Chapter 236

Chapter 236

“Depulso!”

A hoarse voice rang through the silent Shrieking Shack.

Had anyone pulled aside the heavy curtains, they would have seen a flash of white light and the almost human astonishment on the face of a large black dog hurled through the air.

Just as Suer had expected, Sirius Black’s Animagus form had been hiding behind the sofa in the sitting room.

The instant Suer opened the door and stepped inside, the dog sprang at him with claws extended.

Suer was prepared and immediately answered with a spell.

Sirius had not even seen his attacker clearly before the magic struck him. He twisted in mid-air, landed facing Suer and crouched low. His glare was as savage as that of a wolf starved for days.

What he plainly had not expected to emerge from the other room was a faceless monster.

Monster was absolutely the correct description for Suer at that moment.

What normal person had neither nose, eyes nor mouth?

Black’s moment of hesitation gave Suer his opening. Countless fights — or beatings — involving Professor Snape had taught him that the instant an enemy lost focus was often the perfect time to end a battle.

Suer gave his wand a light flick.

Behind Black, a dust-covered wooden box silently stretched and lengthened. Like a snake, it slithered across the floor.

Years in prison seemed to have severely impaired Black’s judgement. Even so, his keen animal senses detected a trace of danger.

Too late.

Under Suer’s control, the rope transfigured from the box shot forwards just as Black began to dodge.

It climbed the dog’s four limbs and, within seconds, wrapped him tightly like an animal trussed for slaughter.

With a pole threaded through the ropes to carry him, the resemblance would have been perfect.

Black struggled in panic, twisting violently and barking with fury. He pulled his legs inwards in an attempt to escape the bonds, sending clouds of dust swirling around him.

Suer’s brow twitched. He had no choice but to add another layer of security.

“Incarcerous.”

A thick hempen rope flew from his wand.

Black stopped struggling because he could no longer move. The new rope bound every part of him securely apart from his head.

His jaws still worked, however, particularly when Suer made ready to approach.

“Woof! Woof, woof! Woof, woof, woof!”

“Shh… quiet.” Suer raised a finger to where his mouth ought to have been, flicked his wand and stepped closer.

“Sirius Black — or should I say Mr Padfoot? How do you do?”

Black’s pupils contracted. He answered with even more frantic barking.

“Quiet!” Suer frowned — or would have, had he possessed eyebrows.

Black seemed to have lost his reason. He thrust his neck forwards and opened his jaws wide, his teeth gleaming.

Suer sighed. “Your Animagus form appears to have affected you rather badly, Mr Padfoot.”

“There is only one way to bring you back to your senses.”

Had Black ever seen a fist the size of a cauldron? He could now say that he had.

Thump! Smack! Whine… woof!

Outside the Shrieking Shack, a passing wizard faintly heard the peculiar noises within. He stopped and listened, puzzled, then became certain that the sounds were coming from the infamous building nearby.

He remembered the ghost stories that had circulated through Hogsmeade for years.
Terror crossed the wizard’s face. He had intended to take a shortcut past the Shrieking Shack, but immediately turned around and fled like the wind.

“Why must you be so stubborn, Mr Padfoot? I’m exhausted from hitting you.” Suer breathed out and shook his aching wrist.

For the past three minutes, he had subjected the great black dog before him to a sustained physical assault. Every time Black bared his teeth, Suer answered with another heavy slap.

Such a beating would have brought an ordinary person back to his senses.

Perhaps Black had spent too long as a dog, or perhaps there was something wrong with his breed. He refused to yield. The savage light in his eyes only grew brighter until Suer himself became tired.

Suer gave up and chose a more direct method — a wizard’s method.

Green light gathered at the tip of his wand, so dense it seemed ready to drip. Reflected in the black dog’s eyes, it set every alarm in his mind ringing.

The effect was excellent. Before the spell could be released, Black’s remaining reason reasserted itself.

“You could have done that from the beginning.” Suer’s hoarse voice held a trace of weariness as it echoed through the decrepit sitting room.

Black’s body lengthened. His protruding snout slowly withdrew, and the dog’s form gradually rounded and reshaped itself. At last, a human face with high cheekbones and hollow cheeks appeared before Suer.

Suer lowered his wand and laughed inwardly. A spell that resembled Avada Kedavra so closely truly was useful.

“Hah… hah…” Black gasped for breath and tried to twist his body, but the ropes binding him refused to yield.

An eerie atmosphere settled over the Shrieking Shack. Black lay panting while a faceless creature in wizard’s robes stood silently beside him.

After a long while, his breathing gradually calmed.

“Who… who are you?” Black’s voice was hoarse. He struggled to raise his head and peer into Suer’s featureless face, as though hoping to find some clue.

“That isn’t important. What matters is that I know you, Mr Padfoot. Or Sirius Black. Or, if you prefer, the fugitive from Azkaban.”

Suer spoke calmly, though his distorted voice sounded rather frightening in the silence.

“Are you an Auror?” Black continued guessing — or probing. His intelligence seemed to have returned with his human form.

“No, that can’t be right. Anyone who came through that room must be from Hogwarts. Which means you’re a pupil.”

“A Hufflepuff?” Black had evidently noticed the badge on Suer’s robes.

Suer’s heart jumped. He had overlooked it and forgotten to alter his robes as well.

But he gave a quiet, unconcerned laugh and readily admitted the truth.

There were neither very many nor very few Hufflepuff pupils. What use was knowing his house? Black could not identify him from either his face or his voice.

“Very clever. Yes, I’m a Hogwarts pupil.”

Black seemed to relax the moment Suer admitted it. He was entirely at the boy’s mercy now. Judging by the luminous green light and the magic’s aura, this Hufflepuff plainly knew one of the Unforgivable Curses — or so Black mistakenly believed.

There was no reason for him to lie.

“Are you planning to hand me over to the Aurors?” Black asked with a bitter smile. He should have left at once, but a moment’s hesitation had landed him in this predicament.

“For the reward? Fame?”