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"You wasted a great deal of time. Next time, do not act so rashly."
Snape made the comment in a flat tone, then silently walked aside and yielded the lectern.
"Even if there are werewolves in the Forbidden Forest, you would not be able to identify one. After all, most of the time, they are no different from ordinary people."
"Professor Snape, I caught one."
As Dudley spoke, he took out a small pouch and gently patted it.
"A living werewolf."
With a firm shake, the thing inside fell out.
"But tonight is not the full moon. Even if you caught one, it would be useless."
Snape frowned as he spoke. After seeing what Dudley had released, his frown deepened.
"Also... this is a wolf, is it not?"
What Dudley had released was a wolf bound tightly from nose to tail.
A very beautiful wolf.
Although its muzzle, pupils, and the shape of the fur on its tail all fit the description of a werewolf, and although its eyes held a hint of human intelligence unlike those of ordinary wolves, Snape was certain this was indeed a wolf.
No werewolf could transform outside the full moon. That was common knowledge in the wizarding world.
Werewolves who could transform at will existed only in fiction.
It was an uncontrollable bestial transformation, a transformation that stripped away self-control, a cursed fate.
"No. This is a werewolf," Dudley said again, with certainty.
Dudley naturally knew that werewolves could not transform outside the full moon. The transformation only took effect when moonlight shone on them. Although the full moon was only a day or two away, it was not now. Besides, it was daytime.
"To be precise, this is a special kind of werewolf. It is the offspring of two werewolves."
When two werewolves conceived a child while in human form, the child born was still human. Generally speaking, the child would not suffer from lycanthropy and would not become a werewolf.
But if they mated under the full moon while in wolf form, what would be born?
What was born was the beautiful wolf in front of them. Or rather, a whole litter of wolves.
"You are saying he is the child of two werewolves who mated in beast form on a full moon?"
After hearing Dudley's explanation, Snape immediately became interested. It was rare for werewolves not to attack humans on a full moon. It was also rare for two werewolves to come together. For both conditions to occur at once was even rarer.
"Yes. So he can also be considered a werewolf."
Dudley nodded.
"Fascinating. As far as I know, only certain hereditary blood curses, such as a Maledictus-type curse, can cause a witch or wizard to transform completely into a beast."
A Maledictus-type blood curse was a terrifying hereditary curse. It could cause a person to shift between human and beast until, eventually, they were trapped in the beast form entirely. It sounded a little like an Animagus losing control, but the two were completely different things.
Snape looked at the special werewolf on the ground with shining eyes. He looked as though he wanted to take it apart on the spot to see what made it different.
Werewolves were not acknowledged by many wizards, but they were indeed human. Even in wolf form, they still belonged to humanity.
That much could be seen from the fact that werewolves could have children with ordinary witches and wizards.
If two werewolves in wolf form could produce a wolf, then what would happen if an Animagus in animal form paired with an animal?
No witch or wizard with tastes that extreme had appeared yet. Perhaps some truly eccentric magical researcher somewhere had tried, but Snape did not want to know.
Magic really was astonishing. It could even blur boundaries nature should have kept fixed.
"Professor Snape, did you not say werewolves were dangerous? I do not think it looks dangerous."
At that moment, a girl's voice sounded.
The speaker was a Gryffindor student, Lavender Brown.
She was looking at the special werewolf with pity, and the werewolf was looking back at her pleadingly.
The moment she saw its eyes, her heart softened.
"It should not be tied up like that. I can feel that it is suffering. A werewolf's life still matters."
Snape had just been about to speak when Dudley lightly waved his wand.
The ropes binding the special werewolf loosened.
The first thing it did after regaining its freedom was not thank Lavender for speaking up for it. Instead, its expression changed instantly, and it lunged straight at her. A foul stench hit her, and long fangs flashed with a cold gleam.
Unfortunately, before it could bite Lavender, the ropes that had just been loosened wrapped it up again like a spinning top.
It fell to the ground with a thud.
"Not dangerous? Do not be fooled by this fellow. He is a werewolf. A meat-eating werewolf. He is not a house pet."
Dudley's stern voice carried through the entire classroom.
Feeling pity just because it looked beautiful?
This thing had grown up in the Forbidden Forest. On what grounds did she think it would have no aggression toward humans?
"Miss Brown, this is the first thing I want to teach you today. Never let the illusion before your eyes blind you. Even more importantly, never show kindness recklessly when you cannot protect yourself."
"That can very easily cost you your life."
The sudden change and Dudley's severe tone made Lavender feel deeply wronged. She began sobbing softly.
Hermione was closest to Lavender. She only glanced at her and had no intention of stepping forward to comfort her.
She thought Dudley was right, and she also felt Lavender was being far too delicate.
"Any werewolf who transforms will lose control. They become monsters driven by the urge to attack. They become pure beasts, and they are extremely aggressive toward humans. That is completely different from their human form."
"Do not expect to reach them with kindness while they are transformed."
"You do not have that ability."
"If you are careless, the most likely outcome is that you will be bitten to death. A less likely outcome is that you will be infected and become a werewolf yourself."
"Think about your parents. Think about your family."
In truth, Dudley did not mean to target Lupin, nor did he mean to discriminate against werewolves. Many werewolves were indeed pitiful. They lived in poverty and hardship. Many werewolves were also kind in human form, just like Lupin. None of them had chosen to become werewolves.
But none of that erased the danger of werewolves.
The reason the wizarding world rejected werewolves so strongly was that when they were in wolf form, they lost control and became monsters that attacked humans.
Living examples were bloody proof.
It was wrong to claim that werewolves were harmless. It was also wrong to claim that every werewolf deserved to die.
The students had to gain a correct understanding of werewolves first. Only then could they be guided to understand and accept werewolves. Otherwise, once tragedy happened, they would only hate werewolves even more.
Snape silently watched Dudley's handling of the matter and nodded again and again.
It had to be said that Dudley had an imposing presence as a professor. Although by age he was the same as the students present, his physique made him look entirely like a terrifying muscle-bound teacher.
"Now bring your attention back to the lesson."
Dudley cleared his throat, and the students obediently sat up.
It had the air of a teacher clapping once and the children immediately sitting straight with their hands folded.
"You are very lucky. During the holidays, I learned a spell. A spell that can restore a werewolf to human form."
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