Chapter 153: News and Law

Chapter 153: News and Law

The sales of the Friend-Locating Book invented by Weasley were merely mediocre; only some parents would buy it to use as a talisman for their children.

Of course, Weasley himself had various templates of the Friend-Locating Book.

After obtaining the live-mapping map, he further improved the book based on the knowledge of magical circuits he learned from it, making it more compact, with more precise location display, and even more covert magical fluctuations.

After capturing Peter Pettigrew, Weasley used the Sticking Charm to attach one of the locating books to the back of the traitor's head.

He shrunk the book with a Shrinking Charm, so even if Pettigrew transformed into a rat, it would likely be mistaken for a speck of dust accidentally stuck to him.

With this, Weasley could keep track of Pettigrew's whereabouts in real-time.

In Percy and Ron's opinion, handing Peter over to the Ministry of Magic would be the end of the matter. However, Weasley did not share this view.

Even his initial decision to venture out with the Weasley brothers to capture Peter instead of seeking help from Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall was based on the same reasoning.

Regarding the Ministry of Magic, Weasley neither trusted their capabilities nor their character, and he certainly did not believe in their sense of responsibility.

As for Dumbledore, despite being one of the most powerful wizards in the world, he had a tendency towards self-imposed restraint.

Even though he could easily overpower Fudge and Umbridge, he continually tolerated their absurd decrees that limited his authority and persecuted the staff and students of the school.

Not only that, starting from the second year, the Ministry had repeatedly intruded upon Hogwarts, arresting people whom Dumbledore believed to be innocent under pretentious justifications. They had, on more than one occasion, forced Dumbledore to leave the school, and later slandered him as a senile old fool.

And what about Dumbledore?

He always backed down.

Dumbledore would nudge the needle within the confines of the rules, guiding the situation in the direction he desired, but he would never outright flip the table.

Influenced by Dumbledore's approach, most of the professors at the school, such as Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Sprout, adopted a similar style of handling matters.

Therefore, in the case of capturing Peter Pettigrew, while Dumbledore would interrogate him privately, he would ultimately hand him over to the Ministry of Magic for investigation and trial.

He had his expectations for the outcome, but he would not arbitrarily use his power to interfere with the Ministry's investigation or force Fudge and the others to rule according to his wishes.

Even if the final verdict went against his expectations, he would first try to achieve the desired result within the bounds of the law instead of directly saying, "Fudge, this must be done this way, or I will have you removed from office!"

For ordinary people, it was undoubtedly a blessing that the one with the most formidable power consistently abided by the rules and exercised self-restraint.

However, when facing an incompetent individual who arbitrarily undermined the rules in the name of the law, had a strong desire for power, and yet shirked responsibility, Dumbledore's law-abiding nature became a source of frustration.

Weasley could not pin his hopes on Dumbledore.

Nor could he, like the trio in the original storyline, naively pore over legal texts in an attempt to change the unfavorable ruling by the Ministry, or regret missing the best opportunity as the situation deteriorated.

Because he knew that regret was useless, and mistakes would lead to consequences.

...

The next day, at the gathering in the Room of Requirement, Harry recounted the entire incident in detail, with Fred and George filling in the gaps.

Since the start of the Battle Royale game, the twin brothers had joined the SSC, and their spellcasting abilities had skyrocketed. During their free time, they also studied alchemy with Weasley.

"You should've included us in something this big," Michael complained to Weasley.

"You can't get into the Gryffindor common room," Weasley pointed out. "And to succeed in a mission, the first rule is to keep secrets. What if Wormtail had overheard us during our discussions?"

"So, in the end... the supposed hero turned out to be the betrayer, and the one who was imprisoned was actually framed?" Ryan concluded.

"Yeah..." Harry said wistfully. "Lupin told me that Sirius Black, my godfather, was actually a good person. I wonder what he's like."

"Merlin, he's been in Azkaban for eleven years... I can't even imagine," Theo said sympathetically.

"What's Azkaban like?" Harry asked.

"It's the scariest place in the world, a wizarding prison," Theo whispered, his voice unconsciously lowered. "It's guarded by Dementors."

"Dementors?" Harry still didn't understand.

"They're monsters that feed on happiness and force people to relive their worst memories.

Theo shuddered unconsciously, "I had an uncle who was in Azkaban for three months. He nearly went insane by the time he got out. He said he would rather die than go back to that place."

A shadow fell over Harry's face.

If three months was enough to drive someone to near insanity, what about eleven years?

His godfather... could he have gone mad?

Even so...

Harry thought.

Even so... I'll still take care of him...

Because Sirius Black, even if he had gone mad, did so to protect my family.

It was his responsibility, and it's what my parents would have wanted me to do.

...

For several days in a row, Ron felt nauseous at the mention of Scabbers, until Harry asked Lupin to buy him an owl as compensation for losing his pet.

It was a beautiful owl with eyes like shining pearls. Its feathers radiated outwards like pointed cat ears, and its mottled brown and yellow feathers resembled those of a leopard, giving it a majestic appearance.

The joy of having a new pet instantly overshadowed the disgust and frustration of losing the previous one, and Ron spent his days proudly showing off his owl, filled with happiness.

Harry was also delighted, eagerly counting down the days until his godfather's release.

On the weekend, Machioni had to postpone his meeting with Wade due to work commitments.

So, Wade and the others went to Hogsmeade via the Vanishing Cabinet. When they arrived at Lupin's house, they saw that he had hung the photo on the wall again, but this time, Peter Pettigrew's face was covered.

Finally revealing his true face, Sirius Black had a handsome and elegant appearance. His black hair fell messily in front of his eyes, and he had a pair of striking, smiling gray eyes.

"He has the same gray eyes as you!" Michael exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah, he does," Wade agreed, also surprised.

Harry studied the photo, his face breaking into a silly smile.

Lupin looked at him, his smile tinged with worry.

"What's wrong?" Wade asked him.

"I don't know... but I have a bad feeling," Lupin said vaguely. "I applied to visit Sirius, but my request was denied. And there are some unfavorable rumors..."

"Rumors?"

"Someone has put forward a theory..."

Lupin lowered his voice so that the others couldn't hear, "Both Sirius and Peter served Voldemort... Eleven years ago, when James and Lily were killed, they framed Sirius and Peter went into hiding, waiting for an opportunity..."

"Eleven years later, Peter is exposed, and he exonerates Sirius to shift the blame... ensuring that there's always a loyal Death Eater outside to act for Voldemort..."

Even Wade was stunned for a moment before he said, half in admiration and half in mockery,

"Quite an imagination... Have they not considered why both of them didn't escape together back then?"

"Yeah, it's so ridiculous, yet some people believe it."

Lupin could barely hide his emotions, "The worst part is, the Ministry of Magic seems to support this theory..."

"Who's so stupid?" Michael asked, naturally joining the conversation.

"Minister Fudge provided crucial testimony," Lupin answered.

Lupin smiled bitterly, "He was the deputy head of the Magical Catastrophes Department back then. They were the first to arrive at the scene after Peter committed the murder."

"He testified that... amidst the bodies, Sirius stood there, laughing hysterically. Even when he was arrested, he continued to laugh like a madman driven by despair and revenge for his master's failure..."

"The Black family, aside from Sirius, has always been staunch supporters of pureblood supremacy and Voldemort. Sirius has a younger brother who willingly joined the Death Eaters before even graduating from school."

"So, Fudge doesn't believe Sirius is innocent. He seems to think... if Sirius is released, he'll find a way to return to the Dark Lord. This loyal and insane servant will surely help the Dark Lord rise again..."

"Hasn't the Ministry always believed that the Dark Lord has been defeated?" Wade asked.

"That's what they say in their propaganda," Lupin shook his head. "But Fudge is only presenting a possibility... a possibility that sends shivers down your spine if you think about it..."

"Aside from the Death Eaters, no one wants the Dark Lord to return."

Michael objectively pointed out, "Considering this situation, the trial might take an unfavorable turn."

"If they're more despicable, they might even hint for Peter Pettigrew to give testimony against Sirius Black..."

Lupin's face turned even paler, his brows furrowed, and he looked exceptionally heavy-hearted.

He said in a low voice, "Wade, about that thing we prepared before..."

Wade thought for a moment before nodding, "I was planning to hold off on the news a bit longer... but now it seems that this might be the best time..."

Lupin's tense expression eased a little, and he said, "It's a good thing you prepared in advance... I thought it was unnecessary..."

"What else have you prepared?"

Michael asked curiously.

"Found a few reporters, planning to make some big news," Wade replied briefly.

If they waited a little longer and broke the news when the Ministry of Magic publicly tried Pettigrew, it might deal a heavier blow to Fudge and the others, and force them out of office sooner.

However, that would also introduce more variables.

Most importantly, Fudge, despite appearing spineless, was a ruthless man who would not hesitate to "silence" those who posed a threat. If the situation turned extremely unfavorable for him, he might order the deaths of both Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew under the pretext of "prisoner suicide."

It was not uncommon for criminals to "commit suicide" in prison, and Fudge would only need to find one or two "temporary workers" to shift the blame. Even if Dumbledore was displeased, what could he do?

As angry as Dumbledore might be, he would not storm into the Ministry of Magic and kill Fudge. This was the reason why the Minister repeatedly provoked the white wizard with impunity.

Without returning to school, Wade contacted Machioni.

Early the next morning, Machioni sent Wade several newspapers.

France, America, Germany, New Zealand, Italy...

The hottest-selling newspapers in several countries carried similar news, telling a thrilling and intriguing tale that had unfolded in the United Kingdom.

In the magical world, physical distance didn't matter much, and the news quickly reached Britain.

How could the mainstream media in the UK allow others to grab their headlines?

On the third day, the Prophet published a highly visible article:

"Hero or Traitor? After Eleven Years, Peter Pettigrew's Crimes Exposed!"

The front page featured two large photos.

One was of a hollow-faced Sirius Black with tangled, unruly hair.

The other was of a bald, round-faced Peter Pettigrew, looking timid and fearful.

Wade was pleased to see that the reporter had almost copied the foreign report verbatim, narrating the entire story in a repeatedly questioning and captivating manner.

Anyone who read this report would likely come to the conclusion that Peter Pettigrew, once awarded the Merlin Order, was the real betrayer, and that the Ministry of Magic had made a grave mistake in this case.

After the newspapers were delivered, the Great Hall buzzed with excited chatter, and the students were so engrossed that they hardly touched their food.

The professors on the teacher's bench also had copies, occasionally discussing in hushed tones—except for those who had been involved from the start; most of the professors were unaware of Peter Pettigrew's capture.

Wade hastily ate his meal and returned to the Room of Requirement, where he opened the slightly warm Friend-Locating Book.

[Machioni: A reporter contacted me. Fudge is very unhappy with their report. The Ministry of Magic has forbidden them from portraying Sirius Black as an innocent victim and has put a lot of pressure on the newspaper.]



[Wade: Wasn't it Barty Crouch from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement who sent Sirius Black to prison without a trial? Shifting the blame to him will reduce Fudge's involvement, and the Ministry of Magic shouldn't object as much.]



[Machioni: Aren't you trying to undermine Fudge's credibility?]



[Wade: It's just a temporary measure. There will be plenty of opportunities to bring this up again later.]



Machioni drew a big thumbs-up on the paper seriously, and then wrote:

[Machioni: This way, there will be much less resistance, and I will persuade them to cooperate.]



[Wade: Tell them I can pay more.]



[Machioni: ...Then there's no problem.]



[Machioni: But I have another question, if you don't mind.]



[Wade: Go ahead.]



[Machioni: Why are you doing so much to exonerate Sirius Black when you two are complete strangers?]



After a long while, Wade wrote:

[Wade: The law is established to protect the innocent. If justice is not served, order will collapse.]



[Wade: If those in power arbitrarily use the law to persecute the innocent, and we have the ability to change it but choose to turn a blind eye, who will speak for us when such persecution befalls us?]



After a long pause, Machioni replied:

[Machioni: Looking forward to seeing you next weekend, Wade.]



[Two chapters combined, one update today]



[I'll be busy in the coming days, so updates might not be very stable.

If I need to take a leave, I will inform you in the 'Work Details' section.]

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end