"Excluding this current case, the Sneakoscope has issued warnings on three previous occasions."
In the Hogwarts Headmaster's office, Sherlock paced back and forth, speaking in an unhurried, composed manner.
Under the attentive eyes of four professors and three students, he slowly raised three fingers.
"I didn't witness the first warning myself. At the time, Ron wrote to Harry saying that only the nine members of the Weasley family were nearby.
Bill Weasley, who worked in Egypt, concluded it must be a fake product sold to wizard tourists, because he believed there was no one untrustworthy in his family.
However, Ron pointed out that this was because the Weasley twins had put beetles in Bill's soup.
In other words, Ron believed the untrustworthy persons at that time were the Weasley twins."
Upon hearing Sherlock's words, both Harry and Ron were taken aback.
So much time had passed that they'd both forgotten about this incident.
They hadn't expected Sherlock to still remember.
Hermione, however, frowned in thought.
Sherlock had said "Ron believed the untrustworthy persons were the Weasley twins"—did this mean the truth was something else?
"The second time was on the Hogwarts Express."
Sherlock pointed at the four young wizards. "At the time, besides the four of us in that compartment, there was also Professor Lupin."
At Sherlock's words, Lupin's expression changed. He gripped the armrest of his chair tightly, then quickly released it.
Snape gave a cold laugh, narrowing his eyes as he looked Sherlock up and down, as if trying to discern something from him.
Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall exchanged another glance, but this time said nothing.
"Just as Mr. Dumbledore said, I trust my friends, and I trust Professor Lupin."
Sherlock met Lupin's gaze.
Lupin relaxed, and said sincerely. "Thank you, Sherlock."
"Don't mention it, Professor. For this very reason, at that time I, like Professor McGonagall, suspected whether the Sneakoscope was damaged; Ron had mentioned that the owl's long journey had caused it some problems.
But when Harry and Ron took it to Hogsmeade for inspection, they were told nothing was wrong with it.
That made Bill's explanation seem more reliable that it was simply a fake product sold to wizard tourists.
But!"
At this crucial turning point, everyone's eyes fixed intently on Sherlock.
They knew Sherlock was about to reveal the answer.
"Just recently, it issued another warning.
This was also the case with the fewest people present, only the four of us students in the dormitory.
It was this experience that made me realize something, a detail we'd overlooked for so long, and it finally brought the Sneakoscope's alert logic to the surface."
Sherlock's gaze swept over his three companions, lingering particularly on Ron.
Ron looked utterly confused, completely unable to understand what Sherlock meant.
The others wore similar expressions, not understanding what Sherlock was getting at.
Only Hermione had an inkling of something.
Sherlock had asked her to bring Crookshanks and Ron to bring Scabbers to the Headmaster's office, previously saying he could completely resolve the matter between the cat and rat. Could it be...
She turned sharply toward Sherlock, about to speak, when someone beat her to it.
"Detective Holmes, this game of going in circles should end. If you continue wasting time in this foolish manner, I believe I can leave immediately."
Professor Snape stared hard at Sherlock, his impatience and disgust overflowing.
"Please be patient, Severus."
Professor Lupin once again smiled as he came to Sherlock's defense, the white hair at his temples gleamed softly in the firelight.
"Sherlock's reasoning is like brewing a Calming Draught—too much heat causes it to boil over, but slow stirring allows each ingredient's properties to blend perfectly."
Snape's gaze suddenly shifted to Lupin. "Professor Lupin, you seem to know Holmes quite well?"
"Just as Sherlock is willing to trust me, I trust him equally." Remus maintained his smile.
Sherlock nodded at Lupin, then turned to another professor present.
"Professor McGonagall, do you remember that story you told us in the days after Halloween?"
"Of course I remember," Professor McGonagall said, her face stern as she looked at the desk. "So that incident is related to this?"
The pocket Sneakoscope continued spinning, glowing, and shrieking, stubbornly asserting its presence.
"Obviously."
Sherlock's gaze swept over everyone present again as he spoke slowly.
"Pettigrew intercepted Black and, in front of the entire street, cried out.
'Lily and James, Sirius, how could you do this, how could you bring yourself to do it?'
Then he drew his wand, but unfortunately, Black was much more agile and blew Pettigrew to pieces."
Sherlock paused, relying on his memory palace to recite Professor McGonagall's words perfectly.
This left Professor McGonagall looking quite displeased, as it reminded her of the hero she had once reprimanded.
Professor Lupin's body trembled slightly; he appeared even more agitated than Professor McGonagall.
Snape looked at Dumbledore, who nodded slightly at him.
Neither Harry nor Ron could replicate Sherlock's word-for-word recitation, but they also didn't understand why Sherlock was bringing this up.
The look of surprise in Hermione's eyes grew stronger and stronger.
"Unfortunately, whether it was you, Dumbledore, or Professor Hagrid, you all forgot to tell me one thing."
At this point, Sherlock's gaze became sharp.
"The brave Peter Pettigrew, the great hero blown to pieces by the evil Sirius Black—the largest piece of his remains was a single finger."
Both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were startled at this.
"Indeed, that is the case."
Professor McGonagall's eyes flickered slightly, with a hint of reminiscence as she slowly began.
"That finger was given to his poor mother as a relic, along with the Order of Merlin, First Class.
This matter—it truly was heartbreaking. That child and his mother suffered so much; I didn't wish to mention those cruel details again."
She frowned slightly; her voice was full of reluctance.
"No! This is precisely what's crucial!"
Sherlock suddenly raised his voice. "Dear Professor McGonagall, the truth often hides in the minute details that people overlook, like a gem buried beneath dust."
He clasped his hands together under his chin and leaned back slightly.
"During this time, I've devoted myself entirely to investigating this case, visiting many people for this purpose.
When speaking with Professor Lupin, he happened to mention this matter."
He looked at Lupin, his gaze carrying a sense of inquiry.
"That is indeed the case."
Lupin nodded gently, a few white strands of hair swaying slightly with the movement.
But then his brow furrowed, confusion flashing in his eyes. "I don't understand—how could this finger be connected to the case?"
The corners of Sherlock's mouth turned up slightly, revealing a confident, shallow smile. He shook his head and said.
"But has anyone considered why the explosion site could precisely leave behind a finger symbolizing Peter's death, yet blast the other remains to powder?
Of course, there was also my oversight—when communicating with Professor McGonagall at the time, I forgot to insist that no detail be overlooked. When having informed persons describe a case, I always make a point of emphasizing this."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if replaying the minute details of past cases in his mind.
"Because often the most inconspicuous matters can become the key to unlocking a mystery, like finding that crucial piece in a chaotic puzzle that instantly makes the entire picture clear."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron all nodded.
Sherlock had indeed always had this habit.
"Fortunately, heaven's net has large meshes, but nothing escapes it. After I obtained this crucial information from Professor Lupin, combined with this..."
Sherlock extended his hand and pointed at the pocket Sneakoscope that was still spinning, glowing, and shrieking. He spoke slowly. "The final piece of the puzzle was finally complete!"
At this point, he slowly withdrew Ron's pet Scabbers from his robes and placed it on the desk.
The instant Scabbers appeared, Crookshanks in Hermione's arms let out a low growl, its claws digging tightly into her sweater, its yellow eyes burning with fury.
Hermione quickly held it tight.
As Scabbers' owner, Ron was currently the most confused person present.
By now he had completely lost track of what was happening.
At first, they said they were coming to resolve Scabbers' problem, but then the discussion shifted to the Sneakoscope he'd given Harry, then to the case from twelve years ago, and now it had finally circled back to Scabbers.
Scabbers had indeed been brought out, but—but why did the atmosphere feel so wrong?
Sherlock held Scabbers down with one hand and declared proudly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the hero from twelve years ago who was presumed dead—Mr. Peter Pettigrew. He has survived for twelve years in the form of the rat Scabbers, and it is he who has caused this Sneakoscope to issue warnings again and again!"
Everyone was stunned.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Everyone present was as though petrified, frozen for several seconds.
Sherlock's expression of victory and the resounding voice with which he announced the result remained vivid and fresh in everyone's memory for many years to come.
After a moment of silence, it was Snape who first let out a sharp exclamation.
"Ridiculous! Absurd! Holmes, do you have any idea what you're saying?
Do you think that with just a mangy, sick rat, you can overturn an investigation report sealed by the Ministry of Magic with Merlin's seal?"
He suddenly turned to Lupin, saying disdainfully. "Professor Lupin, is this the Calming Draught you spoke of, this fairy tale transplanted into the detective's brain?
Saying that a rat is Peter Pettigrew, that Peter Pettigrew is still alive? Look at this rat he's produced!
Rather than calling this Peter Pettigrew, you might as well say it's a worn-out rag the Weasley family uses to wipe tables!"
Ron immediately let out a strangled roar of fury because Harry was covering his mouth hard.
Using so much force, the fingernails of the hand gripping Ron's arm were practically digging into him.
Clearly, Professor Snape had now lost his composure, and Harry absolutely couldn't let Ron clash with him.
After saying these words, Snape turned to Dumbledore again, using a low voice to say.
"You certainly don't believe a word of the story Holmes is telling, do you?
Sirius Black showed he could be a murderer when he was sixteen years old. You haven't forgotten that, have you, Headmaster?
I don't think you've forgotten that he once tried to kill me, have you?"
That he would even bring up this matter showed just how much Snape had truly lost his composure.
How could someone killed by Sirius Black possibly still be alive?!
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