of escaping death made tears well up in his eyes again, but he quickly wiped them away. 

"I will remember your instructions!"

After saying this with bated breath, Draco hurriedly walked away. He didn't dare to look back, afraid of what he might see. If he wasn't afraid of being seen through, he would have run away, as fast as his legs could carry him.

At that moment, the gloomy sky suddenly flashed with a terrifying lightning, illuminating the dark and stormy night.

Boom!

Amidst the thunderous roar, a milky white halo rippled out like water waves. It was the sign of a powerful spell being cast, and it was aimed at Malfoy and the others. When the ripples swept over them, their bodies suddenly stiffened in the distance, as if they had been frozen by ice.

"Imperio!"

The sudden incantation in his ears filled Malfoy's heart with immense despair. He realized too late that he had been tricked, that this man had never intended to let them go. But this despair was quickly engulfed by the darkness that followed. When the incantation landed, three young wizards on the top floor of the Astronomy Tower had turned into soulless puppets.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*Scene-Break*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Perhaps the previous exchange had exhausted all of Sirius's energy and spirit. When he returned to the office, he remained silent and unwilling to speak. Bound, he lay quietly on Watson's camp bed, staring at the ceiling with a blank expression. 

Remus also showed a similar demeanor. He sat on the sofa opposite, maintaining the same silence. 

Time flew by silently, and in the blink of an eye, night fell, and the faint starlight was about to emerge in the pitch-black darkness. The office was dimly lit by a few candles, creating a gloomy and depressing atmosphere.

Finally, at one o'clock in the morning, a tapping sound broke the silence in the office. It was the sound of a bird pecking at the window, trying to get their attention.

Both Sirius, lying on the bed, and Remus, dozing off on the office desk, were awakened at the same time.

Their gazes turned to the window simultaneously, as if they had sensed the arrival of the owl.

"It's Bryan's reply–"

Remus stood up with a swish, his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced at Sirius, who looked equally anxious. He nervously swallowed his saliva, feeling a dryness in his throat.

The entire office was magically sealed, preventing any unauthorized entry or exit. But Remus knew how to open the seal, thanks to the spell taught by Bryan. He waved his wand and muttered a few words, and the seal was lifted. He opened the window and let the owl with frost-covered wings enter. The owl looked exhausted and cold, as if it had flown through a storm.

"Thank you, little guy–"

Remus took the note from the owl's claw and patted its head gently. He offered it some water and food, but the owl refused. It seemed to be in a hurry to deliver more messages.

"Quick, Remus, see what Watson said!" Sirius shook his head, annoyed. "My arm is already numb!"

Sirius had been in same position in bed unconscious for most of the day, unable to move. He felt a tingling sensation in his limbs, as if they were asleep. 

Remus smiled helplessly. Sirius seemed to be fearless, even in the face of death. 

Bryan's reply was very concise, with only a single sentence. As soon as Remus read it, his face froze, and then he helplessly smiled.

Splash–

Finally free after being bound for most of the day, Sirius struggled to sit up, but after trying for a long time, he couldn't succeed. He was too weak and sore to lift himself up. He could only continue lying on the camp bed, panting heavily, and asked, with a hint of impatience and curiosity,

"Did Watson confirm my innocence?"

"No–"

Surprisingly, Remus shook his head and said, with a wry and incredulous smile,

"Bryan only replied with one sentence– No time!'"

 

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<*Scenebreak*>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

'Remus, what did he encounter?'

When Lupin left the Owlery and disappeared at the other end of the narrow corridor, Scabbers remained on Malfoy's shoulder, gazing outside the door with a curious and anxious expression. His small black eyes revealed his deep contemplation.

He knew his former good friend well. To put it nicely, Remus was cautious and prudent, but to put it bluntly, he was overly conservative and timid.

Today was Christmas, a day for family reunions and joyful celebrations. If it wasn't something extremely important and urgent, Remus wouldn't have hurriedly written a letter to Bryan Watson on this important holiday, ignoring the festive mood and the delicious food.

Crabbe held a roasted lamb chop in his hand and raised it to Malfoy's shoulder. Scabbers leaped onto Crabbe's swollen palm, nibbling on the lamb chop while pondering this question. The meat was tender and juicy, but Peter barely tasted it. His mind was occupied by other matters.

Based on his past habits, Peter didn't want to meddle in this dangerous moment where one wrong step could lead to a downfall. He preferred to stay low and hide in the shadows, waiting for the storm to pass. But he couldn't pretend not to care about this issue because what else could make Remus lose his composure at Hogwarts?

It could only be related to Sirius Black!

'Could it be that Remus had already made contact with Black and completed the "intelligence exchange" and reconciled? or they discovered my true identity and were plotting to expose me?"

Crack!

Scabbers's heart suddenly raced. Lost in thought, he bit down on a hard lamb bone and nearly knocked out his front teeth. He let out a muffled squeak of pain and spat out the bone.

Inside the smelly Owlery, a series of painful "hooting" sounds could be heard. The owls were disturbed by Scabbers's sudden movement and noise. They flapped their wings and glared at him with their round eyes.

But something was not right.

After a while, Peter calmed down and fell into contemplation again. He realized that his fears were unfounded. If Remus really knew that it was he who betrayed James and Lily's whereabouts all those years ago, then the first person he would notify should be Albus Dumbledore. There was no doubt about that. Peter knew what Dumbledore meant to Remus. 

But no matter what, something important must have happened at the school, and he knew nothing about it. 

'This won't do!'

Scabbers rubbed his swollen gums with his paw, missing a finger. This thought came to his mind.

Since he had already left the Weasley boy's side and was still lurking at the school, he could have erased the memories of those three unlucky Slytherin boys. But he chose to risk being discovered by Dumbledore and Watson. 

Peter's purpose in doing so was not just for the convenience of stealing food. He had to ensure that he had firsthand information. Having lived through the cruel war years, he understood the importance of intelligence. He needed to know what was happening in the wizarding world, especially anything related to Black.

Dumbledore still hadn't returned, and Remus's act of writing a letter also indicated that Bryan Watson was not at the school either. In this situation, the danger of going out seemed not so high. He could sneak out of the castle and explore the grounds. He could find out what Remus was up to. 

Swallowing the charred lamb meat in his mouth, Scabbers gazed at the peaceful white world through the window hole for a long time before finally making up his mind. 

In the decorated and festive Great Hall, the dining tables that were used during meals had all been moved to the walls, and a table that could accommodate more than ten people was placed in the center of the hall. The table was covered with a red cloth and adorned with candles, holly, and mistletoe. The ceiling was enchanted to look like a clear night sky, with stars twinkling and snowflakes falling.

When Harry and his friends returned to the hall after returning the conspicuous Firebolt to their dormitory, most of the seats had already been filled by the students who remained at the school. There were only a few dozen of them, mostly from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. They were chatting and laughing, enjoying the food and drinks that magically appeared on the table.

"Come on, Potter!"

Professor McGonagall stood up and waved at the three of them, her tone much gentler than usual. She was wearing a tartan dress and a matching hat, and she had a smile on her face. She seemed to be in a good mood, despite the absence of Dumbledore and Watson.

"Before Dumbledore left, he specifically instructed me to create a festive atmosphere for the children who are still at the school!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat side by side at the end of the table, but it was clear that the atmosphere between the three of them was not particularly harmonious. They had just had another argument in the common room, and the topic of the argument was undoubtedly the firebolt that had fallen from the sky.

Hermione believed that since Professor Lupin had given instructions, Harry should follow his orders and have the broomstick checked by Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick before Professor Watson returned to the school. She thought that the firebolt could be a trap or a curse, and that Harry should not risk his life for a mere toy.

But Ron, who sometimes had a clever mind, immediately retorted, "It's just a suggestion, Hermione. Can't you see that Professor Lupin didn't make it mandatory for Harry to do so? We can just keep the Firebolt with us and have it checked by him when Professor Watson returns. We can simply not use it until then!"

"You're just trying to exploit the loophole in his words, Ron!"

Hermione's cheeks turned pink, and she said angrily. She was clearly annoyed by Ron's lack of caution and common sense.

The pros and cons of the two choices were obvious.

Harry didn't think much and made a choice that suited his own preferences— Just kidding, it was the Firebolt, a perfect streamlined broomstick that ordinary wizards could never touch in their lifetime. It was a dream come true for any Quidditch player, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and magic. Even if there was something fishy about it, Harry was willing to keep it for a few more days. 

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Author's Note: To avoid confusion, I have included the last paragraphs of the previous chapter at the beginning of this chapter. This will help you guys follow the conversations and other events better.