The Hope of the Whole Family

Anton was incredibly busy.

Besides the Old Wizard's research lessons, which ran spells and potions in parallel,

he had to take responsibility for an entire household.

The great snake Nagini needed feeding every day. Sometimes, he also had to undo the spell on her door and let her come out for a walk. She couldn't stay locked in her room all the time.

Pedro the Goblin remained unconscious. Anton could only hire a doctor to keep him on a glucose drip, and of course, a Confundus Charm was indispensable.

Sometimes the Old Wizard accidentally drifted into the neighbors' houses and scared them half to death. Anton had to knock on their doors and cast the Memory Charm he wasn't good at.

Then there was Lupin. He had been doing better and better lately, becoming more and more charming and looking especially energetic.

But Anton still had to drink Polyjuice Potion from time to time, argue with those old foxes at headquarters and the France branch, and personally visit some extremely important major clients to settle the most crucial business for them.

And every Full Moon Night, Anton was absolutely indispensable.

Anna also needed his guidance. That quiet, proud girl hid inside her trunk every day, tinkering with the enormous magical machine that had now grown to ten meters tall.

He had to take her out into the sun now and then, though naturally, it had to be at a different time from Nagini.

On top of that, he had to teach the delivery boy from the restaurant a lesson so he would stop showing up late every day. He also had to send the dry cleaner's owner an exquisite birthday gift to thank her for her attentive care.

A ten-year-old child, worrying over such a huge family.

It was simply too hard.

But it was all worth it.

Lupin had gained confidence and drive, Anna had shot up a great deal in just a few months, Nagini's injuries had fully healed, and Pedro had not died.

And Anton himself had finally achieved his first result after all this time studying.

That night, he gathered the family with a smile.

He drew the curtains over the floor-to-ceiling windows in the hall, lit the candles, and smiled at the Old Wizard, Lupin, and Anna.

He placed a box on the small round table and gently opened it. Inside was a plump little bird.

"Academic name: Anglako Spore Cluster. Potion name: Chameleon Windbird."

"Its special trait is..." Anton held the little bird in his palm. It swiftly turned the color of his fingers, and its translucent body even deceived the naked eye in an instant, making it seem as though it did not exist at all.

With a light flick of his hand, the fat bird flapped its wings and flew around the hall. As the background changed, it kept changing colors, blending into its surroundings.

Anna's eyes were full of affection. "What a cute little bird."

Indeed, it was plump and looked a lot like Angry Birds. Kids all loved it.

Lupin looked equally astonished. "I've never seen a bird like this before."

The Old Wizard cackled beside them. "That's because this potion is especially expensive and extremely difficult to catch. Ordinary people have never even seen it, let alone Lupin, who's so poor he can't afford to eat."

The Old Wizard was as mean as ever.

Anton picked up a piece of black cloth and covered a purple crystal on the table. At once, the bird vanished before everyone's eyes.

"Wow, it disappeared." Anna looked around curiously.

Lupin raised his wand. "Revelio!"

But nothing happened.

Anton explained with a smile, "Other than under the invisible light of a Molopige Crystal Stone, this creature, which looks like a bird but is actually a cluster of spores, cannot be seen with the naked eye. The Revealing Charm can only make it show its true appearance, but its true appearance is invisible."

He pulled the cloth off the crystal stone. The bird in midair stood on the chandelier's frame. Though it still looked like a chameleon, it could now be seen vaguely.

"Next..."

"...comes the moment to witness a miracle!"

Anton shut his eyes, waved his wand, made exceedingly complex Hand Gestures, and muttered under his breath. In the end, his entire body vanished into thin air.

"Wow!" Anna cried out.

A plump little bird flew around the chandelier's frame, then landed on it and stared face-to-face with the original bird.

Then the plump bird flew down and landed in Anna's palm, giving her a playful peck.

Anna giggled.

The little bird took flight again and changed rapidly in midair, eventually turning into a red-haired boy.

"This is my new magic."

Lupin stared at him in disbelief. "An Animagus?"

Anton chuckled and raised a finger, wagging it. "This isn't Transfiguration. I simulated the magic image of this magical herb with the magic inside my body, and that turned me into its form. I call it the Biomimetic Spell."

"Cackle, cackle, cackle." The Old Wizard laughed proudly. "Anton researched this himself. Let's give him a round of applause."

"Of course, it was only with my guidance that he could build upon Fiennes's Potion Studies and forge such a brilliant path of his own."

Anna and Lupin both began clapping.

But Anton wore a serious expression.

"I didn't show you this today just to let you know how amazing I am."

"Did you notice anything about the spell I just used?"

Anna and Lupin looked at each other. The Old Wizard looked equally confused.

Anton waved his wand, pulling the little bird down into his hand. He pointed his wand at himself, then at the bird.

"I turned into a potion, and then turned from a potion back into myself."

As he spoke, he looked at everyone expectantly.

Yet all he saw were a group of children with question marks all over their faces.

Anton sighed. "Didn't you notice? This transformation is reversible!"

"It ignores bloodlines, races, even biological traits. It also has nothing to do with any spell."

Anna still looked completely confused, but Lupin's breathing had quickened. He stared at Anton nervously. "You mean..."

"Haha, Lupin, you finally got it!" Anton snapped his fingers.

"This is only a beginning. The spores are relatively simple, so I was able to simulate them successfully. But if I keep researching, I'll eventually enter far more complicated fields."

Anton fixed his gaze on Anna and Lupin.

"Even Blood Curse Orcs and Werewolves."

At the mention of Blood Curse Orcs, Anna looked bewildered. Clearly, she had no idea what they were, but her face was full of pride in Anton.

Lupin, however, hurried over and seized Anton's arm. He swallowed. "You mean...?"

"Yes!"

Anton's voice rang out. "If I continue down this path, I can turn Werewolves back into humans. I can turn Blood Curse Orcs back into humans."

He let out a deep breath. "But it will take time. I don't know when I'll be able to accomplish it."

Lupin's whole body began to tremble. His eyes brimmed with tears. He pressed his lips together, his mouth shaking uncontrollably.

"I..." His voice was hoarse.

His words choked with sobs. "I can wait! Even if I grow so old that all my hair turns white, even if I can no longer walk, even if I only have one day left to live by then, I still want to become a whole, complete human being before I'm buried in the ground."

He sounded as though he was about to cry.

At last, the reserved old man let out a loud roar, as if venting decades of pain he had accumulated throughout his life, then rushed back to his room.

After he shut the door, they could only faintly hear his deeply suppressed sobbing.

Everyone fell silent.

The Old Wizard clicked his tongue in sympathy, then glanced at Anna and Nagini's rooms and said quietly, "You little bastard, you gave everyone hope. You can't let that hope be shattered. That would be too cruel."

Anton looked at him seriously. "I will do it!"

His words rang like a struck bell.