Hogsmeade Trip

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"The Shrieking Shack is still too dangerous for you guys. It's been in disrepair," said Sirius.

"Whenever Lupin was about to transform into a werewolf, Dumbledore arranged for him to spend that time in the Shrieking Shack. Transforming into a werewolf is incredibly painful, and Lupin could only relieve the pain by howling loudly. That's where the villagers' tales of ghostly screams came from."

Harry and Ron suddenly realized this, and they began to feel sorry for Professor Lupin.

"Back then, we were all friends. At first, your father, James, Peter, and I didn't know about Lupin's condition. He would make up various excuses to avoid us during that time because he feared we would reject him if we knew he was a werewolf," Sirius recalled with a smile.

"Of course, we accepted him. Instead, we helped Lupin. Every full moon night, we went to the Shrieking Shack with him. Peter would transform into a mouse to avoid the Whomping Willow's blows and press the knot to allow us entry. I became a large dog, and your father transformed into a stag. We kept Lupin's werewolf form in check and made the transformation less painful for him."

"Eventually, we could even take Lupin out for walks. Your dad came up with these ideas; he was really smart," Sirius added with a warm smile.

Harry enjoyed listening to stories about his father, smiling as Sirius spoke.

"Black," Ron suddenly interrupted, breaking the warm moment.

"Why did Peter betray you all?"

Hearing Ron's question, Sirius's expression turned somber.

"I don't know," Sirius whispered, "We used to be so close..."

The atmosphere between the three grew heavy.

Peter Pettigrew's betrayal did have reasons. Initially, Peter was upright and brave enough to be sorted into Gryffindor. He later became friends with James, Sirius, and Lupin, forming the Marauders. However, Peter's abilities were the weakest among them, often making him the target of jokes by James and Sirius.

These seemingly harmless jokes left deep scars on Peter's sensitive and insecure heart. Over time, these injuries turned into jealousy and resentment. Finally, with Voldemort's manipulation, Peter's envy and resentment transformed into vengeful anger. Driven by greed and a desire for power, Peter's betrayal resulted in a tragic outcome.

Meanwhile, Hermione wasn't participating in the conversation. Her attention was fixed on the street. She saw Ethan and Tonks walking together, laughing and chatting. Tonks hugged Ethan's arm intimately, making Hermione's heart ache with jealousy.

Hermione watched as they entered Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop. She was eager to know what they would do on their private date; her curiosity mingled with a twinge of envy.

She glanced carefully at Sirius, Harry, and Ron, who were in full swing with their conversation.

Seeing that the three of them were chatting enthusiastically, Hermione quietly followed Ethan and Tonks to the wall of Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop.

The windows of Madame Puddifoot's were fogged, and Hermione could only see the blurred silhouettes of Ethan and Tonks inside. She couldn't hear anything, which made her anxious. Finally, she wrapped a scarf around her face a few times and pushed open the door to enter the tea shop.

Hermione slipped into Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, carefully avoiding Ethan's sight, and sat in a hidden spot close to Ethan and Tonks's table.

"Little girl, are you here alone?"

The plump Mrs. Puddifoot looked curiously at Hermione, who had entered the tea shop alone.

Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop was known as a dating spot for couples, so it was rare for someone to enter alone.

"Thank you. I don't need anything," Hermione said automatically, not wanting to draw attention. But realizing it was inappropriate to sit without ordering, she quickly added,

"Please bring me a cup of black tea. Thank you."

"Are you alone, miss?" Mrs. Puddifoot asked hesitantly.

"Of course! No one's following me, and I'm not following anyone!" Hermione blurted out, startled, thinking Mrs. Puddifoot had noticed her sneaking around.

"Alright, miss," Mrs. Puddifoot said, giving Hermione a strange look before preparing her tea.

Hermione leaned in carefully, trying to catch Ethan and Tonks's conversation.

"This is our second date here," Tonks said softly, winking playfully at Ethan.

"Yeah," Ethan replied, leaning forward to take Tonks's hand. He traced her palm with his fingers, making Tonks blush.

"I need to tell you something," Ethan said seriously.

"What's wrong?" Tonks asked, curious.

"I'm going to Poland," Ethan said.

"Poland?" Tonks repeated, confused about why Ethan had to go so far suddenly.

"I received a commission to deal with a matter caused by monsters," Ethan explained.

A few days ago, a large and strange owl had arrived at Hogwarts Castle, looking exhausted. Ethan retrieved the letter from the owl's foot, discovering it had flown from Poland. Surprised by the owl's stamina, he rewarded it with a bowl of owl treats, which it devoured before collapsing into sleep.

Ethan read the letter carefully.