Chapter 373: Hog's Head Inn
Wade nodded. "It must be a Muggle Organization behind this."
"Then... aren't those people going to be punished?" Harry asked angrily. "Those Muggles who experimented on Werewolves and created those hormones..."
Although Harry had grown up in Muggle society, his extremely harsh living conditions had left him with little sense of belonging to Muggles.
He was a Wizard, and his parents and friends were all Wizards. As for his Muggle relatives, the Dursleys, they were three of the people he disliked most in the world.
But after Harry spoke, he noticed a silence in the room; no one said a word.
Harry looked over, puzzled, and saw that Sirius and Lupin both looked grim, while Wade's expression was inscrutable.
"Is that not right?" Harry looked at everyone, stubbornly continuing, "I don't believe Muggles are innocent in this! Even if it was Vampire coercion, the technology to extract hormones isn't something just anyone can master..."
"Harry," Wade said, "according to the information I've received, the Muggle Organization isn't just a participant—they're the masterminds. The Vampires you think are the culprits are actually under their control."
Harry was stunned. "But... how can that be? They're Vampires! Muggles don't have Magic..."
"There are many ways to control people; it doesn't always require Magic," Wade said. "Money, power, beauty, family... as long as people have desires, it's easy to put a leash on them, regardless of whether they have Magic or not."
Lupin and Sirius were both surprised.
Sirius paused, then suddenly asked, "Wade, are you going to see Marchioni later?"
"Yes."
"Oh..." Sirius turned to Lupin and said, "You go with Wade... otherwise, I'm worried that hyena will spread his filthy thoughts everywhere..."
This time, Lupin didn't rebuke Sirius for his bad habit of randomly nicknaming people; instead, he nodded seriously.
Wade: "..."
"Don't change the subject!" Harry asked angrily. "Aren't the Muggles behind this worth investigating? They must have more of those hormones. I think that's the most important and dangerous thing right now!"
"Harry..." Lupin sighed. "It's not that we don't take it seriously, but investigations involving Muggles must be handled with extreme caution..."
Harry looked at him, his eyes a little dazed.
Sirius reached out and patted his head, ruffling his hair like he would a small dog.
"Harry, these aren't things you need to worry about. We'll handle it—hungry? Want a madeleine? I bought these this morning from a French patisserie in London."
Harry knew he was being brushed off, and his expression was clearly annoyed, but when the scent of butter and lemon wafted into his nostrils, his stomach honestly rumbled.
Sirius couldn't help but smile.
Wade noticed that as they spent more time together, Sirius's "fatherly" presence became more pronounced, making him seem much more mature.
Perhaps the matters concerning James Potter and Regulus had finally taught this free-spirited man to grow and understand what responsibility meant.
As Harry picked up a madeleine, his eyes caught Wade next to him, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
He stopped pressing Lupin and Sirius for a straight answer and began to genuinely enjoy the food.
Since Wade wasn't at all surprised by the two adults' attitude, it meant he knew why. Harry even suspected Wade had more information than Sirius.
If that was the case, why should he bother with two adults who were brushing him off? Wouldn't it be the same to ask Wade once they were back at school?
...
After lunch, Lupin really did go out with Wade.
He had just recovered from a serious illness and looked particularly thin in the sunlight. People they met along the way kindly greeted Lupin, worried if he was sick.
"I've had a bit of a cold recently," Lupin replied gently. "But it's fine; I've fully recovered."
Seeing this, Wade couldn't help but feel relieved—fortunately, Carlyle and the others had chosen to act at night, and the people of Hogsmeade hadn't discovered that the crazed Werewolf was Lupin.
Lupin seemed to know what he was thinking and said naturally, "We'll go to the Hog's Head Inn—Madam Rosmerta seems to have realized something; she's been very wary of me lately."
Wade's steps towards the Three Broomsticks paused, then he changed direction.
"She didn't tell anyone?"
"Hmm... yes, that's right... she probably isn't certain yet, just suspicious."
"Has she been tracking or investigating you?"
"Not really... but if I don't show up around the next full moon, she'll probably be certain... We're here, come in."
Wade looked up at the dilapidated sign and the greasy felt hanging beside it. He mentally prepared himself for a moment before gathering the courage to step inside.
A strong smell of sheep permeated the air. The windows were caked with thick grime, and the stone floor looked like it had never been cleaned, almost turning into mud.
A few customers, their faces hidden, sat in the bar. Hearing the sound at the door, they glanced over, saw a plain man and a child, and then indifferently looked away.
The bar owner emerged from behind the counter and asked unpleasantly, "What do you want?"
He sounded like he was saying—"What are you staring at?"
Wade took a serious look at the man. His features were hidden amidst a messy grey beard and long hair, and deep wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes. The only clean thing on him was the pair of spectacles perched on his nose.
This was Dumbledore's brother—Aberforth Dumbledore.
It was hard to imagine that two such different people were brothers.
But looking with a preconceived notion, the more one looked, the more one realized that the two brothers actually bore quite a resemblance.
"A room upstairs, please," Lupin said.
Aberforth's sharp blue eyes stared at Wade for a moment, then fixed on Lupin with an oppressive gaze, remaining silent.
"We're meeting a friend," Lupin said in a low voice. "Marco Marchioni."
—Although Lupin's house was nearby, they wouldn't invite business associates to their homes when discussing business.
Upon hearing the latter name, Aberforth's expression softened, and he grumbled, "Three Galleons, paid upfront."
Lupin placed the money on the counter. Aberforth tossed it into the till, then led the two upstairs. The stairs creaked loudly, looking quite dilapidated.
As they ascended the stairs, Wade suddenly paused.
He saw a portrait of a young girl above the bar's mantelpiece. She was slender and pale, appearing meek and obedient.
Wade had seen her before in an illusion created by Dumbledore—Ariana Dumbledore.
"What's wrong?" Lupin asked, looking back.
"Nothing."
Wade said, then followed the two in front.
One update tonight.
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