The man and the cat exchanged glances, and sparks flew.

"Ron, you've never hit a cat." Harry looked at him with complicated eyes.

"I, I just don't want to bother with it!" Ron rolled up his sleeves and said fiercely, "It's just a cat, I didn't even use a wand!"

"Harry, let me tell you, my spellcasting skills have improved a lot since I changed my wand."

"Really, don't look at me like that. Bill taught me..."

Crookshanks opened his mouth and let out a shrill cry of disdain.

Stupid little wizard.

The disembodied Lupin looked at Ron with nostalgia in his eyes. But looking at Harry, apart from the fact that he dared to take action against the professor decisively, he could hardly find any trace of Gryffindor.

And this red-haired little freckled face made him confirm that Gryffindor was still Gryffindor.

Crookshanks sniffed, suddenly arched his back, and bared his teeth in Lupin's direction.

"We're one of us. Don't get excited. Just sit still." Harry patted its head.

Crookshanks obediently squatted down again.

"Answer my question honestly, you ate Scabbers?" Harry asked.

Crookshanks shook his head and swept his tail sideways.

Ron snorted, "Liar Kitten."

Crookshanks was furious and eager to fight him again.

"You can't beat it, there's no need for Crookshanks to lie to you." Harry turned around and said to Ron seriously.

Ron took a breath, put his hands into his robes, and gritted his teeth: "Harry, it's not that I can't beat it, I just, I..."

He became even more flustered and waved his hands.

"I understand." Harry patted his shoulder. "I understand."

Ron breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kneazles are 3X-level dangerous magical creatures." Harry comforted him, "You are only in your third year after all. It's okay if you can't beat them."

Ron was startled, and his eyes and nose began to twist.

“Try to win it before the end of this semester.”

The last sentence made Ron's heart stab as if it had been stabbed by a knife. He was so ashamed and angry that he wanted to take out his wand and challenge Crookshanks to a duel on the spot to prove to Harry whether he could beat this slightly larger ginger and stinky-faced kitten.

"Scabbers ran away?" Harry continued to ask Crookshanks.

Crookshanks nodded.

"Why don't you stop it." Harry put his hand on its head.

Crookshanks squeaked and screamed for a while before he remembered that Harry might not understand cat language, and he stepped on the table anxiously.

"Because I wouldn't let you do anything with it?" Harry said, remembering something.

Crookshanks breathed a humane sigh of relief, nodded, and wagged his tail.

Harry patted its head and said, "Then I'll give you a task. Catch it and bring it to me."

Crookshanks stood up and rubbed his head against Harry's hand, making a series of threatening noises.

"You want a reward?" Harry smiled and said, "If you find it, I'll give you a pound of owl rations, the same kind I fed you that day."

Crookshanks looked up and called out twice.

It doesn't understand how many pounds there are.

But what's wrong with the innocent kitten wanting more?

"Okay, if you find it, I'll give you two pounds," Harry agreed.

Crookshanks was surprised and called out three times tentatively.

Harry said nothing, his eyes were emotionless as he stared at it coldly.

Crookshanks shrank his head, jumped off the table, slapped Harry's hand with his tail, meowed a few times, and quickly jumped out, disappearing in the crowd.

Ron stared blankly at the place where Crookshanks had just squatted.

"Is there something wrong with Banban?" He lowered his voice, looking dazed.

Harry turned his head. Neville and the others were not there. They must have gone back to the dormitory. "Let's go out and talk? It's not curfew yet."

Ron nodded.

They had just climbed out of the common room when they ran into Hermione returning.

"Harry, you're back so soon? Is Professor Lupin okay?" Hermione was a little surprised that he was back faster than her.

"He might be fine," Harry responded to her, "but Scabbers might be."

Hermione was startled and subconsciously looked at Ron.

Ron looked dazed.

"Would you like to come along?" Harry asked her.

Hermione didn't hesitate and followed him to a stand in the tower.

Lupin revealed himself with a wave of his wand.

Hermione reacted quickly and took out her wand. Before she raised it, she had already confirmed who was in front of her. Thinking of the bad things she had just said about him, she felt a little embarrassed: "Oh, Professor Lupin, you are here too."

"Harry invited me here." Lupin answered with a smile, but his smile made him look even more fragile.

Hermione blushed a little.

"What happened to Scabbers?" Ron felt even more uneasy when he saw Lupin appear. He took a deep breath, grabbed Harry's sleeve and asked.

"It could be an Animagus," Harry said as gently as possible.

"Impossible, it's been in my house for thirteen years." Ron put down his hand and shook his head violently.

Hermione whispered, "But it's almost impossible for an ordinary mouse to live for thirteen years."

"Actually, it could be a friend of my dad's," Harry went on.

Ron's face changed, and a bit of panic surged in his heart: "Sirius Black?"

But he soon reacted.

"wrong."

"He had been held in Azkaban and had only recently escaped."

Harry gave the answer: "It's Peter."

"That hero?" Ron thought immediately, his voice rising. During this time at home, he also heard his parents talk about the past. "But he is dead."

Harry looked at Lupin.

Lupin explained: "Peter is an illegal Animagus. He can turn into a mouse."

"Not all mice are Peter." Ron was reluctant to shatter his fantasy. The Weasleys were not a wealthy family, and they had many children, so not many things belonged to him.

And Banban is one of the most valuable items among the few things that belong to him.

Just like Harry would be heartbroken if he lost a bag of Galleons.

Ron's mood was even heavier than that now - after all, Harry had more than one bag of gold Galleons.

"Peter is missing a finger on his right hand, and Scabbers is missing a toe on his right paw." Harry patted his shoulder. "Peter died thirteen years ago, and Scabbers appeared in your house thirteen years ago."

"There are too many coincidences."

Ron turned pale.

"Think about it, it's a good thing." Harry comforted him.

Ron was puzzled and looked over in confusion.

"When we find him, if he is a good man, let him compensate you with a pet." Harry said softly.

"If he is a bad guy, I will kill him myself." Harry paused for a moment and calmed down. "Since I killed your pet, I will naturally compensate you with one."

"Owl, or cat?"

Ron's mood improved again. He began to wonder whether to get an owl or a cat. Other pets would also be good...

"I recommend cats," Harry said earnestly.

Ron's eyes widened: "No, it's not that I can't beat Crookshanks!"

Hermione, who was frowning in thought, looked up when she heard her pet's name, a little confused: "What happened to Crookshanks?"

Ron reached out his hand, trying to cover Harry's mouth: "No, Harry, you can't say that."

Harry raised his hand and held his head. "Just now, Ron thought Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, so he had a fight with it and lost."

Ron let out a sigh of despair.

Hermione opened her mouth, a little surprised, not knowing what to say.

After a long time, she sighed, not sure if it was for Ron or Harry: "But now the focus is not Crookshanks, but Sirius Black."

Ron was confused: "What happened to him?"

"If Scabbers is Peter, he's still alive." Hermione was puzzled, "But he's a hero, why does he have to hide his identity?"

Harry nodded: "I wonder about that, too."

Hermione prepared to analyze.

Harry waved his hand: "But it's easy to solve this problem. Just find him."

"Axis, Legilimency, and Veritaserum can all get the truth out."

Lupin's eyes widened. He had no idea what Axel was, but he knew the last two things very well: "No, Harry, no, the Ministry of Magic won't allow it..."

"The Ministry doesn't allow illegal Animagus creation," Harry interrupted, deadpanning, "or even, well... you know."

Lupin looked a little unnatural.

The Ministry of Magic has issued a "Code of Werewolf Conduct". Lupin's appearance in Hogwarts obviously means he did not follow this code.

"I hate those cumbersome rules. Any solution that can solve the problem is a good solution." Harry shook his head, "Although in some ways, they are indeed necessary."

Lupin sighed, "You are much bolder than your father. I finally understand why you were sorted into Gryffindor. From a while ago, I thought it would be better for you to go to Ravenclaw."

Ron was a little dissatisfied: "Look at Harry's eyes, he is born to be a Gryffindor."

All three of them hesitated to speak.

Hermione was tangled up and sighed: "I will give you a book for Christmas. You must read it carefully."

Ron was puzzled: "Huh? Harry is a natural Gryffindor."

"Yes, I am." Harry nodded. "Would you like me to teach you some tricks on how to deal with Kneazles?"

"It's not that I can't beat Crookshanks." Ron shouted in irritation, "What specific methods are used?"

Hermione greeted Professor Lupin: "Professor, we will go back first."

Lupin waved to them. He had not yet planned to leave. He looked out from the stands at the Forbidden Forest in the distance. A cold wind blew, and a few drops of cold rain fell from time to time. He was in a trance, and felt as if he had returned to twenty years ago.

"By the way, Professor Lupin." Harry turned around and said to him, "half a month, at most half a month."

"If Crookshanks or you haven't found Scabbers by then, I'll have to tell Professor Dumbledore."

"The danger cannot exist for too long."

"I will visit you again in half a month and ask you some questions about Professor Snape. You can prepare in advance."

Having said this, he paused.

"Although I don't trust house-elves."

"But if you have confidence, you can give it a try."

Professor Lupin nodded, his heart warmed, and he smiled and nodded in response: "I understand, Harry, I wish you a good dream, and see you in the first class."