The surgery was not as successful as imagined, but enough surgical data had been accumulated.
Poor Lupin lived as if in a nightmare for the following days, having to go through it once every day.
However, the effect was significant. He could now freely choose which day to turn into a werewolf when the moon in the sky was not so full.
This lifted everyone's spirits.
Pedro still had to constantly endure the torment of the 'Goblin's Eye' secret art.
The Volkov witch's knowledge was too advanced, and what Anton could understand was just the tip of the iceberg. As new discoveries were constantly made, he sometimes needed to go back into his memory to confirm and check.
Pedro endured it all, because hope was already within sight.
On this very day, an owl flew in through the window, bringing Anton an acceptance letter from a school of magic.
"Hahahaha." Rozier was sharing his family's collection of top-tier cigars with Pedro and Lupin. Seeing the letter in Anton's hand, he laughed smugly.
"Anton, no need to thank me, you deserve this."
"Durmstrang Institute specializes in cultivating heirs for pure-blood families. They focus more on powerful and profound magic, and they are more accepting of your Dark Arts. You will receive the best education there. I have already asked Headmaster Karkaroff to take special care of you..."
Lupin snorted coldly, "No, Hogwarts is the best school of magic!"
At this moment, Anton turned his head with a strange expression, held up the letter in his hand, and flipped it over.
The envelope was made of thick parchment, with the address written in emerald green ink. On the back was a wax seal, a shield crest with a capital 'H' surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.
"Oh my god, Hogwarts!" Lupin rushed over excitedly, staring at the wax seal. "Hahaha, Hogwarts!"
Whoosh, whoosh.
Two more owls flew in, dropping two letters onto the table.
Ilsa, who was about to get some bread for the owl post, couldn't help but glance over with a peculiar look on her face.
"Durmstrang Institute."
One was for Anton, and the other was for Anna.
As the daughter of a school governor, Anna undoubtedly had no choice but Durmstrang Institute.
But Anton, he had two letters in his hand.
Rozier walked over with a cigar in his mouth, shaking his head with a "tsk tsk tsk." "Karkaroff is getting worse and worse as a headmaster. In the past, our school's owls were never slower than Hogwarts'!"
"This is an acceptance letter, and also a contract. When you write back to the school, you will form a certain contract, and only then can you see the school with your own eyes. Ordinary people can't see through the protective spells of a school of magic at all."
Rozier advised, "Each school has its own focus. Hogwarts supplies a large number of talents to the Ministry of Magic every year, but at most, they are just fresh blood for the Aurors who could die at any moment. Very few become Ministry of Magic officials."
"Durmstrang Institute focuses more on long-term magical potential development, hoping to cultivate wizards who delve deep into magical research. Most of them become top figures in various fields."
"Anton, you're a smart person. You should know that Durmstrang Institute is more suitable for you."
To be honest, Anton was tempted.
After all he had been through, after being exposed to so many terrible aspects of the wizarding world, he had long stopped fantasizing about the plot of the original story.
What's more, Hogwarts would definitely be the most dangerous place in the wizarding world in the future, bar none.
The powerful Voldemort was an existence that even Dumbledore had to wager his life to defeat. He wasn't just some rural terrorist as people joked about online, because he was powerful enough.
Only by being in the wizarding world could one know how despairing a powerful wizard could be.
One could laugh at Voldemort's ambitions, but one must never underestimate his power.
It was wisest to avoid his wrath, not to needlessly seek death by getting involved, and to let the original plot resolve everything.
He fell into deep thought.
Lupin became anxious. He looked at Anton excitedly, "Dumbledore is the greatest wizard in the world. Under his leadership, Hogwarts is undoubtedly the best. You can learn everything you want to learn at Hogwarts."
Seeing Anton remain silent, he looked anxiously at Ilsa.
"Oh, my dear, I don't want to help you at this time." Ilsa shrugged. "The Ministry of Magic sent me to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France. You know, they don't like me having too much influence in the British wizarding community. Although I don't particularly like France, Beauxbatons is the best school in my heart."
"Dumbledore is great, but our school has Nicolas Flamel, and he's no worse than Dumbledore."
The expression on Lupin's face was priceless.
Anton looked up, glanced at everyone, and finally fixed his gaze on Anna.
Anna smiled elegantly, "Go to the school you want to go to, you don't need to consider so much."
Anton had no choice but to look up at Rozier, "Does Durmstrang Institute have a better Potions professor than Snape?"
Rozier fell silent and finally shook his head.
"Then I choose Hogwarts."
Now Lupin was not having it, protesting indignantly, "Why choose Hogwarts just because of Snape!"
"Because..." Anton put down the Durmstrang acceptance letter with some regret.
"Because I need to conduct more in-depth research in Potions to find a complete cure for you all."
"My teacher was right. I gave you hope, so I cannot let you despair because that hope is shattered. I will keep my promise."
With that, he opened the envelope, pulled out the letter, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"This is really interesting. My name is actually Anthony Weasley."
"Weasley?" Lupin was stunned, a little excited, "Which Weasley?"
Rozier looked deeply moved, "Red hair, Weasley, which other family could it be? Anton, you are also a member of a pure-blood family, you couldn't be more suitable for Durmstrang Institute."
"I know this is selfish, but since you can better research their cure at Hogwarts, I support you with all my heart."
He bowed deeply to Anton, "Thank you very much."
"No, no, Mr. Rozier, there's no need for that." Anton quickly helped him up.
He smiled, a brilliant smile, "I'm not a great person at all. It's not an easy thing for me to sacrifice for others."
Anton looked around, "I've always been an orphan, drifting and alone. Now that I finally have a family, I will cherish it especially."
Lupin's expression was a bit subtle, "Weasley? I remember now, Arthur has two brothers. One died, and he had a falling out with the other, they never spoke again. So where is your father?"
"Gak gak gak." The old wizard floated in from outside the wall. "Dead, died a miserable death."
He clearly intended to leave Anton's father with some dignity, not specifying the exact cause of death. He floated over and glanced, "Damn it, you're going to Hogwarts?"
Anton nodded.
"Gak gak gak, what a coincidence. The pub band invited me to visit Hogwarts, and I was just about to come and say goodbye to you all."
Ever since the old wizard had nothing left to teach Anton, and his good friend Lupin had a girlfriend to cling to all day, he could only go out to find others to hang out with, barely at home all day.
It couldn't be helped. Downstairs, they were dating; upstairs, they were doing research. There was nothing for him to get involved in.
...
Since the decision was made, Anton quickly pulled out a clean sheet of parchment, wrote a reply, and had the owl post send it back.
He pulled up his sleeve and looked at the watch Pedro had given him.
"There are two and a half months left until the start of school."
Anton looked at everyone, "We have to speed things up!"
Well then, the first volume, "The Black Wizard's Apprentice," officially comes to an end. Anton has a family, a goal to strive for, and all sorts of strange and bizarre spells. Let's take these and set off for Hogwarts!
The title of the second volume is "Oh~ My Dear Professor." A new chapter, a new beginning. I've decided to post three chapters a day to challenge myself, but if I encounter writer's block or something, I can only guarantee a minimum of two chapters.