Nothing proved Black's innocence more clearly than seeing him stroll openly through the castle, chatting and laughing with the professors (Snape excluded).
At first, his appearance sparked a wave of panic among the students. If telephones worked at Hogwarts, someone would probably have called the Aurors on the spot.
But really, what secrets could Hogwarts keep for long?
Within a few days, even if most people still didn't know every detail of what had happened back then, they understood the grudge between him and Peter Pettigrew and knew that Black was innocent.
Of course, long-held prejudices didn't vanish overnight, but at least people no longer felt genuine fear when they saw him.
So in the final stretch of the school year, Harry and the other two happily dragged Black all over the castle, enthusiastically introducing their many "glorious achievements," most of which were, in truth, pure mischief.
Little did they realize that if Voldemort hadn't been stirring up trouble back then, compared to the original Marauders, the four of them were practically as well-behaved as the Dementors under Tver's command.
...
Just like Harry, Draco was also in an excellent mood on the other side of the castle.
"Very good. Looks like I won't need to make a trip to Azkaban to catch another Dementor."
Tver watched Draco with clear satisfaction. The wand in his hand was glowing brightly, holding back the pitiful Dementor in front of them.
Their Patronus Charm training had been paused for a while because of finals, but once the exams were over, Draco's progress with the spell turned out to be unexpectedly fast.
"It seems I was too impatient before," Tver said thoughtfully. "I should've let you rest a bit, digest the theory, and then continue practicing."
Draco pulled his wand back, still looking somewhat dissatisfied.
"That's on me. I've practiced for so long, and all I can manage is a burst of white light. I heard Potter can cast a proper Patronus even when facing a whole group of Dementors."
"That's because he had a reason he couldn't afford to lose," Tver explained calmly.
At the time, it wasn't just for himself, but also for the godfather he had only just reunited with. That was the key to Harry's exceptional performance.
And of course, when it came to raw talent in spellcasting, Harry really was the strongest of their year.
"But that doesn't mean you're lacking," Tver continued. "Being able to practice to this extent under a Dementor's influence already puts you ahead of most people your age."
As he spoke, Tver drew back the Dementor that had slipped its restraints and was trying to escape.
This particular Dementor seemed almost broken. It no longer even tried to attack them, instead seizing every chance to flee as far away as possible.
As if it didn't realize that all the other Dementors outside had already been removed. There was no way Tver would allow it to appear anywhere near the students.
"Do you want to take a short break?" he asked.
Draco said nothing. He stared at the Dementor, lips pressed tightly together, then slowly shook his head.
"Alright. Remember the feeling just now," Tver said. "You're very close."
He lifted his wand slightly, and the white light binding the Dementor instantly loosened, expanding just enough to enclose both the creature and Draco.
This time, realizing there was no way out, the enraged Dementor lunged straight at Draco.
What surprised Tver just as much was Draco's reaction. He didn't cast a spell immediately. Instead, he raised his wand and stood there, silently watching the onrushing Dementor.
He looked almost as if he'd been frightened stiff.
Just as Tver was about to tighten the circle of light and pull the Dementor back before it could reach Draco—
He moved.
"Expecto Patronum!"
At last, what burst forth from Draco's wand was no longer a vague white glow, but a swift, clearly defined white figure.
From the front, it looked somewhat like a powerful eagle, yet its silver-white tail was absurdly large, dazzling to the eye.
As Draco was still wondering what kind of creature it was, the Patronus suddenly flared its tail open.
A peacock.
Tver finally recognized it.
Unlike a real peacock's tail, which was mostly decorative, the white peacock's tail was anything but ornamental. It was a brilliantly radiant weapon.
Once it fanned its tail, the peacock swept it forward toward the Dementor. Already barely holding together, the Dementor couldn't withstand the blow. Wrapped in white light, it dissipated like a wisp of black smoke and vanished from the room.
"Not bad," Tver said, applauding approvingly. "Your Patronus is clearly much stronger in combat than most."
A Patronus's strength comes from two main factors.
The first is the caster's own power. Take Tver himself. Even if his Patronus were weak by nature, its strength would still surpass that of most others.
The second is form. For example, Dumbledore's unique phoenix Patronus. That alone already outclassed the vast majority of Patronuses.
For Draco's very first Patronus to outright destroy a Dementor instead of merely driving it away was clear proof of its formidable power.
And just because a Patronus is mainly used against Dementors doesn't mean this kind of strength is meaningless.
In reality, a Patronus is an outward reflection of one's inner self. A powerful Patronus also proves that Draco possesses considerable talent when it comes to magical power.
Draco, of course, had no idea that Tver had already inferred so much about his magical aptitude from this alone.
He beamed as he looked at his beautiful peacock Patronus. The bird held its head high, radiating a natural elegance and noble grace. He couldn't have been more satisfied.
"Perfect timing," Tver said, glancing at the clock. "You managed to conjure your Patronus before the banquet. Let's head to the Great Hall."
It was the last day of the school year. Tomorrow, they would be boarding the train home.
Which meant that tonight was Hogwarts' end-of-year feast.
Draco's smile, however, faded noticeably.
By the time they entered the Great Hall, Tver understood why.
Thanks to the extra points from the Quidditch Cup, Gryffindor had claimed the House Cup. As a result, the hall was decorated with banners and streamers in Gryffindor colors.
The little lions were chatting much more loudly than usual, and to Draco, the noise was especially grating.
"They're so loud," Draco muttered under his breath, curling his lip slightly as he walked back to the Slytherin table.
Tver, meanwhile, returned to his seat at the staff table.
Only, Lupin's place had now been taken by Black.
Several days earlier, Lupin had already packed up and left the school, setting off on his journey to persuade his fellow werewolves.
Tver had given him the contact details for Burke and Marvolio. One would supply him with the bracelets and potions he needed, while the other could help him deal with the more troublesome werewolves.
Lupin understood werewolves better than anyone. He knew how deeply they longed for a normal life, and he also knew just how cruel some of the more twisted ones could be.
There was no need to worry that he would treat every werewolf with naïve, saintly compassion. As someone who had lived through the struggles between the Order of the Phoenix and the Death Eaters, he was hardly lacking in wisdom.
So Tver enjoyed the feast with a clear conscience.
After all, there was still plenty to take care of this summer.