"Creak, creak." The old wooden door made such a sound as the person outside gently pushed it, and then it opened in response.
Lupin paused at the door for a moment, stunned, taking in the scene inside the room, as if he could remember it forever, before finally pushing the door open and entering.
He was still a little reluctant to leave this place; his teaching career began here and ended here.
This was the office belonging to the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and soon he would be leaving; he would no longer be a teacher at Hogwarts.
"Harry? Ron? Hermione?" Lupin looked at the three students standing next to his desk, softly calling out their names, and a look of relief appeared on his face.
"Hermione has known for a long time that I'm a werewolf, aren't you two afraid of me?" Lupin asked with a smile, of course, this was a rhetorical question; at this point, he already had the answer in his heart, which made him feel a little better.
"Of course, Professor Lupin, we've always thought you were the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and that has nothing to do with your werewolf status," Harry and Ron said in unison.
"I remember last year someone was so obsessed with Gilderoy Lockhart that they were going crazy, saying he was the best teacher and hoping he could teach Snape a lesson again," Hermione couldn't help but jab at Ron from the side.
"Harry and I haven't even blamed you for not telling us this secret!" Ron's face was a little red, but he tried his best to retort, "At least I've changed my mind now and think Professor Lupin teaches the best, okay? Is that not allowed?"
"Alright, you don't need to argue anymore; it was me who asked Hermione to keep it a secret," Lupin said with a smile, watching the students bicker, he seemed to see himself when he was young again, and the frustration in his chest dissipated a little.
"I'm glad you could come to see me off, but now it's time for class; you should go back to the classroom as soon as possible," Lupin reached out and ruffled the hair of each of the three, and said softly.
"No, we won't let you go! We want you to stay, look, Professor Lupin," Hermione hurriedly took out a piece of parchment from her arms and handed it to Lupin, which was filled with all kinds of handwriting, some neat and dignified, some like snakes crawling, some written in ordinary black ink, and some written in bright red ink that looked like fresh blood. In short, it was strange and all-encompassing. It could be seen that most of the handwriting seemed a little messy, and obviously the people who signed were a little hurried and excited.
This was a joint signature book, and at the top was a description of the purpose of the signature book.
The students hoped to keep him.
"Professor Lupin, we just got this, and most of the students have signed it," Hermione said in a brisk tone, looking very happy, "That way you don't have to resign, Professor." At this point, Hermione's eyes couldn't help but reveal a look of joy.
"Yes, we don't care if you're a werewolf or not; we only know you're an excellent teacher," Harry said firmly.
"Yes, yes, yes," Ron echoed, "If you leave, we'll have no idea who will teach us. Can you bear to see us being taught by that old bat? It's said that he's been eyeing this course for a long time," Ron echoed.
"Thank you," Lupin's smile suddenly froze, and then he managed to utter these few words, and the wrinkles around the corners of his eyes kept twitching, exposing the fluctuations in his heart and betraying his emotions.
Then Lupin took the parchment and stroked it a few times with his rough hands, his eyes fixed on the sincere signatures on it.
"But, I still have to resign," Lupin shook his head and handed the parchment back to Hermione.
"Professor Lupin, this paper represents our wishes! We don't mind your identity at all," Hermione said panicly; she didn't know why Lupin still refused.
"Some people will always mind; the students' parents' owls will be here soon,
Maybe it'll be tomorrow," Lupin sighed softly, then he walked to his desk and began to pack his things. He pulled out a suitcase from the corner of the desk, casually said a spell, and then some of the books on the shelves seemed to have grown legs and jumped down into the suitcase, where they should be.
The suitcase was not completely filled in the end.
He was still very poor; the things he brought were the same as when he left, and would only decrease, not increase. The clothes he was wearing now were only sponsored by the school.
"I'm very grateful for your kindness," Lupin was now cleaning the bookshelf and desk he had used. Since he was going to resign, he should clean up well at the last moment of his departure.
"But in this life, people always have to face many partings, I hope you can understand that," Lupin continued.
"Also, I heard that this position is said to have a curse; it's said that none of my predecessors were able to retire unscathed, so it seems I'm lucky?" Lupin suddenly smiled and looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, joking about himself.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione just stared at him quietly, unable to speak. The situation now was that Lupin, who was about to leave, was relaxed, while they, who had lost a respectable teacher, had become the ones who needed to be comforted.
"Alright, you don't have to worry," Lupin finished packing his luggage, then stepped in between Harry and Ron, bent down, put his left and right hands on their shoulders respectively, and then said, "Maybe we'll meet again someday, and in another identity."
Lupin raised his eyebrows and looked at them.
Harry and Ron could only nod silently.
"One day, unfair discrimination will be eliminated, and I will do my best," Hermione clenched her fists and said Swearly, with a burning light in her eyes.
"Then I look forward to that day, and I believe in your ability, Hermione," Lupin's eyes also lit up.
"Knock, knock, knock." Just as the four teachers and students were speechless, there was another burst of hurried knocking on the door.
"It might be your teacher coming to the door," Lupin stared at the three of them and said with an understanding tone, "I'll send him away, and you'll obediently go back to class, okay?"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione could only obediently nod, and then watched Lupin go to open the door.
Soon, the door opened, but the person behind the door was not the teacher.
A tall figure stumbled directly into the room.
Causing everyone present to look at each other in confusion.
For more chapters
patreon.com/Jackssparrow