Chapter 31: Conspiracy

Since Sherry decided to find a way to solve Pettigrew and exonerate Sirius, he had to plan it well. First of all, when everyone thought that Peter Pettigrew died as a hero, if he suddenly revealed that he was still alive. Then there would definitely be people who doubted whether Sirius was really guilty. No one else would say it, but Dumbledore would definitely start an investigation.

Secondly, this matter could not be said directly, otherwise it would expose Sherry's foresight and affect Harry's trust in him. Therefore, in this matter, Sherry could only inadvertently point out to Harry that something was wrong with a certain mouse, and then find a way to let the professor solve it. This method is the safest.

In the next few days, Harry and Ron often went out together. But Ron did not bring Scabbers with him, but left him in the dormitory. This left Sherry no chance to speak. He had to let the mouse sway in front of him before he could express his doubts about him!

Ron had received a letter from Charlie, expressing his willingness to take care of a young dragon, and agreed to meet on the top of the astronomy tower on Saturday night a week later. As soon as Sherry heard this, he knew that Dumbledore definitely knew about this and also agreed to send the dragon away. Because no one except the headmaster had the power to let outsiders enter Hogwarts.

As the holiday ended, the students returned to school. Hermione and Vincent knew that they missed the birth of the dragon, and they were really regretful and unhappy. Then they took Harry and Ron to Hagrid's house, ready to take a good look at the little dragon that was almost a week old.

In just a few days, the dragon had grown to three times its original size. When Harry and the others entered, it was standing in front of the fireplace, tearing a piece of bloody meat fiercely.

When Hermione and the others saw such a little dragon, they were not surprised, but frightened. The young dragon found that there were a group of two-legged creatures on its territory. It moved the meat behind it and opened its mouth to spray flames. Harry and the others hurriedly lowered their heads and saw that Hagrid behind them was sprayed directly. For a moment, his beard, eyebrows and hair were all burned. Harry and the others hurriedly surrounded Hagrid and beat him to put out the fire. Fortunately, the dragon was still young and the dragon's flames were not strong. If an adult dragon's flames were used, Hagrid would be burned to ashes.

After this incident, everyone's interest was not high. They just sat in Hagrid's wooden house for a while and went back to school.

Three or four days passed like this, and soon it was Friday. This day was both happy and a bit painful for Harry and the others. The happy thing was that tomorrow would be the weekend, and the painful thing was that the two classes in the afternoon were Snape's potion classes.

"I hope you haven't forgotten all the knowledge you learned before after Christmas, Potter," Snape called Harry's name without warning, and Harry stood up reflexively.

"What should be added as a catalyst in the last step of making the water of life and death?" Snape stared at Harry and asked.

"Jumping bean juice, professor!" Harry answered fluently.

"How many times should I stir it?" Snape did not give up and continued to ask Harry, hoping to deduct a few points from Ravenclaw.

"First, twelve circles clockwise, then three and a half circles counterclockwise." Unfortunately, Harry did not want to satisfy his wish and still gave the correct answer. Snape looked at Harry fiercely, and seemed a little unwilling to not stump Harry, but still let Harry sit down.

The two-hour potion class seemed particularly tormenting. Snape's two sharp eyes kept circling around those students who usually made mistakes, causing them to make frequent mistakes. After nearly half a school year of baptism of eyes, Harry had basically learned to ignore such eyes, but just calmly completed his potion and got a reluctant "A" from Snape.

Harry didn't feel relieved until he walked out of the potion classroom. Maybe it was an illusion, but Harry felt that the air outside was fresher. Remembering that he had agreed to meet Ron and the others in the library, Harry called the Feynman brothers and Vincent and walked to the library together.

Harry and the others found Hermione, Ron and Neville in the corner of the library. Ron and Neville were writing their homework with a sad face, and Hermione was sitting opposite them, staring at them with an almost stern look. After finding out that Harry and the others had come, Ron and Neville looked at Harry and the others as if they were saviors, "Harry, tell Hermione, we have two days of free time next, and we can definitely finish our homework."

"Don't come on," Hermione said angrily, "You have said this many times, but every time you didn't copy my paper, and you also led Neville astray." When Neville heard Hermione mention him, he shrank into a ball, wishing he could disappear from Hermione's sight.

Sherry noticed a scene he had been waiting for for a long time. A gray, wilted-looking mouse was sleeping next to Ron's arm. "I've been waiting for you for so long, and I finally see you!"

Harry didn't want to mess with Hermione in this state. After making a helpless gesture to Ron, he went to the bookshelf and took out a book that explained basic potions and started reading.

"Harry," Hermione asked curiously, "Don't you hate Potions? Why are you reading these books?"

"Correction," Harry said, "I don't hate Potions, I hate Snape, and Potions, which are different." Hermione was a little speechless, but it was no wonder. Snape was really a person who was hard to like.

"Besides, if I don't study potions hard, God knows how many more points Snape will deduct from Ravenclaw, then I won't be in Ravenclaw anymore!" Harry rolled his eyes. Although everyone said that they didn't care about the points deducted by Snape, it was just talk. Who really didn't care? If you take people's jokes seriously, you may not even know why when you are isolated.

After looking at the surroundings and finding that no one was paying attention to them, Harry lowered his voice and asked, "Ron, what did your brother Charlie say? How to transport the dragon away?"

Ron also replied in a low voice, "Tomorrow night at midnight, we will find a way to transport the dragon named Norbert to the top of the astronomy tower. Charlie and his friends will fly into Hogwarts on their brooms and then transport the dragon away."

"My invisibility cloak is not big and can't cover so many people, so who will join and who will leave?" Harry asked.

"I leave!" "I leave!" The twins raised their hands almost at the same time. They looked at each other, sparks flew, and there seemed to be some story inside, but Harry was not in the mood to care about it now.

Neville was timid and soon left, and then Vincent, the fat boy went to bed at ten o'clock every day, and thunder couldn't wake him up. Surprisingly, Hermione actually took the initiative to ask to join. She has always opposed these things that violate school rules.

Seeing everyone looking at her in surprise, Hermione rolled her eyes, "I have to follow and see what's going on, otherwise who knows what you will do to break the school rules." Although she hated breaking the school rules, she had to say that Harry and the others were right this time. If Hagrid was allowed to keep the dragon, maybe in less than two months, Hagrid would be seriously injured.

Thinking of this, Hermione couldn't help but reach out and poke the mouse next to Ron's arm, complaining, "Why can't Hagrid keep a pet as safe as Scabbers?"

Scabbers took two steps after being poked, then lay down again and continued to close his eyes. Ron was unhappy to see it in such a half-dead state, "I haven't seen it move much. Sometimes, I even wonder if it's dying. It's lived for a long time."

"How long has it lived?" Richard asked, "I have an aunt who runs a magic pet shop. Maybe I can write to ask for you and see if I can take a look at it."

"Thank you so much!" Ron said gratefully, "Thank you for your help!" After Richard waved his hand to indicate that it was nothing, Ron continued, "Scabber was first picked up by Charlie and later given to Percy as a pet. This year, Percy became a prefect, and his father bought him an owl." At this point, Ron was a little unhappy, "So, Scabbers became my pet."

"It's lived for a while, nine or ten years?" Ron shrugged, "I don't remember the exact time, but about ten years!"

"Harry, find a way to get this mouse in your hands. I have to take a closer look." Sherry's voice suddenly sounded.

"Ron, can I take a look at it? It looks very quiet. I want to get one to keep, too." Harry suddenly asked, and in his heart he asked Sherry, "Teacher, is there something wrong?"

"A normal mouse can't live for ten years. Three or four years is considered a long life!" Sherry replied.

"Of course." Ron picked up Scabbers and handed it to Harry. Harry took it gently, put it in his hand, and stroked its back, as if he really liked mice.

"Harry, do you like to keep mice? I know a pet store that sells hamsters, they are so cute! It's near my house, I can buy one for you." Hermione mistakenly thought that Harry liked mice very much, so she wanted to help him. Moreover, Hermione herself liked the hamsters in that store. After all, hamsters have cheeks as big as theirs, and they feel soft and fluffy, not to mention how cute they are!

"Okay!" Sherry's voice came, which meant that he had got the result.

"What's the situation, teacher?" Harry did not put down the mouse in his hand, and still stroked Banban's back from time to time.

"This is not a mouse, it's a human." Sherry said calmly.

"What?" Harry's hand trembled, and he almost threw the mouse out as a sandbag. (To be continued)