The tension in the Shrieking Shack was so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. Sirius Black held his wand with white knuckles, pointing it at Peter Pettigrew, who was sobbing on the floor, while Harry watched the scene with a mixture of horror and confusion. He no longer knew what to believe.
Suddenly, the door to the room flew open, slamming against the wall with a crash that sent dust flying.
Severus Snape stood in the doorway, panting slightly, his wand pointed directly at Lupin's chest. He had removed the Invisibility Cloak that Harry had dropped in the tunnel and tossed it aside with disdain.
"Revenge is sweet..." Snape whispered, his eyes shining triumphantly. "How touching. The werewolf and the murderer reunited. Dumbledore won't be able to ignore this. I'll make sure they put you both in Azkaban."
"Severus, you're making a mistake..." Lupin began, raising his hands.
"Silence!" snapped Snape, a vein throbbing in his temple. "I've waited a long time for this." He turned his eyes to Sirius. "Although on second thought, you, Black, will receive the Dementor's kiss... and you, Lupin... I will gladly watch you get expelled and receive what you deserve."
Snape smiled, savoring the moment as he prepared to cast the spell that would bind his childhood enemies.
Unfortunately, he never got to utter even the first syllable. A red flash, quick and silent, struck Snape in the back. The Potions Master stiffened, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed forward like a felled tree.
Before his body hit the dirty floor, a hand gently pushed him aside, moving him out of the way as if he were an old piece of furniture.
Aurelian Gaunt entered the room, shaking his hand with a gesture of slight irritation. Hestia and Flora followed him in, flanking him with their wands ready to attack anyone who tried to get in their way.
Harry's mouth opened in confusion, but no sound came out. Hermione stifled a scream.
Aurelian ignored the trio and fixed his eyes on Sirius.
"You almost ruined everything," he said in an icy voice. "I told you to wait for my signal, and this is the first thing you do?"
Sirius, who had lowered his wand when he saw Snape fall, tried to stand up straight with dignity, although he looked more like a child caught in mischief.
"The rat was going to escape!" Black protested, pointing at Peter. "Remus appeared and... and Snape was lurking! I couldn't risk losing him, Gaunt. I had to..."
"You had to follow the plan," Aurelian cut him off sharply. Her authority echoed off the rotten walls of the house. "One false move and Snape would have called the Dementors before entering, then your freedom would never have come."
Peter Pettigrew, who had been whimpering on the floor, froze when he saw Aurelian. The terror he felt for Sirius and Lupin vanished, replaced by utter panic toward the figure that resembled his Master so closely. He curled up, shaking violently, unable to look away from Aurelian's black eyes.
"He's here," Peter thought, his mind fractured. "The Master has come to judge me."
Harry snapped out of his stupor and took a step forward. Confusion had given way to defensive fury. He picked up the first wand he found on the floor and pointed it directly at Aurelian's chest.
"What are you talking about?" Harry shouted, his voice trembling with rage. "You... you know him? Are you allied with him?"
Hermione grabbed Harry's arm. She watched as Hestia and Flora began to point their wands at them.
"Harry, no!" she pleaded. "There must be an explanation!"
"Shut up, Hermione!" Harry shouted, without lowering his wand. "He just admitted it! They had a plan! Gaunt, who are you really?" he shouted, pointing more firmly. "Answer me! What do you have to do with Black? Did you let him into the castle?"
Aurelian slowly turned his head toward Harry. He didn't even seem concerned. He just looked at him indifferently... remembering why he hated the character of Harry Potter, who always acted without thinking.
"Put that wand down, Potter," Aurelian said softly. "You don't want to hurt yourself."
"You don't give me orders!" Harry shouted, adrenaline clouding his judgment. "Tell me! Are you a Death Eater like him? Did you help kill my parents?"
The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees in a second.
Aurelian sighed, shocked by Potter's stupidity. He swore that when his father went after Potter, he wouldn't stop him.
"I warned you, foolish boy."
Without uttering a spell, without moving a muscle beyond a slight twitch of his fingers, Aurelian unleashed his magic. It was a wave of pure power, dense and suffocating, as if the gravity in the room had multiplied a hundredfold just above Harry.
"AGH!"
Harry let out a muffled cry as his knees slammed hard against the floor. His wand slipped from his fingers, rolling away. He felt as if an invisible hand were crushing him against the dusty floorboards, preventing him from breathing, preventing him from moving even an inch.
Ron and Hermione shouted his name but couldn't get close, an invisible barrier keeping them pinned to the wall. Aurelian walked slowly until he was standing in front of Harry, looking down at him with disappointment.
"My business with the House of Black is none of your concern, Potter," Aurelian said calmly. "My patience for your heroics is limited. Listen, watch, and learn... Just stay on the floor while I deal with the mess Black's decisions have caused."
Hestia and Flora watched Aurelian with blushing faces; they loved it when their boy got rough.
Aurelian looked up at Sirius and Lupin, ignoring Harry, who was gasping for air on the floor.
"Good," said Aurelian, smoothing his robe. "Now that I have everyone's attention... let's proceed with the rat."
Sirius stepped forward, wand still in hand but pointing at the floor, concern for his godson evident on his face.
"Let him go, Gaunt," Black said firmly. "The boy knows nothing. release him"
Aurelian maintained the pressure for another second, watching Harry struggle to breathe against the floorboards, red with anger and the effort to stand up. Then an amused smile curved his lips.
"As you wish... Sirius."
With a wave of his hand, he dispelled his magic. The invisible pressure that had been suffocating the room disappeared instantly.
Harry then managed to take a deep breath as he coughed. Hermione and Ron rushed over to help him sit up.
"Harry! Are you okay?" Hermione asked, casting a fearful glance at Aurelian.
Harry rubbed his chest, still feeling the echo of the crushing weight. He looked up, glaring at Aurelian.
"You're... you're a monster," Harry gasped.
Aurelian let out a soft laugh, shaking his head as he smoothed a crease in his clothes and raised his hand to stop Hestia and Flora from doing anything.
"And you're terrible at math," he said mockingly. "Think for a second before making absurd accusations. Are you saying I'm a Death Eater? That I helped kill your parents?"
Aurelian took a step toward him, leaning slightly.
"I'm fifteen... as I recall, when your parents died, I was two. Unless you think I was crawling around in diapers casting Avada Kedavra left and right, your theory is pretty stupid."
Harry opened his mouth to reply, but stopped. Aurelian was right. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, realizing that their friend... was struggling to hold back from saying something.
"You... you... you're dark," Harry stammered, searching for something to cling to. "You're a dark wizard! Hagrid said so! Plus, you attacked a professor!"
"I attacked a man who was about to condemn an innocent person out of some stupid grudge," Aurelian corrected coldly. "And as for my 'darkness'... well, I won't deny it."
Aurelian turned to Peter Pettigrew, who was still cowering on the floor, whimpering silently.
"Speaking of incompetents..."
He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Crack!
Pettigrew's body rose into the air as if an invisible hook had pulled him by the chest. The human rat kicked at the void, suspended half a meter above the ground, unable to move or speak, his eyes wide with terror as he floated toward Aurelian.
"Let's go," Aurelian ordered, looking at Sirius and Lupin. "We'll go straight to see Dumbledore... Professor, I'd appreciate your help in taking Professor Snape away."
Sirius looked at Peter floating and then at Aurelian. After seeing such power, he knew it was best not to anger him, with or without an oath.
"What if Dumbledore doesn't believe us?" asked Lupin, levitating Snape's unconscious body with a weary sigh.
Aurelian began walking toward the exit with Hestia and Flora clearing the way for him. Pettigrew floated obediently behind him like a macabre balloon.
"He'll believe us," Aurelian replied without turning around. "We'll have him call Cornelius Fudge tonight. The Minister loves heroes and photos in the newspaper. We'll hand him the 'true traitor' on a silver platter."
He paused at the threshold and looked at Harry one last time.
"Go get some rest, Potter. You'll soon discover that the world isn't just black and white, as you've been told. You'll get your family back, whether you like my methods or not." He waited a second for Harry to look him straight in the eye. "This will be the last time I help you... remember that, Potter."
The group advanced through the tunnel toward the base of the Whomping Willow. Aurelian walked ahead, closely followed by Hestia and Flora, who kept their wands ready in case Lupin made a false move. Peter Pettigrew continued to float, slowly spinning in the air, his face contorted with terror every time his gaze met Aurelian's.
As they emerged onto the school grounds, the icy night air greeted them. The group crossed the lawn quickly, avoiding the areas where the shadows of the Dementors were densest. When they reached the castle's large oak doors, a figure was waiting for them, illuminated by the dim light of an oil lamp. It was Argus Filch. The caretaker, who normally greeted students with a scowl and promises of punishment, instantly softened his features when he recognized the figure leading the group.
"Gaunt," said Filch, with a smile of genuine appreciation that few at Hogwarts had the privilege of seeing. "I was wondering if the noises from the Whomping Willow would require my attention." He turned his head to look at the group. "I see you are in very good company."
Filch looked curiously at the strange parade: an exhausted Lupin, a Sirius Black who looked more like a living corpse than a human being, and Snape's levitating body. But what caught his attention most was the figure kicking in the air behind Aurelian.
"It looks like something important happened, or am I mistaken?" Filch asked with a small, knowing smile.
Aurelian smiled at him for a second before answering.
"As perceptive as ever, Argus. But it's nothing to worry about... I just caught a rat that was dirtying the castle," Aurelian replied calmly.
Filch lowered the lamp to illuminate Peter. Seeing himself observed by the guard and feeling Aurelian's proximity, the man let out a muffled scream that no one could hear. His eyes desperately searched for an exit, but Aurelian's magic held him fast as if he were chained to the void. Filch let out a dry laugh.
"A very ugly rat, if I may say so."
"Well, Argus, we won't keep you any longer. We have an appointment with the Headmaster," said Aurelian, nodding goodbye. "Continue with your patrol. The patterns tonight are... unusually interesting."
"As you say, lad," replied Filch, stepping aside with a smile as the group entered the castle.
They climbed the moving stairs until they reached the stone gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office.
"Lemon sorbet," Aurelian said in a clear voice.
The gargoyle jumped aside, revealing the spiral staircase. They climbed the stairs, and Aurelian knocked on the wooden door once before entering without invitation.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, surrounded by some silver instruments that were making noises. Seeing who was entering, the Archmage stood up quickly, his normally bright eyes, filled with a mixture of calm and wisdom, widening.
His gaze shifted from Aurelian and the Carrow sisters to Lupin, then to an unconscious Snape, finally settling on the emaciated man standing next to them.
"Sirius?" Dumbledore whispered, approaching him.
"Headmaster," said Aurelian, stepping forward and gesturing toward Pettigrew, who fell to the office floor with a thud, whimpering in fear at Dumbledore's feet. "I'm sorry to interrupt your evening, but there are truths that cannot wait until dawn."
Dumbledore looked down at the small, sweaty man trembling at his feet. Recognition flashed across his face.
"Peter...?" Dumbledore exhaled, and for a moment the office seemed to vibrate with the headmaster's magic.
Aurelian crossed his arms.
"I think it's time to contact Cornelius Fudge," Aurelian continued, looking at Dumbledore with confidence. "The Minister will want to be there to see the 'fallen hero' come back to life. We have a lot to explain, and Sirius has a name to clear."
Dumbledore looked at Aurelian intently, gauging the depth of the young Gaunt. He knew the boy wasn't doing this out of charity; he must have gained some benefit from it, but the evidence before him was undeniable, and he couldn't refute anything.
"It seems, Aurelian," said Dumbledore, regaining his composure and gesturing for chairs to be conjured so that everyone could sit down, "that you have played a move on this board that even I did not see coming."
"Headmaster," replied Aurelian with an enigmatic smile, "I am simply correcting the mistakes of the past. Now let's contact the Ministry. We have a Lord to rehabilitate."
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