Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 538, Section 536: A Greater Plan (4k)

"This is impossible, Bigfoot!"

Lupin paced back and forth in short, anxious steps, whispering in Sirius's ear while keeping a close eye on the young wizard at the edge of the bushes.

His voice was low, but he didn't notice that the little wizard's ears, hidden beneath his dark hair, had become furry.

"Nothing is impossible, Moonface. We must do it."

Sirius's seriousness was tinged with a hint of impatience.

"I cannot agree; I must tell Dumbledore..."

Lupin resolutely raised his head.

Sirius looked at him and suddenly laughed:

“You won’t tell Dumbledore that you never did this.”

Lupin fell silent for a moment, gazing at Sirius as if recalling their long past.

At that time, he was a werewolf child who was not accepted by any magic school. Before the invention of the wolfsbane potion, he would turn into a terrible monster every month.

Getting into Hogwarts is an impossible dream, and other parents wouldn't want their children to have contact with him.

Later, it was Dumbledore who personally came to his home to invite him.

"Now I know how, Big Foot."

Lupin said without a trace of emotion.

He had failed Dumbledore's expectations. It was Dumbledore who planted the Willow, built the house and tunnels beneath it… all for him. For him, he was secretly taken out of the castle once a month, and there were places where he was transmuted.

His transformation during those days was terrifying.

The pain of becoming a werewolf made him bite and scratch himself.

The villagers, hearing the sounds and screams, assumed they were from a particularly violent ghost...

It was Dumbledore who spread these kinds of rumors.

But what about his reward?

He chose to conceal the fact that his newly acquired friends were wandering around the school and village at night.

Looking back now, it was such a dangerous thing!
To make their nighttime excursions even more thrilling, they even created a map!
"I won't make the same mistake again, Bigfoot."

Lupin once lacked the courage to expose his friends, just as he once lacked the courage to stop James and Sirius from doing what they did to Snape.

He was afraid of losing his friends.

But now, he can no longer be cowardly.

"Has it been that long...? You've become someone I don't recognize, Moon Face."

Sirius Black put away his teasing tone and instead stared intently at Lupin.

“You don’t understand, Bigfoot. There’s only one person in all of Hogwarts who can’t be involved in this danger.”

Lupin glanced instinctively at the towering Hogwarts Castle towers.

He imagined an elderly man with white hair in an office, who chuckled and told him to keep a close eye on a certain young wizard…

He asked him with a smile:

"Can I trust you, Remus?"

Dealing with enemies requires extraordinary courage, but standing firm in front of friends also requires immense courage.

The courage he once lacked, he will not lose now.

"You're wrong, old friend. Do you think this is part of my plan?"

Sirius grinned.

"What did you say?"

Lupin was surprised.

"Come on, old chap. Who do you think I'm following? You think I've found Mr. Green?"

Sirius hummed as he spoke, revealing a white section of his waist.

"Isn't that right?"

Lupin felt his mind slowing down, unable to answer Sirius's two questions.

“You’ll understand, old friend. If there’s any way to win besides Dumbledore’s plan, the answer lies with Mr. Green.”

Sirius stared intently at Lupin, speaking slowly and deliberately.
Are you afraid of dying, Lupin?

"If I told you that standing before you is the greatest wizard of the future, surpassing Dumbledore; if I told you that you follow a true prophet; if I told you that you will be part of this great plan; if I told you that you must offer unconditional courage, even if this plan requires your death, Lupin, would you agree?"

Lupin's haggard face stiffened, and his mind raced like a machine.

His previous guesses—Dumbledore's request, the identity of the young wizard—were finally answered at this moment.

“We must have Peter as our eyes and ears, I know the risks involved… We must also eliminate all his supporters and then dedicate ourselves to that great battle to come…”

Remember Moonface? What good is it to fight the world's most evil wizard?

Sirius Black had a profound and calm expression on his face.

"It's all to save some innocent lives, old buddy!"
If you agree with this, then let's fight side by side.

The ground was dark at night, with only a faint light coming from the windows of the castle in the distance.

Lupin dared not look directly into his own heart again.

But he had to make a choice.

Dumbledore told him to keep an eye on the young wizards, saying they would have a decent future.

What will Kexin say?

That's what Sirius is repeating now.

They must take action, take risks, muster courage, and pay the price, even if it means risking their lives.

This will save more innocent lives.

"By the way, do you remember how many points I got with my Forgetfulness Spell?"

Sirius said in a low voice, his eyes dangerous.

"Failed, Big Foot."

Lupin smiled.

"Oh no, that's terrible."

Sirius shrugged.

"Anyway, welcome, old buddy."

Sirius Black reached out his hand.

Lupin gripped his hand firmly.

“I’ll be fired by Dumbledore; this is a job I just got.”

Lupin smiled helplessly.

"That's great, you belong to that bookstore."

Sirius Black joked.

"Oh……"

At this point, Lupin's face immediately turned sour.

He turned to the dark-haired little wizard, and whether he was seeing things or not, he saw hair growing near the little wizard's ears, though it disappeared a moment later.

“Mr. Green…”

Lupin addressed him with the same reverence as Sirius Black.

“Professor Lupin,” Sheehan said politely.

“I should have thought of that, sir,”

Lupin said he was referring to the content of the recently released Chocolate Frog cards, and he now feels that the description is still missing a lot.
"Please let me know if you need anything."

Lupin saw Sheen nod slightly, then he looked at Sirius Black beside him, bowed, and stepped back to Sirius's side.

Sheen knew that the two, having been separated for so long, must have a lot to say, but he had to interrupt:
"Professor Lu Ping."

Sheen whispered.

"gentlemen."

Lupin's expression, which had been tinged with reminiscence, suddenly turned serious, and even showed signs of anticipation.

"If you know a woman named Nagini, please help me find her."

Sheen said.

“I understand, sir.”

Lupin paused, then responded seriously.

Sheen nodded and prepared to leave.

He still needs to unlock the Master level Fiendfyre spell. If he can successfully get to Hogsmeade, he can sneak out of the castle. At that time, he will also need to go to Gringotts, the goblin village.

Ancient magical contracts are mostly in the hands of fairies.

Sheen's figure blurred in the darkness, and Lupin and Sirius watched him go.

Only then did Lu Ping hesitate before saying:
"How did you escape Azkaban, Bigfoot?"

"Oh, this..."

Sirius said nonchalantly

"The Dementors couldn't absorb my regret, but Fudge brought me this newspaper."
When I saw Peter in that photo, I realized he was at Hogwarts, next to Harry.

If word gets to him that organized crime is making a comeback, that would be the perfect place for him to strike...

To be honest, old friend.

Swimming back to the mainland was a grueling experience, but I had to do something because I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive.

Fortunately, disembarking in London was the wisest decision I ever made; ah, that's where I met Mr. Green…”

Sirius's slightly gloomy face lit up in an instant; he couldn't describe his feelings.

After he got ashore, those agonizing days were a thing of the past.

Mr. Green gave him a place to stay and the opportunity to visit Harry. When he was worried about the difficult future, it was Mr. Green who gave him hope.

Oh, I hope so.

He knew then that Mr. Green was a man who would always draw his sword against fate.

His sword was pointed at a bleak tomorrow, and following him was the easiest decision Sirius Black had ever made.

"And then? You..."

Lupin asked.

“Oh, let’s talk about Peter, old buddy. We have to get rid of him, get him out of here. It’s a necessary step in the plan.”

Sirius didn't dwell on the issue too much.

"Let's start from the beginning—decades ago, I thought it was a good plan... a switcheroo... Voldemort would definitely come after me."

I never imagined they would use someone as weak and incompetent as Peter… He told Voldemort he could offer the Potters to him, ha…

That must have been the most triumphant moment of his despicable life…

Sirius gave a bitter laugh, his eyes flashing with murderous resentment.
"We must get there before then, before the date Mr. Green mentioned."

Peter didn't harm Harry because Peter never acts without a clear objective.

Voldemort has been missing for twelve years, and people say he's half-dead. He wouldn't kill someone under Albus Dumbledore's nose for a crippled, disgraced wizard.

But we all know that Voldemort didn't die, and he will return.

Once Peter is certain that Voldemort is still the ultimate ruler, he will return to him. Otherwise, why would he seek refuge with a wizarding family? Because that way he could listen closely to their news.

In case his old patron makes a comeback and the situation becomes safe, he will go back to him... We must do this before then.”

Sirius's words plunged Lupin into silence and deep thought.

“We must be quick. Once he's certain he has allies, he'll act... and hand over the last member of the Potter family to them.”

If he could offer up Harry, who would dare say he betrayed Voldemort? He would be welcomed like a hero…

Sirius chuckled, then said menacingly,
"We can't kill him, but we have plenty of spells we can cast on him..."

"I understand, Bigfoot. When do we move out?"

Lupin made the decision.

"Wait a moment……"

Sirius Black did not answer Lupin's question, but instead looked at the dark bushes.

The black-haired little wizard didn't seem to have gone far.

"Mr. Sirius, there's one more thing,"

Sheehan said he glanced at the piece of paper sticking out of Sirius's pocket. It wasn't hard to guess that it was the password to the Gryffindor common room, brought by Crookshanks and written by Neville.
"Tonight is not a good time to act. However, if you are going to visit Harry, please go later. Professor Snape is on night patrol today and will be resting later."

After saying that, Sheen disappeared completely.

Lupin stared at Sirius, then at the helpless, bitter smile on Sirius's lips, a smile that seemed to say he knew everything. The faint doubt that had arisen in his heart due to the shock gradually dissipated.

“You see, old friend. I was more uneasy than you are now when Mr. Green came to me.”

Sirius Black chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"The past and the future hold no secrets in Mr. Green's eyes, nor do you and I."

Sirius looked out over the blurry treetops of the Forbidden Forest, where countless stars twinkled faintly.

Mr. Green, as long as he exists, people like him will always find meaning in their struggle.

"I can see the sun, old man. And even if I can't see the sun, I know it exists."

And isn't the very existence of the sun the very meaning of life?

Sirius said.

……

Hogsmeade Week is almost here.

Even faster than Hogsmeade Week was a Quidditch match, and even faster than the Quidditch match was Sheen's title of Master of the Dark Arts.

After being interrupted by Sirius yesterday, Sheen has plenty of time to unlock the final proficiency level today.

However, he also faces a problem: Professor Snape does not allow him to leave the castle. How is he supposed to find the goblins?
The hall was still crowded today, and soon another group of dirty-looking wizards in robes entered through the foyer.

With the Quidditch tournament approaching, all the teams have begun training with unwavering determination.

However, the weather is getting colder and colder, and there is more rain.

The night grew even darker, but the mud, the gale, and the torrential rain could not dampen the wizards' hopes of finally winning the glittering Quidditch trophy.

Roger had approached Sheehan more than once, but the young wizard had refused him each time.

After driving Roger away, Sheen found the auditorium bustling with chatter and excitement.

"What happened?"

Harry, upon his return, asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting next to Sheehan in the two best chairs by the fireplace, working on two star charts for their astronomy lesson.

"My first time spending a weekend in Hogsmeade."

Ron pointed excitedly to a newly posted notice on the tattered bulletin board.
"Late October. Halloween Eve."

(End of this chapter)