As someone who knew the truth, Klein had to admire Peter Pettigrew's cunning.
With one faked death, he had not only cleared himself of suspicion but also successfully made Sirius take the fall. Even Remus Lupin, who had trusted Sirius so much, believed Sirius was the traitor.
That Fat Rat had fooled almost everyone!
After hearing Sirius's confession, Dumbledore neither grew angry nor sneered.
He studied Sirius's filthy, greasy face, as if searching for something in his expression.
Unfortunately, he found nothing.
"You're not the traitor?"
The old man asked in return.
"I'm not."
Sirius forced an ugly smile and puffed out his gaunt chest.
"Yes. Believe it or not, I was never the traitor. I didn't betray the Potter couple, and I never joined the Dark Lord. I didn't kill those Muggles or Peter, either."
He smiled bitterly.
"I'm just a poor fool who was thrown in prison without knowing what was going on."
It was shame that had made Sirius willing to waste away in Azkaban Prison.
He had not betrayed his friends, but he had still let them down—it was he who had suggested that the Potter couple choose Peter as their Secret Keeper, and that had led to everything that followed.
"Hmm."
Dumbledore pondered for a few seconds.
He realized that he seemed to have a blind spot in his thinking.
After the events of that year, he had been busy dealing with the many matters surrounding the Dark Lord's downfall. He had learned of Sirius's arrest only from the Daily Prophet.
The Ministry of Magic had already passed its verdict: Sirius Black was a murderous fiend, the culprit behind it all.
Although it pained him, he had never doubted it.
No—he should say that no one had doubted it.
Because the Fidelius Charm could not