Chapter 193: "Talons of Justice, Paws of Deceit"

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of fallen leaves as Harry made his way across the Hogwarts grounds, his mind preoccupied with his latest Charms project. His contemplation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps behind him.

"Harry! Harry, wait up!" Neville Longbottom called out, slightly out of breath as he caught up. To Harry's surprise, Charles was with him, looking equally flustered.

Harry turned, raising an eyebrow at their appearance. "What's wrong, Neville? Charles?" he asked, curiosity piqued by their urgent manner.

Neville, panting slightly, gestured to Charles. "It's about Buckbeak, the hippogriff. There was an incident in our Care of Magical Creatures class. Charles needs your help, but he... well..."

Charles, looking uncomfortable and clearly struggling to find the right words, picked up where Neville left off. "I know we're not close, Harry, but I didn't know who else to turn to. I heard you have connections in the Ministry. Can you please help me save Buckbeak? The events went like this..."

As Charles recounted the tale, Harry listened intently, his mind already drawing parallels to the events he remembered from the books. Apparently, just as in the canon timeline, Draco had insulted the hippogriff, resulting in an attack and Draco getting scratched. This should have happened a few weeks back as per Harry's recollection. He surmised that perhaps Charles and the Potters had already tried and failed to save Buckbeak, forcing Charles to swallow his pride and come to him for help.

"Malfoy's father is threatening to have Buckbeak executed," Charles finished, his face pale with worry.

Harry hesitated, looking between Neville's hopeful face and Charles's anxious one. He had no personal attachment to Buckbeak, having never interacted with the hippogriff. However, memories of how Buckbeak had helped the canon Harry and Sirius flooded his mind. The loyal creature had been a crucial ally in times of need, and Harry couldn't help but feel a sense of obligation to help.

After a moment of consideration, Harry nodded, his mind already formulating a plan. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. No promises, but I'll try to help."

The relief on both Neville's and Charles's faces was palpable. "Thank you, Harry," Charles said sincerely. "I really appreciate this."

"We both do," Neville added, a grateful smile spreading across his face.

That evening, back in the quiet of the Ravenclaw common room, Harry penned a carefully worded letter to Amelia Bones. He explained the situation in detail, being sure to emphasize the injustice of the threatened execution for the endangered magical creature and the potential precedent it could set. Harry knew that appealing to Amelia's strong sense of justice was his best bet.

Amelia's reply came swiftly, carried by a sleek Ministry owl. Her response was reassuring; she promised to use her influence to ensure a fair and thorough investigation. This was quintessential Amelia – always adhering to her unwavering sense of justice, just as he had hoped.

True to her word, within days, Ministry officials arrived at Hogwarts to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident. The investigation was swift and impartial. Witnesses were interviewed, including students from various houses who had been present during the class.

Hagrid's teaching methods were scrutinized, and his lesson plans were examined with meticulous care. Even Buckbeak himself was subjected to a thorough examination by magical creature experts, who tested his temperament and responsiveness to commands.

A week later, the verdict was announced. Buckbeak was declared a safe and well-trained hippogriff, posing no undue threat when handled properly. It was Malfoy's own fault for not listening to the Professor and acting rashly.

However, the investigation had unforeseen consequences. While Buckbeak was saved, concerns were raised about the appropriateness of introducing such advanced creatures to third-year students. Despite protests from students who had grown fond of him, Hagrid was removed from his position as Care of Magical Creatures professor.

The news hit the gentle half-giant hard. Harry sought him out later that day, finding Hagrid in his hut, surrounded by his beloved magical creatures.

"I'm sorry, Hagrid," Harry said, genuine regret in his voice. "I couldn't help you keep your job."

Hagrid wiped his eyes with his massive handkerchief. "S'not your fault, Harry. Yeh did what yeh could. At least Beaky's safe, thanks ter you."

However, all was not lost. In a surprising turn of events, Hagrid was given a chance to challenge the ruling. If he could prove that he could teach a proper class in a safe manner, adhering to Ministry-approved curriculum standards, he could be reinstated. The news seemed to reignite a spark in Hagrid's eyes, and Harry noticed Hermione Granger already pulling out parchment and quills, ready to help Hagrid prepare for this challenge.

During this incident, Harry also confirmed something he had been curious about. Contrary to the events of the books and as Harry had thought, Hermione did not have a Time-Turner. She had only three electives, not nearly as many as in the canon timeline, and thus did not need to use a Time-Turner to attend all her classes.

Harry sighed with relief. If Dumbledore or McGonagall had really given her a Time-Turner, he would have seriously worried about their sanity. The idea of entrusting a device that could meddle with time to a thirteen-year-old was very dangerous.

That night, as Harry was about to turn in for bed, he felt a sudden vibration from the Marauder's Map tucked inside his robes. Frowning, he quickly unfolded it, his eyes widening as he saw one of the names he'd been searching for all year: Peter Pettigrew.

Without hesitation, Harry grabbed his wand and invisibility cloak, slipping out of the Ravenclaw dormitory with practiced stealth. He raced through the castle, following Pettigrew's movements on the map. The dot labeled "Peter Pettigrew" was near the Gryffindor tower, moving erratically.

As he reached the corridor near Gryffindor Tower, Harry slowed down, his eyes darting between the map and his surroundings. Just as Harry stepped onto the floor, the name vanished from the map.

"Homenum Revelio," Harry whispered, waving his wand. Nothing happened. Frowning, he tried a series of other detection spells, each more complex than the last. Still, there was no trace of Pettigrew.

It seemed the rat had managed to slip away. Sighing in frustration, Harry turned to leave, unaware that his every move was being observed by a pair of beady eyes. Hidden in a small hole in the wall near one of the corridor lamps, a rat watched intently as Harry departed.

What Harry didn't realize was that the Marauder's Map, for all its brilliance, had its limitations. It didn't show the names of individuals hidden within the walls or pipes of the castle. Moreover, with the help of the Lestranges, Pettigrew had acquired enchanted items that hid him from detection spells.

As Harry's footsteps faded away, the rat's whiskers twitched nervously. Peter Pettigrew, in his Animagus form, had just witnessed something that both terrified and intrigued him. He had seen Harry looking at the map and, having used the same map with his friends many times, he instantly recognized it.

With this new bit of information, the rat scurried into the pipes, his tiny heart racing. He needed to get out of the castle and relay this crucial information to his partners. Their plan for Hogwarts was not going to be as simple as they had hoped.