"Sean, where are you going?"
"I'm heading to the Dean's office. Want to come with me?"
The moment Blaise heard that Sean was going to Snape's office, a look of pure reluctance crossed his face. He shook his head at once. "I have to hand in my Hogsmeade permission form soon. I'm planning to go with Andy, so I'm not going with you to the Dean's office."
"The Dean's not that scary, is he? You're a Slytherin too!"
Blaise shot Sean a look of contempt. "That's because you're different from the rest of us. You're a potions genius — the Dean values you. Of course he treats you differently."
"But the Dean mocks me all the time. It's no different."
"I'm not going anyway. Go by yourself."
Sean laughed, gave up on convincing him, and turned to head for Snape's office alone.
Inside the office, Sean found Snape bent over a bubbling cauldron. Walking closer, he caught a whiff of the potion and raised an eyebrow. "Professor, is this the Wolfsbane Potion with the two alternative ingredients?"
Snape nodded. "Yes. Brewed using your replacement materials. Conveniently, we have someone this time to test its effects. If there's only theory and no practice, the paper will be too shallow. Actual results and data will give you something solid when you write it up."
"That test subject… after all, he's here at Hogwarts. If something goes wrong, is that really okay?"
At that, Snape glanced sideways at Sean, then turned back to the simmering potion. His voice was casual as he stirred. "Do you know who this Wolfsbane is brewed for?"
"It's not hard to guess."
"Then you should also know — if the potion fails and he loses control here at Hogwarts, I'll finally have an excellent excuse to deal with him properly. Maybe even send him to Azkaban to keep his old friends company…" Snape paused, a cold, mocking smile twisting his mouth. "Of course, I almost forgot — even in Azkaban, he wouldn't see his friends now."
"So… Professor Lupin's friend is the fugitive from Azkaban. Sirius Black?"
At the name, Snape's face darkened with a hatred far deeper than what he usually showed Lupin. He didn't answer. He only turned back to the cauldron, focusing all his attention on the potion as it bubbled and steamed.
Seeing Snape like this, Sean could only sigh inwardly.
Compared to Sirius and James, Lupin was the least of Snape's grudges. Back then, Lupin had only been an accomplice at best — the real culprits had always been Harry's father, James, and Sirius. And even though James was long dead, Harry still carried Lily's blood — the only person Snape had ever truly loved — yet Snape couldn't help but vent his bitterness on James's son anyway.
If Sirius had stayed locked away in Azkaban, perhaps Snape could have endured it. But now that Sirius had escaped, all that anger and hatred had come roaring back.
"Alright. Since you're here, take this to Lupin."
Sean picked up the bottled potion Snape handed him, studying it carefully. Its color and consistency were just as they should be — the Wolfsbane Potion brewed with the two substitute ingredients looked stable enough. Satisfied that there were no obvious flaws, he tucked it away.
Snape watched him check the potion but said nothing. He simply tidied up his desk and added, "Originally, I only intended to brew enough Wolfsbane Potion to last until Lupin got himself thrown out — or until the Defense Against the Dark Arts curse drove him off. But now, thanks to your thesis, I've changed my mind. Since we have such a convenient test subject, we may as well use him. Let Lupin's suffering at least make a useful contribution to your research."
Having said so much today, Snape's patience for conversation had clearly run out. With a flick of his hand, he dismissed Sean without another word.
Seeing the gesture, Sean didn't linger. He grabbed the potion and left Snape's office without delay — the sooner he handed the Wolfsbane over to Lupin, the better.
He knocked on the door, and Lupin's gentle voice called out for him to come in. Sean pushed the door open and stepped inside.
When Lupin saw who it was, a flicker of surprise crossed his face before he quickly masked it with a warm smile. "Sean — I must admit, I didn't expect you to come looking for me. Is there something I can do for you?"
"Professor Lupin, I'm here to bring you a potion," Sean explained. "I just came from Professor Snape's office — he brewed this and asked me to deliver it to you."
At that, Lupin's expression shifted ever so slightly, though he kept his polite smile in place. "Please tell Severus I appreciate his help. Potions were never my strong suit, and given my… condition, I have no choice but to rely on someone as skilled as Severus to brew this rather troublesome potion.
It's good, in its own way, to have a colleague like Severus around, isn't it?"
Sean took out the Wolfsbane Potion and set it carefully on Lupin's desk.
"Here it is, Professor. Snape asked me to make sure you got it."
Lupin reached out and took the bottle, nodding to Sean. "Thank you very much, Sean. Even if you didn't come for anything else this time, if you ever need my help — you're always welcome here. After all, I am your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
Sean gave a nod, taking the hint that there was nothing more to say for now. He turned to leave without another word.
But just as he was about to leave, Sean suddenly turned back and looked at Lupin. "Professor Lupin, may I ask you something? Do you know how to cast the Patronus Charm?"
Lupin looked momentarily taken aback, then gave a small smile and nodded. "Of course — I can cast the Patronus Charm."
"Then… could you teach me?"
"Why do you want to learn it?"
"What happened to Harry on the Hogwarts Express — and the Dementors stationed here at Hogwarts — they make me uneasy," Sean said frankly. "I don't like having no way to defend myself against something so dangerous right under my nose. I don't want to feel helpless."
Lupin studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I understand. Do you have time every Tuesday and Wednesday evening?"
"I'm afraid not, Professor — I have Potions Club on Monday and Wednesday nights, and the Firwood Club for Transfiguration on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Would you happen to be free on Friday or Saturday evenings instead?"
This time, Lupin looked genuinely surprised, then gave a small, approving nod. "Very well — then Fridays and Saturdays, seven o'clock sharp. We'll work on the Patronus Charm — an hour each night. Does that suit you?"
Sean's eyes lit up. "Perfect. Thank you very much, Professor Lupin."