At 3:30 a. m.,
Just as the Batman Family left the Temporary Headquarters, three figures swiftly darted through the gate.
Hermione approached an Auror was hanging upside down on a table and pulled his wand from his belt.
"Black, catch!"
Sirius Black caught the wand and, without a word, immediately tried to swing it.
It's a bit awkward to use, but it's still usable.
"Let's go." Vincent turned and ran toward the gate.
We have one hour left to prepare, so we need to hurry.
Hermione gave chase, but as she ran out the door, she suddenly bumped into something.
"Ah--"
"Ouch—"
Fortunately, Sirius Black caught him, otherwise he would have definitely fallen hard without warning.
Vincent stood there, frowning.
Besides Hermione's scream, there was another voice just now. Could it be myself using the Time-Turner?
No, he couldn't possibly be that careless.
"The true form has been revealed!"
Behind the two beams of light were two figures with their backs to him.
One was standing, and the other was sitting.
"Harry? Ron?" Hermione recognized them immediately. "What are you doing here?"
"We..." Ron had just opened his mouth when Harry drew his wand and pointed it at Sirius Black.
"Hermione, what's going on here!" His eyes were filled with anger. "Why are you Vincent with Black?!"
"Harry ..." Sirius Black reached out his hand to him, his grey eyes full of tenderness and care.
"Don't move!" Harry's voice trembled.
With the murderer who killed his parents right in front of him, it's already quite remarkable that he was able to maintain his remaining rationality.
"Harry ...I..." Sirius Black tried to explain, but Harry recited the spell instead.
"Expelliarmus!"
The Red Oak wand was sent flying into the air, Sirius Black was also knocked back a few steps before crashing into a chair and falling down.
"Harry!" Hermione spread her arms to block him. "Calm down, things back then weren't what you think!"
Ron was hesitating whether to raise his wand when a pair of large hands reached out from behind him.
Vincent held down Harry's hand that was holding the wand.
Hermione quickly stepped forward, shifted her weight, and kicked Ron to the ground.
"Let me go!" Harry's eyes were bloodshot as he was pinned to the ground, unable to move.
"Let them go." Sirius Black sat up. "This is between us, and I hope you won't interfere."
Vincent and Hermione exchanged a glance and simultaneously released each other's hands.
After breaking free of his restraints, Harry immediately grabbed his wand and rushed toward Sirius Black.
Despite the wand forcefully poking his forehead, Sirius Black's eyes remained full of tenderness and care.
Harry loosened his grip, as if he had been touched.
But soon, the wand jabbed hard at Sirius Black's forehead again.
"Sigh..." Vincent sighed, "If you don't want Peter Pettigrew to get away, you'd better deal with it quickly."
He and Hermione walked out of the Temporary Headquarters post together.
Ron stood up again, somewhat worried, and eventually followed them out.
He could only find answers to his doubts from the two people outside.
"Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew!?"
Hermione nodded. "It wasn't just Vincent and me; Professor McGonagall and the others saw it with their own eyes too."
Ron stood there with his mouth agape, clearly unable to accept this fact.
Hermione waved her hand in front of him. "The Sneakoscope you gave Harry was actually good. The reason it issued the warning was because of Peter Pettigrew."
"This..." Ron looked at Vincent, "Is this true?"
"It's true, Uncle Arthur even notified the Ministry of Magic that night..."
After hearing the truth about what happened back then, Ron found it even more unacceptable.
If you think about it carefully, how could an ordinary mouse live for so many years?
The real culprit who killed his best friend's parents was hiding right next to him. He was too weak to kneel down and hysterically slammed his fist on the ground.
"I actually came looking for him in the middle of the night... and I didn't even notice... how could I not have noticed..."
Hermione looked on with a pang of pity, but Vincent shook his head at her.
Comforting words are useless; some things you can only overcome on your own.
Just like Harry emerged from the illusion created by the Resurrection Stone, Ron now needs to accept reality.
As for the eerie silence in the Temporary Headquarters...
Vincent glanced at his watch again.
It's 4 a. m., you can still set traps if you go there now.
"Damn it... damn it..." Ron's fists were bleeding from pounding the ground.
Harry then walked out of the Temporary Headquarters.
"I... Harry ...I..."
"It's alright, Ron." Harry helped him up apologetically. "This isn't your fault, you don't need to blame yourself."
Sirius Black approached Vincent. "Thank you, our matter is resolved. Let's set off immediately."
The apology on Harry's face vanished, leaving only a surge of unvented anger.
Whether it was the murder of his parents or the framing of his godfather, it was all related to Peter Pettigrew.
Such a shameless traitor must not be let off easily.
Vincent's hesitant gaze swept over Harry and Ron. "Are you sure you want to bring them along?"
Sirius Black nodded silently.
Time is running out; we probably only have time to get there quickly.
The group quickly ran out of the school.
According to the rules of the Time-Turner, the user must never allow their past self to discover them.
After taking a long detour, we finally arrived a few hundred meters outside the blast radius.
To the left is the Black Lake, and to the right is the path leading to Hogsmeade.
No matter where Peter Pettigrew runs off to, he will have to pass through here.
Just as the group found a good spot to ambush, a loud explosion was heard in the distance.
Harry's hand holding the wand trembled, and Sirius Black patted his shoulder gently. "Don't worry, Harry."
With so many of us, that damn bastard isn't going to get away.
On the other side, Ron gripped his wand tightly. "Harry, we can catch him, we can!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the light from the Shield Charm in the distance disappeared.
It's finally coming.
Sirius Black's eyes changed, and he focused intently on the darkness in front of him.
"Pat-pat-pat—" A very light, messy running sound came through the silent air.
Directly ahead, about 50 meters.
Vincent raised his Serpent Staff.
30 meters...
10 meters...
"Reveal your true form!" He and Sirius Black simultaneously chanted the incantation, dispelling the boundless darkness.
Peter Pettigrew was startled, and his face, which had returned to normal, was filled with horror.
"Impossible... How could you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Sirius Black rushed over and punched him in the face.
"You... you all..."
Without giving him time to think, Sirius Black angrily pounded his iron fists into him.
"You deserve to go to hell! What did that person promise you?! How dare you betray James Potter and Lily!"
Sirius Black knocked his wand away and, lifting his disheveled hair, turned him towards Harry.
"Speak up! Harry's right here! Speak up!"
Peter Pettigrew, his face covered in blood, struggled to open his eyes. "Run... run... Harry..."
Even at this point, they're still trying to sow discord.
Sirius Black grabbed his hair forcefully. "Harry already knows the truth! You have nowhere to run!"
Suddenly, the temperature dropped, and a bone-chilling cold enveloped everyone present.
Vincent looked up. "Those persistent bastards."
"Expecto Patronum!" He and Hermione chanted the spell simultaneously, summoning the Patronus, the lion and the peacock.
Sirius Black also summoned his Patronus dog.
However, facing the overwhelming army of Dementors, they alone were simply no match for them.
Just as they were about to be surrounded, the Patronus of wolves and cats Accio from afar.