The days at Hogwarts

Professor Lupin smiled at every indignant face. Even when he heard that the substitute lesson was about werewolves, his expression did not fluctuate. He pondered for a moment and said, "Don't worry, children. I will talk to Professor Snape. You don't have to write that paper."

"Great!"

Except for Hermione, every little wizard burst into cheers of surprise.

"Okay, students, today we are going to learn about the Hinkpunk, a small one-legged creature that looks like it's made of smoke..."

Thursday, September 1993, 9, the 30th day of the eighth month in the traditional calendar of a certain Eastern country.

The day when the moon is the fullest in the year.

There was also a Defense Against the Dark Arts class on this day, and the third-year Gryffindor wizards continued to learn Hinckley Punk.

"Hinkpunks will lead people who get lost on their journey into the swamp..." Professor Lupin was giving a lecture as usual, and the little wizards were taking notes. There was no other difference except that he smiled less than usual.

"Notice the lantern it's holding? Imagine if you were lost in the forest, night fell, and everything was dark, and this lantern was dancing in the mist - people followed the light, and then..."

Hincklepunk let out a terrifying howl at the right moment, scaring the little wizards so much that their eyes widened.

While Professor Lupin was answering questions, Hermione reached out and poked Loren's arm and whispered, "Loren, tonight is the full moon night, right?"

"Yes."

"What will Professor Lupin do, will the wolfsbane potion you made be effective, will Headmaster Dumbledore join him..." The little witch's face was full of worry.

Loren smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will be watching over Professor Lupin. He will go to the Shrieking Shack to wait for his transformation and will not be back until daybreak."

"Then..." Hermione hesitated, "Can I come with you?"

Loren looked over in surprise: "Huh?"

……

"go together?"

In the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom after class, Lupin Remus looked at the little witch with a surprised look on his face, then looked at the little wizard next to him with suspicion, and even stopped organizing the teaching aids.

Loren spread his hands helplessly: "It wasn't me who told the secret. She figured it out herself from the behavior of the Boggart and Professor Snape."

"Yes, Professor Lupin, I want to go to the Shrieking Shack with you. I want to learn more." Hermione nodded and said with a firm look, "Ever since the Anti-Werewolf Act came into effect, I have wanted to know more about werewolves. I think this bill is an unfair bill."

Understanding the unfinished meaning of the girl's words, Lupine was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and smiled: "You know, Miss Granger, you are bolder than a werewolf like me."

"So..." Hermione looked at the usually gentle professor tentatively, "Can I, Professor?"

"Why should I refuse you, the upright and brave Miss Granger?"

Chapter 316 Hermione: I'm numb

The Herbology class came after the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The little witch, who had received Professor Lupin's affirmation, was a little absent-minded throughout the class. She even forgot to answer Professor Sprout's questions. As soon as the get out of class was over, Hermione pulled Loren to the castle.

"Loren, since the wolfsbane potion can keep the professor sane when he transforms, why do we still need to go to the Shrieking Shack?" Hermione asked as they ran.

"Well..." Loren was silent for a while, "Because this wolfsbane potion is an improved version, and it was brewed by me."

Hermione slowed down her pace and looked at him in surprise: "Huh?"

"Don't worry, nothing will go wrong. We're going to the Shrieking Shack to be safe." Loren pulled her forward.

The two of them trotted into the hallway, went up to the third floor without stopping, and arrived outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts office. Hermione took a breath and walked up to knock on the wooden door.

dong dong dong-

"Come in." Professor Lupin's gentle voice came from inside.

Loren and Hermione pushed the door open and walked into an office with very simple, even shabby, decoration. Most of the bookshelves were empty and there were no decorations on the desk. However, there were several water tanks in the corner, Kaba, Red Hat, Hinkpunk... several kinds of small monsters they had learned were locked in boxes.

Professor Lupin seemed to be reading a letter. When he saw the two people come in, he put a page of letter on the table and said with a smile: "Ms. Granger, Mr. Morgan, please take a seat."

"Good afternoon, Professor Lupin." Hermione nodded and sat down at the desk somewhat stiffly. She couldn't stop looking at the corners, wanting to see if there were any monsters she hadn't seen yet.

Loren noticed the letter on the table. Most people would put the letter upside down when they were interrupted while reading a letter. Although the letter on the table was also put upside down, there was a sentence on the back. It was very concise and Loren could see it at a glance: All the best, I wish you too.

"I remember that there were no after-class preparation homework for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Miss Granger, let's keep some mystery in future classes." Lupin noticed the little witch's gaze, stood up with a smile, walked to the corner, and covered the glass boxes with cloth.

Hermione's reservedness was easily melted away by these words, and she nodded shyly: "Okay, Professor."

"You came earlier than I thought..." Lupin poured some broken biscuits into the box, apparently feeding the little monsters, "I thought you would come after dinner."

Hermione explained: "Loren said that we can't wait until dark to come over. No one knows when the moon will rise."

Loren shrugged. "What can I do? Some people are already impatient in the Herbology class."

Hermione glared at him.

Lupin smiled and said, "Have you had dinner?"

"We brought enough food," Loren replied.

After Lupin finished feeding, he clapped his hands and looked at the sky outside. "Let's go, it's almost time."

……

On an autumn evening, outside Hogwarts Castle, on the path leading to the Whomping Willow.

The Herbology class ended early, and the young wizards returned to the castle early, so Loren and the others didn't run into anyone else along the way. They walked through a large patch of green grass in front of the castle gate and along the path between the greenhouse and the vegetable field. The weeds that gradually grew on the roadside were full of vitality, and there was no trace of the decadence of autumn. Bare stones were scattered on the ground.

There are mostly evergreen trees in the jungle, and no signs of withering or yellowing can be seen.

The weather was cloudy, and even near dusk, no golden glow could be seen. Only when gazing at the sky could one make out some faint yellow light through the layers of clouds.

Professor Lupin walked in front and led the way, followed by Loren and Hermione.

After passing the greenhouse, I saw from afar a huge willow tree with strange and flamboyant branches standing alone in the middle of a field. The leaves on it were a little dry and had some yellow edges.

"That's the Whomping Willow," Lupin turned around and saw the two little wizards looking at him eagerly. He smiled and said, "I wonder if you have figured it out. The secret passage under the Whomping Willow leads directly to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade."

"So the residents of Hogsmeade spread the rumor that the Shrieking Shack is haunted?" Hermione's eyes lit up.

Loren looked at the Whomping Willow swaying in the wind and thought that this was just like the rumor spread by the town residents that Grandpa Bates had killed someone. It was someone with ulterior motives who spread the news to keep people away.

"This can't be blamed on me. Even though I've graduated and left school for many years, the residents of Hogsmeade are still saying that the Shrieking Shack is haunted. Maybe it's really haunted?"

Lupin made a joke. He walked up to the Whomping Willow skillfully, tiptoed forward, and nimbly pressed the knot on the trunk without alarming the Whomping Willow.

In an instant, the Whomping Willow shook violently and shuddered several times, as if someone had tickled its armpits.

"Follow closely!" Lupin shouted and crawled into a hole between the tree roots.

Loren and Hermione followed. Inside the cave entrance was a sloping earth slope, and down the slope was a very low tunnel.

Professor Lupin walked in front with his back bent, the tip of his wand emitting a soft fluorescent light: "This tree was planted by Headmaster Dumbledore the year I arrived at Hogwarts. When I was studying, the most popular game among Gryffindor students was to try to touch the trunk of the Whomping Willow.

"Later, a boy named David Gedjian was beaten so badly that he almost lost an eye. The school didn't allow us to get close to it anymore..."

When talking about these past events, Lupin's eyes were filled with nostalgia, and his voice unconsciously became lighter than usual. The echoes collided back and forth in the tunnel, sounding a little ethereal.

"So, Professor, did Headmaster Dumbledore know a long time ago that you were a werewolf?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind.

"Yes," Lupin replied, "since I was infected with lycanthropy, my parents have tried various methods to change this unacceptable fact, but to no avail. On the day we received the acceptance letter from Hogwarts, we were both happy and sad. We all thought that I would not be able to go to Hogwarts... You know, no parent would want their child to have a werewolf classmate.

"Until Headmaster Dumbledore came... He ordered the Whomping Willow to be planted so that I would have a place to hide when I transformed under the full moon."

The three of them continued moving forward along the tunnel as if there was no end. In the enclosed space, they had no idea how far they had walked.

"Then...what about Wormtail and the others, and what's the matter with the Marauder's Map?" Hermione asked carefully. She had wanted to ask this question for a long time.

Wormtail... Hearing this name, Lupin in front was stunned for a moment, thinking for a while before continuing: "They are friends I met after entering the school, and they are also roommates. Miss Granger, Mr. Morgan, you know, if you disappear for one day every month...well, maybe you have to go to the school hospital for a few days because you are too weak, then no matter how big the secret is, you can't keep it hidden."

roommate?

Loren and Hermione looked at each other and fell silent.

Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor common room.

Ron stared at the after-class test paper on the parchment, trying to read the answer from the gaps between the words, but the light in the common room was poor, and he couldn't see the result until his eyes were sore and tears came out.

Rubbing his eyes, Ron shouted to Harry beside him: "Question, if Hinckley Punk is in front and Kaba is behind, how will you deal with the enemy without your wand?"

Harry frowned, thought carefully, and answered uncertainly: "Punch them hard in the nose?"

"Oh, that's what I thought too." Ron sighed helplessly, "But the correct answer shouldn't be this."

"That's strange. Why are you so active in doing your homework today? Don't you usually leave it for the weekend and directly refer to what Loren and Hermione have done?"

"I want to practice Quidditch this weekend, and I also want to learn the Patronus Charm with you."

"At this time, we should find professionals..." Harry began to look around, but he didn't see the person he was looking for. "Where are Loren and Hermione?"

"She ran away right after Herbology class, and I didn't see her during dinner either. I guess she's hiding somewhere on a date." Ron waved his hand. "Don't look for her. I asked Lavender, and she hasn't seen Hermione either."

"Damn it!" Harry gritted his teeth. "How enviable!"

"Hmm..." Ron nodded, and suddenly realized something was wrong, "Hmm?"

……

"In second grade, they discovered my little secret..."

In the narrow and low tunnel, the soft glow of the Lumos spell illuminated the way ahead. Lupin told the story of the previous generation twenty years ago in a gentle voice.

"But they didn't reject me because of it. They laughed and said it was my little fluff. They spent three years teaching themselves Animagus so that they could accompany me on the full moon night.

"James' Animagus is a stag, so his nickname is "Prongs", Sirius is "Padfoot", and Peter is "Wormtail". The days when I went to Hogwarts were the happiest and most relaxing time of my life..."

The tunnel began to slope upwards, and Loren and Hermione began to have some difficulty climbing the slope. After a while, they turned a corner and Professor Lupin and the light of the fluorescent spell disappeared.

After coming out of the cave, the view ahead suddenly opened up and they came to a dilapidated room.

The whole room was in a mess, with a thick layer of dust, peeling wallpaper, stains all over the floor, and the few pieces of furniture were all smashed. The windows were sealed tightly with wooden boards covered with dense claw marks, making it look eerie.

Lupin turned to look at them and tipped his hat gracefully: "Welcome to the Shrieking Shack, the most famous haunted house in the wizarding world."

He shrugged. "There are no ghosts here, though. Not even a ghost."

"Professor, is this where you used to spend the full moon nights of your transformation?" Loren asked. He and Hermione both craned their necks and looked around the shabby Shrieking Shack.

The claw marks on the wooden board vaguely reveal the pain Lupin had suffered in the past, which reminded him of Grandpa Bates. Before he went to school, Grandpa Bates also locked himself in a cave to spend the full moon nights, leaving claw marks on the stone wall with his sharp claws.

"In fact, it's not as bad as you think." Lupin led the two to the right, and they saw a wooden door on the right.

Behind the door was a dark hallway. Up the rickety stairs along the wall of the hallway was a spacious bedroom with a four-poster bed like the one in the bedroom, hung with gray curtains.

"Roar--"

At this moment, Lupin suddenly frowned and took a few steps back, holding on to the bedpost. He seemed to freeze, his limbs began to tremble, and a low exhalation sound came from his throat.

"The transformation has begun!" Loren whispered.

The two little wizards took out their wands and retreated out of the door. Loren's arm was held tightly by Hermione, and his fingers began to lose feeling.

After a low, suppressed exhalation, Lupin's head began to point and elongate from his mouth, his waist arched, his body began to elongate, gray-black hair grew all over his body, and his fingers bent into sharp claws.

Just as Loren and Hermione's hair stood up and their muscles were tense and alert, the werewolf Lupin suddenly coughed twice and spat out a few wolf hairs from his mouth. He turned his wolf head and looked at the stairs over the two little wizards:

"Come out, Professor Snape, I can smell the stink of you not having washed your hair for months!"

"Professor Snape!"

Loren and Hermione exclaimed together, both turning to look at the stairs.

"At least I don't smell like an animal."

A cold sneer came from the shadow at the stairs. Ripples appeared in the transparent space and Snape's figure appeared from the waves. His wand was against his chest, and he had just lifted the Disillusionment Charm.

"Professor, why are you here?" Loren scratched his head. He didn't look back in the tunnel just now, and he didn't look back when he entered the Shrieking Shack, otherwise he would definitely have discovered Professor Snape's magic.

Snape glanced at him and did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked at another open space: "Come out too, Headmaster. I know you can hear me."

Loren was even more surprised this time.

That shouldn't be the case. If Dumbledore were here, I would definitely be able to see that magical glow like a little sun.

Before Snape finished his words, a brilliant golden flame suddenly rose up next to the four-poster bed. After the feather-like flame scattered, Dumbledore in blue pajamas appeared there.

Behind the crescent-shaped glasses were a pair of deep blue eyes. Dumbledore blinked, his eyes innocent: "I just came downstairs to pour a cup of hot cocoa."

Hermione looked at the headmaster with dull eyes and opened her mouth, wanting to say something but unable to speak.

She had become numb, and she would not be surprised even if several other professors suddenly showed up.

I thought it was a night out for three people...

Loren looked at the white-bearded old principal meaningfully and shook his head.

This cunning old guy actually remotely monitored in order to avoid his eyes. If Snape hadn't found out...