The Rat's Identity!

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From his seat at the Slytherin table, Harry glanced over at the Gryffindor table, where the Weasley twins were huddled together, whispering animatedly. It was easy to guess they were probably discussing the map he had "borrowed" from them. With a subtle look, Harry checked his own minimap, now enhanced to display individuals similar to the "Marauder's Map." As he scanned the icons, a name unexpectedly popped up—'Peter Pettigrew.' Harry was stunned; he knew this name well. It was one of his father's closest friends, along with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. According to what he had learned, Sirius had betrayed his parents leading to their death, and Peter Pettigrew had been killed by Sirius along with twelve Muggles in the aftermath.

However, seeing Pettigrew's name now flickering on his map caused Harry to frown in confusion. His gaze drifted to Ron, who was laughing about something Thomas had said, unaware of Harry's scrutiny. Sitting next to Ron was Scabbers, his pet rat, nibbling on a piece of toast. Harry squinted slightly; he had known the rat was an Animagus since their first encounter, yet its true identity had eluded him until now. He had tried using the Enchanted Mirror for Distant Viewing to spy on the rat, but calling "Scabbers" yielded no results. Harry realized that since the rat was an Animagus and Scabbers wasn't its real name, the mirror couldn't locate it. Although he had kept an eye on the rat through Ron, he had never seen it transforming back to human form.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Nigel's voice, tinged with intrigue, "That's a bit of a pickle, isn't it? A dead man munching on toast at the Gryffindor table."

Grinning at Nigel's comment, Harry mused aloud, "Looks like we might have a mystery on our hands that's more immediate than the Chamber of Secrets."

"Indeed, Master Harry. And here I thought our biggest worry would be Snape's new hairstyle," Nigel quipped.

Harry sighed helplessly, "Ever since he saw Aunt Petunia, Snape started to act different." Nigel laughed in his mind, "Oh, the poor professor. Can't help but be smitten by red-heads, it seems."

Harry frowned when he heard Nigel, but his attention was quickly drawn back to the Gryffindor table where Scabbers, the rat, was making an appearance. "It seems like there's a story behind my godfather's imprisonment," Harry mused. "I was surprised and angry when I learned he betrayed my family. Mum had written in her letter, 'I hope your godfather doesn't lead you astray.' At the time, I found it ironic and confusing, thinking maybe she had suspected Sirius, but then, why wouldn't she have guessed he would be caught and sent to Azkaban? If not, then what did she mean? It's getting more and more confusing."

"Let's consider the possibilities," Harry thought aloud. "If Pettigrew is alive and disguised as Ron's rat, that could mean Sirius Black might be innocent of killing him and 12 muggles. And if Sirius is innocent on that accord, then everything I knew about him being the reason my parents were betrayed might be wrong."

"Quite the tangled web," Nigel observed. "And you're just the wizard to untangle it, eh, Master Harry?"

"Looks like it," Harry agreed, his resolve firming. "First things first, I need to confirm if Scabbers really is Pettigrew."

Nigel sounded excited, "What's the plan, Master Harry? Forcing him to revert back? Dropping a few drops of Veritaserum like you did with Lockhart? Using advanced magic?" Harry shook his head as he got up from the Slytherin table. Tracey looked up, puzzled, "Where are you going, Harry? You barely ate anything." Harry flashed a quick smile. "Got something urgent. See you later."

As he left the Great Hall, he responded to Nigel, "None of the above." Reaching into his pocket, Harry pulled out the Enchanted Mirror for Distant Viewing and called out, "Peter Pettigrew." The mirror shimmered and in the next moment, it displayed the Gryffindor table, zooming in on the rodent sitting beside Ron. Nigel's excitement deflated a bit by the simplicity of the solution but he couldn't hide his grim tone, "Seems like the poor bastard wasn't that poor but a lot more bastard than he was given credit for."

Harry stared at the mirror, his thoughts racing as he pieced together the implications of Pettigrew's survival and what it could mean for Sirius Black's innocence. He needed to act discreetly; revealing Pettigrew's true identity prematurely could endanger any chance he had to uncover the full story.

He clenched his fist as he said, "None of this makes sense. From what I learned, Sirius was the secret keeper of my family. He supposedly betrayed my parents and then killed Peter Pettigrew, so why? Sirius is in Azkaban, but why is Peter here?" Nigel responded, "Could he have been afraid?" Harry thought for a while then shook his head, "No, that doesn't add up. If he were innocent, he wouldn't hide as a rat for years. I asked the twins last year, and they said Scabbers has been with them a long time. After Sirius was locked up, why would Peter still be scared? He could have come clean and lived as a hero. There's something fishy with this story."

Nigel hummed, "What's our next move?" Harry thought for a while, then said, "Find out the truth. Until then, I can't show my hand. To anyone."

With this plan in mind, Harry decided to keep a closer watch on Scabbers, using the Map to track the rat's movements without drawing attention. He also resolved to delve deeper into the history and details of the events that led to his parents' death, Sirius's imprisonment, and Pettigrew's apparent "death."

Over the next few days, Harry used his spare moments to revisit the old Daily Prophet articles he'd collected, which covered the trials and stories surrounding the events of that fateful night. Each piece seemed to confirm the official story, but Harry now questioned the reliability of these accounts. He knew he had to be careful with whom he shared these suspicions. The wrong word to the wrong person could ruin any chance of uncovering the truth.

Harry continued his conversations with the diary, carefully balancing his role as a curious and somewhat lonely student with his true intent to probe deeper into its secrets. The diary, responsive as ever, began to offer more assertive advice. Initially, it had simply bolstered Harry's morale, but now it nudged him towards confronting his bullies. Harry was aware that this shift could lead to more dangerous suggestions, potentially inciting him to retaliate or harm others. The soul fragment within the diary was not benevolent, and Harry's act as a meek character seemed to convince the diary that it had significant influence over him.

During a particularly intense session with the diary, Harry penned a simple question that he hoped would reveal more about its creator's intentions. "What do you think about revenge against those who wronged us?" he wrote, feigning a thirst for vindication.

The diary's response was immediate and chilling. "Revenge can be a powerful motivator, Harry. It can right wrongs and bring justice where it is due." The ink swirled on the page, as if emphasizing its point.

Harry pondered the diary's words, feeling the dark undertow of its message. Nigel's voice broke through his thoughts, "Sounds like it's gearing up to start its own motivational podcast."

Snorting quietly at the comment, Harry closed the diary, his suspicions growing. The soul fragment within was cunning, likely laying the groundwork to manipulate him into actions that would serve its dark purposes.

Meanwhile, Harry kept a vigilant eye on Scabbers the rat, using the enchanted map to monitor his movements within Hogwarts. He observed the rat's routine, noting nothing particularly out of the ordinary, which only deepened the mystery. Why would Pettigrew hide in plain sight for years? And if he was truly innocent, why hadn't he come forward after Sirius's arrest?

One evening, while reflecting on these questions in the common room, Nigel chimed in with his usual dry humor. "Maybe he's waiting for a cheese tasting he can't afford to miss?"

Harry chuckled softly. "Or maybe he's just biding his time," Harry mused, still puzzled by the rat's long-term deception.

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