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The encounter in Knockturn Alley was quite the unexpected interlude.
However, for Ian, who had been trying for days without success to get Lupin’s blood, this interlude was like someone handing him a pillow just as he was about to fall asleep.
It took the entire afternoon before Ian, satisfied at last, left Knockturn Alley with Lupin.
“What did you do to them?” Lupin still hadn’t recovered from the shock after the whole afternoon. He hadn’t managed to get any useful information out of the werewolves missing limbs or bleeding out. Being beaten up by a student was such a shameful humiliation that none of the proud werewolves could bring themselves to talk about it.
“Obviously, I convinced them with my impeccable logic,” Ian replied, fiddling with his bulging coin pouch, though instead of coins, it was filled with blood samples from dozens of different werewolves.
In addition to the diversity of blood samples, Ian had also asked the werewolves to collect other bodily fluids. He was quite curious about the reproductive capacity of werewolves and whether their milk might also be contagious.
Unfortunately, none of the books on werewolf studies covered such topics. Naturally, Ian had to fill in this academic gap through his own research.
“What impeccable logic was that?” Lupin asked as he returned to the Orphanage and immediately started cleaning up the traces of his blood left behind in the room. He had sustained several non-lethal injuries during the earlier fight.
Although he had already treated the wounds and cleaned up most of the blood before coming back, for safety’s sake, he still had to be meticulous. If any children were to come into contact with his blood, it could easily turn into an irreversible tragedy.
Young children were the type to put even maggots in their mouths. Licking unknown fluids off various surfaces was practically a daily routine for them. Many cases of child poisoning actually stemmed from such bad habits.
“Obviously, I explained how power flows from the wand. That truth only exists within wand range, and so on… Didn’t you see how their eyes got clearer after learning these truths?” Ian said, eyeing the vein in Lupin’s arm that would be easiest to draw blood from. He still wanted a few more samples from someone who hadn’t yet consumed the [Lucid Awakening Potion].
Lupin felt a little creeped out by the way Ian was staring at him.
“All I saw was extortion disguised as a sale…”
Just thinking about it brought back memories of the werewolves’ tragic state.
Large volumes of werewolf blood bought for just a few silver Sickles, it was only marginally better than the copper Knuts he had received. Even the shady wizards in Knockturn Alley dared not exploit werewolves like this.
“I merely exercised a touch of American-style hegemony. Naturally, the victor earns the right to set the price for the test subjects,” Ian said, feeling he had already been quite generous.
At least he hadn’t rounded up the werewolves to be farmed in cages.
If that wasn’t kindness, then what was?
“How much werewolf blood did you get?” Lupin didn’t even want to think about that giant syringe Ian had used, it looked thicker than his own forearm.
“Dozens kilograms, I guess it’s not that much,” Ian estimated his haul casually.
“…”
Lupin was at a loss for words once againnn. Ian’s response sounded like he still hadn’t collected enough. For context, the market typically dealt in blood measured by the ounce.
“What are you going to do with all that werewolf blood?” He asked with a puzzled look on his face. It wasn’t like he was unfamiliar with top-tier potion masters, his best friend’s stunning wife was a potions genius, after all.
“I suspect that there may be hidden treasures within the werewolf virus. To unlock its secrets, this amount of blood might not even be enough,” Ian replied. He never saw himself as just a potioneer, he believed that scientific methods could be applied to magic as well.
Perhaps in this world, there were no ‘bad’ viruses, only people who misused or misunderstood them.
“I really feel like you’re planning something evil… I’m definitely reporting today’s events to Dumbledore,” Lupin muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead, still feeling chills down his spine.
Now that he’d had a moment to breathe, he had begun to reflect more deeply on everything that had happened. The only reasonable explanation was that Ian’s strength was beyond normal comprehension.
No wonder he’s from one of the five great mixed-blood families!
Power like this is absolutely terrifying!
Now that he had come to realize the possibility that this kid might be an unimaginably powerful little monster, Lupin finally understood why Albus Dumbledore himself needed someone to keep an eye on Ian.
This guy is not even twelve years old and yet his power was already far beyond that of adult wizards like Lupin.
In some ways, this was even more concerning than the Dark Lord himself… At least the Dark Lord had clear motives for his evil deeds. Ian, on the other hand, might cause chaos simply out of curiosity.
As a former member of one of the biggest prankster groups at Hogwarts, Lupin could imagine all too well the kind of havoc a powerful wizard, student or adult, could accidentally unleash!
“If you hadn’t run off so soon, you’d have been able to give a more detailed report, witness the glorious scene of me unleashing my might, while wicked werewolves trembled in fear!” Ian didn’t shy away from boasting about his achievements.
It was only because Lupin had run off from Knockturn Alley that he missed seeing Ian’s dazzling performance. Otherwise, Ian would have insisted on showing off.
As for tattling to Headmaster Dumbledore?
Since when had he ever worried about that?
“I know you’re strong, okay?” Lupin sighed heavily, his eyes falling on Ian’s bulging pouch. “You’re not secretly carrying any extremely dangerous alchemy items, are you?”
Even though he had already come to terms with the situation, everything still felt a bit surreal… Not even the young Albus Dumbledore had this kind of power before the age of twelve, surely?
As a core member of the Order of the Phoenix, the fact that Lupin was even having such thoughts showed just how deeply shaken he was by the situation Ian had created.
“Define ‘Dangerous’? Let me check whether I’ve brought anything like that… If you mean large-scale destructive items, I don’t think I have any suitable ones on me right now,” Ian replied truthfully, tilting his head slightly in response to the “supervisor’s” question.
However—
Despite Ian’s display of honesty and enthusiasm, it was clearly not the kind of answer Lupin had hoped for. The brow of the worn-down, middle-aged man had already begun to sweat profusely.
He felt he really shouldn’t have asked such a stupid question. If he hadn’t, his mind wouldn’t be this uneasy, and his brain wouldn’t be trembling like it was now.
“Has Hogwarts and its Professors become this tolerant these days…” He murmured in a hoarse voice. But the moment the words left his mouth, he immediately realized how foolish they sounded.
Sure enough—
Ian’s response shut Lupin up instantly.
“If Hogwarts can accept werewolves as students, then why not someone like me, with an intense thirst for knowledge? No offense intended, of course. I was merely using that as an example to show how inclusive Hogwarts is. Hogwarts and I are super close.”
Sometimes, sincerity really is a killer move.
It only took one sentence from Ian and Lupin no longer wanted to argue the point.
“It’s almost mealtime. You should go eat.” He wanted to be alone for a while, not because he was emotionally wounded, but because he needed time to process everything that had happened earlier that day.
“Are you planning to drink this [Lucid Awakening Potion]?” Ian pulled out the potion Lupin had given him earlier, but after a moment’s hesitation, Lupin shook his head.
“With the Wolfsbane Potion you gave me, I’ll be fine for tonight… As for this mysterious potion, I don’t think it’s wise to just drink something with an unknown origin.”
Lupin had clearly wrestled with himself for a while over the decision. When he finally looked away from the [Lucid Awakening Potion], there was a hint of struggle in his eyes. This was already a sign of great willpower. Just as only a true hero could get through Romance of the Three Kingdoms, only a werewolf could truly understand the fear of the full moon.
“Then I’ll study it more thoroughly first.”
Ian felt Lupin’s judgment was reasonable. Even though he hadn’t found anything abnormal in the werewolves he tested, no one could say for certain whether the [Lucid Awakening Potion] might have long-term side effects.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, or even a cheap one… That guy who impersonated Godric Gryffindor might very well be using Knockturn Alley’s werewolves for [clinical trials]. Anyone familiar with large-scale human experimentation knows that Phase I and Phase II [clinical trials] are where the most problems tend to occur.
“I’m in no rush,” Lupin said, though he seemed to have more on his mind.
In truth, he trusted the other side of the Prince family a bit more.
Of course.
It was only in terms of potion-making ability.
But even this trust, limited to potion-making skills, came with a condition, that is, so long as that half-Prince’s potions weren’t being handed directly to his mouth, then it would be alright.
“You’re worried I might bring in my uncle to help me study this?” Ian instantly understood the awkward expression on Lupin’s face. He knew quite a bit about the longstanding tension between Lupin’s little group and Snape.
“You used Legilimency on me?” Lupin’s face turned pale with shock.
Ian had never expected seeing that expression on someone else’s face would feel so satisfying.
“You think I needed to read your mind for that?”
He finally understood the joy Professor Morgan had felt before, and at this moment, he was grinning in sheer delight.
“I don’t want to stir up trouble in your family,” Lupin said calmly. “We come from different positions, that’s all. But from my perspective, Snape isn’t someone I can trust.”
There wasn’t much emotion in his tone, just a flat statement of his opinion on Snape. It wasn’t exactly prejudice, either, as Lupin had said: everyone’s point of view came from their own position.
To this down-and-out werewolf, the death of his good friend and that friend’s wife were all intertwined with Snape. It was only natural that he would never place his trust in a former Death Eater like him.
“Relax. The [Lucid Awakening Potion] still has flaws. I will create the perfect Wolfsbane Potion, and that honor… I fully intend to enjoy it all to myself.” Ian blinked seriously, his expression full of sincerity as he spoke.
“…”
Lupin felt he should be relieved by Ian’s honest answer… but in truth, his feelings right now were complicated beyond words.
“You could maybe… be a little less honest,” He muttered. It wasn’t that he wanted to corrupt Ian, it was just that he hoped their conversations wouldn’t always leave him feeling so utterly speechless.
“Okay.” Ian nodded obediently, and pulled out a little notebook.
“You’re not seriously taking notes on this, are you?” Lupin suddenly felt the distinct aura of a Ravenclaw student radiating from Ian.
However—
What he didn’t know was:
[Today, clear weather. After Lupin fled the scene again and came back only to talk in circles for an hour once I’d solved the problem, he then proceeded to encourage me to lie more often.]
This was what Ian was writing in his notebook, his own version of a report to Albus Dumbledore. After all, Lupin wasn’t the only one who could keep making reports, right? In fact, Ian had already been logging his reports for several days, and true to his style, he always recorded only the truth.
“I’m off to eat,” Ian said after jotting down his notes. He didn’t respond to Lupin’s earlier comment, simply packed up his things and headed for the door of the dim room.
“Oh, by the way, you’re not planning on going out tonight, right?” Ian paused just as he opened the door, glancing back over his shoulder.
His question caught Lupin slightly off guard.
“Of course not. I’ll lock the door and stay inside quietly, waiting for the transformation to pass. Don’t worry, I’ve already reinforced the windows and doors with protective charms.”
Lupin showed Ian the various precautions he’d taken.
Ian gave a small nod.
“Mm-hmm, that’s good. Since you’ve prepared so thoroughly, I suppose you wouldn’t mind if I added a few more protective measures?” Ian asked, his tone sweetly polite but clearly laced with meaning.
“Uh… of course not.”
Lupin hesitated only slightly before nodding and agreeing. He was already well aware of Ian’s skill in alchemy, anyone who had studied under Nicolas Flamel couldn’t possibly be lacking in that department.
“Are you reinforcing the walls of my room?” Seeing Ian pull out a coil of thread and begin drawing patterns on the walls, Lupin immediately wanted to lend a hand in upgrading the safehouse.
But—
He had only just stepped over to Ian’s side when he caught a glimpse of what Ian was taking out, and his body froze in place. Sweat instantly began beading again on his forehead.
“These things… they explode, don’t they?” Lupin asked, eyes wide with dread as he watched Ian affix one small box after another onto the wall, each one blinking with a pulsing red light that made his heart pound.
As “Moony” from the original Marauder’s Map, even this down-and-out werewolf’s alchemy skills surpassed those of most ordinary wizards. So it only took him a moment to recognize just how dangerous those little boxes were.
“Of course. As long as they’re installed in your room, if the wall structure suffers significant damage, they’ll unleash an explosion powerful enough to shred an adult troll,” Ian explained, glancing at Lupin with a bit of surprise, he hadn’t expected Lupin’s eye for detail to be quite so sharp. Then he calmly continued installing the little boxes around the room.
“Uh…”
The sweat on Lupin’s forehead began to pour more rapidly.
“I thought we agreed these were safety measures?” He tried, rather diplomatically, to hint that maybe he didn’t need this sort of setup.
But—
“They are safety measures,” Ian replied confidently. “Don’t worry. These explosions are perfectly safe. They only blow inward, not outward. So there is no chance of harming any innocent bystanders who might be walking past outside.”
With that rock-solid confidence and a face full of sincerity, Ian’s explanation left Lupin completely speechless. After a long moment of silence, he finally understood what Ian’s version of “safety measures” actually meant.
So basically—
‘If I die, then everyone else will be safe?’
“…”
Stuck in gloomy silence, Lupin simply stood there as Ian finished preparing the room, waved goodbye, and skipped out the door toward the Great Hall.
“Ka-chak~”
Once Ian was gone, Lupin locked the door with magic and finally let his expression collapse.
“Wool’s Orphanage… there’s definitely something weird about this place…” Staring at the blinking little boxes covering his walls, he wondered whether he was imagining things. But the thought of another wizard who’d come out of this same place made his gut twist. He had a sinking feeling the new one might already have surpassed the old.
“To think I’m the one trusted to watch over this kid… Dumbledore is far too optimistic.”
A thousand words swirled in his heart, but in the end, all Lupin could do was sigh deeply.
And even now, the thought of running away didn’t cross his mind.
That was what true loyalty to Albus Dumbledore looked like.
Time passed day by day. Since returning from Knockturn Alley, Ian had thrown himself into research and study. During the long holiday, each day felt both free and tightly structured.
Time slipped by in the soft friction of quills against parchment. A fulfilling life, with small discoveries and progress each day, helped to gradually soothe Ian’s anxiety over the “cooldown” period of the Twilight Zone.
The most visible sign of this shift? He went from beating the black-robed skeleton three times a day, morning, noon, and night, to just twice: morning and evening.
The suitcase given to him by Albus Dumbledore was just that, a suitcase for clothes and miscellaneous items. It wasn’t as expansive as Newt Scamander’s, which meant the black-robed skeleton had nowhere to hide.
Every time Ian gave it a good thrashing, its pitiful howls would echo through the case, while the Dementor curled in the corner would giggle quietly to itself. That was perhaps the only joy the Dementor Ian kept could still savor.
And it was precious joy, no doubt.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t keep coming back to watch every time Ian beat the skeleton, even knowing it would become the skeleton’s emotional punching bag afterward.
“You’re such a freak,” Ian would sometimes snap at the Dementor to vent. In the heat of summer, with no air conditioning around, he often let the Dementor out to cool the room like a human A/C unit.
Its effect utterly outclassed that of a clammy air conditioner, the temperature would drop to a refreshing level in seconds. Just shove the Dementor into the ventilation ducts, and even in this old building, the temperature would quickly become pleasantly cool.
It even worked better than the Corpse Preservation Charm invented by Aurora. Yes, Ian often corresponded with his good friend. The speed of black phoenix post was only marginally slower than the Internet.
However, Aurora was frequently busy, and her replies were often delayed. Ian guessed that she might be secretly using the summer holiday to cram extra study and practice without anyone knowing.
If that weren’t the case—
Spells like Corpse Preservation Charm, Instant Deboning Curse, Cranial Fountain Jinx, and Exploding Dung Maggot Hex, all of which Ian considered deeply morbid, wouldn’t keep ending up in her letters.
The last one, Exploding Dung Maggot Hex, was especially insane. It could instantly convert all the food residue in a person’s intestines into squirming dung maggots.
Ian honestly couldn’t imagine what kind of mental state Aurora had to be in to come up with these modified charms. Perhaps she just believed that younger wizards tended to have a particular fondness for these kinds of grotesque jinxes?
“Even as someone as morbid as me, I still think these charms are utterly outrageous…”
Ian, however, didn’t discourage Aurora’s enthusiasm for sharing. He also shared his own research with the German girl.
Though he didn’t have any breakthrough new charms to offer, his research on werewolf blood had yielded some key insights into the components of the Lucid Awakening Potion.
That led to a major breakthrough in his efforts to improve the Wolfsbane Potion. However, despite months of work, the inherent toxicity of werewolf blood remained a serious challenge.
This was also something the Lucid Awakening Potion hadn’t fully solved, it wasn’t a simple problem with a simple fix. With no immediate breakthrough, Ian shifted gears and instead developed two new products.
One was the Werewolf Potion, derived from the infectious traits of werewolf bloodlines.
The other was the Rapid Regeneration Potion, created by isolating and refining the regenerative properties in werewolf physiology.
First, the Werewolf Potion:
Its advantage was that it didn’t need to be ingested, simply splashing it on a target would be enough to transform them into a werewolf. But its downside was equally stark: the transformation was permanent, making the victim indistinguishable from a naturally infected werewolf.
“Still due to the uncontrollable infection traits…”
This flaw wasn’t unsolvable, just currently beyond Ian’s reach. The best he could do for now was the second product, Rapid Regeneration Potion.
Rapid Regeneration Potion could heal all physical injuries and illnesses within 30 minutes. Because it only extracted a few key regenerative compounds from the werewolf blood, its infectivity was extremely low. As long as it wasn’t consumed repeatedly over a span of 10 days or more, there was virtually no risk of turning into a werewolf.
Of course—
There was still a catch.
It was incredibly expensive to make.
Ten kilograms of werewolf blood were needed to produce just one bottle of the potion.
And although there were similar potions available in the wizarding world, they offered less dramatic results, but came at a much lower cost.
“Anyway, for now, neither of these two can be called a finished product.” But Ian wasn’t discouraged. He knew solving these problems was only a matter of time.
As his mastery of potions continued to rise, he was confident that he would one day perfect both brews. That confidence, born from a “cheat-like” proficiency, meant he never felt lost or unsure.
“Learning and research always make me feel fulfilled.”
Sometimes, when taking a break, Ian would lie in the orphanage courtyard, watching the sunset turn the sky a soft orange hue. As the sun rose and set once more, time flowed like sand through fingertips, quiet and ceaseless.
Day after day, life wove its own unique summer story.
And so came another morning.
On a day bathed in warm, gentle sunshine, the orphanage’s courtyard was filled with laughter. For Ian, this was a special day.
July 7th, his birthday.
Though the orphanage was simple, every inch of it was filled with love and hope.
Ms. Helena, the kind and ever-smiling director, had already secretly planned a small surprise for Ian.
She knew that for every child, a birthday wasn’t just a marker of growing older, it was proof that someone remembered them, and that they were loved.
Nearly every orphan got a celebration on their birthday, organized as best as Helena could manage. And for most of them, their “birthday” was the day she had found them.
No notes, no records, Helena had never forgotten the beginning of any child’s story.
As the noon sun climbed gently over the windowsill, the orphanage’s little feast hall had already been decorated, warm, simple, and full of thought.
Colorful balloons gently swayed, and a handmade banner reading “Happy Birthday Ian” hung on the wall. The feast was more plentiful than usual, and of course, a small cake was never missing.
“Make a wish.” Ms. Helena personally placed a party hat on Ian’s head.
“Mm.”
Ian closed his eyes, silently made a wish, then blew out the candle marking his entrance into his twelfth year. The eagerly awaiting children each received a small piece of cake.
“What did you wish for?” Lupin, who was also present at Ian’s birthday celebration, was curious about what kind of desires a young wizard like Ian might hold in his heart.
“Guess.” Ian blinked and gave no answer.
Next to him, a little girl named Mia, who had been staring at the cream Ian had picked off his plate, reluctantly shifted her gaze away from the cream.
“If you say your wish out loud, it won’t come true. Uncle Lupin, you must be up to no good.” The girl said firmly and with innocence typical of children.
“…”
Lupin didn’t know how to respond. He had wanted to take this chance to talk about the dreams of young wizards but ended up being seen as the villain in the children’s eyes.
“That’s my fault.”
He noticed several kids looking his way and could only wear a sheepish expression to admit his mistake. The children laughed happily and quietly pulled out small notebooks to jot down what had happened today.
[Today, clear skies. Senior Lupin harbored ill intentions towards me, nearly tricking innocent me. Luckily, my good social skills helped me avoid a sad and tearful experience.]
It seemed as though Ian was still writing the truth but had learned to use rhetorical flourishes more frequently, the exaggerated style was clearly a skill Ian had mastered.
“What are you writing?” Mia curiously leaned over to look at Ian’s notebook.
However—
Ian quickly tucked the notebook into his chest, preventing the little girl from getting a peek. Among all the orphans, Mia was definitely the biggest chatterbox, embodying many traits of a Gryffindor.
“Where’s my gift? Mia! You didn’t get me a birthday present, did you?” After hiding the notebook, Ian boldly shifted Mia’s attention by demanding a gift.
“No way! Of course I did!” Mia immediately pulled out a small box, beautifully wrapped in decorative paper.
“Ian, this is the sound of the sea. I hope you feel as happy every day as I do when I hear the waves.” Inside her gift was her most treasured possession, a beloved seashell necklace.
“Me too! I got you a gift!”
“Look at mine first! Ian! Look at my gift first!”
“This is all my wealth! They belong only to you!”
…
With Mia starting things off, the children eagerly rushed up to Ian, each clutching their presents. With the sincerest of hearts, they prepared meaningful gifts for him.
Tom, a shy boy who always wore a bashful smile, gave Ian a small wooden carving he had made himself. The wood was rough and uneven, but it bore the words “Best Brother” carved into it.
Jack gave Ian a Bible, its pages yellowed and cover worn. Jack said this book had accompanied him through countless lonely nights, giving him endless comfort and strength. Now, he wanted to pass that strength on to Ian, hoping God would protect him always.
Daniel also gave a book, a copy of his grandmother’s “Secrets of Witch Doctors.” Ian flipped through it, and even from the standpoint of a conservative wizard, he thought the book was utterly ridiculous.
Some of the recipes—
Just hearing about them made one want to vomit.
It was said this book had been passed down through eighteen generations of Daniel’s family… Of course, Ian couldn’t refuse a gift from a friend, so he gratefully accepted Daniel’s present with a bright smile. Perhaps by taking this book, Daniel might finally break their house’s “curse” , the average age never exceeding thirty.
“This! This is my gift!” Catherine tightly held a drawing she had made herself, it depicted Ian and all the kids happily running on a grassy field.
She eagerly handed the painting to Ian, her eyes sparkling with hopeful anticipation.
“It’s very well drawn. I think I’ll have to frame it in my room, right next to my few Van Gogh pieces. Maybe one day you’ll become an exceptionally talented artist.”
Ian offered Catherine some encouragement.
“I… Ian, I don’t want to be just an artist, you know.”
There was a hint of exaggerated joy in Catherine’s eyes, but also a touch of nervous hesitation. Her dreams of the magical world had always lived deep in her heart.
“No problem, of course no problem… You’ll definitely achieve what you desire. Here, have a drink.”
Ian poured a glass of blue sparkling water for Catherine.
The little girl didn’t hesitate.
With a “gurgle” sound, she quickly drank it all down.
She even wanted more.
The other kids immediately clamored for a drink as well, and Ian happily poured a cup for each of them, though their drinks were much lighter in color than Catherine’s. Luckily, the kids didn’t mind at all; they just wanted a drink poured by their big elder brother Ian. The Feast Hall soon echoed with the chorus of “hoot hoot” drinking sounds.
“This is my gift.” Lupin, somewhat awkwardly, handed over a small box at that moment. Ian opened it to find a card inside, probably worth less than the box it came in.
“Thank you, Senior Lupin.” Ian gave Lupin a smile.
He understood.
This down-and-out werewolf was genuinely poor. The fact that he managed to scrape together enough money to buy a card, and a box to put it in, was probably a huge strain on Lupin’s wallet.
“You know my situation…” Lupin clearly felt embarrassed and awkward about how humble his gift was.
“Birthdays are about happiness above all.”
Ian gave Lupin a hug.
He was a very sentimental young wizard, so he decided to hold off reporting Lupin’s mischief for three days as a small token of gratitude for Lupin spending money on him.
“You haven’t seen my gift yet!”
One after another, the kids continued to bring gifts to Ian.
Each gift carried the orphans’ deep blessings and care for Ian. They might lack flashy appearances or expensive price tags, but the pure affection behind them was far more precious than any material thing. To Ian, these gifts were not just objects , they were a testament to the strong friendship between him and his friends at the Orphanage.
They were beautiful memories of the happy times they had shared. In this family without blood ties, Ian was not alone, and neither was anyone else.
The celebration and joy lasted all day. Besides the blessings and company of his family, when Ian returned to his room, he also had gifts from friends at Hogwarts. But just as he finished showering and was about to open the presents, he heard hurried footsteps outside his door.
“Knock knock knock~”
Someone was knocking.
The knocking was urgent and persistent.
“Who is it? I’m already asleep.”
Though Ian sensed the person’s emotions and thoughts outside, he still asked rhetorically, mainly because, having changed into his pajamas, he didn’t want to open the door or talk to anyone.
“Ian! It’s me! It’s Lupin!” The honest werewolf obviously didn’t pick up on Ian’s implied meaning. While speaking, he kept knocking relentlessly, the loud banging making the entire doorframe shake.
“Ah!”
With no other choice, Ian put on his clothes and waved his wand. In the next moment, the sleeping room transformed into an incredibly spacious laboratory, he had done a tiny bit of magic modification to his own room, allowing the ordinary room and the lab to coexist in this little space.
If even the unpopular Noseless One could build a fireplace, then Ian could certainly remodel his own room.
“Is there something going on this late at night? Don’t you usually not go out at night?” Ian opened the door and let Lupin in, clearly displeased by Lupin disturbing him.
“Tonight’s different!”
Lupin glanced around and didn’t even stop to admire Ian’s modifications to the room.
“What’s going on with that little girl?” His gaze fixed on Ian, carrying a probing look. Though his voice seemed calm, his rapid breathing gave away his anxiety.
Obviously, Lupin’s inner calm was just a facade.
“What little girl?”
Ian sat down in front of an experiment table and began unpacking gifts from classmates. Michael had given him a magic oven, I wondered if he had dismantled the oven at home.
“It’s really huge!”
Ian looked at the oven, about two meters long and half a meter wide, and couldn’t help but cover his mouth in genuine amazement. Now he suspected Michael had somehow gotten his hands on a crematorium.
Compared to an oven sized to cook for twenty people, and with the ability to cook without electricity, it definitely had the traits of something suitable for a sinister purpose.
“Hiss~”
Lupin was stunned by the oven’s size, but he clearly had no mood to care about it.
The thing that had kept him up half the night was far more terrifying.
“Of course I’m talking about that little girl named Catherine. I’ve been watching her for a while; she should be a Squib.” Lupin swallowed and his voice was hoarse.
“And then?”
Ian didn’t look back.
He continued unpacking the gifts at the table.
Cho Chang had prepared a beautiful magic bouquet for Ian. The flowers were not only colorful and fragrant, but each bloom contained a different magic.
They would emit different scents depending on the weather.
“This is incredible. Just a moment ago, I sensed her magic power stirring. If nothing goes wrong, she should awaken her magic power next year!”
Lupin’s voice was filled with shock and a little horror.
“That should be a good thing, right? Why do you look so panicked?” Ian paused what he was doing, a satisfied smile on his face.
“Looks like my younger sister is about to become my female junior.” He finally put down the present and turned back, speaking lightly to the serious-looking Lupin.
“Do you know when the Book of Admittance records new students?” This was something Ian hadn’t researched before, but he guessed that the old troublemaker gang might have touched on it.
“One year before the school year starts…”
Just as expected.
Lupin knew the answer.
They might not have access to the Book of Admittance or the Quill of Acceptance, but they had studied and investigated this legendary Hogwarts artifact during their student days.
“Looks like there’s still plenty of time.” Ian was in a great mood and dismissed the idea of looking into it three days later. He generously decided not to hold a grudge against Lupin for disturbing him so late.
“My gut tells me this definitely has something to do with you.” Lupin, having witnessed Ian’s impossible magical achievements, thought Ian’s success in potions might be just as remarkable.
This was a little wizard who couldn’t be judged by common sense or normal reasoning.
“Don’t trust your intuition, trust science… no, trust magic,” Ian quickly corrected himself, but that didn’t stop Lupin from continuing to search for answers.
“Magic has proven itself over thousands of years, once someone becomes a Squib, it’s nearly impossible for them to regain it… Yet today, without any major incident, the life of a Squib little girl was completely reversed…” Lupin’s words made his meaning very clear.
He still suspected that the drastic change in Catherine had something to do with Ian.
Of course, this wasn’t the main reason Lupin was up all night, breaking the rules he set for himself just to come find the little wizard and get to the bottom of things.
“You gave her that kind of water, didn’t you?” Lupin wasn’t a fool. In fact, as a Gryffindor, if a student was willing to think, they weren’t much worse than a Ravenclaw.
He just reviewed everything that happened during the day and immediately sensed something suspicious, something that unsettled him deeply.
“I remember you gave that water to all the kids.” This was what Lupin found truly chilling, Catherine wasn’t the only one who drank that blue potion.
If… things really were what he feared… the consequences would be earth-shattering.
“I know what you’re worried about. Don’t be so sensitive. The water Catherine drank only works on Squibs,” Ian said, seeing Lupin’s determined expression, knowing denial was pointless.
“So! It really is what I think it is!?”
Lupin’s pupils shrank sharply several times. Although he had anticipated this, hearing the definite answer still filled him with disbelief.
“Maybe, probably, possibly?” Ian replied with a series of uncertain words.
“…”
Lupin still wasn’t used to the little wizard’s casual attitude. He clenched his fists and paced the room anxiously, his expression growing more uneasy and worried.
“Have you told anyone else about this? You should tell your uncle, no, you should tell Dumbledore directly. You probably don’t realize how much danger this potion could bring you.”
Lupin was genuinely concerned for the little wizard’s safety. Of course, mixed in with that was his worry about the chaos such a potion could cause if it became public knowledge.
“You know, I know, no one else knows. If it gets leaked out… hehe, then it’s definitely your fault,” Ian said without much concern for the risk of others coveting it.
He wasn’t just powerful now, he also had many tricks to keep himself alive.
“Huh?”
Lupin’s pacing abruptly stopped at Ian’s words. “Then you might as well not have told me. Damn it, why didn’t you just say earlier that your Head of House/Director worships a God who showed himself?!”
To be honest, the down-and-out werewolf somewhat regretted it now. Knowing such a secret, even if he never spoke it, would add another layer of psychological burden to his nights.
If time could flow backward,
he wished the little wizard had told him it was a divine revelation.
He would have believed it.
Even if he didn’t believe, he would’ve pretended to.
“Catherine is also somewhat of a generic believer in God. But even if God really exists, have you ever seen Him truly intervene to help all His followers?”
Ian turned back and resumed unpacking the gifts.
“But your potion, this invention…” Lupin hesitated for a moment, then chose a gentler way to express the seriousness of the issue to the little wizard.
“You should hide it until the moment you’re truly qualified to reveal it. Honestly, I’d bet your uncle wouldn’t dare use this potion himself.”
“The disasters this thing could cause are unimaginable… I’m not saying you can’t use it to help those poor Squibs, but you should at least discuss it with Headmaster Dumbledore.”
Lupin thought that with Albus Dumbledore’s authority, the consequences of publicizing or using such a potion might be somewhat controlled.
“My skills aren’t too bad, right?” Ian tilted his head slightly.
“See, it’s the wizarding houses trying to be friendly.” Ian held an invitation from the Greengrass house, sent along with a gift from Miss Daphne Greengrass herself.
Perhaps including the gift, everything was carefully chosen by Daphne Greengrass’s parents and sent under her name.
If not—
Ian would have to suspect Daphne Greengrass of having some kind of masochistic tendency.
“Interests move people’s hearts, kid,” Lupin glanced at the invitation in Ian’s hand and sighed heavily. He thought the little wizard might not fully understand just how treacherous human nature could be.
“I can’t just watch Catherine’s hope of going to Hogwarts be crushed, can I?” Ian actually understood what Lupin meant but felt he already had sufficient preparations to handle it.
“You’re not wrong, but…”
Lupin wanted to say more.
Ian shook his head, cutting him off.
“No buts, Lupin senior. You should understand better than me the importance of family. Making your loved ones happy, that’s worth more than anything else.”
With a flick of his wand, the laboratory transformed back into his room. The gifts he received from the kids during the day were carefully arranged around the room.
“Catherine prays to God every day with Miss Helena. Yet, even though she carries wizard blood, God still chose to play a cruel joke on this faithful believer of His.”
“I just corrected God’s merciless joke… Wizards, magic, our very existence is for this: to control our own fate while also being able to change others’ fate.”
Ian replied softly.
“You…”
Lupin looked somewhat stunned.
“What do you mean?”
Of course, he hadn’t really failed to understand. But at that moment, a faint voice inside Lupin’s heart told him he might be about to catch a genuine glimpse of the little wizard’s deepest thoughts.
“It’s a simple truth.”
Ian looked at the painting Catherine had given him.
It showed him.
And the people he cared about.
“For my friends and family, even if they don’t receive a response from God, they will definitely get one from me… For a wizard, nothing should be impossible.”
Ian’s tone was gentle yet resolute.
“Even if God forbids it, it can’t beat… my determination to grant it.”
In this room with only two people, As he looked at the increasingly shocked senior before him, He reiterated his belief in “Wizards as gods.”
(The End of this Chapter)
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