Anton's room was in the southeast corner and was the master bedroom of the house.
It had a spacious bedroom, a Washroom that wasn't especially large but was big enough for a bath, and a walk-in closet nearly as large as the bedroom.
Anton didn't have many clothes, so the large wardrobe in the bedroom was more than enough.
The room had been converted into a study.
The bookshelves were crammed with all kinds of reference materials.
After several months of study and research, Anton's handwritten Parchments had nearly caught up with the Old Wizard's collection.
A huge hand-drawn diagram hung on the wall.
The Old Wizard began another round of lessons. "I've already taught you the basics of Potions. Now, let's begin a new course, one full of mystery."
He waved his arm smugly. "A course on Potion-making knowledge that only Fiennes in the whole world understands."
Fiennes was the Old Wizard's name, and Anton was looking forward to this.
"Wizard's Eye Potion costs too much to brew. Otherwise, you should drink some and follow my lecture by practicing as we go."
He pointed to the hand-drawn diagram. "I've had you drink it a few times while treating Lupin lately, so you've seen the Magic Image of a Werewolf's insides. So, do Potions have Magic Images too?"
"They do!"
The Old Wizard looked mysterious. "These Magic Images are dynamic. Take this leech in the picture, for example. When it's alive, its image looks like this, in a very stable state."
"When we crush it, it becomes something else. What's most interesting is that the emotions brewing inside you as you crush it affect its Traits."
Anton immediately understood and exclaimed, "It's just like casting Charms!"
"Exactly." The Old Wizard cackled. "A leech absorbing Felix Felicis might seem like nothing more than putting the Felix Felicis inside the leech. But if the person controlling it harbors evil thoughts, intense malice, then the Felix Felicis released afterward will be filled with unknown dangers."
"Making Potions is casting spells."
"So, you little brat, do you remember the first lesson I taught you? The foundation of spellcasting."
Anton's eyes shone. "Wizards as Gods. Wizard Will commands everything."
The Old Wizard solemnly set his head on his neck, composed himself, and said, "That's also the foundation of Fiennes's Potion theory."
"Teacher, you really are a genius!"
"Gah ha ha..."
The magical markings on the door glowed, and it quietly opened a crack.
A Snake's tongue flicked in and out as it slithered through the gap.
Its twelve-foot (3.6-meter) body wound across the floor. With its nimble tail, it gently pushed down the handle of the next door, opening it a little.
The Snake slithered inside.
The room contained a huge four-poster bed. A burly yet short figure lay on it: Goblin Pedro.
The Snake stared at the Goblin for a long time, then turned and left.
Next, it slithered farther along and opened another door.
The room looked cozy and smelled faintly sweet. On the vanity by the window sat a Glass Bottle carved with an angelic Relief, holding a bunch of fresh flowers. In the sunlight, droplets of water on them glimmered with a rainbow sheen.
There was no one in the room, only an open Suitcase on the floor.
The Snake slithered over and stuck its head inside the Suitcase.
The interior was enormous, like a vast Mechanical Factory. A small figure operated a large gantry crane, moving a huge mechanical structure into position above a machine.
Then the girl put on her Dragonhide Gloves, struggled to pull an oversized wrench off a rack, and climbed eight meters up. Using her body weight, she tightened one massive nut after another.
Sweat dripped from the ends of her black hair. She wiped it away, leaving a smear of grease on her face.
She looked completely focused and serious.
Just like the Snake's head hanging in the air inside the Suitcase, watching her with equal focus and seriousness.
On a morning like this, everyone seemed full of energy.
Lupin styled his hair in front of the mirror with gel, then rubbed a little moisturizer onto his face.
Next, he picked up some cologne and sprayed himself lightly before taking a finely tailored Tweed Coat from the rack and putting it on.
Lupin looked at his reflection with a strange expression.
This person...
Was a stranger.
But just as Anton had said, he didn't look too bad.
He smiled faintly and said to the figure in the mirror, "A new life, a new beginning, right?"
He pulled a silly face at himself and chuckled, then went to the large Oak desk opposite the bed. He switched off the television and carefully took the disc out of the DVD player, putting it into its plastic case.
Only then did he pick up the elegant alloy cane with a lion's head from the corner. He straightened his chest, lifted his head, and walked out of the room with the graceful bearing Anton and Anna had trained into him.
From the back entrance of the building, he went into the lobby on the first floor and up the stairs to their company's Office.
Chada Information Consulting Company.
In one corner, a row of cubicles stood half-partitioned. An employee sat in each one, with several phones in front of them.
The information collectors kept making and taking calls, recording everything. Some were even on two calls at once.
Two female colleagues kept gathering the files left beside them, organizing them at their desks, and handing them to the information processors at the desk in the middle of the hall.
Everyone was busy.
When someone spotted Lupin, they hurriedly greeted him, then quickly left with an armful of files.
Clearly, the company was up and running.
These people were elites recruited from all walks of life. All they needed was a leader who could give them hope, and they would unleash their boundless potential.
Anton was right. There wasn't much Lupin needed to do.
For example, when something came up, he couldn't panic or get anxious. He had to be elegant and composed, and keep smiling.
Then he should gather everyone for a meeting and let them work out a solution themselves.
All he had to do was approve whichever plan seemed most likely to succeed.
Simple, wasn't it?
Lupin encouraged himself as he nodded and smiled at people along the way.
At last, he reached his own private manager's Office.
But he had barely sat down when someone gently knocked on the wooden door. He looked up and saw the troublesome Ilsa.
Lupin tensed up instantly.
Anton had told him that she was the only Wizard in the company, and that she had deliberately tested him yesterday on the Full Moon and even called in Aurors from the Ministry of Magic.
His hand gripped the armrest tightly as he fought the urge to run.
Smile. Try your best to smile.
"Good morning, Miss Ilsa."
The beautiful young woman set a fragrant cup of Coffee on the desk and looked at him ingratiatingly. "Good morning, Mr. Lupin."
She clasped her slender, pale fingers together, clearly nervous. "There was a little mishap yesterday..."
Lupin let out a deep breath.
He raised a hand elegantly, propped his elbow on the desk, rested his cheek against it, and said with a broad smile, "It's fine. Just focus on your work."
Perfect!
He had perfectly copied Anton's pose and tone. He'd done it!
As expected, this capable employee would relax, then turn around and get back to work.
Yes, that was what Anton had predicted.
But evidently, something had gone wrong.
Ilsa didn't leave. She only smiled sweetly, showing a cute little canine tooth and a dimple in one cheek.
"Then, Mr. Lupin, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"
"Huh?"
"Is that not okay?" Ilsa's beautiful Golden Hair fluttered in the breeze. Her jewel-like blue-green eyes grew misty, and seemed to ask, Are you really not going to forgive me?
Good grief. How could a longtime shut-in like Lupin stand a chance against someone this skilled? He panicked all over.
"I... I..."
Ilsa blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering. "Then it's a date."
With that, she swayed out of the room.
Lupin was still left standing there, flustered. "I... I..."
What should he do?
Anton, where are you?
Before you continue