Chapter 260: Coping

Exiting the hospital wing, Felix stood at the window of the castle corridor and saw from afar the young wizards returning from their holidays emerge from the bottom of the long ramp, even if he couldn't hear their voices, he could imagine their excited conversations from their body movements. "School starts tomorrow, I'd better ask Percy Weasley at the dinner, eleven or twelve years, it's hard not to make the association at that time ..." Felix thought to himself, "and Dumbledore's conversation with Lupin, although there is no way to know the specific details, but looking at the behaviour of the Headmaster afterward, you can judge one or two."

"I seem to have stepped on the key node of a drama, next, is it a mediocre ending, or a shocking reversal?"

"Felix-"

Professor McGonagall's voice came from the other side of the corridor, her footsteps hurried, the hem of her robe fluttering behind her.

"My Patronus failed to find you ..." she said quickly as she walked up to Felix, her chest heaving sharply, "Dumbledore has arranged a series of tasks, Hagrid and Snape arranged to pick up students from the station, Filius to modify school fence ward, and several secret passages need to be temporarily sealed up ... and he will personally meet with the chief of the centaur--"

Felix's heart fluttered, and he asked tentatively, "Did Headmaster Dumbledore mention anything about the rat?"

"Oh," Professor McGonagall gave him an odd look, "Dumbledore said there was a chance you might know and told me not to keep it from you. But it's best not to spread the word-"

"I'm going to make a trip to the hospital wing and the common room to see if Weasley's rat is still there, and oh my god, I couldn't believe it when Dumbledore told me that it's possible that it might be a Dark Wizard's Animagus."

"Is there anything I can do, Minerva?"

"There are two secret passageways in the castle that connect directly to Hogsmeade, and I need your help to block them ..."

A little later, in the staff common room next to the great hall, Felix met Dumbledore again, who is talking with Professor McGonagall a little closely, both of them had serious expressions on their faces.

"Percy Weasley told me that it was twelve years ..."

In addition to McGonagall, he also saw Lupin, who he had not seen for a long time. He had a tired look on his face and looked even more haggard.

Professor McGonagall is still reporting the task given by Dumbledore, "... Hagrid and Snape completed the task well, no accidents happened in between, Filius still needs some time. As for the seven secret passageways, four were sealed up very early, the other three secret passageways, whomping willow you let me ignore it, for now, the remaining two--" she looked at Felix.

Felix said, "The one-eyed witch statue on the third floor of the castle has been closed with a spell, and the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor collapsed."

After a short pause, he could not help but ask: "Dumbledore, I do not quite understand, are you worried that Black will come in through the secret passage? Why don't we use it to set up a trap?"

Dumbledore shook his head gently, "The risk is too great, they are directly connected to the interior of the castle, I left the whomping willow secret passage at the edge of the forbidden forest alone, maybe we can find Black's trail with it."

He looked at the three people present and said in a low voice, "I don't want too many people to know before things come to light. The three of you, one is too entangled with the past, one is my trusted deputy, and one may have found traces ..."

"I'll tell you: Sirius Black's betrayal of the Potters is doubtful, because the dwarf Peter, who is suspected to have been killed by him, may have been alive all along, even living in the Weasley household for twelve whole years as Ron Weasley's pet, that scabbers."

McGonagall exclaimed, "Oh my God! Is that true? Albus, you told me before that it is Dark Wizard ..."

Lupin looked at Felix, his face looked calm and composed, not showing any semblance of surprise, and it indeed just likes Dumbledore said - Felix Hap is rather a perceptive person, Is this how the most outstanding student of Slytherin in recent decades works?

Half a semester had passed, he had a certain understanding of this young and intimidating professor, the first time he knew Felix's performance when he was in school, he almost dropped his jaw.

It is much more exaggerated than what they did back then, including the duel that rocked the wizarding world, he heard a fuller version of it, and since then, he has kept a distance from Felix, and he feels that with a few more contacts, his identity might be recognized ...

Dumbledore replied softly: "I'm not sure, Minerva. The two most critical people, Black remains on the run, and the rat scabbers is nowhere to be seen, he may not ever return again ..."

Lupin interjected: "The likelihood of that is low, I know him if the rat is really Peter, he will watch from a place not far away, where he thinks it is safe, and will not reveal himself until things are going the way he expects."

Dumbledore nodded: "That's why I don't want to make the secret public, except for the lack of evidence, I actually expect Ron Weasley's pet to jump out on its own, which will save us a lot of time."

Professor McGonagall inquired uneasily, "Albus, should we tell Potter and his friends?"

"Better not." Dumbledore declined her offer, "Minerva, for every additional person who knows the secret, the risk of a leak will increase tenfold, not to mention that if Potter and the rest reveal it just a little, we may never see that rat ever again."

He paused, "And the worst possible scenario is that the rat will hurt them."

Felix suggested, "Perhaps part of the information can be revealed to Miss Granger, we can't always keep an eye on them, and with what I know about the three students, they are likely to start their own investigation." Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ ɴ0velFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Dumbledore showed a distressed expression: "This is indeed a problem, Felix, you know Miss Granger well enough, do you think she is up to the task?"

"I think there is no problem," Felix glanced at Lupin, "she is very good at finding the truth and keeping secrets."

At the end of this brief conversation, Lupin couldn't resist speaking up and asking Dumbledore, "Can we inform the Ministry of Magic to show mercy when they face Sirius ..."

"On what grounds?" Dumbledore asked rhetorically, his azure eyes glowing in the dimly lit room.

"All of the above is based on assumptions, our guesses regarding existing doubts, but Black always kept the Potter's secret, and you agree with that, Remus? I provided this crucial testimony to the Ministry of Magic back then, and according to the information I received, he had no defense in his private interrogation, thus I was completely disappointed in him ..."

"We have no evidence, based on a common rat's photo alone, the Ministry of Magic will hardly accept your testimony, and once they know your identity -" Dumbledore said, "your words will be greatly weakened. "

Lupin's expression darkened, if you want to testify, it is inevitable to tell everything back then, his werewolf identity is no exception, and the Ministry of Magic towards werewolves have what attitude, the entire wizarding world knows.

"Remus, we did the best we could."

The short meeting ended with both Professor McGonagall and Lupin left, "Felix--" Dumbledore called out to him from behind, and Felix looked at the Headmaster suspiciously.

"If you have caught Black - and I have no doubt of that - I want you to keep him under control and out of the hands of the others, especially Severus and the Ministry of Magic."

"The Ministry of Magic I understand, but Professor Snape --"

"The misunderstanding between them is too deep, and I fear that Severus will do something irrational." Dumbledore for the first time showed a weary look, "I have to think more, Felix."

"... I promise you, Headmaster."

Felix turned and left the faculty common room as the lively clamour in the great hall created a wave of noise, all chatting loudly in excitement as he saw Fred and George tapping their knives and forks against goblets and empty plates with a crisp sound.

...

The party ended in laughter, Felix returned to his office, reviewing the day's events in his mind, and found that the key to the whole thing, in fact, is Sirius Black and scabbers the rat, as long as you catch one, the dusty truth will be revealed to the world.

He shook his head, better to consider the new semester lesson plan, thinking room magic has undergone a radical change, allowing him to have a good idea.

"Try it in a seventh grade class on ancient runes, the world of thinking, it's just getting more and more amazing, and in the end what it will become, even I can't predict it."

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