0235 Tom


    Although Bryan was eager to start cleaning his new house so that it could befortable and pleasant as soon as possible, He knew that he didn''t have time to deal with it now, as he had more urgent matters to attend to. So, he had no choice but to give an order to Kreacher, Sirius''s howling and viciously cursing house-elf, to sit and wait until the Christmas holiday when he would return.


    "Don''t cry, Kreacher," Sirius snapped impatiently, "You heard everything, didn''t you? I just temporarily mortgaged the Manor, I didn''t n to sell it. Once I get rid of Peter, I''ll quickly gather the Fifty Thousand Galleons and buy it back."


    "Oh, how my poor mistress would react if she knew that the young master had given away the old house of the ck family, how she would hate him, oh, she would be disappointed in Kreacher, Kreacher watched all this happen but couldn''t stop the young master from doing stupid things -" the elf wailed, rocking back and forth.


    <em>''Tsk tsk, This house-elf is indeed not very likable.''</em>


    Bryan wondered if he should sell him to the underground world, where he had heard that there was a high demand for house-elves. A few months ago, a rogue wizard had unleashed a beast that had ughtered many of the house-elves that worked in the underground world. Since then, the house-elves had fled in terror, leaving behind a shortage ofbor. Bryan could make a good profit if he sold Kreacher now.


    <em>''Do not disclose anything heard tonight to any third party in any way.''</em>


    Bryan gave Kreacher a sternmand, making sure that the elf nodded in understanding. Then, with a loud bang, he grabbed Sirius by the arm and apparated back to the Shrieking Shack.


    During their absence, the copsed kitchen of the Shrieking Shack had been covered with a thickyer of falling snow. The sound of the cold wind whistling through the cracks and holes of the dpidated house was like the wailing of a female ghost, sending shivers down Bryan''s spine.


    He waved his wand, and the damaged bricks, broken boards, and shattered beams on the ground awakened from their slumber. They struggled to stand up, shook off the umted snow, and flew back into the air to reassemble themselves. In an instant, the house returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened.


    Although Bryan had decided not to use the Shrieking Shack anymore, he still repaired it. The house stood on a hillside, overlooking the vige of Hogsmeade. It was a well-known haunted house, and Bryan didn''t want to attract any unwanted attention. If some busybody came to investigate why the house suddenly copsed, it could cause unnecessary trouble and may expose his secrets.


    "This cat, you said its name is Crookshanks, it''s freezing!" Sirius, who had rushed into the house, said angrily, holding a ginger cat in his arms. The cat looked half-dead, its eyes closed and its body limp.


    "As long as it''s still breathing, I can revive it," Bryan said, pointing his wand at Crookshanks'' stiff body. A red light shed across the ginger fur, and white steam rose. The cat twitched and opened its eyes, letting out a weak meow. Bryan then took out a bottle of homemade potion from his pocket, tapped the bottle with his wand, and the swirling liquid turned into a flowing stream that flew into Crookshanks'' nostrils. The cat sneezed and shook its head, then looked around with curiosity.


    "How did you get mixed up with this cat?" Bryan asked casually, as he stroked Crookshanks'' fur.


    "This cat is very clever. I guess it has some Kneazle blood because it recognized at first sight that I''m not a dog," Sirius said, stroking Crookshanks and clicking his tongue. "It took me some time to make it understand who I am and what I want to do. Since then, it has been helping me gather information and find food. I can''t roam around freely because of the Dementors and Aurors in the vige. It also tried to bring Peter to me, but it didn''t seed."


    "Speaking of which—" Bryan said, as he noticed the papers scattered on the living room floor and the remains of small animals in the kitchen. They were the evidence of his research. He whipped the air a few times like conducting an orchestra, and those things gathered themselves in the hallway and turned into ashes in a dazzling green me. He didn''t want to leave any traces behind.


    "This house, mainly the secret passage, how did you find it?"


    This question, if exined in detail, would involve some secrets of Remus. Logically speaking, Dumbledore had recruited Remus as a professor at Hogwarts, and Bryan, the Director of the Student Safety Office, could not possibly be unaware of Remus''s werewolf identity. But Sirius didn''t dare to take the risk, if Dumbledore and Remus hadn''t told Watson about this, then he might bring trouble to his old friend.


    So, Sirius decided to be vague and evasive. He said, "We used this secret passage frequently when we were in school,"


    "We?" Bryan repeated, narrowing his eyes. He sensed that Sirius was hiding something. "So, Remus actually knew about the secret passage under the Whomping Willow. Well, I guess he should also know that you are Animagus… He had so many opportunities to reveal all this, but when I heard from Harry tonight that there is a secret passage here, he acted as if it was the first time he heard about it."


    Sirius remained silent, just ying with Crookshanks, whose limbs were already twitching unconsciously. He could roughly guess why Remus didn''t say anything when he didn''t know he was innocent. His old friend regarded Dumbledore as a benefactor and was afraid of disappointing him. He feared that Dumbledore would be displeased or even angry with their reckless behavior.


    Another piece of information from Bryan caught Sirius'' attention.


    <em>''How did Harry find out about the secret passage under the Whomping Willow?''</em>


    So, He tried to change the subject and said, "Everyone who knows James Potter says that Harry looks a lot like his father. I guess he inherited some kind of talent," Sirius said, with a hint of pride in his voice. "That boy really resembles James! His Quidditch talent is just as outstanding as James''!"


    He smiled, remembering the good old days when he and James had yed Quidditch together, flying through the air with grace and skill.


    At this moment, Crookshanks in Sirius''s arms finally fully regained consciousness. Without understanding what had happened, it immediately bared its teeth and ws, hissing at Bryan.


    "Don''t get agitated, Crookshanks. We have exined everything, and now, Bryan won''t be hostile towards us!" Sirius said, trying to calm the cat down. He held Crookshanks close to his chest and quickly exined the situation.


    "It''s not my fault—" Bryan said innocently, raising his hands in defense. "Who could have expected such a turn of events? Before, I thought you were an aplice to a heinous criminal, so my actions werepletely justified, right?"


    Crookshanks made a growling sound, looking dissatisfied.


    Bryan sighed, knowing that he couldn''t win the cat''s approval. He decided to ignore him and focus on the more pressing matters. He looked out of the window and saw that the night was almost over. The snow continued to fall, but a faint pink dawn appeared in the sky. He knew they had to leave soon, before anyone noticed them.


    He said to Sirius, "In my opinion, it''s best for you to stay at home or hide in the mountains like before. I will regrly bring you food. But if you insist on going to school to cause mischief, then we''ll have to find a way to disguise you."


    "I can just use my Animagus form. I can disguise myself very well, and no one can recognize me!" Sirius dismissed Bryan''s suggestion, thinking it was too cautious.


    Bryan rolled his eyes, and said sarcastically, "I suggest you take a trip to Azkaban and see if you left your brain there when you escaped.


    If you want to stay in the castle for a long time, it''s inevitable that you''ll run into Remus. He knows you''re an Animagus and what you look like in your transformed state. And, as a reminder, on the basis of our transaction, I''ll tell you that while Animagus is a perfect disguise in terms of magic and appearance, from a soul perspective, you are still Sirius ck. Unfortunately, our esteemed Headmaster Albus Dumbledore has the ability to observe a person''s soul. So, you better be clever."


    Sirius had a gloomy expression. He asked, "Then what do you suggest?"


    Bryan had already considered this question when they were in the ck family''s ancestral home. He had thought of a way to give Sirius a new identity, one that would allow him to enter the school without arousing suspicion.


    He smiled, looking at Crookshanks. He had decided to use the cat as a part of his n.


    He pointed his wand at Sirius, and Sirius''s gaze suddenly became sharp and alert. He said, "What are you nning, Watson!"


    "Of course, I''m going to arrange a new identity for you. Do you expect me to bring a wanted criminal back so openly?" Bryan said, with a mischievous smile. He looked at Crookshanks, who was still hissing at him.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t hurt you or your friend. I have a brilliant idea that will make you both very happy.


    From today on, you will be the stray cat that Crookshanks found outside. Hmm, I think ''Tom'' would be a good name for you."


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