"What in the name of Dumbledore's black beard?!" Black cursed.
Next to him, hidden behind a wall that led to another alley, Harry, Ron, and Draco shared Black's thoughts, disbelieving the sight, too.
It was one thing to see the pale-faced Professor Lupin in this weather at all, especially when every other gust of blizzard threatened to tear him to pieces.
It was another thing entirely to see him so… angry.
As if that wasn't enough, why was Uncle Black following him?
Even if they somehow labeled it as an over-the-top coincidence, then why did it also look like they were coming from the Shrieking Shack — together?!
"Should we…?" Draco left the question unsaid.
"You bet your slick hair I will confront him!" Black snapped, looking at Draco. "He's trying to steal my pet…"
Harry's lips twitched.
He was about to suggest against confronting Lupin right now, when, suddenly, someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him with a jerk, making him gasp.
The rest of the boys also fumbled because of that.
As they turned around to curse, their words got locked in their throats.
It was Filch, the caretaker, smiling broadly with his crooked, yellow teeth as he grabbed Harry's robe.
"He-he…" he laughed raspingly. "Caught a stray… Someone's in trouble… huge trouble… Come with me!"
Filch, despite Harry trying to pull himself out of the old man's grip, began dragging him deeper into the alley.
Black, Ron, and Draco looked at this baffling scene for a moment, too stunned to even move.
Then, together, they shouted, rushing toward Filch.
"Let him go!" Black shouted, grabbing Filch's hand, Ron and Draco already pulling Harry.
"Your turn will come…" Filch grinned at Black, his fingers gripping Harry's robes like iron hooks. "Soon… very soon. First… I need this one…"
That immediately alarmed the four students.
What did he mean he needed Harry?! Where was he trying to take him?! What did he plan to do with him?!
Black's dark eyes shone blue, tiny runes dancing in his surroundings.
As if that was a cue, Ron's left eye gained thousands of numbers, calculating and processing as his wand appeared in his hand.
The end of Draco's hair lifted as he activated Acute Perception, grabbing Harry tight, readying himself to Disapparate the moment Filch let go of him.
"What's going on there?!"
The shout startled all of them.
Filch and the boys looked toward the main alley, where Professor Lupin was standing, donning a heavy cloak.
Then, the big, black dog that had been following him walked past him and came into the alley.
The moment Uncle Black's eyes landed on the scene, he bared his fangs, and an unsettling, beastly growl left his throat.
Professor Lupin took out his wand, his face paling even more. "That's enough…" he said, stepping forward.
He was looking at the boys, but his words didn't seem to be for them.
Uncle Black licked his fangs and kept growling, but he had stopped advancing.
Lupin walked past the dog and eyed Filch, narrowing his eyes. "Let go of him, Filch."
That wasn't a request.
Filch growled, letting go of Harry. "He has come to Hogsmeade without permission from, Professor," he said. "I need to take him to the Headmaster and punish him."
"Now… that's amusing," Lupin said, smiling. "Actually, it was I who brought Harry to Hogsmeade."
The boys' eyes widened.
Filch doubted those words, too. "For what?"
"I don't reckon I need to explain that to you, Filch," Lupin said, pulling Harry toward him. "I will make sure to let the Headmaster know about it by myself."
Filch growled, grinding his teeth. "Then, I am taking this one…" he said, reaching for Black. "This one is here without a permission form, too…"
Before Lupin could make an excuse, Black just smirked, taking out a letter. "Gone senile, old man? I have my letter right here…"
Not only Filch, but even the boys looked at Black, stunned.
Lupin took one look at the letter in Black's hands and then looked at Filch, raising his brows.
Letting out a growl that was in no way inferior to a dog's, Filch turned around and went away, licking his lips several times.
When the old man was gone, Lupin dropped all smiles and looked at Harry.
"I am disappointed, Harry," he said, truly looking like it. "This is so… reckless and selfish of you, to be at Hogsmeade without permission… especially when we have a killer loose at our hands… a killer that's after you."
Harry felt so ashamed at being reprimanded by Lupin that his head dropped.
Lupin then looked at the other three boys. "And you three…" he said. "You are supposed to be his friends. I know you all are strong… great wizards, but can you truly fight off someone like Sirius Black with absolute confidence? One mistake… can become a lifetime's regret."
There was such an emotion in Lupin's words that it felt like he was saying them with experience.
Behind him, the dog whined, butting its head against Lupin's legs.
"Oh, yeah…" Lupin seemed to remember that he needed to explain. "Found him being chased by a group of Boggarts…"
The boys were experienced enough not to believe that half-effort explanation.
But, in light of what happened with Filch, they kept quiet, letting it go.
"Now, let's go back to Hogwarts," Lupin said, turning around.
As the boys began following the Professor, Harry and the others looked at Black, curious.
In return, Black took out the same letter he had claimed to be a permission letter and showed it to the boys… their jaws dropping in the next moment.
It was not a permission letter.
It was just a blank piece of parchment.
Together, Harry, Draco, and Ron looked at Lupin, realizing that he had lied for Black, too.
Once they were back at Hogwarts, Lupin sent Ron and Draco to the castle with Uncle Black and took Harry and Black to his office.
First, he looked at Black. "I don't think Uncle… your dog… is safe to be around students," he said. "I will talk to Hagrid. He already has Fang. Perhaps, spending time with another dog will bring some discipline to your dog, too."
Harry frowned, as Uncle Black was the nicest dog he had ever met in his life.
"But, Professor…" Black began.
Lupin raised his hand. "I am sorry," he said. "But I have decided. Let's take it as the favor repaid…"
Black's mouth flattened into a thin line.
"You can leave now," Lupin said. "I have some things to discuss with Harry…"
"Is it about the Patronus Charm, Sir?" Black asked. "I… I want to learn it, too. If you don't mind, of course…"
Harry tried not to look at Lupin.
Meanwhile, Lupin kept looking at Black, thinking of the best way to reject him. Suddenly, he thought of something… a worst-case scenario… and sighed inwardly.
"Alright," Lupin nodded, shocking Harry. "But… let me warn you. It's a highly complex magic. Success isn't guaranteed. Are you sure?"
…
[
Congratulations Contestant Kai D. Stormborn
You have initiated a Side Mission
Side Mission: Learn Patronus Charm from Professor Lupin
…
Do you accept the Mission?
]
…
Black took out his wand, smiling. "Sure as ever… Professor."