Chapter 245. Bart's Friend and Lupin's Change
After saying goodbye to Tonks, Adrian Wesson continued on towards where Bart was.
He wasn't worried about Tonks's safety; after all, she was a trainee Auror with several years of training.
At least within the Forbidden Forest, there was no person or creature that could threaten her—unless she was truly unlucky enough to run into Black.
"Master! Bart has been waiting for you for ages!"
The moment Adrian stepped into that familiar clearing among the trees, Bart's cheerful voice came from afar.
"It took a bit of time on the way." He quickened his pace and, as usual, released a measure of his own magic.
Sensing the Mutagen in the air, Bart's branches trembled with excitement, like a child seeing their parents return home. [Status: Growing (75%)]
When the Tree of Wisdom relayed Bart's information, Adrian nodded in satisfaction.
At this rate, Bart's growth would soon move into its next stage.
"Ah, right, Master—Bart nearly forgot to say," Bart seemed to remember something, and its wrinkled face squeezed into a happy expression. "Bart made a friend earlier."
Adrian raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. "Who is your friend?"
"A human like Master," Bart's branches swayed merrily. "Black hair, small, a good person."
At that, Adrian paused.
Although the description wasn't distinctive at all, who else would be in the Forbidden Forest during this period?
Most likely Sirius Black.
Adrian glanced around, thoughtful, and sure enough found several blurred footprints on the soft earth.
"Bart, does your 'friend' look like this?"
His voice turned a shade more serious as he took a blank piece of parchment from a pocket and held it up before Bart's eyes—and as Bart looked at the parchment, a portrait of Black had already appeared upon it.
Bart screwed up its face and stared at Black's portrait, as if making a great effort to recognise it.
At last, after nearly half a minute, Bart said excitedly, "It's him! He's Bart's friend!"
Adrian's expression turned a touch peculiar.
So Bart's friend really was Black—that was quite an amusing coincidence.
"When was the last time your friend came?" Adrian asked with a smile. "I'd like to meet your friend as well."
"When?" Bart thought for a moment, then said happily, "Just a few days ago. Does Master also want to meet Bart's friend? Bart will tell him!"
"Oh, no rush." Adrian waved a hand. "It'll be soon enough when your friend shows up again."
Meanwhile, deep in the Forbidden Forest.
Tonks trod over the soft fallen leaves, the tip of her wand shining with a faint light.
To be honest, although she'd come into the Forest during her school days, she'd never gone this deep before.
She couldn't help feeling a little excited.
Oh, she certainly hadn't ventured this far just to satisfy her curiosity.
Mm, absolutely not.
She was purely here to search for the criminal hiding in the Forbidden Forest.
Deceiving herself thus, Tonks headed in the direction from which the howls had just come.
After about five minutes of walking—
"Awooo—"
Another howl.
Only this time, the source of the sound was practically right in Tonks's face.
She froze on the spot. A massive werewolf was standing not far ahead of her, and in the moonlight its golden eyes stared straight at her.
What was more, three or four ordinary wolves circled around the werewolf.
"Er… good evening?" Tonks gave a dry laugh, her wand sliding quietly into her hand. "The weather's rather nice tonight."
She'd dealt with werewolves before, so she understood how dangerous they were.
Even so, she believed she could handle it—as she always had.
The moment the werewolf made a move, she would immediately use the magic she was best at.
However, something unexpected happened.
The werewolf did not pounce at once; instead, it sighed in a very human way.
"Good evening, madam," the werewolf's mouth moved, yet a human voice came out. "I don't know why you're here, but you'd best leave at once."
Tonks was stunned for a moment.
She could see calm and reason in the werewolf's eyes.
Chances were this werewolf had drunk Wolfsbane Potion in advance and had no intention of attacking anyone.
"Who are you?" Tonks asked cautiously, without lowering her wand. "State your identity—I'm an Auror from the Ministry of Magic."
The werewolf—or rather, Lupin—nodded slightly. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Auror. But you truly ought to leave now. I don't want to hurt you."
No sooner had he spoken than the surrounding wolves bared their teeth and pressed forward, growling low in their throats in warning.
"All right, I'll go at once!"
Tonks began to back away, keeping her distance from the pack.
She knew she shouldn't stay any longer; unless forced, she had no desire to confront a werewolf alone.
Just then, a startling scene unfolded.
Lupin suddenly hunched over in pain and began to change violently in the moonlight.
His fur gradually receded, his claws withdrew, and at last he returned to that gaunt yet gentle human form.
"What is going on!?"
Lupin looked at his hands—human again—and could hardly believe it.
He had only pictured his human form in his mind, and unexpectedly it had worked—he had truly changed back into a human.
"As expected of you, Wesson," Lupin thought with feeling.
Just earlier in the day, he had drunk the new Purification Potion Adrian Wesson had given him.
It would seem this was the potion's effect—he could maintain his human state on the night of the full moon.
Moreover, he had a peculiar sense that, if he wished, he could become a werewolf again at any time.
Tonks stared, dumbfounded, at the sight. "You're…:::"
Seeing this, Lupin quickly covered his face with his sleeve.
He had almost forgotten someone else was present—he couldn't reveal his true identity.
Too late, unfortunately.
Tonks lowered her wand, incredulous. "Professor Lupin? Is that you? You're a werewolf?"
With a helpless sigh, Lupin let his hand drop and showed his face.
He recognised Tonks; they had met in the corridor that morning.
At the time, he'd been chatting with Professor Sprout, and Tonks had come up in passing.
Tonks was one of the students Professor Sprout cared about very much.
"If you don't want to be bitten by a werewolf," Lupin's voice grew hoarse and low, "leave at once…"
No sooner had he spoken than his body twisted violently again.
His bones gave off a chilling crackling sound; the face that had just become human was once more covered in wolf fur.
In the blink of an eye, that mild-mannered professor had turned back into a terrifying werewolf.
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