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"Revert to human form!"
Seeing that escape was impossible and glancing around to find only George pursuing him, Pettigrew's courage failed him. He immediately ended his Animagus transformation and returned to his human shape.
If he could take out George before Dumbledore and the others arrived, he might still have a chance to escape.
"Avada Kedavra!"
He drew his wand and without hesitation cast the deadly curse aimed at George.
A green light shot upward toward George's chin.
At such close range, he believed even Dumbledore wouldn't have time to dodge the Killing Curse.
However, the reality was different: George simply looked up and easily dodged the curse. Then, grabbing one of Pettigrew's feet midair, he swung him around and slammed him hard onto the ground. Pettigrew's vision blurred and he nearly fainted from the impact.
"How dare you use the Killing Curse on me! You must want to die!"
With one strong kick, George snapped Pettigrew's wand and sent him flying. The force was enough to break several of Pettigrew's ribs.
In truth, with his current dragon-slaying mage physique, even if the curse hit, Pettigrew wouldn't necessarily be able to kill him—but it was still too risky to take chances.
George stepped forward and began pounding him with fists and kicks until Pettigrew was trembling on his knees, begging for mercy. Only then did George stop.
"Listen carefully. You behave yourself from now on, or I can't guarantee you'll be sent to Azkaban alive."
"I'll be good, I promise!" Pettigrew felt that George in this moment was even scarier than Voldemort himself.
Feeling satisfied, George spread his wings, lifted Pettigrew, and flew back toward the castle.
Soon they arrived at the grassland near the Whomping Willow.
Besides Dumbledore and the school professors, the Minister of Magic, Fudge, was there with a group of Aurors. Among them, George spotted Tonks.
"It really is Peter Pettigrew!"
Everyone immediately recognized the wizard George was holding—Peter Pettigrew, recipient of the Merlin First Class Award and posthumously honored as a hero.
This meant Sirius's story might very well be true.
"Why is his face all bruised?"
But then they noticed Pettigrew looked much heavier than in his photos—not just fat, but swollen from being beaten.
He limped as he walked, clutching his stomach, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he spat blood.
"When I found him, he attacked me with an Unforgivable Curse, so I had to be a bit rough."
George waved his hand and silently cast a healing spell, treating Pettigrew's external injuries.
"You damned traitor! I'll kill you!"
The restrained Sirius, now awake, saw Pettigrew and instantly flew into a rage, trying to attack him, but the Aurors quickly held him back.
Pettigrew, terrified, collapsed onto the ground.
"I think there must be some misunderstanding here. Peter Pettigrew, Sirius claims you betrayed him by siding with a mysterious figure and framing him. Is he lying?"
Minister Fudge stepped forward to question Pettigrew.
As Minister of Magic, he desperately hoped Sirius was wrong. Because if it was true, it meant the Ministry had made a grave mistake by imprisoning a true hero in Azkaban for twelve years and turning the despicable Pettigrew into a hero instead.
The Ministry would become the biggest joke in the wizarding world, and he, as its Minister, the laughingstock among laughstocks.
"Yes, he's lying! He's the real traitor! That unnamed dark lord must have taught him some tricks to escape Azkaban. I'm innocent!"
Hearing the Minister's tone, Pettigrew thought he still had a chance. He quickly pointed at Sirius.
Sirius's eyes nearly bulged with rage.
"Voldemort? Taught me tricks? I'm the traitor? How dare you!
When have I ever sucked up to anyone more powerful or influential than myself?"
And you—I truly regret not seeing from the start that you were the traitor.
You've always preferred powerful friends, haven't you? So you could bask in their favor. Wasn't it us before—me, Remus, and James?"
"I'm not the traitor! You are! You are!"
Pettigrew shrank back toward Fudge, but his lips remained sealed, stubbornly refusing to admit anything.
"If you're not the traitor, then why did you turn into a rat and hide for twelve years instead of openly becoming a hero?"
Seeing the deadlock, George quickly pressed with a critical question.
Pettigrew's eyes darted nervously:
"That's because I was afraid—afraid Voldemort's followers would find me. After all, I sent their most trusted lieutenant to Azkaban."
"A wizard brave enough to fight Voldemort, brave enough to battle Sirius, and awarded the First Class Merlin Award for courage would be afraid of Voldemort's minions after his fall? And hide for twelve years?"
George couldn't help but laugh.
"Then why did you run away? Why did you attack me with the Killing Curse when I found you?"
"I... I was scared—scared Sirius would take revenge on me, so I ran. And when you appeared, I thought you were working with Sirius."
Pettigrew's speech began to falter, his lies tangling beyond repair.
The professors and Ministry officials present exchanged strange looks. They were no fools; Pettigrew's explanation was far too flimsy.
By contrast, Sirius's version made much more sense.
"Severus, if I recall correctly, you still have enough Veritaserum to brew two doses?"
Dumbledore smiled at Snape, who nodded expressionlessly.
"Just enough for two. Perfect to give one to each of them. Once they drink it, we'll know who's telling the truth, and who's lying."
Though Snape despised Sirius, he was no fool. He knew Pettigrew was lying and had no intention of protecting the man responsible for Lily's death.
To be honest, if he weren't restraining himself so strongly, Snape's desire to kill Pettigrew wouldn't be less than Sirius's.
If Pettigrew hadn't revealed Lily's location, Voldemort wouldn't have found and killed her.
"Animagus!"
Hearing Veritaserum, Pettigrew's pupils contracted sharply. Instantly, he transformed back into a rat and tried to flee.
He knew that once he drank the potion, nothing could be hidden.
However, George, fully prepared, flashed beside him and stomped his foot down, pinning Pettigrew in place.
"Looks like Sirius and Professor Lupin were right all along. This guy's the liar!"
The Minister of Magic could only nod helplessly. The evidence was ironclad—there was no denying it now.
(End of chapter)