Chapter 148: Black Captures Black
Chapter 148: Black Captures Black
"That cat is very smart. It can understand what I say and clearly convey what it sees."
"Previously, it tried countless times to catch Peter, but never found the opportunity. Later, Peter pretended to die in front of it and escaped from the boy's side again. The cat told me everything and even helped me steal a piece of paper with the Gryffindor common room password, so I could go in and confirm it myself."
"Recently, I sneaked into the Gryffindor common room again, and Peter had indeed escaped. He was no longer with the boy."
Hearing Sirius Black's account, Sherlock frowned involuntarily.
"If Peter has escaped, will he still stay at Hogwarts?"
"He will! He definitely hasn't left!" Sirius Black said grimly. "Not only can the cat sense that he's still here, but given his character, he wouldn't run away from here!"
"While I was in Azkaban, the other Death Eaters who were imprisoned hated him with a passion, blaming him for the information that led to Voldemort's loss of power and their own capture."
"Peter obviously knows this. Given his cowardly nature, he would have left himself a way out. If Voldemort ever returns, he can use Harry for something to ensure his position with him. Harry is his other lifeline, and he won't let go so easily!"
Sirius Black's analysis made sense, and Sherlock stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"We can try the Marauder's Map. We never considered that Peter might still be in the castle, so we didn't check if his name appeared on the map. If he's still in the castle, he should still be on the map. If he's not on the map but we can confirm he's still at Hogwarts—"
Sherlock shifted his gaze back to the Forbidden Forest, and Sirius Black and Lupin followed his line of sight.
"He's most likely hiding in this forest", Lupin said gravely.
Sirius Black stared at them.
"Marauder's Map? I thought Filch confiscated that thing a long time ago, right before we left school?"
Sherlock looked at Sirius Black.
"You got the map when you were students?"
Lupin shook his head with a wry smile.
"Sorry, Sherlock, I never had the chance to tell you. The Marauder's Map was actually created by us. After Sirius Black and the others learned to become Animagi, the Hogwarts castle had no secrets left for us. We explored all the secret passages and drew them on a map, adding magic to it, which turned it into the Marauder's Map."
Sherlock's eyes widened in realization.
"So the names on the map—Moony, Wormtail, Prongs, and Padfoot—are actually you four."
Lupin then explained to Sirius Black.
"The Marauder's Map eventually ended up in the hands of the Weasley twins, who gave it to Harry. A few days ago, Snape caught Harry using the map to sneak into Hogsmeade through a secret passage and discovered the names of the map's creators. He called me over, and I took the opportunity to take the Marauder's Map."
"Snape? He's at Hogwarts?"
"He's the Head of Slytherin and the Potions professor."
Sirius Black clearly dismissed this information. His attitude towards Snape hadn't changed much over the years, unlike Lupin, who felt some remorse for past events.
"Alright, this isn't the time to discuss this. We should return to the castle immediately and use the Marauder's Map to see if we can find Peter's trail", Lupin suggested.
Sirius Black looked hesitant, unsure if he could go back to the castle with them.
Sherlock noticed this and drew his wand.
"Transform back into your dog form. I'll make some adjustments so you won't stand out as much when we bring you into the castle."
Sirius Black cooperated and transformed back into a black dog.
Sherlock tapped him with his wand, making his fur fluffy and smooth, and changing his color to a mix of gray and white. Combined with his naturally fierce expression, he now looked like a specific dog breed.
"This way, you won't be as noticeable as a black dog. When we bring you into the castle, we can say we brought you to help catch Black because dogs have a keen sense of smell."
Lupin praised Sherlock's ingenious idea.
"Perfect! Using Black to catch Black—no one will suspect that the dog tracking Peter is actually Black himself!"
With that, they took Sirius Black out of the Forbidden Forest and returned to the castle.
It was just past six in the morning, and the castle was empty; no students would be up this early.
Sherlock and the others first went to Lupin's office, then unfolded the Marauder's Map to search for Peter's name.
But after carefully examining the entire map, they found no trace of Peter's name.
"Is it possible that Peter secretly found a way to remove his name from the map?" Sherlock suggested.
Lupin and Sirius Black, both in human and dog form, shook their heads.
"Impossible. No one can remove their name from the map. Even if they wear an Invisibility Cloak, they will still be displayed on the map."
Sherlock shrugged.
"I managed to remove my own name."
Upon hearing this, Lupin and the others noticed that in the office they were in, only Sirius Black and Remus Lupin's names appeared on the map. Sherlock's name was nowhere to be found!
Lupin looked at Sherlock in shock.
"How did you do that?"
"Actually, it's just a combination of two simple spells", Sherlock said, pulling out his wand and tapping it on Lupin and Sirius Black's names on the Marauder's Map.
In the next moment, as if an eraser had rubbed them out, their names vanished from the map.
"The magic you used to create this map is indeed remarkable, but the technique is a bit outdated. By combining a counter-curse with an erasing charm, you can remove names from the map", Sherlock explained. "I discovered this by accident and tried it out, and it worked."
The spells Sherlock demonstrated were not particularly difficult; any average wizard could learn them. However, combining these two spells and applying them to the Marauder's Map was something most people wouldn't think of.
"Even if Peter could remove his name from the Marauder's Map, it's unlikely he would think of this method. He might not even know that Harry has the map."
Lupin speculated.
"If we can't find his name in Hogwarts, it's possible he's hiding in the Forbidden Forest, just like Sirius Black was before."
Sherlock stroked his chin, hesitating.
"Should we tell Dumbledore? If he knows, finding Peter in the Forbidden Forest will be much easier."
At this, Sirius Black transformed back from his Animagus form. They had agreed that he would stay in animal form while inside the castle, but Sherlock's question compelled him to change back to speak his mind.
"We can't tell Dumbledore!" he said with a grim expression.
Lupin and Sherlock exchanged glances.
They both thought it best to report the situation to Dumbledore. Given his authority in Hogwarts and influence over the Ministry of Magic, finding Peter in the Forbidden Forest would be much easier with his help.
"Why can't we tell Dumbledore?" Lupin asked.
Sirius Black's eyes flashed with a glint of hatred.
"If we tell Dumbledore everything, he will hand Peter over to the Ministry of Magic! If Peter is caught by the Ministry, they will only imprison him in Azkaban! Dementors are a living hell for most wizards, but for an Animagus, they are no different from ordinary guards. They are only interested in human emotions, not animals. That's why I didn't go mad during my years in Azkaban!"
Sirius Black's eyes were bloodshot.
"I want to kill him! I want to kill him with my own hands!"
Sherlock sighed and waved his hand.
"You two decide. This is primarily a matter between the four of you. If you decide not to tell Dumbledore the truth, I will keep your secret."
Lupin looked at Sirius Black seriously.
"Think carefully. If you don't plan to hand Peter over to the Ministry of Magic, your name will never be cleared. The Ministry won't even give you a chance to use Veritaserum. If they catch you, a Dementor's kiss is certain, and you will be forced to live in hiding for the rest of your life."
Sirius Black clenched his teeth, his left cheek twitching from the effort.
"I've been clear about this all along! I am guilty! I accept that. But Peter must die!"
Lupin patted Sirius Black's shoulder and sighed.
"I won't let them catch you. Since you've made up your mind, I respect your decision."
Just as they were about to come to an agreement, Sherlock interjected.
"But I have to remind you, don't forget about your godson, Harry. You might not care about your own future, but he needs you."
(End of Chapter)
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