The Return to Hogwarts

"Stop having those unrealistic fantasies, Black. Come back to Hogwarts with me. Your death is the only purpose your insignificant life can serve, as it releases the despair and hatred that Professor Snape has been holding in for over a decade."

As he spoke, Amosta controlled Sirius, who was tightly coiled around the snake's body, to float up, preparing to take him away.

When Sirius realized that Amostella was really going to take him to see Snape, he finally panicked. This panic did not come from the fear of death, but from the humiliation. He could die for revenge, but to die at the hands of that annoying little snotty Snape.

Sirius Black didn't know the true relationship between Amosta Blaine and Severus Snape, nor did he understand what Amosta meant by Lily being Snape's one true love. He knew, of course, that Snape had admired Lily during their school days, but his one true love—

This isn't the time to dwell on these issues; this man is about to bring him before Snape so he can kill him. If James knew this was how he'd end up...

"Don't do this, Blaine!"

Hanging upside down, Sirius's eyes were bloodshot and red as he roared hoarsely.

"I want to see Dumbledore. Blaine, or even Remus, just don't take me to Snape. I'd rather kill myself than die at his hands!"

bad habits developed through indulgence

Amos rolled his eyes, ignoring Black's death throes. After marking the house so he could come and take it over later, Amos raised his wand, preparing to Apparate back to the Shrieking Shack. He wouldn't notify Professor Snape immediately, because before that, he needed to find a way to break the contract with Remus. Only after doing that would he notify Professor Snape to come and execute Black.

"Listen to me, Blaine!"

Sirius, his ribs creaking from the pressure, barked defiantly at the back of Amosta's head.

"I was not the one who revealed James and Lily's whereabouts to Voldemort; someone else betrayed them!"

Kreacher, lying on the steps leading to the kitchen, was making barely audible groans as he awoke from his coma, seemingly having miraculously survived.

Amosta's back was to Sirius. The flickering wicks of the row of lamps on the wall and the swaying crystal chandelier on the ceiling cast a shimmering shadow on the ground. Against the backdrop of the suffocating silence, the strange rustling sounds in the old house became all the more vivid.

A full minute passed before Amosta slowly turned around. His face was expressionless as he looked at Sirius Black, who seemed to have exhausted all his strength to utter those words. A fleeting glint of light flashed in his purple eyes, but his voice remained indifferent and flat.

“Tell me more about what you just said, Blake.”

Amosta spoke in an unyielding tone, but he noticed that Sirius, who was thoroughly exhausted, seemed to be only one step away from fainting.

After turning Sirius around, Amosta pointed to a door panel with a large hole and walked over with steady steps.

The stairs behind the door lead to a basement kitchen that connects to the dining room.

The kitchen is surrounded by rough stone walls, with a fireplace at the far end, tin cans hanging from the ceiling, a table that can seat many people and many chairs, and a cupboard for dishes and plates.

Amostella stepped over the house-elf's body and stood in the kitchen with Sirius.

The stench in the air here was much stronger than upstairs, but fortunately, the long tables in the restaurant seemed to be wiped down frequently and didn't have much dust on them. Amosta picked a chair and sat down, tossing Sirius Black on the ground and crossing his legs.

It took Sirius five minutes to catch his breath, and then he immediately realized that he had survived, but it was nothing to be happy about.

“Explain what you just said, try to keep it simple and clear, Blake,”

Amostella spoke up at the opportune moment, staring into Sirius's eyes.

"Friendly reminder, Mr. Blake, although I don't usually like to torture people, if I find you spouting nonsense to save your life, believe me, I will make you realize that there are many things in this world that are more terrifying than death."

Sirius Black propped himself up on his head and sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes burning with fury—at Amostella's contemptuous attitude and at his own powerlessness.

"Harry's red-haired friend, that boy's pet mouse is an Animagus just like me. Twelve years ago, he was the one who told Voldemort where the Potters were hiding. He's the traitor!"

Sirius's voice was filled with pain.

"I escaped from Azkaban to kill him!"

Ron's pet, the Spotted Mouse, is an Animagus?

Amosta's eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly. He had seen the rat at the Leaky Cauldron earlier that summer and had indeed had a strange feeling about it.

"continue--"

Amosta remained unmoved and continued to press for answers.

"Back then, after we learned that Voldemort intended to harm James and Lily, Dumbledore planned to protect them with the Faithful Charm, and he himself would act as James and Lily's Secret Keeper. However, James did not want to place too much burden on Dumbledore, and he wanted me to take on the role of Secret Keeper."

Sirius Black gritted his teeth, consumed by hatred.

"I thought Voldemort would definitely suspect it was me, so at the last minute he suggested that James and Lily use Peter instead. I thought it was a good plan. With a switch, Voldemort would definitely come back for me. If I were really killed, Dumbledore would definitely get the news in advance and be able to move James, Lily, and their son Harry to a safe place."

"The first question you need to answer is—"

As Sirius Black cursed Peter, Amosta closed his eyes and gently rubbed his temples.

"Since you know you're innocent, Black, why don't you tell the truth instead of wasting twelve years in Azkaban?"

Uncontrollable tears streamed down Blake's gaunt face, his emaciated body trembling.

"It's all my fault, I deserve it, this is the price I should pay,"

These secrets were meant to be buried with him; Blake never imagined he would one day share them with a stranger.

"I was the one who convinced James and Lily to let that despicable scum become their secret agent. They essentially died because of me, and I need to atone for it."

Amostella's cheek twitched, as if she had a toothache. These Gryffindor wizards were full of heroism and often did things that ordinary people couldn't understand.

Through Sirius's description, Amosta roughly understood why Sirius, who had been well-behaved in Azkaban for twelve years, suddenly became interested in escaping. When he questioned Sirius about why he didn't seek help from Dumbledore or Remus if he wanted to take revenge on Peter Pettigrew, who had suddenly become the center of the whole incident, Black, who had been sadly weeping, suddenly became agitated again.

"I'm the one who killed James and Lily, I must kill that traitor Peter with my own hands!"

Sirius was breathing heavily with a pained expression.

"Besides, since they didn't even bother to ask me about the situation back then, it means they didn't trust me, and I don't trust them either. I'm going to take my own revenge!"

What kind of utterly nonsensical logic is this?

Amosta rested her cheek on her hand, her face filled with sorrow.

Sirius Black claims he never betrayed the Potters and that he was framed. If that's the case, would the Ministry of Magic still pay him the bounty?

I need to ask for leave tomorrow because I'm going to visit the graves.

Chapter 238 deserves to be scolded.

Surrounded by rough stone walls, the kitchen, deep and cavernous, was mostly lit by a large fireplace at one end of the room, lit by Amosta for warmth. Smoke billowed from the pipes, filling the air like battlefield smoke. The heavy iron pots and pans hanging from the dark ceiling looked menacing and terrifying in the smoke.

The silver-striped snake that had bound Sirius was gone, but he still didn't stand up. Instead, he fell to his side on the floor, his expression twitching, and his eyes were filled with undisguised anger as he looked at Amosta.

Today, Amosta heard some revolutionary news, so he couldn't possibly just believe Blake's side of the story. Just a moment ago, he went through Blake's mind to make sure he wasn't being deceived by these absurd words.

"Alright, Mr. Blake, stop making that mournful face—"

Amosta cleared his throat and said in an annoyed tone,

"Do you expect me, someone you've never met, to believe your 'truth' without question? I'll always find a way to verify its truth!"

That makes sense, but Sirius still couldn't help but be angry. Of course, if anyone barged into your mind without your permission and peered into those deepest, most unwanted memories, you would be furious.

"Now that you know the truth, Blaine,"

Sirius Black, supporting himself on the table leg, stood up unsteadily. He pulled out a chair and sat down, panting heavily as he glared at Amostella across from him, speaking in a gloomy and resentful tone.

"What do you plan to do now?"

"What else can be done?"

Amosta glanced at him sideways, her eyes like those of a naughty little wizard begging his parents to step in and solve his troubles.

"Of course, we should try to catch that guy named Peter the Shorty and send him to the Ministry of Magic to see if we can get some bounty. Cough cough, I mean, let Wizengamot try him to clear your name."

Sirius Black:

“I don’t care about innocence, Blaine!”

After a brief silence, Sirius waved his hands and roared.

“I just want to send Peter to hell. Ever since I found out that this despicable fellow was still alive, I’ve been thinking about him day and night, dreaming of taking his life. Now that you know I’m innocent, Blaine, you can help me get into the Gryffindor dormitory and catch that rat. I want to tear him to pieces myself!”

"That's easier said than done."

Amosta chuckled coldly.

"In my opinion, there are two problems that urgently need to be solved."

"Nothing is more important than killing Peter, Blaine!"

After twelve years in Azkaban, Sirius Black had been tormented by hatred to the point of being unrecognizable. The only thing keeping him from collapsing was his desire to avenge James and Lily.

Even knowing that Black was innocent, Amosta couldn't like the guy. Conversely, Black didn't like Blaine, a young wizard with powerful magic but cruel methods and a particular obsession with Galleons. In particular, Amosta Blaine seemed to have a close relationship with Snape, that snotty-nosed Snape. If he could, Sirius would rather get rid of him immediately!

The first question is,

Amostella's gaze was deep as he raised his index finger at Sirius.

"You probably don't know this, but a month ago, on the second night after you broke into Hogwarts, Ron's spotted rat was already dead. Ron found bloodstains on his bed, and also a few Crookshanks' yellow hairs there. This almost caused a huge conflict between Ron and Granger, Harry's two best friends."

"This is impossible!"

Before Amosta could finish speaking, Blake yelled, furious, his nails scratching the table.

"I bet it's a scam, that despicable guy!"

Sirius couldn't find a way to vent his rage, so he could only grind his teeth.

"He faked his death to escape. That's how I cornered him on the Muggle street before he went to jail, and it's the same now. He's definitely not dead. That cowardly and shameless guy must have sensed the danger and that's why he hid beforehand!"

"Stop yelling!"

Amosta said coldly,