Hogwarts: Even Voldemort Can't Stop Me From Studying

”Did I interrupt your meeting, Professor?” Vid asked.

Dumbledore said, ”No, I have to thank you for saving me from a boring and meaningless argument to do something useful.”

His gaze fell on the squirrel, a hint of amusement in his blue eyes.

The squirrel was so excited it almost jumped off Vid’s shoulder, chattering rapidly several times, its paws gesticulating quickly, and its tail swaying constantly.

”Ah...” Dumbledore stared at the squirrel for a moment, then smiled and said, ”It really is Sirius.”

He reached out his slender fingers, took the squirrel, and said to Vid, ”Follow me.”

Vid followed Dumbledore to an ordinary-looking and normal tent nearby. He reached out to pull the rope hanging at the entrance, feeling that this gray canvas tent could blend into a Muggle park seamlessly.

After entering, he realized it was indeed a wizard’s tent, with spacious interior space and various items meticulously organized. Even the cushions on the high-backed chair were placed in the same direction, with a Peeping Mirror and Secret Investigator hanging near the entrance.

Vid thought: This is definitely not Dumbledore’s own tent.

Dumbledore placed the squirrel on the ground, pointed at it with his magic wand, and a light blue glow emerged from the tip, enveloping the squirrel like water.

The squirrel’s bones emitted a slight sound, its fur rapidly retracting, limbs stretching and expanding, the features on its furry head transforming rapidly. In the blink of an eye, a tall man with black hair was kneeling on the ground.

Sirius gasped as he stood up, his body trembling slightly. He looked down at his restored hands, his gaze still somewhat dazed.

Although Sirius is a skilled Animagus, accustomed to maintaining an animal form for long periods in Azkaban, being transformed into a squirrel by someone else’s magic and unable to revert was still a terrible experience for him.

The important thing isn’t ”becoming an animal,” but having no control over one’s body. There were even a few seconds when he almost forgot who he was, as if back in that cold, despairing prison.

Vid stuffed two pieces of his staple chocolate from his pocket to him, and seeing hot water boiling on the stove, picked up the teapot, preparing to serve him a cup of hot tea.

”Don’t give me that.” Sirius shoved the chocolate in his mouth, saying indistinctly, ”Vid, could you get me a bottle of alcohol?”

”Same for me,” Dumbledore said, ”Ah, I remember there’s a fine bottle of brandy in the kitchen fridge.”

Although they could summon the brandy with a wave of their hand, Vid ran an errand, picking up glass wine glasses for the two of them. He himself chose a porcelain cup from the tea table, leisurely brewing steaming hot water.

Sirius gulped down his glass of wine, exhaling deeply, finally looking as if he came back to life.

Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, eyes filled with concern, asking, ”Sirius, what did you track?”

Sirius’s lips moved, his voice hoarse as he spoke, ”I followed Lucius Malfoy into the woods, not expecting one person to be waiting there in ambush... During my fight with Malfoy, that guy suddenly snuck up on me from behind, transformed me into a squirrel...”

Dumbledore’s eyes narrowed slightly.

With Sirius’s capabilities, there aren’t many who could sneak up on him from behind, transform him, and keep him from changing back for an entire night.

”Did you see who that person was?” Dumbledore asked.

Sirius remained silent for a moment, slowly nodding, his gaze scattering due to the recollection.

”I immediately escaped at the time but later returned... saw someone coming out of the woods... I recognized his face and witnessed him turn two Veela into monsters, but...”

Sirius paused, poured himself a full glass of alcohol, took a large gulp, then wiped the wine off his lips, saying:

”Barty Crouch Jr., I remember seeing him sent to Azkaban... dragged by Dementors in front of my cell, looking no older than nineteen...”

Dumbledore slowly furrowed his brows, Vid also turned back, looking at Sirius.

”The boy was utterly terrified, constantly crying, screaming, shaking all over… He never admitted being a Death Eater, kept calling for help, screaming for his mother at night... But days later, he fell into silence...”

Sirius paused again before saying, ”A year later, he died... They said he died, and I watched Dementors drag his corpse out to bury outside the fortress...”

”I used to think that maybe the boy was really innocent, just appearing at the wrong time, in the wrong place...”

Sirius raised his eyes, looking at Dumbledore, saying, ”But I was wrong, Dumbledore... you really should have seen his expression back then, his genuine delight over people’s suffering and deaths...”

”Barty Crouch Jr., undoubtedly, is a complete Death Eater!”

”I’ve spoken with Barty Crouch,” Dumbledore said, ”The conversation wasn’t quite enjoyable, but fortunately, he eventually confessed to me. He did make some mistakes back then... In the plea of his wife, Barty secretly helped his ailing wife and son swap places.”

Learning the truth from back then isn’t much help with the current situation. After Barty Crouch Jr. drove Veela into madness, Sirius tried to help even as a squirrel in the tent, resulting in nearly being torn apart by Veela and losing track of Barty.

Dumbledore didn’t blame Sirius for his recklessness; when Sirius apologized out of frustration, he merely asked, ”Sirius, tell me, what was on your mind when you saw those people fall into a trap?”

”I...” Sirius wandered in confusion before saying, ”I didn’t think anything, Dumbledore, I rushed in instinctively...”

Dumbledore nodded, ”Sometimes, the right choice comes from our instinctive responses, and I’m glad you weren’t indifferent to lives while pursuing the enemy.”

He smiled, saying, ”Wanting to protect innocent people, what’s wrong with that?”

...

Sirius left with high morale and a weary body, Dumbledore turned to Vid, ”Vid, I’ve noticed your expression changed earlier, do you have something you want to tell me?”

Vid’s gaze shifted between the forehead of the headmaster, seeing Dumbledore’s eyes were as usual, seemingly unfazed by Grindelwald’s words, he rubbed his nose, saying:

”Tonight, I also encountered Barty Crouch Jr...”