A shadow of a horse with wings can be seen on the ground, flying in the direction of the forbidden forest. If you look closely enough at the shadow you would notice that a person was sitting on top of the horse.
Obviously, it was I riding Bucky, after saving him. Honestly, though, I expected more problems during the process of escape. I just stealthily came while everyone was in the hut and saved the horse. Why did I even bother with the plan?
So, now we're flying towards the forest to leave him there for some time, while I am changing the timeline. Afterward, I will move towards Shrieking Shack and hide there. I still have some time till Sirius's revelation. I bet there are still around 20 minutes till that. I can apparate there easily.
Oh, and by the way, I learned how to apparate. Of course, learned doesn't mean mastering it, but thanks to "Absolute Concentration" I can apparate to any place I visited already, with 100% accuracy.
Plus, with my "Unmatched memory", all locations I visited in the last 3 weeks are still clear and vivid in memory to me. So apparating to the shack which I visited prior to the final showdown will be a piece of cake. Moreover, I found a hidden space, where it will be hard to notice me, so I can apparate directly to that point.
Of course, no matter how hidden place is, the apparition is followed by sound, so I need to get there before the whole everyone. The faster I am done with the horse, the faster will I arrive at the place.
Soon, we reached some clearing in the forest, where I decided to leave Bucky. Obviously, I tied him to a tree, so that he won't escape to unknown places. I don't want to run around the forest seeking for him.
He wasn't very happy with the arrangement, but I tried to explain to him the situation and it seems, he is quite an understanding chap.
Anyway, as soon as I was done here, I apparated to the location I previously picked. Thankfully, nobody was there to hear the crisp pop sound of me appearing in the small corner hidden by the furniture.
Then I started waiting. It didn't take me long to hear the sound of dog paws treading on the wooden floor and someone's body being dragged.
Soon, I saw a big black dog appear with bitting something in his teeth.
'Ron?'
Presumably, Sirius wanted to attract the attention of Harry by pulling Ron into the shack or getting a hold over the rat, Pettigrew . Either way, he succeeded, because rat was there and Harry soon followed. There is some action happening and Harry arguing with Sirius. Or rather than arguing it was accusing. Sirius admits that he is at fault in the case of Potter's deaths. Then Lupin comes in and drama unfolds. I didn't hear anything new, because I more or less remember some parts from the Potterian film series.
Or not? Crookshanks helped Sirius? The heck? Isn't that a cat? And I had no idea James Potter was an Animagi. That wasn't part of the film, right? Or did I miss something... Also, is it Animagi or Animagus?
'Eh, whatever. Who cares? Meaning is clear and that what matters. Oh, Snape enters the scene.'
Unfortunately for Snape, our bunch of heroes stuns him and continue listening to the story. Drama continues. Scabbers is turned back into the human and Sirius wants to kill him. That's when I calmly exit my hiding spot and go behind our trio, calmly watching over the scene. I blend into the scene as if I was there from the beginning.
When Lupin and Black wanted to kill the rat, Harry stopped them saying that James wouldn't want them to kill their past friend or something along these lines. Honestly, I didn't give a crap, because, I was focused on the Pettigrew. There he is, my chance to be independent and set the whole Potterian universe on the right track. No rat equals to no Voldemort. Although, to be honest, that is not entirely true. Even without him, Voldy will return, but it will take more time and more preparation. Nonetheless, it will give me more than enough time to grow up and become immeasurably strong.
Plus, the dark lord needs to return to fully die. Only he can completely destroy Horcrux in Harry. Or at least that is the easiest way, that I intend to use. Thus, I have more time, to grow in strength, so that by the time Voldy returns, I can stomp him down back to earth.
Anyway, he needs to be neutralized. Without killing though. I still need him to testify for Black innocence. Plus, Pettigrew true story will attract more death eaters, making him a target. After all, those who are still loyal to the dark lord will see the rat as a traitor. The perfect ending of the third year, if you ask me.
I calmly took out my wand and pointed at Peter's legs.
"Diffindo!"
I said and moved my wand a little to cut his tendons. Then before anyone processed what happened I said:
"Stupefy!"
'Stunning spell' will knock him out good.
"Magnus?" - the trio.
"Magnus!" - Lupin.
"Who's that?" - Black.
Everyone was surprised by my appearance and even more by my actions. Moreover, Black and Lupin became quite suspicious the moment I cast those spells. Lupin knew me, but I never was a person to showcase all my skills. The golden trio knew some of my capabilities because we studied together quite often, but they were too young to understand the full scope of my power. As for teachers, I wasn't very flashy. I didn't like to raise my hand and prove my knowledge, so I was relatively unknown.
Therefore, you can say, that Lupin was highly surprised by my prowess. "Stunning spell" can be explained, but such a precise and powerful "Severing charm" is the best way to showcase my might.
In the meantime, Black was surprised by me. He saw me near Harry in the past, but he didn't expect that.
To skip all the questions that will rain on me soon, I looked at Lupin and Black, then said:
"I cut his tendons, so he won't run and stunned him to make sure that he won't do any tricks. Now let's get out of here. And Mr.Lupin," I pretended to take out something from a robe while getting a potion "Sleeping Draught" from my inventory, then showed it to him, "I think you might want to drink this."
Then I've thrown it to him.
"Hm? What's that?"
"Today's full moon. That will knock you off or better to be said it will weaken you enough for Black to hold you back. Even if Werewolf's body can resist the potion, it can't completely ignore the effects of it. And drink now please. Nobody here has a wish to become a monster, I believe. Harry, Hermione, Ron, let's get out of here. We need to inform professor Dumbledor about what happened here. I will take care of the rat-man."
Everyone looked at me speechlessly.
"Why are we freezing? Let's move out. Chop-chop-chop!" I pointed my wand at Pettigrew "Wingardium Leviosa!"
After his body started levitating, I moved out to the exit, while others started exiting their dumb mode. Remus looked at the potion for some time, before drinking it. Black then looked at him and nodded.
"Don't worry, I will take care of you."
"Don't get bitten!"
"Shouldn't we help?" Harry asked me.
"You should be capable to help in such situations. One bite and you will become forever a burden to your friends and family. If you have power, to help Mr.Lupin, I won't stop you Harry, but problem is... you don't. You are too young for that."
"But..."
"Listen, I am really tired. It was a long day and we need to talk to Dumbledore ASAP because dementors are still roaming school in search of Sirius Black. And in our powers is to help Mr.Black prove his innocence. Plus I already helped him, by giving tranquilizer to Mr.Lupin. He will manage. Don't worry."
"Okay," he said hesitantly
『 Speech 33 ➔ 34 』
'I love this skill!'
*A few hours later*
Lupin, a.k.a. big-bad-wolf was dozing off in his wolf form in the medical bed. After informing Dumbledore, he reached Black location very fast and helped with the wolf's neutralization. Indeed, it's true that power is the best answer to any problem. I mean trio and Black were barely managing with the Lupin in original, but here dude just came in and knocked him out. And that's taking into consideration that werewolf has a natural resistance to magic and charms. Plus they have a better digestive system and faster metabolism, thus potion effects last less and are weaker when they transform.
Anyway, the problem with the wolf was solved. Professor informed Ministry of the situation and they quickly responded, by coming here with a few aurors. Obviously, nobody was happy to hear, that they were wrong for more than a decade and the whole time innocent man was slaving his life in Azkaban, but truth was in front of them.
Snape woke up and I went to explain the situation to him while asking forgiveness for the whole trio bunch. I also gifted him basilisks glands and blood as a gift, which he happily accepted. To me, they were useless, while for him highly valuable alchemical ingredients. Alchemy was one of his biggest passions after all.
Plus, me and Harry, sold most of the basilisk body during the third year and it was a known fact. Dumbledore himself helped with that. So, I didn't need to be afraid of giving him the ingredients.
As for money, Harry gave the first half of his cut to Ron. He was against in the beginning, but we just said that he played an important role in eliminating the... was it Lockbuzz or Logdart? Anyway, you get the point. And second half to Ginny, as mental reparations.
As for my cut, it went entirely into my pocket. I am not a charity.
'Duh!'
Of course, Snape didn't forgive us entirely, but at least he wasn't looking at me like I am his lifelong enemy and I was happy with that. I mean, he is not a person you want to mess with. I dug up some history, and apparently, Snape created more than a dozen potent curses and hexes, before he started year 6. He is a legit genius in dark magic.
Moreover, for me it wasn't hard to ask for forgiveness. Isn't it easier to say sorry, than to hate each other for years? Even knowing, I am right, I would still say "Sorry", if it helps me remove grudge between me and somebody else.
But, enough of Snape.
After leaving him alone, I went to visit Sirius and Remus. Both needed some health check-ups. I mean Sirius looked a 60-year old dying grandpa while being a little over 30 or something. That's not okay. And Remus... his case is obvious, so skip him.
By the time I finished with all that it was close to 4am, but I had no lessons so I didn't worry. Trio went to sleep long ago, right after Dumbledore went to help subdue Lupin.
'C'mon! You trust in the prowess of this old man that much?'
They didn't even worry if he might fail and be bitten. They were like, "If it's professor Dumbledore, then all gonna be good!".
'No comments.'
Anyway, I was exiting Hospital Wing and that's when I met Dumbledore.
"Quite a smart young lad, aren't you Mr.Magnus? Why not sleeping yet?"
"Hm? Well, I wanted to make sure today's situation will be resolved. Plus I have no lessons tomor... I mean today." I said smiling. I was surprised to see him here and I felt that meeting him here wasn't accidental.
"I have a little question for you. Would you mind answering it?"
Honestly speaking, the old man was by far the strongest wizard with the strongest wand in known history. But I wasn't really afraid. I knew that even if he is scheming, he is not unimaginably bad. I used to think, he was stupid and evil, but now being here, I see him for what he is. Just a wise old man who made a lot of mistakes. He wasn't a character from the book to me anymore, but a human the same as me. He has goals, dreams, and past he would like to never have. So, I started to understand him more.
Therefore, I stopped considering him a threat to me or my persona.
"Of course, although how much I answer will highly depend on the question asked."
He nodded and asked:
"How did you appear in Shrieking Shack before everyone else?"
"What do you mean?"
"You obviously were not present with the Mr.Potter and his team in the hut, before execution. Plus, after asking what happened from Mr.Black, he told me that you appeared as if from the thin air. Obviously, you were there before everyone else, but the question is how did you know they will be there?"
Dumbledore wasn't even considering me apparating in, so he thinks I was there long before everyone else. Moreover, even if I apparated, sound following the process would notify everyone of my presence. This old man is indeed very smart.
"Time travel would be my answer."
"Hm? Is that so?"
"Kidding," I smiled mischeviously, "I didn't know. I actually followed Mr.Snape."
"But I think, Mr.Snape used Mr.Potter's cloak. What about you? Nobody even noticed your presence. Plus, how did you follow an invisible person."
Then I pretended to be hesitant
"I am... quite good at hiding and walking stealthely. It's a trait I acquired... during childhood." I smiled ruefully and looked at him in the eye. "As for invisibility, it's not a problem, because I saw him put the cloak on, only after picking a direction. All I needed to do is to follow that direction. This way, I found the hidden entrance under the tree and entered the shack. Although, I must admit it took me some time. That's why it took me so long to reach them."
"Interesting story." he smiled, "Have a good night, young man!"
『 Speech 34 ➔ 35 』
'Indeed, this skill is the best.'
Although I am not sure if he believed me or just decided to let me be, I am not really worried. Throughout the whole Potter timeline, Dumbledore wasn't a person to put his nose into other businesses. He mostly preferred to let things go the way, they were and only intervene when it was "do or die" situation. As long as I don't show too much real magical power, like for example defeating basilisk with one shot, I will be okay.
'I hope. Otherwise, I can always escape. I am in the top 1000 of wizards of the western world already. So there is not much to be afraid of.'
"Thank you, but before you leave, I have a question of my own, professor."
*Progress*
『 Alchemy 36 | Sneak 27 | Speech 33 ➔ 35 』
『 Studying 45 | Wand Making 32 』
『 Herbology 36 | Magic Channeling 61 』
『 Magic Chanting 40 | Magic Gesturing 40 』
『 Magic Theory 57 | Astronomy 35 』
『 Riding Expertise 15 | Crafting 30 』
『 Playing Games 15 | Enchanting 38 』
『 Cooking 22 | Training 24 | Physical Activities 17 』
『 Programming 25 | Dancing 0 』
『 Legilimency 26 | Occlumency 31 』