The Defense Against Dark Magic office.
After hearing George and Fred's explanation, everyone looked at Scabbers in the cage in astonishment.
Several people also gave Ron strange looks. Feeling their eyes on him, Ron hurriedly said:
"I only kept Scabbers for two years. Before that, he was Percy's pet. He kept him for five years."
Everyone turned toward Percy Weasley, the Head Boy, who had been sitting at the back of the classroom ever since he came in.
Percy glared at his brother. He had only learned from Douglas yesterday that Scabbers was a man in disguise.
He had shuddered in revulsion for a long time then and sworn that his girlfriend must never find out. Who could have imagined that barely into the next day, his own brother would stab him in the back?
And he also knew that a group of professors and Ministry of Magic officials must be watching this right now.
"Ahem, are you ready? As it happens, I know how to open this cage."
Harry nodded and said:
"Of course. Sorry for the trouble, Percy."
The crowd immediately cleared a path. Percy straightened his clothes, drew his wand, and strode toward the cage.
Seeing Percy like this, George and Fred muttered something under their breath.
Percy picked up the cage and couldn't help shuddering when he saw Scabbers inside.
Yesterday, Douglas had told him that Scabbers had already shaken off the drug-induced sleep. The only reason he still hadn't woken was the Nightmare Curse Douglas had placed on the cage.
Ordinary creatures would not be affected much by the Nightmare Curse unless they fell asleep themselves, but although an Animagus had an animal's body, he was still a person at heart, so the Nightmare Curse would keep him firmly suppressed.
He pointed the cage door