Chapter 349: Reversal – Three Hours!
“Dumbledore,” Madam Pomfrey suddenly said, “I might have a way to restore him to human form—though I’ll need your help.”
“Very well,” Dumbledore replied, suppressing a crystal vial, and stepped forward. Fawks landed on Professor Bubagi’s shoulder and vanished instantly with him from the room.
…
In the dormitory, Wade stirred in his sleep, suddenly feeling a jolt of unease. He shot upright, clutching his chest, his heart pounding wildly.
—Had he had a nightmare?
He shook his head, unable to recall what he’d dreamed. Glancing at the clock, he realized only a short time had passed since he’d fallen asleep.
He wiped the cold sweat from his brow, rose from his bed, and grabbed the water on the desk, gulping it down in several loud swallows. The cold water carried a bitter, tea-like aftertaste.
With a flick of his hand, he summoned the oil lamp to life. Only then did he notice he’d grabbed the wrong cup—the chilled water still sat on the table, while in his hand was a full mug of black tea.
He’d already drunk most of it. Only a few dregs and loose leaves remained in the bottom.
Wade turned to look out the window. The night sky was pitch-black, lit only by a few scattered stars blinking faintly.
He didn’t know why, but a vague sense of dread lingered.
Staring at the tea cup, an idea struck him. He emptied the last sip, swirling the cup three times, then flipped it upside down onto the saucer.
Moments later, Wade turned the cup over and studied the residue on the saucer. Images and meanings began to form in his mind.
Octopus — a warning.
Cross — suffering and pain.
Skull pattern — danger.
Crab — an enemy nearby.
He lowered his eyes, rotating the saucer slowly, examining it from every angle. It wasn’t his imagination. His eyes were truly able to perceive hidden messages in the tea leaves.
Wade set the cup down and walked to the window. After a moment of silent observation, he suddenly transformed into a falcon and shot into the air.
He circled the school, scanning key locations—Forbidden Forest, Black Lake—finding no signs of concealed enemies lurking beneath the shadows.
Just as he was about to check the hidden entrances to the secret tunnels, he spotted two figures emerging from the darkness.
“Damn luck,” Fred muttered. “Professor Kettleburn insisted on watching us enter before he’d leave… otherwise I’d have slipped back to eavesdrop!”
George sighed. “Can’t help it. He’s taught us for two years—he knows us too well.”
“Should’ve been nicer in Care of Magical Creatures,” Fred said. “Then he wouldn’t have been so suspicious.”
“Don’t blame me,” George replied. “Monk’s mouth is poison. Can you really stay calm?”
“Haha, no—but besides ‘can’t help it,’ can you think of anything else to say?”
“Fine… I just don’t get it. Why would a werewolf show up now?”
“Exactly what I’m asking myself.”
They’d just stepped into the castle when a voice suddenly echoed beside them: “What werewolf?”
“Whoa—!” The twins jumped, whirling around in shock—only to realize they weren’t caught by Filch.
“Wade?” Fred blinked. “What are you doing here?”
“Saw you two sneaking back in the middle of the night,” Wade said calmly. “You run into Professor Kettleburn? Did he bring you back?”
The twins exchanged glances, then pulled Wade into an empty classroom. “No—tonight, we had something… really strange, really shocking,” George whispered.
After recounting their experience, George sighed. “I just don’t understand—why would a werewolf appear now? And… I swear Hagrid knew something about it.”
Fred nodded. “Exactly! But they treated us like kids—wouldn’t tell us anything, just shoved us away!”
“We’re just students,” Wade waved dismissively. “Can’t do much. Go back to bed. You’ve got Transfiguration tomorrow morning.”
In the empty classroom, Fred and George stared at each other.
“What’s going on?” Fred frowned. “He just… leaves like that?”
George rubbed his chin. “He probably thinks we’re making it up. Maybe he’ll pop back later with a ‘surprise!’”
“Ugh… the downside of lying too much,” Fred groaned. “Now when we tell the truth, no one believes us.”
“But he was right about one thing,” George said.
“What?”
“If we don’t get back to bed, we’re going to be late for Transfiguration tomorrow.”
…
Shaking off the Weasley twins, Wade hurried to a nearby restroom compartment. He calculated the time, then without hesitation pulled out his Time-Turner and twisted it three times.
Time reversed. The ticking of clocks echoed in his ears, and beneath it, the faint whisper of countless voices.
He closed his eyes.
The dizziness faded. The dim light remained.
Wade sat on the toilet lid, about to step out—when a hushed, familiar voice reached his ears.
“What’s Malfoy up to?” Theo peered from the restroom entrance, watching the corridor’s far end.
“In the middle of reporting to Filch,” Liam said behind him, straining to listen.
“He says someone was wandering the underground corridor near the Potions classroom after curfew… Filch says he’ll catch whoever’s breaking school rules.”
“Since when does Malfoy care about school rules?” Theo frowned. Then, a spark lit in his mind. “Could he be talking about Wade?”
“Possible.”
“No way,” Liam said. “We’ve got to warn him—before Filch catches him!”
The two slipped away, whispering quietly.
Moments later, Wade tapped his head with his wand. A chill shot through him, and his body shimmered like a dragon’s scales, blending seamlessly with the shadows.
He stepped out of the restroom and walked a short distance—then saw two students sprinting into the castle, barely making curfew.
Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater.
Penelope, a Ravenclaw prefect with long, flowing brown curls, was bright, beautiful, and kind—so many boys in her house adored her. Wade couldn’t imagine Percy acting his usual pompous self around her. Otherwise, he couldn’t explain the way Penelope’s eyes had looked at him.
Wade stepped outside, transformed into a falcon, and soared into the sky.
Soon, Hogsmeade Village came into view. He folded his wings, landing on a thick tree branch, his body almost entirely hidden beneath the broad canopy.
The falcon’s gray eyes fixed on the Three Broomsticks Inn, its semi-transparent windows revealing two silhouettes inside—one unusually tall.
Slowly, the falcon scanned the surroundings, searching for anyone else watching the two figures—just like him.
(End of Chapter)
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