The Damage Caused by Unforgivable Curses

After enjoying a hot bath, he changed into clean clothes, then washed his Wizard Robe and hung it in front of the window to dry in the sun.

Before long, Old Tom, the Shopkeeper, delivered a steaming-hot meal.

A large serving of fragrant Roast Suckling Pig, a small dish of Pickled Eel, a small plate of Fruit Salad, and a mug of Butterbeer.

Anton held up his index and middle fingers in a two gesture. "Two servings, sir."

Old Tom curiously eyed his stomach. "Perhaps you can't eat that much."

Anton laughed and patted the trunk beside him. "I have a sick uncle who needs to eat too."

"???" Old Tom left with a strange expression.

Having run a tavern for most of his life, he had seen all sorts of things, but hey, he had never seen anything like this.

Carrying a sick uncle around in a trunk—what kind of bizarre behavior was that?

When he brought the food again, he was astonished to discover that it was true, and moreover...

"Lupin?!!!"

Lupin raised his pale, sweat-covered face and smiled. "Old Tom, long time no see."

Old Tom showed none of the joy of a reunion. He stared coldly at Lupin, then glanced at Anton. "Others may not know, but I do. Lupin, Werewolves are not welcome here!"

Lupin fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "I'll leave right away. Let him stay. I don't know him well."

Old Tom hesitated, staring suspiciously at Anton.

Anton waved with a smile. "No need for that. I'll leave with him."

"No, you can't! In my current condition, I have no way to take care of you!" Lupin panicked. He stared earnestly at Anton. "Child, listen to me. I'm a Werewolf. I can't keep you by my side forever either. It's too dangerous for you."

Anton shrugged. "Then stand up and take two steps?"

Lupin struggled for a moment, then plopped back onto the bed.

The result was obvious. Anton had not expected the Cruciatus Curse to harm Lupin so badly. Or rather, as one of The Three Unforgivable Curses, was this its effect on most people?

Anton vaguely remembered Neville, whom marketing accounts called the "Gryffindor Sword Saint." His parents had been both Aurors of the Ministry of Magic and members of the Order of the Phoenix. Yet even people of that caliber had been driven insane by Bellatrix, one of Voldemort's followers, using the Cruciatus Curse. They had spent more than a decade recuperating at St. Mungo's Hospital without recovering.

Lupin was clearly badly injured, yet Old Tom remained firm. "You can't stay here!"

"I'll leave." Lupin looked desolate.

Anton smiled at Old Tom. "Before leaving, perhaps I can properly enjoy this lunch? I haven't eaten meat in a very long time."

Without waiting for Old Tom's answer, he rubbed his hands together, sat down, and began eating with great relish.

Old Tom looked at the two of them, pursed his lips, and finally smiled at Anton. "Eat." Then he turned and left.

The Roast Suckling Pig tasted amazing!

The skin had been roasted incredibly crisp, beneath it lay a layer of fat almost melted tender, and one bite into the alternating layers of fat and lean pork released a rich burst of sauce.

Anton, who had held no hopes for British food, had his eyes light up.

"Delicious!"

God, he had not even smelled meat in two months!

Excitedly, Anton carried Lupin's serving over and set it on the bed. "You can sit up and eat a little. At least it'll help you regain some strength."

Lupin lowered his head without speaking. His messy bangs covered his eyes, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"Discrimination is everywhere in this world." Anton smiled as he tried to comfort him. Lupin looked up in surprise.

"Among wizards, Pureblood families discriminate against half-bloods, half-bloods discriminate against Mudbloods, and Mudbloods discriminate against Muggles who can't use magic. Those from magic schools discriminate against wandering self-taught outsiders. On a broader scale, even though they're all intelligent beings, humans discriminate against every other intelligent species—Goblins, House-elves, Werewolves, Vampires, Centaurs, Veela..."

Anton lifted his Butterbeer and took a huge gulp. "Even among Pureblood families, there are those who look down on others and those who are looked down upon."

He chuckled. "Discrimination is everywhere. Everyone occupies some link in the chain of discrimination. Unless your strength reaches Dumbledore's level, there's no way to avoid it."

Lupin looked at Anton, who was speaking with great fluency, and a trace of emotion appeared on his face.

He had never heard such an argument before. Even his kindest friends usually just encouraged him to show his best side so that others would accept him.

"Don't expect others to accept you." Anton waved his arms, his small body seeming to house a powerful master of keyboard rhetoric. "You need to clearly recognize this discrimination, accept the reality of it, and then find a way to survive that suits you!"

"A way to survive?" Lupin muttered.

"That's right!" Anton grabbed a pig trotter and took a big bite. "Your spells seem very impressive. Maybe you could become a professor."

Lupin smiled, but his smile was bitter. "Who would be willing to let a Werewolf be a Teacher?"

Clatter~

A filthy cloth sack tipped over, and Galleons poured out in a clatter, piling into a little mountain on the bed.

Anton smiled and pointed at himself. "Me!"

"My Teacher is gone!" Anton wore a grief-stricken expression. "You killed him. He died miserably. I have no Teacher now, no one to teach me magic, and even surviving has become difficult."

"You need to compensate me by teaching me spells! Of course, I'll pay tuition!"

Anton looked at him seriously. "I won't be able to find anyone more suitable than you."

Lupin's mouth twitched. He really wanted to say that Anton had killed his own Teacher!

Clatter~

Anton's clean left hand grabbed a handful of Galleons and shoved them into Lupin's hand. Their golden gleam was especially dazzling.

"Then it's happily settled!"

Lupin wanted to refuse, but the color of gold was simply too blinding. Down on his luck as he was, he truly needed money. After struggling again and again, all that remained was a dejected sigh under the pressure of life. He could only look sternly at Anton. "Every Full Moon Night, you must stay far away from me!"

Anton made quick work of the lavish lunch, then walked to the window overlooking the bustling street outside and lightly tapped the glass with his fingers.

"Maybe we should live in the Muggle world. Whether magical ingredients or Galleons, both will be important resources in the future."

"What do you think, Teacher Lupin? I have to consider your opinion."

He turned around with a serious expression, only to see Lupin trembling as he gripped his fork, struggling to spear a piece of meat but unable to pierce it no matter what.

"???"

Anton hurried over, staring intently at Lupin with a solemn expression. "The Cruciatus Curse hurt you this badly?"

Lupin looked up and struggled to force out a smile.

"I'm fine."

Then his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

"What?!!!" Anton was completely stunned.