Chapter 228. Ron's Little Rat
On the spiral staircase up to the Headmaster's office, Ron's steps grew more and more hesitant.
"Is Professor Dumbledore asking for me?" he asked uneasily. "Did I do something wrong?"
In that moment, he ran through everything he had done this term.
Er... almost no violations of any school rules.
"I don't know," Lupin shook his head. "Just as class ended, a slip of paper appeared in my pocket. It only had your name and the password to the Headmaster's office on it. That must have been sent by Dumbledore."
"By the way," he seemed to remember something and said to Ron, "what did you hand to Harry just now?"
"My pet rat," Ron answered.
"Keeping a rat as a pet is uncommon," Lupin blinked. "I thought you'd prefer owls."
"That was my brother's pet," Ron curled his lip. "Now it's in my hands."
In fact, he had wanted an owl at first, but his family's finances were indeed a bit tight. As things stood, he felt it wasn't bad having Scabbers for company.
Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office.
Dumbledore, spectacles perched on his nose, was reading a letter from Fudge, while Adrian Wesson stood by, idly teasing Fawkes.
"Can I go now?" After plucking a feather from Fawkes, Wesson turned to Dumbledore. "I've got other important matters."
"No."
Dumbledore looked up and smiled at Wesson. "I suggest you stay and witness this, Wesson. After all, it was your discovery."
"What a bother..." Wesson muttered under his breath, then reached for Fawkes again.
Perhaps he could take a few more feathers Fawkes didn't need.
"Oh, they're here."
Dumbledore and Wesson looked towards the door; Ron and Lupin had already appeared on the threshold.
"I've brought him, Professor Dumbledore," said Lupin.
Ron stood at the door, looking at Dumbledore and Wesson in the office, feeling a little nervous.
Because everyone present had their eyes on him.
"Is something the matter?" he said, his voice inevitably trembling.
Seeing this, Dumbledore rose from his chair, walked slowly to stand before Ron, and said gently, "Relax, Ron, you've done nothing wrong. In fact, I only have a simple question to ask you. You keep a pet rat, don't you?"
"Scabbers?" Ron visibly relaxed, but then tensed up again. "Is... is something wrong with him? Scabbers hasn't been well lately..."
Listening from the side, Wesson casually plucked another golden-red tail feather from Fawkes. The phoenix pecked his finger in mild protest.
Dumbledore patted Ron on the shoulder, indicating that he should relax. "Then, Ron, how long have you had this rat... Scabbers?"
"Er... about a dozen years," Ron scratched his head in confusion. "He was originally my brother Percy's pet, then got passed down to me. That's quite a long lifespan for a rat. He's already very old, so Hermione thinks he might have some blood from other magical creatures."
"A dozen years..." Lupin echoed softly; his face had gone a little pale.
His gaze drifted, involuntarily, to Wesson, who was still idly toying with a phoenix feather.
Dumbledore nodded, as if his confirmation was complete. "Where is Scabbers now? We need to see him."
"See Scabbers for what?" Ron began to get nervous again. "He's in the dormitory right now. I asked Harry to take him back."
At this point, Ron truly didn't understand.
Dumbledore had called him here just for Scabbers?
He really didn't think an ordinary rat could merit the Headmaster's attention.
Could Scabbers have something special about him, or some peculiar bloodline?
Ron couldn't help letting his imagination run wild.
"There are just a few things we need to confirm," Dumbledore said to Ron. "Can you take us to your dormitory?"
"Of course." Ron nodded. Though full of questions, he still agreed.
They left the Headmaster's office and the four of them headed for Gryffindor Tower.
Along the way, Ron couldn't help glancing back at Wesson. "Professor... Scabbers is just an ordinary rat, right? He isn't some dangerous creature, is he?"
Wesson toyed with the phoenix feather and smiled at him. "You'll know in a moment."
Ron nodded.
Somehow, he thought he saw a trace of... pity? in Wesson's eyes.
He looked at the others.
Dumbledore showed no reaction. Lupin, on the other hand, looked more and more grave.
At last, Lupin couldn't help but ask Wesson in a low voice, "You know what's going on, don't you?"
"That rat is likely an Animagus," Wesson murmured back just as quietly. "Don't make a fuss. Ron doesn't know yet."
"!"
Hearing Wesson's words, Lupin stopped dead where he stood.
As far as he knew, there was only one person whose Animagus form was a rat.
The one who had kept him company through countless full moons.
Peter Pettigrew.
At that moment, Dumbledore also noticed Lupin's reaction. He turned and said calmly, "We'll speak after we've confirmed everything, Remus. It may not be what you think."
When they reached the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, Harry was sitting on the edge of a bed.
He looked in surprise at the sudden appearance of the Headmaster and the professors. "What's going on?"
"Where's Scabbers?" Ron asked directly.
Though Harry found it odd, he pointed to Ron's bed. "Over there. I used an old set of your sheets to make him a cushion, and I just fed him some rat tonic."
Lupin moved even faster than Ron. He strode to the bedside in two or three steps.
"He's not here," Lupin said, turning back, his face set.
"That's strange." At his words, Harry also went over to Ron's bed.
Lupin was right. Only a few grey rat hairs remained on the old bedding; Scabbers had vanished.
"I could've sworn I left him right there," Harry scratched the back of his head.
"Scabbers—!"
Seeing this, Ron shouted his pet's name—when he had done that before, Scabbers would immediately run to him.
However, this time was different. Scabbers did not appear for a long while.
Wesson noticed something amiss.
"Don't bother calling," he drew his wand. "Accio Scabbers!"
With a flick of his wand, the dormitory door burst open. A plump grey rat, as if seized by an invisible hand by the tail, whooshed into the room, struggling desperately in mid-air.
"This little fellow was trying to run!" Wesson shrugged.
"Scabbers!" Ron reached out in delight to catch him, but Lupin held him back.
"Wait, Ron," Lupin's voice was unusually severe.
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