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Chapter 227: Exoneration
Chapter 227: Exoneration
In the Headmaster's Office at Hogwarts, a short, middle-aged man stood motionlessly in the center of the room, surrounded by a group of people.
"Alright, Peter, tell me what really happened back then", Minister Bones asked.
Peter trembled and took a deep breath before speaking in a flat, emotionless voice.
"Back then, Sirius Black, for safety reasons, entrusted the role of Secret-Keeper to me while he pretended to be the Secret-Keeper to divert the enemies. As soon as I became the Secret-Keeper, I found the Dark Lord and told him about the Potters' secret. I expected to receive unprecedented rewards, but the Dark Lord failed. Later, Black discovered that I had betrayed the Potters and started hunting me down."
At this point, Lupin looked visibly agitated, as if he might lunge at Peter. Mr. Weasley, standing beside him, held him back. Liam glanced at Professor Snape, who, though outwardly calm, had clenched fists and a slightly trembling body, revealing his inner fury.
Peter took another deep breath and continued in his monotone voice.
"I was cornered on a Muggle street and had no choice but to blow up half the street and transform into a rat to escape through the sewers. I then lived as a pet in a wizarding family until today."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Weasley covered his face in frustration. "Oh, heavens, when I found him in the garden, I really thought he was just a rat. I swear I'll never bring these random creatures home again." Mrs. Weasley patted his back, trying to comfort him.
"Since you aligned with the Dark Lord, why didn't you harm Harry during the years you lived in the same house?" Minister Bones asked a crucial question that everyone in the room was eager to hear. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Peter.
"Because after the Dark Lord failed to kill Harry, the situation was dire. If I had harmed Harry, I would have implicated myself. So, I stayed in a wizarding family, gathering information. I planned to offer Harry to the Dark Lord only after he truly returned to power. My previous mistake had made many Death Eaters resent me, and I needed to earn enough merit to secure my position with the Dark Lord."
"Why did you betray James and Lily? They considered you a friend", Lupin finally broke in, unable to contain himself. Bones frowned slightly at the interruption but said nothing.
"Friends? Did you really consider me a friend?" Peter's voice wavered, showing how deeply this affected him. "James and Sirius came from noble Pureblood families, and you were a Prefect and a top student at school. I was nothing, just a tagalong. You always said I was too cowardly. No matter how hard I tried to fit in, you ignored me. Whatever I said, you dismissed it."
"But—this isn't a reason to make the Potters pay with their lives", Lupin said, puzzled.
"Why not? After graduation, you dragged me into battle with the Dark Lord's followers without even asking. The first time, the Dark Lord arrived, and with a wave of his hand, two Aurors fell. We only escaped because the Dark Lord didn't pursue us further. After the battle, you were excited, but I was terrified. I never want to feel that close to death again, so I had to find a way to survive."
"Then you chose to become a lackey of the Dark Lord?" Minister Bones asked sternly.
"What else could I do? I just wanted to live; I didn't want to die. But Potter and the others kept dragging me into the front lines against the Dark Lord. Several times, the Dark Lord himself appeared, causing heavy casualties on our side. Even the well-trained Aurors were no match for him. After struggling for a couple of years, I found the Dark Lord and begged him not to kill me."
"What did you do after joining the Dark Lord?" Amelia Bones asked.
"During the year I served the Dark Lord, I provided a lot of valuable information, and he praised me." At this, Peter's face twisted into a warped smile. "Finally, when I told him where the Potters were hiding, he promised me an unprecedented reward."
"To gain that, you caused the deaths of so many people", Lupin shouted, losing control of his emotions.
"Refusing the Dark Lord brought no benefits, but by submitting to him, I gained unprecedented power. For example, the spell that destroyed half a street—I just told him a few names, and he granted it to me."
"Don't you understand, Peter! Fighting against the most evil Dark Wizard in history is about saving innocent lives. This is far more important than power or survival." Lupin's voice was hoarse, but he seemed a bit calmer as he spoke to Peter.
"You don't understand!" Peter returned to his calm tone. "He would have killed me, Lupin! I just wanted to live. And he gave me power, too."
"Alright, the facts are clear now", Minister Bones interrupted, stopping Lupin from saying more. "I know you were friends before, but we have important matters to attend to."
She took the record from Percy, reviewed it, and signed her name at the bottom.
"You're Percy, right? This record is well-written." Hearing the praise, Percy nodded enthusiastically, nearly knocking off his glasses.
But Minister Bones was just being polite. She then turned to Professor Dumbledore. "Headmaster, the situation is clear now. Peter committed those crimes, and he framed Sirius Black. I would like you to accompany me to the Ministry of Magic to testify in the case's exoneration."
"Of course, of course. I'm glad to see an innocent person cleared of the false accusations against him." Dumbledore stood up. "I think we can use the fireplace in my office to get there."
Professor Dumbledore and Minister Bones then took the tightly bound Peter to the Ministry of Magic. Before leaving, Dumbledore said to Liam and Percy, "Thank you for your contributions to this matter. The Ministry of Magic will need to discuss this before making it public, so please keep it confidential for now."
Liam and Percy nodded quickly in agreement. Dumbledore left in a burst of green flames, and everyone else departed from the office.
At the door, Liam encountered the Weasley family. Arthur Weasley extended his hand to Liam and thanked him, "Thank you so much this time. Percy told me about your help, and we owe you a favor."
"Don't mention it. After all, I'm friends with your sons. Isn't it natural for friends to help each other?" Liam said humbly.
(End of Chapter)
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