When Wade stepped out of the fireplace at The Leaky Cauldron, Lupin was already waiting for him.
Compared to their first meeting, the man was clearly in much better spirits.
He was wearing a dark blue wizard's robe, no longer patched up as it used to be. Most of the worry and haggardness had vanished from his face, replaced by a composure born of age and a faint melancholic air.
Such a man was undoubtedly charming, and Wade noticed some young witches subtly glancing at him.
Lupin ignored their gazes. Upon seeing Wade, he couldn't help but smile and walked over, saying, "Long time no see, Wade."
They had met infrequently over the past six months, but their daily magic lessons had never stopped. Through their written exchanges, Lupin had become very familiar with Wade.
Though young, he lacked the common flaws of most children, such as laziness, impulsiveness, childishness, and impatience.
He had clear goals and high concentration, constantly learning and growing, exuding a spirit of striving forward. He was also good at listening and expressing his own thoughts, never simply echoing others.
He was very trusting and respectful of those around him, and understanding of others' difficulties. He treated Lupin with the same respect as a school professor, never acting superior just because he was paying for the lessons.
In his many years of wandering, Lupin had encountered all sorts of employers. Quite a few thought, "I paid you, so you're my dog," wanting to exploit every ounce of an employee's value.
So, at this moment, his approval of Wade had risen infinitely, the only obstacle being his own Werewolf identity.
He didn't know that Wade had been aware of him being a Werewolf from the start.
"Remus," Wade greeted him. "Suddenly calling you over, I hope I didn't interrupt anything important?"
Lupin smiled. "I haven't been busy lately... Did something happen?"
"You know, Harry and I are classmates, and we get along pretty well."
Wade didn't beat around the bush. "Ever since the holidays started, Harry has cut off contact with all his friends, and everyone's a bit worried. I said I could go check on him at his place—"
As soon as he heard Harry's name, Lupin's expression subtly shifted, as if lost in thought, or perhaps in pain.
Wade watched him and said, "I heard Harry's parents were your friends when they were in school, so I thought maybe you'd be willing to help..."
He paused. "If it makes you uncomfortable, then never mind... I guess Harry's probably fine, otherwise Dumbledore would have surely intervened."
Lupin's face was looking quite grim, as if someone had poured a spoonful of cold water into his ear.
"...No... Not uncomfortable," Lupin said slowly. "I want to go see him too... It's just... I don't know if I should get close..."
He looked a little dazed.
"If you want to see him, go," Wade said. "Who has the right to stop you from caring for the orphan of an old friend? Especially since he might need help right now."
The word "orphan" stung Lupin, and his expression momentarily became flustered.
"You're right... I should see him... I should have gone to see him long ago..."
Once Lupin made up his mind, he no longer hesitated, and the two set off together. To avoid attracting attention, they changed into ordinary clothes, first taking the subway, then a taxi to Little Whinging, Surrey.
They got out on Privet Drive, looking at the almost identical houses lining the street. Lupin asked, "Wade, do you know where Harry lives?"
Wade looked at the house number outside a home and said, "It should be around here. His uncle's name is Dursley."
"Dursley... I remember him—Vernon Dursley, Lily's sister's husband. He was there when Lily and James got married."
Lupin frowned, saying with distaste, "—He was a rude madman."
"—What happened?" Wade asked, surprised.
In his impression, James Potter was a bully type, with a few obedient followers.
The Muggle Vernon should have been utterly defenseless against them, only fit to be picked on.
But Lupin's attitude... didn't seem to be directed at a poor Muggle they had tormented, but rather as if they themselves had been bullied.
Lupin took a deep breath and said, "He was the worst Muggle I'd ever seen... The first time we met was at the wedding, and he condescendingly asked James what kind of car he drove. James told him he had a competition-grade broom..."
Mentioning that name and recalling the past still pained Lupin.
He paused slightly, then continued, "And then that man—Vernon Dursley—loudly declared that Wizards were all pathetic loafers living off unemployment benefits."
"James told him he had a large sum of gold at Gringotts. He didn't understand Gringotts and thought James was making fun of him, so he flew into a rage, and he and his wife left the wedding immediately, making Lily cry a lot."
Lupin said with a bitter smile, "You don't know, James would do anything for Lily. He promised Lily he'd reconcile with Vernon as soon as possible... But their attitude... Can you understand, in their eyes, we're all freaks..."
Wade understood—it was clear that some unpleasant conflicts likely followed.
"I should have come for Harry sooner... I didn't know he was entrusted to the Dursleys." Lupin said, worried and blaming himself, "Damn it... I should have known, they're his only relatives..."
"But with your past circumstances, you probably couldn't have raised a child properly either."
Wade suddenly stopped. "We're here."
They both looked at the house by the roadside.
It was as if it and its neighbors were copy-pasted, with no difference from the gray roof tiles to the mottled brick walls. A car was parked in the driveway, and the garden was neatly maintained.
An ordinary house, an ordinary life, nothing special about it.
The living room windows were tightly shut, so it was impossible to tell if anyone was inside.
By now, the sun had set, and a faint light leaked from inside the window. Lupin suddenly squinted.
"Look at that window, Wade," Lupin said. "Isn't the shadow a bit strange?"
Wade looked at the crisscrossing shadows and said, "It looks like it's been boarded up from the inside."
"Good," Lupin said coldly. "Now we know why Harry couldn't send any messages."
"Calm down," Wade cautioned. "Using magic on Muggles is against the law."
There was an underage Wizard in the Dursley household, so revealing the existence of magic to them didn't violate the Statute of Secrecy. However, using magic to harm Muggles was a completely different story and a definite violation.
The Ministry of Magic had always been "ambiguous" in its enforcement; sometimes, if you cleaned up after a violation (by Obliviating all witnesses), there were no issues. Other times, the same actions could land you in Azkaban.
Hagrid once gave Dudley a pig's tail, which by law should have warranted a conviction, but Dumbledore suppressed the incident.
If Lupin were to break the law, his Werewolf status would mean the law would be enforced with even stricter standards.
"I understand."
Lupin gritted his teeth, reined in the anger on his face, and rang the doorbell.
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