As the battle line shifted, the battlefield that had originally been on the great bridge had now moved to the square before the gates of Hogwarts.
In truth, if Lucius Malfoy had not arrived in time, the gates of Hogwarts would surely have been broken through long ago. There would have been no chance of holding out until Remus Lupin and the others appeared.
Not long after Remus Lupin arrived, the Werewolves ahead parted to both sides like a sea splitting open.
Then came a laugh filled with malice.
"Yahahahaha! If it isn't Remus Lupin!"
"So it really is you, Fenrir Greyback."
A body far larger and stronger than that of an ordinary person.
Thick hair like a beast's.
And aside from that, the man's most distinctive feature was probably his strange way of walking, as if he was not used to moving on two legs.
Wolfish eyes.
Sharp fangs.
This man, emerging from among the crowd, feared and revered by those Werewolves, was the cruelest Werewolf leader in the wizarding world.
Fenrir Greyback.
...
Even when it was not the night of the full moon, this Werewolf leader still loved human flesh and blood.
One could even see the blood at the corner of Fenrir Greyback's mouth, not yet dried.
And beyond his inhuman behavior, this Werewolf leader was far from some nameless nobody.
He possessed the means to turn ordinary people into Werewolves.
He was an infamous SSS-level criminal in the magical world.
No one could face such a being without feeling fear. That much was clear from the grave expressions of the Hogwarts wizards, who knew very well that he would not be easy to deal with.
To say nothing of Remus Lupin, who had a deep blood feud with him.
The instant the other man appeared, Lupin had already recognized him.
He took a deep breath.
As someone who bore such deep hatred, and as an important member of the Order of the Phoenix, Remus Lupin naturally stepped forward with his wand in hand, refusing to lose in presence.
Noticing Remus Lupin's movement, Minerva McGonagall looked over in concern. "Remus!"
"I'll leave the rest to you, Minerva."
"Wait. You don't have to..."
"No... I've waited a long time for this moment. Don't stop me, Minerva."
Although Remus Lupin's face had already returned to its usual calm, Minerva could see the fierce emotions burning in his eyes like fire.
It was conviction.
It was obsession.
It was Remus Lupin's decision to end all of this.
Seeing that, Minerva McGonagall did not know how to stop him.
Across from him, Fenrir Greyback laughed excitedly. "Yahahaha! That's it! That's the look! Come try to kill me. Kill the one who gave you your Werewolf identity!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Boom!
"That's it! Remus Lupin!"
"Fenrir... Greyback!"
Remus Lupin's Killing Curse was like a signal.
Alongside the green beam of magic, a figure dodged the attack, then charged forward instead of retreating.
The Werewolf leader abandoned the methods of a wizard and dropped to all fours, moving swiftly like a beast.
And the important member of the Order of the Phoenix, fueled by hatred, sought to kill the enemy who had changed his entire life.
Under the eyes of everyone around them, some expectant, some excited, and beneath the night sky, their terrifying fight began.
At the same time, it meant that between the two of them, fate had already been decided.
Tonight, only one of them could survive.