New Life

Mr. Lupin was a charming man, elegant without being stuffy.

He knew how to look after his female colleagues' feelings with impeccable courtesy. And when the men told crude jokes, he would come back with risqué but much milder quips that had everyone laughing.

All in all, the team-building event had gone very well.

Mr. Lupin had gotten along with everyone.

"Goodbye. Take care on your way home." Even though Lupin was drunk himself, he insisted on standing at the corner to watch every colleague leave in a car.

Ilsa glanced into the distance, then up at the bright moon overhead, and finally looked at Lupin in confusion.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lupin. I think I mistook you for someone else." Ilsa helped support him, trying to ingratiate herself.

There was no need to mention the few Ministry of Magic Aurors who had just left. Even she could tell that this Lupin wasn't a Werewolf.

So if he wasn't a Werewolf—

Then this man was her real Muggle boss!

She was done for. Her job was done for!

Lupin shook his head. After drinking so much, then getting hit by the cold wind on the street, he was clearly a little dizzy.

But he still looked at Ilsa earnestly. "You need to work harder and show me through your performance that I can't fire you, because it would be a huge loss to the company. Do you understand?"

Ilsa nodded rapidly.

After they finished talking about work, Lupin's eyes grew bleary with drink. He staggered forward, and Ilsa hurried after him to support him again. "Lupin, where do you live? I'll take you home."

Lupin chuckled, breathed out the smell of alcohol, and pointed upstairs at the company. "The fourth floor—or was it the fifth? Anyway, the top floor."

He patted his stomach, looking rather pleased with himself. "I made some money in France. After I came to Britain, the first thing I did was buy myself a place."

Ilsa was surprised. The street had both shops and homes, and it was close to King's Cross Station, so property here didn't come cheap.

She looked him up and down. He wasn't exactly handsome, but he was refined and clearly knew how to enjoy life. He also seemed to have been through a lot, with the steadiness that came from experience. Most important of all, he was successful and wealthy.

He had everything to make any young woman swoon!

Even if he was a Muggle, she wouldn't have minded spending her life with a man like him.

Unfortunately, she seemed to have offended him without meaning to.

Lupin refused to let her take him home, insisting that she go first. Ilsa could only climb into her car, looking back again and again. She bit her lower lip and drove away, unwilling to leave.

"Thank goodness, she's finally gone!" Lupin suddenly perked up and hurried toward the stairwell behind the company.

At the corner, he checked that no one was around, then dashed up the stairs three at a time.

It was as if some monster were chasing him. Even his face began to blur.

He quickly opened the door at the top floor, rushed inside, and shut it.

The instant the door closed, his whole body twisted.

In a flash, he turned into a red-haired boy who looked no older than ten.

It was Anton.

Steady, rhythmic footsteps approached. Anna came over with some clothes in her arms, sniffed the air, and frowned, but said nothing.

Anton tugged at the clothes, which had suddenly become enormous on him, and asked, "How's Lupin doing now?"

"Mr. Fiennes is keeping an eye on him. He's fine."

Only then did Anton nod. He took the clothes and went into the Washroom.

A little while later, he came out, fresh and clean.

He gazed at the apartment with deep satisfaction.

Six bedrooms and two living rooms, more than two hundred square meters, plus an exclusive rooftop terrace. It couldn't have been more perfect.

Anton spread his arms as if embracing the whole world. "Haha, I finally have a Home of my own."

It hadn't been easy. For the past few months in France, he'd used Lupin's name and his astonishingly forward-thinking vision and silver tongue to close countless huge deals—deals that his colleagues considered nothing short of miracles.

He'd earned a fearsome nickname there: the sleepless money-making machine.

All that hard work had been worth it.

With a house, it felt as if he'd finally put down roots. He felt grounded.

Anna stood quietly behind him, gazing at his profile with a faint smile.

The Old Wizard floated out of a room. "Now that you've settled into a stable life, I think we can resume our Potions lessons."

Anton nodded seriously. "Indeed. Magic interests me more than money."

"From now on, Lupin can go to work while I study at Home."

Just then, a huge wolf's head poked out of a room. Its eyes were full of fear. "I'm going to work?"

"Of course!" Anton said, looking annoyed. "Lupin, you're an old man. Aren't you ashamed to make a ten-year-old kid earn money to support you?"

"But..." Lupin swallowed nervously. "Muggle society..."

Anton cut him off. "I took you around when we were in France. You adapted just fine. You even know how to watch TV now, and you've gotten hooked on The Countess of Charny."

"I..." Lupin's wolf's head was astonishingly expressive. "The Information Consulting Company's business..."

Anton interrupted him again. "With your weathered look, you'll be irresistible to young women if you dress the way I've planned. And I've already given you plenty of lessons in economics."

Anton sighed. "Lupin, you're clever, capable, and charming. Your only flaw is that you lack confidence."

Lupin fell silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. "You're right. I can't let a little kid like you support me. I'll do my best."

"Haha, Lupin, have some confidence. You can handle it." Anton grinned and put an arm around the Werewolf's neck. "The Information Consulting Company is a new industry. You can say just about anything and no one will think it's strange. There aren't any seasoned veterans around to criticize you."

"Everyone's a beginner. We're all figuring it out."

"Lupin..." Anton's voice turned wistful. "I can't cure your condition, but at least it doesn't keep you from living your life anymore. You can start trying to find your own Way of Survival."

"Let's all embrace a new life!"

The Old Wizard cackled beside them. "Yes, a new life!"

As a Ghost, he didn't need sleep or a desk. Yet the little Anton had still given him a room, and it made him feel especially content.

He liked floating above the bed or in the bathtub at night with his eyes closed, even though he wasn't sleeping.

There was a huge floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. The curtains were drawn open, and Lupin could easily see the house across the street, the one no one else could see.

12 Grimmauld Place, Sirius's Home.

When he was young, he had come here with Potter and Peter. The four of them had played together here.

"A new life?"

Anton nodded with a grin, then headed into the kitchen. A short while later, he came out carrying a bucket of food and went to a room in the corner.

He opened the door. Beneath the four-poster bed left behind by the house's former owner, a large Snake slithered out.

Anton poured the food into a bowl and petted the Snake's head as if it were a puppy.

"Go on, eat."

The Snake rubbed against him affectionately, flicked its tongue, then lowered its head and began gulping down the food.

Anton left the room and closed the door. A flash of Magic lit up.

He stretched, planning to go back to his room to sleep, but saw Anna standing quietly in the distance, waiting for him.

"Haha, it's not going to crawl out of the room. Why are you standing so far away?"

Anna shook her head firmly. "I was attacked by a Snake when I was little. Snakes scare me."

So Anton had to go over to her himself. "What's up? Why aren't you asleep?"

Anna's eyes sparkled. She looked eager, but also afraid. "The large Time-Turner is almost finished. I—I want to go somewhere, but I can't use Magic. Could you come with me?"

Anton frowned. "Time travel is dangerous. I'm not strong enough yet. You should wait for Pedro to wake up, or for your father to come back. They're powerful enough to keep you safe."

Anna pressed her lips together and hesitantly said, "That's exactly why I've been trying to avoid them."

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