Hogwarts: A Chinese-Style Professor

Chapter 188 The Soul Beneath the Skin

Lupin didn't know when things had turned out this way.
He and Snape, two people who had absolutely no connection, were now walking on the same road.

Without a doubt, they all had to return to Hogwarts.

But why did Snape approach him and walk the same path as him?

He thought they should hate each other.

"What, is this your attitude towards the benefactor who, even during the summer holidays, had to take time out of his bad mood to brew you wolfsbane medicine despite his ruined vacation?"

Snape's words came like cannonballs, leaving Lupin wondering how he could keep talking nonstop.

But what the other party said was indeed very reasonable.

Eaters have short mouths.

No, I meant—thank you.

Lupin scratched his head and thanked Snape somewhat awkwardly.

Their relationship during their student days was far from good—quite the opposite, in fact.

Although Lupin was often the one who fought with Snape the most, he was always the one who watched from the sidelines. But Snape never treated him any better, and sometimes he was even more sarcastic.

So he couldn't understand why Snape would greet him in the tavern.

With a sense of doubt, Lupin followed Snape back to the castle.

As he reached the foyer, he breathed a slight sigh of relief—once he was here, he wouldn't have to walk with Snape anymore—a feeling that made him restless.

But what made Lupin feel even more like his feet were being pricked by needles was that Snape didn't go underground, but instead turned around and followed him to the office as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"What—are you the only one allowed to come here?"

Snape seemed to have been watching Lupin the whole time—he immediately noticed when Lupin casually turned his head to look at him.

"No"

Lupin thought for a moment and figured Snape probably wanted to see Levi about something—it was best not to get involved, since they didn't really have any connection.

Snape, however, began to explain to himself at this moment:

"School is about to start, and I must give him a serious warning about the new semester's teaching plan, and make him behave himself."

Was he talking to me?

Lu Ping paused for a moment before responding with a soft "uh-huh" or "ah-ah".

But why would Snape seek out Levi on his own initiative—could it be that the two of them have a good relationship?

It's not entirely impossible—after all, Levi helped Snape once during their student days and attracted a lot of James's attention in a short period of time, which reduced their conflicts with Snape considerably later on.

Lupin speculated that it was probably because Levi showed James and Sirius what truly excellent Slytherins were like, which made them put aside their underestimation of other wizards and thus extinguished some of their thoughts of arguing with Snape.

After all, that's really quite childish and meaningless.

In the blink of an eye, the two had reached the door. Lupin glanced at Snape and, seeing that he didn't seem to intend to go first to open the door, put his hand on the doorknob.

"Wow--"

Lupin froze the moment he opened the door. A familiar figure, who had been sitting at the dining table, turned around quickly upon hearing the noise, but spat out the bread in his mouth the instant he saw Lupin, transforming into a large black dog.

His movements were so fast that Lupin couldn't even see his face clearly—but that outline, that feeling, was already imprinted on his soul, there was no mistake!

Moreover, Sirius's Animagus form was trained by the Marauders to accompany him during his transformation on the full moon, so how could he not know that?
“Siri—?!” A name almost burst from Lupin’s throat.

A complex expression flickered in the eyes of the large black dog standing on the chair—a mixture of wariness, nostalgia, and sorrow.
Lupin, what do you think of me?

Sirius hadn't expected to run into him at this time—Li Wei only mentioned that Lupin was working for him, but didn't say when Lupin would return.

Sirius, who hadn't seen him for over two weeks, had just started to relax when he unexpectedly ran into this mess.
"What are you standing there for, dumbfounded at the door?"

No—no.

As Lupin hesitated, Snape stepped into the office—not seeing Levi, but instead a large black dog sitting in a dining chair.

He disliked the pet at first sight.

"Is this Li Wei's pet? It's just as unruly as its owner!"

"Woo!!!"

The big black dog landed on the ground and growled at Snape with hostility.

Snape ignored him, glanced around the office, and frowned slightly when he didn't see Levi.

He turned to look at the big black dog staring coldly at him, his disgust reaching its peak—but since it was Li Wei's pet, he naturally wouldn't do anything about it.

But before leaving—the nausea that wouldn't go away from my chest and heart, of course, had to be released.

"A large, aggressive, and clearly unruly black dog, and a werewolf administrator who can't control himself and might suddenly attack people during a full moon."

"Isn't that an interesting combination, Lupin?"

"It wasn't enough to take in one werewolf; he even wants to keep a second pet—it seems our Professor Levi has a unique fondness for furry creatures."

Lupin's face turned deathly pale instantly—not from anger, but because his first glance fell on the large black dog on the ground.

Sure enough, its face was already contorted with rage!

"Wang!"

Sirius let out a roar of utter rage, his powerful hind leg muscles tensing as he lunged at Snape without hesitation.

Even if he can't turn back into human form now and teach Snape a lesson, he'll still have to take a bite out of the guy's leg!
No! Don't!

Lupin was practically screaming.

He rushed forward and used his entire body to block the big black dog and Snape.

"Snape, stop talking!"

His face was as pale as paper, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

When the big black dog saw his actions, the expression on its face was as if it had suffered a shameful betrayal, and it suddenly became furious and astonished.

Snape snapped out of his daze, his gaze toward the big black dog now filled with even more disgust—he had made no attempt to hide it.

Lupin's weak performance only emboldened him—but when did their relationship become this good?
This hateful big black dog was about to attack him, but Lupin chose to stand up and protect him.

They're the kind of people who secretly hope the other suffers.
Snape's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm.

"What?" His voice was even lower, tinged with sarcasm. "Did I hit the nail on the head, Lupin?"

“Indeed—” Snape slowly rolled up his sleeves, “This seemingly brainless stupid dog is quite like your old friends who like to bite people like mad dogs.”

(End of this chapter)