The group entered the Headmaster's Office.
Dumbledore was originally sitting behind the desk writing a letter, and as everyone came in one after another, he immediately noticed the unconscious Peter Pettigrew.
The white-bearded headmaster strode over, carefully scrutinizing the gray-faced Peter, and then looked at Lupin and the others.
"If I'm not mistaken... this is Mr. Pettigrew?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, sir," Lupin replied.
They exchanged glances.
Vid felt that at that moment, Dumbledore must have already understood what had happened.
The headmaster did not say it outright; he conjured enough chairs and then said, "Sit down and let me hear your story."
The group exchanged looks.
The Weasley Twins were making faces at Vid—they didn't want to reveal the secret of the Marauder's Map. All the way, they were figuring out how to couch the story plausibly while keeping it hidden.
But Lupin spoke first.
"When I was at school, James and I made a map that shows the names of everyone in the school..."
The Weasley Twins were astonished and stared at him wide-eyed.
"You... you're the creator of the map?"
"Yes." Lupin smiled at them, "I'm Moonface, a nickname my friends gave me back at school. By the way..."
He looked at Harry and said, "James was Prongs, Sirius was Padfoot, and Peter..."
Lupin's gaze moved to Peter Pettigrew, saying with disdain, "He was Wormtail because his Animagus form is a rat."
Harry looked at Peter and then at Lupin, intrigued by the school stories of his father but knowing now was not the time to ask questions.
He sat quietly next to Lupin, like a child leaning on a father.
Dumbledore's gaze swept over Harry deliberately or inadvertently but said nothing.
Then Lupin continued his story—the outline of which he had already known from Vid. As he narrated, each sentence had a persuasive power.
Vid, not wanting to be the center of attention, let Lupin take most of the responsibility.
In his story, Vid noticed Peter Pettigrew's name frequently appearing in Harry and Ron's dormitory on the Marauder's Map. Knowing there was no such student in their year in Gryffindor College, he communicated this to Lupin in the Friendship Book.
Fred and George exchanged a glance.
With Lupin's explanation, it was as if the Marauder's Map had been given to Vid by him. Their act of stealing the Marauder's Map from Filch's office and using it to frequently sneak out of school was conveniently covered up.
——What a good person!
Fred conveyed with a glance.
George nodded emphatically; although not much had been said, their affection for Lupin had soared.
They hadn't encountered such an agreeable adult before.
Lupin, being a former "friend," naturally remembered the name and immediately realized there was an issue.
Since Lupin couldn't enter the school, he asked Vid to capture Peter Pettigrew, and Vid then sought the Weasley Twins for assistance...
"Why didn't you ask me?" Harry asked in confusion. "I'm in the same dormitory as Ron; it would have been more convenient!"
"Because he knows you well from interacting with you every day," Vid made up an excuse. "If you inadvertently exposed your intentions, he might take you hostage instead."
Harry blinked, "But Fred and George were eventually exposed too!"
George coughed, "Vid probably thought... even if we caught Ron's rat and bullied him, he would just consider himself unlucky and wouldn't think he was exposed, right?"
The group actually found it reasonable!
The two brothers, prone to mischief, unexpectedly provided an advantage in such situations.
Percy wanted to say something several times but held back because the professors were present, his ears turning red from restraint.
Professor McGonagall was fuming.
"Remus!"
She glared angrily at Lupin, scolding sternly:
"I thought you would mature somewhat after coming of age, but you turned out to be more reckless than young James! Tell me, what were you thinking by letting a few kids catch Peter?"
"If... if Peter were... they might have gotten hurt, or even killed!"
Vid and the Weasley Twins instinctively shrank back.
"I'm sorry," Lupin apologized humbly, taking the blame without hesitation, "I was overwhelmed and didn't think it through..."
Professor McGonagall's expression softened a bit, and she sighed.
"I can understand your feelings, James and Lily... sigh... but, regardless... children shouldn't be put in danger. Even if nothing happened, I have to say, what you did was absolutely wrong..."
"Yes," Lupin said sincerely, "I should have contacted you or Dumbledore... but I feared if I delayed another second, he might disappear for good..."
Professor McGonagall looked compassionately troubled; she shook her head and said no more.
The "children," who had narrowly escaped, remained quiet as quails.
Lupin continued his story.
According to his instructions, after capturing Peter Pettigrew, Vid brought him to Hogsmeade through a secret passage—
Professor McGonagall was again breathless with anger. If Lupin hadn't already graduated, she might have docked two hundred points from her own college.
——Lupin interrogated Peter and confirmed that he was the real traitor from back then and that Sirius was entirely framed by Peter.
Traitor?
Harry felt a bad premonition, staring intently at Lupin, his heart pounding heavily.
——Who did Peter betray?
But Lupin had no intention of elaborating, quickly narrating how he, Vid, and Peter Pettigrew returned to the school to let Dumbledore handle the aftermath.
"Then... the Secret Keeper from back then, it was..." Professor McGonagall asked in disbelief.
"It was Peter," Lupin revealed a pained expression, "Sirius switched the Secret Keeper at the last moment... thinking it would be safer..."
Professor McGonagall wanted to say something, but seeing the bewildered Harry beside her, she held back.
Children shouldn't bear hatred too early.
"Can you be sure everything Peter said is true?" Dumbledore asked, "You know, he has lied for over a decade... how can you prove he's not making up stories now?"
"I'm sorry, sir," Lupin said apologetically, "I used Veritaserum..."
Using Veritaserum without permission is illegal, but everyone present could understand Lupin's feelings and did not challenge it.
"I think we need to notify the Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore stood and said, "Ron Weasley and Vid Gray, please stay behind. Professor McGonagall, could you escort the other children back to the common room, and then have Arthur and Moli come to the school."
"Alright," Professor McGonagall agreed.
Harry quickly asked, "Can't we... stay behind?"
"Sorry, but for Peter Pettigrew's interrogation, there's not much you could help with," Dumbledore stated plainly.
"Uh..."
Harry had nothing to say, reluctantly watching the two who were allowed to stay behind and then followed Professor McGonagall out.
Ron silently mouthed to him, "I'll tell you everything later."
Harry nodded slightly, his mood lifted a bit.
"Prof, professor!" Percy hurriedly raised his hand and said, "Scabbers used to be my pet; maybe I can provide some information."
"We can too!" the Weasley Twins quickly said, "We were part of the capture operation!"
"...I think leaving one person is enough," Dumbledore stated.
Fred and George were still unwilling, but Professor McGonagall sternly said, "Stop being difficult, Mr. Weasleys! The headmaster has made a decision."
Fred reluctantly followed suit, and on his way out, he was mouthing to Vid—
Be sure to give us all the details after everything is over!
They were so eager to be involved; it was more exciting than any of their pranks.
Unfortunately, the adults had heartlessly excluded them.
Vid nodded slightly, agreeing.