The Prisoners of Hogwarts

Chapter 314 Different Reports

Chapter 314 Different Reports (4.8K) (2/2) (Seeking monthly votes at the end of the month)

A humble abode, the kitchen in the early morning.

With all the children having returned to Hogwarts or working elsewhere, the Burrow's kitchen was unusually quiet, save for the sounds of Mrs. Weasley bustling about.

Arthur Weasley sat at the table with steaming tea and buttered bread in front of him.

As usual, he picked up his teacup, took a sip, and unfolded the Daily Prophet, which had just been delivered by owl, ready to begin his day.

However, the moment his gaze fell on the front-page headline, he abruptly stopped swallowing, his expression instantly turning serious.

"Molly!" His voice tightened, almost immediately calling to his wife who was busy at the stove, "Come quickly and see this! Hogsmeade! Something terrible happened at Hogsmeade last night!"

Molly-Weasley turned around, spatula in hand, a puzzled look on her face. "Hogsmeade? Didn't the weekend just end? The students should all be back at school by now—" she said, wiping her hands on her apron as she hurried over.

Arthur shoved the newspaper in front of her, his finger trembling slightly as he pointed to the headline: "Look here! Sirius Black! He showed up in Hogsmeade last night! And—Merlin above—Lupin! The paper says he transformed in Hogsmeade last night!"

"What?!" Molly gasped, grabbing the newspaper and scanning the sensational headlines and vague accusations. "At Hogsmeade this weekend?! What is Black up to?!" Her heart clenched. Although she knew the children should be in the castle by now, the thought of them possibly being near such danger the day before sent a chill down her spine.

"That's not all;" Arthur's voice was filled with disbelief as he pointed to a deliberately downplayed passage in the middle of the newspaper, "Here—here it mentions Peter Pettigrew! It says—he's not dead! He's appeared! But the newspaper only says the situation is extremely complicated," and that the veracity of its claims is yet to be verified—what kind of report is this!" His brows furrowed tightly, deeply dissatisfied and confused by the vague and evasive article.

"Peter? He's not dead?" Molly's voice was filled with pure shock. "How is this possible? He's a hero who received the Order of Merlin—" She shook her head in confusion, finding it hard to accept the information.

The two continued eating their breakfast in silence, but their minds were clearly not on the food. The news, concerning the potential dangers to their children and so drastically different from their own understanding, made them extremely uneasy.

At that moment, Molly noticed that the crystal on top of the message board placed to the side was lit up. She suddenly remembered something, put down the bread in her hand, and said, "Doesn't the Stone Tower Merchant Guild's message board also have a news section? Let's refresh it and see if there are more detailed news." As she spoke, she reached out and picked up the smooth board placed on the corner of the dining table.

She pressed the refresh button below the message board.

The screen flickered, and a headline news item popped up instantly:

[The Traitor's Confession: Peter Pettigrew Admits to Betraying the Potters]

Below the title are two alarmingly clear images.

First image: A familiar, fat rat missing a toe leaps out of a boy's pocket—they recognize it as Harry's—its body unnaturally expanding and stretching in mid-air, in the process of transforming into human form.

The second image shows Peter Pettigrew, now fully transformed into human form, dressed in rags, with a twisted expression on his face that is a mixture of ruthlessness and ecstasy. He is gripping his wand tightly and pointing it at the emaciated and haggard Sirius Black, who lies motionless on the ground.

The report quoted Peter as saying: "—I knelt at the feet of the Dark Lord—I betrayed James and Lily—"

I blew up that street and cut off my fingers—"

The kitchen fell into a deathly silence; Arthur and Molly both held their breath.

They stared intently at the message board, then abruptly looked at each other, both seeing shock, absurdity, and a growing anger in each other's eyes.

"Spotted—" Molly's voice was dry and hoarse, filled with indescribable terror and a nauseating feeling of being utterly fooled. "That's—Ron's—Spotted? The one who ate our family's food for twelve years—slept next to the children's pillows—" She couldn't go on, her stomach churning.

Arthur picked up the Daily Prophet again, quickly glancing at the report that tried to focus on Black and the werewolves while remaining vague about Peter's key crimes. He then stared intently at the irrefutable images and directly quoted confessions on the bulletin board.

His face flushed with anger, and he slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups clink.

"The Daily Prophet was bribed by the Ministry of Magic—" Arthur's voice trembled with anger, but his tone was unusually certain. "The newsboard is telling the truth! These pictures—these words—they can't be faked! Peter! That despicable traitor! He deceived the entire wizarding world! He was right under our noses! He's been hiding in our house for twelve years!"

The thought that Peter had been hiding in his house for so long filled him with a belated, chilling fear. His Molly, his children—they had lived under the same roof for twelve years with such a despicable traitor, a murderer!

The Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet actually tried to cover this up!

A surge of immense anger and the pain of being deceived coursed through him, making him tremble.

"Twelve years!" Molly's voice suddenly rose, filled with barely suppressed anger and lingering fear. She covered her mouth with both hands, not because of sadness, but because of extreme anger and terror. "He's in our house! With our children! In a room with Ron! Merlin—if—if he suddenly—" She dared not think any further; immense fear gripped her heart, almost suffocating her.

She instinctively covered her chest, her body swaying slightly.

"I'm going to Hogwarts! Right now!" Molly ripped off her apron, her voice resolute, tinged with a barely perceptible sob. "I have to see the children with my own eyes! I have to make sure they're alright! Just thinking about that—that thing that was so close to them—" She didn't even want to call Peter's name anymore.

"I'm going too!" Arthur immediately stood up, his face full of the same worry and anger.

"No, Arthur!" Molly, though emotional, still retained a sliver of reason. She grabbed her husband's arm, her voice urgent and resolute. "You can't take leave! Look at this newspaper! Fudge and the others are trying to cover it up! Trying to gloss over it! The Ministry of Magic is going to be in chaos today. You need to be there!"

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "The children are at school now, with Dumbledore there, they're safe. I just—I just need to see them with my own eyes to feel at ease. I'll go check on them and come right back. You stay here, go to the ministry, and do what you're supposed to do!"

Looking into his wife's red-rimmed eyes, which held a mixture of fear, anger, and maternal resolve, Arthur knew she was right.

He nodded forcefully, suppressing the urge to rush to the school and the surging anger in his chest: "Fine. You go check on the children. I'll go to the ministry. This matter—it absolutely cannot be left like this!"

Without saying anything more, and ignoring the unfinished breakfast on the table.

Molly hastily grabbed a travel cloak; Arthur grabbed his briefcase and the crumpled copy of the Daily Prophet.

The two quickly embraced at the door, each feeling the other's body tremble slightly.

Molly immediately rushed to the backyard to Apparate, while Arthur strode toward the fireplace and grabbed a piece of Flypuff.

In the kitchen, only half-eaten breakfast remained, and on the message board screen on the table, Peter's two ugly pictures silently told the entire wizarding world about the terrible secret hidden for twelve years.

On Monday morning, the sky above the Great Hall dome of Hogwarts Castle was a gloomy gray, as usual.

Four long tables were laden with food, and students were enjoying their breakfast, their conversations and the clinking of cutlery mingling together.

Suddenly, flocks of owls surged into the auditorium like a gray tide, bringing with them the latest issue of the Daily Prophet.

The newspapers were quickly distributed and spread out, and then, like a boulder thrown into calm water, exclamations and discussions erupted at the long tables, one wave higher than the next.

"Merlin's beard! Check out the headlines!"

"Black! He's in Hogsmeade!"

"Professor Lupin?! He's a werewolf?! That's impossible!"

"The newspaper said he transformed on the night of the full moon! Right on the edge of the village!"

Panic and disbelief spread rapidly.

As expected, most students' attention was drawn to the newspaper's deliberately highlighted focus on the danger posed by the fugitive Black and the chilling fact that their seemingly gentle Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was actually a werewolf.

"I've always felt something was off about him, he always looked so tired—" a Hufflepuff girl whispered to her friend, her face showing lingering fear.

"Why would Dumbledore let a werewolf teach?" A Ravenclaw boy pushed up his glasses, his tone full of doubt.

"He was quite nice when he was teaching us—" A faint voice tried to defend him, but it was quickly drowned out by a louder cry of fear.

The atmosphere was particularly somber at the Gryffindor table.

Ron's face was deathly pale, and he gripped the newspaper tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white.

"Harry—" he said hoarsely to Hermione beside him, "The newspapers mentioned Harry! They said Black tried to get close to him!" His heart pounded, not just because of Black, but also because of a bad feeling. Harry hadn't returned to his dormitory since attending the Hogsmeade weekend last night!

Hermione pressed her lips together, reading the report quickly and carefully, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"This report is problematic," she said in a low voice, her voice filled with anger and confusion. "It spends a lot of time talking about how dangerous Black and Professor Lupin are, but about Peter Pettigrew—look here—it only uses a short, vague paragraph saying something about the situation being complicated, and its claims needing verification? That's not the point at all!"

She also noticed Harry's name: "Where's Harry? He didn't come back last night! Ron, when was the last time you saw him?"

"Around the same time as you, remember? He said he wanted to be alone for a while—" Ron said anxiously, "and then Professor McGonagall told us Harry had something to do and would be back late. But he didn't go back to his dormitory last night!"

The whispers of the other Gryffindors nearby drifted over: "Professor Lupin is a werewolf! How terrifying!"

"Has Black been hiding in Hogsmeade all along? What does he want to do to Harry?"

"I hope Harry isn't in trouble. He didn't seem to come for breakfast—"

Seamus Finnigan tried to share a rumor he'd heard from someone in Ravenclaw: "I heard that last night it wasn't just Black and the werewolf, there was someone else—" but Dean Thomas interrupted him: "The point is the werewolf! He's been living with us for so long! It's creepy!"

Neville turned pale with fright. He looked at the picture of the werewolf howling menacingly under the moonlight in the newspaper, and then at the large number of empty seats in the teachers' section. He could barely hold his spoon.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance, both seeing deep worry in each other's eyes.

They were temporarily unable to delve into the panic deliberately fueled by the newspapers; their entire focus at that moment was on the safety of their friends.

"We have to find Harry!" Hermione said decisively, putting down her barely touched breakfast.

"Yes, let's go ask Professor McGonagall!" Ron immediately stood up, his face still pale, but his eyes were firm.

Ignoring the surrounding discussions about werewolves, the two hurriedly left their seats and ran towards the hall entrance, their hearts filled with immense worry about their friend's whereabouts.

Behind them, fear and rumors about the werewolf professor spread like wildfire among the Hogwarts students, while the core of the truth was temporarily buried by that misleading report.

Ron and Hermione had just hurried out of the noisy Great Hall, heading to Professor McGonagall's office to inquire about Harry's whereabouts, when they ran into a group of people in the foyer.

Professor McGonagall walked at the front, her expression more solemn than ever before.

Behind her followed Mrs. Weasley, who looked anxious.

Hermione noticed that Mr. Filch, the caretaker, was also following behind, his face bearing a mixture of reluctance and excitement at having discovered a secret.

"Mom?!" Ron exclaimed in surprise, his steps halting abruptly. "What are you doing here?"

Seeing Ron appear unharmed before her, Molly Weasley seemed to be freed from a spell. She leaped past Professor McGonagall and practically pounced on him, pulling her son into a tight embrace that left Ron breathless.

"Ron! Oh, my Ron! You're alright! Thank goodness! You're alright!" Her voice choked with emotion, filled with lingering fear. She repeatedly stroked Ron's back and hair, as if to confirm his real existence. "Merlin, thank goodness! The thought—the thought—that thing was with you for so long—I just—I just went crazy!"

Ron was bewildered by his mother's overly intense reaction. He hugged his mother back in confusion and looked at Hermione blankly. Hermione was equally puzzled. Her gaze swept quickly over Mrs. Weasley, Professor McGonagall, and Mr. Filch behind them, keenly sensing that things were far more complicated than they had imagined.

"Mom? What's wrong? What's next to me?" Ron tried to pull away a little so he could see his mother's face. "We're worried about Harry! He's missing! The paper says Black—"

"Not Black! At least not entirely Black!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted him excitedly, grabbing his arms with both hands, tears welling up again. "It's Peter! Peter Pettigrew! That traitor! He—he's always—"

At this moment, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, her voice serious and tinged with barely perceptible weariness: "Mrs. Weasley, this is not the place to talk." She turned to Filch, who was listening intently to her, and said, "Mr. Filch, would you please go and find Percy Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Ginny Weasley, and bring them to the teachers' common room?"

immediately."

Filch muttered something, seemingly disappointed that he couldn't continue listening, but he still turned around, dragged his feet, and headed up the marble staircase toward the Gryffindor Tower.

"Please follow me," Professor McGonagall said to Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione, then turned and led them to the faculty common room on the first floor.

After entering the warm but somewhat quiet faculty common room, Professor McGonagall gestured for them to sit down and then closed the door.

Only a few of them remained in the room.

Ron's heart pounded. His mother's unusual behavior, Professor McGonagall's solemnity, and the special arrangement that had been made for him all gave him a sense of panic that something terrible was about to happen.

He looked at his mother anxiously again: "Mom, what happened? Peter? What does this have to do with Harry's disappearance?"

What does this have to do with me?

Ron had a vague feeling that his mother was referring to something terrifying.

Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath, trying to calm her agitated emotions, but her grip on Ron's arm remained tight.

Looking at her son's bewildered and uneasy face, she finally spoke the cruel truth in a trembling voice: "Ron, listen—Peter Pettigrew isn't dead. He—he's been hiding in our house all these years disguised as a mouse—Scabbers—."

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

The color drained from Ron's face at a visible speed. His mouth was agape, and his gray-blue eyes were wide open, filled with extreme shock and disbelief.

He was stunned, as if struck by lightning.

PS: There will be an extra chapter today for the top three monthly vote-getters: [Xingli], [Shiburudao], and [Lazy Mr. Chen].

Three big shots, and the mischievous number one on the leaderboard [This dumpling is huge].

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