"So, back then, only the three of you knew about Peter transforming into a rat? But Sirius, how were you so sure Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew? After all these years, how did you uncover a rat who hid so deeply?" Augustus questioned.
A twisted look of pain appeared on Black's face. "Because of all the years spent helping Lupin as a werewolf. Working together for so long, I became so familiar with this little traitor's scent that I could recognize it instantly. Besides, my Animagus form has a heightened sense of smell. So, no matter how well he thought he was hiding, the traitor could never escape me."
Lupin let out a small sigh. "That's true. Once we mastered our transformations, a world of thrilling possibilities opened up before us. We soon left the Shrieking Shack and began roaming the school grounds and the village at night. Sirius and James would transform into large animals that could keep a werewolf in check. I doubt any students at Hogwarts understood the grounds and Hogsmeade as well as we did. That's how we created the Marauder's Map and signed it with our nicknames. Sirius was Padfoot, Peter was Wormtail, and James was Prongs."
Augustus nodded. "A clever idea. So, the Marauder's Map was a joint creation."
"The idea for the map was James's," Lupin admitted briefly. "For boys like us, always sneaking around on adventures, a map that revealed secret passageways and kept Filch off our trail was perfect. Of course, I sometimes felt guilty for betraying Dumbledore's trust. When no other headmaster would take me, he did—and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he created for my and others' safety. But back then, we were young and reckless, proud of our cleverness."
Augustus stroked his chin. "If you have Snape's Wolfsbane Potion now, you should be safe. So why does Snape seem to resent your being a werewolf so much that he'd try to expose you to the students?"
"Professor Snape was at school with us. He strongly opposed my appointment as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and kept telling Dumbledore I wasn't trustworthy. He had his reasons… You see, Sirius once played a prank on him that almost cost him his life. That prank involved me, too…" Lupin trailed off, clearly reluctant to elaborate.
Black let out a scornful laugh. "Serves him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to spy on us—he wanted to get us expelled!"
"Snape saw me one evening crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey. She was leading me to the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius told Snape that if he poked the knot on the tree trunk with a stick, he could follow me into the tunnel. Sirius thought it would be… amusing. Well, Snape tried it, of course. If he had reached the house, he'd have come face to face with a fully transformed werewolf. But your father, Harry, heard what Sirius had done and went after Snape, pulling him back at great personal risk. Snape saw me at the end of the tunnel, though. Dumbledore forbade him from telling anyone, but from that moment on, he knew what I was."
"No wonder Snape doesn't like you," Harry said slowly. "He thinks you were part of the prank?"
"Yes," came a cold voice from behind Lupin.
Severus Snape pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointed directly at Lupin.
Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Harry sprang up as if he'd been shocked. Augustus, however, looked unsurprised. His silver eyes betrayed a hint of satisfaction as he watched Snape emerge.
"A charming gathering," Snape said breathlessly, his face alight with triumph. "I'm sure Dumbledore would be fascinated to see this little reunion. Perhaps you're wondering how I knew you were here?" He smirked, his eyes gleaming. "I stopped by your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I brought a goblet for you. Lucky for me—there was a map on your desk. One look, and I understood everything I needed to. I saw you walking down this passageway and then disappearing."
Augustus chuckled lightly, a hint of regret in his voice. "If only you'd come a few minutes earlier, you might've learned even more. After all, Black's target is that rat. Too bad you didn't see their prey on the map."
Snape glanced at Augustus with a flicker of confusion before regaining his composure. "No matter. Tonight, there will be two new prisoners in Azkaban. I can't wait to see Dumbledore's face when he hears about this. He trusts you, Lupin—a tame werewolf…"
Bang! Snape's wand shot out snake-like cords, but Augustus calmly raised his own wand. A spark flew from its tip, incinerating Snape's cords mid-air.
"Do you know what you're doing, Augustus?" Snape hissed, his gaze dangerously sharp. "Harboring fugitives, aiding criminals? Even as the scion of the Julius family, these are charges you can't escape."
Augustus shook his head with a faint smile. "It's you who doesn't understand, Professor. Tonight, someone indeed belongs in Azkaban—but it's not Professor Lupin or Sirius Black. Be patient. Let them finish what they have to say. Justice won't allow the innocent to be wronged, nor will it let the vile escape punishment."
Hermione hesitantly stepped toward Snape. "Professor Snape… Augustus is right. What harm is there in listening to them?"
"Miss Granger, you're already on thin ice with your reckless behavior," Snape spat. "You, Potter, and Weasley, associating with a convicted murderer and a werewolf. Be silent. And as for you, Augustus, are you sure you understand what you're doing?"
"I'm quite sure, Professor. Perhaps it's you who needs to calm down. Hatred and anger from the past can cloud your judgment. If I were you, I'd lower my wand now," Augustus said evenly, his silver eyes gleaming with quiet confidence.
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