Harley placed Fawkes on the table, rose from her seat, and walked straight out of Hagrid's Hut.
Peter floated after her, pulled along by invisible strands.
Hermione stood up, about to follow, but then remembered something and hesitated, glancing at the adult wizards around her.
"Come along. Let's see what happens," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile and a nod to Hermione, rising to his feet.
Only after the professor gave his permission did Hermione hurry after Harley.
Before leaving the hut, Professor Dumbledore waved his wand and precisely removed the Spider Silk binding Sirius.
"Poor Harley. She must be so devastated by the truth and so focused on revenge that she forgot to untie me."
Sirius got to his feet, stretching his stiff, bound limbs as he exclaimed,
"Oh, right. I've been meaning to ask: what exactly was this stuff that tied me up? Spider Silk?"
"You and your Animagus really are alike, Black."
Professor Snape had reached the hut's doorway, but suddenly stopped. Without turning around, he said,
"Especially your brains and your mouth. You're even worse than your Animagus."
Sirius stared blankly for a moment, then thought it over for a few seconds before understanding what Professor Snape meant.
He flew into a rage and was about to snap back, but Professor Lupin clapped a hand over his mouth. "Hurry up and catch up with them, Sirius!"
Sirius glared at Snape, then reluctantly decided to let it go for now.
The group arrived at a clearing in the Forbidden Forest. Harley's easy familiarity with the place suddenly gave Professor McGonagall an ill-timed suspicion that Harley might have some secret that didn't quite comply with school rules.
Harley flicked her wand, and all the Spider Silk binding Peter vanished. He fell straight to the ground.
"Here, your