章 238: 0237 Mistakes in the Past
"Perhaps I have met him somewhere before -"
Remus smiled, looking a bit disappointed. His amber eyes searched Bryan's face for a hint of recognition, but found none. He finally looked away and said to Bryan, "So, you didn't find anything last night?"
"Obv-iously not-"
Bryan stretched lazily, walked to the fireplace, and poured himself a cup of tea from the hot teapot. The steam rose from the cup, carrying a faint aroma of mint and honey. He turned his back to Remus and said, "I have checked all the secret passages that Filch doesn't know about. I didn't find any clues related to Black. And I have sealed the secret passage under the Whomping Willow."
Remus didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed with this result. He had complicated feelings about his old friend, who had betrayed him and his other friends so horribly. In any case, he left the office looking lost and reminded Bryan that he would transform again in a few days and asked for his help with the class. Then he walked out of the office, feeling the weight of his secret on his shoulders.
Bryan held the teacup and looked at Tom, who was lazily hanging his ears, without saying a word.
After a while, Sirius asked Bryan to turn him back to his original form and asked in a gloomy tone, "So, you already know that Remus is a werewolf?"
"Since Dumbledore brought him in as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, he definitely wouldn't hide it from the Board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic. The professors at the school also taught him before, so they have known for a long time that Remus is a werewolf. As for me…"
Bryan took a sip of tea and smiled.
"I knew him before becoming colleagues with Remus."
Sirius seemed very interested, and Bryan briefly told him,
"–I'm sure you know about the underground world in Knockturn Alley. In recent years, Remus has been hanging out there to make a living. Of course, he hasn't done much illegal activities. When he transforms every month, he goes to the forest or the wilderness alone to endure that period. After the transformation, he would also gather some herbs from the forest to sell. However, he doesn't seem to be good at it, and most of the time, he can't sell much. He barely makes enough to buy food and clothes."
Seeing Sirius listening attentively, Bryan thought for a moment and continued,
"In the early years, I mean when Voldemort just fell, the Wizarding world had deep prejudices against werewolves. At that time, Remus was forced to follow Greyback for a while. But he obviously couldn't stand Greyback's cruel methods. He was just pretending to work for him. Well, that's about it."
"Before-, I mean when we just graduated from Hogwarts,"
Sirius said with a gloomy expression,
"Remus didn't have a good time. He didn't want to accept my help. James had some relatives who owned businesses and he wanted to introduce Remus to work there, but Remus was afraid of causing trouble for James and refused."
Sirius took a deep breath and pushed those unpleasant memories out of his mind. Then, he looked at the young wizard leaning against the fireplace with a strange look in his eyes.
"I suddenly noticed something, Watson."
Hmm–
Bryan made a questioning sound with his nose.
"You graduated from Slytherin, right? That's quite unusual. How come a wizard from that house dares to utter Voldemort's name out loud?"
Sirius said sarcastically,
"In those years, Slytherin was almost a reserve force for Death Eaters. Many Slytherins we knew became core members of the Death Eaters after graduation, including that slimy Snape. You have a good relationship with him, right? Hasn't he told you about his glorious past?"
"I don't see how you are qualified to mock Professor Snape, Black."
Bryan said coldly,
"Indeed, Professor Snape may have made some wrong choices when he was young and ignorant, but he has been working for Dumbledore all these years, hoping to make up for the mistakes he made in his youth. And what about you, Black? After your foolish suggestion led to the death of the Potters, what did you do? To put it nicely, voluntarily entering Azkaban is an act of atonement. To put it bluntly, you just wanted to avoid the guilt on your conscience.
In my opinion, Professor Snape is much braver than you, Black. If you really have the courage, why don't you take up the responsibility of raising Harry? As far as I know, you are his godfather, right?"
"I did consider doing that!"
Sirius stood up with a bang, his face flushed with embarrassment and anger. He clenched his fists and glared at Bryan, who was sitting calmly on the armchair.
"On the night the Potters were killed, I wanted to raise Harry, but Hagrid said Dumbledore wanted to arrange for Harry to stay with his aunt!"
"Just as you intended, right?"
Bryan said with a sneer,
"Compared to the responsibility of raising a child, it seems that seeking revenge suits your hot-headed personality better."
He paused and added sarcastically,
"After all, you are the one who suggested the Potters to use the Fidelius Charm and switch their Secret Keeper at the last minute, right?"
Unable to win a fight or an argument, and not even able to storm out, Sirius was so angry that he felt like his lungs were about to explode.
However, before he could ask any questions, Bryan's next words stunned him, and he fell into a long silence.
"Last summer, I visited Harry's aunt and uncle because of some things. In private, he told me that he had been living in a cupboard under the stairs before coming to Hogwarts. Obviously, the Potters were very happy to see Harry grow up in such a 'luxurious' environment, right?"
Bryan's voice was dripping with sarcasm, but also with pity and anger.
The room fell silent, and the argument came to an end.
For the rest of the morning, Sirius lay motionless on the couch, not even reacting to Crookshanks's curious poking. The ginger cat had sensed the tension in the air, and had decided to leave the two men alone. It seemed that Sirius had been deeply affected by Bryan's sharp words.
"What are your plans for the Christmas holiday, Bryan?"
After two classes in the morning, just before lunch, Professor McGonagall walked out of her office and went upstairs to knock on Bryan's office door. She had a parchment in her hand, and a worried look on her face.
"Well, I plan to visit my orphanage, Professor. Do you have any suggestions–"
'He is an orphan?' Upon hearing the word orphanage, Tom(Sirius) on the couch raised his head, looking a bit stunned, and looked at Bryan, who was standing at the door talking. Suddenly, he seemed to understand.
"Well, Bryan,"
Professor McGonagall squeezed the parchment in her hand, looking a bit hesitant,
"This is the list of students who have applied to stay at school during the Christmas holiday. Considering that Black is still on the loose, so–"
Bryan blinked, "Who are on the list?"
"Mr. Potter is definitely one of them,"
Professor McGonagall sighed and said, "This child has nowhere else to go. And then, Granger and Weasley will stay to accompany him!"
Malfoy and his two followers from Slytherin were not going home for Christmas either. There were also a few senior students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw who stayed to prepare for the NEWT exams. Gryffindor had the trio, and Neville was also forced to stay at school because of his lost wand.
"Speaking of Neville's wand–"
Bryan suddenly came back to his senses and took out the wand from his pocket to show Professor McGonagall.
"I accidentally found it while taking a walk in the yard yesterday."
"Oh, thank goodness!"
Professor McGonagall immediately exclaimed with joy,
"I tried to persuade Mr. Longbottom for a long time, and even offered to write a letter to Augusta for him, but he just didn't dare to go back. Now, Mr. Longbottom can finally go home for Christmas. Well, as for taking care of the children during the holiday, since you have plans–"
Professor McGonagall hesitated for a moment, "I'll go ask Remus. He shouldn't have any extra travel plans."
She smiled warmly at Bryan, and thanked him for his help.
Feeling guilty about Harry's situation, Sirius was once again struck in the heart by the conversation between them.
Bryan settled his lunch in the office. He had a simple meal of bread and cheese, and a glass of water. He was not very hungry, and he had more important things to do. During the break before class, Bryan locked the door with a click and prepared to go to the Gryffindor common room to return Mr. Longbottom's wand and retrieve his own spare wand.
The "adorable" Tom obviously wanted to follow along, but he was mercilessly rejected,
"Keep an eye on Tom and don't cause any trouble, Crookshanks."
After giving this order, Bryan locked the door and disappeared from the sight of the two unhappy cats.
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章 239: 0238 Festive Atmosphere
This was the penultimate week before the end of the semester.
Unlike the tense and stressful atmosphere of the second half of the school year, when exams and assignments loomed over the students, the atmosphere before the end of the first half of the school year had always been warm and pleasant. Even the strict and demanding professors were slightly more lenient and forgiving of the students during this time.
During the lunch break, the Gryffindor common room was more lively and cheerful than usual.
Among Harry's roommates, Dean and Seamus had already started eagerly and excitedly packing their bags to go home. They were looking forward to seeing their families and friends, and enjoying the festive season. And Percy, the eldest Weasley brother, took advantage of this opportunity to persuade Ron to go home for Christmas.
"Fred, George, and Ginny are all going home. Even Charlie will rush back from Romania to spend Christmas with Mum and Dad. It's just you, Ron!"
After learning that Ron had signed his name on Professor McGonagall's form, indicating that he would stay at Hogwarts for the holidays, Percy immediately sought him out and said unhappily.
"Bill is also in Egypt, so he can't go home."
"Bill can't go home because he hasn't been able to get rid of the goblins at Gringotts," Percy said triumphantly, as if that was a valid excuse. But after Ron gestured to Harry to pretend he hadn't heard anything, Percy frowned and walked away reluctantly, muttering under his breath.
"You don't have to do this, Ron," Harry said sincerely, feeling grateful and guilty at the same time. "This is a time for family reunion, and you should go home and spend time with Mrs. Weasley. She'll be happy to see you."
"Oh, you don't understand, Harry!"
Ron shook his head and pretended to be annoyed, but Harry could see the concern in his eyes. "There are already so many people crowded in the house. If I go back, I'll just trouble my parents!"
"Hey, Harry!"
Harry knew that Ron was doing this for him. He was about to say something touching, but Colin, the second-year student, suddenly came over with a camera, eagerly walking with Ginny, who was blushing slightly.
"Can I take a Christmas photo of you? My little brother Dennis will be of age to attend Hogwarts next year, but he's not sure if he'll be accepted. I want to give him your photo, maybe it will give him some luck and confidence!"
"Oh, well, if you insist–"
Harry didn't understand why Colin thought his photo could bring good luck to people, but he couldn't find a reason to refuse.
Harry let Colin drag him to the Christmas tree in the common room, which was decorated with mistletoe, holly, and many flying lights. The tree sparkled and shimmered, creating a festive and magical atmosphere. He let Colin fiddle with his camera for a long time, adjusting the angle and the focus, before finally taking a photo that satisfied Colin.
"Can I have one, too, Colin?"
Ginny's plea came softly from a few steps away. Ron chuckled mysteriously, making Harry's ears turn red.
"Where's Hermione? I didn't see her. Did she go to the library again?"
To avoid Ron bringing up Ginny's admiration for him, Harry quickly changed the subject.
"She's trying to convince Neville to overcome his fear of his grandmother and go home for Christmas."
Ron shrugged and pointed in the direction of the bustling common room, where Hermione was talking earnestly to Neville, who looked nervous and scared.
"She always likes to take on these impossible tasks. She thinks she can change everyone's mind with logic and reason."
Harry smiled, and the lively common room in front of him diluted the gloom in his heart. He tried to forget about the dark and dangerous things that lurked outside the castle walls, and focus on the joy and warmth of his friends.
"Speaking of which–"
Seeing that Harry's mood was finally lifted, Ron also breathed a sigh of relief and casually asked, "Did you figure out about Professor Lupin's reaction yesterday?"
"Not really," Harry sighed, feeling the gloom return. "I don't understand why he cares so much about the passage under the Whomping Willow, but he's my dad's friend. I think he's just like Professor Watson, who doesn't want me to use those passages to leave Hogwarts again. Maybe he's worried about my safety, or something."
The portrait of the Fat Lady frequently opened to allow young wizards to enter and exit, but this time, the person who walked in quickly quieted down the noisy common room. Everyone turned to look at the visitor, who wore a serious and solemn expression.
Bryan looked kindly at the young wizards who showed surprise and curiosity on their faces, and then found Neville in the corner. He walked towards him with a gentle smile, and said
"It's good news, Mr. Longbottom–"
Without any pretense or hesitation, Bryan took out the wand from his pocket and handed it to Neville.
"Your wand has been found, Mr. Longbottom. You don't have to worry about your grandmother kicking you out of the house anymore."
"Where did you find it, Professor!"
Neville's mournful face suddenly relaxed, and he was so excited that he didn't know how to express his gratitude. He clutched his wand tightly, as if afraid that it would disappear again. Hermione asked this question on his behalf, curious and concerned.
"I saw it accidentally when I passed by the yard last night. It was lying under a bush, covered with snow. By the way–"
Bryan smiled and, after thinking for a moment, he lowered his voice and said to Hermione, who was standing next to Neville.
"Last night, um, I found Crookshanks in Hogsmeade. He was wandering around the streets, looking for food. Considering the recent cold weather, I brought him back directly. If you're willing, you can come to my office and take him back to the dormitory."
Glancing at Harry and Ron, who were peering over, Hermione's still young face showed a touch of sadness. She had missed her ginger cat terribly, but she had also felt guilty for leaving him with Hagrid, who had enough trouble with his own pets.
"It seems that Crookshanks doesn't like staying with Hagrid. Professor, can you help take care of Crookshanks for a while?" Hermione quickly added, "I will visit him frequently!"
"No problem, Hermione," Bryan nodded, understanding her dilemma.
"Crookshanks found a playmate for himself in the wild. It's a black cat. he's very friendly and smart. I brought both of them back, so you don't have to worry about him feeling lonely."
"You're such a good person, Professor!"
Hermione was so grateful that she was about to cry, and Neville, who was next to her, nodded frantically.
This made Bryan feel embarrassed. Fortunately, at this time, Harry and Ron also rushed over, as if they had something to say.
"Let's talk outside, Harry."
Bryan knew what Harry wanted to ask, but this topic was obviously not suitable for public discussion. He didn't want to attract any unwanted attention or cause any panic. After giving an order, he turned and walked out of the common room, and Harry and the others followed without hesitation.
Walking through the corridor, Bryan stopped at the corner of the stairs. He looked around to make sure no one was listening, and then faced Harry and his friends.
"Did you find anything, Professor?"
Harry's eyes were burning, and he asked the expected question without surprise. He was eager to know if Bryan had any clues or leads about the secret passage under the Whomping Willow. After receiving the answer, he could already foresee the obvious disappointment on his face.
"Still thinking about avenging your parents by killing Sirius Black?"
Bryan asked, his voice calm and stern.
"Harry wouldn't think like that, right?"
Afraid that Harry would be stubborn again, Hermione hurriedly said.
"I don't think like that, Professor," Harry said frankly, looking Bryan in the eye. "I just hope you can send that criminal back to where he belongs as soon as possible. He deserves to rot in Azkaban for what he did."
'This is really a confusing situation.'
Looking at Harry, who was trying to hide his hatred, Bryan shook his head in his heart.
"Don't worry, Harry. I will find a way to make the real culprit pay as soon as possible."
"The real culprit?"
After Bryan left, Hermione immediately frowned her eyebrows trembling in confusion. She sensed that there was something more to Bryan's words, "What did Professor Watson mean?"
"What's so hard to understand about this–"
Ron crossed his arms and confidently said, as if he knew everything. "Wizards in the wizarding world know that it was You-Know-Who who killed Harry's parents, but few people know that it was Black who caused their sacrifice. He betrayed them to You-Know-Who. So, Professor Watson said he wants to make the 'real culprit' pay. By the way, I wonder if Professor Watson will stay at the school for the holidays. Maybe I should write to my mom and ask her to knit him a sweater too. I bet my mom won't refuse. She's very grateful to him for saving Ginny last year."
"I don't think so,"
Harry, who was also puzzled by Professor Watson's answer, blurted out.
"Normally, he goes back to the orphanage every year to spend Christmas with the kids–"
"Where did you hear that, Harry?"
Hermione suddenly stretched her head over, staring at Harry suspiciously. This made Harry realize that he seemed to have said something he shouldn't have. His heart skipped a beat, and he pretended to be casual.
"Oh, you know, over the summer, I spent a month alone with Professor Watson. He told me some things about his past."
"Oh, you kept it a secret from us, mate!"
Ron became interested and curious, and grabbed Harry's collar, forcing him to answer.
"Tell us, what do you know about Professor Watson?" Ron demanded, his voice eager and impatient.
"If you want me to die in the hands of Professor Watson instead of dying in the hands of Sirius Black-" Harry said with 'tears streaming down his face'. He was exaggerating, of course "-then go ahead and force me!"
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