Chapter 500: The Changed Werewolf
Chapter 500: The Changed Werewolf
Lupin then went on to share a lot of recent events. For instance, Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix hadn't assigned him any tasks lately, which made him uneasy. So, he went to inquire, and Mad-Eye Moody, who received him, told him that it was enough to keep the current group of werewolves stable. Of course, this was also due to the recent, inexplicable calm in the situation. The Death Eaters seemed to have vanished, causing almost no trouble.
"Perhaps they're planning something big and are just setting everything up. So, you should all be prepared with the defensive alchemymagic items we gave you. Don't grumble about the cost", Liam said, not realizing that the Death Eaters had been scared off by the ambush during the summer vacation. Now, apart from a few essential actions ordered by Voldemort, the Death Eaters had largely stopped causing trouble, fearing they might become missing persons one day.
"Don't worry, with you as our big benefactor, we won't be stingy", Lupin said with a smile. Since resolving his furry issue, Lupin had become much more cheerful. In reality, his personality was a bit like Sirius Black's, but the pressures of life and his condition had made him very reserved. Now, his personality was much sunnier, and he even cracked jokes from time to time. "Also, we have three former Aurors here, so organizing our defenses is no problem."
"Aurors, what's the story behind that?" Liam was surprised by this news because Britain's Aurors were usually the elite of wizards. Having three former Aurors among a group of just over twenty werewolves seemed incredible.
"I was surprised too, but after talking to them, I understood", Lupin said with a bitter smile. "After years of battling Dark Wizards and Dark Magical Creatures, it's not impossible for an Auror to be bitten by a werewolf during a fight."
"But they were injured for the good of all wizards. How could they end up so destitute? Hasn't the Ministry of Magic done anything? Their families and friends must have helped them, right?" Liam said, incredulous, because Lupin had told him that every werewolf he had recruited led a miserable life.
"Their families and friends did try to help, but these Aurors chose to distance themselves to protect their loved ones. As for the Ministry of Magic—" Lupin snorted. "Aurors are elite, but they are on the front lines of the most dangerous battles. Most Aurors are Muggle-born or half-blood wizards, with the occasional fallen Pureblood. In such a situation, the Ministry of Magic, weighing the pros and cons, naturally abandoned them after they turned into werewolves, especially with the laws Umbridge enacted that made it impossible for them to live a normal life. Those laws are still in effect even after Umbridge's departure. This is why so many werewolves have turned to Voldemort—because, apart from you, only Voldemort promised them a chance to live in the sunlight again."
"So, I want to thank you on behalf of those werewolves!" Lupin patted Liam on the shoulder. "Also, due to our example, two more werewolves have joined us recently. I believe that one day we will be able to live a normal life with dignity."
"Will this cause unnecessary trouble?" Liam frowned, as the sudden exodus of werewolves from Britain to Norway was unusual and could attract unwanted attention if discovered.
"Not really. When we were in Britain, we only told the werewolves that we could provide them with a normal job and a dignified life. The treatment is only revealed after new arrivals have been observed for a while and deemed safe", Lupin, a meticulous person, wouldn't leave too many loose ends.
"Besides, the British and European Wizarding Worlds are in chaos right now, and not many people are paying attention to werewolves, who are already on the fringes of magical society. Even Voldemort, who claims to want to give werewolves a normal life, looks down on them from the core. He only thinks of them when he needs cannon fodder. Others might even be relieved that the werewolves have left." Lupin shrugged. "Of course, with the help of those three former Aurors, we've set up sufficient defenses around the farm and established a patrol system. You don't need to worry about us being caught off guard."
After chatting for a while, the New Werewolf ran back with Wolf. After transforming back into human form, putting on his clothes, and thanking Liam a few times, he left with Lupin, as if they were fleeing from something terrifying.
"Alright, I swear I won't talk so much next time." Liam glanced at Wolf, who had gone out with the Werewolf earlier. After just three seconds, Wolf's entire wolf face fell, and he sheepishly explained, "The Centaurs are too dull. Chatting with you and your mate in the Emerald Dream every few days just isn't enough. I got excited seeing a new person—"
"Next time, try to tone it down a bit. Not everyone can handle your chatter like I do." Liam chuckled helplessly, then hugged Wolf's neck and bid him farewell. He then Apparated to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where he had started his journey. Just as he arrived, he saw Rose Crystal controlling her Puppet and Hermione chatting by the lakeside willow tree.
"You're back, everything go smoothly?" Hermione asked as she saw Liam emerge from the Forbidden Forest.
"Of course, the Centaurs' help was invaluable." Liam nodded and put away the Puppet. He then turned to Rose Crystal, who was sitting on the tree roots. "What were you two talking about earlier? You seemed to be having a great time."
"Oh, just some girl talk." Rose Crystal glanced at Liam. "Like how to use a certain hair conditioner, how to match different hairstyles with clothes colors and styles, and the flavors of some snacks. I guess Big Brother wouldn't chat about these things with his sister-in-law, right?"
"Yeah, definitely not." Liam scratched his head sheepishly. He was somewhat relieved that no one passing by had overheard Rose Crystal and Hermione's conversation; otherwise, his image might have been completely ruined.
After reuniting with Liam, they quickly returned to the castle, as they had a mountain of homework to complete. Liam estimated he wouldn't finish all of it until just before dinner.
From this, it was clear that Hogwarts was more like a strict private school. Students had to spend their free time studying, far from what Ron had imagined, where fewer classes meant more time to relax.
The days that followed were no different. The teachers' lessons became increasingly difficult. For example, the Transfiguration content was so challenging that even Hermione, who studied deeply, needed to spend a lot of time after class to figure it out, let alone Harry and the others. One day, Harry and Ron complained to Liam that they understood at most half of what Professor Mcgonagall taught.
Other classes weren't any better. Any class that required casting spells now demanded the use of Non-Verbal Spells. Previously, seeing adult Wizards perform tasks with a simple wave of their wands seemed very impressive. But when the students started learning, they realized that Non-Verbal Spells were far from easy to master.
Now, wherever Liam went, he could see students from his year with red faces, not because of any secret ailments, but because they were struggling to practice Non-Verbal Spells.
"I don't think it's that hard!" Liam said when Harry asked him for tips on Non-Verbal Spells. "Just focus your mind a bit." He was being honest. Spells were a method to concentrate one's magic, and if you could focus your mind, it wasn't difficult. For someone like Liam, who had touched the world's rules, using silent and wandless magic was relatively easy.
"But the problem is, I can't focus my mind!" Harry said, looking troubled.
"Then try practicing Occlumency. You already know how to do it." Liam suggested what he believed would be the most helpful for Harry to focus his mind.
"Alright, alright." Harry thought for a moment and nodded. Although he still had lingering fears from last year's lessons with Snape, he realized that Occlumency could help him master Non-Verbal Spells. Additionally, Voldemort had sealed his own mind this year, making Harry's mind less chaotic than it was last year. He felt that solving the problem of using Non-Verbal Spells was worth another attempt at mastering Occlumency.
(End of Chapter)
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