The room's door burst open with a flash of sparks. Augustus remained seated calmly in his armchair as Professor Lupin stormed in. His face was pale, wand raised, ready for action. His sharp gaze swept across Ron and Hermione sprawled on the floor, then over Augustus sitting poised at the center of the room. Clearly, Lupin hadn't expected to find Augustus there, and the flicker of surprise in his eyes betrayed this. His gaze then landed on Black, collapsed at Harry's feet, bloodied and broken.
"Disarm!" Lupin shouted.
Harry's wand was ripped from his grasp again, as were the wands in Hermione's hands. Yet unlike them, Augustus's wand remained firmly in his grasp, seemingly unaffected. Lupin appeared unbothered by this, as though expecting it. Swiftly, he collected the three wands and stepped into the room, staring intently at Black, who lay on the floor with Crookshanks perched protectively on his chest.
Then, Lupin spoke in an odd, restrained voice: "Where is he, Sirius?"
He? Augustus's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. So, Lupin already knew the hidden truth? If that were the case, then he might prove useful in this matter—a potential ally in uncovering the full story.
Black's face was expressionless. Seconds passed in silence before he slowly raised a trembling hand and pointed at Ron. Harry, confused, followed his gaze to Ron, who looked equally bewildered.
"But..." Lupin muttered, staring intently at Black as though deciphering his thoughts. "Why hasn't he revealed himself before? Unless... unless he changed?"
Changed? Could it be that the Fidelius Charm's Secret-Keeper had been switched? Or was it something else entirely? Augustus seemed to grasp at the edges of understanding.
Black locked eyes with Lupin and nodded slowly.
What happened next was perhaps the last thing Harry wanted to see. Lupin lowered his wand, walked over to Black, grasped his hand, and helped him to his feet, causing Crookshanks to tumble onto the floor. Lupin then embraced Black as if he were a long-lost brother.
"I don't believe this!" Hermione shrieked.
"Brotherly bonding at a time like this? If you two don't reveal the truth soon, these three young lions might lose their patience," Augustus said with a faint chuckle, his words laden with implications.
"Truth? The truth is that Sirius killed my parents! And now, the professor I trusted—Lupin—is revealed to be his friend, helping him sneak into the school? With a professor as an inside man, it couldn't have been easier for him! What a joke. It turns out I'm as foolish as my parents, trusting a servant of Voldemort!" Harry spat, his eyes filled with cold fury and unmasked hatred.
"You're wrong," Lupin said firmly. "For twelve years, I was not Sirius's friend. But now, I am... Let me explain—"
"No!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him. He's been helping Sirius get into the castle! He wants you dead too—he's a werewolf!"
A moment of stunned silence followed her words, broken only by the sound of Augustus clapping. "As expected of Hermione. So, when did you figure out he was a werewolf? Was it when Snape assigned that essay?"
"That, and the Boggart transforming into the full moon," Hermione said quietly. "Those two clues made it obvious that Professor Lupin is a werewolf."
Lupin gave a strained smile. "You are, as I've always said, the cleverest witch of your age, Hermione."
"I'm not," Hermione replied in a low voice. "If I were any smarter, I would have told everyone you're a werewolf long ago!"
"They already know," Lupin said. "At least the teachers do."
"Evidently, Dumbledore holds you in high regard," Augustus remarked calmly. "He must've persuaded quite a few people to hire you. Despite his misstep with Lockhart last term, Dumbledore's judgment is usually sound. At the very least, we can be certain you're not on Voldemort's side."
Harry and his friends stared at Lupin, visibly processing Augustus's reasoning. Their initial anger and betrayal were replaced by a hint of doubt.
"Mr. Augustus," Lupin said politely, "I'm not sure how much you know about this, but thank you for your support."
He handed back the wands, tossing each to its respective owner. Harry caught his own, surprised.
"Well," Lupin continued, tucking his wand into his belt. "Now you're armed, and we're not. Will you hear me out?"
"Tonight, I was closely watching the Marauder's Map because I thought you, Ron, and Hermione might have snuck out of the castle to visit Hagrid before Buckbeak's execution. Am I right?"
He paced the room, sending a faint cloud of dust swirling at his feet.
"The Marauder's Map—so that's how you knew they were here?" Augustus's tone carried a trace of curiosity.
Lupin nodded. "Exactly. I saw another dot moving toward you—one marked 'Sirius Black.' I watched as it collided with yours, and then I saw him drag two of you into the Whomping Willow—"
"One of us!" Ron protested indignantly.
"No, Ron," Lupin said, shaking his head. "Two."
He stopped pacing and stared directly at Ron.
"May I see your rat?" Lupin asked casually.
"What?" Ron stammered, clutching Scabbers protectively. "What does Scabbers have to do with this?"
"Everything," Lupin said. "May I?"
Moving closer to Ron, he scrutinized the trembling rat in his hands.
"What?" Ron repeated, holding Scabbers tighter, looking increasingly frightened.
"He's not a rat," Black said quietly.
"No, he isn't," Lupin agreed with a nod. "He's a wizard."
Augustus chuckled lightly. "If there are no surprises, he should be Peter Pettigrew."
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