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Chapter 407: Eaten?!!
Dumbledore clearly realized he had said too much.
He immediately changed the subject and looked toward the doorway.
"Well, Harry, you're here too. Come in!"
He spoke cheerfully.
Harry felt something was odd, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
More importantly, he had remembered something critical.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, yesterday… after my exam… Professor Trelawney made a prophecy…"
"A prophecy?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"Who did she predict would die this time?"
Harry shook his head quickly.
"No… it wasn't that kind. It seemed real…"
"She said… Voldemort's servant would return to him at midnight. That the servant would help him regain his power."
"Then she went back to normal right after. I think it was a genuine prophecy…"
"So… Peter Pettigrew's escape…"
Harry stopped suddenly and glanced at Darren.
Darren's face had already turned pale.
"Oh, Darren… this isn't your fault. Peter Pettigrew is just too cunning," Harry said quickly.
But Dumbledore interrupted gently.
"No, Darren doesn't need to blame himself."
"In my opinion… what you did was noble."
"Forget it—perhaps I should say it like this."
"If your parents had stood before Peter Pettigrew… they would have made the same choice."
"They were kind people."
"Your father, in particular, was mischievous… and rather annoying in his school days."
"But even he wouldn't have chosen to kill an old friend."
Darren's eyes reddened.
In a hoarse voice, he said:
"Professor… I miss them so much."
"When I saw Sirius yesterday… I almost thought I was seeing my father."
"I kept thinking… maybe Dad would have looked at me like that…"
"I know I'm imagining things… they're gone… and I keep mistaking others for them."
Dumbledore smiled softly.
"Child… do you really think they're gone?"
"No."
"They live in your heart."
"You love them."
"So they have never truly left."
As the semester drew to a close, the incident faded into silence.
No one ever learned what truly happened that night.
Apart from Harry and the others.
Buckbeak and Sirius vanished.
And Peter Pettigrew disappeared into the darkness.
Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak's escape.
In the Great Hall, he looked as though he wanted to skin Hagrid alive.
Yet back in Slytherin, it was as if nothing had happened.
He simply played wizard chess with Crabbe and Goyle.
Snape's attitude toward Harry during the final week grew unbearable.
He looked at Harry as though he were a disease.
As if he wished to cast the Killing Curse every time he passed him.
Harry lived in constant discomfort.
Thankfully… the holidays were close.
When the report cards were handed out, it finally felt real.
Darren, as always, received perfect scores.
Every professor praised both his character and his brilliance.
Hermione's grades were excellent too.
She insisted on dropping Muggle Studies at last.
Her schedule was finally normal.
Then—
They boarded the Hogwarts Express.
Harry felt crushed.
For a brief moment, he'd believed he would spend the summer at Sirius's place.
But now—
No news from Sirius.
Lupin had vanished as well.
And once again, Harry would return to the Dursleys.
Even if they weren't as terrible anymore…
The discomfort still remained.
But that sadness didn't last long.
Because suddenly—
A small owl pecked urgently at their train window.
When they opened it, the little creature dropped straight into Darren's arms and refused to move.
Darren lifted it hurriedly and passed it to Hermione, looking worried.
In truth, he quietly brushed off his robe.
Where on earth did you roll through? You're filthy.
Hermione frowned and cleaned the little owl with her handkerchief before removing a letter tied to its leg.
"It's from Sirius!"
She whispered excitedly.
"Open it! Hurry!"
The letter read:
> Dear Darren and Harry,
I hope this reaches you before you leave the train.
I'm not sure whether it'll be safe after that.
There's something I must confess—
I sent you the Firebolt, Harry.
Darren, I've sent you some compensation from my vault.
I broke that necklace, and I know you don't have much money.
Please use this to repair it.
If it's not enough, I'll pay the rest myself.
Also—Ron has lost his rat because of me.
The owl may stay with him if he wants.
And Harry—
There's something else for you inside.
Love,
Sirius
Hermione flipped the envelope.
A card slipped out.
It was for Darren.
Inside: 10,000 Galleons.
Darren silently calculated—
Repairing the necklace would cost maybe a hundred Holy Father points at most.
So this was almost… free money.
As for Harry—
He unfolded another item.
Sirius's Hogsmeade permission slip, signed.
He could finally go.
And Ron—
Ron stared at the little owl in disbelief.
A pet?
A real one?
(Scabbers did not count.)
He didn't even want to remember what Scabbers really was.
He placed the owl in front of Crookshanks.
"Go on! Smell it!"
"If it's an Animagus, bite it right now!"
Crookshanks sniffed lazily.
Then flicked his tail in disdain—
And jumped into Darren's lap instead.
Ron groaned.
"Darren! You spoil Lezi too much!"
"It's so useless! Not even an Animagus detector!"
Darren smiled softly.
"I don't care if Lezi is lazy or useless."
"My brother gave it to me."
"When I see it… it's like seeing him."
Then Darren suddenly froze.
A strange thought crossed his mind.
…If that's the case…
What if…
The system eats Harry?
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