Chapter 432: The Truth
Chapter 432: The Truth
As Ron watched Spotty, his pet rat, scurrying around like a mad creature, he instinctively backed against the wall, his hand clutching his chest. "What in the world is going on here? Can someone please explain?" he asked, his voice tinged with hysteria. The fact that his pet of several years could now wield a wand was utterly bewildering, and he felt no inclination to approach Spotty any time soon.
"That's what we'd like to know as well," said Professor Lupin, glancing at Sirius, who was still laughing uncontrollably. "How did you know Peter wouldn't change back?"
Without immediately answering, Kyle drew out his wand.
"Stun!"
Peter, who had been dashing about wildly, instantly collapsed on the ground.
Kyle then returned Hermione and Professor Lupin's wands to them before offering an explanation. "It's because of the potions I've been brewing for him."
"Potions?" Hermione frowned as she took back her wand. "But nowhere in any book does it say that pet potions can prevent an Animagus from returning to human form."
"Normally, they wouldn't," Kyle acknowledged. "But I added an entire leaf of dried Mandrake into his potion... and not just any leaf, but the one from the top of the root."
"What?" Professor Lupin exclaimed, his voice rising involuntarily.
Mandrake leaves were already expensive, with each leaf costing five Sickles, but the leaf from the top of the root was even more costly, nearly ten times the price of a regular leaf.
Such an extravagant ingredient—enough to cover a month's worth of living expenses—had been used by Kyle for his pet rat's potion?
Could it be that Kyle had known about Speckles' true identity as Peter all along?
No, that didn't make sense... Professor Lupin shook his head. Only a handful of people knew about Peter's Animagus form, and his faked death had occurred twelve years ago when Kyle would have been just two or three years old.
"I suppose it was a coincidence," Kyle said, unbothered by Professor Lupin's puzzled expression. "I was just trying to make the potion more effective, not realizing he was an Animagus."
"But... what does that have to do with anything?" Harry asked, his eyes wide in confusion.
"Of course, it does," Kyle replied, waving his wand to produce a cage that enclosed Peter within it. He continued speaking without looking up. "Don't any of you ever read up on herbology beyond the textbooks?"
Hermione shook her head slightly. Of all the books she had read, those on herbology were the fewest.
Professor Lupin also averted his gaze, his situation not too different from Hermione's.
"Alright then..." Kyle sighed. "Mandrake leaves are beneficial to magical creatures. They heal wounds, enhance physical condition... they have many uses. But for an Animagus, it's a different story. You should know what the first step is in becoming an Animagus, right...?"
The last question was directed at Sirius.
"Of course I remember," Sirius replied, still floating in mid-air. He didn't question how Kyle knew about his Animagus form either and simply rubbed his slightly sore jaw. "You have to keep a Mandrake leaf in your mouth for a whole month... I tell you, that month was pure torture. I almost gave up several times."
"Exactly," Kyle said. "The purpose of the Mandrake leaf is to record all the information about you as a wizard. It becomes another 'you,' or a guiding lighthouse, if you will."
"What lighthouse?" Harry was thoroughly lost.
He felt like he was back in Professor Trelawney's divination class, clueless about what was being discussed and just trying to participate.
"Alright, let me put it simply," Kyle sighed. "The Death's-Head Hawkmoth cocoon transforms you from a human into an animal, and the Mandrake leaf transforms you back..."
"What's a Death's-He—"
"Ouch!" Harry yelped as Hermione elbowed him sharply in the waist, cutting off his question.
"There's no need," Kyle said, "Strictly speaking, it's very difficult to disperse the 'wizard' information. It would take years of continuous consumption... and if they revert to human form during that time, the information will regroup."
"True Animagi are rare, and for one to continuously remain in their animal form for five years while also eating things with Mandrake leaves is highly improbable..."
"In the entire wizarding world, over a thousand years, only one person has done it... oh, I mean, two now."
Kyle glanced at Peter in the cage.
Black started laughing again.
Professor Lupin looked at Kyle and suddenly asked, "Did you know about Scabbers being Peter all along?"
Kyle turned his head, "Why do you say that?"
"Because I didn't see any surprise in your reaction," Professor Lupin said, "Whether it was me, Harry, Ron, or Hermione, we were all shocked to find out that Scabbers was Peter. But you were different, you seemed calm and unfazed."
As he said this, everyone's gaze shifted to Kyle.
Ron seemed about to say something but was stopped by Hermione.
"The reason I wasn't surprised," Kyle shrugged, "is that this isn't the first time something like this has happened to me."
"What?" Professor Lupin was taken aback, clearly not expecting Kyle to say that.
"Actually, something similar occurred when I was in my first year," Kyle continued, "Another student's pet was also an Animagus, and it was a rat as well."
Kyle smiled, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Fred and George, or any other students from the fourth year and above. They all know about it."
The group exchanged bewildered looks, their expressions priceless.
Harry and his friends had started a year after Kyle, so they naturally wouldn't know about this incident. As for Professor Lupin, he had only joined the school this year, and his knowledge of past events mostly came from the other professors, and they were mostly related to Harry.
He hadn't inquired further.
After hearing Kyle's explanation, Harry nodded in understanding... To be honest, if he saw another face growing at the back of someone's head, he wouldn't be surprised either.
Soon, the room fell into silence, except for Black's gradually hoarse laughter.
Harry felt awkward. He hesitated to look at Professor Lupin, wanting to ask something but unsure how to phrase it.
However, his expression was easy to read.
"You want to know about Lily and James?" Professor Lupin asked.
"Yes," Harry nodded, "I heard you say earlier that you used to be friends. Were they close friends of yours?"
"They were the best of friends, at least to me," Professor Lupin said.
"Can you tell me what happened then?" Harry asked eagerly, "And what did you mean by that secret-keeper thing?"
Professor Lupin hesitated for a moment before nodding...
"Alright, you have the right to know the truth, but I only know the beginning. Sirius will have to fill you in on the rest...
Let me think about where to start... I first met James and Lily when I was in school..."
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
