Peter Pettigrew's Aftermath

Peter Pettigrew's Aftermath

What was that supposed to mean?

Redeem, despairing, soul—he knew every single word, but put together, they made him feel like an illiterate.

Loren's confusion went unanswered. After giving a few instructions, Dumbledore exchanged pleasantries with Nicolas before taking Loren away.

"Headmaster, I have some questions."

The two of them were once again walking along the damp streets. Loren simply followed beside Dumbledore in a daze, his thoughts a complete mess.

"Answering a student's questions is every teacher's duty, isn't it?" Dumbledore sounded as though he were out on a stroll, enjoying the weather and surroundings, his tone cheerful.

"Why did Mr. Nicolas Flamel dream that the Dark Lord told him to give the book to me?"

"Loren, there are many things in the magical world that are difficult to explain. Prophecies are one of them. Most prophecies are extremely obscure and vague in what they point to, but there are exceptions."

"You mean Mr. Flamel actually made a prophecy?" Loren asked doubtfully.

"To be precise, he passively made a prophecy. Nicolas possesses a talent for divination, but prophecies have always been difficult to control."

"You will study courses related to prophecy in the future as well. Professor Trelawney, who teaches Divination Class, is an excellent seer."

Loren ignored that last remark and continued asking, "Why was he clearly helping me, yet also seemed to be deliberately distancing himself from me?"

Dumbledore patted Loren's head. "This isn't your fault, Loren. Those involved in a prophecy should stay away from it, or ignore its contents. Otherwise, it may bring unimaginable consequences."

Dumbledore recalled certain events from the past. Sometimes, the prophecy itself ended up bringing about the outcome it foretold.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Headmaster Dumbledore." Loren was still completely lost.

There were gradually more puddles ahead. Dumbledore took Loren's hand. "Study peacefully, do your homework. Something like that."

Loren looked like he was saying, Don't think you can fool me just because I'm a child. He bared his teeth at Dumbledore. "Aww~"

Then he asked, "What does it mean, redeeming a despairing soul?"

Dumbledore was very patient, never speaking too quickly or too slowly. "Loren, you must understand that being old does not mean knowing everything. But when the time comes, I can offer you some advice."

"You could just say you don't know either." Loren changed the subject. "Has there been any progress on Peter Pettigrew's case?"

Dumbledore did not hide anything and began explaining the case's progress.

Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, had originally concluded that Sirius Black was the criminal. As for Peter hiding in the Weasley family home, that was a separate case.

But with the help of an old friend Dumbledore mentioned, Moody, Peter admitted that he had joined the Dark Lord ten years ago, blown up the street, and taken the opportunity to fake his death.

In truth, the matter was far more complicated than Dumbledore described. Peter had initially insisted that he had been hiding in Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's home to escape pursuit by the Death Eaters. He believed the Dark Lord's remaining followers were still active and wanted him dead.

Moody saw through Peter's guilt and inconsistencies, interrogating him alone for an entire afternoon in an empty room deep within the Ministry of Magic.

According to the Aurors on duty, Peter had loudly argued in his defense when he first went in, but his arguments soon turned into wails. Less than five minutes later, Peter began begging for mercy. Yet they did not hear Moody ask a single question; there was only wailing from the room, continuing for several hours.

Finally, when a newly recruited Auror went in to call Moody to dinner, Peter was sobbing and sniffling as he begged for that madman to stay away from him, then quickly spilled everything that had happened back then.

Moody handed the remaining matters over to others. As he left the room, he muttered, "Thought he had some backbone. Pah, cowardly scum."

Strangely, Peter did not have a single injury afterward, and the Ministry detected no magic used by Moody. The Pensieve showed that Moody had used several Lumos spells a day earlier.

The Aurors then interrogated the other party involved in the old case: Sirius Black.

Sirius had originally been extremely uncooperative, not saying a word throughout the entire process. His eyes were hollow, like those of a dead man.

Some Aurors even thought the Dementors had sucked him stupid. But after learning that Peter had been captured, Sirius was instantly revived, as if he had been reborn. He quickly explained the case, and his testimony largely matched Peter's.

Fudge was convinced that this was a miscarriage of justice left behind by the previous Minister. Finding the real culprit and clearing Sirius's name would help raise his own standing, and perhaps the Black family would donate a large sum of Galleons to the Ministry.

Dumbledore did not tell Loren any of that. He merely sighed. "Things were too chaotic for a period after the war. I overlooked some things regarding Sirius." There was guilt in his voice.

At the time, he had been busy handling all sorts of matters: comforting the families of victims, punishing Death Eaters, negotiating with certain pure-blood families to have them contribute funds to compensate the victims, and rebuilding after the war.

Sirius being imprisoned unjustly was also largely his own doing. He had laughed like a maniac at the crime scene and offered no defense after being arrested, so he had been sent straight to prison.

"The final outcome is that there will be a public trial next Wednesday to announce Peter's punishment. Sirius should regain his freedom then."

Loren thought the outcome was pretty good. Harry should be very happy—though Ron's chestnut wand was probably gone for good.

As they talked, Dumbledore eventually led Loren to the front of a candy shop.

At first, Loren thought it might be some secret Ministry of Magic contact point. Just as he was preparing to see what sort of ritual Dumbledore would use to enter a secret base—

Dumbledore skillfully pulled out Pound Sterling and handed it to the clerk. "The usual. Pack a little of everything, and add more Hazelnut chocolate."

The clerk chatted with Dumbledore while packing the sweets, clearly very familiar with him.

Loren's jaw nearly dropped. So after bringing him all this way, Dumbledore had come to buy candy!

He was over a hundred years old. Did he really have to be this childish?

Dumbledore took the bag of sweets and noticed Loren's stunned open mouth. He picked up a mint and placed it in Loren's mouth. "Muggle sweets have a flavor all their own. I love the Hazelnut chocolate here most of all."

A cool, refreshing fragrance spread over his tongue, immediately making his mouth water furiously. Loren quickly shut his mouth and savored the candy's sweet freshness.

In the end, the two arrived in an empty alley. Dumbledore held the bag of sweets in one hand and Loren's hand in the other, then recited a spell Loren had never heard before. In an instant, they returned to Hogwarts Castle, to the Headmaster's office.

Inside the office, Loren saw a bird with fiery red feathers—Fawkes the Phoenix.

Although it had one dazzling golden tail feather, it still looked rather ugly overall, Loren thought to himself.

Fawkes, perched on Dumbledore's desk, suddenly screeched at Loren, "Chirp!" It sounded unlike any bird Loren knew, yet somehow he could tell it was cursing him.

"Goodbye, Headmaster!" Loren hurriedly made his escape. If he did not leave now, he was going to get beaten up by a bird.

Dumbledore watched Loren run out, then smilingly picked up a piece of candy and fed it to Fawkes. "All right, he's still only a child."

He smoothed the Phoenix's feathers with one hand and wiped the powdered sugar from his fingers.

This time, Fawkes screeched at Dumbledore too.