Hogwarts' Golden Glory

The hut was small and filled with tattered animal hides and rusty tools.

Lupin closed the door and lit a dim oil lamp. In the flickering light, his expression appeared even more solemn.

Tell me everything. Every single detail.

Tobias recounted everything with trembling hands: how he was forced to drink the potion, how he escaped, how he met Kane and Moody in the wasteland, the conversations, the plan... except for the "backup plan" Kane left on him—he vaguely felt that something had been planted, but he didn't know exactly what it was.

Lupin remained silent for a long time after hearing this. The flame of the oil lamp flickered in his eyes.

"Mad-Eye is here too," he said finally, his voice tinged with complex emotions. "He's actually teaming up with a Malfoy... Does Dumbledore know about this?"

“I don’t know…” Tobias said softly, “but that young man—Kane—said he could make a medicine that would keep us sane during the full moon. He said…said we shouldn’t be living like this.”

Lupin closed his eyes. At that moment, Tobias saw a mixture of pain, hope, and doubt flash across the usually composed werewolf's face.

"I need confirmation." Lupin opened his eyes, his brown pupils unusually sharp in the dim light. "Tobias, the questions I'm about to ask you will only be answered by true allies. If you answer incorrectly, or if you hesitate for too long, I will immediately hand you over to Greyback. Understand?"

Tobias nodded vigorously, his heart pounding in his throat.

"The first question," Lupin said in a very low voice, "is what kind of wood Mad-Eye's wooden leg made of?"

Tobias froze. He had absolutely no idea what to do. But then he suddenly remembered that on the wasteland, when Moody turned to leave, his wooden leg had struck the ground with a distinctive sound… Kane had seemed to whisper something at the time…

"Purple...yew wood?" Tobias asked tentatively, completely unsure.

Lupin's expression remained unchanged: "Second question. What design is engraved on Mad-Eye's flask?"

Tobias had absolutely no recollection of this. He clenched his fists nervously, his palms sweating profusely.

Suddenly, a voice rang in his mind—not his own thoughts, but a clear, youthful voice:

The bottom of the wine jug is engraved with a one-eyed raven, and the body of the jug has three claw marks.

Tobias almost blurted out, "A one-eyed raven! There are three claw marks on the pot!"

Lupin's eyes widened slightly. He continued, speaking even faster: "Third question. What are the first three words of the activation spell for the warning device Mad-Eye gave you?"

This time, the voice rang out again, calm and clear:

The incantation is, "Darkness is coming, alarm bells toll, an oath of iron and blood." However, Moody placed a counter-curse on the device; if someone forces you to utter the incantation, the device will self-destruct and release a forgetting curse.

Tobias repeated it verbatim, including the final warning.

After hearing this, Lupin relaxed completely. He leaned against the wall, let out a long breath, and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

"It was him. It really was Mad-Eye's arrangement." He said in a low voice, more like talking to himself. "Only he would set up such a complicated verification process and even leave behind countermeasures... Merlin, he really did cooperate with that Malfoy kid."

"So...you believe me?" Tobias asked cautiously.

“I believe you.” Lupin nodded, his expression turning serious again. “But Tobias, you must understand that what you’re doing is extremely dangerous. If Graybury finds out, he’ll tear you to pieces. That man in black—let’s call him ‘The Viper’ for now—is even more ruthless. Are you sure you want to continue?”

"I'm sure." Tobias's voice still trembled slightly, but it was much firmer than before. "I don't want to be a guinea pig anymore. I don't want to see anyone else being used as a guinea pig. If... if there really is hope, I'm willing to take the risk."

Lupin looked at him, his gaze softening. "Alright. Then, let's plan this out. You want to steal the silverware; I know the warehouse layout and can draw you a rough sketch. But more importantly, you need to observe 'Viper's' activity patterns. Don't overlook any details—when he comes out, who's with him, any changes in the security around the cabin…"

"I'll be careful," Tobias said. "And you? On the night of the full moon, which side will you stand on?"

Lupin did not answer immediately. He walked to the door, peered through the crack to check the situation outside, and only turned back after confirming it was safe.

"I will stand on the side that can save the most lives," he concluded. "But for now, my identity cannot be revealed. Tobias, remember—in the camp, I am still 'Greymane,' a taciturn, dutiful Night's Watchman. Aside from necessary conversations, we should have minimal contact. Understand?"

"clear."

"Now, go back to your place. Treat your wound and get some rest. Starting tomorrow, resume normal activities and don't show any abnormalities."

Lupin pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket and handed it to Tobias. "This contains white cinnamon essence and bandages, better than what you stole. Use it carefully, and don't let anyone see you."

Tobias took the bag, his eyes welling up with tears. "Thank you... Mr. Greymane."

"Call me Remus," Lupin said, a rare smile appearing on his face. "At least here, only you know my real name. Go on, and be careful."

Tobias nodded, quietly slipped out of the cabin, and disappeared into the shadows of the camp.

Meanwhile, in a safe house five miles away.

It was indeed a "safe house"—if you ignored the holes in the roof, the mold on the walls, and the strong smell of dust in the air.

The house was small, with only one room, and in the corner were some moldy blankets and rusty cooking utensils. But the protective spell that Moody had cast years ago was still in effect: from the outside, it was just a dense thicket of bushes; from the inside, the view was clear.

Kane cleared a space in the center of the room and drew several complex magic circles with his wand.

Igor stood on the windowsill, his silver eyes gazing at the dark woods outside, occasionally turning his head to check on Kane's work progress.

Moody sat on an overturned wooden barrel, with a mercury-like mirror floating in front of him. The mirror reflected the scene Tobias had just been in the cabin—every detail, every word of conversation, was clearly visible.

Moody's lips twitched as Tobias accurately recited the incantation for the pattern on the flask and the warning device.