Chapter 488: The Portrait’s Game
By the time Kyle returned to Hogwarts, evening had fallen. Sirius, in his jubilant return to society, had splurged on an enormous pile of goods from Diagon Alley, some for himself and some for Harry, then asked Kyle to carry it all back. Kyle couldn't shake the feeling that Sirius's extravagant spree was a kind of "revenge spending," a way to celebrate finally being able to live openly again.
Who spends over 2,000 Galleons on Diagon Alley in one go? And that solid gold cauldron... was it really meant for potions? One scratch and you'd feel guilty forever. But there was no talking Sirius out of it. He had to have it, no questions asked—he was a true spendthrift.
Just as they had left, Kyle returned by Apparition, reappearing in the headmaster's office.
"Hahaha!" A loud, gleeful laugh filled the room as Kyle arrived. It was shrill and almost strangled, like a goose caught in a fence.
"Dumbledore, I heard it all from the old hag," said Phineas Black's portrait, wearing a smug expression. "My great-grandson acquitted! Haha, I knew it. There could never be a traitor in the Black family! The Ministry of Magic is getting worse by the day. Those buffoons couldn't see an obvious setup if it slapped them in the face... But at least the minister has some sense."
The other portraits gave Phineas a wide berth, looking at him with a mixture of pity and mild annoyance.
"Oh, do shut up, Phineas," said a bearded wizard, rolling his eyes. "You might fool others, but don't kid yourself. Need we remind you of what you said about Sirius Black? Should we refresh your memory?"
"Yes..." a nearby witch chimed in with a smirk. "You were the loudest voice condemning him back then. Now you're blaming everyone else? Shameful."
"Nonsense, you must have misheard," Phineas replied, stretching his neck in defiance. "I've always said—how could I possibly doubt a Black?"