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Chapter 145: Lupin's Friends
Chapter 145: Lupin's Friends
"That's probably the Weasley twins. Seeing that Harry can't go to Hogsmeade this year, they must have given him this map."
Lupin guessed the reason.
He got up from his chair, put on his coat, and prepared to leave.
Sherlock, however, stared at the Marauder's Map, deep in thought.
"Can't this map show the movements of everyone in Hogwarts? Perhaps we can use it to find Black."
Lupin shook his head.
"Hogwarts is vast, and the information on this map is condensed. Even if we could spot Black on the map the moment he infiltrates Hogwarts, who in the school has the time to constantly monitor it?"
His reasoning made sense, but Sherlock felt there was another reason why Lupin dismissed the idea. However, he didn't press further, nodded, and followed Lupin out of the castle.
The moon had risen, hanging in the sky and casting a pale, luminous glow. Lupin's demeanor hadn't changed much, but his face looked unusually pale in the moonlight.
Sherlock noticed the change and asked curiously.
"Before the transformation, do you feel any other symptoms?"
Apart from the extreme paleness, Lupin's mood and energy seemed relatively normal. He explained,
"The closer it gets to the transformation, the more fatigued my body becomes. This physical exhaustion makes it difficult to cast high-level spells or maintain spells for long periods."
Sherlock understood this.
In the wizarding world, wizards don't have a mana bar. The magic power within a wizard represents the intensity of their magic. The stronger the magic power, the more powerful the spells they can cast, rather than a consumable energy.
If a comparison to a mana bar were to be made, it would be more akin to stamina. Prolonged spellcasting drains a wizard's stamina quickly, leaving them exhausted. Students practicing spells have no real restrictions; they can rest when they feel tired and continue practicing.
Theoretically, as long as a wizard has sufficient physical fitness, they can cast spells indefinitely.
This is why Sherlock has been consistently exercising every morning. His Floating Wand Spellcasting System is extremely draining.
Casting spells with two hundred and one wands at once, he can only manage three times before feeling extremely fatigued. By the fourth time, he can barely manage it, and by the fifth, he collapses from exhaustion.
This is even after the spells have been reduced in power.
Overall, in normal spellcasting, Sherlock can cast between five hundred to six hundred spells in a row before his body is completely drained.
Hogwarts students, who are still developing and don't pay much attention to physical fitness, can usually cast about two hundred spells before collapsing and feel fatigued after about a hundred.
However, with the intensity of Hogwarts' teaching, it's rare for students to practice more than a hundred spells in a day. Therefore, learning magic is practically unrestricted for them.
In a typical wizard duel, the outcome is usually decided within ten spells. It's almost impossible for two wizards to exchange two to three hundred spells without a clear winner.
Thus, the concept of a mana bar doesn't exist in this world. As long as a wizard can cast a spell, they can use it freely.
Except for Sherlock, who can cast two hundred spells at once.
Sherlock has been studying the optimal number of wands to use in spellcasting. During his encounter with the Straw Golem, casting two hundred Patronus Charms was clearly excessive. Even a hundred, if used efficiently, could achieve the same effect.
Two hundred beams of light raining down might look extremely intimidating, but they drain Sherlock's stamina significantly.
Lupin led Sherlock to the Whomping Willow at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The tree was aggressive and dangerous, making it impossible for anyone to approach it.
From about ten meters away, Lupin waved his wand at a small stone on the ground.
The stone instantly transformed into a squeaking rat, which scurried up the Whomping Willow's trunk.
It seemed to touch a knot on the tree, and the aggressive magical tree immediately stopped moving.
Lupin and Sherlock found an entrance to a tunnel beneath the tree's canopy and climbed inside.
"This Whomping Willow was planted by Dumbledore when I started school. The secret passage was specifically prepared for me. During my school days, on the nights of my transformation, Madam Pomfrey would bring me here and guide me through this passage to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade, where I would transform into a werewolf without harming anyone."
Lupin recounted his past to Sherlock.
Sherlock could hear a hint of nostalgia and a concealed melancholy in his voice.
He didn't press further on this topic. Everyone has their own secrets, and Sherlock was no exception.
They traveled through the tunnel for about half an hour before reaching a dirty, dilapidated shack.
This is Hogsmeade village, or more specifically, the infamous haunted house known as the Shrieking Shack, which is well-known throughout the British magical community.
Sherlock looked at the house and, recalling the time when the Shrieking Shack's reputation spread, he had a pretty good idea of what had happened.
"Is this place called a haunted house because someone used to hear strange cries at night? That must have been the commotion caused by your transformations during your student days, right?"
Lupin nodded.
"Yes, in fact, the spread of the rumors was partly due to Professor Dumbledore's deliberate efforts. This way, no one would risk entering here during my transformations and get hurt by me."
"But there was one time when it almost happened, right?" Sherlock blinked.
Lupin looked at him in surprise.
"You, you know about that?"
"Snape told me", Sherlock sighed. "I asked him why he hated you so much. He told me it was because your friends tricked him into coming here during one of your transformations, and he nearly got bitten by you, turning into a werewolf."
Lupin fell silent, his expression grim as if recalling a painful memory.
"We were indeed very foolish back then, especially Sirius Black."
Sherlock was startled by the familiar name but quickly recovered.
"Who did you say?"
Lupin seemed to have let it slip but didn't seem too concerned about Sherlock knowing. Just as he was about to speak, his face suddenly contorted in agony.
"Wait, let me explain later, Sherlock."
Sherlock noticed the signs of Lupin's impending transformation and took a few steps back to ensure he had enough distance to cast spells if needed. He watched Lupin's transformation closely.
A painful howl echoed as Lupin's head elongated and his body stretched. His shoulders hunched, and fur sprouted on his face and hands, his fingers curling into sharp claws.
A standing werewolf appeared before Sherlock. Compared to ordinary wolves, the werewolf had a shorter snout and smaller pupils, making it look more human. The combination of human form and wolf features made the werewolf appear grotesquely ugly.
The werewolf Lupin stared at Sherlock with eyes that, despite their beastly nature, showed no signs of savagery or cruelty, only calm. Clearly, the Wolfsbane Potion had taken effect.
Studying the werewolf transformation had been one of the main reasons Sherlock and Lupin came here, but now he was more focused on Lupin's eyes.
"You mentioned Sirius Black as one of your friends from school?"
The gray-furred Lupin gestured for Sherlock to sit down. Neither of them minded the dusty floor of the Shrieking Shack and sat directly on the ground.
"I received word that you joined the Order of the Phoenix last year, Sherlock", the werewolf Lupin's voice was rough and deep but still retained a gentle tone. "So even if I don't tell you now, you'll find out eventually."
Sherlock remained silent, listening intently as Lupin recounted his past.
"Dumbledore was a kind headmaster. Even after learning I was a werewolf, he still allowed me to study at Hogwarts. Here, I not only learned magic but also made several good friends."
"I always feared that if they discovered I was a werewolf, they would distance themselves from me. But they eventually pieced together the clues and uncovered my secret."
"However, my werewolf condition did not hinder our friendship. They were still willing to be around me and even learned advanced transfiguration to keep me company during my transformations, so I wouldn't be alone."
Hearing this, Sherlock could easily guess who Lupin's friends were.
"So Sirius Black and James Potter were your friends?"
"How do you know about James?" Lupin asked, surprised.
"Before the school year started, Mr. Weasley specifically sought me out and told me about how Black betrayed Harry's father. I knew they were once close friends. Since Black was one of your friends, it's natural that Harry's father would be too."
Lupin nodded in agreement, his gaze filled with pain.
"Sirius Black, James, and Peter Pettigrew were all my friends."
"Peter Pettigrew?"
Another familiar name. Not only had Mr. Weasley mentioned it at the Leaky Cauldron, but Sherlock felt he had heard or seen it somewhere else, though he couldn't quite recall where.
"Yes, Peter Pettigrew. We were a group back then, but you know what happened afterward. Black betrayed James, leading to his and Lily's deaths. Peter tried to avenge them but was blown to pieces by Black, leaving only a finger!"
(End of Chapter)
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