Chapter 434: An Awkward Sirius

With their plan set, the group made their way back through the tunnel, preparing to head to Hogwarts under cover of night. Harry pulled out his Invisibility Cloak, ready to drape it over Black when they reached the castle. It was already curfew, and though students were unlikely to be wandering the corridors, caution was necessary until Black's innocence could be proven. After all, Filch was still lurking around the castle.

Their journey back was much more relaxed than the tense, frantic trip they'd made earlier. Professor Lupin led the way, followed by Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who kept glancing over his shoulder, grinning whenever he looked at Black, who carried the cage with Peter securely in his arms. Kyle brought up the rear, making sure there was no chance of Peter breaking free, though he considered the possibility laughably slim. If a rat could escape so easily from one of his cages, he would have felt obliged to return his Order of Merlin, Second Class, in embarrassment.

As they walked, Black, looking down at Harry, spoke quietly, "Once we get Pettigrew to Dumbledore, do you know what that means?"

"You're free," Harry said, a smile growing on his face.

"Yes…" Black murmured, his voice a little choked. "But there's more. I… I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but… I'm your godfather."

"Oh, I know," Harry replied. He'd overheard Fudge mention it at The Three Broomsticks, though back then it had felt more unsettling than anything else. Now, though, hearing it directly from Black filled him with a strange happiness. For the first time, it felt like there was a world for him beyond the Dursleys.

"It's true… your parents named me as your guardian," Black continued, sounding uncertain. "You can think about it, of course, but… if I'm cleared of the charges, and if you want a different home…"

Harry's heart pounded as if he'd received another Hogwarts acceptance letter. "You mean… live with you?" he asked eagerly. So eager, in fact, that he accidentally hit his head on a low-hanging stone in the tunnel.

"Of course," Black replied quickly, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "But if you'd rather stay with your aunt and uncle, I understand. I just thought—"

"Are you kidding?" Harry's face was alight with joy. "Of course I'd like to leave the Dursleys! Do you have a house? When can I move in?"

"You would?" Black asked, his voice filled with wonder. "Really?"

"Yes, I really do!" Harry said, grinning from ear to ear.

Kyle noticed that Black's worn face had softened, breaking into a genuine smile that took years off his appearance. For the first time in ages, he looked younger, freer.

They soon reached the end of the tunnel. Professor Lupin climbed up first and pressed a knot on the Whomping Willow's trunk, activating the switch that caused the tree to fall still, its violent branches frozen.

One by one, they emerged from the tunnel. Black took a moment to stand under the moonlight, his arms stretched out, taking in the night air with a deep, contented breath.

"Come on, let's go. There'll be plenty of time for that later…" Harry urged, eager to reach Dumbledore.

They walked briskly across the castle grounds, their path illuminated by the castle lights that were beginning to come on. But as they moved forward, Professor Lupin, leading the group, suddenly stopped in his tracks. Harry and Ron, caught off guard, bumped into him from behind.

"What's wrong, Professor Lupin...?" Harry began, but his question was cut short as he felt himself being yanked backward—along with Ron.

It was only then that they noticed Professor Lupin's entire body trembling uncontrollably.

"Oh no… it's a full moon!" Hermione shrieked, a look of horror on her face. "I forgot to tell you—Professor Lupin is a werewolf!"

"W-what?" Ron stammered, his face pale as a shiver ran down his spine. There was no need for further confirmation; even as he watched, Lupin's head began to elongate, and brown fur sprouted across his exposed arms.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Ron managed to say, his teeth chattering.

"Run!" Black hissed urgently. "Run, all of you—run!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron turned and sprinted down the tunnel. But Black, glancing back, was horrified to see Kyle still standing calmly in place, rummaging through his suitcase, half his body leaning into it.

"You…" Black began, incredulous.

Kyle simply waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine, it's fine. Maybe Harry didn't tell you, but I earned my Order of Merlin, Second Class, for defeating a werewolf."

Lupin was still transforming, his body contorting and shifting, giving Kyle a few moments to search through his suitcase. He muttered to himself as he looked through various items.

"Norbert… no, too loud, and Lupin wouldn't be able to handle it… Mandrake Root… effective, but with Harry and the others around, it's risky… Chomping Cabbage… no, not suitable either."

Finally, Kyle found what he was looking for—a large bundle of Devil's Snares. He had just pulled them out when Lupin completed his transformation into a full werewolf, rearing back on his hind legs, jaws snapping open in a fearsome growl.

Suddenly, a large black dog leapt past Kyle, grabbing the werewolf by the neck and attempting to drag it backward. The two animals snarled and snapped at each other, claws slashing and jaws tearing.

Kyle snapped out of his trance and quickly drew his wand, aiming it at the tangled figures. "Accio!"

The Devil's Snare vines shot toward the werewolf and the dog, thick tendrils wrapping around them both, binding them in an instant like insects caught in a spider's web. Within moments, the werewolf and the dog were thoroughly immobilized.

For a moment, an awkward silence settled over the scene.

Sirius, still in dog form, gave a sheepish look as he realized he was caught in the vines, too.

"This is Devil's Snare. You should be able to break free," Kyle said, glancing at the dog.

The black dog nodded and relaxed, slipping out of the vines with little effort. The werewolf, however, continued to struggle, causing the vines to tighten around it more and more.

"Where did you get this… thing?" Black, now transformed back into his human form, looked at the massive Devil's Snare in disbelief. "Your suitcase isn't that big."

"Well… it's a bit bigger on the inside," Kyle replied, holding up his pinky with a playful grin.

Black looked at the Devil's Snare, now as large as a house, then at Kyle's small gesture, and shook his head, speechless.

Kyle, however, was already thinking ahead. Looking at the immobilized werewolf, he considered his options. Why not try the Mandrake? The werewolf would likely just fall unconscious from the cry—similar to what had happened with the Acromantula earlier. Even if the werewolf proved more resistant, he had over ten Mandrakes in his suitcase. If one didn't work, he could try two, then three… until he found the right dose to knock out the werewolf.

Dealing with a sleeping werewolf would be simple—he'd just need a Levitation Charm to get it to Dumbledore's office.

As Kyle set about conjuring several thick pairs of earmuffs to hand to Harry and the others, he suddenly noticed the air growing colder. The moonlight seemed to dim ominously.

Looking up sharply, Kyle saw a "black cloud" spreading along the shore of the lake, advancing rapidly toward them.