Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0236 Meeting After Years

When Bryan returned to Hogwarts through the secret passage under the Shrieking Shack with two cats, the snow had stopped, but the sky remained gloomy, with the cold wind still howling over the flat lawn and playground. The snow crunched under his boots as he walked, leaving a trail of footprints behind him. He pulled his cloak tighter around him, feeling the chill in the air.

Hagrid was walking towards the Forbidden Forest with Fang, his loyal boarhound. He waved his large hand at Bryan and shouted something that was lost in the wind. Bryan waved back and smiled, glad to see the friendly half-giant. He could see Professor Sprout in the distance, wearing a thick coat and a woolen hat. She was inspecting the greenhouse, checking on her plants and flowers to see if they had been damaged by the cold. She looked up and saw Bryan, and gave him a nod of acknowledgement. Bryan waved at her from a distance and hurried towards the castle, hoping to warm up.

There was no shortage of diligent people anywhere. When Bryan entered the entrance hall, he was surprised to see several seventh-year students already having breakfast. They were sitting at the long tables, chatting and laughing, oblivious to the cold outside. Percy Weasley was sitting near the entrance, holding a copy of "Practical Defensive Magic and Its Countermeasures against Dark Arts," a thick tome that looked very advanced. He was devouring a plate of sausages, as if he needed the energy to fuel his brain. His red hair was neatly combed, and his glasses were perched on his nose.

"Good morning, Professor Waton," Percy said, noticing Bryan looking at him. He quickly swallowed his food and eagerly approached. He glanced briefly at the two kittens in Professor Waton's arms and then averted his gaze, as if he didn't want to be distracted by anything cute. 

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I remember you were supposed to be on patrol last night, Percy," Bryan said, clicking his tongue. "Didn't you get enough rest?" 

Percy took this as a compliment and proudly straightened his chest, displaying his shiny Head Boy badge. 

"I'm not tired, Professor. I'm planning to visit the library before the morning classes start. You know, the second half of the term is approaching, and I need to make sure I don't make any mistakes, If I want to work at the Ministry of Magic, that is. Of course, if you have any orders for me…" He looked at Bryan expectantly, hoping for some praise or guidance.

"I don't need you to do anything, Percy," Bryan said, patting Percy's shoulder appreciatively.. He admired his dedication and his work ethic. People who have ideals and are willing to work hard for them are always worthy of admiration.

The smell of food in the Great Hall was making the two cats in Bryan's arms restless, especially the black one. After months of eating weird foods, he was salivating at the sight of the bacon, sausages, and eggs on the plates. He could smell the butter, the cheese, the toast, and the jam. He meowed and struggled to break free, wanting to get to the food.

Bryan realized he couldn't let Sirius cause a scene in the Great Hall, where there were hundreds of students and teachers. So, he asked Percy to pack some food and bring it to his office, hoping to appease Sirius's hunger. He also asked him to bring some milk for Crookshanks, who was much calmer than Sirius, but still hungry. Percy agreed, and hurried to the kitchen, where the house-elves were busy preparing the food.

The last time Sirius infiltrated the castle, he was only focused on breaking into the Gryffindor dormitory, killing Peter, and leaving immediately. He had no interest in anything else. But now, the situation was different. Sirius was perched on Bryan's shoulder, looking around excitedly and not paying attention to commands. He was fascinated by the castle, which he had not seen for years.

"If you don't behave, I'll lock you up in a cage, got it?" Bryan grabbed Sirius by the ear and scolded him, while also freeing Mrs.Norris, who had been trapped in a suit of armor.

Sirius: Meow! (Translation: Can't you see? Filch's cat is was yelling at me for no reason!) He pointed his paw at Mrs.Norris, the caretaker's cat, who had been following them with a suspicious look.

Bryan rolled his eyes and sighed. Although he knew that animal transformation wouldn't cause any accidents, Bryan still felt relieved when he entered his office, closed the door, and let out a sigh.

Sirius was starving, and after taking a quick look at the wall covered by a large black curtain in the office, he pounced on the bag in Bryan's hand, hoping for a good meal. He tore open the bag with his teeth, and started to eat the food that Percy had packed.

Bryan lit the fireplace, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. He pulled back the curtains, letting in the faint light of the morning. He slumped into his chair behind the desk, feeling exhausted and worried.

After this night, his mission had taken a dramatic turn.

He still needed to find someone, but now it had changed from Black to Peter.

To be honest, this task had become much more challenging. Before, all he had to do was keep Black away from Harry, and protect him from harm. But now, he had to actively lure out a rat hiding in the shadows, and expose him for what he was.

And this rat was extremely cautious and patient. There was no chance it would show itself easily. It had been hiding for years, and it knew how to survive.

"When we were at the house, you said that guy Peter wouldn't leave Hogwarts and would stay close to Harry, right?"

Sirius scratched his beard, signaling Bryan to change him back. He felt uncomfortable in his cat form, especially after eating so much. He wanted to stretch his limbs, and to speak his mind.

"That's right, I can guarantee that," he said, as soon as he regained his human shape.

Being in human form was more convenient for eating. With both hands holding food and occasionally speaking, Sirius said, "I know Peter. Leaving Hogwarts means he won't enjoy the protection Dumbledore and the Ministry provide for Harry anymore. He can't leave here, and he must ensure he receives the latest news from the wizarding world in a timely manner." 

Bryan nodded in agreement, and a vague idea formed in his mind.

He wanted to know more about Peter, but Sirius clearly couldn't provide any objective evaluation. He would only rant about how Peter was a despicable, cowardly, and sneaky person who liked to follow powerful wizards in the hope of gaining protection.

But was Peter really as bad as Sirius described? Bryan didn't think so. 

Meticulous, extremely patient, quite cunning, and with a certain amount of courage. Based on sporadic descriptions, Bryan formed his own opinion of Peter.

"Courage?!" Sirius didn't say anything about the previous points, but he couldn't tolerate Bryan's last evaluation. "Are you saying that bastard is also a courageous person, Waton? That's ridiculous! If he had even a shred of courage, he wouldn't be a disgusting traitor!" He shouted, his face turning red with rage.

"As you said, he is a traitor. But since Peter dared to betray his friends and secretly passed information to Voldemort under Dumbledore's nose for over a year, it proves that he is not a coward without any courage, Black," Bryan said lazily, crossing his fingers on his raised knee. He leaned back on his chair, and looked at Sirius calmly. 

Sirius was about to retort, but before he could say anything, Bryan suddenly stood up from his chair, waved his wand dramatically, and Sirius found himself transformed back into a small black cat.

"Remus is right outside, don't give yourself away," Bryan said, in a low and urgent voice.

'Remus?!'

The sausage that Sirius had been holding in his paw fell to the ground. He spun in circles on the couch and quickly darted under a cushion. But Crookshanks, who was crawling on the couch, swiped the cushion away with a paw, and his peculiar gaze made Sirius snap out of his thoughts. He realized that he wasn't in his wizard or Animagus form, so Remus couldn't recognize him.

"Just now, Percy asked me a question about Defense Against The Dark Arts defense, and I learned from him that you had returned to the castle," Remus said as he walked briskly into the office. 

"How are you, Bryan? Do you have… this cat?" Remus quickly approached Bryan's desk and noticed the two cats curled up on the sofa. He was momentarily surprised by Crookshanks' size, but when his gaze fell on the black cat, which seemed particularly nervous and tense, Remus suddenly stopped in his tracks, and his solemn expression subtly changed. He felt a strange sensation, a mix of curiosity and familiarity. He felt drawn to the black cat, and he couldn't explain why.

'It's strange, why do I feel so familiar with this black cat? I've never had any interaction with cats before.'

When their eyes met in mid-air, Remus felt an even stronger sense of sadness emanating from the black cat. But this was too strange.

'How could an animal have such complex emotions? And why did it make him feel so familiar?' Remus thought in astonishment. 

Sirius tried his best to avoid making eye contact with Remus, but he couldn't help but take a closer look at his old friend. And in that moment, when his gaze fell on Remus, a wave of uncontrollable sadness surged from his heart, causing his cat body to tremble.

Remus had aged a lot. His temples were gray, his cheeks were lined with wrinkles, and he looked frail and thin. Even his posture seemed slightly hunched, like an old man in his twilight years.

Werewolves had a difficult time in the wizarding world, and Sirius knew that. But he couldn't pretend that he had no connection to Remus when faced with his current appearance. 

"This cat..." Remus said, sensing sadness and guilt in the black cat's eyes. But this was weird. How could an animal convey such rich emotions? And why did it make him feel so familiar?

"This yellow cat is named Crookshanks. It's Hermione's pet. Because it's not well-behaved, Hermione left it in Hagrid's care. But it loves to wander around Hogsmeade, and I found it there last night. The black one is an old friend that Crookshanks found in the wild," Bryan explained casually.

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