Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world.

Chapter 263 Obedience Test

Don't you all feel the same way I do, those thugs outside your windows who occupy the street and the park you usually frequent? Today they're staging a sit-in, and you feel a little annoyed, but you know you can't say anything because their demands are legitimate, even though they have nothing to do with you. Tomorrow they'll protest, and you'll still feel annoyed and still unable to say anything because you already compromised yesterday, thinking that you could just endure it and it would pass. Then the day after tomorrow, and the day after that—

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: ??????????.?????? (super convenient)]

As you gradually back down, they break through one bottom line after another. You take a step back, they take a step forward, and then you'll find them escalating the situation, yet no one stops them—at this point, what would you think? Would you think, maybe they're right? Maybe I should join them?

But is that really your thought? No, it's the result of step-by-step concessions, with no one stopping you, no one correcting you, thus forming in your mind the idea that they = correct, they = authority. And so, the obedience test is complete.

To be honest, even though I'm a werewolf, while reading this article, Lupin actually had a sudden realization: "What he said makes so much sense."

a feeling of.

What followed was a bone-chilling cold!

The sudden chill arose both from the article's highly biased guidance and from Lupin's sudden recollection of his own experience of meeting Vaughn.

He had almost forgotten that the reason he initially left his dilapidated hermitage in Yorkshire and returned to the civilized world was not because Vaughn's call gave him hope of solving the werewolf problem, but because he feared that Vaughn would use werewolves as weapons.

His initial attitude towards Vaughn Weasley was one of skepticism and even some hostility.

But now—without realizing it, he had completely forgotten his earlier vigilance, and before he knew it, he had become Vaughn's most capable assistant—

If we trace back to the source, the change should have occurred when the two first met at Hogsmeade, and Vaughn used a Fly Away Charm to trap him against the wall when he questioned him.

Confident, assertive, and unyielding!

It was from that time on that my views were gradually changed by Vaughn.

Looking at the article before him now, Lupin suddenly realized that Vaughn might have been conducting a compliance test on him back then.

Mostly yes —

But the technique is more sophisticated.

Vaughn easily suppressed his resistance. After hearing his reasons, he offered no explanation or comfort, but instead arranged for him to go to the werewolf refugee camp to observe and learn.

Vaughn let him see for himself what the werewolves' real living environment was like, and to see their hardships and suffering.

Looking back now, that might have been what the author meant by testing and shaping step by step. However, the author's theory used seemingly explosive ideas as bait, while Vaughn used reality.

"Yes, that's reality—"

Lu Ping gave a wry smile.

Even if I realize it now, what can I do?

Vaughn's obedience test was undoubtedly successful because the events he used to test were not fictional, but rather the real plight of the werewolves at the time: men and women who were barely clothed and forced by life to the point of having no dignity, and malnourished and emaciated children. This changed Lupin's mind and made him willingly devote himself to the cause of liberating the werewolves.

Of course, this is not the point.

Instead, his own experience suddenly made him wonder if this North American werewolf parade was also orchestrated by Vaughn, another large-scale obedience test.

And, this leads to another chilling question: as the origin of everything, who killed those two North American werewolves who died on their way home from get off work more than half a month ago?

"call-"

Lu Ping let out a long sigh, not daring to think any further.

He freshened up, went out, and prepared to go to Diagon Alley or other places where North American werewolves were demonstrating, to see what the situation was like there.

Recently, he sensed something ominous in the newspapers, especially the article that argued the werewolf parade was a test of obedience, which almost explicitly accused the North American werewolf parade of having ulterior motives.

The problem is that if no one raises this argument, it's fine, but once it appears in public discourse, it inevitably attracts the attention and is exploited by those with ulterior motives.

As someone who is both a werewolf and a wizard, Lupin is one of the few who has studied at Hogwarts and had in-depth contact with the wizarding community. He knows very well what the general consensus of the past was about how wizards treated werewolves.

Wizards have always been terrified of wolfification. Since its inception, C has been established not only because the efficacy of wolfsbane medicine is obvious to all, but also because of the current peaceful environment and the politically correct trend of pursuing "equal rights".

The magical world's policy of discriminating against werewolves is not a recent phenomenon, but rather has persisted for nearly a thousand years, starting from the era of the Wizarding Council. To this day, the Ministry of Magic's Werewolf Registration Act still does not provide a clear definition of whether werewolves are "human" or "beast."

Equal rights are a way for people today to atone for the sins of their ancestors.

But what percentage of people are truly willing to slap themselves in the face to atone for their sins?

Lupin felt that since the founding of C, most of the supportive, neutral wizards were probably just too ashamed to openly oppose it.

The silent majority, including at this North American werewolf parade, is probably a continuation of that sense of shame.

However, no one can remain ashamed indefinitely, since this mentality itself is negative, and it is steeped in negative feedback such as guilt and regret.

Every negative feedback has a threshold and a limit to which it can be tolerated.

Once they cross the threshold and limit, they find that their guilt cannot make up for the problem, resolve the dispute, or fill the emptiness in their hearts, and they may develop into another extreme—punishing the person who raised the problem!

Lupin didn't know that the article that labeled the North American werewolf parade as having ulterior motives might be the factor that crossed the threshold and limit.

However, in his view, the article is clearly trying to provide a reasonable argument for countering the werewolf problem.

This reason does not need to be clear in facts or logically sound.

As long as its proposal seems plausible enough to give some people an excuse to vent their emotions, that's enough!

Lupin was terrified that the situation would develop as he feared.

Although the ones marching now are North American werewolves, which are theoretically unrelated to English werewolves, he doesn't need to worry about them so much.

But in reality, groups other than werewolves don't care about this. North American werewolves, English werewolves, they are all werewolves in their eyes, there is no difference at all!

As Lupin stepped out of his apartment building, he saw Barnal the Younger in the courtyard, his brow furrowed slightly.

Since joining C, he had disliked Barnard, perhaps due to his childhood experiences. Among the first werewolves who followed Vaughn, Barnard was always the most radical in his views and the most active in political and social activism.

Worst of all, because of his seniority, no one except Vaughn could keep him in check.

Among his group of followers, William White was neutral and tactful; he was unwilling to offend anyone as long as they didn't interfere with his work.

James Brown is a man of strong character and principles, but he has no interest in management. His greatest regret in life is that he was infected with wolf disease by his parents and never received a systematic magical education. After following Vaughn, he devoted himself to studying magic and was rarely seen.

So much so that Lupin sometimes couldn't find anyone to help him suppress Barnal.

On the contrary, the power around Barnald Jr. continued to grow.

Lupin looked at the man standing next to Barnal in the crowd in the courtyard, Matthew—a former henchman of Greyback who, after defecting to Vaughn, quickly gained Vaughn's favor and rose rapidly in status.

After glancing at them twice, Lupin turned to leave. The differences between the two sides were becoming increasingly serious, and he didn't really want to run into them.

But he had only taken two steps when he heard Matthew call out to him, "Remus, wait a minute, I was just looking for you!"

"—You mean the chairman was looking for me?"

In a small alley outside the werewolf community, Lupin stared at Matthew in surprise.

Matthew nodded: "Yes, the message sent back through the outposts set up in the Forbidden Forest Wolf Tribe is that the Master wants you to see him. He has something to tell you—I will accompany you."

"What is it?"

Matthew glanced at Lupin and replied, "It's related to the wolfsbane potion—is there anything else to confirm?"

His tone became harsh.

Lupin knew that the other party was expressing dissatisfaction with his questioning behavior. Barnal's group had a kind of blind trust and worship for Vaughn.

Although I only asked one extra question, it touched a nerve with the other person.

-

He didn't pay attention and his mind started working on its own.

Wolfsbane medicine?

Has Vaughn developed a second version of the drug?

Thinking about it, although his feelings for Vaughn had become complicated because of that previous article, Lupin still felt a surge of excitement.

Regardless of Vaughn's secret plans, one thing is undeniable: Vaughn's wolfsbane potion changed the fate of werewolves!

While in North America, Lupin had overheard Vaughn casually discussing his ideas for Wolfsbane Potion 2.0, and he was also looking forward to the release of this second version of the potion.

"When are we leaving? Where are we going?"

"Now, our destination is Hogsmeade. I will be waiting for you there. You can go see the master yourself."

"Me?" Lupin asked, taken aback. "What do you mean by waiting for me? Isn't he in Hogsmeade?"

"I don't know. The gentleman only said one word, 'beating willow,' and said you'll understand."

Upon hearing the name "Strike Willow," Lu Ping was momentarily stunned.

He certainly understood.

But what he didn't understand was why Vaughn knew?

The shock of the leaked secret, and the memories stirred by those incredibly memorable words, left Lupin speechless.

Matthew didn't pay attention to the other person's change; for him, all he needed to do was carry out Mr. Weasley's orders.

He didn't want to, and shouldn't, be curious about, anything else.

The two left the werewolf community and walked along the other side of the street. This wasn't a leisurely stroll; they were looking for a public fireplace. Ironically, this werewolf community in Manchester, which had been established since the beginning of the year, was the most densely populated wizarding community in the entire Greater Manchester area. Yet, for more than half a year since its establishment, the Ministry of Magic had not made any plans to build a Floo Network here.

So much so that when werewolf wizards travel, they either take the Knight Bus or search for that one public fireplace that roams the city and is the only one authorized by FlooNet.

About 20 minutes later, Matthew finally found it three blocks away. It was disguised as a Muggle portable toilet, and the kind that charged 20 pence per person.

The fireplace, disguised as a toilet, was itself enchanted with a Muggle expulsion charm and a confusion charm, so no Muggles noticed that two men walked into the portable toilet together.

After entering, each person paid 5 copper coins to open the water tank cover, revealing half of the Floo Powder inside.

The two of them each grabbed a handful, and looked at each other awkwardly as they faced the bright green flames rising from the toilet.

After an awkward silence, Matthew took the initiative and said, "I'll go first. How about Pig's Head Bar?"

Hogsmeade has no public fireplaces, so Matthew can only use the fireplaces of shops registered on FlooNet. The Hog's Head is the place Matthew is most familiar with, after all, he used to be a dark wizard, and only the Hog's Head allowed someone like him to enter, so he subconsciously chose that place.

Lupin nodded. As a former member of the Order of the Phoenix, he knew the true situation at the Pig's Head and naturally had no objections.

As Floo Powder was thrown into the fire, the portable toilet, which was crammed with two men, flashed green twice before falling silent again, waiting for new customers to arrive.

In the distant Hogsmeade, at the Hog's Head Inn, Lupin stumbled out of the suddenly expanding green flames, coughing as he looked around.

The bar was still the same low, cramped, and dark place he remembered.

The tables, chairs, and benches, which were arranged fairly neatly, were covered with grease and a thick layer of patina, just as Lu Ping remembered them, as if they had never been cleaned since more than ten years ago.

The four walls were just like I remembered, with traces of being scorched by candles and braziers everywhere.

It must have been before nightfall, as the bar was empty except for a tall, imposing old wizard with a long beard standing behind the relatively tidy bar counter, slowly wiping glasses.

Lupin glanced at him, about to say something, when the old wizard, without even looking up, impatiently interrupted, "Your companion is waiting for you outside. Whether you drink or not, remember to order a drink when you get back—rum or whiskey, but butterbeer is not allowed."

"Why?" Lupin asked instinctively.

"Fireplace usage fee? If you don't want it, get lost!"

"————"

Okay, it's that familiar foul mouth, that familiar taste—

Lupin knew very well that the owner of the Hog's Head was actually a good person. The two had fought side by side in the Order of the Phoenix and had a decent relationship. The reason he was acting so hostilely now was probably because he was wary of Matthew.

He didn't say much, just nodded to the other person and walked out of the bar.

Matthew was indeed waiting outside. When he saw him come out, he asked casually, "Do you know the boss inside?"

Lu Ping's expression remained unchanged: "I guess so. I was quite mischievous when I was in school, and I caused trouble at his shop once."

"Oh—I always forget that you graduated from Hogwarts too."

"Aren't you the same?"

"Yes—so many years have passed in the blink of an eye, but Hogsmeade doesn't seem to have changed much. It still has the familiar street layout and the familiar shops—my favorite BeeDukes, the three brooms—I just wonder if the castle has changed—"

For some reason, Lupin noticed that Matthew suddenly seemed a bit sentimental.

He didn't care and casually said, "Didn't C set up an office in the Giant Wolf Tribe in the Forbidden Forest? Little Banal is in charge of this matter. You can apply to him to work in the Giant Wolf Tribe. It's very convenient to get close to the castle from the Forbidden Forest."

Matthew glanced at him, shook his head slightly, and followed him towards the edge of the village. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "Do you think that way of returning to the castle is the path we should choose?"

Ok?

That's a double entendre!

Lupin understood the implied meaning. He was about to say something when Matthew shook his head and stopped. "As you wish, sir, I'll accompany you this far. After you've finished your business, come find me at the Three Brooms."

Lupin then noticed that they had crossed the village and reached the edge.

In the distance, the dilapidated dome of the Screaming Shack was already reflected in the sky.

Lupin never imagined that one day, after graduating from Hogwarts, he would return to the Shrieking Shack, the sanctuary that had accompanied him through countless full moon nights during his seven years of study.

The entire village is located in Hogsmeade Valley, with the Hog's Head Bar in the north and the Screaming Shacks in the far west.

Further out, the terrain rises steadily and becomes steep; a slight tilt of the head reveals endless mountains in view.

Due to the terrain and the horror stories that have circulated for many years, the area around the Screaming Shack is deserted, and almost no one comes here.

Lupin is the person most familiar with the Shrieking Shack horror stories, because he is actually the protagonist of the stories.

Walking through the outskirts of the village, Lupin arrived at the Screaming Shack amidst the increasingly desolate atmosphere. Looking up at the dilapidated building, Lupin's eyes were filled with emotion.

Previously, this place was not known as "Scream".

At that time, it was just an ordinary old house. The previous owner may have had an accident or died without an heir. In any case, it was abandoned, which was nothing special.

Until Dumbledore took him to Hogwarts.

In those days, werewolves had a terrible reputation, and even someone as great as Dumbledore wouldn't dare let him spend a full moon night in the castle.

So Dumbledore ordered a Whomping Willow to be planted on the lawn between the castle and the Forbidden Forest, and a tunnel was dug under the Whomping Willow to lead to the shed.

He made that place his "safe house" for his full moon transformation.

Back then, there was no Vaughn Weasley, no wolfsbane potion, and transforming was an extremely painful experience. His roars and screams echoed out of the shack and were heard by the villagers of Hogsmeade.

Dumbledore cleverly turned the situation around, packaging the screams he made during his transformations into a horror story of a malevolent spirit seeking revenge, in order to keep people away from the area.

Over time, this house, which originally had no name, became known as the Screaming Shack.

Many years later, the place was even more dilapidated than he remembered. The outer walls were cracked and drafty, and only the main gate, which was patched up with wooden planks and looked much heavier, was still intact.

However, Lupin knew that Dumbledore had cast a spell on the place, and its precarious appearance was just a disguise; it was far more solid than it looked.

Gently push open the door, and the hinges, which have been covered in dust for who knows how long, creak with a teeth-grinding sound.

Then, Lupin heard lively footsteps running down from upstairs.

Soon, two tall, thin Weasleys, who looked exactly alike and had red hair, and were easily recognizable, peeked out from the corner of the stairs.

"Oh no, Fred! Someone's broken in!"

"Damn it! We've been spreading those ghost stories from back then in the village, so why are people still coming here!"

"What should we do?"

"Hmph, capture him, imprison him, torture him severely, and silence him!"

Lupin: "————"

The moment Lupin saw the twins, he recognized them. After all, he and the Prewitt brothers were members of the Order of the Phoenix. When the twins were born, the Prewitt brothers hadn't met with their accident yet, and the situation wasn't as dire as it would later become. He, James, Peter, and—Sirius.

They, along with the Pewter brothers, visited Molly, who had just given birth.

Perhaps it's returning to a place that was once most familiar to me that has been over many years ago that has stirred up many memories that I thought I had forgotten.

Lupin was momentarily stunned as he stared at the twins.

Seeing his reaction, the twins exchanged bewildered glances: "He doesn't seem scared?"

"Yeah, maybe it's because we look too kind?"

"That's boring—I thought I could scare him!"

After the twins finished expressing their disappointment, Fred clapped his hands, waking Lupin from his daze: "Mr. Remus Lupin, right?"

Lupin snapped out of his daze: "Uh, yes—"

"Vaughn instructed us you would come over. Come on up, he's waiting for you in the first room on the left on the second floor—oh, and please make sure to close the door. We don't want the village to notice someone has entered the shack. Having a secret base outside the school isn't easy!"

After saying that, the twins skipped and hopped back.

Lupin was left speechless, both amused and exasperated.

He closed the door as the twins had reminded him, stayed on the first floor for a while, and then quietly stepped onto the stairs.

The old staircase groaned beneath his feet, just as it had many years ago. Only back then, this place, which held so many of his fondest memories, was just as dilapidated as it was now, yet it was far from deserted.

The raider quartet frequently comes here.

Before the full moon, they would sneak into Hogsmeade in human form to smuggle sweets and prank items.

On the night of the full moon, the fork, the big foot, and the insect tail transform into animals, keeping him company through the difficult night amidst his wails.

During that period, human footprints and animal footprints covered every floorboard and every step of this shed.

Those marks are from a carefree past.

And now, everything is gone.

The laughter of the past is like a gentle breeze brushing past my ears, leaving a fleeting, soft disturbance before fading away in an instant.

Rubbing his temples, Lu Ping shook his head, clearing his mind of the chaos, and went upstairs to the second floor. Following the twins' directions, he arrived at the first room on the left, composed himself, and gently knocked.

Soon, he heard a voice from inside respond, "Come in!"

The sound was crisp and clear.

It's a girl!

""