Chapter 13: Dumbledore and Rex
Professor Dumbledore was walking around the corridors late at night when he just happened to stumble upon Professor Lupin in his office. After hearing Clarice's story about Peter Pettigrew being an illegal Animagus, he decided the one person in the castle who could either verify or disprove her story would be Remus. Seeing that he was alone in his office so late seemed to be the perfect opportunity to talk to him about the situation. He knocked on his door and entered.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir, is there anything you need?" asked Lupin.
"Actually Remus, yes there is. I need to speak to you about your three closest friends from Hogwarts, James, Peter and Sirius," said Dumbledore.
"What about them Professor?"
"Well, Miss Black recently came to my office about keeping her dog. While there we wound up on the subject of one Sirius Black. Miss Black has made some accusations that would indeed clear your dear friend, but only you are capable of letting me know if they are true."
"What accusations are those, Professor Dumbledore?"
"She claims that Peter Pettigrew became an illegal Animagus while he was at school. Is she right?" asked Dumbledore.
Lupin sighed. He had feared the day when he would have to tell Professor Dumbledore that he betrayed his trust and brought his best friends down with him. He hoped the day would never actually come.
"Yes, he was," sighed Lupin. "He could become a rat. James and Sirius did as well. James could turn into a stag and Sirius could become a dog. They did it so they could stay with me during the full moon. James and Sirius became animals big enough to keep a werewolf in line and Peter became an animal small enough to slip under the branches of the Whomping Willow so he could press the knob. I am sorry."
A slight panic arose in Dumbledore. Clarice's dog was bigger than the normal dog. Could it be Sirius Black?
"Clarice has just brought a dog into the school. What if that is Sirius in his Animagus form? Is it? If it is, he is dangerous."
"Professor Dumbledore, Clarice knows that her dog is Sirius. She is helping him to keep Ron Weasley, who according to the two of them owns Peter, safe from him. You should really talk to her about this. I only know enough to confirm that all three of them were illegal Animagi and that there is a very real possibility that Peter is alive and in the school."
"Of course, Remus. I appreciate your being honest with me. I will leave you to your work now. Good night."
"Professor, aren't you mad at me?"
"No, Remus. Your friends were very dedicated to you and were willing to go to extraordinary lengths to be there when you needed them. I cannot be mad at such a strong bond."
With that, Professor Dumbledore left the office.
The following day Dumbledore sent an owl to Clarice during lunch. It asked her to please bring Rex and report to his office at three o'clock. As soon as lunch was over, she ran over to Professor Sprout to let her know that she needed to miss her Herbology lesson today because Dumbledore wanted to see her. Professor Sprout agreed and left. Clarice went to her Divination lesson until she was to go see Professor Dumbledore.
Clarice was sitting in Divination looking into the Orb. Professor Trelawney was reviewing Crystal Gazing for the O.W.L.s. The exams were less than eight weeks away. After getting bored of pretending to see Fred's death coming she looked down at her watch and realized she had to leave for Professor Dumbledore's office. She got up and walked toward the trap door.
"Miss Black, my class does not end for another half an hour. Where do you think you are going?" asked Professor Trelawney.
"Being the Seer that you are, I am sure you saw my leaving class early to go to an appointment today," replied Clarice.
The class began to laugh and Clarice left. She went directly to Gryffindor Tower to get Rex so they could go to Professor Dumbledore's office. He had asked her to bring him but now she was just trying to figure out why.
They arrived at his office at exactly three o'clock and Professor Dumbledore was waiting in front of the stone gargoyle. He gave the password and brought them upstairs. When they got upstairs, Dumbledore sat in the chair behind his desk. Clarice sat down with Rex at her feet and looked at Dumbledore.
"Clarice, is Rex the escaped prisoner, Sirius Black?" asked Dumbledore.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because Professor Lupin confirmed your story about Peter Pettigrew and also confirmed there were two other Animagi running around the school illegally. He even told me what animals they became," said Dumbledore.
Clarice thought for a minute. What would Professor Dumbledore say if he found out that she was housing a convicted murderer? She had to risk it.
"Yes, Professor. Rex is Sirius Black," said Clarice, "show yourself Sirius."
Professor Dumbledore was walking around the corridors late at night when he just happened to stumble upon Professor Lupin in his office. After hearing Clarice's story about Peter Pettigrew being an illegal Animagus, he decided the one person in the castle who could either verify or disprove her story would be Remus. Seeing that he was alone in his office so late seemed to be the perfect opportunity to talk to him about the situation. He knocked on his door and entered.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir, is there anything you need?" asked Lupin.
"Actually Remus, yes there is. I need to speak to you about your three closest friends from Hogwarts, James, Peter and Sirius," said Dumbledore.
"What about them Professor?"
"Well, Miss Black recently came to my office about keeping her dog. While there we wound up on the subject of one Sirius Black. Miss Black has made some accusations that would indeed clear your dear friend, but only you are capable of letting me know if they are true."
"What accusations are those, Professor Dumbledore?"
"She claims that Peter Pettigrew became an illegal Animagus while he was at school. Is she right?" asked Dumbledore.
Lupin sighed. He had feared the day when he would have to tell Professor Dumbledore that he betrayed his trust and brought his best friends down with him. He hoped the day would never actually come.
"Yes, he was," sighed Lupin. "He could become a rat. James and Sirius did as well. James could turn into a stag and Sirius could become a dog. They did it so they could stay with me during the full moon. James and Sirius became animals big enough to keep a werewolf in line and Peter became an animal small enough to slip under the branches of the Whomping Willow so he could press the knob. I am sorry."
A slight panic arose in Dumbledore. Clarice's dog was bigger than the normal dog. Could it be Sirius Black?
"Clarice has just brought a dog into the school. What if that is Sirius in his Animagus form? Is it? If it is, he is dangerous."
"Professor Dumbledore, Clarice knows that her dog is Sirius. She is helping him to keep Ron Weasley, who according to the two of them owns Peter, safe from him. You should really talk to her about this. I only know enough to confirm that all three of them were illegal Animagi and that there is a very real possibility that Peter is alive and in the school."
"Of course, Remus. I appreciate your being honest with me. I will leave you to your work now. Good night."
"Professor, aren't you mad at me?"
"No, Remus. Your friends were very dedicated to you and were willing to go to extraordinary lengths to be there when you needed them. I cannot be mad at such a strong bond."
With that, Professor Dumbledore left the office.
The following day Dumbledore sent an owl to Clarice during lunch. It asked her to please bring Rex and report to his office at three o'clock. As soon as lunch was over, she ran over to Professor Sprout to let her know that she needed to miss her Herbology lesson today because Dumbledore wanted to see her. Professor Sprout agreed and left. Clarice went to her Divination lesson until she was to go see Professor Dumbledore.
Clarice was sitting in Divination looking into the Orb. Professor Trelawney was reviewing Crystal Gazing for the O.W.L.s. The exams were less than eight weeks away. After getting bored of pretending to see Fred's death coming she looked down at her watch and realized she had to leave for Professor Dumbledore's office. She got up and walked toward the trap door.
"Miss Black, my class does not end for another half an hour. Where do you think you are going?" asked Professor Trelawney.
"Being the Seer that you are, I am sure you saw my leaving class early to go to an appointment today," replied Clarice.
The class began to laugh and Clarice left. She went directly to Gryffindor Tower to get Rex so they could go to Professor Dumbledore's office. He had asked her to bring him but now she was just trying to figure out why.
They arrived at his office at exactly three o'clock and Professor Dumbledore was waiting in front of the stone gargoyle. He gave the password and brought them upstairs. When they got upstairs, Dumbledore sat in the chair behind his desk. Clarice sat down with Rex at her feet and looked at Dumbledore.
"Clarice, is Rex the escaped prisoner, Sirius Black?" asked Dumbledore.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because Professor Lupin confirmed your story about Peter Pettigrew and also confirmed there were two other Animagi running around the school illegally. He even told me what animals they became," said Dumbledore.
Clarice thought for a minute. What would Professor Dumbledore say if he found out that she was housing a convicted murderer? She had to risk it.
"Yes, Professor. Rex is Sirius Black," said Clarice, "show yourself Sirius."