Chapter 143
Gryffindor's first class that afternoon was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Since there had been no notice of cancellation or substitution, they would be seeing Professor Lupin again. What was more unusual was that another teacher had informed them in advance that Gryffindor and Slytherin would be having the lesson together.
According to the Daily Prophet, Lupin had also taken part in the incident involving Peter Pettigrew and had been injured while protecting a student.
Fortunately, the injury was said to be minor.
In Hermione's eyes, however, much of that report was exaggerated. She remembered the events clearly. She also wanted to use this opportunity to ask Lupin what had really happened afterward that led to such a dramatic outcome.
Before the lesson began, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom was already full.
Students filled the time with excited discussions while waiting for class.
When the bell rang, Lupin entered punctually.
He no longer looked worn and exhausted. The unhealthy pallor had faded from his face, replaced by a healthy colour. Most noticeable of all was his expression—an ease and warmth that came from genuine relief.
Even his old patched robes were gone. He now wore a well-made set of wizard's robes, trimmed with silver thread and embroidered with patterns resembling star charts and ancient magical symbols.
Looking at the rows of students before him, Lupin felt a lingering sense of fear.
If things had not been resolved in time, he did not dare imagine what might have happened.
Would Pettigrew have gained Harry's trust and betrayed him at a crucial moment?
Would the truly innocent man—after losing twelve years of freedom—have been imprisoned again, forced to live the rest of his life under injustice?
At the time, everything had happened too quickly. Hermione and Sirius had done all they could. Even building mutual trust between the three of them had been difficult. There had been little time to exchange detailed information.
Besides, Sirius's pride as an adult wizard would not allow him to dwell on the fact that he had been outmaneuvered by a student and a Squib.
From Lupin's perspective, the Daily Prophet report was biased—but broadly accurate. What he had not expected was that Pettigrew, after escaping, would dare to ambush them. If Moody had not intervened, the consequences might have been disastrous.
Neither Lupin nor Sirius realised that it had actually been Moody who had incapacitated them. The thought had crossed their minds briefly while they were tied up in the car, but after being released, they concluded they must have misunderstood.
As for Moody's harsh attitude during the journey, they took it as irritation at their lack of trust.
From an Auror's point of view, their actions had been reckless and outside proper procedure. Moody's stern words were likely nothing more than a warning.
After all, the correct course of action would have been to report everything to the Auror Office immediately.
To be honest, Lupin had fully expected Sirius to be sent back to Azkaban—and himself along with him.
This outcome is something worth celebrating, he thought.
Seeing the students' admiring looks, he felt both relieved and faintly embarrassed.
The expensive robes made him uncomfortable. He was far more used to teaching in worn clothes. Poverty had been his normal life. But this attire had been requested by the Ministry—officials might arrive for interviews at any time.
After steadying himself, Lupin addressed the class.
"I'm sure you all know about the recent incident. It proves that even Hogwarts—the safest place in the world—has its vulnerabilities.
"Dark wizards are not only cruel, they are also cunning. They exploit people's assumptions and expectations. Peter Pettigrew is a perfect example. No one expected him to step forward and claim credit openly.
"In defending yourselves against dark magic, understanding the mindset of criminals is extremely important. You must always be alert to the possibility of deception or surprise attacks."
His gaze briefly rested on Hermione. She had learned that lesson more deeply than anyone. Pettigrew had taken advantage of their compassion.
"When dealing with suspicious individuals," Lupin continued, "your first responsibility is your own safety. You may trust your own kindness—but you must never rely on your opponent's mercy."
His tone grew more serious.
"We made a mistake. We tried to persuade him to surrender. That hesitation was dangerous. Years of peace have made us complacent. If this had been more than ten years ago…"
He stopped himself.
Continuing would have meant mentioning Voldemort.
"Ahem."
He coughed lightly and shifted the subject.
"My lessons usually focus on practical work, and you're already familiar with that. Until now, however, your practice opponents have mostly been magical creatures.
"Today will be different.
"You'll be learning how to deal with a human opponent."
A low murmur spread through the combined Gryffindor and Slytherin class. Curiosity quickly replaced everything else—even Harry's many unanswered questions.
Lupin raised his wand and pointed it toward himself.
"That opponent will be me.
"I'll take the role of a dark wizard. Your task is to work together to subdue me."
He paused, then added thoughtfully, "To balance the difference in experience, you may work in groups. If the exercise becomes too one-sided, it won't be useful training."
After a moment's consideration, he added with a faint smile, "Of course, if all of you decide to attack at once, I'll simply run."
The class burst into laughter.
Lupin's expression turned serious again.
"For fairness, the later groups will be smaller. By observing others, you should gain experience before your turn."
He looked around at the eager faces.
"To motivate you, I will consider reporting today's performance to Professor Dumbledore. It may be taken into account as part of your final assessment."