Hogwarts' Niffler: All I Need Is Galleons

Hoare put the storage bag into his pocket and left the Headmaster's office.

"Harry?" Hoare raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.

Harry stood awkwardly at the bottom of the spiral staircase, with an... elegant black dog sitting by his feet?

A dog and the word "elegant" usually don't go together, but when Hoare saw that black dog, those were the first words that popped into his mind.

The dog's fur was smooth, shiny, and well-maintained.

Clearly, it was well cared for.

Helena had mentioned to Hoare that there was a new black dog at the school, accompanying a Gryffindor student wearing an invisibility cloak on nightly adventures for several days.

Hoare guessed this was the combination she was talking about.

He didn't expect Dumbledore would allow Sirius to stay at Hogwarts.

Or perhaps Dumbledore had other plans for him?

Hoare's intense gaze caught the black dog's attention, and it stood up, growling lowly as if warning people not to approach.

Harry had just arrived and hadn't had a chance to say the password when he saw Hoare coming down.

"Hoare?" He looked a bit surprised and quickly stepped in front of the big black dog, trying to shield it with his frail body.

"Are you looking for the Headmaster?" Hoare, of course, noticed Harry's actions and shifted his gaze away from the black dog.

Harry nodded, then hesitated and shook his head. "The Headmaster won't see me..."

Hoare guessed why Harry wanted to see Dumbledore.

It was probably about where to spend the holidays.

To be honest, it was indeed unfair. Just when someone could finally enjoy a happy holiday, they were being sent back to a place full of pain, which no one would want.

But Hoare silently weighed the storage bag in his pocket.

You take someone's money, you help solve their problems...

"Hoare, are you here to persuade me?" Harry knew what was going on.

Dumbledore had already mentioned it once, but Harry was unwilling. He wanted to know why, but Dumbledore's explanation was vague, and he didn't understand.

In short, he had to stay at his aunt's house until he was 17.

Harry guessed that Dumbledore might ask Hoare to help persuade him.

"Actually, the Headmaster is doing it for your own good..." Hoare tried to say.

Then he saw a head slowly emerge from behind Harry!

Merlin!

Could Animagus transformations come with a warning?

The process of an animal turning into a person was quite shocking!

Professor McGonagall would transform so quickly that people would overlook the transition between cat and human.

But Sirius Black, behind Harry, whether intentionally or not, transformed at an extremely slow pace.

The shock factor was off the charts.

If Hoare hadn't been used to being scared by George and Fred since childhood, he might not have been able to keep a straight face.

"Slytherin?"

The dog—no, the man—looked Hoare up and down, and when he saw the hint of green on Hoare's robe, he showed disdain.

Hoare raised an eyebrow. To be honest, this man's human form wasn't as refined or cute as his dog form.

He was thin to the bone, with hollow cheeks, rough skin, a scruffy beard, and half-long black hair that was as dry as straw, but his gray eyes were strikingly bright.

His black casual clothes seemed to have been carefully chosen, but unfortunately, they were outdated by about a decade, making him look out of place.

One could see he used to be quite handsome, but now, he was just a down-and-out uncle.

"Sirius Black." Hoare offered a polite smile.

Harry quickly introduced, "Dumbledore wanted to find Sirius. He got lost, so I brought him here."

Lost to your side... Hoare thought sarcastically.

And Harry, you just said you came to see Dumbledore, did you forget?

This explanation wouldn't even fool Ron.

Hoare thought of what Dumbledore had entrusted him with. "You've brought him here, why don't we head back together?" he suggested to Harry.

Unexpectedly, this prompted Sirius to immediately draw his wand and point it at Hoare.

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"Sirius!" Harry was startled and quickly intervened.

"Get away, you sly Slytherin. Don't think I don't know what you want to say to Harry! I won't agree!" Sirius said stubbornly.

Hoare thought that this only Black probably wasn't much older mentally than George and Fred.

"Since you know what I want to say to Harry, you should also know whose idea it is." Hoare wasn't Dumbledore; he didn't owe this Black anything, so he retorted with a cold laugh.

"You!" Sirius's eyes reddened, wanting to argue.

"Sirius, it was Hoare who helped prove your innocence." Harry held onto Sirius, afraid he would act impulsively.

"Hoare has been great. He's been helping me since I started school. He's kind and willing to help everyone. He never keeps anything to himself if he knows it." Harry spoke with a very solemn tone, "Hoare is my best friend."

To be honest, Hoare felt his cheeks heat up. He never expected Harry to think of him that way.

It was quite embarrassing, actually.

Sirius was also taken aback by Harry's words, but he still looked awkwardly at Hoare, not quite used to the idea of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin being friends.

Could it be that he had been away for too long and the world had changed?

"By the way, Sirius, Hoare is Ron's twin brother, and Ron is also my friend."

Harry's words were like a bomb, leaving Sirius stunned.

"Ron!? Ron Weasley!?" Sirius's voice was a bit loud, and Hoare's head started to hurt.

"You're a Weasley!?" If it weren't for the inappropriate setting, Hoare would have laughed out loud. Sirius's expression was truly priceless.

Surprise mixed with disbelief, along with a deep sense of conflict, as if this was the most impossible thing in the world.

"Hoare Weasley, nice to meet you."

Hoare deliberately tugged at his collar, shaking the dark green fabric a couple of times.

"A Slytherin... Weasley!?"

Sirius's tone seemed a bit shaky, as if he were questioning reality.

The stone statue at the door suddenly spoke, and Dumbledore's voice came through, "Sirius, since you're here, why not come in?"

"Oh, oh, I almost forgot." Sirius slapped his forehead, "Harry, wait here for me, I'll be right back." He glanced at Hoare, still uneasy, and walked up the open spiral staircase.

"Sorry, Hoare, Sirius is a bit sensitive, you know." Harry apologized, looking a bit embarrassed.

A bit sensitive?

Hoare thought that this only heir of the Black family, once a core member of the Order of the Phoenix, was simply overprotective of Harry.

He was like a black dog guarding its pup, panting heavily, warning anyone who dared to approach Harry.

But...

Hoare looked at Harry, whose face was now filled with happiness. Sirius's return was truly a wonderful thing for him.

It seemed that this gift he had given was very well-received.

After all, Harry hadn't told anyone about Salazar Slytherin's chamber, not even Dumbledore.

Don't think he didn't know that Dumbledore had privately asked Harry about it.

Hoare stroked Helena on his wrist; he was now the all-knowing figure of Hogwarts.

However, seeing Harry so happy, Hoare sighed inwardly. Did Dumbledore really want him to be the bad guy?

He tried to start, "Harry, what are your plans for the holidays...?"

"Sirius said I could go live with him. He's the only one at his place. There's a big yard where we can play Quidditch," Harry said, his eyes sparkling.

"Hoare, Sirius is a good person. He just has some prejudice against Slytherin. Once you get to know him better, he'll understand."

"He even said he wants to thank you in person."

No need for thanks.

Hoare's head ached. He felt like the villain in a story, about to tear apart a loving family.