Chapter 69

Sirius wanted to blast open the sewer cover, but I hurriedly stopped this crazy, futile act. The underground sewage pipes extended in all directions; trying to fish out the escaped rat from inside was like finding a needle in a haystack. Even with magic, without any tracking clues left on Peter, it was impossible to pull him out.

It was like the police always arriving after the fact; just as we were getting frustrated with the sewers, a person appeared, causing the onlookers to gasp again. I didn't pay attention to their reactions; that was the Ministry of Magic's job.

I squinted at the sewer drain that Peter had just disappeared into. There was something else that had disappeared with him, a trace of magic. Pressing Sirius's shoulder, I gave him a reassuring look to calm down. I didn't act.

Several Aurors approached us, watching us warily. Although this commotion didn't cause major casualties, too many Muggles saw it, violating the Statute of Secrecy. Without a more reasonable and convincing explanation, we might face prosecution.

"Hello, did you see it? You caused big trouble," a sharp man spoke, signaling to the Ministry staff questioning the onlookers under the pretense of journalist interviews. "Sirius, put down your wand, okay? For the sake of our partnership."

"Sorry, Bowen..." Given Peter's escape, Sirius's restraint surprised me.

"We were trying to capture a Death Eater suspect who used to be our friend. You know about the Potter incident, I believe..." I ignored the sympathy and regret in Bowen's eyes. "That friend betrayed them to the Dark Lord. I suspect he joined the Death Eaters long ago, and we confirmed it just now. These Muggles saw and heard everything; they can testify for us."

"Well..." Bowen didn't have time to say more. Sirius let out a cry of mixed hatred and joy. I turned to see a struggling rat, controlled by invisible forces, floating out of the sewer drain.

A red light accurately hit the ugly rat; this time, it was Sirius, maintaining his composure despite his anger. Holding the stunned rat, Sirius solemnly said to Bowen, "This rat is an illegal Animagus, Peter Pettigrew. He betrayed James to the Death Eaters. I request to personally escort him to the Ministry for trial."

Under the blue-white beam of the anti-Animagus spell, the unconscious Peter gradually returned to human form. Sirius rolled up Peter's left sleeve, and a gasp of shock surrounded us. The unmistakable Dark Mark, though somewhat faded, was clearly visible.

"The truth seems clear now. Let's head to the Ministry. Alright, Sirius, you can escort him."

"If needed, Severus and I are willing to testify." As the rat was subdued, Severus appeared quietly behind me, watching the situation develop.

Sirius glanced at Severus with a complex expression, awkwardly pulling a corner of his mouth, dryly saying, "Well, thanks, Snape."

Bowen and another Auror, along with Sirius, took Peter. Severus and I followed. Our group headed from the Ministry hall to the interrogation room on the tenth floor. On the way to the elevator, Bowen sighed, "I'm sorry about the Potters. James was my colleague. Hearing the news saddened me too. You know, the news has spread. Little Harry defeated the Dark Lord, the one whose name can't be spoken! People are celebrating. I just hope they remember James and Lily's sacrifice."

At this, the suppressed grief over Peter's capture surged, nearly suffocating me. Lily's smiling face seemed right before my eyes, along with her crisp, cheerful laughter.

...

"Those who can leave will have regrets, and those left behind will suffer. Lily, if you had to choose, which would you pick?"

"Well, I'd choose to leave. Regret is better than pain. But no matter what, it's best to be with my loved one. How romantic, living and dying together!"

...

The idle chat in fifth grade turned into a prophecy. Lily and James became the ones who left, leaving Severus and me to grieve her departure. And little Harry, who became an orphan overnight, like my fifteen-month-old Ivan...

"Sawyer... Sawyer?" Severus's soft call brought me back to reality. Only then did I realize the elevator had arrived, and everyone was waiting for me to enter.

"Sorry, I lost my composure." I lowered my head, trying to hide my distress. Severus embraced me as we entered the elevator, his hand squeezing my shoulder for support.

We handed Peter over to the Dementors guarding the tenth-floor interrogation room. During this period of black wizard rampage, prisoners were guarded and escorted by those horrible creatures. Awake, Peter would taste endless fear and despair. My sympathy had long been exhausted, only watching coldly as he screamed and trembled.

The Wizengamot judges arrived one by one, notified of the upcoming trial.

Sirius accused Peter of betraying the Potters, becoming a Death Eater spy within the Order of the Phoenix, and intentionally leaking the Potters' address as their Secret Keeper, leading to their murder.

The Ministry staff's testimonies from the Muggle witnesses matched ours. It only proved Peter's allegiance to the Dark side but not his specific crimes. In the end, the trial panel agreed to use Veritaserum. Under the potion's influence, Peter confessed his crimes of murdering Muggle wizards as a Death Eater.

A life sentence in Azkaban—that was his fate.

By the time we returned to the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, it was already evening. We met Dumbledore, who already knew about Peter. His usual gentle demeanor was absent.

"It seems clear now that Peter has been leaking information to the Death Eaters all along." Dumbledore's long, slender fingers rested on his knees, his glasses reflecting light, obscuring his eyes.

"That despicable..." Sirius clenched his fists. "He betrayed James so easily, and I foolishly thought he was our loyal friend!"

"Albus, I'm more concerned about Harry. James and Lily were killed by the Killing Curse. How did Harry survive? Why didn't the Dark Lord attack him but disappeared instead? What happened last night? Why is everyone saying Harry defeated the Dark Lord?" I was exhausted but couldn't relax, still worried about Harry.

"After killing James and Lily, Voldemort had no reason to spare little Harry. I believe he cast the Killing Curse on Harry." Dumbledore ignored our gasps and continued, "As things stand, Voldemort's curse left only a scar on Harry's forehead but rebounded onto himself, causing an explosion. I examined it. Harry has a powerful protective charm, an ancient magic left by Lily before she died. This magic's power comes from Lily's love for Harry. The deeper the love, the stronger the protection. This strong protection rebounded the curse, causing Voldemort great pain."

Sirius choked out a sob, "Lily..."

"Is he dead?" Severus coldly asked after a long silence.

"Voldemort disappeared. Unless his body was blown to pieces, leaving no remains, maybe he escaped severely wounded, but he will return." Dumbledore's undeniable tone made the atmosphere heavy.

"Where is Harry?" I asked hoarsely after a long silence.

Little Harry slept peacefully in his cradle. I watched his defenseless sleeping face. Harry had no idea he had become a little hero who defeated the dark lord, the savior of the wizarding world. What burdens will he bear because of this in the future? I lovingly kissed his forehead, the lightning-shaped scar marking him as the first person to survive the Killing Curse.

Lily, this is your treasure, the baby you protected with your life... Now it's up to Severus and me to protect him.

"Why? I'm Harry's godfather; I should raise him!" Sirius protested, waving his arms at Dumbledore.

"As I said, Lily's blood relation ensures her protective magic continues. It prevents dark wizards from getting near him. Petunia Evans is Lily's last relative; Harry needs to live with his aunt." Dumbledore patiently explained.

"But Albus, Petunia is in college, graduating next year, and planning further studies," I reminded Dumbledore of the situation he might not know. "Besides, she's a single woman, not convenient for raising a baby."

"Well, that's a problem..." Dumbledore closed his eyes, leaning back, looking very tired.

"Petunia... She doesn't know about Lily, right?" I paused. Knowing their sisterly bond, Petunia would be heartbroken losing her dear sister...

"I will personally tell her and explain Harry's situation," Dumbledore opened his eyes, his usual sharpness returning. "We'll find the best solution."

"Severus and I will go with you. Petunia is our friend." I worried about Petunia's reaction to the bad news.

"I also..." Sirius was eager to join, but Dumbledore raised a hand to stop him.

"It's settled. Minerva and I will visit Miss Evans. You should go home and rest. You don't look well. You've been running non-stop since last night. You've done enough. Leave the rest to me." His bright blue eyes looked at us, gentle but firm.

Only when reminded did I realize, after a night without sleep and chasing Peter, my body and mind were exhausted. Seeing the dark circles under Severus's eyes and his sallow complexion, I knew I was no better.

Thinking of the children at home, I didn't insist. After agreeing to meet next time to discuss Harry's custody, Severus and I stepped into the fireplace.

"Ivan, don't be afraid. Sisters and Tito will protect you!"

"Right, and our house is strong, with sturdy doors. Bad guys can't get in!"

The main room was dark, with a sliver of light from the hallway leading to the living room. Just out of the main room's fireplace, we heard childish voices and sobbing from the living room. Severus and I exchanged worried glances, quickly heading to the living room.

"What happened?" I walked ahead, seeing three children sitting on the living room carpet. Ivan was crying, and Roy and Joanna were holding toys to comfort him. Tito stood aside, visibly relieved to see us, then became flustered.

"Mama! Waaa..." The twins dropped their toys, their faces crumpling, and tears flowing. They clung to my arms tightly as if afraid I would disappear.

"So scary... Bad guys... The house was shaking... Why did you come back so late..." The twins' faces still had tear stains, their eyes red from crying. Their pitiful look made my heart ache.

"I'm sorry, darlings..." I knelt on the carpet, comforting the frightened girls. "Mom should have come back earlier. It's okay now. Shh..."

Seeing their sisters in my arms, little Ivan quieted down, wobbling over to hug my neck tightly.

"Roy, Joanna, come to Daddy. Let's go to your room." Severus picked up the sobbing girls, one in each arm, and headed upstairs.

The children were already tired from crying, quickly falling asleep together on the magically enlarged bed. After checking on them and casting a Silencing Charm, I collapsed beside Ivan, his little hand still clutching my hair.

"Tito?" Severus called softly. Tito appeared at the foot of the bed, its large eyes flashing with fear and confusion.

"Master Severus! Tito has been taking care of the little Misses and Mister, preparing their favorite food and toys, but Tito couldn't stop them from crying... Tito is useless! Tito is not a good elf..." It began pulling its pointy ears.

Severus interrupted Tito's rambling, "You did very well. Now, tell me what happened after we left."

"This morning, the little masters woke up and couldn't find Master Severus and Miss Sawyer. They were very unhappy. Tito prepared their favorite sweets, but..."

"Why are there cracks on the main room walls? The windows are broken, and there are fighting marks on the street outside, a broken street lamp. What happened during the day?" Severus frowned impatiently, his face tired.

"A man tried to break into the house, but the defenses stopped him, so he seemed to want to blow up the whole house! Tito would never let him destroy the home Tito protects! Tito strengthened the defenses, and the man couldn't get in. Later, another man came. They fought, and finally, they took the man away. They made terrible noises, scaring the little masters! They cried all the time..."

Severus's frown deepened, his face dark. Tito, frightened, fell silent. I gently freed my hair from the sleeping Ivan's grasp, sitting behind Severus to massage his shoulders. I sent Tito down to prepare us some food, my stomach feeling queasy after a whole day without eating.

After a few massages, Severus suddenly turned and hugged me, burying his head in my chest. This slightly vulnerable gesture made me pause, then I embraced him, my fingers gently combing through his hair.

Last night, when I wept over Lily's cold body, Severus only offered his chest to lean on, losing his composure briefly when confronting Sirius. Severus's grief over Lily's death was no less than mine, suppressing it must be exhausting.

"The children are asleep," I whispered in Severus's ear, a random comment. Severus didn't move. After a long time, I felt warm liquid seeping through my collar, slowly spreading to my heart.

Tito, bringing food, left silently at my signal, making no unnecessary noise. We stayed embracing each other until deep into the night.

Lily and James's funeral was arranged for the following Sunday, a week later. We learned this from the next day's Daily Prophet.

The front page featured a photo of the ruined Potter house in Godric's Hollow. The headline read "Savior of the Wizarding World," followed by exaggerated words. Below, an obituary announced the funeral details.

"I suppose this was arranged by Dumbledore." I finished reading the front page and continued eating my cereal. Severus took the newspaper, flipping through the contents.

"Huh?" Severus read aloud a piece of news, "Dark wizard Antonin Dolohov captured. Yesterday, another Death Eater was caught. The excellent Auror Alastor Moody single-handedly subdued the fallen dark wizard Dolohov. Dolohov publicly used magic in the Muggle district of Spinner's End, attacking a Muggle vagabond, causing his death. Previously, Dolohov was involved in several cases of harming Muggle wizards, and his crimes were confirmed during yesterday afternoon's trial, sentencing him to life imprisonment in Azkaban."

"So that's what happened. That's what occurred outside our house yesterday. The unfortunate vagabond was probably just a random target."

I realized that Dolohov attacked us on Voldemort's orders. Even if he had broken through the house's protective spells, he couldn't find the children due to the Fidelius Charm. But did he know that Voldemort had already fallen? The Death Eaters would scatter without their powerful leader. If caught and convicted, they were destined for Azkaban, with no escape from the Dementors' company.

Just as I was thinking this, a flash of red light appeared, and the phoenix Fawkes left a small piece of parchment with elegant script confirming my previous suspicions.

"Albus says the funeral is arranged. He has moved and protected their bodies, so we need not worry." I paused, "We will discuss Harry's custody tomorrow afternoon at headquarters. It seems Albus has already visited Petunia. Maybe we should meet with Petunia before tomorrow?"

It had been a while since we last saw Petunia. Meeting again was for Harry's custody and Lily's funeral... I had a feeling this meeting might not be pleasant.