Chapter 350: The Attacker: Cyril
Chapter 350: The Attacker: Cyril
The village was actually quite peaceful at night, except for the bustling bar with many patrons; everywhere else was mostly quiet.
Falcon Wyde perched on a branch, observing the graceful Lady Rosmerta carrying a beer mug and nimbly weaving through the tables, occasionally chatting with the customers.
On the dark, solid wooden tables and chairs, large mugs of orange-yellow beer were placed, while the fireplace inside the bar blazed with a roaring fire. A flowing mirror hung on the wall, surrounded by brown vines and irises.
It was unclear what program the mirror was playing, but the crowd in the bar burst into laughter from time to time, clinking their mugs in the intoxicating atmosphere of alcohol, adding a warm and lively ambiance to the chilly night.
Wyde's gaze swept across the crowd in the bar, then turned to the area around the bar; everyone seemed normal, as if none of them had any particular ulterior motives.
The surrounding trees cast heavy shadows on the street, swaying gently, and from time to time, the sounds of birds could be heard.
A dark bird perched not far from Wyde, and through the dense leaves, it occasionally stretched its wings, causing the leaves to rustle.
Wyde frowned and moved his wings to the side, taking a few steps to avoid any insects from falling on him.
Soon, Lupin and Hagrid stood up to settle the bill. As Lupin pushed the door to leave, Hagrid suddenly turned back—
Lady Rosmerta called out to him, smiling and pointing to their original seats.
Hagrid had left his coat behind.
He smiled sheepishly and turned back to retrieve his coat. Lupin had already stepped out, so he walked a few steps to the side of the bar, slightly frowning as if he had something on his mind.
Wyde knew that, according to the twins' account, the incident should have occurred during this time. He stood alert, stretching his neck and looking around.
He couldn't change what had already happened in history, but he needed to know who was behind this.
The customers in the bar didn't take the opportunity to follow them out, and although the nearby bushes were dark, there was no sign of an attacker striking from the shadows.
A clattering sound came from nearby.
A couple walked by, leaning on each other, seemingly on a date at Padfoot Tea Shop earlier. They showed no signs of heading home to sleep, instead strolling leisurely and playfully flirting with each other.
Wyde fixed his gaze on them, his eyes scanning the woman's wine-red hair, the man's wand in his hand, and the location of their wands.
—Their attire and behavior seemed normal, with fit bodies and natural affectionate gestures.
Hagrid had retrieved his coat and started walking outside... He paused for a moment and said something to Lady Rosmerta...
The mirror seemed to be playing a particularly intense scene, capturing the attention of many customers who were engrossed in watching, even forgetting to drink their beer.
The couple seemed to notice Lupin as well, with the man behaving more seriously, while the woman hung on his arm, leaning in to chat and laugh.
Suddenly, the bar erupted in uproarious laughter, distracting Wyde for a moment. He suddenly felt a strange sensation as if the air around him had been sliced open.
When he transformed into a bird, he was particularly sensitive to air currents.
A dark shadow suddenly flew towards Lupin at high speed. Wyde instinctively wanted to stop it, but as soon as he spread his wings, he forced himself to stop.
Lupin was also distracted by the laughter in the bar, and it was only when the attacker, blending into the darkness, flew close to him that he became aware. However, Lupin made a rather foolish response—
He didn't even dodge; he merely waved his hand to block, as if the attacker was just an ordinary mosquito.
The shadow seemed to possess the gift of Divination, for even before Lupin could fully raise his hand, it nimbly spun around, evading the limp arm and swiftly flying away.
Lupin looked down in bewilderment.
A syringe was stuck in his body, and in an instant, the liquid inside was automatically injected, so fast it felt like being shot.
Lupin grasped the syringe, trying to pull it out, but before he could exert any force, he groaned in pain and knelt down.
"What's wrong?"
The couple curiously approached, the man asking with concern. Suddenly, they noticed something and quickly retreated.
As if a fast-forward button had been pressed, Lupin's head rapidly elongated, his shoulders hunched, and gray, rigid hair sprouted from his skin. His fingers curled into claws, and his ears swiftly elongated...
Within seconds, a werewolf rose slowly from the ground. He panted with his head bowed, seemingly in great pain.
"Ahhhh!"
The woman in the couple let out a terrified scream.
The cry startled the werewolf, who abruptly raised his head and howled, then pounced without hesitation! The man immediately pushed his companion aside, drew his wand, and pointed it at Lupin. The werewolf's clothes twisted and entangled his furry limbs.
The werewolf stumbled, and the man seized the opportunity to flee with his partner. Behind them, there was a loud "bang," and Hagrid burst through the pub's door and charged out.
"What's happening—?"
Before he could finish his sentence, he saw a werewolf on the street, which naturally surprised him. But he quickly recognized the werewolf's identity from the torn clothing.
The werewolf roared and tore at his clothes, then pursued the couple who had already run a considerable distance. Hagrid, without time to think, shouted and rushed forward.
"Stop! You can't do this! What's gotten into you?"
At that moment, Vold had already taken flight.
Looking down, he saw Hagrid wrestling with Lupin, while the pub's customers screamed and fled through the back door, and others rode broomsticks out the window, soaring into the sky.
The werewolf was flung by Hagrid and crashed through the pub's window, causing Rosmerta to shriek.
The couple had already reached the vicinity of the Duke of Honey, seemingly pulled inside by the shop owner.
Vold retracted his gaze.
Below him, about a hundred meters away, was the dark shadow that had attacked Lupin.
The chaotic sounds from behind did not prompt the attacker to stop and inspect the crime scene; it only slowed down its flight.
It was then, under the dim light, that Vold finally discerned its appearance.
It was a pitch-black bat.
It flapped its featherless wings, flying silently and agilely, swiftly maneuvering around trees and bridge arches, and continuing to fly even after leaving the village.
Vold's flight was inherently faster than that of the bat, and from his elevated position, he maintained a leisurely pace, his eyes fixed on the rodent-sized creature below.
Finally, the bat darted into a cave and did not emerge. As Vold descended, he heard a voice—
"Got it!"
It sounded like a teenager, lively and excited.
Vold paused, slightly taken aback.
The voice... It sounded somewhat familiar.
Vold tried to recall, and a name that had become somewhat unfamiliar popped into his mind—
Cyril Johnson.
A mischievous kid who had once annoyed Vold, and who was only a few months younger than Vold, had been missing for a long time.
Only one more chapter tonight.
(End of Chapter)
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