The changes in the Magic World always seem especially slow compared to the ever-changing Muggle city.
In recent years, aside from the Aslan Magic Workshop coming up with something new every year and sparking new trends, the trends in Diagon Alley have hardly changed at all, as if they were NPCs refreshing at fixed points.
Therefore, Vid and the others' routine was almost like every other time, getting new robes at the robe shop, replenishing materials at the potion shop, and buying books at the bookstore.
In the bookstore window, a large iron cage held over a hundred copies of "The Monster Book of Monsters," savagely biting and fighting each other inside, like a group of clawing crabs.
—Who's ever seen books having a brawl?
Shreds of paper flew everywhere, and hoarse growls were heard sporadically, but the wizards seemed to take it for granted and walked past without a glance.
Yet Vid and Harry, although they already had the book Hagrid gave them, stopped to watch for a moment.
At this time, a student holding a book list was buying books, and the manager, wearing thick gloves and holding a gnarled staff, waved it like driving off a pack of rabid dogs, while shouting angrily.
Taking advantage of the monster books recoiling in retreat, the manager quickly grabbed the book closest to him.
As he was pulling back his hand, another book next to it suddenly leaped up without warning, opening its sharp teeth between its pages, and lunged at the manager's arm!
"Watch out!"
Harry shouted while his wand instinctively twitched, a red light striking that monster book and sending it flying back with a bang.
Harry was stunned himself, staring blankly at the flying book, then at his wand.
In his daze, the manager quickly retracted his hand and sighed in relief. Before he could express his thanks, another young wizard drew his wand and waved it—
All the monster books instantly froze, then fell to the ground with a clatter, and were bound one by one by ropes that appeared out of thin air, finally stacked neatly into a pile.
The monster books were still struggling and shaking, their covers flapping, but they could no longer bite or run wildly.
The manager was also stunned, looking at those crazy, now quietly calmed books, and then at the two obviously very young wizards, he was dumbfounded and unable to speak for a long time.
"Vid, Harry!"
The student buying books came out of the bookstore, and it turned out to be Rolf Scamander.
He said happily, "You guys are buying books too! I didn't expect to meet you here!"
"Hey, Rolf," Vid said strangely, "Are you also buying 'The Monster Book of Monsters'?"
"Yeah," Rolf said, "I didn't expect it either. My bookshelf didn't have this book—it originally did, and even two copies, but when they were fighting, they accidentally rushed into the fireplace. Grandpa was very upset and didn't buy more."
"I see..."
Vid thought to himself: ...Scamander must be keeping these books like special magical creatures, right?
"Here, your book."
At that moment, the manager snapped back to reality, binding the monster book he had barely snatched and handed it to Rolf.
"Thank you."
Rolf paid, needed to buy other things, and waved goodbye while holding his book.
"Did you see, Vid?"
Only then did Harry suppress his excitement, his face filled with a surprised yet doubtful expression, and said, "I just... in that moment... suddenly..."
"Congratulations," Vid chuckled, his eyes squinting with a smile, "Using a Nonverbal Spell for the first time."
Harry received confirmation and suddenly broke into an utterly and purely joyful smile.
He turned to find Sirius and Lupin to share his joy, but only saw Sirius beside him.
The slightly haggard-looking man wasn't paying much attention to their side either, his eyes like searchlights staring at everyone passing by, especially children with rat pets, whom Sirius' gaze could almost frighten to tears.
Seeing this, Harry sighed softly, his inner joy suddenly not as strong.
He realized once more, although he was the son of James Potter, the pain Sirius felt was far deeper.
Harry had never possessed, so he wouldn't feel such heart-wrenching pain.
"Um... are you also from Hogwarts? Coming to buy books?"
The manager watched for a moment, walked over, and gratefully said, "Thank you for your help earlier. What grade are you in? Let me see the book list."
Harry hurriedly gave him the book list while speaking, "Third year."
"Alright, please wait a moment."
The manager glanced at his book list and quickly pulled out a few books from the nearby stacks to pack.
"Wait, we already have 'The Monster Book of Monsters'!" Harry said.
"Oh..." The manager seemed slightly disappointed as he put the monster book back, then quickly finished packing.
Then he saw Vid's book list and raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You chose all the subjects? That's not easy."
Vid nodded, "I thought it through before choosing."
"Alright then, I knew it..." The manager said enviously, "Not everyone can quiet down over a hundred monster books all at once."
Vid smiled without saying anything.
In fact, Vid was rather surprised that a manager running a magical bookstore couldn't even handle this level without resorting to physical means to prevent being bitten.
It shows, not every person managing books wisely draws enough nourishment from them.
Vid, who regularly interacted with outstanding wizards, realized upon seeing this manager that many adults' magical skills, after graduation, don't gradually hone but regress to below even a student's level.
For instance, this manager, apart from dealing with bookstore-related spells, may have forgotten most spells and knowledge regarding potions, herbs, astronomy, history, etc., in his monotonous daily work.
In front of him, anything Vid said modest would sound like sarcasm.
Not long after, the manager also got Vid's books sorted out, and when it came to billing, he even gave them a fifty percent discount.
The two of them walked out with their books, still not seeing any trace of Lupin.
"Where did Remus go?" Harry couldn't help but ask.
"He seemed to see someone he knew; he'll be back soon," Sirius said.
...
"Remus, Will seems to be in trouble."
A slender, blonde girl said mournfully, "I can't reach him, went to his house, and couldn't find a trace... They said he hasn't gone to work at the workshop, he's been fired... He would never do that, I know, he definitely, definitely is..."
The girl sobbed, covering her face and crying softly.
Lupin couldn't say a word for a moment.
He knew, if a werewolf disappeared from this world, the reasons could be numerous. Even reporting to the Ministry of Magic wouldn't be much help.
Many people believed werewolves didn't deserve to live.
"Claire, do you have any clues? About his disappearance," Lupin asked after a moment of silence, not holding much hope.
But Claire said, "Yes, yes... Before he disappeared, he had just taken a commission... I used to hear him say these things were dangerous. I kept advising him not to go; I even said I could replace him... But he didn't agree..."
"What commission?" Lupin asked.
"I don't know... He didn't tell me anything..."
Claire said sorrowfully, "But I think the person who commissioned him should have something to do with Hogwarts..."
"Hogwarts?" Lupin was puzzled and asked, "How do you know?"
"Not long ago, didn't Hogwarts slay a Basilisk? They even allowed students to see the snake shedding..."
Claire wiped her tears and said.
"That's indeed the case," Lupin said.
Claire continued, "My sense of smell is unusual. Even after several days, even after a bath, I can smell the peculiar scent of the Basilisk. And that day... I also smelled that scent from the person looking for Will..."