Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 383 The Potions Master and the Returning Hero's Godfather Battle

"Justice will be served, and we will work together to safeguard security!"

Official announcement from the Ministry of Magic: The Daily Prophet's special edition is here!

The Hogwarts Express.

After the winter break, the young wizards of Hogwarts embarked on their journey back to school.

Sherlock and his friends once again took over an entire carriage.

Just like when he went home for vacation, Sherlock had Hermione and Luna sitting on his left and right respectively.

Across from him sat Harry, sitting between Cho Chang and Ginny.

However, this time Ron, who was all alone, was not feeling bitter. At this moment, he was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet and reading the front-page headline special edition to his friends with great emotion.

The Ministry of Magic has issued a final statement regarding the cases of Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black.

Following a joint trial by the Ministry of Magic and Wizengamor, and based on crucial evidence, the truth and final results of the 1981 murders of the Potters, the London Muggle street massacre, and the wrongful conviction of Sirius Black are hereby solemnly announced to the entire wizarding community once again:
I. The reality of the crime is clear and the legal principles are evident.

Peter Pettigrew, an illegal Animagus, is now definitively identified as the direct perpetrator of the 1981 Potter tragedy.

Peter betrayed his friends, becoming the Potters' confidant instead of fulfilling his duties, and directly caused the Potters' deaths.

To cover up his crimes, Peter brazenly unleashed a bombing spell on the streets of London, brutally murdering thirteen innocent Muggles, and meticulously framed Sirius Black.

The investigation has yielded irrefutable evidence. Mr. Black has always upheld his duty of maintaining secrecy and fought against Peter's crimes until the very last moment. He is truly a hero who has been exonerated and wronged.

His twelve years of imprisonment were all due to Peter's cunning and the oversights in the investigation at the time.

Peter's treasonous acts, multiple murders, and illegal status are unforgivable.

The Wisengamo Special Court has sentenced him to the most severe punishment under the law—a kiss from a Dementor.

The judgment was executed in court in Azkaban.

Peter's soul has been stripped away, and his sinful body has become the rotten wood of Azkaban.

This is the final judgment and inevitable outcome of his heinous crimes.

II. A Model of Cooperation, a Cornerstone of Truth
Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, with his exceptional political acumen and determination to uphold justice, spearheaded a thorough reinvestigation of this twelve-year-old miscarriage of justice and launched crucial actions.

After identifying suspicious points in historical cases, Minister Fauci decisively launched a secret investigation.

Having obtained conclusive evidence, he then wisely and strategically authorized Mr. Black to track down Peter.

Under such brilliant leadership, the decisive foundation was laid for finally forcing Peter, who was hiding in Hogwarts, to reveal himself.

At the same time, we highly recognize and deeply appreciate Mr. Black's extraordinary courage, unwavering conviction, and close cooperation with the Ministry of Magic's strategy in clearing his name.

He endured misunderstandings, fearlessly pursued the murderer, and ultimately helped bring Peter to justice.

The successful resolution of this case and the smooth execution of the judicial process are inseparable from the selfless assistance and full cooperation of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and all the faculty and staff of Hogwarts.

Hogwarts once again proved its exceptional quality as a holy site for magical education in the UK, and also demonstrated the indispensability of the collaboration between educational institutions and the Ministry of Magic in maintaining the safety of the entire society.

III. Honors and Awards: A Prediction for the Future
In recognition of Mr. Black’s unwavering character in enduring twelve years of injustice, his courageous act in uncovering the truth, and his cooperation with the Ministry of Magic throughout the exoneration process, the Ministry of Magic hereby posthumously awards him the Order of Merlin, First Class (see above image).

This medal is not only the highest tribute to Mr. Black's personal loyalty and sacrifice, but also a shared glory for the magical world in restoring order and pursuing the truth.

IV. Reaffirm our stance and move forward with determination.
The Ministry of Magic reiterates and adheres to the following principles:

We must confront history head-on, never evade historical mistakes, and resolutely pursue the legal responsibilities that should be borne.

Upholding justice and continuously improving the oversight system are essential to safeguarding the authority of the law and judicial fairness to the highest standards. Anyone who challenges the dignity of the law or endangers social security will ultimately pay the heaviest price.

We will consolidate our cooperation and continue to strengthen our collaborative mechanisms with educational institutions such as Hogwarts and various sectors of society to jointly safeguard the peace and tranquility of the wizarding world.

As Minister Fauci previously stated when clarifying the truth of the case, "Justice may be delayed, but it will never be denied."

The Ministry of Magic will learn from this case and continue to uphold its governing principles of fairness, responsibility, and cooperation, firmly safeguarding the rights of every law-abiding citizen and the overall safety of the magical world.

Ministry of Magic Press Office
September, 1994

(Note: This statement was reviewed and approved by Wizengamo and was published in its entirety in the Gazette of the Enforcement of Magical Laws and the Newsletter of the International Federation of Wizards.)

A photograph is prominently displayed above this statement.

The overweight Fudge was solemnly handing Sirius a dark velvet box containing the Order of Merlin First Class medal.

Fudge's face was full of smiles, while Sirius's eyes were slightly indifferent.

After excitedly reading the entire text, Ron pointed to the photograph and said to everyone:

"Look at this photo, Sirius is so handsome!"

"Harry, I bet you, when we get back to school, all those upperclassmen girls will come after you for Sirius's autograph!"

"Why do they want Sirius's autograph?" Luna asked, blinking.

Ron smiled slightly and said foolishly, "That's because..."

Before Ron could finish speaking, Luna exclaimed as if suddenly realizing something:

"I understand, they want to be Harry's godmother!"

"puff--!"

Hermione spat out the mouthful of hot tea she had just drunk.

At the critical moment, she turned her head to the other side.

Otherwise, she would have sprayed Sherlock's face with water since she was looking at him.

Sherlock smiled faintly, showing little surprise at Luna's words.

Harry, Cho Chang, and Ginny all looked at Luna with helpless expressions, with Ginny shaking her head in particular.

"Luna, what are you saying?!"

"What, isn't that what Ron meant?"

Stared at by Luna's innocent yet curious gaze, Ginny was momentarily at a loss for words.

She could only glare at Ron fiercely, "It's all your fault, you've underestimated them."

Ron hadn't expected Luna to be so blunt. A little embarrassed, he touched his nose and muttered:

"That... was just a joke."

That said, it's a pity there aren't any photos of Peter being tortured; I'd love to see what's under the Dementors' cloaks.

Hearing Ron bring it up, Harry sighed, "It's better not to watch."

"What, was that scene really that terrifying?"

Ron asked Sherlock and Harry curiously, "Dad said that after the public trial that day, his colleagues all looked terrible. Many of them were still limp and trembling even after returning to their offices."

A small number of people even took the day off the following day.

Sherlock sighed softly upon hearing this, "These kinds of photos are indeed not suitable for publication."

Harry nodded, deeply agreeing, and said, "That feeling... is almost the same as facing a Dementor head-on."

Even though two days have passed, Harry still feels a chill whenever he recalls that scene.

Speaking of which, we really have to thank Snape. Although chocolate in the wizarding world is just a snack at other times, it was an effective remedy in that situation, relieving our immediate crisis.

“Harry, this is good news for both you and Sirius.”

Noticing Harry's poor condition, Cho Chang changed the subject, "Congratulations, now the whole wizarding world knows that your godfather is a hero."

Harry gave Cho Chang a forced smile. "Sirius didn't seem to care about the medal. He just tossed it aside when he got home."

"Probably because there's already one at home."

Ron looked thoughtful. "He even threw his grandfather's medals into the trash bag."

"That's because Sirius thought it beneath him!"

Ginny said irritably, "Didn't you hear what Sirius said last time?"

His grandfather's contribution to the Ministry of Magic was nothing more than giving the Ministry a large sum of gold.

Under such circumstances, I think it would be difficult for anyone to value this medal of honor anymore.

"You can't say that. That's the Order of Merlin, First Class! In our school, only Headmaster Dumbledore has it!"

“And Professor Lockhart,” Hermione added.

"Hermione, there's no need to be so meticulous at this time."

Ron chuckled:
"Poor Professor Lockhart is still lying in his hospital bed, not yet awake!"

Besides, his medal was only a third-class medal, which is vastly different from a first-class medal.

Cho Chang looked at Harry with some curiosity: "Was Sirius's grandfather's medal also a Class 3?"

“No, that’s Level One,” Harry said, a little embarrassed. “Sirius might not be right. Maybe his grandfather really did make some contribution to the Ministry of Magic.”

Ginny couldn't help but laugh out loud upon hearing this:

"Harry, I think you're just assuming people are too kind!"

Look at this statement; it doesn't mention Sherlock at all.

Don't you know what kind of people they are?

Sherlock, don't you think so?

Ginny's biggest gain this winter break was the significant improvement in her relationship with Harry.

During the time the whole family stayed at 12 Grimmauld Place, Ginny created several opportunities to be alone with Harry.

Now, she no longer blushes when Harry speaks, and after regaining her confidence, she can even make little jokes with him.

For example, he can freely and easily interrupt conversations with others, just like he is now.

"This was expected, but I'll be satisfied as long as this case is solved."

Sherlock's gaze swept over the Daily Prophet in Ron's hand, his eyes narrowing slightly. "On another note, if they can provide me with more opportunities like this, I wouldn't mind letting them earn a few more accolades."

"Don't worry, Sherlock, people will find out the truth of this matter—after I publish the case."

Hermione looked at Sherlock and said firmly.

"I already said it last time, do whatever you want, dear Hermione."

Sherlock smiled slightly, took the Daily Prophet from Ron, flipped through a few more pages, and then pointed to a passage, saying:
“Dear Ron, I would be very grateful if you could read this article aloud again.”

Ron took the newspaper back from Sherlock with some curiosity.

As a result, he was startled just by seeing the photo above the text that Sherlock was pointing to.

The main characters in the photo are none other than Potions Master Severus Snape and Harry Potter, the nemesis of the Dark Lord.

Snape held a piece of chocolate in his hand, and with a stern face, handed it to Harry, who obediently took it from him.

Ron, who has a keen eye for food, immediately recognized that it was not ordinary chocolate, but Honeydukes premium chocolate.

One bar costs a Galleon, making it the fire arrow of chocolate!
Ron also noticed that the photo was very similar to the one on the front page, both showing one person handing something to another.

In comparison, the compositions of the two photos are extremely similar. Fudge and Snape, Harry and Sirius, their positions and angles are very similar.

It gives the impression that the two photos were taken by the same person.

However, there are also differences between the two.

In the first photo, Fudge has a big smile on his face, while Snape looks disgusted.

Sirius Black's eyes were cold, while Harry's green eyes were exceptionally gentle.

The filter, which appears to have been specially designed, further softens the overall atmosphere of the photo.

There's even a hint of... ambiguity?
Ron was startled when the thought popped into his head.

What a joke!
The fact that Snape handed the chocolate to Harry was already outrageous enough.

Judging from his usual behavior, he probably wished Harry would die as soon as possible.

However, if he happened to be carrying the goods, handing them over to Harry under these circumstances would be understandable.

She is, after all, a teacher, and she even stood up for Harry in the headmaster's office back then.

But to say that the two of them would get along harmoniously is even more absurd than becoming the top student in the grade!

Impossible, absolutely impossible!
However, when Ron saw the caption under the photo, he couldn't hold back anymore.

[His dislike for Potter was actually a lie to curry favor; the Potions Master may be engaged in a battle for Godfathership with the returning hero.]

Good guy!
That's a good fellow!

The title alone is explosive enough!

Ron instantly felt an irresistible urge to read the entire text.

Who on earth did this? They're really something else!
He looked at Sherlock with a surprised expression.

Sherlock smiled slightly. "My dear Ron, you may begin."

(End of this chapter)