Chapter 113: Convincing Hermione

"You guessed right, Hermione!" said Ivan suddenly. "The dog was Sirius Black, just as you thought, he's an Animagus."

"What did you say?!" Hermione didn't answer, as if she was still digesting the news.

She looked up and saw that Ivan was looking at her seriously, not looking the least bit like he was joking.

Ivan repeated, "I said the big black dog was Sirius Black!"

"Oh my god, I knew it, unbelievable, Black was right in front of us!" Hermione's eyes widened and she said in surprise. "Ivan, we should tell Professor McGonagall right away, she's at the three broomsticks."

"No, we can't tell Professor McGonagall." Ivan shook his head. "Black is innocent. I believe him."

"I can't believe it!" Hermione screamed and recoiled. She looked at Ivan in horror. "Black supports Voldemort, he killed thirteen people, he's fled Azkaban and now he's going to Hogwarts to kill Harry, and you really believe him?"

"Hermione, let me explain!" Ivan said hurriedly. "Black just told me upstairs, he was smeared. That year, he didn't kill..."

"If he was defamed, why didn't he tell the others? so many of them could have helped him!" Hermione didn't seem to understand Ivan, she exclaimed, "Look what he did, he escaped from Azkaban, and on Halloween, he also broke into Hogwarts castle and tried to get into the Gryffindor common room to find Harry. What innocent person would do those things?!"

"Black was looking for Pettigrew. He's Ron's rat. He's an Animagus. It was all his doing."

"You're mad, Ivan, how can Scabbers be an Animagus?" Hermione's voice trembled almost uncontrollably, "It must be Black..."

Hermione's voice was getting louder and louder, and two Hufflepuff girls were drawn to it, they were Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones, they looked curiously at Ivan and Hermione who were still standing in the doorway of the Owl Post Office.

Ivan had a headache and was worried about his future plans. Some things should not be overheard by strangers.

In particular, they should not be known to Abbott and Bones. Knowing them, Ivan was sure that whatever they learned, every student in the school would know tomorrow, and he didn't want them to hear what he and Hermione were talking about.

"Keep your voice down, Hermione!" Ivan whispered.

However, this was useless. Hermione was still talking excitedly about Sirius Black, while Hannah and Susan were getting closer and closer.

Wait, when men and women fight and argue, what do men do?

Without even thinking about it, Ivan subconsciously held Hermione's little hands and pulled her a little forcefully into his arms, pressing her head against his chest.

Hermione suddenly stopped talking; her body tensed in Ivan's arms, her face turned red from top to bottom, and her mind plunged into chaos.

"OH MY GOD!" Hannah and Susan shrieked in unison, looking at each other and seeing a hint of suppressed excitement in their eyes, 'Ivan and Hermione.... This is great news!'

They hurried around the corner, as if they didn't see Ivan and Hermione, walking quickly to the far corner, they couldn't wait to share the news.

Watching the two of them leave, Ivan sighed in relief.

He could feel Hermione trembling in his arms, like a warm and soft kitten.

Feeling her special scent, Ivan could feel his heart beating.

In fact, they both stopped moving and stayed in that position holding their breath.

A few seconds later, Crookshanks, who was in Hermione's arms, suddenly began to struggle, as he was almost suffocated by the two of them.

Hermione began to realize what was happening and hurriedly pushed Ivan away, gasping and blushing furiously.

"Hermione?!" Ivan opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

"I'm trying to convince myself to trust you, Ivan!" Hermione tried not to think about what had just happened, the thoughts in her head were in chaos.

"Trust me, Hermione!" Ivan looked at her seriously. Following protocol, should he confess his love to her?

But before he could speak, he heard Hermione say, "I believe you, but I still can't figure out how Scabbers can be an Animagus, he's obviously been living in Ron's house for a long time."

"To be exact, it's been 12 years! Have you ever seen a rat living that long?" Ivan stopped talking for a second as his mind went back to the main topic. He had to keep saying, "Remember, during the summer vacations, in the magic store, what did the saleswoman say? A common rat like Scabbers shouldn't live more than three years."

"But..." Hermione hesitated.

"You know Peter Pettigrew?" asked Ivan suddenly.

"Yes, I checked the data for that year," Hermione was pale as she tried to remember, "He was the wizard who had been killed by Black, and the Ministry of Magic awarded him the Order of Merlin First Class, it's said that all people found of him was his toe."

Ivan nodded, "That's just it, you know, Scabbers' front paws are missing a toe!"

"It might be a coincidence. It could be that he lost it in a fight with other rats or something...", As Hermione spoke, her voice lowered. The more they talked, the more suspicious she became, and the closer she got she could see that Scabbers was no ordinary rat.

Since the big black dog they just saw was actually Sirius Black, why couldn't the Rat be Pettigrew?

Ivan said at that moment, "Black told me he was chasing Peter..."

"Wait a minute, Ivan!" Hermione said quickly. "Why would Black be chasing Peter twelve years ago? It doesn't make sense. Since Voldemort had failed at that time, he should have..."

"Black wasn't on Voldemort's side, he never was!" explained Ivan. "It was Pettigrew who went with Voldemort, it was he who gave up the location of Harry's parents. Black wanted to avenge them, so he went after Peter..."

Hermione said nothing, it seemed she was still trying to digest this shocking fact.

Ivan continued, "Black chased Peter, and Peter was screaming that it was Black who had betrayed Harry's parents. Before Sirius managed to attack him, Pettigrew attacked the entire street with a spell, killing everyone within twenty feet of him. He then fled into the sewer where other rats were, and Black was the one who had been captured by the arriving Aurors."

Hermione asked, "If Black hadn't betrayed Harry's parents, why didn't he explain it to the others?"

"Because the Ministry didn't give him a chance to explain, he was sent to Azkaban without trial, and Black felt he had killed Harry's parents. After killing Peter, he wanted to go there to atone for his sins," Ivan said. "Harry's parents had chosen to use the Fidelius Charm to protect themselves, they were going to make Black their Secret Keeper, but at the last moment, Black suggested they do it with Peter, what happened next, you know everything, that's the main reason why everyone thinks Black is guilty."

"So, Black is really innocent?" Hermione said uncertainly.

"Yes, Sirius Black was Harry's father's best friend before his death, he was Harry's godfather He can't hurt Harry!" Ivan looked at Hermione. "I know what I said must sound very unbelievable, but it's the truth, will you believe me, Hermione?"

Hermione looked at Ivan and didn't answer immediately.

"Hermione?!" Ivan looked at Hermione in surprise, Hermione's maroon eyes were unusually bright.

"Don't ask me that question again, Ivan!" Hermione's voice was as strong as steel. "I'm going to answer you; I'll always believe you, forever!"

Crookshanks, who had been in Hermione's arms, meowed in boredom. The two of them stood there talking for so long that it made him impatient.

In his opinion, Sirius Black was innocent, and he couldn't understand why it took Ivan so long to convince Hermione.

Besides, what about the confession? where did that go?

Crookshanks waited so long, but didn't get to see the show. Ivan, your confidence, where did it go?