bioinnovel Chapter 235 Lupin's Gift
Chapter 235 Lupin's Gift
Chapter 235 Lupin's Gift
The next day, Belvina left Grimmauld Place alone and returned to Hogwarts by herself.
Sirius Black remained in London, living in the Black family home he once hated, where he took over the family property that had been passed down for who knows how many years.
Sirius was very dissatisfied with this. He had no patience to manage the family business and wanted to return to Hogwarts and Lupin and Harry.
However, with just one sentence, Belvina pinned Sirius down at number twelve Grimmauld Place, rendering him immobile.
"Think about Remus. You wouldn't want Remus's secret to be exposed too early and get you kicked out of school, would you?"
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The persuasion, with its strong island flavor, was very effective. Sirius Black gave up his idea of returning to Hogwarts and stopped hanging around Snape.
Of course, Belvina wasn't entirely heartless; after all, she wasn't some kind of devil.
Sirius Black can return to Hogwarts on the day of the Quidditch final and witness Harry catch the Golden Snitch on a Firebolt, ending the game.
The gloom has completely dissipated at Hogwarts, and the weather is getting better day by day. The grass is growing tall and the birds are singing, the sun is shining brightly, and the wind is gentle and the clouds are light.
However, the good weather at Hogwarts did little to ease the tension between Gryffindor and Slytherin.
As arch-rivals and finalists, the tension between the two teams and the two colleges is about to escalate, with their animosity towards each other reaching its peak.
The corridors of the ancient castle have become battlefields, with Gryffindor and Slytherin students frequently engaging in brawls, where physical violence is the norm.
Incidents of sticks being drawn and thrown at each other also occur from time to time.
The school hospital was overcrowded, and Mrs. Pomfrey was extremely busy.
Mr. Filch, the administrator, was also extremely busy, running around the corridors trying to stop fights between students.
In just a few days, Mr. Filch lost a lot of weight, and Mrs. Lorris became so thin that animal rights activists would say "Wow!"
In response to the conflict between the two teams and the two houses, Headmaster Dumbledore resolutely stood up and strictly prohibited students from fighting in private, and even more so from casting spells in the corridors.
However, Dumbledore's repeated warnings had no effect whatsoever, and the fighting among the students intensified. Even Professor McGonagall and Snape's desperate measure of solitary confinement could not stop the students from repeatedly visiting the school hospital.
In the school, which resembled a battlefield, the players on both teams were heavily protected to prevent the opposing team from resorting to violence and directly attacking their members.
Harry, being such a precious child, was always surrounded by a large group of students wherever he went. Slytherin wanted to take Harry to the school hospital, while Gryffindor wanted to protect him from harm.
Time passed slowly, and the Quidditch final arrived as scheduled. Gryffindor and Slytherin temporarily "signed" a truce.
On the morning of the match, when the Gryffindor players entered the auditorium, they were immediately greeted with enthusiastic applause.
Unsurprisingly, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, as always, supported Gryffindor and even booed the Slytherin members as they entered the Great Hall.
Snape's sallow face turned ashen in the faculty section.
Slytherin players have been booed for quite some time now, so Snape shouldn't have gotten so angry.
What truly upset Snape was the way Belvina looked at him; it wasn't the usual sarcasm or mockery.
Snape could hardly describe that unusual feeling in words; there was doubt, confusion, pity, and mockery in Belvina's eyes—it was all too complex.
Snape couldn't help but ask: Can the emotions that humans express through their eyes really be so diverse?
At 11 a.m., all the teachers and students of the school gathered at the Quidditch pitch, and the residents of Hogsmeade also came to watch the game, creating a wave of noise that grew louder and louder.
Nearly three-quarters of the audience wore bright red roses, waved red flags painted with Gryffindor lions, and shouted the slogan "Gryffindor will win!"
Belvina sat in the stands with a tense expression, Sirius Black and Lupin to her left, and Basilda and Bernard to her right.
Apart from Belvina, the four people around her all supported Gryffindor to win the championship, and even Belvina herself did not think highly of Slytherin.
Because Slytherin's teams prioritize height and physique over skill. Belvina had no doubt that the Slytherin players could smoothly transition to rugby.
Oh, except for that young master, Draco Malfoy.
With Draco's small frame, a single flying shoulder strike would make him throw up yesterday's dinner.
With Ms. Hodge's whistle, the Quidditch final officially began.
Gryffindor displayed superb ball skills, while Slytherin displayed outstanding physical abilities.
Although Flint and his Slytherin team repeatedly knocked Angelina, Spinnet, and Katie Bell away, they were powerless to stop the three girls' offensive line from breaking through the defenses.
The score quickly reached 30-0, with Gryffindor in the lead.
Belvina couldn't stand watching this lousy match for even a minute longer, and she stood up in anger.
The Slytherin team's performance was beyond shameful; Salazar Slytherin himself would be driven mad by these obsequious grandsons!
Just as Belvina stood up and stormed off the court, the score changed to 80-20, with Gryffindor extending their lead.
As Belvina stepped down from the stands, Harry, with his superior skills and equipment, successfully outmaneuvered the Slytherin team, as if Gryffindor had intellectually crushed Slytherin.
Before Belvina could even leave the pitch, the stadium erupted in cheers, and the final whistle blew, Gryffindor defeating Slytherin without any surprises.
Gryffindor once again triumphed over Slytherin in the Quidditch Cup, while Slytherin suffered a humiliating defeat.
After the Quidditch final, Hogwarts gradually entered summer, and even the air became warm on those clear, cloudless days.
On such a beautiful day, students had to abandon any thoughts of going out and focus entirely on their studies, as final exams were just around the corner.
The once-crowded school hospital has become deserted, while the library is bustling with people. Mrs. Irma Pines has become increasingly irritable, often waving a feather duster to drive away students who violate the rules.
Not only are students studying hard, but even elective course professors like Belvina are keeping themselves busy.
The ordinary wizard level exams and the ultimate wizard exams are just around the corner, and even wizards cannot escape the fate of taking the exams.
June arrived in the blink of an eye, and the weather at school became increasingly hot. Students had no choice but to sit in the stuffy classrooms, clear their minds of all distractions, and concentrate on their final exams.
The students, engrossed in answering their questions, had no idea that their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin, had just submitted his resignation to Headmaster Dumbledore.
At that moment, in the Defense Against the Dark Arts office, Lupin was calmly packing his luggage, as if he wasn't the one resigning.
Sirius Black, clutching two books and a piece of clothing, looked indignant. He said, "Did Snotty do something behind your back? Did he leak your secrets?"
"No," Lupin shook his head calmly. "Snape hasn't done anything lately, it's not his fault."
As he spoke, Lupin gestured with his chin toward the office door and continued, "If you don't believe me, go ask Belvina."
Belvina, who had just entered the office, turned around, closed the door, and asked with her back to the two of them, "What is it that you have to ask me?"
"Belvina, was it Snotty's doing that Remus resigned?" Sirius asked angrily. "Did he leak Remus's secret?"
"Remus, the carriage is already at the castle gate. Hagrid said he's waiting for you there," Belvina said to Lupin first, then looked at the indignant Sirius. "As far as I know, it has nothing to do with Severus."
In the past month or two, Snape's attention has not been on Lupin, but rather on observing Belvina, trying to figure out the reason for the change in Belvina's eyes.
Furthermore, Sirius Black wasn't loitering around the school anymore, and Lupin wasn't using the Boggarts to cause trouble again. Even if Snape held a grudge, there was no need for him to reveal the werewolf's secret.
"I've been at the school for almost a year now, and I'm sure Hermione isn't the only one who's noticed something's wrong with me," Lupin said with a wry smile. "I can't stay at the school any longer; parents won't allow werewolves to teach their children."
In the general public's perception, werewolves are cold-blooded, ruthless, evil, and cruel; they only deserve to die.
Convincing students' parents that Lupin is harmless and will not harm the students is no less difficult than defeating Voldemort.
As Lupin packed his bags, he continued, "I must leave the school before more people suspect me. That way, my secret won't be exposed to more people, and Dumbledore won't be in trouble."
"Alright, old friend, I respect your choice," Sirius said. "But you have to come with me, and we'll live together. You'll live with me in Grimmauld Place, and I'll be with you every full moon night."
Lupin looked up at Belvina and said, "Isn't that a bit inconvenient?"
If Sirius were the only person at number 12 Grimmauld Place, Lupin wouldn't have to worry about so much, nor would he feel inconvenienced.
But Blake's old house wasn't just home to Sirius; Belvina was also there, which made things a bit inconvenient.
"Don't worry about me, I don't live in the old house," Belvina said. "As long as you two don't tear the house down, I don't mind."
Sirius Black put his arm around Lupin's shoulder and said casually, "Old buddy, you're always thinking of others, don't you get tired of living like this? Can't you live a little more carefree like me?"
Lupin smiled but didn't reply. He, too, longed to be as carefree and unruly as Sirius Black.
Before long, Lupin had packed his luggage: patched old clothes, new clothes that Sirius had bought, and a music box the size of a palm.
Lupin picked up the music box, lifted the lid, and revealed a small sculpture inside—a she-wolf and two little boys, the she-wolf nursing the boys with her milk.
"I've been meaning to thank you, Belvina," Lupin said. "Thank you for the Christmas present, I love it."
"You're so stingy, all you give me is a music box," Sirius said, taking the music box from Lupin's hand.
After Sirius Black fiddled with it for a bit, music started playing, filling the entire office:
I understand your fear and pain. Let me share your worries. I will comfort you. I will be your lighthouse. I will keep you safe. When I see the demon hidden in your heart, I will stand up for you. Feeling embarrassed, Belvina quickly stepped forward, snatched the music box, and slammed the lid shut, stopping the song abruptly.
Sirius Black, as if possessed by Dumbledore's spirit, said, "Music, ah, it always has a charm that transcends everything."
"hehe!"
Belvina chuckled twice, returned the music box to Lupin, and then dashed out of the office.
"Remus, it's not your fault that you became a werewolf," Sirius said. "Never."