Perhaps because Fudge had been paid, the Ministry of Magic acted relatively quickly this time.
Just as the Aurors were preparing to withdraw, an urgently produced special edition of the Daily Prophet had already been distributed everywhere. It not only cleared Sirius's name but also clarified that he was not a werewolf. It also announced that Peter Pettigrew was wanted.
Not only that, but while Peter's illegal Animagus form was made public in the wizarding world, the Muggle government also launched a massive rat extermination campaign in Muggle society under the pretext of eliminating the plague. It described the distinguishing features of Peter's rat form, stressing that this was the king of viruses.
Although the wanted notice did not say where Peter had been hiding as a rat all these years,
Mrs. Weasley still recognized Scabbers immediately. So frightened was she that she hurriedly wrote to all her children to ask how they were.
Then she thoroughly cleared every rat out of the Burrow, worried that it would be trouble if any litter of rats turned out to be Scabbers's offspring.
Snape pushed open the door to the Headmaster's Office once again.
He glanced at Douglas, who was drinking tea and chatting with Dumbledore while keeping an eye on the Magic Radar, then turned to Dumbledore with an expressionless face and said in a snide voice,
"Headmaster, I have something important to discuss with you. Would any irrelevant parties kindly"-he sneered-"leave."
Douglas put away the Magic Radar unhurriedly, but showed no intention of leaving of his own accord. Mainly, the peculiar tone Snape had used on the word "kindly" had stirred a young professor's rebellious streak.
At Douglas's reaction, Snape's voice rose a little.
"Irrelevant parties..."
Dumbledore coughed softly, interrupting Snape, and asked,
"Severus, what is this important news?"
Snape