Sirius's Awkwardness

Having made their decision, the group immediately set off, preparing to head to Hogwarts under the cover of night.

Harry even took out the Invisibility Cloak, intending to drape it over Black once they returned to the castle.

Although there's a curfew now and there shouldn't be many students, it's still better to be careful until Black is exonerated.

Moreover, there's Filch in the castle.

The group returned to the tunnel.

But unlike the tense arrival, the return trip was much easier.

Professor Lupin walked in front, followed by Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who would occasionally glance back. Then came Black, who was clutching Peter's cage tightly in his arms.

Kyle brought up the rear to keep watch, in case Peter suddenly broke free of his cage and ran away... although that was highly unlikely.

If a mouse could escape from his cage so easily, Kyle might as well return the Order of Merlin, Second Class, to avoid embarrassment.

The journey back was relatively smooth, and everyone proceeded in an orderly manner.

"Hand over Pettigrew." As they slowly made their way through the tunnel, Black suddenly said to Harry, "Do you know what that means?"

"You're free," Harry said, turning around.

"Yes..." Black said, "But I still... I don't know if anyone has told you... I'm your godfather."

"Yes, I know," Harry said.

He'd heard Fudge mention it when they were at Three Broomsticks, but at the time he just felt it was a disgrace and made him feel disgusted.

But hearing this news now, he felt a strange joy.

Finally, his life was no longer just about the Dursley ' family.

"It's like this... your parents appointed me as your guardian," Black said somewhat awkwardly. "Well... you can consider it... if I clear my name... if you want a different kind of home..."

Harry felt his heart skip a beat, as if he had received a second Hogwarts acceptance letter.

"You mean...to live with you?" he said, so excited that he accidentally bumped his head on a rock at the top of the tunnel.

"Of course, if you want to live with your aunt and uncle... I can understand," Black said quickly, his voice a little hesitant. "I just want to..."

"Are you confused?" Harry was overjoyed. "Of course I'd like to leave the Dursley family. Do you have a house? When can I move in?"

"You're willing?" he asked. "Really?"

"Yes, I really would," Harry said.

Kyle noticed that a genuine smile had blossomed on Black's haggard face, as if he had broken free from that withered mask and looked more than ten years younger.

At this moment, they also reached the entrance of the tunnel.

Professor Lupin was the first to jump up and press a knot on the tree trunk.

This knot is somewhat like a switch on Whomping Willow; once pressed, it will remain silent.

After that, the others also emerged from the tunnel one after another.

Black stood in the moonlight, outstretched his arms, greedily embracing the night breeze.

"Let's hurry up and go, there will be plenty of opportunities later..." Harry said, he was already a little impatient to see Dumbledore.

They walked quickly across the area, and the castle lights gradually came on...

But as they walked, Professor Lupin, who was at the front, suddenly stopped, and Ron and Harry bumped into him.

"What's wrong, Coach Lupin...?"

Before Harry could finish speaking, he was roughly pulled backward... Ron did the same.

Only then did they notice that Professor Lupin's body was trembling uncontrollably.

"Oh no... it's a full moon!" Hermione shrieked. "I forgot to tell you, Professor Lupin is a Werewolf!"

"What did you say?" Ron felt a chill run through his body.

There was no need to confirm anything, because at this point, Professor Lupin's head had begun to elongate, and brown hair had grown on his exposed arms.

"Why didn't you tell me something so important sooner!" Ron's teeth chattered.

"Run!" Black whispered. "Run, run!"

The three of them took off running, but when Black turned around, he was horrified to find that Kyle was still standing there... rummaging through a box, with half of his body almost inside.

"You..."

He was about to say something when Kyle waved his hand.

"It's alright, it's alright. Perhaps Harry didn't tell you, but my Sir Merlin Second Class Order was earned by defeating Werewolf."

There was still a while before Professor Lupin would fully transform into Werewolf, and Kyle calmly rummaged through his box.

Norbert... not a consideration. Releasing him would cause too much of a commotion, and Professor Lupin probably wouldn't be able to handle it either.

Mandrake... With Werewolf's resistance, it shouldn't kill it, but Harry and the others are around. Oh well.

Biting Cabbage... isn't really suitable either.

After looking around, Kyle finally found what he was looking for.

He pulled a large clump of vines out of the box, just as Professor Lupin had completely transformed into Werewolf.

The Werewolf stood on its hind legs, its long mouth opening and closing, emitting a terrifying roar.

A large black dog leaped past Kyle, grabbed the Werewolf by the neck, and tried to drag him backward. The dog and the werewolf locked in a fierce struggle, their claws tearing at each other...

Kyle was stunned. When he finally came to his senses, he immediately threw the large clump of vines at them with his wand.

"Accio!"

The vines slammed into them, and the thick tendrils, upon being attacked, immediately became restless, twisting and coiling incessantly.

Like insects caught in a spider's web, in an instant, the Werewolf and the big dog were tightly bound by the vines, unable to move.

The situation became somewhat awkward for a moment.

Sirius, in particular, suddenly realized that he seemed to be in the way.

"This is the Devil's Snare, you should be able to break free, right?" Kyle asked.

The big dog nodded, then relaxed its body and broke free from the vines.

The Werewolf was still struggling violently, and the vines around it were getting tighter and tighter.

"Where did you pull this thing out from?" Black asked incredulously, having freed his Animagus. "Your box isn't even that big."

"Hmm... the box is a little bigger inside than it looks." Kyle gestured with his little finger.

Black stared at the house-sized Devil's Snare before him, then at Kyle's hand gestures, and was speechless.

Is this a bit bigger?

However, Kyle wasn't going to explain any further. He looked at the Werewolf who had been turned into a dumpling and was worried about how to get rid of him.

How about trying Mandrake?

The Werewolf will most likely not die after hearing the Mandrake's cry; at most, it will fall into a coma, just like the Acromantula before it.

Even if its resistance is higher than that of the Acromantula, there are more than a dozen pots of Mandrake in the box. If it doesn't work, just cry over both of them. If that still doesn't work, just add more. You'll eventually find the right amount for the Werewolf.

Dealing with an unconscious Werewolf is much simpler; a simple Flying Charm is all it takes to take it to Dumbledore's Headmaster's Office.

Kyle thought about it more and more and it seemed feasible.

But just as he conjured up several thick earmuffs to hand to Harry and the others, he suddenly felt a chill in the air and the moonlight dimmed considerably.

Kyle suddenly looked up. In the distance, a dark cloud was rapidly spreading towards them along the lakeshore.