Chapter 373: Showdown (Edited)

Of course, there are also a series of additional rules.

For instance, the direct descendants of the four have the highest level of authority, and upon becoming teachers, they automatically lose the right to hide their names.

Lupin recalled that sunny afternoon when they had just finished the Marauder's Map.

"If any of us becomes a teacher someday, their authority should be reduced. I wouldn't like it if, in the future, a teacher goes out at night and the Marauder's Map can't show their location," James said, laughing with his friends.

"Yes, becoming a teacher is truly a betrayal. Just imagine if any of us becomes a professor: Professor Lupin, Professor Potter... and Professor Pettigrew. Although I don't think Hogwarts would allow you to be a professor, so let's not consider adding Peter to these clauses," Sirius laughed cheerfully and didn't forget to make a joke about Peter.

Peter looked uncomfortable, standing to the side, displaying an awkward smile. He was worried about being excluded from this addition to the rules.

"It's alright, let's add all those things..." James Potter comforted Peter, who had a disheartened expression but tried to put on a pleasant smile as he took out his wand and started modifying the map.

Lupin stood to the side, watching his friends chat and joke among themselves. He was accustomed to staying silent, being an observer. A thought crossed his mind: "If I could stay at Hogwarts, should I become a teacher?" But he quickly shook his head, dismissing that unrealistic thought. He was a werewolf, and having the opportunity to study here was already an act of grace from Headmaster Dumbledore. How could he take advantage of that? He wouldn't return to Hogwarts to teach until he considered himself "harmless."

"I've finished modifying it; come and take a look!" James worked hard for a while and finally adjusted the internal logic of the Marauder's Map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good..."

...

"Mischief managed!" Lupin tapped the Marauder's Map, returning it to its ordinary parchment form.

"Tell your story," he said to Sirius. After seeing Peter's name on the map, he knew that something more must have happened twelve years ago.

Sirius sighed and sat in Lupin's office chair, recounting what had happened back then.

"Peter betrayed James and revealed their location to Voldemort," Sirius tried to say it in a neutral tone that left Lupin horrified.

"But you were the Secret Keeper."

"I was replaced."

Lupin: ...

"When Harry was born, I was his godfather, but at that time, my situation wasn't good. Also, I don't know who was indiscreet, but almost everyone knew that James and Lily were protected by the Fidelius Charm. I was their Secret Keeper," Sirius said with an evident expression of anger. "Isn't that kind of information from a Secret Keeper supposed to be kept secret? But in the end, too many people who shouldn't have known found out... So, a year after becoming the Potter's Secret Keeper, I talked to them, and we finally decided to change the Secret Keeper to someone who seemed trustworthy, like Peter."

Sirius had an expression of despair. He was thinking that if he hadn't changed the Secret Keeper, the Potters wouldn't have died, right? He also felt guilty for the couple's death.

He felt guilty.

"Then, Peter betrayed the Potters and revealed their hiding place, allowing You-Know-Who to enter Harry's house and kill his parents, turning Harry into an orphan. Is that right?" Lupin completed the story for himself.

"That's right," Sirius slumped into the armchair and covered his face with his hands.

"Eat something first, then we'll discuss it slowly... Peter is inside Hogwarts; he can't escape," Lupin pushed the cream puff he was holding into Sirius's hand to calm him down.

At the same time, he decided it was time to find Professor Dumbledore.

Raising someone for a thousand days, using them for a moment. At this moment, it was the right time for old Dumbledore to make his entrance.

After parting ways with Sirius, Tom returned early to the castle. When he got back to the infirmary, he found that Harry was already awake, and Hermione was sitting by his bed, lost in thought.

Upon hearing the door sound, both of them turned their heads simultaneously.

Seeing Tom, Hermione brightened up and quickly stood up from the chair. Previously, Tom and Hermione hadn't really left; they had just concealed themselves with invisibility cloaks and waited in the hospital for Sirius to arrive. And the end result was that they had indeed waited.

For Hermione, today had been a day of a great deal of information. When she heard that the strange dog was actually Sirius, she was completely bewildered. She admitted that although the dog was surprisingly intelligent, she was still greatly shocked that it was the Sirius Black that the Ministry of Magic was so desperately pursuing.

Before she could react, Tom laid out the plan to capture Peter Pettigrew. Hermione was against this plan from the start.

"This is an extremely dangerous fugitive. We should go get Professor Dumbledore instead of recklessly charging in. It's too dangerous!"

Right from the beginning, she tried to persuade Tom, but it had little effect. In the end, she could only follow Tom's will, wrapping herself in the invisibility cloak and hiding in the shadows. But to her surprise, the capture operation was exceptionally successful, and Tom managed to control Sirius Black with barely any effort.

Hermione thought it was all over, but Tom flew away with Sirius. Hermione felt her blood pressure rising.

"I won't do it anymore! I won't do it again!" At that moment, watching the phoenix carry Sirius away, Hermione was so angry that she pounded the ground with her feet. But when Tom disappeared from her sight with Sirius, Hermione became worried: why did Tom do that? Could Sirius attack him? What if there are allies of Sirius where they land... what should she do?

Worried for a good while until Tom returned, Hermione finally snapped out of that mood. During this time, Hermione sat in a corner of the room, lost in thought, unaware that Harry had woken up.

The instant she saw Tom, Hermione couldn't contain her excitement and rushed toward him in three strides, almost hugging him, but she stopped herself when she remembered that there were other people present.

"Oh God... Merlin, thank you..." Hermione was somewhat incoherent, and without thinking, she uttered words of amazement like "Oh God." But she quickly realized that this wasn't a matter for God, so she changed her expression to "Merlin, thank you." "That's a wanted fugitive, don't do it again... at least take me with you next time."

Although initially incoherent, Hermione grasped the logic abruptly and gave Tom a stern warning.

"It's okay, it's okay, we'll talk about it in detail later," Tom glanced at Harry, who was nearby and all ears, and decided not to discuss it for now.