| HIDDEN IN SECRETS |

chapter thirty-seven

INNOCENT

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Verena had never seen such a strange group of people. Coming out from the Whomping Willow's roots were Professor Lupin and Ron Weasley with an unfamiliar man bound to their arms. He was a very short man with messy hair and a large bald patch on his head. Suddenly, she saw another figure come out of the shadows. She realized it was Professor Snape, floating upright, his head lolling, seemingly unconscious. Behind them came Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

"Verena," Potter realized, surprised. "What are you— "

"I assume you followed our dear Professor Snape," Professor Lupin said.

"The – the map," Verena began, staring at all of them confusedly. "He disappeared so I... "

"Yes, well, now you can help us to the castle, please?" Professor Lupin said.

Then, another person emerged from the roots, looking even dirtier than the unknown man. Sirius Black.

Verena raised her wand, pointing it at all of them. Professor Lupin sighed tiredly, not wanting to explain everything again.

"Verena, it's okay," Potter said quickly.

"Okay?" Verena said, freaked out. "Sirius Black is standing right there! Oh, and do you know what Professor Lupin is? A werewolf! You have Professor Snape... like that, unconscious— "

"Well, I admit, it doesn't look good— "

"I wasn't talking to you, Granger," Verena snarled. "I'm surprised Black hasn't already killed a Mudblood like you."

"I'll strangle you," Weasley snarled, about to go after her, but Professor Lupin pulled him back.

"How dare you!" yelled Black. "How dare you call her that!"

"Well, I understand you were different in your school days, but you were just putting on a show, weren't you?" Verena said. "No doubt it was a plot your parents had you do."

"You've got it all wrong, Verena," Potter said, standing in front of her. "Sirius didn't kill all those people. He's innocent."

"That doesn't make sense," Verena said, unconvinced.

"I don't have time to explain it," Potter said, heaving a sigh. "Long story short, that man, Peter Pettigrew, framed him and got away with it. He's the spy who sold my parents to Voldemort, not Sirius."

"Pettigrew couldn't," Verena said, staring back at the man. "Dahlia wrote... He was a frail boy. Everyone would make fun of him."

"It was him who knew where my parents were hiding," Potter explained. "He sold them out and now he'll pay for it."

"Perhaps we can discuss this later," Professor Lupin said quickly. "We have to get back to the castle."

They all marched up to the castle. Potter tried to explain it to Verena more thoroughly so she would understand that Sirius Black was innocent. As he told her everything, Verena found out that Potter could be logical when he wanted to be. Eventually, she found herself believing their story.

"Dahlia," Black spoke to her. "I'm surprised you know about her."

"Professor Lupin told me," Verena replied. "Why are you surprised?"

"Because in my family, those who... betray the ideologies of pure-blood supremacy are never spoken of again," he said slowly. "Dahlia, unfortunately, died because of that."

Verena scoffed, shaking her head.

"What?" Potter asked.

"Professor Snape said it was you lot who killed her," Verena sneered.