Chapter 496: The Secret of Scabbers

After Ron ran out, Harry quickly followed him outside the shop.

Neville, standing at the very back and closest to the door, inevitably became the first wizard pushed out by Ron.

Their three figures vanished quickly into the crowd of Diagon Alley.

“I’m so sorry…”

The witch with thick black glasses hurriedly bowed, clutching the ginger cat.

“But it’s strange—though no one has adopted it and it’s been here a long time… it’s never acted so violently before.”

The witch muttered.

She gazed at the three young wizards disappearing into Diagon Alley, as if something occurred to her, and murmured softly to herself.

Wizard Sean, Hermione, and Jia Jia Siting faintly caught the words “rat” and “lived too long.”

“What’s the cat’s name?”

Hermione suddenly asked.

“Oh, dear, it has no name—names are given by owners, and it’s never had one.”

The witch said.

“Can I buy it?”

Hermione said happily.

“That’s wonderful, dear!”

The witch’s face lit up.

“Cats are nice.”

Jia Jia Siting smiled beside her, stealing a glance at Wizard Sean.

“Of course, cats are nice.”

Hermione paid quickly.

When Harry and the others returned, they saw Hermione tightly hugging the large ginger cat.

“You bought this monster?”

Ron’s mouth hung wide open.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Hermione said.

Harry thought, everyone sees things differently.

The cat’s ginger fur was fluffy and soft, but its paws were clearly pigeon-toed, its expression gloomy, its face shaped like a strange dried persimmon—as if it had once slammed headfirst into a brick wall.

Now that Scabbers was out of sight, the cat purred contentedly in Hermione’s arms.

“Hermione, that thing nearly peeled off my scalp!”

Ron said.

“It didn’t mean to, did it, Crookshanks?”

Hermione said.

“You named it? Merlin, already?

But… what about Scabbers?”

Ron pointed to the bulge in his front pocket.

“He needs rest, he needs to relax! How can he relax with that thing around?”

“That reminds me—you forgot your Rat Tonic.”

Hermione said, shoving the small red bottle into Ron’s hand.

“Don’t worry—Crookshanks sleeps in my dorm, Scabbers sleeps in yours. What’s the problem?

Poor Crookshanks—the shopkeeper said he’d been there ages, with no one wanting him.”

“That’s strange.”

Ron whispered sarcastically to Harry.

After Hermione bought her pet, the group set off for the Leaky Cauldron.

It was nearly noon, so they decided to have a proper meal before buying their new textbooks and supplies.

Harry, Ron, and Neville walked ahead, chatting, while Wizard Sean, Hermione, and Jia Jia Siting lagged behind.

“Ron said that rat belonged to his brother?”

Jia Jia Siting asked casually.

“Mm.”

Hermione replied.

“That’s odd—I heard Ron say Percy had that rat since he was very young…”

Jia Jia Siting said, puzzled.

“Wizard Sean, do you know how long a garden rat can live?”

Wizard Sean paused, glancing subtly at Hermione and Jia Jia Siting.

Before he could speak, Hermione answered first:

“Didn’t the shopkeeper say? A garden rat lives at most three years.”

Hermione tilted her head, holding Crookshanks’ paw—now the cat, spotting Wizard Sean, pressed itself against him.

“Maybe it’s not a garden rat—like Crookshanks, it has cat-kin blood and can tell good wizards from bad ones.”

As she finished, Crookshanks slipped from her grip, leaping onto Wizard Sean’s shoulder and curling there like a thick woolen scarf.

“You’re right.”

Jia Jia Siting agreed, but his gaze toward Wizard Sean subtly shifted.

Wizard Sean’s view was blocked by Crookshanks’ raised tail as he slowly realized Hermione and Jia Jia Siting were nearly on the verge of uncovering Peter’s secret.

After all, the Weasleys shared a bed with Peter for twelve years and never noticed Scabbers was special?

Twelve years together, unaware Scabbers was Peter…

The Leaky Cauldron.

Wizard Sean immediately saw Mr. Weasley sitting at the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.

“Mr. Green.”

He looked up and smiled.

“How are you? And you, Harry? Of course, you lot too?”

“Very well, Mr. Weasley.”

Wizard Sean said.

After greetings, the group sat beside Mr. Weasley with their purchases.

Mr. Weasley set down the paper, and Wizard Sean saw Sirius Black’s photograph glaring at him.

“They haven’t caught him yet?”

Harry asked nervously.

“No,”

Mr. Weasley’s expression was grim.

“The Ministry has pulled everyone off regular duties to hunt him down, but so far, no progress.”

“Will there be a reward if we catch him?”

Ron asked.

“A bit more money would be great—”

“Don’t talk nonsense, Ron.”

Mr. Weasley said; up close, his face looked tense.

“Black can’t be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard.

Remember this—only the Dementors of Azkaban will bring him back.”

At that moment, Mrs. Weasley entered the pub, arms laden with shopping bags.

Behind her came the twins, Fred and George—about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; Percy, newly elected Head Boy; and the Weasleys’ youngest child and only daughter, Ginny.

Percy formally extended his hand to everyone, as if meeting them for the first time:

“Harry, it’s a pleasure to see you.

And you, Jia Jia Siting, Miss Granger…

How are you all?”

Percy shook hands with each of them, acting as if they’d been introduced to the Mayor.

“Oh! Mr. Green—”

When he reached Wizard Sean, Percy’s demeanor changed noticeably.

He knew some of the truth… it wasn’t hard to deduce…

“How have you been lately?”

“Very well, Mr. Weasley.”

Wizard Sean said.

“Good…”

Percy was about to say more when someone elbowed him aside.

“Great Green!”

Fred pushed Percy aside with a sharp elbow and bowed deeply,

“It is such a joy to meet you—”

“Absolutely wonderful,”

George shoved Fred aside and quickly took Wizard Sean’s hand in a light grip,

“Truly magnificent.”