The Unacceptable Truth

"Those two bastards, they've never mentioned the Marauder's Map to me," Ron said, looking annoyed. "I'm their own brother!"

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs ..." Aaron couldn't help but click his tongue. "The Magic World is truly full of talented people. They probably walked every inch of Hogwarts ' land to create this map."

If nothing unexpected happens, they should all be Gryffindor; only Gryffindor would be so bored as to make a map like this.

"Why do you care about this nonsense?" Ron looked at Aaron with displeasure. "This is clearly a brilliant idea. With this map, even Filch Snape can't catch us."

"Harry won't keep it; he'll give the map to Professor McGonagall."

Aaron couldn't help but chuckle. "Hermione, the Marauder's Map is a treasure in a way. If it were me, I would never hand it over."

Imagine if a conscientious professor could know the location of students anytime, anywhere...

"That's terrible," Ron said, still shaken. "Harry, you absolutely cannot hand over this map, not even if you have to destroy it. Just do it for...for Gryffindor."

Hermione hesitated, but ultimately remained silent.

She didn't want her position to be constantly exposed to the teacher's gaze; it was too awkward.

"I won't hand it over," Harry said. "Fred and George stole it from Filch's office, and if I hand it over, I'll have to explain where it came from."

Besides, if I hand over the map, my escape will definitely be exposed.

"What about those secret passages?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Sirius Black must have entered Hogwarts through those passages, otherwise the Dementor wouldn't have missed him."

"Hogwarts has seven secret passages. Filch knows four of them. Of the remaining three, one is collapsed, one has the Whomping Willow guards, and the other is... the one I just used." Harry's voice trailed off, because he didn't know if Sirius Black knew about this secret passage.

"No problem for now." Aaron pointed to a message on the bulletin board. "Dementor patrol the streets of Hogsmeade every day at sunset until Sirius Black is arrested."

Even if he knew about this secret passage, the Dementor wouldn't give him the chance. As for daytime... I don't think he'd have the guts to show up openly!

However, just to be on the safe side, it's best if you stay at school and don't go out unnecessarily.

Harry. He should be content to be able to come out once Christmas, after all, his permission form wasn't signed.

At that moment, several people appeared at the entrance of the Three Broomsticks (the bar): Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Hagrid, and Cornelius Fudge.

"Oh dear!" Aaron said, somewhat speechless. "Your luck is truly unbelievable."

Harry instinctively shuddered and quickly put on the Invisibility Cloak.

If the professors, vice-principal, forest ranger, and even the Minister for Magic at Hogwarts saw you here, being put in solitary confinement would be the least of your worries.

"Rosmerta, darling, I hope your business thrives," Fudge said to the landlady with the Three Broomsticks.

"If your Ministry of Magic didn't allow Dementor to search every other night, my business would be much better than it is now."

Fudge's face showed embarrassment. "We have a murderer on the run."

"Sirius Black Black come to Hogsmeade," Professor McGonagall said.

"But why did he come?"

"For Harry Potter," Fudge said in a low voice.

"Harry Potter?" Rosmerta's voice rose a few decibels, and Fudge and the others immediately made a shushing gesture before nervously entering the bar.

"Don't worry." Aaron grabbed Harry Potter's left hand. "Your Invisibility Cloak is definitely safe."

"Let me go, Aaron." Harry forcefully swung his arm, but his left hand was as if it were being squeezed by pliers and could not move.

"Sirius Black came here to kill me. I have to find out. This is a good opportunity."

Aaron was silent for a moment, then released him.

A row of footprints appeared in the snow, and the gate with the Three Broomsticks opened and closed automatically.

"You just put him in there like that?" Ron stared in astonishment as the row of footprints disappeared into the doorway of the Three Broomsticks.

"What can I do?" Aaron sighed helplessly. "Our ancestors once said that we must always face the truth, no matter how bloody it may be."

"What fact?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Hopefully he doesn't know too much, but I'm sure his mental fortitude can handle it." Aaron picked up Abei and sat on the bench in front of the Three Broomsticks. "Just wait, he'll come out."

"But what if he gets discovered?" Ron asked worriedly. "These are all big shots in here!"

"Don't worry," Aaron said dismissively. "If he gets caught, who knows who'll be the one in an awkward situation!"

"Aaron, what do you know?" Hermione asked. "What is the connection between Sirius Black Black and Harry Potter?"

Aaron remained silent. It didn't matter how much he knew; what mattered was how much Harry Potter would know.

Meanwhile, Harry followed Rosmerta and the others up to the bar floor.

The professors and the Minister for Magic ordered their respective favorite drinks and began to talk.

"Many years ago, when Harry Potter's parents found themselves being hunted, they went into hiding, remember?" Professor McGonagall said. "Nobody knew where they were, but Black knew, and he told the You-Know-Who."

"That night Black took the You-Know-Who to the Potter family and killed Peter Pettigrew Peter," Fudge added.

"That short, chubby boy?" Rosmerta asked in surprise. "I think I remember him."

"He always followed behind Black, and was inseparable from James and Black."

Peter wanted to warn Potter's parents, and he could have succeeded, but he ran into an old friend, Black.

"Black is ruthless and vicious. He didn't kill Peter; he destroyed him." Fudge held up his right little finger. "One finger. Peter only has one finger left."

"That's not the worst of it." Professor McGonagall sat down and said in a deep voice, "The worst of it is that Sirius Black Black, and still is, Harry Potter's godfather."

Harry Potter didn't know he had heard all this; he was still in a daze when he left the Three Broomsticks.

Hearing the door open and seeing two rows of footprints in the snow, Aaron and the other two did not disturb him but quietly followed behind.

Arriving at an open space, the three heard a sobbing sound coming from a rock. They looked at each other in disbelief, as it was the first time they had ever seen Harry Potter cry so bitterly.

"Harry," Aaron asked hesitantly, "How much do you know?"

"All of it." Harry removed his Invisibility Cloak and looked at Aaron seriously. "Did you know too?"

"I only know a little bit, or so Draco said."

"But I haven't dared to tell you even this little bit." Aaron shrugged helplessly. "I'm afraid you'll go and fight Black to the death."

"You should have told me," Harry said, his eyes red. "You shouldn't have stopped Malfoy. I have the right to know about this."

"Uh..." Aaron chuckled, "Actually, I did think about telling you, but you know how it is, many people choose to keep it from you."

"I don't think I've considered more than a few professors at the school, the Minister for Magic, or even Rubeus Hagrid."

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked, puzzled.

Harry paused for a moment, then told the three of them what he had heard that was enough to shatter the worldview of ordinary people: the cause and effect of his parents' death.

"So our family doesn't use any Fidelity Charm or have any Secret Keeper," Aaron said with a wry smile. "Gaius's greatest talent is probably making contracts. I used to think it was a tragedy, but now... I don't think so anymore. At least the two parties to a contract won't be betrayed by each other."

"Sirius Black was supposed to be my parents' best friend, but he betrayed them. What kind of friend is that?" Harry roared angrily. "I hope I can find him. I'm going to kill him."

"No, you can't do something so foolish," Hermione said hastily. "The Ministry of Magic will handle this, and the Dementor will definitely drag him to Azkaban."

You can't take that risk; it plays right into Black's hands, and your parents wouldn't want you to do it either.

"Don't talk about my parents," Harry shouted. "When I was attacked by the Dementor, I heard my father's voice. He told my the Mother to take me away, and then my the Mother begged Voldemort to spare me."

I had never spoken to them before, and the last time I heard their voices was when they screamed in agony before they died.

"If it were you, could you have tolerated it?"

"I can't stand it," Aaron said honestly, then changed the subject, "But I have to endure it even if I can't."

Not to spoil the mood, but if you were to go up against him, you'd be the one to die.

Sirius Black Black is a genius Warlock. Even though he was imprisoned in Azkaban for ten years, killing third-year Warlock like you would be incredibly easy for him.

"You... these third-year Warlock?" Ron stared blankly at Aaron. "I know you're stronger than us, but don't tell me you don't seem like a third-year student."

"No, that won't do." Aaron waved his hand. "What if Harry can't beat Sirius Black Black?"

Moreover, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. He knows that Harry is at Hogwarts and knows the location of the Gryffindor Common Room. As long as he can find an opportunity, he can kill Harry.

But Harry? He had no advantage whatsoever, and was even being given special attention by the Dementor.

"He has the Marauder's Map," Ron whispered a reminder.

"Okay, that's the only advantage."

But you have to keep an eye on that map all the time, otherwise you won't even know when Black sneaks out of Hogwarts.

"I know," Harry said firmly, gripping the Marauder's Map tightly. "I will familiarize myself with this map as soon as possible. As long as I can do that, even if Black gets into Hogwarts, he won't be able to catch me."

Also, I'll ask Professor Lupin to teach me the Patronus Charm. He wasn't feeling well before and couldn't teach me, but it should be fine after school starts.