New Life

Mr. Lupin was a very charming man, elegant without being pretentious.

He could courteously attend to the feelings of his female colleagues, and when the male colleagues told crude jokes, he could join in with jokes that were still a little risqué but far more tasteful and witty, making everyone burst into laughter.

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

Mr. Lupin had gotten along with everyone.

"Goodbye, be careful on your way home." Even though Lupin himself was tipsy, he still insisted on standing at the intersection until every colleague had gotten into a car and left.

Ilsa looked into the distance, then at the moon hanging high in the sky, before finally looking at Lupin in confusion.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lupin. I think I mistook you for someone else." Ilsa ingratiatingly supported Lupin.

Not to mention the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic who had just left—even she herself could tell that this Lupin was not a werewolf.

So if he was not a werewolf!

Then this man was her actual Muggle boss!

She was done for, done for—her job!

Lupin shook his head. After drinking so much and then being hit by the cold night wind, he was clearly feeling dizzy.

Yet he still looked seriously at Ilsa. "You need to work harder and use your results to tell me that I can't fire you, because that would be a huge loss for the company. Do you understand what I mean?"

Ilsa hurriedly nodded like a pecking chicken.

After discussing work, Lupin's eyes grew bleary with drink as he staggered forward. Ilsa quickly caught up and supported him again. "Lupin, where do you live? I'll take you home."

Lupin chuckled, breathed out alcohol fumes, and pointed upstairs at the company building. "The fourth or fifth floor, I think. Anyway, the top floor."

He patted his stomach, looking rather pleased with himself. "I made some money in France. The first thing I did after coming to Britain was buy myself a property."

Ilsa was a little surprised. This street was a mix of commercial buildings and residences, but it was close to King's Cross Station, so prices were anything but cheap.

She looked Lupin up and down. He was not especially handsome, but he was refined, clearly someone who loved life. He also looked like he had been through a great deal, carrying the calmness that came only after life had settled. Most importantly, he held a high position and was wealthy.

He had all the qualities that could intoxicate any young woman!

Even if he was a Muggle, she actually would not have minded spending her life with someone like him.

Unfortunately, it seemed she had accidentally offended him.

Lupin would not let her take him home and insisted that she leave first. Ilsa could only get into her car while looking back every few steps, biting her lower lip as she drove away reluctantly.

"Oh my god, she finally left!" Lupin suddenly became alert and hurried toward the stairwell behind the company building.

When he reached the corner and saw no one around, he raced up the stairs two at a time like a madman.

As though some monster were chasing him, even his face began to blur.

He quickly unlocked the top-floor door, rushed inside, and shut it.

The moment he closed the door, his entire body twisted.

In an instant, he became a red-haired child who looked only ten years old.

It was none other than Anton.

Steady, rhythmic footsteps approached. Anna came over carrying clothes, sniffed lightly with her small nose, frowned, and said nothing.

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

"Mr. Fiennes, the Old Wizard, is watching over him. He's fine."

Only then did Anton nod, take the clothes, and head into the washroom.

Before long, he came out looking fresh and clean.

He gazed at the apartment with deep satisfaction.

Six rooms, two living rooms, more than two hundred square meters, and even an exclusive rooftop terrace—it could not have been more perfect.

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

It had not been easy. Over the past few months, he had used Lupin's name in France, relying on vision far ahead of the times and his silver tongue to frantically close countless massive deals that his colleagues considered miracles.

Over there, he had earned a resounding nickname—the money-making madman who never needed sleep.

All that hard work had been worth it.

With a house, it felt as though he had roots. His whole being felt grounded.

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

The Old Wizard drifted out of one of the rooms. "Now that you have a settled life, I think our Potions lessons can resume."

Anton nodded seriously. "That's true. Compared with money, magic is much more appealing to me."

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

Just then, a huge wolf's head poked out from a room, its wolfish eyes filled with terror. "I'm going to work?"

"Of course!" Anton looked displeased. "Lupin, you old man, how can you possibly make a ten-year-old child earn money to support you?"

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

Anton quickly cut him off. "I had you experience it when I was in France. You adapted very well. At the very least, you know how to watch television now, and you've even become obsessed with The Countess of Charny."

"I..." The expression on Lupin's wolf face was remarkably rich. "The business of an information consulting company..."

Anton interrupted him again. "Your world-weary temperament, as long as you dress according to the style I designed for you, will be exactly what young women like. You'll be unstoppable. Besides, I've already taught you plenty of economics."

Anton sighed. "Lupin, you're a very smart, outstanding, and charming person. Your only flaw is that you lack confidence."

Lupin fell silent for a while before giving a bitter smile. "You're right. I can't let a little guy like you support me. I'll do well."

"Hahaha, Lupin, have some confidence. You can handle it." Anton grinned as he draped an arm around his werewolf neck. "Information consulting is an emerging industry. You can say whatever you want, and no one will think it's wrong. There are no experienced seniors around to point fingers at you."

"Everyone is a beginner. Everyone is feeling their way forward."

"Lupin." Anton's voice turned soft. "Although I can't completely cure your condition, at least it no longer affects your life. You can start trying to find your own way to survive too."

"Let's all start embracing our new lives!"

The Old Wizard let out a raspy cackle beside them. "Yes, a new life!"

As a ghost, he did not need sleep or a desk, yet Anton had still assigned him a room. It made him feel especially content.

He liked floating above the bed or in the bathtub at night, closing his eyes even though he did not sleep.

The living room had a huge floor-to-ceiling window. With the Veil drawn open, Lupin could easily see the house across from them that others could not see.

12 Grimmauld Place, Sirius Black's home.

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

"A new life?"

Anton nodded with a smile, walked into the kitchen, and soon came out carrying a bucket of food toward a room in the corner.

When he opened the door, a large snake crawled out from beneath the four-poster bed left behind by the house's former owner.

Anton poured the food from the bucket into a feeding bowl and stroked the snake's head as though petting a puppy.

"Eat."

The snake affectionately rubbed against him, flicked out its tongue, and lowered its head to swallow great mouthfuls.

Anton walked out and shut the door. A flash of magic lit up.

He stretched, intending to return to his room to sleep, only to see Anna standing quietly in the distance, silently waiting for him.

"Hahaha, she won't 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. I get especially scared whenever I see snakes."

Anton had no choice but to walk over himself. "Is something wrong? Why haven't you gone to sleep?"

Anna's eyes sparkled. She seemed both excited and afraid. "The Large Time-Turner is almost finished. I, I want to go somewhere, but I can't use magic. Could you go with me?"

Anton frowned. "Time travel is very dangerous. I'm not strong enough yet. You should wait until Pedro wakes up, or until your father comes back. They're strong enough to keep you safe."

Anna pressed her lips together and said hesitantly, "I'm deliberately avoiding them."

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