Black: You Haven't Had That Rat Neutered Yet, Have You? Peter: You Monster! (Continued)

Could he not be despondent?

Peter Pettigrew knew better than anyone that Sirius Black had been wronged.

And now, Sirius Black had escaped from prison.

For someone as cowardly as him, it would have been strange if he had not been afraid.

"I happen to know a thing or two about Fantastic Beasts. If you do not mind, I can take a look at him for you."

Ron's eyes immediately lit up when he heard that.

Right! Even the Zoo that dealt in Fantastic Beasts had Black owning half the shares.

Of course he knew a lot about Fantastic Beasts!

Though, strictly speaking, his rat Scabbers did not exactly count as a Fantastic Beast...

Still, Fantastic Beasts and ordinary animals had some things in common.

Ron immediately set the Spicy Gluten on the table.

Then he reached into his pocket, intending to pull out Scabbers, who was supposedly "at death's door" inside it.

But to Ron's surprise—

Scabbers, who had been weak and sickly just moments ago, was now clinging desperately to the depths of his pocket, refusing to come out no matter what!

"Scabbers! Be good, he's just going to treat you."

"Oh... that's strange. I thought he was about to die earlier. Why is he suddenly so strong?"

Ron found it utterly bizarre.

There was no cat in the compartment, so why would Scabbers refuse to come out?

Black watched the trembling rat in Ron's pocket with a meaningful look.

Refusing to come out?

"Scabbers, come here!"

Whoosh!

Squeak, squeak, squeak!

A plump rat, its fur badly thinned all over its body,

flailled its paws helplessly in midair as it flew toward Black...

Black noticed that one of Scabbers's front paws was clenched tightly shut.

He knew it was hiding the front paw missing one toe.

Clearly, Peter