Amid the noisy clamor, Professor Lupin had to raise his voice and shout towards the door, "Come back, you haven't noted your homework yet!"
Whether it was an illusion or not, as soon as he said that, those few people ran faster, and within seconds dashed down the stairs, disappearing from sight.
And at this moment, even the other people inside the classroom started to get restless, quietly shifting their steps, with eyes occasionally glancing toward the door.
But the next second, the door suddenly closed on its own.
"Homework: Please read the chapter on Fwooper and write a brief method to deal with them."
Professor Lupin put away his wand, saying lightly, "Length: one foot. As for those who left the classroom early, it's one foot six inches... please remind them not to forget to submit it in the next class."
Hearing that their homework was six inches longer, some immediately patted their chests, assuring that they would certainly deliver the message.
"Don't worry, Professor Lupin, it's what we should do."
"Trying to escape homework... too wicked, they deserve those extra six inches!"
...
Professor Lupin nodded, "That's all, class dismissed!"
Students conversed excitedly as they left the classroom.
"Kael, wait a moment, I have something to tell you."
Kael, who was just at the door, stopped and turned back, asking, "What is it, professor?"
"Just a small matter," Professor Lupin came over.
It happened to be break time and the classroom was near the stairway. Professor Lupin looked at the students coming and going in the corridor and whispered, "Come with me, it won't take much of your time."
"Alright."
Kael nodded and turned to Conna, saying, "You go to the auditorium first, I'll be there shortly."
"No problem," Conna said, "Didn't Professor Lupin say it won't take long? I'll wait awhile."
"Hmm... okay."
After parting from Conna, Kael followed Professor Lupin through two corridors and stopped outside the staff rest room door.
"Go on in," Professor Lupin said, opening the door and stepping back.
Kael had been here once before, but at that time, Lockhart was the owner of this place. After Professor Lupin took over, all the flashy decorations had been removed, leaving only a few old chairs.
When Kael entered, someone was already there.
Snape sat in an armchair, and when Kael came in, he turned his face, his eyes gleaming brightly.
"Severus." Professor Lupin greeted, "What brings you here."
"Dumbledore mentioned about that matter."
Snape said, "I've come to tell you, in another week, those potions will be ready. You can come to pick them up anytime, or I can deliver them to you when you need them."
"Thank you, Severus," Professor Lupin said, "You've been a big help."
"Can't be helped for the students' safety."
Speaking, Snape casually glanced at Kael.
But Kael just turned his head, seeming very interested in the pattern on the old wardrobe beside him.
"Then, enjoy your chat."
Snape got up and headed towards the door, but as he passed by Kael, he paused for a moment and casually asked, "By the way, you got the Second-Class Order of Merlin because you killed a werewolf at St Mungo's, right?"
"Not at all," Kael smiled faintly, "just wounded it, professor, and I did it with the help of Professor Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn."
Professor Lupin raised his eyebrows, his face turning somewhat unnatural.
"Seems I was mistaken."
Snape sneered mockingly, leaving with large strides, slamming the door shut.
"All right." Professor Lupin came over, opened a corner chest, and took out a few pieces of parchment, placing them on the table.
Then he took out two Galleons and handed them to Kael along with the parchment.
"Professor, this is?"
"Remember? You lent me two Galleons on the train." Professor Lupin chuckled, "Just in time, Professor Dumbledore advanced me a month's salary."
"No need, Professor, I..."
"Listen to me, Kael," Professor Lupin interrupted him, "I understand what you mean, but as a professor, I absolutely cannot take money from a student... do you get what I mean?"
Professor Lupin's expression was very serious.
"I understand." Kael accepted the two Galleons.
"But I also want to thank you." Professor Lupin smiled again, "Thanks to those two Galleons, I could buy a decent set of clothes before class."
He unashamedly acknowledged his plight, even joking, "The cheapest clothes in Hogsmeade Village are a Galleon and fifteen Sickles, with the extra money I could buy a box of Chocolate Frog, which I used to like the most... Oh, by the way, do you collect cards?"
He pulled out a Chocolate Frog card from his pocket.
Kael glanced... Salazar Slytherin.
"No thanks!" Kael decisively shook his head.
Professor Lupin didn't mind, thinking Kael already had this card.
"And this, consider it a token of my gratitude."
He picked up the parchment in his hand and said, "I recall you using the Patronus Charm on the train, but you couldn't summon a complete Patronus.
"This contains methods I've summarized for learning the Patronus Charm, it should be useful to you."
"Er..."
Kael really wanted to tell Professor Lupin that he actually could use the Patronus Charm, and quite well, but since this was a token of gratitude, to avoid mutual embarrassment, he took the parchment regardless.
"Thank you, professor."
"You're welcome," Professor Lupin smiled, "If there's anything you don't understand, you can come ask anytime."
"Hmm... I will."
"That's it, you should head back." Professor Lupin winked, "Don't let your friend wait too long."
"Goodbye, professor."
Just when Kael was about to turn and leave, he suddenly noticed two people in front of him.
Cedric and Fred, they lay motionless on the floor, as if dead.
"Oh, it's a Boggart..."
Professor Lupin also noticed it, stepping forward and saying, "I always thought it was already eradicated, didn't expect it to hide here, let me help you..."
Before he finished speaking, Kael already raised his wand.
Almost instinctively... Blazing flames surged from the wand, condensing into the shape of a Fire Dragon in mid-air.
"Pa!"
The Fire Dragon spewed a mass of flames, a hot wave swept through the entire office at once.
All the windows shattered, and the furniture in the room instantly turned to ashes.
Cedric and Fred's "bodies" vanished, and a dark mist-like thing constantly twisted and transformed before the Fire Dragon, eventually disappearing completely...
Things happened too quickly. By the time Professor Lupin reacted, the office had become a ruin.
"Stop it..."
Seeing the massive Fire Dragon before him, he cried out in terror, drawing his wand.
"Finite Incantatem!"
But it was ineffective.
The "Fire Dragon," as if provoked, turned its increasingly gigantic body, opening its mouth towards him.
At this moment...
"Finite Incantatem!"
Another surge of golden flame rose, attaching to the "Fire Dragon," whose massive body began to shrink rapidly.
The "Fire Dragon" then struggled like the previous Boggart until it completely disappeared.
Professor Lupin raised his head in bewilderment.
The office was a wreck, tables, chairs, cabinets, and windows all gone, leaving only half of the door hanging difficultly on the frame.
Outside, there was a sound of footsteps, seemingly someone had heard the commotion and was coming over.
"Sorry, professor, I..."
"This is too dangerous..." Professor Lupin suddenly shouted, "The Fiendfyre Curse isn't used like this!"
He then hurried out of the office, driving the students away before they could reach the door.
"Nothing to see here, go to the auditorium for lunch... hurry back so you don't miss afternoon classes."
"Oh, Professor McGonagall... Why are you here too... no worries, just a little accident with the Fiendfyre Curse, everything's been taken care of."