When they returned to the bustling Diagon Alley, Harry noticed that there were obviously many more wizards coming and going than in the morning. He followed Professor Watson, who was wearing a dark blue cloak and a pointed hat, looking down at the cobblestones that reflected the dazzling sunlight, and said nothing. He felt a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and anger in his chest, but he didn't know how to express it.
Because neither of them had time to eat breakfast in the morning, they ordered some food from Tom, the friendly pub owner of the Leaky Cauldron, and found a place far away from the group of guys who were smoking pipes and chatting loudly. They sat on a wooden bench next to a small round table, where a candle was burning dimly.
Both of them had their own thoughts in their hearts, so no one spoke. The only sound was the clinking of cutlery and plates.
Bryan chewed on the bread slice, silently recalling the huge mural in the central temple of Avalon Island. The vivid colors and intricate details still lingered in his mind. The legendary wizard Merlin stood alone in front of the huge temple, gazing at the distant sky, with a solemn and lonely expression on his face. His long white beard and hair fluttered in the wind, and his robes were stained with blood. What happened afterwards was not recorded. It was as if time had stopped at that moment. After that No one knew where Merlin went or what he did.
Bryan was thinking about a question. The mysterious tower in the underground world, if it was really left by Merlin as rumored, then when did he build the tower, before or after the duel?
If it was before the duel, to be honest, Bryan would not be too interested in whether Merlin left any treasures in the tower or not. He had seen enough wonders and secrets in his life. But if it was after the duel… Bryan narrowed his eyes, his eyes became deep, and his mouth stopped chewing.
"The shadow in Morgan Le Fay's body. The plot of the four founders of Hogwarts. The Twin-Serpent Staff. Merlin's black stone tower. If these are connected, it seems that an answer can be obtained."
Unconsciously, Bryan put down his cutlery, his fingers lightly tapping on the uneven wooden table, gathering his wisdom, He tried to sort out the clues and find a logical connection.
"The logic is reasonable, but there are still problems. Why can I touch the twin snake wand that even Godric Gryffindor can't pick up? The prophecy of the former priest of Druidism also inexplicably involved me. And what revelation did that woman Cliodna get?"
He frowned slightly, feeling that he was close to something important, but still missing some key clues.
"Professor." Harry blinked his glasses and stared at Professor Watson who was a little absent-minded, with worry in his eyes. "I seem to have heard you say Gryffindor?"
"Ah–"
Bryan came back to his senses and pursed his lips. He smiled to reassure Harry's anxiety.
"I was just thinking about some questions. It's nothing to worry about."
He glanced at Harry's eyes and found that there was a turbulent halo in the eyes of the little wizard in front of him. After a little thought, he chuckled and asked,
"Are you still confused and angry about what you saw in the underground world?"
Harry didn't say anything, just lowered his head and said nothing. After a while, he asked sullenly,
"That place. Those dark wizards who treat magical creatures as commodities to buy and sell. Does Professor Dumbledore know all these things?"
"Existence is reasonable, Potter. You think that underground cave and those wizards in it are evil and unforgivable. But you have to understand that at any time, there is always darkness in this world. Now, there is a place that can restrain those darkness together. And there is a relatively reasonable order to restrain them. Don't you think this is actually a good thing? Otherwise, those dark wizards who run around will only hurt more innocent people."
Bryan did not answer Potter's question directly, but instead talked about something else from a different perspective. He also did not expect Potter to agree with him easily. He knew that Potter had a strong sense of justice and compassion for others.
However, his reasoning did not seem to enlighten Potter. Looking at Potter's confusion still not dissipating from his face, Bryan thought for a while and then comforted him.
"Don't worry too much about understanding all this, Potter. Some truths can only be truly understood after years of polishing and experience."
Bryan was about to say something else, but suddenly, a wizard who came in from the back door wearing a patched robe and carrying a shabby suitcase made Bryan's eyes freeze. And that wizard also quickly noticed Bryan after entering the pub. He showed surprise first, then some joy on his pale face. But after noticing Harry sitting opposite Bryan, he hesitated for a moment and did not approach immediately.
"–We don't have any other plans today, Potter,"
Bryan said calmly to Harry without changing his expression. He sensed Lupin's presence and decided to get rid of Harry first. He didn't want to involve the boy in their conversation.
"Now I think you'd better go upstairs and rest for a while. You can arrange your afternoon time freely. Well…you can go to that Quidditch boutique and take a good look at that beautiful big broom!"
When he mentioned the broom that was so expensive that it was hard to imagine, Harry finally cheered up a bit. He finished the food on his plate in two or three bites and then went upstairs. He cast a curious glance at Lupin, who was still standing by the door, but he didn't say anything.
"I'm surprised, Bryan. I didn't expect to meet you here–"
The grey-haired Remus Lupin came over and sat in Harry's seat just now, smiling gently. He tried to act casual and friendly, but he couldn't hide the nervousness in his voice.
'Sorry, are we very familiar?'
Bryan rolled his eyes and thought so, but he didn't bother to say anything. He just frowned and said coldly, "Why don't you sell your herbs downstairs? What are you doing in the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Werewolves need to eat too–"
Lupin ignored Bryan's coldness and just lowered his voice and said casually.
There was nothing wrong with this sentence. Whether it was a wizard or a half-human wizard, they all needed to eat. But Bryan still felt a bit strange, because he knew the poor economic situation of the somewhat premature wizard in front of him. He had seen Lupin's shabby clothes and suitcase, which were full of patches and holes. He knew that Lupin had been wandering around for many years, looking for rare herbs that could ease his pain during the full moon.
"So it seems–" Bryan looked at Lupin with a gentle expression and raised his eyebrows slightly. "You finally found a way to get some galleons for yourself?"
"It's all thanks to you, Bryan–"
Lupin nodded at Bryan and said softly. "I got some salary in advance from Dumbledore, which made me not have to worry about filling my stomach for a while."
'Got some salary in advance from Dumbledore?'
Bryan frowned in confusion, but then he realized it and showed a surprised expression. Lupin meant that he agreed to his previous "friendly suggestion" and became the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts?!
Because of the many things that happened during this time, Bryan almost forgot about this matter if it weren't for Lupin's reminder. However, Bryan's confusion still did not dissipate. At the end of the last meeting, Lupin's reaction did not seem like he was going to agree. He didn't expect that after more than a month, he actually quietly sent his resume to Dumbledore?
There must be something abnormal about this. There must be some reason he didn't know. Bryan squinted his eyes and scrutinized Lupin, who had "tricked" him last time. His voice was doubtful.
"You agreed…a wise decision. But, Lupin, this is quite surprising to me. I thought you couldn't get over that hurdle in your heart!"
He was referring to the hurdle of being a werewolf. Bryan knew that Lupin had always been ashamed of his identity and feared being discriminated against by others. He also knew that Hogwarts School Board had strict rules about accepting half-human wizards as teachers or students.
"I thought seriously about what you said to me last time, Bryan. As you said, if I can really contribute as a professor, maybe people will have a different view of werewolves."
Lupin's smiling face showed a trace of unnaturalness. He knew that the young wizard in front of him was powerful, but he didn't expect that he was also so wise at such a young age.
"You're lying, Lupin. I'm sure there's another reason." Bryan slightly raised his chin, his tone flat. Lupin didn't say anything anymore. Bryan's oppressive gaze made him feel very uneasy. He sat there, subconsciously avoiding Bryan's probing eyes.
Actually, no matter what reason Lupin had for going to Hogwarts according to his suggestion, it had nothing to do with Bryan. As long as he accepted this job, Bryan would also get his revenge for being 'betrayed' by Lupin before. But his evasive appearance made Bryan more alert.
"Could it be that you and Dumbledore are plotting something together…Lupin, meeting me here by chance, wouldn't it be something you planned long ago?"
Lupin smiled bitterly. He didn't expect Bryan to have such suspicions. Of course, thinking about how he had "framed" Bryan before, his vigilance was very normal.
"Actually." Bryan interrupted Lupin's hard-thought excuse directly.
"Unfortunately, Lupin, I happen to be good at Legilimency. If you're not a master of Occulumency or Mind arts, I think you don't have to bother lying to me."
Hearing this, Lupin's forehead showed a few fine lines. He felt a chill in his spine, knowing that Bryan was not bluffing. He had heard of Bryan's extraordinary talent in Legilimency, the art of penetrating the mind of another person. He knew that Bryan could easily read his thoughts and emotions if he was not careful.
The reason why he decided to go to Hogwarts as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was not just simple poverty, but there was a deeper reason. He got some information from Dumbledore's letter…information that the Ministry of Magic had not made public yet. Some information about the purpose of his "old friend" who had been imprisoned in Azkaban for twelve years.
Bryan Watson, Lupin knew he didn't have much friendship with this person, but Dumbledore seemed to appreciate him very much.
"I think…Bryan, you must have already known about Black." Lupin said cautiously, trying to gauge Bryan's reaction.
"Oh!" Bryan's star-like eyes suddenly opened up, and his face showed a look of realization. He seemed to have guessed what Lupin was implying.
"Oh!" Bryan repeated, his voice rising with excitement and anger.
"I underestimated your ambition, Lupin!"
Bryan clenched his left fist and slammed it on the table, making a loud noise that startled the other customers in the pub.
"I've become so dull. I didn't realize… You also want to get the Ministry of Magic's Fifty thousand galleons reward, right?"
*******************************
For More Chapters; patreon.com/FicFrenzy
When they returned to the bustling Diagon Alley, Harry noticed that there were obviously many more wizards coming and going than in the morning. He followed Professor Watson, who was wearing a dark blue cloak and a pointed hat, looking down at the cobblestones that reflected the dazzling sunlight, and said nothing. He felt a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and anger in his chest, but he didn't know how to express it.
Because neither of them had time to eat breakfast in the morning, they ordered some food from Tom, the friendly pub owner of the Leaky Cauldron, and found a place far away from the group of guys who were smoking pipes and chatting loudly. They sat on a wooden bench next to a small round table, where a candle was burning dimly.
Both of them had their own thoughts in their hearts, so no one spoke. The only sound was the clinking of cutlery and plates.
Bryan chewed on the bread slice, silently recalling the huge mural in the central temple of Avalon Island. The vivid colors and intricate details still lingered in his mind. The legendary wizard Merlin stood alone in front of the huge temple, gazing at the distant sky, with a solemn and lonely expression on his face. His long white beard and hair fluttered in the wind, and his robes were stained with blood. What happened afterwards was not recorded. It was as if time had stopped at that moment. After that No one knew where Merlin went or what he did.
Bryan was thinking about a question. The mysterious tower in the underground world, if it was really left by Merlin as rumored, then when did he build the tower, before or after the duel?
If it was before the duel, to be honest, Bryan would not be too interested in whether Merlin left any treasures in the tower or not. He had seen enough wonders and secrets in his life. But if it was after the duel… Bryan narrowed his eyes, his eyes became deep, and his mouth stopped chewing.
"The shadow in Morgan Le Fay's body. The plot of the four founders of Hogwarts. The Twin-Serpent Staff. Merlin's black stone tower. If these are connected, it seems that an answer can be obtained."
Unconsciously, Bryan put down his cutlery, his fingers lightly tapping on the uneven wooden table, gathering his wisdom, He tried to sort out the clues and find a logical connection.
"The logic is reasonable, but there are still problems. Why can I touch the twin snake wand that even Godric Gryffindor can't pick up? The prophecy of the former priest of Druidism also inexplicably involved me. And what revelation did that woman Cliodna get?"
He frowned slightly, feeling that he was close to something important, but still missing some key clues.
"Professor." Harry blinked his glasses and stared at Professor Watson who was a little absent-minded, with worry in his eyes. "I seem to have heard you say Gryffindor?"
"Ah–"
Bryan came back to his senses and pursed his lips. He smiled to reassure Harry's anxiety.
"I was just thinking about some questions. It's nothing to worry about."
He glanced at Harry's eyes and found that there was a turbulent halo in the eyes of the little wizard in front of him. After a little thought, he chuckled and asked,
"Are you still confused and angry about what you saw in the underground world?"
Harry didn't say anything, just lowered his head and said nothing. After a while, he asked sullenly,
"That place. Those dark wizards who treat magical creatures as commodities to buy and sell. Does Professor Dumbledore know all these things?"
"Existence is reasonable, Potter. You think that underground cave and those wizards in it are evil and unforgivable. But you have to understand that at any time, there is always darkness in this world. Now, there is a place that can restrain those darkness together. And there is a relatively reasonable order to restrain them. Don't you think this is actually a good thing? Otherwise, those dark wizards who run around will only hurt more innocent people."
Bryan did not answer Potter's question directly, but instead talked about something else from a different perspective. He also did not expect Potter to agree with him easily. He knew that Potter had a strong sense of justice and compassion for others.
However, his reasoning did not seem to enlighten Potter. Looking at Potter's confusion still not dissipating from his face, Bryan thought for a while and then comforted him.
"Don't worry too much about understanding all this, Potter. Some truths can only be truly understood after years of polishing and experience."
Bryan was about to say something else, but suddenly, a wizard who came in from the back door wearing a patched robe and carrying a shabby suitcase made Bryan's eyes freeze. And that wizard also quickly noticed Bryan after entering the pub. He showed surprise first, then some joy on his pale face. But after noticing Harry sitting opposite Bryan, he hesitated for a moment and did not approach immediately.
"–We don't have any other plans today, Potter,"
Bryan said calmly to Harry without changing his expression. He sensed Lupin's presence and decided to get rid of Harry first. He didn't want to involve the boy in their conversation.
"Now I think you'd better go upstairs and rest for a while. You can arrange your afternoon time freely. Well…you can go to that Quidditch boutique and take a good look at that beautiful big broom!"
When he mentioned the broom that was so expensive that it was hard to imagine, Harry finally cheered up a bit. He finished the food on his plate in two or three bites and then went upstairs. He cast a curious glance at Lupin, who was still standing by the door, but he didn't say anything.
"I'm surprised, Bryan. I didn't expect to meet you here–"
The grey-haired Remus Lupin came over and sat in Harry's seat just now, smiling gently. He tried to act casual and friendly, but he couldn't hide the nervousness in his voice.
'Sorry, are we very familiar?'
Bryan rolled his eyes and thought so, but he didn't bother to say anything. He just frowned and said coldly, "Why don't you sell your herbs downstairs? What are you doing in the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Werewolves need to eat too–"
Lupin ignored Bryan's coldness and just lowered his voice and said casually.
There was nothing wrong with this sentence. Whether it was a wizard or a half-human wizard, they all needed to eat. But Bryan still felt a bit strange, because he knew the poor economic situation of the somewhat premature wizard in front of him. He had seen Lupin's shabby clothes and suitcase, which were full of patches and holes. He knew that Lupin had been wandering around for many years, looking for rare herbs that could ease his pain during the full moon.
"So it seems–" Bryan looked at Lupin with a gentle expression and raised his eyebrows slightly. "You finally found a way to get some galleons for yourself?"
"It's all thanks to you, Bryan–"
Lupin nodded at Bryan and said softly. "I got some salary in advance from Dumbledore, which made me not have to worry about filling my stomach for a while."
'Got some salary in advance from Dumbledore?'
Bryan frowned in confusion, but then he realized it and showed a surprised expression. Lupin meant that he agreed to his previous "friendly suggestion" and became the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts?!
Because of the many things that happened during this time, Bryan almost forgot about this matter if it weren't for Lupin's reminder. However, Bryan's confusion still did not dissipate. At the end of the last meeting, Lupin's reaction did not seem like he was going to agree. He didn't expect that after more than a month, he actually quietly sent his resume to Dumbledore?
There must be something abnormal about this. There must be some reason he didn't know. Bryan squinted his eyes and scrutinized Lupin, who had "tricked" him last time. His voice was doubtful.
"You agreed…a wise decision. But, Lupin, this is quite surprising to me. I thought you couldn't get over that hurdle in your heart!"
He was referring to the hurdle of being a werewolf. Bryan knew that Lupin had always been ashamed of his identity and feared being discriminated against by others. He also knew that Hogwarts School Board had strict rules about accepting half-human wizards as teachers or students.
"I thought seriously about what you said to me last time, Bryan. As you said, if I can really contribute as a professor, maybe people will have a different view of werewolves."
Lupin's smiling face showed a trace of unnaturalness. He knew that the young wizard in front of him was powerful, but he didn't expect that he was also so wise at such a young age.
"You're lying, Lupin. I'm sure there's another reason." Bryan slightly raised his chin, his tone flat. Lupin didn't say anything anymore. Bryan's oppressive gaze made him feel very uneasy. He sat there, subconsciously avoiding Bryan's probing eyes.
Actually, no matter what reason Lupin had for going to Hogwarts according to his suggestion, it had nothing to do with Bryan. As long as he accepted this job, Bryan would also get his revenge for being 'betrayed' by Lupin before. But his evasive appearance made Bryan more alert.
"Could it be that you and Dumbledore are plotting something together…Lupin, meeting me here by chance, wouldn't it be something you planned long ago?"
Lupin smiled bitterly. He didn't expect Bryan to have such suspicions. Of course, thinking about how he had "framed" Bryan before, his vigilance was very normal.
"Actually." Bryan interrupted Lupin's hard-thought excuse directly.
"Unfortunately, Lupin, I happen to be good at Legilimency. If you're not a master of Occulumency or Mind arts, I think you don't have to bother lying to me."
Hearing this, Lupin's forehead showed a few fine lines. He felt a chill in his spine, knowing that Bryan was not bluffing. He had heard of Bryan's extraordinary talent in Legilimency, the art of penetrating the mind of another person. He knew that Bryan could easily read his thoughts and emotions if he was not careful.
The reason why he decided to go to Hogwarts as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was not just simple poverty, but there was a deeper reason. He got some information from Dumbledore's letter…information that the Ministry of Magic had not made public yet. Some information about the purpose of his "old friend" who had been imprisoned in Azkaban for twelve years.
Bryan Watson, Lupin knew he didn't have much friendship with this person, but Dumbledore seemed to appreciate him very much.
"I think…Bryan, you must have already known about Black." Lupin said cautiously, trying to gauge Bryan's reaction.
"Oh!" Bryan's star-like eyes suddenly opened up, and his face showed a look of realization. He seemed to have guessed what Lupin was implying.
"Oh!" Bryan repeated, his voice rising with excitement and anger.
"I underestimated your ambition, Lupin!"
Bryan clenched his left fist and slammed it on the table, making a loud noise that startled the other customers in the pub.
"I've become so dull. I didn't realize… You also want to get the Ministry of Magic's Fifty thousand galleons reward, right?"
*******************************
For More Chapters; patreon.com/FicFrenzy
