Chapter 744: Lupin's Secret
Chapter 744: Lupin's Secret
The castle, which had been quiet during the Christmas holidays, was once again bustling with the return of the students.
Students of Gryffindor gathered in small groups, chatting about their trivial holiday experiences, while a handful of students diligently worked on their holiday assignments.
After tidying up his dormitory, Albert sat by the window with Lee Jordan, playing a game of Wizarding Cards. This deck had evolved significantly from the original, now featuring more intricate categories and professionally designed cards, ready for mass production and sale.
Despite Wizarding Cards not being as popular as they once were, the school still had a substantial number of students willing to join the Wizarding Card Club.
It wasn't just about the championship rewards; it was more about the camaraderie and the joy of playing together.
The only regret was that Wizarding Cards had yet to be mass-produced, and selling them was a losing proposition. Nowadays, the Wizarding Card Club relied largely on Lee Jordan's enthusiasm to keep it running, and he relished every moment of it.
"I finally beat you. That wasn't easy," Lee Jordan stretched lazily, hands raised, and said with a grin, "You haven't played Wizarding Cards in a while."
"Yeah, it's been a while," Albert put down the cards in his hand and turned to Fred and George, who were rushing to copy their homework, and asked with a smile, "How's it going? Almost done?"
"Almost there, just a little left."
"I'll be finished soon."
"I don't know why they can't be bothered to spend a little time on this," Lee Jordan was used to this sight. Every time after a holiday, Fred and George had to cram to finish their holiday assignments.
"Who's seen Harry?"
Wood scanned the common room and made his way towards Fred and George.
"Wood, what's up with Potter? I think he went back to the dormitory for something, he should be down soon," Lee Jordan raised his hand in greeting, "Oh, there he is."
"I need to talk to him about something," Wood didn't elaborate further as he had already spotted Harry.
"I wonder what they're talking about," Lee Jordan said, looking at the two of them.
"Probably about Quidditch. Wood's been obsessed with Quidditch lately," Albert speculated. "He's probably asking if Potter got a new broomstick and if there's a way to deal with the Dementors."
"I guess so," Lee Jordan agreed.
After a moment's hesitation, he couldn't resist his curiosity and quietly moved closer to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Albert collected the cards on the table and put them back in the box, his eyes drifting towards the sneaky Lee Jordan, a smile tugging at his lips.
"The Firebolt? Are you serious? A real Firebolt?"
Wood's voice boomed, almost a shout, and the entire common room fell silent as everyone sensed his excitement and enthusiasm. All eyes turned towards Harry and Wood, and ears perked up to listen in on their conversation.
"Cursed? How could it be cursed?" Wood couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I'm going to talk to Professor McGonagall. She'll listen to reason," Wood declared, his face pale, and he hurried out of the common room.
"Harry received a Firebolt for Christmas."
Upon Lee Jordan's return, he shared the news with Albert and the twins, "But the Firebolt that was sent to Harry didn't have a sender's name, and no one knows who gave it to him as a Christmas present. Professor McGonagall found it suspicious and thought there might be some dark curses on it, so she took it away for inspection."
"It's understandable that Professor McGonagall would be suspicious of the Firebolt, given that it's an expensive and anonymous gift. If someone tampered with it, it could pose a danger to Harry once he rides his broom," Albert expressed his understanding of McGonagall's actions, though he knew the other party might not appreciate it.
"How could Black have walked into Quality Quidditch Supplies to buy a broom while the whole country is searching for him?" Ron rebutted quietly from a spot not far away.
"Why does he need to go to the shop?" Albert looked at Ron in confusion and reminded him, "Anyone can make a purchase as long as they have the money and have the owl deliver it. As for the buyer's name, they can just make up a random name."
"Do you also think that Black sent the Firebolt?" Hermione, who had just climbed through the portrait hole into the common room, overheard their conversation and couldn't help but interject.
"It's unclear. As long as we don't find the person who sent the Firebolt, anything is possible, isn't it?" Albert, of course, knew that it was Black who had sent the Firebolt to Harry.
"Albert, can we talk in private?" Hermione lowered her voice and said, "I have something I want to tell you."
"Is it important?"
"Very important."
"Okay." Albert stood up and followed Hermione out of the common room.
The two found a secluded and hidden passageway to ensure privacy, and after making sure no one was around, Hermione took several deep breaths to calm herself before saying, "I think Professor Lupin is... a werewolf."
Hermione quickly explained how she had discovered Professor Lupin's identity. During the Christmas holidays, she had completed Snape's homework on how to identify and kill werewolves and noticed that Professor Lupin always took leave during the full moon and that his Boggart was a moon.
After sharing her findings, she noticed Albert's lack of reaction and asked, "You already knew, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I guessed. I figured it out when I noticed that Professor Lupin always took sick leave during the full moon," Albert didn't deny it. As for the excuse, he had, of course, made it up on the spot, and Hermione had just mentioned the lunar phases earlier.
"How could Dumbledore let a werewolf teach us Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Hermione looked uneasy. Even though she came from a Muggle background, she was well aware of what a werewolf implied.
In the wizarding world, werewolves were even more notorious than giants because a bite from a werewolf basically ruined one's life.
"Although many werewolves turn evil due to the torment of lycanthropy and the isolation from other wizards, there are still a small number of werewolves who remain kind-hearted.
Albert gently soothed Hermione's anxious mood and continued, "Professor Lupin is obviously not an evil wizard, otherwise, Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn't have invited him to teach at the school."
"But when he turns into a werewolf..." Hermione interjected.
"As long as it's controlled properly, Professor Lupin won't pose a threat to the students," Albert assured her.
"Proper control?" Hermione asked, seeking clarification.
"Yes, since Headmaster Dumbledore appointed Professor Lupin as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I believe he must have already arranged for Professor Snape to provide him with the Wolfsbane Potion. By taking this potion, a werewolf can retain their sanity even after transforming and will no longer be so dangerous," Albert explained.
Hermione recalled Harry mentioning how Snape had tried to poison Lupin, and that mysterious potion must have been the "Wolfsbane Potion" they were discussing.
"In fact, most werewolves lead difficult lives, and Professor Lupin's attire is a clear indication of that," Albert sighed softly. "Headmaster Dumbledore undoubtedly gave Professor Lupin a respectable job, but there's something you should understand—being the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is also a very risky profession."
"Are you referring to the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position?" Hermione asked, having heard that almost no Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher lasted more than a year.
"You probably don't know this, but ever since I came to Hogwarts, apart from Professor Babbling who resigned early without injury, Professor Sinistra has gone missing, Professor Quirrell is dead, and Professor Lockhart has turned into a gibbering mess," Albert continued. "I estimate that there are very few wizards willing to take up the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. It's just too unlucky, and Professor Lupin happened to need a decent job, so Headmaster Dumbledore invited him to join the school."
"Of course, I think it would be best to remind Professor Lupin to resign early to avoid any potential dangers," Albert added.
Hermione opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.
"Can you keep this a secret?" Albert asked.
Hermione nodded.
Changing the subject, Albert asked, "Have you had a falling out with Potter and Weasley?"
"Because of the Firebolt, they're both ignoring me," Hermione said, her mood dipping a little.
"Well... let's just say we're young and don't always see things clearly," Albert said consolingly. "Most people are more concerned about their own feelings, whether it's you, me, Ron, or Harry. We're all more focused on our own affairs."
"I'm sure Harry knows that you're just looking out for him, but sometimes, people are complex. They don't always want what's best for them," Albert said. "You look tired. Having twelve classes must be putting a lot of pressure on you. If I were you, I'd drop Divination and Muggle Studies."
"I can't do that. I don't want to give up," Hermione shook her head.
"Sometimes, that's just how it is," Albert said calmly. "As a friend, all I can do is advise you to drop a few classes and offer you some suggestions. That's all."
"Of course, I'm not really in a position to be giving advice anyway," Albert added self-deprecatingly.
(End of Chapter)
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