Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 269 Prison Break
Harry, somewhat embarrassed by Sherlock's praise, scratched his head and said, "Sherlock, I learned all of this from you. It's really nothing."

“You’re right, so I suggest you write a letter to our big friend right now.”

"Was the letter to congratulate him on getting the position?"

Harry asked, somewhat puzzled, "Isn't it a bit too early?"

I know Sherlock well. It's really unreasonable that someone like him, who can't keep things to himself, didn't mention this at all in my birthday card.

I think he definitely wants to surprise us when school starts.

No, that's not it.

Sherlock shook his head. "Remember what you said last night? 'There's no way anyone else could have thought of this.'"

Dear Harry, I urge you to use your imagination: what would happen if Hagrid found his carefully prepared textbook bound tightly by everyone during his first lesson on protecting magical creatures?

Harry couldn't help but gasp when he heard that.

"Then he will definitely be dejected and very sad!"

Just as Harry just said to Sherlock, he knows Hagrid very well.

This giant looks big and burly, but he is actually very sensitive. He often bursts into tears in front of them over trivial matters.

If the situation described by Sherlock were to actually occur, it would be a disaster for him.

"I'll write it now!"

Without hesitation, Harry wrote a letter to Hagrid.

First, tell him about what happened today and congratulate him on successfully clearing his name and starting a new life.

Another point is to remind him that not everyone can find a solution to this book like Sherlock did, and that we need to find ways to prepare in advance.

"Please, Hedwig!"

Harry finally breathed a sigh of relief after Hedwig delivered the letter.

"Thank you, Sherlock. I thought you wouldn't care about these things!"

"That is indeed the case normally."

Sherlock's fingers tapped the table absently.

"However, if that scene were to actually occur, it would inevitably affect Hagrid's teaching quality."

Forgive my bluntness, but I have no doubt about Hagrid's personal abilities; however, I am not optimistic about his teaching skills.

I'm somewhat interested in this course, but to avoid wasting time, it's better to have him resolve this potential issue beforehand.

Although Sherlock's words made a lot of sense, Harry always felt that Sherlock was not entirely sincere.

He should actually care about Hagrid a lot, right?

Harry glanced at Sherlock furtively and thought to himself.

"I originally planned to write to him last night."

Sherlock said calmly, "However, I think it's more appropriate for you to say this."

Sure enough!

You also have times when you're not honest like this.

"Let's get back to the main topic, my friend."

Sherlock then took two more newspapers from the table and handed them to Harry. "I told you last time, reading the newspapers will help you stay informed."

Harry took the newspapers with a puzzled look and found that Sherlock had handed him The Times and the Daily Prophet from the wizarding world.

The Times published the very news they had seen on television that morning, with a striking headline:

【Prison Break】

The content is similar to what was said on TV: the escaped prisoner, Blake, is carrying a gun. He is extremely dangerous and has violent tendencies. The public is urged to call the hotline immediately if they see him.

Then there was a picture of Blake, exactly the same as the one on TV.

Compared to the somewhat vague headline and content of The Times about the "prison break," the Daily Prophet's article was much more detailed.

Blake is still at large.

The Ministry of Magic confirmed today that Sirius Black remains at large, and he is probably the most wicked prisoner ever held in Azkaban.

"We are doing everything we can to bring Blake back to justice."

Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge said this morning, "We ask the wizarding community to remain calm."

Some members of the International Confederation of Wizards criticized Fudge for informing the Muggle Prime Minister about Black's escape.

"To be honest, I had no choice but to do this, didn't you know that?"

Fudge expressed his indignation and opposition to this statement:

"Black is a complete outlaw, and anyone who encounters him is in danger, whether you are a wizard or a Muggle."

I received assurances from the Prime Minister that he would not reveal a word to anyone regarding Blake's true identity.

Besides, even if he did tell someone, who would believe him?

The Muggles were told that Black always carried a gun (a metal wand that Muggles used to kill each other).

The magical world fears that the massacre of twelve years ago will be repeated.

PS: Blake once took thirteen lives with a single spell.

After reading the main text, Harry looked at Black's photo. The animated image effects unique to the magical world made Black's image stand out even more.

His face was sunken, his long hair was tangled, and he was slowly blinking at them.

But those blurry eyes seemed somewhat angry.

Harry has never met a vampire, but he has seen pictures of them in Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Now, in this photo, Blake, with his waxy white skin, gives him the impression of looking like a vampire.

but……

Harry looked at the photo more closely and was surprised to find that Black was unexpectedly handsome.

As Harry grew older, he discovered that he seemed to be very sensitive to things that looked good.

This applies to both men and women.

That's how he discovered Blake's hidden good looks.

After reading the Daily Prophet's report, Harry finally understood why a fugitive from the wizarding world would appear on a Muggle television program, and why Sherlock would immediately identify the fugitive as someone who had escaped from Azkaban in the morning.

Sirius Black, a member of the Twenty-Eight Holy Pureblood Families.

Seeing that Harry had finished reading the report, Sherlock suddenly spoke up.

"What did you say?"

“Dear Harry, I think you should remember the case we had at Christmas in our first year.”

"Of course I remember."

Harry nodded; it was that case that made Sherlock famous as a consulting detective at the school.

"Then you should also remember the criminal's name."

Harry didn't have the ability to directly search for information in the memory attic like Sherlock. He thought for a moment before exclaiming in surprise:

"Wright Black, could he also be connected to Black who escaped from prison this time?"

"I originally thought so too, but unfortunately, it seems there is no connection between the two now."

Sherlock then took a book from the bookshelf.

"I think you should know that in the magical world, Black is a very famous surname."

No, I do not know.

Harry thought to himself.

“After Mr. Abbott’s case, I discovered that Mr. Blacklight was not a member of the Black family—however, Sirius Black is a member of the Black family.”

At this point, Sherlock handed the book to Harry.

Harry took the book and discovered that its title was "The Pureblood Register," and its author was Cantankerous Nott.

The Black family's first letter is B, which comes after the Abbott, Avery, and Bulstroth families, so Harry easily found descriptions of them.

The Black family's history dates back to the Middle Ages, and they claim that all their ancestors were wizards.

This family places great importance on bloodline, considering themselves as noble as royalty in the wizarding world, while holding Muggles, Squibs, pure-blood traitors, and those born into Muggles in utter contempt.

The Black family motto, which can be found on their family crest, is the French phrase "Toujoours Pur," meaning "forever pure."

Following this is the list of members of the Black family.

However, when Harry saw the last line, he couldn't help but frown:

Sirius Black III?

"The Black family typically names their children after stars, constellations, or galaxies."

Names such as Signus (Cygnus), Regulus (Regulus), and Arcturus (Arcturus) appear at least twice.

As for Sirius, the name had been used by at least three generations, which is why this particular person was called Sirius.

Listening to Sherlock recount these details with such familiarity, Harry nodded. "So he's dangerous?"

"It's obvious."

Seeing that Harry had finished reading the book, Sherlock pulled another book from his desk and gave it to Harry, saying, "I suggest you take a look at this one too."

The History of Magic — Bathilda Bagshot.

Harry noticed the underlined text immediately.

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement established a prison on a small island in the frigid waters of the North Sea, known as Azkaban Castle or simply Azkaban.

Azkaban is a terrifying place guarded by Dementors, a group of horrible creatures known as "soulless demons."

Dementors feed on positive human emotions; once prisoners are imprisoned for a period of time, they lose all their beliefs, good feelings, and thoughts.

The darkest and most terrifying memories kept replaying in their minds; some went insane, and others died in despair.

Due to the terrifying power of the Dementors, Azkaban, which was founded in the 15th century, never had a successful escape record.

"It is obvious that after nearly three centuries, the record of zero errors has finally been broken."

Sherlock's eyes gleamed with a research-oriented look. "I'm really curious to know what method Mr. Black used to successfully escape from Azkaban."

Seeing that Sherlock didn't seem nervous, Harry couldn't help but say, "Sherlock, you just said he was dangerous!"

“That’s right,” Sherlock nodded, “That’s why the Ministry of Magic has joined forces with the Muggle world this time.”

(End of this chapter)