Harry had never expected to see Professor Babbling here.
Just as Lupin and Black were about to lift the glass cover and have Hermione use a Restoring Charm on the rat to see whether it really was a person, everyone discovered that they could no longer move at all.
Professor Babbling, meanwhile, had appeared silently in the room.
"So it was you who came in just now. Your invisibility magic is as impressive as ever," Lupin sighed. Black, however, looked at Professor Babbling with a very complicated expression.
Professor Babbling ignored Lupin and glided lightly over to Black.
"Long time no see, Bathsheda," Black said, looking at Professor Babbling as she came up to him.
"Long time no see, Sirius. You look so different from how I remember you. You really are a sorry sight now," Professor Babbling said coolly.
"That I am. Having you see me like this really is a little hard to take," Black said awkwardly.
"Oh, so turning into a dog made it a little easier for you to take?" A hint of mockery entered Professor Babbling's voice. "I was wondering why I'd never seen such a large dog near the castle before. So it was you."
Even though he could move nothing but his mouth and eyes, Black still managed to convey his embarrassment through his eyes alone.
The three young Wizards, meanwhile, had a gleam in their eyes.
Was there perhaps, possibly, probably some gossip here?
"Why aren't you saying anything? Haven't you always been so eloquent? Didn't you always have an endless stream of things to say back then? Why are you silent now?" Professor Babbling regarded Black impassively, her voice so icy it almost shed frost.
Harry and Hermione inwardly marveled.
They had thought Professor Babbling was cold enough during their usual