Lupin gave a bitter smile and looked at the young wizard across the table with admiration. He knew that Bryan had seen through his intentions, but he still hoped to persuade him to accept his request.
"There is one more thing I need to ask you, Bryan."
Lupin said earnestly, waiting for Bryan's response.
"Let's hear it, Remus."
Bryan said, gesturing to the empty chair in front of him. He poured a cup of tea for Lupin and offered it to him.
Although he had some resentment towards the man lupin wanted to avenge who had cuckolded Professor Snape, whom he respected, Bryan did not want to be too narrow-minded. He was willing to listen to what Lupin had to say.
Lupin hesitated for a moment, then nodded gratefully and took the seat opposite Bryan. He felt the warmth of the tea in his throat, which calmed his nerves a bit.
Although he was respected by the children in the school, He was well aware that he was an unwelcome werewolf in the wizarding world. He appreciated that Bryan, who knew his secret, was still able to talk to him civilly. There were not many wizards who would do that.
"There is something that worries me, Bryan. I hope you can do me a favor." Lupin said in a low voice, meeting Bryan's gaze.
Bryan leaned his chin on his hands and listened quietly, without giving any indication of his thoughts.
"You know, Bryan, I turn into a werewolf every full moon night." Lupin said matter-of-factly, as if he was talking about the weather.
"I know that, Remus. And I also know that you can't teach when that happens." Bryan said, raising his eyebrows. "Do you want me to take over your classes for a few days every month?"
"No, no, that's not it. Dumbledore has already arranged that. Professor Snape will temporarily replace me during those days."
Lupin said quickly, as if he was afraid that Bryan would refuse him because of that. Bryan smiled, thinking that his old professor would finally get to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. He wondered how Snape would cope with the curse that seemed to haunt that position, and whether he would last a full year.
"The first full moon after I joined Hogwarts will be at the beginning of next month. In a few days, I will start taking small doses of a diluted wolfsbane potion, as prescribed by Professor Snape. But he told me that since I have never taken this potion before, it might not work as well as expected. It might not suppress my aggression completely. So I told Dumbledore about this, and you can imagine, Bryan, how terrible it would be if I lost control in the school. I can't take that risk."
Lupin said calmly, as if he was not talking about himself.
Bryan was silent for a moment, then gave a slight smile and narrowed his eyes.
"So, the clever Dumbledore must have given you a good suggestion, right?" Bryan asked sarcastically, as he leaned back on his chair and looked at Lupin with a mocking smile.
"Albus suggested that I find a powerful wizard to watch over me for those two days." Lupin said, hoping that Bryan would catch his hint.
Lupin gazed at the young wizard sitting opposite him with a sincere expression. "You see, Bryan, I thought you would be the best choice. Minerva and Filius are both excellent wizards, but to be honest, they might get hurt if I lose control of myself. Albus has too many things on his plate already, I don't want to trouble him any further."
Lupin hoped that Bryan would understand his situation and agree to help him.
Bryan rolled his eyes inwardly. 'Too many things on his plate? More like too many candies in his mouth or too many schemes in his head. Wait a minute, isn't this another one of his schemes? He's not trying to pawn me off to Remus, is he?'
Bryan thought cynically, as he saw through Dumbledore's ulterior motives.
Lupin was a kind-hearted werewolf, and he did not like to think ill of others. He believed that Dumbledore's words were just thoughtful suggestions, but Bryan, who was also very clever, saw through them at once. He realized that the headmaster was not only trying to help Lupin, but also trying to test him, to see if he was willing to get involved with Hogwarts again.
"Please, Bryan, if you could come to my office and watch me on the full moon nights every month-" Lupin said with a pleading tone in his voice.
"I would be very grateful to you!" He added sincerely, looking like he had quickly adapted to his role as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts.
He did not want to lose this opportunity because of his condition, and he did not want to harm anyone because of his carelessness. He trusted Dumbledore, but he also knew that the headmaster had his own troubles, and he could not depend on him entirely. He needed someone who was powerful enough to restrain him if he went wild, someone who knew him and his situation well, and was not afraid of him or disgusted by him.
Bryan was quite impressed by the 'junior's' dedication, but he was also cautious of the possible consequences.
He was not as skilled in potions as Professor Snape, who had spent most of his life mastering this field. But he had also learned a lot of potions in his years of making money, and he had never given up this skill after graduating. He suspected that this was a prank by Professor Snape, who wanted to see how Lupin would react. And he did not expect that Dumbledore would use this as an opportunity to test him.
"I refuse." Bryan said lazily, but before Lupin showed any disappointment, he continued, "I don't think I need to go to Hogwarts. You can stay with me for those two days of the full moon." He said casually, as if he was inviting Lupin for a cup of tea, not for a risky beast taming.
Lupin's face brightened, and his expression became as radiant as the sun.
He had a Defense Against the Dark Arts class for the fifth grade this morning, and he had to walk a distance with Hagrid. After thanking him profusely, Lupin followed Bryan to the bedroom. He hoped that he could make it in time for the class.
"Wingardium Leviosa." Lupin took out his wand and pointed it at Hagrid on the bed, and then Hagrid, who was sleeping soundly, was lifted up from the bed by his wrist, neck and knee as if he had invisible ropes tied to them.
Bryan looked at the obviously sagging bed board, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily. He wondered how Hagrid had managed to fit in the bed, and how much weight the bed could withstand.
"By the way, Bryan." Lupin said, as he glanced at the Daily Prophet spread out on the table. He saw the headline that caught his attention.
"Dumbledore told me that the wizard who tried to break into the Black family mansion last night was not Black, but a dark wizard who was after the Ministry of Magic's reward. I agree with him, we both know Black, and we know he doesn't have that skill."
Lupin said, as he looked at Bryan.
"Oh?" Bryan replied, as he met Lupin's gaze, smiling calmly.
"Then, who does Headmaster Dumbledore think that dark wizard is?" Bryan asked sarcastically, as he leaned back on his chair and looked at Lupin with a vague smile.
"Dumbledore has no idea either." Lupin said honestly, as he shrugged his shoulders.
"But he confirmed one thing, Sirius Black is not hiding in the old Manor of the Black family."
Lupin explained before Bryan could ask any questions. "Phineas Black was a former headmaster of Hogwarts, and his portraits are in both the headmaster's office and the Black family mansion. Last night, Dumbledore asked Headmaster Black to go back to the Black Manor and check, and he confirmed that there was no one alive in that house."
Lupin said, as he pointed to the Daily Prophet that had a picture of the Black family crest on the front page.
"Thank you for sharing the news, Lupin. I was planning to ask my friends at the Ministry of Magic about Black's incident last night. I think working with you is a smart decision."
Bryan said, as he picked up the bitter tea to refresh himself. He took a sip, and nodded at Lupin, as he appreciated his honesty and cooperation.
The sun rose higher in the sky, and cast its golden light on the land. In the alley in front of the house, an unlucky wizard who had violated the temporary management regulations and apparated to Hogsmeade was cursing and paying a fine to an official of the Magical Law Enforcement Department that Bryan had never seen before. But as soon as he turned his head, the officer pocketed the money for himself.
"So what if you know?" Bryan said indifferently, as he shrugged his shoulders and walked to the door.
He looked at the distant hill that had become clear under the sunlight, and his eyes sparkled with a faint light. He saw the isolated house on the hill that had lost its gloom and revealed its shabbiness. Bryan's brow moved slightly, and he suddenly felt that the Shrieking Shack was a good place for that soul curse research. It was quiet, remote, and he did not have to worry about anyone breaking in, nor did he have to worry about Dumbledore spying on him in that house.
"What does it matter?" Bryan returned to the bedroom, ready to repair the bed board that was crushed by Hagrid. As he turned around, he muttered again, as if he was talking to himself, or to someone who was not there.
"Please tell me!" At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, in Hagrid's hut, the gentle and elegant Professor Lupin frowned. He had just finished tucking Hagrid in with a blanket, who had drunk himself into a stupor after raiding half of the wine cellar of the Three Broomsticks pub. He could hear Hagrid's loud snores, mixed with occasional sobs and murmurs of his beloved hippogriff, Buckbeak, who was doomed to be executed by the Ministry of Magic.
He turned to look at Harry and Ron, who were as quiet as mice, and Hermione, who was mortified and wished she could disappear. He saw their guilty faces, and he felt angry and disappointed, as he knew that they had skipped their herbology class, and had broken the school rules, to visit Hagrid.
"If I remember correctly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, you three should be in Professor Sprout's herbology class, not Hagrid's hut."
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