As Sagres's figure disappeared along the path leading to the Centaur tribe deep within the Forbidden Forest, Lupin began his return to Hogwarts Castle alone.
The night in the Forbidden Forest was quiet and heavy, a stark contrast to the turmoil within him.
He subconsciously touched the new Bronze Feather badge in the inner pocket of his robe. Its faint warmth felt like the only tangible link to his new identity.
By the time he reached the castle, the clock tower's hands were approaching eight in the evening.
Yet instead of the usual calm at this hour, the castle was filled with an unusual, oppressive commotion.
The corridors were brightly lit, students in their pajamas wandering about. Light spilled from beneath the doors of the common rooms, accompanied by a constant low buzz of whispers.
A sense of unease slowly sank into Lupin's heart.
The students' faces were a mix of fear, curiosity, and disbelief.
Voices rose and fell like waves, and with his sharp hearing, Lupin caught every word.
"Professor Lupin…"
"Werewolf!"
"Is what Peeves said true?"
Just then, a familiar, grating cackle rang out from above.
"Oh ho ho~ Look who's back! Is it our furry friend?"
Peeves, still dressed in his bright, baggy trousers and ridiculous bell hat, floated atop the chandelier in the Entrance Hall, looking down at the chaos like a king surveying his domain.
He had only just returned from a long "holiday," having been sealed inside a special container by Sagres and handed over to Lyle Lupin for research.
Now, it seemed that perhaps the old man had been careless for a moment, or had underestimated Peeves's cunning, and the seal had been broken.
"Lord Peeves is back as well!"
It shrieked, its voice echoing through the entire Entrance Hall and drawing every student's attention. "And I've brought the freshest news! Your dear Defense Against the Dark Arts professor—"
It deliberately dragged out the final word, savoring the thrill of being the center of attention, then suddenly pointed at the pale-faced Lupin.
"—is a werewolf! He turns into a big furry monster every full moon! Awooo! Didn't see that coming, did you? His dear father said it himself! I guarantee it to everyone!"
It cackled wildly, flipping through the air.
Lupin's face turned ashen in an instant.
His deepest fear, the secret he had spent his entire life hiding, had been exposed before everyone.
Some younger students huddled together in fear, while older ones broke into heated discussions.
Seeing this, Peeves grew even more gleeful. It swooped down in front of a group of Hufflepuff students and continued to stir panic in an exaggerated tone:
"Think about it! Have you ever seen Professor Lupin during a full moon? I bet you haven't! And why not? Because he's afraid he won't be able to control himself and will eat you for dinner! Ow!"
It imitated a werewolf's howl perfectly, making several students scream.
"I heard it with my own ears from that nasty old wizard, Lyle Lupin! I heard everything while I was locked in that bottle! Werewolves are very dangerous!"
"Lord Peeves has already spread the news to every dormitory, making sure no one misses this wonderful announcement! Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin… now everyone can wonder if they were ever just one step away from a werewolf's jaws! Hehehe!"
The fearful and suspicious gazes of the students pierced Lupin like needles.
He stood frozen, a wave of dizziness washing over him as the life he had carefully built over the past year collapsed amid Peeves's shrill laughter.
He saw fear and rejection on some faces, confusion and conflict on others. A few tried to speak up for him, but their voices were quickly drowned out by the growing noise.
He dared not look any longer. He knew that the students' fearful expressions, Headmaster Dumbledore's grave gaze, and the teaching position he treasured so dearly… were all about to slip away.
More and more students poured out of their common rooms, the atmosphere so heavy it felt suffocating.
Candlelight flickered in the tense air, illuminating faces filled with doubt and fear.
"Quiet!"
A commanding voice, laced with anger, rang out like thunder, cutting through the noise and bringing everything to a halt.
Dumbledore strode down the marble staircase, having hastily thrown a dressing gown over his pajamas, his eyes behind his spectacles burning with anger.
Behind him came Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Sprout, all wearing equally grave expressions.
"Peeves!"
Professor McGonagall's face was pale, her voice stern. "Come down from that chandelier immediately! Stop spreading these malicious rumors!"
"Rumors? Oh~ no, no, no, dear Professor McGonagall, esteemed Deputy Headmistress!"
Peeves gave her an exaggerated salute, grinning mischievously. "This is absolutely true news! Lord Peeves never lies, I am simply telling the truth!"
With that, it let out a burst of shrill laughter, then suddenly stopped, tilting its head toward Dumbledore.
All eyes in the hall immediately turned to the old Headmaster.
Peeves floated a few feet in front of him and spoke in a feigned polite tone, "Long time no see, esteemed Headmaster Dumbledore!"
"Indeed, it has been some time, Peeves," Dumbledore replied with a nod.
"Headmaster, I've brought back a secret this time. I learned something at Lupin's father's house…"
"I have already heard, Peeves," Dumbledore interrupted calmly. "What is it you want?"
Peeves spun in midair, finally revealing its malicious intent.
"Ah, of course, of course… I want you to tell them. Tell all these poor little ones who take your words as truth…"
Its arm swept dramatically across the gathered students.
"Please assure them, on your honor as Headmaster of Hogwarts, that what I said is true…"
In an instant, hundreds of eyes filled with complex emotions turned toward Dumbledore.
At some point, Snape had also appeared behind him, a trace of mockery and indifference on his face.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward, as if to stop this cruel public interrogation, but Dumbledore raised a hand slightly, halting her.
The old Headmaster took a step forward.
His deep blue eyes did not look at Peeves, but slowly swept across the faces of every student in the hall. There was no anger, no panic in his gaze, only profound calm and sadness.
Three suffocating seconds passed.
Then Dumbledore's voice rang out clearly for all to hear.
"Remus is indeed a werewolf."
Something seemed to shatter in the Great Hall.
The murmurs surged back to life.
Peeves burst into triumphant, manic laughter, spinning wildly in the air.
But Dumbledore's voice rang out again, easily cutting through the noise and Peeves's shrill cackling.
"I cannot, and will not, deny Remus Lupin's identity. To do so would not merely be to deny a fact, but to deny the courage and resilience he has shown in the face of the cruel hardships fate has given him!"
His gaze sharpened as he looked directly at the restless students.
"Yes, Remus Lupin is a werewolf. But he has never harmed anyone. He has fought the darkness within himself his entire life, and he has prevailed. He has earned my absolute trust, and he deserves your respect."
Dumbledore's voice echoed through the hall, briefly suppressing the panic and silencing Peeves's laughter.
Yet Dumbledore knew better than anyone that words alone could not erase deeply rooted fear.
The cruelty of Peeves's question lay in the fact that it had forced the truth into the open, and sometimes the truth itself was enough to destroy everything.
From the moment that question had been asked, Lupin's position as a professor had perhaps already come to an end.
It was not that Dumbledore had never considered telling everyone that Sagres had cured him.
But how many would believe it?
And even if they did, how much trouble would it bring upon Sagres?
With a whoosh, Peeves darted into the nearby wall, vanishing and leaving behind only chaos and a devastated Lupin.
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, cast Lupin a deeply conflicted look, then turned to the frightened students.
"All students, return to your dormitories immediately. Prefects, take charge. No one is to discuss this matter further."
Amid the noise and the prefects' urging, the crowd began to disperse reluctantly, though the gazes directed at Lupin did not soften.
In the days that followed, the storm arrived as expected.
Despite Headmaster Dumbledore's efforts to suppress the situation with all his authority, insisting that Professor Lupin's condition was under magical control and posed no threat to students, owl letters still flooded into his office like a tide.
Stern demands for explanation, panic-stricken pleas…
The pressure from the parents was overwhelming and unified. A werewolf, no matter how gentle or capable, could not be allowed to remain anywhere near their children.
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