Chapter 236 The Interrogation of Peter Pettigrew

Professor Bubbaji motioned for Anthony, Professor McGonagall and Lupine to sit in the auditorium next to them - there were also several rows of benches, overlooking a chained chair at the bottom of the room. Fudge was sitting next to Dumbledore, leaning forward and talking to him affectionately. Dumbledore seemed a little disapproving, but nodded anyway.

Next to them sat Umbridge. Anthony had almost forgotten about her, but as he cautiously looked at these wizards in purple robes, he accidentally caught her eye. Umbridge gave him a fake, endearing smile, obviously recognizing him.

"Oh, she's here too." Professor McGonagall whispered in disgust, "That Umbridge...she has been encouraging Fudge to reuse dementors, and she also pushed him when he wanted to interfere with Hogwarts." She glanced at Fudge, who was listening to Dumbledore and nodded repeatedly, "I hope he can give up this ridiculous idea for the time being. Albus severely rejected him half a month ago. I think he was very unhappy." happy."

Anthony couldn't help but look at Umbridge again. She was looking appraisingly at the three people in the audience.

Lupine leaned his head over and said, "She won't affect the outcome of the trial, right?"

"I don't see why she would do that," Professor McGonagall replied, "Barty Crouch -"

At this moment, a deafening bell suddenly sounded in the room, shaking the black stone wall and making it buzz for a long time. Professor McGonagall shut her mouth suddenly, straightened her upper body, and sat upright.

By the time all the noise subsided, people were already sitting in their seats.

There was silence in the interrogation room for a moment. Fudge looked at Dumbledore, as if to confirm that he had no intention of speaking.

Then, Fudge said with some joy: "Bring it in." His tone was so brisk that it was incompatible with such a solemn scene.

A door in the corner of the room opened, and two Aurors walked in with Peter. Peter's arms were held tightly by the Aurors and he was almost lifted in by them. He looked dwarfed by the Auror's tall frame, as if he were nothing more than a damp, wrinkled mass of clothing and a quivering mass of flesh.

Peter seemed to be completely paralyzed by fear, and his legs were too weak to stand up. As soon as he was thrown into the chair by the Auror, he immediately shrank into a ball. The chains jingled and crawled over his body like a snake, locking him firmly to the chair. Peter let out a loud sob.

"The trial on November 14th will be a retrial of the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Porter." Fudge said. A wizard sitting on the edge of the bench in the front row immediately started writing furiously.

Fudge introduced the curtain: "Interrogators: Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge; Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Susan Bones; Senior Deputy Minister Dolores Jane Umbridge..."

Anthony looked at Peter. These boring names seemed to give Peter a little strength, and he raised his eyes tremblingly.

"...Barty Crouch, Director of the Department of International Magical Exchange and Cooperation; Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Chief Magician of the Wizengamot..."

As if he had been burned, Peter shook violently and lowered his gaze. Anthony looked at Dumbledore, wondering if he had ever been worried that his name was too long when filling out some form.

Fudge finished reading the names of the people on the bench and continued: "The defendant: Peter Pettigrew..." He paused deliberately, looked down at the document, and added in surprise, "The recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, because Interesting record of intercepting Sirius Black who betrayed the Potters."

Several members of the Wizengamot laughed to show their dignity. Umbridge's clear laughter was embedded in it, which sounded particularly obvious. Mr. Crouch sat on the bottom bench, his face gloomy.

Professor McGonagall had a straight face, and Lupine's expression was also very serious.

"Pettigrew, you are accused of informing a mysterious person and leaking the Potters' residential address, which led to their murder by the mysterious person. Do you admit it?"

Professor Boubaji added: "And personally killed the Muggles who were nearby when you and Sirius Black were arguing."

"Oh, yes, and killing Muggles," Fudge said.

Peter was shaking all over and seemed to be too frightened to speak.

Crouch said in probably the gentlest voice he could muster: "You can answer the question." But he was glaring at Peter.

Peter took a deep breath: "I...I..." He trembled and his voice became firmer, "I deny it."

Anthony heard Lupine let out a deep sigh. Professor McGonagall seemed to have expected it and snorted coldly.

"You deny it?" Fudge said. "What part do you deny?"

"All, sir," whispered Peter. "I deny them all."

There's some commotion in the Wizengamot. People started whispering to each other. Dumbledore was still sitting steadily in the middle, looking at Peter solemnly.

"Ah, so you really died for rebelling against Sirius Black," Fudge said, with a tolerant air of victory.

"No, Mr. Fudge, I didn't sacrifice." Peter said, seeming to gradually gather courage, "But I didn't tell the truth either - I didn't know where James and Lily were at all...it was Black, and Black is the real secret keeper. , everyone knows this.”

A member of the Wizengamot agreed: "Everyone who knows the situation admits that Black is the real secret keeper."

"That's true," said Fudge, "but I heard there are witnesses."

Everyone's eyes turned to the audience. Professor McGonagall and Lupin stood up at the same time, but Professor McGonagall sat down again immediately.

"I am a witness, sir," Lupin said hoarsely, "I am Remus Lupin, a friend of James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew."

The gray-haired, square-chinned witch sitting next to Fudge asked, "What is your testimony?"

"Ms. Bones, I testify that Peter Pettigrew admitted to us that he betrayed the Potters." Lupin said, "I am also willing to testify that Peter Pettigrew hid in a wizard family as a mouse for eleven years until I recognized him and forced him to turn back into a human. If he had not been hiding something and was afraid of being discovered, why would he hide his head and tail and not tell us that Voldemort had not died after disappearing for so long?"

When he said "Voldemort", Peter shrank noticeably, and a trace of panic flashed across Fudge's face. Many people in the Wizengamot moved unnaturally, as if hearing Voldemort's name had grown nails on their chairs.

"What do you have to say, Pettigrew?"

"Lupin himself disappeared for eleven years!" Peter said, "and he's a werewolf! Do you really want to believe what he says?"

Anthony looked at Lupin in surprise.

Lupin's face was pale, staring at Peter. Peter seemed to deliberately avoid looking at him, just staring at the recorder on the bench in front of him. The recorder's quill paused in surprise, and then started writing again.

Fudge lowered his head and flipped through the documents. Umbridge said coquettishly: "Mr. Lupin does seem to be a werewolf, Minister."

"Okay, okay." Fudge said a little unhappy, "Even if he is a werewolf-"

One of the Wizengamot repeated doubtfully: "Even if he is a werewolf? When did we start to believe-"

Professor McGonagall stood up: "I am Minerva McGonagall, the professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts, the head of Gryffindor, the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the British Transfiguration Society, and a member of the International Transfiguration Society Committee. I am willing to vouch for Remus Lupin with my personality, and his words are credible."

Her speech caused a lot of discussion. Lupin smiled at her gratefully, and Professor McGonagall shook her head.

"Professor McGonagall's guarantee is credible," said Fudge, "Besides that, I heard there is other evidence..."

"Of course." Anthony stood up.

Peter shouted: "He is a dark wizard! He can drive the Inferi!"

"That's not the Inferi." Anthony whispered. Now it was Lupin's turn to look at him and then at Professor McGonagall.

"Yes, we know he is a dark wizard." Fudge said impatiently, "Dumbledore vouched for him... What evidence do you have, Mr. Anthony?"

Anthony took out Roger the Snake from his pocket and shook it vigorously. Professor McGonagall and Lupin sat down.

...

"Dear gentlemen and ladies, that's just a voice! Voices are easy to fake!" Peter shouted, "For example... For example, Polyjuice Potion! If someone gets my hair or any part of my body, they can certainly say anything with my voice. Or the Imperius Curse..."

"The Imperius Curse?" A wizard asked, "Do you mean that one or more of Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin and Henry Anthony used the Unforgivable Curse?"

Peter seemed surprised: "No, no..." He trembled, "I mean... that can be faked, how can it be used as evidence?"

Ms. Bones asked sternly: "But why did they fake evidence? Why did they frame you?"

"How should I know, I'm just a poor, hiding little person..." Peter said, his eyes scanning around. Several members of the Wizengamot showed disapproval and shook their heads.

Peter said loudly: "I know, I know! Because they want Black's old house!"

"What?" Several voices asked at the same time. Anthony almost said it.

Fudge didn't seem to have thought of this at all. He repeated in a daze, "Black's old house?"

"Minister, everyone," Peter squeaked, "I don't know if you know, but there is such an underground organization... Dumbledore's underground organization."

"Pettydew!" McGonagall shouted.

Peter glanced at her quickly and said hurriedly: "People call it the Order of the Phoenix. I know this because I was once a member of it - it is a very dangerous organization -"

Ms. Bones interrupted: "I know the Order of the Phoenix. It is the main force against the Death Eaters and has made a very important contribution to the prosperity and peace of wizarding society today."

Many members of the Wizengamot nodded. Dumbledore smiled calmly and bowed slightly to Ms. Bones.

But Fudge didn't seem to know what the Order of the Phoenix was, and Umbridge didn't know either.

Fudge frowned slightly and said: "Please let the defendant continue, Ms. Bones - go on, what happened to the Order of the Phoenix?"

Peter looked at Ms. Bones in fear - she was looking at him sternly, like an eagle seeing a mouse - and avoided looking, and continued: "Because of Black's betrayal, James and Lily died. ...I was frightened, and I found that the Order of the Phoenix was not as I imagined..."

"Safe," Lupine whispered sarcastically beside Anthony.

Professor McGonagall nodded.

"I admit, I ran away..." Peter said, staring at Fudge (and obviously avoiding Dumbledore's eyes next to him), "I am not a brave man, and asking Black why he betrayed us has exhausted all my energy. The courage... From then on, I neither wanted to participate in the activities of the Order of the Phoenix, nor did I want to be involved in the killings of Death Eaters, so I turned into a mouse..." He asked with some despair, "What if I If I’m not a hero, do I have to be a sinner? Isn’t it possible that I’m an ordinary person who’s tired of all this?”

Lupine stood up suddenly: "That's enough!"

Someone said: "Sit down, Mr. Lupin, you have not been asked to speak by the Wizengamot or the interrogators!"

The muscles in Lupine's face twitched. He finally whispered, "Look at me, Peter. Watch us say those words again." He sat down slowly.

Peter did not look at them: "Have you ever thought about where the Order of the Phoenix will gather? They need a fixed base... Black has gone crazy. As the last heir of the Black Mansion, the ownership of the Black Mansion must be Very easy to transfer...as long as they can find a scapegoat and release Black..."

"No," a member of the Wizengamot said arrogantly, "The tradition of the wizard family is a very serious matter, and all family inheritance needs to go through a very strict process."

"Okay, okay." Peter said, "But anyway..."

"If you decide to release Sirius Black, and he is indeed insane, and the Black House can indeed be moved... I propose that the Black House be temporarily under the name of St. Mungo's, and St. Mungo promises to work hard to treat the Black family The last heir." Dumbledore said, "I guarantee that the disbanded Order of the Phoenix has absolutely no intention of occupying Black's old residence."

Umbridge asked in a fuss: "The Order of the Phoenix has been disbanded?"

Dumbledore said calmly: "I have no need to deceive anyone, and the Order of the Phoenix has never been a secret organization. Many people who are committed to resisting Voldemort..." He looked at many people in the Wizengamot, "all know that The Order of the Phoenix exists to fight against evil, and it will of course disband when there is peace and stability.”

Fudge looked at him suspiciously.

"We need to acknowledge that there is something to what Peter Pettigrew said," Crouch said.

This sentence seemed to make Fudge decide to temporarily trust Dumbledore. He frowned and said: "A very cunning argument, but no matter what, Peter Pettigrew cannot provide any evidence to prove his innocence. Therefore, even though the evidence provided by the accuser is not sufficient -"

Crouch suddenly said: "Wait, minister, there is another witness."

"who?"

"Sirius Black," Crouch said. "I heard his testimony was very important."

"He has been in Azkaban for eleven years!" a witch said sternly, "Eleven years! Have mercy, Barty, that poor man might have lost his mind a long time ago!"

Crouch said: "However, I have also heard that...it is very dangerous to believe something and act on it without sufficient evidence."

The members of the Wizengamot started talking again. Fudge's face changed from one moment to another in the hum of their voices. Dumbledore nodded at him. Umbridge also turned around and whispered something to him.

Fudge finally seemed to have made up his mind.

"Well, get Sirius Black," said Fudge. "You go, Kingsley—as soon as possible."