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For the down-and-out werewolf wizard Lupin, after leaving the magical room of Ian, his sleep throughout the night was broken and fragmented; adding it all up, it didn’t even amount to a full hour.
There was simply too much to digest.
Whether it was the series of shocks he had experienced over the past few days or the revelations and interactions with Ian that night, they completely flooded Lupin’s mind, which was still struggling to comprehend it all.
Every time he closed his eyes, the scene of the young girl Catherine awakening her magical power would immediately appear before him.
And that wasn’t all.
“Even if God forbids it, I will still grant it.” The words of Ian continued to echo in his ears. Such soul-shattering statements were destined to be unforgettable for the rest of his life. As a wizard who perhaps had decent grades and magical accomplishments, Lupin still couldn’t fathom how a wizard dared to think this way.
Wizards as gods?
Perhaps even the first person who ever said such a thing never truly imagined putting wizards on the same level as gods. Lupin honestly didn’t know how to evaluate Ian’s statement.
He only knew that even without looking at the entirety of wizard history, someone like himself could only be considered mediocre, so he hardly had the right to judge whether others were too bold or arrogant.
After all…
Not even in Second Year yet, and already possessing such extraordinary strength, even surpassing a young Albus Dumbledore in many aspects, who could say this young man didn’t have the right to speak so wildly?
To allow a Squib abandoned by magic to once again embrace it, this alone was a heaven-defying achievement. The facts were right in front of him, and Lupin had no grounds to comment further.
“Twelve years old…”
The downcast werewolf wizard stared at the empty ceiling of the room and let out a soft sigh in the quiet. The slightly bright moonlight outside shone through the window and fell upon his face.
His heart, still shaken and turbulent, was filled with complex emotions. Amid the barks and meows echoing from the orphanage, he felt like he was having a shallow dream while half-awake.
“Line up to register your identity.”
“Every person gets to be a wizard.”
“If you want to learn magic, just insert this magical disk into your brain, and you’ll instantly gain proficiency. For five hundred golden Galleons, you’ll master all seven years’ worth of classes in one minute.”
“Hehehehe… Wizards control the world, but I… I control the wizards.”
…
It was a bizarre and fantastical dream.
It was filled with wild, absurd, and chillingly creepy scenes and plotlines. Lupin even dreamed of assembly lines mass-producing artificial wizards.
“No! Even if I can’t afford to buy a wizard identity time card, you can’t strip away my wizard status! I want to see Dumbledore! I want to see your leader, Ian Prince! When he was little, I even helped him chop vegetables! I’ve killed chickens for him!”
Amid this frantic shouting and screaming, even though Lupin wasn’t dying, he still jolted up from his wooden bed in terror.
The terrifying images vanished like smoke.
The familiar room gave Lupin an unprecedented sense of safety.
Outside the window, a bright sunny morning had arrived. The sky was gently brushed with soft blue watercolor, and a few fluffy white clouds drifted leisurely across it.
The sun was quietly peeking over the horizon. First, blushing with a hint of orange-red, it then generously spilled golden rays across the world, gently awakening the sleeping people.
“So… it was just a dream…” Lupin wiped the sweat from his forehead, gasping and blinking hard. “Thank goodness it was a dream.”
With his back drenched in sweat, Lupin recalled the crystal-clear scenes from his dream and couldn’t help but feel some lingering fear from the absurd nightmare.
“I guess I really should find a way to save up some money.” For the first time, Lupin truly felt the terror of poverty; he couldn’t even dream himself into being rich.
Putting aside how accurately Ian’ personality had been portrayed in his dream, he felt that the rest of those scenarios were all subconscious manifestations of deep-seated anxiety.
Yes, Lupin wasn’t worried that the events in his dream would actually happen, but he knew very clearly that the reason he had such a dream was definitely connected to the series of incidents that had occurred recently.
Especially last night, the inner thoughts of Ian, and the proof of the real existence of the [Squib Magic Power Awakening Potion] were the reasons Lupin believed he had such a nightmare.
They were also why he believed the [Squib Magic Power Awakening Potion] would cause chaos. Even someone as laid-back and Buddhist-minded as him felt subconscious worry, so how could other wizards not harbor anxiety in their hearts?
Other wizards would only be more uneasy and restless than he. True, saving the poor Squibs was a good thing, but who could resist overthinking it?
“If it can save someone, then it probably means it can take away as well… It directly touches upon wizards’ deepest fear: the more one prides themselves on their innate gift, the more they dread losing it.”
Lupin had no idea that Ian had already created works related to this topic long ago.
He got up, made himself a cup of hot tea, and walked over to the window to let in some air. Even though the weather wasn’t cold, this down-and-out werewolf still shivered slightly.
“Whew Whew Whew~”
Lupin leaned his head out of the window to catch his breath.
Outside, the morning light filtered through the sparse leaves, casting overlapping patterns of light and shadow on the ground. Every leaf looked as though it had been edged with a thin line of gold. A gentle breeze blew by, carrying a faint chill and the fresh scent of earth mixed with the subtle fragrance of distant flowers and grass.
“Huh?”
Just as he was adjusting his mood, he spotted a figure pulling a small suitcase.
Since the children were still asleep, the orphanage courtyard was relatively quiet. So anyone entering the yard from the building stood out.
“Where are you going?”
Lupin quickly grabbed the pants beside him, pulled them on, snatched his worn coat, and climbed straight out the window. The second-floor height posed no danger to him.
“It’s the start of a new term, of course I’m going to Diagon Alley to buy books and supplies.” Ian waved the checklist in his hand, it had been sent along with a gift from Dumbledore the night before.
In addition to that, Grindelwald, Snape, and his own Head of House/Director had all sent him birthday presents. Compared to Grindelwald’s Egyptian crystal ball and Dumbledore’s wand care kit, Snape’s brand-new potion refining equipment wasn’t quite so considerate, as it was custom-made to adult dimensions.
Ian figured this was his dear uncle’s revenge for the shampoo gift he gave him earlier.
“You’re going alone?” Lupin glanced at Ian’s small suitcase.
“No, there’s also Miss Hermione Granger… the daughter of that gentleman who previously donated to the orphanage. He asked me to assist them in Diagon Alley.”
“They’re all Muggles, completely unfamiliar with the wizarding world.” Ian was a warm-hearted person, especially when Mr. Granger had promised to pay him 500 pounds. That definitely triggered his chronic case of being overly helpful.
“I haven’t seen that dentist around the past few days though.” Lupin looked slightly confused.
“Uh.”
Ian hesitated, then decided to soften his tone, “Lupin-senior, are you not aware that something called a telephone exists in this world?”
Perhaps that still wasn’t tactful enough for a little wizard.
Hearing that, Lupin looked incredibly awkward.
“…Alright, fair enough, I forgot Muggles have their own communication methods too.” Scratching his head, Lupin quickly tried to change the subject. He noticed Ian was also carrying a small present.
“That gift is it for that bucktoothed little girl?” Lupin’s eyes carried a strange glint.
“?????”
Ian felt like this guy’s brain must be slightly misshapen.
“Didn’t I show you the invitation yesterday? Miss Greengrass invited me to visit her home. So I’m going to the Greengrass residence first, then heading straight to Diagon Alley. I’ll start receiving Miss Hermione Granger and her family tomorrow.” Ian pulled out the invitation letter and explained his time management plan in full.
He was someone who genuinely enjoyed socializing with his classmates.
And it absolutely had nothing to do with the fact that Daphne Greengrass mentioned in her letter that if he visited, her father would reimburse Ian’s ridiculously expensive travel fee of 200 gold Galleons.
The fact that the Greengrass family would be serving dragon meat tonight might be a real attraction for him, actually, that was the main reason he had prepared a gift.
“You’re going alone?”
Lupin spoke up, clearly a bit concerned. “The Greengrass family is no soft lot. Their ancestors amassed massive wealth through the trafficking of unfortunate African slaves.”
This down-and-out werewolf seemed to know a fair bit about the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Then again, to be fair, most of the wealthy pure-blood houses had been involved in the slave trade to some extent…
Back in the Age of Exploration.
Whether it was Muggle or wizarding Britain, there were virtually no great houses that hadn’t dabbled in that business.
“Slave trading? Yeah, that’s a despicable act, and that’s exactly why I should go to this dinner,” Ian’s logic made Lupin completely confused.
“What the hell?”
The tall and lanky Lupin puzzled over it for quite a while, but still couldn’t figure out the causal link.
“If the Greengrass family’s gold came from such shady means, then obviously I should do my best to take as many Galleons from them as I can. Did you know they’re going to reimburse me 200 gold Galleons for travel expenses?”
Seeing Lupin wearing his classic “werewolf question mark” face, Ian patiently explained, “I can’t save the ancestors of my African friends, but I can rescue the Galleons that were earned off of them!”
Such a righteous declaration!
Spoken with complete seriousness by a little wizard from a rather… unexpected angle.
“…”
Lupin had no idea how to respond. His rational mind told him this was clearly a hell joke, but at the same time, he couldn’t shake the faint feeling that maybe, just maybe, there was some twisted logic buried in it?
Pah! Nonsense!
Am I just sleep-deprived and confused?
“Aren’t you afraid they might have bad intentions toward you?” Lupin shook his head, trying to clear the “polluted” thoughts from his brain, and once again seriously warned the young wizard.
“If they do have bad intentions… then that’s even better.”
Once again, Ian’s response completely blindsided Lupin. “That would be a dream come true! If any kind of conflict breaks out, I could round it up and say I helped avenge all my African friends’ ancestors!”
His voice even carried a slight sense of anticipation.
Like he was low-key looking forward to something happening.
It took Lupin several seconds to fully register what this little wizard actually meant.
“???????”
The look on his face could only be described as utterly indescribable, as if ten thousand galloping magical llamas were trampling through his mind. How could a twelve-year-old wizard’s thoughts be this twisted?
“If you’re really that uneasy, you could always come with me, you know? Dumbledore did ask you to keep an eye on me… and hey, they’re serving dragon meat tonight. Who knows? We might even be able to take home half the carcass.”
Ian looked full of expectation.
He’d been craving dragon meat for quite some time.
“Even these so-called noble pure-blood families wouldn’t be so extravagant as to openly buy a whole dragon just to butcher it…” Lupin wasn’t trying to kill Ian’s excitement; he was just stating what he knew to be realistic.
However—
“See, it really is a whole dragon. Daphne said it was from a Dragon Breeding Field her family invested in, one of the dragons accidentally fell and died, so they’re inviting me over to try some dragon meat.”
Ian pulled out the invitation letter he had received the previous night. The attached photograph of the dragon’s slaughtered body was actually what convinced him that, even if it was a trap, it was still worth attending.
“I’m guessing her dad forced her to write the letter.” After saying that, the little wizard added, “The tone of the invitation doesn’t match Daphne’s personality at all.”
He and Miss Daphne Greengrass didn’t exactly have a great relationship at school.
“Uh…”
Lupin looked a bit stunned as Ian handed him the photograph. In the center of the image, a massive Western dragon lay still, its gigantic body covered in shimmering, faint-blue scales.
The apex predator of the natural food chain was now being butchered like a dead pig. An elf, holding what looked like an ordinary knife that shimmered with magical light, skillfully maneuvered between the hard scales of the Western dragon. Each cut was precise, causing the scales to gently fall away and reveal the tender meat beneath.
Another elf was in charge of collecting the meticulously sliced parts. Its hands seemed to possess invisible strength, effortlessly lifting the heavy portions into baskets that had been prepared in advance.
“This family really knows how to splurge…” Lupin followed behind Ian. He honestly wasn’t all that interested in eating dragon meat; what mattered more to him was the task Dumbledore had entrusted to him.
“You know they’re trying to win you over, right? Invest in you? That’s a typical tactic of pure-blood families.” Lupin felt he should continue helping the little wizard understand the truth of human nature.
“Of course I know.” Ian nodded matter-of-factly.
“It just means they have good taste.”
There was a touch of smugness in his tone.
“Investments are made with the expectation of returns. What do you think they’re hoping to get back from you?” Lupin continued in a low voice, trying to guide the young wizard’s thinking.
However—
“Just take the benefits first and worry about the rest later. As long as I don’t sign any contracts, there’s always room to maneuver in the future, right?” Ian’s reply left Lupin slightly speechless.
Sometimes, this kid’s thinking felt even more shameless than the people in Knockturn Alley.
No.
He is even more shameless than Tom Riddle himself.
Despite all his hatred toward Voldemort, Lupin had to admit, even the Dark Lord, after taking favors from others, at least knew how to draw a beautiful picture of what he’d “give back.”
But this little wizard in front of him? All he thought about was leeching off others and “rescuing the ancestors of African friends” with their money… Honestly, compared to this, even the Dark Lord might seem like a saint.
“Greengrass House must’ve been cursed for eight generations to think of investing in you early,” Lupin muttered in deep frustration, summarizing a thousand inner thoughts into that one line.
“Can you Apparate to this place? Miss Greengrass’s family lives in Wiltshire.” Ian pulled out the invitation letter again and double-checked the address written in the attached note.
“Wiltshire… I could Apparate there if I weren’t bringing you along,” Lupin admitted with a helpless shrug, revealing his magical limitation.
“It’s just over a hundred kilometers! Can’t you manage even that?” Ian hadn’t expected this kind of complication. His black phoenix couldn’t take him somewhere he’d never been before either.
Maybe…
He really should find some time to learn Apparition.
“I’m just an ordinary wizard. Do you think everyone’s like you monster-types with unlimited magical power?” Lupin rolled his eyes, more exasperated than ever.
Honestly, the fact that he had even managed to learn Apparition was already impressive. Longer distances didn’t just require magical precision, they also tested a wizard’s overall magical power.
Apparating with someone else was not as simple as adding two burdens together. Only a very small number of powerful wizards could handle long-distance Apparition while bringing another person.
“There is a limit, actually. It’s not infinite firepower,” Ian seriously corrected Lupin’s earlier assumption as he dragged his small suitcase toward the front door again.
The black-robed skeleton had been getting increasingly unruly lately, it had even learned how to open the suitcase from the inside and wander out. Ian didn’t feel safe leaving the case behind at the orphanage.
“Oh? From what I’ve seen of your magic practice, you don’t look like someone who ever runs out of steam.” Lupin was intrigued by Ian’s magic levels, he’d seen the boy practice magic tirelessly, never appearing fatigued. Ever since the Knockturn Alley incident, Lupin had been secretly curious about just how powerful the kid really was.
“That’s just practice. I wasn’t trying to burn down London, of course I wouldn’t use up that much magical energy,” Ian replied matter-of-factly.
However—
After hearing that, Lupin unexpectedly fell silent.
He blinked rapidly several times.
And very wisely decided not to ask about the implications behind that statement.
“I’d really like to get a peaceful night’s sleep tonight…” Lupin muttered something that sounded a bit odd, and the little wizard turned to glance at him, clearly puzzled.
The two of them stepped out of the orphanage’s front gate.
There wasn’t a soul in sight on the street outside, yet it didn’t feel desolate.
It was early morning.
Birds had already begun their busy and cheerful day, their crisp and pleasant chirping rising and falling like a melodious symphony, adding a sense of vitality and energy to the quiet dawn. The only thing spoiling the picturesque scene was a Grim squatting beneath a nearby tree, its unblinking stare somewhat ruining the peaceful atmosphere.
“Huh?”
Lupin glanced at the Grim several times in a row.
His expression was a bit puzzled.
At that moment, Ian, dragging his small suitcase, had already pulled out his wand. He didn’t use magic; he simply raised the wand and stood quietly in place.
Traveling to Wiltshire wasn’t especially difficult; even Muggle transportation could get them there. But obviously, Muggle buses wouldn’t have a stop at the Greengrass residence.
Which is why—
The most commonly used magical mode of transportation was by far the best choice. It was the method Ian had planned to use from the beginning: the erratic and unpredictable Knight Bus, which always responded to any wizard in need.
In terms of both speed and cost, the Knight Bus was the preferred choice for wizards. It moved incredibly fast, and anything in its path would automatically jump aside to avoid it.
To summon the Knight Bus, one simply had to raise their wand into the air, similar to how Muggles hailed taxis. Ian had long wanted to try out this unique magical transportation.
“Toot toot~”
“Ka-chunk~”
Compared to waiting at a train station, the Knight Bus was indeed more convenient. Ian had barely held up his wand for a few minutes before a honk and a loud screech of brakes echoed through the street. A triple-decker purple bus appeared out of nowhere, with the words “Knight Bus” written in large golden letters across its windshield.
“Whenever you stand by the roadside and raise your wand, the Knight Bus will appear and take you wherever you want to go,”
“Of course, we don’t go underwater or into magma. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I’ll be your conductor for this journey. I’ll be at your service the whole way!” A bright, enthusiastic voice rang out the moment the door opened. It belonged to a young wizard with protruding ears and a face full of acne and freckles.
“Amazing… Is there some kind of time-distortion device on your bus?” Ian was quite fascinated by the magical vehicle that seemed to show up as soon as you needed it.
After he and Lupin boarded, Ian asked the question with excitement, from the perspective of an alchemist. However, the conductor, Stan Shunpike, simply gave him a clear, unbothered smile.
“Little sir, if I knew the answer to your question, do you think I’d still be working here as a ticket conductor?” His reply was flawless and perfectly reasonable.
“…Fair enough.”
Ian turned to look at the driver up front, an older wizard wearing thick-rimmed glasses. A nameplate in front of him listed his name:
Ernie Prang.
“I just drive the bus.”
He responded to the young wizard’s curiosity in a brief and to-the-point manner. Clearly, just like the conductor, the driver was fully committed to his job and didn’t bother with anything outside his role.
“I really should get one of these to study… Professor Nick Flamel must know the secrets behind the Knight Bus.” Ian, still not willing to give up, made a mental note as he walked toward the back of the bus with Lupin.
“Where are you headed?”
The conductor pulled out a thick stack of tickets and looked toward Lupin, clearly identifying him as the adult. His automatic assumption made the penniless Lupin visibly uncomfortable.
“This kid is the one paying…”
Lupin’s voice was awkward, his face a little red. He spoke in a tone so soft it sounded like a mosquito buzzing, clearly not wanting the other passengers to overhear.
“All right.”
The conductor kept smiling and turned his attention to Ian. Whatever he might’ve been thinking internally, at least on the surface, his professionalism was impeccable.
“Greengrass Manor in Wiltshire,” Ian reported his destination as he also took out his money pouch. In his heart, he silently added another entry to Lupin’s running tab, a nine-out, twenty-eight-in kind of debt.
“The fare is sixteen silver Sickles in total. If each of you pays three Sickles more, you’ll get a cup of hot chocolate. For five more, you get lunch as well.”
The conductor was issuing tickets while trying to upsell additional services.
“Then we’ll each have a hot chocolate as well,” Ian said generously, much to Lupin’s surprise. Lupin clearly didn’t realize just how much debt Ian had mentally tallied under his name.
The impoverished werewolf thought Ian was treating him to both the fare and the hot chocolate. Little did he know that, according to Ian’s calculations, this trip wouldn’t cost him a thing, in fact, he’d make a profit.
“All right then! Wishing you both a pleasant journey!”
With a bright smile, the conductor served hot chocolate to the two of them, just as the Knight Bus suddenly roared to life, and the huge burst of inertia nearly caused Ian to splash hot chocolate all over his face.
Fortunately, the jolt from acceleration only lasted about a second.
“This is pretty fast,” Ian commented, regaining his balance and holding the hot chocolate steady.
“Why do you look so smug?” Lupin asked suspiciously. He’d woken up that morning with an empty stomach and hadn’t had time to eat breakfast. Now sipping the hot chocolate gently, he turned to look at Ian in puzzlement.
“Wouldn’t you be happy if you made money?”
Ian replied cheerfully, though his words were vague. His eyes were fixed forward, where the driver, apparently unfamiliar with handling the steering wheel, kept veering the Knight Bus onto the sidewalk.
Fortunately, this ultra-fast bus didn’t hit anything.
Streetlights, mailboxes, and trash bins all leapt aside on their own when the bus approached, then returned to their original positions after it passed.
It was absolutely magical.
It almost felt like the space itself was being distorted.
“You’re talking about Greengrass House reimbursing your travel expenses, right?” Lupin guessed aloud, rubbing his right eye. For some reason, his eye had been twitching badly all day.
Probably from poor sleep.
“How are those werewolves doing lately?” Ian didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, he suddenly changed the subject, catching Lupin off guard. After a moment’s pause, Lupin responded.
“You had me go collect blood samples a few times, they didn’t resist at all. You must’ve scared them into some kind of psychological trauma.” Lupin’s tone was tinged with both surprise and reflection.
He had never imagined the werewolves in Knockturn Alley could have such a well-behaved side.
“You gave them money, right?”
After confirming Lupin had paid them, Ian nodded in satisfaction. “I’m not the kind of person who robs blood from others. Only when I’ve paid can I use their blood with a clear conscience.”
Faced with Ian’s self-righteous declaration, Lupin was left speechless.
“With the tiny amount you gave… might as well not have paid them at all…”
Even he found the amount laughable, which said a lot.
“Money stinks of copper. My care for them is priceless. Haven’t you heard the saying: ‘Love is the most valuable kind of magic’?” Ian didn’t give Lupin any time to question the obvious contradictions in that logic.
“See? This is my token of care for them.” As he spoke, he pulled out a brand-new cloth pouch, which had clearly been magically expanded using a Permanent Extension Charm.
Inside was a space roughly the size of an entire room, packed full of all kinds of food items.
“Red dates, pig liver, mulberries, longan fruit, kelp, spinach, black beans, angelica root, donkey-hide gelatin, polygonum multiflorum, rehmannia glutinosa…” Lupin examined the contents one by one.
Yes.
They were all relatively fresh, hard-to-find items. But the more Lupin looked through them, the more something felt off. These didn’t seem like ordinary groceries at all.
“Make sure they eat more, get proper nourishment, can’t have the werewolves going hungry,” Ian said warmly, pushing the pouch into Lupin’s hands.
His tone was so filled with care that Lupin began to wonder if perhaps he was overthinking things.
“Alright, I’ll thank you on their behalf… Their food supplies have indeed been quite scarce lately.” Lupin didn’t think too much about it. After storing the pouch away, he replied softly.
“Let them eat more, eat plenty! I’ve got loads more where that came from.” Ian’s smile grew even wider.
“You went pretty hard on them last time, you’re surprisingly warmhearted,” Lupin couldn’t help but remark, as if seeing a new side to the young wizard’s personality.
How to put it…
A study-loser when it comes to Potions, but sometimes, truly pure of heart.
…
Time passed slowly.
With the Knight Bus breaking every traffic law and speeding nonstop, the journey of over 100 kilometers from London to Wiltshire was completed in just under ten minutes.
Even high-speed trains decades in the future might not reach this kind of velocity.
“Please ride with us again! Remember, just raise your wand if you need us, the Knight Bus is always at your service!” As he said goodbye to the two passengers, the conductor cheerfully addressed Ian.
Perhaps his sharp eyes had already discerned that Lupin was the kind of wizard who couldn’t afford a ride on the Knight Bus alone.
“It looks like my destination is still a bit further ahead?” Ian looked around. The area was clearly remote countryside, desolate, with only a faint silhouette of a building visible in the distance.
“Can’t help it. We’re not allowed to get too close to noble families’ estates.” The conductor, Stan, shrugged and made a little “see you again” gesture while hanging off the door.
“You’ll have to walk the rest of the way yourselves.”
With a loud BANG, the bus doors shut, and in the next instant, the Knight Bus vanished into thin air. Such a magical sight only made Ian more certain, there’s no way the Knight Bus didn’t involve advanced alchemical methods.
“One day, I’ll get one to study myself!” He turned to look at Lupin, who didn’t look too well, pale and a bit nauseous, like he was carsick.
“You okay?” Ian offered him a homemade preserved plum candy. This wasn’t a joke; something sweet and sour can actually help with motion sickness.
“That driver’s a lunatic. Can’t drive, yet still insists on doing it,” Lupin muttered under his breath, eyeing the candy but not reaching out to take it.
The ever-cautious werewolf didn’t dare eat anything handed to him by Ian. He was afraid that Ian might’ve laced it with some sleep-inducing potion or sedative. After all, Ian had always been a little too interested in his “pure” werewolf blood.
“I agree. Tie a border collie to the steering wheel and it’d probably drive better than that guy.” Dragging his small suitcase, Ian walked alongside Lupin down the narrow path,
After walking for just over ten minutes, a grand, imposing estate came into view.
Perhaps the Greengrass family wasn’t as rich as the Malfoys, but they were still part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, and these pure-blood families pretty much controlled all of the most profitable industries in the wizarding world.
So by wizarding standards, the Greengrasses were definitely well-off.
Greengrass Manor.
The name felt a bit shortened, perhaps intentionally styled to evoke something out of a fairy tale. In fact, the estate really did have a fairy tale-like quality to it.
It was surrounded by a tall stone wall built of ancient runestone blocks,
Entwined with magical vines that shimmered softly even during the day, swaying gently and emitting a faint glow.
It was stunningly beautiful.
The entire scene added an air of mystical elegance to the estate. Its massive gates were carved from black obsidian, with complex magical arrays etched across the surface.
“Some kind of defensive mechanism,” Ian made a brief inspection and offered a basic identification.
“People with a clear conscience don’t fear enemies, but the Greengrasses have plenty of them.” Lupin’s tone was either colored by personal bias or based on something more concrete.
Either way, his expression as he looked toward the grand estate carried a hint of bitterness.
“Whoosh~”
Just as Ian was about to pull out his wand and knock on the door, perhaps sensing someone at the gate, a house-elf dressed in tattered clothes suddenly appeared out of thin air.
“Oh! It’s the Greater-than-Great Mr. Prince! You’ve actually arrived at Greengrass Manor ahead of schedule!” The house-elf stared at Ian with wide, round eyes, bowing deeply in awe.
It was obvious the elf had already been informed of Ian’s appearance.
“I’m not in the habit of being late.” Ian declined the elf’s attempt to carry his suitcase and instead pulled out a small gift, handing it to the elf.
“Oh! You truly are a gentleman! And you even brought a gift!” The house-elf exaggeratedly praised him, its performance rather over-the-top.
“Flattery gets you everywhere.” Ian leaned slightly to glance through the now-open gate into the manor grounds.
“The one who invited me isn’t Miss Greengrass herself, is it?” He took out the invitation he had received. Sure enough, it bore Daphne Greengrass’s signature.
“Panini would never lie to you, but… Panini also doesn’t want to speak ill of the young mistress… She’s absolutely terrified of you.” The house-elf, named Panini, gave a tactful reply.
“Master and Mistress gave her a thorough scolding. They think she doesn’t understand what an opportunity this is.” As Panini spoke, it respectfully raised its hand, inviting Ian into the manor.
“I figured as much.” Ian stepped forward, heading into the estate.
Lupin, who had remained silent the whole time, tried to follow.
However—
Panini immediately blocked his path.
“Servants must enter through the side gate! And you’re not even a proper servant!”
Its sharp tone was completely different from how it had spoken to Ian just moments ago. With a scolding edge in its voice, it left a bewildered Lupin standing there, veins almost popping from his forehead.
“Which one of your eyes sees me as a servant?”
Lupin glanced at the side gate, so small that even a dwarf would have to duck to get through, and began to seriously regret tagging along. His face was full of frustration as he demanded an explanation.
“Here, here, here, and here.” Panini poked at Lupin’s clothes, finishing with a dramatic point at his completely empty coin pouch.
“…”
Lupin looked down at his own outfit, then up at the elf’s ragged clothing. His expression twisted with resentment, yet he couldn’t find a single rebuttal.
After all—
Judging by appearance alone, he really only looked slightly more respectable than a house-elf with patchwork clothing. Just as Lupin felt increasingly humiliated and useless, Ian thankfully turned back around and stepped in to help.
“He’s a companion who came with me.” With Ian’s explanation as a guest, Panini’s demeanor instantly transformed, like a mask change in Sichuan opera.
“Oh! So he’s your attendant!”
Its tone immediately returned to one of deference and politeness.
“…”
Lupin wanted to complain that “attendant” wasn’t much better than “servant,” but seeing that he could finally enter through the main gate, he wisely chose to keep quiet and quickly followed Ian inside.
“This place is huge.” Stepping into the vast manor grounds, Ian was immediately drawn in by the scenery.
A stone path, illuminated with subtle magical light, led the way forward. On either side were perfectly trimmed magical plants, some blooming with flowers of unusual colors, others bearing fruits that shimmered like gemstones. The air was filled with a faint floral fragrance mingled with a hint of magic.
After walking for another ten minutes or so, they finally reached the main residence.
The core structure of the manor was a towering spire, rising into the sky. Each level of the tower was carefully designed with a staggered layout. The windows were fitted with magical glass that could automatically adjust lighting and temperature, ensuring the interior always stayed at its most comfortable setting.
And at the very top of the tower, a massive crystal orb floated in midair. It wasn’t just a magical safeguard for the manor, it also served as a symbol of the Greengrass family’s considerable magical strength.
“Welcome, Mr. Prince.”
Perhaps the house-elf Panini had already secretly reported his arrival, because Daphne’s father, Theodore Greengrass, was already standing at the entrance. He was well-dressed and neatly groomed, appearing to be a dignified yet gracious middle-aged gentleman.
“House Greengrass is truly honored to welcome you.” Theodore Greengrass gave a slight bow. His strong voice conveyed both humility and grace, without the slightest hint of flattery.
If it weren’t for the fact that he hadn’t so much as glanced at Lupin from start to finish, Ian might’ve actually believed this was a refined gentleman rather than an arrogant Pureblood aristocrat.
“Thank you very much for the invitation, Mr. Greengrass…” Ian glanced around, hoping to spot the kitchen that stored the dragon meat, but, finding nothing, he stepped forward and politely shook hands with Theodore Greengrass.
“Where’s my seventy-second closest friend, Miss Daphne?”
Ian made a great effort to demonstrate his manners, even finding a justification for his earlier glancing around and adjusting how he addressed Daphne Greengrass.
“…”
The corner of Theodore Greengrass’s eye clearly twitched.
However—
He still maintained a pleasant smile. His tone, though, carried a tinge of helplessness as he spoke.
“She left last night with her younger sister and fled to a relative’s house… Her mother is there now educating her. I believe they should both be back later tonight.”
Although Theodore didn’t mention why Daphne ran away, everyone present, except Lupin, more or less knew the real reason.
“Actually…”
Just as Theodore was weighing whether to explain further in an attempt to salvage Ian’s opinion of Daphne—
“Great, great! Miss Daphne is now my seventy-first closest friend!” Ian suddenly clapped his hands with a bright smile, cutting off Theodore mid-sentence.
“?????”
It wasn’t just Theodore who was stunned with question marks all over his face.
Even Lupin and the house-elf Panini, who had been about to leave, were utterly bewildered.
None of them could comprehend—
What on earth was this little wizard’s method of ranking “friendship closeness”?
The banquet did not disappoint.
An array of dazzling dishes nearly filled the entire long table, which could seat dozens. A whole roasted dragon loin was perfectly cooked and placed in the most prominent position on the table.
It stretched all the way from one end of the table to the other, making for an impressive sight. Beside it were various other dishes, each exquisitely presented and rich in flavor.
Ian ate comfortably.
Still, for the sake of appearances, he maintained proper decorum and etiquette, eating slowly and with grace. Lupin, on the other hand, who had only exchanged a few polite words with the hosts, abandoned all formality and dug in heartily.
After all, he had no interest in associating with these Pureblood nobles. Since they had no desire to acknowledge him, he saw no reason to butter them up either. The only reason he came was to make sure Ian wouldn’t get taken advantage of.
“Ten years… five years… seven years…”
While eating, Lupin muttered to himself. Many of the items on the table weren’t things that could be bought just with money.
You not only had to circumvent the Magical Creatures Protection Act, but also avoid the Ministry’s scrutiny.
“Daphne, your family’s lifestyle is pretty incredible.” During the break in the banquet, Ian turned to Miss Greengrass, who had been “retrieved” and brought back, and spoke with genuine emotion.
“If you like it, eat more, please, eat more…” Daphne forced a smile that looked more painful than crying. After speaking, she glanced timidly at her mother beside her.
Mrs. Armand Greengrass was a striking woman, full of the allure of a mature lady. At that moment, she was elegantly enjoying the meal alongside her husband.
“Share a bit about your holiday with your classmate, dear,” Mrs. Greengrass gently prompted Daphne, trying to prevent the atmosphere from becoming awkward or cold.
“Uh…”
Daphne, however, had no idea what to say.
Was she supposed to tell this little monster and his overly eager parents that she had spent the entire summer describing to her younger sister how horribly she was being oppressed?
What a joke!
No way that was happening!
“Your younger sister seems a little shy?” Ian, ever the “considerate” one, took the initiative to steer the conversation away. His gaze fell on the little girl sitting tightly beside Theodore Greengrass.
She was a blond-haired girl of about nine years old, looking quite young and adorable. However, at this moment, the girl, Astoria Greengrass, appeared to be suffering from something akin to social anxiety or even autism.
She hadn’t left her father’s side since returning, and during the meal she kept her head down in silence. Her hands, holding the fork and knife, were trembling like leaves.
It had already been ten minutes since the start of the meal, and she had only eaten a few beans, and even those had been sucked into her mouth while pretending to act natural, after she noticed Ian looking at her.
“Parkinson! Yes, she has Parkinson’s! She’s had it since she was little! Very serious!”
Daphne, seeing her younger sister’s state, blurted this out in a panic, her face full of alarm.
She was already regretting how she had exaggerated things while telling stories, painting Ian as some terrifying demon. How could she have known this so-called “campus demon lord” would actually come to her house?!
It was all her parents’ fault!
“What nonsense are you talking, Daphne?” Mrs. Armande Greengrass, as the mother, shot Daphne a fierce glare, then turned her concerned gaze toward the blonde little girl.
“Astoria is usually very cheerful,” Mrs. Greengrass had actually been keeping an eye on her daughter for a while and now finally seized the opportunity to gently ask her:
“What’s wrong, darling? Are you feeling unwell?” The caring voice made Astoria’s pale little face lift ever so slightly.
“I… I…” She looked at her elder sister.
“I’ll take her to see the family doctor! She probably caught a cold last night! Yes! That’s it!” Daphne, scared out of her wits, jumped straight out of her seat, not even caring about her parents’ strange looks, and pulled Astoria out of the room.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She called back to Ian while running, panic written all over her face, likely because she felt the teasing look in Ian’s eyes.
“Hysterical little girl,” Lupin commented dryly next to Ian.
“Just a girl who’s been scared stiff,” Ian corrected calmly. Of course, he had already guessed what was going on. He also believed that Mrs. and Mr. Greengrass must have figured it out too.
“Maybe they really did catch a chill last night… stayed up all night and lost their heads a little,” Mr. Theodore Greengrass tried, somewhat awkwardly, to smooth things over for his daughters.
“No worries. I understand.” Ian resumed digging into the dragon meat.
“How’s the food today?” Mrs. Armande Greengrass warmly offered assistance, using her own knife and fork to help Ian cut through the dragon loin.
“Absolutely perfect. It’s obvious your family has a habit of dropping dragons to their deaths,” Ian remarked with brutal honesty, causing both Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass to freeze slightly in awkward embarrassment.
“Captive-bred creatures… sometimes that’s just how it goes… yes, exactly,” Theodore tried to patch things up with a strained explanation, though it didn’t sound very convincing.
“I get it. Totally get it.” Ian nodded understandingly without missing a beat.
“If you enjoy dragon meat, we still have plenty left from the one we butchered yesterday. And of course, if you want more in the future, our family can always ‘accidentally’ find another dragon that died suddenly.”
Theodore Greengrass offered this in an incredibly sincere tone.
It was quite a generous commitment, and a clear sign he was willing to pay a high price, because, as Lupin had noted earlier, even for Pureblood nobility, a dragon isn’t exactly cheap.
“A gift like that… I doubt it’s just because I’m Daphne’s classmate, right? In fact, I think you know well that Miss Daphne and I didn’t exactly start off on the best terms.” Ian gave Theodore a meaningful glance, slightly surprised, but after a moment’s hesitation, decided to just be blunt.
No helping it—
The other party could hold his composure far too well.
And Ian?
He was still young—
He didn’t have the patience to play the long game.
“Childish quarrels, when you look back on them after growing up, aren’t they just beautiful memories? It’s really not a big deal. I believe Daphne understands that too.”
Theodore Greengrass paused with his utensils, looking quite unconcerned. Beside him, Mrs. Armande Greengrass also nodded in agreement.
“Uh… you’re not trying to match me and your daughter, are you?” Ian suddenly became wary.
Upon hearing this—
Theodore Greengrass gave a helpless chuckle.
“Let’s not even talk about how we can all tell that’s impossible. Just look at your school…” Theodore stopped mid-sentence, clearly hesitant as he glanced at Lupin.
“Who would dare try something like that?” He abruptly changed the subject.
The little wizards at the table appeared half-comprehending.
But—
“Oh-hoh, as long as it’s not what I’m thinking, then go ahead,” Ian resumed his battle with the dragon meat, even taking out a bottle of his homemade hot sauce.
Theodore Greengrass fell silent for a moment, then continued:
“We’re all aware of your situation at school. We also know what incredible, unimaginable things you’ve already done. It’s clear you have a future far beyond anyone’s imagination.”
“Your future is unstoppable, immeasurable. That’s why both Daphne’s mother and I hope that one day she and her younger sister can stand by your side.”
“I firmly believe this would be the wisest decision our Greengrass family has ever made,” Theodore’s voice was steady, his gaze burning with barely concealed passion.
“What exactly did he do?” Lupin was starting to feel like something was off. This proud Pure-blood noble was quite obviously pledging allegiance, to a twelve-year-old boy?!
Lupin, sensing that there was some vital piece of information he didn’t know, suddenly found the delicious food on the table hard to swallow.
However—
Theodore Greengrass didn’t respond to his question, leaving Lupin to mutter in frustration. He and Theodore had a few grudges from their school days after all.
“Yeah… what did I even do?”
Fortunately, Ian himself also looked confused.
Besides getting rid of one-seventh of Tom Riddle, what else had he done that would make a Pure-blood family so openly express their allegiance?
Where was the honor and pride of the Sacred Twenty-Eight?
Where did it all go?
“Mr. Prince, we’re sincerely and wholeheartedly trying to align ourselves with you. So, there’s no need for you to keep hiding it, many people have already begun to sense your intentions.”
As the young wizard’s eyes grew increasingly puzzled, Theodore Greengrass’s tone grew more helpless.
“Not long ago, in Knockturn Alley, when you subdued a group of captive werewolves, though it was done discreetly, that place is under our control. We figured out your plans.”
“Your ambition is now plain to see. There’s no need to keep it under wraps… Wizards are clearly on the verge of a new order, and all I hope is that our house can once again stand on the right side of that order.”
Theodore’s words were utterly sincere and heartfelt, with no attempt to conceal anything.
“?????”
But the young wizard was sitting there with his mouth wide open, stunned at the absurdity.
He had only kept those werewolves around to study the properties of werewolf blood more effectively!
How had that somehow turned into a rebellious declaration of revolution in the eyes of these Pure-bloods?!
Just as he was about to open his mouth and pull Lupin over to testify for him,
“I knew it! I knew it! I knew something was off when you started dabbling in that kind of… that kind of stuff!” Instead of backing him up, Lupin suddenly betrayed him on the spot.
His face had turned deathly pale. His expression screamed enlightenment and horror, and he looked at the young wizard with a gaze filled with stunned disbelief.
“You understand nothing, you hammer-headed moron!” Ian wanted nothing more than to kick him across the room.
Look!
Just look!
Lupin’s insane reaction immediately caused Theodore Greengrass to show that “I knew it” smirk, the classic expression of someone who finally confirmed their suspicions.
“…”
At this point, Ian seriously wondered—
Would jumping into the Yellow River be enough to clear his name?
(End of Chapter)
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